unfrequentedplace

[unfrequentedplace]

patience chen moodboard one

[unfrequentedplace]

Patience's mother used to scold her for always getting lost in her own world. It had never been intentional, but it was a habit she still hadn't broken. Clearly.

She was a woman on a mission today. Her mission had no real importance in anyone's lives, but with an otherwise free day, Patience was letting herself waste her time. Besides, if she didn't figure out what the tune in her head was, she worried that she might lose her mind. At least a little. A little more than she already had, that was.

Time had seriously escaped her. A large stack of CDs beside her was the only visual indicator that she had been there for some time, hogging the headphones without any awareness of the world around her.

The tap on the shoulder was the first reminder that Patience was unfortunately not in her own world. She pulled the headphones off of her head, grounding herself. "Oh my goodness." A hand over her heart, Patience laughed apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize how much time I was taking." She placed the headphones down, and began to pack up her collection of CDs.

"Judas Priest's Breaking the Law," she answered. "Well that's the last thing I was listening to. My downstairs neighbor," the man who rented her basement, "is a musician, and he was playing a song that sounded so familiar the other night. It's been stuck in my head ever since, but I haven't seen him for long enough to ask him about it because of our work schedules. Soooo I'm trying to figure out what he was playing so that I can hopefully listen to it and get it out of my head for good. It was too familiar to be an original song."

Open Starter: @cardinalstart Location: Tunes

Billy was a regular face at Tunes. Especially in the more recent months. Only a few people knew what he'd been up to, and of the creative block he'd been having. But music helped alleviate that. Had a CD album in his hands as he walked towards the sound station that had been occupied for over half an hour now, and the only other working one had been occupied by a group of teenage girls gushing over a New Kids On The Block cd. He was steering clear of all that chatter if he could help it. So he decided to take his chance with the person at the other listening station.

He approached them and gave them a little tap on the shoulder to get their attention. "I'm really curious to know what you're listening to, cause you've been here a while now. Aaand I was wondering if I could get a turn at the headphones. I won't be long. Definitely not half an hour long," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. and held up the album he was holding. Gish by some new band called the Smashing Pumpkins.

[unfrequentedplace]

Patience hadn't always been an early riser. It had taken her years to build up the good habit, one that as a mother she found that she needed. Kids always got up to the most mischief in the middle of the night, or at least her kids did. Her kids were now grown adults themselves, but Patience still found herself awake, dressed, and with a big breakfast cooked up for anyone who wished to join her by eight in the morning at the latest.

There was an open invitation to breakfast for anyone who knew her. Most mornings she was joined by at least a couple of people, but this morning, the table sat empty. She never minded an empty table, taking the time to catch up on the latest news or celebrity gossip thanks to the Chronicle or one of the many trashy magazines she subscribed to.

Lately the magazines had taken the backseat to the newspaper. In the past, Patience had been the kind of person who skim the newspaper at best, but for the last few months she had read every single word. She needed to know exactly what was happening, that was the only way that she could keep her family safe.

While the still too hot breakfast cooled on the table, Patience stepped out on her doorstep to fetch the paper. She hadn't expected to find anything else on her lawn, but life had always been full of surprises, hadn't it?

"Beautiful, uh huh." Patience was almost entirely amused, and only a little concerned. "Well it didn't rain, but you might have fallen victim to my sprinkler system if you've been out here for that long." Looking at her wristwatch, Patience added, "it just ticked past eight-thirty."

"You hungry?"

Location: Someone's front lawn Open starter for @cardinalstart Content Warning: Alcohol & Substance Abuse/Blacking Out

Carter had no idea how long he'd been out there. He just knew that as he woke up that morning he was very much not in his bed, let alone inside of his house. He groaned as the chirping of birds and the heat of the sun overwhelmed him. His clothes felt wet as if it had either rained or he had missed the part of the morning where someone's sprinklers had turned on. As he started to wake up more, he felt the pounding in his head, aching in his body as he tried to remember how he had ended up here. He had gone out the night before, against Arturo's wishes and in clear determination to not think about his life for however long. He had already told Goldie he wouldn't be in the next day, faking a cold and immediately heading for the bar as he left the theater in the middle of the day.

