Introduction
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Have you ever entered a town and felt something wasn't quite right? Felt the shutters close as you pass, hidden eyes peering from behind curtains? Stark, unnatural colours judging behind rose-tinted glasses at the supermarket? You might ask yourself what they're waiting for, why they hate you so much, why the cashier slams the water bottle into your hand like it's done her a personal offence. If you're lucky, you'll never hear it. A sign, an order, the right word. You'll drive out of town with the sunlight still kissing your neck, take deep breaths and feel the world start to feel as it should. Even then, though, you might see a man through the rear-view mirror, over his scythe and watching you drive away. Do you ever feel like you just escaped something dangerous?
Innsmouth is not a town you enter unless it's absolutely necessary. The neighbours prefer to pretend that it doesn't exist anymore, that somehow the small coastal town was claimed by the sea decades ago. So they struck it off the map and rerouted the main road, and nobody talked about Innsmouth anymore– the strange screams at night, those children... Oh. Those poor children. It's so much easier to forget it's there, than to wonder if anything resembling human beings even lives there anymore.
After a long-winded search they manage to find something resembling a hotel but there's not exactly money in the budget for it. Still, they have got to sleep somewhere, and so the students are put in rooms of three and three while one of the teachers goes searching for a phone. Night begins to fall, and he has still not returned. To make things worse, some restless renegades have already snuck out of their rooms to explore the town before dinner...
One thing is for certain, and that's that their situation is only growing worse, and the darker it gets, the more gleefully the locals seem to put their worries aside with confusing answers or riddles. And then there's that sound, not quite identifiable, coming from the church, like a low choir, but inhuman. And that teacher still hasn't come back.
Innsmouth is not a town you enter unless it's absolutely necessary. The neighbours prefer to pretend that it doesn't exist anymore, that somehow the small coastal town was claimed by the sea decades ago. So they struck it off the map and rerouted the main road, and nobody talked about Innsmouth anymore– the strange screams at night, those children... Oh. Those poor children. It's so much easier to forget it's there, than to wonder if anything resembling human beings even lives there anymore.
After a long-winded search they manage to find something resembling a hotel but there's not exactly money in the budget for it. Still, they have got to sleep somewhere, and so the students are put in rooms of three and three while one of the teachers goes searching for a phone. Night begins to fall, and he has still not returned. To make things worse, some restless renegades have already snuck out of their rooms to explore the town before dinner...
One thing is for certain, and that's that their situation is only growing worse, and the darker it gets, the more gleefully the locals seem to put their worries aside with confusing answers or riddles. And then there's that sound, not quite identifiable, coming from the church, like a low choir, but inhuman. And that teacher still hasn't come back.
XXXXXXXXXXXX- 4 posts here • Page 1 of 1
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 2 authors
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It all began with Nicholas Sullivan standing in the principal's office a week before graduation. Meek, doormat Sullivan, with his impossible hair and not-so-subtle crush on the gym teacher. The same Sullivan who once let a class leave two hours early because, well, they just kind of asked. He had his fists so tight that the principal could see his knuckles turn white.
As it turned out, having Nicholas Sullivan a) in your office using his grown-up voice and b) actually presenting an idea that didn't involve staring into the table and wishing to be somewhere else, had had some sort of an impact on the principal. The idea was not only greenlighted but encouraged, the kids were informed and the details dealt with. By the time of departure there were six kids signed up for the trip which was a little disappointing but, honestly, not that surprising. Nick had decided that he would be positive, had to be positive if this was going to work, and so he settled the six kids in the bus, ignored Whitworth's attempts to dissuade him and asked the bus driver to drive.
As the buildings grew fewer and the stretch of the highway lay endless before them, stretching beyond eyesight into the horizon, he was certain that he'd made a mistake. The sun was warming his skin through the window, the bus rumbled comfortable as they drove, but something seemed off. More than anything he wanted to call this off. Why would kids be interested in the witch trials of Salem anyway? Did they know anything about it that they hadn't learned from horror movies? Did they care about anything they hadn't learned from horror movies? Experience would imply that no.
Logic would imply otherwise, but he wasn't in a mood to listen to logic.
"Can you look a little less like you're having a heart attack?" Whitworth leaned over from the other side of the aisle. "You're paler than a sheet of paper."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know the colour of my skin bothered you so much," Nick replied, keeping his eyes on the road in front of them.
