#beaumont-ague

[colt-phillips]

Colt was just passing through the park when a basketball suddenly came rolling towards him. He did not need to try and find out where it came from because the owner immediately called out to him. Picking it up, he tossed it back before contemplating the question. He had played basketball before, but that had been a long time ago, and he was probably pretty rusty. "Oh, well, I ain't played in a long time, an' I prob'ly wouldn't be all that good. I wouldn't wanna bring down your game."

Toulouse had been feeling like he'd spent too much time indoors lately. His creative inclination was lacking muse, and his body was lacking vitamin d. What better way to clear the mind, get inspiration and heal the body than spend a little time outside? Normally, he might just go for a jog, or skateboard around for a bit, but he was feeling more restless than usual. He needed to let some energy out, but in a way that would distract his whole body, not just his legs.

He grabbed a basketball from his room and headed out to the park. Toulouse was fine with the idea he might just end up playing by himself, though he hoped maybe there would be some others lingering around who'd want to shoot a few. It didn't take long for the park to fill up, as it was a beautiful day. He took a shot, and missed just by a few inches, though enough to send the ball rolling away toward another park-goer. "Hey, over here!" he shouted, hands up to catch the ball. "You want in?"

@happieststarters

[happiestplacehq]

Don't forget, you have until the end of the month to reply to our January Interest Check !!

(I totes won't be mad if you do it before the end of the month, of course.) Just in case anyone is unsure of where their message is, or can't find it, I have listed below the accounts that I have sent the interest checks to. If you've replied already, you're golden and you don't have to do anything further✨

@paxtonpatterson

@itsmarygibbs

@ofanna-arendelle​

@beaumont-ague

@flynnxrider

@late-for-a-very-important-date

@sallytheseamstress

@tj-detweiler

@daisyspond

@eilonwy-pelydryn

@ollie-olliebaby

@henrikhera

@magicaljameshook

@ritasaysrelax

@itspeterpxn

@charlxttelabouff

@ozborror-highroller

@haydenbodaway

@ashley-armbruster

[xalicethewonderx]

Task Eleven → Intro & Connections

Alice Little // 22 // Creative Writing Major // They/Them [Biography]

+ Creative, Curious, Friendly - Over-Imaginative, Impulsive, Careless

Quick Facts:

Alice Little has always been a dreamer. Sometimes it does them well, but often it simply leads to trouble.

They have a funny way of looking at the world, and thus, sometimes find it difficult relating to their peers. Growing up, classmates found Alice “odd”, but it didn’t bother them, as they didn’t mind going off and exploring on their own.

Alice is non-binary, using they/them pronouns, and is an ace lesbian.

Has a pet cat named Dinah.

Will talk your ear off if given the chance, especially if it’s about something weird or will lead to a deep, philosophical conversation. Be prepared for Alice asking 100 questions a day.

Alice disappeared for over a month in 2021, after the town’s annual Halloween party. They were found in the woods in the middle of December, returning with confusion and memory issues that they are still recovering from. [Here] and [Here] and [Here].

Alice hasn’t been “right” since they returned but is desperately trying to ignore it and return to normal again. Alice said they don’t feel like themself anymore, and they are certain they have the memories of “another Alice”.

Taken Connections

Best Friend - Alba Laplan @vvhitevvabbit

God-Mother - Lorelai Hart @queencfharts - A close family friend, turned Alice’s God-Mother. They have a complicated relationship, and has only gotten more complicated after Alice was found.

Friends - Berlioz Beaumont @berlioz-beaumont, Sofia Bach @sofia-bach, Anastasia Tremaine @itsme-anastasia Rose Bryar @itsrosebryar

A Question Mark? - Rita Jacobs @ritasaysrelax - Rita keeps hanging around Alice. At first Alice thought she just wanted to be friends but is now suspecting malicious intent when Rita revealed information about Alice’s family that she couldn’t have known.

An Acquaintance - Cyrus Geennhiww @cyrus-geennhiew

The “Rescuer” - Toulouse Beaumont @beaumont-ague - Toulouse found Alice in the woods after they went missing.

Wanted Connections:

Family - Alice’s sister, Mia, in particular.

A Crush - with the pure intention of this being one-sided. I just think it would be cute for Alice to have a playground crush on someone.

Old Bully - someone that used to pick on Alice for being weird in high school.

Therapist - Alice has been in and out of therapy since they were a kid. They were back at it again for a while but have stopped going, which probably isn’t a good thing.

The Suspicious - Anyone who is as suspicious about the weird things happening around town as Alice is. Someone willing to explore hunches or places with Alice. Maybe even someone who wants to know what happened to Alice (with or without their best interest as heart).

Honestly, anyone who feels sorry for Alice disappearing. Maybe they’re awkward about it. Maybe they’re weird about it. Maybe they can’t stop coddling Alice.

Wanted Plots / Plot Ideas

You Shouldn’t Be Here - Alice is a nosy parker, and very often finds themself exploring places they shouldn’t be. Sometimes they don’t even realise they’ve wandered into the wrong place before it’s too late. Sometimes they do. They have been known to wander into dangerous buildings and so on. In this idea, Alice gets caught by your character somewhere they shouldn’t be and it leads to all sort of trouble. (Or, your character and Alice end up exploring this place together!) They could just be trespassing, or they could overhear a conversation they weren’t supposed to. Totally up for spitballing on this one!