The bar led to the liquor store and back to the bar and after that, well Carter didn't know. What he did know was that when he turned over he was looking directly up at the sky. It wasn't the first time he had passed out on someone's lawn but it was certainly the first time since high school and the familiarity of it felt scary to Carter. Still, there wasn't much he could do now, he just lay there a moment longer, trying to figure out what part of town he was in and how far he was from home. But before he could really make a decision, he heard a door open and he finally sat up, rubbing both of his hands against his face.

"Good Morning! Beautiful day we're having," he started, almost laughing at himself. "Do you uh, know what time it is? Or if it rained last night?" He really hoped it was rain, or he was going to have to get these clothes dry cleaned.

[unfrequentedplace]

ira martin moodboard one

[unfrequentedplace]

Ira hadn't rolled into town with enough cash to afford to stay in the inn, and while he was generously given enough for his stay last night, the night had come and gone quickly, and it was already time to check out.

Ira had no idea where he was going to go next. His reunion with Silas hadn't gone as originally planned, but it didn't seem feasible for him to return home either. He supposed he could try to find work in town, but he didn't think his chances of finding anything as quickly as he needed were very high.

Trying his best to make Cardinal Hill work couldn't possibly bring more harm to him though, right?

"Morning," he greeted. He sounded as tired as he looked, both alluding to his troubles. If you looked close enough, you could see just how downtrodden he was. Where there once was a spark in his eyes, there was nothing anymore.

"I've just come to check out." Ira held up his room key, before placing it down on the desk in front of the pair of them. "It's a lovely place, I wish I could have stayed longer." He didn't want to admit to his financial status, but his comment hadn't come out as politely as he meant for it to. It wasn't a cry for help, as much as it sounded like one.

Scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, Ira paused. Was it too much to ask for the manager's help? He felt self-conscious about doing so, but really it made sense to reach out to a local for help. "Hey," he decided to go for it.

Trying was the best course of action, as already established. He hoped so, anyway.

"Do you know if anywhere around here is hiring? Not necessarily here here, at the inn, but literally anywhere around Cardinal Hill."

❁ Location: Maplewood Inn ❁ Open Starter for @cardinalstart ❁ Time: Day after plot drop 7 ❁ Content Warnings: mentions of abuse

Eden awoke in a pool of sweat, rain pounding against her window as she frantically searched for the lamp switch. As the light illuminated the once pitch black room, she was able to focus. Gripping her sheets, she placed her knees to her chest and began counting to one hundred. The nightmare started like any other, walking up to the rooftop of her dorm, the stairs steep and never seeming to end, but when she finally reached the door, something changed. She could feel him as if he were there, grabbing tightly onto her wrists with a force that shook her to her core. No one had ever touched her like that; she'd never had the chance to date in school, always focused on her GPA. It was only meant to be, if anything, a fun make-out. Instead, that night changed so much inside her, as if her DNA had formed into something new; her body often felt like it wasn't hers anymore. Somehow, she managed to wake up before it went any further. Her bangs plastered on her forehead while her limbs stuck together, causing her to feel fussed.

By the time she got to fifty-five, Eden managed to slow down her breathing and not fall into a full-blown panic attack. Unable to stand the feeling of sweat drying on her skin, she took a look at the clock and realized she might as well shower. Work at the Inn started in only four hours; there was no way after that she'd be able to go back to sleep and wake up in time.

Arriving at work early became one of her new favorite things. She'd make sure the lobby was clean, voicemails were checked, and any guest complaints had been dealt with. Then the morning cook would arrive along with other staff, and she would settle into the day as usual, at least that was what she hoped. Eden stood with her elbows on the front desk and her chin in her palms, half of her in the real world while the other half worried about what the nightmare could mean. It wasn't until the desk bell went off that she realized how deep in despair she'd been.

Still, she didn't skip a beat, quickly going into her spiel. "Hi! Welcome to the Maplewood Inn. How can I help you today?" This was why she loved this job; it distracted her brain from every paranoid thought that lurked. It was during these hours that she felt a lot more like herself.

[unfrequentedplace]

Closed starter for Silas Addams @ritualove.

Ira never thought that Silas was his best friend, but he'd tell people that Silas Addams was one of his best friends.

He had nothing but fond memories containing Silas. They'd chat for hours each week, joking like old friends, teasing each other like brothers. Silas, being older, was naturally the one to tease the other, but Ira was okay taking it. He didn't have a brother himself, so he figured himself lucky to be in that position with Silas.

