{M} Awking the Nightmare IC

[Eccawen]

Hawthorne Heights’s December played over her stereo; she didn’t know why the shuffle factor in the ipod decided to play this song. Closing her dark brown eyes; she was young and naïve as many of the co anchors would say. Ally was hired on her appearance and her proper way of taking. Though the station was growing tired of her sudden headaches that caused her to leave the show once it started. I have to pull myself together… She thought to herself; the soft music finally switched to something more up beat as Angels and Airwave’s The War played. Closing her brownish orbs once more she sighed softly; once the orbs opened she paced towards her closet and selected her adorable mauve business suit.

She was dressed in fifteen minuets. Allyson tried to forget her past writing it off as a bad nightmare that she lived with everyday. She knew that three others shared this experience and she hadn’t seen them in well over ten years. Walking out of the bedroom she put her black pumps on making her height about 5’9”. She poured herself a cup of coffee and checked her watch. Only 9 am…I still have so much time. Sighing softly the woman ran a hand through her short hair. She remembered her longer hair when she was in the boarding school; a definite change was needed after that and she welcomed the short hair with affection.

The phone rang and this caused Allyson to focus on something other than her thoughts. She cleared her throat and walked to the cordless base and lifted the receiver.

“Ally where are you gorgeous you are going to be late!”

A smile crossed her lips as she shook her head. “Just because you want to see me Ralph doesn’t mean I am late. But I’ll be there in a few moments; I’m just finishing up my coffee and will be driving there.”

“I miss you baby, be safe alright? I love you.”

“Always am. See you soon.”

She could tell he was worried. Ralph murmured the words he loved her but she just smiled and replied with see you soon. It was like she didn’t want the commitment. Allyson Clark sighed once more and shook her head. “Ralph is a good guy but…” She didn’t let herself finish that sentence. It was rare when she thought about Alexei, and once more like normal she would shove that feeling so far out of her mind.

Finishing the cup of coffee she washed it and exited to her car. The Jetta was really affordable since it was paid off in full; she still wasn’t the best with manual transmissions but she was good enough to drive about 10 miles to her work. The car always stalled when she went into reverse; soon she was on her way to the station.

She parked in the lead anchor’s space and walked into the building; News 6 was big in her small town. She really didn’t care to make it big; but it was nice that she could fake a smile and mingle with these ‘normal’ people. None of them would of guessed what she had been through, and survived. A tall man standing about 6’2” walked towards her his black hair starting to gray evenly, his blue eyes seemed to hold love and adoration as he embraced Allyson.

“I see you made it in one piece.”

He was joking with her like normal she forced a wider smile as her arms draped about his neck and she pressed a kiss against his lips. Did she even love this guy, or was it a short term thing? She couldn’t even answer that as her make up artist smiled and shooed Ralph away; she felt at ease slightly being away from the over affectionate partner she had.

“15 minuets till show time, Are you ready Miss Clark?”

[V]

A quiet jingle marked the entrance of another late night shopper; their footsteps disrupted the gentle music coming from the radio on the counter. Lights from outside sent shadows inward to the convenience store. Inside the few people wandered about, some urgent and some calm, collecting things from shelves to put in their baskets. Outside another car rolled in, its owner began filling up with fuel.

"Leanne, I'm going to help them fuel up," said the other attendant, "take care of the counter." Her response was a simple nod and Jared walked around the counter and out the greet the patron by the petrol pump and instantly struck up a conversation.

Inside Leanne waited bobbing from side to side, impatient to finish work for the evening. Not that it would come for a few hours. A couple approached and she smiled hearing snippets of their chatter. Leanne handed them their change and a cheerful, "have a nice evening." Working alongside Jared with the evening shift was her least favourite aspect of the job; Jared wasn't a problem. She even liked the night.

It was the drive home Leanne dreaded. Her route passed directly by the cemetery unfortunately. Which brought back memories each and every time from Rosewood. Not to mention the dead...

"How is it going?"

Leanne rolled her eyes and gave her co-worker half a smile, "Jared it's the same every weekend, same people buying similar things."

"I'll take that as a 'fine'." He smiled and put cash into the register from his journeys outside.

"Yes, yes, fine," she said distracted halfway through serving another customer. Jared was also attending a person. Afterward when only a several people lurked about the far end of the store, did Leanne feel a small tap on her shoulder.

