>>1532103
You run over an' squeeze him real tight on his round belly, an' he wraps his strong arms 'round you tight, his wrinkly, rough hands gently rubbin' your back. He holds you tight for what seems like forever, sniffin' a bit like Jupiter does when he smells a rabbit. Then, he shifts his hands to touch you lightly on your shoulders an' kneels down to put his head at your level. "Lissen, Marianne (yep, it's that time again, he only ever calls you Marianne when it's that time). I knows you don't like it, but it's that day again. Sun's gonna be settin' in a bit, and when it does, you need to git down inna th' root sellar. I already made you up a spot down there. I know it's dark an' scary, but yer 10 now, an' you gotta be a brave gel fer yer pa, okay? Yew git down there, an' yew don't come up until I come up fer yew, gottit?"


>Yes, Pa.

>I don't understand why yew can't jest give me a lantern or something down there! It's real dark, I don't like it!

>Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me.

>Write-In

>>1532108
>Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me.

>>1532108
>Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me.
Also, oh shit, when is Mary from?

>>1532103
>>I don't understand why yew can't jest give me a lantern or something down there! It's real dark, I don't like it!
>>Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me

>>1532108
>Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me.

>>1532139
>>1532165
>>1532271
>>1532642
"Why do I gotta do this, Pa? You ain't never told me."

"'Cause neveryoumind, gal. Y'aint ol' 'nuff ta be tole. Mebbe next year. Jest know tha' I ain't never gonna make you do nuffin fer no reason, an' this is gonna keep you safe."

>Yes, Pa.

>Does this got sumfin to do wit' why I never knew Ma?

>Is... is you in trouble, Pa? ...Wuz it sumfin I did?

>But you said you'd tell me next year LAST year! I'm 10, I'm about to be a womman in a couple'a years's what the boys in town say, I'm old 'nuff to be tole!

>Write-In

>>1532734
>Yes, Pa.

>>1532734

>Yes, Pa.

>>1532734
>>Yes, Pa.
>>Does this got sumfin to do wit' why I never knew Ma?

>>1532763
>>1532903
>>1532911
"Yes, Pa."

Pa pats you on yer head. "Good gal. Now, come eat yer dinner."

You sit down at the table with yer pa and let 'im take yer hands in his:

"Gahd is grate, Gahd is good. Let us thank 'Im for our food. By 'Is hands we all be fed. Thank Yah for our daily bread. Amen."

After yer beef, beans, carrots, and bread, you head fer the root sellar. You really wish Jupiter could come down wit' you so you wouldn't be as scared, but he'd jest get in all the salty meats and eat 'em. You feel yer way over to the little bed Pa puts up in the corner around this time every year an' sit down. Upstairs, you ken hear Pa hammering sumfin' on the door an' movin' stuff around up there. Somewhere, soundin' far away, the rain starts.

You dunno how long it's been since you first climbed down here, but it's been a while, at least. Upstairs, you ken hear Pa pacin' back an' forth by the squeakin' of the nails. Th' storm's blowin' hard outside; yew ken hear it from down here, even.

Suddenly, you hear a door slam back and the storm stop. The air seems to grow colder- an' darker. But maybe tha's jest you. You hear Jupiter start to howl, and then stop jest as suddenly. Summit that's not yer Pa starts to move 'cross the floor- creak, creak, creeeeaakkk it goes. You hear whisperin' comin' from upstairs...

>Lissen

>Don't.

>Write-In

>>1532734
>>Yes, Pa.
>>Does this got sumfin to do wit' why I never knew Ma?

>>1533364
>Lissen

>>1533364
>Lissen

>>1533364
>Lissen

Oh god Mary no

>>1533373
>>1533415
>>1533528
You creep up to the door and lissen...

"...come to my humble home, yer lordship. Yew wanna smok-"

"baRnabY O'hoUliHaN. i cOMe to YoUr HoMe tO HaVe WhAt is proMiSed ME."

The voice of the other feller scares you: it's like a snake, and broken glass, and dyin' birds, and the wind rustlin' a dead tree's branches against a winder, all at once, and it almost sounds like it's comin' from behind you...

"And I'll say to you what I always sait: I ain't got no chilt yet. The girl I did have diet with her Ma, an' that's God's truth. Ten years now you've come after me again and again o'er this nonsense, yer lordship, and... well, I'll tell you that it stops tonight."

"It stOps wheN i haVe whAt Is mIne. FinD a wOman. ProDuce an iSSue iF you trUlY do nOt havE one. i wIll hAve wHaT is oWeD. If yOu do nOt Have iT by neXt yeAr... I sHall taKe back ALL I haVe giVen..."

"Now hold on! The deal said 'firstborn'! You just kent change the terms like-"

"do you presume to give me an order, mortal?"

"... Fine. Take me instead. I beg ye. Dun't punish my kin. A body's a body, right?"

"... yOu hiDe soMethIng frOm mE, MorTAL."

"I show'd you the gahddamn body, wuzzn't that enuff fer you, you sonofabitch?!?!?!"

"yOU ShoWeD mE A bodY."

You hear somefing like a big WHOOSH, and a bunch of folks all whisperin' like they do jest before the picture at the fancy theater up in Lawton, an' then a big SUCK.

"yoU hiDe a dOOr fRom me, MortAl. HidE, aNd warD. OPEN IT.."

"W-w-why'd ya wanna see mah root sellar, thar ain't nuffin down-"

" open it now, you mortal wretch! i own everything you have, and i will have what is mine by right! "

>Remain silent.

>Hide.

>Don't lissen to him, Pa!

>Write-In

>>1533653
>Hide.

>>1533653
>Hide.

>>1533653
>>Hide.

>>1533653
>Hide.

>>1533696
>>1533700
>>1533828
>>1533891

Roll Dexterity + Stealth (3 dice).

Rolled 3, 3, 1 = 7 (3d10)

>>1533927

Rolled 10, 5, 10 = 25 (3d10)

>>1533927

Rolled 8, 1 = 9 (2d10)

>>1534040
Stealthy Explosions

Rolled 1, 10, 9 = 20 (3d10)

>>1533927
Rollin

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1534132
Kaboom

>>1534040
>>1534045

3 successes is pretty good

>>1534040
>>1534045
You run into th' darkest corner of the sellar and hide behind a stack of yam crates. You hear more creaking, then something breaking an' a bunch of loud thumps. Then a yelp from Jupiter, followed by a snap. Then a loud scream from Pa. An' then, that voice, loud as thunder:

"i kNoW yoU aRe dOwN THere. I JUSt kilLed yOur precIOuS pEt. I'Ll kIll yoUr fATHer, tOo, uNLess yOu coMe oUt. iT wiLL nOt bE fASt. iN faCT, iT sHaLL taKe AlL nIght. yOu wILl hEar him sCreAm and ScREaM and scream and SCREAM, anD theN hELL DYE, aNd It wILL alL BE yoUR fAult, beCAUse yOu wErE naUghty. sO cOme ouT, liTtLe oNe. i haVe sUch siGHTs to sHow you."

