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Fandom Qᴜᴀʀʀʏ ᴀᴛ ᴅᴀᴡɴ, 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧. [IC]
- Thread starter lostbird
- Start date
Wyll
Senior Member
((Note: Thoughts will be crimson and italicized while speech will be crimson and bolded.))
The Entertainer
Thomas
Mode
Mode
Thomas had been one of the first to arrive. For some reason he'd never understand, his old man insisted on punctuality - some rubbish about others respecting people who respected time. He wanted to ask his dad if he looked like somebody that cared whether or not he was respected. He knew better than to get the man upset though. He would never hear the end of it - he'd probably be late because of how much his dad would insist on talking his ear off...and then upon realising they were late, would proceed to talk his ear off even more for "making them late". With how much his dad talked and how much it seemed that he loved the sound of his own voice, Thomas often questioned why he didn't put all that to use and record audio books...or work as a voice actor. But no, he had to save all his talking for Thomas. Lucky Thomas.
He had already found his space and tossed his bags in there. And if it wasn't his space...well it was now. However, sitting on his bed until he was disturbed would likely bore him to death. No, if there was going to be a disturbance, Thomas would be the one to cause it. It would reflect poorly on him if the disturber became the disturbee.
Surely, somebody must have arrived by now, he thought to himself as he grabbed his guitar and swung his arm over his shoulder, holding the guitar by its neck as he walked around nonchalantly, looking for any of the counsellors he could talk to. Preferably a new one, one who wouldn't bring any drama about him from last year. those were his least favorite people to deal with. He rolled his eyes at the thought of such people. But no. He shook the thoughts off and redonned his painting of nonchalance. He couldn't let them see that it bothered him, that they bothered him. He also wasn't ready to meet the campers yet, even though he knew a lot of them were here already. Yes, it was his job to look after them and yes, he had already done it before, so it shouldn't be that bad. But there was still one, fundamental, underlying, unchanging problem: they were...ugh...kids.
He had nothing against kids, necessarily. He just occasionally didn't appreciate their existence. Their noise, their chaos, their messiness. Those were all reasons he'd given himself to distract his mind from what he knew to be the reality: he didn't like kids because they were, all of them, weak. Each one, in a different way, reminding him of the weakness he came from and the weakness he fought to overcome every day. If he met any of them now, he'd end up having to look after them and stand up for them and actually be responsible for people. How unsightly the thought was.
However, that presented him with a rather herculean problem - he was likely the only counsellor that actively thought that way. At least, he'd likely be the only counsellor that would let such thinking keep him from interacting with the kids. Meaning...if he really did want to meet some of the counsellors and avoid dying of boredom...he'd have to go to where the kids were. He winced at the thought, realisation hitting him. He carefully dropped his guitar and threw a silent tantrum, hands flapping about wildly and kicking and stomping his feet.
When all of that energy was expended and he accepted the situation, he let out a heavy, deep, loaded sigh. Resigning himself to his fate - the fate he signed himself up for for the second time in a row - he picked up his guitar and began making his way to the amphitheater. Standing at the top of the amphitheater but giving space for new campers and parents to pass, his brows furrowed and his mouth hung slightly.
Hey, hey, hey! What is this? This isn't camp. Jonny, your crass mood is killing all the energy they're bringing. Even if most of the kids don't care, some do. And all the parents here have the rumors at the back of their mind. Wallowing in negativity like you're doing is going to send them all right back to where they came from.
He released yet another sigh. This one, out of exasperation due to Jonny's chosen to the situation. Yeah, your daughters died. But you're not going to make these kids feel like it's their fault. Not while big brother Thomas is here. If you knew you were going to be all gloom and doom, why'd you continue the camp?
With a mischievous grin on his face, he pulls out his guitar pick from his back pocket, raises his hand high in the air and brings it down hard and fast. A loud and reverberating strum of his guitar fills the amphitheater, bouncing off the walls and rising above the chipper and chatter of the crowd. All eyes look around, trying to find the source of the sound and, one-by-one, they fall on him. Ah, yes, the limelight. Thomas' bread and butter.
He allows himself soak in the attention for a few silent seconds and then he begins strumming again. A jolly, catchy, playful tune begins coming from the guitar as he strolls down the stairs, taking his grand old time making his way down. He closes his eyes and bobs his head, getting lost in the music for a second. The sound of the guitar is joined by his humming as his smile continues to grow and it's clear from the faces of the campers that they're enjoying the music as well. Mister Evergreen, however, seems mildly less amused.
He opens his mouth and lets out a celebratory grito, a booming "Whoooo-ey!" that bounces round the walls of the amphitheater and immediately makes the atmosphere feel electric. "Hellooooo, campers! My name is Thomas Mode and I approve this message!"
He then goes into a full cover of Friend Like Me from Aladdin and those who know the song immediately start clapping and singing along. He's moved from the stairs and is now walking between the rows to get more crowd interaction and get closer to the campers. When he gets to the can your friends pull this out their little hat he actually grabs a straw hat from one of the moms who seemed to be enjoying the song the most, popping a Michael Jackson pose with that hat when the song goes can your friends go BOOM, causing a roar of applause from the crowd. He winks at the mom and then tosses the hat back to her, causing her to flush a little and look away.
Thomas chuckles and he skips away to continue his song and interact with others in the crowd. This is much better. This is what camp should be like. By the time he makes it all the way to the bottom of the stairs, he's about done with his show and at this point is simply strumming his guitar to the beat clapped by the campers and the few parents that wanted to be around for the opening ceremony. He ended the song with a flourish and yet another resonating grito, a little out of breath from the enthusiastic performance.
"Thank you Evergreen Camp! I'm Thomas Mode and here's to a summer we'll never forget!" There was a roar of cheers and applause as he walked off, finding a spot near the side to take a seat and very deliberately avoiding the eyes of Mister Evergreen as he his amongst the crowd. He's probably going to give me flak for that, but whatever. These kids came for summer camp, I'm going to give them that.
Mentions:
lostbird
𝚓𝚊𝚍𝚎'𝚜 𝚐𝚏
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anyasjoy
gracie's gf
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Letho
Junior Member
As far as Morgan was concerned, that year's camp should be more interesting than usual.
That wasn't to say that he generally found it boring, not really. Admittedly, it stopped him from pursuing some of his hobbies, but - at the same time - worked well enough with some others... And, above all, it kept his father happy, perhaps even proud, while not bothering him... Which ranked pretty high on his list of priorities.
Then again, he was still a bit surprised that his father had asked him to go.
Perhaps it stemmed from the fact that the man did not believe any foul play had been involved. Maybe appearances simply meant that much to him - or continuing a friendly relationship with mister Evergreen did. Mm, yes, Morgan supposed it would have been impolite for him to stop coming now - after such a tragedy... Or, worse than that, it could have been seen as a message of some sort.
Luckily, he didn't mind.
Oh, he did feel rather... Alert. Not afraid, exactly, not worried, but... Very aware that whatever had happened might have not ended with the disappearance of the girls. Some people claimed it had been the job of a serial killer - or just your regular murderer, perhaps even one hiding within the camp itself... Others, he had heard, blamed natural causes, getting lost in the woods, drowning, tripping in an unfortunate way - encountering a dangerous animal. Perhaps both were even right to a certain degree, but he knew something they didn't... And he had prepared for it.
He had books with him - and printed articles, and handwritten notes, and even sketches. He had brought some herbs and plants he didn't think he could find in the area, and candles, and salt, a moonstone and an amethyst pendulum, and his cards - among other things. A hamsa talisman, a pentacle with a pentagram on it, and an amulet with the symbol of Hecate's Wheel were all meant to constantly stay around his neck, because it couldn't hurt to rely on multiple deities' assistance...
All three were silver, just in case; Renee had mentioned hearing and seeing wolves quite a lot.
Hopefully, he wasn't going to need any of that - other than perhaps the texts, though he had memorised most of them either way, too intrigued to stay away. They were probably the most important part of it all, something he could reference during his private investigation...
Because, yes; that was the goal of his stay.
And he already had some ideas where to start.
Unfortunately, it had to wait until all the formalities were over. There were appearances to keep, people to greet... And soon his regular duties would start as well. That was all right, though; he didn't need to actively work on his quest the whole time he was there...
