forum - The Disappearances - [One on One - Open]

Started December 21, 2022 by @Emmrii

tune

The idea for this rp is based heavily off of the book “The Disappearances” by Emily Bain Murphy. You, of course, don’t have to read the book to figure out what’s going on, but it’s a vERY good book in case you wanna add it to your TBR list. ;)

The year was 1943. In the span of only three years, you along with every person across the globe have been rocked by the start of World War II. It affected every single aspect of your life, from your waking hour to the time you went to bed. However, there was thing that you never expected the war to take from you: your family. Your father and mother have always been your foundation, your structure to lean on when things got rough. But when your mother passed away from an illness in 1938, your family ties began to loosen, and when your father was drafted out to war in January, they completely snapped.

Now, in late August, you are on a train to stay with your mother’s old friend in a town called Sterling. Your mother had briefly mentioned this town and her old friend before, but you never understood why she left. As you stare out the window of the train, you can’t help but wonder if you’ll find out more about your mother’s past. But, as you pull into the train station, you quickly realize that you’ll go back home with more questions than answers.

Everyone in Sterling is the definition of mysterious, and as soon as you set foot in your town, you can feel their hostility towards you. These strange people intrigue you, but no one intrigues you more than Abigail, the daughter of the woman you’re staying with. While Abigail avoids you at first, she soon starts to form a connection with you, and through your conversations, you begin to discover that there’s more to this town than meets the eye.

RULES:

• Experienced rpers only, please!! We’re likely all fairly new and unpublished authors, but I would like to keep this rp running for a while.

• I do not want this rp to die out as soon as we start, so please make your replies around two paragraphs long. I would also like good grammar. :))

• While I do tend to write with some darker themes, I like to keep the romance in my rps at a PG level. I’m totally fine with kissing and hugging, but I stay away from any sexual themes.

• I do reserve the right to say no. Please don’t get offended! You’re all amazing writers on here, but some writing styles work better with mine than others.

• While I totally get that we’re all pretty busy, I would like someone who can be active at least once every 1-3 days.

• While this isn’t required, my OC, Abigail, is straight, so I would prefer you to have male OC.

If y’all want to do templates, we can, or if you wanna jump right in, I’m good with that as well. :))

Name: Abigail Williams
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Appearance: 5’6” and 129 lbs. She has slightly curled strawberry blonde hair that goes slightly past her chest and hazel eyes. She normally wears a little bit of makeup when she’s out and about, and she normally goes with more simple dresses.
Personality: Is a more quiet individual, but is still incredibly friendly and gets along with almost anyone. She is extremely creative as she often reads, writes, and draws in her free time. She also enjoys working in her father’s shop.

Name: Theodor "Theo" Marquardt
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Appearance: Theo is a lanky person. He stands at 6'0" with a slim waist and triangular body shape. His eyes are a medium brown. He has short raven black hair that is parted to the left. His skin is a warm ivory tone, but it tends to become pale every now and them. There is a light gray scar below his left eye from a fall he had when he was eight. It only adds detail to his soft features. Generally he wears a long sleeve white shirt with dark brown pants, suspenders, black shoes, and a coat that matches his pants.
Personality: His parents would always describe him as a curious and caring individual. Theo enjoys venturing out, spending hours at the library, and learning new things; a lot of what he learns, he writes down in his journal along with any stories he has. While he is soft and a bit tender-hearted, he often isn't afraid of danger or possible consequences. Despite this, Theo tends to always look out for others. He enjoys being around people as much as he enjoys being by himself. Sometimes though, being by himself drains him.

(So sorry that this is so long. xD I didn’t write a little background information in the description, so I had to do that here.)

For as long as Abigail could remember, she had lived in Sterling, and every day that she lived in this town, her knowledge of the outside world grew more and more vague. Yes, she did know some about the current affairs; she knew that World War II was going on, and she had heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. But she had never experienced life outside of Sterling. In fact, she didn’t think she’d even been outside the town, and she didn’t know anyone who had.

