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Re-Route	By : Resting-Madness Category: Death Note > Crossovers Views: 1590 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned from Death Note or Silent Hill fandom. I don't own any of the places mentioned in Silent Hill or Death note universe. I make no money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
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Matt had to sit back for a minute and watch this stranger he'd picked up off the street. After the stranger got his senses together, he ordered a plate of eggs with bacon and toast, which he inhaled and then ordered another plate of the same thing with a thick chocolate milkshake on the side each time. Matt had never seen anything like it, in fact he'd never seen anyone like this Mello. Matt had been in a hurry to get to the bus station where he assumed he'd be picking up a new client to take on tour when this skinny blond lunatic shot out from the alley like his ass were on fire and he had to roll in the streets to put himself out. The car was stopped just in time to keep Mello from becoming one of the very pancakes he's now working down his throat. The blond is kind of banged up as it is, bruises are here and there on his face, forehead, his left arm seemed to move funny as it reached out for the tall glass of chocolate suffocation. Matt had to wonder if maybe Mello had been in a fight with someone. The people of Silent Hill aren't exactly a rough crowd but then you never know how people will react to outsiders. Only this man doesn't seem like the type you could easily push around, regardless his thin build. Mello, he's sure, can't be homeless, he's dressed too well for that to be the case.

'Hn.' Matt thought. 'He's no doubt new here and bought some freaky drug from a dealer in Old Town and is tweaked out on it.'

And why not? Matt's seen it before. People come to this resort town for rest and relaxation and dealers try pushing something illegal on them. Half the time visitors don't take it, but others do. Others like Mello. He has all the signs: head down, nerves frazzled, and continually he looks over his shoulder at nothing. Almost like he can hear someone talking to him that isn't there.

Scoffing in amusement, Matt takes out his silver lighter. Its his favorite. Its big, sturdy, and has a bitchen bat-winged Shinigami welded into it. "Mello, do you mind?" He asked, though he's unsure if he'd get an asnwer from the pile of nerves seated before him. But who wouldn't be shaken after nearly getting run over? He'd blacked out before he could even see that the car had been there. Whatever this guy had gone through it was serious.

Looking at his gracious host Mello didn't understand the question, namely because he hadn't heard him. He was too busy with his own thoughts. He wouldn't have looked up at all had he not heard his name called. "Go ahead." He didn't know why Matt needed his permission to smoke but some people were raised funny, he guessed.

Lighting up, Matt took it in like it were fresh spring air as opposed to the rotten scent of bacon and syrup, or the putrid aroma of strawberry jam or hashbrown potatoes. Blowing out a long cloud; Matt resumed his viewing of the live-action television show of a eating competition he's turned his present company into. The blond had stopped his nervous movement by now deeming himself safe. He must be getting full too, his eating has slowed considerably. Which, for Matt, meant Q and A time.

"Where are you from?"

"The town right by this one." He felt no need to be specific. If he honestly cared about the exacts Matt can ask for it.

"Mm." Satisfied, or lacked any actual care of whether he lived a town over or on the moon, Matt then asked. "What do you do?"

"Garbage."

"That's new."

Mello shrugged. He isn't ashamed of his work, though it isn't exactly the kind of thing he'd set out to do in life but it keeps him fed and housed, so why complain? If anything better came along he'd be the first to jump train, but nothing has. So here he is.

"What are you doing here?"

"Transfer at work. This place is my new route."

That seemed to cheer Matt up somehow as he put on a pleasant smile, almost buttery had it not been so crooked. "That works out for me. Not many guys here my age and it gets kind of dull, so anytime you wanna hang out..." He let the invite hang.

Shifting his gaze off to the side then back he lowered his head then began to eat. "I'll think about it."

"Well think positively about it; I don't wanna stalk you for a, 'yes'." He snickered.

A handsome rasp of a sound. Mello noted. Matt must have been a smoker for a long time. Which led him to ask. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen." He nodded as if to toss the question back like a volleyball serve.

