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Cassiopeia
03-12-2016, 09:55 PM
http://i.imgur.com/2yMbrac.jpg
OOC (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125)

March 1949 - Scotland

Just off the north coast of Scotland lies the small isle of Brùn. Covered by a dense forest and split in half by a creek, the isle's only village - Brùnswick - populates a whopping 15 people. Three miles further, past the creek and in the heart of the forest, lies an old, nearly abandoned manor: Black Creek Manor. After centuries of noblemen, only the eccentric old groundkeeper remains in the estate. Nobody ever really pays attention to the old decaying manor.

Until a mysterious ad shows up in a couple of local newspapers on the mainland of Scotland:


30.000 POUND REWARD FOR BRAVE SOULS
Sir William McChonnigh offers a prize pool of £30.000 (thirty-thousand pounds)
to be distributed among contestants who manage to inhabit
Black Creek Manor situated on Brùn Isle for 7 days without leaving the premises.
Please contact your local post office to receive a registration form.

A group of curious Scots flock to the isle, hungry for a portion of the hefty reward - how hard could it be, anyway? But upon arriving at the manor, they may receive more of a challenge than they bargained for...

The Contestants
Alan Byrne (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2739244&viewfull=1#post2739244) by Cassiopeia
Kateryna Kalashnik (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2739043&viewfull=1#post2739043) by Namine_600
Robert Phillip Croft (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2740507&viewfull=1#post2740507) by Sy23
Justin Hunter (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2741342&viewfull=1#post2741342) by Squeaky91
Amelia Renee Gilbert (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2741376&viewfull=1#post2741376) by The Texan Queen
Bonnie Ceallach (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2742531&viewfull=1#post2742531) by Dearshul
Hope Evans (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&p=2744202&viewfull=1#post2744202) by Cassiopeia
Willa Roxbury (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=80125&page=5&p=2750996&viewfull=1#post2750996) by rabbit

Floorplan
http://i.imgur.com/pAcsW7u.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/pAcsW7u.jpg)

Room descriptions
Guest room (2nd floor)
"There was a large four-poster bed at the far end, pushed against pale grey walls. They were covered by patterned quilts, almost like embroidery.
It was nothing superbly fancy, but it looked enticing anyway, with its deep purple rug and a dark chestnut wardrobe to one side. There was a mirror on a small dresser on the other side of the room, as she trailed her finger across the deep engravings, dust sprinkled lazily to the ground. It obviously hadn't been cleaned in a long time." - Namine_600

North-western bedroom with curved walls and on-suite bathroom and closet (2nd floor)
Clickity click (http://s577.photobucket.com/user/Beki_Beaulieu/media/image_zpsrsypd0ee.jpeg.html) - The Texan Queen
"The old-fashioned four-poster was the centerpiece. [...] The chintsy chairs, ornate mirrors and hangings were, he calculated, worth a small fortune." - Sy23

Sitting room (2nd floor)
"velvet sofas" - Cassiopeia

Parlor (2nd floor)
"dark wallpaper" - Cassiopeia

Play room (2nd floor)
"The next room's door they tried opened with an eerie creek; as a soft breeze blew through the room from a crack in the window to the door, a small wooden children's horse rocked back and forth." - Cassiopeia

Servants' room (2nd floor)
"It was small and barely decorated; it was clear no passion had gone into the design of this room and was only suited for mere servants. [...] the beds in this room were just steel frames" - Cassiopeia




http://i.imgur.com/R9ZA31U.png

The port was awfully breezy. The seaside air left a salty aftertaste in his throat. Alan looked around him. The village of Brùnswick looked barren; the dense forest only started at the edge of the village. The sharp contrast in landscape made it seem like two completely different worlds. He couldn't even see far into the woods, as dense as it was.

Alan vastened his grip on his suitcases and walked up to the village's only pub. In front of it was a horse carriage and a car - the village's only car. That they even had a car amazed Alan; with such a small number of inhabitants, he wouldn't have imagined they had need of something so expensive.

Leaning against the coach was an older man, about mid 50s, reading a paper. Alan walked up to the man.

"Goodday," he greeted the man. The man looked up from his paper and looked Alan up and down, making Alan slightly uncomfortable.
"G'day sir," the man responded. Alan cleared his throat.
"I... is this... I'm here for Black Creek Manor," Alan said. The man chuckled. He reeked of cigars and his laugh made his thick mustache vibrate.
"Well you've come to the right place," he responded. "Name?"
"A-Alan Byrne."
The man took out a small notebook and pen from his backpocket. He flipped through the pages, took the cap of the pen off with his teeth and crossed something off in his book.
"Alright, Alan Byrne... Welcome to Brùn," he said, putting his notebook and pen back in his pocket. "Yer the first to arrive 'ere sir. Name's Niles."
"Alan Byrne," Alan said, holding out his hand to shake. Niles chuckled again, without shaking his hand. Alan lowered his hand slowly. "Right, I just introduced myself."
He let out a nervous chuckle.
"Well, I'll be taking you lot to the manor," Niles said, "along with my pal Jack. He owns the pub. But, we'll 'ave to wait fer some more folk. It's a rough terrain, don't want to make the horses too tired with the long trip ahead, and Jack has to close the pub off to drive yer folk up there. So you're probably best off grabbing yerself a lager inside, wait for the rest."
Alan nodded.
"Thank you," he said. He picked up his suitcases and headed inside the pub.

The man behind the bar - who Alan presumed to be Jack - was a big, broad bald man with a mustache just as thick as Niles'. He was drying off a pitcher when Alan walked up to him.
"Goodday," Alan greeted him. "I'd like a lager, please."
Alan reached in his pocket and put some coins on the bar.
"Coming right up," Jack responded. He threw the dishcloth over his shoulder and filled the freshly washed pitcher up. He put it down on the bar with a loud thud.
"So what's your business in Brùnswick?" he asked Alan, leaning on the bar.
"I'm here to visit Black Creek Manor," Alan answered, taking a seat on one of the stools and taking a sip. Jack laughed.
"You poor sod," he said, standing upright and tending to his other dishes. Alan raised an eyebrow. He picked up his pitcher and looked around the empty pub. Outside he could only hear the roaring wind and the bark of a dog.



As soon as everybody's introductory post is up, all characters will be shipped off to the manor! You may respond to each other in the meantime.

Dearshul
03-12-2016, 11:57 PM
Bonnie clutched her almost absurdly large bag and absorbed the ocean air as she tried to collect herself. The village waited behind her while she stared out into the waves. She had seen many villages like it-- small, old, quiet-- but never had she felt such an ominous and almost predatory sensation come from one. It was more than unnerving. Still, she needed to muster up her courage. She could certainly use the money.

She took a breath. Carefully she adjusted her little black hat once, twice, three times, and then exhaled. She felt a little better. With a turn of her heel she made her way down the pier toward the village. It did not take her long to find the car; it stuck out like a sore thumb. The mustached man who introduced himself as Niles found her name in his notebook, or that was what she assumed he did as he crossed something off, and suggested she wait in the pub. She gained a better grip of her bag, nodded to Niles in thanks, and did as she was told.

Once inside, she scurried to find a seat furthest away from anyone's attention and plopped her bag down beside her. She dearly wanted something to drink. A good whisky would certainly ease her nerves. However, she had spent her last money getting to Brùnswick. Resignedly, she pulled a bit of charcoal and a small pad of paper from her bag and finally took a moment to look around.

There was only one other patron in the pub, a fair haired fellow with glasses, who was seated at the bar. She took a moment to memorize his features and then began to put him down in charcoal. She wondered whether he too was there for the contest and almost got up to ask him, but thought better of it. She adjusted her hat once, twice, three times, and then exhaled. She stole one last glance and got back to her charcoal.

Squeaky91
03-13-2016, 12:14 AM
Justin limped his way into town. While he was in the army for only a short time, they taught him to pack light. He only had one bag, which carried what he only needed. He pulled out a cigar and smoked it on his way, stopping when he saw the car. Why would such a small town have a car here? He shook his head and made it into the pub. The man with the notebook, Niles, asked for his name. "Private First Class Justin Hunter." Justin said. He made it two ranks up before he got injured. Once Niles crossed his name off the list, or at least that's what Justin figured he was doing, Justin made his way to the bar, pulled out some coins for a drink, and then went to a table. He sat there as he drank, looking at the others. These must be some of his "house-mates" for the next week. Oh well, and long as they stayed quiet, he would be happy.

As he drank, Justin pulled out his copy of "Night Terrors" and started reading it. How did he capture the minds with this book, and why can't he do it again. He shook his head trying his hardest to figure out what he did. Maybe spending time in a spooky house will help him out. He kept drinking as he reread the opening of the book over and over,

Sy23
03-13-2016, 01:28 PM
It took some work to shift all the tree-branches and foliage, but it was necessary.

Robert Croft - not his real name, at least, not originally, though it would do for the time being - grunted, and wiped sweat from his forehead. He'd thought that here in Scotland, the heat wouldn't have been an issue. He'd been wrong. The fact that his patent, highly expensive leather shoes were now soaked to the point of ruination was less of a surprise, though still by no means welcome. Again, though - necessary.

He stood back, and regarded his work with a critical eye. The job was not perfect, for a camouflage job like this never was. But at least the completed mound looked more like a patch of randomly blown scrub than it did a 1940 SS 3-and-a-half-litre sedan. The "SS" amused him. Curiously enough (and against the run of his usual practice) he'd bought the car rather than steal it. It was one of the fastest, best-handling vehicles on the market, yet he'd picked it up for a song - or more specifically, in exchange for a stolen necklace. The previous owner had frankly admitted the car was a drag on the market... who, just after the recent war for freedom, would buy a car made by a company called "SS?" They'd since changed their name of course, and "Jaguar" suited them far better anyway. But driving a car like this didn't suit his current image, and anyway, it was always better to have a fast, secret way out in such enterprises as this, he had found!

Shrugging back into his jacket and overcoat, he combed his hair, lit a small panatella cigar, and reached the rendezvous with the boat owner who had arranged to ferry him over to the island. He was on time. He always was.

*****

An hour later he sat in the pub, nursing a Scotch. Looking around without seeming to, he took in his fellow customers. At least some of them, he knew, would be his companions for the next seven days. A slim, bespectacled guy, far too young to have a beard like his. A sexy, wavy haired little unit who must have been an artist of some kind, for she was working away at a sketch. A bookish-looking guy, an intellectual maybe? None of them had noticed him sneak in, and that was the way he liked it.

