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[ When the camera flips on, there is not much for it to regard. The ceiling is exposed, sloped above. The sound of soft breathing, of rustling sheets. After a moment, there is shifting. The tablet has a small hand flopped over it, obscuring much of the picture with small fingers half-curled in the comfort of sleep.
A moment later there’s a soft padding - like little bare feet on wood - and a glimpse of pale skin and black hair can be seen. The hand on the screen has another smaller hand wrap around it, shaking. The voice of an adolescent boy, maybe five or six, pipes up in a harsh whisper.]
Brother, wake up. Garrett.
[After a minute of that, the hand it dropped, and a second later there’s a rustling of sheets - the smaller boy shoving at the one in bed.]
Wake up, stupid!
[ Grumbling in complaint, the hand that had been over the tablet pulls away. A soft, sleepy voice mumbles incoherently for a moment, and then slowly, Garrett sits up. His hand pushes against his face, rubbing sleepily as he frowns at his sibling. He is not much older than the other; maybe has two, three years over the other boy. ]
Caaaarveeeer! [ He whines, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. And indeed, it looks like he might, flopping back down onto the bed and pulling the blankets over his head. ] Go back to sleep. Or I’ll sick a demon on you.
[ Not that he could- but it was still a worthy threat.
The younger one lets out a whine.] Nuh uh, you can’t do that! Father said you can’t do that!
[Then he’s grabbing the blanket and pulling it off his brother, tossing it to the ground. There’s a feminine squeak somewhere behind him at the action. His voice is picking up a little, but still in the realm of whispering.] Get up, I said! Bethany has to go to the bathroom!
[ The older Hawke grumbles, fighting for his blanket and trying to pull it out of Carver’s grasp, and back over his head, but eventually the other manages to succeed. He grumbles, and now is shoving at Carver, small hands trying to push the other off his bed.
But at the other’s words about their sister, he sighs. ] Why can’t you just go yourselves? Honestly it’s not like the sköll is going to get you.
Unless it does. In which case I’ve just inherited a lot of toys. And more bedroom space. [ If the camera could see Garrett’s face, it would probably be a trollish expression of grinning, evil mastermind-esque glee. ]
T-There’s no such thing! [ The little girl pipes up behind them, clinging onto her twin’s arm.] I asked! Mother said so!
Don’t mind him, Bethany, he’s just trying to scare us off so we’ll leave him alone. [The boy says strongly, puffing his chest out. But notably not removing his sister in his arm because he might just maybe be as scared as her.] Stop being lazy and come with us! We’re not suppose to go outside when it’s dark by ourselves anyway.
[ He pauses for a moment, then starts again.] If you don’t I’ll tell Mother it was you that ate the last of her strawberries.
You wouldn’t. [ But this, at least, is valid threat enough to convince Garrett to grumblingly rise, throwing his legs over the side of the bed in a huff. ] The sköll is so real.
[ And as if on cue, in the distance, a wolf howls. ]
See? That’s him, waiting for us. [ The twins both go wide-eyed and maybe scoot a bit closer together, and now Carver is gripping at the sister’s hands on his arm. Garrett folds his arms in smug satisfaction, but regardless is striding towards the doorway, unafraid of any old wolf monster that may or may not be lingering!
...He does, however, make a mental note to grab a big stick once they get outside.
Taking up one of Bethany’s smaller hands, he waits until Carver is holding the other, and then they begin the quiet tiptoe through the house for the back door. For the smallest of moments he hesitates at the door, before glancing over his shoulder towards Carver and Bethany, before with a huff he reaches up and undoes the latch, guiding them out into the cool evening.
Across the lawn, crickets chirp pleasantly. But further back, nestled just shy of the woodland that borders their property sits the outhouse, beneath great looming black trees laced with thick shadows just begging to play tricks with one’s mind. ]
C’mon then. [ Garrett insists, heading down the stairs.]
[As they step out onto the ground, Bethany shuffles up close behind Garrett, and Carver in turn, close up behind her, none too thrilled to be taking up the end of the party as they venture out across the grass to their far off goal allong the line of trees. He whips his head around, watch all sides for any ghost story type wolf things that might sneak up from the dark and devour them. He shivers, picking up the pace and knocking into his sister, causing her to jump and stumble a bit.]
Ow, Carver, watch it! [The five year old scolds.]
