Encounterlogs
Gabriellas Odd Encounter Sr Novel 250220
Gabriella's mundane trip to Fertile Valley Florists took an unexpected turn when, seeking an alternative for a flower vase, she ventured out into the cold. Wrapped in thoughts, she didn’t immediately notice the unsettling transformation of her surroundings as she walked. The familiar path morphed into an eerie, untouched forest filled with sickly willow trees and countless swings that swayed in the still air, hinting at unseen occupants. With the realization that the florist shop, her tether to normalcy, had vanished, Gabriella found herself thrust into an unknown realm that bore the chilling marks of a nightmare world breaching into her reality.
As the gravity of her situation sank in, Gabriella's initial shock gave way to a desperate hope. She called out for Kin'yoko, an eidolon she hoped might explain or assist in her bizarre predicament. Instead of aid, however, she attracted the attention of a monstrous tree creature. It emerged with a haunting life of its own, its movements both fascinating and terrifying. Gabriella's instincts kicked in, and she fled, driven by the primal urge for survival. The chase led her back to the edges of reality, where the monstrous entity ceased its pursuit, allowing her to stumble back into the familiarity of the florist's front lawn. Left to process the surreal experience, Gabriella was overwhelmed by relief and confusion, her breath ragged as she tried to grapple with the ordeal she had narrowly escaped, pondering the line between her world and the nightmares that breached it.
(Gabriella's odd encounter(SRNovel):SRNovel)
[Wed Feb 19 2025]
At the front lawn of Fertile Valley Florists
Starting at the street an ending at the northern door, deep brown mulch has been laid in an wide trail with dark slate stone atop it to mark the walkway to and from this floral shop. Well-tended and full grass that almost resembles sod covers the majority of the lawn area that is not occupied by trees or flora. The building to the north is made of old, dusky bricks and looks to be one of the older original buildings which occupy this part of town. On the left side of the mulch path leading between the street and the northern door, a mature willow tree offers some shade in the day, while at night it may offer a darker nook in the large lawn. On the other side of the path, two large elm trees take up the front space, with one of them supporting a broad wood and rope swing from one of its lower branches.
It is afternoon, about 30F(-1C) degrees, and the sky is partly covered by dark grey clouds.
(Your target is attacked by monsters from the nightmare who've found a way through into our world. They need to survive for long enough for their allies to come help them.
)
No flower vases for sale at Fertile Valley Florists - Gabriella knew it was a stretch. Well, no problem, she has been hoping for an excuse to check out that new arts place by the bank - maybe they have something cool to use as a flower vase. The student heads out of the florist shop with a new destination in mind, and fortunately it's just a short walk away - she won't freeze from one place to the other, even it it is freezing outdoors and she is regretting not having brought her puff jacket. Well, too late to think about that, in any case.
The coat is an excellent choice, especially how it tends to get below freezing in this particular section of geography, with the snow and hail that's been happening in recent months. While someone walks across the mulch and stone, wrapped up in her own thoughts, footsteps crunching the mulch further. And further. And further. After about ten minutes of walking she might realize something is strange and finally look up, and what meets her eyes is a confounding image: Many, many, many more willow trees, some ancient and huge with grasping roots, some new and freshly-planted, in a land that - barring the path she's on - seems untouched by the hand of man for ages. Yet they all seem sickly. Blacks and mottled gray-green where there should be strident, vibrant, blue-and-green shades and brown.
But there are plenty of swings.
Lots of swings. Up in the boughs, near the ground, hung between trees, some hung upside-down. Some of them sway gently despite how still the air is around Gabriella, as if riders have recently departed.
The shop behind her - missing. The path twists along both in front and behind, disappearing out of sight.
The coat is an excellent choice, especially how it tends to get below freezing in this particular section of geography, with the snow and hail that's been happening in recent months. While Gabriella walks across the mulch and stone, wrapped up in her own thoughts, footsteps crunching the mulch further. And further. And further. After about ten minutes of walking she might realize something is strange and finally look up, and what meets her eyes is a confounding image: Many, many, many more willow trees, some ancient and huge with grasping roots, some new and freshly-planted, in a land that - barring the path she's on - seems untouched by the hand of man for ages. Yet they all seem sickly. Blacks and mottled gray-green where there should be strident, vibrant, blue-and-green shades and brown.
But there are plenty of swings.
Lots of swings. Up in the boughs, near the ground, hung between trees, some hung upside-down. Some of them sway gently despite how still the air is around Gabriella, as if riders have recently departed.
The shop behind Gabriella - missing. The path twists along both in front and behind, disappearing out of sight.