Well, thirty thou to be got for very little. And earned honestly, at that. Times had indeed changed since the war. Truly this was, as Mr Churchill had said, a land fit for heroes!

Dearshul
03-13-2016, 04:42 PM
Bonnie finished shading her sketch. Two others had entered the pub, but she was so absorbed in capturing the first patron in her charcoal that she didn't pay them much mind. Now that she was finished she hazarded a look around. Two more men had entered; one was scanning a book with a faraway look on his face, and the other had ordered a drink. Surely not all of them would be going to the manor, would they? She stayed where she sat, but internally fought the urge to edge closer to the wall.

Driven more by nervousness than thirst, she made her way to the bar and asked for a glass of water. The man behind the bar obliged and she returned to her seat with her glass. Her charcoaled fingers left dark prints on the glass when she set it down on the table. She carefully wiped her fingers on her skirt; this was why most of her wardrobe was black. She truly was a pure mess all of the time, but this way nobody could tell. She sipped her water and adjusted her hat. It felt as if someone was watching her, but nobody seemed to be looking at her. She shook it off. It was probably just her mind playing games.

Cassiopeia
03-13-2016, 11:21 PM
http://i.imgur.com/Yav088B.png

Hope brushed the hair from her face. It didn't matter how often she did it - the wind immediately disheveled her hair. She looked at the village as she left the dock. You could literally see the entire village, having just a handful of buildings. She could make out a pub and a butcher by the signs. For the other buildings it was unclear whether they were houses or shops - or both, considering the size of the village. Hope imagined the villagers probably traded more in services than in money. Another thing she noticed was the lack of a church or chapel on the island, even though the houses looked at least a century old each. Would they hold their services in someone's home, perhaps? Perhaps the church burnt down, or was destroyed during the war. Yes, that was probably it, Hope decided, despite the lack of other visible damages in the landscape. It was already 4 years ago, after all.

She walked up to the car and gave her name to Niles. While he crossed out her name, he pointed to the pub and said "There's more o' yer lot waiting inside." Hope nodded and went inside. She scanned the room, seeing what kind of people were there. She saw multiple bags and suitcases; surely most of them, if not all, would be her roommates the next week. She felt a gentleman at the bar glancing at her. She looked over to another gentleman reading a book. Hope felt like he wanted to be left alone, in the way he was reading his book. Hope wasn't too sure if the young woman wanted to be left alone as well, but she was probably more comfortable to sit with her than with any of the three unknown gentlemen.

She walked up to the bar - a safe bit of distance from the bespectacled young man - and ordered a cup of tea. She looked around, and their gazes met. The young man nodded at her.
"Goodday, miss," he greeted her. His voice sounded uncertain. Nervous, or shy. Hope gave him a friendly smile. "Hello."
Usually she would probably be more talkative - initiate a conversation - but she'd felt uneasy ever since arriving on the isle. Plus, if he was indeed a roommate, there would be plenty of time to get to know him and the others. She thanked the bartender for her tea and walked over to the table with the young lady, suitcase in one hand, tea in the other.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Hope asked the young woman with a friendly smile.

Dearshul
03-14-2016, 01:14 AM
Bonnie gave the other woman with a friendly, albeit cautious, smile. She seemed nice enough but something about her bearing --or perhaps her eyes-- housed some sadness. Bonnie thought that they would get along.

"No' at all," she said quietly, very glad for some female company in the pub full of men. "I'm Bonnie," she offered, extending a mostly charcoal-free hand to shake, "pardon me fer askin', but are ye a Glaswegian by chance?"

N a m i n e_600
03-14-2016, 03:25 PM
The air was chilly as an auburn haired beauty stepped off of the dock, immediately feeling the breeze hit her face. The air had a saltiness to it, which she could immediately taste when she inhaled. The journey had been surprisingly quick and quiet, which is just how she liked it, apart from the occasional squawking of seagulls and the smooth 'hushh' of the waves.
In one hand she pulled a suitcase, not big in size, but big enough to carry all the necessary items she needed for the big week ahead. When she had first heard about the manor, her first instinct told her to explore it. She had travelled to many places around the world, but Scotland was indeed new to her. She enjoyed adventuring, far and wide. No limitations, no obstacles. Just her and her determination.
The female held an air of mystery about her, sharp yet intriguing green eyes darted from side to side, she was reasonably tall, with well toned limbs and a rather curvy figure.

The woman glanced around at her surroundings, only to find that the village was indeed very small, barely a village really. She expected as much; From what she had heard, Brunswick wasn't a very highly populated place at all. Which of course would only make the thought of spending a week in an old manor that much more exciting...for her, anyway. She wore a long black jacket which reached to just below her knees, including a pair of very expensive leather boots, made in her home country, Ukraine.
She kept a neutral face as she walked towards the car at one end of the street, outside a bar where a man leant against the coach, reading the paper.
He looked up as she approached, and asked her name.
"Kateryna Kalashnik" She murmured clearly, in a thick luscious accent.
The man by the name of Niles crossed her off his list, and directed her to the pub where -as he had mentioned- several others had already arrived.
Kateryna flicked her hair over one shoulder, and walked confidently across the cobblestone floor, her boots clicking quietly as she headed directly for the bar, and pushed open the doors to enter.

Inside was quieter than expected, silence hung in the air apart from the sounds of glasses being picked up and placed down again. She half-expected there to be horny drunken men and loud, irritable singing. Thankfully there was nothing of the sort.
She walked into the bar, and headed straight for the counter, where she ordered a White Russian.
She barely acknowledged those around her, and instead stayed beside the bar, nodding her head once as the bartender provided her with the drink she requested.
She hoped that time would hurry up. She wasn't the type to enjoy staying in one place for so long doing nothing.

The Texan Queen
03-18-2016, 05:54 AM
The wind whipped the loose blonde curls around mercilessly the second the young woman stepped out of her car, she ducked back inside to say goodbye to whoever drove her and to grab her bags. She watched the car slowly pull away before she shoved her gloved hand into her purse and pulled out a small black journal and pen. She quickly jotted down some notes on the surroundings, her feelings and what she was expecting and stowed it away for later. The young blonde trudged down towards the pub making complaints about how heels were not the proper attire to go walking down a soggy hillside the entire way down.

“Hello!” She smiled and gave the elderly man a wave as she approached him. They shook hands briefly as she looked around at the horses and the pub behind them. “I’m here for the Black Creek Manor adventure! My name is Amelia Gilbert.”

“Miss. Gilbert,” The man muttered as she looked down at the list of names he held in his hands, he quickly checked off her name before telling her to go inside to wait for the others to arrive and took her luggage to load up onto the carriage. She tried to get a better look at the names on the list but Niles had kept it from her view, unintentionally or intentionally she did not know. She shrugged it off since she would be meeting everyone here very soon. Her mind was running wild with ideas of what kind of characters she was going to meet on this journey. It was all very exciting and mysterious, which made for a perfect story.

Amelia entered the pub and quickly examined the room to find it littered with a few people, all of whom she assumed were here for Black Creek Manor. She couldn’t imagine that a ghost town like this would have such a crowd, even a small one like this, at its local pub. Flashing everyone a bright smile she sauntered over to the bar and took a seat a few stools down from a young man with glasses.

“I’ll have a dirt martini please,” Amelia smiled at the bartender and slid forward some money along with a tip for him. As she waited for her drink she turned to face the young man with the glasses and gave him a small wave.

“Come here often?” She joked and thanked the bartender when he returned with her requested drink.

Cassiopeia
03-20-2016, 03:21 PM
http://i.imgur.com/R9ZA31U.png

Alan quietly continued sipping his lager. He followed the blonde lady's movements with his eyes as she sat down next to the artistic young woman. He glanced over a little longer and then completely turned back to the bar, focusing on himself alone. He heard the pub's door swing open a couple more times but didn't look around. He stared into his glass, contemplating the days to come. He'd packed nearly all of his instruments, just a couple early prototypes he had left at home. He was nervous but excited at the same time. What if they would discover something paranormal? It would be the breakthrough of the century! Imagine the papers if he, Alan Byrne, was the first to discover life after death and provide evidence.

But what if the spirits were dangerous? What if they would have to fear for their life in the manor? Or worse, what if there was no evidence whatsoever and the whole ordeal turns out to be a complete waste of time?

Focused on his own thoughts, Alan is slightly startled when a young woman sat down next to him and started talking. Not realizing she was joking, he answered: "Oh, err, no, not really." He gave her an awkward smile.
"It's my first time here, actually," he continued. He held out his hand to shake the young woman's. "Hi, I'm Alan. I'm here to visit Black Creek Manor. You?"




http://i.imgur.com/Yav088B.png

Hope put down her suitcase and pulled up a chair.
"I'm Hope," she introduced herself to Bonnie as she sat down, shaking her hand. "Lovely to meet you."
She smiled at her question.
"Ah, yes!" she answered. "Well - not technically - I wasn't born in Glasgow, but we moved there when I was just a wee lass, so I might as well be a Glaswegian. I presume you're from the area as well then?"
She took a sip of her teacup.



Outside, Niles closed up his little book and put it once again back in his pocket. Alright, that's all of 'em. He opened the door of the pub and stood in the doorway. He looked at Jack, the bartender, and nodded. Jack nodded back and started closing up the pub; putting the stools on the bar and chairs on the tables.
"Alright folk," Niles said with a loud voice in the pub. "Jack'll just close up the place and we'll be leavin' in 5 minutes."

Niles went outside again, giving the contestants a chance to finish up their little chit-chats. He took out a pipe, lit it and leaned against the coach again. As the contestants slowly came outside, he put his pipe away again and started walking to the front of the coach. Jack closed the door of the pub, turning the lock, making a rattling sound with his heavy keys.
"I've got room fer four o' ya in the coach," Niles said, waving his hand to the door. "My buddy Jack can take three o' ya. Get in, suit yerself."
With an old man's groan he pulled himself up on the coach, sat down and took the reins.
"It's about an hour and a half away from 'ere," he said. "It's not that far, but the woods are notoriously difficult to navigate, so we'll be keeping a slow pace."

When everybody had settled, Jack started his car and drove off to the edge of the forest at a slow speed, Niles following up with the coach directly behind him.

[...]

