Strawberry Fields Forever [Deacon]

[Miles]

The small community outside of Rapid City, South Dakota had grown boring and dry. Everything that Miles enjoyed was back in the city, as was his school. His summer was quickly drawing to a close, with only a few weeks left of vacation, and he hadn’t even finished his project yet. No, not his school project, but he had installed a device on his computer that would allow him to manipulate the electronic grid of a neighbor’s house. It was all in good fun, something relatively easy to run, and amusing nonetheless. How would his neighbor react when the lights turned on and off, or when he opened his garage, the sprinkler system came on? A mischievous grin broke out on his face as he sat at the window in anticipation, awaiting the arrival of his neighbor.

Five thirty rolled by, and Miles sat at the window, his chin in his hand. His neighbor was late. With a sigh, he pushed his feet against the ground so the chair would roll back over to his desk, replacing his laptop in its usual spot. He was just about to load up a video game when the phone rang. He waited, listening to his parents carefully before he heard the conversation stop, and then his name called.

He walked out along the hallway, looking down over the banister at his mother. It had been her choice to move here instead of the city, the small almost town of Glen Grove holding some sort of fascination for her. Maybe it was the people, who worked together to hold the town unity sort of feeling together, or maybe it was the mass amounts of fruit trees, he wasn’t sure. As he looked down at her, she explained that there was some sort of community meeting, and they needed their family for something important. Frowning, Miles grabbed his shoes and descended the stairs, slipping them on and zipping his jacket up halfway before walking outside to the waiting car, where his father was.

A short drive later, they were at the clubhouse, a large community gathering place that was much like a country club. It was silent upon their entrance, and after drinking the beverage he was offered, Miles lost track of everything as it faded to black…

The scent of wet dirt filled his nose as he came to, blinking several times to rid the haze in his eyes. He tried moving forward, but his hands were caught by something--they were bound on a wooden post. Next to him on either side were his parents. What had happened? Wait...their neighbors couldn't have done this, could they?! His eyes widened as he began to panic. No, they had to get out, they needed to call the cops, they needed to be safe. He froze when someone opened the door. It was his neighbor, the one he was going to mess with. With a stern, stoic look, he glanced at Miles, and then closed the door. What the hell was going on?!

[Casey]

The door of Deacon’s car opened with a groan as he stepped out into Glen Grove. The whole air of the place was off in his opinion. The people seemed nice enough but it also felt like he’d wandered into a bad horror movie. Before he would have shrugged it off, but since learning about the supernatural, he allowed himself to stay weary. If was in a horror movie he could either be the hero or the idiot who get killed. Reaching into the car he pulled out his flannel over shirt before locking the door.

For some reason Casey had sent him to this little town to investigate, something. In his opinion the guy should have contacted an actual hunter not a nights and week day’s guy. If anything it was because he was the closest and the text, while vague, seemed urgent. So Deacon packed up and left Anna and Art to hold down the fort. Hopefully when he got back on he’d still have a brother and waitress. The waitress could be replaced but his parents would eventually notice Art was missing.

Walking across the street he smiled and waved at one of the locals. Whatever was happening was going on very soon. Given the vibe of the town he didn’t expect them to like a stranger asking questions. For now he’d settle on going on the local diner and get some food.

“Welcome,” The owner most likely said to him as soon as he was through the door, “How can I help ya?”

“Just getting some grub,” Deacon smiled, “Any specials?”

“Sure I get you the lunch special,” the man walked off without even telling him what the lunch special was. Deacon sat down at table nearby and tried to look for anything that jumped out as weird, or rather weirder.

[Miles]

The town was tense--a lot of the people disagreed with the family that had been chosen. First off, one was just a kid, not to mention his mother was pregnant. That had been part of the choice, though, and the town leaders wanted to ensure the harvest this year. Last year it had been wealth, and the money came pouring into Glen Grove. So one could only assume that the fruits would be plenty and bountiful when the season came. That still didn't change the fact that this whole situation could bring hell upon the community if anyone caught wind of it.

Elisha had been waiting on another table when the man in the flannel came in. She gave him a weary look, but let Frank, the owner, deal with him. She finished up confirming the order with the other table, and then sidled over to this newcomer. She stood over the table, glancing down at him. "Getchya something to drink?" she asked, pen at the ready. Then she decided to throw it out there, and see what was up. "You're not from around here. Passin' through, today? Going to Mount Rushmore?" That was the story for most out-of-towners, so hopefully it would be the same with this one.

