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?
It was 7pm on a Wednesday night and one of the more usual times to catch a glimpse of the local Fire Chief out and about. Although he wasn't looking for direct company, he liked to get out and see other people that weren't his coworkers. Watching a hockey game at the local bar was the easiest way to go about it. Especially when he didn't want to be here when this place became a dance scene.
He ordered a random enticing sounding ale off the local tap list, never one to pay much attention to the names unless he really ended up disliking it. But really, he was here to relax and watch the game. He found a small booth on the back wall with a good angle of the only tv with hockey on and lounged back there, nursing his beer. He was feeling a lot better after this past week, looking forward to seeing Valkyrie again on a real date. He never knew what to say to her at the urgent care, never felt it was the time too, but this would be different. They could just be two people talking, rather than emergency responders.
One of the wait staff asked him if he was good and wanted another drink when he was only half done with the current one. He shook his head and added an encouraging, "Maybe later" so they would leave him alone for a bit. He turned his attention back to the Kings and Capitals game, looking down at his phone for highlights on the other games going on.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Nov 30, 2023 21:16:58 GMT
It wasn’t often that Elijah showed up to drink in the local ale house, but he would much rather be here than at his home right now. He’d finally gotten up the nerve to open the result from the private investigator about the paternity of his youngest daughter. And he had been right. She wasn’t his. Suspecting it was one thing, but having irrefutable proof was another thing entirely. At least when it was simply suspicion, he could still have the hope of being wrong and just learning to accept his concerns weren’t warranted. But seeing the truth in black and white… he was shook.
Claire, his sweet little girl; wasn’t his biological child. He hadn’t expected it to feel this awful, and he didn’t need his other children to see him like this. Nor did he want to shut himself up in his office to drink. So Harland’s Alehouse is where he found himself driving. He stepped inside, nodding to the hostess as he walked on to the bar and handed over his card to start a tab. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to simply take it easy with a drink or two. And he honestly didn’t care if anyone around town said anything. Part of him was absolutely broken after that letter.
“Double of anything from your top shelf… surprise me.” He said, his tone a bit gruff as he leaned against the bar, he didn’t even pay attention to what was poured for him. He took the drink and looked around, wanting more privacy than to be sitting right at the bar. That’s when he spotted a familiar face. Ferris. For whatever reason, whether because he subconsciously didn’t want to be completely alone, or if it was just his manners after seeing the other man; he walked over while tossing back the first half of his drink. “Hey Ferris, how’s the night treating you?” He asked only slightly awkwardly, looking up to see what was on the tv. Hockey. Definitely not something Elijah knew anything about.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Nov 30, 2023 21:54:17 GMT
He knew a few of the people in the bar. Most not very well, some nothing more than familiar faces. That was probably what he was to most of them and he liked it that way. It was welcoming, but not overbearing and provided the exact amount of socialization that he wanted at the moment. The kind without any need for exchanging words or awkward small talk or judgement about his clothes or who he was texting.
Ferris didn't pay any attention to Elijah at the bar, nor even when he turned around. He noticed him moving toward him and his stomach sank. Maybe he'd seen someone else in this direction. Or would take the open table next to him. As he got closer, however, it was clear neither of those scenarios were the case and the man had singled Ferris out. They had talked one time, why him? His internal protests were tempered only a little by the morose look on the man's face. Clearly it wasn't a good night for him. the double shot he half downed seemed to agree.
Elijah stood directly between him and the tv and as the man spoke, the crowd on the monitor erupted and lights flashed as the Kings scored a goal and Ferris missed all of it. He half rose out of his seat but couldn't get an angle. Ferris groaned. His night was just fine, especially if he could see the replay. "Just sit the fuck down already, eh, Vanderson?" He exclaimed and gestured at the open booth next to him. Perhaps that was bit harsher than the man deserved. But he had come here to watch hockey, not the guy's sad face.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Nov 30, 2023 22:40:58 GMT
While he’d typically take the hint and give the man his solitude, Elijah found himself moving to take a seat in the booth opposite him, tossing back the rest of his drink and motioning for another. He looked from Ferris, what he could see of the tv and shrugged. Personally he’d never really gotten into sports, as he was typically working or out on a dig. Not to mention the auctions and museums, and the formal events; it seemed Elijah never had time to really follow any. He shrugged a little as his empty glass was refilled, taking a drink near immediately.
