#liminal:intro

[fredricksebastian]

Artwork by @dreamspy

[whitehot4eversblog]

dead end

[aamatchintowaterr]

⌠ diego luna. 40, straight, cismale, he/him. ⌡ wait a minute, is alejandro vasquez still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (the lingering scent of coffee, half drunk mugs scattered around an apartment, barely legible handwriting scrawled on yellow notepads)! last i heard they were working as a therapist nearby. when it’s the (capricorn)’s birthday on 12/29 i forget that they’re messy and celebrate that they’re encouraging. i hear maybe my soulmate died by iamnotshane every time i think of them. ⌿ @liminalintro

* Alejandro has always been extremely observant, spending most of his formative years watching others instead of joining in.  He was extremely polite, and got good grades, though he wasn’t particularly popular.  His family didn’t have much, but it was full of love and encouragement, which allowed Alejandro to apply for and receive many scholarships by the time he graduated.

* Putting himself through college to not only get a BA but also a masters is psychology was something Alejandro was actually very passionate about.  He had a passion for helping people, and while he was too humble to admit it, he had the perfect temperament for a psychologist.  He was patient, and kind, but above everything else, all he wanted to do was help.

* His analytical nature has caused him to destroy ever relationship he’s ever had - not intentionally, of course, but it’s not really something he can turn off easily.  That’s not to say he doesn’t want a relationship (he believes that it’s better for people to have someone they can lean on) but something about the way he looks at conflict and the comments he makes turns most women off, causing the relationship to fizzle out and leave him alone once again.

* Over the years he developed a nasty case of insomnia that he was never fully able to shake.  While he does his best to not let it interfere with his life, sometimes it means that for a week he is entirely out of commission.

* He is extremely dedicated to his clients - almost to a fault.  Because of his caring nature, he’s selective in who he takes on because he doesn’t want to overfill his plate, causing him to give less time and care to those he can see.  His clients are his top priority, and he is known to sacrifice sleep and even his own money to help out when he can.

* Despite not having any kids of his own, he has Big Dad Energy, especially with his clients.  While maintaining a professional relationship with them all, it’s obvious he cares more about the persons well being than he does about being paid.  He is quick to hand out his personal cell number to those who seem to be truly struggling, never wanting someone to feel entirely alone.

* He loves his job, and wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.  Despite doing well for himself, he chooses to live in a duplex instead of a full home, since the emptiness of it isn’t good for his own mental health.

[liminalwalks]

                    INTRODUCING MINNIE⸻

wait a minute, is park 'minnie' min-ji still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (a delicate cross dangling between your collarbones, heart-to-heart talks during a sleepover, messy hair thrown up into a bun)! last i heard they were working as a sunday school teacher nearby. when it’s the (cancer)’s birthday on 07/14 i forget that they’re sensitive and celebrate that they’re good-natured. i hear bella’s lullaby by carter burwell every time i think of them. ..   ( @liminalintro )

basics,

faceclaim.   bae suzy

full name.   park min-ji

nicknames.  minnie

age.   25 years old

gender, pronouns.   cis woman, she/her

sexuality.   bisexual

relationship status.   in a relationship

time in centralia.   25 years

more in depth,

triggers:  mentions of religion

›   was born and raised in centralia  &  doesn’t know anything different

›   the parks are fiercely religious family. they truly believe that the fires are a sign from god that the ‘end of days’ are coming and they passed on those views to their children  (minnie is the middle child of 3 kids)

›   the outward image of their family is very important to minnie’s parents and to the townspeople, their family are picture perfect. but as cliché as it is, behind closed doors was a whole different story

›   hasn’t strayed too far from the path her parents wanted for her. she went from high school straight into teaching at the local church;  she honestly really enjoys it. minnie also volunteers frequently

›   an absolute sweetheart. she tries to see the good in everyone and that sometimes comes around to bite her in the butt but she’s also the type of person to give 3, 4, 5 chances.... so yknow....  * cringe emoji *

›   bakes the best brownies and gives the best hugs

connection ideas,

her lover!!!! 🥺

a best friend she’s known since childhood / she’s known for a long time

maybe a penpal she had that ended up being in centralia??

enemies, frenemies, someone who picks on her / takes advantage of her kindness

someone who’s protective of her; probably fought someone who was making her uncomfortable<3

a newer person in town who she showed around and became friends with

a bad influence👀👀

[chaoscometh]

⌠ dylan mcnamara . 25, homosexual , cis man, he/him. ⌡ wait a minute, is apollo beaumont still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (tarnished silver jewelry, unexplained bruises, and the smell of old books)! last i heard they were working as a(n) librarian nearby. when it’s the (aries)’s birthday on 04/02 i forget that they’re chaotic and celebrate that they’re passionate. i hear mamas gun by glass animals every time i think of them.

BASIC INFORMATION

NAME: apollo beaumont

NICKNAMES: beau

BIRTHDAY: 2 april

AGE: 25

BIRTHPLACE: centralia, pa

MARTIAL STATUS:  single

ORIENTATION: homosexual

FAMILY: artemis & athena (sisters), stephanie and luce beaumont

OCCUPATION: librarian

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

HEIGHT: 6″2

EYES: grey

HAIR: brunette

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: knuckles scarred like broken glass, a scar under his right eye, several back tattoos in a language no one reads & the silver spoon ring he wears on his right thumb that never seems to come off 

STYLE:  here, here & here

BACKGROUND & HC’s

tw: alcoholism, mental illness 

apollo’s mother was once a trophy wife with visions of grandeur, visions that pushed her to name each of her children after the gods she eventually believed they would become, if only she could find the right way

while his sisters thrived under her delusions, extending a little folie a deux, he always said that he would earn his own greatness, if that was what was in store for him, and so he instantly became public enemy number one - the one that sought logic instead of rituals stephanie knew nothing about.

after a particularly ugly disagreement, apollo left home as soon as he could, and returned back only on the few times his sisters requested it of him. he thought his ‘out’ came with college, but instead, he landed right back here after he finished his degree program. 

there is and has always been this sort of feeling that he cant go yet, because someone, or something, needs him and he might be leaving behind whatever that is

the spoon ring he always wears was made from his grandmothers wedding silver, and gifted especially to him when she passed. naturally, everyone lost their shit when he made it into a ring, but thats neither here nor there

with little oversight at the library, he spends a lot of time with the older, first editions, often restoring the books on his own dime, and caring for them like they were living and breathing, which is convenient, books didn’t abandon you, and they sure as hell don’t talk shit, either 

the majority of his money does not come from his public job, but instead from a fighting ring he often participates in, mostly for the rush, and because it pays the bills a hell of a lot better than public service does

he plays with the thumb ring, and any other jewelry he might wear when he is bored, or out of nervous habit

since he has to travel anyway, he often brings back shit from the “outside world” like a little goblin, but will also do it for gifts, or for a price, depending on who you are

killer singing voice, my guy missed his calling and every now and again he’ll get drunk enough to make a breathtaking appearance at whatever bar is doing karaoke

he has three rescue dogs, noodle, cygnus & ganymedes

POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS

he left for college, so the angst of someone who thought he left them, or continues to try to leave them, and whatever happens with that

sisters friends, people who were always at the house when he was there growing up, etc 

someone who finds out about the fighting thing

the library connects - anyone who needs research help, random book assistance, or possibly someone who interns and wants to learn more about the library (bonus points for someone who restores the books with him, whew intimacy)

the random hook ups, for funsies 

witchy folks who believe in the things he has steered away from, someone who could or does try to change his mind about this 

people who want him to pick them up something when he goes back into the city, send his ass on a scavenger hunt, idk, whatever works with that 

