philly hung from the mouth of the dinosaur model like she’d been crushed beneath its’ teeth, limbs sticking out from between tooth gaps like the bars of a cage - that’s what the mouth had felt like; a cage. it hadn’t been a particularly large exhibit - only eight feet tall - but she still had managed to find herself stuck between jaw. hardly minded it, though - felt natural, almost, like every time she’d gotten stuck on a tree’s branches. “hello,” she greeted a passerby, bent upside down - secure in the dinosaur’s mouth and narrowly avoiding tooth against spine, “it seems i’ve gotten very stuck. do you have a drink on you? i’m quite parched.”
The Van Gogh bench beds were a nice touch, he had to say. That was really the only room that Dayn admittedly wanted to see. It was an impressive display all around, and there was no denying that, but he wasn’t there for the ambiance - he was there to see if he could successfully forget the entire evening. Flask in back pocket, cigarettes in another, he wiped the corner of his lip as the girl he was kissing as she stood and went to grab another overly fruity drink - he thought it was another, at least, she tasted like strawberry preservative and vodka. Moments later, he struck up a conversation with another that passed by, lightly holding her hand before the first came back over, and suddenly there was a sticky pink drink in his face and two frustrated women stalking away. Dayn heaved a sigh and sat back, looking up at the ceiling as he took the bottom of his shirt and dabbed at his face, before looking up from feeling eyes on him. Letting out a chuckle he shook his head. “Oh, come on, don’t give me a look,” he grinned. “I’m only going to have these looks before I’m old and decrepit at like, thirty, can’t hate the player for trying, right?” *// @radopens
With wide eyes - blue and unblinking and both seeing and unseeing, like she’d just stepped out of one of the paintings in the Margaret Keane exhibit room herself, pale yellow dress and all - Philly blinked once, suddenly - like she’d snapped back into the narrative. “Oh, no,” she shook her head, brows furrowing in a sort of partial confusion, “I haven’t the slightest thought towards your lack of ...” she blinked again, “... success.” She settled on the word with a nod, itching her ankle with the toe of her shoe absentmindedly - her hands had been covered in peeling paint, the rest of her skin too - spattered spots of red and blue and black and orange. None on her dress - somehow, miraculously. Maybe she had just come out of a painting. She stood tall, though short - and stood quite still despite the fact that the room swayed heavily around her, pupils dilated until the blue had been nothing but a sliver, a cut of abalone around the hole of a guitar. “Perhaps you ought to seek help from the Dick Sisters,” Philly said - more of an afterthought than anything else, head tilted to the side, “I heard that they’re very proficient at their job. I’m sure you’re not a lost cause.”
do you think it's realistic that leo would ever leave zeke for you?
“leo wouldn’t have to, and i wouldn’t want him to. i don’t believe in ultimatums, only the absolute pursuit of happiness. everything is his own decision, and i have a mighty amount of respect and adoration for him, no matter what he desires. their relationship is no concern of mine and this question is, frankly, very dumb.”
