#para(graph)noia

[mesonoxianmonster]

It took a little longer to arrive outside the gas station convenience store in Gotham, a few hiccups along the way and a snack break to replenish waning strength but October found herself in the city once again. Brightly colored and carrying her familiar orange pumpkin pail, she emerged from a shadow behind a dumpster and flailed like a gangly fawn onto the street.

"Friend? FRIEND?!" She yowled out, looking for the strange boy she had agreed to meet up with.

"NoT HeRe..." a rasping wheeze echoed weakly from the pail.

"He's here he said he would be here..." October retorted in indignation.

@fearsome-touch

[mesonoxianmonster]

Closed starter for @wolfandwords

Late summer nights when the days weren't as inforgiving and the setting sun brought some reprieve and a whispered promise of easier autumn days to come- a blessing after months of baking. Tonight was one of those nights, the nights that beckoned to those willing to wander out when the last rays of light had finally flickered, keeping streets busy and businesses comfortable.

It made moving inconspicuously more difficult.

Not that it was of any particular mind to the scrawny beast, it understood that humans who saw them were so quick to forget. A particularly large stray dog, a trick of the shadows cast by eye-straining neons and LEDs, something to be written off and forgotten in favor of more tangible and explainable phenomena.

A curved tail carried close to gangly hind legs, a large shaggy head held low to the dirty streets in search of curious scents. The massive black beast kept to darkened shadows and alleyways when it ventured into the city, about the size of a particularly large dog. Not as massive as some of the other moon-driven beasts but still notable in size.

[mesonoxianmonster]

Closed starter for @antemortxm

It wasn't strange for people to lock their doors and windows in this day and age, even out here this far in the woods. Never knew what knife-weilding maniac or drug-addled speedfreak might barge right in to steal or do far worse damage to the occupants. Of course, there were those that forgot- and on a night like this would prove to be difficult for their senses of privacy and well-being.

It seemed monthly now there was a string of missing pets, cabin break-ins that left homes in wild disarray with nothing of real value taken. Occupants swore they hadn't left their homes or even recalled anything wrong on those nights, simply waking up in the morning to find their homes wrecked, muddied and anything not nailed down to be damaged and ruined. Usually chalked up to bears and forgetful summer cabin owners but there was always something off about this particular theory.

Of course they wouldn't remember, that was the beauty of this inborn "curse"- people would dismiss the sight of a beast ransacking their homes.

Easy targets. Easy meals. Tonight was a little different for the would-be intruder, however- still a week or so off from a full moon but an empty stomach still drove them to break into the first open window that night. A small and scrawny form, guided by the promise of food and some fun found it easy to pry open the window to slip on inside.

[mesonoxianmonster]

@d-d-disgusting

She didn't recognize this area, she hadn't for some time. Then again anything less than distinctly Urban was foreign to the young wanderer, and here was no different. October knew she was far from any established city, or perhaps even town, her last stowaway ride had dropped her off in heavy woods and foliage that was all but disorienting to her. Still, she walked through the trees, stumbling through snagging brush and tripping roots for about a day and a half. When she wasn't sure that hunger would kill her she was certain the pitch black night would tear her to pieces if not for the rainbow of glowsticks she had with her. That wouldn't help her with food, however, and she wouldn't have enough to make it through tonight.

With some minor stroke of luck, she found a gap in the trees, what would be a meadow or clearing if not for the ample growth of strange plants cultivated there. She recognized some plants, however, fruits that looked familiar enough to eat, and without hesitation lunged for them with voracious hunger.

Tendrils of shadows moved from beneath trees and vines and brush to grasp at anything that could be pulled out and devoured, though October herself focused more on the bright fruits she could get her hands on.

[mesonoxianmonster]

Open Starter

It was only really safe to come out at night- at least in regards to the oppressive heat that baked the concrete-choked city. Once it was cool enough to emerge from some hidden cooler place October took to scurrying the streets in search of something to pass her time. A prank, perhaps, someone to harrass or bother. The night was still so young and much fun had yet to be had.

[mesonoxianmonster]

CLOSED | starter for @violeteyedkiller

There were always downsides to travelling at night, but given the oppressive heat that baked the concrete jungles during the day it was more or less the only option if one wanted to avoid heat stroke. The street lamps and lights that beamed from inside the still open shops and restaurants provided more than ample light to walk through- a city as big as this one was plagued with enough light pollution to keep the streets in a perpetual twilight of halogen and neon.

The shuffling of large platform sneakers trotted down the sticky sidewalk as a pair of gangly limbs attached swung about carelessly in a haphazard dance. October was always hard to miss as she made her way through the city's less than upstanding underbelly- clashing colors and fabrics acting as a sort of warning coloration to passersby, the massive heap of bright blue faux fur of her jacket like a mane from a skinned muppet. She popped another candy in her mouth, looking about for any fun to be had that night.