As dusk fell, Jack slowed his car down and honked. Niles halted the carriage. He got off, patted his horse and went to open the carriage door.
"Alright folk, we're here," he said. Alan was the first to get out of the carriage; he picked up his suitcases and looked up to where they were. Confused he turned to Niles.
"The house is still a good 5 minute walk from here," he said to Niles. "Couldn't you have dropped us off at the front door? I mean, we're all carrying suitcases here."
Niles and Jack looked at each other, then laughed. Confused, Alan backed away and got the hint; they had to walk the last bit.

When everybody had gotten out of the car, Jack made a U-turn and started driving back to the village. As all the contestants made their walk up to the house, Niles lifted up a rock at the side of the dirtroad. Ensuring nobody could see him, he picked up a package and quickly put it in his pocket. Then, he got back on the carriage and returned to Brùnswick.



Black Creek Manor was sat in the heart of the forest as a lonely lady. The roofs were only slightly higher than the trees around the manor. As the contestants approached, the front doors swung open, seemingly without a source. However, out of the shadow of the dark hallway, an old, crooked man emerged with a lantern in his hand.

"There you are," he said. "Come in, come in."
The man shuffled back inside. As the contestants entered, he put his lantern on a table and turned on a couple of lamps on the wall.
"Welcome to Black Creek Manor," the old man said. "My name is Abbott. I'm the groundkeeper of this estate. I've served the family of McChonnigh for longer than I can remember. But it's been long since anyone has really lived in this place. You'll be staying here for the next 7 days. You're free to go wherever you please - none of the doors are locked. Except the cellar - the cellar is strictly forbidden to enter. For your own safety."
He looked the contestants in the eyes for a brief moment.
"There's no electricity, but most of everything is gaspowered," he continued. "The butcher was kind enough to provide you with enough game in the pantry, but should you really run out we have an armory, to hunt. You'll need to cook for yourselves though - I'm not your butler. In fact, you won't be seeing any of me, since I reside in my own home at the edge of the grounds. You're free to pick whichever room you like. There's at least 2 beds in every bedroom."
He paused for a while.
"Keep in mind that the manor is centuries old, and hasn't been renovated for a long time. Every step you take is at your own risk. I'd advise not entering the attic - the floorboards are terribly worn - but I won't stop you if you want to risk falling through the ceiling."
He picked up his lantern from the table again and gave the contestants a last look.
"I believe that's it,"Abbott said. "You're all free to leave whenever you please. Like I said, nothing is locked, save for the cellar. Good night... and good luck."
He shuffled out of the hallway, vanishing in the darkness. It wasn't completely dark outside yet, but dark enough for most of the corners in the manor to appear pitch-black.



Floorplan
http://i.imgur.com/pAcsW7u.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/pAcsW7u.jpg)
Click to be directed to the original, large file. PLEASE NOTE! This floorplan is for your reference only, the characters DO NOT have a physical copy of the floorplan, they'll have to explore for themselves!

N a m i n e_600
03-20-2016, 11:35 PM
The journey had been quite the trek, but Kateryna didn't seem to mind all that much. She had gone in the car with another two people, wanting to spend as little time with the others as possible. She wasn't the type to socialise much at all.
Most of the time spent travelling she looked out the window at the passing dirt paths and forestry. it was an impressive sight.
As they approached the manor she couldn't help but gaze up at its magnificence.

When they entered the manor, they were addressed by a crippled old man who went by the name of Abbott. He introduced them to the domain, explaining what was available and what wasn't. Warning them of certain rooms and conditions. The man seemed off putting to Kateryna, who eyed him up and down with a look of suspicion in her gaze.
Shortly after, Abbott left, hobbling into the shadows of the manor, which was just as impressive inside as it was outside, despite the pale light filtering in from the huge windows. It wasn't very clear, but she was sure she could make out a few objects here and there, and of course the additional applicants who had signed up to stay.
She didn't waste time, and instead headed for the large, open staircase that lead up to the second floor. She thought to herself for a moment. There was something the man downstairs had said...something about the cellar being out of bounds and forbidden. The woman felt a sudden prick of wonder at what he could have possibly meant by it being dangerous. She was smart, and guessed that it wasn't a pleasant place to visit, but couldn't help but imagine what could be down there.
Kateryna scanned the rooms briefly...
wait, did she just see something move?
She narrowed her intriguing eyes as they flited across the landing, not feeling an inch of fear, but feeling rather curious.
Nothing happened then, and so she lifted her chin and carried on along the landing, passing it over as a mere trick of her imagination. Not that it bothered her anyway.
Eventually she settled for a rather large room at the far end of the floor, by the looks of things it seemed as though it was a guest room. For servants rooms would be far smaller.
There was a large four-poster bed at the far end, pushed against pale grey walls. They were covered by patterned quilts, almost like embroidery.
It was nothing superbly fancy, but it looked enticing anyway, with its deep purple rug and a dark chestnut wardrobe to one side. There was a mirror on a small dresser on the other side of the room, as she trailed her finger across the deep engravings, dust sprinkled lazily to the ground. It obviously hadn't been cleaned in a long time.
Kateryna walked towards the bed, and placed her bags on top of it, looking around as she rubbed her gloved hands together. She wondered what this next week would bring, and whether or not shed be the only one staying on this floor.

The Texan Queen
03-21-2016, 03:23 AM
Amelia shook the man’s hand with a sly smile, “I know. I was just teasing you. I think it’s a safe bet that everyone in this little pub is going to the Manor.” She took a sip from her drink, the glass now stained with a red lipstick print.

“My name is Amelia, pleasure to meet you.” She studied Alan briefly before turning in her seat to glance around the rest of the room. “I wonder who the first person will be to go home, scared out of their wits.” Her eyes fluttered from person to person, taking in their faces if they could be seen and wondering what their personalities held and if they would truly make it to the end. The pub door swung open and in the frame stood the old man she met outside, Niles. He made the announcement that they would be shipping off soon and she felt her heart skip a beat in anticipation.

“Let the games begin,” Amelia smiled brightly at Alan before tossing the rest of her drink back and placing the empty glass back on the bar. Slipping out of her barstool she followed Niles back outside to be greeted once again by the wind. She waited impatiently by Niles for the others to join them outside, she was ready to get the show on the road! Her mind was once again racing with wild fantasies of what the Manor held for them and what she would uncover during her stay. One by one the rest of the group trickled out of the pub, Jack bringing up the rear end to lock up. She didn’t waste a second when Niles mentioned the car, she walked over and opened the passenger door and slid right in, she didn’t want to be crammed in the coach if she didn’t have to be. She pulled out her journal again that way she could take any notes she needed to, she kicked herself for packing her camera in the suitcase and not her purse, pictures of their journey up to the Manor would have been perfect. Once everyone was loaded up Jack started up the car and drove them off to their destination.

The car ride was rather dull, which was a big disappointment to Amelia. There was idle chit chat from those in the group, Jack would indulge in conversation here and there but for the most part no one said much. When the car stopped Amelia was the first to spring out of the car and looked around the Manor but frowned when she did not see one.

“Walk?” She scoffed and turned around to face Niles and Alan. “I seriously picked the wrong day to wear heels,” She groaned and went to the coach to grab her luggage, making a mental note of the laughter from Niles and Jack when Alan suggested being dropped of curb side. I wonder why they won’t go all the way to the house? Maybe it’s just for show, or they aren’t allowed to….or they don’t want to…

“Thanks for the ride,” Amelia said, maybe with a slight hint of attitude, as she passed Niles and Jack and began walking towards her new home for the next few days. When she heard the engine of Jack’s car roar back to life she cast a glance back over shoulder just in time to see Niles picking something up from the ground. She was too far away and the sun was disappearing fast so she couldn’t make out what he had found. She wanted to write it off as nothing, but the journalist inside her was screaming suspicion, especially since they wouldn’t take them directly to the house.

Before she knew it they were rounding the corner of the trail that led to Black Creek Manor and as if on cue the front doors swung open when they were all standing outside it. It’s all for show. She reminded herself when her stomach dropped at the sight of the empty doorway. Thankfully an old man emerged from the shadow and instructed that they come inside, he seemed harmless but she knew everyone always had some kind of story and she dying to know his.

…the cellar is strictly forbidden to enter…

Amelia was just mindlessly jotting down what Abbott was saying but she perked up when the words ‘cellar’ and ‘forbidden’ escaped his lips. She was getting in that cellar before the week was up, what could possibly be inside that would threaten their safety anyway? She continued to jot down what the old man had to say before she watched him disappear back into the shadows. This was already proving to be an interesting trip and she was very pleased to already have an agenda; interview old man Abbott and break into that cellar.

“I call dibs on the best room!” She said in a sing song voice, she was only half joking. The best room in her mind was a room that gave her the willies. She wanted to have the full experience of Black Creek Manor before she had to leave, if she wanted comfort she wouldn’t be here. Amelia picked up her bags and sauntered off to find a room with the best ‘creep factor.’

Sy23
03-21-2016, 11:50 AM
It was always best, Robert thought, to keep a low profile. His was a lifestyle that did not invite attention. Sure, he'd grandstand with the best of them if it were necessary, but, frankly, it so rarely was. better to burst out of oblivion, from the shady area just on the edges of consciousness.

To this end, he had simply sat in the pub, sipping his drink, watching the nervous ebb and flow of the others as they introduced themselves to each other. There were two women there in particular that his eyes returned to, again and again. One, a classy blonde, who seemed to have palled up with the lanky milksop whose name he had overheard as "Alan." Well, that was a disappointment, though he didn't doubt his ability to entice her away if he developed the urge to do so. The other was a redhead, with a stunning figure and a face that could haunt a man's dreams, yet some instinct told him that attempting to make eye contact was impossible. In his trade, one developed such subconscious conclusions.

He sipped his drink, and finished it just in time to join the rear of the queue as they boarded their transport to the manor. Despite himself, he felt a certain stirring of interest as it drew up, still a fair distance from the main entrance. Whoever had set this up, he saw, was starting as they meant to go on, messing with the minds of the "contestants." It reassured him rather than otherwise. Their opponent had revealed a basic insecurity, and this could be built upon.

He spoke to no-one, and the rest of the entourage returned the favor. He tacked on at the rear, partly from his continued desire to remain unmarked, and partly, he admitted to himself, to watch the swaying rear ends of the females as they walked in front of him. The redhead possibly had a slight edge, if only because she seemed to be making less effort to walk in a sexy way yet still managed to. Most men, he decided, would hesitate if asked to choose between her and the blonde, yet the blonde seemed (and this, too, was a decision made well below that of his conscious thought) seemed, if anything, slightly more available. or, he wondered with amusement, was he simply kidding himself, fancying his chances were none existed.