[tcrtcard]

⌠ omar rudberg 24, gay, genderqueer, they/he. ⌡ wait a minute, is sora ahlstrom still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (rolled up faded jeans, a nervous laugh, and the last spoonful of lavender honey) ! last i heard they were working as a barista at tbd. when it’s the (pisces)’s birthday on 2/21 i forget that they’re forgetful and celebrate that they’re gentle. i hear the view between villages by noah kahan every time i think of them. @liminalintro​

big three: pisces sun, cancer moon, aquarius rising

backstory

tw death, suicide, and grief

sora is known all around town as the luckiest unluckiest boy. or more so, that’s what they call themself to make themself feel better about the...not so great aspects of their past. their father was a fisherman, boating and fishing lived far back into sora’s family tree. when they were younger, they used to go with their father, wanting nothing more than to be with him at all times. to be brave, and strong, just like he was. both him and his brother idolized him.

until one day, after a midsummer festival, their dad said they felt a calling to the sea. that they needed to go fishing right then, despite whatever storm warnings there were for that evening. their mother could only protest so much before letting him go. sora remembers every detail of that night- it was the first time something close to him would be ripped away. the sound of the festival dying down behind them, their litle brother held close to their side as their parents argued in front of them, the slow footsteps back to the house, dragging tired feet as sora looked behind him and caught one final glimpse of their father.

it was weeks later that they found remnants of his boat, washed away to shore. sora doesn’t remember the following days, barely even remembers the following years as they took on the role of caretaker for their little brother as their mother confined herself to her room. it was when sora got home the day they turned 18 and found a note written on the kitchen table that they realized just what had happened. that someone else would be ripped away from them too. sora’s life didn’t change despite the loss. they hopped from job to job to take care of his brother, despite not being any good at any of the jobs he did (he’s notoriously clumsy), the townspeople wound tend to give him a little extra sympathy, considering everyone knows their story.

one summer day, for his little brother’s birthday, he told sora he was going with some friends to surf. that there was no reason to fear the ocean. that he would only be gone a few days, that it would just be a fun road trip with friends. sora should have known to say no, but they didn’t. they wanted their brother to be happy. the third and final person to be ripped from sora’s grasp.

now sora continues to live for themself. job hopping all around town. it’s almost a town joke now, how often sora escapes death and potentially awful accidents. bad things happen all around him, but they never touch him.

moving to the island was hard for them, obviously. leaving behind their childhood home, the only place where they still had a connection to their family, the only place memories lived, meant they had to be dragged out of centralia kicking and screaming. now they’re surrounded by ghosts, forced to face their fear of the ocean- hands of the dead grasping at their ankles the second they step foot in the waves.

personality

despite everything that has happened in their life, sora is still a seemingly happy-go-lucky person. they go along with what’s given to them, though they do have a really hard time forming attachments. nothing in their life feels permanent.

[everandevermcre]

⌠ margaret qualley, 28, pansexual, she/they ⌡ wait a minute, is judith ‘ jude ’ moore still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (talking in riddles, obsessive, hopeless romance, a mini acoustic guitar, and nightmares dressed like daydreams)! last i heard they were working as a(n) park ranger & aspiring singer - songwriter nearby.  when it’s the (capricorn)’s birthday on 12/29 i forget that they’re deranged and celebrate that they’re talented. i hear devil’s advocate by the neighbourhood every time i think of them. // @liminalintro​

the moores grew up in saint claude , new orleans . it isn’t the worst neighborhood in all of new orleans , but as far as low-income neighborhoods go , it’s pretty damn close . 

they were not a well - off family . mama was a schoolteacher for a while , and an artist , but as more and more kids came along ... well , the cost of childcare outweighed the benefits of her working as well . that’s how laurel ( mama ) became a stay - at - home parent while oliver worked long days as a public defender so they could get by .

oliver was absolutely miserable . he hated his job , his responsibilities , felt like he'd taken them on too soon , and like he was trapped in this job . as much as laurel tried to keep it from the kids , there was very little she could do to hide their arguments and fights over the bills, over the mundanity of their life , over the size of their family - ‘ real rough shit for the kiddos to be pickin' up on . ’ 

eventually , oliver couldn't take anymore . he packed his shit and left after work one night , leaving laurel and the kids high and dry . fortunately they were older , some of them anyway . they could fend for themselves long enough that laurel could get a job that got her out of the house . jo ( josiah , jude’s twin brother ) also got a job under the table at fourteen to try and start contributing to their family . 

the moore kids were a pretty tight knit group when they were younger. there was a lot of love between them and their mother . they could always rely on: ' we may not have much , but we have each other . ’ family dinners were a nightly thing , at least for all the kids - even when mama couldn't make it - jo insisted . 

they lived in a big house that was very much falling apart . no valuables were left on the first floor bc every time there was a hurricane there was a high probability it would flood a little . beauty waited for them five or six blocks over where money lived and they would go stare at all the pretty colored buildings that looked like they’d not weathered a day and marvel at their modern  structure .  

you might think jude to be a supportive daughter and sister , one that would mimic her sibling’s actions to keep the family together . this is only half - true because she could only ever meet her family half - way .

she is grateful that jo shows up in all the ways she can’t or refuses to . he is the dad they each needed , but jude still feels broken - hearted by the man that left them behind in his dust . he doesn’t say it to anyone , though . it’s a secret she intends to take to the grave as to never make her brother feel like giving his whole life to their family was not absolutely worthwhile . this is the only time jude can remember she has thought about someone else’s needs before her own .

josiah made space for jude and jude was so consumed in taking up as much space as possible that she never offered her brother the same courtesy , but she still trusts him with all her secrets nonetheless . if she can get him to agree to be buried together in the same coffin , jude would make the decision to never part from him despite the amount of time she has spent apart from him in today’s reality . every time they reunite it feels like no time has passed . things pick up right where they left off and josiah lets jude be jude . 

she is always loud and taking up space . manspreads . snores . props feet up on table to lean back in chair and then falls backward and takes the tablecloth and everything on it with her . she is screaming chaos incarnate . 

