#my dad just goes hiking in the woods near it every weekend so I went with him a lot in highschool and during college breaks

[freshlypeeled]

I’ve been writing a scene where my fantasy character gets to sorta project themself into a (real) podunk town and kept it as accurate as I could by dropping myself there in google maps and typing out the things I saw as I “walked”

​to be extra cannon accurate I had to set the year back to the 2014 (specifically what I’m writing takes place in 2016/17) and also spent like 30 minutes researching if this one shit restaurant in the 2014 drive got shut down before or after then (in the 2019 drive it was a law firm and in 2023 it was abandoned) just to have a single sentence be accurate

[sapphire-strikes]

Jimothen would absolutely take FK and Parsley camping! Since Dallas drives out, I can't imagine he'd pass a chance to tag along - and I imagine Parsley would be more willing if FK was there. His dad is a lot and everyone know it! Manly camping!!!

I just want to say thank you so much for this request I had a lot of fun with it!

• Out of all the father son bonding time Parsley is forced into, camping is his least favorite. He's not a very outdoorsy person at all. The bugs, the burnt food, sleeping on the ground; it's not exactly his idea of a good time and Jimothan's insistence on roughing it as much as possible only makes it worse.

• Jimothan proudly brought up their upcoming yearly trip at the Lounge one day and you mentioned that you hadn't been in a while and that camping sounded like a lot of fun. This immediately caught Parsley's attention and he was quick to suggest you come along with them.

• Jimothan was surprisingly okay with this idea as well. He'd always been so insistent on it being a father-son trip but he was already proudly blustering on about showing you how to pitch a tent "the right way".

• Parsley on the other hand was just happy to have someone to suffer with. And who knows, his dad might even tone it down a notch with you around. He almost felt bad, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into.

• A few days later while hanging out with Dallas you mentioned getting to tag along with them and he congratulated you, wistfully mentioning how much he loved group camping trips. A few minutes later and you're making a call to Parsley asking if there was room for one more

• Jimothan remembered Dallas from their time at the Habitat but overall didn't know much about the guy besides what he usually orders at the bar.

"I don't know, the kid's one thing but we only have so much room in the truck. You ever been camping before, son?"

"Allll the time, daddy-O~ The mystique of the forest really scratches the id, y'know? Makes for a excellent atelier~"

"What in the sam hill does that-"

"He goes there to paint." You clarified "Oh and don't worry about space! We can just take Dallas's bus, he's got plenty of room."

Dallas flashed Jimothan the "OK" symbol and though he still looked reluctant, Parsley was already on board and looking more excited about going camping than he had in a long time.

"I'm just happy I don't have to ride in the bed of the pickup this year." Parsley sighed in relief.

"Oh don't complain. I always tell you; the Breeo X Series 19 Firemaster has to sit up front with me for safe keeping."

• When it comes to actually camping, Jimothan is old fashioned but impressively efficient. When you pick out a spot and begin unpacking your things he's already working on setting up the tents and starting a fire. Fishing, hiking, rock climbing, he tries to fit in as many outdoorsy activates into the weekend as possible. .

• Dallas takes a much more relaxed approach to camping. He brings a lot of modern amenities and prefers to sleep in his bus instead of out in the open. Spending most of his free time finding a good place to set up a temporary studio and painting

• Much to Jimothan's dismay, Parsley latches onto this laid back approach to camping and ends up spending most of his time with Dallas.

"C'mon, Pars, Marv told me the lake north of here is full of biters!"

"Uh, thank, dad...but I'll have to pass for today. Dallas and I are gonna go swimming though, so maybe I'll see you up by the stream?" Parsley was awkwardly dancing around his dad's enthusiasm and you weren't blind to the dejection and annoyance that was building in Jimothan's eyes every time Dallas stepped in to join one of their activities or offer an easier alternative to Jimothan's bare bones way of camping.

• Dallas really was just doing his best to be friendly even going out of his way to strike up conversation with Jimothan despite the older man's gruff attitude.

• Considering that Parsley never shared his love of camping, Jimothan gets pretty excited if you show interest in what he's working on or ask him to assist you with something. Though he does tend to take over and show you how to do it as opposed to just helping.

