1. ShannonH

    ShannonH Senior Member Contest Winner 2023

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    Our Strange Town

    Discussion in 'Role Play' started by ShannonH, Jan 19, 2021.

    1. The Hotel Coronado



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    Now this is creepy, Rachel thought to herself as she climbed from the driver's seat of her Mercedes saloon and took in the sight before her. The Hotel Coronado stood at the end of a long, winding gravel driveway far away from the main road and now loomed ominously ahead of her.

    She could hear the waves lapping gently against the cliff the hotel was perched on. Whilst the building itself still retained some of its rustic allure, closer inspection was enough to tell Rachel about its current state of dis-repair. Even in the fading light she could see the chipped paint on the facade, a least two cracked windows and a low roof with several slates missing.

    "I can see why it went for so much money," she said over her shoulder as Miles joined her. Her son hadn't been keen on accompanying her and it was only a last minute change of heart that meant she wasn't here alone. "Get it spruced up and people will flock to it. Great location and it has its own special kind of ambience." Amongst other things, she reminded herself. Rachel looked the building over once more. A few lights on the ground floor shone dimly but the upper floors of the hotel stood in complete darkness.

    As with any old building, certain stories had stuck to the hotel since before Rachel was born. Thinking it would make an ideal setting for a few chapters in her next book, she had wrote to the local conservation society in the hopes of arranging a tour. To her surprise, a month later an invitation came in the mail to a ghost hunt at the hotel.

    It had been a mild night and she was dressed casually, a navy sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans didn't stop the sudden chill in the sea breeze. A two tone Rolex clasped tightly to her left wrist and a pair of brown boots completed the look of Hopefield's most well known journalist and author.

    "Well," Rachel said to her son. "Shall we?"


    NOTE
    OOC thread with Character Sheets can be found here: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/our-strange-town-ooc.168455/#post-1900468
     
  2. EFMingo

    EFMingo A Modern Dinosaur Supporter Contributor

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    The burning oil smell seeped into Kenny's old Ford Bronco as he sat staring at the invitation, then back at the old hotel. He'd sat for too long, he knew, since the engine needed a rebuild but he didn't feel like scheduling the work. Doing anything other than read and watch the same shows was difficult, but he knew he just had to get up actually go do something other than lounge and feel angry at himself at home.

    The embossed lettering of the invitation was in gold, giving it that old-style format to turn up the tone. A formal invitation to a ghost hunt. The last formal 'invitation' he received was a summons. He still missed her dearly. She would have loved to have gone with on this little 'vacation' more than he did.

    Kenny had seen a lot of things in this town, but this building he hardly visited during his usual career. Only kids ever came to cause trouble, hearing of the ghost stories associated with the place. Their wild tales spread like wildfire in the community, but most were afraid to try it out. Then that damn reporter fueled the fire a couple years back and everyone wanted in on the action. He tossed the invitation aside and looked at the outline of the hotel his headlights imprinted on the evening sky. It was as run-down as ever.

    Truth be told, he had been snooping too. Sneaking away on his leadership mandated 'vacation' to do what he does best: investigate. Sat in his Bronco all night at the gates once with the windows down just listening. He hoped there was something interesting. But it was usually kids. Jack and Asher were the usual suspects; a couple of neighborhood boys with a talent for lighting fires in the wrong places. But someone must have seen him snooping. The invitation came only a short bit earlier, but it was bait he couldn't help but bite. A chance to investigate, even if it was for a folly. Even if it was nothing, and he was dead certain it was nothing, it gave him purpose again. He missed investigating and missed Maggie. This could be a fresh start even if it was something stupid.

    Another car pulled up; a Mercedes of some sort. It parked itself a little ways off, but he new the more wealthy crowd when he saw it. Hopefield in general wasn't particularly well off, so he could only guess at the small selection of hopefuls it could be. But when she opened the door and stepped out, he knew immediately, and knew why she was here. Rachel Porter. That God damned reporter. Kenny hated reporters even as a beat cop as they always got in the way. As an investigator they were a nightmare, especially the determined ones like her. Worst was when they had information before he did. He knew she was one of those tenacious ones.

    Kenny rolled his eyes and let a hoarse "fuck me" out, then scraped his pants pocket for the Marlboro box and lit one. He turned off the truck after rolling the window and smoked, determined to wait until she and whoever was with her were inside first. The 'fresh start' was already starting to have less appeal.
     

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