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My name is Willow Talbot, and well. I see things.

[stephanie-muir-isdead]

"I-I like Poe; Neruda I have t-to be in a certain m-mood to read I guess," Stephanie explained while returning the stranger's soft smile with one of her own. She was becoming quite fond of this girl, even if it was just by judging her choices in reading material. 

Stephanie's eyes glanced down to the other books in her lap. "Oh? These?" What did she have here? There were quite a few actually, not to mention the ones on the floor below her, so she plucked up the first one she saw. 

"Um, i-it's Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time. Have you uh, herd of it?"

[willowtalbot]

Stephen Hawking; Willow knew the title as soon as she said the author, nodding in recognition and smiling brightly. "I have, though I haven't read it yet. I've heard it's quite interesting, though. I keep meaning to get to it, but I've been occupied with other things every time I get into something factual. Is it any good?"

Stephanie seemed to enjoy the topic of conversation, at least; Willow could get lost in this talk quite easily, really, could let herself forget about what she was meant to be looking through at least for a moment's time to chat over this with the other girl. She hadn't been finding anything new lately anyway, unfortunately.

[stephanie-muir-isdead]

"I uh," Stephanie stumbled over her words like she often did and swallowed them hard. "Y-Yeah, I do." She hadn't expected the stranger to be so receptive and was pleased that she had been.

Stephanie looked the girl over from the several books in her lap up to her eyes before dropping her eyes. It wasn't polite to stare, especially when Stephanie was actually able to be seen on haunted property. "He's o-one of my favorites, b-besides Frost. Robert Frost, I-I mean"

[willowtalbot]

Smiling softly at the other girl, Willow nodded slightly at that, drumming against the edge of her book lightly. "I like Frost's works too, he's got a great style. But most of what I've been reading lately has been Poe, actually, and some Pablo Neruda. Kind of common choices, granted, but they're interesting still." 

Glancing briefly at the books that Stephanie had on her lap, Willow paused a moment before gesturing toward it. "What're those that you've got there?" she questioned curiously. "If it's alright if I ask, I mean."

[stephanie-muir-isdead]

As the person approaches the chair next to hers at the library, Stephanie flicks up her eyes cautiously to watch them take a seat. She lowers the book in her hands and glances over to see what they’re reading. 

"Are you a-a fan of T-Tennyson? I mean, uh, never mind. It’s n-none of my business." "

[willowtalbot]

Willow's nose is buried in her book as she makes her way over to an empty chair in the library, her eyes narrowing toward the page in curiousity as she reads line after line of the poem that she's on. It's not difficult reading, not her usual sort; she has another book in her lap as well, a book on psychic abilities, but she wants some light reading to give her a brief break from what she's been doing for the moment.

When the girl's voice sounds, Willow's eyes shoot up; had she been there a moment ago? She wasn't entirely positive, but she thought perhaps she hadn't been. Whether she had for sure or not, though, she wasn't sure. Clearing her throat, Willow offered a relaxed smile in response. "Don't be sorry, it's alright, you're free to ask. I do. He's got great works, I quite like reading them. Do you?"

[kirbymartell-deactivated2015122]

[Kirby eyed the girl through her blurry vision. The girl seemed nervous and unsure. Kirby raised a brow and tilted her head. Let herself cry? Kirby shook her head and forced herself to stop crying the best she could.] I don’t cry, not like this. This isn’t who I am. Things aren’t going to get better because it’s bull. You can’t replace someone and the disaster they left behind. [Kirby balled her fingers into tight fists and dug her nails in. She shouldn’t be telling strangers about this.] Kirby.

[willowtalbot]

You can't replace someone... That meant that the girl was mourning someone's death. Immediately, Willow found herself wondering if whoever the girl had lost was still here in town, a ghost like so many other people seemed to be here. It was a bit unnerving a thought, to not know, but she was even further curious for that than she was before. "Kirby," she repeated, offering a hesitant smile and a nod rather than asking further about why she was crying. "You can't replace someone, but the ache of losing them eases, at least it does a little bit. Not a lot, I mean. It always hurts. But it does ease. I've been there, I understand."

[aidenarlon]

That’s something, at least. Now if only I could get my funeral home back. Maybe get married and have some kids. 

[willowtalbot]

Is it possible for a ghost to have kids? Is it possible for a ghost to be intimate with a human, or only other ghosts? That... was a really personal question, oh god, I'm so sorry. I have... I have eight billion questions that I've never gotten answers for, I'm so sorry that one slipped out.

[aidenarlon]

Handsome? I’ll take it. 

I’m glad you’re not offended though. It gets ever so lonely, being dead.

[willowtalbot]

Very much so, but something tells me you know that already.

I can only imagine so. I know most people here probably can't see you. Well... You've got company in me now, at least.

[kirbymartell-deactivated2015122]

[Kirby stared at the girl in front of her blankly before turning back to the door. She had to get it locked so she could leave. The last thing she needed was someone telling her sister she was sobbing in streets now. She made her hands stop shaking and got the key into the door. Locking it, she turned back to the girl.] I’m fine. I just-I’m fine. [Kirby was putting up a front, something all to familiar to her. She tucked her keys into her purse and wiped her eyes.] Thank you for being concerned, but you don’t know me and I don’t open up really to people I care about. It’s nothing you did. Still, thanks. [Kirby turned to leave, a small hiccup escaping from her lips. The tears were starting again, and she didn’t know how to shut it off anymore. The pain she had gotten so good at hiding wasn’t going away this time.] Crap, why is this happening?