They'd lost contact, that was true, but Ira still thought of Silas as a friend, and a friend was exactly what Ira needed right now, after everything he'd gone through.

His professional and personal life had completely crumbled, caving in on itself, leaving Ira with close to nothing. But he had the clothes on his back, enough cash for a greyhound, and nothing but complete faith that Silas would come through for him. Silas was, after all, the only friend who hadn't taken the side of Ira's ex-wife in the divorce.

If Ira didn't have Silas, he'd have nothing.

It had taken a little work to track Silas down, but despite his unwilling departure from the industry, Ira's work contacts had pinpointed the author's location to Cardinal Hill. Ira had never heard of the place before.

Silas' exact address was a little tricker to figure out, but upon stepping off the bus, Ira had asked the right person who didn't know Silas, but who did know his sibling. It finally felt like his luck was changing for the better.

The place Ira was directed to looked nothing like what he'd imagined for Silas, but it had a quaint kind of charm - and it was better than no house, that was for certain. Double checking the street number that he'd scrawled on the back of his hand after speaking to the Cardinal Hill resident upon arriving, Ira walked toward the doorstep.

Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock.

[unfrequentedplace]

hypatia mcintyre moodboard one

[unfrequentedplace]

Closed starter for Copper McIntyre @blackcatxmagic.

Hypatia had never been to Cardinal Hill before.

She’d seen pictures. Heard all the stories - mostly from Copper, sometimes from Aris, usually with a layer of vague generalities and the occasional half-joke about chickens or busted plumbing. But being here, boots on the pavement and sun on her back, was different. It wasn’t just some small dot on a map anymore. It was real. Lived-in. Quiet in a way that felt peaceful.

She hadn’t even been sure she’d recognize Copper’s place when she found it. There weren’t exactly house numbers painted clearly on every mailbox, and she’d doubled back twice already. But when she reached the porch of the little house with the creaky gate and the potted plant that had definitely seen better days, something in her just knew. It felt like her brother, like his magic.

The bag of candy in her hand was heavier than she’d expected. She shifted it to her other arm and glanced down into it - caramels, lemon drops, sour gummies, those weird candied peanuts she used to hoard from gas stations. Tasty Treasures had been a lucky find on the walk over, and she'd gone a little overboard. But showing up empty-handed wasn’t really her style.

Neither, apparently, was calling ahead.

She stepped up to the door. Not hesitating, just pausing. Taking it in. The way the wind rustled the trees, how her heart kicked up a little in her chest. She hadn’t done anything this impulsive in a while, but it didn’t feel reckless. It felt right.

Hypatia knocked. Three quick raps, confident and clear.

Then, leaning a little closer to the screen, she lifted the bag and called out, a grin blooming uninvited on her face. "Hey! I come bearing sugar and a real big hug when you open up for me."

A small pause, the good kind.

"Hope I got the right house. Otherwise, someone’s about to get a whole lot of candy and a surprise little sister." Her laughter echoed in the door step.

[unfrequentedplace]

Closed starter for Aris McIntyre @hearthandhallows.

Coming to Cardinal Hill hadn’t been the plan. Not originally. But plans had a way of shifting when enough time passed, when enough quiet calls were exchanged over landlines, and when too many silences filled the spaces where answers should’ve been.

Copper had arrived first. Then Aris. Hypatia had stayed behind - at first because it made sense, and later because she couldn’t quite figure out how to follow without making it feel like chasing. She never wanted to be the one who hovered. But she’d also never been good at letting her brothers shoulder things alone.

They talked. Regularly, even. Short calls, sometimes long ones. They didn’t tell her everything, but she was good at reading between the lines. Good at knowing when someone needed something, even if they didn’t say it. Especially then. At least, that was what Hypatia believed.

She didn’t tell them she was coming. Not because she wanted to make a moment out of it, but because she worried that they'd only try to talk her out of it if they knew for sure, and Hypatia had a feeling that she wouldn't settle until she saw the pair for herself. Only then would she be able to properly assess if they were doing okay.

The bus let her off a little ways from town. Her bag was heavy in her hand, not that she minded. Cardinal Hill stretched ahead like something half-familiar and half-dreamt, full of the kind of quiet that made you second-guess your own footsteps. She took it all in with tired eyes and a steady breath. It was exactly how she had pictured, from her siblings' descriptions.

