Houston set his guitar down against the garage.



"What should I like, be for Halloween. What are you going to be for Halloween?" He asked Annalise. Halloween was tomorrow and Annalise knew that all of the kids would be out.

She leaned back her note pad folded over and she considered with a small chuckle. "My mother got me a dark fairy costume." she sounded almost embarrassed by the fact "It is very ah, feathery black feathers, black glitter.." she stated drawing a knee up to her chin. "I don't know, do you know what the rest of the boy's want to be ?" she asked as she considered. "Or it is gonna just be us ?" she inquired since she could come up with something she just wanted to know what everyone else was doing.

Houston set his guitar down against the garage.



"Dude! That's like, totally tubular! It's like, rockin' that you're totally going to totally, totally wear that." When Annalise asked about what everyone else was going to do, Houston said

"Uhhhhhhh. It's like.....Bart knows I think. Like Bart knows. But I don't. I don't really do like all the stuff about what we're going to do. I just, dunno. I just rock it, you know?"

She flashed him a warm smile and nodded her head following the train of thought. "Well.." she began "What's Bart gonna be ?" she asked as she put her writing pad into her bag, it was mostly lyrics to a song, she couldn't write the technical side of music but she could do lyrics.

"I mean we could thrift store hop ! " she offered. "Have you ever thought about...um...a plague doctor some of those masks are like ravens, and then you would make my feathers.." she offered.

Houston smiled.



"Dude! Let's totally go get Bart and like, tell him about this idea. About me going as a thrift store!" He made his way towards the outside of the garage as if to go get Bart but then he turned around and said to Annalise"Come on! Let's get Bart now. I can't wait to tell him that you're gonna dress me up as a store. A whole store, Dude. Can you make my head and eyes like the windows? Just so, like I can see. Not like those masks that you know, you get a breath and its like hot and like gnarly inside."

She was a beauty queen she knew how to dress up and she hurried toss her ever present back pack over her shoulder. "Totally." she agreed with a bob of her head. "I can try if they have that."s he nodded and hurriedly caught up to Houston. " Second hand stores always have the neatest stuff, and its usually cheap." she chirped as she fell into step with the bigger boy. "I mean that's where I got my wooden rocking horse I keep my stuffed animals on."

The pair made their way one house over to Bart's front door. Before knocking Houston got a serious look on his face.



"Wait...You have stuffed animals that can ride horses? Are they, like, totally battery powered?"

The blond shook her head as she followed along in step with Houston. Her hands in her jacket pockets "No No." she laughed "They sit on the rocking horse kinda propped up there, its turned longways and sits under my window, so the stuffed animals sit on it, and are propped up by, you know, the wall." she said earnestly. "It would be really neat to see ones that could ride a rocking horse." she admitted. "I saw some that were like that once at a Santa's Workshop they had the little puppets who's hands raise and fall like working on toys." it was back when her father was around. When they had lived elsewhere. "Big cities always have these over the top things."

She leaned to push the doorbell or knock, which ever was available.

The door opened, and Bart appeared.




"Dude" He said looking at Houston

"Dude-ette" he said, looking at Annalise.

"Tomorrow is totally Halloween!!!" He announced with the inner joy of a kid that was excited to get candy and also someone who was looking forward to a celebration.

"I know isn't it totally exciting ?" she chirped happily. "So, like what are you going as, Houston hasn't gotta costume yet." she stated "We were going to go look at thrift stores for something decent...because its tommorrow and he still doesn't know what to be yet, I totally forgot to ask what my favorite people were doing." she shook her head. "Imma be a raven fairy, my mum has already picked out the whole outfit, but it looks good."

"That sounds so far out" Bart agreed.

"Has your mom, like, said anything about the whole 'disappearing kid thing?'" he said, looking at Annalise a bit worried.

Bart's comment seemed to animate Houston



"There's a show about disappearing kids? Is it on ABC or like, CBS after school?"

Bart came outside and closed the door, leaning in conspiratorially as if he didn't want anyone to overhear the conversation.


"Its like. Kids have been disappearing. And it isn't like, a show Dude." Bart said.

"Has your mom, like, said anything about it? Because I barely got my Mom to agree that I could go trick or treating. he said, looking at Annalise.

