Telluric

Chapter IV: Anthropophagiphobia

IV

Icicles dripped down from the rooftops, and snow fluttered fairy-like to the beds below. Children frolicked joyfully in the snow, and the town of Graywood was in a state of perpetual tranquility and bliss.

One small child in particular, Terri Smith, was building a snowman. He was rolling the torso, when the elderly Mrs. Porter from across the street called out to him.

"Hello sweetie!" She smiled, wearing an old sweater made of yarn that she knitted herself. It was a lovely shade of blonde-ish/brown, that really brought out her blue eyes. "Would you like some hot cocoa to warm you up?"

Terri nodded happily, his rosy cheeks bitten by the cool northern wind of that day. She led him inside, and he skipped in merrily, unsuspicious of what was to come.

***

Noah awoke again an hour and a half later, feeling well rested. He was still a wary from that night; seeing the Masked Man looking up at him and strangely getting knocked out somehow, can do that to a person. But he got up from bed anyway.

In only his boxer briefs, he walked downstairs and checked his phone. He set up his breakfast and saw that Clary had messaged him in the past hour. Opening the message, he began to eat his breakfast.

The message said:

"Noah, come to my shop when you wake up."

He wasn't entirely sure how she knew that he was sleeping when she sent the message, but he shook it off as another one of Clary's stunts. Even if he was a Nervous Nelly, he just felt comfortable around Clary, despite her unsettling abilities that Noah couldn't fully explain.

He flipped on the television and ate toast. The news began with a story that had been told repeatedly for the past month, making Graywood a bit famous in terms of murder. It was all over the news.

"The Graywood Killing" They called it. Some man was found, according to the news, with a Pentagram carved in his forehead, and his body severely degraded. The man was Matthew Denmark, some guy who was passing through Graywood at the time. The evidence points to the infamous Demonic Killer, and uncreative name the tabloids gave him. The report just went over the details, about how the man was only 38, and was passing through town, and was found in Luminescent Lake, on the road toward Graywood.

The mayor, Ms. Roxanne Montgomery, was interviewed about the incident. All she had to say was something along the lines of how it was a tragedy. Her regal appearance said nothing about how long she had been in office. For over 100 years, Roxanne Montgomery, or at least that's the name she uses now, has been in office, though she doesn't look a day over 29. Her straight black hair, rose red lips, and love for black and white attire rule over the town of Graywood.

The next story was of abduction. The mother was in tears.

"Marissa Smith has reported her child missing this morning." The reporter, Arianna Wilkes said into her microphone, attempting not to show emotion towards it, as to not cause any biased news broadcasting. "Terri Smith, age 7, disappeared earlier this morning, last seen on his lawn building a snowman." They put up a school picture of the boy. "If anyone has seen this boy, please contact us."

Noah sighed and switched the television off. He went up, stripped, took a quick shower, toweled off, got dressed, and slid his scarf around his neck. He then slipped on his boots and began for Clary's shop.

***

A police line protected the busy yard of Marissa Smith. The elderly couple from across the road was handing out homemade soup to detectives and other people. Arianna Wilkes was doing another story, supposedly with new evidence.