2025-05-22 - Safety Check

There’s something very odd about seeing an attraction like the Haunted Estate when it’s shut down for inspection. Even though it’s after hours, which means after sunset, it feels brighter, airier, yet lacking the character it builds in the dark and shadows. That’s probably a compliment for people like Thomas.

It isn’t the first time Parker has seen it in such a state, so as he approaches the attraction, it’s with the benefit of foresight. “Tell a guy you don’t envy his late schedule and get saddled with a night gig. Go figure.” He’s muttering himself as he approaches the entrance, looking around for one of the employees meant to meet him here. Dressed in smart blue slacks, a white button-down, and brown Oxfords, he screams MANAGEMENT.

“Hello?” Tucked under his arm is a tablet, which he flips open to check the roster of employees on duty for this check, which comes on the heels of extra eyes on the park, and not all of them friendly.

"Yup, hi, I'm here!" Thomas can be heard calling in response to the greeting. He's not immediately visible, though he sounds out of breath before he comes skidding around the corner, just catching himself on one of the doors before he topples over. "Hi! Sorry! I was just.. making sure everything was locked down!" he says, mostly convincingly.

Thomas is in almost all-black, the better to be unobtrusive, his badge clipped to his dark jeans. "Mr. Somerset?" he tests carefully, like he might have just about read the notification about the safety inspection. He hangs back, shifting from one foot to the other. "I'm Thomas." Pause. "Graves. Thomas Graves," he introduces himself.

Parker is gingerly setting a loose strand of hair back where it should be when Thomas rounds the corner. He turns toward the man, looking him up and down, before nodding an affirmative. "That's me." And while he can read the tab hanging from the man's jeans, he waits until a verbal introduction is given.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Graves. Your name popped up a few times in my prep." He widens his eyes meaningfully, and they flash golden in whatever light is coming off the estate. "Seems like this place has eased your spirit." With a heavy sigh, he turns to look at his tablet and jump into a prearranged speech about the importance of compliance, blah-blah-blah; instead, his shoulders slump in almost a defeated way.

When he looks back up at Thomas, it's with earnest disdain, not for the man, but for being here with him. "What do you say we get this one over with quick, huh? There's a glass of wine waiting somewhere for me when the day is done."

Thomas's expression falls when Parker says his name turned up several times. He looks, if it's possible, more anxious at the reminder, a foot scuffing along the ground as he glances away and back into the Haunted Estate. "Yeah, its' a good place," he agrees with an uncertain nod.

He just about catches himself from stepping back at the look in Parker's eyes, but perhaps the words soften the blow. "Yeah, that sounds good to me. I definitely need a beer after this week, you know?" he says hopefully as he steps back and gestures inwards. "Where do you want to start?"

"Oh, don't worry." Parker's waves his free hand between them. "Believe it or not, amusement parks aren't too far off from state fairs. Plenty of people getting in trouble due to youth, incompetence, or genuine malice in their heart." He cocks his head and strikes a cheeky grin. "Which were you?"

The answer is less important than the follow-up question, which is about work that needs to be done. "Oh, I know it." Wine, beer, whatever. "Just take me through it all. I need to see that extinguishers are in place, as well as up-to-date escape maps. Emergency lights. The upper windows shouldn't fully open, lest some tourist tumble out of one." He has a checklist, but will leave it to Thomas to tell him what's what, which is a safety test of its own.

"Me? None of them!" Thomas says with a wry grin of his own, the smile from Parker seemingly raising his spirits (pun unintended). "I just talk a lot and sometimes that just gets on people's nerves, you know?" he explains with a shrug of his shoulders before he hums, glancing back to Parker as he leads him through the Estate.

"To be honest I'm pretty sure I'm more likely to fall out of a window than a tourist," Thomas says idly, grining at Parker as he starts the predefined 'tour' of the Estate, showing the extinguishers in their places, the security tabs attached and within their expiry dates. Maps, they've got loads of them too. As they go through he tests each of the emergency lights in sequence, checking that the exit signs work and so on.

