Places to Chat
It's night. You'r
Chatterbox: Pudding's Place
It's night. You'r
It's night. You're sitting in your bed, staring out the window, searching for something lost. But you can't remember what it is, or was. All you know is that it's out there...it's important...and it was once yours.
Perhaps you never used it, perhaps you did--once, maybe twice. Or more. But for some strange reason, you can't remember if you did or didn't. Or what effect it had on you. Or...where it is now.
As you awoke from a particularly bland and boring dream, the memory that you were missing this...thing slid into your head. As you sat in a haze between asleep and awake, you stared outside, scouring the landscape that, for one fleeting moment, was no longer the familiar world you saw every day.
So here you are, staring outside, searching.
And then you finish waking up.
And here you are, trying to remember what you were just doing.
Hm, you think, smacking your dry lips. The covers rustle as you reach for your water glass, which sits by your lamp on your nightstand like it does every night. That's really wierd...I can't remember my dream. It seemed important--almost real. Your hand meets cold glass and you close your fingers around it. You bring it to your lips for a satisfying sip, but you realize that it's empty.
"Darn," you whisper. You'll have to get out of bed to fill it up--but it's really cold, and you don't have socks on.
Eh, it's no big deal. You'll fill it up.
Throwing the covers to the side, you haul yourself out of bed. With every footstep towards the kitchen all memory of strange dreams and searches leaves you, and by the time you return to your comfy nest of blankets with your full cup of water, the night seems almost normal. That is, until you glance outside the window.
Something moves across the front of the moon, which is full and shines right through the middle of your window, lighting up your comforter. What could it have been? It seemed familiar...And perhaps it's the fact that you're still half asleep, half awake that you can sense it, but a powerful force beats from it. Calling you. Presenting opportunities that you absolutely cannot miss.
Without any hesitation you get back out of bed, but before you can even leave your bedroom you notice a puddle of water near your nightstand.
So that's where all my water went, you realize. I must've knocked it over. Upon closer inspection you realize that there's writing on the carpet, glowing faintly yellow from under the patch of wetness.
The writing is so interesting you don't even realize how strange it is that the puddle isn't soaking into the carpet, or wonder how the words got there. In fact, the words don't even seem scary to you, despite their suspicious nature.
Hello, person! You are one of the lucky few CBers to be chosen to go on a nice, relaxing, beautiful vacation over Lake Lelillo! (Lay-LIH-loh) If you do indeed come, and we absolutely hope you do decide to, you will be given a free getaway from work, school, and empty water glasses! Here at Lake Lelillo, you will have all-day access to the lake itself, the fun attractions, the ice cream stands, the hot dog stands, the hamburger stands, the steak stands, the spagghetti stands, and any other stand marked with a silver star. (Which is all of them, so please don't forget!) Your rooms will be huge and most of them will even overlook the lake! They will of course be inside our one and only Luxury Lake House, which you will live in until your stay comes to a close. Remember this is all completely free, free free! Please pack your things, bring an AE and/or CAPTCHA if you'd like, and wait with them by the nearest stream at sunrise tomorrow morning. As we always say: All inlets lead to Lelillo!
~Your Soon-to-be Chaperones,
Cassy and Lily of Lake Lelillo
How you read all that small print was beyond you. Will you go? It certainly seems relaxing enough. The choice is yours to make.
-------------------------
I'll tell you all when the spots are closed, so join while you still can!
Please note that this is my second ski lodge, and it's kind of linked to my first. In a sense, it's the next part. I don't know if I should call it a part two, or what, but some things might reference the first ski lodge. Don't worry--I'm not going to make things super confusing. I'll explain things as I go--and I really need new CBers to join in. But I also need some CBers from my previous ski lodge to come. ('Course, they don't have to join if they don't want to; I'll understand.)
Here's another clue (if you didn't catch the others...) for the CBers who were in my first ski lodge, or read it, and wanted to be in this one:
What do you get when you cross a scorpion and a sloth?
Hehe, my alias isn't going to last the day. :D
submitted by Your Chaperones, Cassy and Lily
(January 1, 2017 - 11:51 am)
(January 1, 2017 - 11:51 am)
I'm sorry I haven't been commenting, but this is amazing!!!
(June 22, 2017 - 6:19 pm)
Helloooooooooo, everybody, and welcome back to the Lake Lelillo ski lodge! I'm so sorry for not posting for so long. Sometimes I skip a day and then disappear. I should really stop doing that...
