Chance nods slowly as Malin explains the procedure for unwanted advances. “Legit,” he decides, and then chuckles. “Chocolate and wine sounds way better.” Then he nods to Matthew and gestures to the little slips of papers and the few pens scattered on the tray far away enough from the apples so as not to get sticky. Then he notes to Landon, “I asked because I’d heard rumors.”

“For the people I don’t like, I have a separate box of chocolate,” Malin reveals this truth to Chance, and she leans in to whisper to him.

Matthew finishes up writing on that slip of paper and then balls it up and tosses it into the fire. The candy apple is reclaimed, and good thing becuause the bite he’d taken to hold it has been slowly collapsing, on the verge of dropping it his treat at his feet. He chews, swallows, then announces, “I was worried about the Legion claiming control of the borough, it’s important to come together as a community like this, and make sure we’re all safe. It’s exactly the kind of thing we need to do in order to make sure our homes do not fall to Hell.”

“Figured it’d be something fun on a chilly night,” Chance says to Jasper. Then he leans in toward Malin to listen to the whispered words. A grimace tugs at his lips at whatever she says and he gives a little shudder that is not entirely feigned. “Evil,” he tells her, an evil he can appreciate, but evil none the less.

Landon turns his gaze back to Malin as she talks to him. “I only recently got a vehicle. A S-197 Ford Mustang GT. It’s… A little worn out and used. Dents in places, but… Beats walking and I can’t beat the deal I got on it.” His shoulders rise and fall with a shrug.

“Guilty,” Malin utters out to Chance, chin dipping down towards pronounced clavicles for a moment in a solemn manner, or perhaps in a respectful regard to her own evilness. Looking to Landon, she takes in the information he shares about his current ride. She attempts to feign an expression that says ‘I’m impressed’ and ‘cool car.’ That try is a failure, though. “Mmm,” hums out past those full lips. “Are you going to fix it up?” She hopes. A nod is given to Matthew in agreement about protecting their homes from Hell itself.

“Having already lost one home to Hell thus far,” Chance says with a little grimace, “I’m all about holding on to the current one.” He shakes that off, though. Grinning sidelong at Malin he says, “It suits you.” Then he is moving over to crouch down near the slips of paper and takes one up, himself. He grabs a pen and then crouches near the fire so that he can write on his bended knee. Whatever it is that he wants to let go of from the past year.

Landon nods his head to Malin. “Going to try and fix it up, yeah. Going to take time and money, but could be a fun little thing to do. Probably a smart idea to know how to fix up my own car anyway incase it ever breaks down.” He rubs at the back of his head awkwardly. “I’m sure I’ll get there eventually, though.”

“Landon fell asleep on the bus that brought him here to the end of the line,” Matthew explains to Malin, sharing the guy’s story without much thought. He munches more of his apple, gesturing about as the tale continues. “So he was like, oh crap, no money, no clothes, no nothing, and trying to figure it out. Showed up to McShiel’s for Lykaia’s free lunch, and you know, guy with no cash doesn’t turn down free dinner. I picked him up there cus he was looking for a job and the Megabox needs to get finished and have employees, now he’s finally working someplace and I’m sure that car will get upgraded in no time.”

Malin winces a bit over Chance having lost his home to the Legion once already. “I cannot blame you,” she confesses. Then she says, “Thank you,” to him rather graciously. With Landon going to fix up his beater, she goes, “Oh good,” with a little too much emotion backing those words. It’s not even any of her business what her ex boyfriend’s employee drives, but there she is. “Do you know Helen? She’s a mechanic and quite lovely,” comes a suggestion, and then Matthew is explaining the bus and she looks disturbed imagining such a scenario. Her head nods slowly.

Landon nods his head along with what Matthew says, confirming the story and not seeming to mind his story being told by them at all. He munches on his candied apple slowly while it’s being told. “I know Helen.” He confirms after swallowing down the bite he had taken. “She’s one of the first people I met after coming here. She seems like a busy person though. Haven’t really seen her since.”

“It’s alright,” Chance says to Malin with a rueful smile. “It does mean that I’m at Bayview now and closer to friends. So, something good came out of it even if the loss wasn’t great. And my new place has a great view.” Which is definitely a selling point. “Helen was very cool when I met her,” he adds, but that’s really all he knows of Helen. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you reached out, though. Everybody’s busy from time to time. Doesn’t mean a friendly text is unwanted, though.”

