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)

back to the Pudding's Place

Day Nine -- Part Three
------------------------------------

Ice Wolf opened her eyes, listening carefully to the CBers dozing around her. No one was moving too much...so she sat up and allowed herself a hesitant sweep of the room. Nighthawk, Panda, Dragonrider, Ariel, Puck, and Briar all seemed to be sleeping soundly. She threw back the covers and stepped lightly to the ground.

Ice Wolf lifted her lamp up off of her night stand and grabbed the small, crinkled note she had hidden there. She unfolded it and read the contents one last time. Then, sure she would be arriving at the meeting place early, she tucked the note into her pocket and crept out of the room.

It was eerie to see the mansion so still during the day. Things had gotten to the point where rooms were just as creepy in the light as they were in the dark.

Ice Wolf headed down the hall, her bare feet barely making a sound on the decorative rugs. Dust motes floated listlessly through the air, adding to the calm yet hesitant mood.

Ice Wolf made her way up to the attic. The murderer had given her instructions to meet in 'the living room with the floral couches and tacky wallpaper'. Ice Wolf wasn't sure where that was, but she was sure she could find it. And once she did...she would hide and wait for the murderer to arrive. This was her big break. She could hardly wait to bust the murderer.

Ice Wolf wandered around the attic rooms for a while until her eye caught on a large pink couch in a neighboring room. Inside was a wide assortment of flowered seating. She breathed a sigh of relief; she had been worried that she wouldn't be able find it. Now...where to hide?

The Cbette rushed over to a blanketed armchair in the back of the room. She hid herself against the back of the chair, underneath the sheet that was dangling over the back. Ice Wolf was sure to leave a small opening between the sheet and the chair that she could look through when the murderer arrived.

She didn't have to wait long. She held her breath as she heard footsteps coming down the hall, her heart beating faster. Was she really about to discover the murderer's identity?

The footsteps faded away and Ice Wolf's elation evaporated. She had gone into the wrong room, hadn't she? 

"Caaaaaassy," came a voice from just down the hall. "Where are you?"

Ice Wolf's eyes widened. She definitely recognized that voice, and that was all the proof she needed. But the murderer wouldn't leave until it had found Cassy...Ice Wolf heard it enter the room.

"Cassy. Are you in here?"

The murderer clomped to the far side of the room. There was a clicking sound--the sound of a lock being undone--and a creak. Ice Wolf shivered as a musty smell reached her nostrils and she realized that a secret passage had been opened.

Finally the secret passage was closed, and Ice Wolf heard a sigh. "I should've expected her to be late. Fine. Well, if she's not going to be punctual she'll just have to keep the information to herself. I've got things to do."

Ice Wolf held her breath--and just like that, the murderer left.

She waited a few minutes before emerging from her hiding place. Cautiously she tiptoed out of the room, not even considering the fact that she could be walking into a trap.

Just as she passed over the door's threshold, she felt something large collide with her body. Ice Wolf toppled over, and everything went dark.

------------------

The Chatterboxers awoke feeling refreshed yet groggy. The inhabitants of the Hidden Trove, however, did not. They noticed Ice Wolf's absence right away.

"Ice Wolf?" Nighthawk said. "Um, has anyone seen her?"

Panda, Dragonrider, Airel, Puck, and Briar shook their heads. "Maybe she's in the bathroom."

She wasn't. There was no one in the bathroom.

Most of the other CBers had already awoken when the occupants of the Hidden Trove came out, anxiously searching for their roommate.

"Whatcha looking for?" asked Wordsy.

"Ice Wolf. Seen her anywhere?" Puck replied.

"No."

Everyone began to grow uneasy. These disappearances usually ended with a nasty surprise. In fact, even though she had only been missing for a few minutes (in their perspectives), they had pretty much resigned themselves to the fact that Ice Wolf was...not alive anymore. They would still look for her, of course...just without any hope.

The Chatterboxers yawned and exited the room. To their surprise, Lily was coming up the hallway.

"Hey!" she said when she saw them. "I was just coming to see if you were all awake. I came up earlier and you were asleep." Lily was looking more cheerful than she had since Cassy had disappeared. The CBers tried to mirror her expression, but failed.

"What's wrong?"

  Oh, Lily, surely you can guess.

"Ice Wolf's missing," Dragonrider replied.

"Oh no!"

The Chatterboxers nodded dismally and spent about an hour looking for her. They wished that the murderer wasn't so secretive about where it set its traps.

---------------------------------

They could not find Ice Wolf. They scoured the house three times at least, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

"What do you think happened?" Ariel wondered.