Anyway, here's the next part. RECAP: September and Shadow were killed during murder in the dark. Now everyone's going to find Cassy and Lily/clean up/get the funeral ready.
-----------
While one group took the blocks off the windows and another prepared for the funeral, the last group ran into Lily at the front door to the mansion. She looked like she had just unlocked the doors, as she was holding a keychain that was still in the lock. The doors were open and the CBers could see the staff members peering in curiously behind Lily's back.
Lily smiled when she saw the CBers. She pulled the key out of the lock and stepped back to let the staff file in, then walked over to the CBers.
"Hi guys," she said. Seeing their impassive faces, her brow furrowed. "What's wrong? Did your party get messed up?"
Elvina choked. "Uh, PARTY?"
It was Lily's turn to look confused. "Yeah, Cassy said you guys were having a party."
"CASSY said that?"
"...Yeah? I think so." Lily looked up in thought. "Yep, she definitely said that."
Suddenly Cassy walked in, bringing up the rear and closing the front doors. As soon as she turned around, she met the Chatterboxers' gaze, and they could plainly see the pain in her eyes.
"You're all right!" she blurted, rushing over.
Elvina was very confused, as were the others in her group. What was going on with their chaperones?
"...Yeah, why wouldn't they be?" Lily asked.
Cassy blushed. "I--um--erm--um--" she stammered. "Well--uh--you know--"
And suddenly it clicked.
"YOU," Elvina roared. "ARE. DESPICABLE!"
Cassy shrank back, stunned.
Behind Elvina, Brooklyn Newsie coughed hintingly. "Be gentle," she muttered under her breath.
"ME? BE GENTLE? SHE'S WORKING WITH THE MURDERER!" Elvina shouted, lunging for Cassy. Brooklyn Newsie and Kate the Great grabbed the back of Elvina's shirt and pulled her backwards while Lily's jaw dropped and she turned to Cassy. The staff politely exited the room.
"Who, Cassy?" Lily asked, shocked. "No. She'd--" Lily paused, her face taking on an odd expression, "...never work with the murderer," she murmured.
"She would. Tell the truth," snarled Elvina, snapping her head towards Cassy.
Hurt was evident in Cassy's eyes. "I--I--I--"
"Don't let her get away!" Elvina shrieked as Cassy stepped backwards.
Two CBers, startled at Elvina's reaction, which was nothing like their own, walked over and grabbed Cassy's arms almost apolegetically.
"Tell us!" yelled Elvina. "For once, tell us the truth!"
Cassy bit her tongue. "D-don't be mad--"
"MAD?" laughed Elvina, near hysterics. "YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT OUR ANGER BEFORE YOU JOINED THE MURDERER!"
"Look, it's not like that!" She looked to Lily for support, but Lily only gaped at her sister. Cassy was on her own with this one. She took a deep breath. "Yes. I am working with the murderer."
Elvina laughed manically. "I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE UNTRUSTWORTHY!"
Oh great, thought Newsie dully. Sounds like we've got another Jayfeather to deal with.
"But I--but I--" Cassy broke off, took one look at the heartbroken faces staring back at her, and yanked her arms out of the CBers' grasps. Then she turned and fled for the front doors. A split second later, all that was left of Cassy was the echo of a slamming door.
Elvina fell to her knees. "Deep breaths," soothed Brookyn Newsie, rubbing the CBette's back. "Let's get back and tell the others."
"We could still catch up!" Elvina gasped. "We have to catch her!"
"No, she's probably long gone," Kate said. "Let's get back and spread the word."
"But she didn't even tell us why..." Elvina said sadly.
"C'mon," Nighthawk said, reaching her hand down to help Elvina up.
"Are you all right, Lily?" asked Joan. Lily had a faraway look in her eyes as she gazed past the front doors.
"...Sure," she replied. "Totally fine."
"Do you want to come with us?" asked Joan.
"...Sure. I'll message the others."
------------------------------------
The CBers gathered in a large sitting room. They waited expectantly in chairs for the news Lily had warned them about. Elvina stood up, having nominated herself the bearer of the message, and took a deep breath.
"Cassy has fled the mansion," she declared.
Everyone gasped. "Why?!" they asked.
"Her cover has been blown. She's working with the murderer."
"What?!" the CBers exclaimed. "How do you know?"
"She told us," Elvina said, looking to the CBers who had been with her at the time. They nodded in confirmation.
