Chapter 1: Kanan
I brought the rest of the boxes from the truck into the house. I finally was able to get my own place and hopefully soon start a family. I smile at the thought of little kids running around everywhere.
I moved to the outer part of Lothal city. Where it was much calmer and more...fresher? I lived in the city for about 2 years and during that time I never got used to the noise and routine cause it was always different everyday. So I started saving up the first year but thanks to my two roommates, Alex and John spent it all on alcohol. If I ever have to move back in with roommates I’ll make sure to keep all my personal stuff locked in a safe. Hopefully that wont happen...
The house was pretty decent. 2 full baths
and 1 half and 3 bedrooms including a master. What was weird was there was orange everywhere. On the walls, in the bathroom, the appliances, even the sidings. Just lines of orange everywhere. It wasn’t the yucky kind of orange it was the kind you see during fall. So it didn’t bother me. It actually looked quite nice.
I started unpacking some boxes that I knew I will be using for the next few days.
“Shoot!” As I was unpacking a box I noticed some glass ware was broken. I knew I was going to have take out for a few days but I didn’t want to spend any money on new things.
I scavenge through the broken pieces to find any survivors. The only things I found was my lucky coffee cup, which was luckily not broken and the plate I made for Depa. I smiled at the plate I made for her as a thank you gift for taking me in. She would never used it but that was because she did’t want to ruin it. I put it too the side and picked up the box with the broken plates and cups.
I walked to the garbage to throw the box out but as I was about to turn around I heard yelling from the house across the street. I look and see the door bang open. I saw a man who looked in his late thirties stormed out of the house to his truck, kicking anything in his way.
I flinch as he drove straight into the garage door. Ow, that’s gonna cost a lot. I watch as he backs up and drives away down the street. I look back to the house and see a women walking out the house towards the garage.
I run over to the women who was ex aiming the garage.
“Is everything alright?” I asked as I put a hand on her shoulder. She turns around and my heart stopped when I saw her beautiful green eyes.
Her face was so beautiful, so perfect. Her voice snaps me out of the trance I was in.
“Ah, yes, sorry about that. That was my ex-boyfriend.” She said as she pointed in the direction her ex went.
“He just got...well angry.”
“Oh.” That was all I could say. I look at the garage and cringed at how it looked.
“Aren’t you at least the bit worried about that?” I say pointing to her broken garage.
“No, not really this isn’t the first time he’s done that.” She say’s as she looks at it.
“That jerk.” I whisper to myself. She somewhat heard me and giggled.
“So what’s your name cowboy?” She says as she smiles at me.
“Kana- wait, did you say cowboy?!” I asked in surprise
“Maybe.” She say as she laughs a little.
I guessed I looked shocked a bit cause I see her trying to hold back a fit of laughter. I ignore the cowboy...thing and continued greeting myself.
“Kanan Jarrus.” I say as I held my hand out.
She smiles as she shakes my hand.
“Hera. Hera Syndulla.” I smile as we shoke hands.
“I’m guessing your the one who just moved in from across the street?”
“Yep.” I say
“I’m surprised.” She asked as looked towards my house.
“What makes you say that?” I asked
“Nobody have lived in the house for, what 70 years?“She must of know my confusion on my face as she continued.
“From what I heard when I moved her 5 years ago from the people around here, they said that house was the home of Elisa Lam and Patrick Lam. Both were married for 57 years I think.” She begins walking towards my house with me following behind.
“The people said they were invited to a house party here for moving into the neighborhood, they went and well...only a few people came out of the house. Some okay and some in...body bags.” She say’s as she stops right in front of my lawn.
I gasped. She turns around and continues talking.
“That was the first time people actually came out of the house. The very first time people went nobody came out. Everyone thought they left the neighborhood or in any possible way vanish...people believed they were possessed or devils from hell. The way the house looked and how everything looked. They lived here longest and never did anyone ever see them.”
“But the house looks completely new and-” She cuts me off.
“They needed to clean it, fix it up or they wouldn’t be able to sell it.”
“That’s why it was so cheap...” I whispered to myself.
“When one of the reiliteres went in to check on the married couple they found the house empty, coated in dust. They tried ways to contact the owners but there was nothing so they decided to put the house up for sail.”