Gabriella stops, and looks around, puzzled. The cold seems colder - or maybe it's she who's worried. Her hands move to hold and rub each of her arms as she looks around, frowning, looks and looks as if that would show her a different path, a reason why she's here. But she knows it won't, right from the start she realizes she is... elsewhere. She must have been lured here. But... here where? And why? Damn - when people are lured somewhere into the woods, it is usually to be fed, or tortured - she knows that much. And... well- no- wait, maybe... Dares she to hope?
It's equal parts hope and the fact that she has nothing to loose - or, more to the point, the fact that there are two possible 'good outcomes' out of this that makes Gabriella raise her voice and call out, a bit shyly, "Fox?" She's calling out for Kin'yoko, of course, even if she doesn't know the name of that eidolon - she hopes the fox will listen and answer; if she was brought here by the eidolon fine, and if she didn't... still, maybe the eidolon will help her with... whatever this is. And if there's no answer? Well, she has nothing to loose by trying, does she?
There's a rustle as Gabriella looks around. One of the trees. It shifts - and then one of the knotholes blink, an organic-looking eye staring at her from the slivered entryway, the sickly looking tree suddenly rising - pulling out of the ground with a great crunch, roots and 'legs' becoming undone. And then it lumbers towards Gabriella, tree-limbs branches no longer, but hands, giant and looming as it smashes apart swings and other trees while strides down the path towards her, wrecking things out of the way and bearing great resemblance to the tree-men that exist in other Worlds. And this one doesn't seem to mind stepping directly onto the path as it's huge form thunders on towards Gabriella.
"Oh- oh, no- no no no" Gabriella comments as she sees the tree not only showing its eye but starting to move and stand up, or lumber, or whatever one will call what is happening there. She has never seen something like this before, but she has heard about treepeople - men and women made of wood, trees that walk... she does not know much about them - they're from... the Other? Is she in the Other? - but what she remembers is that they're vicious killers, beasts you don't try to reason with.
It's hard to stop staring, but Gabriella turns around and starts- trying to not walk but run, ran back from where she came?, well, run -away- from the tree guy, as fast as she can. She's no runner, but she rarely has a bigger incentive to make her cardio than this.
Crash! Smash! Thunderous bash! Down the path Gabriella runs and runs, weaving this way and that and then - there it is. She can see the gleaming lights, the more normal reflection of the glass and the florist - and then at some point Gabriella may realize that the tree-creature has stopped. Standing there. Looming. A dreadful apparition, cloaked in the trees - and then turning around, slowly wading back deep into the forest, as she finds herself once again in true reality. Back where she left. Clothes rumpled, boots dirty, and smelling of rot and earth. But alone, in the world, as the normalcy and chatter of a normal small town filter back in.
Gabriella bends over and rests with her hands over her knees as she catches her breathe, looking back and around, often, incredulous. What has just happened?
As the gravity of her situation sank in, Gabriella's initial shock gave way to a desperate hope. She called out for Kin'yoko, an eidolon she hoped might explain or assist in her bizarre predicament. Instead of aid, however, she attracted the attention of a monstrous tree creature. It emerged with a haunting life of its own, its movements both fascinating and terrifying. Gabriella's instincts kicked in, and she fled, driven by the primal urge for survival. The chase led her back to the edges of reality, where the monstrous entity ceased its pursuit, allowing her to stumble back into the familiarity of the florist's front lawn. Left to process the surreal experience, Gabriella was overwhelmed by relief and confusion, her breath ragged as she tried to grapple with the ordeal she had narrowly escaped, pondering the line between her world and the nightmares that breached it.
(Gabriella's odd encounter(SRNovel):SRNovel)
[Wed Feb 19 2025]
At the front lawn of Fertile Valley Florists
Starting at the street an ending at the northern door, deep brown mulch has been laid in an wide trail with dark slate stone atop it to mark the walkway to and from this floral shop. Well-tended and full grass that almost resembles sod covers the majority of the lawn area that is not occupied by trees or flora. The building to the north is made of old, dusky bricks and looks to be one of the older original buildings which occupy this part of town. On the left side of the mulch path leading between the street and the northern door, a mature willow tree offers some shade in the day, while at night it may offer a darker nook in the large lawn. On the other side of the path, two large elm trees take up the front space, with one of them supporting a broad wood and rope swing from one of its lower branches.
It is afternoon, about 30F(-1C) degrees, and the sky is partly covered by dark grey clouds.
(Your target is attacked by monsters from the nightmare who've found a way through into our world. They need to survive for long enough for their allies to come help them.
)
No flower vases for sale at Fertile Valley Florists - Gabriella knew it was a stretch. Well, no problem, she has been hoping for an excuse to check out that new arts place by the bank - maybe they have something cool to use as a flower vase. The student heads out of the florist shop with a new destination in mind, and fortunately it's just a short walk away - she won't freeze from one place to the other, even it it is freezing outdoors and she is regretting not having brought her puff jacket. Well, too late to think about that, in any case.
