𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 | dead boy detectives

1.3| shoes

the aspen's house is looking gloomy lately and winnie frown as she look at it. mr. and mrs. aspen must be so worried sick that they're daughter never return back home. people were putting flowers in front of the house, most convinced that the girl is dead. what could a little helpless girl do to save herself if in dire situation?

the four of them stand at the sidewalk in front of a house that winnie show the direction to. "it'll be better if i can touch them but here's the plan. you get the parents talking about becky and i can focus on it specifically" ah, that's the new piece of information that winnie knew after charles had told her. crystal has psychic power. that explains how she could see the boys.

"look i know you said you don't fancy this part, diving into people's mind. we can try another way if you want." charles and edwin had disguises themselves in the form of police officers so that the parents would willingly talk to them.

"no, charles. this is the quickest way to get the information." crystal had put her mind to it. winnie bounce on her feet lightly beside crystal. "oh! what do i get to do?" she said eagerly. she wanted to be apart of the plan too. "you shouldn't be here. i already said that you can't join us." edwin, in the form of a lady cop turn to me and glare.

i make an offended face "what? but i brought you here! atleast give me something to do!" winnie throw her hands in the air and glare challengingly at edwin. charles shake his head and calm them down. "enough. let's just get this done. winnie, you can stay with crystal okay?" winnie only sigh before nodding. a bit dissapointed she won't be involved in the questioning.

they ring the doorbell and a woman who has a puffy face from crying open the door. "we're sorry mr. and mrs. aspen. do you have a moment?" edwin ask as charles tilt his head in greeting. "of course. anything to help you find becky." the woman said sadly and turn her head to see her husband coming to the door. he put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"would you mind tell us what happen the morning becky was taken?" meanwhile, winnie and crystal hide behind the bushes near the aspen's frontdoor. crystal close her eyes as she focuses herself. winnie could hear the voice of the heartbroken mother as she tell the officers about the unfortunate morning.

she then glances at crystal when she saw that her eyes had gone white. she sit there dumbfounded. she must be using her powers now. that's creepy whats with her eyes. did she do this often? winnie wondered.

winnie saw a few tears slip down crystal's cheek as she slowly started to tremble. she become concern for the girl and hesitated to touch her or to ask if she's okay. crystal then close her eyes as she take a deep breath, almost like she was drowning.

winnie put a hand on crystal shoulder and look at her with concern "crystal, are you okay?" crystal take a few breath and wipe the tears before nodding. "yeah i'm fine."

✧⁠*⁠。

crystal walk ahead in a fast paced. the boys transform back to ghosts before catching up to her "turn up anything valuable?" crystal was about to answer him before charles cut her off "you're walking rather fast, are you okay?" the boys look at winnie who walks beside them but she only shrugs silently saying she doesn't know either.

"uh the police found her shoes by the creek. if we can get them, i could see where she last wore them." charles look rather pleased. winnie thought its impressive to have powers like that.

"see what i mean? having a psychic makes the casework a lot easier, yeah?" charles say to edwin who only rolls his eyes. he walk towards an unused mirror that are placed beside a bin and jump into it to dissapear.

"jesus. where did he go?" crystal look at charles with a crease in her brow. "he's trying to prove a point. travelling through mirrors can be a bit tricky. he's a bit of a show off." winnie snorted before continuing "and a goody two shoes."

a few seconds later, edwin reappear from another mirror. he stumbles forward but quickly catch himself. he hands a bag with a pair of small white shoes to crystal. "we all have talents crystal." winnie look at him with an amused expression. "like how i can drive the librarian insane by continuously clicking his pen." charles only smile at her confusedly "and i manage to do it everytime i went to the library." she said proudly.

"uh what happened to your hand?" crystal said curiously as she takes the bag. edwin look at his hand and frown. "iron bars. careless, really." he attempt to wipe away the black dust. "iron burned you?" crystal ask again. she doesnt expect that ghosts can be harmed by something like that.

"yeah.. nasty thing, in my opinion. ghosts don't really hang out around iron." winnie answer as she kick a small pebble. she has an experience where she accidentally touch a huge piece of iron. not a nice memory, to say.

"you're ghosts, can't you like possess a cop or something?" crystal analyze the bag that contain the shoes in her hand. she can see some dirt on the shoes but no blood. that's a good thing right?

"it only took a few seconds at most. besides, we don't possess people." crystal turn around to look at charles for explanation. "its sets of all sorts of alarm bells in the afterlife."

winnie had never try to possess anyone. she thought that it could be really mean to get inside a person's body and mess with their lives. she doesn't want that. "forget all of that bother for now. are you ready to talk to her shoes?"

"i'm not gonna talk to the shoes. i'm gonna read them." crystal look back to the shoes and closes her eyes. she opens it to reveal her white eyes.

✧⁠*⁠。