03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Every year, at the end of summer, the town celebrates the day that they were officially declared a town! @charles and his family is hosting a celebration for the entire town at their estate on the outskirts of town.
The lawns of the estate have been decorated festively with banners, twinkle lights, and fall themed decor. A grandstand has been set up with a lively country band and food stalls are set up everywhere, and at a very discounted price I might add. The Bartlett’s are celebrating the start of apple season and their stall has apple cider in all its varieties (hot, cold, and frozen) as well as donuts (apple cider, pumpkin, and original), Rosie’s diner has supplied mini, handheld pies (both savory and sweet), Los Diablos has supplied tacos and nachos, and several other contributions to food as well. Bottled water is being given out at no cost.
As for activities, there are many of those as well! There is an old-fashioned swing competition for all to participate in, young and old. There are simple yard games like croquet, a ring toss, and corn hole just to name a few. There is face painting and balloon animals for the kids, entertainers in all varieties, and vendors selling glow in the dark items as they prepare for the sun to set. There are local artists displaying and selling their work and a parade of children who have decorated their bikes are getting ready for the bike parade that will happen along the garden path. And don't forget the fireworks that will start as soon as the sun dips below the horizon.
At promptly 5:00pm, @charles steps up to the grandstand and stands in front of the microphone, his wife standing beside him with a smile. "Happy Founders Day, Sweetwater!" He says enthusiastically, his arms out to the side. Charles has the reputation of being the sweet old gentleman who is fully invested in the town and it's residents, and is the also the Principal of the High School. He is almost seen speaking to someone, regardless of age or gender, with warmth and a smile. 'Charlie' is well loved by the town and it doesn't hurt that he holds numerous gatherings and celebrations for all sorts of people regularly.
"Aren't we just so lucky to live in this beautiful town?" Applause breaks out. "It was on this day, many many years ago, that our beloved Sweetwater was officially declared a town and we are so blessed that it was! Now, please enjoy the festivities, there is sure to be something here for everyone." He says with a playful grin and a wink that only the closest people will even be able to see. "Let the frivolity begin!" The band immediately starts playing behind him, Charlie tugs in his wife with a kiss on her cheek, and the festival is officially on it's way.
Charles placed a kiss on his wife's cheek with a grin and then made his way off of the grandstand. He smiled widely at people as he walked through the laws of his estate, feeling perfectly happy with life. He certainly couldn't complain. He loved this town. It certainly had more people in it than when he was growing up. It was only 20 years ago that all these odd things started happening and there was an...interesting variety of people that had moved here since then.
It had never bothered him though, Charlie loved people and the more the merrier in his opinion. "Mr. Vanderson!" A little girl, around age ten approached him with a bounce in her step. He grinned down at her. "Fern!" He greeted her with a tight hug. "I told you to call me Charlie, remember." He said with a wink. She smiled. "Oh ya, Charlie. Do you know where I should take my bike for the parade?" She asked. "Of course, the parade will start in twenty-five minutes in the garden." He said, pointing in the right direction. She thanked him and bounced away. Her mother, standing in the distance waved to Charlie with a smile and he waved back before continuing to stroll the festival.
The sheriff had attended, of course, but he was in uniform tonight. His intention wasn't to crash the party, but instead to remind everyone that despite the fun they were going to have it wasn't the time to be an idiot. People always needed monitoring, and Brodie hoped that his uniform and sheriff's hat would do the job for him.
He could still enjoy the party, of course.
"Charlie." Brodie greeted, making sure to approach the host shortly after arriving. He would take the man's hand and bring him in, clapping him on the back. Charles Vanderson was someone he greatly respected. The founding families all knew one another relatively well, some more than others. Brodie personally preferred the Irwins to the Vandersons, but he'd be a fool not to like Charlie. Everybody liked Charlie.
"It's going to be another successful event, I can smell it in the air." Brodie couldn't help but schmooze.
MJ was always everywhere, it seemed. She had multiple consistent side jobs, and was always willing to take on more if her schedule allowed. The perk of being a smart and resourceful girl in a public school meant her time outside of school was entirely her own. She chose to spend it on working. Nothing like having food in the fridge and a roof over her head...
The Vandersons always hired extra help for their events. They were the best people to work for, by far. They tipped ridiculously well and treated those they hired well, too--at least Charlie and his wife did. In this one night she could easily make what she would after working an entire weekend at the diner. Don't get her wrong, the diner was a great job...but it couldn't compare in regards to earning money.
MJ was dressed like the other servers, her thick, curly hair pulled back into a fancy bun. She carried her tray high and had a rag tucked into her pocket for easy spill clean ups. She always liked when parties were on the lawn--less work for her.
Kate loved everything about this town. She entered the festival with a smile, savoring the sounds of laughter and music and the lively upbeat nature of the event. A Vanderson event never disappointed. She had come from the diner, only stopping home really quick to change before heading over.
Many people waved and greeted her by name as she walked through the crowds and she did the same in return. A town where everybody knew everybody.
She spotted Brodie in his uniform, talking to the man of the hour himself, and felt the familiar pang of longing and loss that she always did when she saw him. It was softer now than it had been five years ago, now it was just a reminder of what she didn't have, what she had lost with him.
She then spotted his daughter and beamed as she waved at her with a bright smile.