You hear Pa shout "Don't lissen, Marianne-" and then a loud snapping sound, and he's screaming again.

>I... I'm coming up! Jest... jest don't hurt Pa no more!

>STOP HURTING HIM!!!

>Remain silent.

>Write-In

>>1534317
>I... I'm coming up! Jest... jest don't hurt Pa no more!

>>1534317
>I... I'm coming up! Jest... jest don't hurt Pa no more!

>>1534317
>>STOP HURTING HIM!!!

>>1534317
>Remain silent.

>>1534317
>Remain silent.
maybe start whispering one of pa's sayings

>>1535782
>>1535466

>>1535086
ok, I'm gonna change to break this tie

>>1535466
>>1535782
>>1535842
You stay silent and shaking behind the crates. You jest don't know what to do.

"sO. yOu'Re wIllIng to SaCRIFicE hIm? FiNE."

You hear a sound like a bunch of sissors opening and closin' all at once, and Pa screams louder than you've heard anyone scream before. You try an' be brave, but you kent after hearing that. You start crying and rockin' back an' forth, but you don't move still. You hear something slam up against the sellar door hard enough to make it creak and shake, an' then something slips through with a wet sound.

"cOme aND sEe, LIttlE ONe. CoME And SeE WhAt YoU DiD."

You hear Pa's voice, all hurt and hoarse like old Mr. Fletcher's voice was when he got trampled by a horse and died three days later.
"Don't look, Mary. It ain't yer fault. Don't look, an' don't lissen. I was a damn fool an' I brought this on myself. I loves you, mah dessert rose. I'll always be with you-" You hear something TEAR with a wet sound, and then all Pa does is scream and cry all night.

You jerk awake shaken' from head to toe. You dunno what time it is. You kent hear nothin' upstairs but a drip-drip-drip, like a leaky faucet. You strain to hear anything else...

Roll Wits + Composure (3 dice).

Rolled 6, 3, 1 = 10 (3d10)

>>1537181
We will follow Pa's final wishes.

Rolled 2, 2, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>1537181

Be strong Mary

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1537344

A wee bit stronger than that Mary

Rolled 8, 4, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>1537181

>>1537718
You kent hear nothing else upstairs, so you climb up the stairwell. At the top step, you step in somethin' wet and sticky. You pull open the door...

Everything's wet and red on the other side. There's bits like what Pa would feed Jupiter after comin' from town with fresh cow meat everywhere. There's also bits of skin lying 'round, all cut up like with sissors, and you start cryin', cause you look at the sink and there's Pa's head, only there's nothing else of him and it ain't got his eyes or nose an' there's scars all over it an-

You pick yourself up from the floor an hour later. You don't got no more tears, but you wish you did, 'cause Pa's gone. You look down at where there's a hand with a long black spike driven through it; there's blood by it what says "bed floor". You head in there.

There's a loose floorboard under Pa's bed. You pull it up. There's a little box under it and you look in and there's some gold coins and two tickets to Tulsa an' a letter an' your so thirsty from all the crying you're scared your voice won't work no more after this.

>Open the letter

>Get a drink

>Leave

>Write-In

>>1537871
>Open the letter

Read it first, might not get another chance

>>1537871
>Open the letter

>>1537871
>Open the letter
Grab the stuff first.

>>1537890
>>1537898
>>1537904

" My Desert Rose-

If you're reading this, I'm gone and you're on your own. First off, I want to say that I'm sorry for leaving you on your own so soon. You don't deserve that. You must be very upset right now, especially given what I think that monster what lives at the bottom of the well has probably done to me, so first thing's first: this isn't your fault, and don't go feeling sorry for what happened to me. I'm with the Good Lord, now, and that pile of flesh and bones isn't me anymore. I know I've been saying you aren't old enough to be told why you have to hide down there, but since I'm gone now, you should know. When your grandpa was a young man, he moved his family out here to Oklahoma to be farmers, like we were in the Old Country. We all thought it would work out good, because the rains follow the plow, as it was said back then. And so it seemed those first few years, because all the crops grew good and the soil was healthy and such, even if the land we bought wasn't great compared to our neighbors. Your grandma always said that we got sold this bit of land because the broker saw us as "nothing but some dirty Micks", and maybe that's true. The Injuns didn't like this land much neither; according to them, there was an evil spirit what lived on it, in that hill where we set the well down out behind the house. Anyways, one day, the rains just stopped. Just like that, if you can believe it. Lots of people started suffering, but we got it worst, on account of us not being very popular among the neighbors. It started looking like we'd have to pack up and move out West like so many others. I was in charge of the farm by this point: your grandpa had gotten the pins in his bones at that point. Now, I was out one night by the well, thinking about selling the land, when I heard a voice come up from it. Said it was a fairy, like back in the Old Country. Said that it could make the crops grow, make me richer than Midas, an' make the town respect our family, so's that we didn't have to move or put up with some nonsense any more. All it asked for was my first-born child. I was a stupid man back then, so I agreed to its offer..."

>>1537990

Dammit Pa the Old Country had stories about this exact situation and how it'll bite you in the ass

>>1537990
"Sure enough: the next day, a rain cloud blew over the horizon and rained-but only on our family's patch. The crops started growing again, and stronger than ever before. The same storm also blasted down the house of those Andersons who looked down on us, so they had to move out, and the town respected us more 'cause of rumors about it not being a storm what did it. And then, not a month later, I was digging out in the fields, and I found a big luggage trunk full of gold coins, from the Wild West days. There's a few of them in this little box- get them appraised when you get to Tulsa, should be worth over a hundred dollars, don't let the Jews who run such businesses work you over and get less than a hundred for 'em, they'll pay when push comes to shove. So, things were looking good for our family. And then, you were born, and your Ma passed away in birthing you. I held you in my arms, so tiny and helpless, and l knew I couldn't give you to that fairy. So, I went out and killed the runt from my bitch Esther's litter (thankfully, she had given birth recently; Jupiter's from the same set), and bloodied it up good so that you couldn't tell what it had been originally. Then I gave you to your grandparents and told them to take you into the root cellar. Then I nailed an old horseshoe to the door and pushed a cabinet in front of it, like I now do every year. When that fairy slunk up from his well and came here, I told him that you had died with your Ma, that you had come out twisted, and showed him the runt's corpse. He said that this was unfortunate, but I still owed him, and that he'd come back next year for what was owed him..."