• You do your best to keep him from feeling left out but unfortunately this backfires and now you're the one he's waking up at 5am to go hiking. You had to admit you felt bad for him but you were beginning to understand what Parsley meant about his dad being a lot to handle. Still, it's actually kind of sweet. He really does just want someone to share a common interest with and pass all his tricks onto. He just lacked basic communication skills.

• Speaking of Parsley, he seemed to genuinely be enjoying himself this time around. He got along really well with Dallas, even modeling in front of the sunset for him at one point.

Unfortunately Jimothan’s over eagerness begins to wear on you and you find yourself tempted by the dark side. "You sure you don't want to stick around? Dallas is gonna show me how to make dream catchers." Parsley asked, scooting over to make room for you near the fire.

"I probably shouldn't. Jimothan already asked me if I wanted to go rock climbing with him."

"Rock climbing? You mean on that 30ft tall cliff by the waterfall? You nodded wearily. "Yeah, he already tried to get me to go too, buddy system and all that. But I get forced into that stuff every year. Missing it this one time won't hurt him."

"I don't know, he seemed pretty excited." Just as you were struggling with your decision Dallas emerged from his bus holding an assortment of crafting supplies.

"Heyy, little buddy, are you going to be joining us? I've got some pressed flowers you could use for yours, it'll fit your aesthetic perfectly~" Before you could answer, Parsley pulled you down to sit beside him.

"You bet they are!" Okay, maybe a quick crafts break wouldn't hurt.

• Before you knew it three hours had passed and you were doing outdoors yoga alongside Dallas and Parsley with flowers braided into your hair. The serene atmosphere only being broken by Jimothan stomping into camp. He was soaking wet and looked like he had taken quite the tumble. The annoyed look on his face only reconfirmed this theory.

"So...how was rock climbing?" Parsley asked nervously. The only response any of you received was a furrowed brow before he angrily retreated into the tent to change.

• After a bit of time he eventually returned and went about readying the camp for dinner. It was beginning to get dark so you, Dallas and Parsley were sitting on the top of the bus watching the stars. The view was nice but there was just one thing missing.

"Hey, Jimothan, you should get up here, the views amazing!" Parsley seemed to catch onto what you were doing and followed your lead.

"They're right ya know. It is pretty cool up here." Parsley seemed to finally have caught his attention and he looked to actually be considering it for a second but shook his head.

"Nah, you kids have fun. I need to get this fire started." There was a hint of sadness to his voice as he went back to smacking his wet flint and steel together. They must have been in his pocket when he took his tumble down the waterfall.

Dallas leaned over the railing at the top of the bus. "There's no need for that, my guy. If you can't get that started I've got a microwave in the back, we can have Pad Thai." He seemed to be trying to raise the mood but Jimothan didn't offer his addition so much as a glance. He did however huff and begin smacking the flint and steel together much more aggressively.

You and Parsley gave each other a worried glance but it was interrupted by Dallas placing a hand on each of your shoulders. He winked and seemed to be giving you a look that implied, 'let me handle this', before effortlessly vaulting over the railing and sliding down the side of the bus.

Without missing a beat he kneeled down beside Jimothan and pulled put a ligher. Quickly flicking it alight and holding it beside the piece of newspaper he was trying to start the fire with. "I feel you though, nothing like cooking over a real fire, right?"

• Jimothan looked at him in awe for a moment and Dallas just gave him a friendly smile. Then Jimothan threw down his flint and steel, stood up and marched off into the forest.

Parsley slapped a hand to his forehead and slouched backwards, "Oh boy..." You scrambled down the ladder to stand beside Dallas who was still staring in the direction Jimothan had stormed off in.

"Did I say something wrong?" He looked at you worriedly but before you could answer Parsley slid down the ladder to stand beside you.

Nah, not really. He's just...not good with change."

• Jimothan goes pretty quiet after that, eventually returning to huffily chop wood not far from the camp. After a bit you offer to go talk to him but Parsley steps up insisting that he should be the one to do it.