a little more about her: 

a little unhinged , a little wide - eyed and bushy tailed

loves being outside and connected with nature so she applied to be a park ranger

aka no one in the parks will ever know peace

causes problems on purpose and not in a cute way just thinks explosions and murder are fun

an expert in things that are not particularly useful

snarls and growls at things

will fight everything including god

good-hearted and well intentioned, but socially clueless: will tell their girlfriend that her dress makes her look rectangular, and be confused why it isn’t taken as a compliment, and then buy her a chameleon to make up for it because women like chameleons, right?

practical sense but can’t read the room

levelheaded and good at what they do, but never in a way that makes sense to anyone else

will call you an idiot to your face if you question their know-how no matter how important you are

no impulse control: thoughts take longer to load than

there’s nothing in their head but bullshit

just really, really, really weird

[ofmcthman]

⌠ lili reinhart. 24, unspecified sexuality, cis woman, she/her. ⌡ wait a minute, is daphne abernathy still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (a tattered backpack covered in souvenir and novelty pins and buttons, torn jeans and overly-worn shoes abandoned on the floor , and an alien tattoo on her ring finger )! last i heard they were working as a journalism student nearby. when it’s the (virgo)’s birthday on 09/13 i forget that they’re persistent and celebrate that they’re big-hearted. i hear here with me by dido every time i think of them.

TW: death mention

@liminalintro​

full name: daphne jean abernathy-fitzpatrick

birthdate: september 13th, 1998

age: 24

height: 5’6”

birth place: centralia, pennsylvania

bio:

there are six abernathy-fitzpatrick girls, and as the youngest of the brood, daphne takes pride in being the weirdest

from the time she entered the world, daphne has been nearly uncontrollable, a fact that drove her mother nuts at any point in the day

her sisters at least gave the illusion of being civilized, but in comparison daphne could usually be found hanging from a tree or building a fort out of every blanket and pillow in the house, often with a book in her hands that she would consume in record time

being the youngest meant that she was mostly shielded from what people in town would say about her family

unfortunately for her parents, she was quick to catch on, though the youngest of the abernathy-fitzpatrick clan was good at pretending that she didn’t, especially when it came to giving her family some sort of relief where they could get it

daphne’s form of escape came in the form of books, science fiction ones to be exact, and those paired with her obsession with x-files sent her into what could only be described as a tailspin

suddenly her world was consumed with aliens in any form she could get them in, usually resulting in her going to the library at least twice a day

daphne didn’t have a very big friend group because of this, and the friends she did have tended to drown her out when she went on tangents about the knowledge she had on some of these creatures, writing her off as the nerdy one of the group

despite her weird interests and behaviors, there was always one person that daphne kept coming back to, and that was michael

the two were thick as thieves, getting along almost too well as kids, and then even moreso as teenagers

nobody was surprised when they started dating, and before she could really blink, daphne knew she was in love with him

the two wanted a future together, going so far as looking at the same colleges and making plans in case that didn’t work out for them; needless to say, they were attached at the hip, and daphne could never imagine a life without the boy by her side

for once, daphne didn’t feel out of place in life or like she needed to be something else in order to impress others; michael allowed her to be unapologetically herself and that put her at ease

unfortunately, after quite some time together, her luck ran out when she received a phone call informing her of michael’s untimely passing

of course she was devastated; he was the love of her existence and suddenly she felt entirely empty

it was a shock to no one when daphne threw herself into keeping busy; it didn’t matter if it was school work or her writing projects, she always needed something to distract her

before long, daphne’s theories about michael’s passing began to consume her entire life, and she threw herself into research

she’s always felt that there was something suspicious about his passing, the way he died practically unbelievable to her

daphne’s life suddenly became consumed with both grief and the need to find the answer, days filled with finding the spare time during school to get to the bottom of what happened, and it quickly became an obsession

soon enough she wasn’t taking care of herself; she skipped more meals than she ate, and when it came to a sleep schedule, it was practically nonexistent 

by the time she’d graduated high school, the friend group that daphne did have had dwindled significantly, leaving her all by herself again

she liked to pretend that she didn’t care, adamant that she didn’t need anyone to take care of her, but everyone knew that was a lie

what daphne failed to realize is that she had a good support system in the form of her sisters, an easy fact to overlook when the stigma around your family isn’t the best in the world

despite her family urging her to go away for college and to distance herself from the town that held so much loss, the youngest abernathy chose not to listen, settling for a school in philadelphia so she could be close to home

daphne feels like she’s been floating through life for the past few years, but she’s found ways to distract herself

first it started with skateboarding, taking the time to meet up with her sister bowie so they could learn together

she also took to going to the woods more and more often, ignoring the pleas of her family to stay safe — though how could one be unsafe with the likes of kelly mcmaster trailing behind her

these days, daphne is becoming more and more comfortable with opening up to people, though she still keeps her heart mostly closed off

daphne’s major form of showing affection is showing people the cool rocks she finds, all of which are deemed extraterrestrial

her career as an investigative journalist is steady and safe, and it allows the youngest abernathy creative freedom so she doesn’t feel so stuck

she spends most of her days with kelly, finding comfort in his companionship and ignoring the fact that she’s quickly developing feelings for him

daphne’s main goal is working on her relationship with her sisters; after michael’s death, she worked hard to isolate herself, and getting out of that slump has proven difficult

overall, daphne abernathy is just a spitfire, and if you can keep up with her you’ve made a friend for life

[thecryptidcottage]

⌠ joseph quinn. 25, bisexual, male, he/him. ⌡ wait a minute, is kelly mcmaster still in town? i thought i saw a flash of ( a recycled jelly jar spilling over with old guitar picks, vintage patches sewn sloppily by hand onto a worn and faded denim jacket, and messy, half-finished pages of sheet music scattered across a hardwood floor ) ! last i heard they were working as a music instructor nearby. when it’s the ( leo )’s birthday on 08/13 i forget that they’re defensive and celebrate that they’re commiserative. i hear estranged by guns n’ roses every time i think of them. @liminalintro

name: kelly halford mcmaster nickname: kel, kells, halford/hal ( anyone who knew him growing up ), mr. k/ mr. mcmaster ( by his students ) pronouns: he/him/his birthday: august 13, 1997 zodiac:  ☼ leo ☽ gemini ↑ scorpio orientation: pansexual relationship status: single

BIOGRAPHY ( tw: brief, vague mention of child abuse, alcohol and drug use )

☽ ⋆ kelly definitely did not have the most structured or conventional upbringing. he doesn’t know a whole lot about his parents, only that he was taken away from them by child protective services when he was young for unfit living conditions —  later, as an adult, he’d get access to files that detailed their copious drug use in the home and numerous counts of negligence and child abuse, things kelly’s not sure if he doesn’t remember because he’s buried them so deep or because he was just so fucking young —  and without any immediate family willing or able to take him on, kelly found himself thrust into the underwhelming columbia county foster care system​

