Grounds of Dry Lake Manor
It is at the Southeast edge of the Town of Dry Lake, where the valley slopes upwards into the mountains, that the Wylies built their manor over 140 years ago. The Wylie copper mines earned the founding family the funds to design their home with the intent to both amaze any guests and survive the dreary climate: Made of Red Mulberry wood with quarrystone chimneys and reinforced-windowed atrium towers, the manor house stands as proud and beautiful as when it was first built.
"Mom I don't think I can do this.."
Grayson stooped to look in through the door of the car as he struggled to keep his hood up and his face dry from the driving rain. His mother frowned as her grip tightened on the steering wheel and she looked up at him with disapproval. "You can and you will do it Grayson. Its only a year. It will be over before you know it. Now go and make me proud." She reached over and grabbed a hold of the car door and yanked it from his grip as he stumbled backwards, slamming it shut before she sped off away from the manor, leaving him staring after her in shock. Grayson gulped thickly then turned to look at the old manor.
I really don't want to do this.. He thought but after a second he found himself picking up his rain soaked bags and heading up the steps towards the large front door and into the
Manor house: first floor.
A little while later the pretty '66 Chevy bumped along the drive and up to the manor.
Raevan pulled the truck off to a little patch and parked the truck. Glancing out of the windshield she frowned deeply. The weather hadn't let up any so she'd have to make a run for it. Grabbing her two large duffle bags she hoped out and dashed for the door, up the stairs and into
Manor house: first floor.
A tall figure approached the manor, even though he was soaking wet and had been pulling two hard plastic suitcases behind and had a water prove duffel bag a crossed his shoulder he seemed completely comfortable. After all,
Craven had always lived in Dry Lake so the weather was nothing new he had exactly come to enjoy it over the last few years.
He smiled to him self as he saw the familiar '66 Chevy. seeing it made him eager to get inside and changed his leisurely pace to a near run until he finally reached the doors and entered
Manor house: first floor.
"It looks as depressing as the last time we were here... No it looks structurally sound I think it's just this dreary weather... Yes, it's
still raining. Honestly I don't understand how the whole thing hasn't been lost to some kind of mud-slide. Must have some kind of stone foundation keeping it in place I'd assume. Heh, yes, well, if I had become an architect I wouldn't have met you now would I? Hm... Well you can come visit soon, and I'll come home when I can. I don't think I want Aiden here too much. It really is a depressing sight in all this rain.... Ah, ok- Hey sweetie! No, no, I have them... I promise, I will absolutely make sure they get them- Yeeees and let them know that you sent them. Yes, that you picked them out all on your own- It was a very good pick, you did really well!"
Jerick smiled into his phone where he was still sitting in the SUV he had rented for the stay in this obviously god-forsaken town, listening to the chipper little voice chirping out of the connection. He wasn't exactly certain that grown adults would have the enthusiasm she was obviously looking for in response to graham crackers shaped like little fish and gummy snacks themed after her favorite Saturday morning cartoon, but when you feel that little box tapping on your hip and robins egg blue eyes staring up at you all wide and glossy, it's really hard to point out such feelings. "Daddy needs to go now, sweetheart. I'll see you soon, ok? No, no, I promise. Has daddy ever broken a promise? That's right, so I'll see you soon- Yes, I will let you know how much they liked them. Ok.. Ok... Ok, I love you very much. Bye bye sweetheart. Give mommy a kiss for me. Bye bye." He pressed the button on his phone and the call ended with a little
pip. He sighed, leaning forward a bit to look out the windshield and up at the imposing silhouette of the mansion once again. Well... this blew. He twisted around and managed to grab the plastic poncho he purchased before coming here, at his wife's insistence, smart woman that she was, and tugged it on and into place. Then he gathered up the few bags of groceries she insisted they bring ("there will be young people there!" she had insisted, "This might be their first time living on their own, you know how hard that can be"), including fruit snacks and graham crackers, and with a final huff to brace himself, he exited the car and dashed to the doors to head inside
Manor house: first floor.
"You have arrived at your destination." The phone announced.
Justin looked around at the dreary place. He had sort of zoned out on the multi hour drive in. Just letting the scenery pass him by as his thoughts wandered. The gravity of the situation weighing down on him. He had a family, or kind of. His mother was an only child so he had no cousins he knew of, no siblings, then some guy in a business suite shows up and tells him he has family he never heard of and some sort of inheritance with strings attached. He honestly could care less about any of that, but family... that was different. He pointed his older honda through the gates as he ascended the hill. The sheets of rain obscured alot of the view, but he could barely make out a dark looming building, it was too big in his opinion. He found what he assumed was a bare spot to park and gathered his three duffel bags containing mostly clothes and essentials as well as his gaming laptop. He didn't own much but he owned it out right. With a clenched expression he garbbed his bags with a huff and sprinted off to the doors of
Manor house: first floor.
Mindy glared back and forth between all of her suitcases full of books and her duffel bag of clothes to the downpour outside of her rental van.Cursing under her breath she pulled her hood up, stuffed Ratatoskr under her hair, and wrapped up her favorite book in one of her sweaters then grabbed Fenrir's leash and bolted for the
Manor House: First Floor
"Thanks!"
Olivia waved enthusiastical
ly to the cab driver as he pulled away from the manor before she adjusted the hood of her raincoat and pulled out her phone and after popping her headphones in place, scooped up her bags and moved towards the front door, hips swaying and shimmying along to the music that was pumping out of her phone. She smiled up brightly at the old building before she pushed the door open and stepped into Manor House: first floor.
"It will be. At points. Just not all-year-round." Blythe amended Falona's reassurance to Calder.
"I hope you're right." Calder replied as Falona pulled up to a free parking spot. "Well...looks like we aren't the first arrivals." She stated with a hint of anxiety as she put the car in park.
"Goodie. Maybe someone found a washer/dryer set. Or a decent dry cleaner's," Blythe replied off-handedly as she unbuckled. "Either is fine, but I get the feeling we're all going to be dealing with a lot of mud for a while. ...I should have got one of those foot-scrubbing mats while I was out. You know we're expected to keep this place clean, ourselves?" She braced herself for a moment, but did not wait for a response before opening the car door.
"Wait there is no washer or dryer?!" Calder nearly shrieked, if it wasn't for his voice cracking he probably would have. "Hmmm....well maybe there's an old scrub board and tub to do our owning washing" Falona replied as she unbuckled herself. She adjusted her jacket before opening the door and stepping out into the sleet and rain, shortly fallowed by Calder who pulled out some container with a rain resistant blanket over everything but the handle.
Already out in the elements, and therefore barely able to hear Calder's voice over the beating rain--let alone make out the words he said--Blythe just shut the car door and shoved her hands in her pockets before marching into the Manor House: First Floor.
"Hey wait up ,Blythe." Falona called after after, shutting her door ans running after. Calder sighed, if it wasn't for the rain he would have been able to rain his sister in by having her the luggage but sadly it wasn't waterproof. with no other choice he fallowed the girls to the Manor House: First Floor.
A cab pulled up to the gate, the driver stated that he would not go any further because he didn't want to get stuck, so Lilynette got out of the cab wearing her black and red raincoat and matching rain boots while the driver popped the trunk. Lilynette pulled out two suitcases wrapped up in plastic and two duffel bags that had plastic, waterproof coverings over them, she paid the driver, and made her way up the driveway. Lilynette stayed silent as she observed all of the cars on her way inside to the Manor House: First Floor.
Go inside to Manor House: First Floor
Go to Town of Dry Lake
Return to dry lake manor
Stumble!