• You and Dallas sit by the fire, just barely being able to make out their shapes as they talked off in the distance. You couldn't hear what they were saying but just watching their silhouettes interact told the whole story.

• Jimothan seemed to be ignoring him for a while until Parsley picked up an axe and started chopping alongside him. There was an obvious struggle on Parsley's part that was enough to catch Jimothan's attention and soon he moved to show him how to do it properly. Adjusting the wood on the chopping block, showing him how to hold the axe right and demonstrating the proper chopping motion. He then stepped back to let Parsley try again, giving a small applause as he successfully split a log down the middle.

There a moment of stillness as Parsley seemed to be speaking then he walked forward and hugged his dad. Jimothan froze for a moment then hugged him back. They stayed like that for a bit and you almost wished you could have heard what they were talking about.

• Not long after that Parsley came walking back into the light with Jimothan close behind him. There was a clear bit of awkward tension in the air but Dallas was the first to stand up and apologizes for having done anything that may have upset him. This was enough to get Jimothan to speak up, and he insisted that Dallas had nothing to be sorry for.

"You're here as a guest. I'm sorry for causing a scene. If Parsley happy doing..." He vaguely motioned to Dallas's bus, "whatever it is you've been doing... then maybe I need to open up a bit"

Parsley was smiling at him proudly but he raised a hand, "Just a bit though!"

• The next morning all four of you went spear fishing then later that evening Dallas set up a projector and you had a little horror movie marathon. You even got Jimothan to make a dream catcher. It was a disastrous collage of fish hooks and rocks but he seemed proud of it so you hung it up with the others.

• Dallas plays the acoustic guitar and Jimothan plays the Banjo and as it turns ou the two of them have a mutual love of campfire songs. You're forever grateful to Parsley for thinking ahead and bringing an extra pair of noise canceling headphone for you because those two go on for hours. Seeing them both go all out together is incredibly sweet though.

• When it comes time to pack up and leave Jimothan offers Dallas a hand shake but Dallas goes straight for the hug. Leaving Jimothan to give him an awkward pat on the back as he half returned it.

• Parsley has already assured you that you're definitely coming next year, no exceptions. And who knows, they might even make it a tradition to start bringing some of the others as well.

[wearejustvisiting]

I wrote something!!!!!!!!!!

It has 2,990 words! 

It’s an actual story! 

With original characters!!!!!

I don’t know if it’s good, this is the first draft, but I’m excited and I want to share it with you!

It’s called ‘Gina and the Rain Fish’, it’s about this character named Gina who I’ve been developing for years. 

Gina Brennan blinked lazily, staring out of the glass sliding door that separated her from the rain pouring down from the bewilderingly gray skies. Rain on the shore of lake superior was different than rain anywhere else in the country, Gina figured. Not only did the sky go gray, but the entirely lake was a sickening black-green, and the beach itself reflected the gray of the sky. The only things that weren't turned gray were the trees too low to get wet, or the houses too bright to be anything else.

Gina absolutely hated the rain. It meant she couldn't sneak into the lighthouse, she couldn't go to the roof, she couldn't even climb trees. And what is life in the woods if you can't even climb a tree or two? Rather boring, if you asked Gina. It being the weekend meant the 14-year-old had nothing better to do with herself, so why bother doing anything but waiting for the rain to stop?

“Ugh...it just goes on forever...” lamented Gina, to no one in particular.

“It's been thirty minutes,” answered Gina's father from the second floor, sat at his computer, “It'l be plenty dry tomorrow, birdie.”

“I wonder if an oak sturgeon is out there...” Gina said, looking up to the staircase as she heard her father coming down.

Gina's father came down, speaking in a rush as his big glasses reflecting the gray sky from the windows, “Gina, you are not going out in this weather to look for sturgeon.”

Gina rolled her eyes, her own glasses falling onto her eyes as she crossed her legs, “Dad, I wouldn't have to go any further than the beach! You'd see me the whole time, just...just a quick walk, that's all!”

“No.” Gina's father said, his arms at his hips, “This rain is only going to get worse, and the wind is going to pick up.” He said, walking down to the coat rack by the door.