It’d taken tooth and nail for Philly to return to Lovell; teeth to gnaw at the zip-tie that she had secured around her arm and the pole of a gas station sign in the middle of Oklahoma, and nails to grip onto the soft underarm afterwards, as Philly flopped over and pretended she had no longer function of her limbs - carried forth by Elektra, toes of her shoes dragging against hot pavement. She made it policy, once - never return to the same place twice ( it’d been part of the reason why Philly never made it back home - she’d been close to it, once, but felt nothing but frozen veins at the highway sign signaling Stanford; gripped onto Florence’s steering wheel and swerved hard, just to miss the exit - Elektra’d been silent the rest of the ride to a Super 8, jaw locked in unspoken anger ) - Lovell was not supposed to be the exception. She was not made for reunion, found others’ rejoice something quite awkward - found it something unknown; but the closer they’d gotten to the town, to campus - there’d been something shaking and stomping around in her guts, rattling her ribs - nails gripped into Florence’s leather seats, peeling it back to expose the cushioning. Nail and tooth, nail and tooth - there was anticipation between the grinding of her teeth as they pulled into the parking lot; forgot her manners, forgot to say a goodbye ( temporary, as they always were ) to Elektra as she clamored out of the van, thighs ripped from the leather they stuck to and leaving them bright. The pain went ignored - hadn’t even flinched, making way towards the door. She ducked beneath the arm of an exiting stranger who’d thrown it wide open ( it almost hit her, in all her focus - she hadn’t noticed ) - quickly tossed herself behind an array of flowers, sharp inhale at the distinct smell of Fowler’s Flowers. Something familiar - good, in that way - in the way most familiar things should be. Comforting to her nerves, almost - there’d been pangs and flashes, still, like her entire body had been a game of Operation. Felt undercover, almost - the way Philly carefully selected bouquets, no real purpose for them in mind - finding holes between petals in which to peek glances across the store from, to where the cashier’s counter was. Felt odd, almost - hiding as a means of preparation without purpose of attack. She swept the floral arrangement into her arms - too many than she should’ve been able to fit within her grasp, leaves obscuring her vision; flower heads popped off, littered the floor - left a mess of petals as she puffed out an exhale and made her way forth ( she left a trail, a floral massacre, in her wake ) - it was clear to her now why she’d gone back to Lovell with such little resistance ( there’d been several, much more severe instances of Philly defying authority - tooth and nail had been a bare minimum effort ), throwing the bouquets on top the counter with an exhale, “Hello Leo,” she greeted - face flush and sheen, from sunburn and summer heat ( the AC had broken halfway through their roadtrip back to Lovell; the strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail stuck to her neck - they were muddy colors, the faded remnants of however many colors she’d chosen to dye her hair the past few months ); there’d been a dozen new freckles. “It feels like it’s been a lifetime,” Philly plucked a leaf from where it’d stuck in her hair, put it down with the rest of the flowers - she had tried to keep a rather neutral expression, but it was quickly failing ( a rare, rare feat ) - lips turned into a widespread grin instead; heart like the clashing of cymbals, “I will be taking these flowers with me, by the way - thought you’d ought to know. Has Marjorie been well?”
TALENTS / HOBBIES — welding, jewelry-crafting, weaving, rollerskating, juggling, accordion, etc. etc.
TOP 5 MUSICIANS — fleetwood mac, florence + the machine, cocteau twins, they might be giants, fiona apple.
FAVOURITE BOOK — growing gourmet & medicinal mushrooms by paul stamets
FAVOURITE FILM & TV SHOW — alice (1988) & labyrinth / perhaps twin peaks if she watched television
FAVOURITE VIDEO GAME — if she played, probably alice: madness returns
WHAT DID THEY DO THIS PAST SUMMER? — traveled the states with her sister elektra :D
WHERE HAVE THEY TRAVELLED? — like. all of the mainland states.
DO THEY TAKE ANY PRESCRIPTIONS? — none
DO THEY HAVE ANY DIAGNOSIS’S? — yes! depersonalization / derealization disorder (dpdr) & insomnia
FICTIONAL CHARACTER THEY ARE MOST LIKE? — orla mccool or luna lovegood but also FUCK jk rowling :knife:
ARE THEY EMPLOYED? WHERE DO THEY WORK? — they work at the same bar as max :D illegally i think :D maybe :D but she’s always doing odd jobs
WERE THEY POPULAR IN HIGH SCHOOL? — she did online hehe
DO THEY DO DRUGS? occasionally! mostly just psychedelics
DRINK? — sometimes!
SMOKE CIGARETTES? — yes :/ often :/
SMOKE WEED? — also very often
WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE DID THEY GROW UP? — woodside, california born & raised until she was 15!
DO THEY PLAN TO GO TO GRAD SCHOOL? — nope!
WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS POST-GRADUATION? — continue travelling
PARENTS NAMES — christopher & imogen
DO THEY HAVE SIBLINGS? NAMES & AGES? — yes! lysander, 30 / elektra, 27 / juno, 23 / valora & orion, 18
DO THEY HAVE PETS? TYPES & NAMES? — she has. so many rats i can’t possibly name them all. a raccoon. a tabby cat named pail (’cos her mother’s name is bucket)
ARE THEY RELIGIOUS? WHAT IS THEIR RELIGION IF SO? — considers herself to be a believer of omnism but in general is just quite spiritual.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEY SLEPT WITH? — zero! none!
