CRIPESBURG: A Coming Into Being

••• P R E L U D E •••

••• Prelude •••

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His name was Paul Hanze.

A sixteen year old. Handsome jock. Even- tempered and very gentle eyes. Kind of a charmer. Cool look but bit of a mess. All trouble and chaos brewing.

It was easy to see that he will soon grow into a strikingly handsome young man with deep black eyes designed to melt the hearts of hopeful young girls.

Or so we believed.

He was seated in the town's only Pub & Grill as the cold afternoon winds of the dusty town of Cripesburg fog the glass windows, overlooking the ever glorious Namibian sunset, in front of his best friend Zachary Gertze—Zach for short. A meticulously smart young man with a heart of gold.

They're fully dressed for the weather; both in black sweaters and beanies, with two steaming mugs emblazoned Mamie's Pub & Grill in red letters clutched in their hands. They appear to be deep in their thoughts, deeply bothered and distant.

"I am back." Paul started, taking a sip from his coffee. "I am finally back home Zach. It has been too long."

"I know." Zach sighed, gazing out of the glass window. "I know." He repeated the statement, sighing quietly.

"I missed this old dusty town with all its... weirdness." Paul continued, squinting his eyes contemplatively. "I miss you guys so much... I didn't... I couldn't...I had to move." he swallowed.

"I know Paul." Zach gazed at his friend with understanding. "I totally get it. You don't have to explain anything. I understand."

"I know the reasons why I had to move are a bit... I don't know, sketchy or—unmentioned...?" Paul questioned more than stating it. "But I am... totally, utterly and undeniably happy to be back. I know, dramatic much." His lips cracked into a slim smile—with a roll of his eye—that disappeared as soon as it appeared. "But—this place... its too much. To much happened and it feels like there is still so much happening behind the scenes. I am scared for you and I. For everyone."

"We are on the verge of losing ourselves. The urge to give in and go all in, it's strong. So very strong. I am trying my utmost to hold it together but... the urge is just too strong. I am tempted by my own flesh and blood Zach." He whispered darkly and kept quiet. "There is something fundamentally wrong in this town. I don't know but... something just doesn't make sense. Probably it's just me but..." Paul trailed off and kept quiet.

"I had a weird ass dream the other night. Like on a scale of ten, it will be fifty typa weird." Paul narrated to Zach.

Zach frowned and asked. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know myself but it was very creepy and witchy..." He sighed.

"What?" Zach asked confused. "We live in the 21st century brother. What witchy things are you talking about? Better yet, what creepy ass movies have you been watching?" Zach laughed at his friend with a pat on the shoulder.

"I am not joking Zach. This is serious." It wasn't what Paul said that sobered up Zach but the way he said it. "It was very... odd actually. The dream I had—It felt real, vivid even, like I was actually physically there, present at the scene. Oh and cold as hell. To the core type."