Chance just laughs a little as he glances at his phone, “I will really laugh if anybody shows up tonight in a bathing suit. Like.. yikes.”

“Yeah, Helen is cool. Speaking of…” he look over the group, “okay, so are we saying what we’re burning?” Matthew wonders, nodding towards the fire, “or is it personal?” A beat and he says, “cus I’m pretty nosy and like to know what people decide to do away with from the year!”

Landon nods his head at someone words. “I reach out from time to time. Doesn’t mean I always get a response though.” But he’s reading his phone and chuckles. “Yeah, with how cold it is?” He shakes his head and shivers at just the thought. Or maybe it’s because he’s actually a little cold.

Landon nods his head at Chance’s words. “I reach out from time to time. Doesn’t mean I always get a response though.” But he’s reading his phone and chuckles. “Yeah, with how cold it is?” He shakes his head and shivers at just the thought. Or maybe it’s because he’s actually a little cold.

“Ah, well, I bet if you reach out to Helen and tell her you need some assistance with your car, he’d probably be willing to set a time to check it out,” Malin says to Landon, narrow shoulders shrugging a bit. “She’s really good with that sort of stuff, I think.” A broad grin is flashed at Chance. “Oh, you live here?” She gestures towards the apartment building right across the street. “We’re neighbours, then. It’s a lovely place to live, save for the drug addict that was bleeding on our door yesterday.”

Malin focuses now on the act of burning papers, but waves to Preston in greeting.

Better late than never. Or something like that. Preston makes his way onto the beach, inhaling the air of bonfire smoke, and fresh air, giving Jasper a nod, Malin a wave. “Evening,” he greets to everyone else.

Matthew nods at Preston, “Hey man, what’s up?” he says, waving towards the guy as he strolls in. “Good to see you, man. You know everyone?” He then gestures towards the newest arrival and adds, “This was my first employee, my driver, but he’s super busy so really it’s just buddies. And actually, I broke into his house once and I got really lucky that we were friends cus I swear i’d have a black eye otherwise!”

“I think that’s a personal choice,” Chance says when Matthew asks if they’re saying what they’re burning. “If you want to read yours as you cast it into the flames, definitely feel free to do so. But if people want to privately cast theirs in, that’s totally cool, too.”

Matthew nods at Chance, not dedicated to the idea.

Landon waves in Preston’s direction as they stroll up.

There’s a snorted laugh from Preston at Matthew. “Did your loft tours ever work out?”

“I don’t think we’ve met,” Chance says to Preston. “I’m Chance Fairchild. Welcome to the bonfire and candy apple extravaganza.” That may be overstating it a bit. “Grab something to eat and make yourself comfortable.”

Matthew flashes teeth, “Yeah, it did work out,” he assures Preston, “But yours was the last one, we never finished the tour, but it’ll happen eventually!”

Chance nods to Malin then and says, “Yeah. I’m up in 406 now. And it has been a nice change from Fairefield. Minus the impromptu burglaring. But at least she didn’t take anything, threaten me, or bust my door. So … I’ll take it. And work on my security system,” he smirks just slightly. “Who was bleeding on your door?”

“Preston,” Preston greets towards Chance, before absolutely walking over to pluck up a candy apple.

“Nice to meet you,” Chance says to Preston with an amiable grin.

Landon exhales slowly through his nose. “First night in my apartment and bloodied person decided to visit.” He recalls with a slow nod of his head.

“Give you one guess,” Matthew says on the heels of Landon’s tale about unwanted house guests.

“Oh, her. The same one that busted into my place,” Chance says, nodding now that he’s put the pieces together.

“Maybe that’s a theme for October: bleed in people’s hallways and on their doors,” Malin muses.

“There’s a bloody person who’s going around visiting apartments?” Preston wonders outloud, coming back from the tray of apples and taking another bite of one.

“Yes, she’s quite gross,” Malin shares her opinion of the bleeding woman to Preston.

Chance nods, “She was breaking into every apartment in Bayview the other night.”

“Who?” Preston asks, apparently not knowing. “I have no idea who you’re all refering too.”

Landon nods slowly at that. “Yeah, hoping that dog she was selling over chat wasn’t something she stole.”

“No idea who she is,” Chance admits.

Malin gazes at Landon with a look of pity. She informs Preston, “Her name is Kady.”