“Well, I got to go to work so I’ll catch up with you later?” She ask as she tuns to me. I could only nod as I kept looking at the house.
“Bye!” I hear her say as she walks back to her house.
I could only stand there and keep hearing that story running through my head.
Please god, give me a sign that story wasn’t true.
As I inched my way to the front door my lights suddenly go on, I look around and stop to see a figure in window.
“NOPE!” I yell as I run to my truck and drive to a hotel near by.
There is no way I’m stayer there!
I couldn’t sleep a wink. My mind kept going back to the the figure in the window, and the story Hera told me about the the couple who just...vanished.
I shivered at the thought. Why? Why did it have to be my house.
I exited the hotel and made my way to my truck.
“At least it’s day time. Lot’s of sunlight and a lot less scarier...” I said to myself. I stopped right next to my truck. I did not want to go back there. Maybe I could sell it? But I signed a 2 year contract on it...damn it! I hoped into my truck and started to drive to the um...the haunted house.
On my way there I saw a convenience store named In & Out and decided to get something for a quick meal. I parked and got out of the truck, as I exited I notice something ran by me really fast. I look in the direction it went and notice it was a person.
“Kid, the next time I see you I’ll make sure your face becomes a painting on the wall!” I hear someone yell at the person. I look to see a teenager covered in what looks to be purple slush.
She must of sense me staring at her as she turns to me and say’s “What you want cowboy!”
“Nothing ...Barney.” I say as I walk past her. I stop at the door and listen for any signs if she was going to attack or not. I heard no heavy breathing, no sounds of slush dripping, the hair on my neck stood straight as ever. I glanced behind me real quick only to notice she wasn’t there.
Phew.
I walk in and look around the store to find something I would like, something that I could eat without cooking it or cutting. I don’t want the microwave to explode or the knifes to start flying everywhere.
No! Don’t think like that! Ghost aren’t real! I tried telling myself.
I pick up a bag of FUNIONS and a Chicken Burrito for lunch with some Ice Sweet Tea. And some Pop tarts for breakfast. As I walked to the front to check out I notice the big mess of purple slush on the floor.
“Hasn’t been cleaned yet.” I didn’t really care if it did get cleaned up or not, I just don’t want people slip and break there skull open.
I proceeded to the front of the store and went to the counter.
I begun to put my stuff down when a bug hand started grabbing stuff and scanning the items. I look up to see a tough man with purple hair and big muscles, must I say if I had to pee I would of peed my pants right here, right now.
“Morning” I say to him trying to be on his good side for an unknown reason.
He doesn’t reply. I took that as a ‘Leave me alone or I’ll break your nose punk’ kind of way.
As he was scanning the items my mind wonder to Hera, her beautiful smile, her big green eyes and the way she walked.
I must of daydream a little bit more than I attended when the cashier or big dude I call him started calling me.
“Sir...Sir...Sir!”
“Ah! Sorry! How much?” I asked in panic.
“$10.76” He say’s. I fish out my wallet and grabbed a $20 dollar bill out and handed it to him.
“You new here mate?” He say’s as he grabs the $20 and gets the change.”
“Yep. How did you know?” I asked in curiosity
“Never seen a cowboy here before, and I been working here for 5 years.” He say’s as he smiles at me while handing me the change.
“I ain’t no cowboy!” I half yell at him.
“Ya sure mate? You sound like one too.” He say’s smiling even wider.
Grrrr. I had enough with the cowboy stuff.
“What? gonna draw your cowboy guns one me?” He said while pretending to be scared.
“I might, I was born in Texas and I have papers that say I can carry my guns anywhere with me, even out of state.” I say smiling.
“Ha! You bluffing.” He say’s eyeing me.
“You sure?” I say reaching towards my pocket.
All funny business was gone. I see him eyeing my hand as it goes into my pocket.
I smiled.
“YAHH!” I yell.
He jerks back at the sudden action and hit’s his head on the pole behind him.
“Why you little!” He yells as he rubs his head.
“Bye!” I say quickly with a smile and ran out the door but of course only to run into the girl covered in slush.
