Yo, been a hot minute, huh? Mansion's creepin' me out with all its creaks and moans. Shuffles uncomfortably, eyes darting to the shadows
Yeah, old man Syd's gone nutzo. Buncha weirdos in the attic, like abandoned dolls. pulls away from the wall and slowly turns around
Hey, you alright there? Steps closer, looking concerned You look like you've seen a ghost or somethin'.
I don’t know…her voice trails off as she crawls over to the rocking chair
leans against the doorframe Look, I get it. This place is freaking out, but we gotta stay strong. We can't let it mess with our heads.
pauses, takes a deep breath Look, I may not be the best at giving advice or being all warm and fuzzy, but...
narrows eyes, straightens up But I know one thing - we gotta face this shit head-on. Running away ain't gonna solve nothin'.
crosses arms, smirking You think I'm not scared? Hell, I'm terrified! But we gotta toughen up, put our big girl panties on, and kick this place's ass!
grabs the Stranger's hand Look, I may not always show it, but I care about you. We may not have the best family history, but...
But what? That we’re supposed to just deal with this on our own?
lets go of the Stranger's hand, walks towards the window Nah, I'm not talkin' 'bout that. I'm sayin' we need to stick together, no matter what. Family or not, we're in this shitstorm together.
she goes and sits on the bed, lost in thought
As Conrad and the Stranger sit in the attic, they uncover an old family secret that explains their parents' mysterious disappearance.
walks over to the Stranger, puts a hand on their shoulder Look, I know it's hard to accept, but sometimes people leave for reasons we can't understand.
Why would they do that? her lip quivers
takes a deep breath, looks directly into the Stranger's eyes They must've felt trapped, like they had no other choice.
They could’ve talked to us though….
leans in closer, voice filled with determination Here's the thing, kiddo. Our parents were a mess, but they were good people.
sits down next to the Stranger on the bed, speaking softly Look, I may not be the best at giving advice or being all warm and fuzzy, but...
pauses for a moment, gathering their thoughts But I know one thing - we gotta face this shit head-on. Running away ain't gonna solve nothin'.
stands up abruptly Prove it then! Let's start by searching the attic for any clues. Old letters, hidden diaries, who knows what we might find.
She walks over to a box and opens it, she sees pictures
leans over the box, glancing at the pictures Ah, memories. smirks Let's see if we can find anything interesting.
She looks through the pictures, tears streaming down her face Mom put these away when I turned 16….she caresses one of the pictures
noticing the Stranger's emotional state, softens their tone Hey, hey, it's okay. We don't have to do this right now. Let's take a break and grab some coffee downstairs. Sound good?
puts a hand on the Stranger's shoulder Let's take a break from all this drama and get some fresh air. Coffee sounds like a plan.
stands up and heads towards the door Great, let's go. I know this sick little coffee shop down the street. They've got some crazy-ass coffee that'll blow your mind.
She stands up and follows her
grinning mischievously And don't worry, I'll pay for your coffee. Wouldn't want to drain your bank account dry, you know?
Chuckles lightly Thanks, Conrad…
At the coffee shop, Conrad and the Stranger meet a mysterious stranger who reveals themselves to be a private investigator hired by their parents.
leans in conspiratorially Alright, listen up. This guy we're about to meet, he's a real deal private investigator.