... Even if he couldn't have stopped himself from doing some early reconnaissance as soon as he had dropped his baggage at the right cabin.
So far, it hadn't told him much, not that he was terribly surprised by that. It was warm and bright outside - not the greatest conditions for his all-black clothing, though he didn't truly mind - and people were already gathering, birds were singing, insects were buzzing... Long story short, it didn't seem like the proper setting for something supernatural to happen - and definitely not something of the sinister sort.
Worth a try, though.
He had a reason to be walking around either way; he needed to get to the amphitheatre, after all, for the usual opening ceremony... Which was probably going to be not-so-usual that year. He couldn't imagine mister Evergreen acting too cheerful, all things considered.
The music coming from the direction he was heading in probably hadn't been officially planned and meant to take place, either.
The performance was still happening as he approached - though slowly coming to an end, it seemed, with the familiar figure of the musician making his way to the bottom of the stairs. Not wanting to draw any attention to himself, Morgan immediately moved to the side, taking the steps on the edge of the amphitheatre, automatically slowing down... Especially once he realised one Thomas Mode was walking in the same direction.
Well, more or less, at least.
He hadn't actually meant to look for anyone in particular; while there were people whose company he preferred, he was also very aware that most of them probably were going to look for specific friends... And he was never entirely certain whether or not someone considered him one - and how close. Still, that left him free to just... Find a spot wherever he wanted...
And despite the fact that he certainly didn't mind spending the ceremony on his own, he still felt like having someone familiar nearby could make it more fun.
As far as he knew, Thomas was rather fun to be around.
There was a free seat on the outside of one row - and Morgan slid onto it now, ending up on a bench directly above his chosen target, and just a little bit to the side from him. It was perfect, really; they could potentially have a conversation that way, or at least exchange a comment here or there... Or, if Thomas wasn't inclined, it shouldn't be awkward not to do that, either.
"Someone on that stage might have a hard time forgetting your performance," he said quietly enough, leaning forward - resting his forearms on his thighs to get lower and bringing his hands loosely together... Because playing with his many silver rings was always something to do. "Judging by the look on his face, at least."
The tone of his voice was fairly neutral, intentionally so - though with a note of amusement attached to it, perhaps even some approval. It had been a harmless disturbance at most, after all, and something that the kids had clearly enjoyed... And yet his eyes remained on mister Evergreen for a moment longer.
That wasn't to say that he generally found it boring, not really. Admittedly, it stopped him from pursuing some of his hobbies, but - at the same time - worked well enough with some others... And, above all, it kept his father happy, perhaps even proud, while not bothering him... Which ranked pretty high on his list of priorities.
Then again, he was still a bit surprised that his father had asked him to go.
Perhaps it stemmed from the fact that the man did not believe any foul play had been involved. Maybe appearances simply meant that much to him - or continuing a friendly relationship with mister Evergreen did. Mm, yes, Morgan supposed it would have been impolite for him to stop coming now - after such a tragedy... Or, worse than that, it could have been seen as a message of some sort.
Luckily, he didn't mind.
Oh, he did feel rather... Alert. Not afraid, exactly, not worried, but... Very aware that whatever had happened might have not ended with the disappearance of the girls. Some people claimed it had been the job of a serial killer - or just your regular murderer, perhaps even one hiding within the camp itself... Others, he had heard, blamed natural causes, getting lost in the woods, drowning, tripping in an unfortunate way - encountering a dangerous animal. Perhaps both were even right to a certain degree, but he knew something they didn't... And he had prepared for it.
He had books with him - and printed articles, and handwritten notes, and even sketches. He had brought some herbs and plants he didn't think he could find in the area, and candles, and salt, a moonstone and an amethyst pendulum, and his cards - among other things. A hamsa talisman, a pentacle with a pentagram on it, and an amulet with the symbol of Hecate's Wheel were all meant to constantly stay around his neck, because it couldn't hurt to rely on multiple deities' assistance...
All three were silver, just in case; Renee had mentioned hearing and seeing wolves quite a lot.
Hopefully, he wasn't going to need any of that - other than perhaps the texts, though he had memorised most of them either way, too intrigued to stay away. They were probably the most important part of it all, something he could reference during his private investigation...
Because, yes; that was the goal of his stay.
And he already had some ideas where to start.
Unfortunately, it had to wait until all the formalities were over. There were appearances to keep, people to greet... And soon his regular duties would start as well. That was all right, though; he didn't need to actively work on his quest the whole time he was there...
... Even if he couldn't have stopped himself from doing some early reconnaissance as soon as he had dropped his baggage at the right cabin.
So far, it hadn't told him much, not that he was terribly surprised by that. It was warm and bright outside - not the greatest conditions for his all-black clothing, though he didn't truly mind - and people were already gathering, birds were singing, insects were buzzing... Long story short, it didn't seem like the proper setting for something supernatural to happen - and definitely not something of the sinister sort.
Worth a try, though.
He had a reason to be walking around either way; he needed to get to the amphitheatre, after all, for the usual opening ceremony... Which was probably going to be not-so-usual that year. He couldn't imagine mister Evergreen acting too cheerful, all things considered.
The music coming from the direction he was heading in probably hadn't been officially planned and meant to take place, either.
The performance was still happening as he approached - though slowly coming to an end, it seemed, with the familiar figure of the musician making his way to the bottom of the stairs. Not wanting to draw any attention to himself, Morgan immediately moved to the side, taking the steps on the edge of the amphitheatre, automatically slowing down... Especially once he realised one Thomas Mode was walking in the same direction.
Well, more or less, at least.
He hadn't actually meant to look for anyone in particular; while there were people whose company he preferred, he was also very aware that most of them probably were going to look for specific friends... And he was never entirely certain whether or not someone considered him one - and how close. Still, that left him free to just... Find a spot wherever he wanted...
And despite the fact that he certainly didn't mind spending the ceremony on his own, he still felt like having someone familiar nearby could make it more fun.
As far as he knew, Thomas was rather fun to be around.
There was a free seat on the outside of one row - and Morgan slid onto it now, ending up on a bench directly above his chosen target, and just a little bit to the side from him. It was perfect, really; they could potentially have a conversation that way, or at least exchange a comment here or there... Or, if Thomas wasn't inclined, it shouldn't be awkward not to do that, either.
"Someone on that stage might have a hard time forgetting your performance," he said quietly enough, leaning forward - resting his forearms on his thighs to get lower and bringing his hands loosely together... Because playing with his many silver rings was always something to do. "Judging by the look on his face, at least."
The tone of his voice was fairly neutral, intentionally so - though with a note of amusement attached to it, perhaps even some approval. It had been a harmless disturbance at most, after all, and something that the kids had clearly enjoyed... And yet his eyes remained on mister Evergreen for a moment longer.
Coyote
The Ferryman
The crumple of gravel beneath the car tires had long since turned to white noise for Jason Carver. So did his mother's voice. He'd do anything to just plug in his headphones but she insisted on having a serious discussion about behavior at camp. The trip to Easthallow was one he took alone on a bus last year. This time, she wanted to have a lengthy mother-son heart to heart, if you could call it that when only one person was talking. JC got in his fair share of trouble last year and it only really came back to bite him when he saw the look of shame on her mother's face she was called in to have a discussion with Jonathan.
"Are you listening to me, Jason?" Only his mother called him that.
"No smoking, no drinking, don't argue with Jonathan, I know," he rattled off, watching the trees pass him by as they approached the camp.
There was a pregnant pause that lingered before his mother sighed.
"You know what you used to do to your father and I's wedding pictures when you had just turned five?" she asked, knowingly.
JC's face flushed red and he tensed in his seat. "No no no no, mom, don't-"
"You'd turn the photos around or put them face down. Every last one," she laughed.
JC sank lower in his seat and pulled the strings of his hoodie tight around his face. "Stop. Please just stop."
"It wasn't until I caught you red handed that I realized it was you. And I asked you why you kept doing that. Want to know what you said?" she looked at him as the car slowed to a stop in front of the trail entrance that lead to the camp.
"I know what I said, mom," JC bemoaned, dreading the story's conclusion.
