bornofwords | Innsmouth Halloween Logs

With a Warning Like That? Of Course, I’ll Take One! – Jack-O-Lanterns! – OTA

Sigma stared at the collection of Jack-O-Lanterns as the shopkeeper finally explained the reason why they seemed to be everywhere to him. “Unfavorable things?” The woman gave him a serious, solemn nod and repeated it vaguely without giving hm more than that. Left to stare in mild concern at the selection, Sigma mulled over whether he should heed the warning or not. He knew Jack-O-Lanterns were part of that Halloween tradition, he’d seen them in passing once or twice, though he’d never really taken part himself. Were they really so important?

Well, they sounded important here, and Sigma? … Admittedly the man was rather impressionable at times, and the woman seemed to know what she was talking about. “I should probably put one out at my house...” He nodded in a too serious tone, mouth drawn into a thoughtful expression as he gazed at the many pumpkins.
He could put it on the steps at his doorway leading into his house, it wouldn’t be in the way and better safe than sorry, right?

“Does it matter what size I get? Do bigger ones… work better? Hmm…” He mumbled more to himself than to anyone else, lifting one and trying to decide if it was… a good choice?
Perhaps he was putting a little too much thought into it.

Just because I’ve dealt with clowns doesn’t mean I find them funny – Mingling at the ball – OTA

How he’d found himself at Hastur, decked out in a flashy outfit, a new pair of heels and earrings … and a mask tied in place (he rather hoped it wasn’t knotted into his hair). He couldn’t complain about the taste of whoever had picked it out, it was a nice material and at least the colours didn’t clash too badly with his hair. The heels were comfortable enough considering they were new, fates willing that wouldn’t change by the end of evening. Far be it for him to not stay and mingle a bit, it seemed like a waste not to… And if he weren’t here, he would have probably spent the evening trying to make sure the books were balanced for The Park before he went back to work tomorrow.

Because even if he didn’t like his current situation, he’d be damned if he was going to do a poor job.

Sigma was known to have a rather impressive ability to contain his feelings, to conduct himself calmly and professionally no matter how incredibly perturbed or anxious he might be when things started happening. Sometimes he could be downright charming when he wanted to be, when dealing with patrons especially. It was important at the Casino to not spread panic, to keep things organized and running smoothly… But there were situations outside that which his emotions could spill over and range from a low-grade derision to an outright snippy energy that put one in mind of someone flipping a table over.

There were certain kinds of people who utterly exhausted him and drove him crazy just trying to deal with. The night’s entertainment, the Jester’s specifically… Reminded him a little too much of the clown as he found himself stopped by one no less than five times. Each time, despite half his face being hidden, the expression in his eyes conveyed an almost dead-eyed level of unimpressed annoyance. The performances changed in tone each time, referencing crimes he’d been a part of, things that had gone so wrong, a fool taking an impressive fall from his kingdom in the sky, and… “Have you heard the one about the author who decided their story didn’t need a beginning?”

That snapped it. Sigma’s calm, thinly veiled annoyance changed to something decidedly pissed off, hands clenched at his sides into fists. “Enough! This isn’t entertaining and you’re not getting a damned laugh out me! Go and find someone else to bother!” And he stormed off, brushing by other guests with a scowl despite his best attempts that evening to not end up a visible ball of stress.

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Later in the Month – OTA

Sigma had heard the rumors going around, listening to the idle chatter on the subway on his way to or from work or from bits of gossip between sales associates at stores… It had been a bit unsettling, considering his house was off the main roads with the odd cover of forests along the road that got deeper beyond his property. Still, he hadn’t seen evidence of it himself yet despite the late hours that he tended to keep if he stayed late at The Park… And if worse came to worse, he still had his gun tucked in a holster safely in the folds of his over-layered outfit.

Which meant most of the rumors slipped his mind after he got busy with one thing or another (How on earth was there so much to do? What wasn’t his job?? Who had so much confidence in him?) at work and trying to navigate the oddities of this place.
Until one night, long after the sun had set and the stars were twinkling in the sky, Sigma found himself running behind more so than usual. He’d stayed late at work, stopped at a bakery for some cookies (he deserved a treat!) and something to heat up for dinner, and so ended up taking a little longer to get to his house.

He was glad for the scarf he’d grabbed on his way out the door but cursed the fact that he’d left the gloves he’d bought on the counter. “Shit it’s cold.” He muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets in hopes of warding off the cool fall night chill. He just wanted to get home, get supper into him and maybe play a game of solitaire with some cookies on the side.

Yes, he’s a wild fellow.

Then something flashed in his peripheral, just beyond the road among the trees he thought he saw something. “Hm? What was that!?“ He broke off as the rumours crossed his mind. Hadn’t someone said something about lights in the woods?
And missing people.

Sigma’s stood still, listening for something that might be there, feeling a shiver run up his spine as there was another light from a different place again out of the corner of his eye. Might be best to walk faster… right? “Yes, faster.” The man decided against lingering, the sooner he was home the sooner he was behind locked doors and out of the dark cold night. Whatever the hell was going on out there, he wanted no part of it, and absently he hoped the Jack-O-Lantern he’d purchased warded off something ‘unfortunate’ tonight at least. If that were its purpose, surely it must!