Bits and Pieces

November 4, 2023

After some time, Cole had calmed down some after dealing with Rowan. Lochlan walks in and stands partially in the center of the room as she looks over at Cole. She folds her arms. Luna follows behind her from the kitchen.

Luna speaks, "Cole? Lochlan has something she needs to tell you."

Cole looks over at Luna, "Do I get to fucking chase him down now or what?"

Lochlan looks away nervously, "No... I know who got him here."

Luna supports her, "Go on Lochlan."

Cole looks over at Lochlan with an expecting stare.

Lochlan says a bit quietly, "I may have gotten him here."

Luna nods while watching over the two.

Cole starts white knuckle gripping her knife, "Uh huh."

Luna starts again, "Though, I'm still confused as to why he came here in the first place. Lochlan, any thoughts about this?" Her voice is calm though watching Cole grip the handle makes her nervous.

Lochlan avoids eye contact still, "What's important is that Rowan is able to go home just fine."

Luna sighs, "It's not a perfect answer to everything, but it's enough for now. Cole, do you have anything you'd like to say before we end this off?"

Cole exhales heavily with an angry drone as black smoke starts leaving her nose at a rapid rate, "I'll be back." Cole starts walking towards the kitchen.

Luna facepalms, "Man this was supposed to be easy. Why isn't it easy?"

Lochlan puts her head down some as she waits. She doesn't say anything.

Time had passed and Cole had been outside for hours in the cold. Lochlan had stepped out to confront him. Lochlan walks around the corner of the gang's house. She zips up her jacket and glances around at the backyard. Cole is sitting in the grass, he looks incredibly calm and relaxed.

Lochlan walks into view as she keeps her hands stuffed into her pockets, "Hey Cole?... You're not mad are you?"

Cole perks up and turns his head to look at Lochlan, "No? Why would I be mad?" His eyes are a deep blue

Lochlan sighs, "You basically threatened to turn whoever got Rowan here into a jigsaw puzzle. And that someone being me, I was a bit concerned by you holding onto that knife like your life depended on it."

Cole exhales, he's cold enough that you can see his breath, "Look... I just... he knew too much about me." Cole folds his arms.

Lochlan thinks for a moment before responding, "Doesn't that mean I have a right to be mad at you too?"

"...I don't know what your talking about," Cole huffs and turns away from Lochlan.

Lochlan puts her hands to her hips and growls slightly. Her tone becomes a bit more snappy, "You got mad that Rowan knows too much about you and yet you've known far more about me than you're letting on. I can funking tell."

Cole shakes his head, "I know just as much about you, as everyone else."

She starts to sound frustrated, "And they know way too much as well! It's like you all knew what was going on at Harper's and about my arms and I didn't have to say a word!"

Cole sighs, "I didn't know about Harper, everything else I know bits and pieces about." Cole mumbles under his breath as he hangs his head, "Wish I didn't though."

She tilts her head, "And what does that mean?"

Cole looks back at Lochlan, "Which part?"

She watches his face, trying to get a better read on him, "You just said you wish you didn't know bits and pieces?"

Cole's face goes blank, "There's no need to worry about that, is that all you came out here for?"

She stares at his face for a good while. She folds her arms, "No, no. I think I will worry about that. Can ya explain it?"

"No," Cole shakes his head.

Lochlan growls some, "Cole. There's clearly something up here. Nothing here adds up and makes sense." She gestures towards the house, "Not mention I have no idea where in the corn chucking heck we even are right now! Cause it's sure as heck not Cherrywood. And no one else here are nonferals."

Cole sighs and fully turns around in the grass to face Lochlan, "First things first, I'm human." Cole gestures to the general area, "Second thing, you're in a world that is run by humans. There can't be and won't be any nonferals born here."

"Alrighty. Then how can you even afford a house here, let alone a lighthouse for a-" she clears her throat, "-Friend."

"I own a company, it makes a fair amount of money," Cole folds his arms, "There, happy?"

Lochlan huffs, "Doubt it. Where is it? Every company has an address."

Cole rolls his eyes and offers Lochlan a business card, "Here, this'll have an address on it."

Lochlan snatches it from his hand and looks it over. Her eyes narrow as she grumbles. It has "CGI Cole Genesone Industries" along with a couple golden pickaxes in the corners with Cole's contact information and an address.

She huffs again and puts the card away in a pocket, "Ok. So that explains a bit about you but that still doesn't explain a darn thing about what you're not wanting to know the quote, bits and pieces."

"Doesn't matter, now it's getting cold out here so why don't you head inside?" Cole folds his arms.

She responds, "I like the cold when I have a good jacket. Besides, you've been out here doin God knows what for hours before I stepped out. If anything you need to be making your way inside."

Cole rolls his eyes, "I'm not affected by the cold, there's no good reason for me to head inside."

Her voice is serious as she speaks, "Ok fine. I may or may not have put a handful of sticks and pinecones into the oven and set it to broil before stepping out here. Could be a dreadful fire hazard I fear."

"..." Cole stares at Lochlan.

Lochlan stares back with a blank face.

Cole grumbles as he stands up, "Asshole." Cole starts walking back towards the house.

Lochlan then smiles as she watches. Cole makes it back into the house as he gives one final glare at Lochlan before shutting the door

When the door is shut, lochlan drops the smile and turns to face the forest. She gets out the business card to memorize the address on it.