“Sorry.” He managed out as he looked at his drink, then back toward the tv screen. He might not quite understand it, but it couldn’t hurt to observe and try to get into it. Plus, anything was better than focusing on his current situations in life. And there went the rest of the second drink.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Nov 30, 2023 23:01:52 GMT
Hockey was perhaps the one thing he didn't hate his family for introducing him to. Not that he needed them to, being as it was a major sport where he was from. Out of a sense of loyalty, he was a Canucks fan. But no, he didn't particularly ascribe to them. He liked most of the Canadian teams before any American ones (obviously) but neither of the teams he was watching at the moment were Canadian. Many of the players still were. And hockey was hockey. He had a lot of fond memories of family and mostly friends. Some more than others. One he'd gotten matching tattoos with that somehow, miraculously, he didn't regret then and still didn't regret now.
Ferris was just glad the man moved, seated at the booth with him or not. He leaned back in his seat again, more focused on the tv, but he did have a passing curiosity for why the man was here. He didn't recall seeing him at the Alehouse that often. At the next commercial break, he leveled his gaze on the man. Elijah looked more frazzled than usual. His five o'clock shadow wasn't quite so neat, and neither was the manner in which he handled his glass. He watched him down the second glass.
"You've never watched hockey have you? None of your kids ever get into sports?" Once again, the fire chief proved he could, in fact, strike up normal, decent conversation when the whim took him. He took another sip of his beer.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Nov 30, 2023 23:20:01 GMT
His next refill he had the bottle set at the table to save the bartender trips. Plus, who was worried about a Vanderson paying for the bottle? He did only pour himself a single this time, not wanting to get too trashed. He still had appearances to keep up in this town. Aiming to pace himself better, he looked up when Ferris spoke and shook his head with a chuckle. “Sports, not so much. Though Alexis is a spectacular cheerleader… I never miss a competition when I’m in town, hell I even sit through the highschool football games for her.” He admitted, a smile pulling at the edge of his lips.
But the smile faltered as he realized that over the course of the next few weeks, all hell would break loose at home and he honestly was worried how his kids would be affected. Was he being selfish? He still loved Claire, even if she wasn’t his biologically. But she deserved to know her real father, though he believed it was possible that Siobhan likely told the other man and they just agreed to let him play the part so she could a voice losing her earthly comforts. Yeah, he didn’t care if he was being selfish, he was tired of playing house with this woman. He took a drink, though slower and not the whole thing at once.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Nov 30, 2023 23:40:50 GMT
As anyone who had drank themselves shit faced knew, going to a public bar and asking for the bottle was a blatant cry for help. Which was why Ferris only every drank himself silly in private. And so that when he inevitably punched a hole in the wall, it was his own wall or his own medical bill, not an establishment's wall or asshole who deserved its face. His expression drew a bit more serious. So much for a nice night alone.
"Cheerleading is a sport," he mumbled with a resigned sigh and a roll of his eyes, glancing up at the tv. Still a commercial. He rubbed the side of his face, his right jaw still a bit tender. Back to Elijah as the man kept talking. "Yeah, never got into American football either," he admitted. He watched it, of course, when there was nothing else. Ferris was a general sports enthusiast. But he had a clear favorite. And that favorite was off commercial break again, plunging them into another round of quiet.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Dec 1, 2023 0:20:27 GMT
“Right, of course. I meant that my sons never really got into sports. Just Alexis.” He clarified, he knew better than most just how intense cheerleading could get. There were few things Alexis fully devoted her time to seriously, and Cheerleading had been one of them. As long as she put in the practice hours, he was willing to pay for any camps and training programs she wanted to go to. He almost wished his sons had gotten into sports, they might have been less prone to getting in trouble.
“Just never seemed to pick up on it myself.” He admitted, then took another drink as the commercial break ended and the hockey returned, so did the silence. Which he didn’t mind. He ignored the texts from his wife demanding to know where he was, conveniently leaving before she was supposed to be hosting whatever wine or book club group she had going on this week.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 1, 2023 1:03:35 GMT
Ferris didn't think Elijah considered it a sport, but he also didn't really care. The guy was from a different generation or near enough, he had been raised a certain way, just as Ferris had, to believe a certain way. While Ferris had broken a lot of his father's preconceptions, there were others he struggled with. Calling things like cheerleading, or marching band, or dance, or any physical activity that had competition a sport and being okay with people of any gender doing them was an easy one.
"Never too late," Ferris noted, tone a bit less frosty with the man and perhaps encouraging him to ask questions of the game if he wanted. He didn't particularly mind the company now that he wasn't in the way of the tv and wasn't trying to overly chat with him. But he was content with sipping his beer and engrossing himself in the game in front of him. Neither team was a particular favorite, so he was just cheering for the better plays and the better goalie.
