julietsinclair

[julietsinclair]

"You'd be surprised." Juliet replied, pointedly looking the other up and down. They weren't wrong; there weren't really many people who looked bad in black, but what was the point of her current life if she couldn't bring some chaos into it? "Maybe, or maybe the garbage bag might be making everything in this town look absolutely fantastic. It's not something to brag about." She pointed out, picking up another piece of clothing for her critical inspection. Another year or two, and clothes here might be in fashion again - although, they would never know that. Purshing her lips at the brunette's comment, Juliet looked over, both fascinated by the supposed sarcasm and annoyed. "Not really, no. You want to hide the blood, you go naked and take a swim in the lake afterward. Problem solved."

Kestrel snorted when the blonde spoke, assumedly trying to hurt their ever dwindling feelings. They turned to face Juliet, shooting her an unimpressed look. "Well I don't think there's many people who look bad in black to begin with, but you're also forgetting the fact that I could wear a garbage bag and still be hot." They stated, as if that should have been obvious. They didn't really care about their appearance that much, but that didn't mean they looked bad by any means. "I could do red if this one offends you so much. They both hide the blood just as well." Their face took on a feral grin as they said that, watching the blonde's reaction before continuing. "Though I suppose your fashion sense has nothing to do with what I wear when I'm hunting in the woods."

#kestrel

[julietsinclair]

Jules could still remember the wonderful evenings and nights spent on the grounds of the school stadium. Practicing the dances, performing them, and flirting with the players. Getting all the attention she wished to have and then some more, getting assurances that she was doing okay. It was nostalgic, remembering those times, thinking that back then, this town was just home. That it wasn't a nightmare no on could escape from, that the fresh summer breeze didn't come with the fear of hearing familiar, yet already terrifying voices. That they could still go out in the dark without any fear in them.

Juliet was far too lost in her own thoughts, having wandered across the little game being played behind the station when a ball rolled over next to her, finally waking her out of the trance. And if anyone had observed her, people could have almost said that she had jumped up in surprise. Instead, Juliet put her signature smirk on, a fantastic defense mechanism she liked guarding herself with. "I'd say you're getting older." She couldn't help but tease the man. "Really? All these years down the line, and that's how you think you would've ever nailed me?"

"I'm 41, not dead, come on, pitch like ya mean it, damn!" It's been a few hours of chatter and the tell-tale report of a metal bat against a baseball out back of the North ranger station, the staff clearly having decided on a slow day to blow off some steam with America's Pastime, the 'bases' on the ground a set of old almanacs they'd found waterlogged in the storage building a few hours earlier- Duck tapping the bat against the one at his feet. "Hey- Rain's comin' uh- 40 years ago- we should be prepared fer- RUSTY CHRISSAKE." He yanks to the side, the baseball screaming past him and into the glove of the ranger behind him. "Wait a minute!"

"YOU SAID TO PITCH LIKE I MEANT IT!" the other man reminds- reaching up to catch the ball- and at the least, waiting this time for Duck to ready up- the warden's swing catching the ball straight on- and sending it sailing well out of their makeshift diamond. "Well. you're goin' to get that one, Romero." Rusty informs, watching it vanish over the roof of the station proper- Duck already taking off after it.

He tracks it down, but not until it's rolled to a stop beside somebody uninvolved in their game, Duck twirling the bat once and flinging it up across his shoulders to rest his arms. "Hey- I didn't hit ya, did I?" He's not in his usual outfit, dark hair tucked under a baseball cap, chest bare under an unbuttoned jersey, 'Romero' emblazoned across the back over the number 13 and a pair of sweats that had certainly seen better days even today given the stains on gray fabric. "Cleared the whole damn station with that one- I'd say it's a personal best." He laughs. "But I can't take that as a win if I nailed ya with it."

#duck

[julietsinclair]

The work day was over, and yet, Juliet was still following the schedule she had come up with. It was her sense of security, her sense of feeling like everything was okay, no matter how twisted it all really was. Even if part of that schedule was getting drunk off of moonshine or anything equally ridiculous; who would've thought that a year ago she would have been sipping whiskey sour on the rooftops of Melbourne or Sydney?

Clearly, she wasn't the only one planning the same thing; as Juliet approached the bar she could see another lonely soul lingering there, almost as if doubting about the choices being made. "You know, you don't need an invite to go in." she spoke, nodding towards the bar. "Unless you're one of the monsters and they've somehow figured how to get to us in the daylight. In that case, everyone in this town would need a drink."

where: the sasquatch who: open to anyone

with the day finished, flint shoved open the front doors of the school and made his way down the front steps. he was over being around kids and his patience was slim to none - but that's partly mostly due to the withdrawal. years of substance abuse had been getting flushed out of his system and he hated every second of it. at one point he considered the pros and cons of being a junkie in a town like this but logic won with the simple answer of 'monsters will take advantage of inebriated state' which i hindsight is a valid reason, but not an enjoyable one.

flint was in no way clean and sober, but he was making baby steps. he was heading towards the diner when he found himself standing outside the bar. he was desperately fighting the urge to go in. desperately. he could go in and have a alcoholic drink, right? just one and then he would leave.