As for Abbott, the ancient flunky who greeted them as they entered, well "creepy" was the only appropriate word. never mind vampires and ghosties, or whatever were supposed to lurk here, this man himself was scary enough. When he gave instructions that a certain cellar was not to be entered, Robert filed that away. If they did not want them to enter, then, he knew, he bloody well would. For there, he guessed, would be where he would find out what he needed to know to triumph in this little affair. The blonde, he noticed, seemed to be taking more notice of the old man than most, was even jotting down what he said in a small notebook.

It was possibly for this reason that when the group broke up, and began to saunter off to explore the manor (and, presumably, select rooms) it was her that he followed. Not, he told himself so firmly he almost half-believed it, because her rear end was so stunning under her tight skirt, or the way her locks tossed and waved as she walked, or the way her hips swung. He could make out the line of her girdle and the creases of her slip under the skirt, even fancied he saw a glimpse of the bump of her suspenders, which made it difficult to concentrate on the business in hand.

He followed her as unobtrusively as he could, wondering what she might be looking for, and wondered if he should offer to carry her bags.

Dearshul
03-21-2016, 07:51 PM
Bonnie gave a smile and a nod to her companion at the table, "I started in Oban, myself, but I feel like I've seen my fair share of Glasgow and just about everywhere else."

This was nice, having someone to talk to. She was lining up her next little bit of small talk when the old fellow, Niles, warned them that it was time to leave. She gave the other woman a pleasant smile, adjusted her hat in her typical triplicate, and picked up her bag. The ride to the manor was decidedly quiet. Bonnie, uncomfortable in such enclosed spaces, pulled her arms around herself and tried to take up the least amount of room that she could. It was a huge relief when they stopped moving. It didn't matter that they had a walk ahead of them, at least she wasn't cramped in a box with strangers.

She took a moment to admire her surroundings. The place was old and fairly creepy, but there was a certain allure to it. She could find things to paint in this place. She would stir her audience with the atmosphere the manor offered. And, if she was lucky, she would stir them enough to open their wallets. The walk to the manor itself was not long enough in her estimation, but there would be time later to explore.

The group was ushered in by another older gentleman, the groundskeeper he had said. Bonnie only half-listened to the man's speech as she traced the lines of the old manor with her eyes. Beautiful. Broken and worn, certainly, but beautiful. She could not wait to see the rest of the place. It was a treasure trove of material. Her line of thought wandered back to the groundskeeper's speech in time to hear that the cellar was off limits and the attic was not a safe place to go. Fair enough. She had plenty to look at without exploring those rooms. One woman joked about getting the best room. Bonnie smiled, she seemed like a fun sort. Bonnie, on the other hand would wait and take the last bed that she could. Being out of the way was best. She adjusted her bag and wandered her way toward the stairs.

Squeaky91
03-22-2016, 02:32 AM
Justin stayed quiet, mostly in the background. He was learning where each exit was, and stopped when he heard something about the basement. After words, he found a empty room, and dropped his backpack off. "Wonder who is gonna bunk with me." He said and pulled out his notebook, writing down important information, or at least what he could remember. He sat on the bed writing down the stuff, and then went to explore the mansion.

The place was old and creaky. Every other step made a squeaky noise as he walk. He sneezed because of the dust and shook his head. "A week of these? God the money better be good." He said and shook his head.

The Texan Queen
03-22-2016, 04:01 AM
The wooden floors creaked every so often as Amelia made her way through the house. She knew she would have to dedicate time tomorrow to figuring out the floor plan of the house, she could tell getting lost in here would be pretty easy. With the dim lighting and dozens of doors and rooms she could see herself getting turned around quickly. She found the first floor to actually contain no rooms to stay in at all, but she did find an amazing library and the kitchen along with a bunch of other rooms she only glanced over but would explore later. Amelia climbed up the second flight of stairs and placed her bags down and pulled out her journal once more. She jotted down her thoughts about walking through the first floor and what she had found at a quick glance and stowed her journal away and continued her search for a room.

“If I didn't know any better I'd say you're following me.” Amelia closed the door to what was another fail in a bedroom choice and turned to face the man that stood a few feet away from her. She placed her hands on her hips playful and smiled at him, “if you're going to follow me the very least you could do is offer to carry one of my bags.” Her eyes darted towards her bags and back up to the man. Looking him up and down she felt her smile grow slightly, he was pretty easy on the eyes.

“I’m Amelia,” she said and turned on her heels, bending slightly to grab one of her bags leaving the other for him to grab. “I'm trying to find a room that has that…wow factor.” She walked down the hall and opened another door, stepped in and looked around but decided against staying in that one. Amelia suddenly felt the urge to walk a little farther into the second floor before trying out another room. The door her eyes fell on sparked her interest and she has a good feeling about it. She excitedly went to open the door but found it difficult to open. Amelia leaned into the door with some weight and the door opened with a whine. The inside was dark, blackout curtains shielded the sun from coming through the windows. She marched over to the windows and snatched the curtains back to let the sunlight in so she could get a good look at the room (http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss217/Beki_Beaulieu/image_zpsrsypd0ee.jpeg). (This is the room on the second floor next to the playroom)

“I think this room will do just fine.” Amelia got a weird feeling in this room, it looked like the kind of room from horror movies. She knew something interesting was bound to happen in here and she was ready for it.

“So,” she looked back over to her mystery man. “I don't think I caught your name.”

Squeaky91
03-22-2016, 04:59 AM
Justin looked around the house more, lighting a cigar as he walked. "A large house like this, surely it has a library of some kind." He said as he walked around. He found a small office like room and entered it. "Well, they said any room but the basement." He mumbled and started to look around the desk.

Sy23
03-22-2016, 12:04 PM
"Following you?" Robert replied, with (he hoped) just the right amount of surprise and confidence. "Well, I guess I was... kind of. You seemed to know your way around, you see." He was already extending his arms, in fact reaching for both of her bags, though her request he carry just one of them cut him off before he could make the suggestion.

Amelia, eh? A cute name... for a cute little hussy, he thought. A man very much of his time, he used the word with no real comprehension it might carry any kind of patronizing connotations, though he was urbane enough at least never to use it out loud. "I'll be honest, I was never in a haunted... or supposedly haunted... house before." Like many of the things Robert said in the course of his daily activities, this was not strictly true, for he had known a number of people who dabbled in the blacker arts, though the results of their enterprise had left him as skeptical as he had been before they had commenced. "So seeing someone who seemed ot have some idea of what to do and where to go seemed a blessing."

he watched her struggle with the door with the traditional amusement of the unreconstructed male for a woman showing any kind of physical weakness, and found himself somewhat disappointed that she managed to budge it without having to call upon his assistance.

Behind the door, what he saw took his breath away. It was like, he felt, stepping back in time, to the years his grandfather had been a young man. Or like the vampire movies that he had occasionally watched. The talkies had been in vogue over a decade now, and had really revolutionized cinema. Taking in films was one of his few interests outside of his "work."

The old-fashioned four-poster was the centerpiece. The thought of flinging Amelia onto it, pushing up that tight skirt and slip, peeling down her girdle and having her, there and then, without even letting her unclip her suspenders and take off her new-style nylons crossed his mind, but he fought it down. He had a job to do, and his mind had to stay on that job. With the money he'd earn, they'd be plenty of cash to spend on broads that were just as good-looking as her, or almost so. The chintsy chairs, ornate mirrors and hangings were, he calculated, worth a small fortune. They knew how to live in the old days. The very room breathed the air of a different time, before a wasteful arms race, two even more wasteful world wars and socialism (of which he approved, on balance) had narrowed the divide between the masters and servants.

With a shock he realzed she was asking his name.

"I'm sorry," he replied, urbanely. "I... it's just the beauty of this room distracted me. The name's Robert. Robert Croft." He tensed himself to ask what people he met so often did, his profession. He had a number of lies he kept in reserve for such inquiries, and had selected the cover of traveler in factory machinery for this particular enterprise. But, luckily, she did not immediately ask. Somehow, he disliked the idea of Amelia thinking of him as a man in such a mundane profession, and he felt he needed a few minutes to come up with a more exciting cover. "Though wouldn't you find this room a bit... erm... spooky? It looks like a headless skeleton, or a ghost might come wafting out of the walls any moment?

Despite his attempts to convince her against the virtues of the room, he was very much hoping she'd stake a claim to it. The main reason being that there was another room, a few paces away, whose open door suggested it too was unoccupied. Having a room so close to Amelia's, he decided, was not to be sneezed at. You never knew your luck, after all!

And if she did get frightened in the night, he added to himself, he'd be the first to arrive in response to her screams!

Dearshul
03-22-2016, 01:28 PM
Bonnie made her way up the first flight of stairs and made a quick inventory of the rooms on the first floor. There were plenty of rooms that she wanted to return to, but none with any beds. She continued up to the second floor before she needed to set down her bag and give her arms a rest. Perhaps she had packed too much for this adventure.

She leaned against a wall while she massaged the blood back into her forearms and took in her surroundings. Every inch of the manor had character. From the wall hangings to the furniture it spoke of a bygone era. It seemed like it wanted to tell its story, if only Bonnie could understand the words. She sighed and picked up her bag. Once she unpacked she would try to decipher what the manor had to say.

Few of her house mates had made it this far in their explorations. So much for waiting to claim the last bed. She selected a bedroom right next to the water closet, as it seemed nobody had chosen it yet. She dropped her bag unceremoniously onto the bed and flopped down beside it. She took a few moments before sitting up, fixing her hat in the typical fashion, and exiting the bedroom with a sketchbook and pencil at the ready. She would finish mapping out this level in her head before working on some sketches of the trophy room a level below.

Cassiopeia
03-23-2016, 12:25 AM
http://i.imgur.com/Yav088B.png

Hope watched old man Abbott disappear after his slightly unnerving speech - something about his whole demeanor was odd, to say the least, if not eccentric - and took a deep breath. She looked around, followed her companions' movements with her eyes. Most set off immediately to find themselves a room. She wondered how many bedrooms a manor of this size would have. There's at least two beds in every bedroom, she recalled the old groundskeeper saying. Did that mean they'd have to share their rooms?

She bent over to pick up her suitcase, when Alan rushed over.
"Please, allow me to carry them for you," he said with an awkward smile.
"Oh, no, it's absolutely fine," Hope responded, but Alan had already picked it up. Watching Alan struggle holding her and his own suitcases made her chuckle a bit on the inside, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she threw him a polite smile.
"That's very kind of you, thank you."