☽ ⋆ his parents never came back for him — not that he expected them to or whatever, drop it, okay? — and he spent most of his childhood and adolescence bouncing around from group home to foster home, never really managing to stay anywhere for longer than a few months and it wasn’t that he was a troublemaker. or at least, not at first anyway. maybe he’s a little bit loud, and yeah, he could be a lot to handle sometimes, but he tried to be a good kid, especially given the circumstances. it just... well, it never really worked out. and after a while, kelly couldn’t help but become jaded to it all. what was the point of believing in a system that clearly didn’t want shit to do with him? ​

☽ ⋆ the christmas of the year kelly turned seven, he was staying in a group home that had a present drive sponsored by one of the local businesses, and one of the older children had shoved an ornament-shaped scrap of paper in his hand and told him to write down just one thing that he wished for — and not to dream too big, he’d been warned explicitly, or the odds of someone picking his ornament were slim — so, after several long moments spent debating, a young kelly took a calculated risk and sloppily scribbled the name of the one thing he’d been dreaming about owning for years. that year, there was an acoustic guitar waiting for him when he woke up on christmas morning, and with it, a strap, a pick, and several books of sheet music and tabs. far more than he’d ever even thought about asking for, ever thought he could ask for. even today, he’d still pinpoint that day — that moment — as one of the happiest of his life. ( and arguably one of the most important when it came to saving it. )​

☽ ⋆  kelly thrust his entire focus into teaching himself the instrument, and as he grew older, music became a crutch to help him deal with the instability of his day to day life; he reached a point where it didn’t matter where he’d be laying his head at the end of the night, didn’t matter if it changed every couple of weeks or whether he was in a private bedroom or the bunks of a group home, as long as he had his guitar. it came everywhere with him, always in his hands or slung over his shoulder, and he started filling composition books with messy, hand-written sheet music and lyrics. and eventually, he got better. he got good, even, enough to try and start his own band. or several, actually. it took a while before he found the members that would lead him to form handsome garbage, not until well after high school — and honestly? he’s sure that’s one of the only reasons it’s the only band he’s been in that hasn’t disbanded after a couple of months.

☽ ⋆ graduating high school by the skin of his teeth and aging out of the system both hit kelly the same year, and without any sort of structure to keep him even a little bit on track, kelly floundered. he became homeless and spent the first few years of his life couch-surfing, crashing on park benches and eventually in the back of his shitty old beater of a car once he could afford it. he drank a lot — it wasn’t hard to find a bar or a liquor store in the area not to card him, and kelly spent a good while trying to seek solace at the bottom of every bottle or baggie he came across. he hit rock bottom at 21 with a handful of newfound addictions, an empty stomach, and not a dollar in his pocket, a night when the heat in his car had gone out and, instead of spending his last change on a shitty motel room, he’d spent it on a bottle of whiskey so he could warm himself up and pass out anyway. he woke up covered in his own sick with a cop banging on his driver’s side window and, fuck, he knew he had to clean his act up.

☽ ⋆ so he did. kelly still smokes cigarettes, still occasionally has a drink or a few puffs of a joint, but for the most part, he’s cleaned up his act. he doesn’t touch hard liquor or drugs, and for the first few months after he’d decided to get straight, he didn’t touch any of it. he managed to make himself presentable enough to land a gig teaching music lessons to kids at the community center, and after about two months, he was able to put a deposit down on a small, one-bedrooom apartment in centralia. he spends most of his days with the children at the center, teaching them guitar and piano and how to sight-read, and now, years later, he absolutely adores them. he wouldn’t trade his job for anything in the world. he’s got more students than he can keep track of sometimes and every now and then, he’ll find the keys of the piano sticky with remnants of pb&j, but the chaos is worth it. kelly thrives in it, even. clearly, because it’s kept him in centralia this long, and he doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.

[antiquom]

⌠ wolfgang novogratz. 23, heteroflexible, demiboy, he/they. ⌡ wait a minute, is zachary coltraine still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (flowers unexplainably blooming in arid ground, heaven, one last smile before betrayal)! last i heard they were working as a florist nearby. when it’s the (virgo’s)’s birthday on 08/23  i forget that they’re unsettling and celebrate that they’re generous. i hear animals by maroon 5 every time i think of them. ⌿ lis, 27, any, cst+ ⍀

DEATH TW, MURDER TW, WEAPON TW, VIOLENCE TW, CANNIBALISM TW

Zach grew up with loving parents who always raised their kid with their values and point of view about life. Homeschooled most of his life with a strong focus on arts and biology; because his parents always told him the most wonderful scenes belonged to nature--- always cruel and beautiful, and that he should always follow those steps.

He grew up in a big old victorian manor full of rooms and windows; the garden was also vast and healthy; but the house was far enough from the main town to hear the pleads of help from the visitors that entered the house but never came out. Zach was so young and never thought anything ill of it; he would even enjoy very luxurious and meaty meals the day after; but as so, Zachary grew up in a house full ghosts... both metaphorical and literal, and quick learned to make friends and peace with the spirits that roamed his home.

He was seven when the police finally found the Coltraines and in a rain of bullets, they fell in front of doe eyes who followed his mother’s body falling in slow motion. She looked peaceful and even relieved as one last sigh left her lips. Even she, who always lived lavishly, desired for all the horror to end.

They raised a child that was never really fit for social norms, specially in places like foster homes where sanguine games would scare children and caretakers alike, but a vast knowledge about flowers and animals would also leave them speechless.

Nonetheless, he was bullied heavily, until a calm and gentle child eventually exploded. The details of the situation were never released to the public, but afterwards, Zachary was sent to a place where he could be under constant observation.

He turns eighteen and the State fails in court to prove insanity. Zachary had become a model citizen and hadn’t hurt a fly since that unique incident years ago.   SO HE IS RELEASED.

He goes back home even against all recommendation. That home is the only thing he knows and so, he finds it, practically untouched by the tragedy in Centralia. Gardens are quick to revive under his careful hand and little animals quickly find refuge in his home. Ah, quite the fairytale castle, don’t you think?   But late at night, crying and whispering welcomes him home as well.   They hug him in asphyxiating attention begging of him to let their bodies go, to let them rest in peace at last.   But Zach plays deaf most of the times, for he fears solitude and the ghosts and ghouls that plague his home bring him memories of golden days.

So come on in to Coltraine Manor where flowers never wither and animals always play. Feel free to join in a perpetual garden party and if you are lucky, you will soon too, become a rose in the pot.

FUN FACTS

He likes to rescue birds from pet stores so he has A LOT and they are usually flying around in and out of his house.

Tbh think of this house like a fairy tale setting with pretty flowers and small animals hanging around bc of his garden.