Making her way down the street, Hypatia walked like she had been born and raised in the small town, confident and comfortable. And then, just ahead - Aris. What were the odds?

Back turned, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, walking like he had somewhere to be even if he didn’t. She could tell by the set of his shoulders that something was on his mind. Maybe she was only projecting in her worry for him, however. Hypatia smiled to herself, wider than she'd smiled since she last saw one of her brothers.

She quickened her pace, boots scuffing lightly against the sidewalk as she closed the distance. When she was a step behind him, she leaned in just enough to be heard and said, with the kind of dry fondness only a sister could get away with.

"Excuse me, but do you have a permit for that grumpy expression?"

[unfrequentedplace]

annie prescott moodboard one

[unfrequentedplace]

Annie had returned only out of desperation. She hadn't been sure if she would ever step foot in Cardinal Hill again, not after how she had left it, but she hadn't been able to figure out a better course of action. It wasn't like she was only in charge of her own life, she had April to think about as well, and so even though it was bound to be hard, she knew that she had to face it. She only wished that it wasn't as hard as it already proved itself to be - facing Cardinal Hill and those she had left behind.

Her first visit to the ranch since coming back was more mentally exerting than she could have expected. It was a lot to take in, and she hadn't yet processed it all, nor did she think she'd be able to for some time. She needed a good night's sleep and some space to breath before even thinking about processing anything, that was for certain.

Her natural next step was to pick up some food. Her daughter wasn't expecting her back at the inn for a while, but instead of planning to eat at any restaurant, she planned to pick up enough for the two of them and head back early. As April was quite fond of sushi, and as Annie was feeling particularly apologetic towards her, Summit Sushi was where she found herself.

She'd zoned out looking at the options, but the sound of her own name being said by a familiar voice brought her back quickly. Of course this couldn't have been a simple visit to a restaurant. Annie had almost forgotten just how small the small town was.

"Of all the brothers I thought I might run into, I didn't expect to be seeing you here again." It was slightly relieving, not because she wasn't wanting to see Jesse, but because she was a little scared to. On the top of her mind, Annie also couldn't remember wronging Vale to the extent that she had Jesse, so she hoped that would make for a more peaceful interaction.

"Just rolled into town." It was an awkward, uncomfortable subject, so she kept it as simple as she could get away with. "And it's been a hell of a day, so I was just grabbing something to eat and going back to the inn." She sighed, out of tiredness over anything else. "I didn't realise you were in town?"

Closed starter: Annie ( @unfrequentedplace ) Location: Summit Sushi

The last time Vale had been to Cardinal Hill, there had not been a sushi place, which had felt like a real oversight in his opinion. Who didn’t like sushi? Well…he supposed a lot of people didn’t, but Vale did. So when he had returned to Cardinal Hill and seen Summit Sushi for the first time while heading to Sulfur Music, he’d stopped and stared at it, totally stunned. And it happened at a great time too because Vale ended up having a shit day at work. It wasn’t even that he was dealing with rude customers or anything. On the contrary, the couple he talked with were actually very kind, but what made it so hard was that they wanted to talk about piano. Their young daughter had expressed interest in learning to play, but they (understandably) wanted to start with a keyboard to see if she liked it before committing to a full piano. They’d been asking all kinds of questions about different models, and Vale was uniquely suited to helping them decide, not that they really knew that. So he’d plastered on a fake smile and done his best, and the couple seemed satisfied, even thanking him for his help. But each second of that had felt like he was being stabbed in the heart, and on his break he’d gone outside, and…well, one thing led to another, and he may have punched a wall. Okay, so he definitely punched a wall, and Vale had spend the rest of his break cleaning up his hand. 

By the time his shift was over, Vale felt mentally and emotionally exhausted. His earlier frustration had dissipated, replaced but a sad sort of resignation and that quiet melancholy he was so familiar with at this point. So Vale definitely needed that sushi. He walked into Summit Sushi, ready for the best part of his day. Since he hadn’t known the number, Vale thought he’d just order takeout there and wait. Stepping up to the counter, Vale took a menu and shoved it in his pocket for later use, and he was just about to order when he paused because of what he saw out of the corner of his eye to the left. When Vale turned to face her, at first he thought he must be seeing things. Why would she be here? But it only took a few seconds for Vale to be sure. Yes, she was older than the last time he’d seen her, but there was no doubt in his mind that his sister was sitting at a table at Summit Sushi in Cardinal Hill, basically the last place Vale expected for find her. “Annie?” Vale asked, walking toward her. “What are you doing here?”