Not carrying any suitcases allowed Hope to take in her surroundings a bit more as they walked up the stairs to the first floor. She looked up to admire the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the ground floor's hallway. It was layered with dust, but the crystals still gave off an enticing sparkle. The pair started their exploration on the first floor, passing some of the contestants as they explored the floor themselves. Trying a couple of doors, Hope placed her hand on Alan's shoulder.
"I suppose the bedrooms are upstairs," she said. Alan nodded, and they continued their exploration to the next floor.

They stumbled upon the southern most chambers first; a sitting room with velvet sofas, a parlor with dark wallpaper, a studyroom with wooden panneling... all magnificent and beautiful, but nothing to sleep in. The next room's door they tried opened with an eerie creek; as a soft breeze blew through the room from a crack in the window to the door, a small wooden children's horse rocked back and forth. Hope felt a shiver. Alan closed the door again.
"Interesting," he said slightly unnerved.

They continued on to the eastern chambers; first they stumbled upon the guest room. Alan opened the door and saw the redheaded woman (Kateryna) standing inside.
"Oh, sorry," he apologized, and he just as quickly closed the door again. Regaining his grip on the suitcases, he opened the next door; the servants' room. He and Hope peered inside. It was small and barely decorated; it was clear no passion had gone into the design of this room and was only suited for mere servants.
"Well, it's free," Hope said. She didn't need a luxury room; she was accustomed to barren circumstances. At least this room was still in a beautiful large mansion. And it wasn't like she's spend her time in her room all the time.
"Oh, no, I insist," Alan said. "We should find you a better room, this room is certainly not suited for a lady."
"Really, it's fine," Hope protested, but Alan had already shut the door and continued exploring. They continued down the hall to the western chambers; the blonde young woman who approached Alan in the bar and another man were standing in the doorway of a truly magnificent bedroom, probably contemplating whether one of them would take the bedroom. Hope threw them a polite smile as a means of greeting and followed Alan. He briefly opened the doors of the remaining two bedrooms; they both seemed to have an occupant already (Justin & Bonnie). He looked at Hope.
"It's fine, I'll just take the small room over there," Hope said, pointing back.
"No, no," Alan said. "I'll take it. You're probably safer to have a roommate, anyway."
Hope wanted to protest again, but decided not to. His abundant chivalry annoyed her a tad; as if she wasn't capable of taking care of herself. He means well, she said to herself. She threw him another one of her signature polite smiles as she took over her suitcase.
"Thank you," she nodded, and went inside Bonnie's claimed bedroom.

"Hi, it's me again," she laughed. "Is it alright if we share the bedroom?"
She pointed at the single bed on the other side of the room.
"I'll be out of your hair in no time," she continued. "I think I'll just prepare us some dinner."




http://i.imgur.com/R9ZA31U.png

Alan nodded the lovely young woman Hope goodbye for now. He glanced over at the blonde young lady and the gentleman next to her, then went back to the servants' room. He dropped his suitcases at the footboard of one beds. The beds he'd seen so far were grand, luxurious, with wooden boarding, with velvet canopies; the beds in this room were just steel frames. But it would do. He had, of course, experienced similar beds during his brief time in the army, and his own home wasn't exactly a palace either.

He turned on the gas lanterns on the wall. Warm tones spilled into the room, driving away the bleak gray darkness that filled the room before. He started unpacking his suitcases and took out some of his instruments; he left his clothes in his suitcases. He picked up one of his earliest machineries; a small metal object looking similar to an orrery (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/06/bc/ae06bc8988068ae4b7284567fa3e3704.jpg); but this device did not serve the purpose of showing the planetary alignments. No, this small thing would pick up shifts in magnetic fields around him, his first presumption of proof for the presence of undead. He took a cylindrical magnet out of his pocket and held it next to his magnetic sensor; the globes started spinning and making a metallic humming sound. Good, he thought to himself. It didn't break in the suitcase.

Dearshul
03-23-2016, 02:08 AM
Bonnie was surprised by Hope's sudden appearance, but that didn't stop her from smiling when she learned they'd be roommates. Of the people she'd met Hope seemed to be one of the easiest to get along with. Bonnie flapped her sketchbook at her new roommate and said, "Nae, nae, you needn't rush off. I was just about to explore this big old place. If you dinnae mind the company, I'd very much like to help you prepare dinner."

She set her sketchbook and pencil down on her bed and carefully adjusted her hat in the usual triplicate before taking it off. Color rose in her cheeks when she realized how peculiar her habit must have seemed. "I... er... heh, I'm afraid you've picked a rather odd roommate. I hope I dinnae bother you with my little... um... quirks, I suppose you can call them."

The Texan Queen
03-23-2016, 05:56 AM
Robert Croft… Now she had two names for two faces in the group, it wasn't much but it was a start. She knew at the end of all of this she would have to change their names if they didn't give consent for her to use them, but she wanted to have actual names and possibly pictures of everyone here. That Alan fellow she first met seemed harmless and safe, but also very sweet and kind, whereas this Robert Croft had a mysterious air about him. She planned on getting everyone's back story and figuring out who they really were before this was all over. It would be difficult to get information without everyone becoming suspicious of her and she didn't want anyone to not trust her, she would actually to keep any friends that she made during this week.

“Well, Robert, if you've come to me for haunted house survival 101 you have chosen the wrong girl.” She placed her hands on her hips playfully and cocked her head at him, “But, if you want to get lost on numerous occasions, get into trouble, maybe even get spooked here and there and have a grad time doing it…you've come to the right girl.” She had to admit having someone to explore the creepy mansion with her would be nice and having someone so good looking wouldn't hurt either, but he could also be a distraction.

“As for my room,” she said and looked around one last time with a pleased smile, “I'm quite happy with the one I chose. What's the point in staying in a haunted mansion if you don't pick the creepiest room they have?” Amelia winked at him. She picked up one of her suitcases and plopped it down onto the mattress and opened it. She had packed enough for the entire week and then some with plenty of outfit choices and makeup to keep herself satisfied. She had become an expert on packing as much as she could into a small suit case, unpacking and repacking would take a while but it would be worth it when she didn't look homeless everyday.

“Be a doll and grab the grey suitcase and just slide it under the bed for me,” Amelia instructed as she began hanging her dresses in the closet and lining her shoes up under each outfit. “Once I finish unpacking we can rally everyone else and find where they hide the liquor in this joint! I find alcohol to be a good ice breaker and it would be nice to get to know everyone else in the house."

Squeaky91
03-23-2016, 06:02 AM
"Well this was a waste of time." Justin said and sat down. He rubbed his eyes, "Maybe I should try to go make friends, we are gonna be stuck together for a week." He said, leaving the study. He walked out into the hall, listening to the voices of people in the hall. He smiled, but soon the voices turned to yelling, then screaming. Bombs went off nearby, gunshots in the distance. He looked to see his C.O. yelling at other privates. He heard the gun shots, as his C.O. fell, blood shooting outta his head, and the others running away. Justin's grabbed a rifle, and ran behind a tree, breathing hard, ready to fire.

He blinked, standing behind a wall. He was holding an umbrella as if it was a rifle. He looked around, sweating and breathing hard. He put the "gun" down, shaking his head.

Sy23
03-23-2016, 11:48 AM
It would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that at Amelia's expressing her approval of alcoholic beverages, the phrase "dream come true" echoed in Robert's cerebellum. This frail was intelligent, had looks to die for, and liked the drink. he was not, he reminded himself, the type to fall for a woman easily, and in any case his lifestyle tended to mitigate against such emotions, but... he fought this feeling down quickly. Dames were to be enjoyed and forgotten, not got soppy over. He'd seen a lot of good men go to the bad that way - or, more accurately, a lot of bad men like himself brought low!

He recalled a story told to him by a good friend, a New Zealand Battle of Britain ace who had survived the conflict and was now earning a fair living as a flying instructor. The anecdote had concerned a rabbit whose path home had chanced to cross a pair of parallel railway tracks, and - being too slow - had had his tail amputated by a swiftly passing train, though the animal had at least escaped with his life.

Not wishing to forfeit the tail, he had returned to look for it, only to be decapitated by another train passing in the opposite direction. The moral of the story, the flyer had pointed out, was clear. It was never worth losing your head over a bit of fluff. Robert reminded himself of this excellent advise, as he was forced to every time he looked at Amelia, heard her laugh, her spine-massaging voice, caught a glimpse of her magnificent form under the clinging outfit. As she unpacked her suitcases, he found himself speculating how she might look in this dress, or this suit, or this sweater. Somehow, he found himself wishing she might unpack her underwear, too, and magnificent visions of lacy champagne-colored or black cami-knickers of French cut panties and suspender belts swum before his mental vision.

"yes, it is a good ice-breaker," he said, in response to her remark about alcohol. He reached into the pocket of his suit, bringing out a small hip-flask. His emergency supply, for when there was no pub nearby. "And I think I might be able to oblige without us having to go on some treasure hunt," he winked, "if you can find a couple of tooth glasses or something similar."

N a m i n e_600
03-23-2016, 12:50 PM
Kateryna was just imagining what it would be like to explore the forbidden rooms of the manor, when the door behind her opened.
She turned, to see one of the men from the bar who had sat not far from her enter. Alan was it? She thought she had heard someone say his name.
As soon as the chap noticed her he quickly apologised, and before Kateryna could reply he closed the door.
Not much privacy is there? She thought to herself, scanning the door and realising just how easy it was for someone to waltz in.
She pulled off her long coat, wearing a tight blouse and skirt beneath...it was surprisingly warm in here. Which was unusual considering the age of the manor.

Bending over her suitcase on the bed she began to unpack, pulling out clothing and items, her passport, lighter, notebook...
She hadn't brought very much, but then, why would anyone bring any more than they need?
Her hair rolled down her back to just above her shoulder blades in bright red, slightly curled strands.
She wondered if anyone would ask to be her room mate, and hoped not.
Nobody could be trusted, especially not people she didn't know.

Cassiopeia
03-23-2016, 02:50 PM
http://i.imgur.com/Yav088B.png

Hope gave Bonnie a thankful smile.
"I think that would be wonderful," she replied on Bonnie's suggestion to help cooking. When she apologized for her behaviour, Hope laughed.
"To be honest I didn't even notice you did that," she replied. "Don't worry, everybody has their quirks. I've seen enough already."