There was a stunned silence that Puck broke:
"I guess we should've been expecting something like this."
The others nodded miserably.
"Did she tell you why she was doing it?" asked Jayfeather angrily, slamming his fist on a side table.
"No," answered Elvina. "But if she was being blackmailed, we'll never know. My guess is that she wasn't. I bet she was doing it on her own free will."
"We'll never know," agreed Brooklyn Newsie.
"Where is she now?" asked Ice Wolf.
"She's somewhere out there...out on the property," answered Kate the Great.
"What should we do?" asked Poetic Panda.
"Maybe we shouldn't go outside at all anymore," mused Nighthawk.
"Do you think she's still working with the murderer?" asked Hotairballoon.
"What if she sneaks back into the house to set more traps?" Dragonrider asked.
Lily stood silently off to one side as the CBers came up with ideas.
"We'll have to guard the house!" exclaimed Booksy Owly.
"Even at night?!" exclaimed Moonfrost.
"I guess so," Booksy replied. "Maybe not."
"Let's send out a search party," suggested Joan. "Find her quickly. Keep her in one room so we know she can't do any harm."
"For now," Panda said, "we have to assume that the outdoors is completely rigged. Well, by tomorrow we can assume that." She, Booksy, and Hotairballoon launched into a discussion about guard duties and search parties.
"Lily," said Joan, "can you alert the staff to keep an eye out for her?"
Lily jumped. She looked at Joan warily, then nodded. "Sure." Lily pulled out her walkie talkie, then left the room.
(June 22, 2017 - 6:22 pm)
Wow, drama! Micearenice you are a FANTASTIC writer!!!!!!! I am so glad I entered this. To be part of of a ski lodge by someone who's pretty much famous for ski lodges (the Farm one lasted a really long time, and had a reputation for being high quality).
(June 24, 2017 - 8:08 am)
Oh my gosh, thank you so much, Owlgirl! I've worked so hard on this one, and I'm so glad that you're enjoying it! I actually just realized I'm closer to being done than I thought. That's kind of disorienting...O.o I had settled myself in for a long ski lodge, and BAM, just as I'm moving on to day eight I realize there's only so much farther I can take it. Oh well! Thankfully I've got one more ski lodge planned out in my mind. It'll be the shortest of them all, and after that, I've got the BIGGEST of my projects prepared. I won't be without something to write for a while yet.
And Owlgirl, I just wanted to tell you, your ski lodge is super amazing. I read the whole thing in one day a while back and remember thinking, 'man, I wish I could write like this.' I just loved the parts with the killer in them--I think my favorite part was Squeak's death. It was just so vivid in my mind. I'm so glad you're planning on finishing the story!!!
(June 25, 2017 - 12:43 pm)
Aww, thanks!
And I thought of a writing tip when I read that you were closer to being finished than you thought. Here's my advice: pause before just writing, writing, writing. Make sure you have stuff really planned out. Like I know you said you have the plot already outlined and such...make sure you figure out how exactly this story will end. Have the backstory ready (the past), and know how you're going to write the future, while weaving it with the mystery of the past. Don't let the details hit you in the face.
I might be being unclear right now...but basically one bump in the road with the writing process of my ski lodge was not having all its stuff completely ready. I mean, of course I had an outline, idea of who would survive, and what the killer backstory/motive/mystery was. I knew the connections between things. But I didn't have it planned exact enough...which was fine early and middle of the story, because I didn't need a super exact idea of what would happen in the end. Then after I took a break from the story, I realized I couldn't delay those changes anymore...the story was closer than I thought. The things I had been saving for the end...well, it is was the end. So right now I have to take the time to figure out all that.
Maybe you do have it already, and maybe you even have a little time before having to pause and self-check. I'm not psychic, so I don't know! I just wanted to say all that as kind of a heads-up. You're doing fantastic so far. I really love the writing style and the story itself!!! This story is strong in not just one or two but a lot of aspects, and that is an excellent trait for a writer. Keep up the good work! We're dying inside of course but we're also patient. :)
(June 26, 2017 - 4:10 pm)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Now this is just getting creepy beyond words! Egad! But it is SO WELL WRITTEN! I love it! Amazing!
Keep writing, Micearenice!
(June 23, 2017 - 6:01 pm)
Thank you, Pepper Star! I hope it's not too creepy. :) If it is, though, just tell me. I don't want to write a terribly depressing/creepy story and then expect you guys to read it.