"That's a worried tone, son. You look like you're going to faint."
"I'm fine."
"We could turn around."
"I'm fine."
"We could stop."
"Dennis–"
"Yeah, yeah. You're fine."
Nick rolled his eyes, reminding himself that Whitworth's worry was nothing more than an old man searching for an excuse to turn the bus around. Even as they entered the scenic roads of Massachusetts, where the trees seemed to somehow grow taller and greener, and the grass at times felt untouched by human hands. He wished he was better with words– better at describing his emotions but honestly, a part of him was happy just looking. Wishing the bus ride would never end.
Which of course it did, three hours later, when the bus came to a spluttering halt and nearly toppled over on the road. Nick nearly screamed, suddenly glad he'd put his seatbelt on, even as he was forced to remove it and come to an unsteady standing position, looking back towards the students.
"Everyone remain calm! I'm sure it's nothing. Emmett, please tell me it's nothing."
"It's not nothing."
Nick closed his eyes. "How bad is it?"
He heard the tell-tale sound of an engine that had given up on life.
"I'll go out and take a look, but we should probably get it to a mechanic as quickly as possible."
"And how do you suggest we do that?" Whitworth leant out from behind his seats. "Push it?"
"We'll figure something out," Nick said, lowering his voice. "Let's just. Not worry the kids, yeah?"
"Oh yeah, no problem, we're just stranded in the middle of nowhere," Whitworth said. "No need to panic."
"Did anyone see a town nearby?" Nick asked. "Or, at least within the last hour?"
"Not that I remember," Whitworth said.
"Shit," Nick said, as the bus driver turned of the engine and opened the doors.
"Okay people, time for a break. Get outside and stretch your legs a little!" he shouted. "Maybe see if there are any towns nearby while you're out there."
As it turned out, having Nicholas Sullivan a) in your office using his grown-up voice and b) actually presenting an idea that didn't involve staring into the table and wishing to be somewhere else, had had some sort of an impact on the principal. The idea was not only greenlighted but encouraged, the kids were informed and the details dealt with. By the time of departure there were six kids signed up for the trip which was a little disappointing but, honestly, not that surprising. Nick had decided that he would be positive, had to be positive if this was going to work, and so he settled the six kids in the bus, ignored Whitworth's attempts to dissuade him and asked the bus driver to drive.
As the buildings grew fewer and the stretch of the highway lay endless before them, stretching beyond eyesight into the horizon, he was certain that he'd made a mistake. The sun was warming his skin through the window, the bus rumbled comfortable as they drove, but something seemed off. More than anything he wanted to call this off. Why would kids be interested in the witch trials of Salem anyway? Did they know anything about it that they hadn't learned from horror movies? Did they care about anything they hadn't learned from horror movies? Experience would imply that no.
Logic would imply otherwise, but he wasn't in a mood to listen to logic.
"Can you look a little less like you're having a heart attack?" Whitworth leaned over from the other side of the aisle. "You're paler than a sheet of paper."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know the colour of my skin bothered you so much," Nick replied, keeping his eyes on the road in front of them.
"That's a worried tone, son. You look like you're going to faint."
"I'm fine."
"We could turn around."
"I'm fine."
"We could stop."
"Dennis–"
"Yeah, yeah. You're fine."
Nick rolled his eyes, reminding himself that Whitworth's worry was nothing more than an old man searching for an excuse to turn the bus around. Even as they entered the scenic roads of Massachusetts, where the trees seemed to somehow grow taller and greener, and the grass at times felt untouched by human hands. He wished he was better with words– better at describing his emotions but honestly, a part of him was happy just looking. Wishing the bus ride would never end.
Which of course it did, three hours later, when the bus came to a spluttering halt and nearly toppled over on the road. Nick nearly screamed, suddenly glad he'd put his seatbelt on, even as he was forced to remove it and come to an unsteady standing position, looking back towards the students.
"Everyone remain calm! I'm sure it's nothing. Emmett, please tell me it's nothing."
"It's not nothing."
Nick closed his eyes. "How bad is it?"
He heard the tell-tale sound of an engine that had given up on life.
"I'll go out and take a look, but we should probably get it to a mechanic as quickly as possible."