>>1538105
"Of course, once my parents knew of this they were furious beyond belief. My mother called me no son of hers, and my father said that, if he still had strength in him, he'd lash me till I had no skin on my back right there. I looked in their eyes, and I saw they was right. So I paid 'em to leave back up North towards the steel towns and to talk no more about me. I know that this is confusing to you, probably, because I always told you they died in a dust-storm. I'm sorry I lied to you about that, but you were too young to understand. Sometimes, people do bad things because they can't think ahead, and when that happens they have to live with the consequences, and throw themselves on the mercy of the Almighty. Now, if I'm dead, that probably means the fairy worked out my little trick I was doing to keep you safe, which means he'll want you bad: they don't like being cheated out of their due. So you need to get FAR away from here quick. I've got you in there two bus tickets to Tulsa; one for you, and one for Farmer Jacob up the road, who owes me greatly. Get to his farm as soon as the sun comes up, BUT NOT BEFORE. Tell him that your Pa's dead, and with his dying breath he begs him as a fellow Christian man to take you to Tulsa, Oklahoma with an eye to getting to Ohio. Tell him that there's some money in it for him if he does so. Then, get on the first bus to Tulsa you can find, BUT DO NOT TRAVEL AFTER SUNDOWN. You must always be inside a place with iron on the door by the time the sun sets! After you get to Tulsa, get those coins appraised and get on a TRAIN to the town of Columbus, Ohio. Last I heard your grandparents both lived there. They will take care of you; you are their grandchild even if I am not their child. DO NOT GO NEAR THE WELL, and do not let any person into where you are staying after sundown, even if you think you know them. I'm sorry, and I love you.

-Your Loving Pa, Barnaby O'Houlihan."

Yer hands are shaking, and more tears are floodin' out of yer eyes by the time you've finished readin' the letter. You take the coins and tickets and pocket 'em as you get up from the ground.

Suddenly, you hear a banging on the door. Three sharp, hard knocks, like made by a big strong feller.

>Open the door.

>"Who is it?"

>Ignore it.

>Write-In

>>1538134
>Ignore it.
Hide, with the coins and some iron.

>>1538134
>Ignore it.

Retreat back into the root cellar until sunrise, keep that horseshoe on us once we do leave but don't remove it now

>>1538134
>Ignore it.

>>1538146
>>1538147
>>1538256
You go back down into the cellar with the coins. A few minutes later, you hear the door upstairs creak open.

"JAYSUS FUCKIN' CHRIST!"

You reconnize that voice: it's Farmer Jacob's whistly nasal holler.

"MAURY? YEW IN HAR? AH HEART TH' RACKIT FRUM MAH FARM AN' CAME O'ER HEAR! YER-" you hear the voice stop, and something wet splatter "OH, GAHD, AM' SO SORRY, BARNEIGH- YER... YER DAWG AN' PA'S... OH, GAHD... IS YOU ALIVE, MAURY? Oh, Gahd, pleaze ledder be alive..."

>Remain silent

>I'm hear, Mr. Jacob! Git down here, quick-like!

>Is tha' really you, Mr. Jacob?

>Write-In

>>1538307
>Remain silent

>>1538307
>Remain silent

Even is this is Mr. Jacob (I fucking doubt it), we can always say that we didn't hear him or had run from the property

>>1538307
>Remain silent
Get into a defensive position.

>>1538310
>>1538437
>>1538461
You tuck yerself deeper into th' shadows of the sellar. You hear summone fiddlin' wit' the sellar door, then swingin' it open. Clumsy footsteps stagger down. In the half-lite of the moon, you see Jacob's big nose, buck teeth, and gangly neck outlined.

"Maury? Is... is yew dahn har? Thar... I fink thar's sumfin DARK-SIDED creepin' about nah an yer Pah- well, giss it's yer lant nah... 'S get yer Pah. 'M sorry, thot wez jest a kayot 'r sumfin... ah, Gahd fergive meh.

Maury, if'n yer dahn hear, holler ah sumfin... cuz if'n yeh dunt, ah'm gon back home... Naht felt diffunt c'm'n o'er here... All dark-sided..."

>I'm hear, Mr. Jacob.

>Don't! Close th' door, it ain't safe out thar!

>Remain silent.

>Write-In

>>1538608
>Remain silent.

Fuckin fuckity fuck, I really hope that this really isn't Farmer Jacob and he doesn't get slaughtered when he heads outside but this is as Pa said, not until after sunrise, no matter what

>>1538608
> Remain silent.

>>1538608
>Remain silent.

>>1538636
>>1538650
>>1538776
You stay silent and tucked away behind the crates.

"...Ah giss yew... aw, sheet, ah giss yew gah kilt ta-"

You hear a horrible, RUSHING sound as a big, angular shadow throws itself in relief on the opposite wall. It doesn't look human. Not at all. Mr. Jacob wheels around, but there's a noise like *slikt* and then he's just GONE.
The door at the top of the stairs swings shut.
You start shaking behind the crate. You think you're going to be sick. Suddenly, something COLD and HARD wraps around you, and the shadows are full of bloodshot eyes spinning around like pinwheels.

"i see you, little one."

You try to fight back, but whatever's around you is too strong and you're being pulled up the stairs and the door slams open (BANG) and you're out the window (CRASH) and you can see what's grabbin you is a long, long ARM made of bones and tar and fancy knives like at the hospitals and eyes, so many eyes, and the hand is massive and wrapped around you and its coming from the well and you fall down the well and-

You hit your head on the frame above you as you jerk awake. You look around, shaking, blindly panicking, and curl up into a little ball and start rocking back and forth. Moonbeam's head flops down from the bed above.

"Mary! Are you okay? You just screamed real loud!"

>W..where am I?

>Remain silent

>Y...Yeah, I-i'm okay. I just... had a nightmare.

>Write-In

File: Call my Therapist.png (69 KB, 300x162)

69 KB PNG

>>1539000
>W..where am I?
hahaha...fuck...

>>1539000
>W..where am I?

So Mary is technically older than both of her caretakers (going by linear Earth time) and we have a new Gentry to fuck up if we get the chance

File: Skelefuck you..gif (2.46 MB, 450x247)

2.46 MB GIF

>>1539214
Special for that Gentrified asshole.

>>1539011
>>1539214
"W...where am I?"

Moonbeam's brow furrows. "You're at my house, remember? Your uncle's working for longer than he thought he would, so you're staying with my folks until he gets back." Her eyes narrow. "You had a real bad nightmare, didn't you?"

>Yeah...

>No! 'M fine! (defiantly wrap your blankets around you and plop your head down on your pillow)

>I... I 'membered mah real Pa. I 'membered what happened ta him...

>Write-In

>>1539631
>I... I 'membered mah real Pa. I 'membered what happened ta him...