“So okay, I was craving breakfast,” Matthew begins to tell the story, lifting his finger, munching into the last of his candy apple. “and my chef’s been out of town so what am I supposed to do? THere’s no good breakfast spots in the city that I’ve found yet. I wanted the whole thing, so I say in chat how i’m looking and she’s all I can get you breakfast, and I tell her I’ll give her some drugs cus I have some in exchange for breakfast.” If anyone thought this delivery or food was going to be a good product then their judgment is as questionable as this Montrose’s has been lately. “So I’m waiting and then she’s like, oh I got jumped and I’m going to be late. And I’m thinking she’s not coming, no big deal. Then she shows up, bleeds all over the door, bleeds on the food, and passes out in the hallway. So you know, I pay her for the work, and give her more than I was planning because I guess she went through a lot of trouble, and she was upset because I told her cleaning up her blood was going to cost me, which it did. I had to pay Kai to come clean the door.”

Landon listens to Matthew’s story and quirks his eyebrows up. “So did she break into every apartment looking for you?” He shakes his head slowly and chuckles.

There’s a tilting of Preston’s head at Matthew’s story, listening intently. “I wonder who jumped her….?”

Matthew nods at Landon. “Yes, she did. Thing is, okay, so I told my associate,” he continuse sharing more of this odd series of events, “cus I’d seen her the night before all the breakins, wandering around downtown. She looked like trouble so I decide I’mma follow her and figure out who she is. I do but then she gets in her car and I dunno where she goes. So I mention to Jakem that if he comes across his person, send her to me. Well I guess he did, or she tried to break into his place, but he catches her. He beats her up, then tells her he has a job for her to break into my place. Now I didn’t know about that one part, but that’s how she showed up. As for who jumped her the second time…?” Matthew shakes his head at someone, “no clue.”

Matthew nods at Landon. “Yes, she did. Thing is, okay, so I told my associate,” he continuse sharing more of this odd series of events, “cus I’d seen her the night before all the breakins, wandering around downtown. She looked like trouble so I decide I’mma follow her and figure out who she is. I do but then she gets in her car and I dunno where she goes. So I mention to Jakem that if he comes across his person, send her to me. Well I guess he did, or she tried to break into his place, but he catches her. He beats her up, then tells her he has a job for her to break into my place. Now I didn’t know about that one part, but that’s how she showed up. As for who jumped her the second time…?” Matthew shakes his head at Preston, “no clue.”

Chance takes a bite out of his apple, careful to circle it slowly so as not to make it off-balance so that it might fall off the stick and into the sand. That would be a tragedy. Instead, he listens to Matthew as he recounts the tale. His brow furrows a little bit about midway through this story. “Probably someone whose place she broke into that didn’t appreciate it,” he says, as to who possibly jumped her the second time. Then he shakes his head slowly.

Landon listens to the story, slowly shaking his head. “As far as I know, she seems to talk smack to people in the chatroom. So could be anyone.”

Matthew provides another name for Preston, “Not nailed down is her handle in MyHaven.”

“Ahhh, right, her,” Preston replies with a slow nod. “I did see her trying to sell a dog last night.

Matthew says “Landon was wondering if the dog was stolen, that was literally after she left my place and bled on my door. “

Malin listens to the menfolk talk as she moves to get a piece of paper. She retrieves a pen from her purse and then proceeds to stare blankly ahead.

Matthew says “I kind of think it was stolen, she probably stole it from Bayview. “

Malin taps the tip of her tongue against a canine, and then glances at Matthew. Rather than write on the paper just yet, she’s sending off a text.

Landon nods his head, seeming to agree with Matthew. “Sure, there’s maybe a chance she got her own place and there was a dog inside of it… But she already has a record for breaking into every apartment there.”

What should be an event to find emotional healing and whatnot, and quite serious most likely, is instead, for Malin, a situation that just caused her to cackle. Her throat clears a moment after, and then she nods to Matthew, starting to scribble something down on her paper.

“Who lives in Bayview that has a dog?” Chance asks, curiously. He then takes his own piece of paper and walks over to the fire, glancing down at the words written on it. He reads his aloud. “Pride. The need to do it all on my own.” He then elaborates, “I think so far moving here has shown me I can’t do it all on my own. And that perhaps banding together with friends is the wiser course.” He casts pride into the fire.