“Why do YOU get to go out, then?” Asked Gina, crossing her arms and pushing her back into the couch.

“Not that I get to,” her father replied, pulling a large orange jacket off of the coat rack, “Have to. Paul said the waves are gonna get bad, and I'm the one with the keys to the boat door. So I've gotta go unlock it. Then I'm gonna take my shift early.”

“Wait, what?” Gina beamed, getting up, “I could go with you! We could go together, you know I've always wanted to look in there, and maybe you could teach me how the doors work, and-”

“Regina, NO.” Her father quickly put an end to Gina's new found enthusiasm, “Maybe some other time, but not today.”

“Why not?” Asked Gina, indignant, her eyes squinting at her father, “you do it all the time, you always go out in the rain and the wind and-”

“REGINA,” Her father bellowed out, his eyes wide and his face stern, his angry expression not hidden well by his short graying beard, “It's done.” He said.

Very few things could tip the temper of Gina's father, but one of those things was his daughter's safety. Gina knew that he didn't mean anything hurtful by it. That he was just looking out for her, and that his yelling about this meant that she would be in serious danger…but it was rare for her father to yell. The sound of it was still jarring to her.

Gina just nodded gently, looking down, “...okay, dad...”

Gina's father walked closer to her and hugged her. “I'm sorry, Birdie. It's just...” Her father bent down to look at her face, “The storm's going to get bad. The wind is gonna be a mess...” He said.

“yeah, yeah, I...I get it, dad.” Gina said, sighing, “just...I can take care of dinner tonight.”

“I just don't want to-”

“To lose me like you lost mom, I GET it.” Gina said, slowly backing away from her father, “We've been through this a million times.”

Gina's father looked to her, a sad expression, once again visible through his beard. He went to the door silently, opening it, the sound of rain splatting to the ground apparent.

“I'll be back around midnight.” He said, before leaving the house and shutting the door behind him. He was gone. At least, for now.

As she heard her father drive off, Gina stormed upstairs to her room. She avoided looking at the pictures on the wall, the ones of her mother...she'd seen plenty of pictures of her mother two years ago when she went missing, and even more pictures when she was found on Mackinac island. Gina's father had a bad habit of holding onto memories.

Gina flopped down on her bed, facing the plum purple ceiling. The dark walls and dark skies provided little light, but Gina didn't need it. Every drop of rain tapping her window was a reminder. She hated this kind of weather. The cold was fine, and rain was lovely, but rain this hard and cold this bitter weren't good for walking. And the wind was picking up...not the most assuring noises. Gina assumed, at this point, it wouldn't be long until…

The power went out.

“UGH! THIS SUCKS!” Gina threw her pillow at the wall as she bent over digging for a flashlight. She figured she might as well get some reading done while she was here…

Edmund Bjornson's Guide to Amadic Creatures...Gina must have read this whole thing 100 times. It was a gift from her grandfather. But she read it anyways. All the newer books were downstairs, and she didn't really want to bother. She turned to the page on Oak Sturgeon, hoping to glean some information she'd forgotten.

“The Northern Lake Oak Sturgeon is a large megafauna inhabiting the northern lakes of the North America and Western Europe. While they look similar to Great White Sturgeon, it is important to note that healthy Oak Sturgeon are a brighter hue of white than most Great White Sturgeon. The Oak Sturgeon is most likely brighter in coloration due to its lack of natural predators; even humans have trouble hunting them, as they are considered extremely dangerous. Oak Sturgeon prefer cooler weather, and are often seen by the surface when it rains heavily, though there is no known reason for this behavior. Because of this behavior, the Oak Sturgeon is commonly known to many as a Rain Fish or Rain Whale.”

Gina happened to glance out of her window, out at the lake. The rain was pouring harder and harder, and the sky was darker. It was as if someone had said something about the storm, and it was responding with anger. Gina, somehow, looked past that...and saw it.

The large pale mass in the water, near the surface...it was massive, at least the size of a school bus. Gina forgot what her father said, as well as managing to forget the weather….she quickly threw on her hiking boots, a pair of black cargo pants, wool gloves, a thick black sweater, and threw a large orange coat over that. She grabbed a plain green ballcap and put it on her head, stuffing her thick, wavy, sepia hair into her jacket.

