2. Road Trip

JOCELYN
"Ayup." He puts the truck in gear and and squints down the road. "I take it you met Mr. Cuzra."

He pauses for a second, then. "About as superstitious as they come. Did he tell you any of his stories?" He asked, glancing over at Jocelyn, then turning back to the road.

"He's got some wild stories about striga and moroi that haunt the woods behind his house." He says this without mockery. He's obviously heard the stories before.

Harlow shakes his head and frowns slightly. "I don't want to be unkind, but I think the loneliness has gotten to him. He's been on his own for a long time. Longer than a man ought to be."

He sighs and continues. "He's harmless enough. Just ..." he gives Jocelyn a slight smile, "... be careful he doesn't take you for one of his monsters from the Old Country."

MARCUS
Jason doesn't answer. He doesn't seem to register the question at all.

He stands without responding - his thin lips pressed into a line. He steps out of the bushes and into the clearing, walking over to the spot where the rabbit was killed. No caution. No hesitation.

He presses his fingers to the grass. He raises his hand up, studying the blood on his fingers.

He straightens.

Without a word, he follows the path the creature took, ducking into the undergrowth.

MARCUS
Jason disappears into the thick underbrush. He doesn't run. He doesn't look back. He doesn't say anything. He just disappears.

Marcus searches and finds a fist-sized stone at the base of a nearby tree. It's only partially stuck in the dirt, and comes free easily. The weight of the stone feels good in his hand. It isn't much, but it'll have to do.

Marcus follows. The thick canopy closes quickly and shields the morning sunlight. Thick vegetation is difficult to navigate. Branches pull at his clothes. A raven cries in the distance, then goes silent. The forest seems to be holding it's breath.

There is no trace of the creature. Whatever path it took, it's gone now. Luckily, Jason's trail is much easier to follow.

A twig cracks ahead.

Jason is standing just beyond a few trees, back to Marcus, utterly still. There's no sign of the creature. No sign of anything.

Marcus moves closer.

Jason isn't moving. He's not looking around, not tracking anything. Just standing there, facing away with his arms loose at his side. His shoulders rise and fall - short, shallow breaths. They move faster, almost panting.

JOCELYN
Joe looks up and squints at the photo. He traces the young girls face briefly with a finger. "That's my Lily." He says with a smile.

"She's a schoolteacher now - here in Cobb's Corners." He says with some pride.

He looks back at the road and shifts gears. "She was out in Montpelier for a while, but come home a few years back to tend to her Ma." The smile fades somewhat.

"She decided to stay on and run the school in town. It's good to have her close again."

He clears his throat and flips the visor up, tipping his hat lower to block the sun instead. He doesn't seem upset at the question, but it touched on something he doesn't appear comfortable talking about.

"So, what brings you out this way?"

MARCUS
Marcus scans the trees. Nothing moves. There's no sound out of the ordinary. No sign of the rat creature.

Jason hasn't moved an inch. He's still facing away, arms at his sides. His breathing accelerates. He tenses, but doesn't turn, doesn't raise his hands. Bordering on hyperventilating.

"STOP!"

The word tears out of him. He wheels around, eyes wild.

Then he blinks. The tension falls out of him all at once. He places a hand on a nearby tree, catching himself from falling.

He glances around and wipes the sweat from his brow with a shirt sleeve. "Did you ..." He swallows.

"Someone was calling my name." He looks up at Marcus. "Did you hear it?"

JOCELYN
"Ayup." Joe says watching the road. "There was a lot of talk after those kids went missing. And that Patterson boy ..." He shakes his head slowly. "Damn shame."

He doesn't say anything else for a while. The truck rattles along the dirt road. Harlow keeps his eyes forward.

"My granny used to tell me a story." He says quietly. "Said there’s a Indian burial ground around here somewheres. Said the men who originally settled this town dug it up. They found all kinds a gold and fancy things."

He pauses, his adam's apple bouncing up and down as he swallows. "She said the gold was cursed. That the youth of our town was paying a blood debt for what was taken."

Finally, he turns to Jocelyn - a look of deep concern etched into his face. "I don’t know if that story is true. And I don't know if it ain't." He turns back to the windshield. "What I do know is that we lose a lot of young folk. Stupid accidents mostly."

He pauses. "If you ask me, those student from Arkham were sacrificed to that same blood debt."

JOCELYN
Joe juts out his chin and squints at the road ahead, thinking it through.

His eyes widen - as much as they can given the constant squint. "Mabel." He says with a proud smile.

He catches himself and straightens in his seat. "Uh ... Miss Carruthers, I mean. The local librarian. She knows just about everything worth knowing in this county. If there's something on record, I'm sure she'll find it for you."

He's quiet for a moment. The smile fades somewhat. "You can also try Mr. Wendell at the Gazette."

Joe glances at Jocelyn from the corner of his eye, then back at the road. "He's a bit high strung, but he knows stuff too. He keeps back issues - might have something in the old columns."