"Twenty one."

Surprised Matt shifted the cigarette over to the other side of his mouth. "You're younger than I thought. I hear garbage man and I assume your thirty-something," He shrugged.

"You wanted to hang out with me."

"I could have lied about your age. If you were that much older you sure don't look it."

Pushing the plate aside Mello looked around for a moment, his teal gaze taking in the room for what must have been a tenth time. It really was weird. He was alone. Completely, ghost town, 28 Days later, alone. So where was everyone? When did they come back? Why had they gone? "Matt, you said I ran out in front of your car?"

"Yeah."

"Did you see anyone following me?" He didn't wanna say anything specifically. Its easy to put your ideas and thoughts into other peoples head too often to ever really accomplish anything when asking questions, so he tactfully left out the fact that he was running from dogs. Mutant dogs to be exact.

Matt didn't even give it a thought as he shook his head.

'Hn.' Mello scoffed at his own stupidity. 'Of course he didn't see anything, there was nothing there. I've been in an accident and I'm a little messed up because of it.'

"You look like hell, by the way, want me to take you to the hospital? That is," He stands. "if you're done with feeding time." He smiled impishly.

The two walk out into the streets and boy what a difference a black out makes. There were cars whizzing by, horns honked. Someone up in one of the tall buildings snapping a throw rug into the November breeze to remove dust from it rather than just sweeping it like normal people would. This place actually seems kind of old school. Mello would bet they have a tiny red school house with a large bell to alert the kids its time to learn. People walking in groups or alone, talking or shouting to one another, a cellphone rang and was answered. Unlike when he'd arrived, the street lights and crosswalk signs are working as well. This ghost town has become your basic run-of-the-mill city. It was incredible!

"My car is right here." A newly gloved finger points outward at the vehicle closest to the curb. "Pretty sweet, right." He wasn't asking a question, it seemed, just putting out there what he knew Mello would say.

An oldschool muscle car sits parked before them across the street. The red color gleamed in the lighting of the sun, even the 2 black stripes on the hood shined like expensive onyx. It was a good looking car.

"Remodeled Plymouth GTX 440." Matt said with an easy grin.

Climbing in Mello noticed right away that it smelled like cigarette smoke and a faint whiff of cologne. Its clean inside, comfortable. The only really distinctive thing about the car that says "I've been driven" is the well worn grips on the leather covered steering wheel. Hearing the ignition Mello felt true comfort wash over him for the first time since coming into the new city, and he found himself shifting into a more comfortable sitting position.

"Where to?" Matt asked pulling into the street after barely checking to see if any cars were coming.

"I figured I'd tag along with you." Leaning forward he turns on the radio but leaves the volume low while flipping the stations. Every one of them is working. It makes sense, he supposed, since they are in town.

Matt watches as yet another tourist acts strangely. They've always done the same types of things. Paranoid behavior, constantly messing with phones or radios. Shaking his head, he turns left at the light.

"Do you know where the police station is?"

"Yeah, I work there."

"You're a cop?"

"Tour guide."

"Your the Matt from the website." He confirmed to himself.

"Yeah. Glad to see my little business is getting some good word of mouth."

"You said I should go to the hospital?" Mello, suddenly taking the conversation off-topic, remembered what Matt had said to him a bit earlier.

Matt looked as though he were ready to throw his confused new friend out onto the street, but he instead turned his car down the next road. Hospital is the better option right now. But he asked in case it was important. "What are you going to the police station for?"

"My car fell from the cliff before I entered town."

Matt blinked behind the orange lens of his goggles. "And you survived?"

"Hope so." Mello replied with a small smile.

Laughing, Matt nodded at the joke then returned his attention to the road. Matt was sure that if Mello had died, and he is carting around a ghost, he'd die from fright himself by the end of it. Seeing ghosts is crazy stuff, but truthfully he's not exactly immune to hallucinations being a fellow member of the stoner set. But he's not high now so having those little fits being real, would be too much to handle. Bad enough there are rumors about the ghost of that serial murderer floating around, but that could be his own fault as it is the best tourist attraction the resort town has. Nothing more fun than a good ghost story- especially if its considered true.