S-Sorry. [Carver mutters, then, defensively,] Pick up the pace! I want to go back to bed.
[ Somewhere off in the forest beyond the outhouse a twig snaps, maybe, and a rustling might have followed it, perhaps, and Carver jumps, stopping in his tracks.]W-What was that?
[ Not even Garrett can resist jumping a little at the unexpected noise, but his eyes narrow, and he crouches just slightly, readying himself for the potential of an attack. Even despite, he laughs boisterously. Garrett Hawke? Afraid? Never. ]
Whatever it is, it stands no chance against me! [ He glances over his shoulder, giving Carver a cocky grin. ] Don’t worry, Carver, I’ll protect you.
[ Which earns a sneering glare from the younger Hawke boy.
And then in a softer voice, Garrett adds ] And of course you too, Bethany. [ To her he offers a gentle smile. ] Almost there.
[ He gives Bethany’s hand a reassuring squeeze, and then shifts to resume pulling them across the stretching expanse of their back yard. Funny, it never seems this large when they’re playing during the day... Though young Carver has another idea as he sticks his nose in the air, an indignant frown on his lips at his brother’s teasing. Suddenly, he takes the lead and bravely, blindly, storms across the remaining bit of yard separating them from the outhouse, pulling his siblings behind him by their daisy-chain linked hands. ]
O-Ouch, Carver, stop pulling! You’re hurting my wrist! [Bethany winces, trying to keep up with her suddenly gung-ho twin, while Garrett is quick to keep up, giving Carver a frown as Bethany winces. Still, not about to be outdone he is quick to keep up with Carver, even falling into step alongside him as they drag poor Bethany along between them.
When they finally reach the out house, Garrett brings the procession to a halt.]
I’m the oldest, so I’ll make sure it’s safe. [ This is said with a dirty look shot towards Carver, and he stalks forward, wrenching the outhouse door open and grimacing as he holds his stick at the ready.
It is notably empty, and stinky.
Straightening, Garrett turns and looks towards his siblings, nodding in satisfaction that he has deemed it safe. ] Go ahead Bethany, we’ll be right here. I’ll patrol the perimeter.
[ Meaning he’ll cautiously begin to walk around the out house. You know, just to make sure nothing can get Bethany from behind it while she’s in there!
The girl skips hastily into the outhouse, pulling the door shut behind her and leaves Carver to crouch down on the ground, back to the wooden stall, while he idly picks at the grass, scanning the yard lit up only by the full moon above. A few moments pass before she emerges again.]
Done! [She pauses, glancing around while Carver stands and drops the handful of grass he’d been picking at nervously.] …Where’s Brother?
[Then Carver takes a moment to look around as well, a chill running down his spine at their protector’s sudden disappearance. He grips onto Bethany’s hand.]Er… Garrett? …Garrett?
[ There is no response, beyond the soft continued chirping of the crickets in the grasp, and the soft hoot of an owl hiding somewhere in the trees. It seems that Garrett wandered behind the outhouse and then... simply disappeared. The remaining Hawke boy takes a deep breath, firmly tugging at his sister’s hand, and slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, tip toes around the small wooden structure, peeking behind it to check if his brother had actually disappeared into the night.
Or if the sköll had been kind enough to leave any of him behind. But the only result was the continued, unsettling absence of the elder Hawke. Behind the outhouse was void of any sign of the boy-
-simply because Garrett is grinning to himself as he creeps around the other side. Behind his siblings now, Garrett leaps towards Carver and Bethany, howling like a wolf as he does. ]
AWOOOooooOOOO I am the sköll come to feast on your tasty flesh and chew on your bones! [ Bethany screams shrilly and Carver nearly jumps out of his skin, letting out a loud yelp. Garrett dissolves into laughter then, despite himself. ]
You should have seen your faces!
[ Upon registering the impersonator sköll as their elder brother, Carver scowls while Bethany merely frowns, on the verge of tears, and lurches forward to wrap her arms around Garrett’s middle, burying her face in his shirt. ] Don’t do that, you meany!
[Carver stalks around his other side, grumbling all the while about stupid pranks and stupid brothers and how he totally wasn’t scared he was just afraid Bethany was scared and that’s all it was, grabbing the back of Garrett’s shirt and tugging him in the direction of the house. ] Quit fooling around! Let’s go!
