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saveourearth2018-12-23 02:49 pm
ourearth) wrote in saveourearth2018-12-23 02:49 pm
Baby it's cold outside [mingle]
Date: 23.12.2018-30.12.2018
Characters: Open!
Note: Timeline behind cut at the bottom of the post!
23-24th December
With the schools out for Christmas, and the last few days of Christmas shopping closing in, there really is no escaping it now. Everyone but the best prepared is rushing to finalise the last little bits. Excitement is gathering as the shortest day of the year comes and goes.
The weather reports for Christmas are standard: grey, with light showers and patches of sun. As usual, a high chance of snow was predicted at the beginning of the month, but as the day approaches it has changed back to the more seasonal and typical (if less picturesque) weather: rain. But, with days to go, that suddenly changes again, as the weather reporters talk about the sudden turning of an artic wind, bringing with it sub zero temperatures, and maybe, just maybe, a white Christmas. Temperatures drop to -5c during the day and -10c overnight, particularly cold for this part of the world. On the morning of Christmas Eve, with less than 24 hours notice, the snow begins, falling lightly at first, and then heavily. By lunch time, the south east, including Mossgate, is a foot deep in snow and chaos has spread. Just a covering of snow is enough to cause panic, with infrastructure and transport unequipped to deal with it, and this is unexpected and heavy, and there has been no time to prepare. The trains have given up, promised refunds, and stopped. The busses have also all but stopped, and in Mossgate town centre just one or two an hour are running to the villages to ferry home those still stuck in town. Gatwick airport, which is having it's worst year since the ash clouds in 2010, has also officially given up and closed, redirecting flights to Stansted or Birmingham. Just after midnight, even the motorways close, and the smaller roads are unpassable much earlier. Panicked shoppers, trying to grab supplies for the unexpected weather, are being shooed out of stores early so that coworkers have a chance of getting home before the last transports stop. And it's still snowing. By nightfall there's almost two feet of snow, an almost unprecedented amount, and the news is talking about the possibility of powercuts and disruptions to water supplies. Sure enough, around 8PM, a powercut hits Mossgate and the surrounding area, wiping out the last of the Christmas cheer in the town centre as the festive lights go black – along with everyone's houses.
Christmas Day
Christmas morning opens to fresh, white snow all around, picture post card beautiful, and small showers keep it fresh looking for most of the day no matter how many snow angels, snowmen and igloos are built. That's probably little compensation for those stuck: the news is full of heartfelt stories of the struggle to get home for Christmas, and of locals in towns and cities along the southeast welcoming people stuck into their homes for Christmas. While the power is back on in Mossgate town centre by about midnight, the surrounding areas, including Moss Manor village, are still without power, with the word from the electricity board that it's unlikely to be fixed anytime soon. Neighbours with gas cookers and stove tops suddenly become the most popular people around (but at least with the temperatures outside dealing with food from the fridge and freezer is relatively easy).
In Moss Manor, the church hall, which has both a gas cooker and gas heating, is opened up for those who are unable to stay in their own homes. People are invited to bring along what food they have to share and join in with a community Christmas. The community feeling is only shattered when the power comes back on at 5:20PM, just before the repeat of the Queen's Speech on BBC2 and Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 start. A short but fierce battle ensues over which to show on the big screen. With moments to go, Pat Marsh puts her foot down and casts the deciding vote for Strictly, promising that she'll show the Queen's Speech from iPlayer directly afterwards.
As if that isn't enough, Mossgate and it's surroundings have one other surprise waiting for them on Christmas morning. Father Christmas has been through the entire council area, and apparently not one single person has been good. Every fire place has been decorated with traditional stockings full of neatly wrapped coal, one stocking for each member of the family. For those who don't have a fireplace, the oven has been selected as a replacement, and the stockings hang merrily from the oven door instead. If it's a prank, it's seen as bad taste, especially in homes with small children, but it's also generally agreed that given the weather it's rather backfired (not that anyone still has a coal fire but still).
