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1968:

A woman in trouble.

She awoke in her bed with a sharp, terrible pain in her stomach. She tilted her head down slowly, afraid to confirm she had been stabbed. Just then she heard a laugh near her door. When she looked up a dark figure ran away down the hall towards the room her daughters shared.

The woman stood and grabbed the object piercing her abdomen.

She pulled the knife out and clutched the wound in a feeble attempt to stop the blood that was pouring onto the floor. Gathering her strength, she limped into the hallway.
“GIRLS!” she choked out as loud as she could.

The woman stumbled, and fell against the wall. She smeared blood as she braced herself and continued down the hallway.

After making it past several doorways she collapsed. She began to cry as she crawled to her daughters room, hoping she still had time to save them. As she neared their door she could see light emanating from the room… and the sound of static from the television set.

When she made it to their doorway she only had enough time to scream as she watched her three daughters open their window with bloody hands … and jump.


When she heard them hit the ground the tv shut off. The woman laid her head down, defeated and completely unaware of the young boy watching her die from down the hallway. . .
**************************************************

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THEN:

Ethan stood in his aunt’s office with his hands folded. Sister Agnes slaps her desk, making Ethan flinch.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!” The nun began to pace. “Now I took you in, boy. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. I had… an obligation. Do you understand me?”
Ethan nods.
“Good. Be sure to understand this as well: under no circumstance will our . . familial relationship benefit you in the way of any special treatment. You. are NOT. above the rules. Do I make myself clear?”
Ethan nods again as Sister Agnes moves across the room.

“Now. Drop your trousers and bend over the desk.”
“What?” Ethan jerked his head towards his aunt with fear in his eyes.
“I said…” The nun moved closer and pointed the cane at his face threateningly, “Drop. Your god damn trousers”
After a moment Ethan obliged and the nun whipped him three times. As she rose the cane to strike again the door flung open.
Rocky frantically clamoured inside and shut the door behind him.
“Whats the meaning of this?” The nun snapped at Rocky, who is just now noticing Ethan and his aunt are even in the room. Ethan pulls up his trousers and wipes a tear away.
“Do you want to be next, boy? Get out! Leave!” The nun moved to the door and grabbed Rocky, throwing him out of her office and slamming the door behind him.
**************************************************

**************************************************
THEN:

As breakfast was being prepared for the children downstairs, Nick peeked into Stu and Ethans’s room hoping to find his friends. When he found the room was empty he moved down the hallway to the next open door.
“Yo! Olly! Oscar! You guys seen Stu or Ethan anywhere?”
The boys did not reply but instead sat staring into the static on their tv screen.

“Okay. . .” Nick rolled his eyes and walked the hallway looking around. As he walked down the south wing towards the parlour Ethan ran past him, crying.
“Ethan! Ethan, dude!” Nick called after him.
“Leave me alone!” Ethan kept running to his room.
Nick looked after him worried but then turned back towards the parlour to find Stu.
“Stu! I’ve been looking everywhere for you man” Nick approached Stu, who was sitting on the couch watching tv static with Chloe, Madison, Izzy, and Rose.
“Stu?” Nick shook his friend, who was unresponsive. Nick looked at the tv screen but only saw static.

Nick unplugged the tv just as Sister Rosemary, one of the younger caretakers, entered the parlour in search of Madison.
“Madison, the Coles are here” Sister Rosemary places her hand on the girl but she doesn’t respond. “Madison, come along, dear. It’s time for you to go.”
The nun grabbed Madison by the arm to encourage her to stand but she began to thrash and scream instead.
“Madison! Calm down!” Rosemary tried to wrangle the girl in but she kept protesting. Madison kicked and screamed until her foot connected with Sister Rosemary’s face. The nun then yanked the girl off the couch and slapped her across the face. She dragged the crying girl out of the room and down the hall.
The kids left in the parlour watched the static on the unplugged tv as Nick ran away down the hall.

**************************************************

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THEN:

Later that same day, the manor was bustling as the children and caretakers prepared for their annual Halloween party.