As Gina got downstairs, she ignored the power flickering back to life, as she grabbed a pocketknife and her camera, putting a bit of a protective case her father had made her around it. Just a plastic shield, for the rain. Gina promised herself she would only stay on the hill above the beach. No closer. She promised...she ran to the door and opened it, shutting it behind her.

The wind was the first thing that hit her. Smashing into her like a wall, the wind was loud and coarse. Then, the cold, like little splinters hitting her face, soon turned to a large mass finding its way into every space of her clothing that it could to get to her body. Last, the biting rain, bad enough that she was glad her hat had a rim, and bad enough that she had to throw the thick hood of the jacket over said hat.

It was when she tried to walk that Gina knew this wasn't her best moment. The wind was whipping hard, and it was hard to move forward, but if that Sturgeon did what she thought it would this close to the shore, she knew she had to be there to document it. No one believed her when she said it, but she knew…

She knew those things could jump. And she was gonna get a picture.

Gina got to the beach, the massive waves bearing down on the beach as she got closer. She huffed, finding it hard to breathe through the amount of rain falling down. She was constantly using her gloves to wipe her glasses as she got to the wet, packed sand. She looked out on the lake, now big and black and terrifying in its size and speed. It moved like an angry, wretched beast. As if it wanted to consume Gina in her entirety. Gina saw not the white breakers, but gnashing teeth ready to swallow her whole if she got to close. She was dumb enough to go on the beach in this weather, but not stupid enough to get that close…

Until she caught sight of the white mass in the water, moving faster...she knew it it was going to happen, it was going to be soon. She grabbed her camera, getting prepared. She could have just done this from inside. She could have just waited for a day where the wind wasn't so strong that the sand was blasting her in the face. But she was out here now, and she was closer to the water than she should have been.

Gina had broken her promise to herself big time. Now her toes were getting licked by the surf as she followed what she swore was a fin. She snapped a photo, just a picture of the fin and back of one would be worth keeping. She followed it. “Come on,” she whispered to herself, “Jump for me...jump...” She said.

She huffed, coughing and sputtering after having breathed in some water from the lake as it splashed near her. The water was rising. She didn't care. “Come on...jump...jump!” She got the camera ready as she saw the fin disappear into the water…

“Jump for me….please?”

As if on cue...The Oak Sturgeon rocketed out of the water, straight up, and fell back into the water. Gina got a few pictures, including one of it spearing into the air out of the water. She couldn't contain her excitement, jumping and dancing, jumping almost as high as the Sturgeon did. She laughed, waving her arms, her eyes closed in joy…

Then, she looked at the water...and there were those gnashing teeth.

Ready to chomp down and devour her…

“Gina?” Her mother beckoned from downstairs. “There's a surprise for you down here!”

An eleven-year-old Gina Brennan walked down the stairs. Her birthday had just passed, and she was still clutching her favorite present to her as she walked down. Edmund Bjornson's Guide to Amaldic Creatures had been gifted to her by her grandfather that year. But her mother promised that she'd be getting a gift from her this year as well.

“What is it?” Asked Gina, still a bit miffed that her mother's promise had yet to be fulfilled.

“Look!” Gina's mother held up a cardboard box, shaking it a bit. “It's your present. Came in the mail today.”

Gina beamed, taking the box. She hugged her mother tightly, “Thanks mom!”

“Wait until you open it first! You might not like it, it was Dad's idea.” Her mother whispered, jokingly.

“I heard that!” Gina's father interjected, to the delight of all present...”Go on, Birdie, open it up!” He said. “And...happy birthday.”

Gina ignored her father's hand ruffling her hair as she opened the box, gasping as she saw what was inside. “Oh my gosh!”

Gina lifted the box out of its package...a beautiful camera…

Gina's father spoke, “I know you like taking pictures, and I just figured you'd like to have your own. And to stop stealing mine.”

Gina put the box onto the couch next to her and turned around, hugging both her mother and father. “This is the best present ever!” She said, laughing as her parents hugged her tightly.