Gullible - Alice is roped into something they should have known better than to get roped into. Alice can be pretty gullible, and fairly easily lead if you tap into their gullibility. This, naturally, must lead to some sort of trouble or guilt or emotions or smthn. Alice is definitely going to be all over the place emotionally and mentally again fairly soon due to some plot developments, so is a prime candidate for some manipulation.

Y’know what tho, someone could very easily peer-pressure / persuade Alice into getting high. Who knows what kind of weird conversation you’d get out of them then.

If there’s anything you’ve ever wanted Alice for but haven’t wanted to ask, hit me with it now! I’m always looking for more threads and plots for Alice. They don’t have as many threads / connections as some of my other characters and I’d really love some more!

Wanted Characters

Characters I would love to see taken/ an OC for (in relation to Alice) that one day might get bios:

MIA LITTLE - Alice’s older sister. Mia is level-headed, strict (to the point of being stern) and hard-working. While she loves Alice dearly, the two often clash with one another, due to having oppositional personality traits. Mia wants what is best for Alice, but is frustrated that Alice is so scatterbrained and doesn’t focus enough on the important things, such as academics and work. Alice gets frustrated that Mia tries to be “mom” instead of treating them like a sister, and wishes she wasn’t so uptight about everything.

Any other weird and wonderful background character from AIW if you’re looking for someone vague enough to build a character around. The Tweedles? Pat the Dodo? The Doorknob? So many options!

With Bios: Chelsea Katz & Maddison Harrigan

Chelsea Katz - A reporter for The Daily Hollow, who is trying to investigate & report on the weird goings-on in town without losing their job. They’ve likely interview Alice about their disappearance, and in turn Alice has likely picked her brain about a few things in the past.

Maddison Harrigan - Co-Owner of the Hatter & Hare. Alice visits their store fairly often to see what curiosities they have in. Alice has yet to be invited to one of the famous Hatter & Hare tea parties, but would absolutely love to attend one day.

[happiestmariebeaumont]

@beaumont-ague

[adropofgoldenrachelx]

Starter for @beaumont-ague

It had been made explicitly clear to Rachel that Toulouse's accident was all her fault. The driver hadn't seen her, she had been in the way, and he just had to jump in there and take the hit. It had been made urgently clear that Rachel wasn't to go anywhere near him while he recovered either.

Marie's threat was not enough to deter her, however. The guilt of causing Marie such anguish was only outweighed by the guilt of avoiding Toulouse when he really needed her most. No matter what, she was going to be feeling absolutely terrible about all this, worrying that it was all her fault (because it was!!) and worrying that she would be hurting everyone's feelings every which way she came from.

There was a gnawing in the pit of her stomach as she made her way along the hospital corridor to see Toulouse for the second time since the incident. She had heard that Toulouse's memory wasn't great and he was very confused, a result of being under for some time. It seemed to be true but that wouldn't put her off smiling through it and being hopeful that he would come around eventually.

This was now the umpteenth visit, and finally one that was not inside a sterile, colourless hospital ward. Rachel looked over her shoulder in the off chance that Marie was nearby, ready to pounce around the corner and knock her flat. Toulouse's face appeared and she couldn't help but beam, masking the guilt and worry behind pearly whites and sparkling eyes.

"Heyyy," Rachel said, waving. "I, uh... I brought you some soup that I remembered you liked. I-I don't really know if you re-- If it will taste as good as last time, but it's worth a try, right?"

[paxtonpatterson]

hollyhock :   how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ? what’s something they strive for in life ? 🍋  :    what kind of diet does my muse have? do they eat regularly, or the standard 2-3 meals a day? do they have to be reminded to eat, or are they likely to remind others? do they cook, or have others cook for them? do they eat healthily, or not so much?

hollyhock :   how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ?  what’s something they strive for in life ?

He has ambition for his life, but he’s also smart enough to know his place when it comes to Hayden. Paxton doesn’t strive for much, he would enjoy living a simple life.

🍋  :    what kind of diet does my muse have?  do they eat regularly,  or the standard 2-3 meals a day?  do they have to be reminded to eat,  or are they likely to remind others?  do they cook,  or have others cook for them?  do they eat healthily,  or not so much?

Paxton has a healthy diet. He’ll normally aim for 2 meals a day plus protein shakes and coffee. He sticks to a time schedule for his meals, if he’s passed the allocated slot for his meals, he’ll skip them altogether. Sticking to a schedule has him remembering to eat, and it’ll be them that he normally reminds Patrick (if Patrick hasn’t already eaten a sandwich made by Ella). Paxton cooks all his meals and his diet is a clean and healthy one. It’s a diet of someone that clearly goes to the gym and stays in peak physical condition 24/7.

[xaspiringbeamoflightx]

Starter for @beaumont-ague​

Tina really was not doing well spending her birthday on her own. James was on a business trip and had already been gone for a few days, and Tina... well, antsy was putting it lightly. While she had spoken to him in the morning, the ever-present dread that washed over her whenever she happened to be alone for an extended period of time was well and truly sticking its finger in. To curb said dread, her only option was going out and finding attention.

She spotted Toulouse not far off on her trail, flagging him down immediately before he could escape. “Hey! You! Toulouse! Wait!” Tina called, making no effort to actually run to catch up to him. (It was her birthday, he could come to her.) “Just FYI, you’re buying me a coffee.”

[cassguardia]

When Cass found out who she was sharing a tent with, she’d been annoyed. But, she’d told herself, it was only a space they would need to coexist in while sleeping. She didn’t have to interact with him any of the other times.

