You find yourself

Chatterbox: Chirp at Cricket

You find yourself

You find yourself walking home down a rather unusually dark alleyway. You have no memory of this place, and yet burned in your mind is every crack and crevice in this abandoned lot. You pause to wonder why you came this way, and in so doing hear the footsteps behind you that were once masked by your own. You turn to see a shadowy figure approaching. They hand you an envelope, and then disappear in the growing mist. You shake your head and smile as you realize there is no mist, and you must have been daydreaming. As you look down at the bent letter in hand, however, your smile fades.

Dear Recipient,

You have been invited to go on a two-week ski lodge tour. You will be visiting seven possible ski lodges for two nights each. There will be free popcorn, games, and many other... activities. Please leave your packing list under the leftmost red trash bin within the week.

 There are only fifteen (15) spots, limit one (1) alter ego or CAPTCHA per person. We are not responsible for any injuries, deaths, loss of limbs, or loss of sanity. Please be packed and waiting in this spot by 2:00 pm on August the 24th.

We will see you very soon!

Your Guides,

Della and Gabe

Co-Founders of S.L.A.P. 

submitted by Della and Gabe, Your Guides
(August 17, 2019 - 9:49 am)

back to the Chirp at Cricket

Oooh! Fun! I'll bring my camera, books, and my fun colored rock collection.

submitted by Gracia, age timeless
(August 18, 2019 - 7:28 am)

Oh, this is interesting. My theory: this is an experiment to see which ski lodge locations the guests like so whoever's creating this can make another ski lodge after this is over? If that's the case, great idea, Della and Gabe! I'll definitely join! I'll bring my phone (my phone is named Ace, I name everything), a phone charger, headphones, my dented light blue water bottle (I'm terrified of death by dehydration), sketchbook, pens and pencils, maple pecan oat bars, a swimsuit just in case, and a Swiss army knife (I wish I actually had one-- they're so cool!) 

submitted by Fleet, making a playlist
(August 18, 2019 - 3:54 pm)

An interesting theory, no doubt. We shall see...

submitted by Della, Your Guide
(August 20, 2019 - 12:44 pm)
submitted by Top!
(August 18, 2019 - 5:36 pm)

Not sure what this is, but if it involves ski lodges then I am on board.

submitted by Viola?, age Secret, Secret
(August 20, 2019 - 8:23 pm)

I’ll go, and I’ll be bringing my pineapple juice, my notebook, and a flashlight.

 

submitted by Jwyn , age 14
(August 21, 2019 - 9:52 am)

Coming! Hm, what does S.L.A.P. stand for?

I will bring my Kindle, a Harry-Potter-style wand, a notebook, several mechanical pencils and extra graphite, and my D&D books (and character sheets and dice), all contained in a bag of holding. 

I will bring my CAPTCHA, recently renamed Berry. 

submitted by Kitten, Pondering
(August 21, 2019 - 11:21 am)

I bet S.L.A.P. stands for Ski Lodge something something.

I'll come! I'll bring my phone, a notebook, some pencils and pens, and my Swiss army knife.

<tggwu>

'To go with you?' 

Autumn wants to come too, I guess.

submitted by Summer, age pi, Nowhere at all
(August 21, 2019 - 4:33 pm)
submitted by 9 Spots Remaining
(August 22, 2019 - 7:34 am)

Ooh, a ski lodge tour! Sign me up! 

I'll be bringing some sushi (cause I'm kinda craving sushi right now), my phone and earbuds, a notebook and a stetchbook with pens, pencils(some colored), a Nintendo Switch, a couple changes of clothes, some books, and that's pretty much all I can think of.  

submitted by Leo
(August 22, 2019 - 8:04 am)

If we are not full by Saturday, the deadline may be extended a week...

submitted by 8 Spots!, Gabe, Your Guide
(August 22, 2019 - 10:34 pm)

I'll come! I'll bring my phone, some books and writing supplies, and that's it.

submitted by TheaterGirl, age 11, On Stage
(August 28, 2019 - 7:26 pm)

Sounds fun!

I'll bring... Books, more books, and my ballet shoes. And my stuffed bunny!... Don't ask. 

submitted by Twirlgirl, age 14, My Imaginary Dance Studio
(September 4, 2019 - 6:54 pm)

*skreeeeet-crash!*

August the 24th had come and gone. Something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

“Gabe? Gabe, can you hear me?” A teenage girl scrambled clumsily over the dust-rising rubble. Her hair appeared dark, dirty and wet, and her face and clothing were smudged with the dust of debris. She wore once-white boots, a suit, and gloves, and her eyes were as blue and as deep as the ocean. Her face, however, was quite clearly lined with worry—and utter confusion.

Della shivered. The chill wind was nothing like she remembered.  It had all started two weeks ago, or so she had thought, when they had decided to start a ski lodge together. She and Gabe. The hero and heroine of a story nobody read; best friends, characters who lived in the mind of a teenage girl. This was what it was about. A ski lodge, that is. Real-life characters experiencing the mind of another, meeting the characters that lived in their mind’s eye.

And somehow or other, something hadn’t fallen into place. Della clutched at her head and groaned as she was seized by a terrible headache.

“Del,” came a croaking voice, “I think you’re standing on me.” A grimy figure crawled out from a nearby pile of rubbish and rubbed his head. “Why does my head hurt? Why is it so cold all of a sudden?”  

“I don’t... know,” she said heavily, “I just... we’re late.”

“Yes, but how late? Are they still here?”

“I would think so.”

“Let’s go then.” Gabe heaved himself up and trudged unsteadily towards the still-intact door of the ruin. Della painstaking followed.

submitted by Della And Gabe , Your Guides
(October 4, 2019 - 8:12 pm)