InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I'll make you scream 'FROGGER'"

Rapunzel (obscurityfalls) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-10-04 19:50:00

Entry tags:

baron samedi, nephthys

And there is no point, no use putting up a fight
Who: Vanessa and Julian
What: Vanessa has horrible night terrors and she dashes to escape her apartment in fear, running into Julian
Where: Lobby of Pax
When: October 2nd
Warnings: Violent dream

Vanessa was inside the apartment complex and it was clearly the night since there was no sun shining through any of the windows, but there also wasn’t any star or moonlight coming through the windows, and whenever she looked up, all she saw out of any of them, was pure darkness. Pure darkness was something that was very difficult to achieve in reality, and impossible to find in the normal nighttime sky. Also the indoor lighting was a dim red color, almost the shade of a reptile’s night time heat lamp. It gave everything an eerie red tone. It should have been almost impossible to see in these circumstances, but for some reason Vanessa could see everything as clear as day, especially the tall dark man chasing her with a 9 inch butcher knife. He had one of those faces that you knew you recognized from somewhere, but couldn’t exactly place, he was so familiar yet so unfamiliar as people in dreams often seem. He chased her down the hallways of Pax, which were seemingly never ending. Every time she turned a corner hoping to find a stairwell or an exit, another long corridor appeared. “NO!!!! Leave me alone, just leave me alone!!! I won’t tell anyone I swear!!”

However the man just continued to chase her, walking at a brisk pace and somehow keeping up with her even though she was running at top speed. Before Vanessa knew it, an apartment door opened , causing Vanessa to run directly into it and fall on the floor. The man now hovered over her with a sadistic grin on his face. He didn’t say a word, but that smile said more than enough. Vanessa closed her eyes and tried to shield her face with her hands, as if that would magically do anything. The man got down on his knees and without warning ran the butcher knife across Vanessa’s neck as deeply as he could manage. She of course tried to scream, but since her throat was being slit, that was impossible. All she could do was gasp for air as she watched the blood pour down onto a vintage white lace dress.

Vanessa woke up and sat straight up in bed. Eyes wide she continued to try and scream, grabbing at her throat. Even though her throat was fine, and it had only been a terrible nightmare, she found herself unable to scream, and in complete agony for about a minute. Finally the affects of the night terror wore off, and she leapt out of bed, staring at it as if it were the culprit. Dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a black tee-shirt, Vanessa quickly put on a bra and a pair of pink sparkly flip flops, dashing out the door with her keys and purse.

Unsure of exactly where she was going, she went down to the lobby, biting her fingernails. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, and she had to admit that she was absolutely terrified. She could still feel the blade against her throat. She was sure that the mascara she had neglected to wash off had smudged, making quite the sight, but it didn’t matter, all that mattered was that she was out of that apartment.

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baronsamedi
2011-10-05 07:41 pm UTC (link)

Julian had woken up feeling...strange.

Normally, he greeted each day with wide, open arms, eager to see new prospects and see how much further he could go. He was always a glass half-full type of personality, and there was rarely a downside to anything that he couldn't flip around on its head. But today...today seemed different. There was a weight on his shoulders, and for some reason he couldn't wave away thoughts of his impending divorce. As to why such a subject was suddenly making itself known to him, especially with such relentlessness, he couldn't fathom, and instead went through the motions of preparing himself for the day. His bathroom regimen was fairly rigorous, especially by a man's standards, but by the time he emerged he still looked like he'd rolled out of bed, though he certainly didn't smell it.

Donning black slacks and a silver pinstripe button-up shirt, he felt a little more like himself once he'd put some food in his stomach. After gathering his keys and other required paraphenalia for leaving the apartment, he was ready to go. And yet the feeling persisted, wondering if... Well, he wasn't going to encourage that particular train of thought. Whatever she was doing, she was fine. She'd always been able to take care of herself; it was something he'd deeply admired in her. There was, of course, a lot more he'd admired in her, but... Why was he doing this to himself? Julian shook his head, physically attempting to clear out the cobwebs that were threatening to engulf his mind and ruin his plans for the day. A quick ride down in the elevator put him in the lobby, and a new sight helped release him from the previously discouraging thoughts.

