logsinthenight | EVENT LOG: GRAVES

EVENT LOG: GRAVES

EVENT LOG:
GRAVES

characters: everyone.
location: Bonfire Square.
date/time: July 12-19.
content: mysterious shrines appear and bring visions of death.
warnings: likely violence and potentially gore.

time to pay your respects.

It happens when no one is looking, when most of the town is asleep and the rest are inside. A makeshift cemetery has come to Beacon, taking up residence in the middle of Bonfire Square. Each monument, shrine, and altar is dedicated to someone who now resides here, a memorial of their previous life.

Some may be drawn by curiosity, others by fear, and some may simply have to pass through this strange graveyard to get to the Bonfire itself. Whenever a person gets near, the altars beckon with a mysterious urge— an urge to approach, and an urge to leave something behind. They will feel compelled to make offerings at the various shrines, but doing so has a curious effect; it causes one to experience the death of the person whose grave they've honored.

Whether you resist the compulsion or give in willingly (or something in between), you'll also have to wrestle with the fact that a grave exists for you. Will you let your death be known, or try your best to keep it secret? Destroying it sure won't work, as it will return— with a duplicate somewhere else in town.

However you choose to deal with this, one thing is hard to ignore— this a tangible reminder of your death, and the fact that it's probably permanent.

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And If there's one thing I don't believe in, it's you...

[ While others are perhaps, understandably distressed about the current state of events. There is at least one who seems to be acting like it's business as usual in Beacon. Scarlett is rarely if ever seen anywhere near the tombstone bearing the Van Helsing name. In fact, for as long as its around, she can usually be found hacking away at the brush with a small handaxe until the beginnings of what looks like a path that cuts through the trees, away from the bonfire starts to form. It's a tedious job and slow going with crappy tools to work with but she finds herself only too grateful for something to occupy her time while others are dealing with the deaths they're probably not ready to have shared with everyone here.

As for Scarlett? If she's bothered by what's going on, it doesn't show. In fact, if you didn't know she had one out there, you'd be forgiven for thinking she must have been one of the only ones to have come out of this unscathed. She's still about as friendly as she ever is, not going out of her way to make nice but when she's not working on Mary's 'pathway of stars' ~~shut up~~, she can generally be found walking the treeline, looking for any sign of movement beyond the perimeter of the township, or even taking a drink at the Invincible.

That's not to say she hasn't gone to see the graves for herself but as to whether she'll let on if she's seen yours or not? Sometimes Scarlett can be blunt and nosy to the point of painful and other times? She likes to keep what she knows to herself. You never know when that stuff might come in handy. ]

Doing some gardening?

( ambrose is trying not to think about his tombstone, the words, the dates and what it means. he's trying to be very out of sight, out of mind about things because if he forgets that his grave is there, everything will be much easier.

so, he keeps his distance and finds other things to occupy his mind. like wondering just what in the world this woman is doing with that very sharp weapon. )

Edited 2019-07-13 19:32 (UTC)

Getting suckered - [ Pausing to hack at the roots of another shrub in order to loosen the soil around it. ] By a half-pint.

[ With a yank at the base of the plant, Scarlett pulls it free from the earth, sending a spray of dirt over her clothes as she tosses it aside. ]

Kid. Yay high? [ Motioning with her hand. ] Scared of fire. [ The fact that it keeps her busy while there's a grave bearing her name around? Coincidental bonus, clearly... ]

There's a kid around here?

( he'd missed that one but he also hadn't gotten himself out there to meet everyone. an oversight on his part. )

You make it a habit to be suckered by children?

Yeah. [ The dryness of her tone suggesting she thinks it's as shitty as it sounds. ]

I don't make a habit of being around children, period. [ She pauses what she's doing to look up from what she's doing. ] Weirdly unavoidable here.