Matthew snickers at Malin and whategver she’s writing in her paper to be burned in the flame. “Well I don’t think she has anything… matter fact–” he pulsl out his phone, checking.

Malin snickers right back at Matthew, and then she approaches the fire. The piece of paper is folded up neatly, and she creases it this way and that before angling her wrist to serve a straight-ish throw right into the flames.

“It’s on,” Malin utters out, gazing into the bonfire like she’s daring it to come at her, but she’s watching that paper turn to ash.

Matthew starts laughing as he texts and then tucks his phone into his backpocket. “My note, already burned, was–” he’s still laughing a little, sobering back up, “uhh, what was I saying, Oh. I’m burning up keeping the peace. Sometimes it ain’t worth it. Good to just stick to your lane, keep the people around you who meant to be by you, and leave it at that.”

Landon wanders to the paper as well and he thinks about what to write down. But he’s not speaking out what he writes down at all, just purses his lips a little together as he finishes and folds up the paper. A light exhale goes through his nose and he tosses that paper into the fire.

Matthew says “Okay, so Kady has…“

“I wanna say there are no properties tied to her name, but lesseee…” Matthew says, watching the screen of his phone as he taps something in.

“Mine was essentially…” Malin lets her voice trail off a moment as she refers to her note. “The same as Matthew’s,” she shares, but she’s grinning impishly now.

Preston inhales deeply, and exhales slowly. Finishing up the candied apple he was working on. Quick bites. Tossing the stick into the fire to watch it burn off.

Matthew nods once his phoen comes up, “yeah, no address. Got a job at Seven Eleven, that’s new.”

Landon shakes his head slowly. “She said something last night… Something about the owner of room 212 of Bayview Apartments, and how maybe they would want to buy a dog.”

Chance tosses his own stick into the fire. Bonus of a bonfire event, easy clean-up. Then he idly glances toward Matthew’s phone to see what it is that he’s pulling up about Kady. That’s about when the mist starts to rise and he watches it rolling in. “Hmm, maybe that’s the apartment she got it from, then.”

Noticing the rising mists, Jasper frowns a bit as he gets closer to the group.

Rubbing at his face, Preston begins to step off from the bonfire, lifting a free hand to wave to everyone. “I’m gonna head out,” he mentions to everyone. “Enjoy the rest of your nights, people!”

Landon waves to Preston. “Take care, be safe.”

Matthew nods at someone, offering up a wave, “Later Preston, good to see you,” he says, waving after the man.

Matthew nods at Preston, offering up a wave, “Later Preston, good to see you,” he says, waving after the man.

“Nice to meet you, Preston. Thanks for coming out!” Chance says as the man begins to head off. With the mists gathering he says, “Maybe it’s time to start wrapping it up for tonight. I’m glad everyone came out though. Thank you, seriously.” This he says to those remaining.

Malin looks about the mist, but she doesn’t seem too worried about, probably because she doesn’t have to drive. “Hey, if any of you still have like time and want to hang out — not to like, take over the event or anything.” She gestures to the mist. “It’ll go back down. It’s just an arcanist likely being an e-hole. No monsters should arrive. But anyway, we could do a Round Robin story or something?”

Matthew nods at Malin, open to her idea, looking like he has no intention of getting up and leaving the fire. “I’m down, dunno what it is, but I’m down.”

Jasper says “Yeah. But in case any monster come here, I can fend them off.“

Malin nods to Jasper. “Thank you, Jasper.”

Landon looks over his phone a little, tapping at the screen. “Looks like the big… Ball… What ever it is, the roaming mist, is literally across town.”

“Nice, thanks,” Matthew says to Jasper, but he also doesn’t look too worried about the mist levels out here. He’s pulling up his phone but Landon is beating him to it. “Exactly.”

Chance may still have a little mist PTSD but he nods to Malin and says, “I’m game.” He finds himself a spot on the sand and settles onto it, making himself comfortable.

Landon finds himself a place to sit, stretching one leg out in front of him while he leans back on his hands. He stares at the fire with a tired expression, just thinking. “Don’t even think I have any stories.”

