undergrounds | oh dear; oh dear (open post)

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oh dear; oh dear (open post)

JUNE 4; PLAYGROUND

There's a playground. Well, there a lot of playgrounds across the city. What makes this one right next to Coffers' Shop a bit more special than the other out there is this: Accidents.

It's not unheard of playgrounds to have the occasional accidents. It's who is the heart of the possible problem for this one.

Parents love it for the fact it's so safe for their kids there. They can drop their rowdiest youngsters at that spot and never worry about a scratch or bruise by the time they come back to pick them up.

Other adults though? The ones who shouldn't be lingering around or have too much interest in watching the kids? If you're not a babysitter for any of the children, there's a strong chance something may happen to you. Especially if you have an unfortunate reputation among the regulars there. At least the occasional sharp trip or tumble to the ground won't harm you that badly. A scuff or bruise but nothing too serious.

JUNE 5; GRAVEYARD (MORNING)

This part of the cemetery doesn't get a lot of attention. Compared to the ornate statues of angels weeping or grand mausoleums, the humble headstones and markers pale in comparison to them and often get little attention.

The row of tombstones here all belong to a small family, the (supposed) only surviving member studying not having quite enough time to pay her respects to the family she barely remembers. As a result it gets no notice, not attention besides the groundskeeper who keeps weeds off all the grounds.

Yet, in the early hours, some passerby may notice a trail of petals from a patch of wildflowers, outside of the cemetery, leading to the tombstones. This happens now and then. Not enough times to be reported on but enough times that the groundskeeper, if asked, will mention he's no longer surprised by the presence of tidy bushels of flowers on the graves. Someone is only paying their respects for them. There's no harm in that.

Plus he has no interest in going near it during these times. Not when it's so eerily cold that it makes his teeth chatter and his body shake if he's only a few feet from it. The coldness, in his opinion if ever asked, is the worst when near the one that happens to be marked FRANCISCO SEVILLE.

JUNE 5; COFFERS' SHOP (AFTERNOON)

... Is the shop chillier than usual? It seems to be with how when someone enters and they immediately shiver, rubbing their arms to ward off the chills.

The air-conditioning is strong but never this strong.

Those who go here regularly, from customers who come by everyday to and employees themselves, are having a hard time focusing on their works as they shiver and struggle to get the usually reliable free wi-fi to work on them or to get the coffee machine to cooperate for this one cup.

If asked if this happens a lot, some will say yes and some will be unsure but there's a general agreement in the air that this is not normal. The source of the coldness is hard to explain. The coldest spot changes from near the counter to the furthest corner or right outside the door.

Almost like it was... moving on its own.

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It's just past twilight when Cooper appears at the coffee shop. He likes his coffee black and with plenty of sugar in it. He looks around, but when he can't find Clara, he ventures outside. Maybe she's next door. Despite the late hour, there's still a few children going back & forth on the swings and climbing all over the jungle gym. Their parents are letting them get their excess energy Cooper gets one or two glances, looking a bit out of place in the setting.

It takes him moment to find who he's looking for. He heads on over, warm coffee clasped between his unusually cold hands. "Feelin' a bit maternal this evening?"

"Do I ever," she replies back to him, airy and happy now that she managed to stop Sue from slipping off the bars during her playful fight with Larc. The two children run off, remembering their parents' warnings of not venturing too near strangers, in this case being Cooper.

"They're very rambunctions tonight but you can't blame the kids for getting rowdy, I suppose. Better for them to get it out before bedtime otherwise their poor parents won't get any sleep."

Something she learned the hard way when raising children. She looks at the coffee cup in his hands, noting the abstract artsy logo that was Coffers', and she looks back up at Cooper with a warm twinkle in her eye. "So did you come here because you wanted a quick cup or were you hoping to see me?"

