Post by Clopin Trouillefou on Dec 1, 2017 11:44:32 GMT -8
They were kids that I once knew
You open a fairly aged tome, with genuine black leather enveloping the fragile pages within. It is bound with brass hinges . You have no idea why the librarian handed this to you, but you'll take your chances, won't you? You turn the book over on both sides, looking for the author's name. There is none. You turn to the first yellowed page, which contains a handwritten introduction of sorts. It's written in the neatest handwriting you've ever seen, and you begin to read:
As with many old places, there tends to be a treasure trove of myths and legends,. Animated High is no exception. The locals will firmly nod their heads in agreement that these events really happened, but as for how true these stories are...well, that's up to you to find out.
The Western Forest
Since the school's conception, many legends have surrounded this mysterious forest. The tale that the locals have passed down for generations is about a young man who ventured into the woods to gather firewood for his family during the winter. He never returned. The family and their nearby neighbors searched for days, but found nothing. No tracks, no clothes left behind. It was as if the young man had simply...vanished.
One night, months after the young man had disappeared, while doing a routine check of the locks on the door, the father of the young man heard something akin to a scream emanating from the woods. The father went outside to go see what was making the sound, but he could find nothing. All was silent once more. As he returned back to the safety of his home, the shrill scream returned.
He turned to see large creature with leathery wings standing a few paces away. It stood on two long legs, which ended in hooves. Its head was slightly horse like, with traces of demonic features. Long, twisted horns rested upon the creature's head. The body of the thing was hunched over, skin stretched taut over ribs that jutted out at an unnatural angle. Arms that were too long for its body hung down, knuckles brushing the grass.
Its eyes glowed a bright red, and strangely enough, he couldn't help but notice that whatever this twisted entity was, it seemed somewhat human. Before the father could make a run for it, it screeched once more, and flew off into the darkness of the Western Forest. Since that first sighting, many other reports of the same creature have flooded in through the years.
Some even say that it appears just before a tragic event. Photos of Animated High months before the fire exist, with some depicting the dark shape of a mysterious creature hovering by the school.
Whatever the creature is, whether it was once human or a harbinger of misfortune, is a complete mystery. All that the locals know is that for whatever reason, do not venture into the Western Forest. If you hear a shrill scream in the middle of the night, don't go out to investigate.
Don't.
East City
Believe it or not, the city that sits downhill from the school has its own stories. To many, it looks like a normal “big city”, with skyscrapers, cars, and people covering every square inch of the place. Parks and recreational areas dot the city, offering relief from the stress of a workday, or a place to play. Restaurants of every style imaginable line the streets, offering plenty of part time jobs to students who wish to make a little extra pocket change during their stay at the school.
But if there’s one thing outsiders can agree to, it is the fact that the city seems…off.
Everyone knows each other by name, despite the city’s size. When you go to a neighborhood store, the employees just seem to know you, even though they might have never seen you before. The locals, however, will say that everything is fine. But they can’t deny that sometimes, late at night, some customers tend to act a little strange, almost as if something is controlling them. One late night employee even reported a man throwing his head back in a very unnatural way, locking eye contact with him, and smiling a smile that was far too wide for any normal human being. He then exited the shop, shuffling in the strangest manner. The employee quit the next day, unnerved by the strange incident.
The rail system that connects most of city has its fair share of strange happenings as well. Passengers have reported getting on their usual route to work or home, and using the extra time to catch a quick nap. Once they open their eyes however, their surroundings are unfamiliar, as if the subway car crossed into another dimension altogether. One passenger even reported that it looked like Hell. The limbo lasts for a while as the subway car passes underground, only for passengers to return to the real world, and with an apprehensiveness about boarding the subway once again.
But perhaps the most enduring story is that of the city’s bus system. There is a bus that the system does not talk about. It has no number, and no specific route. People who know it call it The Bus. It is not a bus for people who know where they want to go. It is a bus for departures.
The Bus has a way of showing up when you are at your lowest. You will hit a certain point, feel a disconcerting crumple in an inner place you thought solid, like a hand crushing an origami box. Just then you look up to see The Bus a block away. You always need to run for it, but just a little bit. Just enough to show you need it. It will wait.
There is an automated voice. It does not say Route forty, service to First and Amistad. The Bus does not deal in those specifics. It says only service from and the name of the intersection you are standing at. The doors pop open, you get on board, the doors hiss shut, and the bus moves on. The driver does not ask where you want to go, but many passengers tell him anyway: Just drive. You pay fare if you can, but if you can’t, the driver will nod, eyes covered by his blue hat, and you will nod and you will head to your seat. . Its riders are the people who need to leave wherever they are at that moment. Just leave. The bus goes everywhere in East City. Most people don’t notice The Bus because it isn’t the one they’re looking for.
If your heart is bright and your spirit buoyant, it is likely that you have never seen The Bus.
The Wandering Bus serves a wider clientele than you might think. The failing businessman, the addict’s sister, the questioning reverend have all ridden on The Bus. Even a mayor and a police chief. There is no conversation on The Bus. What’s more, when you get off, you cannot recall who was on The Bus with you, or how crowded it was. You remember only that you sat by the window and watched the city slide through your translucent reflection. At some point, you were moved to pull the cord and disembark. One night, your feet hit the pavement, the bus pulled away, and you found yourself near to where you needed to be.
People say that some have ridden The Bus for years on end. Others predict that The Bus will one day leave the city, taking its passengers with it. A woman who knew many things said there was a Wandering Bus in every city she had ever visited. There are even a few who claim that if you ride The Bus long enough, you will one day be dropped off back before your troubles began.