"Soooo who did you piss off to get put on the graveyard shift, huh?"

"Incompetent then." Too old to be young, too goofy to be malicious. Parker pretends to make a note of this on his pad, turning the screen away from Thomas to stress the secretive nature of his work. Then, he follows on ahead.

As they walk, he sighs. "You give our guests far too much credit." Or maybe he's spot on; they're only just getting to know one another. He makes notes about each item he's shown and looks to be ticking something off a list as they move. "Hm?" The eventual question takes him off-guard. "I worked myself into a corner with this one. Decided we should fast-track a round of tests given the recent Coast Guard interest. Then one of my officers called in sick." He rolls his eyes and wrinkles his nose. "Never mind all that. I appreciate you staying for this."

"Ouch, I'm wounded," Thomas says, clutching his heart, and for a moment he looks just a little more worried at the way Parker's making a note of it. He doesn't comment further, biting back whatever response he had on his tongue.

Thomas frowns as they round a corner and he sees a patch of hazard tape torn away from a low ceiling. "Huh, that was fine earlier," he says, more to himself than to Parker. He reaches into a pocket, pulling out a small roll of tape, replacing it quickly, biting off the end of the tape with a sheepish look.

He nods to Parker's reponse. "Eh, it needed doing, and I'm more of a night person than a day, you know? But it's good that it's getting done, at least."

Parker enjoys toying with employees like that, keeping them on their toes, but this one may be more prone to his teasing if only because he reacts so amusingly.

The hazard types wrinkles his brow. "What's that about? Sometimes, I can't tell if things are part of the attraction or an actual danger here on the Boo'dwalk." This must be one of those times, and so his gaze bears down on Thomas for an answer. "I'm more of a happy hour and early morning person, by the way."

"Oh yeah that's just a 'don't hit your head'thing, more safety critical than decorative.." Thomas explains with a gesture to the ceiling. "But we do like to mix form and function after all. "

The answer from Parker has Thomas's head tilting curiously. "Are you now? You like to work early morning? Or just to be awake then for some other reason? "

"Ah." Parker lifts his gaze to the tape again, noting the ceiling's height against his own and calculating for the average height of their guests, as well as any Scandinavian outliers. "I can see the sense in that."

After adding to his notes, he lifts a brow curiously in Thomas's direction, as if he didn't expect someone to be so curious about his own life. Then again, the man did admit to talking a lot. "I get my best work done in the morning, and I like to go for runs beforehand." Member of the 5am club right here.

"We should probably take a ride so I can see things in operation," he suggests. "What would you say to that?"

"Plus if people are moving quickly then.. you know, they might not be looking as carefully as they should..." Thomas fills in helpfully before he blinks at Parker's disclosure. "Wow that's... dedicated!" he says. "As long as it works for you, huh. Though I admit you uh, don't seem like a happy hour kinda guy." It's probably becoming clearer to Parker why Thomas gets shuffled around.

"Sure! I can take you for a ride, just need to take the lock-out off and everything, yeah?" he says.

It is helpful, if not immediately then in Parker's greater sense of things, including how employee T. Graves sees things around here. "Thank you for explaining that for me."

He nods to his dedication, but deeply frowns at not seeming like a happy hour kinda guy. "Excuse me? What kinda guy do I seem like to you?" To make a point, he unbuttons a whole top button, casual-like.

"Also, yes. Whatever you need to do. A ride-through is absolutely standard procedure." Of course it is, though around here that might be true, especially given all the things that one could get the hem of a dress caught in, for instance. Or lose a pair of glasses to, causing a fire. There are so many fun examples he could give.

Danger Will Robinson, Danger! Thomas looks like he might be about to desperately backpedal but instead he just gives a helpless shrug. "I dunno man, you seem like uh.. management," he offers brightly. "It's a little hard to imagine you with double cocktails cutting loose on the dance floor you know?" Perhaps Thomas has a different idea of happy hour to Parker.

