NOW DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES —

[happyheartsstaff]

HARVEST FESTIVAL

10/01 - 10/23

The sun rises early in the garden, the air cool and crisp. Gentle breezes occasionally stir up fallen leaves of orange and red. The sun never heats the day enough for it to become warm despite shining until late in the afternoon, creating perfect sweater weather. Hotel staff are stationed out in the garden to provide ladders and baskets for apple picking, instructions on how to operate the hand cranked presses for cider, ingredients and recipes for cobbler and tarts cooked over the fire. Long tables are set up by the pumpkin patch in between the festive scarecrows, lined with paints and carving tools.

As the sun sets, more bonfires are lit while small, twinkling lights appear in the trees. Cider made during the day is heated over the fire, along with hot chocolate, hot dogs and marshmallows for s'mores. Blankets appear folded neatly in baskets by the fires, and there always seems to be a storyteller near by willing to spin tales of ghosts and goblins.

The longer Oysters spend in the garden, the more hints they may pick up that all is not as idyllic as it seems. The scarecrows seem to grow more numerous every day, spreading from the pumpkin patch to the rest of the garden. Asute Oysters may notice that some of the scarecrows seem somehow familiar. Is that one wearing the same clothes as a family member? Does another have the eyes of a former lover, the facial features of a long dead enemy? None will be exact replicas, they are after all only made of straw, but the resemblance will be undeniable. Now that it has been noticed, Oysters will begin to see the scarecrow all over the garden, and will hear indecipherable whispers that are also all too familiar.

The scarecrows can be demolished, should any Oysters have a particular tendency towards violence. Their faces will twist into expressions of horror at any scarecrow destruction, mouths open in silent screams. They will be back in the garden the next day as though nothing happened. Those Oysters who choose fire as their method of destruction will find a much different reaction — these scarecrows will scream in the voice of the person they bear resemblance to until they are reduced to ash. They will not return the next day.

Determined Oysters who tire of the garden, or who maybe wish to test their luck at escaping, can find the entrance to the hedge maze that borders the entire garden. Hotel staff will warn against it, of course, but it can still be entered. No matter what time of day it is in the garden, it will be night in the hedge maze, with no lanterns to guide the way. The entrance back to the garden will glow warm and bright for only a few moments after stepping inside, and will then disappear entirely.

It seems there is no way to go but forward.

The deeper into the maze, the darker it gets, as though even the moon and stars are growing dim. Oysters may catch sounds of soft breathing in the night, and may even observe that the hedge wall itself seems to sway as though something just beyond it — or in it — is moving. Those who enter the maze will find themselves wandering for what feels like hours, days. Does that turn look familiar? Have you been down this way before? Who can tell, when nothing about the maze ever seems to change.

Eventually, Oysters will find that they have been lead back to the garden, exhausted and hungry, though no time at all has passed for everyone else.

THEY FOLLOW

10/23 - 10/30

At the end of the third week of October, the garden will no longer be accessible. The entrance to where it once was will simply be gone.

"Why would it be there?" hotel staff will ask if questioned about it. "The festival is over."

But it seems not everything in the garden wanted to stay there.

The scarecrows will begin to appear inside the hotel itself. At first it is in public areas, always just out of reach, voices faint and distant. They being to grow closer as the month winds down, voices growing louder, until eventually Oysters may find them in their bedrooms, hiding in their closets or showers. Their voices are curses now, death threats and words of warning filling the air despite that their lips never move.

It becomes apparent that there is something moving outside the hotel windows, where before there had only been twilight looming over the lake and forest, and the skyscrapers in the distance. Whatever it is that lurks outside is too quick to be seen out of anything but the corner of one's eye, a creature made of shadows. Before long, it will no longer be movement outside that may catch Oysters' eyes, but something in the corners of their room. The breathing heard once in the hedge maze will now follow Oysters, sometimes right behind them, sometimes just out of arms' reach. Always, there is the ever present looming feeling of eyes staring at you from behind.

Oysters may notice that they don't seem to be the only ones effected. Hotel staff are more tense than ever, paranoid and afraid, constantly looking over their shoulder.

"You let it out!" a hotel staff may shout, unprompted.

None will answer questions if pressed further.

"Why should we? We told you not to. You never listen to us."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

10/31

On the morning of Halloween, the movement of the shadows stops. The scarecrows are no where to be found, their disembodied voices silent. The oppressive feeling of surveillance seems to have lifted, and even the hotel staff seem to be in better moods.

A ballroom has opened up off of the hotel lobby, decorated for the Halloween party that is announced to be later that day. There are stations set up for karaoke, pumpkin carvings, bobbing for apples, piñatas, and a stage being laid for dancing and a costume contest at the end of the night.

Many of the hotel staff are already in costumes, and will encourage Oysters to select one from This Elegant Thimble for themselves.

The first part of the party goes off without a hitch, but as it gets later, the lights begin to flicker. Or maybe it's the shadows themselves that begin to shift and waver, coiling in on themselves and coming alive. Screams come from the hotel staff at the party before the shadows have finished solidifying, and they retreat to barricade themselves in a staff only area as some of the shadows break off to chase them.

