Ghost Hunt (tag Taki, Vic, Ezzie, Izzy, Si, Roxy)

[Roxy Rivera]

Roxy giggled at Ezzie's suggestion, watching as Thad ran up to the front of the group. She wasn't completely sure that they other boy would buy it but it might be fun to mess with him a bit... "Okay," she whispered to her friend. "I'm in." But she didn't move...not just yet. She still wasn't completely convinced on the whole ghost front, but at the same time she wasn't exactly eager to go on running up to the front of the group. Ghost or no ghost there was no telling what or who else was in the lighthouse. And with all the recent gang violence...they had to be careful--especially with their group which contained both the races being targeted.

That morning her mother had gone on about how good it was that she was grounded and couldn't possibly get involved in anything like that. She'd even toyed with the idea of grounding her longer to keep her safe. Roxy didn't really care one way or another because she knew how to sneak out effectively. Plus, she was only half Puerto Rican, so she could only be half targeted right? Anyway, next to someone like Ezzie she looked completely white, but next to those with no Hispanic roots, you could see her heritage in her.

"Yeah Boo," she whispered to Ezzie, pushing all the gang thoughts out of her head. She didn't really want to think about it. When Fallon asked who'd head up the stairs first, Roxy flashed Ezzie a smile and raised her eyebrows and nodded to let Ez know that she too had a bit of a plan. "I think Thad should go first," she announced so the rest of the group could hear. He had run out in front after all and she'd point that out if he tried to protest at all. If he went first and led the group...it would be easier to fake-fawn over his braveness later with Ezzie.

[Thad Cotton]

Thad halted as Takumi grabbed the back of his shirt, listening with rapt attention to the attributes most commonly associated with Japanese spirits. Maybe he didn't really wish to get on the wrong side of a vengeful female spirit; he could envision Sandra haunting them. If all ghosts were like her, that really would be terrifying.

He jumped again, darting behind Si (but not grabbing her, thanks to her earlier threats), as the door creaked open on it's own. If ghosts were corporeal, then they really shouldn't be able to open doors. They would be able to go right through them, right? But doors opening was a traditional sign of hauntings, so perhaps they simply had powers of some sort. Now that he really thought about it, he knew so little about ghosts it was sad; he was terribly underprepared for this excursion.

He cautiously peered around his eldest sister when volunteers were requested, prepared to offer up Si, when Roxy mentioned his name. "Eh?!" He glanced at her in surprise. Out of all the utterly cool older kids, and she thought he should lead? He puffed out his chest, feeling rather inordinately proud that she would suggest him. "Yeah, I'll go." He agreed. "C'mon, y'all." He beckoned, dashing through the door without waiting. But he almost immediately flung himself back into the stairwell, as though repelled by some unseen force. "There's summin' in there!!" He panted, wide-eyed. A keening wail sounded from the room he'd just exited, and he shivered, "Si, Vic, y'all are the ghost people, one a y'all talk to it."

[Fallon Cotton]

By this time Fal had walked away from the group. She saw something pretty. Which in Fal's mind meant she had to check it out. Its how her mind worked. Had she had her medication....although it took a few days to wear off, but even missing one pill could do damage to her concentration and her mind. Not to mention her moods too. She was easily upset. Hence the whole fight with Sandra, that drove Fal out. So maybe she had missed the pill. She usually took it after dinner, but this time she choose before bed. And well she had not gone to sleep yet, so no pill. However, try telling her that.

Fal looked at the all the items. There were books, news paper articles, globes and so much more. The room was filled with it. Fal had never been to the lighthouse during the day so she had no idea if this room was on the tour or not. However, it drew Fal's attention. There were articles about the ghost story and abo8ut the place being haunted too. She looked it all over using her candle to read

Fall was looking around when she noticed a room with something even shinier. So of course Fal had to wonder farther off into the depths of the light house. she walked through the door and into the room. Well the door was open so she did not literally go through the door. But in this room there was jewelry and dresses and clothes. All looked to be dated back as early as the 1700's or 1800's. She looked at all the dresses and jewels. It was a fairytale dream. Fal wondered farther into the room. When all the sudden BAM! and Whoosh!....the door closed and her candle got blown out. Which left Fal alone...in a room in the dark.....