[unfrequentedplace]

No immediate push back, that was a good start. Annie could tell herself that she was innocent, that she had tried to reach out to at least Jesse, and that that had meant that the ball was in their court, but the situation was far more nuanced than that. She wasn't innocent. She had hurt people that she loved, even if she had her valid reasons. If Linden had have cursed her out of the place, Annie wouldn't have blamed her. She was glad that they didn't, though.

"Well it does. The amount of skin it took off of me in my youth. Sure, you could blame me for being the one to fall, but did I really fall? Or was the ground just out to get me?" She was nervous. She wanted things to feel normal, to feel good, but she knew it would be unrealistic to expect that.

"It wasn't the plan, to never come back." Her guts felt like they were twisting themselves into tight knots beneath her skin. Annie knew that she couldn't keep her absence unspoken of, but it felt jarring to already be addressing it. "I started to feel like it was just best, though. To stay out of things. Not cause anymore trouble. I don't know."

The sound of Linden's softened voice almost made Annie's tough exterior crack. She wanted to lean into their concern, wanted to let all of her exhaustion out, to lean on them, to reach out for their help - but she knew that she shouldn't. No, Annie had to make amends before she acted entitled to any of their support. It was the fair thing to do.

After a moment, she spoke again. "Well honestly, I feel like I haven't slept a wink for the last sixteen years." Annie laughed not because it was funny, but because there was nothing else she could do. She certainly didn't want to cry about it. "I'm trying to manage. I'm trying my best." She was just sorry that her best hadn't been the best for those she had left behind here.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Linden’s mouth tugged into a wry smile, one that didn’t quite reach their eyes. “Well, that’d clear up the mystery real quick,” they said, voice gentle but not unguarded. “But I think I believe it. It’s the boots, probably. You always did stomp around like the ground owed you something.” They tried to keep it light, tried to joke back, but their arms had crossed somewhere along the way - an unconscious shield.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ They leaned against the counter, fingertips tapping once against the wood, a restless rhythm. Their gaze softened, but the wariness lingered around the edges. “I didn’t think you’d come through that door again. Not really. We all talked about it like maybe one day you would, but -” Linden’s mouth pressed flat for a moment. “One day turned into years.”

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ They let that hang between them, just long enough for the weight to settle. Linden and Annie had been friends. Hell, they’d been friends longer than Jesse and Lin had been friends, but, well. Trends change, rumors fly through new skies, but the Ranch? Jess? Lin? They were right where Annie left them.‎‎

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Truthfully, seeing Annie made something in their heart ache, but not in the reason one might think. No, they had known Jesse for a while. The way he avoided Linden's questioning about Annie, how they always ended up taking messages for him. Yeah, he never explicitly said it, but Linden felt that they knew Jesse well enough to know that, under that tough exterior, something had to hurt.

‎ ‎ ‎ And then, quieter, with a tilt of the head: “You look tired.” It wasn’t an insult. There was concern stitched into the words, tentative but real. “You alright?” They didn’t say it’s good to see you. Not yet. But they hadn’t asked her to come back later, either. That was something.

[unfrequentedplace]

It had always felt so easy to be with Alma. They had been two peas in a pod since grade school, and they remained that way no matter how much time passed, and no matter how much growth happened. Iggy hadn't grown as much as he foresaw himself being able to back when the pair met, at least, not in the ways that he would have wanted. By Alma's side, that didn't matter.

"I'm starting to wonder if people actually do grow up." Iggy could take a guess that Alma was venting more than asking for comment, but it got him thinking about his own week at work. "They're all as stubborn and as selfish as they were when we were kids and they wouldn't share their toys with us on the playground. Sadly there's just no teacher to force an apology out of them when they're this old."