"I'll drop you off at the hospital so you can get looked at, and while you're there" The car is turned up the next road. "I'll report in about your car to the cops."

"Can you do another thing for me?"

Matt was sure he knew what that something was and nodded. "Yeah, I'll pick you up afterwards."

"I was gonna ask for a tour around the area." Mello watched the scenery out the passenger window. The glare from the sun was being blocked out every now and then by tall buildings giving Mello a come-and-go beard of light matching his hair. "I'm moving out here and I need to look over some places in Paleville."

"Paleville?" Matt muttered but left it at that.

Not missing the tone, Mello looks at the driver. "What?"

"Nothing, just some tour stuff- which you'll hear when I pick you up later."

The car pulled to a stop walking distance from the front entrance of the large hospital. Climbing out, Mello looked around the area taking in the buildings of a photo shop, a theater, office building, until his gaze settled on the hospital itself.

'Alchemilla.' He thought to himself. Seeing Matt from his peripheral vision he starts across the street a couple steps behind him before the two are side by side.

The large gate before the entrance is open and the two men pass right through. A courtyard was beyond the gate, two little maples stand three feet apart their bases wrapped by a little iron fence surrounding them is a square patch off grass 4 by 4 feet and the rest is concrete. At the far end of the courtyard lies a back door leading to a room that may or may not have an entrance once within the hospital.

Like the gentleman thug his grandmother raised, Matt held the door open for Mello to enter first. It went unacknowledged by the blond who was too busy taking it all in a conspicuous way, his teal gaze glancing this way and that around the room absorbing the yellow painted walls, oak wood doors and desk, white coffee tables, and blue leather covered chairs line the wall. Men and women, children, all sit around the waiting room with either ailment or an a appointment, faking it for something to do. One woman had a baby with her that was screaming up a storm and looked like he were trying to pull his ear off. The mother, used to the crying, continued reading her magazine while the child squirmed mercilessly within her hold. One man is taking a nap! Faking it. Mello decided.

"Hi," Mello heard Matt's voice. The red head is speaking with the receptionist. "My friend has been in a car accident and he needs to get checked out for concussions."

"Where is he?" The woman asked. Her large black eyes scanned the room landing on Mello. "Sir, do you think you'll be able to fill out this sheet?" She stands from her swivel chair to slide a clipboard with a form tacked beneath the clip over the large desk to him.

Walking over to the desk he takes the clipboard then walks it over to an empty seat, dropping his weight down into it. Matt figured that the male could take care of himself from there, why not, he's made it this far on the injury a little information form shouldn't slow him down. Without so much as a wave the red head stepped back out into the sunshine.

....................

Nearly an hour had passed before the doctor could see Mello. All around the waiting room the inhabitants thinned out to nearly a cleared room, and just when he was going to say "fuck it" did a nurse come out from the double doors at the end of the room calling out his name in an almost mechanical way.

"Mihael Keehl?"

He stands up before she can call again. Her eyes meet his and she nodded before saying that Dr. Kaufmann will see him. Following her back beyond the doors and down the hall he reads the labels over the doorways: main office, laundry, cafeteria, basement etcetera. The opposite wall is lined with windows that lead the way to two vending machines one holding snacks the other sodas. They enter the elevator; its golden doors part for them with an audible ding and they ride it up to the second floor, where the nurse then leads Mello to room 203.

"The doctor will be in in a moment." The nurse took her leave then.