But who knows?
Despite the strange happenings, East City is a wonderful town. Just don’t mind the shadows lurking behind you, or the strange new direction the subway happened to go in.
Everything is fine.
As with many old places, there tends to be a treasure trove of myths and legends,. Animated High is no exception. The locals will firmly nod their heads in agreement that these events really happened, but as for how true these stories are...well, that's up to you to find out.
The Western Forest
Since the school's conception, many legends have surrounded this mysterious forest. The tale that the locals have passed down for generations is about a young man who ventured into the woods to gather firewood for his family during the winter. He never returned. The family and their nearby neighbors searched for days, but found nothing. No tracks, no clothes left behind. It was as if the young man had simply...vanished.
One night, months after the young man had disappeared, while doing a routine check of the locks on the door, the father of the young man heard something akin to a scream emanating from the woods. The father went outside to go see what was making the sound, but he could find nothing. All was silent once more. As he returned back to the safety of his home, the shrill scream returned.
He turned to see large creature with leathery wings standing a few paces away. It stood on two long legs, which ended in hooves. Its head was slightly horse like, with traces of demonic features. Long, twisted horns rested upon the creature's head. The body of the thing was hunched over, skin stretched taut over ribs that jutted out at an unnatural angle. Arms that were too long for its body hung down, knuckles brushing the grass.
Its eyes glowed a bright red, and strangely enough, he couldn't help but notice that whatever this twisted entity was, it seemed somewhat human. Before the father could make a run for it, it screeched once more, and flew off into the darkness of the Western Forest. Since that first sighting, many other reports of the same creature have flooded in through the years.
Some even say that it appears just before a tragic event. Photos of Animated High months before the fire exist, with some depicting the dark shape of a mysterious creature hovering by the school.
Whatever the creature is, whether it was once human or a harbinger of misfortune, is a complete mystery. All that the locals know is that for whatever reason, do not venture into the Western Forest. If you hear a shrill scream in the middle of the night, don't go out to investigate.
Don't.
East City
Believe it or not, the city that sits downhill from the school has its own stories. To many, it looks like a normal “big city”, with skyscrapers, cars, and people covering every square inch of the place. Parks and recreational areas dot the city, offering relief from the stress of a workday, or a place to play. Restaurants of every style imaginable line the streets, offering plenty of part time jobs to students who wish to make a little extra pocket change during their stay at the school.
But if there’s one thing outsiders can agree to, it is the fact that the city seems…off.
Everyone knows each other by name, despite the city’s size. When you go to a neighborhood store, the employees just seem to know you, even though they might have never seen you before. The locals, however, will say that everything is fine. But they can’t deny that sometimes, late at night, some customers tend to act a little strange, almost as if something is controlling them. One late night employee even reported a man throwing his head back in a very unnatural way, locking eye contact with him, and smiling a smile that was far too wide for any normal human being. He then exited the shop, shuffling in the strangest manner. The employee quit the next day, unnerved by the strange incident.
The rail system that connects most of city has its fair share of strange happenings as well. Passengers have reported getting on their usual route to work or home, and using the extra time to catch a quick nap. Once they open their eyes however, their surroundings are unfamiliar, as if the subway car crossed into another dimension altogether. One passenger even reported that it looked like Hell. The limbo lasts for a while as the subway car passes underground, only for passengers to return to the real world, and with an apprehensiveness about boarding the subway once again.
But perhaps the most enduring story is that of the city’s bus system. There is a bus that the system does not talk about. It has no number, and no specific route. People who know it call it The Bus. It is not a bus for people who know where they want to go. It is a bus for departures.
The Bus has a way of showing up when you are at your lowest. You will hit a certain point, feel a disconcerting crumple in an inner place you thought solid, like a hand crushing an origami box. Just then you look up to see The Bus a block away. You always need to run for it, but just a little bit. Just enough to show you need it. It will wait.
There is an automated voice. It does not say Route forty, service to First and Amistad. The Bus does not deal in those specifics. It says only service from and the name of the intersection you are standing at. The doors pop open, you get on board, the doors hiss shut, and the bus moves on. The driver does not ask where you want to go, but many passengers tell him anyway: Just drive. You pay fare if you can, but if you can’t, the driver will nod, eyes covered by his blue hat, and you will nod and you will head to your seat. . Its riders are the people who need to leave wherever they are at that moment. Just leave. The bus goes everywhere in East City. Most people don’t notice The Bus because it isn’t the one they’re looking for.
If your heart is bright and your spirit buoyant, it is likely that you have never seen The Bus.
The Wandering Bus serves a wider clientele than you might think. The failing businessman, the addict’s sister, the questioning reverend have all ridden on The Bus. Even a mayor and a police chief. There is no conversation on The Bus. What’s more, when you get off, you cannot recall who was on The Bus with you, or how crowded it was. You remember only that you sat by the window and watched the city slide through your translucent reflection. At some point, you were moved to pull the cord and disembark. One night, your feet hit the pavement, the bus pulled away, and you found yourself near to where you needed to be.
People say that some have ridden The Bus for years on end. Others predict that The Bus will one day leave the city, taking its passengers with it. A woman who knew many things said there was a Wandering Bus in every city she had ever visited. There are even a few who claim that if you ride The Bus long enough, you will one day be dropped off back before your troubles began.
But who knows?
Despite the strange happenings, East City is a wonderful town. Just don’t mind the shadows lurking behind you, or the strange new direction the subway happened to go in.
Everything is fine.
Now they're all dead hearts to you