Malin takes a seat as well, drawing her knees up to her chest. “All right. So Round Robin stories are pretty easy. “Basically, we are going to tell a story together. We’ll pick a theme, and then go in alphabetical order. Chance, Jasper, Landon, Malin, Matthew.” She smiles at Landon. “This is cooperative. Each person will only get to add ten words at a time. So, let’s say the theme is ‘man is walking home at night from a bar’ and then the first person would start with, ‘As the man walked home inebriated, a dark figure appeared…’ and then the next person would add ten more words. And it goes continually in a circle until we come to an end.”

Malin takes a seat as well, drawing her knees up to her chest. “All right. So Round Robin stories are pretty easy. Basically, we are going to tell a story together. We’ll pick a theme, and then go in alphabetical order. Chance, Jasper, Landon, Malin, Matthew.” She smiles at Landon. “This is cooperative. Each person will only get to add ten words at a time. So, let’s say the theme is ‘man is walking home at night from a bar’ and then the first person would start with, ‘As the man walked home inebriated, a dark figure appeared…’ and then the next person would add ten more words. And it goes continually in a circle until we come to an end.”

“One time, we did a story about a family ordering pizza and it turned into an exorcism, and then they ended up going through a portal into hell…” Malin shares with the group. “So, really, you never know what will happen with so many minds contributing.”

Matthew nods, clapping his hand, leaning in towards the fire, “Alright, perfect, and spooky too since all this mist is rising.”

“So I guess I’m starting us off, then,” Chance says with a nod to Malin. He looks thoughtful for a moment as he considers the flame of the fire and then begins the story, “The house was allegedly haunted. It sat at the end…” he trails off and then looks over to Jasper to continue the story from there.

Landon lifts his brows up as he listens to the explanation before he nods his head, already gaining a thoughtful expression.

Malin grins as she listens to Chance and then looks to Jasper.

“…Of the cul-de-sac where the other houses are empty,” Jasper speaks next as the mist rises. “But at night…”

Landon thinks heavily about his response, looking around slowly. “… the mist rises up. People swear they hear unnatural sounds…”

Malin grins as she listens to Landon, and then provides, “Cal and Tom decided to investigate. They approached the house…”

Malin waves to Benjamin, saying, “Hello, we’re doing a Round Robin story telling circle if you want to join in,” waving him over to join the group that is sitting around the bonfire.

Chance lifts a hand and waves to Benjamin, “Have a candy apple. Feel free to listen in or join in the story.. or cast a slip of paper with something you want to burn away from the past year into the bonfire. It’s a casual sorta thing.”

Landon waves in Benjamin’s direction.

Benjamin makes his way onto the beach, glancing at the sand a moment and his cowboy a boots a moment before Malin’s voice drifts over his way and he’s looking up at her. Suddenly, this boyish grin slides across his face as he looks her over. “Dunno wha’ kinda story I could add but… you definitely have my attention, darlin'” Chance’s voice snatches his attention. “Been a while since I had one.”

someone nods, glancing between Chance and Jasper as they each add their part of the tale. He’s hooked. Who wouldn’t be, with the talk of empty houses in cul-de-sacs? His gaze settles next on Landon, waiting to hear what he’ll add. Nearby t the bay whispers and the fire crackles, their song underscored by the distant crash of cars in the mist thickening like soup all around them. As Benjamin approaches he starts to rehash the tale, pointing to each person to indicate what they’ve added.

He point to Chance, “THe house was allegedly haunted. It sat at the end–” his finger points to Jasper, “of the cul-de-sac where the other houses are empty. But at night–” then to Landon, “The mist rises up. People swear they hear unnatural sounds.” THen finally to Malin. “Cal and Tom decided to investigate. They approached the house…” And now Matthew is raising his hand, adding his part of the story. “Where they saw a pair of red glowing eyes in….”

Matthew nods, glancing between Chance and Jasper as they each add their part of the tale. He’s hooked. Who wouldn’t be, with the talk of empty houses in cul-de-sacs? His gaze settles next on Landon, waiting to hear what he’ll add. Nearby t the bay whispers and the fire crackles, their song underscored by the distant crash of cars in the mist thickening like soup all around them. As Benjamin approaches he starts to rehash the tale, pointing to each person to indicate what they’ve added.

He point to Chance, “THe house was allegedly haunted. It sat at the end–” his finger points to Jasper, “of the cul-de-sac where the other houses are empty. But at night–” then to Landon, “The mist rises up. People swear they hear unnatural sounds.” THen finally to Malin. “Cal and Tom decided to investigate. They approached the house…” And now Matthew is raising his hand, adding his part of the story. “Where they saw a pair of red glowing eyes in….”

