Ellisa nodded at the Bruce Lee comment. She was about to talk about it, when Ann revealed something more important. And anyway she'd finished emptying the van

"That sucks girl. Really sucks" she reached out a hand and squeezed Anns shoulder gently "Let me tell you a story"

"A year ago... I had the night terrors. Full on. Awakening screaming in the middle of the night" Elissa said slowly. "I was being hunted. My dad told me stories of his time as a mercenary in Zimbabwe... and there were themes of that running through them. He told the stories as allegories and brought in fanciful things. I didn't realise that until recently though" she shook her head "Soldiers fighting nameless horrors that were the most beautiful and the most terrifying things you've ever seen.  Mind you ... you know puberty is a funny time. Mine was late. Doctor said it was just all the hormones." she looked thoughtful though as though she'd had a different theory. But didn't really want to talk about it

"Mine faded. Last about a month and then it was all over. Just like the doctors said. They said they were common, and they would go. They said I should keep me a dream diary. I'd normally tell them to get stuffed... but you know... it was terrifying. So I did. And it helped."

"Maybe yours is the same. Try keeping a dream diary. Write down everything you can remember when you wake. What it did for me was make it less terrifying because when I read the descriptions I knew it was fanciful. They were so riddiculous that in the light of day I knew they couldn't be real. And that gave me power in the dreams"

"Every now and then I get one. But I spin them. The dreams want to make me the hunted... but I know I'm the hunter. When I have the dreams and I see the beautful shining man. Well you know in a real fight there are only two targets. Eyeballs and testicles. I kick him in the nadds, poke out his eyeballs and then I don't scream anymore. "
This message was last edited by the player at 18:54, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Ann listened wide-eyed to Elissa. "I'm glad you got over your nightmares. Though I'm not so sure about keeping a diary. It's bad enough having the dreams without having homework for them too."

She glanced at the floor, but then looked up again and nodded. "Eyes and testicles. I'll bear that in mind. And if it's any consolation, I'd swap my scary-arsed monsters for your beautiful shining man in a heartbeat."

As she spoke, the bell over the door rang, and Ann turned to see an old man entering the shop. "Good morning Mr. Andrews. The broccoli is particularly fresh today. Let me give you a hand getting some."

As she walked towards him, she stopped and turned back to Elissa. "Don't worry about me. Dreams never hurt anyone. I'll be fine."

It had become a routine. Every saturday morning Elissa would offer to unload the groceries and shift the multiple tons of vegatables. Perhaps three weeks later, a week before our story starts:

"Hi Ann" Elissa said cheerfully as she saw the van pull into sight "You're looking better. Less bags under the eyes. How are the nightmares"

Ann had been thinking about her talks with Miss Casey and the whole Slayer business. She'd done little else for the last week. As a result, she hadn't noticed Elissa coming in. She jumped and even gave a little squeak at the sound of her friend's voice. Some Vampire Slayer.

"Oh, hey. I didn't see you there. I was being a total space cadet. Nightmares? What night - oh right, those."

It seemed like a lifetime ago that the dreams were her biggest worry. Now she was carrying the fate of the world on her narrow shoulders. Oh to be back to simply not sleeping well.

"No, those are gone now, thanks for asking. And I do feel a bit better."

That was a huge understatement. Her body surged with power and life. Every beat of her heart reminded her that she was vastly stronger than she'd been before.

"Here, let me get the door while you bring those in. And how are you?"

"Good... Sort of.. College doesn't start for a few weeks but there's a summer school. The teachers are ... well pretty shite. They have as much artistic talent as a slug. None of them could street dance to save their lives" Elissa didn't sound very convinced "Mom really wanted us to come here... but..." she shrugged " Maybe this is just the B team. Or the Z team.  Well I'm all grown up now. Or so the courts say. If it sucks as badly in the actual lessons I can always go get a job in London."

"Enough about me. You look good girl. Really good. There's a bounce in your step. Found a boyfriend? Go on. Tell! I need to know the details!" just then the van came in and Elisa started to unload the crates
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

Ann blushed at the mention of getting a boyfriend.