Cooper looks after the disappearing kids with a wistful expression on his face. It was just another aspect of a life he'd never gotten the chance to have. Oh well. He could barely take care of himself. God only knows what damage he could've done with a couple of small human beings added into the equation. What-ifs were for long nights when he had a fridge full of blood and whiskey to deal with them.

He takes a drink of coffee to get his mind off of moping. It's not half bad, better than the usual type to be found in a little shop instead of one of the big chains. "Hopin' to see my favorite ghost, of course."

There's a faint darker colour to her cheeks at his comment, warmed by the knowledge he did want to see her and went all the way here. The coffee shop isn't exactly bustling in these hours after all, students trying to regain some semblance of sleep.

"Oh you flatterer. One of these days I'm just going to turn red from your compliments and stay red.

"I am glad you came though," she confides to him, "especially around this hour when all the kids are getting ready to go. Otherwise I might have had to try and make a token effort of shooing you away. For the children's sake since I like to think that's my job at this point."

Babysitter, trailer, and playground supervisor. A ghost has got to keep herself busy when still in the living world.

"Charm is free and should be used often," he says, giving her a wink when he sees how red she's become. Cooper's honesty tended to get him in hot water with most people, but when it came to his friends, it could be used for good instead. He takes a swig of the drink again before going on.

"I needed a taste of normalcy. My last few nights have been insanity." He supposed it said something about just how bizarre his life had become when talking to a long-dead ghost had become normal to him. Clara was one of the most grounded, level-headed people he knew. It kept him feeling grounded.

Hearing the last comment has Clara perks up in a worried way, wondering what that was all about.

"Has it?" Her expression is full of sympathy for him, already switching to full fretting and worrying mode until Cooper could assure her that he was alright and fine and not at all in danger or trouble. Sorry, Cooper. Old habits dying hard as one may say about it. "What's wrong? Is there any way that I could help you?"

Like frown disapprovingly at people or poke at things? She can do that.

He sighs deeply, a sound full of responsibility and woe. Then he launches into his story. "There's a newborn vampire running around. He's got no self-control 'n he's killing people. But it's not his fault," he quickly adds. "He was turned against his will. Right now, he's a scared and confused kid. I've been trying to track him down with no luck. Then last night what I was afraid of finally happened."

Cooper's hands tighten around his coffee. "He attracted the attention of a hunter. I got her to back down just barely, but where there's one, more will follow. Next time, I might not be there 'n he'll end up with a stake in his heart. That'll be all on me."

He looks at Clara, eyes old and tired. "I don't know what to do." But talking it out felt like a step in the right direction.

"Oh dear."

Someone else may have used more colourful choice words upon hearing Cooper's dilemma with the newborn, fully understanding the ramifications of both the person and on Cooper should something happen again, but Clara has always been a mild person. Curses were never a thing she fully condoned despite her husband having a colourful tongue and she didn't want to worry or upset Cooper with an extreme reaction.

That doesn't stop her from trying to find a way to help though. Even with her lack of understanding of the community beyond her comfortable shop and circle of friends, she now has a need to help him. Somehow.

"Is there somewhere they can go to? Like a shelter for the newly turned?" Was there such a thing among the others? A place for them to stay if they had nowhere else to go? A little cranny that gave them a roof over their heads and a brochure of 101 supernaturalism? "Do you know what they look like? Do you know their names? Maybe I-- I can help you look for them. Two heads are better than one and I like to think this applies."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Cooper gives a grim smile at Clara's question. "If only. But that would be too smart. Even in this day and age, we're an awful unorganized lot." He made a mental note to consider some sort of organizational system after all this madness is over.

He answers her questions as best he can. "His name is Erik Treacle. He's in his mid-twenties and has black hair and brown eyes. He's been on the street quite a while now, so I'm going t'say he's gonna be looking grimy and a bit dirty at this point."

He hesitates when Clara offers her help. "I don't know. If you get involved, the hunters might come after you next with an exorcist. I don't want anyone getting hurt if I can help it."

