Steve gasps. "That's the boy I saw in the mirrors and on the way back home with Maggie! That boy was definitely at the circus yesterday, and he was there thirty years ago, too."
Steve hands the picture to Maggie to confirm what he saw.
Fatou scoffs. "That is only more proof that he is an illusion. A thing of projectors and smoke. There is a man in Hungary who can take a photograph from all angles, and make the image seem to come off of the page." Triumphantly, she drops a book on the desk titled "Lasers and holography: an introduction to coherent optics" by W. E. Kock.
Yeah, It isn't possible. he would be our parent's age, maybe older. Holly says. nonetheless, She starts sketching the boy. What colour was his shirt? She asks Maggie
Frustration coalesces into unusual profanity as Maggie addresses Fatou. "Fefe, had you seen him you wouldn't say so. He was moving, and he was wispy, and there sure as *** weren't any ****ing smoke mirrors on the Interstate! It was some Twilight Zone stuff, not a parlor trick!"
Fatou squeaks at the sudden profanity, her vain superiority shattered.
"I know what I saw. Twice. Maybe the one in the picture is his father, or maybe they are actual ghosts, but this whole situation's seven colors of messed up! And we've got nothing to make the police consider us!"
Wilkins' house is tarped over where the fire breached the walls and boarded over the doors. It's easy enough to sneak in while no one is looking.
Fire doesn't do the most damage to a home in these situations...it's the water. Virtually everything is still soaking wet, the walls and ceiling peeling. The water pools almost to your ankles. Papers, photos, books are all quickly becoming pulped mass.
Describe what you're doing to investigate, then roll the stat you think most qualifies. Don't forget your advantages!
Fatou knows she has to move quickly. She has a little leeway after school before she's expected back home, but she knows this isn't going to be easy.
The first thing she thinks of is to see if the cigarette theory holds. If it's clear, even to her, that it wasn't a fire starting from the bed, then the fire department and police are involved somehow. If it does look like a bed fire, then someone got into the house somehow.
Next, she'll check the closets for any boxes the water hasn't totally destroyed. She's picturing a shoebox with a cloth-covered revolver tucked in the back of a high shelf. Something to read seems like wishful thinking.
The fire started in Mr. Wilkson's bed and looks like it spread in multiple directions from there. But it doesn't look like a single flame that spread around as much as a blast on the bed that radiated outwards.
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Steve sees the books and photos soaking in the water. He quickly tries to salvage anything that might explain why Mr. Wilkins was targeted, before the water ruins it.
Nothing immediately springs out at you, but up on a shelf, missed by too much water, is an old (but in nice condition) ouija board. You've never seen one, but you heard about some kids who summoned a ghost at a slumber party once. Could be fun.
Maggie rustles through the bedchamber, looking for anything stashed away that may have survived fire and water. Valuables, documents, a secret diary...
Of the kids, Fatou would be the first to chance the attic of a structurally unstable house...
"Hey, look! I didn't know Mr. Wilkins was into occult stuff," Steve says, admiring the ouija board. "I guess even old people can be fun sometimes."
Holly looks for the basement, somewhere hopefully untouched by fire. she starts going though anything that looks moderately interesting. hopefully, it's just a matter of going though a dozen faded hoto albums in the torchlight until something jumps out at her... hopefully not literally.
No secret diary, but you do find a framed picture, crushed by the boot of a fire fighter. It's only a couple years old. It's Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Eads and Mrs. Mathews, the three teachers who retired this year (or to hear Steve tell it, the three teachers who were fired). You didn't know they knew each other outside of school, but they look pretty chummy here.
You see a cigarette butt in the muck of the water and soaked carpet. If Maggie is right and Mr. Wilkins didn't smoke, this was left by someone else. But who?
You can indeed get up into the attic, but you're right, it's very unstable. I'll give you a plus 1 bonus for size, but give me a flight roll, difficulty 10.
The basement is untouched by fire but is filled with water. I'll let you take the grit roll as you search about.
It's hard to find too much of value, what with all the water damage and the general disorganization. You do find a yearbook from 1954, seems to be Mr. Wilkins' personal yearbook from when he went to Perkins Middle School. It's too dark downstairs to read it very well though.
After Fatou goes to the attic, Steve goes into another room. After making sure he is alone, he asks the ouija board as quietly as possible, "Who killed Mr. Wilkins?"
Nothing seems to happen. Maybe you're in the wrong place. Maybe you need more people? Maybe you're interrupted by Fatou falling through the ceiling?