Annalise gave a little shrug and winced a little bit. "I know about it, I saw some stuff on it, and everyone talks about it totally hushed at school." she said "My mother is in denial land, she acts like I can't read or see, or I don't even know." she didn't mean to emote on her two besties but damn. "She has drilled me on where to go, how to trick or treat properly, not going to ANY unlit houses." she ran a hand back through her pale hair. "I am responsible, I always have been I have known these things since I was a little kid." she tugged her red jacket closer to her. "Still its kinda scary isn't it ?" she asked.

"Denial land sounds strange. And scary." Houston agreed shuffling his feet and looking downward. "My Mom's hit me with a spoon, but never used a drill on me." He admitted.

Bart was more direct:

"It is scary. But what's even more scary is if we let it stop us from going out on Halloween. It only comes once a year Dude! Here's, like, a good plan: After school tomorrow, we need to meet here to go trick or treating. Parents are on the look out." Bart elaborated on what was quickly becoming a Halloween conspiracy.

"All of us should get here before dusk. he said, looking at Annalise to see if she agreed. "Say, five o'clock. It's getting darker. If no one is here at 5 or if I'm not standing here or whatever, it means:...Dude, Bummer, parents stopped us. And the rest of us have to go on and save some candy for anyone who missed out."

She nodded her agreement at that. "Or we can all tell our parents we are meeting up together to study at your house Bart, not a lie we do , do that." she pointed out. "We can go over I don't even care...homework or something..." she plotted out. "Then go out together, you know totally stick in a group, my dad said that a group is safer then a single person, because numbers."  she nodded seriously then she faintly smiled.

"So do you want to help dress up Houston for Halloween he hasn't got a costume yet." she explained quickly.  "I wasn't sure what you were going to be going as, and he didn't know what he wants so I will take it into my capable --eh--semi capable hands and all help would so be welcome."

Bart was more direct:

"Good idea!" Bart said. <Blue>"That's what we'll say. Come on inside! I think I have some old clothes and maybe old costume stuff in the basement. Maybe we can find something for Houston there!"

She gave a nod and motioned for Houston to head in and quickly followed behind him so they could close the door. She was in fact not raised in a barn and did not want the door left open. "That would be awesome." she stated with a nod. "I still think we could do with prowling a thrift store, but I am sure we can come up with something." the usually up beat girl stated. "Are your parents home ?" she inquired.

"My Mom went like, out to go like, window shopping." Bart replied. "And my Dad is like, totally working even though its the weekend. He usually works a lot. He works in LA and stuff." Bart explained, seemingly disappointed by his Dad's absence.

"So, no one's home. And you know what that means?" Bart asked. "It means we can go into the basement and go through the old clothes to see if we can get Houston a totally, tubular costume!" Bart responded, not waiting for Annalise to answer his question. Or Houston for that matter.

"It doesn't look like you need new windows." Houston observed, touching one of the front windows of the house with his index finger, a puzzled look on his face.

She smiled warmly at Houston "no no, window shopping is a mom thing, its where they go have a look at things in the windows, like clothes, and jewelry and..accessories and things like that." she informed him as she tugged him along into the house. Bart was set on this idea she could tell and she had no objections. His response to missing his dad echoed in her and she patted his back. She missed her dad too, only he wasn't coming home again but she shook herself out of her mood. "Hey you guys want me to spring for a Pizza ?" she asked tucking blond hair behind her ears.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Sat 01 Aug 2020.

"Oh." Houston said, nodding his head along, though there was no indication that he really understood what Annalise was saying.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:02, Mon 03 Aug 2020.

"Totally! Pizza rocks!" Bart agreed. "But first, let's go down into the basement and check out those old clothes. I think my Dad used to have an old costume or two." Bart said, opening the basement door and disappearing down the stairs, footfalls and creaking boards groaning as he descended.

 She just patted Houston on the shoulder "Let's go." she said and followed into the house. Annalise kept close to Bart, but she hesitated to go down into the basement still she took a breath and headed down behind Bart, she was safe with the boys.

"My Dad hired some guys that talk funny to fix our basement." Houston said to Annalise. "They didn't speak American. They looked like they were wrestlers. You know, from WWF. Like, Hulk Hogan."

