Orburn is a small town with a dark secret.
One group of friends want to find out what it is.
[ status: applications closed! ]
STARTED: MARCH 24, 2019
COMPLETED: ?
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MAY 17, 1984
THE MOON HAD LONG ago risen across the shores of Orburn and Jude was tucked into a couch in the living room. She was finishing an assignment for Chemistry as the clock rung out, one chime. She glanced back up and out the window to her driveway. Her dad's car was still missing. She had been ignoring that as of late, knowing he was finishing up paperwork on the Porter case, but after almost a month of closure, she would have thought he would be back to his regular hours.
She shrugged, it was always worse in New York. Her dad would work his scheduled shift and then get called back in the middle of dinner, or at three in the morning, or during her science fair presentation. It didn't bother her as much as it had when she was younger and didn't understand what law enforcement actually did. Long and unpredictable hours were just part of the job.
Her chemistry homework had three more problems to solve so she set back to work.
After twenty minutes, she shut her textbook and stuffed her things back into her bag. She hadn't needed to bring home supplies for her other classes, but she needed to grab a new notebook for her history class. She grabbed her bag to set it by the front door before ducking into her father's office. He usually kept spare notebooks and pens in the cabinet under his bookshelves.
The cabinet was empty, aside from a box of black pens and a stack of empty manilla folders. She stood with a sigh, if the extra notebooks weren't in the office they would be in the basement.
The basement door was tucked away in the corner of the living room. She made her way there hesitantly, she hated the basement. Her hand reached for the knob, she took a breath, and pulled.
The door stayed put.
She tried the door again. And again. And once more the other way. The door was most definitely locked. Why would the door be locked? It led to a dusty basement with extra office supplies, blankets, and a variety of VHS tapes and records. She didn't even know the door could be locked. She felt around for a key on top of the doorframe.
"JUDE! What are you doing?" A voice rang out.
Jude jumped back, tripping over the living room carpet and falling on her butt. She looked up to see her father, still in uniform, standing at the living room entrance.
"I just needed a notebook for history and there weren't any in your office," she said, pushing herself back onto her feet.
"Alright, I can grab one for you," her father said, loosening his tie.
"Okay..." Jude trailed off. "Can I ask why is the basement locked?"