Not so, it would seem! Instead of allowing people to choose their teams for the various activities and competition, camp-goers were forced to team up with the preassigned people of their tent. So here she was, doing competitive games with some of the worst people to exist. For most of the time, Cass was trying to shove Toulouse off onto Tina, the only other one of their tentmates to have signed up for this event. However, there was one activity that she decided she’d need to step up for.

Trust exercises. Particularly, sense deprivation. Not for her of course, she would never allow that. But when they put Toulouse in a blindfold, she’d kindly insisted that she be the one guiding him. As an act of good faith. After all, he was dating her best friend.

The first part of the activity involved her spinning him around and around. She just happened to do it a little bit longer than the other pairs. “How you holding up, bud?” She asked as she continued to manhandle him.

@beaumont-ague​

[duchess-beaumont]

@beaumont-ague​

Duchess thought about how she should do this, text him and ask him to stop by, but the longer she waited, the worse she felt, she already made him wait for 20 years, and it was time for her to stop being a coward. Grabbing some of the cookies she baked, Duchess made her way toward the dorms, seeing people walking around was a good distraction, it was a shame the walk wasn’t longer. Standing in front of his door, she knocked gently.

[berlioz-beaumont]

starter for @beaumont-ague​

Berlioz ended up banging his forehead on the keys, making the most awful sound… But at least it was something, he sighed. He had hit a wall, creatively speaking, so he pictured it made sense to hit the keys, as if that way something could be unlocked, and the wall could be undone.

The youngest Beaumont triplet knew that there was a pile of other things he could do to distract himself, to keep himself occupied: homework to finish, books left unread, physical exercise he had been avoiding, socializing he still hadn’t found a good solution to. It felt so much easier to just grumble and groan and complain. Berlioz knew it didn’t help in any way, but he was tired of trying to compose again. It had been almost four, maybe five months? since he had last written something worth playing in front of his family. Perhaps he just needed to eat something. Or perhaps he just needed a nap.

Suddenly he head a hum by the hall. Berlioz remembered that Toulouse was home for the weekend, and smiled. At least he’d have someone to complain with. “Hey, what are you so happy about?” he asked loudly, still refusing to get his head off the keys. “I don’t remember the last time I heard you sing. Can’t say I missed it, though.”

[cyrus-geennhiew]

@beaumont-ague​

Cyrus was working at the coffee shop filling up for someone that had called it sick, on his guess, since it was a beautiful day, the person probably decided to go to the lake or something like that, but he wasn’t judging, besides it was his gain “Morning, I’m Cyrus, I’ll be your waiter today.” He said, looking at the costumer and recognizing him from somewhere, but not exactly sure where. “Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?”

[magicaladamlegrand]

beaumont-ague​:

.

Toulouse should have just told the man he ate a hearty three meals a day and left it at that. Getting lectured hadn’t been on his to-do list today, but he knew that the other was just trying to be helpful, so he let him speak. All of that information at once was sort of slipping past him, but he got the gist of it any way, enough to know that he should try and make a better effort to eat in the mornings. “Well, maybe breakfast wouldn’t be so bad, then.”

Though he didn’t have high hopes, Toulouse was willing to try his luck. Things couldn’t really get much worse, and he suppose that if he explained to his professor why he had turned the paper in late, perhaps they would allow him an extension. Usually that meant a slight bump in grade, but it would be better than a zero. However, his face lit up as the man started to read back the quote. “Whoa… you can actually read that? Hang on, wait— I could use your help with a couple other quotes. The paper’s pretty much written, I just need to translate them and write a brief justification of why I chose them. Could we— maybe stop by that cafe? Breakfast and a place to work sound pretty good.”

-

Before Agatha, Adam was known to be a protective person. He lost that with all that had happened. He became cold and distant as if he was an ice cube and everyone was a flickering flame. He was afraid to get hurt, and he hid from everyone that could cause him pain. But then Mary came into his life and things changed and Adam became his old self again. Perhaps that was why he worried about this youngster, especially after learning he didn’t have any breakfast. “Yes, please take care of yourself.”

“of course I can ready this.” Adam said with a grin. “I’d gladly look over your quotes and write them out for you - while you eat breakfast.” He empathised once more on the importance of that meal in the mornings. It was easy to lose track of your wellbeing, especially when you are a sztudent and you believe that grades are more important than your hungerpains. “Who is teaching you?” He knew it could either be Belle or that creepy lady, what was her name again? Myra? “I’ll keep a table for you at the window, its the most quiet in the café.”

[happiestplacehq]

Points of Contact !!

As part of our effort to make communicating with each other easier, please find below the list of blogs that will now be considered main points of contact for each player. As mentioned in this post [here] this will be the blog you will receive all messages from the main on, and the place other players will go to contact you for plotting and threads etc. Please remember to check these blogs specifically when you are online so you don’t miss anything.

This will now be linked on the main [here] and edited as needed, and also readily available in the pinned post. You can find the OOC list [here] too.

Mod Gemma - @xaspiringbeamoflightx & @happiestplacehq

Alex - @paxtonpatterson

Alice - @itsmarygibbs

Amanda - @ofanna-arendelle

Anna - @arianaxneptune

Atlas - @beaumont-ague

Biggles - @thomas-o-malley

Casi - @sallytheseamstress

Claire - @tj-detweiler

Emily - @vvhitevvabbit

Jane -

Kit - @henrikhera

Morgan - @peytonmilne

Naomi - @magicaljameshook

Paige - @ritasaysrelax

Penny - @itspeterpxn

Ryan - @charlxttelabouff

Sam - @ozborror-highroller

Scad - @mxmorganmorph

Tom - @haydenbodaway

Zöe - @ashley-armbruster

[xalicethewonderx]

A Thread: A Return.