Mello looked around the room feeling like a teenager in the nurses office with false ailments that he hoped would get him out of class. A cabinet full of medical supplies of all kinds: guaze, compression wraps, tongue depressors, a pile of cotton swabs. He'd always wondered who would come in for a swabbing? Babies maybe. Could be for when they take a persons temperature through the ear and they've got a good lot of wax in there. Taking his attention from the cabinet Mello's gaze looks past a few posters of an open torso, a fetis in its mother's stomach, oddly enough a poster that told you to protect your teeth like they were your heart. His attention settled on the slab of a bed, a corner of it covered by an accordion-style changing screen.

Noticing where the patients stare is left, the doctor- who Mello had yet to notice beside him- gave a sniff before speaking. "You can have a seat over there." He pointed to the table when Mello looked at him. The portly man tugged on his stethoscope with each hand holding one end. His thick dark hair is greying but not too drastically as if refusing to let go of its natural color black. He's a bit taller than Mello but only by an inch or two. The patient headed over to the bed taking a seat atop the cold slab, shifting his weight once seated and trying to hold back the shiver from the chill cutting through his jeans.

"Says you've been in an accident." The doctor looked over the form he'd been filling out. Removing a light from his upper pocket, he clicked it on then aimed his freehand for Mello's eyelids. "What happened exactly- follow my finger with your eyes, please." He had to ask because Mello seemed perfectly fine considering what the form described.

"I was driving," His teal gaze moves to follow Dr. Kaufmann's index finger's movement. "I swerved and went over the cliff."

"Mhm." The man voiced, a sound of huge disbelief in his tone.

Mello wondered just what this doctors attitude was with him, but he didn't really care either way as long as the doctor didn't poke and grope at him with the care of a murdering psychopath. Speaking of poking. Mello winced when the man's finger gave him a little stab against his ribs on the left side. Kaufmann made a thoughtful sound before touching the bruise on Mello's forehead. A purple knot now that its had time to cultivate itself from the blood-crusted bruise it started out as.

"I was flung out of the window," He watched the doctor cross the room to grab cleaning tools. "right before the car hit the ground. And I popped my head against a rock and was knocked unconscious, for how long I'm not sure of."

Dr. Kaufmann pressed a button on the wall and a nurse emerged from one of the doors within the examining room pulling with her a large screen. "I have to give you an x-ray. You have a fractured rib."

"Okay." Sliding down from the table Mello stood still while the nurse placed the screen before him.

It had been a grueling half hour but by the time it was all done with and Mello, with a patch and gauze wrapped around his head, a strip of bonding tape around his torso, found that Matt was back from his trip to the police station and has been waiting for him with a PSP in hand playing a game as though he were lost to the real world and instead deep in the bowels of the virtual. But, lost as he was, he looked up with a cocked brow as though he knew the shadow coming up to him were Mello and not just a passerby.

Seeing the wonder cross Matt's thin features, he replied to the unasked question. "Nothing an aspirin won't cure."

"Aren't you lucky."

"Mm." Replied the blond grabbing the door handle he pulls it open slipping inside the comfort of the car.

Matt who had been leaning against the car waiting for Mello's return climbed inside as well. Saving his game he turns the handheld off dropping it carefully onto the passengers lap like he weren't there. Starting the car he pulled out into the street. "Do you still want that tour or would you rather come back to my place? I won't try anything on the first day." Teased the red head.

Mello kind of wanted to get the whole house hunting thing over with but Matt was making it hard to think when his suggestions were so helpful since the beginning of this thing. "I don't know." He can't avoid his new job forever. But he also can't sleep on the streets. His rental is still trashed. His cell phone is missing in the wreck. Right now he would like to sleep one off but what would that accomplish?

Matt waited patiently while driving who knows where until Mello made up his mind. He could have remained in the virtual world of Outbreak. Fighting zombies while helping himself and a couple of other city idiots escape. What a rush. Nothing entertaining like that ever happens in real life. Its too bad Mello wasn't a ghost, he found himself thinking at that moment; all fear from before gone in light of entertainment. The car slowed to a stop in front of a large apartment complex. The plaque read: Navaho Moon.

"You coming in?" Matt asked through the window after taking leave from the car.