[ Granted, Mary is younger than everyone else but between Hope and Sora and all his friends? They seem to be lacking a 'you must be this big to get on this ride' sign. ]

Kind of...uncomfortable that kids are here. Not because they're kids but the thought of them dying is -

( he doesn't like it. he doesn't like it at all. he was old. he'd had a long life so dying, while unfortunate, wasn't too terrible. but he doesn't want to think of lives taken so prematurely. )

I don't really like being around kids either. Not much of a babysitter. I'd just let them be naked and run wild.

Fucked up? [ Call a spade a spade.

She isn't exactly happy about her own death but it was long overdue. Hard to see a kid in a place like this and not be disturbed by it.]

They're very... [ Her nose wrinkles as she tries to summon the right word, glancing at Ambrose as it hits her. ] Enthusiastic.

[ Though granted, useful, at least when it comes to giving her whatever information they'd gathered but she was starting to feel like she had a pintsize entourage. ]

They won't be kids long at least. Not around here. [ Those words delivered far too casually for the darkness of their meaning. ]

That's...appropriately macabre. Not untrue but still not very fun to think about.

( his own childhood hadn't been much but he'd at least been alive. he'd had people who cared, actual family. these kids had people they didn't know who had their own problems. )

I suppose there's not much that can be done about it now since what's done is done. But, I do not envy some of these younger people having to try and find family with the likes of...me.

( it's not a serious statement. it's more an attempt at levity and lightness in an otherwise dour situation. )

( folks the whole town over are lookin' for some manner of distraction. he's seen folks lose themselves to drink an' sorrow. he's on edge himself, grown restless and weary on account'a the lack of nicotine circulatin' in his bloodstream, an' the goings-ons surrounding the graves ain't helped matters much.

so when he finds her doin' some manner of menial labor, it's a natural thing for him to offer — )

Ma'am. ( a greeting, it accompanies a mild nod. ) Mind some help?

( idle hands, an' all. he'd rather put his hands to work for ease of the mind. )

[ It's a greeting so surprising to Scarlett's ears that she actually stops in the middle of what she's doing; Her hands deep in the earth as she loosens the soil around some deep roots. Dirt embedding itself in the beds of her nails as she crouches down on the ground. Her back straightens, head turning slowly to stare openly at Eugene. The brunette's face cast in shadows with a look of bewilderment etched across it.

Her instinctive reaction would have been to say 'yes', she did mind, but his greeting throws her so off balance that something quite different spills past her lips. ]

Scarlett. [ The name alone conjures up images of women that look absolutely nothing like the one before him. Her eyes narrowing infinitesimally before she can compose herself with an attempt at an indifferent shrug. ] Have at it.

( it ain't but a lukewarm manner of invitation, but it's enough that he rolls his sleeves up to his elbow an' stoops to help her. )

Eugene. S'a pleasure, Scarlett.

( it's only polite, since she offered hers. he gives her a nod rather than a handshake, given the task. ain't on account'a the dirt, just the fact that she's busy an' he's makin' himself so right quick, helpin' to work a stone free of the earth. )

What're we makin'?

[ As far as offers go? That's downright hospitable for Scarlett.

With a yank, she tugs the plant free, tossing it aside and turning her attention back to Eugene, looking him over properly now seeing as he's going to be joining her. ]

Sure. Same. [ Her manners stilted as she manages to smear dirt across her forehead when she wipes sweat from her brow. ]

A pathway. [ Huffing as she looks at the progress she's made so far, Scarlett reluctant to spill the rest but knowing she'll inevitably have to. ] There's a kid here. Doesn't like fire so, ya know... a path. Away from the fire.

[ That explanation sounding like she's pulling her own teeth to spit it out. God forbid she admit she's doing something just to be nice. ]

( she doesn't have to tell him an' he'd have worked just the same besides. but she does, an' it says plenty about her character in the doin'. both her reluctance an' the goal of her self-set task. he's met more than one person, fella or dame alike, who's a soft touch beneath a hard exterior. gene's mouth curves up in a smile, an' he ducks his head in an easy nod. )

Thoughtful of you. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

( he gestures with a jerk of his chin. )

How long're you figuring?