"You told me, because I only want you to be mine, mommy," his mother smiled at her son, who could only groan at her words. She leaned towards him and opened his hoodie once more, revealing the split skin on his nose, held by an adhesive and the deep black eye that served as a souvenir from JC's latest father son bonding time. "I have all the love in the world for both of my boys. Just give it time. This camp will be good for you to get some space and let your mind be at peace," she caressed his cheek despite JC's adversity to her touch.
"Anything to get away from him," he grumbled.
"Time heals all wounds."
"This one will take a while."
Another pause. "I love you, Jason," she planted a kiss on his forehead.
JC hesitated. Affection was a perennial thorn in his side but his mother was not one to accept unrequited I Love You's. So... he relented.
"I love you too..." he said, leaning down to grab his bag.
"Have fun but be good, ok? For me," she said.
JC looked at her and nodded, offering a small smile in response. He opened the trunk and took out another, far larger bag with clothes and other miscellaneous items that were brought along. He slung the lighter one over his shoulder before walking back towards his mother.
"Oh! One more thing. I got you these," she took out a pair of aviators.
At this, JC chuckled. A genuine one. "Thanks," he muttered and leaned forward at the window so she could put them on, tactfully covering his black eye. This should do for now at least.
"You better be good now! You owe me for those," his mother quipped.
"Loud and clear," JC replied before turning around and starting off towards the camp. Well... if nothing else, she got him in a slightly better mood. Still, he could do without the people. He'd much prefer a month long excursion into the wilderness tracking stag than this but it wasn't the house and that was good enough for him. JC stalked his way towards the auditorium, glowering at some of the new campers, nodding towards some of the others he knew. Some of the kids weren't so bad. Others were anemic and cried over ever cut and bruise. Still, kids were innocent for the most part and he liked that part enough to do away with some of the frustrations that came with them.
It was when we rounded a trunk that he spotted a counselor burning the last bits of a cigarette before stamping it out and heading off to the auditorium. "Fuckin Levi..." JC grumbled, stopping to pick up the cigarette butt and pocketing it before storming after the man.
"Hey, dumbass!" JC barked, grabbing Levi by the shoulder and showing him the smoky inhalant. "Next time you want to cool your jets in front of the whole fucking state, think about the fact that if Jonathan gets word of this, all the liq, weed, and packs you roll with during our little honeymoon getaway goes out the door - especially when you're out here leaving an evidence trail like fucking Hansel and Gretel," JC flicked the cigarette at his chest and looked him hard through his shades before continuing off towards the auditorium.
Needless to say, this drew the eyes of quite a few campers to the scene. As JC walked, he quietly took them in before saying, "Don't repeat those words... in front of your parents."
Mentioned
anyasjoy
lostbird
"Are you listening to me, Jason?" Only his mother called him that.
"No smoking, no drinking, don't argue with Jonathan, I know," he rattled off, watching the trees pass him by as they approached the camp.
There was a pregnant pause that lingered before his mother sighed.
"You know what you used to do to your father and I's wedding pictures when you had just turned five?" she asked, knowingly.
JC's face flushed red and he tensed in his seat. "No no no no, mom, don't-"
"You'd turn the photos around or put them face down. Every last one," she laughed.
JC sank lower in his seat and pulled the strings of his hoodie tight around his face. "Stop. Please just stop."
"It wasn't until I caught you red handed that I realized it was you. And I asked you why you kept doing that. Want to know what you said?" she looked at him as the car slowed to a stop in front of the trail entrance that lead to the camp.
"I know what I said, mom," JC bemoaned, dreading the story's conclusion.
"You told me, because I only want you to be mine, mommy," his mother smiled at her son, who could only groan at her words. She leaned towards him and opened his hoodie once more, revealing the split skin on his nose, held by an adhesive and the deep black eye that served as a souvenir from JC's latest father son bonding time. "I have all the love in the world for both of my boys. Just give it time. This camp will be good for you to get some space and let your mind be at peace," she caressed his cheek despite JC's adversity to her touch.
"Anything to get away from him," he grumbled.
"Time heals all wounds."
"This one will take a while."
Another pause. "I love you, Jason," she planted a kiss on his forehead.
JC hesitated. Affection was a perennial thorn in his side but his mother was not one to accept unrequited I Love You's. So... he relented.
"I love you too..." he said, leaning down to grab his bag.
"Have fun but be good, ok? For me," she said.
JC looked at her and nodded, offering a small smile in response. He opened the trunk and took out another, far larger bag with clothes and other miscellaneous items that were brought along. He slung the lighter one over his shoulder before walking back towards his mother.
"Oh! One more thing. I got you these," she took out a pair of aviators.
At this, JC chuckled. A genuine one. "Thanks," he muttered and leaned forward at the window so she could put them on, tactfully covering his black eye. This should do for now at least.
"You better be good now! You owe me for those," his mother quipped.
"Loud and clear," JC replied before turning around and starting off towards the camp. Well... if nothing else, she got him in a slightly better mood. Still, he could do without the people. He'd much prefer a month long excursion into the wilderness tracking stag than this but it wasn't the house and that was good enough for him. JC stalked his way towards the auditorium, glowering at some of the new campers, nodding towards some of the others he knew. Some of the kids weren't so bad. Others were anemic and cried over ever cut and bruise. Still, kids were innocent for the most part and he liked that part enough to do away with some of the frustrations that came with them.
It was when we rounded a trunk that he spotted a counselor burning the last bits of a cigarette before stamping it out and heading off to the auditorium. "Fuckin Levi..." JC grumbled, stopping to pick up the cigarette butt and pocketing it before storming after the man.
"Hey, dumbass!" JC barked, grabbing Levi by the shoulder and showing him the smoky inhalant. "Next time you want to cool your jets in front of the whole fucking state, think about the fact that if Jonathan gets word of this, all the liq, weed, and packs you roll with during our little honeymoon getaway goes out the door - especially when you're out here leaving an evidence trail like fucking Hansel and Gretel," JC flicked the cigarette at his chest and looked him hard through his shades before continuing off towards the auditorium.
Needless to say, this drew the eyes of quite a few campers to the scene. As JC walked, he quietly took them in before saying, "Don't repeat those words... in front of your parents."
Mentioned
anyasjoy
lostbird
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lostbird
𝚓𝚊𝚍𝚎'𝚜 𝚐𝚏
♡coded by uxie♡
Last edited:
Wyll
Senior Member
((Note: Thoughts will be green and italicized while speech will be green and bolded.))
The Caretaker
Marquis
Solis
Solis
Marquis had put on his favorite smile for today. He knew people would be nervous, some would be anxious, some may not even want to be there...and so it was his job to smile; it was his job to make people feel comfortable; it was his job to make people get their minds off what happened last year. And it was a job he intended to fulfill.
He was currently making his way down the path with some of the campers as well as a sprinkling of some of the counsellors. Not too far ahead of him, he'd noticed Liberty making her way through the path as well. Part of him wanted to pick up the pace so he could catch up and chat. However, he looked behind him and saw someone that he figured it might end up being more beneficial to talk to.
Liberty was fondly known as the camp mother, he was sure that she could handle herself. But behind him was Riley. He frowned at some of the rumors that had surrounded her about what happened last year. She and Thomas had received such a bad rap for what Marquis thought was nothing more than idle meaningless chatter and gossip. Nobody deserved all that. She also didn't exactly look like she was leaping for joy at being here.
The frown on his face grew deeper just just a moment and them he noticed one of the campers staring at him and he immediately brought his smile back. "Got this annoying rock in my shoe. Don't you just hate when that happens. Now skedaddle so I can get it out. You do not want to be here when I take this shoe off," he said, jokingly scrunching his nose and pretending as if he was waving off a bad smell.
The campers giggled and did as he said, going about their merry way. And Marquis did get on his knees as if he was fixing something in his shoe. However, he just stayed there until Riley caught up with him. He let her go a few steps in front of him and then got up, dusting some dirt from his knees as he began walking again. "Oh, hey Riley! Look at you looking like you're ready to show this camp who's boss," he teased as he matched stride with her.
He would have liked to ask how she was doing after everything that happened last year and all the rumors but, thankfully, he was smart enough to know better. He knew that this camp, the last thing anyone should be talking about was last year's camp. And so he kept the focus on this year: talking about what he was excited about and asking her what she was excited about; talking about how it would be cool to be the camp nurse and letting her know how jealous he was that she got the survivalist role; doing whatever he could to keep the conversation optimistic and positive.