"Heather asked Stacy to cover her shift on Thursday so that Heather could visit her grandma for her birthday, the grandma who just had that fall. Stacy told her that she couldn't because she has family coming over from Portugal, and that they've had a really tough year, which Heather was all sorry for of course, she's a great person." Iggy just about gasped for a fresh breath of air. " But then Connor saw Stacy all over Juan at the drive in Thursday night, and Lucy saw her with Brit at Bonnie's getting an outfit for the date that morning, so she didn't see family at all. Poor Heather. I heard she had a thing with Juan this winter too."

Breaking the news that his own workplace also had issues was quickly shadowed by Alma's bright display of magic. Iggy leant backwards out of the direct heat, laughter quickly following. "I was about to chime in with some of my own. Lucky I didn't, we might have been in real trouble then."

Closed starter: Iggy Rajos @unfrequentedplace

Location: Widow's Bridge

Alma sat on the edge of Widow's Bridge alongside Iggy. Legs dangling over the edge, and arms firmly wrapped around the most stable section of railing. She flicks her hand outwards towards the horizon, small rainbow sparks shooting forth like water droplets only to fall down and down in the river. "I just don't understand why people don't show up to appointments on time. They're fully grown adults and they still use the same excuses kids in highschool use for being late." She groaned to the man next to her about her day at work, her tone errily similar to her fathers when she complains. Other than a few unfortunate times, she was never actually late to any classes at school. Flicking her hand out again, this time shooting out small sparks of only green, she turns her head from the horizon to look directly at Iggy, "I waited for 45 minutes to find out how many chairs were in a building. 45 minutes! And they didn't even give an excuse, let alone an apology." Alma's words were honest and open, something she always felt like she could be with her closest of friends, and not with anyone else. Her and Iggy still come to the bridge every week, and while they're conversations may have drifted from school bullies to problems at work, it was one of the only times Alma could vent without feeling stressed about the consequences. Looking back out to the horizon, she flicked her hand again, this time with much more force. A large array of red, yellow, and blue sparks firing off and into the river, alongside them a burst a strong heat followed. Alma shook her luckily undamaged hand and laughed, "Might've been a bit too strong with that one."

[unfrequentedplace]

Returning to Cardinal Hill hadn't been easy, but the last sixteen years of Annie's life had been no walk in the park either. She wasn't proud of having left. She'd tried to make amends, she'd written, and it wasn't entirely her fault that Jesse had never written her back. She took on a lot of the blame, understanding that it was rightfully hers, but she'd still tried.

Trying didn't always cut it. Her attempts hadn't fixed what she had broken. Her attempts to try to stay afloat outside of Cardinal Hill clearly hadn't cut it either, as she wouldn't have come crawling back unless absolutely necessary. It wasn't that she didn't want to. Annie had often thought about coming back to reconnect with the town and its people, but she'd always made excuses.

I'm far too busy with work to leave now. April's having trouble at school, I should focus on helping her first. I haven't had a day off in months, I shouldn't spend it travelling. The list extended further. It took an eviction and a disrespectful manager with wandering eyes for Annie to finally give in and pack herself and her daughter up to make the trek back to the ranch.

She'd booked them a room at the inn, not wanting to assume there'd be space for them at the ranch, not even though she was technically co-owner. Part of her had also opted for the inn in case a little space was needed. It had been so long. Honestly, who could have known what she'd be coming back to?

The solace she'd found in her bed at the inn was hard to leave, but she knew from the moment that her head hit the pillow that it couldn't last. She hated to think what Jesse might think if he heard word of her return yet hadn't gotten a visit from her. Besides, if Annie kept herself from the ranch for too long, she knew it would only be harder to show up. It had to be done.

She swallowed her pride and made the familiar journey. Her mouth was dry with anxiety and her shoelaces were tied too tightly. She did nothing to fix either problem to ensure that she wouldn't find herself procrastinating any further. With a loud and shaky exhale, Annie let herself in.

Jesse was who she had prepared to see, as much as she could have prepared anyway. She hadn't expected Linden, not even when it made perfect sense in hindsight. The sight of her old friend caught her off guard. The sight of her old friend made her feel so guilty.

"I can pinch you if you'd like, if you don't believe it." Her humor was as dry as her mouth. What a stupid thing to say.