"No, nothing like that. I guess I'm just sleeping better. Or maybe it's my fingers. I've finally figured out how to avoid getting hit by the till."

She held up a perfect French manicure to show her. Of course, the truth was that you just needed super-human speed to avoid getting your fingers damaged. She felt bad about lying to Elissa. But Miss Casey had been very clear about not telling family or friends. It would just get them in danger. She'd also impressed upon Ann that telling boys to impress them was right out of the question.

While Elissa took the first crate, Ann called over her shoulder to change the subject, "If those teachers are so bad, maybe you'll be teaching the course next year. You don't have to go running off to London and leaving me with all the grocery fun." As she spoke, her head racing with questions about vampires and demons, she lifted the remaining crates, her small body dwarfed by the stack above her. She raised her left foot and used it to open the shop door as the abused suspension of the van squealed in relief.

Elissa almost dropped her sack of potatoes. This was Ann. Nice Ann. Friendly naive Ann. The Ann who couldn't do a press up and couldn't lift one crate easily. And now she was carrying a whole stack. Elissa knew just how heavy each was, and how unbalancing they were carried like that. And how much core body strength you would need...

The creak of the van just confirmed it.

"Fuck" she said quietly. She'd not sworn around Ann before. "I don't fucking beleive it..." wild thoughts ran through her head. She wasn't the smartest tool in the box, but she was no idiot.

And how did she break it to Ann? Elissa knew how scared she'd been. The pride and joy followed by the terror when she realised how it would destroy her life. In subtle ways that were still playing out.

"Nice muscles Ann" she said quietly picking up a soft mandarin orange from a box, examining it "Did they come when your dreams stopped. And do you now have" she threw it fast. Crazy fast. Straight at Ann's chest "reflexes too... And do you heal..."

21:43, Today: The Hon. Elissa St. Clair rolled 17 using 1d10+10.  Throw fruit at chest.
The orange is a mandarin: about the softest fruit I could think of that would actually throw
This message was last edited by the player at 22:42, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

Ann could scarcely see Elissa past the crates in her arms, but nevertheless, she spun on her heel and bent her knees (a favourite move from dancing at the disco) and caught the mandarin in her mouth, not even grazing its skin with her teeth. The crates didn't even wobble.

It was at that point that Ann realised what she was doing, and what she had done. Nice one, Ann. I'm sure Miss Casey will be pleased. She let the mandarin fall to bounce on the floor. "Almost caught it," she said as she hastily put down the crates.

"I think these crates are lighter than usual," she said, as she rubbed her arms as though they ached from the effort of carrying them.

OOC:
22:36, Today: Ann Winters rolled 16 using 1d10+12.  Catch mandarin. – 16

"Aha. Lighter" Elissa put three of the sacks of potatoes together at the top. 55 pounds each. She compressed the tops of them together. The sacks now weighing as much as she did. Almost casually with anyout stress, without any effort at the end of her arm she lifted them up one handed and bounced them as she looked at them mock quizically "Maybe these are lighter too. Funny thing... when my dreams stopped... almost everything felt lighter. And slower. Like everyone is moving through water. Except you of course just then. How fast can you run a mile now Ann? I'm about a three minute thirty second mile. On a slow day. You know what the world record is right? Three minutes 49. I can high jump ten feet three inches ... you know the world record is seven feet seven and a half inches..."

"I think we should talk Ann." she casually lowered the sack down "I nearly killed someone when my dreams stopped. That's why I got expelled from school. I was ... really really  lucky ... to not have have murder on my conscience. I'd .. I'd rather you didn't need to be lucky. I didn't have anyone to show me the ropes. After I got over the 'aha I am spider woman now'... then I realised how horrifying it is"

"And... you need to keep it secret. If anyone finds out they'll vivisect you. All the strength and speed in the world won't keep a mercenary squad with tranks and tasers from taking you down. Keeping it secret means... one crate at once" she picked up another mandarin and started to peel it. Wondering what the other girl would do
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

Ann glanced over her shoulder, checking that nobody could see them through the shop windows.