Eventually, they made it on to camp grounds and it was already a bustling hub of activity. The two of them made their way toward the cabins and Marquis waved as they split. "Let's meet up back here and head over to the amphitheater together, okay?"
He felt like leaving her alone would be the worst thing to do right now because he knew how mean the kids and counsellors could be about rumors so he had hoped to hang around her and hopefully deflect all that. Was he genuinely jealous that she got the job of survivalist and not him? Of course he was. Did he hate her guts because she was everything he wanted to be but was to weak to become? Most definitely. But, the thing about wanting everyone to like you, you learn pretty quickly how to bottle your own personal feelings and focus on the other person and what you need to do and say to make them feel better.
He made quick work of getting his things set on his bed and didn't really spend much time taking anything out of his bags. Once he had everything set down and neatly tucked away, he headed back out - he'd worry about unpacking later. He looked over to where Riley's cabin was. He kept a half smile up even as his thoughts ran. She may not have anything to do with the sisters' disappearance but I still don't like her. But hey, maybe if I get her to like me, I'll end up hating her less. That's a thing that happens, right?
It wasn't too long after that Riley came back out of the cabin and the two of them made their way to the amphitheater. He recognized the singing and did everything in his power not to roll his eyes. Thomas stealing all the attention for himself as always. Why is it that the two people rumored to be involved with what happened to the sisters are the most annoying for me to be around?
"Hey, let's sit over there." He gestured to some empty seats closer up to the front where it seems like most of the counsellors were gathering around. If he really wanted to get in her good books and keep the rumors at bay, the best chance would be when they were around other counsellors. This was his chance. Making his way over, he found a seat that was just close enough to the general area of the other counsellors that they still seemed part of the group, but also just far enough where they didn't have to interact with the others.
It also looked like Mister Evergreen was getting ready to start the speech and so he sat back and just casually observed. He let his half smile drop into a casual face - if he smiled too much, people would get suspicious and think that his positivity isn't sincere. I mean, it wasn't but he didn't need them knowing that. This scene called for a neutral expression, only getting excited when Mister Evergreen says something that's generally meant to get everyone excited, and so that was the role he would play.
He scanned the crowd. You learned a lot by watching how people behaved when they thought they weren't being watched. You learned the bullies, you learned the shy ones, you learned the over-enthusiastic ones...you learned a lot. And so he'd watch, making mental notes of how the campers interacted with each other and how even the counsellors interacted with each other. Everyone seemed to be in pretty good spirits despite the shadow looming over this camp that had been cast by last year's camp. Was this because of Thomas' performance? Now he was kind of sad that he missed it. Oh well, knowing Thomas, there'd be many more to come. For now, his focus went back to Mister Evergreen.
Mentions:
spareparts
New Member
irregular-neptune
i never know whats goin on
Rowan honestly didn’t know why he came back – there wasn’t anything left for him at the camp any more. As he entered camp, he avoided a large group of campers and a couple of parents. The slightly chilly summer morning air was a comforting familiarity, but despite this, he felt hollow. It was difficult to go on like nothing had happened. He didn’t know why Jonathan Evergreen had decided to continue the camp tradition this year – couldn’t they have dedicated even one summer to mourning the Evergreen sisters?
He supposed that he was in part guilty for its continuation, but when Jonathan had sent him an invitation to return to camp and a note that he’d really appreciate it for Paige’s sake, Rowan reluctantly decided to. It would be weird to be there without Paige and a part of him felt guilty for her disappearance. Like he could have prevented it if only he’d been with her. He’d used his fists for less, he would have fought off anyone or anything for her. But he wasn’t there, he’d abandoned her, and any wishful thinking wouldn’t change that.
As he walked towards the cabins, he heard loud and slightly obnoxious guitar playing coming from the amphitheater and wondered who it was. It sounded like something that Thomas would play, but surely he hadn’t returned back to camp after the way he acted after the sisters disappearance – the thought of him laughing in the interviews had always made Rowan’s blood boil. He’d never really had a problem with Thomas before, though he did find him a bit too… dramatic? Annoying? Loud? He liked the spotlight a bit too much for Rowan’s taste. He knew the sisters weren’t everyone’s cup of tea… hell, Renee certainly wasn’t his. But to laugh? It pissed Rowan off, and he’d been glad to not see the arrogant prick for the year and hoped he hadn’t chosen to return.
As he stopped by Cabin 4, he decided to make it quick – he’d never been good with time management but he was consistent, which meant that he managed to make it to camp fifteen minutes before Jonathan Evergreen was planning on giving his speech. He quickly claimed a bunk – a few of his roommates seemed to be there already, so he claimed one of the empty beds in the middle by setting his suitcase and sports duffel on it. He stretched his arm that’d been carrying the duffel bag – he may have played sports, but this past year had taken its toll on him and he knew he’d pay for it as he got back into shape the first couple of days of camp.
As he left the cabin, he stole a quick glance at the placard of names of who was staying in Cabin 4 and grimaced a bit. He had to admit that he had been… a bit abrasive during his time at camp and didn’t make many friends, so the likelihood of having a cabin full of people that liked him was… unlikely. But Lou of all people? Who possibly could have thought this arrangement was a good idea?
Rowan had flashbacks of tussles in the mud on the sports fields and in the other instances when Lou would show up to the camp’s activities. A fight in a storm. The big blowout fight with Paige the day she disappeared in thin air. His stomach churned and he left the cabin, trying to shake the thoughts away. It was too early to go down that road, and too early to get angry about what he couldn’t control.
Part of him thought about marching up to Eva and asking her to change the arrangements, but he knew what she’d tell him.
”Rowan, you have to figure out how to deal with your anger at some point, you can’t keep blowing up. This is a great opportunity for learning!”
As if.
He made his way to the quickly filling up amphitheater and glanced around for any familiar faces. He recognized some of the regular campers and many of the counselors sitting grouped in the front. Nearby the main group he spotted Marquis’ familiar tuft of brown hair and made his way to sit in the empty seat behind him and Riley. At least *some* of his friends were going to be here for the summer.
“Hey,”he said, trying to seem as cheerful as he got as he sat down.“How’s it going?”
There wasn’t much time before Jonathan was to begin his speech so he just leaned back in his seat as he waited for the formalities of the first day of camp to be over and he could busy himself to avoid the stinging reality of the impending summer without Paige.
anyasjoy
gracie's gf
♡coded by uxie♡
spareparts
New Member
mi casa
coconuts have water in them!
♡coded by uxie♡
Wyll
Senior Member
((Note: Thoughts will be crimson and italicized while speech will be crimson and bolded.))
The Entertainer
Thomas
Mode
Mode
As he sat down, a quick look around revealed some unfriendly eyes pointed at him - of course, all of them were from counsellors that were here last year. He grinned. Ah, the haters. How I missed you all. I wonder what ways I will find to get under your skin this year. He leaned back, a cruel smile on his face as his eyes shut and he let himself think of all the different ways he was going to have fun. He wasn't necessarily planning to cause problems for the other counselors...however, he knew that them seeing him have fun would tick them off and that brought a special tickle to his heart.
Even as the thoughts and plans for chaos ran through his head, he heard a voice come from behind him. The voice caught him off guard. He hadn't expected anyone to actively seek him out. This was not planned for. Even with his eyes closed, he raised a brow, his confusion evident on his face. Slowly, he opened one eye and leaned backward so that he could see who was speaking. After seeing Morgan, his face lit up and his previously sinister smile morphed itself into a much more friendly one. It was nice not being hated by everybody and he didn't mind letting that show.
"Yeah, you know what? I bet you ten bucks he calls me into his office to ask for my autograph later," he said with a chuckle and a wink. He knew that the chances of Mister Evergreen calling him into the office were high, this was his chance to get ahead of that and make a joke about it before it even happened. Always two steps ahead, this one. "Plus, the kids loved it. I don't think even the old man hates me enough to take away the kids' fun."
He hadn't processed it before, not until he just said it. But Mister Evergreen probably knows about the rumors concerning him and his daughters and likely hates him for it. Well then - this will be an interesting camp meeting.
