the first occasion

[deepest_magic]

The house just northeast of Forks proper is very big, quite abandoned, and really easy to just walk right in if you're of a mind to. There are signs that people have been camping in it while hiking, but currently it is unoccupied by visitors, squatters, or any animals larger than a squirrel. There's been a fair amount of furniture but fewer small possessions left behind: couch, piano, dining table, wardrobe, armchair, kingsized bed. It's in extremely variable states of repair.

Comments

[sundayfish]

"Wouldn't expect it. No."

[neverbeatme]

"Yeah."

Now she's contemplative.

"So what happened afterward? Did they all just move away?"

[sundayfish]

"Yeah, soon enough they packed up and went to - can't remember where."

[neverbeatme]

"Huh."

[sundayfish]

Charlie shrugs. His lemon square is gone. "I don't think you ought to worry. Very safe town, kid probably ran away of his own accord for whatever reason."

[neverbeatme]

"Yeah, I know how safe the town is," she says. "Filed under: reasons my aunt moved here."

[sundayfish]

"There you go, then." Charlie puts his dish in the sink and meanders into the room with the television. He turns on some manner of sport, volume low.

[neverbeatme]

Well.

This has been informative.

[deepest_magic]

"You haven't been over here before," observes Bella. "Want to see my room?"

[neverbeatme]

"Sure."

[deepest_magic]

Up to Bella's room! It contains many books and a bed and a chair and a handful of apparently little-used stuffed animals and other toys occupying a basket at the foot of the bed.

[neverbeatme]

"Ooh, books."

[deepest_magic]

"Mm-hm. Don't read the notebooks please."

[neverbeatme]

"Yeah, I wasn't planning on it. How about the book books? Any good ones?"

[deepest_magic]

"Most of my books are at Renée's house, mostly because that's where I am birthdays and Christmas and that's when I get most of my books, but the ones that are here are the ones that I've read and liked enough that I want them handy when I'm here and there isn't a really good bookstore around."

[neverbeatme]

"I'll take that as a yes. Which ones are your favourites?"

[deepest_magic]

Bella starts pointing out books, ranging from Watership Down to Christmas Carol to Pinnochio to Heidi to Pippi Longstocking to a fairly complete set of Roald Dahl.

[neverbeatme]

"You know, I've never read Watership Down. Worth it?"

[deepest_magic]

"It's about bunnies, but it's pretty serious for being about bunnies. You can borrow it if you want. There's a sort of a sequel but I don't have it here."

[neverbeatme]

"Sure, thanks," she says.

[deepest_magic]

Bella offers her the book. "I like old books," she says. "Renée thinks this is just because old books that are still getting printed have been - sorted through a lot already, though."

[neverbeatme]

Elizabeth accepts the book.

"Maybe. I like old books too, some of them." She smiles. "The Sherlock Holmes stories are my favourite."

[deepest_magic]

"I've read a couple of those but not all of them. Should I read them all?"

[neverbeatme]

"Well, which ones did you read, and did you like them?"

[deepest_magic]

"Scandal in Bohemia, and one that didn't make a huge impression, I can't remember the title."