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?
Todos me dicen el negro, llorna. Negro pero cariñoso.
This was Ida’s favorite time at the store -- closing time. It wasn’t her favorite for the reason you’d expect. Going home was probably one of her least favorite things to do. She didn’t mind working, anyway. Once she had demonstrated her exceedingly poor customer service skills, Dave had relegated her to stocking and inventory duty. Counting and tallying how many ice bags were still in the chest freezer, sliding boxes of cereal onto the shelves, making sure no stray apples had ended up with the avocados. Keeping order in the tiny universe that was the general store. Her job performance was passable at best, but admittedly (perhaps embarrassingly). some days she did leave with a faint sense of accomplishment. Pride that, in the simple little universe of Dave’s General Store, she had managed to not mess anything up too badly.
No, this was her favorite time because the doors were locked, and the night outside was dark, and the fishbowl bubble of Dave’s General Store seemed almost like the only light in the town. The store was still, frozen in time until its doors were opened again. It had almost a church-like silence to it. She tried to hold onto this quiet for as long as she could. Her mind was always running a million miles an hour, like a freight train coming down the tracks and she could never get out of the way. But at this hour, her mind slowed, lulled to sleep by the repetitiveness of her task. The only sounds were her own footsteps shuffling across the floor and the sounds of Ellis closing out at the till. Even when she couldn’t see him, she liked knowing that he was close. It gave her an unbelievable sense of comfort to know she wasn’t alone.
Yo soy como el chile verde, llorona, Picante pero sabroso.
Ida sang under her breath as she swung her broom back and forth down the aisles. That song had been with her all morning. Mamá used to sing La Llorona often when she was young. She would be bright and beaming and singing along with a chipper tone. Ida would ask - a little irritated - why she would sing such a sad song with such happiness. After all, the song is about suffering, your heart trapped by someone you love. Her mother would shake her head and wag her finger and say, “But mi hija, what a joy it is to suffer for love, eh?”. Now, Ida chuckled to herself as she came to the end of the aisle. Maybe Mamá wasn’t so crazy after all.
Si porque te quiero, quieres, Llorona, que yo la muerte reciba.
As Ida turned to head back to the front, out of the corner of her eye she saw a bright yellow paper sticking out from under one of the shelves. She bent down and pulled it from its hiding place, turning it over. “GOING TO THE PROM?” It said in big, garish letters. “Get your tickets, snag a date, have some fun! Mark your calendar for March 29th!”. Ida rolled her eyes. She hadn’t realized it was coming up so fast. Ida checked out most of the time at school - that is, if she was even in class. A twinge of regret came in her chest. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was letting life slip through her fingers. Ida kept trying to grab onto something real, but she was always a little too late or didn’t hold on tight enough. She turned the paper over again, furrowed her brow and let out a long breath.
Dust pan in one hand, flyer in the other, she walked back up to the front of the store. Ida knew Ellis D. had to be up here somewhere. Knowing he was close, she found herself standing up straighter, softening her face, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She had never felt comfortable in her own skin, but Ellis always made her feel at ease. He made her want to be seen, to smile, to laugh, to let her hair down. To be close.
Her heart beat faster, her mouth going a little bit dry. She wasn’t quite sure what ground her feet were standing on when it came to Ellis D. She knew that he would always have her back. That was just his way -- loyal to the end. But she only had this one part of him, the gritty, unglamorous, everyday side of him. His romantic side, the security of his arms and the warmth of his skin...well, Ida knew what happened when she reached for the rest. A shiver ran down her spine. She figured she should feel guilty for helping rip the rug out from under him and Alexis. She knew that now, she should leave well enough alone. Ellis D. was her best (and let’s face it, only) friend, and she couldn’t stand to lose him. But the reality is that no guilt would come. That she knew, somehow, they were meant to be together. That, despite all odds, things would work out. They had to.
Suffering in love. Yeah, she got it now.
She held the flyer aloft, calling out towards the register. “Hey, you going to this thing or nah?”
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 24, 2021 1:12:59 GMT
In contrast to his friend, Ellis D. was a masterful cashier. It wasn’t that he was charming or witty or especially fast; he was a bulwark. A calm, steady, reliable machine, taking care of costumers without a hiccup and looking damn good while doing it. He was a favorite of the desperate housewives and young girls, the ones who pushed conversation that he smiled and “yeah”ed through while inwardly begging them to shut up and go home. He’d never say it, of course. Not even on a bad day. He needed this job. The General Store income paid for rent. He couldn’t take any chances, unlike some peers of his...