"Yeah, lemme just go set things up. I'll leave the lights up so you can see everything, yeah? " he offers, perhaps looking glad for the excuse to escape just for a moment to go turn the ride on.

"I am management." Who does Thomas think he's talking to!? Parker has to clarify, though, so he quickly tacks on an addendum to that. "But not management-management. I'm not Cavendish or anything." No way would he give his life to the park in that way. But also..."What happy hours do you go to?"

He does nod about setting up the ride. "You can come with, if it works like that." Who knows, maybe Thomas needs to operate something manually. "Or whatever." He has his pad and his notes and will happily ride through the attraction alone to collect the last bit of his data.

"Well no - no one's Cavendish," Thomas says with some relief in his tone. "OKay clearly you go to bars and I go to clubs. Or I used to I guess, I don't really have the constitution to drink that much anymore, hangovers hit so much harder these days," he says with a helpless grin.

It's not a don't come with! Thomas gleefully accepts. "Oh sure, I'll come with, it's always good to see it from this angle anyway, though I normally go with teh lights off so I can see my work," he remarks with a wink. "Will be new for me too!" He disappears off to go turn on the right systems or whatever it is he does for a few minutes beofre he returns. "Ready! Come with me."

Parker shakes his head, agreeing that nobody is Cavendish, but also that hangovers his harder. "I know what you mean. And clearly, yes, we go to different places. I would have recognized you otherwise."

He shuts the tablet in his arms down and flips over its cover, ready for the ride through. As Thomas runs off, though, he calls out, "You can turn the lights off." Whether he hears or not, and decides to (or not), is another matter. Either way, what he really wants becomes clear. "I just need you to explain to me how you've accounted for people getting their hair caught in all the different things that pop out at them." In other words: he's ready to ride.

"Well I hope that's a compliment," Thomas says with a smile to Parker just before he disappears. Maybe he catches the shout maybe he doesn't. The answer becomes clear a few moments later when he shouts back "GOING DARK" and the main lighting flicks off, leaving only the spookiness to go.

On his return he leads Parker to the carts, making sure that he's secure in before he joins him. The pre-recorded announcements of keeping one's arms and legs inside the ride at all times play before it sets off on its route. "Oh that one's easy to answer. Other than the announcements making sure that you don't leave teh carriage or anything, nothing really gets close enough to touch unless you're leaning way outside the cart," he explains. "And if you're doing that then we'll pick you up on the thermal cameras and pull the plug if we need to."

Parker stares after Thomas with his mouth agape. They're at work. Yet he isn't completely far from blame here, and he chides himself for perhaps leading a loud-mouthed employee on no matter how much fun it is to tease him.

GOING DARK.

"Wait, what? I'm not in a seat, yet." The lights go out and Parker huffs, arms falling to his sides while he waits either for his eyes to adjust or for Thomas to lead him to where he needs to go. The latter happens first, so he mutters his thanks before shifting to the side. "Thermal, noted. Expecting American adults to follow orders, noted." He doesn't check these things off the list. "What about kids? They're notorious for leaning out of moving vehicles."

"The bar keeps you pretty well situated," Thomas says with a shrug, rattling said bar. "But expecting people to listen to what they're told is like the last line of defense. Generally people are pretty good at -" he's cut off by the shaking of the ride, the technician grinning like a loon. "I love this part. REally love this whole thing," he says with a pleased grin to Parker.

As the ride jerks back into life, carrying them off into another wing of the estate, Thomas laughs. "Honestly that's not the biggest problem. Most of the guest issues are caused by people trying to uh.. enjoy a little time together," he explains. "Which yes, we can see on the thermals and we can dissuade with some pointed announcements. Or really worst case we hit the emergency stop and turn all the lights on."

