[DISCONTINUED] ❝Ante Mortem❞ 【Sally Face】

【xiv ; about nockfell】

You stand there awkwardly, still staring at the space where Megan once was. You're still trying to grasp the concept of ghosts existing.

"I understand, Larry didn't understand too at first." He says, assuring you. She died there? It's just so.. sad. Sal speaks again, "Now, it's time for me to explain a ton of stuff to you."

"Like.. what?"

"Let's stay here a while, plus there's no better place to explain than here. No one else would be listening here." He bends down, sitting on the floor. You sit next to him, hugging your knees.

"I'm listening." You mumble, trying not to pay much attention at his last statement.

"First thing you need to know about Nockfell, is that you can't trust any official here." He says, his voice deathly serious. That somehow makes goosebumps rise on your skin, causing you to rub your arms even though it isn't that cold. He continues, "Everyone is suspicious, the policemen, those people who go to church- Larry, Todd, and I think that they're actually a cult and that the whole Christianity thing is a big front."

"Pretty big reveal." You comment, tilting your head against your knees as you listen to him. He stares at you, a pretty uncertain look in his eyes.

"Also, there's a demon in the apartments." He says quickly, as if trying to jumble his words. But you heard him clear as day.

Your heart drops, eyes widening as you exclaim, "There's what?!"

"There was a demon in the apartments." Sal repeats, as he places his hand on your shoulder, as if calming you down. "Larry kind of eradicated it last year when I went investigating about Megan and her life before."

You pout at him, crossing your arms.

"Why didn't you say that first!" You whine, hitting him on the shoulder. He easily catches your hands, eyes squinting as he stops you from hitting him.

"It was funnier to see you freak out, and it was." He says as he lets go of your hands, pointing at you. "You should've seen the look on your face, looked like your heart dropped."

"It did. Now you're a bigger jerk than Larry," You pause, smirking as you tease, "Wait, no, because you're smaller than-"

"Haha, Y/N, real funny." He rolls his eyes at you, bringing his hand up to flick your forehead. You rub it, playfully glaring at him. He chuckles lightly- which yet again warms your heart-saying, "Anyway, there's a whole lot more, but all I've got are theories and nothing more."

"What theories?"

"Something about how some people died, about Miss Rosenberg being a ghost or something, Larry's dad.. want to hear?"

You ponder over his statements, your stomach giving you a weird feeling about all he's said. You've always thought that the church in Nockfell was rather.. strange.

".. Honestly, I think I've had enough creepy stuff for the day." You shudder, remembering how Megan appeared before you. You look at him as you rub your arms, eyebrows furrowed, "Can we get out of here?"

"Sure." He stands up, holding his hand out for you to take. You take it, pulling yourself up. You follow him out of room 504, then into the elevator. You watch as he reaches out to press a button, only to reel his hand back as he asks you, "I could go back at my place, but you might want to hang out a bit more."

"I don't know. We could watch a movie at my place." You shrug. He thinks for a moment, pressing the button for the second floor. It doesn't take more than minute to get on the floor, with you exiting before him. You take your keys from your bag, opening your apartment. You switch on the lights, throwing your bag on the couch. "Make yourself at home, mom's not home until tonight. I'll just change. Go choose a movie, will ya?"

"Will do." He gives you a thumbs up, and you enter your room. Changing into a simple shirt and shorts, you head back out to the living room to find Sal looking through your CD rack. He turns to you, laughing as he lifts it up, "You still have a CD rack?"

"Oh, shut up, it's my dad's before he died." You snort, landing backwards on the couch. His eyes widen, stumbling over his apology.

"Shit, I'm sorry- fuck, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, really, I don't mind." You smile at him, assuring him with a pat to the shoulder. You sigh a bit, saying, "It's been years anyway."

"Still I.." He lets go of the topic with a sigh, finally choosing a movie from the basket, "How 'bout this one?"

"Lion King?" You grin, nodding excitedly. "Go."

He puts in the DVD player, sitting on the couch next to you.

The movie plays, and you two get comfortable with the throw pillows on the couch. You sing along to the songs, trying to copy their voices. Sal watches you, laughing whenever you'd pull a stunt. 

"Oh I just can't wait to be king!" You sing, pointing at Sal. He shakes his head at you, his shoulders quivering as he silently laughs.

Two hours later, the door opens, revealing your mother home from work. She sighs, taking off her shoes by the door. 

"Y/N, can you please help me with- oh." She smiles, seeing you and Sal asleep on the couch with the TV open. She turns off the TV, heading to your room to grab a blanket and wrap it around you and Sal. "I'll go make dinner for one then."