"Your nervous about something, I only notice it when we are partnered on these late ships -"

"It's nothing," she interrupted distressed.

[Danijel]

"I don't care if its a roleplaying game or not, I am reponsible for creating a unique battle system in it.", says Alexei to one of his co-workers. Alexei worked for a video game company, he is one of the programmers in the company. And at the moment he was arguing with his co-worker about the battle system that he should incoprorate in work in progress video game. "I know roleplaying games are mostly about stories, but I am not the story writer here!", says Alexei.

"You know the kids these days, everything must have a story.", says Alexei's co-worker.

"Yeah I know, they totally ruined the meaning 'playing video games'.", Alexei replies while stroking his chin and thinking what else to say.

"So are you sure you want to create a delicate battle system for this new game?", co-worker asks.

"Ofcourse! I don't want only story-players to buy and play this game, I want also for game-players to enjoy this game. I am telling you the gameplay for this will be so fun and complicated that the story-players will need to shake their lazy heads and try hardat the gameplay if they want to continue the story.", Alexei answers.

[ILYTH]

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Gio snapped awake from his desk, his eyes darted from left to right checking his surrounds in an intense panic. The young journalist calmed as he assured himself that he was in his own new york apartment and not the horror he had believed himself to have waken into. Gio laughed off his panic as he rose from his desk, he had fallen asleep while writing a story.

Gio shuffled over the fridge, his bare feet squeaking on his wooden floor as he dragged them towards his small kitchen area. Gio yawned as he pulled out some milk and poured it out into a glass he hastily took down from kitchen cabinet, the clatter it made on the counter almost made Gio jump.

After throwing on a few clothes, a scruffy looking blue polo shirt and some dark jeans Gio stepped outside of his house into the cold morning. Fog hung heavily around the town and Gio was dragged back to the day long since gone that saw him dragged to that awful place. Gio stood silent on his doorstep as he attempted to compose himself and reassure the child in him that he was gone from the school and that he would never return there.

Gio reached into his pocket as his phone rang, Beethoven’s fifth, an unusual choice when all his friends seemed to have the latest pop tunes blaring out of their phones. Gio despaired at the lack of culture in modern society.

Gio’s voice cracked a little as he introduced himself over the line “Gary Sylvestre speaking.”
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[Eccawen]

Was she really ready? Smiling she stood and nodded; unfaltering confidence was a curse to her. She took a few steps feeling a dull throbbing in her head she knew today would be like most days she went on the air. She didn’t let on yet as they passed Ralph; she didn’t even glance at him. “Gio….Alex…Leanne…” She spoke softly, nearly in a whisper.

Her hands were shaking as she interlaced the nimble digits. She cleared her throat and glanced to her co anchor; Ralph returned her glance and placed his free hand on her leg and smiled. Disgusted Ally moved his hand returning a cold glare at him. “I told you not in public!” She hissed lowly. Today wasn’t the bed day for her; but like normal she put that fake smile on for the camera and spoke adoringly towards her co anchor.
“So our top story is……is…..” She placed a hand to her temples and massaged it.

Eyes watched her as she stood up and left the set. Gasps and groans were muttered as she managed to go to her dressing room and slam the door shut. Leaning against the door she could see the boarding school clear as day. They were being called back for some reason. Allyson Clark was being called back; her head blared with pain as knocks were heard on her door. She ignored them; walking out the door she bit her lower lip as if she seen a ghost. “I have to go replace me..” Were her last words before she left the building.

The leather seat felt cool against her suddenly heated body; she was shaking as she started the car. She paused and closed her eyes once more; pulling away from the building she started speeding off towards the once hell she could remember. It would be at least four hours til she got there.

[V]

Jared didn't cease his worrying throughout their evening shift together. Only with the constant, yet wavering, customers interrupting did Leanne make it through the evening. She was thankful for his efforts despite everything and muttered a, "thanks," as she passed him in the car park. Inside her own vehicle she watched Jared walk off. Her car was an old thing that ran reasonably okay - most of the time. The radio flickered in and out; a song played but couldn't be heard. The CD player hadn't worked for months.

Home, a rented house a few blocks away, was Leanne's destination. Despite offers from Jared to go out all she wanted was to return home. Along her route was the cause of her problems; the graveyard. It came up quick like usual, and as always Leanne looked after a time. The gate was closed but she could see in through the metal bars forming its fence.

