#cardinalstart

A shitty truck with rusting green paint swerved into the dirt lot early enough that most folks hadn't even arrived yet, so theoretically had its pick of any decent spot. But what Jesse wanted was the decent spot, the one that was smack dab in the middle aisle with a straight-on view of the screen and one of the better speaker poles left. However, this coveted spot was currently in use. If they had been in the vehicle, Jesse would have pulled up and demanded they beat it, he wasn't above causing a ruckus.

Fine, whatever. Doing the next best thing, he whipped into the spot directly in front of them, driving forward with the bed of his truck facing the screen. He pulled up obnoxiously close to their front bumper, almost certainly blocking their view as he angled the vehicle just-so on the slight hump to give himself the greatest view. There was a certain smug tilt to the corner of his lips as he cut the engine and lights, and hopped out with zero care that he'd be ruining another guest's experience. They should have known better than hogging up the prime spot.

Jesse rounded to the back of his truck and smacked down the tailgate, so he could start getting prepared to enjoy the next four-ish hours of tonight's double feature. He jumped up, going for the 55-gallon drum that did an ear-splitting grate across the metal as he dragged it along. Yep, he planned to light his own trash fire and roast some wieners over it, too. Think he was paying those expensive popcorn and nacho prices at the concessions stand? Hell no. Some franks and a six-pack did just fine.

Valentino Malory St. Clair, do not break this window right now, Vale thought. That wasn't something a person would typically need to talk themselves out of, but Vale wasn't really the typical kind of person. Even though it was his fault, he was this close to losing his temper and smashing his car window. Hell, his fists were even clenched, as if he was about to punch the glass, which would hurt like hell but also feel so fucking good at the same time. Don't do it, he thought. "Don't do it don't do it don't do it," he muttered, this time out loud. That was his whole point to coming here to the Castillo's, wasn't it? Vale was trying to find healthier ways to channel his anger, and kickboxing seemed to be helping, though that wasn't the case today. Maybe it was because he'd had a truly terrible morning. Things at the ranch were...well, not easy, and Vale felt very out of place (but it also felt right to be there in a way he couldn't explain - Vale was a man of many dichotomies), and he missed Seattle; sleepy little Cardinal Hill was so different from what he was used to. So his nerves were already frayed, and now this happened. It would be so easy to break the window, he thought, though obviously it wouldn't be because car windows were stronger than a window one might have in their home usually. But his keys were right there on the seat, just a pane of glass and a locked car door between them.

So yeah, Vale wanted to break the window, wanted to badly, and he maybe would have if he wasn't in tune with his emotions just enough to realize he wouldn't necessarily be breaking the glass to get to his keys. While kickboxing was helping, Vale found that he had all this anger still, this unbridled fury even at times. It was always there, simmering just below the surface, and sometimes it came out in bursts of rage. The therapist his parents had insisted he go to back in Seattle had told him that it was because he kept it bottled up most of the time. The pressure kept building until it eventually burst out of him. So that was why he'd gotten into kickboxing before leaving Seattle and was continuing it now. Closing his eyes, Vale took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down, counting down from ten. By the time he got to zero, Vale felt a little more leveled out, and he opened his eyes, though he couldn't resist smacking his hand against the window just once. He needed a phone, so Vale turned around to realize he had an audience, though hopefully it hadn't been for this whole time. "I locked my keys in my car," he told the person watching him. "So...yeah, that sucks."

where: rewind rentals

javed wasn't really the type who watched films often, but that was something he was trying to change. in the years since his divorce, he decided that it would be good for him to branch out and try new things, this was just the latest on his agenda. so, he finds himself browsing the shelves of the local video rental store, trying to decide what kind of film he might want to watch.

it wasn't an easy task, as he finds that he doesn't recognize most of the titles on the shelves. even then, he remembered some of the more popular ones, but hasn't seen most of them. after having no luck finding something to watch by himself, he approaches the nearest person in the aisle.

"i'll be the first to admit i'm a bit clueless when it comes to cinema. do you have any recommendations? you could say i've been living under a rock."

"Is this one of them places that treats Halloween like it's some kind of godsend?" he asks, slipping an unlit cigarette between his lips, "why's that?" It's not even October yet and he's already seeing Halloween decorations fill the windows of the local shops. He blows through about a half dozen towns each year, so he's used to the way many small towns celebrate Halloween, but he's always disinterested in their yearly festivities.

One of the joys of life in Cardinal Hill was the fact the quaint town was nestled amongst the picturesque forests of Washington State. That meant Astrid could venture into the surrounding woods whenever she required a much-needed escape from the constant reminder of why she was truly in town. Without the burning desire to intently study each customer to Lilla Bakstugan or each passerby she saw on the street, the brunette felt like she could finally breathe.

There was a welcomed peace in the solitude, in the way the fallen leaves crunching underfoot echoed through the barren trees with each step she took. For the first time in a long time, the quiet came without fear, without the existential dread of a hunter's voyage. Cardinal Hill felt different, felt more like home than anywhere else the Swede's journey had taken her. And that home felt closer to the one she sought. Deep within the bowels of her soul, Astrid knew their reunion was drawing near.

Finding a relatively flat rock to act as a makeshift chair, the brunette took a seat and let out a heavy sigh, shoulders slouching as she finally allowed her body to relax into the moment. The sharp snapping of a twig could be heard in the near distance; but she paid no mind to the fact it meant another might be intruding on her privacy. Instead, her gaze stayed glued to a patch of lichen on the trunk of a dying alder.

"There are other rocks if you need to sit... I promise I will not bite if you will not."

Despite Eve's love for spontaneity, they couldn't deny how much they also loved a good routine. Music had always been important to them but since they had started really investing in the kind of music they played at the cafe, they had tried to stay on top of curating a worthy collection of vinyls to keep with the aesthetic of the shop. Every Friday they'd spend a good hour at Tunes, looking through the newest options while also making sure to balance it with some old ones. It was like they went into their own world, especially when they dipped into one of the listening booths to sample their choices. It also helped that they had brewed an especially delicious coffee this morning that had been crafted to lift their mood.

This Friday was no exception as they were twenty minutes into their browsing, in search of something to help folks feel the spring ease and breeze. But, to their core Eve loved to be nosey and couldn't help but glance at what someone near them was picking out. They let out a low whistle and laughed. "Are you looking for music to cry to or are you just determined to make winter last longer in your mind?" They raised an eyebrow and pointed at the records in the person's hands. "If you need some tunes to lift your spirits just let me know, but if you actually need more music to cry to, I happen to have better recs for that too." They glanced over at the Tunes employee who had told them more than once to stop acting like they worked there and blew the employee a kiss before turning back to the person in front of them."I'm just saying, your picks might read as a cry for help."

location: cardinal hill carnival and fun fair, in front of the carousel

levi sits on a nearby bench, watching as the carousel begins another round. when they were young, it used to be their favorite ride at the carnival. now, it just felt like something that had slipped out of reach, the colors and jaunty music tugging at a time when the world seemed simple. their eyes scan over the painted animals, all dressed up in their carnival costumes.

the thought creeps in that they want to go on the ride, but they feel a little awkward going alone. it's a children's ride, for the most part, or something couples reliving nostalgia. neither of which were applicable to levi. part of them wonders if the ride operator would even bat an eye. they look over the crowd, wondering how weird it would look to ask.

"hey, i know this is a weird question, but would you mind going on the carousel with me? it seems like the kinda thing that's for children or couples, and i've got neither. i'll buy you a funnel cake or corn dog or whatever. dealer's choice."