Laura couldn't sleep and decided to do one of the things that had earned her a rep as being poor. Every once in a while the library would throw out old books. She wasn't proud of "dumpster diving" but despite her prolific reading she couldn't read everything. Rather than letting the books go to the landfill Laura would pick threw them and see if there was anything she wanted to save before it returned to the earth.

Laura crept through the shadows, careful to avoid the notice of any adults who might be out this late like the cops.

That Astrid girl seems very nice, is she your friend now?

I don't know, it's hard to say but yeah she is nice.


Patrol Roll | 1d100 ⇒ 95

As one who had trouble doing what he was supposed to, Cam also found himself rolling through town in the wee hours of the night. The slight rumble and scrape of his wheels on the pavement came to a stop as he saw someone burrowing through the library dumpster.

He drew closer "Laura?"

---------
D1 patrol roll | 1d100 ⇒ 23

Laura froze in place like a deer then slowly turned her head towards the voice.

"H-Hi Cameron. W-What are you doing here?"


Great, now Cam is gonna think I'm gross too.

Do not assume everyone hates you.

Laura would note a something that looked like an ancient scroll that had some weird sparkling around it. Who would have tossed out such treasure? That is something for her to find out.

Cam shrugged a little "me and my moms got into it tonight. I sometimes do a little boarding to clear my head."

"You alright?" He showed a little concern as she seemed so nervous.

Cameron York wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 16, 2023 6:03 am

"You alright?"

"Huh? Yeah...it's just...you're not the first person to catch me doing this and it never ends up good." She sounded like someone who has resigned themselves to execution.

"What the hell is that?" She bent over and picked up the glowing scroll, standing back up and showing it to Cameron.

He raised an eyebrow and had been about to ask some follow up questions but then she pulled out the scroll.

"Huh? Shit I don't know." He said drawing closer to her and looking at it "that was just in the dumpster?"

"Yeah." She said, a hint of wonder in her voice.

"Yeah, look I know what this looks like but I'm not digging through trash for food or because I'm poor or because my family hates me. I read a lot and sometimes the library throws out old books that I haven't read yet that's it. Ohh god now you're gonna think I'm weird. Please don't tell anyone, the last time this happened Officer Keith found me and drove me home. The next day the whole school somehow and someone started a rumor that the police report said I smelled like pee and someone put a stink-bomb in my backpack."

Her arms dropped to her side, still clutching the scroll in one hand as she begged him.

Cam was certainly more focused on the scroll than the activities that lead Laura to its discovery but as she started to speak and get more upset Cam just sort of reacted, he grabbed her shoulders firmly but not hard "woah, woah, Laura. Calm down, it's oK. I won't tell anyone I saw you here if you don't want me too. Chill." He said gently as he slowly released her shoulders.

Laura's eyes shot wide when he grabbed her but she relaxed once she realized he wasn't going to hurt her.

"Yeah, sorry I just..." Her words trailed off and she remembered the scroll.

"So what do you think this is?" She held it up between them. "It looks old, maybe someone ruined it with glow in the dark paint as a prank?"

He looked at it for a long while and shook his head "Nah...this ain't like no paint I've ever seen. Plus it would change the texture of the paper if they did that."

"Open it up see what's inside."

"OK. Help hold it open."

Laura opened the scroll between them and gazed at it.

Cam nodded and grabbed the other end of it standing shoulder to shoulder with her to get a better look at it.

As they kept unrolling the scroll, it started writing itself. It was a very rustic map of the city before the silver rush. There were special markings that glittered and glistened stronger than others. One peculiar one was the lake. If they were to show this scroll to ordinary people, it would be just a blank piece of paper.

"Woooow, what the hell?"

Cam leaned in closer "Oh damn thats some magic shit. Look at these markings stuff to explore maybe?"

we need to inquire as to the nature of these places. They could be significant. the coiling. smokey, voice curled about his mind

yeah obviously

"Yeah I guess but look at this one by the lake. I've been down there lots of times and have never seen anything special before. Plus some of these are probably peoples homes or businesses so it's not like we can go check them out right now." She said wishing it weren't so.

That was not a truthful statement Laura, unless you are saying I am not special.

Of course you just be quiet please he doesn't need to know about you.

"Well yeah I've been there a lot but we weren't looking for anything then. At least I wasn't. Now that we have a map maybe we'll find something new."

"Also...." He paused a little "Now that I know you can see the random glowing things too, you know your braclet does that right? Glows all weird and shit."

"Wha-whatareyoutalkingabout?" She let got of the map and pulled her hands up inside the sleeves of her coat. "The map glows it's just reflecting off my bracelet is all."

He reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace of pure black chain with a disc on the end a couple inches across that seemed to swirl as if made of moving shadows. The necklace had its own distinct glow.

"I thought I was going crazy when I first noticed them. But now I know you can too." He shrugged "This town seems to have a lot more than normal."