[open post]

[notpornbang]

It's a stormy day, and it's just going to get worse from here on out. Sheriff Hootenany Bornpang doesn't like the looks of that thar storm formulation, so he's coming 'round the mountain...town to let you know about it.

Best listen to what he has to say, won't you?

Comments

[ofironorbone]

Parker's got Bridge and Phoebe in the playroom watching The Little Mermaid - one of the few things that satisfies them both, at least enough to keep them quiet and distracted. They're nicely bundled up and supplied with hot chocolate, which gives Parker a chance to go through the house collecting candles, matches, etc.

The house itself has wire behind every first story window, and all but two upstairs ones, and new posts driven around the boundaries of the front lawn. That's probably as good a sign as any that somebody's, y'know. Living here.

[notpornbang]

Well, obviously Sheriff Bill will just go rap a tap tap on the door of the house.

[ofironorbone]

Parker...does not open the front door right away. First she checks through a window, staying hidden, and then pushes open the mail slot with a poker she keeps by the door for just such occasions as this, keeping her back to the wall beside the door.

"Hello," she says, calmly. This is completely normal behaviour.

[notpornbang]

Oh, he would so consider this tomfoolery if not for...the fact that there are vampires in this town at night. Sure. Why not. "This is Sheriff Bornpang, ma'am. Could you open the door, please?"

[ofironorbone]

Parker considers this.

"I'd rather not, begging your pardon, sir," she says, politely. "Seeing as I've got no tangible proof of your authority."

[notpornbang]

There is a very, very audible sigh as he lays his badge in the mail slot for her to peruse.

If he doesn't get it back, there will be no cottoning that.

[ofironorbone]

Parker hesitates before leaning to examine it, and damned if it doesn't look genuine enough.

There are several clicks and clinks on her side of the door before it's pulled open and Parker wordlessly holds Bornpang's badge out to him.

[notpornbang]

He takes it with a bit of a smirk, and relays the information on the coming storm. "Get yourself, anyone else living here and what essentials you need over to the VFW. You know where that is?"

[ofironorbone]

Parker thinks on it, and rattles off the directions to the hall from her house. "That sound about right?"

She glances over her shoulder towards the playroom, and then back to Bornpang. "We'll be there, no worries. Better to be all together for something like this, isn't it? I'll get on packing, if you don't mind. This doesn't look like it's gonna get better with time, at least not for awhile."

[notpornbang]

He tilts his hat, for she is a lady and he is...the sheriff. "Likely not, ma'am. See you there."

Aaaand he's off.

[ofironorbone]

She bobs her head back at him, for she is from the South, and says, "You take care, sir."

She closes the door and heads back to the playroom.

"Hey, girls, we're going for a sleep-over."

[wearsredhelmet]

Bridgette looks over at Parker. "Now?" she whines. "But she's singing!"

Obviously, it is an unforgivable crime to interrupt a movie Bridgette has seen twenty-three times.

[ofironorbone]

"Well, I can sing," Parker says, dryly, as Phoebe scowls.

"I ain't going," she says, obstinately.

"Yes, you are," Parker sighs, and shakes her head before going for a backpack in the corner of the room and setting it on the floor. "You two can put whatever toys you want in this th- no, hold on." She leaves and comes back with another backpack of equal size.

"Bridgette, this backpack's yours, Phoebe, this one's yours, and if you two fight over them God help you both when I get back. I'm gonna go pack some supplies and then we'll pack up your clothes in those bags, so...three things each. I'll get the storybooks, Phoebe, don't you look at me like that."

"You're dumb," Phoebe mutters balefully as Parker walks out. "And don't you dare touch my stuff stupid smelly-Bridge!"

[wearsredhelmet]

"But you can't sing like Mermaid-Ariel," Bridgette points out.

Bridgette takes a backpack with a heavy, put upon sigh. "I don't want your baby toys anyway," she grumbles to Phoebe. She takes her notebook for stories, her pack of crayons (which held almost every colour until Bridge wanted to see whether crayons could live in the toilet), and, after a painful moment of deliberation between her doll and Marie's bear, she takes Marie's bear.

Bridgette turns to Marie, who is watching the film with rapt attention the TV. "I guess we gotta go, Marie."

"Mermaid," Marie protests.

"Yeah, but we'll see it another time." Marie does not care for this logic, and says so by whining "Bridge, mermaid! Mermaid!" Bridge tries to be patient - "Come on, Marie, we'll see it tomorrow, I promise" - but it just doesn't work. Unknowingly Bridge is clenching and unclenching her teeth as she watches Marie the TV.

[ofironorbone]

Upstairs, Parker is packing up the girl's clothes - all practical, warm things - and various necessary objects.

Phoebe, meanwhile, is staring at Bridge, clutching her Raggedy Ann to her chest as Bridge does another Thing She's Not Allowed To Talk About. But this isn't just weird- this is scary. Bridge is bigger than she is and Parker's all the way upstairs.

"Nobody's there." She whispers, eyes wide and scared.

[wearsredhelmet]

Bridge walks towards Marie the TV and begins gently tugging on her hand the air near her calves.

"Nooooo," Marie whines. "C'mon, Marie...." She glances at Phoebe as she speaks.

(Marie ate the cookie and when Bridge took a bite there was a full cookie even though that didn't make any sense)

Suddenly that anger (sick fear) at one little girl focuses on the other.

"'Cuz you're a stupid butthead," she snaps tersely before turning back to Marie the TV.