IC - Day 4 - Another Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

[Mr. Handy]

"Oui, I know the feeling," says Laurent, shuddering. "I don't ever want to go back there. We'll check for Marise at home."

[Mephistophilis]

'Oui, au revoir mes garçons, let me know if there is anything I can do to help,' says Mlle André and she turns to leave.

OOC:   Are you going to the Hounfor or to Marise's house?

[Mr. Handy]

Let's go to her house first.

[Mephistophilis]

Finishing their walk through the main street, Pierre and Laurent turn off before the banana thatch marketplace which is bustling with people, the occasional toot of a vaccine trumpet from in amongst the crowd. Wending down the narrow side-street they find the thin frontage of the Lavigne house is tightly shuttered compared to the open windows and sounds of laughter coming from their neighbours.

Pierre opens the door uneasily, Laurent hanging back slightly, aware of a new sense of tension in his friend's manner. The wooden shutters keeping out the daylight and casting the room into a subdued gloom. In the main room it is warm and sticky, the atmosphere intensifying, mirroring the pressure in the air. Florence is there, looking up sharply as they come in. Her face falling as she recognises the two of them.

She's pacing the floor, hands wringing in anxiety. 'Marise is gone again,' Florence says in a whimper. Laurent could see the worry etched on her face as she explained that they had a fight and Marise stormed off. Fabrice is out searching for her again.

[Mr. Handy]

"Mademoiselle André told us she was worried about Marise," says Laurent. "We were hoping she'd be here. We just came from Anse Douce, but she wasn't there when we were. Maybe we can help find her. How long ago did she leave?"

[Mephistophilis]

'It's been a few hours,' says Florence. 'Mon Dieu, that girl. She has changed so much. So sullen. So argumentative. What has happened to ma belle fille?' She sinks into a chair with her head in her hands.

[Mr. Handy]

"We'll find her," says Laurent. "Do you have any other ideas about where she might have gone?"

[Mephistophilis]

'I don't know! Fabrice is going to look in Pointe Pierre and Anse Douce. Where else could she go?' Florence just sits there, looking defeated, tears streaming down her face.

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, we already saw Anse Douce," says Laurent. "Point Pierre sounds like a good place to look for her. She's probably not with Eddie. They're not together any more. But maybe he knows some places she would go. We should go talk to him."

[Mephistophilis]

In the afternoon sun, Laurent and Pierre walk back down through town towards Pointe Pierre. There's a bit more life in town and some of the bars and cafes are starting to fill up with customers. Down in Pointe Pierre the fishermen are coming in with their catches, the smell of fish and salt is overpowering as they unload into stinking piles. A few of the early birds are already sitting outside Old Man Samuel's shop having a drink and a joke. There's no music playing out of his radio yet but a few of the younger folk are starting to gather. The music won't really get going until it's dark and the fishermen have gone into town to drink at the Sharktooth and the other bars favoured by the grownups. That's when Pointe Pierre really lights up.

A little beyond the shop, nearer the shore, Eddie Forbin and Paul Antoine from school are smoking cigarettes and kicking a tin can about between them.

[Mr. Handy]

"Bonjour, Eddie and Paul," says Laurent. "Have either of you seen Marise?"

[Mephistophilis]

Eddie and Paul stop their game and turn to look at Laurent. Eddie looks a bit embarrassed. 'Bonjou Laurent, Pierre. Mwen dezole, I haven't seen Marise. I haven't seen her for a while. We're not...' His neck flushes a little redder. 'We don't see each other anymore.'

[Mr. Handy]

"But you know where she likes to go," says Laurent. "Maybe there's a special place she heads to when she's upset or wants to be alone. She stormed out of her home, and her parents are worried and looking for her."

[Mephistophilis]

Paul rolls his eyes, 'Again?' But Eddie gives him a punch. There's something about the way he looks at Laurent that gives him the distinct impression that the boy is well aware Laurent is pleased to hear they're not together anymore.

'I don't know where she goes. I've never known. She used to come out here with me to listen to music then just slip away.' His expression darkens. 'Followed her once. All the way down to Anse Douce, that cove with the big rocks, you know? There was no one else there but when I caught up with her she was mad, real mad!' He looks imploringly at Pierre, 'You know how she gets. I just, I just walked away.'

He shrugs his shoulders. 'I'm real sorry about your sister Pierre, but I can't help you, konprann?'

[Mr. Handy]

"Merci, that's all right," says Laurent. "We were already at Anse Douce, but she wasn't there. Maybe she went there later, though." He turns to Pierre. "Let's check to see if Auxian is back and tell him what happened. He may have some ideas."

[Mephistophilis]

As Laurent and Pierre turn to leave Pointe Pierre the radio starts up in Old Man Samuel's shop. It takes a few moments for the crackling to coalesce into music. It's a jaunty tune played on the banjo and they walk away into the darkness with a little spring in their steps until the music suddenly comes to a jarring stop with a sound like a banjo string snapping. Then silence. Leaving them with an unsettled feeling. The music doesn't come back on and they walk along the dark shore towards the lights of the main street.

OOC:   The song sounds something like this.

-----



Wending their way through the darkness they eventually arrive at the Hounfor. It looks much as it did before. But there's no sounds coming from the place. Trying the door handle it remains unlocked. Stepping inside it is still as quiet as the grave. Any scent of smoke and incense from the previous ceremonies has dissipated. And there's no sign of Lazaire, or Ramses. Walking tentatively into the main hall of the hounfor it remains empty. The stools and chairs, the drums and candles, nothing has moved since they were last here.

But Pierre gives a sharp intake of breath and points at the painted blue column. Where there was that strange image of a merman before, now there's just the blue paint of the rest of the post. Laurent looks all around it, in case he's just misjudged where it was painted. But it's definitely not there anymore.

[Mr. Handy]

"I see it," says Laurent. "Someone must have painted over it." He takes a small scrap of cloth, paper, or the like and rubs it on the column where the merman had been to see if the paint is still wet enough to come off on it.

[Mephistophilis]

Rubbing a scrap of cloth down the column, Laurent only raises a light blue dust from the paint until he gets to where the image of the merman had been and then it smears and streaks like it has only been painted over recently.

[Mr. Handy]

"I thought so," says Laurent. "Someone's been here since we were here last and painted over it. But who, and why? And who painted it in the first place? There's nothing else here now, though. The only place I can think Marise went is Anse Douce. She could have gone there after we left. Unless you can think of a better idea, I think we have to go back there."

[Mephistophilis]

Pierre shrugs.

OOC:   Moving here.