Alex stepped back into the station, letting the heavy front door swing shut behind him with a hollow thud. The other officer had decided to stay outside, still circling the fog and the prints like a man trying to impress a ghost. Maybe he fancied himself a detective. Or maybe he just didn't want to be inside with the weight of things he couldn't explain.
Alex had the strand of silver hair clenched in one hand. He kept walking, boots echoing faintly down the hall, until he reached his office.
He opened the door. Closed it behind him.
Jade was still asleep on the couch, half-curled beneath the blanket like a kid trying to disappear into its fabric. Peaceful. Too peaceful.
Alex looked down at the strand again, turning it in his fingers. "He's like a beacon for crazy," he muttered, dryly amused. "Should get hazard pay for babysitting him."
He sat down in his chair with a grunt, eyeing the mountain of paperwork stacked like a slow-motion avalanche on his desk.
"Imma yeet myself off a duplex soon enough," he muttered.
He pulled open the bottom drawer and retrieved a small, empty specimen jar he usually kept for evidence he didn't know what else to do with—like feathers, broken teeth, or, apparently, magic hair. He placed the silver strand inside, sealed the lid, and stared at it.
The strand shimmered faintly even under the sterile office light.
"This most definitely is not normal," he thought, watching it shift like it was still alive.
Then something else drifted through his mind.
That reminds me... CPS should be coming today.
He looked over at Jade again, still asleep. Vulnerable in a way that made Alex feel weirdly protective and deeply unequipped.
"I hope the results are good," he thought. Then added, "Whatever that even means anymore."
Nearly three hours later, the couch creaked as Jade stirred. He sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Alex looked up from his desk, pen between his teeth.
"Well, well," Alex said, smirking. "Guess who finally woke up. Hope you saw Jesus in your dreams this time."
Jade smiled but said nothing. Just sat there, quiet, distant in a way that didn't need explanation.
Alex tapped his fingers against the desk. "By the way, CPS should be here any minute now. You ready for that?"
"Yhhh," Jade muttered, still half in a daze.
Alex leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. "So… tell me about yourself, kid. We've been so wrapped up in ghosts and weird crap I barely know anything about you. Let's start with the basics. You in school?"
"Yeah," Jade nodded. "Atherton High."
Alex raised a brow. "Atherton, huh? Not bad. What's your poison? Math? Gym?"
Jade smirked. "Philosophy. English. Psychology. Social Studies. All the good stuff."
Alex looked genuinely surprised. "Huh. Would've taken you for a football type."
"Please," Jade scoffed. "I try to stay mysterious."
Alex chuckled. "Right. 'leave me alone, Mom, I wanna be anonymous.' Gotcha. So… Monsieur mysterious, you got a girlfriend?"
Jade chuckled. "Used to. Didn't end great. But there's someone… I've got my eye on her. Heard she might like me."
Alex leaned forward, grin spreading. "Why haven't you gone after her yet? Afraid she'll eat you alive?"
"Well, I've kinda not been in school for, you know, a week. And... I dunno. Haven't been in the mood. But I hope I run into her again."
"Oh shit," Alex said, shaking his head. "Almost forgot about that. You've had one hell of a week. But okay, tell me—what's she look like? Fine? Got the right curves?" He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically.
Jade groaned. "You creep."
"I'm a man who appreciates beauty," Alex shot back, smirking. "Now spill."
Jade shrugged, half-smiling. "She's Black. Dark-skinned, like really dark, almost black actually, spotless skin. Like 5'7. Big curly afro, kinda mixed texture, like 3c. And yeah, she's… she's got curves. Big ones. God took his time on her for real."
Alex whistled low. "If only she were ten years older."
"Ew, perv." Jade said, fake-gagging. "What about you, what's your type?"
"Thick," Alex replied without hesitation. "Either snow white, like pale as a ghost, or dark as midnight. I like contrast. And I like soft. Real soft. Big and curvy. I'm a simple man."
Jade shook his head, laughing. "No wonder you don't have a wife."
"I'm thirty-one, kid," Alex replied, leaning back. "Not dead. Just picky."
"Well," Jade said, stretching out and stifling a yawn. "Make me proud, old man."
Alex snorted. "C'mon, look at me, you think I miss a shot?"
They laughed. But their banter was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in," Alex said.
The door opened and it was Denise. She was holding the same clipboard. She came in and closed the door.
