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?
Iris was muttering a stream of curses under her breath as she dug through her clean clothes for her work apron. It was supposed to be her night off, but someone called out and they asked her to pick up the shift. Which usually wasn’t a big deal for her, but she had been in the middle of a ‘paid’ video call and had to arrange another time to finish his call, no additional fees as she was the one needing to reschedule. It sucked, but it happened.
So, she went from being in a neon pink wig with a maid costume on… to swapping into the typical attire for the wait staff at Rosie’s; a red button up shirt with a ‘Rosie’s Diner’ logo on the back, the name badge that read ‘Iris’ on her front left side of her chest, denim jeans or shorts -she chose shorts today- and a frilly white apron with red plaid gingham bows on the pockets. Iris pulled on a pair of red socks and her white non-slip sneakers. Blue eyes took in the sight of herself in the mirror, almost forgetting to wipe off the black lipstick from before. Thankfully, due to her preferred line of work; she invested in wonderful make-up removing wipes. So she grabbed two and her beat up looking over the shoulder bag before heading out the door.
She sent a quick text asking her neighbor to keep an ear out for Tank, as she got called in. Wiping her face clean of the more ‘glammed up’ make-up and sliding into the driver seat of her old Toyota Corolla that had seen better days. Iris sat, quickly applying a light bit of make-up, mascara and some barely there glossy pink color to her lips. Once satisfied, she started up the vehicle, surprised it started on the second try. Hell, even the radio was working. Her Bluetooth device connecting to her phone and automatically starting the last playlist she had going. The first song to play was “Curiosity” by Bryce Savage. Was she actually going to experience a touch of good luck today?
Sadly, that was not the case. Quite the opposite. Despite not being all that far from work, the 2004 corolla decided to not respond to her pressing the brake pedal. And in an attempt to not hit another vehicle, she ended up taking out a mailbox and hitting into one of those fancy little statues that typically mark the sides of someone’s driveway. But it was enough to stop her car, and caused the airbags to deploy, as well as the seatbelt to lock. The car was definitely totaled, and the blonde in the driver seat appeared to be unconscious.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 18, 2024 2:34:42 GMT
With Jasper deciding to stick around to see his sister and enjoy the small town of Sweetwater; he also needed to have a job. So, he reached out to the hospital and after some interviews, background checks and transferring documentations and ensuring his licensing was up to date: he was finally starting his first day on the job as an EMT. And damn, did he wear that uniform well. Of course he had already flirted with a few of the nurses he’d seen, but when his walkie went off with directions. 595 Jasper tried to recall what that code meant, buckling up and shaking his head. “Runaway car.” He gave an affirmative response as he gave his numbers and received the coordinates to his GPS. Thankfully, it wasn’t far from the hospital.
Apparently the person who called it in said that a female narrowly avoided hitting their vehicle and instead hit a mailbox and went a little further down the road before striking something else that forced the vehicle to stop. And the woman still hadn’t attempted to get out of the vehicle. Which could mean she was hurt, but he wouldn’t know until he got there. It wasn’t far, just reaching the West Side of town within a few minutes.
Jasper grimaced at the sight of what looked to be a Toyota Corolla, the front end was completely totaled and there was steam hissing from the crumpled front end. The airbags had deployed, but the driver didn’t appear to have moved. He grabbed his radio and asked for dispatch to get him some assistance from the firefighters. He wasn’t embarrassed to ask for help, not when the vehicle was still running hot, the female was still inside and he was likely going to need help getting into the vehicle. He unbuckled and approached the vehicle, waving for the crowd to stay back and give scene some space. Just one of the downsides to accidents in a small town; people came out to see what was going on and more importantly who was responsible.
“Miss, can you hear me?” He knocked against the window, a blonde who looked to be in her early twenties sat unconscious, her hair looked like she might have a head laceration, as there was some red. But she did appear to be breathing. That was good, he tried the door handle, but all the locks were engaged. Fuck. He was definitely going to need to wait for assistance.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 19, 2024 5:05:30 GMT
Ferris had been trying to take a nap. The morning had been busy with a false alarm at the apartments (he wanted to be nowhere near those still) and climbing up a tree to 'rescue' a cat. He wasn't convinced the cat wouldn't come down herself when she wanted, but this was the job he had signed up for. And fortunately, for some reason, cats liked him. Also fortunately, he wouldn't have any new bruises to confess to Darcy.
