The Supernatural Private Detective

Annie and Oscar drive down the street somewhere in Birchwood's outskirts. Now Oscar is the one driving Annie's car, while she sits at the passenger's seat, starring out the car window, clutching Oscar's camera in hand, angry that they had not made any progress in finding the Vigilante.

"Hey, Annie, it's alright; I'm sure we'll find him one day; it's just a matter of time." Oscar says to cheer Annie up, but she does not respond; she doesn't even look at him.

Oscar continues to speak. "Well anyways, I think tomorrow we should go back to the office and beg Newman to forgive us. Even if we don't find the vigilante, we should at least keep our jobs."

Annie still remains silent; seeing that he wasn't getting through to her, Oscar decides to focus on driving. An awkward, eerie silence filled the car until Annie finally spoke.

"Hey, Oz, let's go over there." She says, pointing at a nearby bar.

"Huh? Uh…sure." Oscar responds as he turns the steering wheel, parking by the bar.

They both sat together at the seats by the counter of the bar. Annie ordered a whisky but didn't touch it; she just sat there staring at the glass.

Oscar looked around and noticed that people were passing glances at them; either they recognized her as a reporter or they had other thoughts.

Oscar placed his arm around Annie's shoulders. "Hey Annie, you should really try to cheer up; you haven't touched your drink since we got here." He spoke.

"Get your hand off me," Annie said under her breath.

"Eh?" Oscar sounded, confirming if he heard her correctly.

"Get your hands off me!" she snapped, her voice rising. The bar fell silent as heads turned toward them.

"Okay, okay!" Oscar raised his hands and pulled back.

Annie picked up the glass of whisky and chugged it down as fast as she could. When it was empty, she placed the glass on the counter and wiped her lips with her hand.

"Refill." She demanded.

The waiter glanced at her and hesitated but poured her another glass. Annie drank it just as quickly, calling for another and another. 

She drank and she drank, refill after refill. "hehe…I know he's real; I just know it, Ozzy...hiccup." Annie rambled, now drunk, her cheeks flushed and her eyes heavy.

"Annie, you've had enough; let's go." Oscar urged, but she ignored him and signaled for another round.

"No more," he said, stopping the bartender as he reached for the bottle.

"I said I want more!" she yelled.

"No!" Oscar yelled back.

She gave Oscar a mean stare for a moment, then suddenly she began to laugh and cackle, waving her head around in circles before collapsing on Oscar's laps, humming softly.

"Ain't that the famous Annie Quest?" The waiter asked, his tone indifferent.

"Yeah, sorry about this." Oscar responded.

"And who are you, the boyfriend?"

"Oh, uhm, no, we aren't—uh."

"Are you her brother then?"

"Nope, not that too."

Without responding, the waiter placed the bill in front of Oscar and walked away. Oscar picked up the bill; his eye's widened at the amount.

"Of course." He muttered.

After paying the bill, he walked out of the bar, carrying Annie on his back.

"Hey Ozzy, I'm not crazy." Annie mumbles.

"I know you're not Annie." He responds. He places her in the back seat, enters the driver's seat, and drives her to her apartment.

Annie lives on the top floor in a four-story apartment building. When they arrive, Oscar parks the car in the parking lot, steps out, and tries to get her to stand, but her body collapses as though she was asleep; she made humming noises as he caught her. He reaches in her handbag, looking for her room key, and then when he finds it, he carries on his back, climbing up the steps.

Some of the other women living in the building were gossiping in the corridor. Their hushed whispers and curious stares followed him as Oscar walked past with Annie on his back. Reaching her apartment door, he unlocked it, stepped inside, and gently laid her on the bed in her bedroom. 

Still bending above her, he stared at her asleep for a moment, a slight blush appearing on his face. 'She's so peaceful when she's asleep.' He thought. As he was about to pull away, she grabbed his arm. "Hey Ozzy, don't leave." She said in a sleepy voice.

"Oh, you're awake; get some rest; it's past 10 p.m.; I need to get home." He responds

"Oh, Oz, you can get home anytime." She said as she pulled him towards herself. Causing him to fall on top of her. Quickly he rose himself up, towering above her, a full blush on his face. Her eye's wide open as she stared back at him, her long black hair flowing on the bed as she squirmed."