But inside, if you pay cloooose attention, you can see the fainted dark smudges on the wall of blood that never came out and the bedrooms have a weird eerie vibe even when they have been repainted and redecorated.

He also has imitations of paintings and sculptures to decor the house, but there are no family pictures.

He has a collection of horror and snuff movies he usually plays while baking cookies or making flower crowns.

Zach usually has petals tangled in his hair or stuck to his clothes and he has a permanent flowery scent.

His mother used to call him “My little prince” so he kinda stuck with that and is always attracted to royal-ish stuff, he even has a crown tattoo on his upper back, under the nape.

He tries to keep himself fit to match the anatomy ideals of the great artists and he also has a weird habit of posing or moving in any way that could reference a famous piece of art, but he does this unconsciously. When he is happy his movements become very theatrical bc he is extra af and so were his parents.

Pinterest board HERE

Important facts to consider:

While in the foster homes, Zach always did his best to escape and always ran into the woods where his parents liked to go camping.

He was lost even up to a week one time and he spent so much time in the wild and that’s what taught him so much about nature.

Has uncanny climbing abilities and is able to recognize animal footprints and fur.

Will rarely invite you home and if he does, I’d be very wary if I were you.

The killer gene is starting to tickle him.

Doesn’t remember much about what his parents did or why they were killed and someone mentioning it or pushing on the matter could cause him to react violently or in an unpredictable way.

Stays super fit to meet the artistic standards of the Renaissance art.

Rumors say that his parents’ victims were missing some organs or pieces of flesh… make your own assumptions.

Has good vision at night.

DO NOT TRUST HIM. If you see him in the middle of the football field or near the entrance of the woods very late at night, do not approach, do not call his name, stay quiet and move very slowly backwards never turning your back to him. Keep your hands wherever he can see them so he doesn’t feel threatened and never expose your neck. Don’t make fake wolf or puma calls, HE WILL COME. Don’t neglect your pets, he will get really mad and you will never see it again.     DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HIM.

Needed connections/plots:

Neighbors (can be either comfortable or uncomfortable with him around)

Friends

Best friend

Unrequited love/Silly crush (could go either direction)

Someone to teach him about life

School tutor. He knows A LOT about art, biology and PE but sucks at p much else.

People who don’t trust him

Enemies of any kind (maybe they lost someone at Zach’s parents’ hands)

Someone who knows who his parents are.

Maybe he babysits someone’s pet bc he is good with animals.

Someone with common interests.

Honestly I suck at making these but if you think of anything else or want us to brainstorm just lemme know!

[aamatchintowaterr]

⌠ kat mcnamara. 28, pansexual, cis woman, she/her. ⌡ wait a minute, is sabrina marin still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (the smell of a bonfire on an autumn night, scuffed combat boots, clothes covering the floor like a carpet)! last i heard they were working as a receptionist at the tattoo shop + a barista nearby. when it’s the (leo)’s birthday on 08/18 i forget that they’re callous and celebrate that they’re outgoing. i hear lost girls by LIGHTS every time i think of them. ⌿ @liminalintro 

 * The older twin, Sabrina took it upon herself to be the first eyes and ears on the ground of any endeavor her and Salem got into - reckless being a key word that was often used to describe her.

* She couldn’t tell you why their parents bothered to have kids if all they wanted to do was ignore and somehow smother them at the same time - but it was irrelevant, as now they were there and existed.

* A social butterfly by nature, she made friends extremely easily, having no problem just marching up to someone and telling them what was on her mind - why they should be friends, how much she hated their shirt, how cute their haircut was, anything.  The world was full of opportunities for Sabrina, and she was going to grab them as the floated by - and help check for danger before dragging Salem along with her.

* She was near inseparable from her twin sister - Salem was her best friend, her major confidant, and the one person who would be closer to her than anyone else.  She loved her sister more than words could express and would take a bullet or be the person behind the trigger if need be.  Salem was her top priority, and even with just a few minutes between them, Sabrina embodied overprotective sibling to a T - just without the overbearing nature (at least she liked to think so).

* As time went on they got their own hobbies, interests and friends - but they didn’t drift apart.  Sabrina was extremely popular, having a different friend to hang out with every day, doing just enough homework to squeak by in her classes - she’d rather talk on the phone or go out and play games in the dark than focus on school.  Her parents were putting pressure on both Marin girls to go to college and get a practical job, but Sabrina simply did not want to.

* Sabrina wasn’t surprised that Salem opted to go to college out of state - she wasn’t mad, exactly either though.  She was jealous.  She wished she had thought of that, the easiest and most clever way to escape the near death grip their parents seemed to have over the girls.  With Salem gone, more attention was applied to Sabrina, and she didn’t feel like she could handle it.

* Shortly after Salem moved away, Sabrina decided to do the only thing she could think of - get married to a boy she had been dating for just over a month.  It was stupid, and impulsive, but it got the results that she wanted.  With a brand new marriage license in had, Sabrina packed up everything in her parents house, and moved out.

* The marriage lasted just shy of two years - she tried to keep it up and make it work, ,but a marriage with the goal of getting out of your parents house and not having to go to college wasn’t really the best foundation to start something on.  So they split amicably as possible - they were still friends, albeit with far more tension and history than when they started.

* She’d been a barista for many years, picking up handfuls of odd second jobs to help scrape by on rent and bills.  When she finally started to think that maybe her parents were right and she should cut her losses and move back home - Salem moved back, and she was quick to jump on the idea of living together and splitting costs.

* Sabrina is still extremely social, usually looking for a party or a fun get together at every turn, but has settled into two fairly comfortable jobs.  She’s not so hung up on whether or not she should have gone to college, but is taking a few classes here and there to try to get a general degree if she ever tried to get into an office job (something about a degree made her a more likely candidate, though she couldn’t explain why).  She has some kind of complicated relationship with her ex husband, but can take a good humored jab or two about being divorced - it was a stupid decision to get married in the first place, after all.

[liminalwalks]

                     INTRODUCING DEVAJ⸻

wait a minute, is devaj ali still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (stick and poke tattoos, never taking off the bracelet your younger sibling made you, unsent letters)! last i heard they were working as a $5 tattoo artist nearby. when it’s the (aries)’s birthday on 04/01 i forget that they’re secretive and celebrate that they’re imaginative. i hear heart of glass by blondie every time i think of them...   ( @liminalintro​ )

basics,

faceclaim.   riz ahmed

full name.   devaj ali

nicknames.  dev

age.   39 years old

gender, pronouns.   cis man, he/him

sexuality.   bisexual

relationship status.   single  (open to starting a relationship)

time in centralia.   22 years

more in depth,

triggers:  brief mentions of parental death

›   both parents died in a freak accident when devaj and his younger sister, dania, were very young and they were put into a foster home together

›   the adoption center wanted to separate them but 17 year old devaj was having none of it; he was afraid they would never see each other again so he packed up their things and went on the run. the duo hitchhiked as far as they could and eventually stumbled upon centralia

›   by the time they found centralia, they were incredibly tired and decided to stay put. he thought it was a good idea so with the little money he had left, devaj bought them a little mobile home and they settled in

›   he hadn’t listened to the warnings people gave him when they first arrived and over the years, he started to hate the town. but at least he and dania are together .. right?