Malin says to Benjamin, “If you want to join in, you can be next. We add ten words each to this story.”

Mercy is the furthest thing from a beach babe as a girl can be, and it shows in the awkward lumbering steps that carry her across the shifting sand towards the bonfire.

Almost immediately upon Mercy growing closer, Malin’s nose begins to twitch. She’s sniffing some and then her head turns and she sees the other woman. Blue eyes narrow, but she says, “Hello, Mercy. We’re doing a Round Robin story, where each of us adds ten words to the tale at a time if you want to join us. It’s fine if you just want to listen, though, too.”

Chance picks up where Matthew leaves off, “.. the upstairs window. The eyes follow them as they climb..” he adds his ten words and then grins over at Jasper, passing the story on to him.

Benjamin tilts his head a bit as Matthew gives the rundown of what the story is so far. He nods as he sits, cross-legged. He considers the story, sitting down and listening to the others as if to get a bead on how this round-robin story-telling works.

Chance lifts a hand and waves hello to Mercy as she joins them by the fire. “Have a candy apple.. cast a slip of paper into the fire with something you’d like to let go of from the last year.. or feel free to join in the story. We’re going in alphabetical order.”

Matthew upnods Mercy, beckoning her closer, “I’ll tell you the story so far,” he offers, “or you can just eat and listen, up to you.”

Grinning, Jasper follows up the story with, “…The stairs. The steps creak with every step up until…”

Malin smiles at Jasper, and then she adds, “One step gives out beneath Tom’s feet. He falls through.”

Mercy catches Malin’s glance and returns it alongside a stiff upnod, content with the warmth of the bonfire in lieu of that of the greetings. To her and Matthew both she puts her palms up in deference, head down. “M’jus’ poppin’ by so feel free to ignore me. I’ll lurk an’ listen fer now.”

Something Benjamin sees has Benjamin on his feet and heading southwest, quite as quickly as someone in cowboy boots may on sand

Landon opens his mouth as he starts to speak, but he lifts a brow up when Malin speaks instead. “No longer my turn, I guess.” He grins.

Malin laughs. “Oh no,” she says to Landon. “I’m sorry, you take it. Forget I said it.”

Malin gives an apologetic look to Landon. “I can’t count through the alphabet, apparently.”

Malin claims, “Tom did not fall through the stairs. Rewind.”

Mercy scoots herself off to the side a little and reaches for a candied apple, amber eyes gleaming eerily in the firelight as they flick from face to face.

Landon grins towards Malin. “It’s alright.” He clears his throat as he takes his turn. “…they reach the front door. Tom reaches for the door knob…

Landon looks off towards the road to the south west and lifts his brows up.

Malin looks at each face, recalling each name, and then goes, “It turns, opening up to reveal a cold room with…” She seems not even to notice the woman who gets hit by a car almost daily.

Mercy gasps softly and tenses as Malin leaves things on a cliffhanger.

“And inside…” Matthew mimes it out, his hands lifting, palms out towards the fire before they begin to part, “Velvet curtains parted. Ghosts. They took their bow…”

Chance picks up from Matthew. “Applause rang out from the otherwise empty halls. But upstairs…”

Malin has wide blue eyes as she listens to the story continue.

Mercy sniffs at the air a moment and glances to the apparent incident nearby on the road, mumbling quietly, “The story’s cursed this area..”

Chance is facing the bonfire and the others around it, unaware that anything is going on back out on the street a ways away for the time being.

“Music plays in one of the rooms,” Jasper speaks. “Behind one door…”

Malin waits for her proper turn this time.

Mercy leans in closer to Jasper.

Landon glances towards the others. “Should we be, uh, worried about that?” He asks the others as he gestures towards the road as he looks pretty concerned.

Mercy gasps at something Jasper whispers back to her, horrified.

Mercy stands on her tiptoes to yell back over. “NOT EVEN A LITTLE! EYO TEA, YOU GOOD?!”

Landon clears his throat a little before he calls out. “I’m not a nurse, or a doctor, or know first aid.”

It’s only when people start shouting that Chance seems to notice that something is going on and turns around to look in the direction of the accident. “Maybe call 911?” he suggests. “Is she alright?” because he really can’t see from this distance and he’s definitely not a doctor.