None of that showed on his face though. Not that it would have had the chance to as someone else came and sat beside him. Well, someone's certainly popular today. I wonder how long before that changes. I bet on three days. Still with his head leaned back, he cast a sideways glance to see who it was. Ah. Fresh meat. This should be fun. I wonder if I can get her on my side before the others get her against me. He looked back up to Morgan and winked before sitting up right and facing the newcomer.
"Well hello there, Juno. Music teacher, huh?" He glanced down at the guitar in his lap. Part of him was tempted to hand it to her to see if she could play but even he was mature enough to realise that doing so would simply be rude and disrespectful. And despite what some people would have you think, he actually isn't an innately rude or disrespectful or even difficult person. "Well then, I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other. I'm Thomas. You can call me Mode though. Pleasure to meet you. New counsellor I'm guessing?" He looked round the crowd, able to pick out the counsellors from the students for the most part. "Huh, doesn't look like we got too many of those this year. Well, stick by me and you'll be just fine. Between you and me..." he leaned in for a whisper, "...most of the other counsellors have sticks up their butts." He couldn't help the giggle that came after it.
"Not this guy though." He spoke at regular volume, pointing over her shoulder to Morgan. "He's cool." Was he just saying Morgan was cool because he came to talk to him despite the rumors? Yes. Was that a good way to judge somebody's character? Absolutely not. Was he doing it anyway? Yep.
He quickly looked back over to Margan and pat the sit beside him, gesturing with his head for Rowan to get down here. It would become a hassle if he had to turn around every time he wanted to talk to the one returner that also wanted to talk to him as well. It also would look really bad for him and he'd definitely be called in for that "autograph" if Mister Evergreen caught him constantly turning around to talk to someone during his welcome address.
Mentions: Morgan (
Letho
), Juno (
Jupiter_South
)
Letho
), Juno (
Jupiter_South
) ((Note: Thoughts will be green and italicized while speech will be green and bolded.))
The Caretaker
Marquis
Solis
Solis
Even now, Riley's little jab about him getting her spot next year played on his mind. Part of him got even more salty, but the rest of him took it as a challenge. He would do all that he could this year and between the camps to make sure that he got the position next year. Would that make Riley proud of me? Do I want her to be proud of me? Hmm.
The thought didn't go much further than that - it never did. He always got to "Do I want this person to be proud of me?" or "Do I want this person to like me?" or "Do I want this person's validation?" The answer was always yes but he never dug deeper to find out why the answer was always yes. Partly because he knew it would be scary - it would be a hard truth to hear - especially from himself.
His eyes wondered, his gaze swimming over the crowd, stopping occasionally when he noticed a familiar face and giving them a polite smile. Despite all the madness that surrounded it, he couldn't deny that it felt good to be back. This had been home for him in a lot of ways and had shaped him to be the person he was now. Maybe it would be possible to put all the nastiness behind them and focus on the summer they were going to have.
A voice came from behind him and pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder and beamed as he saw Rowan. He was tempted to offer a rather enthusiastic hello, but he noticed that the crowd had started to quiet down and Mister Evergreen carried a little bit more presence. It looks like the ceremony was about to start. So, for now, Quis made do with a flourished bow were he sat, making sure to be as comedically dramatic as possible. "Lord Bishop, always a pleasure" he teased even as Rowan took a seat.
Rowan being here definitely made sitting next to Riley several leagues more tolerable. It also seemed like Riley and Rowan were on good terms, so at least the chances of that painfully awkward silence that sometimes fell among people were reduced. However, Marquis couldn't help but worry for his friend. It was no secret that he'd taken the disappearance of the sister's pretty roughly and Marquis hadn't really been there to help his friend. They'd known each other for years and Marquis just left him out to dry - left everyone out to dry. One could argue that Quis should be easier on himself given that he was also grieving and blaming himself for everything that happened but he didn't really buy into that logic. If he'd painted himself as the reliable person that people could turn to, if he'd made himself the shoulder to cry on, then even when he was the one with tears, he should still be there. He knew that now, he wasn't going to abandon them again.
Part of him wanted to apologize.
Don't bring up last year.
To say how sorry he was for shutting Rowan and everyone else out.
Don't bring up last year.
To promise that he'll be better and he wouldn't leave them out to dry again.
Don't bring up last year, Marquis!
All he managed to get out was a "I'm glad you're here, buddy." There was so much more than that to be said, but that's all he could say for now. Marquis had gotten pretty good at hiding his expressions, masking them so that people didn't worry about him. But with how heavily he was chiding and berating himself, for the shortest of seconds, someone watching him would have caught the slightest of frowns on his face before he quickly corrected it. As the din of the crowd settled and more people started paying attention to Mister Evergreen, Marquis couldn't help but wonder what the appropriate expression here was.
I'm next to a friend and someone I am pretending to be friends with; so maybe relaxed and smiling? But there's also a presentation that I'm pretty sure we've all heard several times and I'm pretty sure we're all tired of hearing at this point. So maybe toss in a little boredom in there? Smiling and relaxed, but bored. So...less of a smile but still relaxed? I can do that.
Marquis let out a soft sigh and slid down his chair, leaning backward and propping his foot up on the empty seat in front of him. He crossed his hands over his chest and focused on Mister Evergreen. He adjusted himself in the seat for a little while until he found a spot that was comfortable. His face was set in a half smile, what one might call a polite smile, waiting for the speech to start.
Mentions: Riley (
mi casa
), Rowan (
irregular-neptune
)
mi casa
), Rowan (
irregular-neptune
)
minajesty
it's the most 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 time of the year!
♡coded by uxie♡
Letho
Junior Member
The reaction wasn't an immediate one - or... At least not as far as Morgan could tell, since he wasn't exactly able to see Thomas' face, sitting the way they both were. In that first moment, he was almost ready to give up, assuming that his words simply hadn't been heard - or registered. People were talking all around them, after all, so it was certainly easy for one more sentence or two to get lost, to become nothing more than background noise...
But then Thomas turned - and Morgan caught his expression shifting from something that he could only describe as a smirk into a... Friendlier look.
A good sign.
The corners of Morgan's own lips began to turn the slightest bit upwards just from that - but it was the actual response that truly entertained him. Oh, yes, he could imagine a call like that... Though something told him that an autograph might not be the owner's main goal there.
Then again, there really wasn't much that mister Evergreen could do about something so... Good-natured and harmless. Or did he not want the campers to have fun?
It even seemed that Thomas' thoughts had taken him in a similar direction, too - and Morgan found himself humming thoughtfully now, the sound suggesting his vague agreement. His gaze jumped towards the stage again, though only for moment, his head tilting slightly to the side as he did so.
"No, I doubt he truly wishes to ruin their experience," he said, even though he suspected it had to be much more complicated than just that. He was no expert, of course, and yet... In their limited interactions, he had never considered mister Evergreen to simply be a bad man; grief could change a person, of course, could make them want to lash out and hurt others in return, but... "Why open the camp again otherwise."
... Unless he was interested in feeding campers and counsellors to whatever nature spirit or monster or long lost tribe lived in those woods - in the hope of getting his daughters back, that was.
Before they could continue their conversation, however - a pity, since Morgan was sure some interesting opinions could still be shared - a girl took a seat in the row below him... Right next to Thomas.
A quick glance told Morgan that he had not met her before; his memory was generally great, and she looked rather characteristic, after all, with long hair almost as pale as his own - blonde, though, not white-grey. Judging by her age, she wasn't a camper... And her own words explained her presence soon enough.
Juno, hm?
And a music teacher at that...
That was more than enough for Morgan to straighten up a bit in his seat - still keeping his forearms against his thighs, but not leaning forward as much anymore. The girl had only addressed Thomas, which was... Telling, and he was used to just listening either way.
And so he did - simply glancing between the two now as Thomas greeted Juno, introduced himself, and... Already began her education, it seemed. The corners of Morgan's lips twitched at that thought, though he didn't even try to add any comments of his own... Not until he was pointed at, that was - which made him blink once, twice... Even if more surprise did not show on his face beyond that.