(June 25, 2017 - 1:04 pm)
Here is the link to your first ski lodge, for anybody who wants to read it and not flip through 46 pages.
http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/puddingsplace/node/192112
@Admins, please link this! Thank you!
(June 23, 2017 - 6:33 pm)
*sighs reminiscently* I still read through that story sometimes. It was SO much fun to write. I feel like this one might be better-written, but it's less...creative, I would say. I dunno. I don't think I added enough fluff; compared to the enrichment in my other lodge this one's all skin and bones. The farm story will always have a special place in my heart. (And my computer.) XD
(June 25, 2017 - 1:09 pm)
Wait- I know this is really weird, but could Lily and Cassy be the Farmer's daughters? Just a thought.
(June 28, 2017 - 11:31 am)
Well, don't think I haven't thought about making them related to either the farmer or the farmer's assistant. :P I mean, they do slightly resemble the farmer's assistant in looks. But I decided against that--knowing their true identities, it wouldn't make sense.
NEXT PART:
The Chatterboxers were starving by the time they had finished Shadow and September's funerals. But they waited until after the services to eat, because to have waited would have been to have let Cassy set traps for them. Nobody wanted that.
After they ate their brunch all alone in the dining room, everyone regrouped in the living room for some hard studying. They actually managed to gather quite a bit of information about the murderer--of course, it's up to you to collect your own notes.
After their minds started to blank, the CBers listlessly finished cleaning the rest of the house. Afterwards, a few of them went to the kitchen for a snack, and the rest took naps.
Sometime during the day it began to rain. The thunder shook the house and the rain pattered on the roof in a gentle, lulling way. The CBers couldn't bring themselves to do anything. Lily was nowhere to be seen. A few CBers fiddled around on Dragonrider's iPad until it ran out of charge.
"Oops. I haven't charged it since we got here," Dragonrider apologized, tossing it onto a table without getting up.
"Boy is it lonely here without September," sighed Booksy Owly.
"Yeah," agreed Nighthawk.
"And Shadow," Moonfrost said. "I feel so empty without her."
"I see what you mean," nodded Joan, glancing down to the floor below Moonfrost's feet. In the spot where a shadow would've been, there was only the floor. "You remind me of Peter Pan now."
Moonfrost smiled faintly and grabbed Shadow's chicken gun, which she now carried with her everywhere she went. "Oh well. Cassy was right, on any account. I'll see her when we get back to the Chatterbox."
For some reason, Moonfrost's statement seemed to irk Jayfeather. A few minutes later, he stood up, clenched his fists, and made for the door.
"Jayfeather, don't you dare leave this room," Cinderpelt warned him.
He ignored her, and she was forced to leap up from her seat and follow him. Brooklyn Newsie and Poetic Panda raced after her to help bring Jayfeather back.
"Ariel, you go too," Joan said to her AE. "Jayfeather will listen to you."
"Poor Jayfeather," said Autumn Leaves after Ariel had left. "I keep trying to tell him it's not his fault. He won't listen. I'm afraid he's going to try something..." She trailed off. "Something awful."
"I've already had to stop him, like, twice," said Hotairballoon. "Or thrice. Well, I keep loosing count. But a lot of times. Same goes for Ariel."
"What?!" Joan exclaimed.
"Yep."
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Joan said.
"Well, I thought he'd changed his mind for a while. But apparently he hasn't."
"How did I not notice this?" Joan asked.
"He tries to hide it from you," HAB replied.
"But then how do you know it?" Joan countered.
Hotairballoon shrugged. "I was on their team at the cooking competition."
"Oh. So that's what they were trying to do there."
Everybody fell silent.
"If we don't do something, they might hurt themselves," Autumn Leaves said after a while.
"What can we do, though?" asked Booksy.
"Well..." Autumn Leaves hesitated. "I don't know. Talking is obviously not working."
"Letting them think about it is obviously not working either," agreed Joan.
Just then, Ariel walked through the door. Behind him came Jayfeather, then Cinderpelt, then Newsie and Panda. "We're back," declared Panda.
"Jayfeather, go to your room," snapped Cinderpelt. Jayfeather skulked away.
When the CBette sat down, she sighed. "I don't know WHAT I am going to do about him," she said with a shake of her head. "I do know he's not coming down to dinner. I just grounded him."
"It's true," Ariel said. "You should've seen her. She totally blew up at him."
