0 Likes
5 Posts
Kyra
37
Human
Woefully Single
|
Post by Rory Collins on Aug 9, 2021 21:17:45 GMT
His entire day had consisted of poring through book after book at the local library, but anything he came across was either old news (to him), or complete bullshit. Rory wasn't an expert on the paranormal, but he knew what he had seen with his father...and it wasn't something he was going to easily forget. When after his third cup of coffee was having the opposite affect on him, he turned to job searches since he wasn't going to be able to survive off of his measly savings for very long. He was going to need to find something, and he dreaded going back to teaching.
It was late afternoon by the time he shuffled out of there, rushing out into the pouring rain to climb into his worn down '95 Volkswagen Jetta. Turning the key into the ignition where the machine rattled, rumbled, and sputtered to life, Rory had been holding his breath in fright before he let it out slowly. He'd just moved to Xander's Cross, having driven clear across the country from New Jersey, and knew he wouldn't be able to afford a new car right away. "Keep it together, baby, yeah?" he tried sweet talking the vehicle before he was pulling out onto the street.
Headlights and wipers on, it had gotten increasingly dark as the storm really began to roll in, and he muttered his annoyance. A part of him didn't want to go back to that small apartment he was renting- not that it was much to even go back to, considering he basically had no belongings. The most important things were in that bag he always had with him which currently sat on the passenger's seat. That satchel (not man-purse, thank you)- you know, like what Indiana Jones used.
At least, that's what he liked to tell himself.
In truth, he couldn't shake some uneasy feeling he was getting every time he was in the place, like something was watching him. Actually, he had been feeling that a lot these days, on top of the dream that plagued him nearly every night since he arrived in this town. He dreamed of her, whoever she was, only every once in awhile since he was a teen, but now? Now, it was far too frequent.
One would think he'd be frightened by all of this, yet in reality, he was just beginning to make him really cranky.
Shaking his head at his thoughts, a hand reached to turn the radio on, listening as the music poured through the staticky speakers. 'Crazy...I'm crazy for feeling so lonely...' Rory frowned, wondering how it had gotten onto this old, classic station, and reached to try and find something more suitable.
The moment he changed the station, the radio blared static, beeped, before Patsy Cline's voice was drawling out from the speakers again. "What the-" Again, he changed it, only for it to do it all over again. One more time, and he took his eyes off the road for just a couple of seconds in his aggravation. When the music once again changed back, he growled his frustration, turning his attention back to the road where he caught sight of a black cat rushing across in front of him.
Rory panicked, stomping on his breaks and was fortunate that no one had been behind him. Of course, that's when the Jetta decided to sputter again. "No, no, no...c'moooon," he whined, practically stomping on the gas but realized it wasn't going anywhere. He managed to coax it up against the curb to park where he ultimately had to give up and shut the car off. The cat had stopped on the sidewalk, watching him with big, yellow eyes before running off like nothing had happened.
Whoever wasn't superstitious about black felines were full of shit.
Heaving a sigh, he leaned his forehead against the steering wheel and just listened to the beading rain for a couple of moments before checking his phone. "How the hell are you dead?" His cell's screen was completely black, and wouldn't turn on despite the fact he knew he had charged it before leaving the library. Did the world just totally hate him today?
Shoving it into his pocket, he tiredly turned his head to find that he was parked outside a psychic's shop. Rory stared hard at the sign for a very long moments before laughter erupted from his chest. How bloody ironic. Maybe he should go in and ask about this sudden misfortune of his.
That wasn't why he was climbing out of the car, however. He was hoping the owner would be nice enough to allow him to call for a tow or something, since his phone somehow just died. So, slamming the car door shut, Rory rushed through the downpour and to the shop, entering with a loud huff as droplets of water cascaded down his face, pausing there in the doorway.