[ At the sight of Bethany’s potential tears, there is a pang of guilt that runs through him, and he cradles the younger girl and nuzzles her hair a moment, before nodding and grinning like an idiot at Carver as he holds Bethany. ] Alright, alright! We’re going.
[ The hike back to the house is not fraught with danger, and Garrett makes a point to apologize again to sweet little Bethany, while chuckling at Carver and looking smug. Making their way back into the house, Garrett leads the way to their shared bedroom.
Letting go of Bethany, he yawns and moves to climb onto his bed. ] M’goin’ back to bed. Carver, don’t forget to check under Bethany’s bed.
[ And just as promised he flops down over the surface of it, closing his eyes and seems completely and utterly undisturbed by the potential of monsters beneath his own.
Carver meanders over to the twins’ shared bunk bed, glancing under it and giving it a quick look around.] All clear.
[He then begins to climb the ladder to the top bunk, while Bethany stands awkwardly in the middle of the room, glancing from her bed on one side and back over to Garrett flopped into his on the other. Carver glances back down at her. ] Bethany, get in bed already. What are you doing?
[ After a silent moment of indecision, the young Hawke girl jogs over to Garrett’s bed, diving into the covers and cuddling up next to him, fears of the sköll still lingering.]
[Garrett doesn’t seem to mind, though, as he pulls her close, and pulls up the blanket to cover the both of them. He cracks open one eye to look towards Carver, and only barely manages to keep a smirk from curling upon his lips.]
There’s safety in numbers, Carver. [ And Garrett pats the empty space next to Bethany. ] The sköll doesn’t stand a chance against all three of us.
[ Carver snorts from the other side of the room.] No thanks. I’m not afraid like you two.
[He settles into his bed, pulling the covers up to his head. Garrett rolls his eyes in response to this, but says nothing.
Several moments pass and one might’ve thought the Hawke children had drifted off the sleep, but the wooden creak of weight on the bunk bed ladder would tell one otherwise. There’s a soft padding, a young boy tiptoeing his way across the room, and Carver slips wordlessly into his elder brother’s bed, snuggling up behind Bethany, pulling the blanket up tight around him.]
[Garrett takes note of this, and smiles softly to himself, but says nothing, either. Knowing that his siblings are close, are safe; it’s enough to let him to fall into an easy, sköll-free slumber. ]
A moment later there’s a soft padding - like little bare feet on wood - and a glimpse of pale skin and black hair can be seen. The hand on the screen has another smaller hand wrap around it, shaking. The voice of an adolescent boy, maybe five or six, pipes up in a harsh whisper.]
Brother, wake up. Garrett.
[After a minute of that, the hand it dropped, and a second later there’s a rustling of sheets - the smaller boy shoving at the one in bed.]
Wake up, stupid!
[ Grumbling in complaint, the hand that had been over the tablet pulls away. A soft, sleepy voice mumbles incoherently for a moment, and then slowly, Garrett sits up. His hand pushes against his face, rubbing sleepily as he frowns at his sibling. He is not much older than the other; maybe has two, three years over the other boy. ]
Caaaarveeeer! [ He whines, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. And indeed, it looks like he might, flopping back down onto the bed and pulling the blankets over his head. ] Go back to sleep. Or I’ll sick a demon on you.
[ Not that he could- but it was still a worthy threat.
The younger one lets out a whine.] Nuh uh, you can’t do that! Father said you can’t do that!
[Then he’s grabbing the blanket and pulling it off his brother, tossing it to the ground. There’s a feminine squeak somewhere behind him at the action. His voice is picking up a little, but still in the realm of whispering.] Get up, I said! Bethany has to go to the bathroom!
[ The older Hawke grumbles, fighting for his blanket and trying to pull it out of Carver’s grasp, and back over his head, but eventually the other manages to succeed. He grumbles, and now is shoving at Carver, small hands trying to push the other off his bed.
But at the other’s words about their sister, he sighs. ] Why can’t you just go yourselves? Honestly it’s not like the sköll is going to get you.
Unless it does. In which case I’ve just inherited a lot of toys. And more bedroom space. [ If the camera could see Garrett’s face, it would probably be a trollish expression of grinning, evil mastermind-esque glee. ]
T-There’s no such thing! [ The little girl pipes up behind them, clinging onto her twin’s arm.] I asked! Mother said so!