The majority turn their focus on the Oysters. The shadows move as one at first but quickly begin to take on an individuality. All have wickedly curved claws and a mouth of sharp teeth, but their fighting styles slowly start to diversify as they take more solid form. Their features become more unique, and they develop voices — the same voices once connected with the scarecrows. Oysters will quickly find themselves facing off against shades of the people they know, and these shades are not afraid to play dirty and pretend to be the people they look like.

If you have any questions, please leave them over here! Like the scarecrows, the shades can be destroyed with fire. The monster will retreat from the hotel back into the hedge maze once many of its shades have been destroyed.

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© tessisamess

Comments

[billowing]

If you had your power.

[ He tries petting the tails instead. ]

[scaredofdogs]

You would have a lot more tails then me if that was the case. How powerful can I be without a core?

[He makes due with what he has just fine but he certainly doesn't consider himself the strongest of people. His body is still weak.

He does enjoy the petting of that tail though. And then he remembers that this is also his birthday and he wants to be able to celebrate with this Lan Zhan too.]

Ah! Will you share a piece of cake with me, Lan Zhan?

[billowing]

I only had one tail.

[ But he had wings and horns, so it was slightly different. ]

Mn.

What sort of cake does Wei Ying want?

[ He will acquiesce to any sort of cake for today, the best of days. ]

[scaredofdogs]

I think there is some sort of festive cake with the rest of the desserts. Whatever that is, is fine with me!

[It might be his birthday but he doesn't see any need to be picky or make anyone go through any extra trouble. He'll be content with just being able to share any kind of cake with Lan Zhan.]

[billowing]

Mm.

[ He goes to get the nicest slice of cake he can find, and brings it back with some tea for him and some sweet wine for Wei Ying. ]

[scaredofdogs]

[He finds them a table to sit at so they can enjoy their little celebration and settles into one of the chairs. When the man comes back with not only cake, but wine, his smile brightens.]

It looks good! I can't wait to try it.

[billowing]

You have been waiting?

[ For Lan Wangji? In order to have any cake? ]

[scaredofdogs]

Of course! It's not fun to eat birthday cake alone. I wanted to make sure and enjoy my first taste of it with Lan Zhan.

[Either one of them. But he very rarely gets to enjoy being with this one and the last time they had desserts together...it didn't go well.]

[billowing]

[ He will sit down with Wei Ying then, to make sure it's a good first bite.

And wait for him first! ]

[scaredofdogs]

[He picks up the fork and takes a generous sized first bite and sticks it into his mouth. Even just the first touch of it against his tongue is pleasant. And he makes a pleased sound as his lips wrap around the fork and pull it clean.]

Good..very good! An excellent birthday cake.

[Even if that isn't its original intention.]

[billowing]

[ He takes a bite and decides it's too sweet for him, but that he'll continue to eat it for Wei Ying. ]

Mn. I have heard it is a custom to light a candle and put it into the cake. I do not know why.

[scaredofdogs]

A candle? That seems odd.. [and a little inconvenient. how small must this candle be?]

How are you supposed to eat the cake if it has fire on it?

[billowing]

You are supposed to make a wish and blow out the flame first.

[scaredofdogs]

Ah! Well...we don't have a candle so maybe I will make a wish and just pretend that I am blowing it out.

[billowing]

Mm. I will accept.

[scaredofdogs]

[He closes his eyes and considers his wish. Of course it would be that they all get to continue being happy and together for all time, extending it to include both sets of them. Its a lengthy wish but it is important and he wants to make sure he gets it right. Then he pretends to blow out the candle that would be on the cake.]

[billowing]

You are not to disclose your wish to anyone. I do not know why, but that is part of it.

[scaredofdogs]

[He nods and opens his eyes.]

It will be my secret then, so that I know for sure it will come true!

[He picks up the fork and sticks it into the piece of cake, getting ready to take the first bite. He sticks it in his mouth and then smiles around it, nodding his approval of the taste with a satisfied hum.]

[billowing]

[ He is rather easy to please, but it's still very satisfying to see Wei Ying pleased. He has a beautiful smile, even if it's not his original. ]

Are you having a good birthday?

[scaredofdogs]

[He pulls the fork out of his mouth and stabs it back into the cake as he considers his question, then gives a little nod of his head.]

I got to sleep in, Lan Zhan gave me a present when I woke up..[then they didn't get out of bed, fast forward to later in the day..]

Then I got my costume and ended up here. And what better way to end the day then with a party? And of course, getting to share cake with you!

[billowing]

This one is honored to be a part of your birthday celebration.

[ He takes a forkful of cake, and offers it to the birthday boy. ]

[scaredofdogs]

You're supposed to eat the cake too, Lan Zhan. [He laughs but then opens his mouth to accept the cake.]

[billowing]

I will eat some.

[ But he doesn't need such a large portion. ]

[scaredofdogs]

[He puts a smaller piece of cake on his own fork and holds it out towards Lan Wangji to eat just as the man did for him.]

Since we are eating desserts together again, I guess that means I didn't make you too mad at me a couple weeks ago.

[Or else he just decided to forgive him on his birthday..which he hopes isn't the case.]

[billowing]

It is not you I am angry with.

[ He takes a bite and then offers no more explanation, even though he did make up with his husband. ]