Braking - harsher than required, Leanne came to a halt. She watched the figure standing amongst headstones. It didn't speak to her or the words didn't carry. It just watched her. There were no others around.

She wasn't sure how long they watched one another but an understanding came. A familiar forgotten sense returned. A call, a lure. Rosewood. Leanne turned the car about driving away from her home.

The radio flickered one last time, died then returned with the clearest sound quality she'd heard from it in months. The song was slow and sad.

[Danijel]

"You do realize gamers will hate you?", asks Alexei co-worker.
"Wrong.", says alexei while waving his pointing finger in negative motion, "One half of them will hate me, the other players will worship me." Alexei didn't hesitate to show how narcisstic he really is, even to his co-workers.

Alexei makes a yawn and then says to his co-worker, "I am gonna get myself some coffee, do you want some?" Alexei's co-worker simply nods. After simply turning around and making one step a weird thing happened, suddenly he appeared in another place. Without realizing at first, he actually made an astral projection of himself even though he didn't intended to do it.
"What's going on?!", asks Alexei himself and right after he checked himself, he noticed he was using his powers. Or was he?

Alexei checks the surrounding, this place looked familiar to him. Then after checking out the front of the building he realized where he was, "Oh no...Rosewood?"

Suddenly he was back in his company with his co-worker shaking him and saying, "Hey, you okay? You froze there."
Alexei loks at his co-worker and then towards the exit. "I gotta do something.", says Alexei, "Tell the boss I am taking my days off." After that he Alexei rushed out of the company building.

[ILYTH]

Gio pressed the red button on his tape recorder, the interview would begin in seconds and he would be free to get home and set his nagging unease to rest. The man sitting in front of him was wearing a dusty looking black suit and immaculately oiled hair, he sat cross legged determined not to give away anything more than he wished to. Gio laughed internally at the secrets the man thought he could keep from him, Gio even now struggled to contend with the mans distracted musings on his drive down to the interview and whether the young family would miss their cat.

"Alright Mr Daiken lets get this interview started. Present is Gary Sylvestre and Mr Tomas Daiken of a local security company M-key solutions. " Gary looked up at The man sitting across from him rolling his eyes to communicate that he disliked the formality of the taping process. " Mr Daken, is it true that your security firm has worked in an overtly clandestine manner, installing devices to spy on the very people who hired you to protect them?"

The man opened his mouth to talk, his voice wheezey and smokey " Too my knowledge those accusations are completely false, as far as I know my company has never acted in a way contrary to what we profess to." Bullshit, Gio thought as he could here this mans thoughts screaming out to him and see the hours of illegal footage obtained. Gio mentally did a double take sifting back through his memories to an image he recognized. There in the mind of this sweaty old business man was the obolisk of hate and fear he had been running from all his life.

Gio stood up and shook the hand of Mr. Daken "I'm sorry sir, somethings come up I have to leave now." Daken was clearly confused.
"This interview just began, when will you be back?" The sharpness of Mr Daiken's question cutting through Gio's absentness.
"Most probably never." Gio answered as he shuffled out of the door and into his car. He set a destination in his mind and set off.
Roseworthy.

[Eccawen]

It was never her amazement that Rosewood would call for them back; she was the youngest of the group. Allyson heard the cell phone ringing, classic Bach poured from it as she parked the car. Lifting the cell she saw one missed call from Ralph; she started to despise this man. So once more Allyson ignored his call and left her phone in the Jetta. Stepping from the vehicle trance like as her movements were she stepped towards the wrought iron gates, her hands circling a bar as she gazed at the massive school; vines grew up the walls. She pushed the gate open and took a few steps aside.

They were scrambling for the doors; it seemed the place was really alive after all. The students were vanishing at a rapid pace and Allyson was trying to lead the group towards safety. She didn’t know where to turn but she knew once thing; never loose sight of the other three. Reaching the heavy wooden double doors she shivered and pushed against it. “We’re trapped!” She heard one of them exclaim. “Come one all together!” Allyson directed as she pushed against the door, Leanne then helped her, followed by Alex and Gio.

She shivered remembering what the hell happened that day. But life moved on, she was the only one to stay close to Rosewood; or so she thought. Walking to the door she placed a hand on the wood and glanced towards the first window. She couldn’t let her fear of being here once more cloud her judgment. For all she knew she had nothing to return to; she told them to replace her. Closing her eyes she concentrated on the door; nothing came to her.

