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[pinballer]

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evening of the 11th

[stairwellshadow]

[ Late in the evening, a piece of black paper is slid under Vance's door. There's no words or signature on it, but there is a crude drawing of a gallows and several blanks in a row: ]



[ Perhaps it's time to play a game. ]

[pinballer]

The fuck?

[ He looks at the paper with some confusion. He does like games, but this is a word game. Ugh. Truly the worst kind. You're basically learning while you play.

But Vance won't turn a challenge down.

He writes on the paper and passes it back. ]

[ I ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ Challenge accepted! ...And failed, apparently. The paper returns with a circle under the gallows. ]

[pinballer]

Really?

[ He scoffs, and scribbles an A this time, returning the paper. ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ As Pat Sajak would say, one A. ]

[pinballer]

[ Do these words have no vowels in them or what? Thankfully, he doesn't have to buy a vowel here so he can keep on picking them.

E ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ Ugh, he should have made a rule. ]

[pinballer]

[ He really should have because guess what, here's another one.

O ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ Spoilsport. ]

[pinballer]

[ Vance Hopper plays to win. Git gud etc etc

R ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ It's coming together! ]

[pinballer]

Hell yeah.

[ He does a little fist pump. It's a stupid word game, but it's still a game.

S ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ The celebration may continue! ]

[pinballer]

[ Okay, that's a lot of the obvious letters gone, but he thinks he has the second word figured out at least.

F ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ And he got a bonus! ]

[pinballer]

[ He thinks on that for a moment, unconsciously touching the flower choker he's wearing around his neck.

L W ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ Alas, no hints for the last word. ]

[pinballer]

[ Well, that could be a lot of words. More than Vance can think of, probably. Might as well try...

M ]

[stairwellshadow]

[ So close! ]

[pinballer]

A...home for flowers, is that it?

[ He scribbles an H on the paper and pushes it back through. ]

[stairwellshadow]

yes, you win!
congratulations.

would you like a prize? i don't have much to offer.

[pinballer]

Sure, why not.

[ A pause. Something's a little off, but also a little familiar. Maybe it's why he hasn't opened the door. Ghosts don't always like to communicate in the same ways that people do, and if this one wants to pass notes under the door, that's fine. ]

Are you a ghost?

[stairwellshadow]

i am.
i don't want to be one, but i am for now.

[pinballer]

Me, too.

[ He's a little less of one now. But still as much of a ghost as he is a person. ]

It sucks.

[stairwellshadow]

it feels really lonely.
at least here i know other ghosts.
there were times when i was the only one who knew the truth.