ironriverstarters

[ironriverstarters]

Who: Open Where: Outside The Drunken Miner

She wasn’t quite sure how she’d got here, she didn’t remember walking there or which way she’d come, instead she’d just appeared there. Work had been terrible, ever since the fair it seemed like it was disaster after disaster. Car crashes and house fires and people trapped in places where they shouldn’t be. It felt like the town couldn’t catch a break, like she couldn’t catch a break. Then she’d found one of her team collapsed on the group inside a house, their alarm blaring. The EMTs said that they’d be okay, but it was scary. All of that was probably how Reya ended up outside of a dive bar.

Her hand was on the door before the realisation hit her and she stepped back. She turned around as she moved backwards in one motion until suddenly she collided with someone, someone who was walking in the correct direction and who likely assumed that Reya was going to go forwards rather than backwards. “Shit, I’m sorry,” she said.

[ironriverstarters]

starter for @ironriverstarters​ at quartz lake marina –

“Well, I thought it was funny to name it that.” June said with a grin. She impulse boat a new boat. Most people would’ve expected her to get a yacht, but the blonde instead bought of the sport MasterCrafts, with big speakers and was loading up the wakeboards and tubes on it. The boat was a retro color – a seafoam and the name was Buckle Bunny. Which, was the rodeo derogatory name for beautiful women who didn’t know how to ranch and bagged cowboys. “I’ve been called it so many times, I started owning it. I’m just getting it ready for the season. You know how it goes. Can’t wait to unleash my inner demons on whoever is on that tube though.”

[ironriverstarters]

open starter for @ironriverstarters​ at sergeant’s feed & seed –

Colt had a new rope over one arm, and was glancing through the performance boots, not like he needed another set, but he was looking anyway. This place to him was what Home Depot was to other men. When he felt like he had what he needed, he walked to the counter and placed the order for the feed he needed. Three bags of Senior, pellets, and then creep. He was moderately annoyed he was having to feed three different type, but whatever. He walked outside while the boys brought his feed back up to the top and went to the garden area. He was looking at tomatoes when he said, “I have half a mind to put in a garden, but it’s another thing, you know?”

[ironriverstarters]

Who: Open Where: The Heights ( @ironriverstarters​ )

Owen let out a small huff, one of his hands combing through his hair in frustration. His eyes however, stayed on the barista, trying to make sense of what they were saying. Usually for Owen, communication wasn’t an issue but there were still times when it did happen. If someone spoke too fast, had an accent, or if he just wasn’t familiar with the way they spoke. And not only wasn’t he able to read the baristas lips- they seemed to not be getting that they needed to look at Owens phone. Which had his order written down on it. The last thing he wanted to do was admit defeat, to get out of line empty handed but he also didn’t want to keep holding everyone else up. So he mustered the best smile he currently could, once more waving a hand towards his ear before shaking his head at the barista- then quickly adding in the sign to let them know he was deaf. His way of letting people know that he couldn’t hear. Hoping that they would get it this time, that they would look down at the phone he was holding out to them.

[ironriverstarters]

*: ･ﾟ✧   90 loaded questions / interview the muse.

found on this website, so credit goes to them.

What’s your favorite strategy for avoiding tough situations?

How often do you do things just for the attention?

Would you prefer to be manipulated or to be the manipulator?

What is something someone always tells you to do more of?

What is something someone always tells you to do less of?

Who do you look to blame when things go wrong?

What is the one thing people assume about you that you wish was true?

What is the one thing people assume about you that you wish wasn’t true?

When was the last time you lied to protect your image?

How often do you put on a happy face when you’re really not feeling it?

When do you think you began putting your guard up so much?

Who made you feel most anxious when you were a kid?

How do you speak about others when they’re not around?

What aspect of your life are you most delusional about?

How often do your admit you were wrong?

Which one of your biggest flaws do you like to rationalize the most?

Is it your fear of commitment or your fear of intimacy that makes you shut down more?

At what stage of a relationship are you most likely to withdraw emotionally?

What is the one compliment you always get that you’re too embarrassed to accept, so you deflect it?

What would someone say is your worst habit?

What is the one insecurity you are pretty sure has some basis in reality?

When was the last time you felt really insecure about the parts of yourself you pretend don’t exist?

What is the most interesting white lie you’ve told?

Do you ever feel like an imposter?