Removing the seat belt from across his chest Mello tucked the handheld between his legs while climbing from the car. Closing the door he walked around to the sidewalk. Looking the building up and down he followed Matt through the gate then inside the building. The lobby was a wave of greens and yellow wood framed with gold. An enormous vase packed to the brim with flowers blocked the view of the elevator if you stood directly behind it, and the smell of them wafted gently through the air. If everything weren't on the verge of second hand Mello'd swear it was a real classy place; being impressed with even the slightest bit of money. He wondered how Matt could live in a place like this- unless even cheap apartments splurged on luxury of front of the house appearance. The red head stepped onto the elevator pressing the button for the second floor. When the ride ended the two travel down the hall to apartment 216. Matt produced a set of keys from his pocket and shoved it into the lock giving it a turn before pushing the door open. Again he stepped aside for Mello to enter first.

At first glance the place looked pretty good, but when looking it over with a fine eye you could see the little nicks in the walls, a small hole in the sofa's armrest, the carpet could use a wet-vac', and there was a faint musty smell of cigarette and something unfamiliar wafting around.

"Paradise." Patting his friend on the back, Matt walked into the kitchen to grab two glasses and after running them under the spraying faucet he came back to Mello handing him a glass. "Make yourself comfortable. You can stay here until you figure things out." He wasted no time in making himself comfortable on the couch, his legs kick up and land on the coffee table just when he tilts his head back to down the tap water.

Mello looked the drink over through the clear glass then took a sip before joining Matt on the couch only he had a little less flounce than the red head due to the tight wrap around his torso to still his cracked rib from getting worse.

The television is turned on and the two sit quietly through its noise of commercial advertisements and a sitcom. The simple purple curtains covering the window eventually darkened as the sun went down over the day. When the show ended a black and white movie started and after watching ten minutes of it Matt's memory was suddenly jogged and he popped up from the couch, startling Mello from a sleep he hadn't even realized he'd fallen into. Last things he recalled were of Matt laughing at a joke made on the show, being patted on his upper thigh by the homeowner to try getting him to laugh along, then darkness. Looking perplexed at the red head he rubbed his face from sleep and asked.

"What is it?"

"You left my game in the car, I'm gonna go get it." Already at the door, he looked over his shoulder when speaking again. "I'll be right back; bathroom's in the bedroom on the right." He added knowing that someone unfamiliar with the place would confuse it with the closet door that looks very similar to it.

Mello wasn't really sure whether or not he got half of that, but one thing did come in alerting him to the fact that he indeed needed to use the bathroom. Getting up from the couch, his body seemed to groan with a dull ache and his breaths shallowed a bit, Mello marched into the bedroom locating the bathroom to use in good health. Done with the task he washed his hands then splashed some water on his face to wake himself up a bit more. Checking his reflection he frowned. He looked like hell. Were his cheeks always this red and swollen? Touching his face he winced at the mild throb noticing in that small bit of movement his arm hurt a bit as well. And his leg- both legs in fact. Was his body having an aftershock from the crash or something?

This was different than the pounding he'd taken in the toppling car and Mello grunted feeling the memory of those dogs teeth sinking into his skin. Right now, it felt as though it were happening all over again but without the physical evidence of it. Shaking hands grip the sides of the white sink as he steadies himself from the pain; eyes tightly closed, teeth bared hard enough to crack in strain of his trembling body. The fractured rib bothering him more as he fights off a different ache. The pain grew and grew until Mello thought he was going to explode from the mutilation going on beneath his skin.

A loud bang startled him just then, looking at the closed bathroom door he noticed the sound came from beyond the bedroom in the living room. His vision glanced over to the mirror, his reflection looked normal. No blistered red skin or pock marks from a dogs teeth. He looked as his usual self minus the new addition of the bandage around his head. Distracted by the fun house mirror Mello's attention was quickly returned to the pounding on the door in the living room. Exiting the bathroom he bounded through the living room, talking as he went.