"I don't know," Briar snapped, "but if we still had our communications devices we wouldn't be so confused."

The Chatterboxers eventually had to resign themselves to the fact that she was gone. Gone, gone, gone, gone. They held a service for her outside, then retreated back into the safe confines of the Noodle Manor.

"You know," Panda said quietly as the CBers reentered the house, "I'm kind of suspicious of the other employees here."

"Why?" Wordsy asked.

"Well," Panda said, "they could just as easily be accomplices too. Maybe Lily should get them to leave."

Booksy leaned in. "Are you sure? Who would take care of the lake?"

Panda narrowed her eyes. "I don't think the lake is our top priority anymore."

Booksy cocked her head. "Then what is?"

"Survival."

Booksy glanced at Panda. Survival, huh. If only you knew what I knew. Or do you know...what if we're all hiding Cassy's secret? 

submitted by Lily and Cassy, Lake Lelillo
(October 22, 2017 - 1:19 pm)

AHHHHHH NO. I MUST HAVE MORE TO READ. MAKE MORE! 

submitted by Ice Wolf, age Immortal! , MY IMAGINATION
(October 24, 2017 - 2:37 pm)
---------------------------- 
"You want me to fire everyone?!" Lily exclaimed.
"No, no, no, just make them leave--temporarily," Poetic Panda clarified.
Lily's eyebrows knitted together. "Um...why?"
Panda sighed. "So that they don't start working for the murderer."
"Oh," Lily said. "Hm. That's a good thought. But...I don't think they will."
"You didn't think Cassy would either," Elvina interjected.
Lily frowned.
The Chatterboxers had met up with Lily and Pierre in the ballroom--the one where Spyro had died. The two chaperones were dust-mopping the floors.
"Are you going to fire me, too?" Pierre asked, his voice echoing in the airy expanse.
"Don't inspire me," Elvina muttered.
"I'm the one who does the firing around here," Lily said to Elvina. She pushed a pile of dust over to Pierre, who was holding a broom."I mean, I can kick everyone out if you really want me to," she said to Panda.
"I think it's for the best," Panda said.
"Well, okay." It's better than some options. Lily shoved her dust mop into Pierre's arms. "You finish. I'll be back later."
----------------------------
That night, the employees of Lake Lelillo packed their bags and left. However, one rogue member of the staff--if she could even be called that--remained. She watched them leave with a twinge of sadness, knowing they were being kicked out on her behalf.
But she could feel no remorse. The story was taking its course, and that was how things should be. It was always better to have the staff leave than the Chatterboxers. Always.
The employees faded into the darkness as they left the lake. Cassy felt no different as their forms blurred and disappeared. That was good. Things were in balance--at least for now. She wondered when Lily would summon them again. If her sister ever would summon them again.
--If she'd even have the chance to speak with Lily again before the ski lodge ended, for better or worse.
--------------------
  Day Ten -- Part One
The next morning passed relatively normally--at least until Moonfrost needed a drink of water.
She turned on the faucet to the bathroom sink, but nothing came out. Moonfrost frowned and tried the hot water. Still no response.
  This is what we get for sharing a bathroom with Alter Egoes, she muttered to herself. I'll just get some water when we go downstairs for breakfast. The kitchen was much too far away for her to go there just for a drink of water.
But down in the kitchens, the water wasn't working either. Lily and Pierre were trying to make boiled eggs for breakfast--but there wasn't a drop of water in sight.
"The sink's probably clogged," Pierre said confidently. "I'll get right on it."
With the staff gone, there was no one to bring news that the cabins had lost running water as well. In fact, Lily was having trouble adjusting to the lack of activity on her walkie talkie. It was like her ears had fallen off or something--she felt deaf.
While Pierre occupied underneath the kitchen sink, Lily searched the fridge for some frozen waffles. She didn't find any, of course, it being the fridge, but she did find some leftover pancakes that she heated up in the microwave--just in case Pierre couldn't fix the sink and she couldn't make eggs.
Half an hour later the Chatterboxers came downstairs complaining about their thirst.
"Wait...your sink isn't working, either?" Lily asked.
"No," Moonfrost said.
"Neither is the toilet," Briar sniffed.
"Or the shower," Cinderpelt said.
Lily walked into the kitchen and (gently) kicked Pierre's leg, which was hanging out from under the counter. There was a muffled thump and an 'ouch', followed by Pierre squeezing himself out of the tight spot.
"Yeah?" Pierre brushed back his blonde hair.
"The whole house's water has stopped working," Lily said. "Maybe you should fix that before you fix the sink, what do you think?"
Pierre set down his saw. "Okay." He scooted himself out from underneath the overhanging counter, then stood up, cracking his back stiffly. "Be right back."
"Hurry up," Lily told him. She grabbed the pancakes and returned to the dining room. "Pierre's going to try to fix the water," she said. "For now, here's your breakfast."
"Pancakes again," Autumn Leaves sighed. "This reminds me of that other place...with Dead Snowboarder...Or was that a dream?" She could remember everything clearly--almost as if she had been there...but she hadn't been there...And even as she thought about it, the details were fading, and she couldn't get a clear grip on what had been real and what was being made up in her own mind.
Lily leaned in curiously. "What, um--Dead Snowboarder?" she asked the CBette.
"Oh. It was just a place my friend Leafmist and I..." Her eyes widened and she broke off.
Great, Lily thought to herself. Now you've done it. "A place you went on vacation?"
Autumn Leaves knitted her brows. "Yeah..."
The murderer felt its headache worsen just a bit. Ugh, Lily, just be quiet, it pleaded silently. You're only making things worse. Though perhaps Lily would soon figure out what was going on. That would make the migrane worth it, because then the murderer would have more help.
----------------------
Pierre returned shortly after breakfast looking baffled and slightly embarassed.
"Did you fix the water?" the CBers asked hopefully. The pancakes had made them very thirsty.
Pierre rubbed the back of his neck. "Um...heh." He frowned and let his hand fall. "No."
"Did you already check to see if someone accidentally turned it off?" Lily asked.
Pierre nodded, shrugging. "...Yep. Well, I tried. But the room to the valves was locked."
"The key is in the junk drawer..."
"It was locked with three padlocks. That's not natural, is it?"
Pierre might as well have dropped a bomb on the house. Everyone had already been slightly afraid that the murderer was behind this, but now--now they knew for certain. And that made everything worse. Because before, there had been hope. Not anymore. Would they die of thirst? Of course not; they had the lake...
"That's not all. There was a table and a phone in the hallway. The table had cups on it..."
The CBers looked at each other. They knew what this meant. It was time for another game.
submitted by Lily and Cassy, Lake Lelillo
(October 30, 2017 - 2:20 pm)

