❝ If you   don’t want to believe me, fine.  
                                         But that’s the truth. ❞

   ❝ You got a choice — — 
               tell me what you know, or I put a bullet in your head. ❞ 

_{some time ago, sam would have
spent some part of his morning
as a suppliant in prayer.}

               _{his faith has long since been extinguished.}

      _{and so instead of worship, sam walks.}

_{he spots a brightly colored egg in the
grass before him and stoops to pick it
up. the plastic is smooth in his hand,
weighted down by something inside.
before he can pop it open, there is
movement in his peripheral vision.} 

_{❝ is, uh, is this yours? it was
just lying there, so i —-…. ❞}

          _{[ okay, yeah, he’s definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time.  ]}

             _{❝ —- hey! ❞}

    _{goddamnit. just what he needs; someone else getting in the way. it’s dark in the building, and sam’s flashlight flickered out about ten minutes ago, but sam can tell that the  t h i n g  down the hall is definitely not the ghost he’s looking for.}

                          _{❝ you can’t be in here! ❞}

    _{[ —- Aggressively turns off Christmas music ]}