Summary: December 18th. Alice is found. Featuring: Alice, @beaumont-ague​

Note: written in google docs. this is a long-ass thread.

—————————————————————————————————

It was early December. The usual snow had dusted Redwood Hollow and its surrounding woodlands. Things went on as normal.

It had been 48 days since Alice Little's disappearance. There was no trace left. Every rock had been overturned, every nook searched, every path swept with a fine tooth comb. While some still searched for Alice -Charlie, Alice's parents- the town had returned to relative normalcy, ignoring the growing fear that replaced Alice's presence. Christmas was fast approaching, and the Little's were beginning to wonder if they would get to spend Christmas with Alice ever again. 

Somewhere amongst the trees, however, their question would be answered. Where was Alice? Why, they were lying in a small clearing, dusted with new snowfall, their head resting on the remnants of an old cut down tree. The mushrooms and fallen leaves would have made for a nice pillow, had they not been frozen solid. How long Alice had been there was unknown. Their footsteps (or any footsteps) were no longer viable. Alice wouldn't have known the answer either way, as they appeared to be asleep (or worse).

—————————————————————————————————

Every day that passed with no signs of Alice Little’s whereabouts weighed heavier on Toulouse’s conscience. He knew how badly Charlie was hurting, and could only imagine what the rest of their family was feeling. Not knowing if Alice was out there somewhere, wondering if they would ever see them again. Not many people knew that Toulouse and his siblings had gone through something similar when they were younger. Thankfully, they had not gone missing for all that long, and had returned home safely. Perhaps that was why Toulouse was feeling so guilty about not being able to help more. He knew what it was like to feel helpless in a situation like that, and to think that Alice might also be out there feeling the same way, it made him shudder. That was also why he refused to forget about it, or stop trying to help whenever he could. 

Even if it had been almost two months since Alice had disappeared, Toulouse refused to let himself imagine that it was too late. Giving in to those thoughts would only hurt more in the end. The holidays were fast approaching, and with the weather getting colder, and the days shorter, Toulouse knew that it was more crucial than ever to try and find Alice, before the elements became too harsh. As it was, snow had already started falling, most foliage was dying out, and animals were going into hibernation. 

Toulouse had been out for a walk, circling by the outskirts of Redwood Hollow near the edge of the woods. He always enjoyed going there to clear his head, and sometimes it was a preferred spot to smoke, when the stress got high enough. Recently, his use has increased dramatically. Before he could even think of engaging, however, Toulouse lifted his head and saw something in the distance. Unsure of what he saw, he got closer, eyes widening as he recognized the figure laying in the dirt and snow. “Alice…” Rushing over, Toulouse immediately fell to his knees beside them. “Alice? Alice!” When he got no response, he gently tapped them on the shoulder and asked again. “Alice!” Nothing. Immediately, Toulouse checked their pulse, and held an ear up to listen for breathing. Both were faint, but still there. Turning Alice on their side to ensure there was an open airway, Toulouse gave them another shake, a bit more forceful this time. “Alice, can you hear me?"

—————————————————————————————————

It was a very strange sort of dream Alice was having now. All sorts of nothing. Heavy and murky. There was nothing really there, until there was... A voice from the surface of a body of water. A chill. Alice had to wonder if they had forgotten to close their window, or where their blanket had gotten to.

Alice...

Alice.

It was less like water now. More like hiding under the pillows. There was a rocking, and then a shift and a shaking and things sounded clear as day.

Alice, can you hear me?

Of course, they thought, but it didn't seem to translate. They stirred just slightly, a brow furrowed and a flickering of eyelids. Alice tried to answer, but only a faint groan made its way to the airwaves.

It took another few moments before Alice had enough of anything to open their eyes, just a touch at first. They realized very quickly that they were freezing, and as their eyes opened further, they caught the hazy outline of a person, and the looming trees overhead. They tried again, but panic set in before a clear thought could fully form. Alice had no idea where they were. Alice had no idea how they got there. 

As if by electric shock, Alice gasped, sitting up in a scramble away from whoever was looming over them.

"Wh-where am I?" Alice asked, voice hoarse from the cold.

—————————————————————————————————

When Toulouse had first seen them, admittedly, his mind went to thinking the worst. Alice had been missing for so long that it wasn’t totally impossible, but he’d been trying so hard not to have those thoughts come to mind. Thankfully, they seemed to stir at the mention of their name. Quickly, Toulouse started to take off his outer coat, leaving himself in a heavy flannel. 

He hadn’t expected them to jerk upward so suddenly, unprepared as he ripped off the gloves he was wearing and tried to get Alice to calm down. “Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay!” Toulouse held his hands up to show that he was not trying to harm them, slowly moving closer. “I can tell you what I know, but first we need to get you out of here. You’re freezing and you might have been out here a while.”

Toulouse was slow with his movements, not wanting to scare them or cause Alice to have mistrust. Knowing that they were probably confused and unsure about most everything right now, the last thing Toulouse wanted was for them to try and run off. “Let me help you, I’m a friend.” Draping the coat around their shoulders, Toulouse helped them get it on and gestured for Alice to hold their hands out so that he could glove them. 