#flint

[julietsinclair]

"So you accepted the inevitable just like that?" Juliet questioned the woman, maybe a little harshly. Celia was her polar opposite in character, yet everything else seemed so similar that it left the blonde wondering whether, if the roles were reversed, their lives would've been any different. Sure, Juliet had all the wealth behind her, and there was no doubt it played a significant role in their upbringing and adult lives, yet still.. now, all they had left was multiple what-ifs. She wanted to believe that all of them would have a chance at life once more, but with every passing day that little hope was getting smaller and smaller.

"As well as anyone else, knowing that they could never escape." There it was again, the negative outlook, the pessimism that could not get away from Juliet. Wishing to keep herself silent, she picked up her mug of coffee, taking a sip. It came nowhere close to the usual coffee she drank, yet Juliet knew that she had to forget it all. She had to leave her old life behind. "How do you manage raising Felipe here?"

Celia wrapped her hands around her cup and observed the woman in front of her. Juliet Sinclair had always been beautiful, intelligent, self-confident and incredibly privileged, and while she was definitely still beautiful and probably still intelligent, there was something about her that felt... Different. A little bit defeated by life. It happened to most people who got stuck in Huntsville at some point, but it made Celia wonder what had happened in the years since Julie had last been here.

"Yes, well, that was the plan," she replied with a small smile, dropping her gaze to her coffee before taking a sip. "But I had my siblings to look after, and then I had Felipe, and then a few years later none of that mattered because there was no leaving at all. But honestly, I'm pretty happy, all things considered. Life turned out all right in the end." Setting her cup down, Celia took a deep breath before continuing. "How have you been settling in? I know this town can be a lot to take in at first."

#celia

[julietsinclair]

"You could always pick a few items and hide them away for the time being." Juliet suggested, as a last resort. She wasn't one to hold onto items either - unless they were hers and they were pretty - but sometimes, there was sentimental value to them. Sometimes, it was absolutely necessary, and she didn't wish for Alessandra to regret it later on.

"If anything, it might feel good to get rid of them later on. So either way, it would be a win." She offered, still going ahead and helping the other to unload the boxes. "And it'd be another good reason to get drunk afterwards."

having someone like juliet in her life was a blessing. despite the history, the blonde was still there for her. a few years between them in age but enough similarities in life to feel like a mirror image at times.'having someone like juliet in her life was a blessing. despite the history, the blonde was still there for her. a few years between them in age but enough similarities in life to feel like a mirror image at times.

moving the items felt impersonal and robotic, alessandra desperate to distance herself from them as soon as she could. "i want it all gone, it all has to go" she answered, not stopping from her task of unloading the boxed "i can't have any of it, it's not mine"

#alessandra

[julietsinclair]

#Juliet

[julietsinclair]

"Can you even have a rush in a place like this? I mean.. it's not like you get any decently fashionable items in here." Juliet retorted, watching as her younger sister put the yellow dress back on the rack. She couldn't even imagine what it must've been like stuck in this place for over a decade; she was stuck for only so any months, and it already felt like she was being slowly suffocated by everything around her. It didn't help that the mere memories of life far away from this town were haunting her every single day. "One at a time, remember? Otherwise, what's the point in spoiling all the fun?" Still, her vain side came out at the mention of the luxury stores, and a smile reappeared on Juliet's face. "Zimmermann has to be my favourite. The stores are just so spacious and bright, you know? You walk in, and it feels like you step into a luxurious mansion, with arched doors and windows everywhere... almost feels like you're somewhere nice in Italy. You would've loved the dresses there."

Jessie had been both overjoyed to see her sister show up in town, and sad that Juliet was now stuck in the same trap they all were, it had been very conflicting. But shopping together? That was something she always looked forward to, there just wasn't always a whole lot of option when you went as frequently as she did. She sighed after putting a yellow dress back on the rack. "Yeah, you're right. Sometimes I'm pretty sure I just buy things for the rush than because I'll actually want to wear it." Then she tried to put herself back in a good mood, turning to her sister with bright eyes. "Tell me again about some of the luxury stores you used to go to! Please?"

