The Rim of the Rabbit Hole: A Horror-esque RP

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

 

Quote

heheh 

 

Edited December 6, 2024 by Ookla the Inconclusive

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Irreplaceable said:

 

Quote

...I kind of want to have you discover it with the characters.

PM me about what details you specifically need to know and I'll see what I can share.

 

[Mags she/they]

20 hours ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

Maria nodded. "You keep an ear out, too. Let us know if it comes back."

The room beyond was well lit by glass windows that looked into the area surrounded by the contianment building. There were no trees in that small clearing; only a few patches of grass and dead pine needles. And in the center, a deep pit.

Strange machines that looked like satellite dishes stood in a circle around the hole, several feet from it's edge, pointing down at it's yawning gape. Maria recognized the devices; used for the monitoring and directing of anomalous frequencies. She didn't understand all the science jargon that described how they worked. She just knew what they did and how to use them.

And these ones were deactivated. 

She glanced around the room. It was circular, running along the inner edge of the containment building, with several doors leading into the clearing with the hole itself. Through the glass wall Maria could look across and see the opposite side.

A number of devices for monitoring and containing anomalous energies - nonphysical forces - stood around the room. An apparatus, all designed to keep whatever that hole did under control. The entire thing was deactivated. 

Is this why containment was breached? Was it really just an equipment shutdown?

She slowly pulled out her handgun, like Kastel. There was no sign of anyone or anything in the room, and despite the deactivated machinery, all seemed to be in the same pristine condition as the rest of the facility. Despite this, there was an unshakeable sense of unease she felt. She couldn't tell if it was an anomalous effect or her own nerves, which bothered her.

"Fan out," she called to her team. "Look for anything out of the ordinary. See if you can find out why the appratus got shut down. I'll take a look at the hole."

@Ookla the Finwëan @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Ookla the Doomfrog @Just_a_Fan

Liv Ignored the hole and the computers, instead looking for any supply closets or personal items of workers. If she could find anything perishable, or something with an expiration date then they might have a better idea of how long the place had been empty.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Just now, Ookla the Finwëan said:

Liv Ignored the hole and the computers, instead looking for any supply closets or personal items of workers. If she could find anything perishable, or something with an expiration date then they might have a better idea of how long the place had been empty.

The cupboards and containers she found bore standard items for the maitenence of the array and recording of the data it collected; clipboards and paper, pens, various tools and machine parts. But no sign of any food or other perishable items, and no obvious personal effects. It was impossible to tell whether that was because personal effects were't brought into this part of the facility, or if something more unnatural was going on.

Finally, she did find a document. A piece of internal correspondence. It had the seal of the ARC in the top right corner. It read:

Federal Agency of Research and Control
Facility WA-ACM-4 "The Rim"
Internal Correspondence

Wesley,

I know Roost keeps ignoring the readings you're showing him, but something's got to be done. Try again. Make a slideshow, or a spreadsheet. Bring him some donuts. Whatever it takes. Something's got to be done and none of the people who are acutally scared have the authority to do anything.

Sorry. I don't mean to sound pushy, I think you're just as nervous as the rest of us. Well, the rest of us logical people. I think everyone at Building 4 has lost it. How did Roost get appointed director of this place anyway? This is a containment facility, someone from DAU shouldn't be calling the shots. All he cares about is results, not safety.

It is seriously getting worse, though. No one's seen Dean for over thirty hours. If it is another dissapearance, that's the fourth this month; even before that, the rate was getting clearly higher. If you can't do anything we might have to petition H.Q. in Seattle. 

Just try again and let me know how it goes.

-Amanda

Quote

For the record I'm going to give you barely a moment to react to that before something happens...

And if you're unable to post right now I might just go ahead and do what I had planned.

 

[Mags she/they]

2 hours ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

The cupboards and containers she found bore standard items for the maitenence of the array and recording of the data it collected; clipboards and paper, pens, various tools and machine parts. But no sign of any food or other perishable items, and no obvious personal effects. It was impossible to tell whether that was because personal effects were't brought into this part of the facility, or if something more unnatural was going on.

Finally, she did find a document. A piece of internal correspondence. It had the seal of the ARC in the top right corner. It read:

Federal Agency of Research and Control
Facility WA-ACM-4 "The Rim"
Internal Correspondence

Wesley,

I know Roost keeps ignoring the readings you're showing him, but something's got to be done. Try again. Make a slideshow, or a spreadsheet. Bring him some donuts. Whatever it takes. Something's got to be done and none of the people who are acutally scared have the authority to do anything.