“Everything is going to be okay, I promise. I know it’s all confusing, but I can explain what happened as soon as we’re safe.”

—————————————————————————————————

Alice trembled. Whether from the cold or from the fright, it was difficult to say. They glanced around wildly, as if something might appear from the trees any moment, and then less so when they had some sort of semblance on their bearings. In the woods… Alice knew the woods… Still, there was no answer to the question, and the specifics of precisely what woods they were in was entirely lost. Finally, Toulouse’s voice found their ears again, pulling their attention just enough to dim the fight or flight response. 

Alice’s eyes narrowed slightly, an attempt to focus on Toulouse. Alice was sure they were supposed to know who he was but everything was so damn fuzzy, that remembering his face was hard. There was something about a cat… Dinah…? Or a cousin. There was a faint flinch as Toulouse moved closer, in spite of how slow he was moving, but it became apparent that he meant no harm when he offered his coat. Even as he helped put the coat on, Alice looked at him as if they were trying to read very small text on an old faded page. 

“A friend..?” Alice repeated quietly, but it jogged no memory. They paid no mind to holding out their hands for the gloves, too preoccupied with greater concerns. “It was– Yesterday– I can’t–” This was frustrating and terrifying. Alice was beginning to think they had forgotten how to speak altogether! “Where is– is safe?”

—————————————————————————————————

In hindsight, perhaps Toulouse should have called the police immediately, but he needed to make sure that Alice was alright first. However they got there, it was apparent that it didn’t happen on their own. Someone must have placed them there for them to be this disoriented and frightened. As Alice spoke, Toulouse tried to listen for any clues about what could have happened to them, but was finding it difficult to make out what they were saying. Then again, it seemed that Alice was having a problem getting it out, which he absolutely didn’t fault them for. 

“Yeah,” Toulouse looked up at them, a soft smile spreading across his face. “A friend.” He squeezed their hands ever so gently as he helped put the gloves on, a gesture of reassurance. “It’s okay if you don’t remember anything. Trying to answer all of your questions right now might only make you more frustrated.” Of course there were questions. He knew that they would have their own questions about what happened to them as well as the town would have questions. Honestly, he was hoping to speak to the police once he was able to calm Alice down a bit, and ask the officers not to interrogate them about it since they seemed to have no recollection of what happened. It would be pointless, and only scare them more. 

Once Alice was bundled up in warmer clothes, Toulouse helped them button up the coat, and brought his gaze to theirs again. “Anywhere but here. Preferably back to Redwood Hollow. Are you hurt? Do you think you can stand up?”

—————————————————————————————————

Police were the last thing on Alice's mind. They hadn't the faintest idea that they had been missing for over a month. They sort of remembered being somewhere else for a while, maybe, but it felt like one giant, horrible nightmare. They simultaneously thought that it had been a long time since they were here, and barely a night at the same time. 

Alice smiled back slightly when Toulouse reassured them, squeezing their hands, though it wasn't an especially joyful smile. More of a reflex or a relief. "I don't know what I remember…" they admitted solemnly, really, really trying despite the advice. Redwood Hollow though… that rang a bell. And it became clear again that they must be near their home. That was where they lived, Redwood Hollow. Right..? Yeah, that seemed right. 

"I don't think so," Alice replied after a moment, glancing down at themself. They held their hands out in front of them, turning the palms up and then down. Perhaps it was because they had just woken up, or because they were so cold, but their hands felt strange, not all theirs. "I-I mean, I don't think I'm hurt," they finished quickly, shaking their head and looking at Toulouse again. "I mean I think I can stand." With that, Alice pushed themself up, using the tree stump as an aid. They teetered slightly, dizzy, but after the moment passed they were sure they were fine. (Or as fine as they could be having been lying in the cold, passed out for who only knew how long.)

—————————————————————————————————

This was a delicate situation, and even though Toulouse was freaking out on the inside, he knew that he needed to hold it together, for Alice’s sake. They seemed fine, physically, but he knew that there was likely a lot of emotional trauma that would manifest from this. At least, he was certain it was a possibility. That was why it was so important to him that he made sure Alice knew that everything was going to be okay now. 

As their eyes met, an overwhelming feeling of anxiety shot through Toulouse’s chest as he remembered all those years ago, being left with his siblings in the middle of the woods. Not knowing where they were, or how far away from home they’d been left. He remembered the scared looks on his brother and sister's faces and how he was terrified, but needed to be the one who refused to break. If he had given in to fear, they might not have ever been able to get back home. Shaking the thoughts, Toulouse refocused his attention to getting Alice out of here. 

Toulouse was patient, waiting for Alice to answer at their own pace. Of course, he was glad to hear that they didn’t seem to be hurt. It would also make it easier to walk back to Redwood Hollow, though he planned on getting them there by whatever means necessary, even if he had to carry them. “Let’s try. Don’t push yourself too hard,” he recommended, making sure that he was there to catch them in case they stumbled at all. “I won’t let you fall, okay? Follow me. We’ll go as slow as you need.” As a precaution, Toulouse held his arm out around them, allowing space so that if Alice needed it, they could lean on him for support.

—————————————————————————————————

Alice nodded, taking their time as Toulouse put his arms around them to help. They were sure they had their footing after a while, but linked arms with him in the off chance that they weren’t stable or felt dizzy again. “Thank you,” they said, sincerely. At least someone appeared calm in this situation, and it made Alice feel a little better that someone was willing to help them.