Don’t mind him, Bethany, he’s just trying to scare us off so we’ll leave him alone. [The boy says strongly, puffing his chest out. But notably not removing his sister in his arm because he might just maybe be as scared as her.] Stop being lazy and come with us! We’re not suppose to go outside when it’s dark by ourselves anyway.
[ He pauses for a moment, then starts again.] If you don’t I’ll tell Mother it was you that ate the last of her strawberries.
You wouldn’t. [ But this, at least, is valid threat enough to convince Garrett to grumblingly rise, throwing his legs over the side of the bed in a huff. ] The sköll is so real.
[ And as if on cue, in the distance, a wolf howls. ]
See? That’s him, waiting for us. [ The twins both go wide-eyed and maybe scoot a bit closer together, and now Carver is gripping at the sister’s hands on his arm. Garrett folds his arms in smug satisfaction, but regardless is striding towards the doorway, unafraid of any old wolf monster that may or may not be lingering!
...He does, however, make a mental note to grab a big stick once they get outside.
Taking up one of Bethany’s smaller hands, he waits until Carver is holding the other, and then they begin the quiet tiptoe through the house for the back door. For the smallest of moments he hesitates at the door, before glancing over his shoulder towards Carver and Bethany, before with a huff he reaches up and undoes the latch, guiding them out into the cool evening.
Across the lawn, crickets chirp pleasantly. But further back, nestled just shy of the woodland that borders their property sits the outhouse, beneath great looming black trees laced with thick shadows just begging to play tricks with one’s mind. ]
C’mon then. [ Garrett insists, heading down the stairs.]
[As they step out onto the ground, Bethany shuffles up close behind Garrett, and Carver in turn, close up behind her, none too thrilled to be taking up the end of the party as they venture out across the grass to their far off goal allong the line of trees. He whips his head around, watch all sides for any ghost story type wolf things that might sneak up from the dark and devour them. He shivers, picking up the pace and knocking into his sister, causing her to jump and stumble a bit.]
Ow, Carver, watch it! [The five year old scolds.]
S-Sorry. [Carver mutters, then, defensively,] Pick up the pace! I want to go back to bed.
[ Somewhere off in the forest beyond the outhouse a twig snaps, maybe, and a rustling might have followed it, perhaps, and Carver jumps, stopping in his tracks.]W-What was that?
[ Not even Garrett can resist jumping a little at the unexpected noise, but his eyes narrow, and he crouches just slightly, readying himself for the potential of an attack. Even despite, he laughs boisterously. Garrett Hawke? Afraid? Never. ]
Whatever it is, it stands no chance against me! [ He glances over his shoulder, giving Carver a cocky grin. ] Don’t worry, Carver, I’ll protect you.
[ Which earns a sneering glare from the younger Hawke boy.
And then in a softer voice, Garrett adds ] And of course you too, Bethany. [ To her he offers a gentle smile. ] Almost there.
[ He gives Bethany’s hand a reassuring squeeze, and then shifts to resume pulling them across the stretching expanse of their back yard. Funny, it never seems this large when they’re playing during the day... Though young Carver has another idea as he sticks his nose in the air, an indignant frown on his lips at his brother’s teasing. Suddenly, he takes the lead and bravely, blindly, storms across the remaining bit of yard separating them from the outhouse, pulling his siblings behind him by their daisy-chain linked hands. ]
O-Ouch, Carver, stop pulling! You’re hurting my wrist! [Bethany winces, trying to keep up with her suddenly gung-ho twin, while Garrett is quick to keep up, giving Carver a frown as Bethany winces. Still, not about to be outdone he is quick to keep up with Carver, even falling into step alongside him as they drag poor Bethany along between them.
When they finally reach the out house, Garrett brings the procession to a halt.]
I’m the oldest, so I’ll make sure it’s safe. [ This is said with a dirty look shot towards Carver, and he stalks forward, wrenching the outhouse door open and grimacing as he holds his stick at the ready.
It is notably empty, and stinky.
Straightening, Garrett turns and looks towards his siblings, nodding in satisfaction that he has deemed it safe. ] Go ahead Bethany, we’ll be right here. I’ll patrol the perimeter.
[ Meaning he’ll cautiously begin to walk around the out house. You know, just to make sure nothing can get Bethany from behind it while she’s in there!