Instead of the alarm he expected to ruin his nap, Ethan woke him with a hand on his shoulder. Ferris started, halfway to his feet on reflex, despite there not being an alarm. The other man walked with him toward the garage. “Car accident on Sunshine Rd and Arbor. EMT is on site. Driver’s unconscious, but he needs a hand getting into the vehicle.” While it wasn’t a call that warranted the alarm for a fire, it was certainly one Ethan could have handled himself. Except he knew Ferris was having a tough time and having something to do would help.
The Fire Chief nodded, barely stopping. “I’ll take the truck,” he said as they stepped into the garage. Ethan started the truck and made sure it was good to go and loaded, then did a mic check for Ferris’ radio while he was pulling on his pants and grabbing the rest of his gear. What he didn’t wear he put on the front seat and headed out. From the sound of it, the car wasn’t in a dangerous location or going to cause a secondary problem, but it was good to be prepared.
The residential road wasn’t too far from the station, but it would still take him a handful of minutes to get there, even with the siren signaling cars to move over.
“EMT on scene is…Jasper?” Ethan said through the radio. “Said the doors were locked. Call if you need a hand. Over.”
“Copy. I have a glass breaker. Over.”
“I know, so don’t fucking use your elbow like last time. Over.”
Ferris shook his head and didn't answer.
When he arrived on scene, the EMT was having just as hard of a time getting people to step back as he was helping the driver. Which was to say both were impossible tasks. He didn’t recognize the man.
Ferris parked past the ambulance rather than be in the way. He stepped out, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on along with the gloves, but leaving his hat and mask and such in the car. It would take too long to put on by himself and there wasn’t much need. He grabbed the glass breaker from the side of the passenger door. The smoke from the engine was white and not very heavy, which at least meant it was unlikely the engine was leaking fuel. It didn’t smell much like gasoline, which boded well.
“Unless one of you are a nurse or doctor, get back inside or go about your day! Nothing to see here. You’re spoiling your read of the paper tomorrow.” He had no problem shouting down the curious onlookers. Most of which recognized the truck or him and considering the generally gruff figure he cut around people he didn’t know, his distinct disapproval and aggression was enough to get them to back down. Thankfully, whoever owned the mailbox and house didn’t seem to be home. One less thing to deal with in the moment.
He directed his attention to the EMT. “You tried the door?” He didn’t wait for a nod, but he looked for one. “I can break the passenger window and we can go from there,” Ferris suggested, already walking around the side of the car. The Corolla was totaled in the front, smashed up. Which was impressive considering the engine was still running. The passenger side wasn’t quite as crumpled, but he had a feeling he might be climbing through the window. He spun the safety tool in his hand and then (after trying the handle just to be safe) slammed the end into the glass. It shattered, but mostly held together, bits of glass raining into the seat. He pried the rest of it away and reached down to disengage the locks, trying the handle again.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 21, 2024 2:03:16 GMT
Of course the growing crowd didn't pay hm any mind, he was new and they only seemed more curious to see how the new guy did. And of course, he was solo. Towns like this didn't quite have the budget to staff accordingly. So, to say he felt a sense of relief at hearing that there was a firetruck en route to the scene. It wasn't that he coudn't gain access to the inside of the vehicle; but that he wasn't looking to simply play hero. Jasper knew he needed the assist. And in a small town like this; it didn't take long for the truck to show up. Thanks largely in part to how intimidating the locals found their 'no nonsense' fire chief; Jasper was relieved to see the crowd begin dispersing. At least, for the most part. A few locals lingered to watch, but from a 'reasonable' distance.
