⛌ bluff ⛌

[SHIVERS]

FILL OUT ALL FIELDS

NAME:
PRONOUNS:
OCCUPATION (IF ANY):
REASON FOR TRAVEL/STAY:

CABIN SELECTION:
 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12
(crossed out numbers are unavailable)

[skinstealer]

NAME: hashtag
PRONOUNS: it/its
OCCUPATION: photographer (amateur)
REASON FOR TRAVEL: finding the next big hit

cabin 3

[palencorgi]

Name: Arcana
Pronouns: xe/xir
Occupation: Gambler (part-time, cards), former Salesperson
Reason for stay: in-between destinations

Cabin 6

[Lilium Mortem]

NAME: Canalave Gausse
PRONOUNS: It/its
OCCUPATION (IF ANY): photo-journalist
REASON FOR TRAVEL/STAY: work, you know, like when your boss says "go down to this ans that place and take pictures for our publication" on short notice but you drop everything anyway because at this point in your life you've lost control of everything except where you point your camera? Yeah that.

CABIN SELECTION: 3

[AceOfNothing]

NAME: Diversion Attentionson
PRONOUNS: They/It
OCCUPATION (IF ANY): Urban Explorer, ReelWorld celeb, DJ on weekends
REASON FOR TRAVEL/STAY: Travel is part of the game. If i cant get to new places how good could I actually be at exploring. People don't want to see the same abandoned hospital every week, and I am here for my people. Besides, don't needs to be tracked down when I find good stuff 

Cabin: 3

[MarxzVulpez]

Name: Anri Swallowtail
Pronouns: it/its
Occupation (if any): photographer (landscape and wildlife), witch artifact identifier repair person and seller
Reason for Travel/Stay: Bad Breakup , Doctor Assigned (but also Much Needed) Medical Leave, avoiding Scrap Storm Season in Home location

Cabin Selection:
6

[knux400]

Name: [incomprehensible scribbling]
Pronouns: They/It
Occupation: Cabin 7
Reason for Travel/Stay: Fun

Cabin Selection: Yes

[ಠ_ಠ]

Name: [incomprehensible scribbling]
Pronouns: They/It
Occupation: Cabin 7
Reason for Travel/Stay: Fun

Cabin Selection: Yes

Seconding this.

[SHIVERS]

NAME: Arcana
PRONOUNS: it/its
OCCUPATION (IF ANY): Photographer





You stare at the second-to-last field on the form.

















Your thumb slides against the opposite end of the pen, over and over;
applying pressure but never quite clicking it.

















REASON FOR TRAVEL/STAY: fun



You circle the first available cabin and hastily slide the form over to the receptionist.



She doesn't take it.



The old dog's staring at you when you look up.
Her cigarette quietly fizzles. It smells like nothing.





You adjust your glasses and clear your throat.



"...You a pockitt?" She asks you.

Your mouth opens, wordlessly at first.

"Um... amerveille.
I get that a lot, though,
since they both have kangaroo morphs, it makes sen--"
"Got any weird body features, anything like that?"

"...ha.
Uh.

 . . .

...why?"
"'Cause if you get hurt I need to know I'm not gonna kill you.
I'm the closest thing to a doctor in about five miles."


"OH.
NO, I'M-
I mean I have regular... organ structure and all that, as far as I know.
I can just tattoo myself a lot easier than most people, that's about it."



She finally takes the form,
reading it in a microsecond before turning around and retrieving a key from the wall behind her,
along with what looks like a pamphlet.









The ruffneck puts both on the counter and unfolds the pamphlet,
which turns out to be a map.


 

"You're in cabin 3, right here." She points to it.
"That means that you and cabin 4 will share a restroom inside.
So, the restroom has two doors. Lock BOTH while you're in the restroom, unlock both when you're done;
don't hog it and DON'T go through to the other cabin. I don't make enough money to deal with people who try that.
Okay?"
"Yes ma'am."

"If there's an emergency, you come here or to the bar.
There's no cell service out here, and me and Bo's have the only working phones."

She points to the phone nearby on the wall.

"Calls here are five minutes max, one call a day unless it's an emergency.
No exceptions.
If someone's not bleeding and not dying, it's probably not an emergency.
And if you're using the phone here, you need to clear it with me first.



The front desk here's open from 8AM to 8PM, same as the Gimme across the street.
Arcade's open 2PM to 8PM, and the bar's open Noon to Midnight.
The museum and the pool are open 24 hours, just don't leave a mess."



She folds up the map and hands it over.
You shove it in your pocket.

The old woman glances over at the clock, then reaches under the counter.
"I give out coupons and other things for the businesses across the street every morning.
I just drop 'em into the mailbox on your door.
You got here late in the afternoon, so you don't get much today."

A ticket and a coupon are placed next to the key in front of you.

"Coupon's for a free dinner at the bar.
Only a few menu options for the free one so take what you get.
And then, the museum--"







She pauses, mentally preparing.



Her voice rolls out of her muzzle in monotone, not a shred of enthusiasm present.



"The Whipsaw Oddity Museum is an unknowable and compelling adventure that's fun for the whole family.
Delve into truths you've never dream-
...dreamt of.

Fantastical.
Mystical.
Supernatural.

What kind of mysteries
will you discover.

Come in anytime. Any day.
Every day.
Fresh oddities are rotated in every 24 hours, so be sure to use your free ticket every day.
And don't forget the gift shop. Show your support for small businesses."