"And how do you suggest we do that?" Whitworth leant out from behind his seats. "Push it?"
"We'll figure something out," Nick said, lowering his voice. "Let's just. Not worry the kids, yeah?"
"Oh yeah, no problem, we're just stranded in the middle of nowhere," Whitworth said. "No need to panic."
"Did anyone see a town nearby?" Nick asked. "Or, at least within the last hour?"
"Not that I remember," Whitworth said.
"Shit," Nick said, as the bus driver turned of the engine and opened the doors.
"Okay people, time for a break. Get outside and stretch your legs a little!" he shouted. "Maybe see if there are any towns nearby while you're out there."
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Six students.
Chae-Won stared incredulously at the tiny group gathered in front of the school.
Six students, and two teachers.
"Well, this is depressing," Katia griped, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She, Mattie, Julian, and Chae-Won stood in a cluster, apart from Layfield and his girl, Mattie shooting Layfield annoyed glances. Layfield's rebellion had always been a grating point on Mattie's nerves, Chae-Won remembered.
"That's okay," she said, trying to be soothing. "It'll be easier to keep track of everyone, and we'll have more fun as a small group, yeah? Plus, I heard Mr Sullivan really wanted it so let's be nice to him." She slipped her hand into Julian's, squeezing it softly. "Who knows where we'll go after graduation? At least we got to experience something cool together."
The group trooped onto the bus, Chae-Won and Julian sitting together as always, Mattie in front of them, and Katia in the seat opposite. "Is anyone hungry? I brought cookies," Mattie offered, dangling a pack of Japanese snacks in Julian's face. Julian took it, popped the pack open, and passed a handful of biscuits to Katia and Chae-Won, taking a few for himself.
So that was how they spent the next few hours, sitting around, digging into Mattie's rations, laughing and talking as they always did. Chae-Won did her best to absorb all of it, to let this be the last memory she had of her friends before everyone parted ways. That was the main reason she'd talked everyone into coming, after all - for them to be together once, just once, before Mattie left for university and she went hunting for her real family and they broke themselves up; yes, even Julian, who had his own plans.
The bus's sudden halt put an end to her train of thought as it shook and shuddered, jolting Katia into the seat in front of her. "Ow!"
"Everyone remain calm! I'm sure it's nothing."
Chae-Won could hear the undertone of panic in Sullivan's voice, though. She glanced around, making sure none of her friends were hurt. For the most part, they were fine, except for Katia, who was rubbing the spot where her head had made contact with the seat. Red, but no broken skin.
"He's lying," Julian muttered to her. "He doesn't know what's happened." He'd heard it too, evidently. Julian looked out the window, at the nothing that surrounded them, just as Sullivan declared, "Okay people, time for a break. Get outside and stretch your legs a little! Maybe see if there are any towns nearby while you're out there."
Chae-Won rose obediently, tugging Julian to his feet too. "I have a bad feeling about this," he continued, but he got up anyway. The students gathered on the side of the road, looking around. "Maybe if we walk a little further down, Mr Sullivan," Mattie suggested, trying to peer down the road, as if he could see civilisation beyond the cloud of dust. "We might find someone who might be able to help us get the bus going again. If it's not too serious."
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"Someone new is coming. I can feel it."
Cecilia looked up from the sacrifice, ignoring the oracle's eyes on her. She didn't need that silly girl to tell her to know what the reading meant - its message was that powerful. "We're expecting guests."
"So what should we do?" one of the church's underlings asked. Whatever his name was, Cecilia had long forgotten it, having more important matters to concern herself with than the identities of those who worked for the church.
"Keep an ear to the ground. I think - " she peered at the sacrifice, holding her breath to avoid inhaling the stench of blood, " - that at least one of them will be quite useful to us."
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Six students.
Chae-Won stared incredulously at the tiny group gathered in front of the school.
Six students, and two teachers.
"Well, this is depressing," Katia griped, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She, Mattie, Julian, and Chae-Won stood in a cluster, apart from Layfield and his girl, Mattie shooting Layfield annoyed glances. Layfield's rebellion had always been a grating point on Mattie's nerves, Chae-Won remembered.
"That's okay," she said, trying to be soothing. "It'll be easier to keep track of everyone, and we'll have more fun as a small group, yeah? Plus, I heard Mr Sullivan really wanted it so let's be nice to him." She slipped her hand into Julian's, squeezing it softly. "Who knows where we'll go after graduation? At least we got to experience something cool together."
