Ava approaches the ferryman and smiles warmly “Hello, is this the right dock for the Oulbury ferry?”
[09:02:40] Lestero: adjusts his cap and gives you a long, quiet look before extending one hand.
"Ticket."
studies it for a moment, then glances toward the fog gathering over the water.
"Hm."
stamps the corner of the paper and hands it back.
"You're expected. Ferry's waiting. Mind your step."
steps aside and motions toward the O Ferry rocking gently at the dock.
[09:03:32] : The ferry pulls away from the dock...Beyond the fog, Oulbury waits.
Ava steps off the boat onto the fog shrouded dock, she turns to ask the ferryman “is it always this foggy?” but there’s no one there, the captain has gone below decks and bolted the hatch until it’s time to leave in the evening.
Weird, she thinks but heads out of the ferry terminal building and glances at the letter with directions on:
Turn left off the ferry, turn right to the Harbour Masters office, then right again along the road to the Post Office.
She passes an apparently redundant security checkpoint and finds the Harbour Masters Office. It’s quite obvious no-one has manned this post either for some time, seeing only empty drink bottles and a broken vending machine of snacks in the small shack.
Her directions say right again, but she sees a doctors office across the street and goes to investigate. If she’s to be staying for a while, it’s good to know where essential services are located. She stops half way, sees the state of a possible patient outside and turns back, muttering to herself “I really hope I don’t need to go there.”
Resuming her journey she sees a noticeboard and glances at it, the papers inside are yellowing and the ink is faded, yet the information is recently dated. Very odd.
Just as the directions said, the Post Office isn’t far along the street.
She takes a look around as she enters, everything seems to be covered in a layer of dust, apart from the letters in the sorting boxes. Approaching the old lady in the corner, presumably the Post Mistress, she extends her hand to shake and says with a smile “Hi, I’m Ava, your new postie from the mainland”. The old woman looks up from her book ignoring the outstretched hand and replies; “There’s quite a backlog, you better get started, you don’t want to be out there come nightfall. I’ve bagged up the oldest to go first and a map, on the counter”.
Ava heads for the door taking the bag and pauses,she turns back to the woman, “Wait, there’s meant to be accommodation with the job, can I see that?” The lady had gone back to reading her book and replies without looking up “I’ll show you if you get back.” Ava steps out, then realises what the old lady had said as the door closes…”If?”
Glancing at the sky she tries to guage the time, since her watch had seemed to have stopped, it should only be mid morning but with the perpetual Fog it feels like early evening. Taking out the map she looks about to try and get her bearings, since her usually reliable compasses needle was spinning, she heads in what she hopes is the right direction for her first delivery in Oulbury.
She finds that the properties in Oulbury are very varied and rather quirky, if not rather creepy in some cases:
Having delivered almost all the letters, she stands on the beach looking across the water to the lighthouse shrouded in mist then looks at the last envelope, addressed to “The Lighthouse, Oulbury”.
“Screw that” she says to no-one in particular and heads back to the Post Office. The old lady had said not to be outside after nightfall and there was no way she’d be able to get there and back in time, if she could even find a boat. “I’ll go in the morning” she says as she trudges back, wondering where she’ll be sleeping that night.
The Post Mistress was rather surprised to see her return. “So where am I sleeping tonight?” Ava asks. The old woman quickly recovers her composure and replies “Ah..well..you see..I didn’t think you’d make it back, so the rooms not ready.” Ava glares at her “you’re kidding me”. The old lady shakes her head “I’m afraid not dear, but I’ll give you some directions to somewhere you can spend tonight.
Turn left out the door, walk along as far as the old wooden Church on your left and turn right onto Old Salem Road, then right onto Reynolds Lane. You’ll see a green light to the right. They’ll put you up for the night until we sort out the usual room.”
Ava follows the directions until she finds the green light and swears “That sneaky old buzzard..” she mutters as she finds herself outside a rather dubious looking establishment by the name of Green Trees. Descending the stairs she approaches the counter and explains to the young woman behind the counter why she’s there.
“Oh, yeah, the post office pay for the room upstairs for the posties, since it’s the cheapest rent in town. Unfortunately the last one just vanished one day, so they stopped paying the rent and we cleared the place out. If you’re needing somewhere to sleep tonight, pick a couch and we’ll get the room ready for you for tomorrow night if you’re sticking around. I’ll be locking up shortly so you’ll have the place to yourself.”
Ava flops down onto the couch furthest from the entrance looking round at the cluttered basement thinking “what a dive” and tries to make herself comfortable for the night.
The next day she manages to convince someone to ferry her across to the Lighthouse. The mist and fog are even thicker near the lighthouse, it’s almost like it’s following her. As she ascends the steps from the dock there are strange noises coming out of the fog, the light swings.
10:23:00] .: As Ava Bloodrose gets closer the building, the lighthouse turns once.
Not toward the sea.
Toward them.
.: The lantern glass clouds from the inside.For a moment, it reflects water where there should be sky.
.: Twenty figures stand beneath the surface.
Nineteen look away.
One looks back.
.: The light does not sweep across the harbor.It searches.
.: Something beneath the lantern mechanism clicks open.
.: The light did not save the lost.
It taught one of them how to return.
.: The light does not warn the living.
It remembers the lost.
“What the??” Ava takes the last few steps to the lighthouse in a hurry, shoves the letter under the metal door and dashes, as quickly as she dare without slipping, back to the boat.
I’ve explored quite a few weird and spooky places over the years, but this place really is creepy. I love it. Oulbury is spread over three regions and there’s lots more to see than I’ve shown you here.
- Arrival Point: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fairytale%20Forever/73/164/694
- Website : https://oulbury.webflow.io/
- Discord: https://discord.gg/Oulbury
Outfit Credits:
- Clothing: Hotdog – Lighthouse Keeper’s outfit . Striped – Hotdog Mainstore
- Boots: Addams // Zoe Combat Platform Short Boots // – Addams Store
- Cap: Jazabelle – Imperial Party Trooper Cap – Jazabelle Store
- Hair: TRUTH VIP Bliss – TRUTH Store (Group Gift)
- Gloves: R.E. Corvus Gloves & Rings 1.1 – RealEvil Store
- Belt: UNA. ScribeBelt No Rig Black – UNA
- Necklace: L/Fx Animated Potion Necklace – Electricity 4.6 (Which inadvertently made a rather spooky face light) – Couldn’t find at Lantian/Flox Mainstore possibly no longer available.
- Lipstick: +KP+ Slick Lips // Lel Evo X 1 – Knife Party
- Eyeshadow: +KP+ Mystiq // Eye Makeup // LeL Evo X // 6 – Knife Party