Every so often, Alice would glance over their shoulder, as if they had to check no one was following them, or perhaps to really get an understanding of where they had been or how they got there in the first place. There was nothing to see, other than the frost-bitten trees and the trail left behind by their footsteps. Slowly, a few things came back to them, but it wasn’t much to go on. There were chunks missing, things Alice wasn’t sure they could explain to Toulouse, or ask him to explain. Nothing made sense.

“Toulouse,” Alice spoke, out of the blue, stopping in their tracks to look at his face again for a moment. “You’re Toulouse. I know you.” It was stating the obvious, but it had been so hard to remember in the first place. They continued on their path somewhere again. “Did I miss the end of the party? Who won?”

—————————————————————————————————

The occasional glances over the shoulder did make Toulouse wonder if Alice was expecting to see something or if they were just nervous that they might. Admittedly, it was making him a bit nervous, though he didn’t show it. Once or twice he glanced over too, just to be sure they weren’t being followed. 

While he did say they could go at Alice’s pace, Toulouse wasn’t expecting them to stop abruptly. He peered down at them with confusion in his gaze, until they said his name again. “Yeah,” he nodded, softly, a half smile on his face. “We go to the same school. Your cousin Charlie is my roommate,” he added, wondering if mentioning Charlie would ease their mind at all. Their next question threw him off, the calm and neutral expression breaking for a split second. 

Truthfully he hadn’t even realized, but Alice was still in what looked to be a Halloween costume. Shit…. he thought to himself. “Alice, what day do you think it is?”

—————————————————————————————————

"Charlie?" Alice repeated, brow furrowed as if they had never heard of him before. It was another minute before it made sense, and Charlie's vision came back into their mind. Alice nodded slowly. "Yes… yes, Charlie. That's right." Their gaze dropped to their feet, watching the snowy path as they walked, trying to answer Toulouse's next question. What an odd question to ask, they thought.

"Monday?" Alice answered, initially quite certain of it. But the more they thought about it, the less that seemed right. Time was all mixed up. "I-I think… Isn't it November? The first. I think it rained last night and then-- but it couldn't have if there's… snow… The party was last night. It must have been. Wasn't it?" 

Alice swallowed hard, another wave of panic washing over them. Nothing was making sense. They couldn't begin to explain the things running through their head, because they couldn't understand it themself. Alice thought that they might cry any moment now, from the confusion alone. Nothing else from the past month had even touched the surface yet.

—————————————————————————————————

As Toulouse suspected, Alice had no idea how long they were actually gone for. Part of him wished that he hadn’t asked, since now he would have to defend his question and it made for an awkward situation. If he told them the truth right now, it might be too much, but he also didn’t want to lie to them. He was supposed to be showing Alice that they could trust him, so lying was off the table. If he could get around answering it directly, though… 

“Let’s just say it’s a little later than you think,” Toulouse answered. How could he possibly break the news right now that it was an entirely different month? Sensing that Alice was starting to get anxious over it, Toulouse gently nudged them forward so that they could keep going. “I know nothing probably makes sense right now, and I promise I’ll tell you everything, just not here. Let’s get back, and I can explain.” They weren’t all that far from the outskirts of Redwood Hollow, thankfully, which led Toulouse to wonder at what point had Alice’s body been placed there? It seemed almost impossible for them to have gotten there on their own, considering that they still believed it was November first. Surely they couldn’t have been there the entire time, either, as there was no excuse for everyone in town to have missed seeing them. Besides, if they had been left outside for that long, Alice would surely have not survived. “It was a tie, by the way,” Toulouse answered their previous question, trying to distract them. “Jack King and Sally Finkelstein won the costume contest.” 

—————————————————————————————————

Toulouse’s answer offered Alice no clarity. The look on their face said as much, but Toulouse gave Alice a nudge forward, which was enough to get them moving again. Alice wanted nothing more than to get out of this miserable cold and into some more sensible clothes. Toulouse’s jacket certainly helped, but they had to wonder if their hands had turned blue yet. “You’re right about that,” Alice replied quietly. “Nothing makes sense at all…” Even on the best of days, nothing made sense, but this was entirely out of the ordinary, even for Alice, who was used to finding out of the ordinary things.

They couldn’t really guess where Toulouse might take them, but they imagined it would be somewhere warm. Certainly not toward the police station. There would be no need for that, in Alice’s eyes.

The distraction worked for a short while, Alice nodding their head when Toulouse answered the other question they had asked. “Oh, a tie?” they pondered. “I suppose that it makes sense that they both would win. They had very good costumes, if I remember correctly. A spider? And a– a man with hardly any clothes on… He must have been freezing if he got caught in this weather like I did!”

—————————————————————————————————

It felt important to not let on that anything was wrong. If he told Alice the truth now, there was a possibility not only that they wouldn’t be able to handle it, but Toulouse feared that it might trigger a fight or flight response, and honestly, he wasn’t willing to risk that at the moment. “Sometimes life throws us difficult situations that we’re not prepared for, and sometimes they don’t make sense, but that’s why we have people we trust. They help us piece together the broken puzzle,” he offered, with a soft smile. 

“I think he was supposed to be a character from a movie,” Toulouse laughed. It was cold enough to see his breath in front of him, though he’d only just noticed. “They had very good costumes though, yes.” The confidence it must have taken for Jack to choose that costume… Toulouse would have never even considered it. “You know, Halloween was my favorite holiday growing up. Still is, really, but my mother would always make us wear layers. I used to get mad, because it would ruin the costume.” Laughing, Toulouse shook his head as they walked on. He remembered getting so frustrated that he would have to wear his coat or a bunch of layers underneath the costume, since it wouldn’t look as cool that way. “She was right to do so, of course. But kids have a hard time understanding that sometimes.”