Sorry. I don't mean to sound pushy, I think you're just as nervous as the rest of us. Well, the rest of us logical people. I think everyone at Building 4 has lost it. How did Roost get appointed director of this place anyway? This is a containment facility, someone from DAU shouldn't be calling the shots. All he cares about is results, not safety.

It is seriously getting worse, though. No one's seen Dean for over thirty hours. If it is another dissapearance, that's the fourth this month; even before that, the rate was getting clearly higher. If you can't do anything we might have to petition H.Q. in Seattle. 

Just try again and let me know how it goes.

-Amanda

 

"Hey Maria, I found something," Liv called after scanning the paper. "Do you know anyone named Roost?"

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

"Hey Maria, I found something," Liv called after scanning the paper. "Do you know anyone named Roost?"

"Daniel Roost," Maria said, though she seemed distracted. "He's in charge of the Rim, has been for about eight months."

Maria glanced around to check on her team. Most of them were still inside, checking the equipment like she'd asked. Liv had found that document; it would be worth looking for more, perhaps to build a record of what had happened.

From what they'd all found, the contianment array had simply been shut down. No damage or interference, at least that they could detect on the surface level.

It was impossible to tell whether that was the reason for the containment breach and radio silence, or if the shutdown had occurred as a result of the breach. Even stranger was the fact that the power was on everywhere else in the facility. As if no time had passed, and the entire population of the Rim had just vanished seconds before they'd entered.

But then...wouldn't there be signs? Half-typed messages on computers, spilled stacks of paper, shattered coffee mugs? There had been none of that, nothing to indicate a sudden vanishing. The people were just...gone.

Maria uneasily turned her gaze around the clearing that held the Rabbit Hole, surrounded by glass which revealed the monitoring room most of her team was in. Then, both curiosity and terror fighting within her, she pulled out her flashlight, switched it on, and pointed it's beam into the blackness of the hole.

It had normal dirt sides, like you'd expect from a hole in the middle of the forest floor. But when she pointed her light straight down, the beam was swallowed up by the blackness. 

She pulled her pack off her back and got out a tactical glowstick. She broke it, and it started emitting an orange light. Then she tossed it down the pit.

The glow faded into a tiny dot in the distance before vanishing in the darkness. Maria felt like she'd lost sight of it faster than she should have. But she wasn't sure.

Of course, there was no sound of it hitting any bottom.

She pointed her flashlight back down the hole as she swung her pack back on. She frowned.

...There's no sign of what actually caused all these people to vanish, she thought. It's like-

A low rushing sound grew in her ears.

******

@Ookla the Finwëan @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Ookla the Inconclusive @Ookla the Dragonslayer @Ookla the Doomfrog @Just_a_Fan

Each member of the team heard the rushing sound now, like a growing wind, despite the stillness of the air. It grew louder and louder, almost reaching the point of deafening. Those that could see the Rabbit Hole would note tendrils of mist starting to leak out.

Words started to form in each of the agent's ears.

....Forest....Shadow...

...Sun in the sky....never rising...

Climb to when you need to be

Suddenly, without warning, a flood of mist exploded out of the Rabbit Hole. The white blankness became an expanding cloud that somehow ignored the physical boundaries of the glass, passing right through it, washing over every member of the team. Each of them was blinded by a sudden, overpowering grayness, as the mist descended on them.

The words became deafening now, overpowering, as if trying to burrow into their minds.

YOU LEFT YOUR NAME AT THE EDGE OF THE FOG

THE FOREST DRINKS YOUR SHADOW

YOU DIED WHEN YOU WERE BORN

WATCH YOUR STEP

YOU'RE RISING TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS

YOUR PATH FOLDS ALONG THE CREASE

YOU'RE LOST, RIGHT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE

It's okay

The line has a center...

...exits....main event...

Slowly, the words finally faded, leaving each of them with a ringing in their ears.

All around them, nothing but that greyness.

Quote

Oookay, now we're at the juicy bit.

I do want to decide, probably in the PMs, if some people want to end up finding each other, but I do want the group to be split up at least a little bit. We'll see how it goes.

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

6 minutes ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

"Daniel Roost," Maria said, though she seemed distracted. "He's in charge of the Rim, has been for about eight months."

Maria glanced around to check on her team. Most of them were still inside, checking the equipment like she'd asked. Liv had found that document; it would be worth looking for more, perhaps to build a record of what had happened.

From what they'd all found, the contianment array had simply been shut down. No damage or interference, at least that they could detect on the surface level.

It was impossible to tell whether that was the reason for the containment breach and radio silence, or if the shutdown had occurred as a result of the breach. Even stranger was the fact that the power was on everywhere else in the facility. As if no time had passed, and the entire population of the Rim had just vanished seconds before they'd entered.

