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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.
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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)
Oh, wow, that is a bit late :P I hope you had a good time!
Thank you!
(February 11, 2019 - 8:27 pm)
(January 24, 2019 - 1:19 pm)
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(January 28, 2019 - 9:12 am)
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(February 4, 2019 - 9:47 am)
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(February 9, 2019 - 1:38 pm)
@Nighthawk - Yes, I can do that!
Previously: Briar and Wordsy are searching for a place to sit in the woods while their CBers play hide and seek in a meadow.
DAY THIRTEEN (Continued)
Now, it just so happened that the murderer had thought the very same thing as Wordsy--indirectly, of course. After all, if Cassy put all the traps near caves, then the CBers were destined to find those caves! The murderer had wanted random traps scattered about the property where no one would suspect them, and Cassy had obliged.
Briar’s name was on the tip of Wordsy’s mouth when she stepped into the trap, which lay in waiting right at the base of the tree. She didn’t register what was happening until the ground gave way and Wordsy fell down, straight into the great unknown.
Wordsy didn’t even have time to scream, which was unfortunate, as she loved being dramatic and had been hoping to have a dramatic death. Unfortunately, whatever was in the hole put a quick end to her, and even Briar had no idea what had happened until she almost fell straight into the hole herself.
“...Wordsy?” Briar shouted into the hole, panicking. “Wordsy, are you down there? You aren’t anywhere else, so you have to be…”
One of the great mysteries of ski lodges...is that they always have a mystery. The Chatterboxers might have discovered the Mystery, but that doesn’t mean they’d solved their own. They had been so caught up in their thoughts about the big picture that they’d almost forgotten about the picture at hand--that they were all still subject to the nature of the ski lodge...that they were still lost in the great unknown.
They knew Wordsy had died, but had no idea how or thanks to who. It was in a subdued manner they accepted this and all its implications: the Mystery still existed, and because of this, so did their own. And it would be this way as long as the Mystery still stood.
The CBers held a memorial service for Wordsy and decided it was probably time to return to the mansion for lunch, even though their appetites were mostly gone. The CBers spent the rest of the day inside, and nothing else eventful happened. They looked around the house for words or any clues, unable to sit still for very long, and they did discover an old bookshelf up in the attic. Its contents were thick and dusty, but the CBers hoped they’d find information on the Mystery inside those books.
Unfortunately, they didn’t find the bookshelf until dark, at which point the CBers were all ready to go to bed. They hoped that the morning would provide clarity of mind as well as more answers to their questions…
...While in the meantime, Cassy wondered if she might try to return to the mansion.
I mean, it’s really boring out here. And Lily needs my help!
On top of that, Cassy had a killer headache, and she wanted nothing more than to sleep in her own bed again.
I think it should be fine…
Cassy wondered if the murderer still wanted her out here. Even so, if she was allowed to return to the manor, would the CBers receive her well? It was almost easier to stay outside in the peace and quiet...with nothing but the plants to talk to…
Under the feeble light of the setting sun, Cassy trooped through the forest, searching for the blackberry patch that concealed the secret tunnel to her and Lily’s bedroom. No matter what the murderer wanted, Cassy knew she had to find her sister. Even if she only stayed the night inside, it would still be worth it.
As Cassy drew closer to the blackberry patch, however, her earpiece went off with a chirp. She took the call, and the murderer’s voice came quietly through.
“Cassy? You there?”
Cassy stopped moving, surprised to hear the murderer’s voice after all this time. “Hi. Yes, I am.”
“What are you up to?”
Cassy glanced longingly at the blackberry patch, rubbing her throbbing temple. She wondered what the murderer had to say. “Oh. I’m just wandering around in the dark. How...about you?”
“They’re all asleep, and I’m on the porch right now.” The murderer spoke softly, with a note of exhaustion in its voice.
“Oh.”
Cassy heard the murderer exhale. “My head hurts so much.”
“Mine too,” Cassy replied sympathetically. “I was wondering...did something happen?”
