[center][img]https://www.visitbutlercounty.com/sites/default/files/resize/remote/bc5a90dd9e18d186c67fb6a756415d3f-540x358.jpg[/img][/center] It was a crisp autumn morning. Erehwon was dressed up with pumpkins, and a slew of Halloween decorations. The town square was in the process of being set up for this weekend’s annual Fall Festival. Most of the fire department had volunteered to help the town council hang the banners, and twinkling lights all along Main Street. Erehwon always went all out when it came to holidays. People bustled about setting up booths, and covering hay bales in burlap for seating. Tupper farms, donated dozens of pumpkins for the carving contest. Mayor Thompson personally paid for the rental of a merry-go-round, and ferries wheel, just for the festival. Everyone was looking forward to the hay rides, hot apple cider, three legged race, and the high school's float parade. The high school’s homecoming court always road on the flashiest float, and it would be no different this year. You could practically feel the lively energy and excitement bouncing throughout town. But there was also an edge of worry hidden under everyone’s smiling faces. The news of another person found dead in the town over, was weighing on everyone’s mind. Quite a few of Erehwon residents commuted to work over in Ruxbury, and this was the ninth unsolved murder in two months. For a town that averaged one murder or less a year this was scary. Another worry even closer to Erehwon was the seven campers that had gone missing in the past week. The Police department was in a frenzy to find them, or at least some clues to what happened. Last night half the town showed up to volunteer for the search party. A torn up pair of jeans, and a bloody sneaker was all that was found. Oddly enough this year’s fall festival was taking place the same night a lunar eclipse was going to happen. All of the Mundane townsfolk were excited for the viewing. Most of the supernaturals though were preparing. Some people were gathering ingredients for rare potions that could only be concocted under a lunar eclipse. Most witches were setting up for some power enhancing ritual, or special coven magic. Others would be planning to chain themselves up in basements to combat a forced shift, or effects of moon madness. Full moons and lunar anomaly tended to mess with the Mundane and supernatural alike. [center]-----------------------[/center] At Gringore, the new student orientation for this semester had just ended. As the students filed out of the auditorium, you could hear their excited chatter, and grumbles. Orientation was one of the few times during the school year; one could catch a glimpse of the famous Headmaster Alfred Gringore. Principal Honeycutt and other faculty had informed the newbies about the academy’s rules, policies, and code of honor. The presidents of each school club then had a few minutes to speak. The president of Gringore Auxiliaries speech was always popular. It was your typical Gringore scene; nymphs dancing about in the courtyard, students relaxing in the halls. A group of gorgon sisters sat around the fountain gossiping, and making fun of peoples clothing choices. Two pixie girls flew overhead giggling as they sprinkled silver confetti over unsuspecting couples. A few Avians perched themselves on the roof. A circle of sorcerers flicked their fingers around showing off. The cafeteria was open, and serving everything you could imagine, from mundane things like burgers, waffles, sushi, and salads to the more exotic magical meals like fried newt, Elphyne ambrosia, and blood smoothies. [hr] [center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180519/5decdcd468204c17edf5206d6f5a8a72.png[/img][/center] The Grand courtyard was in full bloom as it always was. It seemed eternal spring was the theme of the gardening club who tended the place. While the surrounding forests looked like fire, with all the autumn colors, plants at Gringore didn't seem to know it was the beginning of October. Classes started this morning, and for today most people were moving into the dorms, and getting settled. Jadis had finished eating at the cafeteria and was meandering through the courtyard, when she spotted Drake Fitzroy and his buds on the roof with stacks of bright orange paper. They tossed all the paper off the roof, one sheet flew right into her face. People around her grabbed for them midair, but most of the paper fluttered to the ground. Apparently the whole school was now invited to the costume party at the Shack tonight, curtesy of the Fitzroy pack who was looking smug standing on the roof like they were royalty. Jadis had grown up with a quarter of the students at Gringore, Drake was no different. He was a ladies man to say the least, but Jadis knew better and thankfully all she had to do was picture him back in third grade