>>1539631
>I... I 'membered mah real Pa. I 'membered what happened ta him...

>>1539631
>>I... I 'membered mah real Pa. I 'membered what happened ta him...

>>1539651
>>1540009
>>1540262
"I...I 'membered mah real Pa. I 'membered what happened ta him..."

"...Oh, wow, that's... I'm so sorry, that's got to be harsh, Mary. Let me-"

You hear a faint whisper of moving fabric, and Moonbeam's sheets slide off of her bed, taking her with them.She lands gently on her head, her bedshirt falling over her face and her long blonde hair piling up around her like a bird's nest.

"Ow."

You feel an involuntary snort burst out through your nostrils as Moonbeam thrashes to free herself from her entanglement. Her grinning head eventually emerges from the tangle like a patchouli-scented jack-o-lantern.

"Feel a bit better?"

You nod, once. You needed something to remind you of now.

"You wanna talk about it? It's okay if you don't, but Dad always says its better to let painful things out than hold them in."

>I don't wanna... but I will...

>I jus' wanna go back ta' sleep...

>Let's talk about sumfin' else...

>Write-In

>>1540493
>I don't wanna... but I will...

>>1540493
>I don't wanna... but I will...

>>1540493
>I don't wanna... but I will...

Get it all out there, Moonbeam is a good person to hear this

>>1540493
>I don't wanna... but I will...

>>1540493
>I don't wanna... but I will...

>>1540570
>>1540670
>>1540711
>>1540778
>>1540865
"I don't wanna... but I will..."

You see Moonbeam's eyes widen and the color drain from her face as you tell her what you recalled.

"...That's... oh, that's horrible. That's just... really..." Moonbeam suddenly throws her skinny arms around you and pulls you in close for a hug. You awkwardly hug her back, and you sit there like that for a while.

"...Are you going to be okay falling back asleep by yourself?"

>Yeah

>Don't worry about me.

>No... could you stay down here?

>I don't think I can... could we talk to get my mind off of it?

>Write-In

>>1540878
>No... could you stay down here?

>>1540878
>No... could you stay down here?
Shit man, I don't want anyone to be alone after remembering that sort of thing.

>>1540878
>I don't think I can... could we talk to get my mind off of it?

>>1540878
actually, im switching to
>Yeah
>Don't worry about me.
>Actually... I think i should leave

>>1540878
>No... could you stay down here?

>>1541101
>>1540897
"No... could you stay down here?"

"Sure. I hope you aren't a light sleeper, because I kind of snore. A lot."

Moonbeam wriggles under the covers right next to you and turns face-down on the pillow. After a few minutes, she turns her head up towards you slightly.

"Hey, Mary? What do you look like? I mean, really look like?"

>(Tell her.)

>I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week.

>I...I can't tell you.

>(pretend to be asleep)

>Write-In

>>1541345
>(Tell her.)
No need to be evasive. She's our friend

>>1541345
>>I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week.
We don't have to boil the mask off for this do we?

>>1541345
>I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week.

>>1541345
>(Tell her.)

>>1541345
>I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week.

>>1541345
>A-Are you sure? ... It's not .. pretty
>I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week.

>>1541376
>>1541379
>>1541409
>>1541417
"I can show you if you promise to help me with homework for a week."

"But wasn't I going to do that anyways?"

"Yeah, but you gotta. It's how the magic works."

Moonbeam shrugs. "Well, if you say so..."

Your skin burns and writhes a little bit as the oath comes into effect. Moonbeam jerks back and rubs her eyes.

"Ow! What'd you do, that stung..." She trails off as she looks at you.

"I'm sorry... it's not very nice-looking..."

"Yeah... I mean, don't get me wrong! You aren't ugly, and I've seen worse with my mom! But... is this going to last very long."

"Not if you don't want it to." You wave a hand vaguely, and the pact falls apart in response to Moonbeam's consent. Moonbeam looks in your eyes, and you see her face fall a bit.

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... it's just, when I saw-"


>It's okay. I understand.

>I know I'm gross-looking, you don't have to make excuses.

>Let's just- go to bed, okay?

>Write-In

>>1541500
>It's okay. I understand.

"You can go back to your own bunk."

>>1541500
>>It's okay. I understand.
>"You can go back to your own bunk if you want."

>>1541500
>It's okay. I understand.

>>1541554
>>1541526

Add the "if you want" to the end of mine as well

>>1541554
>>1541621
Me too.

>>1541526
>>1541554
>>1541597
"It's okay, I understand. You can go back to your own bunk, if you want..."

In response, Moonbeam defiantly wriggles deeper under the covers. "Nope! I'm already down here, and your body's warm. Even if you look spooky, I'm staying."
You just can't figure Moonbeam out sometimes. You roll over, and, after a while, manage to drift back to sleep.

>Mary's grown a bit over the past several weeks!
>Socialize Increases to 1!
>Mary gains Ally (Moonbeam) 2!
>Mary gains Ally (Orion) 2!
>Mary gains Ally (Alfie) 1!
>Mary gains Ally (Rowan) 1!

Some of Mary's magical power has become unlocked: she has four points to spend on contracts! Summary of Contracts here: http://wodcodex.com/wiki/Contracts_(1st_Edition)

May by Dot 1 or 2 of a Contract for 1 point, Dot 3 or 4 for 2 points, and dot 5 for three points. Add a point for non-affinity Contracts (Universal, Goblin, and Darkling-related Contracts are all affinity). Let the voting begin.

>>1541760

Oh boy Contract voting, gimme a sec

>>1541760
Fickle Fate, Favored Fate, Beneficent Fate

>>1541760
If you qualify for the catch on a goblin contract that requires you to spend a willpower dot, do you still spend the dot but no glamour, or is it all covered?
also voting
>Warlock's gaze
because that will certainly help with our detective work thanks to moonbeam being here

>>1541760

>Vision of Strife
>Glimpse of Fortune’s Favor
>Reading the Portents

Fortune Teller/Medium route

>>1541849
You still spend the dot (and if it's a dot, remember that that drops you Willpower PERMANENTLY by 1: such magic is incredibly powerful, and not to be used lightly). If it's a point issue, you just spend the point.

>>1541872
Oh, holy crap.

>>1541814
>>1541858

Well, it lacks the pizzazz of the flashier set ups but it's a really solid base to work with and can be prettied up in the writing. Hard to argue with flat bonuses and debuffs

I do want to spec into the seeing the future ones at some point but I'll switch my vote to these

>>1541872
>>1541884
Holy crap is right. I thought if you did the catch you could keep the willpower, but this is craaazy.
I'll vote
>Warlock's gaze
>fickle fate
>favored fate
and save a point for later
>>1541891
may i suggest you join me in voting warlock's gaze, since we can basically cast it for free any time we're with moonbeam (which seems pretty likely)

>>1541899
>>1541891
also might i add that fortune manipulation is already moonbeam's deal, we should try and branch out a bit

>>1541899

Does Moonbeam still count as non-allied at this point?