[ The average person isn't dismissive of an observation of kindness but Scarlett seems to stiffen at those words. Her features darkening as she clears her throat. ]

Gives me something to do.

[ Where she came from? Kindness was a weakness that painted a target on your back and while it was one thing for her to do a nice thing, it was another entirely for people to see that.

Scarlett rocks back from her knees onto the balls of her feet, trying to see what once would have been easy for her, but since coming here? Was little more than inky nothingness. ]

I figure... cut behind the Post Office? A bit out of the way but - [ It's the surest way to steer clear of the bonfire. ] I'll see how I feel once I get closer.

( an' he sees it plain. kindness is anathema to those from worlds bereft of it, an' the tension to her shoulders an' the way her expression shifts says plenty. he'll be more careful, is all. )

Sounds reasonable to me.

( he's content then for a time to just toil in the near-darkness. he ain't a man what affects conversation for its own sake, an' he gets the sense that she ain't much for small-talk neither. it ain't until they've cleared a sizable chunk of the area she'd indicated that he stops, uncaps his canteen an' takes a healthy swallow before wiping the mouth of it with his sleeve an' holding it out to her to share. )

[Drinks seemed the better way to sort through all of this. The strange graves, the different deaths he experienced, they shouldn't be suffered without something to help dull the emotions and pain. And more than anything, he didn't want to think about his own and what others might have made of it.

He recognizes Scarlett, having seen her grave earlier in the day and made offerings. He slid a fresh drink towards her before filling a glass for himself.]

How are you managing?

[ Scarlett watches the glass slide in front of her, an eyebrow slowly rising even before she turns her head to regard the person who put it there. Recognition flashes in her eyes, enough to suggest he might not have been the only one to have made an offering at a grave recently, especially seeing as they'd technically never met before. ]

I'm managing. [ Her tone indifferent as she raises her glass, tilting it towards him by way of thanks. ] If this is the worst they've got I can't say I'm too worried.

Do you think this is some sort of test or game?

[It's not as though they could confront the person behind it. They apparently had the power to remove this world entirely, keeping them under their thumb. Was this even their doing or some sort of power in this world? They were dead and these were the ghosts of their lives.

He downed his drink quickly, pouring another for himself.]

It's been affecting others. You've come to terms with your death?

Test? Nah. [ Though perhaps that answer is more because she doesn't like the idea that it could be. ]

A game? [ She nods slowly, easier able to accept that scenario. ] Sport. Hell. Take your pick at this point.

[ Scarlett wasn't even entirely convinced they were dead, not with what she'd seen these past few months. ]

More or less. [ Far too casual about it, given the subject matter.

She glances at Jon, studying him quietly then lifts her shoulder in a shrug as her glass sits poised at her lips. ] I'm more surprised it took as long as it did to happen.

[She wasn't alone in that. He knew death and this wasn't what he had seen before. The rules were different and it seemed that death was just another layer of life. They could be killed, they still ate and drank. It was a strange state.

It was sport though, it wasn't hard to see that. Maybe this should have been what greeted them first, that it took so long was odd, but maybe the full impact wouldn't have been achieved if they saw it first.]

I saw yours.

[ he left a bird at her grave. a small one. fit in the palm or inside a pocket. it's been hard to grieve when all of them have this trauma that's followed them into beacon. maybe that's what this is for. to suck this all up.

nathan had warned him.

he finds her walking the treeline, when he'd been restlessly wandering around. day had promised to guard the grave. and dick trusts him. ]

So, on patrol? [ you can say hi, dick. ]

[ Scarlett sends a cursory glance in his direction before going back to watching the trees, letting the silence hang before she answers just shy of it sounding like she's going to ignore him completely. ]

Something like that. [ Greetings are overrated, clearly. ] Animals. Looking for signs of them showing up again.

[ that makes it feel easier. business as usual.

dick tucks his hands into his pockets. tries to look casual. ]

Any luck?

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EVENT LOG: GRAVES

Scarlett | OTA

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