#jessie

[julietsinclair]

Maybe Juliet was a little defensive with someone who was clearly just trying to help, but she couldn't stop herself. She couldn't stop herself from trying to find a way out, somehow, by some chance, because not only it meant escaping, it meant finally getting to see her daughter. If Juliet was stuck here for the rest of her life, how soon would her daughter forget her? Would her ex remarry, and her daughter call her new stepmother her true mother?

The thought alone made her wish to scream into the void, made her wish she could just disappear, but survival instincts were there for a reason. Even as Ric was clearly offering something else. "Would that actually happen? Why would you stay behind and not save yourself when presented with danger?"

Still, as he offered his arm for her, she accepted it, even after a moment of hesitation. Maybe having company wasn't the worst. "Probably the same thing you're doing here."

It seemed like such a simple thing to suggest, pairing up so that if the monsters decided to make an appearance earlier than they usually did, it wasn't just a solo effort fighting them. But it was a stupid thought; there was no fighting the monsters. It didn't matter if there were two people facing them, or one-hundred and two. It would end the same. So perhaps it was Ric's way of offering some comfort, some hope that things wouldn't be as bad as he knew they probably would be.

As assumptive as it was, Ric figured someone like Juliet wouldn't be able to defend herself as much as he could, even in the face of an unstoppable evil. He increased his pace, coming up along side her as she took the moment to compose herself from his startling shout. "If it helps, we won't need to find out who's the better runner; I'd stay back and give you chance to get home."

Ric gave her the warmest smile he could despite the dropping temperature, and increased his pace once more offering his arm for her to take. "What you doing out here so late anyway? I don't usually see you here?"

#ric

[julietsinclair]

"What's the point in being in public if I cannot insult people?" Juliet countered back with a shrug, a small frown remaining on her face while she watched the other hold onto the dress. Maybe she would've ignored it in any other place, but in a town where everyone was bound to know everyone, she couldn't keep her mouth shut. "You should consider yourself lucky. What'd you do without my advice?" And yet, the last question was laced with sarcasm, both towards herself and the woman in front of her.

Tari had been browsing clothes while she waited for Kovu to be done at the groomers. She didn't usually shop alone but she needed to pass the time. She had found a dress that had a nice fabric to it and was considering buying it when she heard someone rudely insult her. Tari lifted her head just a little to show she had heard her.

"Do you always insult people or was I unlucky enough to cross your path at a time you were unable to control your inner thoughts?"

#tari

[julietsinclair]

"No." Juliet stated it as a matter-of-factly because, to her, it was exactly it. "You'd benefit much more with that, it suits you better." She added, picking up the top nearby and showing it to Andy. Some could've easily considered this as her being generous, but in reality, Juliet was trying to benefit from it in the long run. "Since I came back and this town was still stuck in the fashion of ten years ago. Seriously, that has to be the worst thing about this whole... incident."

"I- you-" Andy looked at the item she was holding than at the person who was talking to her. She smile seeing Juliet, "it isn't?" she chuckled, the initial confusion at the other's word turning to curiosity, a small frown on her face since last she checked Juliet didn't live in Huntsville for years now. "When did you became a stylist Juliet Sinclair?" she asked with a side grin.

#andy

[julietsinclair]

"I'll have to stare at those choices far more frequently than I'd wish for that for my worst enemies," Juliet explained with an eye roll as if it was the most obvious statement in the world. It was to her, at least. "Bold of you to say anything, when you're stuck here too. Take the advice and deal with it, you clearly need it."

Mads raised his eyebrows as he turned to the woman beside him. "Excuse me? What makes you think you can comment on my choices? I don't know you," they said with a slight scoff. "And if you're from this podunk town, I'd question your taste to begin with."

#mads #I love it though #cause Jules is a brat too

[julietsinclair]

Juliet wasn't big on helping others, but when she found out that Alessandra might need help, she was quick to react. There was something about the woman that pulled Juliet towards; maybe it was the family history they shared, or maybe there was just something about her. Besides, this helped her with killing time, and that was always beneficial.

"Are you sure you want to give everything up?" She asked a little doubtfully, looking over the storage space as it began filling up with boxes. "I'm all for dumping last year's stuff, but... are there really no sentiments left?"

she had been putting off clearing out the belongings of her family. spending the last five months going through everything while trying to work, process her grief along with whatever was going on in the town was less than ideal. it was a harsh reminder of everything she had left behind and unfinished.

alessandra packed up the last of the boxes into her car and took them over to the storage space she was told about. at least if the belongings were there someone else could use them if they needed them. clothes, shoes, furniture, art, sports equipment, trinkets...the list went on of the boxes she was packing into the unit.

the sooner she was done the better.