›   hates living in centralia  💀  but he hasn’t been able to save up enough money to move out so he and his sister are pretty much stuck here

›   devaj adores his little sister to bits. no one in the world means more to him than her  -  he will not hesitate to fight some bitches if they cross her!!!!!!!!!

›   grumpy towards everyone but soft for the right person... you know the type

›   he’s a very talented artist!!! he knows how hard it is to get by so he decided to open up a $5 tattoo parlor where literally every tattoo he does is only $5!! he loves his work so much

connection ideas,

the first friend he made when he got into town

his roommate  (dw he moved out of the mobile home by now)

first lover!!!!!!!! first kiss!!!! person who took his virginity!!!

exes on good or bad terms

regular clients who visit his tattoo parlor

enemies, ex-friends because of a misunderstanding, frenemies

neighbours :D

blind date that ended well or ended horribly

one night stand  (perhaps they have a kid together? perhaps he doesn’t know? *eyes*)

friends with benefits / casual hookups with no strings attached

best friends<3

[hookedon-onyx]

⌠mae whitman. 33, pansexual, demigirl, they/she.⌡ wait a minute, is onyx campbell still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (black chipped nail polish on only one finger, charcoal grave rubbings, and a bottlecap collection)! last i heard they were working as a(n) cemetery records-keeper nearby. when it’s the (gemini)’s birthday on 06/09/1988 i forget that they’re sarcastic and celebrate that they’re brilliant. i hear parasite eve by bring me the horizon every time i think of them.

Onyx pretty equally prefers they/them and she/her pronouns.

@liminalintro​ 

The facts:

They were born in Philadelphia and grew up there as well, their family wasn’t generally poor or rich to speak of, very normal and middle-class. They had one of each sibling, both older, making them the baby.

They fell in love with Centralia on a middle-school field trip to witness the smoke rising from certain areas of the town. Upon walking through the cemetery, she developed a fascination with everything to do with death and what comes after.

Graduating high school near the top of the class and studying anthropology/archaeology in college, they built their own career from scratch after compiling some local information in Philly. They moved to Centralia after that, quickly snagging a job with the cemetery she fell in love with. Now they help people in town re-connect with family plots and they make sure any unattended graves are left offerings every so often.

Their attitude is very sassy and at times seems grumpy, but they’re also very personable and caring in nature. She tends to gravitate towards people of a similar disposition and doesn’t tolerate overly perky attitudes very well. Once they’re your friend, there’s no getting rid of them.

She dresses in a very comfortable way, preferring baggy clothing instead of things that are tight-fitting or curve-showing. They are very sensitive about it and are not afraid to stand up for themselves if someone were to point out that she’s “frumpy”. They like it that way.

They like to wander the cemetery at night, and it never really scares them, it’s only the really old buildings in town that somehow survived the fires that bother them in the least. They won’t go in those buildings.

They live in a pretty small apartment with their little bully breed mutt of a dog named Lancelot.

[chaoscometh]

⌠ tessa thompson. 33, bisexual, cis woman, she/her. ⌡ wait a minute, is bentley bourdeaux still in town? i thought i saw a flash of scars in the shape of initials etched into collar bones, chevrons inked into each finger & the smell of fresh lillies! last i heard they were working as a florist nearby. when it’s the gemini’s birthday on 5/25  i forget that they’re unapologetic and celebrate that they’re determined. i hear don't stop the devil by dead posey every time i think of them.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Murder, Addiction/Alcoholism, Classism, Arranged Marriage. 

The story always starts with a girl who has stars in her eyes, the night sky in her veins, and the need for something more than the barely breathable box that is a small town. Hell, it wasn’t even a town. Violet’s father always told her that, a constant reminder that it was only a small Louisiana parish, and maybe that was all it would ever be. Its the latter that always seemed to turn down her smile, a proverbial gut punch to the aspirations of someone who needed to be something more than someone’s wife, or someone’s mother. There’s irony in that, considering her ticket out of town did come disguised as a wedding ring.

Alvaro Bourdeaux was a highly sought after bachelor, the kind of man that would have made a good husband, so says all the women lined up to pretend they weren’t looking at him from the back pews of that dirt floor church. Violet was nowhere near his social circle, she offered him not a single bit of value beyond what she could provide with her body, and that? Well, that she’d learned to use in all the right ways, a hell of a long time ago. It was simply a means to an end, it was her soul that needed to be treated like a temple, and worshipped like she still believed.

The first time they slept together was in the back of his fathers Bentley, and that, classy and creative as it was, was her origin story. Named after the last sweat soaked stroke that would start the universe spinning in what she always swore was the wrong direction. Family’s like the Bourdeaux’s didn’t, and couldn’t, afford a cheap cotton scandal, woven from materials that were destined to pull them apart, so they settled for the next best thing, and the thing that would solidify Violet’s original plan - Marriage.

The first few years of marriage were great, or maybe that was just because the joy of raising children hadn’t gotten any wear and tear yet, or maybe because her mother hadn’t fallen in love with liquor yet, either. Whatever it was, it was enough to plague Bentley’s memories with white spots, filling that seemed fake, saccharine sweet, which was nothing like the taste of blood that Violet usually left in her mouth. Six years after Bentley was born, came Evangeline, nicknamed Lily, probably in hopes that they might save a loveless marriage that had already started to crumble.

Band aids don’t last forever, so soon it was the hired help that began to raise the girls in their own ways, when it wasn’t Bentley herself simply assuming the role of surrogate parent, like at seven years old she’d already known her little Lily, as she was affectionately called, would need protection least she be stepped on, or worse: wither away. She was eight the first time her mother got a little too drunk, lost a little too much control, and instead of letting her words create wounds, she did it herself. It was that night they all learned a thing or two about Violet Bourdeaux, mostly, that no one would ever really know if it was misery or alcohol that would steal the light from her eyes, but whatever it was, replaced that light with a darkness no one could penetrate, not even the whimpering pleas of her children, when they still believed in salvation.

Years later, one of what she finally admits is her first well formed memories, her mother had gotten so mad at the pair of them for breaking some ancient vase that reminded her of a time she had a more worthwhile heart, before she ruined herself, that she really seemed to snap. That break, just like the rest of them, was one that Bentley refused to let ruin her sister, so she purposely antagonized her mother, purposely talked back, and purposely called her bullshit out in the open for the world (well, the world inside that house), to see. This was enough to have Violet grasp her daughters hair hard enough, with enough boiling force to pull one of the braids from it as she dragged her, using those same remaining braids like some kind of fucked up reigns until she was in front of the house, scrambling to get to her feet again but she wasn’t quite fast enough.