"I'm not that strong. I think it's just from good eating because Mr. Arjuna always sends us home with some spare veg." She broke into song next. Surely that would make Elissa drop her questions. "I'm strong to the finich, 'cause I eats me spinach."

OK, so maybe there were some fixes that a cartoon song couldn't get a girl out of. Her Watcher had told Ann that she was the one girl in all the world, the chosen one. But from what Elissa was saying about her own dreams and strength and endurance, that didn't seem to be the case. Maybe Miss Casey had just been telling her that to make her feel special. Just how many Slayers were there out in the world?

But Ann still wasn't ready to spill the beans. Elissa had kept quiet about her abilities, and although Ann had done exatly the same thing, it still made the Slayer distrustful. On the other hand, Miss Casey had told Ann to make friends who might be able to help, and Elissa might just be one of those people.

She sat back against the plum display. "What are you?"

"One ... two .. four.. six" Elissa counted the crates "twenty pounds each. That's 120 pounds. Over two thirds your body weight. You didn't even notice. And you caught the orange... but sure.. it's the singing spinach"

Elissa was feeling sick and angry now. Mostly angry at herself. She'd screwed up. She should have known better. Her Dad would be glaring at her right now with a 'I told you so'. What possessed her to reveal herself? It was just ... she'd been alone so long ... But that was no excuse.

Still she had to deal. Had to come to terms with the risk. What was she going to do now?

Some of her anger spilled out "What fucking planet are you on Ann? I've told you my secret and you're fucking denying it. Which means you think I'm stupid. I took a risk telling you Ann. A big risk. I took the risk 'cos I wanted to help you. 'Cos I know what it was like when it happened to me. How alone I felt. And you're laughing at me. I offered you trust, I offered you help. No one offered me that. No one stopped me almost destroying my life. And you're spitting it in my face."

"You go your way and I'll go mine." Elissa threw the Mandarin in the bin

"I'm going for my run now. You can go fuck youself" she turned to go
This message was last edited by the player at 13:01, Sun 02 Jan 2022.

"St-stop," said Ann, standing up again.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I've been going through a lot recently, and I'm not sure what to do. I've changed so much in the last couple of weeks. And I thought puberty was difficult."

She tossed another mandarin to Elissa. "Why don't you stay and we can talk it over. It would be good to discuss with someone who's gone through the same thing. And my own age. To answer your questions: I don't know how high I can jump or fast I can run. I daren't push my abilities in public. I still hang at the back in cross country at school. My Watcher has been very clear about keeping this a secret, which is why I didn't know what to say when you saw me go all Incredible Hulk lifting those crates. Nobody but her has seen me like that before."

Elissa was steamingly cross and worried. She'd kept it a secret. And now someone else knew. What the hell was she going to do?

Her hand was on the door all set to go when she heard Ann's voice, not really hearing over her own internal worries. She almost snarled a rude epiphet, but .. it wasn't the mocking 'singing spinach' again. It was almost a plead.

"Shit" she said resting her head on the door frame. "I.." the tone were nice, some of the words were nice: they made her realise that Ann was actually the naive girl Elissa had thought she was. Someone actually worth going out of the way to help. But one of words was terrifying. More terrifying than anything she'd imagined. "A fucking 'watcher'. So it is an experiment. And you are a lab rat too. Fuck fuck" she banged her head on the door frame. "And moving us here wasn't Mom thinking 'hey dear I hear Cambridge is nice'. But someone manipulating us. Getting you and me together for their little rat races and tests and experiments. Shit."