Hope put down her suitcase and turned on the light on the nightstand. She ran her finger across the wood, examining the dust.
"This place hasn't seen the light of day in a long time," she said. She opened the curtains and a window, picked up the bedlinnen and hanged them over the windowsill. She patted the dust off the sheets and coughed a bit as she was overwhelmed by the accumulated dust. When the sheets were roughly cleaned, she folded them neatly and put them on the bed.
"I hope nobody here has asthma," she said with a joking smile. "I don't want to resuscitate anyone."

Hope unpacked her clothes. She decided against putting it on the shelves because of the dust; should she find a feather broom anywhere, they could always be relocated. For now, the bed would do. Lastly, she unpacked her small, compact first aid kit on her nightstand. It wasn't much - some bandages, some coughing medicine, some painkillers, some disinfectant - but it was enough to patch up anyone with a sprained ankle or a nasty cut.

"So tell me, what do you do for a living?" she asked Bonnie, putting away the last of her stuff, shoving the suitcase under her bed and straightening her back.

Dearshul
03-23-2016, 05:29 PM
Bonnie gave a relieved little chuckle at Hope's polite manner. She would be a fine roommate, indeed. As Hope unpacked, Bonnie figured she ought to do the same. She pulled parts of a little ramshackle easel from her bag and assembled them in an out of the way corner of the room. It wasn't pretty by any means, but it got the job done. She set a nicely sized canvas on the easel for later. No doubt inspiration would strike fairly soon in such a place as Black Creek Manor.

Bonnie sneezed when Hope aired out the linens and laughed, "I should hope not. Who wants to escape work just to find more work to do?"

She pulled a small duvet, which accounted for the bulk of what she packed, from her bag. Once she had removed the dusty top layer of bedding and folded it to put beneath the bed, she spread out her duvet. She put her hands to her hips and smiled. Nothing like a touch of home to make a body feel comfortable. Next came her hairbrush and what little makeup she used, both finding a home on her bedside table. The rest could wait until morning.

Bonnie turned when she realized Hope was talking to her and blushed slightly, "I'm an artist, or at least I'm trying to be. As you might guess, it doesnae quite pay the bills, so I fish and bake from time to time as well. If we can find the proper ingredients, I can throw together some dinner rolls or some sweet buns for dessert. But enough about me. I imagine you've had some adventures being a nurse?"

Cassiopeia
03-23-2016, 09:59 PM
http://i.imgur.com/Yav088B.png

"Ah, you looked like the artistic type," Hope responded to Bonnie. "I think it's a good idea to find those ingredients as fast as possible then."
She chuckled.
"I've never been very good at baking," she continued. "I can throw together a decent meal, sure, but never anything fancy."
Her smile remained unchanged as Bonnie asked her about her nursing adventures, but inside she felt a tad sad.
"Well, I wouldn't call it adventures," she said. "But there was plenty of work during the war. Been a nurse for six years already. I'm glad to say it's very rewarding work."
She paused for a moment, and looked around the room. Her smile faded a bit. Then she clasped her hands together.
"Well, shall we?" she said. "Let's see how well the kitchens are stocked."
She made her way to the doorpost.

rabbit
03-24-2016, 12:52 AM
http://i.imgur.com/WMMgOCD.png

Willa stood on the isle of Brùn, her back to where the North Atlantic dipped in between the outlying Scottish Isles making it a turbulent and unhospitable journey on the boat from the mainland. She was still a little green around the gills; you would think that living on an island would make one rather partial to seafaring, but Willa abhorred it. She felt almost the same about the sight before her: the tiny Scottish village wasn’t too far from her arrival spot, sparsely arranged around the small port. She grimaced. You have got to be joking.

Off to her right, there was a man leaning against a car – she did a double take to make sure that was correct – who seemed to be reading a book; she crossed to him, crunching lightly over the gravel in her t-strap pumps, made of soft leather and highly fashionable. So was everything she was wearing, actually: Dior or at least inspired by his New Look, midi-length a-line skirt over her silk slip and light petticoat, button-up blouse tucked under a tailored jacket cinched at the small of her waist and flaring out over her hips. Calfskin leather driving gloves covered Willa’s hands as she gripped her suitcase, her purse tucked under the same arm, swinging lightly as she approached. He didn’t look up. She cleared her throat and came to a stop in front of him.

“Willa, I presume?” She blinked behind her sunglasses and then reached up to slowly pull them down and look over the cat-eye rims at him.

“They said you’d be arriving late.” He pulled a pencil out of his breast pocket and wrote something on what appeared to be a piece of paper that was acting as his bookmark, since after he closed his book around it and moved to take her suitcase. She let him have it and waited for him to open the car door for her – which he didn’t. He didn’t. Willa curiously watched him as he placed her case in the back and then started to climb into the driver’s seat. She scrambled to open the door for herself and climb in when he started the engine, almost afraid he would leave without her. She didn’t want to be stranded at the village!

The village didn’t seem so bad when they arrived at the manor. It wasn’t that the manor appeared dilapidated or otherwise falling apart but the encroaching forest was a keen reminder that they were very nearly in the middle of nowhere and Willa was a city girl. She pursed her lips, painted burgundy. The manor had a heavy presence, like a predator squatting in the grass. Jack placed her bag beside her where she stood and departed. Willa glanced over her shoulder to watch the car depart and then began the trek to the manor’s front door, which swung open nearly the moment she raised her fist to knock.

“Oh!” She gasped and peered into the interior, taking her sunglasses off and lightly grasping them as she stepped up into the building. Willa wasn’t greeted by Abbott like the others, and she peeked around the ground floor curiously; she never heard the front doors close behind her. She gazed thoughtfully into the salon off the entrance hall and then moved through the double doors into the hallway; she saw the ballroom and the kitchen – her stomach growled, reminding her she was actually very hungry – but went the other way down the hallway to peek into what she found to be the armory. Her brow furrowed slightly as she looked around; next was the servant’s room and then she went to the next door across the hallway – which she found to be locked. The brass handle was cold in her hand and she twisted it again to be sure, but the locking mechanism didn’t budge and the door wouldn’t even move. Willa frowned at it and stepped back.

The rest room, sitting room and music room were all that was left to discover on the ground floor, so she headed upstairs to the first floor, gloved hands moving over the polished wood bannisters that were blanketed with dust. Willa grimaced when she saw the residue and blew it off. The first floor had no bedrooms, but a grand dining hall and a second kitchen; she heard voices up the stairs coming from the second floor so she ascended without fully exploring the first floor.

As she looked round, trying to find the source of the voices as she had yet to see anyone else in the manor, Willa rounded a corner and found a man – Justin – tucked up against a wall, sweating and breathing hard. She screamed. It was a loud, tinny and girlish scream; she hadn’t been expecting to see anyone so suddenly and his appearance startled her. Her purse and suitcase dropped to the floor, popping open on its hinges and scattering her belongings across the thick carpet underfoot that ran the length of the hallway.

“I knew it!” She cried as she collected herself from the scare, “I knew there would be some pansy scheme to place people here to scare us! It’s a hoax! There’s probably booby-traps too, aren’t there?!” Willa was viciously glaring at Justin, blue-green eyes harsh, all accusations and fury. Her British accent was apparent and her words enunciated.

Squeaky91
03-24-2016, 01:21 AM
Justin jumped at the sound of her scream, his hand going to his hip for his side arm. It was gone, he was dead, no, no, he was safe. Away from the battles. He looked at the woman, shaking his head. "Mam, please try not doing that again." He said, but stopped while she yelled at him. "Trap? How should I know? I'm here to win money. Now if you don't mind, I need a minute to remind myself I'm not at war anymore." He growled looking at her. "And since when do we allow late people to join the game? The rest of us worked to get here on time. What makes you special?"

The Texan Queen
03-24-2016, 02:01 AM
He had to have been thinking more than what he lead on, she could tell by his facial expressions. Robert was proving to be quite the interesting character and she couldn't place him like she could with everyone else. Amelia wanted to know what was going on inside his head and really get to know him, but she felt like he would be a tough nut to crack. She couldn't tell if it was his good looks or his charm, but something about him was pulling her in. Part of her wanted to dive in and figure out what was so alluring about this man and the other part of her wanted to steer clear from any distraction and focus on the story.

“My hero,” her eyes lit up at the sight of his flask and she gave him a devilish smile. “My daddy always told me that a man carries a flask for two reasons.” She closed her empty suit case and left it on the bed, she would unpack her private items when she was alone. Amelia walked over to him and stood a few feet from him, she was close but not too close. “You're either stressed or you're just plain trouble.” She slipped the flask from his hand slowly without breaking eye contact.

“So, what are you? Stressed or trouble?” Her brow arched playfully at him. She was just about to suggest heading to the kitchen for some glasses and maybe find something to snack on when she heard a faint scream.

“Did you hear that?” Amelia snapped her eyes to the open door and listened closely to see if more screams followed. She dashed to the bed and snatched her journal off it before taking off in the direction of the scream.

“You coming?!” She shouted over her shoulder as she disappeared down the hall, flask and journal in hand.

Rounding the hallway she saw two people standing there, both seemed a bit peeved with one another. “Did you guys hear a scream?” She asked as she approached them. “It sounded like it came from this direction. Was it you?” She asked the girl standing besides her and then her eyes drifted to the man she was with. Was he the reason for her scream and irritated expression?

Dearshul
03-24-2016, 04:17 AM
Bonnie was about to ask if Hope remembered where the kitchen was when she heard a scream. Without thinking and more for her own comfort than anything she grabbed Hope by the hand and towed her toward the sound. If someone had been hurt it was better that someone trained was there to help. Of course, Bonnie only remembered Hope's first aid kit after she'd drug her halfway to where the scream seemed to be coming from. No matter, she would know what to do anyway, Bonnie imagined. Soon they were in the hall with three other of their housemates and someone Bonnie hadn't seen before. She realized she was still gripping Hope's hand. She quickly released it, quite embarrassed.

"Och, crivens! I wasnae thinking at all. I'm sorry, Hope, I panicked," she mumbled to her friend, face red as a beet.

N a m i n e_600
03-24-2016, 10:52 AM
Kateryna walked smoothly down the hall, her eyes narrowed as she heard a scream.
She followed the noise, passing through hallways, alight with candles and whatnot. The pretty woman continued walking, her heels clicking on the floor, as she rounded a final corner.
She stopped. A crowd of her housemates were gathered in the hall, and in the centre, stood a woman whom she did not recognise.
Folding her arms she raised an eyebrow, scanning the woman up and down briefly.
"You got me excited there" She mockingly sighed. "I thought there may have been a ghost." Her accent rolled out of her mouth smoothly, her words understandable. There was no doubt that the others would recognise her being a foreigner immediately.
She remained apart from the group, but close enough to be seen and heard.