You see, the people of Sterling were secluded from the outside world, but not because they hated it. In fact, many of them wanted nothing more than to travel throughout America. But, the truth is, many of these people had a secret. A dark secret. A secret that they had titled the disappearances. What the outside world didn’t know is that Abigail, along with rest of the people in Sterling, couldn’t see the stars. They could’t stop to smell the flowers or a bakery treat, nor could they have dreams or hear music. The people of Sterling, unlike the rest of the world, had a curse. A curse that made them lose what they cherished most.

Every seven years, something small but valuable vanished from the town of Sterling. The first time it happened, it was their ability to smell. Seven years later, it happened again, and the people of Sterling could no longer hear music. At the same time after another seven years, they couldn’t see the stars. This happened at over and over again, and each time, the people of Sterling lost something different. No one knew how this happened or how to fix it, but it slowly began affecting their lives more and more. So, in order to protect themselves, they hid in Sterling, away from the eyes of the outside world.

Abigail remained in Sterling along with the rest of the cursed individuals, but on that day in the late August of 1943, things were about to change. She had always imagined that she would one day leave the town, but for the first time ever, she was leaving Sterling to go do something she would’ve never expected. Pick her mother’s friend’s son up from the train station so he could live with them for a while in Sterling. She had known he was coming for a while now, but she had no idea that it would be today.

She parked her car near the train station, the wind pushing back her thick strawberry blonde curls. Her mother was caught up with work, so there was no way that she could come and pick up Theo. Instead, she told Abigail to do it with strict instruction to talk to no one.

As Abigail walked towards the station, she could feel anxiety begin to rise in the put of her stomach. Even from afar, she could the hoards of people gathered there. She had never seen a gathering quite that large, and the thought of having to walk into the crowd made her want to go straight back home. Even with this feeling of dread, she managed to suck it up and walk into the train station, trying her best to avoid colliding with the other people there. Eventually, she made it to the front of the crowd, and it wasn’t long before a train sped past her. It pulled to a stop next to the station, and as soon as the doors opened, people began pushing their way out of the train. There were dozens of passengers getting off, and Abigail’s heart filled with panic when she realized she had no idea what Theo looked like. Even if she did, she would have a difficult time finding him with all the people around, so she resorted to her only other option.

“Theo?” She pushed her way into the crowd. “Theordor Marquardt!”

Theo sat, relaxing against the train seat. His suitcase sat on the seat next to him while his messenger bag rested against him. Unlike some of the other passengers, he was wide awake.

Ever since January, he has been by himself. His routine of going to work, cleaning the house, writing letters, and going to bed isn't enough to ignore the fact that the house is emptier than it was before. Eventually he started to think about what it was like with his mother was still alive.

The more he had reminisced, the more he kept thinking about how little he knows about his mother's past and her hometown. He always wondered why she left and what Sterling was like. One morning, Theo looked through a box of her belongings and now he is here: taking a train to Sterling to stay with his mother's friend and her family for awhile.

When the train came to a full stop, Theo was one of the first up and off. His messenger bag swung across him while he held the suitcase in his left hand. In the midst of the crowd, he stood looking around for Mrs. Williams. He scratched the back of his neck then sighed. He doesn't know what she looks like.

His name rung. Theo turned his head in the direction he heard the voice. Soon he found himself in front of a young lady who called his name. He held his hand up. "Misses…uhh Miss Williams? I'm Theodor Marquardt," He smiled then held his hand out towards her. "It's nice to meet you."

Miss Williams. What an odd name. She knew that calling someone by their last name was simply proper etiquette in other places across America, but in Sterling, she was only ever referred to by her first name.

“And you must be Mr. Marquardt.” She cocked her head slightly, a strand of her blonde hair falling into her face. “You look… different than I thought you would.”

To be honest, she had no clue what Theo would look like; the only glimpse of him she’d ever gotten of him was from the family photos his mother used to send them during the holidays. Those stopped coming in the mail fourteen years ago, so the last photo she had of Theo was taken when he was only five. He obviously looked very different in comparison to the photo, but she couldn’t help but think that he looked rather dashing with his short black hair and brown eyes.