"Hey Jade. Hope you didn't forget me," she said with a smile, her voice warm but professional.
Jade's eyes flickered between Denise and Alex. He offered a small, hesitant smile. "No, ma'am."
Alex leaned back in his chair, folding his hands.
Denise nodded, her gaze steady. "Just a few follow-up questions, if that's okay. I wanted to clarify some things after reviewing my notes." She turned to Jade. "Mind if I have a seat?"
Jade shrugged, a flicker of unease crossing his face, though he tried to hide it. "Sure."
Denise pulled up a chair, positioning it to face Jade directly. She didn't open her clipboard right away, instead offering a soft smile. "I know this might feel repetitive, Jade, but it's important we get everything clear. My job is to make sure you're safe, okay?"
Jade nodded, his eyes darting briefly to Alex, then back to Denise. Inside, his mind was racing.
She's back for more questions… I'm safe here, I like it here… But is that the right choice? The thing in woods, Dane, the stranger from last night, the trees… It all feels connected. The thing asked me about Dane… He took me 'cause of Dane. Seems like as long as I'm associated with Dane, weird things would happen…
Aside from that… What am I becoming? The glowing eyes? The extra strength? I'm becoming dangerous and to be honest… It'll be much better if Mom and Dad get hurt than innocent people… I can't stay here… At least not yet.
Denise's voice broke through his thoughts. "Let's talk about your home life. You mentioned it could get… loud. Can you elaborate on that?"
Jade hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It's just… arguments. Sometimes. Normal family stuff, I guess." He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.
Denise's expression remained gentle but probing, her gaze lingering on a bruise fading on Jade's wrist. "Arguments about what, Jade? Is it ever physical?"
Jade's eyes widened slightly. "No! Never physical. Just… yelling. You know how it is."
Argh. This feels wrong.
He forced a small laugh. "It's probably me half the time. I'm not the easiest kid to deal with."
Alex watched the exchange intently, a knot of frustration tightening in his chest. He wanted to shake some sense into the system.
Denise nodded slowly, her pen moving across the page. "Okay. I understand. One last thing, Jade. You mentioned feeling safe here. Safer than at home. Can you tell me why?"
Jade's heart pounded. This was the crucial point. He couldn't lie outright, but he couldn't reveal the truth either.
He looked down at his hands, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's just… been stressful lately. At home. I need some space."
He risked a glance at Alex. The sheriff's expression was unreadable, but his jaw was clenched.
Denise's voice softened. "I understand, Jade. It sounds like you've been through a lot. I'm going to consider everything you've said, along with the other information we have. I'll be in touch with a decision as soon as possible."
She stood, offering a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you for your honesty, Jade."
She turned to Alex. "Sheriff, if you'll excuse us, I'd like a word with you in private before I go."
Alex nodded, rising from his chair. He placed a hand on Jade's shoulder, his voice low. "You hang tight, kid. We'll figure this out."
He gave Jade's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, then followed Denise out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Jade was left alone, the weight of the unknown pressing down on him. He reached into his pocket and touched Alex's card, a silent promise to himself to be ready for anything.
Outside the office Alex and Denise discussed.
"The boy's answers are confusing," Denise said, a frown etching lines on her forehead.
"Unfortunately, they are. But I don't have a good vibe about his parents. I just don't," Alex replied, his voice laced with frustration.
"Unfortunately, I can't do anything about it. He's not giving me answers that would suggest anything wrong. At least not directly. I'm going to have to return him to his parents," Denise said, a hint of regret in her voice.
Alex looked back at the door, his gaze lingering on the closed wood.
"There's nothing you can do. At least not legally. At least not yet," Denise said to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Just keep an eye on him. An opportunity will come."
Alex said nothing at first, his jaw tight. "It's obvious the boy is being abused. Even if it's slightly. Then why doesn't he say it?" Alex asked, his voice rough with suppressed anger.
"I mean. He's been through a lot," Denise said, her eyes softening. "Trauma can make it hard to articulate these things."
"Yeah. But something doesn't add up," Alex replied, his gaze still fixed on the door.
Denise hesitated, then met Alex's gaze. "We'd pick him up tomorrow. I'm going to do you a favor and look into it as much as I can for you. You seem to care about the kid. And… honestly, this whole situation does feel off."
Then she walked away towards the exit.