You're in the attic for only a moment before you step between one of the beams and fall into a soggy couch. You're not injured, but that was pretty scary.
Fatou falls into the couch beside Steve. She's clutching her elbows and holding very still, a mask of abject terror on her face.
"I should go home now." She says in a small voice.
Holly stuffs it into her sweatshirt, and walks back upstairs. Guys, did any of you find anything? She says, not eager to announce her meager find.
"There was a cigarette butt in the carpet inside, and the fire caught in a spray centered on the bed. Spray like a fire-breather. That trailer smelled like cigarettes. Still, we do not know why. I need to get home..."
"I found a ouija board. I'm taking it home, 'cause the water was about to ruin it anyway. Don't you dare tell the police I took it," Steve warns.
You know hose are toys, right? Holly says like, sold in the same aisle as "hungry, hungry hippos"
I don't think I found anything important, but I'm going to look over what I found, I'll tell you guys if it seems like it mattered. She says, going for the exit
"It must be really old. It might be antique. Mr. Wilkins apparently thought it was worth keeping," Steve manages to say, despite Holly's taunting.
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When you take the yearbook back to your house, you note that there is a lot less space for autographs than there is in modern yearbooks. You flip around to find Mr. Wilkins when he was a kid and note that there's a candid picture with him, Mr. Eads and and a boy who looks just like the boy from the newspaper (the one your friends think they keep seeing around the circus). He's captioned as Calvin Kipp.
Do you have anywhere you want to go or anything you want to do? Or would you like me to suggest a scene for you?
A picture from 30 years ago has a kid looking the same as he did in a 50-odd year old yearbook, it has to be his kid, or something, or...
Mom, Ted, can I go to the library? Holly says, holding up three books that need returning.
Fatou waits for Holly to leave. "Steve, if you can wait, I might be able to sneak out after my mother goes to bed, and we can experiment with that board."
A picture from 30 years ago has a kid looking the same as he did in a 50-odd year old yearbook, it has to be his kid, or something, or...
Holly, your mom tells you to go ahead to the library, just be home before dark.
You bike in to the library and start researching. The librarian is very helpful and things are...sort of well organized.
Calvin Klipp is all over the archives 30 years back. He went missing not too long after the circus left town. The police never found his body or any sign that he was still alive. It's hard to read all of it, and you lose interest quickly but it seems that vanishing isn't a new trick for Calvin.
Next on Holly's poorly thought-out solo adventure- Fixing that second adjactive
Fatou seemed pretty shake up, but Holly didn't want to go confront Mr. Eads alone. she asks to borrow the library phone, and calls Maggie's house.
Hi, Mr./Mrs. taylor, It's Holly, could I talk to Maggie?
Maggie, It's Holly. I think I might believe you, I found out some stuff about hat kid you saw. Come to The library, i'll show you!
Maggie's mother quickly passes the phone to her daughter. "The library, you say? Should be alright!"
Placing the receiver in one hand, she calls out to her parents. "Ma, Pa! I'm going to the library with Holly, I'll be back before we eat, 'kay?"
"Meeting you there in a quarter" she says, before grabbing her bike and sprinting forth.
You're waved along to the library, where you quickly meet Holly and...
Maggie smiles at her friend. "So, what did you find?"
Holly ushers Maggie over to the Microfiche, and after double checking that the article is still up, and shows her the article about Calvin Kipp's disappearance. This him?
"Ha! So even you believe in spirits now. I'll bring it over, and we'll see if you can get any answers out of this thing."
"Sure looks like him! Huh, Calvin Kipp... Went missing... Never found the body... Holy mustard, Mr. Eads? With Mr. Wilkins and Kipp? You think it's a vengeful spirit from beyond?"
"Parapsychology is still a very active science." Fatou says without further explanation. "I have just the place in mind. Meet me behind my house. I will bring candles."
Holly finds the phone book, and looks for Mr. Eads address.
I think we should talk to Mr. Eads. I'm still not sure I buy this Ghost thing, But He might know something about this sinister Circus. Holly says, looking very pleased she could use her new favorite phrase.
"Well, I guess parapsychology still hasn't managed to explain ghosts of sad boys, judging by how much you doubted that," Steve comments with a sneer.
That night, Steve comes to meet Fatou behind her house with the ouija board and a flashlight.
Maggie, you notice that he sort of but not exactly looks like the specter. The yearbook photo is more clear than the newspaper and it’s easier to spot the differences in his face and haircut. There’s a resemblance though and the outfit is identical.