The first time the her father’s belt hit her, it knocked the wind out of her. The second, is still imprinted on the small of her back, the strange shaped scar that feels like over ten years later, it could still split open and bleed her dry, on some of the worst nights. She lost count at how many times her mother hit her that night, but she didn’t stop until her father came home and found them that night. The neighbors said that some nights, they swore they could still hear the resonating pain in Bentley’s voice as it stayed strong, pleading for a savior that never seemed to come.

The family covered this up, money and power always went hand in hand. Bentley didn’t speak for two months, her mother added another notch to her rehab belt, and the family moved on. When her eldest daughter neared the age of eighteen, Violet knew one thing, and that was how to make her an asset, and make sure they maintained the only thing she had left, which was wealth. It sure as hell would never be love. That being said, just like a perfectly played chess match, her mother began plotting her moves, the ones that would take her rebellious daughter (the one that inherited the urge to run from her mother, even if she’d never admit it), off her hands. In the mean time, Bentley only gave her more reasons to want the problem she was, solved, between petty almost arrests, and general trouble.

They waited two months after her birthday to follow through, and much like her childhood, the first year lulled her into thinking that maybe things hadn’t turned out to be so bad. Maybe, she would benefit from her mothers own lack of love, for once. She couldn’t have been more wrong, but all her lessons seemed learned the hard way, and only the hard way. The first time he had accusation in his voice when he said she looked stunning, she should have known. Hindsight was always a motherfucker, which was something she whole heartedly believed in.  

Eventually, Alton Price would carve his initials in the soft skin of her collar bone, while meticulously reminding her that no longer would she ever be able to look in the mirror without thinking of him. He was a part of her forever, and she, in turn, was his forever. That much might have been true, but the one and only thing that embodied the old adage of like mother, like daughter, was the severity of whatever snapped in her. Bentley’s pieces didn’t make a clean break, they snapped, chipped, and withered away, some of them never to find solace within one another again. Once she’d collected whatever was left behind, her hands were covered in the blood of her so called soul mate, and she had not a single regret about it.

In fact, she was just resourceful, and just creative enough to make it look like her husband’s death was a horrible accident. It left her to inherit the money, money she would have rather crawled in a grave next to him, than provide to her mother or anyone else, besides Lily. So she left, free to travel the world, free to be who and what she needed to be, and happiness, or whatever watered down version could find the right vein, soon became something like a drug of choice, a drug that worked well, and finally started to dull the sharp edges of her loss, sometimes making it feel like she just might be able to return to the slice of life she’d allowed herself to daydream about all those years ago.

Fast forward to the way her smile has always been slow and steady, the deliberately lazy upturn in features that is sweet like southern comfort. She’d been wearing it for all of five seconds when the phone rang, and changed everything. Her sister had gone missing. She was home before sunrise the next day, if you could even call the place she’d grown up, home. It was more like the place she’d grown against, and escaped from, but none of that mattered. A week later, around three am, she woke from her exhaustion - right out of a dead sleep, and that’s when she truly knew her sister wasn’t coming back.

It was a few more weeks, burying heartbreak with relentlessness before she finally got the official word, they’d found the body. The culprit ended up being the wolf at their own door, someone they had invited in to share meals and family secrets. In return, Dr. Todd Newsome repaid them by tearing both their daughters apart, one physically, one emotionally. When the details came to light, even the most hardened detectives couldn’t stop what happened to that little girl from becoming their worst nightmares. Like a kick in the teeth, paired with salt in the wound, Newsome would walk, a free man after a hefty donation to the right judge, the right cop, the right people to pull strings to let his destruction go unpunished. Unfortunately for him, Justice was a concept Bentley didn’t mind leaving up to interpretation.

Soon after the trial or the lack thereof, she spent five days in the basement of her neighbors house, his house, with him. There was something about that house, placed where she could swear she felt her sister trapped underneath. Her pain, her joy, and everything in between, simply weighed down, tied to the floorboard like stains that would never come out. Bentley used that like motivation speech, it’s what helped her find her mothers hand me down brutality, because after all, five days is a long time spending unraveling someone, piece by piece, until you take the last thing they had left: their life.

These were the first two chevron tattoos inked into her hands, because she made herself remember. Every mark was the physical blood on her hands; every mark made sure she didn’t wash away the faces and the names that had played out her tragedy. After she watched the basement, then the house, be reduced to nothing, just as he had reduced Lily to nothing, she left. A journey that just feels like running, and running, and running.

Centralia was the only place that didn’t remind her to keep running, to keep moving. Something about the strange little place created a false sense of safety, which explained why she had been there long enough now to even breath the words friends, or even lovers, to some of the people that lived there. Honestly, though, it all just felt like the calm before the storm that would eventually displace her once again. She’d gotten old enough to learn that for some reason, she never deserved peace.

CONNECTIONS

run away a connection for a character that would have to have been born in louisiana, and could have grown up next door or close enough to where bentley was when she was living there. i’m a sucker for the whole, remember when you used to crawl into my window at night, or like, you were the only safe place i knew, type intimacy and past connects.

devils and angels this would be both the chance to try and make her better or worse, someone who takes the time to sit with her, and possibly get to know who she is (not just what she shows people), and helps her either learn to accept that perhaps there isn’t a reason to carry guilt for what shes done, and maybe the darkness isn’t so bad instead, or likewise, someone who teaches her that she doesn’t have to be a prisoner to her own actions or to the guilt, and genuinely supports her, reminds her that maybe she does deserve the peace she wanted, and can still have it after everything shes been through

repeat customer a customer that frequents the florist for one reason or another, maybe they are putting weekly flowers on a loved ones grave, maybe they are working up the nerve to ask her for a drink, or maybe they are just fascinated with how she gets her roses to grown in soil that was dismissed as long gone.

who i used to be someone who met her when she left home after saying goodbye to her husband, when she was still trying to embrace happiness and so of grifting around living her best life, this could be someone from anywhere. it can be a simple connection (one night or a few nights), or something that was a fling (hello angst), or even someone who spent months with her only to have her dip when she got the call about her sister.

look who it is the one responsible for her even knowing, or learning more about centralia. this could be someone she met online through social media or a forum, hell it could be a cop that started to put the pieces together about what she’d done, but either way they ended up getting her there. the connection can be platonic, for their own personal gain, or something more intimate, im down to brainstorm.

first place the first friend or person that she came to know in town, on her own accord. this could be a one night stand the first night she drifted in town, someone who served her drinks when she spent the first week at the bar, a random server at the diner in town that helped her decide to stay, anything really, im down to clown. 

i have some more dramatic assery and angstish ideas that could tie into her issues with not staying put, or a fear of getting close to someone, ranging from simply platonic/friend shit, to romantic things that will quite literally hurt both our feelings, so we can also work with some of this...since im too lazy to write anything else out. 

