- Invitation Status
- Posting Speed
- 1-3 posts per week
- One post per week
- Online Availability
- 11pm-3am
- Writing Levels
- Intermediate
- Adept
- Preferred Character Gender
- Male
- Female
- No Preferences
- Genres
- Slice of Life, Harry Potter, Fantasy, Pirates, Vampires, Mystery, Horror,
****
Now that Summer had come and gone, the student body, both new and old, had returned to the city for another year of parties, lectures, and late nights cramming over textbooks with the knowledge they should have started sooner; such a practise was a tradition among students, brought down from year to year without so much as a spoken word. With the return of the student-faculty, meant the return to its vast majority of students, especially those who had not remained on the school campus for the duration of the eight week holiday. Whilst many students stayed at least for a portion of the break in their rented accommodation, the largest portion repacked their belongings and travelled home to visit friend's and family, sometimes travelling abroad.
In one such home, situated at the very end of a cul-de-sac, overlooking one of the four fields the University used for recreation and sports. The frame and build of the house was no different from that of the houses left, or right. Its only sole difference was its occupants, as was each home. Throughout its nine-room layout were a bundle of students and their dedicated rooms. Their interiors a stark contrast to the bland surgical white of the walls its hallways featured. As with most student housing, the building featured three bedrooms on its second floor and a further single room on its ground floor.
Two doors on the left, immediately upon entering the home was the first of these four rooms. Behind the hospital white of its door was the bedroom of Luke Chen, and such it was decorated in such a fashion. From the collection of science fiction books on the shelves above his bed to the dark, willow cello his parent's had gifted him after passing his final school exams with A's across the board. Despite being a key reminder of the expectations that his parent's hung over his head frequently, it remained in high use. It hadn't been with great pleasure that Luke had informed his parent's of his Third Chair position within the University's orchestra.
Such high expectations could have easily been forgotten in the presence of Luke's desk. Upon it a PC he'd been gifted from his elder brother upon his sixteenth birthday. It was a location he would spend most of his free time, tapping away at keys and laughing with the friends he still had from his school days. Each of them taking part in various video games and online activities as if they were in physical presence of one another. As if nothing would ever change.
Taking a right from the first bedroom, across from the kitchen, was the stairs. Each wooden step guiding the way towards the final three bedrooms; two of which still appeared to have life within them. It was the room at the far end of the hall that had been a cause for question since its occupant seemed to disappear one morning, their suitcase and belongings following behind. There had been no goodbye from its tenant, no indication of where she had gone or of her eventual return. The remaining rent for the following three months had been paid according to homes shared bank account, all deposited mysteriously shortly before the disappearance.
Behind its closed door stood the cold emptiness of the room, bland without the decoration of a personality beyond. No posters on its walls, or sheets upon its bed. Its interior seemed almost as if she hadn't ever existed.
Yet, as if like a passing wind, there was a sudden collection of belongings laid out in the hall. It only came to the attention of Luke as the heavy thud of a box reverberated against his bedroom wall. What he had been expecting was nothing more than the delivery of groceries. He hadn't even suspected the reappearance of their roommate and friend, holding a pillow to her chest in the hall as her parents gathered her belongings back in the hallway once again.
"Hey-" He croaked through the silence. Her eyes shot his way with an element of scared surprise as if she'd expected to return to their abode magically. There was something unnatural about her appearance however, a strange change he couldn't quite picture. Beyond the willowy frame she'd held for the vast majority of their friendship, there was something further.
"Hi." Was all Poppy returned before grabbing a smaller box and marching upstairs with such gentle steps that would even rival a mouse. The questions had been something she'd grown to dread, especially considering her leaving part way through the final term of the year. Her departure was as obvious as her return. It wasn't something she was strong enough to deal with.