"Vanessa?" The woman looked a fright, and Julian would assume that she, of all people, was less than likely to show such a face to the world. Stepping forward, further into the lobby, he raised a hand in concern.

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obscurityfalls
2011-10-05 08:03 pm UTC (link)

When Vanessa saw Julian raising his hand and calling to her in concern, part of her felt a bit at ease, at least she had run into a familiar face. She was about to go out and take a walk on the beach, maybe go to a little coffee-shop that was nearby, anything besides be in her apartment. They had only gone out and talked once, but Julian had left a huge impact on her, and he really did change her life, giving her a new goal that was far more interesting to her. She approached Julian and shook her head, obviously scared out of her mind and very glad to see a familiar friendly face. "Thank goodness I ran into someone I know. This is going to sound childish, but I had the most dreadful dream. I've had dreams that have felt real before, but this one I DID feel after I woke up and I can't shake what I saw."

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baronsamedi
2011-10-07 01:01 am UTC (link)

The hand he had raised was dropped to his side - though he felt a slight worry for this woman, the dreadful sense of guilt that was pervading his mind refused to be dismissed. Struggling to latch onto Vanessa's issue in order to quench the rising flame of a grief he thought was long since past, he put a hand on Vanessa's shoulder; lightly, of course, and only in the mildest sense of concern.

"That sounds terrible," he replied, sounding completely unsarcastic. "Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee. Unless you want to go back upstairs and change...?" He didn't want to rush her out of doors unless she had no desire to return to her apartment - perhaps it was just his own standards, but Julian always worked to put his best face forward in every occasion. The only person who knew of his strict beauty regimen and just how he looked without it was probably never going to speak to him again, and Julian had done his damnedest to make sure that happened.

He nearly choked, the feeling welling up in his stomach as he fought it back.

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obscurityfalls
2011-10-07 02:04 am UTC (link)

Vanessa really had absolutely no desire to go back to her apartment, but as Julian talked to her, she couldn't help but wish to spruce up just a BIT, after all, she had to look an absolute mess, and here he was looking so dashing. There was something classy about Julian, and that was very rare. "You're the best Julian, I'm so glad I ran into you of all people. Give me five minutes and I'll be right back." Vanessa smiled and went upstairs to put on real clothes, just jeans and a blue and white floral top, but real clothes nevertheless. She also removed all of her makeup and reapplied basic foundation, mascara, blush, and a bit of colored lip gloss.

As she went downstairs, she felt foolish for making such a big deal out of the dream, but it had felt so real, and she had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time she would be tormented by the violent dream. True to her word, Vanessa reappeared in front of Julian in five minutes. "Lead the way to coffee."

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baronsamedi
2011-10-07 03:05 am UTC (link)

While Vanessa was busying herself, Julian used her absence to pull himself together. It had been almost a year since he'd seen his wife, even though he had moved out of their jointly owned apartment less than a few months - CASKET had just always taken over his time and mind. His work wasn't an obsession, he was just very...driven.

And then the petite brunette reappeared in front of him; for some reason, he was picturing a statuesque blonde, but Julian smiled regardless, quickly sweeping aside the main signals of his distress. Still they worried at the edges of his expression, even as he tried to push through it - Julian was a master of manipulation and using his own emotions to the best possible extent, but at the same time they were often his own undoing.

"Right this way, dear lady," he replied with a grin, gesturing for Vanessa to head toward the front doors of the Pax building. He was early yet and could spare a few moments away from CASKET...the place wasn't going to burn down if he wasn't there...and he was well aware of a cute little coffee shop within walking distance of their mutual apartment building. He often stopped there to get a morning wake up call, and found the idea of sharing it with someone else to be a wonderful thought.

