#e. lipe

Where: Uptown Theater @turtlebay-starters

The warm, buttery scent of popcorn hit Easton the moment he stepped into the theater. He could have melted. The calm, almost sacred quiet of a movie theater was perfect after a long day. He hadn't really planned what to see - didn't really matter. Anything would do as long as as he had a big tub of popcorn, a handful of candy, and a soda.

He picked a ticket for the next showing - a scary movie, and wandered over to the concession stand. He got the biggest bucket of popcorn figuring it would be a good snack for a couple of days, a couple different chocolate options, and a soda. When his hands were full, he headed into theater two, scanning the rows for the perfect spot.

Where: Rocko’s Diner Whom: Micah Henley @illustratemyillusions

Easton checked his phone for what had to be the twelfth time in time minutes .The neon sign over the door flickered. He shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets. He had met Micah at the theater and there they had hatched a business plan. Was it insane? Yes, but even if the drive in didn’t produce much revenue… it would have been something that was their’s. West Banks… that was important.

Where: Evan Henley's House Whom: Evan Henley @hcppilyneveraxter

By the time Easton reached Evan's place, the storm had worked its way deep into his bones. The cold was terrible against his back, pushing against old scar tissue and nerve damage. Every step ached and his legs felt like an old TV with a static screen. Numb-warming sensation. It was easy to find Evan's house though, even in the dark. The generator hummed softly and helped guide his way through the flurry. West Bank didn't have very many generators lurking around.

BASICS:

full name: Easton Michael Lipe

nicknames: East

age: 44

dob: October 17th, 1981

hometown: Turtle Bay, South Carolina

current location: Turtle Bay, South Carolina

neighborhood: Westside

occupation: Math Teacher @ Westside High School

gender: Male

pronouns: He/Him

sexuality: Pansexual

relationship status: Single

POSITIVE TRAITS: Resilient + Pragmatic + Sarcastic

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Frustrated - Pessimistic - Stubborn

theme song: Hurt by Johnny Cash

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:

face claim: Dan Stevens

hair color: Blonde

eye color: Blue

height:  5'11ft

weight: 162 lbs

build: Average

tattoos: [.001]

piercings: None.

FAMILY:

mother: Susan Lipe.

father: Thomas Lipe

siblings: None.

children: Caleb (19) + Olivia (16)

pet(s): None currently.

BIOGRAPHY:

Trigger Warning: Gun Violence

Easton never thought of himself as a hero. He was interested in teaching, chasing his teaching license, finishing his student teaching at a high school out of town. Then came the day that split his life in two. A gunman entered the school, and Easton - still only in his twenties, with everything ahead of him - threw himself between the students and the danger. The bullet struck his back, lodging near his spine. The kids lived. Easton walked away, but not unchanged.

After years of rehab and doubt, he finally managed to earn his teaching certification and returned to the classroom. He also got married to his high school sweetheart and they had two children, a boy and girl. But their marriage wasn’t meant to last. The accident had changed him quite a bit. He felt like a lot of people looked at him with pity and they just fought over little stupid things. He loved her so much, but neither of them felt it was fair to their children to constantly be fighting. They eventually divorced and they share custody of their daughter. Their son is now an adult but their daughter is still sixteen.

Easton lives with the aftermath. His legs tingle and go numb, sometimes he feels like he’s in a bath of warm water, something they give out. He can still walk, but it grows harder with each passing year. Pride keeps him upright when the easier path would be giving in to the chair he dreads.