[Sidra Cotton]

Trying to maintain the frown she wore, Sidra couldn’t quite manage and grinned at Taki and then her brother. The conversation continued as friendly jibes and offers and volunteering of one another picked up. That was when Sidra noticed one voice wasn’t added and she looked around for her younger sister. She’d been there a moment ago… hadn’t she?

No, of course she had! Si hadn’t imagined the conversation about the Step Monster, and certainly hadn’t imagined helping her through the window. Yet she wasn’t there now. Augh! That girl, always getting distracted and wandering off, it had been a huge fear of their mother’s when Fal was younger, that she’d wander off and be snatched away.

“Hold it!” Sidra’s voice was raised above that of the others. “Fal’s disappeared. Know where we saw her last?” Makeup lined eyes scanned the individual faces of those closest to her as Sidra turned a slow circle where she stood. Maybe she just hadn’t seen her at first glance, Fal did go quiet every now and then so it was possible…

But not likely. She had been in a good mood so it stood to reason that she would interact with at least her friends and family, possibly get to know the ones she hadn't met yet.

[fryn]

Takumi frowned slightly. "She was with us when we passed the room back there. I remember her saying something about a lamb... and sacrifices," he added in a low whisper. "I will go see if she stayed down there." He shot Thad a stern look... as stern as the good-humoured Japanese boy could muster (which actually wasn't all that stern at all). "Don't go on without me, otousan... I will be right back."

Taki snagged Sidra's sleeve as he passed by her. "In case she is scared when she sees someone she doesn't know I think you should come with me." It made sense to him anyway... and besides, he wasn't stupid enough to wander around the lighthouse on his own. The stone steps were very steep, after all. That was his secondary reasoning and he'd defend it with his dying breath if he had to. Not that it would come to that, he hoped!

The pair made their way back down the spiral steps, Takumi's left hand running along the roughened stone wall to ensure he kept his balance. They soon reached the doorway he'd mentioned.

"It was open before," he stated. Was someone already playing tricks on them? Vic perhaps...? He shot Sidra a terse glance as he reached for the door's handle...

[Vic Webber]

Vic jumped when he heard the BAM of the door slamming. "What the..?!" he proclaimed turning towards the group. "Ok no more ghost hunting till we know everyone is fine!" He looked over the group and there was one missing. He didn't want to take command like this but the safety of others was more important over anything else.

He looked up at the door that was opened. "Sorry Vi, we have someone in trouble. We need to make sure she's all right." God, please, let Vi understand about the trouble going on. The door before him closed slowly. He smiled. "Thanks Vi."

"Everyone this way." Trying to recall hearing where the door slamming came from, it made it tough because the place echoed like something terrible. He carefully went back down the stairs.

"Fal!!" He called out. "Where are you?" He held the candle up looking around. He had no idea how or why she would get separated from the group, she had to be scared though. "Fal can you hear us?" Last thing anyone would want is for someone in the party to be injured or worse.

[Fallon Cotton]

It took Fal a good minute to start freaking out. Sure the dark was scary, but Fal had a phobia of the water and where was the light house standing. On a cliff...by water. Fal had no problem going to the beach. She would always sit far enough away so the water did not bother her. She had no issues looking at the water, but going into the water was her problem. No amount of pushing or pleading could get Fal to even stick a toe into a pool that was shallow. Fal was scared of water and she could not swim.

So it was not the dark that got to her at first. It was the waves she heard. The waves crashing against the side of the cliffs. The sound of the water hitting the side of the light house. Fal swallowed air as she looked around. She had no flash light her candle was out and she could not find the door to let herself out. She felt around the glass cases of the room she had decided to call "The pretty room." The pretty room was not so pretty right now.

Fal heard voices, but she was getting to scared to recognize them. She was still a kid after all. A 16 year old scared kid. Her mother use to have a huge fear of this happening. Fal was one of those kids constantly on a leash because she had a tendency to wonder off. Like now. And of course Fal did not think of getting lost when she wondered off. All the sudden Fal heard a noise coming from the door. "Si.....Thad....." She called out softly....this is why she did not like ghosts....way too scary...."VIc,....someone....." She called out...."I am in here...." She said it but still decided to hide just in case.