Mercy says “JUS’ WALK IT OFF THAT ALWAYS WORKS FER ME!“

Landon gets back to the story since none of the others seem concerned or worried. “…a cold wind blows from under it. A sense of…”

“Dread hits the men, and then they hear a loud…” Malin continues the story after Landon, and then looks to Matthew.

“Oh fer the love of-” Mercy starts a thickly drawled ramble as she moves to trudge back to the street and more solid footing.

Matthew considers then says, “Sneeze–” he Ah-CHOOs nice and loud, “followed by a ghostly voice grumbling, ‘Damn draft, where’s my blanket?'”

Malin snickers and then laughs at Matthew.

Matthew speaks up, “You can take her to the Masque Theatre, it may be closer,” Matthew calls out towards teh road.

Jasper says “I can also take her there with my bike. I drive slow most of the time.“

Matthew look sover towards Chance, seeing what he’ll add to the story.

Chance studies what’s going on over by the road for a few more moments, but since no one is screaming or crying, decides they must have it handled. He turns back just in time to catch Matthew’s part of the story and he snorts, trying to recall where they’d left off. “The men pause, confused. ‘Did that ghost just… just sneeze?'” he adds on and then passes it over to Jasper.

Malin cannot help but to grin as Chance describes the reaction of the men.

“‘But ghosts are dead,’ one guy said,” Jasper adds on as well with a glance at the road. “‘Not unless they…'”

Matthew smirks, he leans forward, glancing next in Jasper.

Landon glances towards the road as he listens to what’s happening over there before he realizes it’s his turn. It takes him a moment to catch up mentally before nodding his head. “‘…have allergies too. What do you think makes a ghost…'”

Benjamin’s boots hit the sand once more, even as he glances back at the other two as they head off. He rubs his hands together before drifting back towards the bonfire.

Malin giggles a little as Landon continues. She double checks once more to make sure it really is her turn, since she’s the only one who apparently has trouble following the rules. “His sentence is cut short because right then a terrifying…”

Chance chuckles a little at ghost allergies and listens as Malin continues on from Landon’s lead up, seeing where it goes next.

Benjamin is quiet as he rejoins the group, sitting down cross-legged once more. He plucks up an apple before getting completely settled and biting into it as his eyes follow whoever speaks next.

“Then a terrifying scream echoes–” Matthew drops his voice, “followed by something wet dragging itself down the stairs toward them.”

Landon snorts a little when he hears Matthew. “Interesting story, switching from humor, to spooky, to humor, then back to spooky.”

“Least he ain’t hearin’ his own name” Benjamin winks at Landon

Landon waves in Hyatt’s direction.

The cowboy-hat-at-night-wearing Benjamin glances up at Hyatt comes up but his attention goes back to the fire and the round-robin story.

Chance continues the story from where Matthew leaves off, adding his ten words to the tale. “The sound is sickening… schllooorp.. thud… schhhhlorp.. thud.. schlooorp.. thud..” he says with the most straight face that he can manage, leaning to the side then straightening with every thud.

Matthew waves at Hyatt, the group is currently around a fire, everyone mostly quiet, attention on Chance like they’re listening to a story. He motions the newest arrival over, saying, “Hey, we’re doing a collaborative story if you wanna hop in you can go after me, I’m at the end of the loop. Grab a candy apple, if you;d like.”

Matthew smirks at Chance’s sound, snorting a little as he bites back a laugh.

Malin waggles slim digits in Hyatt’s direction in greeting as she listens to Chance share the next part of the story. She shudders a bit.

Chance waves to Hyatt as the man joins them. “Make yourself comfortable, join the story or listen, and feel free to take a slip of paper and write something you’d like to cast into the fire and shed from the year past.”

“Kill it with fire” Benjamin mutters with a chuckle at Chance’s sounds.

Hyatt waves over to Landon, then Matthew, two familiar faces, then walks over to the fire-side without a word, not interrupting the story, crouching and holding out hands to warm himself. He snatches up an apple, nodding his agreement to Matthew while keeping his ear open.

“The hell is that? The one man wonders,” Jasper smirks while he says. “It’s not good.”

Malin nods in agreement with what Jasper says. It isn’t good at all when you hear schlorp-thud coming your way.

Landon taps one of his feet against the sand as he thinks of his addition after Jasper. “The sound gets closer, and closer, until they see… Schlorp…” The last noise added on to make sure he keeps to the rule of 10.