They made it back to Redwood Hollow shortly enough, Toulouse continuing to walk and hoping that Alice would follow along without noticing where they were headed. His mind was at war, trying to decide when the best time to tell them about the incident would be. Maybe he should give a little information up before abruptly walking into the Sheriff's office. A thought came to mind as to whether Cass would be working, but Toulouse shook it quickly. That wasn’t important right now. “Alice… I don’t want to scare you,” he started, slowly, the police station not too far from where they were now. “But it’s been more than just a few hours that you’ve been gone. You’ve been missing for quite a while… Can you remember anything else after the party?”

—————————————————————————————————

“I suppose you’re right,” Alice conceded, not thinking an awful lot of it at first. It seemed something one would say if they were in a bad situation, which Alice supposed waking up in the woods was, but understanding the gravity of it would not come until later. They shuddered with the cold, picking up their pace to get out of the breeze as fast as they could.

“A movie without a clothing budget?” Alice replied, trying to joke. The movie, as with other things, would return to them later too. “What did you dress as?” they asked, by way of making conversation. “Perhaps your mother was right about wearing extra layers. Weather can be very unpredictable, you know. One minute it’s sunny, the next you’re stuck in a bleak snow storm.” The previous year's freak weather was something to go by, and apparently something Alice could remember vividly, except for one important detail of its cause. A vague recognition washed over Alice as the outskirts of the town came into view. It was a relief to see the familiar lampposts and old signage leading to the station, but the relief didn’t last long.

‘I don’t want to scare you…’ 

A quick chill ran up Alice’s spine, unlike the chill of the cold. It was instinctual to glance over their shoulder, back in the direction they had come from, in case whatever Alice had been looking for before was there after all. Except they didn’t know what they were looking for, and nothing was there, save for the gradually receding trees. They didn’t look at Toulouse as he explained, eyes fixed on the outskirts of the woods as if they were trying to read something deep in their memory that they couldn’t find. “What do you mean?” Alice asked quietly, before shaking their head, unsure. “I-I don’t know. It was dark? I think… I think there was a rabbit. Or– Oh, this is hurting my head, Toulouse!” It felt very much like something was scratching away at Alice’s brain. They covered their face, their eyes, shaking their head again, and blowing a long, slow breath into their palms.

—————————————————————————————————

It felt oddly comforting to be joking at a time like this, and while Toulouse wondered in the back of his mind if they should be, it was a better alternative than giving in to fear and paranoia. The joke actually was quite funny, eliciting a chuckle from him as they discussed Jack’s inspiration for his costume, and the movie which it came from. “They had to make budget cuts somewhere,” he shrugged, light heartedly. “Me? Oh, I went as a character from a show. Chat Noir. A friend of mine dressed as Ladybug, and we went together.” 

“Tell me about it,” he sighed, recalling the strange weather patterns that had been occurring recently. It wasn’t something he usually paid much attention to, but when the changes were as dramatic as Alice was describing -even if hypothetically- it was hard to ignore. 

Looking back at Alice, Toulouse noticed they were looking over their shoulder again, but this time their attention was fixated so heavily that it seemed like they couldn’t move their gaze even if they tried. He paid close attention to any details they were able to give him. Dark… a rabbit… it was thundering that night, was it not? He couldn’t exactly remember. Suddenly Alice exclaimed that this was hurting their head to think about, and Toulouse immediately reassured them that they could stop. “You don’t have to say anything more now. But if you remember anything else on your own, it’s important that you tell someone. Me, Charlie… someone you can trust.” 

They had slowed down quite a bit as Alice was stuck on watching the trees. With a slight nudge to their shoulder, Toulouse nodded in the direction of where they were headed. “Come on, not much farther now.”

—————————————————————————————————

“I guess so,” Alice nodded, supposing that it might be better to cut clothing budgets as opposed to, say, safe set budgets. It was not lost on them that this was an odd conversation to be having at the present moment, but it was welcomed nonetheless. They glanced at Toulouse, noting no sign of any Halloween costumes at all, even without his coat on. “A black cat and a ladybug seem an interesting combination,” they continued quietly. “Though I suppose it isn’t the oddest thing I’ve ever seen…”

If only Alice could explain what they really meant. If only Alice could understand what they truly meant themself. If only Alice knew just how true their statement really was. They had seen many strange things in the weeks they had been gone, and could not explain or even remember them clearly if they tried to sit with it. But they were there… and they were confusing and fuzzy. 

Alice’s head buzzed and spun and pulsed. It almost made them feel sick. They were fixated, even as Toulouse spoke, and though they turned their head in his direction, their eyes hardly moved from the fixed point until he nudged them again. “I-I will,” Alice promised, through churning stomach and an overwhelming sense that telling anything would lead to trouble. But what was there to tell? What was there to remember? “I’ll tell if I remember. If anyone believes me.”

They blinked, and followed Toulouse once more.

—————————————————————————————————

It’d been, what, a month and a half since Alice was last seen? Time had a funny way of feeling both still and never ending at the same time. Some days it was difficult to accept that they had been gone for so long, and others, it seemed like they would never come back. Toulouse honestly wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not, but he prayed to every superior entity that there was, that he wasn’t. Surely this was too real to be merely a dream. 

