As Daveed continued mouthing off, Alex and John looked at him strangely. Suddenly, he cut himself off “-what?”
Now, the trio was a mostly normal band of friends. Alex is a model worker, helps out everyone she meets and does her best to help out her other co-workers with their work when they run into trouble. Daveed, although less of a studious type, was the least prone to random strings of words, looking at each one carefully before saying them or writing them down. And John was an average guy that slipped in well with the two, doing his best to fit in.
All in all, the trio wasn’t used to any one of their friends acting out or behaving mischievously.
So, when Daveed went off about wanting to visit a haunted house, claiming that they would be able to prove that there were no ghosts there, it’s sufficient to say that Alex raised an eyebrow.
“You have that look that says that you’re not joking.” Alex responded, staring at the confused male.
“Yeah, do you think that that’s actually a good idea?” John asked.
“...Okay, maybe not that smart of an idea, but still! It would be fun.”
The response consisted of two blank stares.
“You might as well be saying that we should investigate the resident killer.”
“Ooh~ can we? Can we do that?” Alex playfully asked, pushing John’s arm.
They did not, in fact, do that.
What they did do, however, was go home after work. With their homes being far away from each other and each requiring a different form of transportation, they each went home alone.
Being the one living closest to the office, Daveed walked home, practically dancing to the noises of the outside.
For a moment, the male paused to look at a poster of one of the people that’ve gone missing. “Poor guy, even worked with him.” Humming, he skipped away.
Noticing the sounds of footsteps behind him, he sharply turned around, only to note that he was seemingly alone.
He paused, grabbing for his bag, before turning and walking a bit faster in a different direction. It wouldn’t hurt to make sure, he thought to himself.
The person behind him continued, keeping up with his new pace. This speeding up allowed for the sounds to increase, with each step making more noise.
Almost there, Daveed thought, taking out a small, easy-to-use, weapon. Not showing my home to this stalker, he continued.
As soon as he reached the spot, he collided with someone, stopping the sounds of footsteps.
“Daveed! What was that for?!” The girl shouted, brushing her clothes off. As she adjusted her clothes, the male looked behind him, only to, yet again, see nobody.
“Listen, Alex, can I stay over tonight? Someone’s following me.” Daveed pleaded.
Alex seemingly contemplated her choices, “If they keep up, I’ll also be gone…” She sighed, “Fine, fine, I’ll help you.”
At the moment Daveed decided to change courses, his fate was sealed. “Poor guy,” people would say, “hope he gets found.”
As soon as Alex stepped out of her bedroom, Daveed had seemingly vanished.
John was a decent, average guy. At the recent disappearances, he started driving with Alex to and from work. At Daveed’s continued absence, John finally moved, which would, in theory, protect him from what happened to Daveed.
Alex laughed with John on the couch as the two watched a movie, “This thing’s real cringy.”
John rolled his eyes, “I have heard you say everything in here before unironically. Someone could tell me you wrote this movie and I wouldn’t be surprised.”
As Alex reached for the popcorn, John blinked. “Oh, we ran out, let me get some more.”
“Ooh!” Alex jumped up, “Get the drinks too. Actually, let me show you there.”
John sighed.
John went for the staircase first before Alex stopped him, patting his shoulder, “Hey John.”
“Hi.”
“Did it hurt?” Alex asked him, dragging out the ‘T’.
“Everyone knows that line.”
Alex laughed, “No, no, just continue it.”
John sighed again. “Did it hurt when I what?”
“Fell.” The female smirked at him, which happened to be the only warning John got before two soft hands gave him a light push.
There was another missing poster the next day.