He looked back down at Elijah at the next break. "So..." he glanced at the bottle. "What are you drinking?"
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Dec 1, 2023 1:40:19 GMT
“You’re not wrong.” He said with a slight shrug, finishing the drink and just sort of looking at the glass for a long moment. He didn’t understand how a person could do this, could lie for years, to put on this charade for everyone just out of personal convenience. Was she really so accustomed to her lifestyle that she would play this cruel, long joke on him? Because that’s what their life together had turned into at this point; one cruel joke.
His eyes moved up to look at the bottle for the first time, not really having cared to notice until now. He lifted it up and poured another drink. “Bourbon, looks to be Blanton’s.” Elijah set the odd shaped bottle down with a slight shrug. He didn’t even care what he was drinking at this point.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 1, 2023 2:36:39 GMT
Ferris got the feeling the man wasn't really present. He didn't strike up conversation, wasn't really watching, and kept staring across the room and drinking far more than just a single pour.
Oh God, he had to look at the bottle to know what he had ordered. Less a cry for help then and more a 'drown his sorrows in liquor' moment. Expensive bourbon, no less. And he'd chosen to hang out with Ferris. Splendid. The Fire Chief sighed. "That's top shelf. You planning to drink that whole thing tonight?" he asked blatantly.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Dec 1, 2023 3:11:06 GMT
“I haven’t quite made up my mind on that just yet.” Elijah responded, but hedidn’t meet Ferris’ gaze. He just looked at the liquid in his glass and wondered just how much time he had wasted building up this idea of family that didn’t exist, not the way he wanted it too. Aside from his kids. But who was he kidding, he failed there too. One son absolutely hated him, one stayed so busy he couldn’t tell if it was avoiding him or hiding something, one daughter he couldn’t bring himself to correct, and one daughter that…
Another drink, slow but not quite the whole glass. He looked to Ferris with a raised brow. “Give me the basic rundown of hockey, can’t be too complicated to follow; right?” The alcohol was having an affect on the man, but he didn’t want to think about that. Or the letter. No, maybe he could make himself simply focus on the tv and just be a little numb for the moment.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 1, 2023 3:46:15 GMT
Ferris didn't break his uncomfortable stare. Elijah not meeting his eyes was a more honest answer than the one he gave. By the time he made up his mind, the bottle would be empty. Ferris took a longer drink of his beer, the glass nearly empty. Even just watching the man made him miserable by association. He didn't need the help.
He raised an eyebrow. Basic rundown? So American. But he didn't mind explaining. "Five on five plus a goalie, use your stick to put the puck in net. The ice is in three sections, one belonging to each team and the no man's land in the middle. You can only enter enemy territory if the puck goes first. Otherwise it's offsides." Which always seemed to be the thing he got asked about most by people who didn't know the first thing about hockey. "And yes, it's a contact sport." He added as one of the Kings put an opponent into the boards. "But that's boarding and a penalty," he said pointing. "Body checking form behind into the boards." Luckily it seemed like the guy who got slammed was mostly alright, picking himself up and sharing a few choice words. Ferris was surprised a fight didn't break out.
He finished his beer, staring at the empty glass a moment and then reached over to grab the bottle of bourbon and pour himself some.
Post by Elijah Vanderson on Dec 1, 2023 4:26:50 GMT
His glass stayed empty for a moment, but he did pour himself another shot of the bourbon when Ferris began explaining the basics to him. He nodded, attention drifting away from his personal woes and focusing on the game being played. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he watched and nodded, taking another sip and then looking a bit more interested when told it’s a contact sport.
It definitely had more to it than he originally thought, which piqued his interest. “And what’s the length of a typical game?” He liked being able to have something completely unrelated to focus on. It made it easier.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 1, 2023 4:39:52 GMT
Ferris was a bit surprised the man didn't stop him from borrowing his bottle, but he figured that must be a thing with someone who came from money. He could buy another whenever he wanted, after all. Meanwhile the Fire Chief was simply trying to ensure he didn't actually drink the whole bottle. He'd rather not have to respond to that emergency situation of the man throwing up and passing out and needing mouth to mouth.
"Three fifteen-minute periods, provided there's not a tie and they go into overtime periods. This game just started." Which meant there was a lot of time for the Capitals to respond to their player being slammed around and it was looking to be a very physical game. The refs didn't seem to be letting them get away with it, which was a bit unfortunate sometimes. Ferris took a sip of the bourbon, swishing it around his mouth before he swallowed. He shook his head a little, not sure if he liked how this one burned exactly. Probably for the best. He didn't need more bottles to add to his collection on the kitchen counter. Especially not one this expensive.