[ Trinity Bell ] |
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Maggie
32
Medium
Single
|
Post by Trinity Bell on Aug 11, 2021 0:19:12 GMT
Trinity's shop was fairly innocuous-looking from the outside-- with Maia's help she'd managed to get a neon sign that read 'psychic' with a little moon underneath to put in the large, shop front window, and they'd hung thick, black, velvet curtains just behind it. The heavy fabric kept the shop cool in spite of the summer heat, and according to Maia, it created a nice atmosphere inside, too. They'd been frustrated, at first, that there were no ceiling lights in the narrow building, but it had apparently turned out quite nice with an array of second-hand floor lamps with various black, grey, and purple shades all rigged to turn on and off together.
They'd also set them to a motion sensor so that they'd turn themselves on when a customer came in and shut off again without Trinity having to check them. It was probably her favorite feature. There was also a bell above the door, to signal her when someone came in; a nice old-fashioned one with a clear tone that reminded her of a windchime. The front of the shop had a counter that ran along most of the space, and they'd set up a couple of (also second-hand) wooden screens atop it to create a barrier between the 'waiting room' and the main reading area. The mismatched old chairs in the waiting room had nice soft fabric and a good amount of give, and they'd put a table between the two with a salt lamp to cleanse negative energies as clients came in.
During the day, between clients, Trinity sat at her table in the main area and read. Sometimes she did phone readings, too, if things were particularly slow, but she didn't like to keep in person clients waiting. This particular day, she was reading Pride and Prejudice, and was somewhere in the middle, where everyone was listening to the insufferable Mr. Collins prattle on about his esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine.
The bell on the door alerted her to someone coming in from the storm, and she quickly tucked her book under the table, where the table cloth would hide it. She could hear the person (a man?) breathing a bit heavily, likely from hurrying in out of the weather, and droplets of water falling onto the tile floor. She got to her feet and headed for the little doorway so she could beckon them back. She pulled her oversized cardigan a little tighter so she could hold it around her with one hand as she trailed the other along the wall, ensuring she was on the right path. As she reached the opening, though, and leaned through, something she hadn't expected caught her attention.
She could see a tall, thin woman in period clothing standing in the waiting area, plain as day. Her eyes widened, and she stood a little straighter, some of her normally calm and cozy demeanor falling away. "Hello!" she greeted what she assumed was actually two people, one living and one dead, with a smile. "Welcome. You're here for a session with a deceased relative, I take it?" She looked the ghost woman right in the eye as she said it, quietly communicating to her that she could see her.
|
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Kyra
37
Human
Woefully Single
|
Post by Rory Collins on Aug 11, 2021 21:39:44 GMT
Rory felt bad standing there dripping water in her doorway, but his luck had clearly run out. He just needed to make a quick phone call and he would gladly wait for the tow in his car if need be.
Yet, the moment he set foot in there, there was this sudden strangeness that washed over him. It wasn't heavy, it was oppressing, but gentle. If he hadn't really been paying attention, he might have overlooked it. Perhaps it was all psychological- while some people found psychics to be weird, they didn't really seem to bother him. After all, most were just fakes. What could be so unsettling about that?
His attention immediately found the woman as she emerged from the back, greeting him with a smile. Was that a look of confusion on her face? Or maybe she was wondering why he was standing there dripping all over her nice, clean floor. At the moment, Rory didn't notice how her eyes didn't fixate on him in particular.
"Uh, hi! Um, so my- wait, what?" He paused. Did she just ask about a session with a deceased relative? Great, was she already trying to do her "psychic voodoo" on him to get an idea of his past? Nuh uh, that wasn't gonna work, lady.
Still, he was polite as he answered, "Well...no? Both my car and phone are somehow dead, and I was wondering if I could call for a tow." Next to him, Trinity would be able to see the old woman rolling her eyes in exasperation, gently gesturing at herself to signal that it had been her doing. |
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Maggie
32
Medium
Single
|
Post by Trinity Bell on Aug 11, 2021 23:25:42 GMT
Trinity's smile vanished for just a moment in her surprise, but she soon wound up laughing. He really had no idea what he was dealing with, did he? "I'm so sorry, I just assumed--I mean, she's quite prominent, so I thought you might have been trying to contact her already. Of course, come in and I can lend you my cell. I have it in the back." She turned to lead the way, trailing her hand along the wall again. She could try and push the issue, of course, but if he wasn't here on purpose, it might just come off as rude. She tried to only make the living acquainted with their ghosts when it was necessary. Not everyone was happy to be reminded of the past.