Do your friends know how competitive you are?

What’s the hardest thing about being rejected?

How do you deal when you know you’re being irrationally jealous?

How do you deal when you know someone’s not willing to give you what you want?

Are you ever afraid of people knowing who you really are?

If you went to a therapist today, what would they say is holding you back the most?

When was the last time you lowered your standards just to get someone else’s approval?

Is your need for revenge greater than your need for peace?

Have you stopped trying to control things yet?

Which parts of yourself do you still seek validation for?

How do you cope with being unfairly ignored?

Do you like punishing yourself for things that are out of your control?

What does someone say is your biggest problem when communicating?

Are you okay with not knowing what happens next?

Will you ever feel okay with being imperfect?

Does sabotaging yourself give you an odd sense of comfort?

How do you feel about being disliked by some people?

What’s the strangest thing you’ve done just to avoid failure?

What is the biggest risk you’ve taken just to prove yourself?

What’s the boldest thing you do every day, just to feel like you’re still in control?

What accusation would you defend yourself most fiercely against, even though you know it’s true?

What’s the most toxic thing about yourself you actually kind of secretly like?

How much do you enjoy being in control?

When do you give yourself permission to lose control?

What guilty pleasure are you currently justifying to yourself?

What is the most passive-aggressive way you’ve dealt with your rage?

What is the pettiest and most immature way you’ve avoided losing face?

What’s the worst habit you have that rewards you the most?

How do you get your needs met when you’re alone?

What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve done to please people?

What is the most ridiculous way you’ve rebelled?

What’s your favorite way to channel your aggression?

How do you cope with being betrayed?

Are you okay with disliking someone?

What is your favorite form of self-destruction?

What’s the one thing you struggle most to manifest in your life?

What’s the one thing that you manifest so easily, people are jealous of it?

What’s the most irrational reason you’ve ever had for disliking someone?

What is one fear that you’d be ashamed of your friends knowing about?

Which one of your deepest secrets do you think is the least common?

How do people normally find out you hate them?

What is your go-to strategy to deflect criticism, even constructive criticism?

What is one thing people always get wrong about you?

What emotion motivates you the most when you’re down?

What emotion makes you want to give up?

Are people shocked when you stand up for yourself?

How often do you say yes to the things you really want to say yes to?

How often do you say no to the things that make your skin crawl?

How far are you willing to go to maintain a relationship, even an unhealthy one?

What is the worst way someone’s ever abandoned you?

What is the worst way you’ve ever abandoned yourself?

How do you entertain yourself when you’re not around people?

Are you happier alone because you enjoy being alone or because you prefer it to being surrounded by horrible people?

What habit do you know you could quit but don’t want to?

What is your favorite strategy for avoiding difficult people?

What is your favorite strategy for avoiding conflict?

What is the weirdest thing that gets you angry?

What is the weirdest thing that makes you sad?

How often do you take responsibility for other people’s crappy behavior?

When are you most likely to shut people out?

Which insecurity would shock people if they knew about it?

What do you find yourself justifying to people, even when no justification is needed?

When was the last time you tried to please someone who made you angry?

What do people often tell you need to focus more on?

What do people often tell you need to focus less on?

What is the one thing that could make you happy, but you refuse to do it because you’re afraid of what others would think?

[ironriverstarters]

open starter for @ironriverstarters​ at the dog bar –

There was some girl babbling at him about God knew what. He was at that mixing point where he was not drunk enough to be amused by it. The whiskey glasses weren’t full set in. Instead he was smoking and he said, “Wow, that’s crazy.” He wasn’t listening. As she moved to get off the stool likely to go to the bathroom, he shook his head. Too damn much. He glanced to the bartender and ordered another round. “Not drunk enough to pretend to care.”

[ironriverstarters]

open: @ironriverstarters location: steeldrivers

“I’m taking a poll,” Vanessa muses, elbows on the counter as she leans on the bartop to speak to the person over the counter. 

“Me and the DJ have been having a spat. Nah, let’s not call it a spat – a spirited discussion where he’s definitely wrong. I think we should have a Taylor Swift night. Preferably on a ladies night. I think it could really fill the place up. But he says that this is a country music bar and that Taylor isn’t a ‘country artist’,” she punctuates with quotes while she rolls her eyes. 