“Yes. Everyone knows about the Mystery now.”
Cassy gasped a little. “How?!”
“It’s why I called you. The ones who knew told everyone else. And then Lily started answering questions for them.”
Cassy’s eyes were wide. “That’s not good.”
“No,” agreed the murderer.
The line was quiet for a while.
“I know you probably want to see Lily by now...but you shouldn’t come back until we can catch up. I just don’t know if Lily plans on helping the others or joining me and you.”
Cassy’s hopes fell. “Oh.”
“So we’re going to sort everything out tomorrow morning. Meet us by the front doors at five a.m.”
Cassy frowned. “I don’t have a watch.”
The murderer sighed wearily. “Okay then. Just hang out near there and I’ll see you an hour and a half before sunrise.”
“Sounds good. Can I come back after that?”
“Hopefully. I’m going to have to go to bed now.”
“Okay. I hope you sleep well.”
“Hm, we’ll see about that. You too. Goodnight, Cassy.”
“Goodnight.”
DAY 14 (TWO WEEKS)
The next day, the Chatterboxers returned to yesterday’s business: clue hunting. It consumed their every thought, their every action. It was immeasurably important that they learn as much about the Mystery as possible before it was too late--Nevermind the fact they didn’t really know what future they were trying to avoid.
Moonfrost pushed for one plan; Dragonrider pushed for another. They tried to get along, but things were becoming strained. The other CBers didn’t remain objective for long. For better or worse, opinions were solidifying.
They tackled the bookshelf after breakfast. During the meal, Lily had been preoccupied and oddly cheerful--and she didn’t hang around for long afterwards. She would be doing work of her own today, it seemed.
The Chatterboxers gathered in the dusty attic and prepared to look through the books. They weren’t sure they would find something useful within, but it was worth a shot.
What the books lacked in number they made up for in size and content. Almost all of them were enormous, and each one covered a completely random topic.
The first book they read was a cook-book. It was old and had no identification markings; the binding was dark brown and there was no publisher. Whatever title it might’ve once had was now nothing more than a light smear across the front panel...
Homemade Pancakes:
**The measurements in this recipe are designed to feed twenty. If you need to feed a smaller group, follow the conversions below:
To feed 19, divide the measurements by 1.05263157895.
To feed 18, divide the measurements by 1.11111111111.
To feed 17, divide the measurements by 1.17647058824.
To feed 16, divide the measurements by 1.25.
To feed 15, divide the measurements by 1.33333333333.
To feed 14, divide by 1.42857142857.
To feed 13, divide by 1.53846153846.
To feed 12, divide by 1.66666666667.
To feed 11, divide by 1.81818181818.
To feed 10, divide by 2.
To feed 9, divide by 2.22222222222.
To feed 8, divide by 2.5.
To feed 7, divide by 2.8571428571.
To feed 6, divide by 3.333333333333.
To feed 5, divide by 4.
To feed 4, divide by 5.
To feed 3, divide by 6.6666666666667.
To feed 2, divide by 10.
These pancakes are light, buttery, and sure to fill up hungry tummies!
…
The next book the CBers found was an agriculture manual.
“Hank’s Guide to Gardening: The Big, the Small, and the Enormous.
A garden is a welcome addition to any landscape! Plants are calming, and they purify the air. Some of them are also deadly, while others are like living works of art! I’ve been working with plants for almost all my life. Inside these pages is everything you need to know to start the garden of your dreams.
Chapter One: Landscape Designing
Chapter Two: The Right Plants for the Job
Chapter Three: Buying Healthy Plants
Chapter Four: Gardening Tips
Chapter Five: The Big Garden - Delicious food, Beautiful scenery, and How to Make a Maze
Chapter Six: The Small Garden - Small Space, Big Bloom! (How to Attract Giant Rabbits)
Chapter Seven: The Enormous Garden - Farming Made Easy
Chapter Eight: The Dangerous Garden - Designing, Planning, Tending, and Where to Find your Dangerous Plants
Chapter Nine: The Planter’s Dictionary (Phylums Periculae, Cibusae, Satisae, Immanisae, and more!)