"Are you feeling better?" Julian stepped around Vanessa to hold open the lobby doors, then quickly followed suit in stepping out of them. Taking up the lead, he directed her down the sidewalk toward the location of the coffee shop, Coffee of Doom - an enchanting name, in Julian's opinion.

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obscurityfalls
2011-10-07 09:52 pm UTC (link)

"Just being around someone and sprucing up a bit did help a lot actually, thank you." Vanessa followed Julian to a coffee shop that she had seen, but never stopped in. The name alone attracted her as well. Coffee of Doom, definitely not something you see every day. She wondered if they had cheesy decor to go along with the name, hoping that was the case. In New York someone had taken her to a coffee shop called Witche's Brew that had matching decor with plush velvet couches, and it had been one of her favorite places to relax after work. She wondered how much caffiene her stomach could handle after just waking up and debated what to order as they walked. "I very rarely remember my dreams let alone have nightmares, and this was just so graphic. Someone was following me down the hallway, chasing me. When he caught up with me, my throat was slit. What makes matters worse, is when I woke up, I felt it."

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baronsamedi
2011-10-09 07:02 am UTC (link)

His brows rose, a little put off by Vanessa's description. Despite growing up in a funeral home, Julian had never been familiar with anything akin to a morbid curiosity, and such violence, while it didn't quite nauseate him, certainly was more than disgusting.

"That sounds terrible," he responded, his reply a true attempt at being comforting. Once they'd reached the outside of the small coffee shop, Julian moved to open the door for his lady companion - unfortunately, the place was rather plain when compared to Vanessa's mind's descriptions. Everything was in shades of brown, three tables strewn to the side with chairs while opposing was the counter where one could order. On the wall was a large chalk board written with the daily specials, and two tablets that proffered the regular drink menu. Two girls were lingering behind the counter, helping customers.

"But you're awake now, and you know it was only a dream. It can't hurt you any further."

Julian moved into the coffee shop like he owned the place - or rather, was simply a regular. Smiling, he greeted a slim female with close-cropped dyed-black hair, going by the name of Dora, though no name tag was printed on her shirt; she owned this little coffee shop. He ordered his usual, a plain black-as-midnight cup of joe. He then glanced to Vanessa to see what she wanted.

Another girl with a brown choppy bob was working the register, and had a less than pleasant expression on her face. By all accounts she seemed to be somewhat rude with those paying for the caffeine service, but Dora made no move to put her in check.

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Teehee, where's Hannelore! She's the best.

obscurityfalls
2011-10-09 07:18 am UTC (link)

"Thank goodness, yes." Vanessa looked over the menu, but just ordered a regular cup of coffee, light and sweet. "I suppose it is a little early to be sharing gruesome details like that, I'm sorry." Vanessa was never very good at censoring herself, and here she was, having only talked to Julian once before this and she was telling him every detail of her horrific dream. When would she learn not to share? It had gotten her into trouble in the past, and it was bound to eventually get her into more trouble. "It's so ridiculous to be so scared of something that isn't real, I know that logically, yet I'm like a child afraid to crawl back into my bed, as if something is going to hurt me there. It's very foolish, I know."

Once the coffee was paid for, Vanessa sat at a nearby table, crossing her legs and leaning back comfortably. "Anyway, enough about me, how have you been?"

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I like Yelling Bird myself, even though he's technically not part of the story...

baronsamedi
2011-10-11 01:58 am UTC (link)

"It's perfectly fine. Better that you get it off your chest than dwell on it for too long," Julian replied smoothly, falling easily into old funeral home patterns. He joined her at the table, slouching back in his chair as he took a deep sip of the rich, black coffee.

"Good," he began, even as his brain continued to berate him over past actions, which was stupid. Julian could recognize that fact easily, but his mind apparently had other ideas. "Club is doing fine. Gearing up for our big Halloween party. Some fliers should be going out soon. If you're planning on attending, I strongly suggest a costume," and he completed the statement with a wink, attempting to pull out his old charm, even as it seemed to fall completely dead. He just wasn't feeling confident, and he took another drink of the caffeine, hoping it would wake him up.