WHAT VEHICLE DO THEY DRIVE? IF THEY DON’T DRIVE, HOW DO THEY TRAVEL AROUND TOWN? — she doesn’t have a license :/ she walks or rollerskates
DESCRIBE THEIR FASHION — changes weekly and is largely dependent on how the specific day feels. all secondhand / thrifted / stolen. apocalypse-ready, nothing that can obstruct her running and climbing and jumping. often wears white - white flowy skirts, or victorian nightgowns, tends to wear a lot of skirts and dresses cos they are comfortable but also wears tights and shorts a lot & overalls too.
DO THEY PREFER TO BE BEHIND THE CAMERA OR IN FRONT OF IT? — doesn’t really care either way LSKFHSALDGLHKSHK
DO THEY BELIEVE ANY OF THE STORIES ABOUT RADCLIFFE? WHICH ONES? — every single one of them.
DO THEY THINK THE MOTHMAN IS HOT? — absolutely
A QUOTE THAT DESCRIBES THEM — “There’s something ghostlike about this girl… she will appear at certain times and in certain places, and at other times she will recede into a disinterested dark.”
A SONG THAT THEY WOULD RELATE TO — stuff is way, they might be giants
「natalia dyer & demi girl」⇾ carmichael, philomena, the junior radcliffe student’s records show that she/they are a taurus and 20 years old. she/they are studying wildlife science, living in noland and can be whimsical, patient, apathetic & unpredictable. when i see her/them i am reminded of the gentleness of decomposition, dancing naked around the flames, and whipping wind in your hair. ⇽「james & 21 & est & they/them.」
here’s my second !! baby child i love a lot ... much kinder ... a bit odd .. love of my life ... a classic ... a favorite ..
wildflowers in your hair and bare feet against moss, binoculars and maps, madonna beating out of half-dead speakers in a half-dead van, whipping wind, jumping off cliffs and rolling down hills, a bandaid wrapped around each finger, cryptic bumper stickers and cryptids in the woods, facing the sun and letting the rays hit you, counting stars late into the night, dancing naked in the woods with nothing but fire to light your way, mismatched socks and lucky ribbons, hoarding a box of special treasures, shoplifting and diner-dashing, bleach against roots, pink sweaters paired with ripped fishnets and slip dresses with knock off uggs, willingly wearing crocs, glitter stickers, fungi and feeling one with them, lying down and decomposing, they’ll find us in a week. they’ll find us in a week.
basic info.
full name: philomena brontë carmichael
nickname(s): philly, phil, mena, etc.
b.o.d. - april 20th lmao !!
label(s): the amaranth, the halycon, the neophyte, the wanderer, etc. etc.
height: 5′4″
hometown: woodside, ca
sexuality: demisexual !!!!
pinterest ( & her family pinterest b/c they’re my most developed family uwu)
stats
inspired by: luna lovegood (harry potter), orla mccool (derry girls), cassie ainsworth (skins), alice (alice’s adventures in wonderland), amelie (amelie).
biography.
a middle child belonging to christopher and imogen carmichael - two stanford professors. christopher specialized in british literature whilst imogen specialized in the classics. hence the name.
the order of siblings goes as such: lysander, elektra, juno, philomena, and twins orion & valora. the deal was that everybody had a greek (or in juno’s case, roman) first name and a middle name inspired by a piece of british literature circa 1800s and under. a family of nerds, if you will.
so, clearly - right off the bat, their parents are … eccentric. they’re both in love with their respected topic, and with each other, and with their kids. the carmichael family is a happy family.
they each have their own quirks and whatnot - though philly’s always been particularly dreamy - even as a child, she’d spend hours watching clouds or caterpillars or the leaves blow in the wind rather than play with other kids. she wasn’t a shy kid - she just had her own interests.
hardship doesn’t hit the family until philomena is five and starts having splitting headaches. they’re slow at first - but as soon as she’s seeing spots and unable to walk in a straight line, doctor appointments are made.
it doesn’t take long for them to discover the tumor, though the official diagnosis of malignant ependymoma comes a month later.
it’s grade ii but slow-moving, small enough to not be as much of a threat as worried, but big enough where removal is necessary. philomena earns a scar and brings it in for show-and-tell. for two months afterwards, philly’s at radiotherapy monday through friday.