Sy23
03-24-2016, 12:02 PM
"Stressed, or trouble?' It was a question Robert could not really answer for sure. After all, the sub-heading "I really want you to like me, though it's probably as much lust as anything" could have fit into either category. For that matter, both stress and trouble were -

A scream!

he had to admire the way Amelia reacted. Calm as a chilled cucumber from one of those fancy new Frigidaire things that were all the rage amongst the smart set, stopping to pick up her notebook (why a notebook?) and then, not even spilling so much of a drop of the precious amber liquid from the flask breaking into a run in the direction of the noise. So quickly had she moved, in fact, she had taken him off balance. His reaction was further delayed by the fact he could not help but notice her perfectly shaped calves as her running action caused her skirt to ride up, nor the lacey edge of slip this action also revealed. And then, her cry of "you coming" shamed him into action, with the result that within a few seconds he had drawn level with her.

Despite their swift reaction, Amelia and Robert were not first on the scene. Most of the people present were familiar to him, but the person who seemed to be in the center of the ad-hoc circle they had formed was most definitely a stranger. A young girl, with a face like a pixie (or how he would imagine a pixie to be, if such existed, he corrected - this was the last place he wanted to be taking superstition seriously,) her looks fragile and gamin-like in contrast to Amelia's more confident and traditionally femme-fatale appearance.

Had the situation demanded it, he would have had no hesitation taking center stage. As it was, there seemed no immediate crisis, and a watching brief was called for. Accordingly, he watched. Watched the heaving of Amelia's breasts as they reacted to the exertions of the run, and a similar movement on the part of the newcomer's, as they too reacted to whatever had spooked her. But part of him watched more seriously, too. There was something going on here, and the more he learned, the better.

rabbit
03-24-2016, 03:43 PM
http://i.imgur.com/WMMgOCD.png

Willa’s heart was still pounding in her chest from the fright, face tinged red in the cheeks and over the bridge of her nose.

"Ma’am, please try not doing that again,” the man said but she was fuming and his brusque attitude wasn’t helping with the comments that followed. Willa slapped him. Her right hand, still gloved and now free of her suitcase that was still on the floor and spilling over with clothes, snapped up and would strike him across the face, a motion in both her elbow and wrist serving him a sharp sting on his cheek, if he didn’t catch it.

“Late? Oh, let me just go and ring up Portree and have a firm discussion with them about their sailing schedules to small, dismal Scottish islands infested with boorish men!” Willa scolded in her pronounced British accent, her fingers and upper palm stinging even through the fabric of her driving glove. It was about then, if not a moment or two earlier, when others would have started gathering around, but the blond hardly noticed.

“Evidently, chivalry died in the war alongside your manners! May they rest in peace!” She turned away somewhat and bowed to collect her belongings that had scattered from her fallen suitcase, working quickly and shoving some back into the case while she gathered other things in her arms.

“Hiding in dark corners and up against walls, disheveled and panting! Here to win the money, indeed!” Her voice was tinny again, tight with recalled fright as she spoke, seemingly to the pretty blond with a journal in hand. Willa’s eyes flashed back to Justin, whom she had turned mostly away from, and then briefly around at the gathering of people and then hurried off down the hallway with a little huff and pardon, into one of the bedrooms.

One of the beds nearest the door and desk seemed to be claimed, but everyone appeared to be out in the hall, so she didn’t think much of it and went to the bed near the far, west window and all but threw her things down upon it. She sneezed, a high-pitched little thing, and whimpered lightly with something of a distraught pout as the dust rose into the air. She turned her back to the bed, betrayed, and went to the window, throwing open the heavy velvet, gold-colored drapes and working to open one of the cross-hatched windows. Willa gasped softly, inhaling deeply as the fresh air rushed in.

Squeaky91
03-24-2016, 04:04 PM
Once the slap hit him, his cheek was bright red. He looked her dead in the eyes as she talked, and smiled when she said something about Scottish boorish men. "Well don't worry about that, mam, I'm American." He said with a grin. "And if you want chivalry, that's fine, but that code is all about battle. So I hold the door for you as we go to a sword fight." He said as she walked off. "I bet you'll be the first outta here. No maids or waiters to carry you to the damn toilet." He mocked and looked, seeing the others. "What?" He growled, marching past them.

The Texan Queen
03-24-2016, 10:27 PM
Amelia watched the two interact with an expression of interest and amusement, nodding in greeting to the others that approached the growing group. What she gathered was that the girl got spooked by the man standing there and they didn't react in the right way to one another, the personalities are clashing sooner than I thought they would. She eyed the mans redden cheek, the red blob seemed to have a hand type shape to it, and she couldn't help but smirk. She smacked him! Either he was truly deserving of the slap or she was just being over dramatic...or it could be both. She simply nodded as the flustered girl spoke to her and then stormed off shouting something about chivalry.

"Toodles," She finger waved at the angry man as he pushed through everyone standing around him. "Well, that wasn't as exciting as I was hoping it would be!" She shrugged her shoulders and looked at everyone with a friendly smile, "I'm Amelia by the way. I'm glad to see so many people came to the rescue! Robert and I," She waved over to where he stood and smiled at him, "were just about to go find a snack and socialize. You are all more than welcome to join us!" A small part of her wanted to just spend the entire week with Robert, she could imagine them having a great deal of fun by themselves, but she also wanted to get to know everyone else in the house.

"Oh! And we should probably decide who gets kitchen duty tonight! I have only mastered pastas, so if everyone isn't in the mood for pasta I'm out for the count. But, I'm really good at baking!"

Dearshul
03-25-2016, 01:23 AM
http://i.imgur.com/B9Q75N2.png

Bonnie sidestepped the angry fellow. She wasn't one for confrontation.

When Amelia brought up the question of dinner, she smiled somewhat bashfully and said, "Hope and I were about to fix something to eat when the commotion started. I suppose a few more mouths to feed willnae be too much trouble. I'm Bonnie, by the way. It's a pleasure."

She gave a polite nod to those left in the hallway.

"I dinnae ken much outside of baked goods and fish, I'm afraid. It is fortunate that we have other chefs in the house."

N a m i n e_600
03-25-2016, 09:48 AM
Kateryna smirked, witnessing the slap which seemed to echo in the hall.
"She is feisty one isn't she?" She murmured half to herself, scanning the remaining people before heading for the stairs. She believed it was time to explore some of this so called 'dangerous' manor. The rooms called to her, drawing her attention. The manor was rather quiet, apart from the occasional creak of a floorboard or slamming of a door which she assumed could be that dear fellow who had just got struck. She smiled again at the thought of what had just happened. He hadn't seemed pleased at all.

Sy23
03-28-2016, 04:03 AM
Robert's usual philosophy of keeping in the background in large groups meant that he did not find being introduced to the group at large by Amelia entirely welcome. Still, looking uncomfortable now would only make things worse, and make his wish to lurk in the metaphorical shadows even more obvious, so, putting as brave a face as he could upon the situation he smiled and waved at everyone in the group.

So - someone had got themselves slapped, hey? Well, if the guy were anything like himself, he guessed he could hardly blame, what was her name, Willa? If Amelia had been able to read minds, Robert conceded, his own cheek might well be tingling as much as that of the unfortunate American. Though, in his own defense, if Amelia persisted in waltzing around looking so seductive (and dressing to emphasize her stunning looks) she could hardly have expected men not to notice her.

Her mention of wop food intrigued him too. Most girls would have used a term like "bangers and mash" or "toad in the hole" to illustrate their lack of cooking experience. A familiarity with pasta was not what he would have expected, especially since the war had been over only a few years, and pasta was about as welcome on the insular British menus as sauerkraut or sushi might have been. The reference to kitchen duty pleased him less, however. Roster? Surely she didn't expect the men to take part in women's work. A conclusion that, perhaps wisely, he kept to himself.

He wanted her to like him, after all.

Squeaky91
03-28-2016, 04:11 AM
Justin walked to the kitchen, finding it empty. "Good, maybe I can have some damn peace." He said to himself as he grabbed some food. His mother was a wonderful cook, and taught her sons how to cook for themselves since "they will likely scare off any girl they meet." He smiled thinking of her joke, his cheek still burning. What was that woman's deal anyway? Well, he had his peace and quiet to look forward to. Or at least he did, because while he was cooking, he heard voice heading towards him. "Damnit." He mumbled to himself.

Sy23
03-28-2016, 04:19 AM
(sorry - RPA double posted!)

N a m i n e_600
03-28-2016, 12:47 PM
Kateryna walked down the hall, assuming it lead to the kitchen. She passed a few more rooms, all of which seemed to be pretty empty, before finally, after rounding another corner the smell of food immediately drifted towards her.
She entered two large doors, which fortunately belonged to the kitchen quarters.
It wasn't as impressive as she'd expected in all honesty.
There was a large open stove to one end, old wooden counters dotting the room (Which was pretty big) however, the lighting was poor and t was awfully cold.
Kateryna looked around for a bit longer, when her eyes fell upon Justin, the young man that only twenty or so minutes ago had his face slapped by that rather attractive woman. She couldn't remember the womans name, but it didn't faze her. She didn't really know anyone here and that was how it would remain.
She walked smoothly towards one section of the kitchen, the section with the fruit, and picked herself some grapes, bending over one of the counters.

Squeaky91
03-28-2016, 02:00 PM
Justin saw her. A redhead? He had a weakness for those but this one, Kateryna, he notice small things. She didn't seem to look at guys as much as she does the gals. He looked her up and down, curves in the right places, as he brother would say. "If you want, I can cook something up for you too." He said/mumbled. Might as well try to be nice, since everyone is gonna be stuck together for a week, it could be nice to have someone to talk too.

N a m i n e_600
03-28-2016, 10:48 PM
The red headed beauty glanced to one side after retrieving the grapes, Justin had spoken to her.
Well, isn't this a surprise?
She was silent for a moment, scanning him up and down, and then raising an eyebrow.
"How is your face?" She replied with her own question, rather than answering his. She didn't say it in a humorous way, which meant it wasn't mocking.