✿ Closed starter for Annie (@unfrequentedplace) at Prescott Ranch.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎When the door clicked open, Linden had been in the middle of restocking that drawer, and adding another line underneath the word "not," bringing the total up to five, and thought, Five's gotta be good, right? they thought, a breath of tired humor escaping their nose as they shoved the drawer shut with their hip.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎They were already turning away when movement in the doorway caught their eye. And when they looked up, really looked, they froze. Blinked. Then blinked again, slower this time, like they were trying to clear dust from their eyes. The sight didn’t change. Standing there, like something conjured out of old rumors and long-held tension, was Annie Prescott.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ "Holy shit," Linden breathed, the words punching their way out of their chest before they could think better of it. Their eyebrows shot up, the surprise as plain as day on their face. The silence that followed felt a little too loud, a little too still, like the room was holding its breath along with them.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Of all the things they’d expected today, feeding Briar, rerouting a lost guest, possibly arguing with Jesse over invoices, this was not on the list. Not even close. They squinted slightly, not out of poor vision but disbelief, like the woman standing in front of them might vanish under too direct a stare. "Ann? That really you?" They didn’t mean for it to sound suspicious, but there was a wariness in their tone that made it clear - this was not a warm welcome. This was caution. This was history.

[unfrequentedplace]

𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 ・ dependent on @cardinalhq

annie prescott

hypatia mcintyre

ignacio 'iggy' rajos

ira martin

patience chen

[unfrequentedplace]

Walking through the picturesque streets of Cardinal Hill, you find Patience Chen, the 66 year old phone operator originally from the San Fernando Valley, CA. Living alongside them in such a small town, you know that they're outspoken and oversharing, but what you might not know is that they are a witch, and that they’re hiding something… ― Jennifer Tilly, bisexual, woman, and she/her.

BASICS

Loud-laughing, sharp-tongued, warm-hearted. A little too much of everything.

Married at 17, widowed at 25, something she won't admit was for the best until she's had a few glasses of wine.

Became a foster parent at 27, adopted her first child at 30. Now the proud (and occasionally lonely) mother of six fully grown children.

Veteran phone operator turned emergency dispatcher; practical, unshakeable, and increasingly aware her job might not exist much longer.

Known for her 'odd' habits, uncanny timing, and jars full of herbs and things no one asks about.

If you believe in magic, you probably know exactly what she is. Even if you don't believe, you might call her a witch without realising its truth.

CURRENTLY

Lives alone - unless you count the basement renter, Jules Davenport, who she took in both out of habit and intrigue.

Keeps one foot in the mundane world and one firmly in the other.

The type of woman who’ll read your cards without asking - and be right about it - but she won't say anything unless you're willing.

Wears long nails, strong perfume, and a lot of accessories.

CONNECTIONS WANTED

Former foster kids.

Her six kids.

Neighbours.

People nosy enough to wonder what happened to her husband.

Friends, rivals, gossips, and tea partners.

People who know her via Jules.

[unfrequentedplace]

Walking through the picturesque streets of Cardinal Hill, you find Ira Martin, the 35 year old currently unemployed person originally from London, UK. Living alongside them in such a small town, you know that they're optimistic and down on his luck, but what you might not know is that they are a human, and that they’re hiding something… ― Daniel Radcliffe, bisexual, man, and he/him.

BASICS

Endearingly optimistic, perpetually unlucky, the kind of man who laughs so he won’t cry.

Moved to New York after high school to chase a career in publishing. It never quite clicked, but he was still happy with where he ended up.

One setback snowballed into another: house destroyed by a tree, job lost, marriage crumbled.

Lost nearly everything in the divorce, including most of their mutual friends and his two children.

Moved to Cardinal Hill following the one friend who hadn’t picked sides, only to realize that friendship wasn’t mutual...

Carries himself like someone always waiting for the next thing to go wrong, but still gets up anyway.

CURRENTLY

Drifting through odd jobs, small favours, and long walks. Trying not to admit how lonely he is.

Doesn’t talk about his past unless you catch him venting, though he never talks about his kids.

Keeps smiling, even when it doesn’t reach his eyes.

The kind of guy people root for... even if they don’t know why.

CONNECTIONS WANTED

Locals who pity yet befriend him.

A landlord (maybe begrudgingly housing him for very little cash).

Someone from his old life who shows up unexpectedly.

The one person who could coax the truth about his children out of him.

Someone who gives him a hand - or maybe a job.

A fling that allows him to have a moment where he's not thinking about his ex-wife.