“Why did you call me home?” She questioned softly. Being the youngest Allyson grew up with barely any friends. She was pushed around, bullied, and even beaten up quite regularly. It even seemed now that that part of her never really went away. But would they be lucky and survive this place again?

[V]

The radio gave up half way to Rosewood. Leanne found she hated the crackling nothingness than the sad songs. Her car seemed to chug along at its own pace despite her acceleration, she wasn't exactly making great time. She wound her driver's side window down to drone out the annoying sounds. A memory flashed from a forgotten time as Leanne drove familiar streets.

A car was already pulled up before the school when she arrived, Leanne steered her own to park behind. Cutting the ignition she left the key in and slumped backward into her seat. Her work uniform was bundled together in a bag but her name tag, Leanne Dawn, sat on the passenger seat. With a final look down at it she urged herself out of the car. The door gave a long creak as she jumped out. Leanne slammed it shut and looked about.

Vines grew on the walls of the school but the rustic metal gate was ajar. It took a few half-steps to work up enough courage to peek inside. Leanne was staring at the ground and sticking to the path. Some of the stones were uneven but she could easily step over them. She only looked up once inside the gate.

A person was at the main doors to the school, Leanne gulped and called, "Hello?"

[Danijel]

Alexei was driving his way, in a Berlingo, towards one, ominous, location that thought he would never have to visit ever again; Rosewood. He was thinking aboutthe past events that occurred when he was attending that Hell of a school, and it also made him wonder will he meet up with other students that he escaped with.

For some time of driving he was getting closer to the Rosewood school, he knew that because there were no other cars but his driving on the road. And after another mile he could finally see the structure of the Rosewood building. Just by looking at it from afar gave Alexei shivers.

Arriving near the school Alexei sees there were two other cars parked in front of the school's yard. He parks his car near behind the other cars, turns off his vehicle, takes out his keys and leaves the vehicle. Alexei sees a person standing at the gates of the school, "Hello?"

[ILYTH]

Gio had always been a careful driver, never sped, never broken the rules in any way but tonight was different, tonight his vintage Stingray burned down the road at dangerous speed and stopped for nothing. Speeding fines, loss of license Everything else came second to returning to Rosewood. Gio sweated bullets as he drove, he remembered the horror of his childhood, the pressure, the abuse the suicide attempts, nothing compared to his spell at that awful place.

Through his time at Rosewood Gio had only one source of solace, the friends that suffered along side him. The four of them had been inseparable until their escape but Gio had drifted away from the group as he tried to forget, they were remnants of a life he wished to leave behind. Something however told Gio that tonight would be a night for old wounds to open again.

As Gio reached the school his heart beat faster than he thought safe, The bitter stone face of the building glared at him it's viney carapace promising pain untold. Gio stopped his car outside of the school and was shocked to find three cars already at the school, Gio readied himself for resistance as he opened the door and called out "Hello? anyone in there?".

[Eccawen]

She remained the glue that held them all together; even now the others seemed to appear when she needed them. Sure she looked them up normally in the phone books or facebook. But not once would Ally ever talk to them now. She heard the voices and glanced towards the now three others that stood with a dumbfounded look on their faces. Each transfixed with the building she placed her hand against. Right now she would assume this building was dead; but would it stay as such? Did it want to devourer their souls?

These were questions she couldn’t answer as she took a few steps turning to finally face them. Allyson didn’t seem that much different. Her hair was shorter and framed her face more than it once had. Her brown orbs seemed to glisten in the sun, as she sighed softly. Leanne, Gio, Alex…. She thought to herself knowing each of them by a mere glance. Soon Ally walked towards the gate and nodded her head. “I guess you guys felt it too huh?” Her voice still sounded wounded, like a small kitten mewing for milk.

[V]

Another car parked behind her as she approached the building; a few moments later a fourth came. Leanne stopped short on the path and looked backward seeing the two guys. Mixed feelings swirled around her as she watched Gio and Alexei approached. She decided to smile to the pair of them, and adding a hollow wave.

“I guess you guys felt it too huh?” Ally asked coming up beside Leanne and the others.

"More like demanded," Leanne joked weakly but grinned despite their position, "hello everyone," she added not sure what to say to her old friends.