“But if we had a Taylor Swift night, would you show up?”

[ironriverstarters]

Who: Open Where: Duffy’s @ironriverstarters​

James was perched on the counter at work, legs swinging back and forth, getting lost in the jazzy beats that blared over the speaks through the record shop. He was sure that there was something else he could be doing, restocking, cleaning, organizing but as he was going through records he had found this- one he was pretty sure that he hadn’t heard before. James easily found himself getting lost in it, fingers already tapping along to the beat, itching to grab his drum sticks, to sit behind the old kit in the back, and play. But it was the sound of the bell above the door ringing that finally pulled him away from the music, instantly reaching over to turn it down some. “Sorry, hello.” He greeted them with an apologetic smile, pushing himself down from the counter. “Anything I can help you with?”

[ironriverstarters]

for:  anyone  (   @ironriverstarters​ )   location:  somewhere in downtown . 

The last time Natalie actually even held a lit up blunt was probably back in college , which explained the nervous laughter when it was passed in the middle of the street .  Sure , nobody was particularly around but them , but that didn’t mean she was exactly comfortable with the idea of getting caught , even if she was over thirty .  “  i can’t believe i’m smoking a joint in the middle of the street , “  she announced , giggling as she held it close to her lips .  “  i’m friends with the sheriff for pete’s sake , plus my mom is just around the corner …  “  okay , she might’ve been feeling a little like a teenager .  “  who rolled this , anyway ?  “  

[ironriverstarters]

open starter for @ironriverstarters​

at the bust park, skatepark

“This is all strategically calculated. She loves climbing on my lap so we can go down ramps together. So she saw this and she thought ‘this is going to be the wildest ride of my life’, and she used her puppy eyes to get me to bring her here.” Ben pushed the fingerless gloves in his hands and wrapped the velcro around his wrist, taking forever as he eyed the slope suspiciously. He couldn’t chicken out now, with his niece watching him right at the bottom, wearing a bright pink helmet that matched his own and a cheeky Blake grin of someone who knew exactly what she was doing. She gave him a thumbs-up. He chuckled nervously to the person next to him, “She’s evil. I suppose it’s too late to admit I’m deathly afraid of heights

[ironriverstarters]

open starter at the hospital post event @ironriverstarters​

He remembered the frenzy - the quick way that he and those around him had sprung into action to let the animals free and out of the path of the fire. He hadn’t really stopped to consider the risks, not that it was really surprising - he hadn’t ever really thought things through before he acted on them, something that had been proven time and time again, but this had been different. He’d acted on instinct, rushing in and freeing animals, his shirt pulled over his face to cover most of the smoke, until a beam had broken free and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Somewhere between his head hitting the ground and the bones of his ribcage being crushed he’d blacked out, waking up to a firefighter dragging him before everything faded out again. 

A few hours ago he’d woken up in the hospital, a nurse letting him know that he’d broken three ribs and gotten a concussion in his ‘big-headed, stupid, superhero bullshit’, the chuckle it had drawn out of him causing him to groan. Hours later he didn’t feel any better, laying unmoving in the bed and mindlessly watching episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S that he had seen a hundred times when someone stopped in the doorway. “It looks way worse than it is.” 

[ironriverstarters]

who → open @ironriverstarters​ (capping at 5)  where → literally anywhere. idc (after the fair tho, which date wise is done today)

He couldn’t tell you how long he stood there watching. He wouldn’t have coined himself as a people watcher, but sometimes people were fascinating. This was one of those times. Vann leaned against a railing as he took a long drag off of his cigarette, as he watched what could only be described as a distraught lady chasing a dog in and out of traffic. Vann looked down at Beau and gave him a couple of don’t even think about it looks, but these days he was too lazy to run around, and that was proving to be helpful these days. “How much longer you think she has until she gives up?” He asked the person next to him, “I think I might of just let it run off at this point.” 

[ironriverstarters]

Who: Open Where: State Fair When: Post Fire @ironriverstarters​

As soon as the fire had broken out, there was one place Owen knew he would find himself. And that was helping at the triage, handing out medical help to any of those who needed it. He had lost track of time, didn’t know how long he had been inspecting burns, patching people up, and the likes. But it seemed that the commotion was dying down some, they weren’t nearly as swamped as they had been at the start. He wiped his hands on his pants, looking around to make sure there wasn’t a line of people standing around to be tended too. While things looked like they were currently under control, Owen grabbed a bottle of water and headed out of the small area. He needed to take a breather, even if it was just for a few seconds.