PLAYLIST

listen

@liminalintro

[tcrtcard]

⌠ jessica alexander. 24. biromantic asexual, cis female, she/her. ⌡ wait a minute, is harlowe wright still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (a frozen heart, a wandering mind, and a memory that can never quite be reached)! last i heard they were unemployed. when it’s the (aries)’s birthday on date in 4/10 i forget that they’re distant and celebrate that they’re charming. i hear nothing new by taylor swift every time i think of them. @liminalintro​

tw: suicide, abuse, and miscarriage mention

zodiac trio: aries sun, scorpio moon, aries rising

BACKSTORY

r u ready for a rollercoaster

grew up in a very well off family in town. her mom was a well known artist, though she always felt distant. no one in the family knew who she was, really. not even their dad. she was away a lot for gallery openings and events, and it was mostly their dad who took care of them.

she has an older twin sister and a younger brother.

her dad is a college professor, specifically of literature.

she’s always been a bit distracted, like her mom. never focused much on life or her future, because, honestly, she never expected to get too far. she spent most of her time going out to bars in new london with fakes harlowe acquired for her and her friends. her sister was always the voice of reason. not that harlowe ever listened.

(suicide tw) at 16, they got home from her little brother’s holiday recital, only to find that their mother had drowned in their pool. harlowe was the one to find her, but she didn’t say anything. she only stared. her older sister was the one to come out to check on her. and she was the one to call the ambulance. harlowe went inside to keep their little brother distracted. (end suicide tw)

she got even more distant after that. things were tense and awkward. she spent more time with friends, boyfriends, than she did with her actual family. her grades slipped, and by 17 she dropped out and moved to new york.

(abuse and miscarriage tw) in new york, she got in a relationship with a shady guy. she lost a piece of herself in the relationship, but couldn’t make herself leave. it wasn’t until she got pregnant, and then lost the baby after he had a particularly bad night. (end abuse and miscarriage tw)

tired and alone, she decided to go back home, where we’re starting our journey now. she’s living with her sister and is currently unemployed as she tries to get control of herself and her life. 

PERSONALITY

like…a little unhinged lol

easily distracted for sure

loves a good deep, emotional conversation sry closed off queens

it’s easy for her to befriend people bc shes kind of intimidating ?? so it makes ppl want to have her approval/be around her yk

like…very selfish. will always put herself first

[everandevermcre]

⌠ quintessa swindell. 25, pansexual, nonbinary, they/he. ⌡ wait a minute, is lake wright townsend still in town? i thought i saw a flash of (motorcycle boots, being the first one in the surf line up, and a vintage les paul strummed between breaks in paint strokes)! last i heard they were working as a(n) mechanic/artist nearby. when it’s the (aquarius)’ birthday on 01/07 i forget that they’re aloof and celebrate that they’re creative. i hear boys and girls by jaden every time i think of them. 

»  lake wright townsend  «

lake townsend ( birth name to forever be unknown ) is a success story told by two white, wealthy californian artists that had found love and the desire to be parents too late, ultimately adopting lake and giving her a life that they wouldn’t have known without them.

lake didn’t know moments of wanting to know their birth parents, having put the thought out of their mind entirely due to the simple fact that they always felt like they BELONGED— a less than easy task for a baby found abandoned at a fire station, for a person of color learning and growing in a white community, for someone who’s always known and practiced fluid sexuality. somehow this has been lake’s story of finding belonging no matter where they are with the support of their loving, overly empathetic and understanding parents that rarely projected their own toxicity.

»  the california girl  «

for the first ten years of life, lake grew up in the canyons of los angeles that attract artists, musicians, writers, actors, and folks representing an astounding variety of spiritual pursuits, including their family.

the townsends lived in topanga canyon, california, where there is a remarkable concentration of creative energy shot through with a general sense of good vibes. this looked like wild, wide-open spaces; enforced solitude; and an atmosphere that teeters between insular and inspiring.

it was very important to the people there that they respect nature and not try to change the small, creative community that thrived there, amongst the trees.

whenever lake came to learn about the green monster that goes with attending to school with malibu’s elite, their parents reminded them that they were not one of the designer beach town inhabitants. “don’t try to change topanga,” they would tell them when lake wished it was more like where their friends lived in malibu, “let topanga change you.”

a bottomless well of privilege, however. struggling artists still struggle. your average poet or painter is going to have a tough time scraping together the bread to buy in topanga, a market where median prices are in the millions.

when lake was on the verge of their eleventh birthday, jobs, money, things that eleven year old could never understand, had their family uprooted across the country to the suburbs of pennsylvania.

topanga canyon was like an aging hippie that refused to wash off its natural character, harboring the same famous aesthetic it held in the seventies and before. similarly, lake refused to wash off the parts of malibu and topanga that shaped them, even if it meant standing out in centralia.

and as fate would have it, lake learned that they loved to stand out.

having dreams of driving a motorcycle along the coast of pacific coast highway toward a morning surf gave lake a vision to aspire toward. of course, they had to start with the family car, but they took care of it to prove responsible enough for something of their own . until then their surfboard would be the most important thing lake takes out for a ride.

»  centralia  «

there was a certain learning curve that came with being the new kid, but lake’s outgoing personality, sense of style, and creativity had them making friends in no time.

most friendships made were lost over time, lake being the type to jump around from friend group to friend group, finding whatever mold fit them best at the time.

while doodling in notebook margins all day, lake daydreamed about working on vintage cars with their dad after school. 

post high school they tried to live and work in philadelphia as an artist, but the city life proved not to be for them.

after a while they made their way back to centralia. it was no california, but it was a closer life to the one they idolized in their mind growing up.

in the evenings and sometimes the late nights into early mornings, lake is painting their colorful mind onto a canvas in hopes of fulfilling the same dream as all those left in topanga canyon: making a sustainable living, perhaps even a luxurious one, from their art.

in the mean time they are simply trying to catch some sleep between art pieces, surf sessions, and working at the garage. 

»  personality  «

lake is both an empath cry baby and a feminist that takes zero shit, stands up for others, and uses their voice as needed.

the person lake loves most in this world is themself and they has no shame in it, having been raised with the idea that they would fall apart if they ever let self-love slip from their grasps.

they have solid posture that commands a room. when sitting, they are often ‘ man - spreading ’ to practice taking up space rather than make themself small.

»  wanted connections  «

past high school friends/acquaintances.

art friends.

best friend, confidante, partner in crime.

flirtationship.

love affair.

friends with benefits.

friends that call them out on their shit.

friends that they would die for.

unrequited crush.

unlikely pairing.

party friend.

friend they makes art with in their down time.

a night owl they hang with when pulling all nighters.

heart to heart - someone they opens up to and vice versa.