[Casey]

Deacon gave the waitress a smile, “See as it’s not four yet, I think I’ll have a coke darling.”

He noticed that she looked a little out of it and decided to try and loosen her up with conversation, “Yeah, I’m a stranger in a strange land I guess. Driving away from actually, friend sent me this a way. I’m from Keystone myself, lived there since I was knee high.”

“So what about you? Anything going on in town?” He asked casually but his focus was completely on her face. Any unintentional reaction or tell he’d catch. Deacon had always prided himself on being able to read people and hopefully this chick wasn’t some sort of weird brainwashed.

[Miles]

Absentmindedly jotting down the beverage onto her pad of paper, she took the man's image in. A little rugged looking, could probably hold his own. He seemed moderately intelligent, but he surely wasn't there to find out what would be happening later that night. Elisha was one of the ones that disagreed with the choice of family, since they had only lived there for a few years, there was a child on the way, and there would be a child as a sacrifice. It just wasn't right, but then again, if she opened her mouth, they'd throw her in there too. Sometimes she wished she would just move away already, but this pitiful job didn't give her enough income to do so.

Her brow cocked upward when he mentioned a friend sending him in this direction. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but there ain't nothing here but orange groves," she said. There were also some other sporadic fruit crops, such as strawberries, lemons, apples, and others along those lines. "Everything else is back in the city," she added, glancing over her shoulder, and looking for the owner, who was supposed to be bringing the man his lunch special.

For the briefest of moments a look crossed her face that looked like she had been found out before it was smoothed out and she looked bored. "Nope, not in Glen Grove anyway. Our fair ended two weeks ago, so nothing is going on, stranger." She stepped aside as the owner set his food down on the table, and she handed off her other order to him. "So what is so interesting out this way, then?"[/blockquote]

[Casey]

“Notice some of those as I was driving in, and your right about everything being in the city,” he laughed, “Have to drive out every two months for my little brother. Can’t wait until that kid passes his driver’s test. Then again he still wouldn’t have a car.”

Deacon leaned back as the owner placed a plate on his table. It was some sort of sandwich, from what he could tell. Smiling he picked up the food and tried to take a bite but stopped when the waitress spoke again. He set the food back on the plate and whipped his hands off on his jeans.

“Honestly couldn’t tell ya,” he answered truthfully, “He ain’t the best at giving out details. Hasn’t steered me wrong yet though so for now he says jump…”

He trailed off and picked the food up. Taking a bite he hid his urge to gag and swallowed the food. Rubin, which of course he hated, go figure. He’d learned how to do that with his mom’s cooking. She’d make mud sound delicious but at least now he could eat crap and give his complements to the chief.

“So the fair was two weeks ago, seems a little early for one,” He said before taking another bite. Man he was looking forward to that coke.

[Miles]

Elisha listened to Deacon go on about the city, simply nodding along to his words. "I've never been much of a city girl, myself," she piped in, looking at the food as it arrived. "I'd much rather live around nature, a rural place like this. When it comes time for the oranges to blossom, it smells absolutely wonderful. You just can't get that in the city, you can't get the stars, or the colors, or the smells," she continued on, remembering just why she lived here. It was because even though the means they achieved these things was horrid, the place was simply beautiful.

Elisha's brows furrowed as she continued to listen to him. "Then how do you know what you're looking for?" she asked with a chuckle. "Unless its someone that lives here, you ain't missing much. What you see is what you get." She looked him over once more, he didn't look harmful. Maybe she could get rid of him. "Yeah, the town isn't known for its timing. Anyway, sir, I'll let you get to your food. Cash out with Frank, and the interstate is up the road, about eight miles," she said, throwing in a friendly smile, and walking away, returning a few seconds later with his drink before disappearing again.

[Casey]

“You sound a bit like my ma,” Deacon said after listening to talk about nature, “except less crazy.”

It wasn’t unusually for small towns to down play themselves. The way the waitress kept talking, it was more her trying to get him to leave. If he doubted anything was up before he couldn’t really now.

“Well, I’m just gonna wait until I get a message for my amigo. He usually has his reasons.”

Deacon finished eating and washed down the last of the sandwich with the soda. He stood up and walked over to where the waitress was. “How much to I owe ya?” he asked pulling out his wallet.

