After Hours

[Heath Rafferty]

Although people were told consistently to stay away from certain areas of Hazleton as darkness approached, it seemed that every evening he was on duty, Heath was out looking for--and finding--young people who insisted on hanging around. It was like they had a death wish or something. Half the deaths and disappearances that occurred in the forest went on to remain cold cases, although Heath had his own ideas on just what was going on out there on Eagle Ridge.

In his park ranger uniform, he walked through the trails of Pebble Lake tonight. The Ridge was far too dangerous even for him to clamor through on a cold night like this. He'd be there in the morning with his two back-ups--just in case.

With the sure feet of an expert who had wandered through these woods and mountains for years, Heath meandered out over the rocky beach that gave Pebble Lake its quaint little name.. At the moment, he was looking for the rest areas that dotted the area for those who hiked around during the day. Sweeping the area was part of his job, to make sure people weren't loitering about after dark. Technically, this area was closed a few hours ago but... well, that never stopped people from coming out here anyway. After all, Pebble Lake was a hot destination spot for teenage lovers to spend some time after the sun came down.

Heath spotted the next rest area up ahead and sure as anything, he saw a form sitting by themselves on one of the benches. Shaking his head to himself, Heath started down the trail and when he was sure he was within sight of the loner, he lifted a hand and waved.

"Hey there! You know what time it is?" he called as he drew closer.

[Choi Jun Yong]

This town really was fucking wack. The fog lifted, people returned to moving about like normal, and yet nothing felt normal to Jun Yong. He'd gone hiking in the woods to clear his head, but that didn't seem to help much even when he shifted and roamed a bit, more freely, in his animal form. Weird as fuck town, cleaning away the dead and pretending like the fog and weird shit never happened-- because there were sure to be others who'd been killed by reapers beside the one kid they saw-- as if wiping the corpses away would wipe the townsfolk's memories.

Clearly they hadn't, considering he remembered his friend being possessed and how alive the fog felt.

Coming up to the lake, he exhaled deeply, finding a bench to sit upon. Jun Yong pulled one foot onto the bench, leg up against his chest. Propping an elbow on his knee, his gaze drifted over the water and his thoughts wandered, too. Something caught his attention that looked to him like-- footsteps slowly drew his attention away from the forest and out of his head.

Whoops. Caught.

He jerked his head over at the approaching man, blinking out of his fog of thoughts when he was addressed.

"Oh." he said dispassionately after peeking at his watch, "No... I must have zoned out." Which was true, however, he knew before that he was way past the time when people were supposed to leave. It wasn't like Jun Yong worried much over something jumping out at him-- snake reflexes and all-- but he normally paid more attention. Say, so he could avoid getting yelled at by some authority for hanging around late.

[Heath Rafferty]

"It's past midnight," he said, as he ran a hand through his hair and stopped a few feet away from the boy. He really did look like little more than a boy, probably hanging out to as a dare. Perhaps waiting for friends. This wasn't a good place for that, though--not if this kid wanted to stay alive and tell the tale of it. From the looks of things, the kid seemed nonchalant about it. Or maybe... Heath narrowed his eyes and took another step forward, tilting his head so that he could get a better look at the kid. He might have shined his flashlight in the poor kid's face while he was at it, but he was trying to get a good look at his eyes.

Didn't look like he was on something. Heath lowered the flashlight, then beckoned for the kid to come toward him.

"Come on. I'll escort you out of here." It was the nice way of saying you don't belong here, go home.

[Choi Jun Yong]

Yes, I realize this now. He was smart enough not to speak his thoughts, though did take his foot off the bench and lean away when the tall guy stepped closer. The flashlight didn't help any, and now Jun Yong looked miffed as he narrowed his eyes at the light.

"What was that for?" he mumbled, raising a brow now that the flashlight wasn't blinding him.

Dammit, he really should have been more attentive. Now he had to deal with this giant stranger. Who was that tall anyway?

"I'm not a kid, I can find my way out." he said, leaning forward with his hands on his knees but not standing yet. His night vision was... better than normal humans. Uniform or not, Jun Yong wasn't comfortable being escorted or with this guy (and not because he looked way too tall).

[Heath Rafferty]

Heath raised his brows at the kid. Not a kid, he said. But he looked young from where Heath was standing. Probably some college aged kid hanging around to smoke some pot in peace. There were better places to do that, though. Less dangerous places. Heath saw the kid leaning forward like he was about to get up--but he didn't. Letting out a sigh, Heath shook his head.

"Sorry, policy is policy. I have to make sure you get out of here in one piece, so that means I'm escorting you."

He beckoned at the kid, signaling him to stand up.

"Come on, now. Let's go."

[Choi Jun Yong]

What? Did he look like some rebellious teen, lying through his teeth about his age? It didn't seem like Jun Yong had much choice now regardless of how old this dude thought he was. Giving in-- conflict would only end in the same result of him being walked out, plus irritating this guy which wouldn't help-- he stood up, shifting a glance at where he thought he'd seen something across the lake before returning his attention to the guy.

It was probably his mind playing troublesome tricks.

"Fine then..." he started walking, mostly to prevent the guy from thinking he was lagging it. He paused, however, when he couldn't find his phone in his pocket. Fuck. There were things on there he didn't want to be losing. It must have slipped out of his pocket when he shifted back and threw his clothes on before.

[Heath Rafferty]

"Now what is it?" Heath asked, with a sigh, looking back over at the kid when he stopped walking. He shined his light back on him and gave him a long, hard stare.