“And please, call me Abigail,” she continued. ”Constantly calling me Miss Williams would get rather dull, don’t you think?”

Looking down at his hand, he let it rest at his side. Guess a handshake is not something needed for this moment. Maybe it's not a thing in Sterling? Oh, for the time being, he doesn't know.

"Yes, well I-" His face became a faint shade of pink. Sure he gets called that a lot, especially at work, but it's something he's still getting used to. "Mister Marquardt is my father. Theo…Theodor…Whatever works for you, I do not mind." He gave a light laugh. "Well, I hope my appearance is worth your gaze."

Abigail seems to be a nice young lady. Theo couldn't help but notice how vibrant her hair is, how it stands out along with her hazel eyes. He blinked, looking down at his shoes for a moment.

Soon enough, he lifted his chin back up and continued with his light grin. "Abigail…Of course." Theo gave a nod. "I will only call you by what you wish to be called, that way it won't be dull."

She noticed how dropped his hand and frowned slightly. Was she supposed to shake it? She had never met a stranger before, much less interacted with one, so she didn’t know what to do.

“Theo,” she said. “I like it. I’m sorry if my last comment came off as rude. I didn’t mean it in a bad way at all. I just thought you looked rather handsome, that’s it.”

Was she supposed to say that? She didn’t mean it in a weird way, but Abigail was known for saying whatever was on her mind, no matter if it came off as strange or not. However, in this situation, it didn’t help at all.

She smiled at his last comment and helped him pick his luggage up off the floor. “I’ll help you carry all this to the car,” she said. “And I must warn you, Sterling… well, our town doesn’t have many visitors. I’m sure you’ll fit in fine, though.”

She couldn’t help but grimace at her blatant lie. Sterling never had any visitors, and the people who tried to move into her town were often harassed and belittled. She prayed that they wouldn’t act that way toward Theo, but she knew they would probably treat him worse than the others. His mother, after all, was likely the most hated person in Sterling.

As the two of them left the train station, she couldn’t help but steal a few glances over at Theo. He looked so kind and intelligent, and for some strange reason, he reminded her of her own father.

Theo shook his head right away. "No no, it's alright," He assured. To be honest, he didn't take the comment as being rude; he found it kind of funny. "Oh…" He wasn't sure what to say. Only his father, mother, and the neighbors called him handsome. It's the first time a girl his age has called him so. Although he's assuming she only meant it as a simple compliment, nothing else. "Thank you. You are a beautiful gal, Abigail." Hopefully he isn't coming off as strange.

"You don't have t-" His hands moved forward, waiting to grab the luggage. If someone insists on doing something, and they are able to, then let them; that's what his father taught him. He also taught him to be a gentleman always to everyone. And while Theo is a guest, he wanted to carry his own luggage, but nevertheless. Then he paused.

Warn him? Why should she warn him about Sterling? Are they not going to like him because he is his mother's son? Theo couldn't draw a conclusion. Taking a small exhale, he shook his head at himself. Now really isn't the time to ask all these questions. He has so many to begin with. So, he simply responded with, "Of course….Thank you…"

He walked alongside Abigail. Despite keeping his gaze straight ahead, he found himself looking around at everything possible. In new and familiar settings, he likes taking in every little detail. Then he briefly glanced over at the luggage and of course, Abigail. She really is a beautiful gal.

After throwing his luggage into the backseat, Abigail climbed into the car and started up the engine. For most of the way to Sterling, she was silent; she didn’t even dare to look in Theo’s direction. How strange. She was never shy around the people in Sterling. Why did she feel this way around him?

“So… your mother,” she said, breaking the silence. “She used to live in Sterling. Did she even mention anything about it?”