[Miles]

Miles came to once more. He'd figured out that whatever was in the drinks before, they had a gas form of it that they kept pouring into the vents down in wherever they were. It didn't last very long, unless they were messing with his watch. However, no many how many times he awoke, his parents didn't. The thought didn't make him feel any better, and he could hear people walking around outside the door, and on what sounded like an upper floor. Were they in a cellar? They were common due to the tornadoes, but how long had they been out for people to haul them in and tie them up? His body kept feeling increasingly sluggish, too, every time he awoke. His head lolled forward, his eye lids heavy. What the hell was going on? That question kept repeating in his mind, his feelings telling him that there was nothing good to come about this.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Six fifty," Elisha said, taking the cash and putting it in the register, giving Deacon his change. "Your friend get to you?" she asked, trying to see what this guy was up to. The last thing they needed was someone interfering in their sacrifice ritual.

[Casey]

Deacon handed her the money with exact change. He’d always liked exact change, made his life earlier so he didn’t see why it wouldn’t for her. Slipping the wallet back into his pocket he sighed at the question.

“He’s a little difficult but he only helps people,” He explained, “As long as he keeps that up I’m willing to go on a wild goose every once in a while. Thanks for the meal, have a good day.” Deacon gave her a smile and wave before walking out of the diner.

As he walked out onto the side walk he put his hands in his jean pockets. Being from a small town he knew all the mindsets and quirks. This place, Deacon decided that this place needed further investigation. Walking away from his car he adopted the role of wandering tourist. If something was up hopefully he’d avoid raising suspicions of the locals.

[Miles]

[For the sake of the thread, I'm just going to use blue text for this next guy. I'm too lazy to find a new icon.]

Chester's home, and his grove, were next to the diner. He had been entrusted by the elderly man that called the shots to tend this piece of land. It had been a few years since he'd found out. The massive tree on the back of his property was actually some Pagan god. Chester had been skeptical at first, but once the sacrifice had been made, the fruit had been plenty. Last year they had sacrificed for wealth, the year before that for health. Now with the economy and the raising prices, they had come to a consensus that they couldn't afford it all, so it was time to call upon the god again. Chester still didn't know its name.

Outwardly, it looked like Chester was simply picking fruit from the trees at the front of his property, though he was actually checking to see if the god could be seen from this far away. The sacrifice would be that evening, the Geiger family. They never really did catch on to things around here, but then again, most people would rather not believe the truth once they found it out. Maybe it would be a good thing for them. He stepped off the ladder, taking a bite into one of his green apples as a man in a flannel shirt began walking by. Frowning, Chester took a few steps closer.

"Lost, stranger?" he asked. This part didn't really get visitors, so he eyed the man wearily.

[Casey]

Deacon stopped at the sudden voice. He looked back and forth along the street before seeing the man by the tree. Normally he would have hit himself for being oblivious but this time it could have worked into the whole “stupid tourist” vibe he was going for. He smiled at the man and stepped toward him.

“Lost implies I know where I’m going,” he laughed, “Just wandering while I’m waiting for a friend.” Deacon started to think the friend thing would become his shtick. It seemed to work and it was no threatening. Besides you couldn’t get arrested for a fake friend, IDs were trickier to deal with. Also he wasn’t sure he could ever convincingly impersonate an FBI or CIA.

He looked up at the tree and back at the man, “Need any help sir?”

[Miles]

Several hours later...

Richard frowned as he walked his way across town. He had just disposed of that man, the meddlesome one. He'd been there all day, getting friendly with everyone. It had been fine, really, until that useless idiot Chester had actually let the guy onto the property where the tree was. Lead him right to the tree. Thankfully the subject was changed as the guy asked about it, but then he kept asking questions around town. Richard, the son of the man who was basically in charge of the small community, with a wife and kids of his own, began to follow the man in the flannel, listening. The more he listened, the more it sounded like the guy was looking for something. And this was not the day to be looking for something.

After a brief argument, and the threat of local authorities, the man left town. It was great timing, because people were already gathering at Chester's. The sun was setting, some lights had been set up in the back, though they were low enough so a passerby on the street wouldn't know something was up. There were three posts, to which the Geiger's would be bound. At this point, it was Richard's understanding that the boy had been informed of what was going on, and had to be gagged in order to keep the noise down. The anesthetic seemed to be more poignant on his parents, so they were still uninformed, and would probably remain that way. It'd just make it easier.