But then...wouldn't there be signs? Half-typed messages on computers, spilled stacks of paper, shattered coffee mugs? There had been none of that, nothing to indicate a sudden vanishing. The people were just...gone.

Maria uneasily turned her gaze around the clearing that held the Rabbit Hole, surrounded by glass which revealed the monitoring room most of her team was in. Then, both curiosity and terror fighting within her, she pulled out her flashlight, switched it on, and pointed it's beam into the blackness of the hole.

It had normal dirt sides, like you'd expect from a hole in the middle of the forest floor. But when she pointed her light straight down, the beam was swallowed up by the blackness. 

She pulled her pack off her back and got out a tactical glowstick. She broke it, and it started emitting an orange light. Then she tossed it down the pit.

The glow faded into a tiny dot in the distance before vanishing in the darkness. Maria felt like she'd lost sight of it faster than she should have. But she wasn't sure.

Of course, there was no sound of it hitting any bottom.

She pointed her flashlight back down the hole as she swung her pack back on. She frowned.

...There's no sign of what actually caused all these people to vanish, she thought. It's like-

A low rushing sound grew in her ears.

******

@Ookla the Finwëan @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Ookla the Inconclusive @Ookla the Dragonslayer @Ookla the Doomfrog @Just_a_Fan

Each member of the team heard the rushing sound now, like a growing wind, despite the stillness of the air. It grew louder and louder, almost reaching the point of deafening. Those that could see the Rabbit Hole would note tendrils of mist starting to leak out.

Words started to form in each of the agent's ears.

....Forest....Shadow...

...Sun in the sky....never rising...

Climb to when you need to be

Suddenly, without warning, a flood of mist exploded out of the Rabbit Hole. The white blankness became an expanding cloud that somehow ignored the physical boundaries of the glass, passing right through it, washing over every member of the team. Each of them was blinded by a sudden, overpowering grayness, as the mist descended on them.

The words became deafening now, overpowering, as if trying to burrow into their minds.

YOU LEFT YOUR NAME AT THE EDGE OF THE FOG

THE FOREST DRINKS YOUR SHADOW

YOU DIED WHEN YOU WERE BORN

WATCH YOUR STEP

YOU'RE RISING TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS

YOUR PATH FOLDS ALONG THE CREASE

YOU'RE LOST, RIGHT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE

It's okay

The line has a center...

...exits....main event...

Slowly, the words finally faded, leaving each of them with a ringing in their ears.

All around them, nothing but that greyness.

Kastel gasps, then shoves his hand where he remembered the monitor was. He decided that, if the fog could pass through the glass, it would already be in his system, so he did not limit he breath. 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Dragonslayer said:

Kastel gasps, then shoves his hand where he remembered the monitor was. He decided that, if the fog could pass through the glass, it would already be in his system, so he did not limit he breath. 

Nothing was there.

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

7 minutes ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

Nothing was there.

Kastel swore softly, and hesitated. He reached down to the ground, wondering the nature of this fog, and whether he can feel the ground.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Dragonslayer said:

Kastel swore softly, and hesitated. He reached down to the ground, wondering the nature of this fog, and whether he can feel the ground.

It was there. It felt like the floor of the facility. It was impossible to tell if he'd just missed the monitor when reaching for it, or if he'd somehow been transported somewhere else.

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

22 minutes ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

"Daniel Roost," Maria said, though she seemed distracted. "He's in charge of the Rim, has been for about eight months."

Maria glanced around to check on her team. Most of them were still inside, checking the equipment like she'd asked. Liv had found that document; it would be worth looking for more, perhaps to build a record of what had happened.

From what they'd all found, the contianment array had simply been shut down. No damage or interference, at least that they could detect on the surface level.

It was impossible to tell whether that was the reason for the containment breach and radio silence, or if the shutdown had occurred as a result of the breach. Even stranger was the fact that the power was on everywhere else in the facility. As if no time had passed, and the entire population of the Rim had just vanished seconds before they'd entered.

But then...wouldn't there be signs? Half-typed messages on computers, spilled stacks of paper, shattered coffee mugs? There had been none of that, nothing to indicate a sudden vanishing. The people were just...gone.

Maria uneasily turned her gaze around the clearing that held the Rabbit Hole, surrounded by glass which revealed the monitoring room most of her team was in. Then, both curiosity and terror fighting within her, she pulled out her flashlight, switched it on, and pointed it's beam into the blackness of the hole.

It had normal dirt sides, like you'd expect from a hole in the middle of the forest floor. But when she pointed her light straight down, the beam was swallowed up by the blackness. 