The group trooped onto the bus, Chae-Won and Julian sitting together as always, Mattie in front of them, and Katia in the seat opposite. "Is anyone hungry? I brought cookies," Mattie offered, dangling a pack of Japanese snacks in Julian's face. Julian took it, popped the pack open, and passed a handful of biscuits to Katia and Chae-Won, taking a few for himself.
So that was how they spent the next few hours, sitting around, digging into Mattie's rations, laughing and talking as they always did. Chae-Won did her best to absorb all of it, to let this be the last memory she had of her friends before everyone parted ways. That was the main reason she'd talked everyone into coming, after all - for them to be together once, just once, before Mattie left for university and she went hunting for her real family and they broke themselves up; yes, even Julian, who had his own plans.
The bus's sudden halt put an end to her train of thought as it shook and shuddered, jolting Katia into the seat in front of her. "Ow!"
"Everyone remain calm! I'm sure it's nothing."
Chae-Won could hear the undertone of panic in Sullivan's voice, though. She glanced around, making sure none of her friends were hurt. For the most part, they were fine, except for Katia, who was rubbing the spot where her head had made contact with the seat. Red, but no broken skin.
"He's lying," Julian muttered to her. "He doesn't know what's happened." He'd heard it too, evidently. Julian looked out the window, at the nothing that surrounded them, just as Sullivan declared, "Okay people, time for a break. Get outside and stretch your legs a little! Maybe see if there are any towns nearby while you're out there."
Chae-Won rose obediently, tugging Julian to his feet too. "I have a bad feeling about this," he continued, but he got up anyway. The students gathered on the side of the road, looking around. "Maybe if we walk a little further down, Mr Sullivan," Mattie suggested, trying to peer down the road, as if he could see civilisation beyond the cloud of dust. "We might find someone who might be able to help us get the bus going again. If it's not too serious."
---
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"Someone new is coming. I can feel it."
Cecilia looked up from the sacrifice, ignoring the oracle's eyes on her. She didn't need that silly girl to tell her to know what the reading meant - its message was that powerful. "We're expecting guests."
"So what should we do?" one of the church's underlings asked. Whatever his name was, Cecilia had long forgotten it, having more important matters to concern herself with than the identities of those who worked for the church.
"Keep an ear to the ground. I think - " she peered at the sacrifice, holding her breath to avoid inhaling the stench of blood, " - that at least one of them will be quite useful to us."
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Her head was hurting more than usual when she woke up that morning, as though something had been screaming in her head while she slept. Ursula supposed that was a possibility, although it could also be that Cecilia had poisoned her supper last night which, honestly, wouldn't have surprised her. Some hours later, when she was seated on the floor of the church basement with her legs drawn against her chest, and her head was still echoing with the words of Dagon, she felt dangerously close to throwing up, and wondered if that would be considered rude. Her eyes were fastened on Cecilia, bent over a sacrifice like a normal person would be bent over a buffet. Ursula wondered if you could smell the fanaticism on her if you got close enough. She couldn't imagine what it must be like to grow up in a place like this– to know nothing of the world beyond Dagon.
Going over Dagon's words, as silence finally fell, the first thought that struck was this might soon be over. She'd known this couldn't last forever, after all– they'd told her when she first came here that she wasn't expected to live long. People couldn't listen to the Old Gods for long and survive– presumably that was also why so few could do it. Not exactly a trait that could easily be passed on from generation to generation. She hated how much she knew about this, now. How it was basically all she could think about. Anything else seemed unreal.
She remained seated as the churchgoers began to disperse, looking at the dead body in the centre of the mausoleum. There was something else, something not even Cecilia hadn't picked up on. A warning, that she couldn't quite put her finger on– she couldn't even quite understand who it was meant for.
"Dagon, give me the strength to understand what the fuck you're saying," she mumbled, and closed her eyes. She leant her head against the hard stone of the room. Hopefully soon she'd have the strength to stand up.