Maybe one of these days they'll be able to do it. Cooper could help with that. He's a clever one, able to do anything, so she's sure one day they could. Vampires live for a long time, if not forever, so sooner or later they would have a shelter or a way to help newly turned.

For now she wants to focus on Erik Treacle, committing his image in her mind as she tries to think of where a scared fledgling -- that's the term, isn't it? someone new, someone needing help and guidance in something that's way over their heads. -- would go. There is the imminent danger of being exorcised, banished against her will, but she tries to show off a bravado for Cooper's sake by puffing out her chest and trying to stand taller than him.

(Good luck with that. Cooper has a good chance of being taller than the 5'2 ghost.)

"I'll be fine, I swear," she promises him with a smile. Clara gives him a look that consists of big eyes and a hopeful smile, saying, "I'm sure if I use this on them, they wouldn't hurt a ghostly fly either. Let alone me if I'm just there minding my own business, simply casually commenting on places where vampires are safe from harm and such."

Despite her reassurances, Cooper's not entirely convinced that Clara won't be in some form of danger if she helps. What can he say? 'I forbid you to help after telling you everything because I have a bad feeling.' Yes, that will work out well. All he can do is sigh heavily and give in.

(He is indeed taller than she is by a good four inches. Lucky for him; he's used to being the shortest one in any room.)

"Alright, alright. If you want t'help, I can't stop you. Just be cautious about it. I've been searching a different territory every night. Can't go into some places, of course. The East Enders would eat me alive if I were to turn up in Newham or Barking." Territory lines that a new vampire, scared out of his mind, wouldn't think twice about crossing if he was consumed by bloodlust.

She crosses her heart, promising to stick a needle in her eye if she doesn't uphold her side of the bargain.

"Will be careful and quiet as a mouse. I swear, I'll do my best to make sure I won't get in trouble with anyone." There are benefits to being a ghost. Like being invisible most of the time and walls suddenly becoming new doors for her. Most vampires and werewolves can't do that, now can they?

.... If they could do, that would be rather frightening. Wait. Focus, Clara. "Where did you last see him? I can go check there to make extra sure he isn't going back there to hide. That's a place to start, I suppose."

"You better. Or we will be having serious words, missy." He mock-glares at her. Cooper can be overly-protective of his friends sometimes. It's not an entirely bad trait to have when one lives in the supernatural world like they do. And if Clara promises to be careful, then he knows she will be.

"Right on the border of Lewisham and Greenwich. Damn little idiot had t'pick the worst territories t'go runnin' off into." It was a wonder Cooper had made it out of the territories in one piece. They weren't exactly friendly places to be wandering around at night.

"I can say the same for you!"

Clara knows Cooper means well and she trusts him. Why wouldn't she? She knows if she gets in trouble, he'll be there to back her up and that's reassuring. It's what has her quite confident that she'll be fine while trying to look for this wayward vampire.

She does look concern when he mentions the territories, frowning a bit. "Make sure you're safe too! I don't go out a lot but even I know those aren't safe. I hope this will turn out well for you both."

"You know me. I may not be careful, but I always come out on top." He supposes he can thank a combination of luck and about three lifetimes worth of experiences.

"It'll end either in success or dismal failure. No in-betweens." Way to look on the bright side, Cooper. He's been around too long to pretend to be an optimist these days. He has every intention of finding Erik, but if he doesn't do it in time, that'll be another body to add to the many already on his conscience.

"I'm sure it'll end in success if you think positively enough!" Don't worry, Cooper. Someone here is willing, very willing, to be the optimist. "I won't jinx us but I'm sure I can say this: The matter with the young vampire here is going to end, one way or another."

"If I see him or hear people talking about him, I'll let you know soon as possible." When she can find him first. That takes usually a large amount of random wandering around the city and time but she'll do it for him.

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oh dear; oh dear (open post)

JUNE 4; PLAYGROUND

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