Her grip tightened around the steering wheel. She probably shouldn’t have asked that. She knew that his mom had died a few years ago, and she didn’t know how sensitive that topic was to him. But she was still curious about what his mother had said to him about Sterling. Abigail wasn’t alive yet when his mother lived in the town, and while Abigail had heard her name a few times, and most people treated the memory of his mother with contempt. This was likely because his mom was the first person to leave Sterling, and when she did, the curse no longer affected people her. Many other cursed individuals who tried leaving Sterling were never able to get rid of their curse, so Abigail figured that most people were jealous of Theo’s mother. Jealous that she was able to live a normal life.

But that brought up more questions. Why was Theo’s mother able to leave Sterling and get rid of the curse? Some thought that she had found a cure for the curse but was too selfish to share it. Others thought she was the one who somehow started the curse. Abigail didn’t know if either of those theories were true, but now that Theo, her son, was moving to Sterling, maybe she would finally get some answers.

He sat on the edge of the carseat. Throughout most of the ride, he kept quiet. Usually that's how he is whenever his father would drive him somewhere. Of course, Theo continued looking around. The few times he would look over at Abigail, he noticed that she seemed rather shy. Turning in the seat, he stared out the window.

Thinking about his mother was a lot. Sometimes he would get upset or depressed while other times he is okay. It's been five years and he is still grieving; he knows his father was before being drafted. Regardless, it's still weird anytime he would talk about it with anyone else in town.

Theo bit his bottom lip. All he knows about Sterling (and his mother's past) is that it's a secluded town and she left it. Even the things in the box at home didn't give him much too. He had to shrug. "No. She never really mentioned much," He replied. "She only ever told me that she was from Sterling. Sadly, that's it."

He hoped that he can learn more about his mother. There must be something or someone in Sterling who can answer all his questions. For him and his father, he needs to do this. All the mystery…the ambiguity…it's too much for them.

If only she was still alive. Theo isn't just thinking that just because he wants to learn more about here. He misses her. On the other hand, he always wondered what she was like before leaving town and meeting his father.

Reclining back in the carseat, he sighed, "Has your mother said anything about her to you?"

Abigail hesitated for a moment before answering. She had spoken briefly about his mother before, but not much. Maybe she would’ve spoken about her if Abigail and her mother were closer. It wasn’t that they had a bad relationship; they simply had opposing personalities. Abigail was always the quiet, intelligent type, while Adelaide, her mother, was much more vibrant and bubbly. Because of this difference between them, Abigail and Adelaide used to fight a lot, and now, they barely spoke.

“Mm… sometimes,” she replied. “They were good friends, but your mom left Sterling without a word to anyone. They haven’t spoken much since.”

That was only a half truth. Theo’s mother did leave without a word, and it was also true that they hadn’t spoken since. However, everyone knew why his mother left; a rumor had started in the town that she had been the one to start the curse. Abigail didn’t know why people assumed this, but she was determined to find out.

He hummed. What did Misses Williams say? Good things? No, probably not, but his mother though….Oh, he started to get this twisted feeling in his stomach. Theo really hoped that he wasn't regretting coming to Sterling. This was the only thing he has been excited about for a long time.

"Guess she isn't really held in fond memory in Sterling, right?" He asked. "She only ever brought it up once and that was because I asked for a paper on my parents…" A paper which he got an A minus on; yes, he still believes that it was an A plus paper, but oh well.

From what little he knows, maybe not. She left after all. Did anyone else ever leave Sterling or is she the only one? Maybe that's why Abigail gave him a warning? "Will I really fit in…being Irene's boy and all?" Theo turned his head, staring at Abigail with anticipation lit in his eyes. He started to fidget with his hands.

He worried because there's a good chance that he'll never fit in. No one is going to tell him anything and he'll just be alone again. The feeling in his stomach persisted.

She pursed her lips, trying to think of a way to respond. While there were a few people who still loved Irene, many of the citizens of Sterling had lost respect for her after she left. It was ironic, really. Everyone else in Sterling wanted more than anything to leave the town, but when someone else got the chance to do it, they hated her for it.

“People have mixed feelings about her,” Abigail replied. “Some dislike her while others have fond memories of her. It depends, I suppose.”