The coat is an excellent choice, especially how it tends to get below freezing in this particular section of geography, with the snow and hail that's been happening in recent months. While someone walks across the mulch and stone, wrapped up in her own thoughts, footsteps crunching the mulch further. And further. And further. After about ten minutes of walking she might realize something is strange and finally look up, and what meets her eyes is a confounding image: Many, many, many more willow trees, some ancient and huge with grasping roots, some new and freshly-planted, in a land that - barring the path she's on - seems untouched by the hand of man for ages. Yet they all seem sickly. Blacks and mottled gray-green where there should be strident, vibrant, blue-and-green shades and brown.
But there are plenty of swings.
Lots of swings. Up in the boughs, near the ground, hung between trees, some hung upside-down. Some of them sway gently despite how still the air is around Gabriella, as if riders have recently departed.
The shop behind her - missing. The path twists along both in front and behind, disappearing out of sight.
The coat is an excellent choice, especially how it tends to get below freezing in this particular section of geography, with the snow and hail that's been happening in recent months. While Gabriella walks across the mulch and stone, wrapped up in her own thoughts, footsteps crunching the mulch further. And further. And further. After about ten minutes of walking she might realize something is strange and finally look up, and what meets her eyes is a confounding image: Many, many, many more willow trees, some ancient and huge with grasping roots, some new and freshly-planted, in a land that - barring the path she's on - seems untouched by the hand of man for ages. Yet they all seem sickly. Blacks and mottled gray-green where there should be strident, vibrant, blue-and-green shades and brown.
But there are plenty of swings.
Lots of swings. Up in the boughs, near the ground, hung between trees, some hung upside-down. Some of them sway gently despite how still the air is around Gabriella, as if riders have recently departed.
The shop behind Gabriella - missing. The path twists along both in front and behind, disappearing out of sight.
Gabriella stops, and looks around, puzzled. The cold seems colder - or maybe it's she who's worried. Her hands move to hold and rub each of her arms as she looks around, frowning, looks and looks as if that would show her a different path, a reason why she's here. But she knows it won't, right from the start she realizes she is... elsewhere. She must have been lured here. But... here where? And why? Damn - when people are lured somewhere into the woods, it is usually to be fed, or tortured - she knows that much. And... well- no- wait, maybe... Dares she to hope?
It's equal parts hope and the fact that she has nothing to loose - or, more to the point, the fact that there are two possible 'good outcomes' out of this that makes Gabriella raise her voice and call out, a bit shyly, "Fox?" She's calling out for Kin'yoko, of course, even if she doesn't know the name of that eidolon - she hopes the fox will listen and answer; if she was brought here by the eidolon fine, and if she didn't... still, maybe the eidolon will help her with... whatever this is. And if there's no answer? Well, she has nothing to loose by trying, does she?
There's a rustle as Gabriella looks around. One of the trees. It shifts - and then one of the knotholes blink, an organic-looking eye staring at her from the slivered entryway, the sickly looking tree suddenly rising - pulling out of the ground with a great crunch, roots and 'legs' becoming undone. And then it lumbers towards Gabriella, tree-limbs branches no longer, but hands, giant and looming as it smashes apart swings and other trees while strides down the path towards her, wrecking things out of the way and bearing great resemblance to the tree-men that exist in other Worlds. And this one doesn't seem to mind stepping directly onto the path as it's huge form thunders on towards Gabriella.
"Oh- oh, no- no no no" Gabriella comments as she sees the tree not only showing its eye but starting to move and stand up, or lumber, or whatever one will call what is happening there. She has never seen something like this before, but she has heard about treepeople - men and women made of wood, trees that walk... she does not know much about them - they're from... the Other? Is she in the Other? - but what she remembers is that they're vicious killers, beasts you don't try to reason with.
It's hard to stop staring, but Gabriella turns around and starts- trying to not walk but run, ran back from where she came?, well, run -away- from the tree guy, as fast as she can. She's no runner, but she rarely has a bigger incentive to make her cardio than this.
Crash! Smash! Thunderous bash! Down the path Gabriella runs and runs, weaving this way and that and then - there it is. She can see the gleaming lights, the more normal reflection of the glass and the florist - and then at some point Gabriella may realize that the tree-creature has stopped. Standing there. Looming. A dreadful apparition, cloaked in the trees - and then turning around, slowly wading back deep into the forest, as she finds herself once again in true reality. Back where she left. Clothes rumpled, boots dirty, and smelling of rot and earth. But alone, in the world, as the normalcy and chatter of a normal small town filter back in.
Gabriella bends over and rests with her hands over her knees as she catches her breathe, looking back and around, often, incredulous. What has just happened?