"At least they listen to you." He said with a slight shake of his head as he moved back toward the vehicle and nodded to the question. "Yeah, the door locks all appear to be engaged." He affirmed, watching as the other man checked the passenger side door handle before using the glass breaker to make quick work of gaining them access to inside the vehicle. He would definitely be investing in a few tools to bring to work to make his job a touch easier.
"She appears to have a laceration on the left side of her head, but I can't assess her further until we get her out." He'd set his bag on the ground near the rear driver's side tire upon first approaching the car and he moved to pick it back up. "This is my first legitimate response call, so just let me know how you want to proceed; I'll defer to you Chief."
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 21, 2024 3:32:17 GMT
“They know what's good for them,” he said with a shrug. Which, if given the right tone, sounded like a threat. But Ferris didn't mean it like that. He meant it as a sort of compliment since they knew he looked out for people.
He had been worried he would need a sledgehammer or something larger scale. But the glass was easy enough. Not that he expected the EMT to have the tools. Though him being without a partner, while unsurprising around here, was a bit tough. Not enough hands.
Even unlocked, the door didn't want to open more than a few inches. Ferris had to haul it open with a grunt. “Jasper, right?” He said, wedging himself between the car and the door so he could get his boot on it. That helped. Thankfully, it stayed open after that. "I'll get inside and get her unbuckled. We can pull her out this side,” he said as the EMT retrieved his bag. It wasn't the ideal way to get her out of the car, but it would have to do.
Ferris he sat down in the passenger seat that was covered in glass from the side window and the shattered windshield. “Your first legitimate response?” He moved the airbags and her arm gently to unbuckle the seatbelt. She was gonna be bruised pretty bad from the look of it. “You have a neck brace?” He asked. Despite his…concern about this guy, they still had a job to do. He didn't want to drag her out of the car too carelessly, especially since it was clear she had some head trauma.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 21, 2024 5:04:30 GMT
The other man's tone was rather serious, but Jasper didn't take it as anything more than just it being that he didn't play when it came to his work. Keeping people safe could be nerve wracking, especially when everyone was just 'curious' to see what was happening. It was good to see the established level of trust the town had for their fire chief.
While this was his first response call here in Sweetwater, he had worked as an EMT before he dropped out of college to travel. Sadly, traveling the way he did meant he didn't keep a lot of his tools. Choosing instead to leave them with his old partner before he got on the road.
"Oh, yeah. Jasper Brekker. Moved into town to be around my sister, Bex." He shared with a nod before setting the bag back down as he listened to the fire chief. "Sorry, I guess 'live' would have been the more accurate word… Worked as an EMT while in college, but this is my first live response call since starting here in Sweetwater." Jasper assured the other man as he shook his head.
"Not in the bag, but I've got them in the rig, just a sec." He said as he jogged back to the ambulance and opened the back door, grabbing a neck brace before jogging back to join the other man on the passenger side. "Neck brace… How's her pulse?" He asked with a raised brow as he handed the neck brace to the other man.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 21, 2024 18:04:07 GMT
Brekker. He knew that name. Probably, anyway. Especially when he paired it with Bex. Ferris had likely once heard the local bartender's name, but he'd never been a chatty drinker so he didn’t know. Even if he had spoken to her more, he was terrible with names and faces.
Ferris only grunted at the young man's clarifying explanation. Long as he could do his job, Ferris didn't mind how green he was. He was careful to keep the girl gently against her seat, checking her pulse. She had a steady heartbeat and when he put a hand in front of her lips, she was breathing.
He kept his hand on her neck while Jasper moved away and came back, visually inspecting her for other injuries. She seemed in one piece thanks to her safety belt and the airbags. Besides the likely concussion and definite bruises, provided she had no other neck issues, the next worse item would be the amount of glass she'd be washing out of her clothes and hair. He noted her purse on the floor. Her phone. Least it hadn't gone out the windshield.
Ferris reached back for the brace almost without looking at the man. “Steady. You can check her over in a minute.” He said, leaning over to move her hair and get her fitted. Once that was on, he felt a bit better about hauling her out of the car. Still, he nudged her carefully. “Miss? Can you hear me?”