Going over Dagon's words, as silence finally fell, the first thought that struck was this might soon be over. She'd known this couldn't last forever, after all– they'd told her when she first came here that she wasn't expected to live long. People couldn't listen to the Old Gods for long and survive– presumably that was also why so few could do it. Not exactly a trait that could easily be passed on from generation to generation. She hated how much she knew about this, now. How it was basically all she could think about. Anything else seemed unreal.
She remained seated as the churchgoers began to disperse, looking at the dead body in the centre of the mausoleum. There was something else, something not even Cecilia hadn't picked up on. A warning, that she couldn't quite put her finger on– she couldn't even quite understand who it was meant for.
"Dagon, give me the strength to understand what the fuck you're saying," she mumbled, and closed her eyes. She leant her head against the hard stone of the room. Hopefully soon she'd have the strength to stand up.
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Nick wasn't huge on the whole 'praying to god' thing but he was damn close at this point. Emmett was bent over the front of the bus, trying to peer between the rising smoke from the engine to get to the actual problem. He wasn't sure how much Emmett actually knew about engines– he'd always thought of him as more of a "I just know how to drive them" kind of guy. Still, he couldn't argue with the hard features of a man intent to hide any sign of insecurity. It just wasn't his style.
"Maybe if we walk a little further down, Mr Sullivan. We might find someone who might be able to help us get the bus going again. If it's not too serious."
He looked at Emmett again, and nodded. "Okay guys, it seems like the bus won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Get your bare necessities with you, and we'll move down the road a bit. Let's stay together though, okay?"
Somewhere in the background, Tim was finally sauntering out of the bus, catching the last of Nick's message as he leant against the side. "What, we're gonna walk to Salem now?"
"No, Tim. We're just going to see if there's someone nearby who can help Mr. Cowell take a look at the bus."
"Right, because it's not like we're in the middle of fucking nowhere or anything."
"Language. While you're on this trip, you're still technically in school, Tim."
"Whatever," Tim said. "Not like Whitworth couldn't use the walk, anyway."
"Tim–"
Nick started to tell him off, but the older teacher had already heard him, and moved with surprising speed behind him. He grabbed hold of the teen's ear and dragged him away from the bus, toward's the front where Emmett's arse were still the only thing visible among the smoke. "You'd rather help Mr. Cowell fix the bus?"
"No," Tim mumbled.
"What was that?"
"No," he repeated, a little louder.
"I fuckin' thought so."
Tim gaped, looking at Nick, who was trying very hard not to start digging a hole for himself right then and there. As the kids began to move down the road, Whithworth moved up to him, and replied to his stare with a shrug. "Things were easier when we were allowed to hit them," he said, and walked off.
Nick swallowed his protests, deciding that it might be a better idea to turn the bus around once they got it fixed. This had been a dumb idea anyway. "We'll be right back, Emmett," he said.
Something like agreement sounded from beneath the hood.
"Maybe if we walk a little further down, Mr Sullivan. We might find someone who might be able to help us get the bus going again. If it's not too serious."
He looked at Emmett again, and nodded. "Okay guys, it seems like the bus won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Get your bare necessities with you, and we'll move down the road a bit. Let's stay together though, okay?"
Somewhere in the background, Tim was finally sauntering out of the bus, catching the last of Nick's message as he leant against the side. "What, we're gonna walk to Salem now?"
"No, Tim. We're just going to see if there's someone nearby who can help Mr. Cowell take a look at the bus."
"Right, because it's not like we're in the middle of fucking nowhere or anything."
"Language. While you're on this trip, you're still technically in school, Tim."
"Whatever," Tim said. "Not like Whitworth couldn't use the walk, anyway."
"Tim–"
Nick started to tell him off, but the older teacher had already heard him, and moved with surprising speed behind him. He grabbed hold of the teen's ear and dragged him away from the bus, toward's the front where Emmett's arse were still the only thing visible among the smoke. "You'd rather help Mr. Cowell fix the bus?"
"No," Tim mumbled.
"What was that?"
"No," he repeated, a little louder.
"I fuckin' thought so."
Tim gaped, looking at Nick, who was trying very hard not to start digging a hole for himself right then and there. As the kids began to move down the road, Whithworth moved up to him, and replied to his stare with a shrug. "Things were easier when we were allowed to hit them," he said, and walked off.
Nick swallowed his protests, deciding that it might be a better idea to turn the bus around once they got it fixed. This had been a dumb idea anyway. "We'll be right back, Emmett," he said.