She turned round and leaned with her back to the door. "Yeah sure. Let's talk. But Jesus girl. We've got a problem. And the first part of the problem is your 'Watcher'. I'd say 'don't tell her about me' but what's the fucking point. She'll already know. Her and her organisation. Who is it? Did she even tell you which company she works for? I bet she seems sweet as pie. So very nice and helpful. Spinning a yarn about you being 'special'"

"What's she got you doing? Seeing how much pain you take? See how fast you heal? Jesus I knew it was a super soldier program. I knew it! I bet they even get you to fight the program rejects. There's going to be rejects right? Ones that the drugs didn't take on"

For a moment, Ann wondered if her strength and agility did come from an experiment. Had she been injected with something? Bitten by a radioactive spider? But no, that couldn't explain the dreams. She'd experienced life as a hundred Slayers, drawn their last ragged breaths. No experiment could do that.

"I don't think my Watcher knows about you. And though she's nice at times, she's also a little strict and stuffy. She doesn't seem the sort of person to gain my trust, which somehow makes me actually trust her. Not that I'd tell her, but I really like her."

"And she's not hurt me at all. Sure, she's attacked me with weapons, but that's all part of training me to be stronger and look after myself. Like Bruce Lee training for his fights. And I've not fought anyone else." Yet. There were vampires and demons and fae lurking in Ann's future.

"I -" This was going to sound crazy. "I think my powers come from magic. That's what my Watcher says. I don't think you have to worry about her. But a company made you like you are? Care to tell me what happened? It sounds like you could do with telling a friend."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:59, Sun 02 Jan 2022.

"I've no clue what happened. What I am. What we are. But 'magic' sounds a bit like saying 'it's the faeires that did it'." she sighed and walked over to the kettle in the little kitchenette in the store room, checked it and clicked iton "What do you want?"

"I've got ideas of course. I'm not stupid. I can think. I've done research. Are we the Tomorrow People*? I had the symptoms sort of. the 'Breaking out'. Just different powers. Or are we like the XMen: I mean I don't have claws, but other than that... not far off Wolverine. But really... they are just f-ing fantasy" she'd obviously got control of herself a bit more now "not actually possible" Elissa had clearly thought about this a lot "I mean how is a mutation going to do what you and I can do? The healing is the killer. I heal fast...really fast. Little cuts and nicks... you can't see them close, but go have a cup of tea and a meal and they are gone. There's no animals like that... Nothing natural. I asked the librarian..."

"Then I read the Captain America story in the New Avengers. That just sounds much more likely. A super soldier program. Drugs. Created by scientists to be the ultimate weapon. And Ann... we are so very very good as weapons. I was always been good at fighting. But now... people that have studied martial arts for their life, world class fighters... training forty hours a week... they are like children to me. Master Toddy's world champion Thai fighters... I can go in the ring with them and they... I can't show it of course... so I've had to stop training with them... Because they can tell I am holding back. They just don't know why or how much. Which sucks"

She picked up a cup, examined it, and washed it. Buying herself time to think. Picked up a second cup for the other girl

"But Ann... Ann... people can be good at lying. You can learn how to lie. How to look at another straight in the eye. Hell the college I'm at trains me and my classmates how to do that every single day. I'm training to be an actress. What do you think acting is? Have you ever seen the black and white recording of Philby... It's obligatory watching for anyone that wants to act.  I watched him. I've been trained to spot lies, spot the tells... And ... and I would trust him. It's the greatest acting ever. Your 'watcher'... what's more likely... that 'magic' exists. Or that you're part of a super soldier program. She's training you to fight right? Turning you into a better soldier... a better warrior."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tomorrow_People

Ann wasn't sure what to think. Miss Casey seemed to be on the level, but how could Ann be sure?

"I think there's a way to find out. According to my Watcher, we are warriors. Assuming you're the same as me. We're even called Slay -" The bell over the door rang as someone entered. "- Slade. You'll have to borrow the record at some point. It's great."

She turned and greeted Mr. Andrews, helping him select and buy some melons. When he was gone, she turned back to Elissa.

"We're Slayers. But not for some company. We're supposed to kill vampires to keep the world safe for normal humans. I know how that sounds, and my Watcher hasn't set me loose on a vampire yet. I was happy not meeting any, but now I've got to know. So I was thinking: let's go looking for one this week. You, me and -" Here she squatted by one of the crates and snapped two pieces of wood off it, holding one out to Elissa. "And these. I think I know where to look, and we don't have to fight them if we find them. These stakes are just in case."