If he didn't get an answer, he would make sure the seatbelt was out of the seat and slid the passenger seat all the way back to give himself a bit more room. He lifted her up and out of the driver well, over the console and then had to pause and extract himself from the small car. “Hold her a second,” he ordered Jasper, so he could climb out and then help the EMT get her the rest of the way out and settled on the ground. Ferris stepped back to give him room, brushing glass off himself and then moving back to the car to grab her purse to try and find an ID.
Human
Server at Rosie’s, Barista at The Nook & ‘Camgirl’
Post by Iris Whitlock on May 21, 2024 20:29:11 GMT
Miss, can you hear me?
Iris looked around her but couldn’t quite make out where the voice was coming from. All she knew, was her head was throbbing. Looking around she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was dreaming. She had to have been, because she never visited here. Before her was the little sign for the cemetery in town. The one she never stopped by, not unless there was a-
Suddenly, it was almost as if she was watching a memory; seeing herself at the funeral service for her parents. Aside from her, and the minister; there were only about five people there. Not that she had been surprised by that. Her parents had spent more time chasing their next high than they ever had cultivating relationships with anyone… and that included her.
This particular memory didn’t seem to have any audio, and Iris began to look around for a way of escape. She didn’t want to be here. Didn’t want to see that pitiful excuse for a funeral service. And just like that; she was watching herself sitting on the floor of her empty apartment with Tank.
Wait, this wasn’t real. She needed to wake up. She was supposed to be driving to work and she could still hear the radio…
Iris’ blue eyes opened as she felt herself being moved. ‘No, it hurts.’ At least, that’s what she wanted to say, but it came out as more of a murmur. Something was on her neck. Her body ached, she didn’t want to move, let alone feel herself being moved. And her head, her head was absolutely throbbing. She tried to make sense of what was going on, trying to focus on at least one of the men assisting her, but she winced and shut her eyes as she was being set down on the ground. Why did she feel like she had been hit?
Her car… slowly, she was recalling that she had been driving a-and then there was something wrong with the brakes, there was a car, she could see the ‘baby on board’ sticker and she jerked her wheel to avoid the vehicle… she didn’t hit the other vehicle. Just a mailbox and…
“I-i… I-ris.” She finally managed through gritted teeth, willing her body to relax against the ground as she felt her body being checked over by someone. “My…. N-name,” Iris opened her eyes slowly this time, finding the unfamiliar face of an emergency responder, sucking in a painful breath as he moved some of her hair to check a specific spot on the left side of her head. And why wouldn’t the ringing in her ears stop? “Is…. I-Iris.” Try as she might to fight it, giving into the dizzying darkness felt easier than staying conscious.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 21, 2024 21:02:18 GMT
Of course, sharing with the fire chief his lacking experience might not have instilled him with much confidence, but he knew lying about things like that could lead to trouble down the road. Besides, he wasn’t too proud to follow someone’s lead and learn. In this line of work, there was always something new to learn.
He watched first as the man accepted the neck brace and secured it on her, nodding as he was told her pulse was steady. Thank-goodness for small miracles. And seatbelts, he was relieved she at least seemed to follow vehicle safety in that regard. “Of course.” Jasper said with a firm nod as he helped hold her while the fire chief got himself out of the vehicle and then they both removed her the rest of the way before setting her on the ground. Her eyes flashed opened as they moved her, and she made a noise, pain being about the only clear expression on her face.
“Miss, you’ve been in an accident.” His voice was firm as he immediately set to ensuring her pulse was still steady after being moved, as well as grabbing out a stethoscope to listen to her breathing. With the seatbelt and airbag doing their jobs, she didn’t appear to have damaged her lungs, her breathing sounded good. But that would be checked further once they got her to the hospital. He was in the process of checking her arms and wrists for any potential breaks. He raised a brow as she seemed to be trying to say something. Iris?
He moved to her left side, moving her hair to check on the head lac. It was still bleeding, but not heavily. He moved to grab some gauze and wrap to do a quick tending to her head before they’d prepare to move her. It was also at this time that he notice the name badge on her shirt, as she finished trying to explain. Her name was Iris. “We’ve got you, Iris. Just try to relax.” Though as he spoke, she already seemed to have fallen unconscious again. Unsurprising with how hard she must have hit her head.