"I feel so hot, Oz." She said, slowly unbuttoning her blouse, revealing her black-colored undergarment and giving Oscar a glimpse of the bridge between her busts

"No, Annie, we shouldn't." Oscar tries to back away, but she places one hand around him and the other on his chest, stopping him and dragging him closer. Then she raises her head, and their lips connect as they begin to kiss passionately, Oscar now unbuttoning her blouse even more, getting consumed by the temptation as they rubbed their bodies together.

"No." Oscar suddenly stops himself, letting go of her, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Ozzy, why'd you stop?" She asks, sitting up and slipping off her blouse. She giggles as she moves closer, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"I'm in love with you, Ozzy." She mummurs.

"Do you mean that, or are you still drunk?" he asks, his voice cautious.

"I love you, Pinocchio, chocolate, and puffins," she replies, slurring slightly.

"Yep, definitely still drunk," he mutters, gently freeing himself from her grasp and standing up. He heads toward the door.

"Wait, come back, Ozzy," she calls after him.

"Goodnight, Annie," he says firmly before stepping out of her room.

Annie wakes up the next morning, her bed messy, and only one shoe on her foot. She places her hand on her head and sits up straight, her face contorting as her head aches.

"What happened last night?" She mumbled.

"Why am I half naked?" She said as she noticed that she was wearing nothing but her bra on her upper body.

"I feel like I got runover by a truck."

Then her eyes widened in realization; she quickly stood up and ran to her room door and opened to find Oscar about to reach for the doorknob.

"Ahhhhh!" She screamed as she landed a punch to his face.

"owe!" Oscar held his nose in pain.

"Oscar? You're still here? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry."

"Um…Annie, you're…" Oscar tries to tell her she's not wearing a top.

"Ahhhh!" She remembers she's only in her bra and runs back into her room, banging the door.

Oscar hesitated for a moment before approaching her door. "Annie? Are you alright?" he asked gently.

From behind the door, her voice came through, muffled but flustered. "Oscar, what are you doing here?"

"I can explain; we stayed out pretty late; you got drunk; I brought you home, but I live pretty far, and it was too late for me to go back home, so I uh... slept on your couch."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Oz."

"Not a problem. Anyway, Newman called; he says he wants to see us today; I'm going to head back to my place to prepare for work; you should too."

Oscar was about to leave when Annie's voice stopped him. "Did I say anything weird last night?" She asked hesitantly.

He paused, turning slightly. "No, you didn't," he replied, keeping his tone casual.

"Did you... try anything?" Her voice was more uncertain now.

"Don't worry about it, Annie; nothing happened last night." Oscar assured her before stepping out of her apartment and closing the door behind him.

Annie stood in her room with her hands folded and her mind racing. She scanned her surroundings till her eyes met her drawer. Slowly, she approached it, pulling open the bottom drawer and lifting the clothes inside, revealing a pack of cigarettes. She stared at it for a long moment, her fingers lingering over the pack. Finally, she sighed, replaced the clothes over it, and slid the drawer shut.

***

Oscar and Annie now stood awkwardly in Newman's office. Annie kept her gaze low, using one hand to clutch her other arm. Beside her, Oscar shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hands buried deep in his pockets. Both of them seemed intent on avoiding eye contact with Newman.

"How was your night?" Newman asks.

"It was fine." Oscar answers, but Annie ignores the question.

"Look you two, I've decided to forgive you even after the stunt you two pulled yesterday; you're permitted to resume your duties as long as you promise to stop all that crazy talk about supernatural creatures and a vigilante." Newman says before he adjusts the name plaque on his desk.

Annie rolls her eyes and looks away.

"Uh, yes, sir, we promise." Says Oscar.

"Annie?" Newman urges Annie to speak.

"I promise." She utters in a low voice.

"I didn't hear that." Said Newman.

"I promise." She says louder.

"Great, glad to have you back; you can get back to work."

Both Annie and Oscar walk out of Newman's office.