they’re lucky - philomena’s considered cancer-free by the next year. she’s babied at first - handled delicately, as if she could break if touched - but with five other children … it doesn’t last for too long.
and life continues as normal.
her personality doesn’t shift much over the next few years - she’s awfully independent for a kid, and awfully quiet - when she speaks it’s about faeries and bigfoot, about how the sky is so blue and if you listen quietly, you can hear the leaves whisper their secrets to each other. this is not odd.
she’s close to all her siblings, but she idolizes her older sister - elektra. elektra’s six years older and dyes her hair whatever colors she wants. elektra bought a knife off a seedy guy downtown. elektra threw away all of her heels and renounced god. elektra is god. her music is loud but it’s not heavy - it’s florence and the machine.
they’re opposites - elektra’s boisterous and feels loudly, philomena’s softer and feels…less. when elektra sneaks out, philomena keeps watch. they are a duo.
philomena is smart - but she’s fifteen and hates school. hates sitting inside all day. hates the same routine - day after day - it’s all the same. her parents’ routine is the same, philly feels contained and she wants to live.
elektra’s twenty-one and just bought a brand new spanking (used but not falling apart) 19-something volkswagen … van - using her entire savings account. she says she’s tired of routine, she’s leaving the next day.
naturally, philomena stows away in the back and isn’t discovered until they’re two states away and she’s got to pee. elektra nearly crashes the van in shock.
it’s an argument - philomena vs. elektra, then them vs. their parents, then their parents vs. the school, the state - it’s an ordeal. philomena switches to an online program in the end.
it hurts christopher and imogen - lysander’s not having any of their nonsense, juno’s betrayed and alone - the twins are twins. in the end, it’s alright. the carmichael family is a happy family.
philomena and elektra take their time - it’s not a road trip, it’s their new life, permanently on the road. they stop and explore often - they do odd jobs in whatever town they settle in. they dine-n-dash, they shoplift. they survive in their own way.
during particularly desperate times, they two resorted to identity theft & credit fraud - getting away with it only by ditching the cards once they’ve made it out of state.
she drops out of high school officially when she’s seventeen - they have to drive all the way back to california to deal with the wrath of their parents and to deal with paperwork, but it’s done. philomena doesn’t know what path she wants in life - but it’s not that.
it’s during this time that the episodes occur - philomena’s outside her body, philomena’s wrapped in cotton, her memories are not her own. she’s looking in the mirror and she doesn’t recognize herself. they take shelter in a city for six months, long enough for her brand spankin’ new therapist to figure out what’s wrong with her. she’s diagnosed with depersonalization / derealization disorder - they think it’s stress. philomena doesn’t get stressed. they think it’s trauma. she laughs - she never laughs.
there is trauma though, deep-rooted but somewhere inside - you just have to look for it.
you. just. have. to. look. for. it. look for it. look for it. look for it look for it look -
you were ten and she was thirteen, an off-trail hike in familiar woods in a familiar town, safe and familiar. it was your idea, to stray from the carved out paths, down creeks and up hills and round, and round again. you’re the one who spotted the scarf first, sticking up from the dirt and dancing in the wind like the beginning of reincarnation. it was not reincarnation, it was discovery. it was ruin. with curiosity drawn, you skidded down - with compliance, followed juno, followed your sister - clumsy in her steps and tumbling down quicker than you. you saw the corpse, but juno felt it. decaying flesh and maggot.
and she left juno, just like that - just five years later, when juno had finally gone to the end of her wits. philly up and left. abandoned her.
philomena and elektra leave the city after that therapy session. they do not return. she’s always been good at hiding her secrets.
three years later and her parents want philly to have a higher education - desperate for it, really - worried for her future. it’s a battle that she loses, getting her GED and applying to a local college in florida in shameful compliance.
they’re there for a year until philly gets (expectantly) expelled from the community college & the two of them are banned from the town they’d residing in up until that point. they don’t talk about it - but boy, was it one hell of a time.
they found refuge in lovell, a town that seemed to suit them well - it suited elektra’s desire to travel up and down the east coast, and it intrigued philomena enough to the point of her being content with staying. soon after, philly officially transferred to radcliffe for the fall semester & they’ve been here since!