"Mm, very cool," he agreed easily enough, his gaze jumping down towards that patting hand at the same time. Well - yes, now that he had confirmation that his company wasn't unwanted, switching spots seemed only practical... And so he did not hesitate too much before doing just that, sliding off his current and onto the new seat. "Morgan Delaney, pleasure to meet you. Nice shirt."
That part, of course, was directed at Juno - though he had to lean forward a bit again to see her, sitting on the opposite side of Thomas to her at that point.
Band merchandise was always a good place to start a conversation - especially since there was generally a huge chance that the person complimented that way would just keep talking and talking about their favourites... And Juno seemed social, too, at least at first glance.
***
Wyll
Jupiter_South
But then Thomas turned - and Morgan caught his expression shifting from something that he could only describe as a smirk into a... Friendlier look.
A good sign.
The corners of Morgan's own lips began to turn the slightest bit upwards just from that - but it was the actual response that truly entertained him. Oh, yes, he could imagine a call like that... Though something told him that an autograph might not be the owner's main goal there.
Then again, there really wasn't much that mister Evergreen could do about something so... Good-natured and harmless. Or did he not want the campers to have fun?
It even seemed that Thomas' thoughts had taken him in a similar direction, too - and Morgan found himself humming thoughtfully now, the sound suggesting his vague agreement. His gaze jumped towards the stage again, though only for moment, his head tilting slightly to the side as he did so.
"No, I doubt he truly wishes to ruin their experience," he said, even though he suspected it had to be much more complicated than just that. He was no expert, of course, and yet... In their limited interactions, he had never considered mister Evergreen to simply be a bad man; grief could change a person, of course, could make them want to lash out and hurt others in return, but... "Why open the camp again otherwise."
... Unless he was interested in feeding campers and counsellors to whatever nature spirit or monster or long lost tribe lived in those woods - in the hope of getting his daughters back, that was.
Before they could continue their conversation, however - a pity, since Morgan was sure some interesting opinions could still be shared - a girl took a seat in the row below him... Right next to Thomas.
A quick glance told Morgan that he had not met her before; his memory was generally great, and she looked rather characteristic, after all, with long hair almost as pale as his own - blonde, though, not white-grey. Judging by her age, she wasn't a camper... And her own words explained her presence soon enough.
Juno, hm?
And a music teacher at that...
That was more than enough for Morgan to straighten up a bit in his seat - still keeping his forearms against his thighs, but not leaning forward as much anymore. The girl had only addressed Thomas, which was... Telling, and he was used to just listening either way.
And so he did - simply glancing between the two now as Thomas greeted Juno, introduced himself, and... Already began her education, it seemed. The corners of Morgan's lips twitched at that thought, though he didn't even try to add any comments of his own... Not until he was pointed at, that was - which made him blink once, twice... Even if more surprise did not show on his face beyond that.
"Mm, very cool," he agreed easily enough, his gaze jumping down towards that patting hand at the same time. Well - yes, now that he had confirmation that his company wasn't unwanted, switching spots seemed only practical... And so he did not hesitate too much before doing just that, sliding off his current and onto the new seat. "Morgan Delaney, pleasure to meet you. Nice shirt."
That part, of course, was directed at Juno - though he had to lean forward a bit again to see her, sitting on the opposite side of Thomas to her at that point.
Band merchandise was always a good place to start a conversation - especially since there was generally a huge chance that the person complimented that way would just keep talking and talking about their favourites... And Juno seemed social, too, at least at first glance.
***
Wyll
Jupiter_South
lostbird
𝚓𝚊𝚍𝚎'𝚜 𝚐𝚏
lostbird
𝚓𝚊𝚍𝚎'𝚜 𝚐𝚏
♡coded by uxie♡
Last edited:
evermoon
ever || he/him
Last edited:
hotsauce
chat is this real
Ricky Sanford
Mentions:
anyasjoy
monkeydoll555
Ricky had mixed feelings about the whole camp situation. On one hand, he was glad that things were still up and running for his last summer before he had to move from his childhood. Unfortunately, as his parents had reminded him, that included summer camp. The counselor job paid relatively well, all things considered, but he was set to be making a lot more with his newly acquired college degree. And with that money, he could afford to finally have a place to himself. Then he could throw all the game nights and parties he wanted, no worrying about uptight roommates or younger siblings. On the other hand, Ricky was still unsure whether camp should be happening with the disappearances. It was risky to hold the camp after the girls had gone missing, but if the police were sure that things were alright, they must be. Right? At least that was what Ricky told himself. If everyone says it's fine, then it's fine, he had decided when he had submitted his application. As if it wouldn't get accepted. The campers liked him, and so did Johnathan, as far as Ricky knew. Why else would he be allowed to keep coming back?
Normally, Ricky was able to fall asleep pretty quickly. He had no problem dozing off in cars, in class, on the couch. Anywhere he could comfortably sit or lie down was a place he could fall asleep. But the night before camp was due to start, Ricky was awake tossing and turning. This whole situation bothered him more than he would ever admit to his fellow counselors, and especially to the campers themselves. He was the cheerful one, the one who told a joke to lighten the heavy mood or make the kids forget about the hardship. Ricky was never one to face hardship head on, always laughing things off to keep everyone happy. And he would keep everyone happy. After all of the rumors in the wake of the disappearances, he felt uneasy about a few of his fellow counselors, and he wasn't sure how to go about it. Would it be horribly awkward in the morning when he had to face everyone? He hoped not. He would just do what he always did: plaster on a smile and make jokes and distract the kids from that sort of thing. He would make sure none of them go hurt. They were his first priority.
He tossed and turned some more, a growing feeling of anxiety in his stomach. Ricky was never anxious for camp, not since his first day there as a geeky preteen with braces and an impressive array of Batman t-shirts. He was always more excited than anything else, raring to see his friends and make new ones. The only thing that had caused him this much anxiety had been standing up to Renee. Ricky didn't hate anyone, no, he didn't have the heart for that. He disliked people or attitudes, but that was as far as it got. Renee had been one of the few people he'd actively harbored ill feelings towards. She had used her power to hurt and intimidate others, and most of the time Ricky hadn't done as much as he should have, all because he was concerned about his damn job. He'd tried his best to keep the peace, but how was it fair to tell the bullied that they had to play nice for their job's sake? As much as he'd tried to banish the thought, it came back in the night, mocking him. Maybe if he'd been more outspoken about her cruel actions, things would be different. Logically he knew that wasn't true; it couldn't be. But that didn't stop him from thinking it. He hoped that despite his issues with Renee, and later with Paige as well, things would be all right. Now that they were gone, he kept seeing Paige as the girl she was when she and Ricky were friends, before she let the resentment fester like he'd warned her against. Not that he'd done a good job, obviously. He swallowed, reaching over to turn off his alarm. If he was going to stay up late thinking about this, then he would give himself a break from a 6am run tomorrow. He didn't want to be a zombie for the first day of camp, after all. What he forgot to do was turn on a later alarm, and Ricky was a notoriously deep sleeper...
***
Ricky woke up to the morning sunlight streaming in through his window with a start. What time was it? Had he forgotten to set an alarm to replace his 5:45 one? As he looked at the time, he felt another rush of anxiety. This was out of character for him. He wasn't perfect with his punctuality, but he was never this late. Hopefully Johnathan wouldn't notice, and he could play it off as him losing track of time to his fellow counselors. "Shit, shit, shit," Ricky muttered under his breath as he hurriedly dressed and brushed his teeth before dashing out of his cabin and towards the amphitheater. He nearly sprinted there--guess he was doing a morning run, after all--only slowing his pace as he nearly ran head on into some straggling campers. He gave them a quick apology with his signature charismatic smile before hurrying to the amphitheater.
As he arrived, he saw Johnathan heading offstage. Perfect. Fucking perfect. He sighed. The one time he was late on the first day, and he missed the entire beginning of the year speech. He stopped at the edge of the amphitheater, seeing his peers chatting amongst each other, some with more animosity than others. He knew that it would be a wild first day due to the rumors and suspicions whirling around after the disappearance, not to mention the fact that neither Renee nor Paige was here. Ricky took a deep breath, shoving it all down as he approached someone to ask what he'd missed.