>>1541913
>non-allied
i read that as allied. derp. I'll for the fate package then

>>1541911

That's part of why I was going for it, we might be able to fill in gaps that the other might miss and it's not like we're trying to spec out a party at this point, no need to be super focused on being well rounded in the group. Plus thematically our magic being nudged this direction would make sense hanging out with Moonbeam so much and she might be able to help us get used to it

I would be willing to vote on Warlock's Gaze (so long as Moonbeam doesn't count as non-allied), Fickle Fate, Favored Fate, and Glimpse of Fortune's Favor

That'll be all of our points but then everybody has got a piece of the pie that they wanted

>>1541884
>>1541927

>Reading the Portents

Any way I could convince you guys to switch out Beneficent Fate for this one? All we do is hang out with minors and this glimpse into the future could be really handy

>>1541932
>Mary gains Ally (Moonbeam) 2!
i think she definitely counts as an ally, which would negate the catch, but if you still want to do your split package i'm cool with that. I like your thematic reasoning as well
>>1541950
>Reading the Portents
That... is actually a great idea. But we'd have to sink fully into that track to get it since it's rank 3. I'll agree to vote for it next time we get an upgrade, if that means anything to you. I've been followin' the quest since the beginning and don't plan on stopping now

>>1541962

Forgot that you need the prior Contracts to get the other, silly me, split Package works for me,

Fickle Fate, Favored Fate, Vision of Strife, Glimpse of Fortune’s Favor?

Unless you want to keep Warlock's Gaze in there, even without the Catch being able to detect the occult is useful

>followin' the quest since the beginning

You and me both, this is quite probably the best most underrated quest on the board right now

>>1541977
How's
>fickle fate
>favored fate
>vision of strife
>warlock's gaze
and we'll try to get to reading the portents on the next round of voting
>the best most underrated quest on the board right now
I love WoD, but even better is qm's writing; for a fantasy quest, which can often get too cruncy and/or full of minor characters, qm avoids all of that and has a well-written, realistic core cast

>>1542016

Sounds good to me,

Final Vote:

>fickle fate
>favored fate
>vision of strife
>warlock's gaze

The cast and the writing is what puts it above and beyond for me, and the fact that WoD isn't a common one to run helps. Looking forward to seeing a bit more of Terry as well and getting caught up in Government shenanigans

>>1542016
>>1542097
Alright, sheet updated! Also, I'm really flattered that you consider my work good, even if it's in comparison to the rest of the board.

You wake up the next day feeling hollow. Mr. and Mrs. Lemongrass are nice enough to make you breakfast and drive you to school (their car smells weird, like lemons and spicy stuff and... cut grass?), which is better than the bus, but... everything seems kind of like you've got a bit of cloth in between yourself and the world. The sun doesn't seem as bright, the apple Mrs. Lemongrass gave you is more bland than sweet... even Rowan's usual manic antics don't seem as charming to you as it did a couple of days ago. Before the mall. Before you remembered about Pa. Orion seems out of it, too; you suppose he would be. He got so upset when that thing in the carousel started toying with Rowan... the mix of fear and rage was like a bonfire.
Come lunch, you're absent-mindedly picking at your food with the rest of your group. Orion silently hands over some photos to Alfie.
"Ah, I presume these are from the mall?"

"Yeah. There were more, but... I left them on the hydromangevoltaic plate too long, they didn't come out right."

"Well, let's see... and just as I thought! Nothing conclusive! So, it's settled; there's no such things as ghosts or curses or... whatever else it is that your shyster father peddles!"

"Hey, our dad isn't shy OR a peddler!"

"Calm down, sis." Orion turns to Alfie and forces a pained half-smile. "Y-yeah, I guess it isn't. So, well... I guess no hunting the paranormal, right?"

Alfie opens his mouth to give assent, then suddenly closes it and looks at him. "Orion... is there something wrong? You look ill. And I should know what ill looks like: I've read medical textbooks."

"There's nothing wrong, don't worry. Just... just a bit under the weather, hahaha!..."

Moonbeam gives him a worried look. "Hey, Star-Brother, you know we're your friends, righ-"

"I said there's nothing wrong with me! Now... can't we talk about... football, or something normal people talk about?"

>Try and find out what's going on with Orion.

>Talk with Moonbeam in private about how you/Orion/both are feeling.

>Go talk to Mr. Oswald about how you're feeling in the counselor's office.

>Make small-talk with Rowan or Alfie.

>Write-In

>>1542743
>Go talk to Mr. Oswald about how you're feeling in the counselor's office.
Oh shit, burnt sage?

>>1542743
>Go talk to Mr. Oswald about how you're feeling in the counselor's office.

I'm guessing burnt sage, also we should take Orion aside before we all split and talk to him about this, we might have fucked him up

>>1542917

You comfortable with the contract vote?

>>1542917
>>1543053
You excuse yourself from the table and head to the counselor's office.

As you head towards the door, it suddenly slams open and an older girl barrels by you, crying her eyes out. Oswald stands at the door, muscles straining against his skeletal neck as she shouts.

"PLEASE, MS. CARTER! I FEEL LIKE WE WERE FINALLY STARTING TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS!"
He sighs as she keeps running, and takes down a note in a small black book in one of his spider-like hands. He looks up, spots you, and gives you as warm of a smile as his sunken, violet eyes, thin lips, and needlepoint teeth allow. "Ah, Miss Freedman- or would you prefer to be called Mary? I apologize, it's been a while since we've talked. You wanted to see me?"


>How did you know that?

>I feel weird. I think I'm sick. Do you know how to fix fairy sickness?

>I can tell you whatever I want, right? And you can't tell anyone else?

>Who's that girl who ran by?

>Write-In

>>1543322
>I can tell you whatever I want, right? And you can't tell anyone else?

>>1543322
>I can tell you whatever I want, right? And you can't tell anyone else?

>>1543322
>>How did you know that?
>I feel weird. I think I'm sick. Do you know how to fix fairy sickness?

>>1543707
>>1544362
"I can tell you whatever I want, right? And you can't tell anyone else?"

Oswald raises his eyebrows (or rather, where his eyebrows would be). "Well, if you're doing something that's dangerous to yourself or others, I have to tell the police and your Uncle Terry... but other than that, no. I won't tell your friends or the school board about anything, especially if it relates to our little thing. But we shouldn't be talking out here, should we?"