"He did ?" Annalise's eyes were wide they didn't speak english ? "What happened to your basement ?" she now wondered if there was a WWE ring in the basement, maybe Vince McMann showing up to advertise a match--she didn't think that would happen but it was a thought.

The kids made it downstairs and the basement was completely organized. Each cardboard box had a large label on it written with a black magic marker. And each box bore the name of the contents inside. Rows of boxes were lined up along carefully delinated stacks of shelving bolted against the walls of Bart's basement. Overhead, florescent lights cast down the perfect illumination to see everything.



"I dunno. My Dad said they were Sov-ics. Sovits. You know, Russians. The bad people." Houston explained. "That's why they didn't do a good job."

"Here it is!" Bart interrupted, pointing at a box labeled "costumes and clothes" that was too high to reach.

"Come on, help me get it down!" He looked around for a ladder or chair.

She murmured a prayer of thanks for the lights that came on. Hurrying to follow Bart she wasn't sure what to make of Soviet's though, weren't those the bad guys in movies, her dad hadn't liked them much but...nope the memory wasn't there anymore. "That's totally weird Houston." she agreed.

She looked up. "Hmmm, you two think you can boost me up there to grab it ?" she asked looking between them. "I mean I can pull it and maybe we can have it fall to the floor ?" though she was certainly scanning for how the box was put up there, a chair, a stepping stool, a ladder anything useful.

"Good idea!" Bart said. He got down on one knee and Houston was on all fours, the idea being that Bart would provide the boost and Houston would be the stepping stool that Annalise would climb onto to reach the box.

OOC: Annalise Rolls Strength + Wits

she wasn't even sure it would work but she tried. She was sure the box was close enough but looks could be deceiving.


07:30, Today: Annalise failed (no successes) using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((3,4,5)).

Annalise attempted to pull at the corner of the large, heavy box, but misjudged the balance. The there was a loud creak. Then a groan. Then the entire box came crashing down along with the one next to it. The edge of the box hit Annalise in the side of the head and Houston let out a yelp, the other box landing on top of his back as Annalise fell off of him.

OOC: Annalise takes 1  bashing damage

DAMN she wasn't given to cursing especially not in other people's houses but all she could mange was a quick curse before she toppled off Houston's back onto the floor, the little shriek was certainly girly,  and she sat up rubbing her back and shoulders. Looking pained but resolute. "Hey, we got it down.." she said brightly though everything smarted.

"You two okay ?" she asked hand still rubbing the spot that hurt.

"Whoa! Are YOU ok Annalise?" Bart asked, trying to help Annalise up.<Blue>

Houston got up and rubbed his lower back with a grimace.



"Sorry Annalise." Houston apologized. "I tried to stay as still as I could. My Dad says I have a strong back like a Nigger. But I guess I don't."

"Houston! We talked about that word." Bart weighed in.

"I know. But I talked to my Dad about it like you said I should. And he said that I should be using the word." Houston explained.

She was still squinting one eye rubbing the spot she'd been bonked on the head. "Eh, I have worse, like when my math book feel off the shelf, very similar." she pulled the scrunchy from her hair and pocketed it, to keep her hair from having added pressure to the spot and she paused in mid movement.

"Oh, Houston, no...that is not a good word." she said with a shake of her head. "Its, lame because its something that's directed at people, who's only difference from us is the color of skin." his dad did not sound like a very nice person. "Apparently parents came be wrong, I mean they are old so..." she shrugged her shoulders.

Things moved on from the 'bad word' that Houston said as Bart helped Annalise up.



"Well, at least we got the box down. That's like, totally a tubular victory!" Bart said, pumping his fist.

The three kids looked down at the floor and observed the various articles of clothing strewn about the otherwise clean basement. There was a clown's costume, a witches hat, an old trench coat and what looked like a small, ventriloquist's dummy with one arm missing. There was also a baggy suit that looked really old, like it might have been worn by Bart's great grandparents.

"Oh look at this" she said as she reach out to pick up the one armed dummy. "Did you have ventriloquists in your family Bart ?" though she hugged it to her she had a soft spot for wooden toys and stuffed animals, she wasn't much of a dolly girl. "Now, lets see..." she hummed and began to pick through the things on the floor. Picking up this piece or that piece. Trying to put together something worth while.

