Æsc took a sip of his lemonade as he considered Richard's offer, letting the man's hand dangle for a long second. Honestly, Richard hadn't offered him anything Æsc didn't already have, but a new ally could only be a good thing, right? And Lu would be proud of Æsc for making friends. Plus, if Richard proved to be more of a hindrance than a help, Æsc could just kill him - and then he could steal some of his belongings. Æsc bet that a groundkeeper would have at least some kinda cool stuff lying around.
"Aight," Æsc agreed, shaking Richard's hand, surprisingly firmly for a boy of his skinny stature. "You can 'elp me. I'm Æsculapius."
"Aight," Æsc agreed, shaking Richard's hand, surprisingly firmly for a boy of his skinny stature. "You can 'elp me. I'm Æsculapius."
“There’s a jewelry store down the street.” He gave the boy a pat on the back. “Do you want to come with me?” He smiled and waited for a response at the door.
Æsc didn't usually hit stores; it felt too easy - but sure, if this guy wanted to do it, why not? He shrugged and followed Richard wordlessly, glaring at him just a little for the pat on the back. The boy didn't like being treated like he was young, even though he was.
“Actually I’m headed home, did you want a ride there?” He asked when he reached the passenger side’s door.
Æsc shrugged. "Sure. Long as you ain't gonna try to murder me or attack me or nothin'."
He eyed the car, trying to decide if it was in good enough shape that he'd trust it to not break down or explode on the way there.
He eyed the car, trying to decide if it was in good enough shape that he'd trust it to not break down or explode on the way there.
He walked to his side of the car and laughed, “Don’t worry abou-....” He was cut off by a loud bang. His fucking head exploded. Brain and blood poured from his mouth and new face hole. Blood splattered all over the place and brain rained onto the car. A figure stood above what was left Richard with a Double Barrel Shotgun and fired it 1 more time into the man.
He grabbed Richards wallet and watch from him. “That’s what you get you fucken’ hack.” The monotone voiced man yelled. He kicked the body and looked at the young boy watching him.
The corpse only twitched for a few seconds as the brain matter leaked all over the asphalt of the parking lot. Richard was....more than dead. The Hoodied figure looked at his gun and aimed it at the kid but heard only clicks. “You better run.” He threatened.
He grabbed Richards wallet and watch from him. “That’s what you get you fucken’ hack.” The monotone voiced man yelled. He kicked the body and looked at the young boy watching him.
The corpse only twitched for a few seconds as the brain matter leaked all over the asphalt of the parking lot. Richard was....more than dead. The Hoodied figure looked at his gun and aimed it at the kid but heard only clicks. “You better run.” He threatened.
For a moment, Æsc was very still, staring at Richard's body as if in shock. In reality, the boy was actually just trying to decide how he was supposed to be reacting. Scared? Angry? Surprised? All three? Was he meant to be crying?
Eventually, his eyes flicked up to the person, a little irritated. "Could've at leas' left his stuff for me to nick." After all that trouble he'd gone through to befriend Richard, and now here he was, left without even a wallet to show for it. Really, what was the point?
"Aye, give me his watch at leas' an' we'll call it quits, aight? I ain't report you, you don' kill me. Sounds fair enuff to me, at leas'." He really didn't seem at all afraid by the whole situation - certainly nowhere near to the extent one would probably expect a thirteen-year-old to be, when faced with a suddenly dead body and a very gory scene.
Once other people got here, he'd start turning on the waterworks and acting all traumatised, but honestly, he didn't think someone who just killed a guy was really going to criticise him for not giving a huge amount of a fuck.
Eventually, his eyes flicked up to the person, a little irritated. "Could've at leas' left his stuff for me to nick." After all that trouble he'd gone through to befriend Richard, and now here he was, left without even a wallet to show for it. Really, what was the point?
"Aye, give me his watch at leas' an' we'll call it quits, aight? I ain't report you, you don' kill me. Sounds fair enuff to me, at leas'." He really didn't seem at all afraid by the whole situation - certainly nowhere near to the extent one would probably expect a thirteen-year-old to be, when faced with a suddenly dead body and a very gory scene.
Once other people got here, he'd start turning on the waterworks and acting all traumatised, but honestly, he didn't think someone who just killed a guy was really going to criticise him for not giving a huge amount of a fuck.
“Fuck you.” He reached into his jacket to grab more shells. “Sure take it.” E threw all of it to the kid. He took a deep breath and started to speak “It’s time for Florida to have a cleansing.” He started to put them into the gun and ran into the bar.
"Thanks," Æsc called after him, pocketing the items before pulling out his phone and calling the police. He affected a teary, scared-sounding voice, even throwing in some stammers as he spoke to the operator.
He told them where he was and that he was by a dead body (he was particularly proud of his acting with that one: "I... I think he's dea', sir, there's so much... so much blood an'- an' I think brain- brain stuff and he ain't movin'!"), plus that the shooter had gone into Shirley's bar.
"How old are you, son?" the man asked, after telling him there were police on the way.
"Thir-thir'een, sir."
"And what's your name?"
"Æsc, sir."
"Alright, Æsc. Can you get yourself somewhere safe, away from the bar?"
"Yes, sir," Æsc agreed. "There's a lot of buil'ings nearby." After the operator eventually hung up, Æsc called Lu, since they'd have a better idea of what to do, then went to wait further up the street, away from the blood and the brains. He didn't want any of that getting on his shoes, thanks.
He told them where he was and that he was by a dead body (he was particularly proud of his acting with that one: "I... I think he's dea', sir, there's so much... so much blood an'- an' I think brain- brain stuff and he ain't movin'!"), plus that the shooter had gone into Shirley's bar.
"How old are you, son?" the man asked, after telling him there were police on the way.
"Thir-thir'een, sir."
"And what's your name?"
"Æsc, sir."
"Alright, Æsc. Can you get yourself somewhere safe, away from the bar?"
"Yes, sir," Æsc agreed. "There's a lot of buil'ings nearby." After the operator eventually hung up, Æsc called Lu, since they'd have a better idea of what to do, then went to wait further up the street, away from the blood and the brains. He didn't want any of that getting on his shoes, thanks.