[fryn]

Takumi had been about to open the door when Vic and the others had arrived. He stepped back to allow them space to check out the room themselves. He wasn't needed after all and Takumi was more than happy to pass on the rescue to Vic and the others.

It was all in hand and Fallon could be heard from within the room. That left Takumi free to return to the tower staircase. He knew Vic was interested in his own ghostly tale but Takumi was keep to investigate the lamp room itself... and to ascertain whether or not the Lady of the Light truly did exist. The others would follow when they were ready and now that he knew Fallon was safe he felt it would be fine to continue onwards and upwards.

"I will see you up there," he whispered to Izzy with a wink. "Be careful on the third step up after the next landing... It has a cracked edge." He remembered it well from his guided tour earlier. He'd come close to tripping but the sweet elderly lady had been less fortunate. Taki luckily had managed to catch her before she'd fallen.

He drew up his borrowed flashlight and flicked on its beam, playing it over the steps before him. They had all night to check out the place properly but apart from anything else he wanted to see the view from the top at night. Earlier in the day it'd been breath-taking but lit by star and moonlight it was sure to be something else completely.

He moved on and up, leaving the stairs behind him in darkness... right until he reached the summit of the building. As expected, the scene that awaited him was beyond description. He stared out across the water in awe... disturbed only when he heard a slight sound behind him.

"Thad... otousan... is that you?" He'd come up here alone, though, hadn't he?

[Roxy Rivera]

Roxy too was worried when they realized Fallon was missing. She felt like part of it was her fault--she considered herself to be friends with Fallon...she knew she wandered off...she should have made sure to keep her with Ezzie and herself so the two of them could watch her. But seeing all the older kids go after her...that made Roxy feel better. She was sure they'd find her. After all, the lighthouse was only so big...right?

She decided to take this time to mess with Thad a little. After all, it was the perfect opportunity seeing that they were just standing there waiting and it would take her mind off the fact that Fallon had gone missing...while on a ghost hunt...ghosts weren't real...were they? Eek...as much as Roxy wanted to believe it...it was becoming more and more difficult by the moment. Maybe the others were right...maybe there were ghosts here!

She took a second to mentally compose herself before turning to Ezzie and flashing her a mischievous grin. "Watch this," she whispered only loud enough for Ezzie to hear. She then pushed her way to the front of the group where Thad now stood.

"It was really brave of you to volunteer to go first," she said, over-exaggerating her words. Roxy was a really good actress, she could make herself really believable if she wanted to, but she was over-acting a bit because she thought it was funny. "I would have been really scared to go first...think I could hide behind you if we see any ghosts?" Her eyes were wide and innocent looking and she had a hard time not just breaking out into laughter, but she held the expression...mostly because she thought Ezzie would get a kick out of it.

Turning slightly and watching Taki return and head up in front of them, she looked back at Thad. "Hey...I thought you were supposed to go first." She shook her head. "I guess he just thinks he should because he's older...I know you would have done it though." She was laying it on real thick...if he bought it...she'd definitely make fun of him for it later.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy looked around for the missing girl. She felt bad she had not noticed the girl was missing, but she was quiet. She had no even heard anyone walk away. Then again Izzy was focused on the whole Ghost hunt. "I hope we find her.' Izzy said softly. She followed the group to the door where Izzy thought she heard a voice. A woman calling out names. She hoped it was Fallon and not her ears playing tricks on her.

Izzy smiled as Taki told her about the step. "Thanks." She whispered as he left. She watched the group as they went to go find Fallon. Izzy looked around herself with her candle. Which was almost burned out. She waited but then realized too many people were heading where Fallon was. That might scare the poor girl. So Izzy decided to follow Taki. Perhaps she should have told him, but she went in his direction.

Izzy walked up the stairs slowly. She did trip on the third step, but Izzy caught herself. She stood up and brushed it off as she slowly walked up the stairs. At least she wore tennis shoes. That was smart. Izzy slowly walked into the room. Taki had already gone into. She approached slowly. Izzy slowly reached out her hand to touch his shoulder, "Its just me." She said softly not meaning to scare him.