He spotted some familiar faces not too far away and quickened his pace once again as he reached Leon, Josephine, and Juliette. The sight of people he recognized and the normalcy behind it helped put him on more even ground mentally. "Hey guys!" he called out cheerfully, coming to stop at the edge of their group. "I forgot to set my alarm this morning." He let out a small chuckle at this, running his hand through his hair. "Did I miss anything important?"
Mentions:
anyasjoy
monkeydoll555
Ricky had mixed feelings about the whole camp situation. On one hand, he was glad that things were still up and running for his last summer before he had to move from his childhood. Unfortunately, as his parents had reminded him, that included summer camp. The counselor job paid relatively well, all things considered, but he was set to be making a lot more with his newly acquired college degree. And with that money, he could afford to finally have a place to himself. Then he could throw all the game nights and parties he wanted, no worrying about uptight roommates or younger siblings. On the other hand, Ricky was still unsure whether camp should be happening with the disappearances. It was risky to hold the camp after the girls had gone missing, but if the police were sure that things were alright, they must be. Right? At least that was what Ricky told himself. If everyone says it's fine, then it's fine, he had decided when he had submitted his application. As if it wouldn't get accepted. The campers liked him, and so did Johnathan, as far as Ricky knew. Why else would he be allowed to keep coming back?
Normally, Ricky was able to fall asleep pretty quickly. He had no problem dozing off in cars, in class, on the couch. Anywhere he could comfortably sit or lie down was a place he could fall asleep. But the night before camp was due to start, Ricky was awake tossing and turning. This whole situation bothered him more than he would ever admit to his fellow counselors, and especially to the campers themselves. He was the cheerful one, the one who told a joke to lighten the heavy mood or make the kids forget about the hardship. Ricky was never one to face hardship head on, always laughing things off to keep everyone happy. And he would keep everyone happy. After all of the rumors in the wake of the disappearances, he felt uneasy about a few of his fellow counselors, and he wasn't sure how to go about it. Would it be horribly awkward in the morning when he had to face everyone? He hoped not. He would just do what he always did: plaster on a smile and make jokes and distract the kids from that sort of thing. He would make sure none of them go hurt. They were his first priority.
He tossed and turned some more, a growing feeling of anxiety in his stomach. Ricky was never anxious for camp, not since his first day there as a geeky preteen with braces and an impressive array of Batman t-shirts. He was always more excited than anything else, raring to see his friends and make new ones. The only thing that had caused him this much anxiety had been standing up to Renee. Ricky didn't hate anyone, no, he didn't have the heart for that. He disliked people or attitudes, but that was as far as it got. Renee had been one of the few people he'd actively harbored ill feelings towards. She had used her power to hurt and intimidate others, and most of the time Ricky hadn't done as much as he should have, all because he was concerned about his damn job. He'd tried his best to keep the peace, but how was it fair to tell the bullied that they had to play nice for their job's sake? As much as he'd tried to banish the thought, it came back in the night, mocking him. Maybe if he'd been more outspoken about her cruel actions, things would be different. Logically he knew that wasn't true; it couldn't be. But that didn't stop him from thinking it. He hoped that despite his issues with Renee, and later with Paige as well, things would be all right. Now that they were gone, he kept seeing Paige as the girl she was when she and Ricky were friends, before she let the resentment fester like he'd warned her against. Not that he'd done a good job, obviously. He swallowed, reaching over to turn off his alarm. If he was going to stay up late thinking about this, then he would give himself a break from a 6am run tomorrow. He didn't want to be a zombie for the first day of camp, after all. What he forgot to do was turn on a later alarm, and Ricky was a notoriously deep sleeper...
***
Ricky woke up to the morning sunlight streaming in through his window with a start. What time was it? Had he forgotten to set an alarm to replace his 5:45 one? As he looked at the time, he felt another rush of anxiety. This was out of character for him. He wasn't perfect with his punctuality, but he was never this late. Hopefully Johnathan wouldn't notice, and he could play it off as him losing track of time to his fellow counselors. "Shit, shit, shit," Ricky muttered under his breath as he hurriedly dressed and brushed his teeth before dashing out of his cabin and towards the amphitheater. He nearly sprinted there--guess he was doing a morning run, after all--only slowing his pace as he nearly ran head on into some straggling campers. He gave them a quick apology with his signature charismatic smile before hurrying to the amphitheater.
As he arrived, he saw Johnathan heading offstage. Perfect. Fucking perfect. He sighed. The one time he was late on the first day, and he missed the entire beginning of the year speech. He stopped at the edge of the amphitheater, seeing his peers chatting amongst each other, some with more animosity than others. He knew that it would be a wild first day due to the rumors and suspicions whirling around after the disappearance, not to mention the fact that neither Renee nor Paige was here. Ricky took a deep breath, shoving it all down as he approached someone to ask what he'd missed.
He spotted some familiar faces not too far away and quickened his pace once again as he reached Leon, Josephine, and Juliette. The sight of people he recognized and the normalcy behind it helped put him on more even ground mentally. "Hey guys!" he called out cheerfully, coming to stop at the edge of their group. "I forgot to set my alarm this morning." He let out a small chuckle at this, running his hand through his hair. "Did I miss anything important?"
Coyote
The Ferryman
JC sulked a bit, lingering around the entrance to the auditorium for a while. When he spotted Lou putting out his cigarette, he waited before picking it up and pocketing it. There was no easy rationale for it, not for JC. Was he suddenly feeling responsible for the camp? Did he feel guilt for what happened with the sisters? For Paige...? Was it wrong for him to want to feel more guilt for Renee? What about the relief that their secret died with her?
JC looked at his bruised knuckles and shook his head, spitting some of the phlegm out onto the grass. A broken nose will do wonders for your nasal passages. It didn't help that the softly pulsing numbness kept reminding him of the moment his dad knocked his lights out. He quietly wished he'd done the same to his left cheek but he'll take a lost tooth as consolation. As the campers and counselors filed in, JC took stock. Marquis (
Wyll
) smiled at him. The fuck was there to smile about? He scoffed. At least camp was away from home. How anyone could bare walking around this ghost town with some fish-eyed daughterless dad was beyond him. But hey, better this dad than the other one. God, he needed a beer.
Time to rip off the band-aid though. JC turned around and walked into the auditorium. It was mostly full. The counselors were all huddled together like some amateur flag football team (
spareparts
Wyll
evermoon
irregular-neptune
) and JC really couldn't be bothered by whatever kumbaya Disney channel bullshit they thought they were going to pull together. Instead, JC stood with his back to the far wall, surveilling the faces that came in. He spotted a few kids that needed cheering up. If nothing else, it gave him the excuse to go out for some mule deer or whitetail. Or, if the woods were too spooky given... past events, some fishing by the lake. Who knows. Enough to just find some quiet.
Oh... right... Jonathan was talking. Something about a curfew. Something about being at a lodge for a bit. It was easier to pretend the sisters weren't gone if he didn't pay attention to their father. His voice was too gentle to listen to. It dulled him - made him wish he could just pretend to be someone else's son. But that would mean trading in his mother. He could never. JC took Lou's cigarette out of his pocket and looked it over. He spotted the man chatting it up with some newcomer, rolled his eyes and decided to toss it into a garbage bin. Today didn't need any more crap added to it and playing hot potato with a cigarette in the auditorium would have been a damn stupid move. Speaking of keeping out of trouble... JC spotted Liberty (
lostbird
) having a ball with that self-righteous curve to the edge of her lip that reminded him of Renee. He approached, making no bones about it.
"Hey, Birdie" he nods at her. A moment passes, leaving a tense but subtle acknowledgement of the less than amicable terms they were on. "Listen, since you wanna start barking at me for picking up after others, let me get this out of the way now. Just leave me alone," he said, his voice softening at the end. "Ok?"
