[. . . july showers bring august ghosts]

[sevenhorrorsmods]

Who: EVERYONE
When: August 3, wobbly hands
Where: Around the school!
What: some things happened. the school is suddenly a lot more crowded
Warnings: references to blood and bite injuries, but otherwise, non! unless you bring something to the party yourself

[August 3 stars off. . . weird.]

[The morning bell chimes at 6 a.m., as it usually does! But there appears to be a very thin layer of fog settled against the ground outside. Some of it seeps into the school's hallways, before dissipating in a few wisps of haze. Weird??]

[As the day goes on, you feel like you can hear strange whispers echoing in the air-- a voice, hissing the word miiiiiiiine over and over again. Also weird!]

[And by the time the afternoon hits, you may find yourself running into some very unwanted guests. You've been here two weeks, and this is the first time you're seeing these guys?? Where have they been??]

[By the way, the nurse's office is unlocked!]

Comments

[darkholder]

[taking them carefully! as she does:]

You've had poor experiences?

[velluminous]

She [ taking an assumption, here ] flung Mister Schwarzer into wall when he took book without check-out.

[darkholder]

[dryly]

I'm getting the impression they don't like us very much. Is he alright?

[velluminous]

No permanent damage.

[ now, let's walk! towards the living quarters, because she would like to test a theory.

rubbing her arm through her sleeve as they go... ]

[darkholder]

Good to know.

[following along with her! she notices the motion, but doesn't comment on it just yet.]

[velluminous]

It strikes me I am not having your name. What to call you, my meaning.

[darkholder]

Ah - of course. You can call me Star. And yourself?

[velluminous]

Ms Star. [ acknowledging—though she has to think, did no one else really choose a surname for themselves? ] Here, I will be—

[ she comes up in a full stop for a moment, a glimpse of something in the corner of her vision, but after a beat of stillness, nothing emerges. ]

...be Ms Severine Fairplay.

[darkholder]

Severine... That's a pretty name. I'll make sure to remember it.

[pausing in step when she sees her pause.]

Is something amiss?

[velluminous]

[ so many things! she does not even preen at the compliment, which is very unlike her. ]

Do you hear it?

[darkholder]

[after a measured moment:]

Hear what, precisely...?

[velluminous]

[ the sound of her losing her marbles.

but—no. here it comes! the sound of a hissed, unearthly: miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. again, and again, each more hair-raising than the last. ]

[darkholder]

[for whatever reason, it takes her a few seconds longer than it should to register that voice, but as soon as she does she's starting to quickly move in the opposite direction from where it's sounding. urgent, but not frightened:]

Come!

[velluminous]

[ no running in the halls!!!

whichever gait Miss Star adopts, so does she. by instinct, she wants to sprint again—get where she's going, and quickly, but for the sake of appearances... we're speed-walking.

the cry repeats. Severine stumbles forward and grasps onto Star's arm, jostling gently. somehow it feels safer for there to be touch. ]

[darkholder]

[it doesn't seem like she fully registers the cry this time, either, but she starts for a fraction of a second at the grip to her arm. quietly, as they keep hurrying along:]

We'll be fine.

[maybe!]

[velluminous]

I know.

[ a harried and hushed reply of her own. this woman's response is so... unusual, in its way, that she's quite forgotten the depth of her own discomfort. her own fear. still there, but muted somewhat by the heat of curiosity, of not knowing, and of wanting to find out. ]

We protect each other, hm?

[darkholder]

...Yes.

[hurrying on until they reach either of their dorms.]

[velluminous]

[ what was that pause
WHAT WAS THAT PAUSE ]

Quickly. Into Kin'un, there.

[darkholder]

[who's to say!!

but she ducks in as sprezzatura opens the door, putting the stack of books on the nearest surface.]

[velluminous]

[ and immediately they are wrapped in the sense of safety of the dorm. she leans back against the door, once closed. ]

Mammon! I hate it here!

[darkholder]

It's fairly unpleasant.

[said evenly, again.]

[velluminous]

[ one of us is in control of our emotions. ]

Damn, damn, double damn!

[ starts yanking her sleeve up. there it is: the handprint. ]

[darkholder]

[assuming it looks like an ice burn, she gives a little frown as she looks it over.]

It should be held under warm water for a while, first.

[velluminous]

[ this is going to hurt so badly and she doesn't even realize it yet ]

Da, warm water.

[ she moves dazedly around their meagre common area setting, towards the shared bathroom. better they can keep other prying eyes away. ]

[darkholder]

[following her in, carefully shutting the door behind them once they're in.]

Is that the only place it touched you?