Lillian and Liam went through the costumes the orphanage had collected over the years. Liam narrowed it down to two costumes and asked Lillian if she knew what she was going to be. She wasn’t sure but she said she wasn’t going to dress as the fairy this time.

Theo helped Sister Rosemary hang decorations on the wall. Evelyn was in the kitchen helping the other young nun, Sister Abigail, put icing on cookies and cupcakes.

Also in the kitchen, Susie and Penelope stood together at the sink washing apples for the apple bobbing barrel. Father Andrew, the priest, told them to make sure they do a good job. He smiled and said that they’re going to have a lot of fun tonight.


Sister Abigail asked Father Andrew to keep an eye on Evelyn as well for a moment. He nodded and the nun moved to the entry way to speak to Sister Sophia.
“Sister Superior?” Sister Abigail approached cautiously.

Sister Sophia did not acknowledge the young nun, who continued, “Sorry to bother you. I just. I don’t know. . . Are you sure we shouldn’t postpone the party? The kids don’t have to celebrate Halloween ON Halloween, necessarily.”
Sister Sophia continued observing the preparations without speaking.

Sister Abigail was nervous to press her boss further but she was genuinely worried.
“It’s just with the boy having been missing not even 24 hours. Are we confident we can keep the children safe? Maybe we should take extra precautions? Or just push the party back a couple of days?”
Sister Sophia finally spoke.
“Nonsense. The party will be tonight.” She looked around at the kids preparing for the festivities. “The children will have their fun…”
**************************************************

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NOW:

The guests awake in their rooms at the manor.

Evelyn and Theo both awake in a sweat from a nightmare neither of them can remember.

Chloe wakes in her room, freezing. She notices her window is open and moves to close it. When she does she sees the old gardener in the garden staring up at her.

Izzy wakes in her room and stretches. She notices Forest is already sitting up in bed, watching static on the tv screen.

Liam and Lillian wake up in Lillian's bed, having spent the night together.

Stu, Ethan, and Nick all wake in the same room together. The previous night they moved Nick's bed from his room so they didn’t have to stop hanging out.

Madison storms around, having noticed that one of her expensive bags of luggage has disappeared.

Susie gets dressed in her room with Penelope, who shields her own eyes from the sun in an attempt to get five more minutes of sleep.

Oscar and Oliver race down the hall to the closest bathroom, both calling dibs on using the shower first.

Rocky and Rose wake up together ready to do what needs to be done.

After wiping the sleep from their eyes, everyone gathers in the dining hall for breakfast before setting off to get ready for their day. Soon, they will begin preparations for the evening's Halloween party. . .

(Alright! This episode we will have a Halloween party. Inside there will be food and drinks; Outside there will be bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, and a bonfire. When the episode starts we will be decorating and setting up for the party! Throughout the episode you might get a mail from me concerning a scene for your character so please keep your eyes open for those! Posting opens at 5pm CST! See you all there <3)

(PS be thinking about your characters costume! -- both NOW and THEN!)

*** Posting is now Open ***

Rocky:
*Rocky carries pumpkins from the back of his truck and sets them in the backyard of the manor for the carving station*
*he looks around for Rose*
Babe!

*Oscar waits in the dining hall, having decided to let Oliver shower first, and he’ll just wait til after breakfast*

(everyone just be setting up for the Halloween party! We need to hang up decorations and do holiday cooking as Rocky has given the staff the night off)

Rose:
*opens the back door, stepping outside with the pumpkin carving knives in hand*
Here I am!
*looks at the pumpkins on the table*
Any more I need to grab?

Chloe:

-carrying a basket of freshly-picked apples-
*walks inside, pushing the door open with the basket*
Izzy? Forest?
*she looks around for them, setting the basket of apples on the kitchen counter*

*Madison would be looking for her expensive luggage* This place is a nightmare UGH

*sits in a lounge talking into my recorder*

Day 2 still nothing majorly unterwared

*Oscar can hear Madison having a meltdown wherever she is in the mansion* “Yikes.... my therapist says it’s never good to get unnecessarily angry.”