"OK. OK. OK." Mom said more to herself than to Shawn. She started to talk about Shawn's safety and how it was important that Shawn and herself and Dad all work together as a family so that they could forget about the last month of the summer and start to do things the way they used to. This seemed to spark a stream-of-consciousness monologue in which Mom recalled that Shawn had forgotten to bring Shawn to acting lessons, how his acting coach left several messages on the answering machine that for some reason she hadn't returned and how it seemed like there was 'a lot to do.'

Mom finished with a frantic, confused and somewhat lame statement that lacked her traditional authority and demanding sense of direction "I...think we need to make sure that you get..wait, never mind. What I mean is that you need to focus on getting the next movie Shawn. We'll just start over again like nothing happened. We're going to get you ready for a role. A big role. It will be the biggest role ever. That's how we'll get out of this. By going back to basics. We'll go back to basics like we always do. We'll just do what we always do....We'll just do... how do we do that again?" The question came out genuine, sincere as tears welled up in Mom's eyes, the look of a senile person who had an important point that was lost in a brain that was slowly loosing its ability to recall common thoughts and plans.

Unlike in the past, Mom's mention of getting back into acting didn't make Shawn nervous or frustrated. Instead, it was a relief, a clear sign that Mom was getting back to normal. He just had to guide it along, to make sure it really happened. "Well...there's casting calls in the newspaper. And I think you were also looking for an agent, right Mom?"

"The Newspaper..." Mom said, nodding thoughtfully. But her voice was still distant.

The ambulance was backing up now, tires slowly turning, Eddy in the back. It turned around and headed down the street. The last Shawn had seen of Eddy, he still hadn't closed those surprised eyes of his.

"Let's use the Newspaper." Mom suggested, a little tentatively. "Come on Shawn. Let's go inside." 

Shawn watched the ambulance fade into the distance; when Griffix came to collect the tears, he had to talk to him about what had just happened here. When the vehicle rounded the corner and went out of sight, he followed Mom inside.

A few moments later, Shawn found himself in his room. His Mom was outside in the hallway talking to what sounded like a policeman.

"What is it that you want? This isn't exactly a good time. My son is very, very nervous." Mom explained, muffled voice coming through Shawn's door. She was down the hall, making the sound even more distant.

OOC: Shawn decides

1) Shawn tries to listen from his room

2) Shawn tries to get closer, opening the door to his room

3) Shawn does nothing/tries not to listen

Shawn put his ear to the door, trying to overhear what Mom and the policeman were saying without revealing himself to either of them.

"It's just a few questions Ma'am. I know. We certainly don't want to scare anyone. It's just that we need ...<sic>..."

"And I'll be quick about it. It would really help."

The voice was formal and friendly.

"I don't think so." Mom replied. "He's been through enough today. And I'm...." She gasped. "I'm not...<sic> that well..<sic>..."

"I don't see what...<sic>...with him. What does it..<sic>..?"

"The boy was obviously a ...<sic>...so any ... <sic>... is really all we're looking for. I promise. We'll still don't know what to do. We still don't know what it is." The formal voice said.

Shawn held his breath and kept listening. It sounded like they were talking about Eddy! At the very least, he needed to get his story straight.

There was a murmur in the hallway and Shawn heard footsteps approaching. "Shawn. Shawn?"

"There's someone here to talk to you." Mom said in a polite tone, knocking on the door once and then twice. It was awfully formal for Mom and Shawn got the sense that it was a departure from her usual behavior of just barging in.

Shawn had backed away from the door when he heard the footsteps approaching, and when the knock came, he counted to five before padding softly to the door. He widened his eyes a bit, and shrunk his posture back, something he knew from experience made him look younger and more vulnerable than he actually was. Then he opened the door. "Who is it?" He looked over and looked surprised to see the police officer,

"Shawn, this is officer..."

"Dawson." The officer responded. A younger type than his voice made him sound in the hallway. But his appearance was stern. And now that Shawn could see his face, the Officer wasn't an old man by any stretch, but certainly was an adult by all means.

"I was hoping to ask you a few questions about what happened to your friend today." Officer Dawson asked.

OOC: Shawn Rolls Presence + Composure + Striking Looks

"Okay..." Shawn's eyes were wide as saucers, and he seemed confused and unsure, not at all the kind of person you'd expect to get a useful answer out of.

OOC: 22:40, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 3 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 8,2,2,10(+7),6,9. Presence + Composure + Striking Looks.

The two began to chit-chat first about the school year and then Officer Dawson explained how he was looking into the disappearance of several kids around Shawn's age. It was clear that Officer Dawson was impressed by Shawn who had made a good first impression.

"You look like a smart kid. Have you heard anything about any kids disappearing?"

Shawn could guess at the reasons for the kids disappearing, but he played dumb and shook his head. "No, I haven't heard anything like that."

"Is that it?" Shawn's Mom asked the Officer impatiently.

Officer Dawson nodded his head thoughtfully. "Just one more question." He said, looking into Shawn's eyes. Deep, focused eyes, Shawn could see. Adult eyes. Eyes that were looking and looking, they were capable of seeing into kids and digging out the truth without a word.

"What happened today with your friend Eddy? Why were you boys out there and what happened right before he got....sick?"

OOC: Shawn Rolls Wits + Subterfuge + Striking Looks Vs. Officer Dawson's Composure + Subterfuge (5d10) with the following results for Shawn (difference between successes). Willpower can be used.

0 or negative Successes: He's not buying Shawn's story. Officer Dawson leaves with the impression that Shawn is a suspect of some kind

1-2 Success: Officer Dawson is satisfied...for the moment. He remains interested in Shawn's story and how Shawn fits into the picture of what happened to Eddy, but not as a suspect.

3-4 Successes: Officer Dawson leaves with the impression that Shawn had nothing to do with what happened to Eddy, crossing Shawn off of the list of potential person's of interest

5+ Succesess: Practiced Liar. Shawn gains +1 to all attempts to Lie moving forward.

"We were just treasure hunting, sir. Do you know what's wrong with him?"

OOC: 07:55, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 3 successes using 10d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 4,5,5,9(+8),7,6,6,3,10(+6),6. Wits + Subterfuge + Striking Looks + WP.

"No son. I don't." Officer Dawson sighed. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and then got up where he had been sitting on the edge of Shawn's bed. The mattress creaked slightly as the tension in the room lifted, the danger of adult pressure easing as the Officer made he way to the door.

"But I'll find out." Officer Dawson promised. He nodded to Shawn and thanked him for answering the questions and then walked out.

Mom turned to Shawn as the Officer left. She looked at Shawn in his eyes and paused before speaking. It was a serious look that Shawn had only seen Mom give anybody once or twice in his life. It wasn't the rigid expression on her face. It was the deep, serious stare of her eyes. "It's probably not the best time to mention this to you Shawn." Mom said sitting down and clutching Shawn's hands in hers.

"But Bobby and Ralph are....missing."

Shawn had already looked worried and generally distraught when he was talking to the police officer, but his expression almost imperceptibly filled out as he felt himself filled with the genuine article. "...what?" He felt confused, upset. He had no idea what was going on now.

"It's...just that..." Mom swallowed.

She went on to explain how, during the long hours that Shawn had been gone with Eddy, Bobby had never come from the forest where Eddy and Shawn were playing. As for Ralph, Mom assumed that all three had gone out together.

OOC: End Thread