“Going somewhere, cowboy” She smiles.
“I ain’t a cowboy!” I yell angrily as I march to my Truck and hop in only to hop right back out.
“Cold! Cold! Cold!”
I look at my seat to see a big scope of Chocolate Ice Cream now mushed.
“Hahahahah!” I turn around to see the girl and man laughing there asses off.
I smile as I get in ignoring the ice cream seeping through my pants.
“Until next time laddies.” I said as I drove off. In the distance I can hear the big dude yelling how he is not a lady.
“Well, this is going to fun.”
I arrived at the haunted house. Stop! It is not haunted! I look at the house from the drive way still in my truck.
“It wouldn’t hurt to eat in here right?” I asked myself.
I don’t care about the ice cream situation right now but I knew if I don’t change soon and clean the seat it will stain both and these our my favorite pants.
After minutes of deciding if I should or should not I finally got out of the truck and slowly made my way to the door.
I turn the nob to find it still unlocked.
Shoot! I forgot to lock it last night!
Then I ponder on the story Hera told me, if the whole town knows then no body would think twice going in here.
Stop thinking it’s haunted Kanan! I told myself.
I entered and casualy looked around.
Nothing was out of place from what I remembered.
I set the food down on the table and went straight to the box marked ‘CLOTHS’ I opened it up and looked for a pair of pants.
“Sweet!” I say as I found a pair. I took them out of the box and laid them out. I wen’t back to the box to find a pair of boxers as well.
What? the ice cream may of soaked through my underwear as well...
As I found a pair I started to get undressed.
I put on the fresh pair of boxers and pants and tossed the dirty ones into an empty box, I’ll wash them later...
I go and sit at the table to eat my ‘late’ breakfast. What I didn’t know was happening was Hera sneaking up behind me to scare me.
“Boo!” I scrambled out of my chair drooping the food in the process.
“Stay back you ugly beast!” I yell as I cover my face with mt hands.
“Now, I don’t think it’s nice to call a lady an ugly beast.” I hear a girl voice speak. I remove my hands from my face to see Hera smiling.
“Hera!” I say as I stood up rather quickly.
“I thought cowboys were fearless?” She say’s as she walks over to me.
“I am! Wait, no! Yes! I don’t know...” I say covering my face once again from embarrassment.
“Hahah! Don’t worry Kanan dear.” She smiles as she speaks to me. “I’m here to protect you from the ugly beats.” She say’s.
I blush. “I-I-I don’t need p-protection!”
“Looks to me ya do” She smiles wider.
“Do not!”
“Then where were you last night hm?” She asks
“I-I was...um...garbing more stuff...?”
“Sure you were.” She goes and sits at the kitchen table, I walk towards her to go join her.
“You know I was only playing with ya right? She say’s as she gestures to the bag of chips.
I nod. Wait, what?”
“Wait what? You been messing with me?” I asked a little bit angry.
“What? A girl needs to make a good impression when meeting a guy.”
I blush again.
“So, you wen’t through all the trouble to put something in the window to look like a figure and someone how turn the lights on by themselves just to impress me?” I asked smiling.
Her smile disappeared.
“Kanan, I did not do any of that...” She say’s quietly. I had to lean in a little to hear better.
“Stop playing around Hera. Who else would it be? The teen and man from the convenience store?”
“Kanan, I swear to god it wasn’t me, and I know for sure it wasn’t Sabine and Zeb.”
“Who?” I asked in confusion.
“The two from the convenience store.”
All of a sudden all the blinds closed leaving no light to come through, I look up to see the kitchen light swinging slightly left and right while the light fliquired.
“Kanan...” I look at Hera and see the fright in her eyes. This ain’t a prank this is real.
Suddenly everything stopped. The blinds opened and sunlight lit the place up once again.
Creak.
I look to my left to where I heard the creak come from, the stairs.
I get up very slowly and quite
“Kan-” I shushed Hera, I walked closer to the stares.
“Hello?” I asked as I stood at the bottom of the stairs
Nothing.
“Is anyone here?” I asked.
Still nothing.
“If this is some kind of prank, this ain’t funny.” I say getting angry a bit.
“Answer me!” I yell from the bottom of the stairs.
