[ meanwhile, charles is thinking about it — whether home is going to be safe, whether this entire city is safe. there has to be somewhere to go, if his instincts prove to be correct; but that's something to worry about later. he grips junpei's hand a little tighter, pulls him a little closer — the skittering makes him think of the demon, of edwin getting snatched back to hell from right next to him, and though he's pretty damn sure there's no hell in aldrip, the fear is still there.

with his free hand, he reaches to his backpack and pulls out the cricket bat, giving it a twirl, rolling his wrist. ]

I don't know, [ he says, a direct echo of junpei's words, except his tone is tight and quiet. ] Don't think we wanna know, to be honest. I think we need to double back, now.

[ he's felt like this often enough on cases — hearing whatever creature he was up against moving in the darkness, every spectral nerve braced for the moment he needs to whirl around and smash his bat into it. it's the very same feeling he's got, now, and ignoring it seems like a supremely bad move to make.

with a steady, even breath, he looks right at junpei. ] Right, I'm hoping I'm wrong, but — stay close, and if anything happens, stay behind me. And when I say run... you run.