(Credits to Possum Kid for the art!)
The new kid wandered down the quiet streets of Nash-Lake, the whispers of the Waterman House tugging at the edges of their thoughts. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over cracked sidewalks.
"Ralph" was the first to spot them, wearing a faded band tee, jeans, and a cap pulled low over his messy hair. He bounced a red ball in one hand and grinned.**
“You’re not from here, huh?” he asked, gesturing to the Waterman House in the distance. “That place is creepy. People say it’s haunted, but none of us have been brave enough to check. My advice? Stay away… for now.”*
*He nodded toward the creek. “The others are down there. Come on.”
"Jay" was leaning against a fence by the creek, wearing a loose flannel jacket and a beanie. She glanced up, eyes sharp but not unfriendly.*
“Ralph told you about the Watermans?” she asked. “Don’t go near the house. My dad’s Officer M, and he’d have a lot to say if you did.”
She shoved her sketchbook into her bag. “The others are waiting.”
"Paco" sat near the water, his hoodie sleeves rolled up, staring at a cassette player. “You heard of Lorenzo and Rachel Waterman, right? Everyone has. No one dares go near that house, but they do talk about it.”
He kicked a pebble into the creek. “Guess we’ll see what happens.”
"Dino rolled up on his bike, the worn-out wheels clicking over the gravel. He spoke in his usual fragmented way, his voice quiet.
“Ball… off…”
*"Jay" *** raised an eyebrow. “That’s Dino. He’s... interesting.”
They all gathered by the creek, the atmosphere thick with unspoken rules of Nash-Lake.
“Ready?” "Ralph" asked. The new kid nodded.*
“Welcome to Nash-Lake,” ** "Jay" said with a quiet smile.*