The last of the shoppers had come through, surely, but he wasn’t allowed to balance his till until the manager locked the front doors. His dark gaze lingered longingly on them, not because he wanted to go home either, but because the time of extensive human interaction would soon come to a close and he could seek respite.
Not respite from everyone, of course. There were some faces he could stand to be close to when he needed rejuvenating. In fact, one approached in tandem with the manager’s approach to the doors, keys jingling promisingly.
Ellis D. smiled at Ida, and it was the first smile he’d meant for some hours.
“Hell no.” A quick, confident response, surely expected of trailer park trash. Granted, last year he’d attended—with Alexis—but they didn’t talk about his old life. At least not without procuring Ellis D.’s wrath.
“You?” His drawer popped open and he started counting bills.
“Hell no.” A sideways smile cracked across Ida’s face. Ellis D. had a way of making the tension in her chest unwind. There were so many people, situations and feelings that made her uncomfortable. She struggled with them, spinning around like cotton candy trying to make sense of what was actual fact and what was anxious fiction. Ellis D. had a knack for giving her even footing - putting things back into perspective and letting her breathe once again.
Of course he wasn’t going to prom, and neither was she. Prom was just a vanity performance, a costume display of looks and status. What good was a promenade if you didn’t have anything to show off? With a twinge she thought of prom last year. She hadn’t gone, but like any good friend she had wished Ellis D. on his way. Damn he looked good. But as she watched him now, thumbing through the bills in the register, she thought this is how he looked best. Up close, in the ordinary roughness of their drab little universe.
“You?” It took Ida a minute to snap back to the present and realize the question was hers to answer. She chuckled through her teeth. “Little ole me? No, no. The glittered masses wouldn’t be able to handle anything this fine.” Ida did a sarcastically sexy twirl in her dirty work apron. “Besides,” She held up the yellow prom flyer in her fist, “If I did go, who ever would they get to clean up their trash?” With a sincere touch of disdain, she crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the bin. The unintended venom in her last remark landed, so quickly she added, “We should do something that night anyway, though. Can’t let them have all the fun.”
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 24, 2021 18:08:59 GMT
Ellis D. smirked at her response, though the glance he casually flickered her way dragged as she did her turn before he returned his dark gaze to the money and kept it there. Sarcastic or not, Ellis D. knew full well what Ida’s body was capable of. How many months had he woken in a hot sweat, images of her caramel skin caught between his hands, between his teeth, between his legs... Though he’d never said it to her, though he hadn’t even spoken about what had transpired between them since it had, he well knew that Ida was unforgettable. I’m not being able to forget, he hadn’t been able to move on. The guilt—at committing the act, at enjoying it, at reliving it frequently in his dreams—had torn his earnest sincerity around Alexis to shreds. He’d become a guilt-ridden shadow of his former self with her. In pulling away from her, he’d pulled away from most everything associated with her. He’d lost a lot, but he hadn’t lost everything.
“Something fun, huh?” He repeated, eyes still on the actions of his hands. Ellis D. was exceptionally good with numbers. He had a sharp mind and was, though likely no one knew it, one of the tops of their class. He was also a year older than most because of the years he’d spent running.
“Like what?” Something fun sounded more like something mischievous. That wasn’t exactly his speed, but that didn’t mean he would at least come along by for the ride.
Ida watched his hands as he gently lay the bills in the register. She loved it when she could see the wheels turning in his head. Ida was clever, sure, but Ellis D. made her feel like she was only operating at 80%. Mama always said to surround yourself that make you feel stupid, because one day you’ll rise to meet them. And boy did Ellis D. keep her on her toes.
“Something fun, huh? Like what?” Her breath caught in her chest. Suddenly she could feel his arms around her, his mouth on hers, could smell his skin. Quickly Ida blinked, clearing her throat every so slightly as she felt warmth rising in her chest. She looked around to make sure the manager was closing the front doors before leaned in.
“Hank’s got a bunch of fireworks stashed in the locked chest out the back of the trailer. Fire safety aside, I think that between some gunpowder and a couple of beers we could have ourselves a hell of a good time.” Whispering, she leaned in even closer. “Maybe we could even get ourselves up onto Hollifield High’s roof and give everyone a little bit of a scare. Then slip away amid the chaos and celebrate like the sophisticated specimens we are.” Take that however he wanted, she thought. With him, she was always down for anything.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 25, 2021 18:18:55 GMT
Ellis D. looked towards the manager as well as he felt Ida leaning in. The last thing he needed was the man thinking he wasn't working. But also, he wanted to lean into this conversation too, and without an audience.
He'd made quick work of the drawer. It snapped shut decidedly right before he leaned back, occupying the space formerly between them, his face barely five inches from hers. His lips still betrayed his amused interest.