Malin has a shudder strike down her spine and out through all four limbs, and not at all in a good way. Once Landon finishes his part, she is once again checking the faces to ensure it truly is her turn. It is. “A vaguely humanoid silhouette collapsing and reforming as it crawls…”

Benjamin leans back on a hand as he stretches his legs out, crossing one over the other ankle. A chomp of his apple, his eyes following whoever speaks next. He’s clearly enjoying himself, a mischievous grin playing across his lips.’

Matthew considers for a moment then says, “It’s shaped like some kinda sacmound.” Whatever that is, he pantomimes it like a blob of sorts float-dragging across his field of view. “Tome said to Cal….”

Matthew glances at Hyatt to see if he’ll be jumping into the story.

It is right this instant that Malin widens her blue-grey eyes and gawks at Matthew. She’s silently mouthing a ‘what the frakk?’ his way.

Matthew leans in toward Malin to whisper to her.

not having any prior reference as to what Tome sounds like, Hyatt tags along with Matthew’s words, booming out in a raspy voice: “I wonder how it tastes. I suddenly have… the hunger.”

Not having any prior reference as to what Tome sounds like, Hyatt tags along with Matthew’s words, booming out in a raspy voice: “I wonder how it tastes. I suddenly have… the hunger.” -caps fix

Malin stares at Hyatt, wide eyed even more.

Malin scowls just a little at Matthew, shaking her head, but a moment later she rolls her eyes and then laughs. A heavy sigh follows, exhaled out past those filler enhanced lips before she refocuses on the story being told.

Matthew whispers one more time and then he can’t help it, he laughs. Attention settling next onto Chance.

Landon snorts out a laugh when he hears what Hyatt adds to the story.

Chance tries not to laugh as he adds on, “‘I dare you to bite it,’ Cal says to Tom.” This can only end well!

“And after some jabbing, Cal give in,” Jasper speaks out while stiffling a giggle. “He does it and…”

Landon tries to stifle his laughter so he can speak. “It tastes like candy! Tom tries to encourage Cal to…”

Benjamin switches the order of his ankles atop each other, another bite. A grin, and perhaps a drunken relaxation. Overall, he seems to be enjoying himself.

Malin snorts faintly, and then she says, “…try, but the creature’s spirit transfers into Tom and then…”

Matthew gets his giggles under control, sobering as he looks over the group and says, “Tom’s eyes rolled white, saying, ‘You taste just like him.'”

Chance glances over toward Hyatt to see what he’s going to add on to Matthew’s, snickering just a little bit.

“His maw snaps open,” Hyatt says, animatedly snapping his jaw, lurching forward on his haunches as if about to pounce, face illuminated by the flicker of the fire. “His body tenses up… and then…”

Malin clasps her hands together, holding them right below her chin as she takes in what Hyatt has to add, then her gaze sweeps over to Chance.

“His jaw unhinges, and like that, he swallows Cal whole!” Chance says, lurching forward and bringing his hands up over his head and then down like a great giant maw swallowing an entire man whole in one gulp.

Malin releases a sudden shriek, head reeling back some as Chance acts out the portion of the story he’s added.

“Cal’s screams were muffled until he falls silent,” Jasper speaks. “Nothing left.”

Landon smiles to himself as he listens to the story, nodding his head slowly. “Nothing but the sound of a ghost sneezing and yelling…”

Malin exhales out a breath, eyes darting back and forth over the flames that flicker before her as she thinks. “Who moved my femur?! I needed that to scare the…”

Benjamin sends off a few texts but focuses his attention on the story once more. Chomp on that apple again.

Matthew leans back, patting his belly, “Tom’s stomach drowned it out, Cal’s voice whispered, ‘It’s hungry again'”

“But it’s hunger cannot be sated by just any means…” Hyatt murmurs out ominously in reply to Matthew, crossing his arms.

“Because now it has the fever, fever for the flavor,” Chance intones just as ominously.

Matthew shivers and look around, wondering, “Anyone else feel that?”

“Nights passed, until another round of people arrived,” Jasper starts to grin. “It wants.”

Hyatt bobs his head back to Matthew.

Chance glances over toward Matthew and shakes his head, “I didn’t feel anything.”

Malin admits, “I didn’t feel anything, either,” to Matthew after Chance.

Matthew nods then shrugs, dismissing it for the time being.