action;

[mayfield_mods]

[Late at night on Fourth of July, after the last fireworks have stopped and after all the droning has worn off, Jane Smith can be seen walking down the streets of the town. Or rather, stumbling, but she doesn't appear to have been drinking. She seems happy as she always does, but the smile today is wider and even less natural looking than normal.

Comments

[mayfield_mods]

[In one second, there is nothing but empty air. In the next, Grady is standing there.]

...There ya are. Everything alright, Mrs. Smith? I think we should be gettin' you home.

[mayfield_mods]

No! I'm perfectly fine, Officer Evan, hahaha. Just enjoying the night air.

[mayfield_mods]

It's Grady, actually. Don't know an Officer... Evan.

[His voice is lowered.] Come now, Jane. I've seen ya talking to the others. Whatever you have to tell them, you can tell me, you know that.

[mayfield_mods]

Oops, silly me!

I'm fine, dear, I'm positively fine. So there's no need to go home! I was only sharing some baking tips with the other townspeople.

[mayfield_mods]

Jane. We both know that ain't true.

...it's wearing off, isn't it? Your droning. [Now his voice doesn't sound like an old Irish cop; it sounds like a young man's, weary.] Just be honest, Sam. I'm not gonna hurt you.

[mayfield_mods]

...It wore off again, but you'll just put it back! How can I trust you?

You betrayed all of us!

[mayfield_mods]

You can't trust me. I never asked you to. I never asked any of you to, but you all did anyway, just because me and Grey were the only ones around who- [His voice has risen to angry yell, but now the anger fades back down.]

...I didn't want things to turn out like this. You think I like it here, policing these freakshows for the rest of god-knows-when? I did what I thought I had to do, just like I always had. It didn't turn out the way I thought it would, but that's life. It's not like I can take it back even if I wanted to.

...None of us can. You know that. We sealed our fates the minute we hooked ourselves into this hellhole.

[mayfield_mods]

[...sobbing]

I never thought it would be like this! I only wanted a little while longer, but never like this!

Please, Evan, please, you don't have to fix it. You don't have to turn me like that again. I'll be good! I won't say anything. Hahahaha I won't tell them about him, I'll be good.

[mayfield_mods]

If I don't do it, he will. He doesn't want you to be good, he wants you to be his. Nice and droned.

[He sighs.] Please, Sam. This has to happen. Don't make it harder for both of us than it already is.

[mayfield_mods]

...You're lying.

There is something you can do for me. I heard him saying so.

[mayfield_mods]

...

What did you hear?

[mayfield_mods]

That you have a power now that only he had before.

If you really care, can't you use that power to help us? We've been here so long. I can't do this anymore, Evan. I just can't. I know I'm so weak, I was always so weak, and I let everyone down, I let Richard down, but we've lost and I don't want to fight anymore.

[mayfield_mods]

Oh. You... heard about that.

[He looks around furtively, as if expecting someone to overhear.]

You realize, if I do this... there's no going back. For you or for me. Are you absolutely sure this is... what you want?

[mayfield_mods]

I want to go home, but I can't do that, can I?

I don't want to be here anymore. I can't...I can't...it hurts to...oh god, I'm sorry...please, please do this Evan, please...

[mayfield_mods]

...

[He lets out a breath that he's been holding.] Alright.

I'll do it. Not here, though. Too many eyes- his and theirs. Come with me. I'll... take you out of here.

[And in the next moment, Grady and Jane are both gone.]

[strike_you_out]

[This conversation has possibly been recorded watched by a third party.]