Something like agreement sounded from beneath the hood.
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The students - or most of them, anyway, nobody quite cared what Layfield and Jonna did - huddled outside by the road, engaged in a minor debate on which direction was better.
"We didn't pass nothing on the way here," Katia protested, looking warily back the way they'd come as if a town was going to appear out of the slight fog rolling in, waving at them - hi! anybody order a nice safe place to wait while your bus sorts itself out?
"Well - we don't know how far ahead the next town might be," Chae-Won started uneasily. "I know, we might end up walking all the way back to school, but what if the next town is the same distance away, or further?" She extracted a pack of gum from her bag, popping a piece into her mouth and taking her anxieties out on it.
"Sullivan's coming, we need to make a decision or we'll be stuck here forever." Mattie reached over and plucked the opened packet of gum from Chae-Won's hands. "Katie, tails; Chae-Won, heads," he instructed the confection, then flicked it upwards in one fluid move. It landed in his palm, its list of chemicals smiling up at Mattie - tails. "Forward it is." He took a piece of gum for himself, then stuffed the rest back into Chae-Won's bag. "Let's go, we don't want to be stuck out here for too long."
"We've decided, we're going that way, sir." Mattie pointed down the road as Sullivan approached them. "Are all of us going?"
But Katia had already started moving. With one last nervous look at Whitworth, Tim, and Jonna, Chae-Won followed, Julian by her side. Mattie allowed Sullivan a slightly exasperated expression - you know how kids are - and joined the back of the group, walking into the unknowable nothing.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
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Though the churchgoers began to leave, Cecilia remained where she was, standing at the altar, smiling benevolently down at the rest of the congregation like the angel they probably thought she was. Forget angels, her position as High Priestess and Druid probably set her on a technically higher level than any flying cherub.
Once the last of the congregation filed out of the heavy oak doors, though, her smile dropped off her face as though it was a weight she'd just been allowed to put down. Despite the message brought this week, and the extra worshippers it probably promised, it meant work. Work for Cecilia, for the Church, for all of them. One useful person meant next to nothing if they had to work on assimilating a bunch of new people - especially if they were reluctant to, ah, convert, although if any of them made worthy sacrifices Cecilia might have been persuaded to change her opinion.
"You," she said, her voice ringing off the walls, crooking a finger at the oracle girl. "See if you can read anything else from this. Otherwise, help them to clean it up, I want the altar absolutely spotless." Having said her piece, she turned and left, her long robes swishing on the marble floors.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
The students - or most of them, anyway, nobody quite cared what Layfield and Jonna did - huddled outside by the road, engaged in a minor debate on which direction was better.
"We didn't pass nothing on the way here," Katia protested, looking warily back the way they'd come as if a town was going to appear out of the slight fog rolling in, waving at them - hi! anybody order a nice safe place to wait while your bus sorts itself out?
"Well - we don't know how far ahead the next town might be," Chae-Won started uneasily. "I know, we might end up walking all the way back to school, but what if the next town is the same distance away, or further?" She extracted a pack of gum from her bag, popping a piece into her mouth and taking her anxieties out on it.
"Sullivan's coming, we need to make a decision or we'll be stuck here forever." Mattie reached over and plucked the opened packet of gum from Chae-Won's hands. "Katie, tails; Chae-Won, heads," he instructed the confection, then flicked it upwards in one fluid move. It landed in his palm, its list of chemicals smiling up at Mattie - tails. "Forward it is." He took a piece of gum for himself, then stuffed the rest back into Chae-Won's bag. "Let's go, we don't want to be stuck out here for too long."
"We've decided, we're going that way, sir." Mattie pointed down the road as Sullivan approached them. "Are all of us going?"
But Katia had already started moving. With one last nervous look at Whitworth, Tim, and Jonna, Chae-Won followed, Julian by her side. Mattie allowed Sullivan a slightly exasperated expression - you know how kids are - and joined the back of the group, walking into the unknowable nothing.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
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Though the churchgoers began to leave, Cecilia remained where she was, standing at the altar, smiling benevolently down at the rest of the congregation like the angel they probably thought she was. Forget angels, her position as High Priestess and Druid probably set her on a technically higher level than any flying cherub.