25th-30th December
The snow finally stops overnight on Christmas evening/Boxing Day morning, but it remains cold, the temperatures only picking up at the weekend. Between the remaining snow and the ice formed where it melts, transport remains awful, with the connections to the villages particularly bad. Due to the Highspeed line, the trains from Mossgate to London are back up and running by the 27th, but other routes take days to be cleared. Likewise, the motorways are at least traversable by the 26th, but some smaller roads are still unaccessible until the weekend. Food supplies are slow to come through, and when the stores reopen on Boxing Day after Christmas closures, the shelves are immediately stripped bare again, especially of essentials such as bread and milk (although anything and everything is subject to panic buying, up to and including shampoo).
All of this chaos doesn't stop some people going out to the Boxing Day sales, with queues forming outside Next, which has advertised it's traditional early opening times of 6AM, despite the cold and the snow (and the fact that they don't actually manage to open until almost 7 due to lack of staff).
But as the temperatures rise back to a seasonal temperature in the single figures, things start to return to normal in time for the count down to New Years.
Timeline:
Characters: Open!
Note: Timeline behind cut at the bottom of the post!
23-24th December
With the schools out for Christmas, and the last few days of Christmas shopping closing in, there really is no escaping it now. Everyone but the best prepared is rushing to finalise the last little bits. Excitement is gathering as the shortest day of the year comes and goes.
The weather reports for Christmas are standard: grey, with light showers and patches of sun. As usual, a high chance of snow was predicted at the beginning of the month, but as the day approaches it has changed back to the more seasonal and typical (if less picturesque) weather: rain. But, with days to go, that suddenly changes again, as the weather reporters talk about the sudden turning of an artic wind, bringing with it sub zero temperatures, and maybe, just maybe, a white Christmas. Temperatures drop to -5c during the day and -10c overnight, particularly cold for this part of the world. On the morning of Christmas Eve, with less than 24 hours notice, the snow begins, falling lightly at first, and then heavily. By lunch time, the south east, including Mossgate, is a foot deep in snow and chaos has spread. Just a covering of snow is enough to cause panic, with infrastructure and transport unequipped to deal with it, and this is unexpected and heavy, and there has been no time to prepare. The trains have given up, promised refunds, and stopped. The busses have also all but stopped, and in Mossgate town centre just one or two an hour are running to the villages to ferry home those still stuck in town. Gatwick airport, which is having it's worst year since the ash clouds in 2010, has also officially given up and closed, redirecting flights to Stansted or Birmingham. Just after midnight, even the motorways close, and the smaller roads are unpassable much earlier. Panicked shoppers, trying to grab supplies for the unexpected weather, are being shooed out of stores early so that coworkers have a chance of getting home before the last transports stop. And it's still snowing. By nightfall there's almost two feet of snow, an almost unprecedented amount, and the news is talking about the possibility of powercuts and disruptions to water supplies. Sure enough, around 8PM, a powercut hits Mossgate and the surrounding area, wiping out the last of the Christmas cheer in the town centre as the festive lights go black – along with everyone's houses.
Christmas Day
Christmas morning opens to fresh, white snow all around, picture post card beautiful, and small showers keep it fresh looking for most of the day no matter how many snow angels, snowmen and igloos are built. That's probably little compensation for those stuck: the news is full of heartfelt stories of the struggle to get home for Christmas, and of locals in towns and cities along the southeast welcoming people stuck into their homes for Christmas. While the power is back on in Mossgate town centre by about midnight, the surrounding areas, including Moss Manor village, are still without power, with the word from the electricity board that it's unlikely to be fixed anytime soon. Neighbours with gas cookers and stove tops suddenly become the most popular people around (but at least with the temperatures outside dealing with food from the fridge and freezer is relatively easy).
In Moss Manor, the church hall, which has both a gas cooker and gas heating, is opened up for those who are unable to stay in their own homes. People are invited to bring along what food they have to share and join in with a community Christmas. The community feeling is only shattered when the power comes back on at 5:20PM, just before the repeat of the Queen's Speech on BBC2 and Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 start. A short but fierce battle ensues over which to show on the big screen. With moments to go, Pat Marsh puts her foot down and casts the deciding vote for Strictly, promising that she'll show the Queen's Speech from iPlayer directly afterwards.