[willowtalbot]

Stepping back as the girl turned hack to the door, Willow worried her notebook between her hands, chewing her lip and shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The girl was crying again, though, a hiccup passing her lips, and Willow let out a small sigh. "If you sit and let yourself cry for a minute or two, you'll feel better," she pointed out gently, moving down the steps from the studio. "Crying in public sucks, but it seems like you need to if you want to feel better." She paused a beat before continuing, "I'm Willow, by the way."

[aidenarlon]

You’re…interesting. And I like interesting. 

Is it weird knowing you’ve been hit on by a dead man?

[willowtalbot]

Well, thank you. I try to be.

Oh gosh. Ah, no, not weird really. I mean, I talk to dead people regularly, it can hardly be called weird anymore. A little bit flustering, though. A dead man who's handsome hit on me - how many people can say that?

[kirbymartell-deactivated2015122]

[Kirby was not one to cry in private, much less in public. In fact, Kirby almost never cried. She was sitting outside her studio and was shakily trying to get the door locked. Today was just one  of those days were she couldn’t be strong enough to hold everything in. Kirby was just trying to get out of sight before someone saw her like this. Just as she turned, her puffy eyes meet someone else’s. Sighing, she met their gaze and tried to keep it.] Sorry to disappoint. [Kirby hadn’t  meant for the statement to be as broken as it sounded, but it still was.]

[willowtalbot]

Willow was just on her way out to the library again, a notebook under her arm and laptop bag hanging by her hip, when she spotted Kirby. She didn't know the girl yet - she had seen her face around, she thought, but hadn't talked to her yet - but she could already see that the girl was upset just from a distance, and she seemed to be struggling with the lock on her door. Approaching hesitantly, Willow gripped her notebook tighter, biting her lip before jumping back slightly when the girl turned toward her finally. Clearing her throat, she gave a slight, hesitant smile. "Are um. Are you alright? I just... noticed you struggling with the lock there. Do you need help?"

[aidenarlon]

I suppose so. It’s great that you can see it like that. I suppose I only see the bad side of things anymore.

[willowtalbot]

I imagine it's harder to look at things optimistically after what you've been through. I have an odd outlook on things anyway, or so I've been told.

[aidenarlon]

Well I’m glad you think of it that way. I don’t know if I would be able to handle it, if I were in your place.

[willowtalbot]

It's... interesting, at least. Sometimes it's a little stressful, and I don't like that some people think I'm crazy, but I mean. I can talk to people like you, and sometimes I can help them when other people can't. So in a way, it's kind of a good thing.

[aidenarlon]

…Okay. That must be unfortunate for you.

[willowtalbot]

Oh, I don't think it's unfortunate at all. I think it's fascinating, actually. Being able to hear and see you all, to talk to you... Most people can't do that, you know? I mean. It worries my foster parents, they kind of want me to see a therapist, but... It's still fascinating. I don't think it's unfortunate in the least.

[aidenarlon]

It’s alright. Not your fault, anyway. 

How can you see me? What are you?

[willowtalbot]

Oh, um. I'm a psychic, I think. Something like that, anyway. I'm not sure exactly what I am, but after my parents, I started being able to hear and see people like you.

[willowtalbot]

Thread ==> Seeing Things In Bentley

posted 9.17.14 at 10:08 PST

@EveOfAdam

I think I've met a couple of ghosts here in Bentley now. If they're not pulling my leg, anyway. I mean. There's one who's quite nice, very handsome, he was an Arlon from the funeral home back here - can you look into him for me please? I believe him, but... I want to make sure he's telling me the truth, you know? I don't want to just. Flat believe someone like that. It's too easy to just claim he is what I think just to poke fun at me. People used to do that before...

Anyway. There was an older man too, who claimed he had died on purpose to research the afterlife. He was so excited about being dead... I'm kind of unnerved by him, actually. I don't know how to process him. You're not meant to be excited about being dead, right? Most people aren't happy that they died, or that they came back, some variation of one of those two. I don't understand him at all. But I talked with him a little bit about the afterlife and what it's like being dead.

He didn't have much to say, but... it seems that almost everyone who dies in Bentley ends up coming back. I don't understand how it works, not really, but I'm trying to figure it out. Have you figured out anything about how it works here yet? Maybe it's just... a trick of the area. Maybe this area is malicious in nature and that's why no one can move on. I still can't tell yet. But the ghosts I've met seem nice so far, at least. I think they do anyway.

Update me on how things are going on your side of town, I'm curious if you're getting the same kind of results as I am. 

[xperryxblairx]

Well I suppose it’s not a bad thing. 

[willowtalbot]

It's a compliment to you, I suppose. I'm not normally forward.

[aidenarlon]

Oh I still felt it. Just, there wasn’t the fear ahead of time. That’s the plus.

[willowtalbot]

Oh. I'm... I'm so sorry. That's still... That's terrible. I can't even imagine. 

[aidenarlon]

It’s not the first stupid thing he’s done in his life. He was just at a rough point, and something told him it was the best way out of the situation. At least I was sleeping, right?

[willowtalbot]

I... I suppose that's a plus. You weren't awake to feel it.