lost { OPEN

[claire]

After ditching her heels, her BMW, and her fourth period class, Claire found herself wandering the woods. The sun shone brightly through the thick foliage. Claire had spent the last hour or so climbing over rocks and branches trying to hide from her thoughts but in the process – Claire looked around not recognizing where she was – she had lost herself in the forest. She pushed forward and finally came to a clearing. The ruins of a once large building lay in shambles around the field. She may not have grown up in Mystic Falls but she had heard the stories. Her aunt was a Fell after all.

Claire walked around the ruins of Fell’s Church, her hands running over the fire and time worn stones. She moved slowly letting the energy of the place wash over her. There was more to this place than met the eye. Her bother would have loved Mystic Falls; he never had been one for all the fame and glory. Claire loved L.A. and she loved the lifestyle but the one thing she didn’t miss about her life was the paparazzi. How could anyone missing seeing their face splashed across the cover of a tabloid just to read that they once again had been arrested for driving under the influence or for possession with intent. Claire didn’t need a reminder of what was becoming of her life and since she had been here in Mystic Falls there were no reminders (except for the whispers of the town’s people.)

Her brother’s death had been so soon – so unexpected. Claire could still remember how her heart had stopped the day the detective had told them that he was found washed up from the ocean. It was hard to imagine that a body had survived after spending who knows how long out in the ocean. The professionals working on Michael’s case could not figure out how it had got there without being consumed by the marine life. But somehow, Michael’s body had been found and he had been taken home and buried. Claire had never been the same after that day and her parents could ship her to the other side of the country and pretend like they cared but the truth of the matter was that things had changed and they would never be the same again.

Claire dug through her bag desperately for her pack of cigarettes. Her hands shook as she brought the cigarette to her lips and lit the tip. She inhaled deeply, letting the toxic smoke fill her lungs. It may have been slowly killing her but what wasn’t? The nicotine kept her calm… it kept her focused. In a world where someone’s next breath could be there last did it really matter what they did?

tagged; ---
outfit; here
words; 463
notes; ---

[Ashley Shay]

Everybody's living like there's no tomorrow,

Maybe we should stop and take a little time,

Ashley rarely skipped school, she was much too good a student to do so but even the bookworm needed a day off every now and again. Today was that day. She knew if her brother found out, and most likely would since she would miss his class, he would have a fit but it was worth it. She hadn't gotten a frantic text from him yet and she had half a mind to send one in advance but she decided against it. If he called she would answer. The day was a beautiful one, one such that people really shouldn't have to be inside anyway. She had grabbed her faithful journal on the way to school because she knew it would be a perfect day to write down the million thoughts that were racing through her mind.

Somehow she made her way to The Fell's Church and The Tomb, partly because she still had a lot of exploring of the town to do, and she figured it would be quiet. She knew the history of the site and though it was a bit eerie, she was still glad to be there. It was more than just spook and ghostly whispers but a presence that even a being that held not a single drop of magic in them could appreciate. It took a little while to come across the ruins because of the forest that surrounded the area but she luckily knew where the church ruins resided. She smiled as she clutched the journal to her body, the spot perfect to just reflect. But she almost didn't want to think about all the problems that she held in her heart because she didn't want to ruin the day.

She spent some time exploring the ruins and journaling a little about them, her light eyes looking around at the calmness that surrounded her. She actually felt good, felt calm and happy and she furiously scribbled in her own little sacred tome, wanting to catch every true emotion. She wasn't feeling the emotions of others for once, her empathy not on full blast but she was feeling her own feelings. It felt good.

She was so busy looking down at her journal that she didn't notice the sounds of another before she was quite close. The ambiance of the area didn't help and she dropped her journal in fright, she realizing it was.. Claire Ackerman? She must have come to the ruins while Ashley was off in another area. She really needed to pay more attention to her surroundings. If it had been danger than she would have been gone in a second. She didn't know Claire very well but she did know that, like her, she was not from Mystic Falls. Was she there to take in the rich history? A flutter like feeling washed over Ashley as she felt the feelings of another. It was as if Claire was feeling one way but trying to cover them up. Ashley never understood the point of being an Empath because she always felt like she was intruding on other people's emotions but she knew their was a purpose. Magic always had a purpose. Luckily she had enough control over her ability that she was able to block Claire's feelings from entering her own and could relax just a bit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just appear, I didn't hear you come up." She gave Claire a smile, hoping the other girl wasn't too irritated about being intruded on.

Cause you never really know what your neighbors goin through ,

Words: 583
Notes: Hope you don't mind me joining!
Outfit: outfit
Muse: calm
Credit: goes to Ashie of Caution and Sawyer Brown for his song They Don't Understand

They don't understand.