[Choi Jun Yong]

So much for not getting on the guy's bad side.

It definitely looked just that.

"I left something behind. I'm not going without grabbing it." He knew where he shifted, so... it shouldn't be hard to find. His head was turned somewhat away from the light, brow furrowed.

[Heath Rafferty]

"What's the something?" Heath asked, running a hand through his hair as he eyed the skyline. It wasn't going to be good for the kid, if they were stuck out here all night and it felt to Heath like the kid was seriously stalling for time.

"Hate to say it but we gotta retrace your steps so I hope you remember where you've been."

[Choi Jun Yong]

"... My phone." Maybe that didn't seem like a big thing to lose, but it wasn't the object itself Jun Yong cared about. The contents of his phone, now, those were precious. He had photos and videos from... forever ago which he never wanted to lose.

"I do." he mumbled, kind of annoyed again because he assumed the guy said so to try and stop him from heading off to find it. Well, too fucking bad because he was already going. Paying attention to the flashlight was probably smarter, but Jun Yong didn't think about how weird it may come off that he wasn't having the hardest of times maneuvering in the dark.

[Heath Rafferty]

Crap. Heath looked up at the sky, then pointed his flashlight in the direction the kid was heading. He had to follow him and bring him back. There was no getting around it. Heath wasn't afraid of the woods after dark, per se, but he had a healthy sense of wariness when it came to it. He'd lived here and worked here long enough to know that it most definitely wasn't safe and that there was increased violent activity in the area. He just wished the freaking kid would listen to him!

A phone just didn't seem that important to Heath, when it came down to it. But this kid was going hunting after it like it was his life. What did he have on it that was precious? Or... so worth protecting? Heath frowned in the darkness, making sure to keep his guard up as they stepped through the undergrowth around the old trails.

"It can't wait until daylight?" Heath asked, turning his flashlight around the ground in search of the telltale glint from a phone screen.

[Choi Jun Yong]

Stubbornness was definitely a trait Jun Yong would admit to having only in certain cases, but when he was determined, no one could make him listen. He was perfectly fine without this guy following, but whatever, it was his own fault. If the dude thought he was suspicious for insisting on going back for a piece of technology, Jun Yong could show him what he was so attached to. That's how important they were-- the photos and videos-- enough for him to show those precious, dusty old memories to a complete stranger.

"It'll bother me to leave it until then..."  he trailed off pensively (mostly because he wasn't apt on getting whacked with a flashlight if his irritability got on the guy's nerves, yet also, because he didn't want to think of losing the contents of the phone). Who knew whether it would get trampled on by some random animal or if leaving it out in the weather might ruin it. His footsteps were light as they stepped through the forest brush, and he stopped when the flashlight reflected against something. There! He went over and scooped it up, internally sighing.

A sound, oh so faint, whispered through the trees to their right, and Jun Yong shot his gaze toward it. He could see an animal-like figure not too close but not too far off, and, without waiting to see if the guy noticed-- the thing wasn't exactly blatant in the dark-- started to walk. "Found it just fine, see?" he kept his attention on even higher alert-- no zoning out now.

[Heath Rafferty]

"Yeah... I get it."

Heath did--sort of. He was aware that kids were glued to their phones and if they lost it, they lost half their world. Personally, Heath didn't really use his much but he was an outdoorsy type. If he didn't have to have a cell phone just to stay connected, he'd probably just have a landline and call it a day.

He stopped when the kid stopped. There it was. Heath let out a soft sigh of relief. Good. They hadn't gone that deep into the woods. It meant he could escort the kid out, probably without much incidence. At least, that was what he was thinking... right before the kid went to get his phone and something in the darkness let out a low growl.

"Shit," Heath said without thinking. "Quick, get over here!"

[Choi Jun Yong]

The phone was tucked away nicely into his pocket, but now there was something more pressing catching his attention. Was it a wolf? Whatever it was, he could see it through the darkness and didn't at all seem pleased by their company. Yeah, he didn't need to get growled at to know something creeping up on him wasn't there to play.

He took several steps away, moving toward the guy so they could get the hell outta there already. The phone was found so no other reason for them to stick around. "Don't need to tell me that!" he retorted back, wondering if the guy thought he didn't notice. Something black leapt out at him as he moved away, and he turned to see a black wolf staring at them from where he'd been standing a moment ago. Oh great. It didn't lunge again, and he hoped that meant if they got lost they wouldn't have a fight. "Let's go... Just go." Jun Yong nudged the tall guy to start walking while still eyeing the wolf. He couldn't do very much beside punch the fleabag without magic or shifting... and really didn't want to do either around a stranger unless he had to.

At most, maybe they could run and he'd throw up a barrier behind them to block the wolf.

[Heath Rafferty]

Shit. It was a wolf. Heath had been told not to engage them and he knew why--there were feral wolves attacking in this area. The kid was nudging him to get out of there but Heath knew he was the one who had to protect the kid. With that in mind, he grabbed the kid's arm--carefully--and gently nudged him up the trail and away from the lurking wolf.

It was so dark that it nearly blended in with the shadows but he could definitely see it moving. Just as he was about to speak and tell the kid they needed to just hurry away without alerting or scaring the wolf--the wolf acted. It snapped its slavering jaws at them and Heath practically picked the kid up and started heading up the trail as fast as he could.

The wolf gave chase, snapping at his heels every step of the way while Heath cursed under his breath.