"Who locks themself out of their own place?" He pulled the door open, realizing too late that he hadn't unlocked it before swinging it open. Momentarily distracted by his hand on the knob, Mello then looked out into the hall to find it empty. Giving it a shot he called out, "Hello?" as he looked left then right like a child would before crossing the street. 'I know I heard someone bang on this door.' He reasons with his prickling nerves. But he had yet to find proof of the phantom banger; the hall seemed genuinely unoccupied from any point other than Matt having left through it a little while ago.

Closing the door Mello moved to the window to peek down into the street to locate the gamer, but he could barely see out the window. And its snowing on top of that. Finding an apartment is gonna be hell tomorrow. No one is gonna want to drive through this. Hopefully it won't get too thick overnight. The opening door caught Mello's attention and glancing over his shoulder he sees Matt enter. Odd thing about that is he didn't seem the least bit cold. But then its never really all that cold when snow first comes down. Matt waved the handheld in the air as though it were a survivor of a nasty storm or avalanche on a snowy mountain.

"You wanna go out to eat?" Asked the hero of the forgotten.

"I'll have whatever's here."

Matt scratched his shoulder as if to say "fine" before striding off to the kitchen. Mello felt a pang of guilt that maybe he was over stepping his 'guest' status. But Matt didn't seem to be complaining as a pot of water is placed onto the larger burner of the electric stove. Least Mello could do is help. Walking into the kitchen he looked around at the contents taken out in order to get a sense of what Matt had planned on making, now and then the red head would be passed in his field of vision and he seemed to either have a rash or a nasty itch because he continued rubbing the back of his neck in a clawing manner. That was something Mello could do for him; he used to give his mother shoulder, neck, head massages all the time. He'd gotten pretty good at it.

Matt produced a very handsome laugh when Mello's hands clamped down onto his shoulders rubbing away, his thumbs digging in deep. "What are you doing?" He asked in good humor while dropping a small chunk of ground sausage into a skillet to cook through, but he hadn't told Mello to stop what he knew the male to be doing.

"Figured it'd be good payment for your kindness." He moved himself over to the left a bit to avoid being elbowed by Matt's swinging arm, which is hacking into the pile of meat to break it into little chunks. He'd even moved over to the cabinet behind the male when he retrieved a jar of spaghetti sauce. Snickering when Matt laughed again. "Don't worry, I won't use the sleeper hold until after the meal is done."

"Mm." Was Matt's response as Mello's thumbs dug into a particularly sore spot.

The smells in the kitchen were to die for, the rich aroma of tomato sauce, the sausage- mild sweet-, even the starch from the long noodles was adding a nice under waft. Mello let his hostage go long enough for Matt to plate himself up, and for himself to do the same. He got less a portion than the homeowner figuring he'd want the leftovers for another day. He personally hated cooking, and avoided it as much as possible; having a home cooked meal was going to be a nice change of pace from his usual dining out for burgers and fries- sometimes onion rings if the mood struck him to have one fried grease pile over the other. The two ate standing up in the kitchen, leaned against the counter top. Mello with his plate on the counter and Matt, facing the other direction, held his in airspace. The silence as they ate was thoughtful, if the food was liked or disliked it wasn't voiced beyond a slurp once in a while from a noodle that strayed from the twirl around the fork.

"Want the bed or the couch?"

"Its your place, you take the bed." Mello replied finishing the last bite directly after his words.

Snickering, he washed his plate in the sink leaving it there once the last of the cleaning suds has been washed away. "If you knew how many times I've fallen asleep on the couch with my handheld in my lap, you'd know it doesn't make a difference where I sleep. Besides, your rib is broken, you take the bed." Reaching for his goggles that are dangling around his neck, Matt removed a cigarette from a little fold within the band of them. Smiling when noticing he was being watched, he explained in a short sentence. "I noticed the fold two years ago and thought I should put it to use." Removing his shinigami lighter he lit the end of the cigarette taking in a deep puff of smoke. "You can borrow a night shirt if you need it," He stepped aside so Mello could get to the sink.