JC looked at his bruised knuckles and shook his head, spitting some of the phlegm out onto the grass. A broken nose will do wonders for your nasal passages. It didn't help that the softly pulsing numbness kept reminding him of the moment his dad knocked his lights out. He quietly wished he'd done the same to his left cheek but he'll take a lost tooth as consolation. As the campers and counselors filed in, JC took stock. Marquis (
Wyll
) smiled at him. The fuck was there to smile about? He scoffed. At least camp was away from home. How anyone could bare walking around this ghost town with some fish-eyed daughterless dad was beyond him. But hey, better this dad than the other one. God, he needed a beer.Time to rip off the band-aid though. JC turned around and walked into the auditorium. It was mostly full. The counselors were all huddled together like some amateur flag football team (
spareparts
Wyll
evermoon
irregular-neptune
) and JC really couldn't be bothered by whatever kumbaya Disney channel bullshit they thought they were going to pull together. Instead, JC stood with his back to the far wall, surveilling the faces that came in. He spotted a few kids that needed cheering up. If nothing else, it gave him the excuse to go out for some mule deer or whitetail. Or, if the woods were too spooky given... past events, some fishing by the lake. Who knows. Enough to just find some quiet.Oh... right... Jonathan was talking. Something about a curfew. Something about being at a lodge for a bit. It was easier to pretend the sisters weren't gone if he didn't pay attention to their father. His voice was too gentle to listen to. It dulled him - made him wish he could just pretend to be someone else's son. But that would mean trading in his mother. He could never. JC took Lou's cigarette out of his pocket and looked it over. He spotted the man chatting it up with some newcomer, rolled his eyes and decided to toss it into a garbage bin. Today didn't need any more crap added to it and playing hot potato with a cigarette in the auditorium would have been a damn stupid move. Speaking of keeping out of trouble... JC spotted Liberty (
lostbird
) having a ball with that self-righteous curve to the edge of her lip that reminded him of Renee. He approached, making no bones about it."Hey, Birdie" he nods at her. A moment passes, leaving a tense but subtle acknowledgement of the less than amicable terms they were on. "Listen, since you wanna start barking at me for picking up after others, let me get this out of the way now. Just leave me alone," he said, his voice softening at the end. "Ok?"
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blue UP
[they/them]
The acrid smell of fingernail polish filled the car as Alt slid the brush over his nails. He dropped the brush into the black pot nestled in the drink holder, then gave the nail a stern blow. It burned around the edges of the nails that touched scarred flesh. He gritted his teeth. This wasn’t a statement. His nail beds were damaged and already naturally black. He didn’t want any comments. Hell, his entire body was a fucking comment. This was probably more for him than anyone else.
Deep breath. He tried to calm his nerves. Deep breath. Come on nerves, settle down. Deep breath. Are you trying to piss me off, nerves? Slam your palm into the steering wheel. Well, that hurt. Do it again.
There was a whole plethora of people that Alt didn’t want to see, but most of all, he didn’t want to see Jonathan—Mr. Evergreen. He pressed his thumb into the bruise that was slowly forming on the palm of his hand. How he’d gotten all that out without once honking the car’s horn or sending it into alarm was amazing. The dull ache under his skin snapped him back to reality. He couldn’t believe that Mr. Evergreen had reopened the camp after all of that. His daughters were dead, and their killer was still at large. He was right here, actually. Alt shook his head. He’d promised to do two things while he was here: “not to internally punish himself” and “not to externally punish himself” either. Right out of the gate, he scored 0 for 2. Maybe he should have thrown in “don’t get an STD” to tip the scale.
So, as Alt entered the amphitheater and heard the end of Mr. Evergreen’s speech, everything finally felt real—painfully real. Instead of looking at the man, his gaze drifted up the skyline. The trees pierced upwards like green claws that scratched at the heavenly ceiling. When the wind caught them, they swayed ominously as if, at any moment, those claws would come down on them. Alt had never liked the forest, but now it felt even more foreign. Honestly, he’d be more at home on the moon's surface than between the tall trees. The low hum of chatter after Mr. Evergreen left the stage tried to return the scene to some sense of normalcy. But the trees still loomed over them—a cosmic monstrosity beckoning everyone into their grasp. Alt fought back a chill on this warm day.
He pulled his pack tighter to his body, trying to shrink into it like a snail. Last year, he burned all his bridges. The vitriol he’d spat from his lips was the deadliest of poisons, a social venom that had won him no friends. That was even more evident when no one raised their hand to pull him into their group. If anything, there were lingering glances of campers trying to remember his face but finding no purchase in their memory. It didn’t help that the nasty scarring mutilated the familiar geography of his features. It fell over his neck and rocketed down his torso and across his right hand. None of that was visible beyond that shiny mottling across his palm and fingers. He briskly ran a hand through his unnatural blond hair, the heat piercing through his thick hair due to the lack of pigment. It was a look that had become synonymous with him. Yet, he wasn’t the only one with bottle-blond hair. Alt’s gaze caught Juliette. No longer the ginger shadow of Renee, she was transforming into the deceased girl, with her blonde hair forming a wavy corona around her face. He rolled his eyes at this. Bite your tongue. Nope.
He approached Juliette, glancing at—what’s her name—Jennifer, Leon, and Ricky. The latter drew his lips into a tight frown. He’d done nothing beyond having the same name as Alt’s ex-flame. “Yeah—apparently your one braincell,” Alt remarked to Ricky. He then homed in on Juliette. “Wow. I guess you didn’t want the absence of Renee to be felt at camp, so you decided to cosplay as her. I hate to say it, but you’re not as big a bitch as she was. Good effort, though.”
Good job, Alt. Really just draw attention to yourself right out of the gate. Moving on from the bridges and right into the river itself.
Deep breath. He tried to calm his nerves. Deep breath. Come on nerves, settle down. Deep breath. Are you trying to piss me off, nerves? Slam your palm into the steering wheel. Well, that hurt. Do it again.
There was a whole plethora of people that Alt didn’t want to see, but most of all, he didn’t want to see Jonathan—Mr. Evergreen. He pressed his thumb into the bruise that was slowly forming on the palm of his hand. How he’d gotten all that out without once honking the car’s horn or sending it into alarm was amazing. The dull ache under his skin snapped him back to reality. He couldn’t believe that Mr. Evergreen had reopened the camp after all of that. His daughters were dead, and their killer was still at large. He was right here, actually. Alt shook his head. He’d promised to do two things while he was here: “not to internally punish himself” and “not to externally punish himself” either. Right out of the gate, he scored 0 for 2. Maybe he should have thrown in “don’t get an STD” to tip the scale.
So, as Alt entered the amphitheater and heard the end of Mr. Evergreen’s speech, everything finally felt real—painfully real. Instead of looking at the man, his gaze drifted up the skyline. The trees pierced upwards like green claws that scratched at the heavenly ceiling. When the wind caught them, they swayed ominously as if, at any moment, those claws would come down on them. Alt had never liked the forest, but now it felt even more foreign. Honestly, he’d be more at home on the moon's surface than between the tall trees. The low hum of chatter after Mr. Evergreen left the stage tried to return the scene to some sense of normalcy. But the trees still loomed over them—a cosmic monstrosity beckoning everyone into their grasp. Alt fought back a chill on this warm day.
He pulled his pack tighter to his body, trying to shrink into it like a snail. Last year, he burned all his bridges. The vitriol he’d spat from his lips was the deadliest of poisons, a social venom that had won him no friends. That was even more evident when no one raised their hand to pull him into their group. If anything, there were lingering glances of campers trying to remember his face but finding no purchase in their memory. It didn’t help that the nasty scarring mutilated the familiar geography of his features. It fell over his neck and rocketed down his torso and across his right hand. None of that was visible beyond that shiny mottling across his palm and fingers. He briskly ran a hand through his unnatural blond hair, the heat piercing through his thick hair due to the lack of pigment. It was a look that had become synonymous with him. Yet, he wasn’t the only one with bottle-blond hair. Alt’s gaze caught Juliette. No longer the ginger shadow of Renee, she was transforming into the deceased girl, with her blonde hair forming a wavy corona around her face. He rolled his eyes at this. Bite your tongue. Nope.
He approached Juliette, glancing at—what’s her name—Jennifer, Leon, and Ricky. The latter drew his lips into a tight frown. He’d done nothing beyond having the same name as Alt’s ex-flame. “Yeah—apparently your one braincell,” Alt remarked to Ricky. He then homed in on Juliette. “Wow. I guess you didn’t want the absence of Renee to be felt at camp, so you decided to cosplay as her. I hate to say it, but you’re not as big a bitch as she was. Good effort, though.”
Good job, Alt. Really just draw attention to yourself right out of the gate. Moving on from the bridges and right into the river itself.
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anyasjoy
gracie's gf
♡coded by uxie♡