"I've always been a sucker for fireworks." He admitted. And it didn't sound too irresponsible. Fleeing the scene of illegal firework lighting wasn't so hard. Now, if they were on top of the school roof then that was another thing altogether...
"Negative on the roof part." He straightened, giving her back her personal bubble, and exited his cashier's booth as his hands moved to remove his snazzy apron. "Because," he looked to her, making sure she was coming, "doing it at the school implies we actually wanted to attend but didn't. Which I don't." He raised a challenging brow her way and would toss his apron at her face. "Do you?"
“Do you?” A vision of her standing in an elegant red gown, beaming on Ellis D.’s arm flashed before her eyes. A tiny part of her sighed, knowing that the lipsticked, high-heeled girl in her mind’s eye was so far from what she looked like now. But then, laughing, she snorted at the ridiculousness of it. Ida shoved Ellis D. playfully, her hand lingering a little too long on his chest. “You dare question my commitment to our outsider status? I thought we were a team.” She took off her apron with fake exaggerated annoyance and tossed it.
Chuckling, she bent down and started to gather her things from under the cash wrap. She thought of her second vision: the one where they made a Bonnie-and-Clyde escape from the school rooftop as a ball of fire blazed behind them. She now realized it was equally ridiculous. What was she trying to prove anyway? As always, it was a good thing Ellis D. was here to reign her in. Good for the school too - it would have been a miracle if she pulled that stunt without burning the building to the ground.
Standing back up, she narrowed her eyes and bit her lip, thinking. A lightbulb turned on in her head, she grinned. “Better idea. How about we take Hank’s truck out to Pine Lake? We can set up on the shore, have a few drinks, light the fireworks then split before anyone has anything to say about it.” Maybe they’ll even be time for a swim, she thought wickedly. “Your call. If you have other ideas, I’m not picky.”
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 26, 2021 17:12:41 GMT
Ellis D. leaned into her hand against his chest, the smirk on his lips wide and persistent. Outsiders. A fitting name for them. Granted, they were inside with one another, but for the majority of the town they just didn’t quite fit. The name reminded him of something he’d read once in sixth grade, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it...
He was already ready to go. He didn’t put things in the locker provided for him—he didn’t trust most people not to steal from him—so as soon as he observed Ida to be ready he’d head for the back exit with her.
“Now that,” he said approvingly, “sounds like a plan. The weather’s warming up, too, so maybe we can take a dip.” It sounded like just his speed. Night. Away from home. Not many people. Something exhilarating. Something quiet. Of course, if he was being truthful, there was a part of him that wanted to attend the prom. To show up with a pretty girl on his arm so Alexis could see just how good he was doing without her. But that was petty. Ellis D. tried not to be petty.
Ida paused, filled with thoughts of them on the beach, breeze on her skin, his body wrapped around hers in the moonlight. She cleared her throat quietly. In some ways, everything had changed -- in others things were just the same. They were friends, first and always. Besides, she'd make her move. Just had to find the right timing.
Cheeks flushed, Ida slung her bag over her shoulder and looked up at Ellis D., grinning. "We tell other ne'er-do-wells. Let's start with Milo." She started for the back exit, expecting Ellis D. would follow. Once they reached it, she threw her weight against the heavy door and it swung open. Ida breathed deeply, lungs filled with the cool night air. Under the sky is where she came alive. Now that the weather was staring to turn, the scent of the coming spring made her giddy.
Ida reached into her bag and pulled out a carton of cigarettes. She smacked it into her hand, pulling a lighter out of her pocket as a thought tugged a the edges of her mind. It couldn't matter less, really. But still, she wanted to get a sense of where he stood. She was unsure of so many things in this world, and she didn't want to add Ellis D. to the list. Slipping a cigarette out, she turned around -- her eyes glowing and earnest. "If we went to prom -- we aren't and I'm glad, don't get me wrong -- but if we were, hypothetically...you'd go with me...right?" Something to test the waters, she thought. If the temperature was right, maybe there was a swim in her future.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 29, 2021 19:05:55 GMT
Ellis D. followed her out the back door. He didn't love his job as a janitor in the emergency room, but he disliked his job at Dave's even more. If he didn't rely on the income from it he'd have quit it long ago. He'd been working there for three years now, though, so he'd earned some raises from minimum wage and he couldn't just let that go.
Milo. He nodded his head approvingly, stepping out of the building and towards her, knowing where her hands would be going. A puff or two was all it took to settle him into the night. Who knows what they would do--maybe homework, maybe just a walk, maybe find some food--but a smoke was always best when it came first.
