Nurture (Ethan Landry x Reader)

Part 16 | Dusty Booth

      "I'm just really good at my job, you'll get there," Gale says to Kirby before swiping her card to enter the building she found. Everyone just followed her like lost sheep. After another door, some steps, a gate, and another card swipe, y'all swiftly made it into the rickety and dusty building. 

      "What is this place? What's with all the security?" Sam asks. Gale flips a switch, turning on the lights. "It's a movie theatre," Tara answers. "It's not just a theatre," she finally starts to explain. "It's a shrine." 

      The gears, the pulleys, and whatever else was keeping the curtain down started to rustle as it was pulled up. It displayed an array of ghostface costumes, minus the masks, in a half circle. You all started to walk inside, exploring the shrine. It was full of important real things, not props, actual evidence from the murders and massacres. You walked around, close to Ethan, feeling really out of place since nothing at all was familiar. Everyone pondered on the things that connected to them, but you were never too keen on this series. "They've got the whole goddamn franchise," Mindy says to herself, looking at the things that belonged to her uncle.

      "Hey how'd they get all this stuff?" Tara asks. "I mean isn't this evidence?" Gale breathes in, "Well cops like money, and evidence can get lost pretty easily." 

      "Why the hell did they even bring us?" You whisper to Ethan, having him bend down. He just shrugs. "Um, why are we here exactly? Our alibis check out." Ethan asks. "So I can keep an eye on y'all, roomie." Chad says smugly as Mindy points her fingers from her eyes to y'alls. 

      "The killer must've found this place before he murdered Greg and Alex," Gale starts. You grimace at the name not being Jason, and Ethan does a little too. "And then he took the masks off the mannequins. All nine from Stu and Billy, to Amber and Richie." You all walked towards the ring of faceless ghostfaces, inspecting the clothes the killers wore while committing their heinous acts. "So somebody killed these chucklefucks and took over?" Chad speculates. "Somebody who believes Sam masterminded Woodsboro," Gale adds on. "If this were a normal stab movie," Mindy starts. "This would be the killer's lair." You roll your eyes at her geeky comment. "But this isn't a movie Mindy, it's real life." You tell her. "But that's where you're wrong y/n," Kirby says, turning to you. "Every one of these massacres have replicated their respective sequels." Mindy turns around, "Which means-" "This isn't a normal Stab movie," Kirby finishes.

      You got chills. The others have been through this before. There seemed to be some kind of formula. But sure, the time you get involved is the time shit starts to go off the rails. Where was Anika and Quinn when you needed them?

      Tara storms off, probably contemplating what the fuck was going to happen next. Everyone just started to wander around the place, including you and Ethan that found a secluded, dusty photobooth filled with spiders. "Gross," you say, making your way into the dark box. The two of y'all get situated in the booth. A faint light comes on so you close the curtain. "Eth?" You start, not turning to face him and just staring ahead. "I'm scared. Like actually, really scared." You tell him. "Says the pyro," he says like a smart aleck before you slap his arm. "Too soon," you say looking down.

      The silence only lasted about 5 seconds before he said, "I'm sorry, you're right," he apologizes as he places his hand on yours. "We'll live through this," he says, resting his head on your shoulder. "Will we?" You whisper. "Anika and Quinn didn't," you say, turning your head slightly. "And we didn't die because we weren't there." He squeezes his fingers in between yours. "But if we stay together we'll be alright. Yeah?" You just shake your head, your hair tickling his nose. "Whatever," you say, obviously annoyed, but he didn't take it to heart. "Hey, I have a question," he says softly. "Yeah?" You respond. "If you like, killed all those kids," he whispered extremely quietly so others wouldn't hear. "How come you aren't like imprisoned." You shake your head. "People are just corrupt like that. Everyone helped cover it up and just told me to flee." Ethan raises a brow. "So then why'd you come back?" "I stay close to campus and just keep my head down low. I like it here, that's really it. After a while people forget about things."

      You start to think. "You know what Eth, you're right," you say, petting his curls. "We'll be fine. I mean what if we just fled?" Ethan's eyes light up and he sits up. "What if we fake our deaths?" You gawk at him. "Fake our deaths? That's crazy talk." He shakes his head. "Not really! Did some reading last night, apparently Roman Bridger, an old ghostface, briefly faked his death so nobody suspected him. We could come back after, it's just like so the killer won't target us, you know?" You snap and smile at him. "You're right! Just how can we even do that. Besides won't the killer know who they've killed?" Ethan thinks. "You're right. It was a nice thought though." You sighed, "And to think Tara said this would be the best halloween ever."

      Out of literally nowhere, Chad swipes the curtain open. "Where were y'all?" He asks. "Here," Ethan says, climbing out. "Listen. Mindy really thinks it's one of you two. Or both." You roll your eyes. "Of course she does. And I'm gonna guess you think so too." Chad tilts his head. "I mean y'all two 'had econ' together, and stayed later than us at the party." He says. "So? That means literally nothing. We've always had econ together, and do you really think within the time we were at that party we would be able to commit murder? We stayed like an extra 20 minutes." You say, clearly pissed. "Enough time to fuck, enough time to kill." Chad remarks. "What's your problem, man?" Ethan asks clearly as pissed as you. "We never asked to be new characters in a horror movie." Chad just shrugs. "My bad man, I know how it feels to be accused." Chad then turns to you. "Oh, and y/n," He starts. "Kirby did some digging on you."

      You swallow. "Oh yeah?" He nods. "Yeah. You've been accused of pretty interesting things. We don't care you were never convicted. You're only able to stick around so you don't go run loose." You choke. "What? Who knows? And Chad I never meant to hurt anyone it was an accident." Chad's eyes go wide. "I was kidding." He says, growing weary. "But now I'm concerned." "Don't worry about it," you say, walking away to find Tara or someone who wasn't a guy.

      "Okay but real talk dude," Ethan says to Chad. "If it isn't me or y/n, who else could it be?" Chad just shrugs. "Bailey? Maybe even Kirby." Ethan nods at him. "Two corrupt cops using their power to their own advantage. Classic," Chad says clicking his tongue, staring in your direction as you sit next to Tara and Kirby. "In case we all die," Ethan says shakily. "Do you plan on asking out Tara?" Chad shakes his head. "I don't care if the world's gonna end. Now is not the time to ask her." He says. 

      Bailey joins the two guys to inform them on what's next. "We've got another idea." Chad and Ethan look at each other then back to the detective. "Don't worry. All you two boys have to do is sit in the back of a van."

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word count: 1.2k+

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a note because I know its been a whilee just the fact we're getting to the movie is giving me major writers block 🤧