I regret speaking, I regret yelling, I regret not leaving this house when I had the chance, I watch as something comes down the stares fast, giving me no time to react. It collides with me and starts hitting me.
“Get out! This is’t your house! Get out!” It kept saying the same words over and over.
“Hera!” I yell for her, not because I was cared or anything...maybe a little.
I felt the kicks and punches stop, I look up to see Hera hold or mostly struggling to keep a kid in her grasp.
I quickly get up and grab the kid and put him in a head lock. He doesn’t stop struggling.
“Kid stop it!” I yell.
“Get out! Let me go!” He kept repeating the words again.
“Kid listen! Listen to me!”
He stops and I carefully let him go, ready to catch him if he starts to run again. I tun him so he faces me.
His head is down and his blueish, blackish hair hiding his face.
“Look at me.” He makes no move to do so.
I grab his chin to force him to look at me, only to get bit...hard.
“Oww!” I yell grabbing my hand. He takes off out the door in a split second.
“He’s fast...” I say covering my hand.
I look up at Hera to see her face look gloom.
“Hey what’s wrong?” I asked getting up.
“I wasn’t lying about a couple living here, they were still pretty young I think and they had a son, a kid From what I heard, one night on Empire day, some guards or whatever there called came and took the couple away. The kid was found the next day crying under his parents bed, he brought to an orphanage escaped a year later, no ones if he’s alive or dead. But from what we just saw he could be alive.”
“What did his parents do?” I asked
“They were spy’s or people who spoke what they wanted to speak. And what they did was against the law.”
“Oh...So you think that kid we just saw was the son of them?
“I don’t know for sure, there’s a lot of street rats around here.”
“What where there names?”
“I don’t know, I never asked”
She looks at me and smile but I could tell she was still sad or frighten, maybe both. Girl’s are difficult.
“I see you later?” She ask’s
“You bet.” I wink and smiled at her.
She leaves. I sit at the kitchen table and think about what just happened.
It’s been 3 weeks since I last saw the boy. Hera been coming over a lot more to hang out and to help me figure out the boys parents and him. The only info I have of him is him being a street rat for a long time and his parents being spy’s. But seeing how they vanished suddenly and by vanished I mean killed, we have no lead.
The next day Zeb and Sabine come over since it was there day off. Hera has told them what we have been doing since we...talked about the Ghost Boy.
“Mate, you been doing this for three weeks right? Why not just give up?” Zeb said.
“No, I want to know more about this kid and what happen to him.” I said while looking through papers.
“You should at least take a break, you been doing this for a long period” Sabine said.
Sign
“Yea your right. You guys want to go out to eat?”
“As long as your paying!” Zeb said. I chuckle “Your lucky I still have some left over money when I bought the house.
“You don’t have a job yet?” Hera asked as she put down the old newspaper.
“Nope, nobody is hiring really and the jobs that are available I won’t do good at.” I say
“Have you applied to the police station?” Hera asked
“Why would I?” I asked. Doing work like that wouldn’t be good for me since I’m clumsy, can get knocked out real quick and easy and barely know how to shoot a gun.
“Cause this town needs a Cowboy and we don’t have one yet” Zeb says as he laughs. I glare as Sabine and Hera join. I huff in annyoment.
“Oh come on Mate, lighten up a bit! Besides we need more police officers here in our town, there’s not many to help catch all the bad guys and...the Ghost Boy.” Zeb whispered the last part.
Sign. Maybe it won’t be so bad to apply.
“Also you can some information on the people who lived here and the Ghost Boy.” Sabine said.
“Fine, I will go apply tomorrow.” I say finally. I see Hera smile.
“Great! I’ll see you there.” She say’s
“What? Why?” I asked in confusion.
“I also work there Kanan. Did saying ‘Great I’ll see you there’ not make hint?”
“Oh...” I say blushing from embarrassment.
“Anyways, I got to go. I have night shift.” Hera says as she grabs her things and heads out the door. We all say our goodbye to her.
“Wait, how come she can’t get info on the parents and Ghost Boy?” I asked.