Ellis D. gracefully reached to pluck the cigarette from her fingers and slip it into his mouth. He'd lean in for her to light it, listening to her uncertain inquiry, and if she did he'd take his time to drag on the cig before removing it from his mouth and offering it to her.
"Do you want to go?" It wasn't as incredulous as it could have been, but there was still an air of disbelief. He'd heard her just say she didn't, but he wasn't convinced. He barked a quiet laugh and spread his hands, a picture of total apathy, though it wasn't entirely true.
"Shit, if you wanna go, Rivera, let's go." He laughed again, this time more quietly, even a little teasing, and then he'd reach for the ciagrette, whether she'd taken a puff or not.
Predictably, as soon as Ida had slipped the cigarette to put it to her lips Ellis D. snatched it from her fingers. He slipped it into his mouth - his perfectly crafted mouth - so it perched there waiting for her to light it. Their weird little ritual every time they left the store - she got the cigarette, he stole it, she lit it, they shared it. It was shared understandings like these that drew her closer and closer. Sometimes she almost felt like Ellis D. was an extension of herself - or the person that she wanted to be.
“Do you want to go?” Ida rolled her eyes, smirking as she leaned in to light the cigarette. As he took a drag it glowed amber, catching his eyes and making her heart flutter. She probably just needed the nicotine. Or something else… “Shit, if you wanna go, Rivera, let’s go.” Scrutinizing his face, she gently slipped the cigarette from his lips, taking a drag. Ida knew Ellis D. well enough to know that nobody made him do anything he didn’t want to. So if he was offering, she suspected that there was a small part of him that wanted to go too. Ida broke out into a full on, toothy grin. Well, she’d swallow her pride for the both of them.
“Well, if you insist.” She left the smoke escape lazily from her mouth, the tingling rush of nicotine prickling her skin. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll even wear a dress and brush my hair. Really give everyone something new to look at.” She knew Paulette, their neighbor, had been trying to get rid of some of her old high school frocks ever since she got pregnant. A little risque for her taste, but this was the time to take risks and put it all out there. “So...pick me up at eight? You can drive the truck. We can ride up in style.” She handed the cigarette back, lifting it to his lips, her eyes dancing.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 30, 2021 11:42:38 GMT
Ellis D. wasn’t sure what he wanted. Did he really want to go, or did he just want to be there and be seen? Did Ida? Why? She’d be sorely disappointed. Prom was most enjoyable for the parents of the kids who actually had their parents in their lives. It was lame in comparison to the parties his peers had regularly. There was, however, that one thing: dressing up in a way they likely never had and likely never would again—unless they attended another prom.
Luckily for Ellis D., he had his tux from last year tucked into the back of his closet. Alexis had bought it for him.
“If we go then we do it right.” Ellis D. said sternly, decidedly, eyes traveling Ida’s form for a contemplative second. “We steal the night from those who would classify us as trash.” It was his turn to take a puff, and he turned from her to do it, setting a thoughtful look towards the sky.
He didn’t like caring. He didn’t want to want Alexis to see him...but he did. Oh yes, he did. This was one of the only ways he knew he could get back at her. Ida might not have been considered pretty by the average standard at their school, but Ellis D. knew otherwise. He’d seen her at every angle and in almost every circumstance. Hers was an exotic beauty that, once found, was not easily shaken. Once you saw you couldn’t unsee. If they were going to prom, she was going to do this right—as much for his sake as for hers. Call it petty. Call it selfish. Right now, Ellis D. was unapologetic.
“Let’s go home.” He was in agreement. He was already thinking of who he knew that could do make up and hair. One of the nurses from the emergency room was regularly gussied up. Surely she’d be willing to help a motherless girl attend prom in style?
Ida wanted to kiss him right there and then. That stern look, the distant eyes. She loved his scheming face, it was like staring into a darkly stirring well with some sort of treasure buried at the bottom. The things she would do to him. Let’s face it, the things she had done...and would do again. She shivered.
There was also a fire in her chest. Ida was aware that they were overlooked. She was aware of the names. She’d caught more than her share of fists and bruises defending herself from abuse from her peers. To them, Ida was trash - nothing beautiful, nothing of value. But under the oversized clothes and the ‘fuck you’ attitude, there was a warm heart and a killer body. Ellis D. knew (after all, he’d seen it), but now it was time to make a statement. A declaration to anyone who had ever written her off as trailer trash.
"Don't worry - we'll mop the floor. They won't even know what hit them." For a swelling moment, Ida was so proud to be them. To be who she was, and to be friends with someone who would be there no matter what, and still made her heart skip a beat.