Once he's successfully gotten his suitcase and duffle unpacked, Liam is reminded by an uncomfortable ache in his stomach that he hasn't eaten since the airport earlier in the day. Which had been about twelve hours ago, according to his watch.
Liam crossed through his living area and out the connecting door, spotting Jared on the shared couch with a book and a mug.
"Jared," Liam walked over and sat on a chair opposite the couch, "Do you know of any good places to eat? Or to just grab something to-go. I wouldn't trouble you by asking, but I don't know my way around the town quite yet."
Jared hums as he turns the page, not looking up as he answers. "Yeah, I know a couple good spots," he finally glances away from his book, if only to spare a look at his watch. "Isn't safe to go out alone this late at night. 'Specially since you don't know your way around," he sighs and marks his place in the book, standing up and stretching his arms, "I'll cook something tonight, then show you around town in the morning."
"Oh-you really don't have to, it's fine I can just-" Liam's sentence was cut short when he looked up, and Jared was glaring him down, "Right, yes. Thank you, Jared."
Liam followed Jared into the kitchen, wanting to help him cook, "What do you do at the university?"
"I teach modern literature and language arts," he replied, setting Liam up to cut vegetables after they'd both washed their hands.
"Wait, really? That's cool- why do you-" Liam cuts himself off with a frown as he tries to find the right wording, "You don't really seem the type."
A shrug was Jared's only response before he slipped back into silence. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, really, it was the nice kind of quiet. The quiet stretched on until Jared spoke up again, "What are you going to be teaching? One of the science-related classes, right?"
A bright smile overtook Liam's face–as it always does when he's asked about his work–and he responds with an enthusiastic nod, "Physics! I have my doctorates in physics and astrophysics. As well as a master's in astrobiology and entomology."
"Interesting," Jared says flatly.
Liam deflates a bit hearing Jared's reaction, thinking about how that's the reaction people have when they don't really care about what you're saying; but they can't just come out and say that, so they just try to-
"Tell me more about it," Liam's spiraling thoughts are cut short by Jared's request, and when he turns his head, Jared is looking at him with the same blank expression he had since the two met hours earlier. But, Liam decided, he didn't seem the type to initiate more conversation than necessary. So maybe he really was interested.
The smile returned to Liam's face as he began to explain. "Physics in and of itself is difficult to grasp but is absolutely fascinating when you put it in context with other sciences. Like astronomy, for example. You use physics to figure things about stars, planets, nebulae, stuff like that, you know? I did my dissertation for my physics degree on the use of pre-existing mathematics to figure things previously incomprehensible to the science world–because the math just didn't exist. That's part of the beauty in physics, you can keep expanding and discovering because you have all the math; sometimes you just have to add onto it."
Liam continued to explain why someone would get a degree in physics. Then about what astrophysics actually entails. Then, finally, the food was done, and he and Jared were eating at the breakfast table–naturally bringing the topic at hand with them.
"-and that's why Katherine Johnson is so important to the mathematical side of astrophysics–further than just helping to send men into space. Honestly, that was a major win for the United States, but Russia had already managed to go into space. The real win was in the fact that she just–made an entirely new formula out of an outdated one."
Liam had been talking the entire time, Jared chiming in here and there with small questions or comments, and now Jared just looked at him a moment with a frown. Liam was eating, happy to have someone new to listen to his ramblings. He finally glanced up and saw Jared's frown. "What's wrong?"
Jared shook his head, looking down at his plate for a moment before he looked back up at Liam, "What-what's astrobiology?"
"Oh, god, it's absolutely fascinating. It's the search for life in space, not just your little green men on the telly, real aliens. The search starts on a microbiological level, searching for bacteria or other microbial life-forms. I was never very good at biology stuff–math has always been more my style–but it is fascinating." Liam explained before stabbing another hunk of meat with his fork.
Jared nodded and relished in the silence for a moment before speaking again, "And entomology... that's what the spider thing earlier was about too, right? You like bugs?"
"Precisely," Liam said with a nod, "Had I never been introduced to the mathematics of astronomy, I would've been an entomologist. I would suck it up and learn biology for insects."
"Mm, gross," Jared stood and took his and Liam's empty plates once they'd both finished. "It's late. I'm going to head on to bed." he pauses a moment after he'd put the dishes in the sink, "It was good talking to you. Get some rest," he wipes his hands on a towel and starts for the door to his living area, "I'll show you around town tomorrow so that you don't get lost. Night."