Now the problem would just be getting the family over to the tree, where the ritual was set up. Richard made his way over to Joseph's house, he would be helping to move the family. As he approached, he could see that the parents were barely coherent, but the son was attempting to thrash around--it appeared he didn't have much strength behind him. He took point, and then began walking with the group to the trees.

[Casey]

Deacon had never had anything against small towns before, now he was considering hating them. Or just this one. Getting escorted out of town by an angry mob did wonders for his mood. Before leaving though he did get a look at a strange tree, made even stranger by the fact the town flipped out over the fact he saw it. By doing that they might as well have pointed at with a neon sign and yell, “this is what you’re looking for!”

Truthfully Deacon was doubting the whole tree thing. The monster he was sent after was a plant? Seriously? It was only after hours of driving around Glen Grove that he convinced himself that if creatures could change shape, a tree could be evil.

He parked well outside of town, but closer to the orchard and walked in. What he took with him was a gun, extra ammo, a hacket, lighter fluid and his trusty lighter. For once he was glad he’d never broken the habit of carrying it even though he’d stopped smoking

As he walked through the trees and closer to the strange tree and lights, he tried his best to stay quiet. If he was failing the “villagers” were too caught up to notice. Toward the middle of the group were to passed out adults and a frightened kid. He groaned quietly as the thought of human sacrifice ran through his head. As if it was a prediction one of the members of the village stabbed the man in the heart and another stabbed the woman. While they chanted Deacon reeled back in shock.

As they approached the boy, Deacon’s mind raced. He snuck up behind tree and drenched it in lighter fluid and stuck the remaining and the container in the center. He lit the back on fire and waited as the tree caught turned into a full blaze and Deacon hid. Right as the man was about to stab the boy someone cried out and they all rushed to save the tree. Deacon ran forward and untied him and slung him over his shoulder. The fire was almost out when the remaining lighter fluid exploded and lit the villagers as well as the tree.

By the time Deacon got back to the car the pagan god was cinders.

[Miles]

This would quite possibly scar Miles for life. Here he was, minding his own business when he and his parents are kidnapped, forced into some cellar, drugged, bound, moved, bound again, and put before this tree. His mind was trying to wrap around what exactly was going on, and he kept looking over to his father. If he could just wake up...his father was probably the strongest person he knew, though he didn't look it. Surely, if he could wake up he could break the thin ropes and get his family out of here. The torches that stuck out of the ground, and the pedestal in front of the tree, the large stone basin...this had to be some nightmare. That was the only logical explanation. Once the bad things started happening, he would wake up, and he could just let the relief wash over him...

...and was that a knife? Miles eyed the utensil carefully as they flaunted it around, glinting in the darkness and the light cast around by the fires. The townspeople were gathered around them...talking about something that sounded like they were elevating it to a god-like level. His breathing had increased what felt like ten-fold, and his eyes darted to his parents, and back to the knife. Beside him, his parents were coming to, and becoming aware of the situation. The leader went on, knife in hand, and his parents began freaking out. His mother...she was saying something...Miles felt his insides churn, and then dissolve into nothing as she sobbed about being pregnant. They hadn't told him yet.

"No...no, no, please, this is wrong, what are you doing?!" he cried out, feeling that overwhelming awareness of fear rising inside of him. He was going to die...his parents were going to die. Finally the man stepped off the pedestal, and moved towards his father, and in one fast movement, the knife had pierced him through the heart, the stone basin placed beneath the wound to gather blood. "NO!" he sobbed, staring in horror as they now approached his mother. "Please, no....don't...please," he cried, now becoming incoherent with his words. He looked away and felt the contents of his stomach empty as his mother was stabbed next to him. His eyes were closed tight. This was the end. At least his parents wouldn't be distraught...they couldn't be anymore...

He felt the post he was bound to shudder as a hatchet severed the bonds, and felt himself being taken off his feet. Instantly he began fighting back, though he lacked any real strength to do damage. "No, no, no, let me go! Lemmego!" he yelled, before he realized that this man...even Miles could tell this man was an outsider. When they were far enough away, Miles ran on his own two feet, finally collapsing inside the car. He closed his eyes, trying to keep it all inside, the horror, the pain, the revulsion. He could hear sirens in the distance. "I need to go home," he said. "I need you to take me to my house."