She pulled her pack off her back and got out a tactical glowstick. She broke it, and it started emitting an orange light. Then she tossed it down the pit.

The glow faded into a tiny dot in the distance before vanishing in the darkness. Maria felt like she'd lost sight of it faster than she should have. But she wasn't sure.

Of course, there was no sound of it hitting any bottom.

She pointed her flashlight back down the hole as she swung her pack back on. She frowned.

...There's no sign of what actually caused all these people to vanish, she thought. It's like-

A low rushing sound grew in her ears.

******

@Ookla the Finwëan @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Ookla the Inconclusive @Ookla the Dragonslayer @Ookla the Doomfrog @Just_a_Fan

Each member of the team heard the rushing sound now, like a growing wind, despite the stillness of the air. It grew louder and louder, almost reaching the point of deafening. Those that could see the Rabbit Hole would note tendrils of mist starting to leak out.

Words started to form in each of the agent's ears.

....Forest....Shadow...

...Sun in the sky....never rising...

Climb to when you need to be

Suddenly, without warning, a flood of mist exploded out of the Rabbit Hole. The white blankness became an expanding cloud that somehow ignored the physical boundaries of the glass, passing right through it, washing over every member of the team. Each of them was blinded by a sudden, overpowering grayness, as the mist descended on them.

The words became deafening now, overpowering, as if trying to burrow into their minds.

YOU LEFT YOUR NAME AT THE EDGE OF THE FOG

THE FOREST DRINKS YOUR SHADOW

YOU DIED WHEN YOU WERE BORN

WATCH YOUR STEP

YOU'RE RISING TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS

YOUR PATH FOLDS ALONG THE CREASE

YOU'RE LOST, RIGHT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE

It's okay

The line has a center...

...exits....main event...

Slowly, the words finally faded, leaving each of them with a ringing in their ears.

All around them, nothing but that greyness.

Astrid cried out.

"Guys?! Where are you?!"

[Mags she/they]

27 minutes ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

"Daniel Roost," Maria said, though she seemed distracted. "He's in charge of the Rim, has been for about eight months."

Maria glanced around to check on her team. Most of them were still inside, checking the equipment like she'd asked. Liv had found that document; it would be worth looking for more, perhaps to build a record of what had happened.

From what they'd all found, the contianment array had simply been shut down. No damage or interference, at least that they could detect on the surface level.

It was impossible to tell whether that was the reason for the containment breach and radio silence, or if the shutdown had occurred as a result of the breach. Even stranger was the fact that the power was on everywhere else in the facility. As if no time had passed, and the entire population of the Rim had just vanished seconds before they'd entered.

But then...wouldn't there be signs? Half-typed messages on computers, spilled stacks of paper, shattered coffee mugs? There had been none of that, nothing to indicate a sudden vanishing. The people were just...gone.

Maria uneasily turned her gaze around the clearing that held the Rabbit Hole, surrounded by glass which revealed the monitoring room most of her team was in. Then, both curiosity and terror fighting within her, she pulled out her flashlight, switched it on, and pointed it's beam into the blackness of the hole.

It had normal dirt sides, like you'd expect from a hole in the middle of the forest floor. But when she pointed her light straight down, the beam was swallowed up by the blackness. 

She pulled her pack off her back and got out a tactical glowstick. She broke it, and it started emitting an orange light. Then she tossed it down the pit.

The glow faded into a tiny dot in the distance before vanishing in the darkness. Maria felt like she'd lost sight of it faster than she should have. But she wasn't sure.

Of course, there was no sound of it hitting any bottom.

She pointed her flashlight back down the hole as she swung her pack back on. She frowned.

...There's no sign of what actually caused all these people to vanish, she thought. It's like-

A low rushing sound grew in her ears.

******

@Ookla the Finwëan @Ookla the Irreplaceable @Ookla the Inconclusive @Ookla the Dragonslayer @Ookla the Doomfrog @Just_a_Fan

Each member of the team heard the rushing sound now, like a growing wind, despite the stillness of the air. It grew louder and louder, almost reaching the point of deafening. Those that could see the Rabbit Hole would note tendrils of mist starting to leak out.

Words started to form in each of the agent's ears.

....Forest....Shadow...

...Sun in the sky....never rising...

Climb to when you need to be

Suddenly, without warning, a flood of mist exploded out of the Rabbit Hole. The white blankness became an expanding cloud that somehow ignored the physical boundaries of the glass, passing right through it, washing over every member of the team. Each of them was blinded by a sudden, overpowering grayness, as the mist descended on them.

The words became deafening now, overpowering, as if trying to burrow into their minds.