Alice’s words felt like a knife to his own stomach. Toulouse remembered how it felt back then when he and his siblings had been dropped off and left to fend for themselves, where they tried to explain who had done it and no one believed them other than their mother and grandmother. Not enough evidence, they said, even though the man had fled immediately after the triplet’s return. He wasn’t sure what happened to the man after that; they were too young to get all of the details.

“They’ll believe you, if you’re honest with them. I’ll make sure they believe you.” It was devastating to think that the people who were supposed to be responsible for justice could be so close minded as to just dismiss Alice’s testimony. They deserved the right to tell what happened to them, anything they could maintain, and to have someone listen without automatically dismissing what they found hard to believe. “A lot has changed since Halloween,” Toulouse gradually started to bring up the conversation. “I don’t want you to be shocked when we get there, but… Alice,” he paused, gathering his composure so that he didn’t frighten them. “It’s been over a month since that party.”

—————————————————————————————————

People had a habit of not believing Alice, or listening to them. 'Stop talking nonsense, Alice,' they would say. 'Get your head out of the clouds.' If Alice had grown to expect anything, it was that no matter how much of the truth they told, I never really mattered. Especially after curiosity got the better of them, and Alice relayed the tale. Once, as a child, Alice had wound up in the hospital with a concussion, and from that moment on (after telling seemingly nonsensical stories about what happened) no one really took Alice seriously. Whatever happened now, whether they could ever explain it or not, might not be believed. It would be especially difficult now seeing as Alice couldn't make head nor tails or where they had been, or why, or what had even happened.

Alice's stomach dropped. Their face, already pale with tiredness and the cold, drained of all remaining colour. There was an awful ringing in their ears. Alice could have sworn Toulouse said a month, but that just didn't make any sense! "A month?" they repeated. "How could it have been a month? I was just-- I was… But-- No. That doesn't make any sense, Toulouse! It was yesterday. Or the day before, maybe." In spite of the onset of panic, it was clear as day to Alice that Toulouse was telling the truth, and they couldn't place their finger on why they knew.

—————————————————————————————————

It was never fun nor easy, being the one to break horrible news. While it was a miracle and a stroke of luck that he’d found Alice and they were okay, it didn’t change the fact that there was still a dark and mysterious side to their disappearance. It would be one thing, he it been a day, and Alice turned up later having gotten lost, or something of the sort. It was an entirely different situation, seeing as how they had been gone since Halloween and Christmas was only two weeks away. He knew this would likely spook them, which was why he’d waited so long to say anything. Waited until they were out of the woods and in more familiar territory. 

“I’m afraid so. Christmas is coming fast, and everyone’s been looking for you ever since you didn’t come home.” Sighing softly, Toulouse didn’t think it was wise to worry Alice with the concerns of others and how distraught their family had been over their disappearance. “I’m sure everyone will be elated that you’re okay, but that also means you’ll likely have people flocking around you in all directions, and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.” It crossed his mind as they walked up to the doors of the police station that he should tell Charlie. He hadn’t even thought about it at first, his top priority being to get Alice to a safe location. Making a mental note to send him a text as soon as he knew Alice was in safe hands, Toulouse stepped forward and reached for the door. 

Looking at Alice, he gave them a reassuring smile. “It’s going to be alright, don’t be nervous. Just remember to be honest, okay? They’re here to help.”

—————————————————————————————————

Time had stopped, once more it seemed, as Alice tried to process just what Toulouse was telling them. They had been gone for a month. Christmas was a few weeks away. Everyone had been looking for them. Teamed with what Alice could recall, a million unclear feelings hit them at once. And still, still, it wasn’t clear at all!!! Alice knew in their heart something was very wrong but everything that was running through their head was not adding up in the slightest. There were memories that Alice couldn’t place, there were memories that should have been there that weren’t and there was an entire month seemingly there and gone all at the same time.

Alice thought they might be sick or pass out any moment now, or wake up warm in their bed and find out that whatever this was… it was just a nightmare. A nightmare. Alice remembered nightmares.

They blinked away a tear. Had they seen themself from outside their body, they might have said they were shell shocked. “Where did I go..?” Alice asked, quietly, more to themself than Toulouse.

The blue fluorescent lights of the police station drowned them as Toulouse opened the door, stark and blinding in comparison to the darkness of the woods and the soft glow of the street lights. They blinked up at the sign, only now realising just where Toulouse had brought them. Sheriff Woody would likely give them a scolding for disappearing, they already knew. But… it seemed Toulouse thought this was the best place to bring them, and Alice, in their utter fear, could not argue against it. “Thank you…” Alice said, finally, to Toulouse, trying to match his reassuring smile before they followed him into the warmth of the station.

[happiestmariebeaumont]

🎬

watching a movie together - @beaumont-ague

“YOU SAID IT WASN’T A HORROR MOVIE!” Marie screeched as the killer popped up in front of the unsuspected blonde. “NOOOOO - I - I” She clutched towards her brother’s arm.

[adropofgoldenrachelx]

🎃 - To carve pumpkins with my muse 

Poor Rachel’s parents. If the kitchen table wasn’t covered with some wild art project, it was covered with some wild cooking project, and Halloween seemed to be the perfect amalgamation of the two. There were pumpkin seeds and rind everywhere as Toulouse and Rachel made their best attempts at carving out the scariest pumpkin they could manage.

“The teeth on yours look way better than mine,” Rachel remarked, fighting to get her carving knife back out of the pumpkin’s skin.

@beaumont-ague​