Abigail’s heart felt like it was going to break at his next comment. It was sad that someone like Theo would still be hated simply because he was related to Irene. Luckily, she didn’t think it would affect him being able to fit in. After all, it wasn’t the kids that he had to worry about; they never knew Irene, so they had no reason to treat him badly.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to fit in,” she said. “And if you can’t make any friends, you can always come stick around me.”

She knew how he likely felt about hanging around Abigail; most young boys preferred to hang out with peers of their own gender. But she didn’t mind him hanging around her. To be honest, his company, judging from the short time that she had known him, was kind of nice.

"Ahh, I see." Suppose it makes sense to him. Really though, he wondered what people truly thought of his mother. Back at home, people did like her, yet there were some who were not really kind. The case in Sterling will be much different. "I hope they won't mind me asking about her."

Is he supposed to be making friends? Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to. Eh, Theo was not really good at that sort of thing back in school. The only reason why he became good friends is because of his Superman and Batman comic books. Funny enough, he did bring a few issues with him. Later he should show them to Abigail. Hopefully she likes superheroes.

"Really? You think so?" His brows jumped as his cheeks rose. Theo grinned. "Would you mind if I stick with you? If that's fine with you, of course." He really wouldn't mind if they hung out. Actually, he would like it very much. Just as long as Abigail is okay with it; that's all that matters to him. Sure he doesn't like to be alone, but he doesn't want to force anyone to be with him.

The feeling in his stomach had begun to untangle. His shoulders lowered as the rest of him started to relax. Everything is going to be alright. Well, he hopes so. He nodded to himself in order to give himself some reassurance. Everything will be alright, and partially, it is thanks to Abigail.

“Just… be careful who you ask, okay?”

She hated that she even had to say that, but it was true. There were many people in Sterling that would get hostile towards him if he asked about his mother while there were others who would be fine with answering his questions.

“Of course.” She stole a glance over at him and smiled. “Just… be prepared for a few weird remarks from others. For some reason, everyone in Sterling thinks just because you’re hanging out with someone of the opposite gender, you’re dating them. It’s stupid, really.”

The sudden wave of enthusiasm in him had crashed when it hit reality. Theo gave a swift nod. "Roger that." She's right. There's a good chance that there will be people who are going to be giving him a hassle because of his mother. His mother hasn't done anything terrible, yes? Unless all the townsfolk consider leaving Sterling to be terrible. Just as long as someone can give him direction so he can find answers, that's all he really needs.

He smiled back at Abigail. Sighing softly, he looked out the windshield. "Oh that's okay. I'll be ready," He assured. "It really is stupid. People back at home would give weird comments too. I'm sure everything will be fine though and so will we."

She nodded and glanced out the window. Earlier, she had been nervous about someone she had never met before staying in her home, but Theo seemed liked a pretty genuine person. She hoped the other people in Sterling would feel the same. After all, he had dealt with enough in his life with his mother’s death and his father going off to war. She didn’t want the people of Sterling to give him even more trouble.

“Yeah. They can be annoying at times, but the other teenagers in Sterling are pretty nice.” She gave a reassuring smile. “You’ll get along with them. I’m sure of it.”

This is beyond swell. Just hours ago, he was not able to stay still because he kept wondering and worrying about what was to happen at the start of coming to Sterling. In fact, Theo still is wondering and worrying about what's to come, but now part of that is at rest. And he won't be alone too which makes things more hopeful for him. Maybe things won't be as bad as his mind is trying to make them appear. Maybe just maybe.

He chuckled again then proceeded with a long exhale. "Thanks," He grinned. "That's good to hear. Fitting in is always something I worry about, especially now going to Sterling and all, but with what you said, I think everything is going to be okay. I think I may be more excited than I was on the train."

“Well, that’s good. And yeah, don’t worry too much about it.” She shrugged. “I mean, you get along fine with me, so…”

It wasn’t long before they pulled up to Abigail’s home, a large house near the outskirts of Sterling. Abigail got out of the vehicle and, without a word, began to gather up his belongings and walk towards the house.