"Thanks, but I usually sleep in what I'm wearing." He cleaned the food stains from the plate, redoing Matt's since the mess from his own drained right onto it. How did the male get anything clean if he washed dishes this way? There was still the matter of the pot and skillet. And Mello took it upon himself to wash those as well but the moment he grabbed the pot he had to set it back down as pain shot up his arm.

The wince didn't go missed and Matt grabbed the pot. "I'll wash that stuff. You get some rest." With a hand between shoulder blades he gives the male a shove toward the living room.

Mello thought Matt was being a bit too motherly, but his side is killing him. He nodded a 'thanks' then headed for the bedroom. Matt watched the male, a small smile on his face. It was really nice having someone around to hang out with. He used to have friends but who knows what happened to them after school days were over. College. Moved. Whatever the thing was they were all gone and haven't tried to reconnect with him since. Its been a lonesome life, but he got by. Its not as if he needed anyone for anything, all the company he could ever want he's got in his game systems, and he must have every one made that has a game that's peeked his interest. And he has a wide interest. Most guys have book shelves, he has a game shelf. But the games have manuals, he too is very well read.

When the bedroom door closed, Matt ditched the dishes and dropped onto the couch to catch the tale end of the zombie movie before he got into his own on the PSP. As he'd admitted to Mello, a while ago, he'd fallen fast asleep right there. His players were mutilated a long time ago and the game remained on in his sleep. Mello had dropped off to sleep the moment his head hit the pillow and the surprisingly gentle scent of cigarette drifted up his nose from Matt's pillow beneath his head. The house lay quiet, nothing but the soft sounds of breathing coming from either male. Now and then a creak or bang would echo through the still air from the home or an item within it settling in for the night. There was one sound completely out of place in the city below the apartment, and that was the sound of a woman screaming as her worst nightmares have come true in the form of something just grotesque and hideous that snapped and clawed at her pulling her away into the darkness that fell over the sleeping town. But when you're asleep and in your own dream, things like that just don't come in.....

&&&&

Morning came, and Mello and Matt rushed around the apartment eating and drinking at the speed a child would when getting ready for the first day of school and they knew the bus wasn't that far down the street from their home. The police called around 6 a.m. telling him that they didn't see his car in the forest and there weren't exactly signs of an accident either. It was both bizarre and lazy on the police forces side. But then it dawned on him that he hadn't exactly told Matt where the accident had taken place. Who knows where the tour guide had sent the cops. Not only that, but Mello suddenly remembered the farmer he'd come across on his way in and that the man said he would tow his car from the forest for him. And so the two hurry off to retrieve Mello's missplaced phone and other items from the car.

Anchor-woman: A body has been found, earlier this morning, by the lake. Like a few other victims recently found, the body has extreme burn marks all over the skin. Police believe that its been done by the same person who is repsonsible for killing victims by decapatation only now they've changed the M.O. to fire.

Matt turned the television off just as quickly as it had unknowingly been turned on and after grabbing his keys from the hanger by the door they're in the car and headed down the street. The drive over was in silence. Each of the men lost in thought. Mello has a lot that needs to get done today starting with locating the city dumps main office so that he can get to work. Apartment hunting will have to come later, if Matt didn't mind driving him around a little while longer. This transfer was proving to be more work than needed, exhausting too. But considering how he used to live this was nothing. Only difference is that normally he's not banged up.

The city with its people and buildings eventually turned to grass, trees, and dirt road. The change was almost drastic, like peeking into a music box with a telescope that's surrounded by wilderness, one shift to the right and the tiny box would be gone.

"Its this way," Mello points a finger off to the left.

The car moved steadily along the road crushing and imprinting tiremarks over any bit of natural life it came into contact with, thankfully none of it an animal of any kind. And before Mello could say "there it is", the car slowed to a stop outside of the farmer's house. Climbing out, Matt bringing up the rear of his pace to the front door, Mello raised his fist and gave the door a good pounding to alert the man that he had visitors.