Squeaky91
03-28-2016, 10:53 PM
"I've had worst." He said. "I was in a small company during the war. Getting slapped is nothing compared to being shot by a nazi." He said as he cooked. "So, want anything? I'm trying to be somewhat nice." He said and grabbed a nearby beer he had.

N a m i n e_600
03-28-2016, 11:13 PM
"A soldier hmm?" The woman brought up her hands slowly, imitating a hand gun, "Bang bang" she murmured.
Kateryna, rather than sitting next to him, leant against one of the counters and subtly placed a grape in her mouth. She was silent for a moment.
"Since when do men cook." She muttered quietly, with her eyes narrowed, slightly tilting her head to one side.

Squeaky91
03-28-2016, 11:19 PM
He watched her hand, acting like a gun. He smiled and did the same, but used his middle finger instead of the normal one, and "returned fire." "Bang bang." He said and sat down at a table. "Ever since their mother was worried that they would never meet the right girl, and wanted to make sure they can somewhat survive." He said as he took a drink. "Since when has a girl looked at another girl with a bit of list in their eyes? Think that's a new one for me." He said. "Don't worry, I won't say a word about it if you don't want me too, just wanted to ask questions since you were." He said. He had to learn to notice the little things, even in the way people acted. He was a sniper after all, or at least he was going to be.

N a m i n e_600
03-28-2016, 11:30 PM
Kateryna kept a neutral expression, watching as he used his middle finger to supposedly 'return fire'.
He was a rather tall man, with brown hair and a beard, rather smart in terms of dress wear. Her first thought was how relaxed he seemed.
"A male without female is like sheep without shepherd." She kept her head tilted to one side, and scanned her nails "Baaah"
She then glanced back up at him once he mentioned her reaction to the female agenda, and her gorgeous eyes narrowed even more dangerously. "And man with big nose will often not find he is walking on dangerous grounds."

Squeaky91
03-28-2016, 11:38 PM
"A sheep without a shepherd can survive, so long as it knows how to watch for a wolf." He said, looking at her. No doubt she was beautiful, with that long red hair, and deep eyes. He was flirting a bit of course, but wasn't sure if she was also. Oh well, might as well as have some fun. "A dangerous ground is a boring place if one knows where to watch their step." He said and took a drink, still looking in her eyes. "I'm Justin." He said.

N a m i n e_600
03-28-2016, 11:54 PM
Kateryna felt a pang of annoyance at how he had an answer for everything. She assumed he was perhaps flirting with her, and smirked in amusement to herself at the thought. Silly sheep she tutted, almost with pity.
He introduced himself as Justin... of course she already knew that.
"Kateryna." She replied bluntly, placing another grape in her mouth. Her accent was rather strong, she rolled the 'r' and her voice was rather low, but in a feminine way.
"What brings you to Black Creek manor" The woman murmured. "You know there are wolves everywhere. The heart of the den is the most dangerous place to be."

Squeaky91
03-29-2016, 12:00 AM
He saw the smirk. Poor wolf, he thought with a grin. "Oh you know, I just love old houses that fall apart. Has nothing to do with the money." He said, a hint of sarcasm. "What about you? In love with old house, or are you here to meet mr or miss right?" He asked taking a drink.

N a m i n e_600
03-29-2016, 12:03 AM
She held his gaze with her own, unwavering and not intimidated. "I am not one for romance." She muttered, smoothly beginning to wonder around, brushing her hand across counters and scanning cupboards. She paused, her back to him, "I come purely for the fun of witnessing those things that go bump in the dark"

Squeaky91
03-29-2016, 12:09 AM
He let out a small laugh. "I could make a joke about us going bump in the night, but like my ex, it would be easy." He said as he got up and checked his food. "Sure you don't want anything? Not often I meet someone with wit as sharp as their looks." He said making a plate.

N a m i n e_600
03-29-2016, 12:28 AM
She tutted again, giving him a look of pity. "Poor, poor little sheep" She replied once more, "Ego is large, I actually feel sorry for you."
Kateryna finished the last grape, and placed her bowl to one side.
"And I am not hungry." She continued to explore the kitchen, noticing the walls, and the ground...which, if her eyes didn't deceive her, appeared to have faint patterns on them. She looked closer, and found that in fact they were more than just patterns. The designs on the floor seemed to be in the shapes of...perhaps, symbols.

Squeaky91
03-29-2016, 12:36 AM
He watched her, his eyes tracing her body. "Did you find something?" He asked and walked over where she was. He looked at the ground and blinked a few times. "Are those symbols?" He asked and kneeled down to get a closer look.

N a m i n e_600
03-29-2016, 10:57 AM
Kateryna hardly heard him, her eyes trailing along the floor. The symbols were small in size, old and faded, like they had been there for decades. She frowned, using her finger to follow the lines. She had never seen this kind before, it was foreign to her, almost like a different language. Very unusual
"I have never seen symbols like these." She murmured, half to herself, her finger coming to pause and hover over one in particular.
From what she could see, it appeared to be a circle, which held an eye in its centre, hidden in a mass of other symbols and shapes.

Dearshul
03-30-2016, 03:57 AM
Hope had fallen silent beside Bonnie. She looked a little pale and murmured something about having a headache, but not to worry, that she would be alright. Bonnie nodded. If Hope's little first aid kit had anything to say about it, she was sure the headache would be taken care of in no time. As Hope retreated back upstairs, Bonnie felt her little bit of security around the others ebb away. She scrambled for an excuse to leave.

"I'll just... um... I'll see about what ingredients we have in the kitchen. Would anyone object to some shepherd's pie?" she asked, her hands fiddling nervously with the material of the front of her skirt.

The Texan Queen
03-30-2016, 05:08 AM
Amelia wanted as everyone seemed to disappear, one by one they left after finding nothing of interest to keep them in the hallway. She forced herself not to pout, she wanted to get to know everyone but figured that would just have to come with the time. Time?! I only have a week! There's so much to be done in that short amount of time... she suddenly felt nervous. What if she didn't get every part of the story? What if this was all for nothing? Sure, there was the prize money but she already had the wealth!

"Sheperd's pie sounds delicious," she smiled at Bonnie. "I think I'm going to find some place to have a little drink. I'll come running when I smell the food." She gave Bonnie a wink and started to walk down the hallway. She lifted up the flask in the air and gave it a little shake to remind her mysterious little friend that she still had his stash of liquor. If he wanted to follow her or not made no difference to her, she just wanted to have a drink and relax and maybe come up with a game plan for tomorrow.

Sy23
03-30-2016, 11:33 AM
Robert lie on his bed, jacketless, shoeless and and tieless, a smuldering cigarette in his hand. An expression of deep thought marred his features.

A watching brief was what some might have called it. Masterly inactivity was a good alternate phrase. A decade before, the retreat from Dunkirk had been hailed as some kind of victory - and, in retrospect, this assessment had proven correct. Sometimes, there was nothing to be gained by rushing headlong into a situation. Especially when one's go-to mode was to keep a low profile. Somehow, he'd allowed himself to slip out of that, put himself forward.

He was not without a certain self-honesty, and he knew what the problem was. The girl Amelia fascinated him, a s few women had before. Not merely because she was attractive - though that certainly played a part - more because there was a mystery about her, a sense deep in his subconscious that she was a long way from what she seemed. Without even trying, she had inveigled him out from his position of anonymity, and when she walked off (with his bloody flask, if you please, without even so much as a "thank you") he'd had to force himself not to follow like a pathetic, lovesick puppy.

But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

So, he lie on the bed in the room he had appropriated for himself, smoking, and wondering if he could manage to stave off the lure of hunger enough to avoid going downstairs to see what the ad-hoc kitchen team had prepared.

Dearshul
04-01-2016, 03:29 PM
http://i.imgur.com/B9Q75N2.png

Bonnie gave a small nod and made her way to the kitchen. Two of her housemates were already there and seemed to be in the middle of something. Not wanting to intrude, she cleared her throat to let them know she was there and began searching the cupboards to see what she could put together. All the appropriate seasonings were there, give or take a couple, and the proper ingredients for the crust were well stocked. She did a mental count of all the people who needed to be fed and loaded her arms up with the things she would need.

It took her a couple minutes to find the size of mixing bowl she would need and a bit longer to find a deep enough pie plate. She was careful not to invade the space of her fellow housemates. They seemed absorbed in something that probably wasn't any of her business. Instead, she busied herself boiling water to soften the vegetables and laying down some flour for the dough. It was a nice kitchen, she decided, a little broken down from neglect but it was probably quite a sight in its heyday. She'd return later with her sketchpad.

"I dinnae mean to interrupt," she called over her shoulder to the others in the kitchen, "but should I expect you two for dinner? It's shepherd's pie on the menu for tonight."

Squeaky91
04-01-2016, 05:54 PM
"With actual shepherd on top?" Justin asked looking at the symbols. "Sorry, but I just ate. Thanks anyway." He said, looking at the symbols more. He could swear he had seen them before, but where. Was it in some nazi camp, or out in the field? Damnit, where have I seen you before? He wondered to himself. "Hey come take a look at these." He called to the others, "think we found something. Bring some paper and a pencil if you can." He said, dusting the floor in hopes of finding more of the symbols.

N a m i n e_600
04-03-2016, 05:31 PM
Kateryna rose without a word, peering down at what Justin had just revealed.
"These I have seen before." She murmured, bending down to take a closer look. Someone had entered the kitchen and called to them both, asking if they were being expected for dinner. Kateryna ignored whoever it was, these symbols on the floor were far more interesting than any food.
She could have sworn symbols like these were familiar to her, but couldn't quite decipher where she had seen them in the past. She racked her brain for answers, trailing her fingers along the markings once more.
Then she thought of something. The woman had travelled far and wide, all over the country and further countries. Surely she could remember somehow.
She was silent for a moment, then her eyes widened slightly and she stood up.

Dearshul
04-07-2016, 07:46 PM
http://i.imgur.com/B9Q75N2.png

Bonnie smiled at the man's joke, "I think we might be out of actual shepherd."

The woman who was with them ignored her, absorbed in whatever she was looking at, and soon the man had rejoined her in examining the thing. Before Bonnie could move to see just what it was that was so interesting, the pot began to hiss. Water boiled over the edges and threatened to extinguish the flame on the stove. Muttering an oath to herself, she hurried to turn down the flame and add the vegetables to the pot.

The floor in front of the stove had become rather wet. She sighed and searched for a rag to mop up the mess in case anyone came in. With Hope out of commission, they didn't need anyone whacking their head on the slippery kitchen floor. Whatever was so interesting would have to wait.