UPDATE: another summer update! very simple ... she n elektra traveled the states again, as they always do ... like clockwork. had to be dragged back to radcliffe (doesn’t like staying in one place for too long) bt also <3 likes a lot of people here n brought them all souvenirs. it ws very nice! nothing bad.
personality.
she’s quiet but she’s confident - her voice sounds like rustling leaves, if leaves smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.
often underestimated - philly’s petite and looks like she’d fall over if a plastic bag blew too close to her. she’s independent - for the most part. elektra is the only person philly takes orders from.
has always been considered odd - weird, strange. still talks about the trees as if they’re listening, as if they’re old friends. she’s vague and doesn’t elaborate on the things she says.
believes in pretty much any superstition you throw her way. luck is very important to her. if you ask her if the earth is flat, she’ll say probably. believes strongly in bigfoot and the lochness monster. has personally seen aliens, and loves ghosts almost more than herself.
she can be amusing - whether you ‘get’ her or not, her outlook is often bright - she talks about the negatives the same way she talks about the positives. can be seen as naive or gullible, but she’s plenty smart. even if half of her education has come directly from google.
philly doesn’t laugh. a smile, yes - often, in fact - not always reaching her ears, or bearing teeth - but these are not indicators of her happiness. philly is consistently content. she thinks many things are funny - she still will not laugh.
her voice is often monotonous - she doesn’t sound dreary, she sounds far-away. her voice carries. her emotions are often unknown to others.
is apathetic in most situations. she’s hard to bother - she’s incredibly patient and enjoys the company of most - tolerates them at the very least. it’s hard for her to express her emotions, because she feels them so little that it’s very nearly not worth it. her affection is not verbal - it’s small touches and gestures of kindness, love in her own way.
is a fan of knock-knock jokes and bad puns. she won’t crack a smile while telling you them, nor does she expect you to laugh. she just enjoys them.
she owns a motorola razr covered in puffy stickers - hasn’t ever had a smartphone. she’s a fan of emoticons. her favorite is :o)
has a lot of bruises and scratches and scars - she’s often getting herself into pickles. there are always, at the very minimum, three bandaids on each hand.
she has insomnia, so she’s awake often. is often seen wandering town - even when she shouldn’t be, even when it might be dangerous. her intuition is delayed. when she does sleep - her dreams are vivid and fantastical.
keeps a box of memories - sentimental bits and pieces she’s picked up over the last few years. there are a lot of buttons and postcards, but any teeny tiny object will do.
her style changes every week - most, if not all, of her clothes are thrifted. one week she’s baby spice and the next she’s lydia deetz. she combines pieces from different styles often - she looks like a barbie clothed by a child. she feels most comfortable like this.
will either patch-up the clothes that get too worn or reuse them in some way. sometimes donates the clothes she gets tired off - isn’t minimalistic, but she’s learned to keep only a small amount of possessions.
the only consistency is her lucky ribbon - it’s pastel yellow and silky and as thin as a shoelace. she ties it onto her outfit of the day, everyday. if she loses it, she’s lost. elektra has a matching ribbon.
has no problem with minor theft - she only takes bare minimum, puts herself and elektra first and that’s how it’s always been. she tries to be good while in lovell / radcliffe - would hate to be forced out by mobs with torches and pitchforks
currently living in noland while elektra stays in their van, florence - sometimes philly stays there during the weekends.
they used to live in motels on the occasion, the cheapest room, and more often than not they’d both go home with strangers for a comfier bed and a hotter shower.
it was a common occurrence - she didn’t sleep with them - but somehow, she weaseled her way into their homes anyway. has come out mostly unscathed, on most occasions. this has been a practice ever since they’ve been on the road.
really, truly - has not slept with anybody, had her first and only kiss at thirteen with a frog. this doesn’t bother her.
will consume a n y t h i n g you put in front of her - isn’t picky.
listens to whatever they’ve picked up along the way but she likes instrumentals the best. her second favorite genre is 1990′s and 2000′s top hits. they’re nostalgic for her. third favorites? florence, of course. fleetwood mac. the bird and the bee.
loves storms - will go out in the rain and will risk her life for it.
owns a pair of roller-skates and is often skating rather than walking. unless she’s on grass - then she’s walking barefoot.
has many hobbies, and gets bored of them often. her favorite hobby is welding. she’s not certified.
also, juggling.
also, accordion.
the kind of girl who’ll do any job you give her. odd jobs are her favorite jobs. babysitting is her least favorite - but she does it anyway. has lost children before. have they ever been found? not by philly.
dyes her hair blonde often and cuts her own hair - bangs included - finds it cathartic, likes the itchiness of bleach.
everything she does is often in pursuit of feeling free, alive, and meaningful.
