[ CLOSED ] Smells Like Teen Angst

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa, Jenny Lou, Matthias
WHAT: Some light B&E
WHEN: Post-Abomination (that night or the next)
WHERE: Hightown
NOTES: potential cw for rape mention because of the location, tags will ofc be labeled

Nobody has moved into the Devigny estate.

To claim that as the only concern with breaking in to lay waste to whatever remains within those walls would be only mostly true, with the remaining however-many percent belonging to Athessa's mind alone. (She never saw the body; how can she know without seeing for herself?) But since the doubt is far outweighed by the certainty of darkened windows, a notice on the front door, and the evidence of prior misdemeanor, the only reason not to pursue this to its hopefully satisfying end is the possibility of arrest.

The kitchen entrance at the rear of the manor is open but aside from broken glass from the window scattered over the floor, it seems to have suffered very little for being so exposed. Perhaps a cupboard is open and bare, perhaps a bottle of wine left out next to a stained glass.

"Careful," Athessa whispers, pointing to the glittering shards on the floor as she navigates around them. Funny, how a place that has haunted her for so long can feel so lifeless at last. Empty, entirely.

Comments

[inkindled]

Matthias is briefly left behind, too focused on kicking clumps of crystals apart. It takes the shatter of the vase to get his attention. Pleased, he laughs, and dashes over to them, making sure to run directly through the fallen chandelier and crunching the crystal underfoot.

"The minute we're back, I'll have the whole thing burnt up," he promises cheerfully. "And if we still want to have another fire when that's done, we can use the fireplace then. This is brilliant."

[sulahnan]

The stairs down into the wine cellar are steep, and dark, and judging by the undisturbed dust on the stone, it's been a while since anyone ventured down into the depths. As Athessa leads the descent, she focuses on the sounds of Jenny Lou and Matthias behind her, trying to consciously drown out the sound of her own breathing and the drum of her heart.

She can smell it. The wine. The bitter bite of it in the stale air, a sharp vinegary scent hinting at just how long it's been undisturbed. Someone broke a bottle down here, Athessa sees the severed neck of the bottle with the cork still inside, connected to the underside of a storage shelf with cobwebs and more dust.

On the bottom step, she hesitates. Takes a deep breath, and when she steps down — it's just a step. It's just a dusty cellar floor, bordered with tall racks of dusty wine bottles. A bundle of garlic hangs on the wall, some dried rosemary, a spare cheese board on a hook. Relief draws that breath back out, and she steps around the broken glass to grab an unbroken bottle.

"How many shall we spare?"