Oswald waves you in and gestures to a chaise-lounge across from his desk. You walk over and lie down on it. The leather is slightly warm, and the half-seated, half-lying position that it puts you in helps you relax. Oswald sits down at his desk, delicately licks a finger, and turns to a page in his little black book. He lifts up his pen to write, then pauses, brow furrowed, before digging through his desk and putting on a pair of small reading glasses.

"Now... what was it that you wanted to talk about, Mary?"

>I feel weird. I think I'm sick.

>I'm worried about my friend (talk about Orion)

>I remembered what happened to my Pa... (talk about your nightmare)

>My friends and I had this bet... (talk about the mall)

>Write-In

>>1545470
>I'm worried about my friend (talk about Orion)

>>1545470
>I'm worried about my friend (talk about Orion)
>I remembered what happened to my Pa... (talk about your nightmare)
>I feel weird. I think I'm sick.

Cover all of our bases

>>1545470
I'll support this
>>1545566

>>1545566
>>1545575
"I'm worried about my friend, Orion?"

"This would be Orion Stone, yes?"

You nod. "Yeah. He and I and some other people did some stuff at the mall..." You explain what happened at the mall Orion's recent change in behavior as Oswald jots down notes.

"I see... well, I would say that most people, even those who believe in the supernatural, would be shaken up by an experience like that. Orion is probably very afraid right now, and trying to do what he can to keep your friends safe. I would like to talk to him about what he saw and try to make him feel more at ease: if left unaddressed, this kind of negative experience can leave very deep mental and emotional wounds that can negatively effect his development. After we're done here, tell him that the counselor would like to see him after school, okay?"
You silently assent.

"There's something else you'd like to tell me about, isn't there, Mary?"

"I... I had this dream, only it was more a memory..."

"Tell me about this dream, please."

You start describing the nightmare-memory to Mr. Oswald. You manage to get to the part where your Pa told you to not listen before you feel tears start to form and your body start to shake.

"It's alright, Mary. It's only a memory, it can't hurt you anymore. Continue when you feel you are able. Confronting these sorts of bad memories is part of the healing process."
A few minutes later, you swallow your tears and continue. You have to stop twice more; once when you get to Pa's head, and once when Farmer Jacob vanished, but eventually, you get all the way through. By the time you're done, Oswald has a strange look on his face.
"Mary, it sounds like you had what was called a repressed memory. You see, when we experience really bad things, and we don't know how to deal with them, our minds lock them away until we can. This can cause all sorts of problems, that can only be fixed by confronting those memories. You are a very brave girl for telling me about this. Now, can you remember what happened next?"

You shake your head violently. "No, no, I don't, I don't remember anything!"

"Are you sure, Mary?"

"I wanna talk about something else." Your voice feels really hoarse for some reason. And your arms itch real bad.

"Okay, Mary, calm down. What do you want to talk about?"

"Ever since I woke up today... I been feeling weird."

"'Weird' how?"

"Everything's just..." You shrug. "It's like I got a blanket between me and the world. Stuff doesn't taste good. Sun's not as bright. I just don't feel... really much'a anything. I'm allergic to burnin' sage, and I was staying with Moonbeam's folks: they do that sort of thing. Maybe it's that?"

Oswald's face takes on a worried cast. "Mary. I don't think it's your allergies. In fact... tell Orion I want to see him tomorrow at lunch. I think you should come see me after class. Is that okay with you?"

>Yes

>No

>I'd have to ask Uncle Terry

>Write-In

>>1546012
>Yes

>>1546012
>Yes

"Can I tell Uncle Terry I'll be a bit late?"

>>1546012
this >>1546031

>>1546031
>>1546035
"Yes. Can I tell Uncle Terry I'll be late?"

"I'll let him know, don't worry about that." Oswald glances up at the clock. "And now, I think you should get along to class."

You get up and leave for class, letting Orion know that Mr. Oswald wants to see him tomorrow (he gives you a blank look in response; he doesn't seem to look at you like he used to. You think he probably hates you now.)


At the last bell, you go back to Oswald's office. As you go in, you can see that some things have been moved around. Black curtains have been put on the windows to the outside, all of the pictures have been taken off of the walls, the desk is to one side, and a tape machine is on it. Oswald is seated in his chair, which he's moved next to the chaise-lounge. He looks up and smiles as you open the door.
"Welcome back, Mary. Please, close the door behind you." You see that he's fiddling with a small metal weight at the end of a chain.

>(close the door and sit down)

>What's that in your hand?

>Why've you moved all this stuff around?

>Write-In

>>1546232
>>What's that in your hand?

>>1546232
>What's that in your hand?

>>1546253
>>1546333
You point to the metal weight. "What's that in your hand?"

Oswald smiles. "It's a pendulum, Mary. I want to try something to help you. Do you know what hypnotherapy is?" You shake your head.
"Well, hypnotherapy is a way to treat mental problems that are caused by things you have been locked away in your mind. What's going to happen is that I'm going to hypnotize you, like a magician. And then, I'll ask you about those things you've forgotten, and you'll be able to tell me, okay? And afterwards, I think you'll be able to start feeling better."

>Okay.

>I don't wanna do this.

>How is this going to help me?

>Write-In

>>1546768
>How is this going to help me?

>>1546768
>How is this going to help me?

>>1546778
>>1546813
"How is this going to help me?"

"Well, Mary, I think that the reason you feel bad is because of the fact that you've remembered some of your memories, but not others. These gaps in your memory are making your emotions be out of balance, because you aren't the person you thought you were. If we can get the rest of your memories back, you'll be a whole person again, and this feeling should go away."

>Okay.

>I don't wanna do this.

>Write-In

>>1546851
>>I don't wanna do this.
"Can i have some time to think about it? Maybe ask my dad?"

>>1546867
This

>>1546851
>>>I don't wanna do this.
>"Can i have some time to think about it? Maybe ask my dad?"

>>1547057
>>1546867
Yes, this.

>>1546867
>>1547023
>>1547057
>>1547210
"Can I have some time to think about this? Maybe ask my dad?"

"Of course you can, Mary, but I really think that you should consider this treatment. Leaving these memories repressed will just make your current situation worse." Mr. Oswald gets up and opens the door. "Have a good day, Mary."

You head out of the office and towards the bus stop. You can see the rest of your group sitting on the bench. Rowan is showing Moonbeam some kind of drawing in her sketchbook with great enthusiasm, Alfie is busy double-checking his shoelaces and adjusting his eye-patch (there was an incident involving one of the juniors, a bad basketball pass, and a flying elbow into the benches during gym), and Orion is... sitting by himself, staring at his shoes. You can feel fear and sadness pulsing off of him in long, slow waves, drowning out the high-school's usual emotional timbre of low-level nervousness and hormones.

>Hey, Orion, I need to talk to you. Alone.

>Guys... what do you remember about the mall?