Her mother smiled, getting to eye level with Gina. “Now Gina, you promise to be careful with this? Make sure that it doesn't get damaged too badly?”

“Promise, mom.” Gina eeked out, beaming. She could barely talk when she was excited, trying her hardest not to whoop and holler so close to her mother's ear.

Gina's father clapped his hands together, “I bet you I could make something that'll waterproof that camera, but don't get it wet right now, alright?”

“I know, dad!” Gina mocked, hugging him fully and tightly. She then turned to the box, lifting it and rubbing the top of it.

“I promise to take good care of you...and to use you to capture unknown animal behavior so we can become FAMOUS!” She said. “...and I promise not to fully submerge you, even IF dad makes me that waterproof caseamathing, because that would just be rude.”

Gina opened her eyes...bleary...she couldn't see. Her glasses were gone. She rubbed her eyes, breathing heavily as she tried to regain her composure. All she felt was a biting, bitter cold. She dug her hands into the sand, blinking. She could see right in front of her, and the vague bleary outline of her house. She dug her left, then her right, then her left, then her right…

Her camera. It was missing. She couldn't find it, even looking back. She saw a black splotch floating in the water...and she stood up, letting a wave toss it to her. Gina grabbed her camera, falling on her back as she was once again knocked over by the wave.

She used her legs to push herself back away from the water, still too cold to bring herself to her feet. The rain was slamming into her, as if it were a million tiny daggers piercing every pore it hit. She slowly got to her feet, clutching the camera as a mother clutches a child, before walking in the direction of her home's outline.

Gina could barely feel. Hypothermia must have been setting in. She closed the door to her home and threw the clothes she was wearing off onto the brick floor of the foyer before taking a painfully hot shower to revive her dying nerves. It was painful. It was awful. She was sobbing. As every bit of scraped, scratched skin was hit with near scalding water, she felt every single cell of her body cry out in pain as it was brought from extreme cold to extreme heat.

But Gina Brennan lived. He sobs subsided, her weeping waned, her pain stopped. And for a brief moment, there in the shower, with the water off, there was nothing. No water. No rain. No sand. No cuts. No Sturgeon.

Just an aching silence. The kind Gina usually hated, but right now, loved more than anything. She stepped out, dried herself off, and dressed herself in black pajamas, sitting in her room with her camera and a spare set of glasses.

With her lights on, the decoration of the room was more apparent. Posters of bands and pictures of her and the places she'd been, anatomies of Amadic creatures on long posters in the room, and a flag on the ceiling, bearing the emblem for the organization which she wished to be part of some day; The Northern Department of Amadic Creatures…

Gina was focused on none of it. She was focused only on her camera...it would charge, and it would turn on. But how did the memory fare? Was she able to actually pull pictures from it? Was she able to see the proof of what she knew was true?

Gina's face rose into a large beaming grin as she saw the pictures on the screen of her computer...she couldn't help but do a little happy dance in her chair, despite the fact that she was definitely in pain. She laughed a moment, then sighed, looking at the pictures…

She paused. She knew they were there, and she knew she could see them...they were real. They were there. And yet...she looked at her hands, scraped from sand and water, once near frozen, brought to near burning. She sighed as she looked at them. Were those pictures worth it? Was being right really worth the pain she'd put herself through? Forty-five seconds of joy for nearly an hour and a half of misery and pain?

She slowly rose out of her chair, looking out of the window. It was Nine at night. Gina hadn't eaten, but she figured at this point dad wouldn't be too disappointed if she just ordered a pizza and left it at that.

Gina hid her clothes, wincing when she touched them with her raw hands. Walking to the ground floor of the house, she stowed her clothes away near the laundry, where she'd deal with it later. She slowly made her way back to the living room, stretching and cracking her joints before gripping the phone and sitting at the couch.

Before Gina ordered, she looked out of the glass sliding door...the wind died down, and the rain had become a drizzling pitter-patter on the glass once more. She looked, for a long while, out to the lake. It seemed it had calmed down.

The lake had won this fight, and it was satisfied.

And as Gina thought of what to order, she looked to the lake, and realized that despite losing, she was satisfied as well.