Primeval Woodlands - Prelude

IC:
March 2nd, 2008

Suzie Johnson breathed a deep sigh of relief, glad that the wedding reception was over, and that she'd been able to get back to the house before the babysitter could complain about wanting double pay and a half. She still had several other weddings, and needed to make some plans about catering and hiring before the others drew to close to the deadlines for such things. As she approached the small, yet comfortable house, on Shrove Lane in the village of Westbury, at the edge of the Woods, the lights of the house comfortably beckoned her. Behind the house, the vastness of the Woods loomed out of the late afternoon sky, and she gave an involuntary shudder as she trudged up to the house and let herself in.

She knew something was wrong the moment she saw the blood at the door leading from the kitchen out to the garden. Outside, in the garden, the babysister, Charlotte, was crouching over her child. The medical kit that the family kept in the house was lying open on the ground, nearby. Harry was also lying on the ground, his right forearm clutched tightly in the babysitter, Lorraine's, grip, and she was holding a blood-soaked rag to the limb. "What happened?!" shouted in alarm at the babysitter, dropping everything she was holding on the damp, early spring ground.

"I don't know!" Lorraine replied. "One moment, Harry was playing at the edge, and the next moment he came screaming back towards me, clutching his arm!" The girl looked frantic, Suzie realised. "Something bit him, and gave him a nasty gash!" the babysitter continued. "But I've done the best I can with the medical kit that you keep in the house."

Suzie calmed down somewhat, and turning her attention to her son, said soothingly, "Let me take a look, Harry."

The little boy, looking somewhat feverish, did his best to comply, but it was obvious that the arm was hurting him. Suzie peeled away some of the gauze, and saw a nasty-looking large rake down the middle of the forearm, but was alarmed at a pair of what appeared to be puncture marks. "What are those?" she demanded of the pair.

"I don't know," Lorraine said, "some sort of wild beast, perhaps?"

"Could be. There've been some sightings the last week or so, haven't there?" Suzie said, more concerned about her son than anything else. "I'd better go inside and call for the Emergency Service boys. I think that arm needs more treatment than we can give." She turned to go back inside...

...and Lorraine screamed.

As she turned back, Suzie saw the rapid rustling of the trees and bushes behind the house, and caught sight of what might have been a large head of perhaps a lizard... It retreated back into the brush of the Woods before she could do or think of anything else.


[Okay, folks, this is the second plot that you'll have to choose from. This is the second story post, and sets the basics of the setting and the recent event of relevance. Think of this as the Teaser before the opening credits of the episode (in this case plot). Only post up to this Prelude Thread if you intend to be active in this particular storyline. Feel free to elaborate on your character's evening and the night, or even go so far as to detail a bit about your routine at this point. Your first post should largely introduce your character and their daily routine, if the character has one. I will respond to each post if a Moderator response is needed.

The first plotline opening post is separate from this one. And remember, you can't participate in both plots at the same time.]

IC:

Henry had been driving for some time when he made the turn off for Westbury. After the week he'd had getting the new isolation lab up and running, a weekend trip to the countryside, hiking and studying plant life was just what the doctor ordered. He'd chosen Westbury because of its distance from London and the ARC. Of course he had to tell Lester where he was going, but still it wasn't like he'd call now, even government types take the weekend off.

Almost feel like I jinxed it. Henry thought as his eyes subconsciously strayed to his mobile, sitting quietly in the centre console.

His attention snapped back to the road as he made a right toward the town.

TAG: GM

IC:

A quiet chiming woke Elliott early in the morning. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and checked his phone. Six AM. Slept in for once. The previous evening he drove 2 hours to Chippenham and found lodgings there. This morning he had a meeting in Lacock to discuss adding a local farm to his list of hunt locations for Banff International Outfitters.

Thirty minutes after waking, Elliott finished his breakfast and was sipping on a cup of tea. He cleaned up the kitchenette quickly and put everything back in its place. One last glance told Elliott that he had already collected everything, so he set his cup in the sink and walked toward the door. In one swift motion he lifted his backpack from the ground and slung it over his shoulder. He proceeded to check out and drove to his meeting.

The meeting took much of the day as he negotiated terms with the owner, toured the farm, then scouted the small woods toward the back of the property. It was afternoon by the time the deal was done.

"I look forward to conducting a hunt here. You have a very nice farm." Elliott collected the annotated, signed contract and placed it in a manila folder. "I will have my accountant wire you a deposit before the first hunt, and should have the typed contract for you by the end of the week."

It was time to head back to the ARC. He didn't want that confining feeling the ARC's offices gave him. It reminded him too much of his days in the corporate world.

"Did you have any other questions for me before I leave?"

Tag: GM