An excerpt from chapter 18 of The Cirrus Project, as requested by one (1) person
Thank you @nurmilintunen for the interest :)
Posted chapter 16 a while ago if you want more here.
Excerpt under cut:
On Monday mornings, and on days when his thoughts would torment him, or when his unconscious mind would conjure up visions to haunt him even in his sleep, Orion would find himself retreating to the cemetery. Set just within the woods behind the hotel, its grounds held the bodies of the majority of the people who had died in the fire.
There was something tranquil about coming here, despite the atmosphere of death. The quietest part of town, hardly anybody came here, except on the anniversary of the fire, when people would take the time to come together and reminisce about their lost family members and friends. But this morning, it was empty, besides Orion, who had planted himself beneath the willow right in the centre, from where he watched the sun slowly rise over the horizon.
The storm last night had left the ground mushy and muddy beneath his feet, the grass damp and the air bitingly cold. Leo hadn’t returned home, although that wasn’t entirely surprising. He would predictably be staying in the hotel until Orion came to collect him for their performance at the Copper Cedar at midday.
Orion shuffled around a bit on the root of the tree. It was all he could do to kill time until then. His mind couldn’t help but wander to the same troubles that had been looping like a broken record in his head since yesterday. And every time he tried not to think about them, they just came back stronger. But something suddenly pulled him out of it all.
Footsteps. Running, wet, crunchy footsteps in the mud, stamping down over twigs and leaves and occasionally stumbling.
Orion turned about to look back over his shoulder, to see who could possibly be running so frantically in a cemetery at eight in the morning.
“Felix?”
“Orion!”
He didn’t look particularly calm at the best of times, but today Felix had a look of sheer terror on his face, insofar as his singular lens of an eye was able to convey. He came scrambling over the ground through the gaps between the headstones, muddying his usually spotless brogue shoes and the hems of his uniform trousers. And just as he tripped up over a tree root and almost landed flat on his face, Orion caught him by the shoulders.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s- I mean I-” Felix shook his head then gritted his teeth, a haunted look in his eye, “It’s murder.”
Someone left a comment on my Buggy sim in the gallery asking for the face paint CC so here it is! For anyone to download. It's a swatch of the base game clown face paint so you'll find it in that.
OBSESSED with this character design. I read something in one of your tags about an android???? I'm in ace love. Please lore dump on me about him (them?)!!!
Yes Leo, Mason and Felix are all androids. Here's a bit of basic lore:
Leo (this guy) was 'awakened' (android version of born) in 2063, the year after Mason. He was created by Dr Hatsumi, best friend of Levi Goldschmidt (who made Mason), and current head of the Goldschmidt Aeronautics and Space Organization.
For the first 13 years of his life, Leo was a carer for an elderly housebound pianist who was very stern, strict, and drilled proper etiquette into him constantly. Looking after him was a chore that Leo didn't really enjoy. On the other hand, Mason spent her time looking after Cass, Levi's daughter. Leo sees how patient and kind Mason has always been with Cass and greatly admires her for her loving dedication.
Leo is a singer and performs on-stage at the pub on the Space Station Exodus with his friend Orion. Default, he sounds a bit like a mix between David Bowie and Frank Sinatra, but he has a versatile voice (like Mic!) and can change it to fit different songs.
He loves cats and horses. He's head over heels for Mason, but doesn't want to risk ruining their friendship by telling her. He collects pens and enjoys calligraphy in his free time.
germansingergirl
ellievsbear
kaledo-art
jbbartram-illu
annaxmalina