(Can I roll expression to see if I can find him a decent costume amidst the mess ?)

Annalise Rolls Wits + Expression with the following results

0 Successes: Annalise patches together a costume from various pieces of clothing. The results aren't pretty

1 Success: Annalise puts together a costume that is perfect!

2+ Successes: Annalise puts together a costume and finds....

She began to dig through the things in earnest, she held up pieces here and there. "Here Bart you help him try this on, and add this so it doesn't make it look so out of place." She was sure there was enough items to make a costume for him here. It was just diligence that was needed.

She grabbed the witch hat and pulled it on as she worked, a thinking cap of sorts. Tipping the wide brim of the witches hat back to examine what she had she nodded. "I like it." she stated.

"So what do you guys think ? she asked


I had one success at diff 8 I wasn't sure if all diff are set at  8 ? I went to check my other dice but they didn't show. Argg. -lol-

Annalise took some clothing from one pile and added some pants from another. Bart helped out Houston fit the costume on.

"I look like a witch!" Houston exclaimed.



1. OOC: No, you got it, 8 or higher is a success. Is that what you mean?

2. Annalise decides if 'witch' was what she was going for.

Annalise gave a quick nod of her head at the look. It could work. "It can work, if we add some of my black feathers here." Anna said as she touched to hat. "What do you think Houston...do you like it ?" she asked.

Then looked to Bart with a raised brow. "Whatcha think Bart?"

"It looks, like, totally workable. It's like, if you like, got a totally good feathers." He bent down and shuffled through the box. There was a ripping sound of fabric, and when he stood up, Bart was holding some white feathers in one hand and black feathers in another.

Houston shuffled a bit.

"It feels good." Houston said. He reached inside the costume and pulled out a pocket book.

"Oh." Houston said surprised. "Here, you should take this." Houston said. "Maybe you can like, use it for your costumes."

Annalise examined the pocket book and shrugged "Maybe." she agreed "I will check when I get my costume on." she said cheerily. Than she moved to test the feathers against the costume, the matching effect was good, a yin yang effect could be even better. "Bart what's your costume ?" she asked as she settled back cross legged.

Bart walked across to the other side of the basement. He reached over to one of the shelves and opened a cardboard box that was labeled 'Bart's Stuff.' Then he pulled out a costuem. "Check this out Dude. It's gnarly." Then he pulled out a red, electric guitar from the box.

"It's like, real." he said.

Houston shuffled a bit.

"Whoa, Dude." Houston said. "You never showed me that one!"

"I've been keeping it a secret Dude. Chill out. We'll start practicing with it after Halloween. It'll be gnarly."

Houston shuffled a bit once again, getting used to the costume.

"Also, it probably makes hu-mungus, like rock sounds. So you can totally use it to rock out. Or like, if we get in trouble, you can make loud sounds with it so that way people hear us, you know? Like, just in case, Dude. For like, safety." Houston said.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:34, Tue 15 Sept 2020.

"WOW" she said as her eyes went wide. "That is so awesome." she leaned a little closer to get a good look at it. "I will have to come up with some great lyrics, for you to do music too." she laughed "I mean like, clearly, no pressure with such an amazing guitar." still she was smiling.

She moved to help adjust the costume that Houston was wearing careful to help him adjust to it.

"So do we want to order pizza now, and like peek in old boxes there is so much stuff down here, its like finding buried treasure! "

Everyone was eager to get pizza and both Bart and Houston started to discuss the toppings. Annalise was helping adjust Houston's costume, when there was a crackling sound of paper:

- A single, small, yellow and curled piece of paper fell from somewhere in Houston's costume to the floor.

It drifted in the air for a second and then landed.

She was curious about the paper, and leaned to pick it up. What if it was something important to Bart's family ? So she scooped it up.

Laughing at the boy's discussion of toppings. "Anything but anchovies is awesome." she interjected as she looked over the piece of paper.

Annalise looked down at the ticket and saw that it was a dry cleaning ticket with the number '009.' The ticket, it appeared, was from 1932 dated 01 September.