"Hello?" The blond called out. No reply. Banging again, he looked around the area while waiting for the door to open. He doesn't see the smashed rental but he can see the tail end of the tow-truck from around the side of the home. Walking around that way, Mello called out again. "Hello?"

The engine is running. But arriving at the window he discovers that the truck is empty. The guy must be inside, or maybe out on the stretch of land someplace.

Matt could tell this was going to turn into a manhunt, but he had a much faster solution and strolled over to the back door twisting the knob. The door opened to him and he pushed it forward. "Mel," He called to the blond.

Mello walked over to Matt assuming that the man had opened it to the red head but instead saw no one waiting beyond the opened door.

"I don't think he's home. Let's go inside and see if he took your stuff out of the car. He could have dropped it off somewhere to be fixed."

Mello hadn't thought of that and moved forward into the house. Afterall, the man offered to help him. Its not as if he's a stranger exactly, they've met, the farmer agreed to help him out. Whats a little breaking and entering between aquaintances? Mello's nose scrunched up instantly upon entering. The house smelled of old milk and sleep- a very deep sleep. His boots made a terribly loud thud with each step he took. It was like a steady heartbeat picking up when he spotted his cell phone sitting atop the television. The oldman must have been holding onto it for him since he didn't know if he'd be back or not. Mello scanned the top of the set for the car key but didn't find it. Although it would make sense if the man brought the car into town to get it fixed. Heading back through the living room to the kitchen where he'd come from, Mello came to an abrupt pause; taken by surprise of a long shadow casting down the stairs he takes a few steady steps over that way to peer up. Just as he had suspected, the farmer is standing at the top of them looking down into the living room- well, as much of the living room as he could see- not moving.

"Thanks for getting the car. I've got my cell too." He waved the phone for the man to see. There was no movement not jarring, noticeable movement anyway. But he was swaying in his stand. "You left your truck running...." Now he's just making small talk. But still he gets no reaction. Cocking a brow at how odd it is, Mello decides to take his leave and without so much as a goodbye he walked out of the house. If the man wants his privacy he can have it.

"Get what you needed?" Matt asked. He looked guilty of being caught sniffing around the running vehical for theft.

"Yeah." He took one last look at the place before climbing back into Matt's car with him. "Do you know where the city dump is?"

"I might have gone by there a couple times." Matt's voice seemed a bit more relaxed. The farm house must have been getting under his skin as well. He didn't have to be inside to see the owner of the home glaring down the stairs at him.

Mello wondered for a second how long the farmer had been standing there? Then why the man didn't say anything even when he'd spoken to him.

"Its a ways away in Palleville."

That sounded good to Mello because he'd planned on finding a place in Palleville anyway. Its like killing two birds with one stone.

.................

"We were beginning to think that you weren't gonna show." His new boss; a skinny little slip of a person, with a thick black beard that did nothing for his thin face, and balding head with the basic horseshoe pattern of black hair going around it. "You've been assigned truck 234, and here is your route." He handed the male a sheet of paper with the listings of the homes whose trash cans will be emptied by him.

Mello skimmed it.

"You start work tomorrow so you can ride around today and get a feel for the place since you're new to the area." He sticks out a large bony hand. "You've got Fridays and Tuesdays off, and on Sunday you come in at noon." He shakes Mello's hand firmly. "We shouldn't have any problems as long as you get your job done."

"Right." Removing his hand from his new boss's.

Mello leaves the small office entering into the main part of the building. Once he's beyond the main doors he heads back to Matt's car. The red head said he'd give him a tour of the place and he could stay at his apartment for as long as it takes before he got his own place. The car engine revvs and they back slowly from the area leveling out with the street before the car is driven at a regular pace to who knows where, that Matt had planned on taking him. At least he doesn't have work until tomorrow.
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