For Shits and Giggles [2024]

Chapter 09

The Sheriff's office had a nostalgic charm, with overflowing, metal file cabinets and a cluttered bulletin board with wanted posters and community event flyers. Fluorescent lights cast a steady glow over the room, highlighting the framed photographs of the town's history and commendations on the beige walls (including an old, sepia-colored photo of Sophia and Jack Pleasant). The space was filled with the scent of cold, bitter coffee and the low hum of a radio. The only other noise echoing throughout the rectangular building was Santiago's fist slamming down on the peeling wood desk.

"And her eyes, I think they took them for something," he said.

"The birds?"

"The Vultures," Santiago said through grit teeth, his frustration mounting.

"Right..."

"There were three of them."

"Uh huh... I see," Sheriff Lotto scribbled something on an old notepad. Santiago could tell it was nonsense. "Three eyes."

"Oh, for fuck's sake—" he snapped, "Just forget it."

Santiago stood up, his chair scraping the ground loudly. Finding the Vultures who attacked Gracie was proving to be more difficult than he anticipated. He was a superhero, not a detective. It wasn't his job to find them, only to beat the everloving shit out of them.

But then again, he didn't know what he was expecting coming to the Sheriff for help. This conversation had already shaved years off his life (metaphorically, of course).

"Wait!" Shouted Lotto, but Santiago was already out the door.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation–"

"Shit!" Santiago nearly jumped out of his skin, finding Doctor Sny waiting for him just outside the Sheriff's office.

"Do I know you?" He asked, squinting.

"Doctor Antheter Sny, tenured at the Pleasantwood University's School of Life Sciences, and lead scientist on the peculiar case of the Pleasantwood Tree."

"Oh yeah..." Santiago said, having zoned out about half-way through Sny's sentence. "I've seen your stuff in the newspaper."

"Precisely," he said, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose with his middle finger. "And I believe I have something that might interest you."

"I'll be honest Doc," Santiago gave him a polite, dismissive wave and began to walk away. "The Tree is the least of my worries right now."

Sny continued anyway, "You search for the girl's eyes, yes?"

The question stopped Santiago in his tracks, "Do you know something?"

"In all earnest," Sny sighed. "Not as much as I'd hoped. I've been examining the one in my possession."

"You have her eyes?" Santiago saw red, yanking Sny by his collar before he could blink.

"One," Sny coughed, holding onto Santiago's wrists to give himself room to breathe. "I have one."

"How? Where?" He gripped tighter, watching Sny's throat and face change color.

"Please–" Sny wheezed, "Let me speak."

Santiago released him, letting his body drop to the ground. "Talk."

Sny inhaled deeply, his voice slow and steady, "I purchased a singular eye from three young men."

"The Vultures," Santiago cursed under his breath.

"Yes, I presume." Sny rose to his feet, rubbing the red welt around his neck, "Her eye holds an uncanny resemblance to the Tree in its colors. I have reason to believe they are connected."

Santiago didn't say anything.

"I see," the side of Sny's mouth curled gently upward into a grin. "So there's something there. Do you believe the same thing?"

"Maybe, I guess? I don't know. Why are you telling me this?"

"As I said," Sny continued, "I overheard your conversation with the Sheriff. I believe we can help each other. I'd like to ask you a few questions about the specimen."

"The specimen?"

"Oh," Dr. Sny chuckled at his honest mistake, "I meant the girl. My apologies."

"Listen, doc," Santiago's irritation peaked, and he felt the urge to punch something. "You leave Gracie out of whatever sick research you're doing, got it?"

"Got it," Sny said incredulously. "Well. Here is my card," he flipped over a small white card with two fingers, "in case you change your mind."

Santiago snatched the card and ripped it in half.

"I mean it. Where did you get her eye? I have some fuckers I need to punish."

Sny watched the two halves of his card flutter to the ground. "As I said, it could be nothing. Just another affect of the tree. Or, it could be something more. You answer my questions, and I'll answer yours."

Santiago frowned. "And if I make you answer?"

"Now, now," Sny said, holding out a second, pristine card. "That's not very hero-like, is it?"

Santiago glared, not wanting to answer any questions. Not only to protect Gracie but also to protect himself. Or rather, his secret.

It wouldn't take long for someone like Dr. Sny to pick up on her eyes and what the colors really represented. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that was exactly why he needed to go along. He needed to understand just how much Dr. Sny actually knew—and what exactly he was planning to do with that information.

"Fine," he snatched the card again, but this time shoved it in his pocket. "I'll bite."