The girl skips hastily into the outhouse, pulling the door shut behind her and leaves Carver to crouch down on the ground, back to the wooden stall, while he idly picks at the grass, scanning the yard lit up only by the full moon above. A few moments pass before she emerges again.]
Done! [She pauses, glancing around while Carver stands and drops the handful of grass he’d been picking at nervously.] …Where’s Brother?
[Then Carver takes a moment to look around as well, a chill running down his spine at their protector’s sudden disappearance. He grips onto Bethany’s hand.]Er… Garrett? …Garrett?
[ There is no response, beyond the soft continued chirping of the crickets in the grasp, and the soft hoot of an owl hiding somewhere in the trees. It seems that Garrett wandered behind the outhouse and then... simply disappeared. The remaining Hawke boy takes a deep breath, firmly tugging at his sister’s hand, and slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, tip toes around the small wooden structure, peeking behind it to check if his brother had actually disappeared into the night.
Or if the sköll had been kind enough to leave any of him behind. But the only result was the continued, unsettling absence of the elder Hawke. Behind the outhouse was void of any sign of the boy-
-simply because Garrett is grinning to himself as he creeps around the other side. Behind his siblings now, Garrett leaps towards Carver and Bethany, howling like a wolf as he does. ]
AWOOOooooOOOO I am the sköll come to feast on your tasty flesh and chew on your bones! [ Bethany screams shrilly and Carver nearly jumps out of his skin, letting out a loud yelp. Garrett dissolves into laughter then, despite himself. ]
You should have seen your faces!
[ Upon registering the impersonator sköll as their elder brother, Carver scowls while Bethany merely frowns, on the verge of tears, and lurches forward to wrap her arms around Garrett’s middle, burying her face in his shirt. ] Don’t do that, you meany!
[Carver stalks around his other side, grumbling all the while about stupid pranks and stupid brothers and how he totally wasn’t scared he was just afraid Bethany was scared and that’s all it was, grabbing the back of Garrett’s shirt and tugging him in the direction of the house. ] Quit fooling around! Let’s go!
[ At the sight of Bethany’s potential tears, there is a pang of guilt that runs through him, and he cradles the younger girl and nuzzles her hair a moment, before nodding and grinning like an idiot at Carver as he holds Bethany. ] Alright, alright! We’re going.
[ The hike back to the house is not fraught with danger, and Garrett makes a point to apologize again to sweet little Bethany, while chuckling at Carver and looking smug. Making their way back into the house, Garrett leads the way to their shared bedroom.
Letting go of Bethany, he yawns and moves to climb onto his bed. ] M’goin’ back to bed. Carver, don’t forget to check under Bethany’s bed.
[ And just as promised he flops down over the surface of it, closing his eyes and seems completely and utterly undisturbed by the potential of monsters beneath his own.
Carver meanders over to the twins’ shared bunk bed, glancing under it and giving it a quick look around.] All clear.
[He then begins to climb the ladder to the top bunk, while Bethany stands awkwardly in the middle of the room, glancing from her bed on one side and back over to Garrett flopped into his on the other. Carver glances back down at her. ] Bethany, get in bed already. What are you doing?
[ After a silent moment of indecision, the young Hawke girl jogs over to Garrett’s bed, diving into the covers and cuddling up next to him, fears of the sköll still lingering.]
[Garrett doesn’t seem to mind, though, as he pulls her close, and pulls up the blanket to cover the both of them. He cracks open one eye to look towards Carver, and only barely manages to keep a smirk from curling upon his lips.]
There’s safety in numbers, Carver. [ And Garrett pats the empty space next to Bethany. ] The sköll doesn’t stand a chance against all three of us.
[ Carver snorts from the other side of the room.] No thanks. I’m not afraid like you two.
[He settles into his bed, pulling the covers up to his head. Garrett rolls his eyes in response to this, but says nothing.
Several moments pass and one might’ve thought the Hawke children had drifted off the sleep, but the wooden creak of weight on the bunk bed ladder would tell one otherwise. There’s a soft padding, a young boy tiptoeing his way across the room, and Carver slips wordlessly into his elder brother’s bed, snuggling up behind Bethany, pulling the blanket up tight around him.]
[Garrett takes note of this, and smiles softly to himself, but says nothing, either. Knowing that his siblings are close, are safe; it’s enough to let him to fall into an easy, sköll-free slumber. ]