As they returned to the room, a large golden retriever in a service dog vest raised his head from where he'd been sleeping next to the fortune-telling table. He woofed softly as if asking whether Trinity needed help. "Get me my purse, Moose?"
The dog stretched slowly, then trotted off into the back office. Trinity went to the table and sat down, while Moose returned with a worn, black leather purse and deposited it neatly into her extended hand. "Thanks, buddy," she murmured, ruffling his head before she unzipped the bag and rifled through. Finding the phone, she raised her head to smile toward the newcomer again as she held it out to him.
"It's set to voice dial at the moment, but I think you can still get the normal dial pad...Or, oh, I've got Ryan's number in here, the local mechanic. I bet he could send someone over." She hesitated as the old woman once again caught her eye, this time farther away from where she'd heard the man's steps stop. She looked frustrated that she'd made it this far, but he still wasn't listening. Alright, she'd give it a try. Trinity raised a finger to the woman as if asking her to wait and smiled apologetically. "But you know...ah...It might not actually need anything more than a jump." She hesitated. She'd never run into ghosts being so demanding before moving to Xander's Cross, but damn if they didn't get their way a lot more around here. "I know it's going to sound cheesy, but I think she forced you to stop."
|
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Kyra
37
Human
Woefully Single
|
Post by Rory Collins on Sept 24, 2021 19:15:27 GMT
If only the woman could see his face, because he was staring at her with such a stupid look of confusion and disbelief, completely ignoring the drops of rain still trailing down his face every now and then. Seriously, what the fuck was she talking about?
As if he would find the answer, he gave a quick look around him in case there was actually someone else there that he had somehow overlooked. Finding no one, he ran a hand down his face and blinked before facing her again. She was telling him that he could borrow her cell, but after taking only a couple of steps forward, he paused again at the sight of the dog.
Ooooooh. Well, a blind psychic was...interesting? If it was true, that is. It could just be a lie and way to wield a good cover story for customers.
Honestly, why are you being such a cynical bastard? he asked himself.
And his other voice answered with a, because the world hates me today, that's why.
Still, just in case she really was blind, he tried to stop staring like a buffoon and not say anything stupid about it. "Cute dog in a vest," he blurted out. That was quite possibly the definition of stupid.
Rory rolled his eyes at himself and stepped forward again to reach for the phone, only to stop once more when she hesitated. Further, she began to speak of some woman again and he pursed his lips in thought. He was only mildly irritated now because, truth be told, he was beginning to get curious.
If this was all a ploy, it was a damn good one, and he was a glutton for punishment. So sue him.
No, don't, because he was pretty broke.
Again, the woman seemed to be signaling to someone, and he glanced over his shoulder only to find no one there. What the hell was going on? Regarding Trinity with a furrowed brow, he was so very lost. "Who is...she?" |
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Maggie
32
Medium
Single
|
Post by Trinity Bell on Oct 17, 2021 2:14:20 GMT
Trinity giggled softly at the man's comment about Moose. She knew he was right, even if she'd never seen the dog for herself--he just had cute energy.
She was perfectly happy to hand over the phone and let him struggle against his ghostly companion's handiwork if he needed to; it wasn't her place to force the issue. She was, however, pleasantly surprised when he asked: "Who is...she?"
Trinity turned her attention back to the woman, appraising her appearance.
"Well, she's an older woman--grandmother age, I'd say--And her clothing is period…" She hummed softly, head tilting to one side as she considered the ghost's dress. "Regency, maybe? Or Edwardian?" She frowned. "It's a bit hard to tell when I've never been able to see the pictures in the textbooks, but I believe those are the ones with the high waistline. And a jacket, with a collar a bit like a man's suit?" She gestured on her own body to demonstrate the placement of both items. "She's well dressed, I'd say, her clothes look expensive, and they're well kept."