#alessandra

[julietsinclair]

#Juliet

[julietsinclair]

where: Haversham Family Boutique status: open

A year ago, shopping would've been relaxing for Juliet. She would've visited a few boutique stores, maybe gone into one of the many designer stores, and picked herself a pair of shoes or a bag. Maybe pick out a pretty dress for her daughter to wear. A year ago, life was stressful, but a shopping spree or two would've been just enough to satisfy her, to keep her going the next day.

Now, as she browsed the racks of the local boutique, Juliet couldn't bring herself to even reminisce on those days. It felt surreal like it was forbidden, and the mere thought of her daughter made her tear up. But this wasn't the place to break down, and as she pulled herself together, she looked over at the person nearby, snapping into the attitude that got her out of many, many situations over the course of her life.

"You're not picking that to try, are you?" She asked matter-of-factly like it was a crime to pick that piece of clothing up. "What makes you think that's your colour?"

#huntsvillestarter #could be anyone

[julietsinclair]

Who would've thought that Juliet would be sitting here, in this diner, waiting for none other but Celia? The two had never really gotten along, even if there was always potential for it. And yet, they were like fire and ice, one kind and one cold, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Juliet could be as cold as the icy blue of her eyes. While a lot had changed over the many years since their high school graduation, there was still something in the air.

It didn't help, naturally, that Juliet had been drinking the night before. She had learned how to mask it skillfully, yet as the coffee arrived, she had to stop herself from reaching it like a tired toddler. "Thank you. I'm fine." Juliet brushed off the suggestion, taking a sip of her coffee before focusing on the woman in front of her. It was weird, sitting with her like they were friends when high school proved otherwise. "I'm not going to lie, I would've expected you to leave this place as soon as the opportunity was presented."

WHERE: Bucky's Diner WHO: Juliet Sinclair ( @julietsinclair )

It was still surreal, having Juliet Sinclair back in town. Celia had been convinced that she had seen the last of her high school frenemy when she left for Australia with her newly minted husband and barely concealed digs at Celia's life as a single mother and waitress at a diner. But Huntsville had a way of drawing people back, even after years had passed, and even though she barely recognised the woman who had returned, she was mature enough to treat her as more of a friend than an enemy.

"Here you go," she said with a small smile as she placed a cup of coffee in front of Juliet, then slid into the booth on the opposite side of the table her with her own cup. "Sure you don't want something to eat? We've got a pretty good head chef here."

#celia

[julietsinclair]

Why was she even here, wandering the forest that was so eerily beautiful and terrifying at the same time? This used to be home - this was still home - yet it felt like a completely different place. Some alternative universe, where the monsters parents used to scare their children with were real. Obviously, it didn't help that she had visited the bar just before coming into the woods, and the temptation to try to get out, to find a way out was a little overwhelming.

Only when a colder breeze swept her hair, pulling Juliet out of her thoughts did the blonde finally decide that tonight wouldn't be the night for the stupid attempt. With a single longing look towards the freedom that would never come, she finally turned around, making her way towards the city when someone spoke up, making her jump.

"Jesus-" Juliet hissed before composing herself. "-in case of what? If they come out, we'll get to figure out who's the better runner?"

He shouldn’t be out this far into the woods, Ricardo knew that, but he’d made a silent promise not only to himself but to his sister that he’d find a way out of here. Find a way home, back to her, before she’d even realised he had been gone. Everyday since his arrival, he found himself at some point patrolling the woods, at the very edge of the paradox, hoping for a flicker of a way out.

The prickling feeling of his hair standing up on the back of his neck had become the telltale sign that the night would be drawing in soon, darkness not falling but that creeping of evening air starting to swirl around prompted the change in course, heading back to town and to the South Station. Hunting rifle firmly in hand, he pushed through the trees, a person up ahead seemingly having the same idea as him to leave for safety now.

“Hold up a minute,” he called, increasing his pace until they were side by side, “we should pair up for the walk back. Just in case.”

#ricardo

[julietsinclair]

What had happened to her life? She used to have cocktails on the rooftops of Sydney's highest skyscrapers, and now, she was looking for anything to drink to make herself forget. The downgrade alone made her feel like she should drown her sorrows in cheap alcohol, and the irony of it didn't escape Juliet. Still, when the man sitting next to her offered to do shots, she nodded along, without even thinking much. "People have done worse things here already."

status: open location: the sasquatch

Izan wasn't much of a drinker, but he'd been thinking lately that maybe it was time to pick up the habit. What was stopping him, anyway? The moonshine in front of him didn't go down easy, but he figured the more he drank of it the easier it would be. Or so he'd learned in what little experience he'd had before now. "Do people ever just do shots of this stuff?" He asked the person next to him, eyeing his glass carefully. It seemed like drinking it fast and in smaller glasses might make this a less challenging feat. "Wanna do shots with me?"

#izan