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 Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:57 pm
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The library had always been a safe place for Kaleb. In amongst the silence and the books, he could immerse himself in whatever topic had been on his mind without the outside distractions of the city, hide himself away from the noise and the fuss and the expectations. He had found similar refuge at the college library, it held the same hushed reverence for the literature it contained as any library. Being affiliated with the college gave Kaleb access to all sorts of undergraduate and post-graduate resources he had never encountered back in the city, and it meant he put in long hours out of choice rather than necessity.
However, this was the first time he had been downright afraid to leave it.
Kaleb hovered nervously at the front doors, a bag with a couple textbooks in it clutched tight to his chest. Outside the weather was grey and rainy, caught in that half-lit evening stage between afternoon and night. The light at the library entrance had been flickering all week, now it was ominously dark. There was not a soul to be seen outside, and the front desk was surprisingly still this time of day. Kaleb could not bring himself to step outside in the rain when it was this gloomy and quiet. Not when he was so strongly reminded of that other place, the one he knew now wasn't just dreams, but could take over his waking world as well.
Were there shadows and spooks outside the library right this moment, just waiting for him to step out into the darkness? He paced back and forth, one or two steps at a time, unable to make any progress.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:44 pm
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Even despite taking off a semester, Chris was still around the college campus and in the library. Poe was giving him odd jobs to do occasionally, knowing if he was idle for too long he'd get up to something, and one of the odd jobs had been being a TA for a history class for freshmen that was bereft of one. The old grad student had apparently dropped out or something - Chris didn't really remember and the time and didn't enjoy thinking about it. All that he needed to know was he was just filling the spot until a new grad student was found to fill the position. Chris had just been chosen due to his previous job teaching and the knowledge that Poe had an unnerving ability to track him down in case he went awol.
Chris didn't know if it was out of love or Poe's fear that Chris would die from the overwork. He almost felt bad but Poe's misery was kind of funny
Regardless, it was because of his newfound position that Chris was spending time in the library, making copies of a handout for the Professor. It really should have gone to the department office and the poor work studies who manned the desk, but they had been slammed by a large post job by a recruitment person and the professor had felt bad that he had asked Chris to do it. It was a quick enough job and Chris was out quickly, tugging his beanie over his head to hide his flower crown and moving to the doors.
There was someone at the door surprisingly, pacing around. If Chris didn't know better and where he came from just then he would have thought it to be Other Ashdown with the level of creepy going on. But no, it was just normal Ashdown, and a surprising coincidence of scenery lining up. Which meant that the person pacing the door either didn't have an umbrella or they had interacted with OAD recently and were worried.
"Hey," Chris called out, trying to sound upbeat. "You okay there? It's just Ashdown, you know."
He hoped that would sound normal enough if it wasn't someone who hadn't interacted with Other Ashdown yet. It was hard to tell, at times.
[wc: 379]
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 3:55 pm
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Kaleb jumped, and then tried to compose himself before turning around towards the source of the voice. The timidly apologetic smile he put on still looked forced. It was definitely a relief to see someone when most of his ventures into that scary, grey world had been alone, but the nerves took a little longer than a glance to settle themselves.
"Yes, I... I'm okay," he replied, picking up on the possible hidden meaning. Maybe the stranger knew exactly what he was afraid of, and just had more practice tactfully speaking of it. There was the sound of a faint conversation, and then behind them the front desk attendant returned with a folder of paperwork. Of course. Kaleb felt a bit silly, and glanced down at the floor self-consciously. His fingers clenched around the bag in his arms, and he willed them to relax.
"It's really hard to tell sometimes, when the weather will change," he said by way of explanation, also circling around the topic in a way that only alluded to the appearance of Old Ashdown. If he had been mistaken, he would just be a weirdo all freaked out by the rain and dark, not some crazy person who thought they might end up in another dimension or something if they left the library.
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:45 pm
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Chris only took the reaction with a gentle smile, making sure to not stand too close. He didn't think he'd get punched or anything, but better safe than sorry. He also didn't want to freak the kid out, although it seemed like the weather had already done that long before Chris could even possibly think of the idea.
"That's good," Chris said idly, wondering if he knew what he was talking about or if he was about to out himself as a fool. He watched him carefully though, wondering how else he could help. How he could tell him that it'd be okay, even if it wasn't Other Ashdown related. Chris wanted to help in any way he could, especially for those younger than him.
"It is," Chris replied, knowing immediately he knew about Other Ashdown. That Chris could speak freely without sounding crazy. "It tends to change when you're exiting though and not before, not while you're in the building. Especially since the buildings in Other Ashdown are all.. well. Not all of them are abandoned, but most are, so it tends to happen when you walk around corners, or through doors." He paused for a moment, gave him a curious look.
"I'm Chris Watts, I guess you're new to the craziness that is the magic that is in this town?"
[wc: 221]
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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2016 4:51 pm
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"Or that too," Chris said idly, thinking of the few accounts he had heard of the city shifting when just walking. Not a common thing that happened, but still one all the same. "If it makes you feel better, it's not something that will happen too often and usually you can get out Other Ashdown pretty fast. I've never been trapped and I've never heard of anyone else who's been trapped from an accidental walk in," He said, very carefully wording everything so that it wouldn't freak him out more. He knew that Zac had been trapped for a period of time at one point, and someone else, so it was possible but it seemed like that was just Other Ashdown doing it's thing again. Like randomly dragging Chris in and all that. An annoying thing that was possible, but thankfully uncommon.
"Pleasure to meet you," Chris said back, stepping closer with a smile. "You're fine, I'm glad I can actually help you. I was kinda on my own for some of this and it was a weird learning curve for sure. That's really fast though, must be one hell of a surprise to move here and then suddenly find the town has a.. weird rainy dark magical side to it. I know most of us lived here awhile before it happened."
[wc: 222]
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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 4:27 pm
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"I couldn't find my way out on my own last time," Kaleb admitted, his voice dropping to a more hushed tone, and he glanced nervously left and right. Nobody was within earshot of their conversation though, even before he quieted down further. "I had a bit of help... But it was still really scary at first, I could barely think straight."
The freckled kid nodded, only glancing up for short moments before returning his gaze to the floor, the rainy outdoors, the quiet library around them, anything that distracted him from the frightening activity of actually talking to a new person. Combined with his small and scrawny stature, it leant him a particularly vulnerable appearance he would not have been pleased to be informed of.
"I thought things would be calmer here," Kaleb started, and then quickly back-pedalled when he realized the comment could have been taken as a complaint. "Not that it's not quiet or anything, it has a lot of really nice places to read, and it's much more peaceful than the city!" He blurted out quickly, his cheeks flushing slightly. What he wouldn't give for even an ounce of social ability...
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