It was just as well there had been a customer. Elissa had been about to start arguing. Even though she knew deep in her heart that arguing never worked... her Dad had told her that... this mattered so very much. It was genuninely  freedom vs vivisection. Not good

But there was a customer. And she did have time to think. Time to apply the hard won lessons. Time to play through the options. None of them looked good. She remembered her Dad talking about times like this. Times when you had to make a shit choice. And it came down to trust. You just had to trust the right people...

"OK" she said simply "You trust her Ann. I'm going to trust you... I already did"

"See girl, there is an easy way to see if your watcher is part of a super soldier conspiracy or for real. I want to be there when you tell her. I want to see her eyes...see her face. It's almost impossible to disguise surprise. If she's surprised and it's real... then ... well .. maybe I'll trust her too"

"But if she isn't surprised... other than that you know too... then we're lab rats in their bloody experiments. Kampuchea looks nice this time of year... You can come too if you want. I can get us out of the country... but you'll need as much money as you can get your hands on. Fake passports aren't cheap... but I know a man..."

Elissa looked extremely doubtful at the stake. "Yeah... right... through the heart? I've seen Bride of Dracula... Look Ann... Vampires... I don't believe in vampires. They are in fantasy stories like faeires and dragons and elves and werewolves and ghosts and the boogyman. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there really is magic and fate, and we aren't some scientists wet dream...  but fuck girl, it doesn't sound likely. Think real hard... because... " She made a stabbing gesture with the stake. "Stick this in some dude's chest and he's bleeding out at your feet screaming his life out. And your Watcher filmed it all, you're the star in a snuff movie. And you are her's forever"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:57, Mon 03 Jan 2022.

Unaware of the shit storm she was walking into, Alice dropped by the grocery shop some time later.  She wore a blue dress and jacket, with gloves and a scarf.  Her hair was loose but secured by a few pins into something fashionable (and neat).  In Alice's gloved hand was a piece of paper... a shopping list that was both for show and real enough.  Even Watchers had to eat.  Alice hoped that she could take care of two birds with one stone.

Hmmm.  These prices look a bit up-scaled for such a small store, but this produce looks fresh enough to come from Uncle Patty's farm.

Collecting a customer basket, Alice began to make a tour of the store.  While she had spied Ann from outside the grocery store, Alice didn't make eye contact.  She wanted to wait until there was a moment of privacy (and fill up her basket).  Assuming there wasn't signs against handling fruit & veg, Alice took her time choosing the goods.  Everything she bought were fine ingredients for hearty Irish food.  Alice liked to make stew at home and then take it into work over the coming days, especially on the colder days.  In her line of work there were many missed meals, so having a stockpile of 'fallback meals' was just sensible.  Eventually, a private moment appeared to present itself.  Alice approached the counter when it was just Alice.  There was some other girl in here, but she seemed to have disappeared to somewhere else.

"Hello there, can you please total these up for me?      _{Are we alone, Ann?}"

Oh, this was just perfect. Ordinarily, Ann looked forward to seeing Miss Casey, but not when Elissa had just said that the Watcher was going to trap her. And, of course, Ann had promised Miss Casey not to let anyone know about her abilities. She felt like Basil Fawlty, caught up in a web of lies and needing to keep the two women apart.

"Good morning, Miss Casey, how are you today?" she said, talking loudly so that Elissa could hear how normal the conversation was. She started entering the prices into the till.

"Not alone, no. Is something up? I could call you on my break."

Ann wasn't sure quite where Elissa was, or how good her hearing was. She hoped that the whispering was private.

Elissa was in fact in the store room visible through the bead curtaining. She was making a cup of tea as the kettle had now boiled.