She was excited for the festival as she liked to attend it and celebrate the founding of the town. She spotted her aunt @kate and waved with a smile. She liked Kate and she looked over at her father and waved. He seemed to be enjoying himself which made her happy even as she looked out at the sea of people and recognized a lot of faces. "This is going to be a great day." For once she was saying it and actually believed it.
Being known was good and bad. It made her feel good because she could always count on someone to be there for her if she was feeling down but it gave her very little privacy and she was wanting more of that lately. "Alright let's see if there is anything that I can help with." No one around her would be sad because she refused to have it. She had fully intended to help when she walked past the band and found herself captivated up in the lovely sounds of music. Her eyes went a little wide with excitement as she heard all the laughs and seen all the fun being held around her. It was indeed a great day.
Charlie grinned warmly at Brodie as the man clapped him on the back. "Sheriff! So good to see you." he said with the charm of an older gentleman. What would Sweetwater be without Sheriff Sanders? It didn't bother Charlie that the man was in uniform, he supposed he would have more surprised if he hadn't been.
He smiled proudly at the man's compliment. "Well I'm not going to argue with you there." He said with a little laugh. Of course it would be successful! "Make sure you do try to find a moment to enjoy the festival yourself won't you? All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." He said with a grin, tapping the side of his nose briefly.
Jack was wandering through the festival with his camera in hand. There were too many good photo opportunities to pass up and surely there would be some sort of story in the Tribune about the yearly Founders Day Festival.
He mostly stayed behind his camera lens. Big crowds weren’t really his thing. He wasn’t anti-social, but so many people could be overwhelming.
He happened to see @aurelia, the daughter of the sheriff. He didn’t even think to ask before he raised the camera and snapped a few photos of her as she looked around, the lights behind her looked quite magical.
Brodie was smiling at @charles when he caught sight of @kate from the corners of his eyes. He glanced, but looked away before she looked up. He looked away towards @aurelia, and winked at his daughter before returning attention to the night's host.
"I always do, Charlie, even in uniform." Brodie nodded and laughed a little as they broke company. He moved towards Aurelia, passing Jack Hollifield on the way and putting his hand to the man's camera, not touching the actual lens but instead the black parts on the sides to move it away. He didn't say anything to him, and maybe he felt they had enough of a relationship for him to do that without offending the fellow, but nobody needed to be taking pictures of his daughter. Brodie didn't know what he might do with them...
"Hey girly," he said to Aurelia, feeling like he hadn't seen her in a long time. He stoop to kiss her cheek if she let him. "Have you seen your brother around?"
"Dad, you're totally going to embarrass me," she said as she took the kiss on the cheek. He looked like he was enjoying it which made her enjoy it even more. " She looked around and spotted the lights that seemed to be illuminating around the area. "I haven't but if I do I will let you know." She hoped that maybe he would show up. "Don't give up hope he might show." She worried about him the older that she got because she knew and understood a little more what being sheriff meant.
"Still loving the whole sheriff thing?" she said it with a bit of cheer so that he would not think that she was prying about if he wanted to venture into something safer. His choice after all and at the end of the day she wanted him to do what made him happy and this seemed to do that. "No one was trying to stalk me were they?" It did not happen often but she felt if he pissed someone off they might come after her to get to him so she knew she needed to both watch and be watched. "I need to work on my self defense now that I think about it. Need a mean right hook always."
"It's my life." Brodie said with a smile, not understanding how true those words are--and who lost out because of it. He blew right on by the deeper implications and joined her in examining the party.
"Don't get into any trouble, you hear?" He said, his way of answering her question. "And don't do anything stupid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He caught sight of @kate again, then added,
"And go say hi to your aunt. I'll be around if you need me." He shot a glare towards Jack, but otherwise continued on his way, casually milling through the people in the yard.
He’d heard about this “Founders Day” thing and despite his better judgement decided to go. It felt awkward given he was in a lap of luxury and looked like... Well, for lack of a better word, crap. He had some older clothes on and didn’t look hardly formal. But he hoped he wouldn’t stand out too badly - since he was still trying to mostly fade in the background.
He didn’t plan to stay in this place long anyway. Staying in one place wasn’t safe when your uncle was a cop.
It did look fun but he wasn’t really sure what to do or say. He didn’t really know anyone here... Had he even said anymore than two words to anyone in town by this point? “Ugh I look like a scared little kid,” he chastised himself. “It’s a frickin’ town party - get over yourself.” He grumbled.
Maybe they wouldn’t even card him if he got a drink.
Jack offered the sheriff, @brodie, a sheepish apologetic look as the man lowered his camera and Jack slunk away to find something else to photograph. He hadn't meant any harm, she had just made for a pretty picture. Of course he should have known better given whose daughter she was.
He was soon distracted by the smell of cider and donuts and moved to the stall to get himself some. Who didn't love fall?
MJ smiled at the boy--a boy she didn't recognize, oddly enough--who was muttering to himself.
"Drink?" She had a tray full of drinks for those who weren't having alcohol. Punch and coke. She smiled a friendly smile at him, never one to judge due to clothes. She'd worn worse.
Not that he was a drinker. Honestly, his uncle had scared him off of that plenty of times. But sometimes he did like to bend the rules a little - the kind of freedom only being on your own really got you. “Thanks...” he finally managed to take a drink, letting himself indulge in a little fruit punch at least. No soda’s that’s when his ADHD kicked in to high gear and he didn’t need that. “Pretty fancy thing they’ve got going on here.”
He then added. “People in this town always party this hard?”