“She would if she she could, but when she’s working there’s always someone watching for a slip up or doing something they shouldn’t thing to get top officer and a raise, And Hera is set on the raise.” Sabine say’s
“Then why am I joining?” I asked slightly confused, “Won’t the same thing happen to me?”
“Nope, since Hera is the closest officer to getting the raise he/she would only follow her.”
“Oh okay.”
“Well Me and Zeb got to go now. Our Boss the Grand Inquistor he likes beginning called added more hours for tomorrow so we need to go rest.” Sabine say’s
“Alright. I see ya guys later. Thanks for the help by the way.” I say while heading to the front door with them.
“No problem mate.” Zeb says.
We say our goodbyes and the I am alone once again. As I start heading to the kitchen table again I hear a knock on my door. I go and open it and see it was Sabine.
“Sorry. I forgot to ask if you can keep a look out for a dog? His name is Chopper and he is a Golden Retriever with an Orange collar. He also very noisy and aggressive.”
“Sure, I’ll keep a lock out. Is he your dog?” I asked
“Me, Zeb and Hera’s actually. We all agreed to help with the dog.” Sabine say’s
“Oh ok, well I’ll keep an eye out then.” I smile as I wave goodbye again.
“Thanks! Bye!” She said as she ran off.
I shut the front door and go to my bedroom.
“Man it’s been a long day...” I said to myself.
Creak
Please not tonight...please not tonight!
Creak
I don’t want to die! I have to tell Hera how I feel about her still!
CREAK
“PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!” I yell as I tried to somewhat protect myself.
I waited a few minutes and heard nothing.
I open my eye’s to see a black cat sitting by the window. Oh no. I already have enough bad luck. Sorry cat. Good that scared me. I change into a brown shirt and black sweatpants and clime into bed.
“Meow. Meow. Meeeooow.” That cat won’t leave alone until I let it in huh?
I groan as I get up and open the window. The cat quickly jumps in and sits at the end of the bed.
“As long as you don’t go near my face that’s alright.” I say as I clime into bed again and this time falling asleep quietly.
“Meow.”
“Uhhh!”
“All I need is your social security number and you home address.” The women at the desk said as she handed me a piece of paper to write on. I grabbed a pen from the cup and began to write my SCN down and address.
“And once your done with that I will need to see you ID and have you signature here on the dotted lines.” She say’s as she takes the finished piece of paper and hands me the new one. I use the same pen and sign my name and place my ID on it for her to copy it.
“I’ll be right back with this” She say’s as she get’s up and heads into another room.
I finally able to get a job and the best part, I’m going to be able to work with Hera! And I guessed you found out what job I applied for huh. Yep a Police Officer. Not the best job for a town that barley has any crime but I’m able to protect the people and be with Hera more. And to get more info on that boy.
The women comes back a copy of the stuff she copied and my ID.
“Here is a copy of all the stuff and your scheduled, since you have military experience you won’t be needing to go through training.”
“Thanks, I’ll see you later” I say as I grabbed the papers and head to my truck. As I enter the smell of the ice cream that is still stained in my seat hit me full force with a terrible smell. It takes me all my might not to puke, I have tried everything to get the smell out but nothing has worked so now I’m stuck with it until I find someplace to clean it or buy a new truck.
I start the engine and drove to the Convenience Store. One to talk to Zeb and Sabine and to find something to get ride of the smell for a bit. As I was driving I saw a golden retriever run across the street. Wait weren’t Sabine and Hera looking for a golden retriever? I slam on my breaks and jump out of my truck and after the dog. What was his name again?
“CHINNY” I yell as I chase after it.
“CHECKER!” Nope not that either. It started with a ‘C’ that’s all I remember.
Chip? Chop? Chopper? Chopper!
“CHOPPER!” I yell and the dog stops and me tripping over it face first into a mud puddle...
“Bark!” I lift my face out of the mud and slowly look at the dog who was wagging it’s tail and smiling.
“You did that on purpose didn’t you.” I say as I get up and reach for his collar. The tag said
Chopper
555-555
4 May LN
Yep, that’s Hera’s address alright.
“Come on boy, we need to get you back to Hera.” As I mention her name he happily starts walking with me back to my car. This has not been my week at all I say as I try to get ride of the mud on my face.