Ann was with a customer so wasn't going to interrupt. Besides she needed time to think. Vampires? Really? Was it going to be some guy with face make up and false teeth, or a shapeshifting, hypnotic cloud of gas that ravaged virgins? Neither option was nice. Both of them ended violently one way or the other.

Running was looking a better and better option... Maybe she should just start running now. She glanced up at the room where her mum lived, wondering if that made a difference. Could she leave her mum? Could she not? What was going to be safer for her?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:12, Mon 03 Jan 2022.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking.  What a nice little place you have here.      _{No, nothing is up.  I just wanted to visit… and get something to eat.  If this is a bad time, I can leave… especially if you are risking trouble}.”

Alice smiled in a disarming manner.  She also pocketed a business card (or flyer) for the grocery store.  Then she began counting out the money for her goods.  The longer she stayed in here, the more Alice liked the place.  It loosely reminded her of Dublin.  However if this wasn’t a good time for Ann, the best thing Alice could do… was to depart.

It would be far easier to lie to Miss Casey if she wasn't so damn nice. Ann's stomach twisted in knots, but Elissa's secret wasn't hers to share. Ann hoped Elissa hadn't already run off to find safety in the Killing Fields.

"I'm glad you like the shop, Miss Casey. I'll call you once you've had time to get home."

What was Ann to do? She could ask about being a lab rat, but Elissa wasn't there to see the Watcher's face. Perhaps there was another way, one less dangerous than looking for a vampire alone.

"Here's your change. You spoke about meeting your 'friend' - the one with the bad teeth? Could that happen? Tonight? I think I need to. And you said I could bring a friend."

Alice visibly stiffened when Ann mentioned her intention to go vampire hunting.  Technically it was her role and ordinarily Alice would have been glad.  But to expose Ann to an uncontrolled situation for her first encounter?  Alice took another look around.  Once the surprise had worn off, Alice’s expression was one of concern and… pride.

“_{Are you sure?  I could certainly make it happen, if that’s what you really want.  It would be like ripping off a bandaid, but if you think you’re ready… I’ll support you in any way I can.  If you can get a friend, do so.  These ‘people’ do not play fair at all… and we don’t want them escaping to pass word about your details.”}

Taking out a handkerchief, Alice dabbed at her misty eyes.  It was like a mother bird preparing to see it’s young fly for the first time.  An end of innocence.  Her day was about to get real busy.  Alice would need to review her vampire lore, research likely hunting areas and local disappearances.  Collecting her bag of groceries, she winked at Ann.

“I’ll telephone you later with a meeting place.”

Ann was already second-guessing her decision, but she wasn't going to change her mind after seeing the pride on Miss Casey's face. So she returned the wink.

"Thank you. I won't let you down. Call me here - I'm working till five. Enjoy the food, Miss Casey."

Once Miss Casey had left, Ann waited five minutes before pretending to make a phone call. If Elissa knew that the Watcher had been to the shop, she'd probably run away to Antarctica. When it was done, she found Elissa in the storeroom.

"OK, I've set it up. I'm going with my Watcher to hunt a vampire tonight. So before you go all Dr David Banner on me and run to the remotest place you can find, why don't you come with me? She thinks I'm just bringing a normal friend, so no need to tell her you're like me. At least not at first."

<<< To Madingley <<<
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Wed 12 Jan 2022.

"Sure" Elissa said. "There is a fencing club tonight. Why don't we go vampire hunting after that"

"But Ann... girl ... you can't just murder a guy hopped up on drugs for wearing white facepaint, a tuxedo and false teeth. How are you going to tell the difference? Can you really stick this stake in his chest knowing it will kill him... If he turns into a wolf or smoke or something... sure... then he's a magical vampire. And you stake him and I'll chop his head off. But if he just goes Rragh and tries to bite you... how will you know? I've had guys on drugs try to bite me and they weren't vampires."

"If you murder someone... it will haunt you forever. The police will find you... you don't know how to clean up a scene like that do you? Then you're fucked. Probably literally because you'll be in prison and that's what happens. Even if they don't ... how would you live with yourself"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:26, Tue 04 Jan 2022.