Of course, the murder has my lightsaber/slingshot/wand, so we can't cut through the locks.

 

Either that or I am the murderer. 

 

Guys? Can we have some theories?

Keep writing, Micearenice! This is really good. 

submitted by Brooklyn Newsie
(November 2, 2017 - 10:33 am)

Ahhhh it's so good! I can't wait to find out what happens next!!

submitted by Nighthawk, age -14, Lost in the Cyberspace
(November 6, 2017 - 6:59 pm)

Ohhh!! I love it! I have know idea who the murderer is. 

submitted by Moonfrost , age Who cares?, Mars
(November 5, 2017 - 9:27 am)

This is possibly one of THE BEST SKI LODGES OF ALL TIME.

As for murderer theories, I'm guessing Elvina. Unless she's already died...? I'm fairly sure she's still alive. And she hasn't been mentioned for a few parts, although that could be by mistake.

submitted by Evergreen, Noctem in Terra
(November 6, 2017 - 7:49 pm)

Thank you, Evergreen! :D

And yep, Elvina's still alive, making your theory quite valid...

submitted by Lily and Cassy
(November 14, 2017 - 5:06 pm)
I decided to try adding a picture to this installment...here's hoping it shows up at the right spot! 
Day Nine -- Part Five
----------------------- 
Down in the utilities hallway, the CBers faced a small, confetti-covered table with eight cups and a black phone on it.
"Who wants to grab the phone this time?" Wordsy whispered.
"I'll do it," Booksy said bravely. She stepped forwards and touched the phone. The second she did so, it turned on and the same disembodied voice as before came out of its speakers.
  Welcome to your next game, Chatterboxers. I hope I didn't keep you from it for too long.
The Chatterboxers bristled angrily.
By now you've obviously noticed that all the water has been cut off from your home. Well, that's just part of the game.
  You might remember from book one of the Harry Potter series a certain puzzle barring the way to the Mirror of Erised. If you recall, there was set before Harry a row of potions, some of which were poisoned, some of which were not, and one--and only one--of which would allow Harry to continue on his journey. You'll see before you, just as in Harry Potter, a row of eight glasses, each filled with a colorless, odorless liquid. However, they are not all as harmless as they appear. Most are deadly when swallowed. Some really are innocent. But only one will produce a desired result.
  This is a test of wits; if you are smart enough you shall most certainly win. And how will you do so? By finding the glass with the harmless mint-water in it. Now, the end might sound simple, but the means...not so much. You will have to follow a trail of riddles I've left for you throughout the house. Each riddle will offer some kind of clue that will help you determine which glass contains the flavored water. Follow each clue, solve each riddle, and you find the harmless cup of water. Drink this glass and your water supply is returned. However...there is a bonus prize, if you are clever enough to discover it. A single cup contains pure water. It's nothin' but. Find this particular glass, and not only do you win back your water, but...
  An image suddenly flashed onto the black screen of the phone. Booksy gasped when she saw it, and the CBers crowded around so they too could see who the picture was of.
It was Ice Wolf. Only...that was not a picture of her. It was a video. With 'LIVE' rendered in bright white letters on the bottom right corner of the screen.
"Ice Wolf!" Autumn Leaves exclaimed. "She--she--she's still alive!"
"What if this is a prank? If it's a fake live stream..." Briar said.
"No, that's not probable," Hotairballoon said. "We couldn't find her--this has to be her; it only makes sense."