She takes a drag from her cigarette, her head turning as she blows smoke to the side.
It still smells like nothing.



" . . .

...Good to know."



She slides the coupons over to you.
You pocket them.

"Checkout for you is next Sunday no later than 10AM.
...Questions?"

You would very much like to leave.

"No ma'am."
"What's your name?"
"Oh, I. Put it on the card--" "It's all chicken scratch.
Can't read it."
"...ha ha.
Sorry about that.
It's um-
My handwriting's, always-
Name-
Name is Arcana."

She writes something down on a nearby sticky note before peeling it off.











Finally, at long last, she places the key in your paw.
Bronze-colored, with a plastic '3'-shaped keychain attached.

"Thanks for staying at Whipsaw Cabins."

You're already halfway out the door.

"Yep, thank you ma'am."










 

▶ Kinder
Disasterpeace

The swing door slides slowly shut behind you.


Your shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath,
eyes closed.
Your camera swings lightly around your neck from the motion.



god, that was embarrassing

Your paw rubs your cheek.



way too tired after that drive
really need to get in the cabin already










As you turn,
you spot lush, blue mountains off to the north.









The car ride over had been southbound, preventing you from taking in the view.












The afternoon sun hangs low on the horizon.











Forested hills splay out in curves, like waves.















You breathe deep of the living mountain air.


















The perfect place to clear your head.












You raise your camera and focus it, snapping a low effort picture.

The shutter clicks.











It's better than not remembering the moment at all.

























As you lower your arms, you have to catch your bag as it does its best to slip from your shoulder.




okay, View Over
time to get in and pass out











The map is unneeded as you walk the short distance towards the nearby cabins.
They're all numbered, easy enough to find yours.



The space between the two sets of cabins perfectly frames the mountains in the distance,
pausing you as you're fishing for the new key in your pocket.





one more











You raise your camera.







Focus in.







Try to line it all up juuuuuuuuuust right

aiming for symmetry.











Just as your claw nears the shutter button,

a door opens-







A coffee-colored raccoon - likely a masque - in a black sweater
invades the frame,

stepping out of cabin 4

the one conjoined with yours.






Their attention immediately focuses on you
as you aim, technically, at Them with your camera.



fuck




You drop it to your neck in an instant.






"Sorry, haha-
Was,
trying to..."


Their steps resume, taking a quick right turn to disappear behind their cabin,
shooting you a disconcerted look in the process.








You stand, processing the moment.


Stellar.

bedtime




With no further delays, you forget about the picture and find your way into your cabin.
















Inside is

Wood paneling.
Carpet.
Wooden desk. Wood floor.
Wood wood wood.

You don't care to take it in right now.






You haphazardly spread out some of your things,
finding your way out of your jeans and into your pajama pants before dragging your body under the covers of the bed.


You try not to think as the world fades.







































 

⛌ NIGHT ONE ⛌

You awaken feeling clammy, with a stiff neck.

Effort is immediately required from you.
You uncomfortably unfurl yourself from the chaotic pretzel knot your unconscious body had formed between you and the blankets.

Your glasses are lost somewhere in the sheets, taking a bit of digging to retrieve and place back on your face.


You rise,
rubbing sleep from your face.




"...time's it...?" You mutter.

An alarm clock by your bed reads

10:16 PM



"...mm."





Your feet touch the floor as you properly get up.






now what?



It's late, but you're wide awake now.

May as well find a way to pass the time.

















You glance around the room.


You had, somehow, managed to successfully place your laptop on the desk in your exhausted state.
It'd be easy to plug it in and turn it on, but without inernet or any sort of signal, there isn't much you can do with it.
You can plug in your camera and look at pictures on it, and you might have a game or two installed by default.
None of that sounds that appealing at the moment, though, unless you find yourself desperately bored.

Your shared restroom doesn't look like it's being used.
Maybe you could relax with a shower?

There's a CRT television perched on a stand in front of the bed.
Easy way to pass the time, and check what the channel setup is like here.





Though, your time might be better spent exploring the area, you think.
And getting out might be nice, even if it's dark out now.



You check the time again.

10:18 PM



what did she say was open again?



right.





The bar. You do have that free meal coupon.
You'd stopped to eat not long before you got here, so you aren't all that hungry.
Still, can't beat free. And it could be worth checking out anyway.

There's also the oddity museum, whatever exactly that means.
It definitely sounds like a tourist trap, but apparently it's open 24 hours,
for
some reason?
You know it'll be underwhelming, but you're infinitely curious, and you do have a free ticket.

Lastly, the pool is open all night as well.
It's probably unmanned, you imagine, which could make it worth checking out.
You think you might've packed your swim trunks on a whim,
but you aren't sure the trunks quite... do the job alone anymore.
You'd been meaning to get a proper bathing suit to fit your chest, too, these days,
but that process alone sounded mortifying.
Still does.

You guess you could go Look at the pool, at least,
and perhaps if it's empty, your trunks and a regular shirt would work fine enough.
You do really miss swimming.





You debate your options.

Show ContentCHECK MAP:

[Lilium Mortem]

Oddity museum. It's probably garbage, but at least you won't be left wondering if you go there now, and the walk alone might  be worth it.

[knux400]

Seconding the museum. The bar is right there, so if we get hungry, we can just head over.

Plus it would be a shame for the lady at the desk to have to read out that whole scripted bit just for us to ignore the museum entirely. If anything, we're doing this out of respect for her time.