Redstone: Sanctuaries
Chapter 9: The Silhouette

The wheat field was vast, flanking the left and right sides halfway through the gold. The scrolls were ready to be harvested, swaying sluggishly due to the blowing of the noon wind. Not far from the city gate were three wind turbines with broken propellers. Brooks looked at the turbines with regret. He knew the price of the device was very expensive.

"You didn't build it?" Brooks asked. "I mean, the propeller."

"Windmill?" Jose shrugged his shoulders. His eyes looked straight ahead. "The project was postponed. At least until the trouble with these gangs is over."

They reached the end of the field, at the beginning of the Golden Road to Aston, with a steep rock mountain on the left side of the road.

Jose turns off the engine and Brooks jumps out. Hubbert. The blowing wind swept over the grain crops, making an odd swish sound that established the fur of Rome.

Hubbert circled his gaze around, trying to recreate the shadow he saw from inside the taxi. He still remembered the incident, but the faces he saw felt faint. He did not pay close attention to them.

"You remember the place, Mr. Decker?" jose asked in the car. His head was bent out, with an elbow attached to a window. "How many miles from the beginning of the field?"

Hubbert. "I'll check first" he said as he ran from one side of the road to the other, but there was nothing he could see anymore. Never mind bodies. Not even the former gallows are there anymore.

Brooks was watching Hubbert from the side of the car. He knocked on Tin Lizzie's roof twice. "You're not going out to check, Little Master?"

"No," Jose replied calmly, knowing that Brooks had deliberately teased him by calling Little Master. It was one of his nicknames in Bjork when he was still the youngest member of the Argent Family. "There's gotta be someone running the car if there's anything, right?"

"I don't like the way you talk" Brooks complained growling. "If you say it, it feels like something bad is going to happen!"

Jose chuckles. "Ah, that's it back. How Mr. Decker?" yells. "Is there anything you found?"

"Bet ten copper, find nothing."

"It's like his face found something."

After taking a closer look, Brooks knew it was true. Hubbert Decker walked hurriedly towards them. His steps were regular, but it looked like he was being hunted for something. As soon as he arrived, Hubbert immediately got into the car and slammed the door. "S-sir, let's go home. Sa-I'm not feeling well" she whispered to Jose.

Brooks got a gun out of his belt. "I'll check."

"Don't!!" Hubbert shouted so loudly that Jose's ears were ringing. His face was pale. The man's hand gripped the front seat. "S-sir, stop him! There's nothing in there!"

"Brooks," Jose called out calmly, restraining the inspector. "We're home. Mr. Decker's not feeling well."

Brooks puckered his nose. He doesn't like half-work. His eyes watched Hubbert who looked trembling in the back seat. Whatever the man saw must have been terrible, but harmless as Hubbert returned unhurriedly. "I can check for a second, Jose. Just making sure. If it looks dangerous, I'll come back."

The car engine is turned on. Jose stepped on the clutch. "No need, we're back now."

"We've got here!" Brooks turned his body to face Jose.

Jose turned his head sharply, giving the order once again in an indisputably resolute tone, "Back, Karl!"

Brooks seemed a little offended about being yelled at like that, but he kept his gun obediently and got into the car.

Hubbert reflexively bends, hides the head between two legs and protects the head. Brooks swears loudly because his eyes have dry grass flakes. The car swayed sideways due to the wind just now, but immediately returned to its original position in one light dam.

Engine off. Wind's abating. The three people in the car were still silent in their respective places, their breathing roaring.

"Dead car?" Brooks exclaimed confusedly. That was the first thing that came to his mind. He rubbed one of his sore eyes. He looked at Jose, but what he saw was something else. Someone was there. Far away there, in the middle of a wheat field. The shadow was blackish, but its shape was clearly human. His hands waved, like greeting. Brooks rubbed his eyes with both hands and winked at his sick petals.

While he was trying to restore his sight, Jose had managed to revive his car, then run Tin Lizzie as usual.

On the way home, no one had discussed the strange wind just now. No one discussed what Hubbert saw. No one looked back. All three quiet.

***

Maria thought Jose would come home late as usual, so she was really excited to get a report of their black Tin Lizzie car back after lunch.

"If Jose comes home at this hour, it means he's not having lunch outside" he said excitedly. "Prepare lunch, Ed."

"All is prepared, Madam." Edwin walked the footpath behind Maria, accompanying her welcoming forward. "Mr Jose also brought in Inspector Brooks."

"Oh." Maria furrowed her eyebrows. That means he probably won't be able to accompany Jose to a meal. He paused briefly at the door to correct the location of his hair while Edwin had already stepped up, preparing with his hands on the handle. "How do I look, Sue?" He looked to the side, towards his lady. "Nothing weird, is it?"

Susan smiled amusedly. "Perfect as always, ma'am."

Maria nodded at Edwin, who immediately opened the front door. Jose just moved his car to Boris. That was true of Edwin's report; in addition to Hubbert, her husband also brought home inspector Redstone.

Their faces were tense and slightly pale as they walked up the front porch. Maria approached Jose first, picked up a dry leaf stuck in her black hair, then grabbed the man's hands warmly. "Welcome home, baby! Roll over where?"

As soon as Maria finished speaking, both Hubbert and Brooks sighed heavily and slumped to the floor, sitting on the top porch steps.

"Inspector Brooks?" Maria bought astonishment. "Mrs. Decker?"

"It's okay, My Lady," Brooks waved from where he was sitting. His broad shoulders moved up and down as he held his breath. He wiped the sweat spots on the temple with his hands. "Hearing your voice just now, I'm suddenly relieved."

"It feels like coming back to reality." Hubbert nodded in agreement, his face still pale. "It's like waking up from a nightmare."

Maria had no idea what she meant, but she immediately understood that the three men had just experienced something strange. "Edwin," he called quickly, "between Brooks and Mr. Decker to the living room. It's warmer there."

***

¬Copper: currency from copper.

From yesterday has not been updated because I have obstacles at work. Corona effect and PSBB so messy 🥺 Thanks ya who msh faithful waiting. Oh yes, thanks also for sharing the Bloody Love blurb video yesterday. Updated bonus if ga bs this Sunday, then next week ya~ & ️