Bonus Chapter: Infusing Fun - Mazes, Secret Tunnels, Decoration! Plus, How to Attract and Repel Pests
Afterword
Sources Cited
Glossary”
…
The Chatterboxers then broke open the Official Party Games book.
“Chapter Two
You will not want your charges to grow bored. Try out these tried-and-true boredom breakers!
Truth or Dare...pg 24
Card Towers...pg 26
Scavenger Hunts...pg 30
Cooking...pg 36
Camping...pg 37
Spelunking...pg 40
Feasts...pg 45
Cleaning...pg 47
Hiking...pg 50
Swimming...pg 51
Paintball...pg 52
Pie Fights (and safety guidelines)...pg 53
Character meet/greet...pg 69
Flying...pg 71
Karaoke (and safety guidelines)...pg 72
Sleeping...pg 75
Magic...pg 77”
…
The Chatterboxers pored over those books, and after an hour, they moved on to the next book, which was more of a resources manual. It was rather small, and had obviously spent a very long time squished between the Gardener’s Guide and the Official Party Games Book, for its pages were silk-thin and very crackly.
Each page was filled with organizations and phone numbers for contacting them. Some of the more interesting ones were…
Pete’s Catering: Fastest Service for the Largest Groups………1-800-WHOSHUNGRYIAM!
The Cat Club……… “Meow”
Awsum Ski Lodges & Snow Boarding………CLOSED
The Grocery Store………####### <--Don’t call this number anymore!!!
Cave Co. Inc.........."LUMOS"
…
Some of the entries had been handwritten, while others were in print. Someone had scratched out the number to the grocery store.
The Chatterboxers found themselves wondering what the purpose of these books was. There was no mention of the Mystery itself (yet) but they couldn’t help but get the feeling these books definitely had to do with ski lodges...
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So, did anyone catch the reference to one of TON's ski lodges?
Also, any theories on those books?
(February 19, 2019 - 5:41 pm)
Thank you!
Ahhh this is so good! I can’t wait to see what happens next! i have quite a few theories, but I’m going to keep them to myself in case i’m wrong.
(February 20, 2019 - 7:05 am)
Yay! It's back! *applauds and squeals like a total fangirl*
My theory about the books- they're guides for the hosts of ski lodges! Here's why:
The gardening book- tunnels? Mazes? Dangerous plants that may or may not be there completely for the murderer's convenience? Gardens in general seem to be a thing in ski lodges- making wherever it may be set a more attractive place.
One sentence of the last one stuck out to be- You will not want your charges to grow bored. The word 'charges' in particular seemed suspicious. Plus, hosts often find themselves in a position where the guests are all gloomy because their friends are dead but the plot needs to keep moving.
The phone numbers... look highly suspicious but I don't know what to make of them.
Ack, this is all wonderful!
(February 20, 2019 - 5:52 pm)
Ooh... I'll see if I can decifer anything in this later...
TOP TOP TOP TOP OTP TOP TOP!!!!
(February 19, 2019 - 8:57 pm)
(February 25, 2019 - 12:13 pm)
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(March 5, 2019 - 10:28 am)
top top top top top top top top!!!!!!!!
(March 8, 2019 - 4:14 pm)
Hello! Moonfrost here, doing the first ever addition of the "Hurry up Micearenice Show!!"
I've told her to get out the next instalment... but she's too busy playing chess with the computer to get it done.
Also, she has a whole notebook full of plans for the whole ski lodge! A day to day guide. But she seems to have forgotten about it.
That's it for this edition!
~~~~~
Also... top!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~
Also also! Holly says "Dytt."
Micey! She's going to DIE if you don't hurry up!
(Also she's wondering where Chip went. It's been too long since she's played with him.)
(March 19, 2019 - 3:03 pm)
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(March 22, 2019 - 6:13 pm)