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Yelling Bird is awesome

obscurityfalls
2011-10-11 03:24 am UTC (link)

"Oh, I'm sure I'll gather something up. My closet is full of costumes just waiting to happen with the right accessory or two." With the clothes she had, she could easily be a hippie, flapper, Marie Antoinette, a brunette Alice in Wonderland, a gypsy, or a vampire. The possibilities were endless, and she refused to buy something cheap from a bag when she could make something work from what she already owned. "I'm definitely planning on going, I already took off from Muldoons, and if you need me to jump back behind the bar at all, you let me know."

Vanessa found it odd that when she had asked how HE was doing, he talked about how well the club was doing, but she didn't think much of it. She supposed that someone with a business didn't have time to even think about much else besides said business. "Hey, I never got to thank you for giving me that suggestion about opening up a vintage clothing shop. I've found a way to make it a reality."

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baronsamedi
2011-10-13 04:25 am UTC (link)

The cup set on the table top spun underneath Julian's fingers.

"Oh really? It was just a suggestion, but I'm glad it helped," he replied, somewhat absentmindedly. Though his eyes were focused on Vanessa, seated across from him, his thoughts were obviously elsewhere. Still he struggled to remain in the conversation at present, every moment losing a little more.

"I mean, it's always good to do what you love." Like throwing away someone who helped you do JUST that, huh? Julian almost raised a hand to smack his own head, to silence the impetuous little voice, but managed to stymie the action before he made a scene in the coffee shop.

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obscurityfalls
2011-10-13 06:40 pm UTC (link)

Vanessa looked at Julian for a moment or two, looking at how he was clearly struggling to remain in the conversation, he definitely appeared to be somewhere else entirely, and here she was yacking away about things that she didn't really need to be talking about. "Okay, what's wrong Julian? Talk to me." Vanessa smiled and took a drink from her coffee, hoping he wouldn't lie and claim that nothing was wrong when he clearly had SOMETHING on his mind.

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baronsamedi
2011-10-15 02:01 am UTC (link)

Quickly sitting up in his chair as though snapping to attention, Julian's face adopted a curious look.

"Something on my mind? Oh," he gave a light chuckle, as though waving away whatever worry might have been on his mind. "I'm just trying to make sure everything is in line for an up coming show at the club. Sorry if I seem a little distracted." His wife was a secret he'd rather keep to himself, unless it was absolutely necessary that such a thing needed to be revealed. Or if she showed up out of the blue, and that would happen when pigs flew. They could barely stand to be in the same room together.

And who's fault is that, do you think?

Would you kindly BE QUIET? Julian put a hand to his face, sinking back into a slouch. Shit, now I'm talking to myself...

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	obscurityfalls 2011-10-16 03:07 am UTC (link)
	"Oh, don't be sorry, you must have a million things on your mind with Casket all the time." Vanessa took a long drink from her coffee, which was sadly quickly becoming room temperature. "Thanks for taking the time to sit with me, it really was a big help, I really appreciate it." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

baronsamedi
2011-10-16 07:19 pm UTC (link)

"No problem," he replied, suddenly feeling antsy. Whether it was the need to be at his club, working on something that would distract him, or the sudden creeping fear that Vanessa would try to pry further under the guise of help was unclear to him, but Julian scooted to the edge of his seat, intending on taking his leave.

"Well, I should get going. Hopefully this dream was just a one time thing, huh? No more milk and lobsters before bed," he added, throwing in a little wink as the joke came a little easier. The reference was to an old film that claimed the mix of lactose and seafood gave the eater bad dreams, and Julian had always found the idea humorous. He rose from his seat, giving Vanessa a little salute.

"I'll see you around the apartment building."

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	obscurityfalls 2011-10-16 08:53 pm UTC (link)
	"Hopefully yes. Thanks again Julian." She laughed at his old movie reference, getting it since she watched way too many old films. "No more milk and lobsters, I promise." Vanessa nodded to Julian and got up herself to head back to the apartment to get ready for work. (Reply to this) (Parent)