Once the last of the congregation filed out of the heavy oak doors, though, her smile dropped off her face as though it was a weight she'd just been allowed to put down. Despite the message brought this week, and the extra worshippers it probably promised, it meant work. Work for Cecilia, for the Church, for all of them. One useful person meant next to nothing if they had to work on assimilating a bunch of new people - especially if they were reluctant to, ah, convert, although if any of them made worthy sacrifices Cecilia might have been persuaded to change her opinion.
"You," she said, her voice ringing off the walls, crooking a finger at the oracle girl. "See if you can read anything else from this. Otherwise, help them to clean it up, I want the altar absolutely spotless." Having said her piece, she turned and left, her long robes swishing on the marble floors.
- 4 posts here • Page 1 of 1
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Re: Innsmouth
my NPCs:
═════════════════════════
❝ We shouldn't have gone. We shouldn't have stopped. I should have held on tighter. ❞
═════════════════════════
Julian Stanford West
The Boyfriend [outsider]
Once a withdrawn music student, Julian, drawn to Chae-Won's shine, became a permanent, but mostly silent fixture in her social circle. Few people know him for the steadfast and loyal friend he is; fewer still understand his attachment to his girlfriend. He's agreed to this trip mainly to please Chae-Won, who wanted a break after graduation, but is eager to get home, where his comfort zone is.
FC Skandar Keynes
═════════════════════════
❝ Be normal. Just - be normal! ❞
═════════════════════════
Mattie Dalton Hall
The Straight-A's Parent [outsider]
Julian's best friend, and his balance - where his friend is withdrawn and observant, Mattie is the one who is always busy looking after others while managing his various responsibilities, who can do no wrong. He's here on the trip to follow and look after his friends, especially Julian, as he always does. While they're stranded in Innsmouth, he's not going to let that get him down - he's got supplies to help them survive a week, and he's confident they can get over this quickly. And god help the person who lets him lay his hands on more supplies and an oven; he'll be baking cookies for the whole town before this is over.
FC Cole Sprouse
═════════════════════════
❝ We could go explore, take our minds off this. ❞
═════════════════════════
Katia Claire Romero
The Dancer [outsider]
Katia is the one always ready to have fun, always ready to spontaneously break into dance. She's incorrigibly optimistic, and incredibly childish, usually dependent on her friends to make sure she doesn't get into trouble or hurt herself. Rather like Chae-Won, except that she's a lot less responsible, and cares little for consequences. She's here to tag along with the group, and to explore - and to Katia, Innsmouth is just one big adventure waiting to happen.
FC Chachi Gonzales
═════════════════════════
❝ We shouldn't have gone. We shouldn't have stopped. I should have held on tighter. ❞
═════════════════════════
Julian Stanford West
The Boyfriend [outsider]
Once a withdrawn music student, Julian, drawn to Chae-Won's shine, became a permanent, but mostly silent fixture in her social circle. Few people know him for the steadfast and loyal friend he is; fewer still understand his attachment to his girlfriend. He's agreed to this trip mainly to please Chae-Won, who wanted a break after graduation, but is eager to get home, where his comfort zone is.
FC Skandar Keynes
═════════════════════════
❝ Be normal. Just - be normal! ❞
═════════════════════════
Mattie Dalton Hall
The Straight-A's Parent [outsider]
Julian's best friend, and his balance - where his friend is withdrawn and observant, Mattie is the one who is always busy looking after others while managing his various responsibilities, who can do no wrong. He's here on the trip to follow and look after his friends, especially Julian, as he always does. While they're stranded in Innsmouth, he's not going to let that get him down - he's got supplies to help them survive a week, and he's confident they can get over this quickly. And god help the person who lets him lay his hands on more supplies and an oven; he'll be baking cookies for the whole town before this is over.
FC Cole Sprouse
═════════════════════════
❝ We could go explore, take our minds off this. ❞
═════════════════════════
Katia Claire Romero
The Dancer [outsider]
Katia is the one always ready to have fun, always ready to spontaneously break into dance. She's incorrigibly optimistic, and incredibly childish, usually dependent on her friends to make sure she doesn't get into trouble or hurt herself. Rather like Chae-Won, except that she's a lot less responsible, and cares little for consequences. She's here to tag along with the group, and to explore - and to Katia, Innsmouth is just one big adventure waiting to happen.
FC Chachi Gonzales