She was running out of descriptors when the woman stepped closer and gestured to her throat. Trinity's frown deepened, and she rose to her feet to approach the woman and get a closer look. The old woman tapped the pendant on her necklace with her index finger, then moved her hand away so that Trinity could see it clearly.
"She's pointing out her necklace. It's silver, a little medallion of some kind. I don't recognize this symbol, I'm sorry… It's very detailed, though. An um, a shield shape? With swirly lines around it? And...those might be wings?"
She drew back to find the ghostly grandmother frowning heavily at her, and a heavy blush colored her cheeks. "I am sorry, ma'am, you'll have to forgive me. I can't know what I don't know," she argued a bit defensively. The grandmother crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, although she thankfully turned her attention to the man, now. Or at least, Trinity assumed that was where the man was. Relieved to be free from her glare, Trinity backed toward her chair, her hand extended behind her. Moose hopped to his feet and nudged her in the right direction.
"Thanks, Moose," she murmured as she sat back down.
|
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Kyra
37
Human
Woefully Single
|
Post by Rory Collins on Jun 11, 2022 0:57:17 GMT
The day was just getting weirder and worse by the second, it seemed.
Seriously, if Trinity truly was blind, it was a good thing because there was absolutely no wiping the idiotic look off of his face. He shouldn't have asked, and yet, he was completely hooked as the woman began to explain this "she" she saw standing somewhere in the shop. Apparently, being blind made you see ghosts...or something...?
Normally, he would have chalked it up to some neat trick and great storytelling, but the more Trinity said, the more he felt his throat close up until he realized he wasn't breathing. "White hair, bags under her eyes?" he heard himself ask, gesturing at his own face as if she could bloody hell see him. Now, Rory knew better than to give a psychic anything- just a hint and they could run with your story and make you believe anything. But maybe he was easily conned.
Or maybe he was terrified, because he couldn't seem to stop talking. "Like, she has this look about her that just screams she's not very enthused, that she hates life? She carries a cane?" That was strangely specific. However, he'd seen an old woman in period clothing before, just briefly a couple of times, and he never knew why it wasn't scary up until now.
And it only got worse.
Rory found himself sinking into the chair opposite Trinity, staring wide-eyed at her as she explained some sort of necklace. No, not just any necklace- his good luck pendant, he liked to call it. One he had found when he was younger. It shocked him because, even if she was faking being blind, that pendant was currently pressed against the skin of his chest, buried safely underneath his shirt. No one would have known it was there.
His lips parted, attempting to speak, but for a long agonizingly minute, he was only making some weirdly quiet whimpering noises. Or maybe they were more like squeaks. The point was, he was freaking out.
"Wha...what the fuck is happening?"
|
|
0 Likes
5 Posts
Maggie
32
Medium
Single
|
Post by Trinity Bell on Jun 13, 2022 18:36:17 GMT
"White hair, bags under her eyes?" Trinity nodded to that. "Like, she has this look about her that just screams she's not very enthused, that she hates life? She carries a cane?"
It seemed that this man was more familiar with his ghostly visitor than he'd let on--he'd clearly seen her before this. Which was odd, considering the time period she was estimating for the woman. Perhaps he'd seen a portrait?
She sat quietly as her guest processed what was going on--ot at least that was what she guessed was happening, based on the little stammering that he did. It could be disorienting for the living to suddenly be put face to face with the other side, Trinity knew from experience, so she didn't mind giving him some time.
The ghost, however, clearly didn't have the same sense of sympathy for his plight. She continued to frown disapprovingly at him and shook her head at him when he swore.
"Well, in the simplest of senses, you're being haunted," Trinity answered mildly. "Your ancestor, perhaps? She seems fairly benevolent, aside from wanting your attention so badly." The old woman rolled her eyes when Trinity glanced back at her. The medium sighed softly but continued her explanation in what she hoped would be a soothingly calm tone. "It's much more commonplace than you might think, really, so don't worry that you're in danger, or cursed, or any of that nonsense. Usually, they just have something they want done before they move on, something that they weren't able to accomplish on their own."
"It sounds like you recognized her. Do you have a family portrait of her or something like that? Knowing who she is might help us to sort out what's keeping her from moving on."
|
|
