the scarlet painting

𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜

At school no one was ever entertaining but what do you expect were a school that was started in the 90s by some cult that believed in potatoes being the root of all evil yes ... my school has a pretty weird history but besides that, it got legally established and became a school in the middle of small-town Selmer.

Selmer wasn't somewhere you would be excited to visit it was old, filled with old people who think they just know everything to know on this planet, oh and let's not forget the fact that we're a population of people living in the woods

I bet you wouldn't even find us on a map...
if you would ask me the cliched question, "why don't we move or why can't you move?."

I'll tell you this my parents found the weirdness beautiful in their own eyes and also .. they were trying to run away as far as possible.

"Thanks, mom and dad mission accomplished" it was always grim here and I know you're properly wondering how grim, well we have casually missing people.

Thats why  everyone's always talking , if a family were to move here in aweeks time they all would be gone , crazy right how could people just disappear .

it's so frequent no one even bats an eye when it happens the oldest residents always talk about old myths,  you know the odd creepy myths that originate in small-towns. 

yeah we all know that trope, but Mrs. and Mr. Filand always make a scene out of it no one really takes them seriously I mean they were around when the old potato cult was still a thing so.

You put the puzzle pieces together .

"hey lioney get ready were going to the store"

"mom it's eight-thirty pm don't you think it's a little late"

"no and I know you're just lazy hurry up please" my mom was right as much as I have an obsession with the night I hate being out when it was late not that it was scary it just give me some sort of feeling I can't explain.
Going to the store was a mission alright.
we only had one store in our town yes exactly one , it was exactly an  hour drive from my house , did I mention that the sun barely even exists here imagine it being winter all around the year yep that would be Selmer .

"dude do you mind shifting"
"no back off I picked the seat"
"fine geeze what are on your period?"

"stop being a prick!"

" can you two stop fighting your too old for this."

I honestly don't understand how my brother and I came from the same mom , all we ever did was argue and argue over the same things, like who gets to sit by the seat next to the window .

yeah I know there four sides of a car I am sure we both could have seats by the window but the seat I am sitting in is the perfect place for the heating to hit me .

while driving I always do this thing of trying to see in between the trees in the woods while the car was moving .

I caught sight of a deer once which was not that special but I was five at the time so it was pretty dang special .

"I don't get it why don't we just get a new car" my brother spoke out breaking the silence in the car.

" it has too many memories ." my father spoke his hands on the wheel focused on the road trying not to hit a dear .

That wasn't a Surprise  my brother Aries was born in that exact sit his sitting in let's just say our town also has one hospital which meant mom and dad had to drive out of town to for my mother to give birth but he had other plans so she gave birth there, in the car  to him, and yes that is my brothers name my parents wanted something unique I don't know.

I started getting ready to hop out the car After seeing the glowing green light from the neon sign that stood on top of the store's roof .

everyone in the town seemed to be huddled up by the store door "what's going on?" my mom whispered to my dad who was beside her also confused.

" we're telling you people wake up these  creatures that disguise themselves as humans are lurking around,your all in trance wake up! "

ah yes that would be MR and MRS Filand they were dressed in their usual attire oven mittts and baggy clothes that were  made from there old sheets that were floral by the way.

"WE ARE WARRING ALL YOU , THEY ARE WATCHING US PRETANDING TO BE US!!!!" she ended her speech with her husband who was humming some sort of old song by her side and slowly they disappeared to the darkness of the forest.
one of the store Clarks came out running from the store .

" well ladies and gentleman that was a show sorry for the inconvince you may come in and shop away."
the Clark  shouted out ,his name he was Dylan he practically knew everyone in the town, in fact, everyone that was shopping that night was the town yep we were that small.

As my family entered, he gave my brother a fist pump and nodded his head when I passed, I copied his move as well it was our little greeting

I always wondered whatever happened to MR and  MRS Filand for both to be like that.

"lioney honey please will you get me the meat from the freezer."

"sure mom." and of I went I stepped into the pretty empty aisle, except for the one person I couldn't see properly , they had a all-black look from the hoodie to the black shoes everything black but they seemed to be just gazing at the fridge not moving.

" perhaps they need help?" I whisper to myself getting close to the person I reach out to tap they're shoulder but with speed they turn and run away.
" Hey you dropped something!".
I reached down to pick  up a necklace it was a cross it had sapphire gems in as well it was rusted at the back as too suggesting that it might be old .

After the shopping was done we went back home I headed straight to my room to exam the necklace while everyone was packing out the groceries as I entered my room the window was opened my desk was trashed as well without even knowing I let out a scream "Leo are you ok !" my parent rushed up to my room .
shocked my parents stood at the door.

After cleaning everything up and fixing my window I sat on my bad .

" listen Leo are you sure you didn't leave the window open".

"no mom you saw the latch it was broken".

"I now sweetheart the police will investigate on it tomorrow ok ."

My mom left my room leaving me with the necklace I hid in my pocket "what the hell happened"?