#malerituals

[wellward]

@malerituals​

        “I think it’s fascinating. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that, that your field is fascinating. When I think about, oh--how quickly it’s all progressing, how much is--but it’s been years since I was working in a university. I’m not strictly up to date. I was a historian, you know. There’s something so intriguing about--there are quite a lot of big personalities in ancient history, which I don’t know if everyone knows; I’m sure you can imagine, for example, some of the Caesars--or even the early fathers of the Church--really, isn’t it intriguing--have you ever read St. Augustine’s Confessions? I would be so--”

        She catches herself. “I’m going on,” she says, “and getting muddled. I’m so sorry.” She shakes her head, smiling a little. “And I don’t know if you want to talk shop. I have to confess--I’m excited to have company. Greendale isn’t very... Worldly.”

[vorcotec]

@malerituals​ sent: “twice is coincidence. three times is enemy action.”

        “You’re right.” But what is there to do? The corner table is irrevocably taken, two other women occupying what should be hers and Wendy’s spot. It’s happened over and over. Like she said: twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. How can they prevent these incursions? How do they reclaim lost territory?

        No obvious solutions. Jane’s not really a strategist. She puts her coat over the chair at their usual alternative, the table by the window. “We’ll think of something,” she says. “We could meet earlier.” She stares baldly at those two women, frowning, and says finally, “We could scare them away.” She doesn’t really mean it. Well--only a little.

[eternlle]

❈ ✼ ❈     @malerituals​​​   //    ♡   for a starter

❛  i’m so sorry  ---   things are just buzzing today!   hope you weren’t kept waiting long. ❜      cheeks flushed from running the full length of the store and back, dodging beaded curtains and windchimes on the way, evelyn offers the business - formal lady a warm smile.    she doesn’t look like she belongs in a shop like this, which specializes in selling crystals and cards.    while evelyn has taken to working here like a duck to water   ---   it’s fun for the time being, a great way to meet interesting people   ---   this woman sticks out like a sore thumb.     ❛  is there anything i can help you with?   a palm - reading, maybe?   you’ve got nice hands. ❜       she leans forward, long hair brushing the countertop.       ❛  or are you looking for something? ❜

[agentxiii]

her expression is composed,  gaze even somewhat challenging.    she’s kin to the way wendy doesn’t smooth over the finer detail and instead volleys back with a valid accusation  –––  it keeps their dynamic interesting.    a corner of her lips curl ever-so-slightly into undiluted confidence.    “  since i bought dinner.  ”   lazily strewn across the couch,  a sleeved arm tosses itself vaguely towards the kitchen,  where two paper bags populate the otherwise empty counter.    “  ––––  you’re welcome,  by the way.  ”

@malerituals  +  cont. !

[illuminans]

@malerituals​      »      gwendolyn   &   wendy.  

                   ❛   don’t you ever get tired?  i can imagine being around sociopaths and psychopaths all of the time is exhausting.  you deserve a break,  wendy.  you deserve some time to  wind down.    ❜

[materialwoman]

❝      well   ,      that   was   ...       ❞       a   good   example   of   wasted   time,      she   thinks   of   mentioning,   but   𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒   𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗌   𝗎𝗉.      it   simply   wasn’t   worth   it,      and   should   anyone   but   wendy   listen   to   her   remark,   it   surely   wouldn’t   be   that   good   a   stain   on   her   reputation.       ❝       ...      𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲   𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠   .         is   it   just   me   or   these   reunions   𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉   𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀   𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋  every   time   ?       ❞       a   whispered   complaint,      but   well   humoured   as   it   can   be,      as   tammy   approaches   the   other   woman   in   their   way   out   of   the   auditorium   with   the   other   teachers.       ❝       i   think   i’m   gonna   𝗀𝗋𝖺𝖻   𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀   𝗍𝗈   𝖾𝖺𝗍  ...      this   really   got   me   starving   !       d’you   want   to   come   ?      i   mean   ,      𝗶𝗳   𝘆𝗼𝘂   𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲   𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲   𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲  .       ❞           🎀     ,     *     @malerituals​

[egopath]

𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋  |  𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐘:  “ i go there for the quiet. “  @malerituals​

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐓𝐈𝐏  catches the elevator doors as they close.  there is a pinch before the doors open with a mechanical whirl.  with both arms,  he’s carrying a box of files  ---  cradled against his chest to support its weight.  once the elevator doors close again,  holden leans it against the side as he reaches to press the button for his desired floor  ---  only to find it is already glowing.  

❝ library  ? ❞    he asks wendy,  head cocked in her direction even as he struggles to keep the box from slipping out of his grasp.  her answer is affirmative and anyone else may have taken it as a warning not to follow but holden simply nods his head.   ❝ ---  they have us down here in the basement.  it is like we’re enclosed in a tomb.  i like the library because it has the most sunlight.  ❞    it is also on one of the top floors and the ride up from their sunken office is a slow one.  he heaves the box forward as he listens to the rumble of the elevator around them.   ❝ what are you working on ? ❞    holden asks,  breaking the silence,   ❝ ---  is it for the study ? ❞

[hisact]

there     was     an     air     of     mysticism     to     the     white - tile     walls     of     arkham’s     long  ,     unceasing     corridors  .     almost     kubrickian  ,     as     one     descends     down     the     path     it     seems     to     elongate  ,     stretching     further     and     further  ,     becoming     narrower     and     narrower  ,     until     all     that     skulk     between     the     walls     are     crushed     in     its     maw  .

doctor     joan     leland  ,     something     of     a     mainstay     of     the     institute’s     staff  ,     her     dark     hair     greying  ,     had     welcomed     wendy     carr     at     the     entrance  .     the     staff     had     made     some     effort     to     create     something     appealing     out     of     the     uglier     reality  ,     but     this     place’s     truth     was     hard     to     scrub     away  .          ❝     we’ve     had     very     little     success     with     fleck  ,     ❞          she     said  ,     her     shoes     clipping     down     the     row     of     interview     rooms  .          ❝     he     rarely     acknowledges     staff  ,     and     even     more     rarely     has     anything     useful     to     say     when     he     does  .     ❞          orderlies     seemed     on     edge     as     the     women     passed     ---     leland     returned     the     look  ,     but     kept     moving  .          ❝     this     place     has     been     different     since     he     arrived  .     the     crazies     came     alive     when     he     stepped     through     the     door  .     ❞          she     took     a     tired     breath  .          ❝     we’ve     seen     what     the     b.s.u.     has     been     doing     for     other     places  .     now     we’re     just     hoping     you     can     do     something     for     little     old     gotham  ,     too  .     ❞

they     arrived     at     a     door     stenciled     with     a     numbered     designation  ,     and     a     small     five - inch - wide     window     at     eye     level  .     if     wendy     looked     through     said     window  ,     she     would     see     a     mirror     on     the     left     hand     wall  ,     nothing     on     the     right  ,     a     grated     window     on     the     farthest  ,     and     a     diminutive     figure  ,     with     dark  ,     wet     hair  ,     sat     facing     away     from     the     door  .          ❝     you     want     my     advice     ?     ❞          asked     leland  ,     only     it     wasn’t     really     a     question  .          ❝     give     him     one     of     these  ,     ❞          she     said  ,     and     took     out     a     pack     of     cigarettes  .          ❝     loosens     his     throat     up     a     little  .     ❞

  𝙿𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙴𝙽𝚃      𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆      𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷    :          @malerituals​          .