As if that isn't enough, Mossgate and it's surroundings have one other surprise waiting for them on Christmas morning. Father Christmas has been through the entire council area, and apparently not one single person has been good. Every fire place has been decorated with traditional stockings full of neatly wrapped coal, one stocking for each member of the family. For those who don't have a fireplace, the oven has been selected as a replacement, and the stockings hang merrily from the oven door instead. If it's a prank, it's seen as bad taste, especially in homes with small children, but it's also generally agreed that given the weather it's rather backfired (not that anyone still has a coal fire but still).
25th-30th December
The snow finally stops overnight on Christmas evening/Boxing Day morning, but it remains cold, the temperatures only picking up at the weekend. Between the remaining snow and the ice formed where it melts, transport remains awful, with the connections to the villages particularly bad. Due to the Highspeed line, the trains from Mossgate to London are back up and running by the 27th, but other routes take days to be cleared. Likewise, the motorways are at least traversable by the 26th, but some smaller roads are still unaccessible until the weekend. Food supplies are slow to come through, and when the stores reopen on Boxing Day after Christmas closures, the shelves are immediately stripped bare again, especially of essentials such as bread and milk (although anything and everything is subject to panic buying, up to and including shampoo).
All of this chaos doesn't stop some people going out to the Boxing Day sales, with queues forming outside Next, which has advertised it's traditional early opening times of 6AM, despite the cold and the snow (and the fact that they don't actually manage to open until almost 7 due to lack of staff).
But as the temperatures rise back to a seasonal temperature in the single figures, things start to return to normal in time for the count down to New Years.
Timeline:
- 24th: Heavy snow starts unexpectedly in the morning
- Transport is badly affected
- A powercut hits the Mossgate area at around 8PM
- Power is returned to Mossgate town by midnight, the villages including Moss Manor won't have power until well into the 25th
- 25th: Stockings appear overnight for each member of the family in every home containing coal
- Moss Manor church hall is opened to the community
- Moss Manor and the other villages have no power until 5PM
- 26th-29th: Panic buying and lack of supplies affects food availability
- The snow continues to affect transport
- 30th: Temperatures return to normal for the time of year (0-10c)
no subject
If she continues getting cat-like, who knows, she might just reach a point when it has an effect on her. Which would be hilarious, and less expensive for her than other things - easier to grow at home, too - but might cause some problems.
"When is your birthday, by the by? Given the season."
He glances toward the outside, where the snow's steadily falling.
no subject
Sadie will absolutely be affected by catnip in the future and it will be hilarious.
She giggles and pats Russell on the shoulder, "Don't worry, I don't have a birthday waiting to creep up on you any time soon, mine's about a fortnight after Walter's birthday so not too far past actually."
Since I legit do not remember if she's told them by this point, or if you just told us. XD
"Well. Could have informed us sooner! Though I do hope you informed Ben."
Then he grins outright.
"Either way, I do think I have something that will make it up to you."
And he dashes off to his own room to get that picture. Once back, he hands it, hidden in an opaque properly-sized binder, to Sadie with a flourish.
offering a much belated tag
He tugs out his mobile and pulls up a calendar app, then waves it at her. "When exactly, I'm not letting it creep up on me at all."
Of course, there was no guarantee they'd still be close buddies in a year's time. If either left the echo boundary, or if the rules governing it changed so they forgot about these things... if things went sour with her and Benjiro's relationship... But there was no need to borrow trouble or assume such things.
no subject
The future certainly was uncertain but this was a nice bit of normalcy amongst it all. Sadie looks at the opaque binder in surprise, "Oh! This is a little different." She then proceeds to rather eagerly open the binder.