( like her frequent visits to the woods, late at night when the moon is high and full. it’s freeing to dance around a fire, stark naked in the cold. builds immunity )
comes and goes wherever she pleases, nothing & nobody can stop her (besides elektra). has befriended the campus witch, or as much as the witch will allow, and shrike as well. she knows to respect nature, and abandoned sites - she’s practically free to explore as she wishes, her only pride is the trust she’s gained.
the trust expands to animals as well, she has a certain knack for getting them to like her. has too many ‘pet’ rats that reside with her, alongside a baby raccoon & a few crow pals. has a new animal companion everyday, but she doesn’t contain them or force them to stay.
leaves her window in noland wide open because of this, because her window is conveniently right besides a tree with sturdy branches. good for animal smuggling, sneaking in and out, hiding, etc. etc. world is her oyster.
though her room in noland is ??? frankly a mess ??? already ??? usually keeps most of her possessions in her memory box but she’s also turned her room into a mini labyrinth of knick-knacks. very cozy, but very nest-like. think of howl’s room from howl’s moving castle.
wanted connections.
random encounters… it’s only her second semester at radcliffe, she hasn’t met everybody yet i’m sure
random encounters…in the wild… alternately, people she’s met before in a different part of the country. whether she’s stolen from them or crashed at their place, or simply shared a dinner. anything goes!
unexpected sleepover… someone whose place she crashed at after a mysterious night. a party, adventure, etc. etc. maybe they don’t even remember her staying over, maybe she hadn’t been with them to begin with.
employers… she does a lot of odd jobs! knows how to make a lot of things in many different mediums just to earn a small living.
friends… y’know … people who enjoy her presence, likes her oddness. they may not understand her, but they appreciate her. or maybe they do understand her, in their own way!
not friends… philly doesn’t consider anybody an enemy in the slightest, but some people may not be fond of her … think she’s a little too strange, or they refuse to understand her, or something of the likes.
closing in… someone trying to get closer to her, trying to figure her out on a level deeper than what she would like, and she keeps slipping out from between their fingers every time.
mom friend mom friend mom friend… older sibling figures! dad friends! take one look at philly and instantly want to swaddle n protect her.
caught red handed… someone catches her stealing or about to dine-n-dash. do they care? who knows!
late-night shenanigans… they just walk and talk at night … very relaxing … not actually very shenanigans filled…
a dealer… because she wasn’t born on 4/20 for nothing. she’s not turning 20 on 4/20/20 fr nothing. don’t fail us.
debating conspiracies… or superstitions, really anything. maybe they’re frustrated at her apathy surrounding all situations.
no likey… :( they distrust her. probably fr good reason tho … i don’t blame you
thrifting pals… no explanation needed methinks
an eventual hook-up… maybe … possibly … it’s questionable, but it could happen! can’t stay a virgin forever! (or well. she cld. we’ll see!) she’d probably have to trust yr muse a lot though
unrequited romance uwu… probably unrequited on her end because she doesn’t usually think of anybody in a romantic sense - it’s possible, but you’d have to be something special for her to like you back. that being said …
something returned… eventually, slowly. slow. it’ll take time.
maybe something returned !! eventually. slowly. slow.
n like rly anything u want !! anything u can think of i am here 2 fulfill … we can brainstorm all sorts of wacky scenarios!! she’s a thief! she’s an accordion player! she dances naked in the woods! she’s been in the circus AND a small utah county jail!
being naked is not sexy. wearing a white 18th century shirt with poofy sleeves tucked into a pair of black high waisted trousers is sexy. there are no exceptions
any vampires who need permission 2 enter my house….. u have my permission…. u wanna come through my window in a flurry of fog & wind? u can do that….. wanna drink my blood & take me away to ur big vampire castle? alright friend, go for it