when they were once friends, and his favorite thing to do was catch frogs, make binoculars out of toilet paper rolls, and tell fart jokes. Growing up is a small town was weird that way. She made her way over to the gazebo that was thankfully not occupied by the Boggart couple that had practically never stopped making out in it last year. It was her third year at Gringore this time around; she had a long list of classes, and was even TAing for Professor Montesquie. Half of her friend group had graduated or left Gringore last semester. So first on her agenda was to find somebody to hang out with. Her roommate unfortunately turned out to be a no go. Kimbra Taipan was a snake of a woman, no pun intended, as she was in fact a gorgon. One of those stereotypical Gorgons who thought the sun shined out her ass, and that only her opinion mattered. Kimbra and her two sisters had basically take the dorm room over. There was now a huge painting of the three sisters on the wall in the living room area. Jadis yawned and pulled her coat tighter as the autumn breeze picked up speed. She scanned the court yard for a familiar face, but saw none for the moment. Her thoughts switched to her list of materials and books she need to get before her first class started tomorrow. An orange piece of paper rustled at her feet, and so she picked it up glancing over the bold font, detailing the time and place of the party. She already knew about the party before hand. Her older brother owned The Shack, and the costume part of this party had been his idea. The place would most definitely be packed tonight, full of supernatrals and Mundanes. She still had no idea what to dress up as, but if she didn't figure something out she would probably just wear her pikachu kigurumi again, for the third year in a row... [hr] [center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180520/b35defcdc1fb9b3061407affd60960fd.png[/img][/center] Alice had woken up around seven in the morning, after sleeping for two hours. She felt refreshed, as she got ready for the day. The local news droned on the tv in the background. The news anchor man on looked worn out, as he babbled on about the fall festival coming up, the closing of the factory in Ruxbury, where to get flu shots, and that the local police wanted to thank everyone for their cooperation and efforts for yesterdays search. The weather girl was looking way to chipper this morning, as she explained today would be mild temperatures, 20% chance of rain, and that autumn was in full swing. Alice turned the shower on. Undressing as she waited for the water to become hot. Looking in the mirror, a tall plain sad looking brunette was what Alice saw starring back at her. She had always liked her hazel eyes, and the shape for her lips, but she thought her chin was to big, and that her nose was not quite right. The mirror began to fog from the steam of the shower. She stepped into the shower and let the hot water cascaded down her back. It soaked into her light brown hair, as she wondered what the day would bring. The problem with living for almost a 100 years isn't the loneliness or pain or the loss. Well, it is those things. But what really gets you is when life ceases to surprise you. And for Alice nothing really mattered anymore except for Etienne and his family. The idea that they would all be gone one day had been haunting her dreams lately. Journaling always helped her keep depressing thoughts at bay, so that what she had been doing for hours last night before going to sleep. She stayed in shower until the water turned cold, and she stepped out smelling like her favorite honeysuckle soap. Wrapped in a soft ivory towel she walked into her closet, and sat down on the cushy ottoman. Alice had clothes and shoes from every decade she had been alive. She favored her clothes from the 40s, and missed the time when fancy hats were the norm. She glanced up on the shelves above, at the multitude of dust covered hat boxes. She slipped a gray dress off the hanger, and opened the dresser drawer to pull out a pretty sage sweater. She peeked at herself in the mirror again, fully [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/63/ca/c8/63cac881bdcd23333af6d2a8ff600b5b.jpg]dressed[/url] and ready for the day. Locking her door she went down stair into the shop. The place was full of antiques and vintage objects. Some of the items and furniture for sale were her own things she had collected over her long life. She unlocked the stores front door, and flipped closed sign to open. She sat behind the register and opened up a copy of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. With her vampire senses she could hear the crunch of fallen leaves under foot outside, the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls wafting from the bakery down the street, and all in all it was a pleasant morning.