Description quote: an intricate drawing of a leaping cat, with ruby-red eyes
The spotted (it is, perhaps, a Bengal) cat is drawn in such a way that it seems in the process of springing off the page, a gleam in its eyes implying curiosity and playfulness. One could almost think it was a still-life... if the eyes weren't ruby-red, a visage that would almost certainly not look healthy on a regular cat.
Russell's free to sneak a look, too, if he wishes; Walter won't stop him.
no subject
"Now, what's the story with those eyes, then...?"
There has to be a story, or a reference, or something. They're almost scary-looking.
no subject
"Walter it's wonderful! It looks so alive!" Sadie carefully puts the binder aside and pulls Walter into a tight hug, "Thank you so much, Walter. I have the perfect from for this by my desk."
Letting Walter go she regards him curiously when Russell asks about the eye colour, also intrigued by why he chose it.
no subject
"You did mention receiving a ruby as part of the Echo on Halloween," he explains.
"Did you ever find out more about it?"
no subject
Sadie huffs, more annoyed at herself, "Not really. As far as I can tell it is a genuine ruby, but with its size and the symbol on it, I don't want to take them to an actual jeweller. Though considering when I got it, it's probably related to the magic I have."
no subject
"Probably for the best, that. If it's not normal, someone might try prying..."
Who knows, given the odd variety of people who've been tangled up in all this, they might find there's a jeweller in the area who remembers a number sooner or later. But for the time being, if it's an otherwise ordinary gem...?
"Have you tried doing any magic while holding it? It hasn't done anything odd, has it?"
no subject
"Might not be something she wants to risk in her parents' house, Russell."
Though that didn't preclude her from trying something out here.
A better option, though, would be an otherwise-abandoned location. Fewer neighbors...
no subject
She does answer Russell's query, "I have tried but nothing so far. I was thinking that I might need like a certain set of conditions or something, or maybe even another Echo," She shrugs, "Magic is bullshit."
no subject
He recovers quickly enough to bring his fingers to his temples and rub at them. "Maybe out in the woods, did you try somewhere like that? Off the streets, nobody's like to see?"
no subject
Because having that caught on a drone or satellite's feed would be a headache and a half to clean up from... if anyone even believed it in the first place. It could go either way.
"Seconding magic being bullshit, though. All the way."
no subject
"Actually, I've been practising with the fire in the chemistry lab at college. With the sprinkler system and stuff there it seemed like the safest place."
no subject
"Now, that's an idea."
Sadie is better equipped for managing the risks of magic fire than Russell is. But Walter raises a point he hadn't thought through well enough.
"No... cameras in there?"
no subject
"I should hope so. No odd recordings making the rounds online last I checked..."
no subject
no subject
He's pretty sure that fire magic would count as volatile to her teachers and other potential supervisors. But she's taking steps to make sure she doesn't set off a forest fire, or ruin her house, and that there's ways to put out fires on hand. Normal fires. Hopefully magic fires are put out the same ways.
Russell shakes his head, so very glad that so far all his magic seems to be summoning bones. A tiny bit of telekinesis is much easier to handle than fire would be.
no subject
"What a good time for there to not be cameras somewhere."
It's been an issue in the US, from what Walter knows.
"Still..." Walter trails off, then smiling again.
"You did say we were your last stop. Not trying to get roped into last-minute dinner preparations, are you?"
no subject
"Considering the weather I started in Moss Manor and worked my way back towards home just in case the trains and buses had to stop. I can help if you'd like."
no subject
Especially if they can be convinced to hold out hope that whatever's causing the numbers will rub off on them and give them peculiar memories and superpowers. Hint hint, just in case.
"As for dinner plans..." Russell looks sidelong at Walter. "I know I haven't made any. I thought maybe just some chip butties, after baking."
no subject
"Fear of the unknown versus finding it exciting."
Though it was as much a factor of personality than background.
Walter gives Russell a look of fake horror... then nods.
"Simple's fine. Though help would make it better," and he turns again to Sadie.
no subject
Sadie glances between both Walter and Russell, "If neither of you mind then I would be happy to stay and help."