Joan was staring at Ariel in an intense way. "Uh," he said. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
The CBette realized she wasn't being very subtle, so she lowered the intensity of her gaze until her face looked normal again. "...No reason."
"Well..." Ariel said. "Um, who's hungry?"
-----------------------------------
After a quiet dinner with Lily, the CBers discussed what they would do about Cassy. While they talked, the murderer pulled out a little slip of paper it had found earlier that day and began to read it.
@--Well, you know who you are, from: you know who I am:
I have some really important news for you that can't afford being overheard. I need to share it with you ASAP, so please leave me a reply where I left this note. You're better at picking out spots to meet than I am, so just leave me a reply on the back and I'll be able to tell you this news.
The murderer smiled and shook its head. Then it tucked the note away inside its pocket for later, rejoining the conversation with gusto.
"The staff are looking for Cassy while they work," Newsie said.
"Yeah," agreed Moonfrost. "Hopefully they'll find her."
"But she's a dangerous hazard and there's no knowing what she'll do to them if they find her," Elvina said.
"Should we train them up to fight her?" wondered Poetic Panda.
Moonfrost, Puck, Dragonrider, and Booksy looked at each other excitedly. Joan and Hotairballoon could only sigh, for they hadn't been able to take part in any of the farmer's training. Although, they did have experience training animals--not that that would be of any help towards training humans.
"Nah," all five said at once. "It's not worth it."
"Okay, then," Panda said, bewildered. "Any other ideas?"
"Search parties," suggested Dragonrider. "Get her before she can do any harm."
"Let's do it tonight!" Elvina exclaimed eagerly.
Kate patted Elvina on the back. "Easy does it, tiger," she said. "No need to rush."
"She'll know all the secret passages!" argued Elvina. "What if she escapes the lake?!"
"Then that's good for us," Kate said.
"Oh. Right."
They threw around a few more ideas. Eventually they decided that Lily would be their most valuable tool in finding Cassy, as she knew her sister's habits better than anyone.
"Speaking of Lily, what do you think she's doing all by herself tonight?" wondered Nighthawk.
"I dunno," Autumn Leaves said. "I hope she's not too lonely, wherever she is."
"Do you think she wants some company?" Briar asked.
Chester gave her a dirty look.
"What was that for?!" Briar exclaimed.
"Kill," Chester spat.
"Umm..."
"Ksep?!" exclaimed LilyCat, staring wide-eyed at Chester.
"Omcl!" Cinderheart and Luna gasped together.
"Oh my Claaws?" Autumn Leaves and Cinderpelt queried simulatneously.
Luna rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "IaKt," she explained.
"I didn't know you did Kyngdom, Luna," Autumn said, surprised.
"Pfft," Luna said with a dismissive wave of her paw. "Mwks." The little wolf narrowed her eyes at Briar. "Brir."
"Hey, now, it's not nice to accuse people," Autumn Leaves scolded her CAPTCHA.
"PFFT," Luna repeated, her hackles rising. "Cbhx. Faic."
"I didn't kill September!" Briar exclaimed.
"Mhmm," Luna said, unconvinced.
Nico sauntered over and sat down next to Briar. "Egty?" he asked, looking up at her.
"Eigetty what?" Briar demanded, annoyed.
"EEEG!" Nico repeated. Then he dug his claws into her arm.
Briar shrieked as Nico drew his claws down her arm. She made as if to slap him away, but then thought better of it and watched him helplessly.
"NICO!" Ice Wolf shouted angrily. "Stop that!" She ran over and grabbed her CAPTCHA, then tugged him off of Briar, whose right arm was now red and sore.
"EEEN," he yowled at his CBer. Luna snickered, hiding her grinning snout under her paws. Autumn Leaves glared at her.
All the CAPTCHAs began to talk at once.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" bellowed Autumn Leaves, standing. "I think it's time we all went to bed now," she said decisively.
Everybody nodded, gathered their CAPTCHAs and AEs, and got ready for bed. They had had enough talking for one day. Now they were ready to have some alone time within their own minds.
(June 29, 2017 - 8:21 pm)
Great!
(July 1, 2017 - 10:00 pm)
(July 7, 2017 - 11:19 pm)
Wow, so much suspicious activity.
(July 9, 2017 - 9:40 am)
How do you write like that? Seriously, it is amazing.
LilyCat, do you know what's going on?
mybe. hehe.
(July 9, 2017 - 8:22 am)