YOU LEFT YOUR NAME AT THE EDGE OF THE FOG

THE FOREST DRINKS YOUR SHADOW

YOU DIED WHEN YOU WERE BORN

WATCH YOUR STEP

YOU'RE RISING TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS

YOUR PATH FOLDS ALONG THE CREASE

YOU'RE LOST, RIGHT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE

It's okay

The line has a center...

...exits....main event...

Slowly, the words finally faded, leaving each of them with a ringing in their ears.

All around them, nothing but that greyness.

Liv shoved the document in her pocket, it'd no doubt be important later.

She pulled her shirt up to cover her nose and mouth, but took a quick whiff first to see if the fog  had a smell of any kind. This fog might have harmful chemicals in it.

Edited December 6, 2024 by Ookla the Finwëan

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

Astrid cried out.

"Guys?! Where are you?!"

Her voice echoed into the mist. The only response was the whispering of the swirling fog.

...Drink...

...Hiking is dangerous...

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

Liv shoved the document in her pocket, it'd no doubt be important later.

She immediately pulled her shirt up to cover her nose and mouth, but take a quick whiff through her nose to see if it had a smell of any kind. This fog might have harmful chemicals in it.

It didn't seem to have a scent, like normal fog.

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

It didn't seem to have a scent, like normal fog.

Quote

I, for one, think fog smells quite good.

 

1 minute ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

Her voice echoed into the mist. The only response was the whispering of the swirling fog.

...Drink...

...Hiking is dangerous...

Anxious, she started wandering around, looking for something (or someone) familiar.

[Mags she/they]

Just now, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

Her voice echoed into the mist. The only response was the whispering of the swirling fog.

...Drink...

...Hiking is dangerous...

It didn't seem to have a scent, like normal fog.

She took a few breaths before deciding it was probably harmless, and dopped her collar.

She pulled out her phone to double check the map.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

She took a few breaths before deciding it was probably harmless, and dopped her collar.

She pulled out her phone to double check the map.

The map was there, same as before, though her location was not marked.

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

 

Anxious, she started wandering around, looking for something (or someone) familiar.

For the first few moments, all she could find was more mist. She could barely see her own feet in the murk, let alone anything in front of her.

[Mags she/they]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

The map was there, same as before, though her location was not marked.

For the first few moments, all she could find was more mist. She could barely see her own feet in the murk, let alone anything in front of her.

Liv called out into the fog, she hadn't been too far away from the group when it'd hit.

"Hello?!"

@Ookla the Inconclusive

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

Liv called out into the fog, she hadn't been too far away from the group when it'd hit.

"Hello?!"

@Ookla the Inconclusive

Astrid faintly heard it, though she couldn't really tell what direction it was coming from.

"Hey!" she called back, "Where are you?!"

[Mags she/they]

Just now, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

Astrid faintly heard it, though she couldn't really tell what direction it was coming from.

"Hey!" she called back, "Where are you?!"

"You think I know?" Liv yelled back. She started moving forward, following Astrid's voice

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

"You think I know?" Liv yelled back. She started moving forward, following Astrid's voice

Astrid did her best to follow Liv's voice. "Well . . . I'm over here!"

She really hoped she wouldn't trip over anything.

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Finwëan said:

"You think I know?" Liv yelled back. She started moving forward, following Astrid's voice

 

Just now, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

Astrid did her best to follow Liv's voice. "Well . . . I'm over here!"

She really hoped she wouldn't trip over anything.

Strangely, as both of them started walking, the ground was soft under their feet, and covered in pine needles.

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

 

Strangely, as both of them started walking, the ground was soft under their feet, and covered in pine needles.

"What the . . ." Astrid muttered.

[Mags she/they]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

Astrid did her best to follow Liv's voice. "Well . . . I'm over here!"

She really hoped she wouldn't trip over anything.

1 minute ago, Ookla the Ouroboros said:

 

Strangely, as both of them started walking, the ground was soft under their feet, and covered in pine needles.

"That's weird . . ."

Just now, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

"What the . . ." Astrid muttered.

Liv continued to move in her direction.

"That's you, right Astrid?!"

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Ookla the Finwëan said:

Liv continued to move in her direction.

"That's you, right Astrid?!"

"Oh, yep! There you are!" Astrid said from right next to Liv.

She could barely see the other girl.

"Hey, Liv. What happened? Do you know what's going on?"

[Mags she/they]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inconclusive said:

"Oh, yep! There you are!" Astrid said from right next to Liv.

She could barely see the other girl.

"Hey, Liv. What happened? Do you know what's going on?"

"No idea, I found an important document but then fog came in through the window and covered everything," She explained.

"Are you hurt? It's easier to trip in these conditions."