Finding an empty picnic table, Owen perched on top of it, taking a long swig of water, eyes scanning over the fair grounds. It was hard to wrap his head around what had just happened. He had been coming here for years, for as long as he could remember. It was one of those places, one of those things he could count on happening every year. Something that brought him such joy and now it had erupted into chaos. Familiar faces coming in and out of the triage- He rubbed at his temples down, letting his eyes fall close for a moment, regrouping him, regaining his energy so he could head back inside the tents and offer assistance once more. As he blinked his eyes open, he felt someone sit next to him, turning towards them, Owen offered them a small smile. 

[ironriverstarters]

open to: anyone! 

when: post plot drop, near the concession stand/barn fire. 

@ironriverstarters​

“Wait, no, don’t follow me.” He advises, while he was doing as Jalen had directed in containing the spread of red flames, he was also doing what he considered his own personal what not to do when it came to fire – running towards the heat. 

That’s when he swivels for a brief detour, leading them away from the embattled fire site that seemed to be losing for now, to a safer proximity. 

“You good?” 

[ironriverstarters]

for: open for anyone ( @ironriverstarters​ ) location: state fair, by the livestock barn

With the hydraulics of the ride fuelling the fire, it quickly became an inferno, the flames arcing up into the air, spreading heat and embers over the grounds, and it wasn’t long before nearby buildings were going up in flames as well. 

A glance at the concession stand confirmed that whoever had been in there had gotten out, but the animals in the barn weren’t so lucky. However, people were already running in, releasing the cattle and horses that had been in the isles and in the stables. Hooves thundered against the compacted dirt ground, and just as Erica was about to run into the barn to help, she realized the animals were circling back. All the penning gates were closed. “Fuck.” With nowhere to go, the livestock were panicking. 

Normally, standing in the way and waving your arms would be enough to send them back the other way, but Erica could see the panic in their eyes, and knew that was a good way to get trampled. It was then that the blonde noticed a bridle hanging on a fence post. Snatching it, she threw the reins around the neck of the nearest horse, shoving the bit into it’s mouth. Not a perfect fit, but it would do. Grabbing a handful of mane, Erica bounced on the balls of her feet, before throwing one leg up and over the horse. It had been a long time since she’d ridden without a saddle, but it was trial by fire tonight — literally. Legs wrapped around the horse, and with someone in charge, the animal’s fear seemed to be redirected into the job at hand. They pushed through the mob of animals, Erica leaning down to throw the gate open, giving the livestock somewhere to go. 

Someone began climbing the fence back near the barn, seemingly want to push the cattle further away from the blaze. “Be careful.” Erica called, not sure if they could hear her. 

[ironriverstarters]

open to anyone! @ironriverstarters​

capping at 5 (correspondence to the plot drop!)

In her efforts to get away from the heat of intolerable flames, Narin clumsily falls face first into needles the barricades and then piles of muddy ash. From the distance, she can hear sirens wailing, the drowning chorus of petrified screams as fair goers scatter. But all she can feel is the crushing weight of someone’s foot stopping on her hand as she attempts to army crawl away from the hell that’s broken loose. A hoarse curse leaves her lips and as she yells for help, she manages to reach for the next passerby’s leg. “Can you give me a hand please?” Her left hand (the same one that was trampled on) feels broken, as she tries to clench her fingers.

[ironriverstarters]

STARTER: open (capping at five)

LOCATION: mideastern georgia state fair

In the blink of an eye, the air descended into chaos — Shrieks of laughter became screams of terror, hundreds of people began to scatter and flames engulfed one of the rides, spreading quickly. For a minute she had stood and watched, both her and Colt alerted by the distressed cries of animals. They had looked at each other, realising the traps didn’t release. And then, they started bickering. 

She stormed off in frustration once he had left to be a hero, refusing to stand back in safety and watch as hell rose from the dead and Iron River burned to a crisp. No. She would help, no matter what Colt wanted her to do, or not. “Hey, hey you —” Alara ran up to another person and tapped them on the shoulder. “Can you help me?” She asked, grabbing a giant trash bin. “I need to jump over the fence to release the gate, more exit routes for everyone.”