>(Wait quietly for the bus)

>Write-In

>>1547258
>Hey, Orion, I need to talk to you. Alone.

>>1547258
>Hey, Orion, I need to talk to you. Alone.

>>1547277
>>1547309
"Hey, Orion? I need to talk to you. Alone."

He looks up. "Okay."

The two of you walk over to a clump of bushes out of the way of people. Orion looks at you.

"What's happening? Are we still in danger?"


>No, we're fine. What's going on?

>We both know your photos didn't get messed up.

>You're scared and hurt. Wanna talk about it?

>I thought you wanted to find the supernatural.

>Write-In

>>1547427
>You're scared and hurt. Wanna talk about it?

>>1547497
As long as we don't phrase it that way, of course.

>>1547427
>You're scared and hurt. Wanna talk about it?

>>1547497
>>1547538
"Are you... okay, Orion?"

"I'm fine. God, why is everyone so worried about me?"

"Maybe because... you don't seem fine? I'm your friend-"

Orion suddenly snaps his neck up from his shoes and locks eyes with you. "Are you, Mary?"


>What did I do?

>I saved your life, Orion. Yours and Rowan's. I think I'm your friend.

>Yeah, obviously. Why are you so on edge?

>I knew it. You hate me now that you've seen what I am...

>Write-In

>>1547709
>Yeah, obviously. Why are you so on edge?

>>1547709
>I knew it. You hate me now that you've seen what I am...

>Yeah, obviously. Why are you so on edge?
"Is it because of...what I am?"

>>1547756
>>1547944
"Yeah, obviously. Why are you so on edge? Is it because of... what I am?"

Orion blinks. "What? No! Well, yes- no - kind of? I mean, you looked weird, but you saved my life, and Rowan's, too, but- it's just-"

Orion pauses and breathes for a few seconds. "I always thought the supernatural was real and stuff, but after the mall- and what you told me, about it being real dangerous- I thought... I thought it would be best if I just forget about all of that. I mean, I don't know what else to do with my life, this has been my dream for, well, forever, but... I don't want Rowan getting hurt." He scratches at his arm a bit. "I'm sorry for acting like you weren't my friend. It's just like I said, I'm worried and I don't know what to do."

>If it's really your dream, don't give up on it. I'll protect you. You've seen what I can do.

>I think you're doing the right thing. Why don't you just take up photography?

>I... really don't know what to tell you.

>Write-In

>>1547709
>Write-In

I want to be, if you'll let me

>What did I do?

>>1547973
>If it's really your dream, don't give up on it. I'll protect you. You've seen what I can do.
"And have more faith in yourself. You're a good guy."

>>1547973
>If it's really your dream, don't give up on it. I'll protect you. You've seen what I can do.

I just need you to be sure about what you're getting into, I got hurt, bad, and I can't protect you from everything out there. I'm not strong enough. But if you want to learn I'd like to learn with you

>>1547980
>>1547990
You gently take one of Orion's hands into your own. "If it's really your dream, don't give up on it. It's dangerous, and I can't keep you safe from everything... but I'll try. And you should have more faith in yourself. You're a good guy."

Orion's face turns crimson, and you can feel some sweat on his palm.

"Uh... um, thanks? So, uh... um... wouldn't it be good if we had, like, a thing? Like, another magic-oath thing? Like, that we'll work together, thick and thin, on this? Me helping you, you helping me? Oh, and so I can do the seeing-fairies-thing."

>(Formulate an Oath)

>I don't think that'd be a good idea.

>Write-In

>>1548101

we will do one, with the entire group

>>1548273
This

>>1548273

Not immediately, we should break it to everyone gently and take time with it but I think this should be our goal

>>1548273
>>1548502
>>1548570
"Listen... I'm going to take some time with it, tell everyone what I am, but then... then we'll do that. Together."

"Oh... oh, okay! So, does that mean I can tell Rowan about us, I mean you?"

>"Us?"

>Yeah, sure.

>No, not yet.

>I think you should come clean about everything tonight.

>Write-In

>>1549480
(Sorry about the late return: dinner meetup with friends).

>>1549480

>Yeah, sure.

>Write-In

But we should tell her together, there will be a lot of questions

>>1549712
this

>>1549712
>>1549776
"I think you should, but... we should tell her together. There's going to be a lot of questions."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. So... should we do it tonight, or-"

A scream drowns out the rest of Orion's sentence. It sounds like it came from the small wooded hill from behind the high school. It sounded panicked and injured.

>Run to investigate

>Take cover

>Get a teacher

>Write-In

>>1550362
>Run to investigate

>>1550362
>>Run to investigate

>>1550396
>>1550550
You bolt towards the hill at full tilt; Orion lopes after you, caught up in your wake. "Uh... Mary, are you sure we should be running towards a blood-curdling scream? I mean, that seems like a bad-"
You ignore him, and keep running. The stretch of trees is small- more of a copse than a true woods- so it isn't long before you find the body.

She's a year or two older than you: her body had just started to develop a womanly figure. She's a negro, with skin the color of rich, old hardwood knots, but you can't tell much else. Having a wet, red crater where your head should be does that to you. You feel needles running up and down your skin, and your stomach turns over. Roll Resolve + Composure -1 (2 dice)

Rolled 4, 6 = 10 (2d10)

>>1550702

Rolled 2, 4 = 6 (2d10)

>>1550702

Ah fuck, what the hell did we just stumble upon

Rolled 7, 7 = 14 (2d10)

>>1550702

>>1551620

Dammit, we aren't doing well with this, which I can't really blame her for

Rolled 1, 9 = 10 (2d10)

>>1550702
Oh shit

>>1550819
>>1551396
>>1551620
Bile forces itself out of your stomach through your lips and nostrils: your senses are immediately flooded with its sickly-sweet odor and its burning caress on the inside of your throat. You fall to your hands and knees, you're so weak and shaking and when you close your eyes, you can see Pa's head in front of the mirror and you want to shower all over and you won't let him die again, not again.
(Mary's Fault has changed from "Shy" to "Damaged")

Behind you, you hear Orion catch up.

"What's goin-"

His voice catches as he sees the body.

"Oh God, oh God oh God oh God this isn't happening..."

>(Kind) Try to pull yourself together and comfort him.

>Try to pull yourself together and get an adult.

>(Damaged) Scream incoherently and charge off into the woods after HIM.

>Write-In

>>1552507
>(Kind) Try to pull yourself together and comfort him.
Come on, Mary. You're strong. You can do this

>>1552507
>(Kind) Try to pull yourself together and comfort him.

>>1552524
>>1552536
Roll Resolve + Composure -2 (1 dice).

>>1552634
Can we spend will power?

>>1552667
You can always spend Willpower, anon.