The eerie voice continued its monologue. The video of Ice Wolf remained on the phone, showing the CBette bound to a chair in a dark, unrecognizeable room.
  So there you have it. A game of smarts. Fail, and you'll be left to turn the water back on yourself; find the mint-water, and you win; find the water, and you ALL life happily ever after.
  Your first clue awaits under the table. Nine glasses, nine possible outcomes. Good luck, Chatterboxers, and good bye--for now.
The screen went black and the Chatterboxers stared at the dark surface blankly. So Ice Wolf was still alive...well, that changed a lot...
But they could save her! If they could only find that glass of pure water, they could really save her!
"Well..." said Booksy shakily. "Let's get on it. No reason to wait..."
Underneath the table sat a lone paper towel. Ariel grabbed it and flipped it over--on the other side were a few small lines of writing...
IMG_20171114_164807_610.jpg
submitted by Lily and Cassy, Lake Lelillo
(November 14, 2017 - 5:21 pm)
submitted by Tippity Top Top!
(November 15, 2017 - 8:15 am)
submitted by Top
(November 23, 2017 - 9:28 am)
submitted by EverTOP!, Eek! Suspense!
(November 25, 2017 - 12:49 pm)

Sorry for the short post. I'm still trying to sort out the clues and everything.

----------------------

"It's a shopping list," realized Cinderpelt.

"What a classic," muttered Hotairballoon. "There's obviously a clue there."

The Chatterboxers laid the note on the plastic table, careful not to disturb the delicate liquids sitting in their glasses.

"R-S-S-I-T-I-N-R-O." Nighthawk recited the first letter of each row. "Um...that makes no sense."

"The numbers are out of order," Autumn Leaves observed.

"And they start over after every break..." Booksy said.

The CBers were huddled over the paper like a medical team to a patient. They knew that Ice Wolf's life depended on their ability to correctly solve this riddle.

Elvina's mind was racing. Out of order...1, 2, 3, 4...but each letter actually was numbered...Rss makes no sense...But R-O-S-E..."Aha," she said. "Rose sitting room. The first letters of the second words--ah, no time to explain. But I found the clue."

The CBers looked over the paper and saw that Elvina was correct. Immediately they rushed out of the utilities hallway, nearly barreling into Lily and Pierre on their way up the stairs.

"What's--" Lily began, but the CBers didn't stop moving. She and Pierre looked at each other, and then followed the CBers to their next destination.

Owlgirl made it to the sitting room first, smashing into the door on her way in. Once within the wide-windowed room, she stopped and looked around, breathing heavily as her fellow CBers fanned out around her.

Lily and Pierre came in last. "Guys, what is it? What's going on?"

"Game," Brooklyn Newsie breathed, heading to the far side of the room.

Pierre looked at Lily. "What kind of game?"

Lily ignored her brother. "Like...when you played murder in the dark; that kind of game?"

"Yeah," Hotairballoon said.

Pierre was about to say something when Lily grabbed his arm and left the room. The Chatterboxers were now swarming the room in search of their next clue and didn't notice their chaperones leaving.

"HERE IT IS!" Dragonrider shouted triumphantly, pulling a piece of paper out from between two couch cushions. She held it up triumphantly. 

submitted by Lily and Cassy, Lake Lelillo
(November 26, 2017 - 3:04 pm)

Oh my kalteneker what's gonna happen?????? S U S P E N S E

submitted by Nighthawk, age -14, Somewhere in My Mind
(November 27, 2017 - 8:19 pm)

Was there supposed to be a picture of the clue there that didn't post?

submitted by A Ghost
(November 29, 2017 - 9:34 am)
« first‹ previous…202122232425262728…next ›last »