“She said her name’s Iris, judging by the shirt and name tag; she was likely headed to work.” He offered with a shrug, trying not to press to hard with the gauze while he wrapped her head and then grabbed out his little flashlight to check her pupils, her left eye look like she might have burst a blood vessel. She was definitely going to need a CT scan. “I’m going to get the gurney.” He said as he picked up his bag and jogged back to the rig, opening the back doors wide and retrieving the gurney. Jasper hadn’t expected such an eventful first day on the job, but was just glad she didn’t seem to be hurt too seriously, though the same could not be said of her car.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 21, 2024 22:18:35 GMT
Ferris could feel the woman moving slightly in his arms, knew she was probably hurting if she was conscious, but they had to get her out of the car first. He didn't have room in his emotions to feel bad about getting her medical care. He found what was probably her pocketbook, not having try very hard to ignore anything else. It wasn't the first time he had gone through someone's personal effects, and it wouldn't be the last. Thankfully, her ID was on top. He took a picture of it (he hated fumbling cards out) so he had her name, age, and address which would help them contact someone she knew.
He set her things back in the car and looked over at Jasper as he spoke to the woman. She moved slightly, blinking, seeming dazed. He tapped the mic on his radio. "Ethan, driver is unconscious but out of the vehicle. Call a tow truck here." He'd have to take a few pictures before anything else was moved, but that wasn't the priority. He stepped back to the EMT. "Iris Whitlock, twenty-one," he confirmed to Jasper, noticing the front of her work shirt finally.
Ferris crouched next to the young woman. "Iris, come on back to us." He looked up as Jasper stood, saying something about a gurney or stretcher. Before he pulled the bag away, he caught the side of it, "You have a mask in there?" One of those portable breathing assist bags, he never remembered the proper name. If Jasper had one, he'd take off his work gloves and set that up, helping her breath. Iris being unconscious and the decent amount of smoke in the car made him prefer to be careful.
The Fire Chief would have offered to help Jasper more directly, but he wanted one of them to stay with Iris and he didn't know the layout of Jasper's truck like the EMT himself did. "Good thinking, taking out that mailbox to slow you down first," he said. It was probably a joke. He had no idea what made her swerve off the road and hit the mailbox that the car had dragged with it only to slam into the marker. But it probably prevented her injuries from being even worse. So maybe he was serious. Anything to get her to focus on him if she became conscious again.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 22, 2024 5:13:13 GMT
Jasper nodded as Ferris shared her full name and age. Making a mental note on what he would need to relay ahead to the hospital. Any and all information would be useful. The fire chief was trying to get her to stir again as he headed toward the rig, pausing to open his bag. “Yeah, right here.” He pulled the mask and it’s additional pieces from his bag and handed it to the man. Then he continued his way to the rig to retrieve the gurney.
He was appreciative of the fire chief being present, as it meant he wasn’t just leaving Iris alone. Plus, he enjoyed the opportunity to observe the other man in his element. The way he handled the younger woman, it was clear the man was well suited for his job. Jasper retrieved the gurney, pulling it over to where they had laid Iris. He could hear what the fire chief was saying and couldn’t help but wonder if she had intentionally made that call or not.
“Do you want to see if we can rouse her before moving her again?”
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 22, 2024 20:25:28 GMT
The mask gave him something useful to do while Jasper did the heavy lifting with the stretcher. He really hoped she came around, being that it was a lot more reassuring and easier if someone could tell you how they were feeling and where it hurt. But she'd seemed in a fair amount of pain so maybe it was best not to force anything. He did reach up and check her pulse again for good measure. Once she was in the ambulance, with some monitors, he'd relax a little.
