GRAVEKEEPER.

[guestservices]

GRAVEKEEPER

Today, when Jason is in his bedroom, he will receive a message on his typewriter.

Are we interrupting? Well, whatever. Your presence is required at the moment. Hope you aren't afraid of the dark.

Immediately after he finishes reading the message, he will feel compelled to walk into the elevator, inside which a shadowy elevator attendant appears as a guide. Once Jason arrives at the destination, he will find himself standing just beyond the iron fence of the graveyard.

It feels particularly eerie on this fine Tuesday - a low wind whistles through the graveyard, rustling trees no one can see, and the moon is shining high and bright overhead.

Standing tall and proud is Orion, holding a shovel in their hands, the spade of it touching the ground. They don't seem to have much to say, simply glancing from Jason over to their companion. With them is Aquarius, seated on top of a gravestone to be just slightly taller than Orion. They, too, have a shovel in their hands, the spade resting against their shoulder.

"Thanks for coming," Aquarius says in a tone that implies they're aware it wasn't by choice.

Orion reaches into their uniform, and pulls out a sheath of papers, and speaks.

"...You've been tasked with an additional duty. Read the contract between the lines, but - keep in mind that there will be consequences if you choose to disagree."

RULES

1. The Gravekeeper is required to keep maintenance of the graves in the graveyard.
2. On Tuesday, the Gravekeeper will select one participant to remove from the hotel to ensure a proper fit to the open graves available.
2A: The Gravekeeper may occasionally have an additional selection made for them, per the discretion of hotel staff.
3. Interference can only be done through the tools of the Gravekeeper trade. The interlopers will not be aware of your interference.
4. The interlopers will be placed into boxes Thursday evening and dealt with accordingly.
5. On Friday morning, the interlopers will be released from their boxes.
6. The Gravekeeper must make their decision as to their power by Thursday evening.
7. The Gravekeeper is not to disclose that they are performing these duties. Discussing them with anyone other than authorized Hotel Staff, including the interlopers, will be considered breach of contract and will result in the death of ROY HARPER.

N̸A̵V̴I̶G̶A̶T̴I̴O̸N̷.̷

█ LOCATIONS █ STATUSES █ PROFILES █ AUDIENCES
█ REPORTING █ PRIVATE CONVOS █ MURDER

Comments

[unrecked]

Well… I figured there were. We had several on the island, but I just… I guess... I didn’t think it would be her.

Though, when Sheila came back… I had a feeling it may have been the doing of someone from the station. It could be coincidence, but… between Cloud and Sheila…

[He shrugs slightly, then laughs under his breath.]

She’s the one protecting people. Two for Thursday, two for Sunday. Throwing darts like me.

[guestservices]

...funny how it works, right? Being with someone who can save people when all you can do is potentially stop them. [they seem to think about that, a little distracted, a little unsure.]

I'm glad she was able to tell you. It's not an easy burden.

[unrecked]

I know, but—why me? She said she could only tell one person, but… Out of all the people she could have told?

[He rubs his hand back through his hair again.]

I didn’t even have any good advice.

[guestservices]

[they sort of just stare into the void and find this whole conversation very, very familiar and they hate that actually.]

Because she trusts you, dummy. Maybe it's not even about having advice. It's just...you make her comfortable. Even if you don't think you do or should.

[unrecked]

[LMAO AAAAAA very funny. Aquarius suffers in all things. Sorry Jason is a familiar idiot.]

I guess…

[He sounds like he accepts this answer, but also? Is… shy? Sounding kind of shy. Looking kind of boyish and stupid here.]

I thought we couldn’t talk about this…?

[guestservices]

[aquarius: i see myself in this picture and i don't like it.

except then jason does that and they're reminded of another idiot and they hate it, thanks.]

...you never asked before now.

[unrecked]

[Just

turns and gives them a LOOK. It’s not really at them so much as the situation.]

You’ve got to be kidding me. But the rules said!

[guestservices]

[they hum a little at that.]

The rules said, but the Nightman does reward effort. Just like any other job. You earn seniority, you're able to make an addendum. If that's something you're interested in.

[unrecked]

[He frowns a little. It looks like he’s a bit wary of this.]

A little late. […] How am I supposed to get seniority putting people in the dirt? Lup has been lucky enough to save two people, but I haven’t put a single right person in the ground yet.

There’s no way I could for it to matter before the game’s up. So it doesn’t matter, I guess.

[guestservices]

You've been at this for how many weeks? It counts in that regard. And you just said it...that was all luck. Both of you are only working based on luck.

[unrecked]

Yeah, but—

[He shakes his head.]

I still don’t think it matters. I don’t think it benefits anyone for me to tell someone what I do. Not unless they somehow had a way to help me.

[guestservices]

[they watch him for a while.]

...I'm not going to be the one to tell you if you should or shouldn't ask. [softly. they leave it at that for a moment.] But the choice is yours.

[unrecked]

Why do you make this sound like one of those crappy deals? I can ask, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to tell anyone else.

[He glances at them.]

How many people can I tell?

[Very funny if it’s zero.]

[guestservices]

Because I don't want you to do something you'll regret, whether that's regret telling someone or regret not saying anything at all.

[but they just sound a little tired, willing to let jason make his own choice in the matter and keep their opinions to themselves.]

...with your work you've put in, we can make the addendum to include the allowance of telling two people. If that's what you wanted.

[unrecked]

Worried…?

[The barest hints of teasing in his voice, but not too much because what they’re discussing is serious.

He glances around the cemetery. At Orion. Then back.]

…I‘ll think about it.

[guestservices]

If you have to ask, I don't know if you really know me at all. [they decide not to outright say that jason's very much worrying them thanks to his fucking memloss, yeah.]

It's your choice. So...if you want to take time to think, that's okay. But you can't tell anyone until you sign the addendum. Not even Lup.

[unrecked]

You worry too much.

[He puts a hand on top of their head to push the hat down. They knew this was coming.]

…I’ll sign it. But I might not tell anyone regardless.

[guestservices]

[there's no reaction this time to jason pushing the hat down. instead, they remain quiet as they pull jason's contract out of their pocket along with a pen, scribbling an addendum down.]

5. In acknowledgment of the Gravekeeper's work, they are permitted to discuss it with one other guest in the hotel. It may not spread any further than that, or else it will be considered a breach of contract.

6. In acknowledgment of the Gravekeeper's work, they are permitted to discuss it with one additional person to the above. It may not spread any further than that, or else it will be considered a breach of contract.

[they hand the contract to him.]

Here.

[unrecked]

[He frowns at the addendum. He knows already the two people he’s want to tell, but he doesn’t know if that’s the best idea.

If telling at all is the best idea. He spent so much time on the island being guarded, cautious. It got him murdered because his partner wasn’t, wasn’t trustworthy either.

For a moment, he looks like he might change his mind. But what if he needs it at the last minute?

Pensively, he signs it.]

[guestservices]

[once it's signed, aquarius takes the contract back.]

...don't feel like you have to just because you signed it. Or just because she told you. But you should at least have the option available to you if you ever...[...] People might not be able to help you with the job, but they can at least help support you. Even if you don't think you need it.

[unrecked]

I know.

[But he does seem a bit reassured in hearing what he already thought.

He offers them a smile. It’s genuine? It’s a nice smile that they have rarely seen like this.]

Like I said, I’ll think about it.

[guestservices]

[somehow that doesn't help, but they nod along and try to relax. everything's fine. everyone's fine.]

Okay. Guess that's all I can ask for. [a pause.] Orion made pancakes again. You should have some.