Desolation //Imp Tweek x Pastor Craig //

Aberration.

'Well there's nothing here. Can we leave before we all become missing posters on the sides of lamp posts please?'

The fed up voice of the pastor came from amongst the shadowy trees that lined the dirt track. Forty minutes had passed and revealed not a crumb of knowledge into their search for the imps parents - the crumpled up photograph was far from the help they needed and the area around them looked as if it was untouched by any human life for a number of years. The lightly, snow dusted ground remained untouched apart from the tracks they were making as they weaved in and out of the trees. The instructions they were left just led to a dead end. Perhaps it was for an ambush, or maybe someone wanted them away from town? Whatever it was, there was nothing to seek here.

'Yeah. I'm ready to call it.' Pulling his hood closer to his face against the late evening wind, Kenny had also deemed this a bust - and a waste of his time. 'Sorry dudes, I think someone or something's having you on.'

Though it didn't fully sit right with Craig, after all who else knew about Tweek and also managed to track down his parents too? However, he was in agreement with Kenny this time. Craigs head began to nod in agreement, his mouth opening to reply but his actions were interrupted abruptly by the Imp squawking inside his head again. The Imps outburst causing Craig's jaw to clench and heels of his hands pressing firmly against his temples as the anguished voice filled his mind.

'We have to stay! There's got to be something - Gah! We can't leave now!' Tweek panically exclaimed inside Craig's head, convinced they were just missing something. He couldn't leave without some answers, this place had to hold it somewhere.

Observing Craig's anguish, assuming the imp was berating him for wanting to leave also, Kenny tossed his head back and huffed. 'Dude, just kick him outta there - we can go back to the car, just leave him here exploring if he doesn't want to leave.' Narrowing his gaze upon the figure before him momentarily then turning on his heel to begin taking his leave. 'Shoulda sent that stupid imp back to hell when I had the chance... We could all be getting on with our lives...' Muttering under his breath as he walked, he shoved his hands into his pockets to guard them for the ever growing cold.

Still nursing his left temple, Craig did everything he could to ignore Tweeks outbursts in his mind while attempting to follow Kenny through the dark. 'Look I know it sucks...' Craig began to reason aloud with the imp. 'But we've looked everywhere. Why don't we come back tomorrow and look in the daylight? We might find some actual answers then.' His words felt futile against the anguished ones of the imp but Craig refused to stay a single moment more, 'I'm sorry, Tweek.' Sighing, Craig willed his feet forwards while his arms hugged his torso against the chill in the air.

The crunch of snow under foot was the only thing to make a sound upon their retreat, their was some unspoken tension between the trio but all refused to acknowledge it - the air around them felt charged; almost staticky - that feeling before a storm. However, the temperature kept dropping and even Craig's demonic form was struggling to keep the chill from settling in his bones.

'We need to keep moving.' Kenny's muffled voice sounded from up front, not looking back. It was abrupt and added to the already awkward atmosphere - but for some reason the words made the hairs on the back of Craig's neck stand on end. Just his tone and hast, Craig couldn't help but feel as if he was leading them away from something. But as that awful gut feeling grew within him, suddenly he couldn't move his feet.

'Uhh... Tweek?' Craig tried to force himself forwarded, but he was rooted to the spot. 'Is this you?' He questioned while he watched the orange hooded figure almost disappear up front. There wasn't a reply. 'Ugh, dude. I know this is important but I'd like not to freeze to death tonight. Let's just...' Uncontrollably, his head began to turn over his left shoulder before facing upon a parting in the trees and overgrowth.