He looked up as the EMT returned and settled the stretcher beside Iris. Ferris shook his head. Clearly the guy was nervous, asking him how to do his job. But that was alright. "No. Just get her to the urgent care. Make sure her head's alright and that the rest of the pain is just bruising. Take her legs," he added at the end, pausing helping her breathe a little easier to lift her onto the stretcher with Jasper's help. "What else do you need?" He asked. He wanted to make sure the guy got her in the ambulance and hooked up to everything. If she woke up by then, great, but rather they keep moving, just in case something else came to light. Thankfully she still seemed stable.
Post by Jasper Brekker on May 30, 2024 20:18:59 GMT
Try as he might to push away the feelings of nervousness, it wasn’t easy. Not around the fire chief. He’d barely been in town a few weeks and had already heard this man’s name brought up so many times. It wasn’t easy to be the lowest on the totem pole responding to the same emergency as the fire chief, hell half the town sounded like they were in love with this guy. It was incredibly intimidating.
But thankfully; Ferris wasn’t an ass. He was efficient and managed to get the young woman from her car without any incident. He gave a nod as Ferris instructed him to take her legs and lifted her onto the stretcher. He began securing her to the equipment with a surprising amount of practiced ease, no matter how nervous he might have felt initially; his hands remained steady and precise in his movements. He raised a brow to Ferris and then nodded to her purse. “She’s probably going to need her purse once she comes to.” as he finished securing her, Iris’ eyes flashed opened again and she looked around frantically for a moment. “Iris, my name is Jasper I’m an EMT. I’m going to get you loaded into the ambulance now.”
Human
Server at Rosie’s, Barista at The Nook & ‘Camgirl’
Post by Iris Whitlock on May 30, 2024 20:19:30 GMT
All she knew, was that her head hurt. Of course she was sore in other places too, but her head was absolutely throbbing in pain. She felt like she could hear her heart beating, because every beat sent another jolt of pain to her head. This at least, was better than the eerie memories from before. She didn’t want to open her eyes, she was tired. She wanted to rest.
But then they moved her again and she wanted to cry out in pain. Her body ached. She just wanted to call the diner and let them know she wouldn’t be there, then she wanted to crawl into her bed and-
Iris’ blue eyes flashed open as she looked around frantically. The younger EMT was saying something to her but she felt like she was listening to the teachers from Charlie Brown. The ringing in her ears settled enough as she winced, the airbag definitely knocked the wind out of her. “M-my dog… Tank. Can someone tell my n-neighbor not to leave… her alone tonight?” As much as trying to talk drained her and made her head pound; she had to make sure Tank wasn’t left alone in the apartment. She winced, letting her head rest back on the stretcher as she tried to take easy, slow breaths.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on May 30, 2024 23:50:56 GMT
The Fire Chief was largely oblivious to how much anyone around Sweetwater did or didn't talk about him. He knew a lot of people, but he wasn't so sure he knew them that well. Certainly, he didn't think anyone knew him very well, just enough to know he was good at his job. Besides, if they did know him well, he doubted they would like him very much. Maybe that was just his personal opinion of himself.
Retrieving her purse was an easy enough ask. Ferris brought it back and set it on the gurney between her legs gently. He had a few cuts and bruises, but they seemed superficial enough. He watched Jasper handle his work a bit easier now, as if he'd shaken some of the rust off. Clearly, he knew what he was doing and nervous or not, he didn't let that affect him. The firefighter could respect that.
He was quiet as the woman woke up and Jasper calmly informed her of what was going on. Not that she relaxed. Though as she rushed to explain about her dog, he realized her concern was more for that. He pulled his phone back out to look at the picture of her ID and the address listed. Ferris frowned slightly, resisting the urge to swear, but nodded to Jasper, so he could inform the woman they would take care of that. Better to give her just one new face to focus on. She lived in the same apartment complex he did. He was familiar enough with the layout that he could find her apartment and find her neighbor. Not that he had any desire to be near the place right now. For work...for this girl's dog... Ferris set his jaw. He'd make an exception.
Ethan got back on the radio to inform Ferris the tow truck would be a while. Which was probably a good thing, since he could continue to help Jasper. "Tow truck will be a while. You want me to drive so you can stay with her? Or the opposite?"