Peligro

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

The three of you are seated at the table chipping away at dinner.

You fixate on a painting on the wall, a classical depiction of a watchman looking over a wall as it slithers through the street, teeth clenched.

There’s an uncomfortable silence, everyone trying to avoid conversation for one reason or another.

Chickpea: So…

Chickpea: Is Nacho coming or…

Frida: Complicated, give them a bit.

Chickpea: Alright. Just… hearing a lot of noise on and off.

Frida: Yeah gonna be honest, we kinda just met them on the way.

 

Frida: I mean I guess I haven’t know Javi long either..

Chickpea: Right..

He looks over and gives you a concerned face.

Javi: Promise you I’m okay.

Chickpea: I mean… are you?

Javi: With these two at least.

Chickpea: Yeah but like..

Chickpea: This is kind of a big thing to wing. Especially around a time when the witch is up to her shit, you know?

Chickpea: Like, if you lay low long enough folks might think this whole thing happened cause of that.

Chickpea: Nobody’d assume much else.

Javi: The cops stopped by my place, they’ve been wanting to nail me for years.

Chickpea: I guess..

Chickpea: Still, I’d cover for you. Lockdown started today, Could say you had to bunker up in here til Watchman activity mellowed out.

Chickpea: Just gotta listen to the radio til it’s clear to leave.

Chickpea: And it’s safer than trying to deal with shit out there.

Javi: That’s true..

Frida: Radio?

Chickpea: Yeah, lots of people broadcast around these parts including the local governing folks.

Chickpea: You get a lot of indie broadcasts too. Pirate radio as folks call it.

Chickpea: You familiar?

Frida: Yeah just.. Uh..

Frida: Thinking I guess.

Frida: Radios got a lot of connotations around modern witches. The town being watched over one.. Makes me wonder I guess.

Chickpea: You know something?

Frida: Maybe? I dunno. This whole place feels weird with the creatures and how far it is from anywhere else.

Chickpea: You mean the whole Watchman thing, yeah?

Frida: Like… that has to be a big part of how things work around here, yeah?

Chickpea: Yeah.

Frida: Why do people still live here?

Chickpea: Moving out to the surrounding areas is hard.

Chickpea: Lot of procedures that lock folks out.

Chickpea: Most folks born here, die here.

Chickpea: Most might even be a bit optimistic there.

Javi: Never known anyone who’s left personally.

Javi: And anyone who does? Never hear a thing from them again.

Javi: Like to think the world outside’s just so much more, makes it hard to *want* to go back.

Javi: Don’t want to be one of those though. Parents came from outside and moved back out.

Chickpea: Yeah but.. Never came back.

Chickpea: And they weren’t born here in the first place, had somewhere to go after.

Frida: Why didn’t they bring you with them?

Javi: Didn’t feel ready to leave. Thought I needed a few more years here, whole life built in this place even if  you know..

Javi: Been on lots of people’s bad side.

Javi: But you’ll get me out, yeah?

Frida: I mean I promised that much…

Frida: What are these Watchmen anyway?

Frida: Got a glance but uh..

Frida: Wasn’t even sure what I was looking at.

Frida: Kinda surprised it didn’t just break in.

Chickpea: They’re a little polite about that. Hard to call them animals, too smart for that.

Chickpea: But don’t really know if you can call them people.

Chickpea: They kinda just exist. Nobody’s been brave enough to try and hunt one down for science.

Chickpea: Only firearms around here are snuck in by vendors or in the hands of the police.

Chickpea: God knows they won’t risk their asses if they can drive away.

Chickpea: The witch is the only person in town who knows how to handle them for the most part.

Chickpea: That and maybe the old fiends but.. They don’t like to fight with them much either.

Javi: They bailed me out one time.

Chickpea: You just happened to be around at the time though.

Javi: Yeah..

Chickpea: Not equipped to just actively go out and fuck with these things, strong as they are.

Chickpea: Lot of folks distrust them for some reason but they’ve been pretty good when people get lost.

Javi: Planning to meet up with them before I leave but…

Javi: Guess I’m thinking now.

Frida: What’s up?

Javi: Always thought that my final days here would be partying and getting to say my goodbyes, not just booking it and trying to make it out by morning.

Javi: Got my place here and all.

Frida: I mean I can go back and grab your stuff whenever, that’s no problem.

Javi: I guess.

Frida: Know what you mean though, had to bail from a few places too.

Javi: Like?

Frida: Long stories..

Frida: Trouble has a way of finding me though.

Frida: Entity stuff.

Chickpea: Yeah you mentioned that.

Chickpea: Never seen one before, kinda assumed they’d be more eldritch than uh…

Chickpea: Bunny.

Frida: You want to see my true form?

Chickpea:.. I’m going to have to think on that. Maybe?

He looks at you again. You shrug.

Javi: I think it’s cute.

Chickpea: Yeah coming from you I don’t know what that means. No offense you’re uh..

Frida smirks at you.

Javi: Look.

Chickpea: I mean you’re valid, but if it gets a little too weird I’m going to ask you to go to the garage.

Javi: I mean we’re not dating or anything…

Frida: We could start.

Javi: Maybe when things are less hectic…

Chickpea: So just checking in uh..

Chickpea: What did you sign away exactly?

Chickpea: Aren’t these things under contract?

Javi: I fed her.

Frida: Yeah that.

Chickpea: That easy?

Javi: Yeah.

Frida: Mmhmm! I’m easy to work with.

Chickpea: So you guys grant wishes, right?

Frida: Kind of? Within our own power.

Chickpea: I get anything out of making you dinner?

Frida: Maybe! We can talk about that later.

Chickpea: Nice.

Chickpea: Guess I’m just worried and all. Kind of got a lot of feelings about this too.

Chickpea:  It’s uh-

You hear the garage door creek open, a muzzle peeking through just slightly, albeit not the familiar crooked one you were expecting despite the voice you hear being similar to your new witchy friend.

Nacho: Hey uh… can we talk for a minute?

Nacho: Having some issue.