Rolled 9, 1, 4, 5 = 19 (4d10)

>>1552634

Rolled 3, 6, 9, 5 = 23 (4d10)

>>1552634

>>1552824
Ignore, I forgot I already rolled

>>1552705
You bite down on your lip hard enough to draw blood, and the shaking stops. You go over to Orion and touch him lightly on the shoulder. "It's okay, Orion."

"She's DEAD. That isn't 'okay'."

"There wasn't anything we coulda done..."

>We need to find out who did this.

>We need to get an adult.

>We should get out of here.

>Write-In

>>1552960
>We should get out of here
>We need to get an adult.

>>1552960
>We need to get an adult

>>1552960
>We need to get an adult.

>>1553395
>>1553402
>>1553619
"We need to go find an adult. Now."

Orion nods, his face and knuckles bloodless.

Ten minutes later, you're sitting in the teacher's lounge with Orion and Rowan, looking at three cop cars outside. Rowan has Orion in a bear hug, her muscles practically straining with the force of the squeeze. Orion's face is buried into her shoulder, eyes bloodshot, face hang-dog.

The lounge door swings open, and two officers step into the room. One of them's a somber-faced, gangly white fellow, while the other is a HUGE black guy. The black fellow steps forward and bends his knees to get down to your eye level.

"Hey, kids. My name's Officer Terrance Jones. Now, I know you're really upset, but I need to ask you a few quest/ions, and afterwards; how would you like a ride back home?"

It's Uncle Terry. It doesn't look like him; the guy's big, but not as big as Uncle Terry, and he doesn't have hair everywhere (obviously), but it's his voice. Less harsh and whiskey-textured, more like a teacher, but still.


>Uncle Terry?!?

>Are you gonna find who done it?

>I can get home fine by myself.

>Write-In

>>1553866
>Are you gonna find who done it?

>>1553866
>Are you gonna find who done it?

>>1553875
>>1554940
"Are you gonna get the guy who done this?"

"Well, I hope so, but I'll need your help. Now, please, can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, I was talking to Orion and then we heard a scream, and I ran to see what it was, and then we found her."

"And it was just you two? No one else around?"

"Dunno, we kind of went back real quick when we found her."

Terrance sighs. "Well, I can't say I blame you for that. Kids your age... you shouldn't be seeing something like that. Is there anything else you remember that could help? Suspicious adults hanging around the school, anything like that?"

You shake your head. Terrance turns to his white co-worker.

"You get all that down, Fred? Good. Listen, we've got Forensics on the hill right now, so I want you to try and get some more statements; ask the faculty if they've seen anything, maybe try and get a look at the phone records, all that good stuff. I'll take these kids back home: after all this garbage, they need their folks."

"Fred" stiffens his back unnaturally straight and rips off a military salute. "Yes, sir!" he says, his voice dripping with spiteful sarcasm. He stalks away, glaring over his shoulder every few steps. Terrance just shakes his head and mutters to himself: "I swear, no helping some people."
He gets up from his crouch. "Listen, the bus's gonna be running late due to all this nastiness, and I'd like to let your folks know what went down, so how about you three get in my cruiser and I take you home?"

>I'll be fine, thanks.

>Okay, you should know where it is.

>(Remain silent and go along)

>Write-In

>>1555626
>(Remain silent and go along)

>>1555626
>I'll be fine, thanks.
Would it be reasonable for marry to suspect that he's a fetch?

>>1555803
Mary's occasionally overheard Uncle Terry talking to Dad about "the other guy" who lives where he used to. She also knows about fetches in the general sense of "they're these puppet things that the Gentry will occasionally use to hide the fact that you vanished."

>>1555626
>I'll be fine, thanks.

She's at least got to know something is up and to talk about it with them before just being brought home

>>1555803
>>1556093
"I'll be fine."

Terrance's brow furrows. "Well, if you're sure, girl..."

Rowan and Orion get up from their chair and start heading towards the door with the uncannily-familiar officer. As they go through the door, Terrance pauses at the frame and turns around for a second, a confused expression on his face. "Pardon me, little miss, but: have I seen you somewhere before? Like, in a commercial or something?"

You shake your head sharply. Terrance's expression of confusion deepens. "You sure? I could have sworn..." He pinches his pudgy nose with two sausage-like fingers. "Guess I just need to get more sleep. You take care, and if you remember anything else, anything at all, call 911 and leave a message for badge 089." You nod, barely soaking in what he's saying. You feel empty and shocked, and all you want to do is go home.


Uncle Terry isn't home when you open the door. The house is mostly clean and dark, like it usually is.


>(Study) Try and do your homework for tomorrow.

>Just go to sleep

>Spend some time in the Hollow relaxing.

>Write-In

>>1556431
>Spend some time in the Hollow relaxing.

>>1556431
>Spend some time in the Hollow relaxing.

A little relaxation is called for after this and since the incident happened at the school I am reasonably sure that the teachers will know what happened to us the day before and might be lenient on the homework

>>1556529
>>1556958
You head down into the basement and slip through the crack in the wall into the Hollow. From there, you engage in your favorite activity when you feel bad or exhausted: lying face-down in the cool dirt under the small house and pretending you're dead.

Maybe an hour later, you wake up to movement in the house above you. You hear someone set something on the ground and settle into a chair. In the distance, you swear you can hear... a car driving off?

"...Christ, what've I gotten myself into?"

That's Dad. You pull yourself out from under the house and walk through the front door.

Dad looks beat up and burned out, but he still smiles at you when you catch his eye.

"Hey, Mary! What's happening?"

>Run into his arms.

>Someone got killed at school.

>Do you know where Uncle Terry is?

>Write-In

>>1557393
>Run into his arms.
>Someone got killed at school. After the hug

>>1557393
>Run into his arms.
>Someone got killed at school.
>Do you know where Uncle Terry is?

>>1557393
>>Run into his arms.
>>Someone got killed at school.
>>Do you know where Uncle Terry is?

>>1557770
>>1557876
These

>>1557770
>>1557876
>>1558386
You run at Dad and throw your arms around him tight, trembling with the pent-up pain and fear of the day. He puts one hand gently against your back and strokes your hair with the other.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. What happened?"

"Someone got killed at school."

Dad suddenly pushes you away slightly and looks you in the eyes. "Mary, this is very important. How did they die?"

You swallow. "They, they didn't have a h-head..."

Dad's face softens again. "Oh... oh God, Mary, I'm so sorry..."

"...Do you know where Uncle Terry is?"

"...He isn't back now? I thought he was just working until Sunday night."

You shake your head. "No."

Dad's face becomes even more worried. "Listen, stay here and sleep in the Hollow if Uncle Terry isn't back by now. I'm going to check something out."

Dad gets up and heads towards the bridge...

The story continues... >>1560484