Liam barely has time to say "Good night" before Jared closes his door. Then he's alone, and it's quiet. With a sigh, Liam turns off the kitchen light before going to his own living area, deciding to look around a bit. Back home, he'd just be waking up to get ready to go for his morning run, so he couldn't will himself to be tired.
In the desk, Liam finds a walkman cassette player along with a tape recorder. They're both empty when he checks. Liam sighs and sinks down in the office chair, swiveling back and forth until his eyes land on a filing cabinet. He rolls himself over and tries to open it, letting out a groan when all the drawers are empty except for one–the only one that was locked, naturally.
After a quick glance around the room, Liam stands and runs his hands along the highest shelf, silently celebrating when he finds a key. He sits back down in the chair and turns to the filing cabinet, unlocking the drawer.
Inside there was a leather-bound notebook, its pages discolored and cover torn in the corner. Liam picked it up and sat back in his seat, eyebrows scrunched together as he opens it. The title page read "Rules of House 1307, Grace Road" in scrawled handwriting. Liam's confused frown deepens as he reads this, flipping on to the next page.
Rule #1: Do not get comfortable. When The House feels begins to feel safe, it's time for you to leave. When The House becomes home, you're long since condemned.
For further explanation and related information, see recording #2146.
~R.S.
Liam read and reread the sentences, squinting at the page. He holds the notebook against his chest as he quietly slips out into the main living room, starting up the spiral staircase that leads to the attic. Once he's turned on the light, Liam starts sifting through boxes. He organizes as he goes, coughing every now and then when a thick layer of dust is disturbed.
After an hour of sifting through decades of junk, Liam found what he was looking for. Tucked away, behind a shelf and beneath a rotted piece of oakwood, was a box filled with tape recordings. Each one was labeled with the initials 'R.S.' and a four-digit number, likely corresponding with a notebook entry. Liam sets the notebook in the box and stands up, supporting the box on his hip as he goes back down the stairs and into his living area.
Once back at the desk, Liam sets the box down before he goes into the bathroom. He takes out his contacts and puts on his glasses, letting his eyes adjust a moment before he promptly returns to the desk. "Right, then... let's see what we've got here," Liam mutters under his breath.
He takes the notebook out and starts sifting through the tape recordings. There are dozens of them, and Liam didn't even know for sure that it was the only box–finally, he finds the recording labeled 'R.S. #2110'. He finds the walkman he'd seen earlier and put the tape in before rolling over to his bag in the chair, grabbing a pair of earbuds to hook up to the walkman.
Finally, once Liam had was ready, he pressed play and rested his head on his arms, staring out the french-doors beside the desk.
"...Is it on..? Did I do it right?" *rustling* "Okay. Yes, okay, good. It's on. If you're listening to this, you're either an investigator or the unfortunate soul that will likely make cause for an investigator one day. A wonderful way to start the recording, I know. It's just that–it's best you know what you're getting into ahead of time. Know what's happening so you can just– get out of there. The house isn't-well, that is to say, it's rather-hm.... the house is not normal. Nothing in this godforsaken town is, of course, this house couldn't be the exception. This town is just- evil. There is no other word. This town is where the devil goes on vacation. Why anyone in their right minds would stay is beyond me–no. That's not what I'm meant to talk about on this recording. Later, maybe. Not right now. I should explain rule number one, that's why you're listening, isn't it? Not to listen to some crazed stranger ramble on and on about things even he can not-" *rustling* "Sorry. Rule one, do not get comfortable. The house is not meant to be home, not for anything short of malicious. If you're uncomfortable when you sleep at night, if you have nightmares and wake up more tired than before you fell asleep, then you're safe–insane as that sounds. There's an evil in this house that rots every floorboard, rusts every pipe. Corruption is all the house knows. You are no exception. It doesn't matter how good you may think you are–it doesn't matter if you think you have the higher ground because you think you have a god on your side. There is no god here. There is only desolation. If you ever feel safe, from the house, not through another person, it's time to leave. Leave before the house latches onto your very soul and yanks and doesn't let go, leave before it's too late. You must be rid of the house before it is home. If you can, burn it down as you go. Lord knows you'd be doing everyone a favor." *rustling and knocking noises* "Marie? Yes-yes, I'll be right there. No, no, I'm not busy. I'm just finishing some last-minute pa-"
The recording ended there, and Liam sat and stared at the tape with wide eyes. "Holy shit," he mumbled. "What the fuck was that?"
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