Parker eyes the bar as it shakes, then uses his own hands to test it out. It's not the first time he's been on this ride, but its always a good idea to see how things stand during any given inspection point. "You love it?" He glances aside, eyes gently glowing in the dark here, which may now be an obvious side effect of the park's magic. "Well, aren't we lucky."

As the ride churns along, carrying them through the mansion in the dark, he snort-laughs at what Thomas tells him. "Is that right? it's true that our demographic is at peak horniness." Young people, some with kids and some without, make up the bulk of the audience. That has to be true, he thinks. "And, uh, can you give me an example? An anecdote maybe?" He's fishing for gossip, or making fun talk sound like work talk.

The bar moves just enough to give the rider some freedom of movement, while firmly ensuring they do not leave their seat. Thomas looks pleased at it, like he was expecting it to behave correctly and it's performed admirably. "Yeah I mean, even if I didn't love it I'd still work my ass off for it, but.. I think it's good to be able to put your heart into something, you know?" he says with a wide smile, eyes briefly catching on the glowing of Parker's eyes before he looks back to the ride.

"I guess we are. But still need to keep things family friendly, huh? Plus no one wants to have to clean that up," Thomas says with a twitch of his lips. "Sure I've got a few memorable occasions," he admits before he continues straight into it. "There was uh, this one time some guy decided to.." he clears his throat, perhaps aware that they're still working. And that Parker is representing Management, "...help his boyfriend out with his mouth," he says carefully. "And let me tell you blowjobs and jump scares don't mix!"

"I suppose you must." Parker considers what he puts his own heart into here, but is thankfully distracted enough from introspection to avoid letting himself down in front of others. He focuses on the ride, turning this way and that as if expecting to see something in the familiar gloom.

When the story is relayed, he nearly chokes as he winces. "Oh. God. Tell me nobody had to ring the infirmary." It doesn't sound like a great story, though he also can't help but laugh. So unprofessional!

"Oh someone absolutely had to call the infirmary. Me," Thomas laughs, shaking his head. "I think they both learned a valuable lesson that day... oh hey this is a great part!" he says, distracted as they get to the drunk, joke-telling ghost in the basement. Thomas has clearly heard all these terrible ghost puns before, and yet he laughs at them as if hearing them for the first time.

If Parker ever has to hear, "The ghostest with the mostest," again it will be too soon. "This is your favorite part?" He groans, even after the very interesting story regarding the infirmary. Talk about a BJ from hell!

"Okay, so when does the ride get scary again?" He glances at his watch, which has enough illumination for him to spot the time. "I hope I don't miss the last ferry to the resort." The wine bar there is excellent.

"It's one of them! It's great man," Thomas says with a smile. "I mean, I came up with some of the jokes, probably the worst ones," he teases lightly, glancing away and to the rest of the ride. "Oh do you prefer your thrills over your bad puns?" he wonders curiously.

Just in time for a giant helldog animatronic to burst out of a side door and 'chase' the cart away from the ghost comedian, the ride pulling them quickly through a hidden door into a psychadelic tunnel.

"I appreciate something that can actually scare me." Parker holds his hand up between the two of them. Let to be known that he is brave. "Dad jokes are...not for met, yet." Not the worst thing that can be said of them.

When the helldog bursts out of the side door, he sticks his tongue out and looks for anything dangerous that might have been *over*looked. "OK, so I don't remember all of this." Is the psychedelic tunnel new? He scoots just a touch toward the center of the cart seat.

The ride seems to be well-maintained, there's nothing immediately obvious that a punter could get stuck on or injured by. Which is clearly a good thing. Thomas reaches out to carefully pat Parker's shoulder as he scoots inwards. "Nothing to worry about, nothing's going to eat you here!" he promises with a wide grin. He's clearly been through this enough times he knows all the timings.

"Yeah we're trying out the tunnel at the moment, gets you a little disorientated so you lose track of where you are in the manor. It's actually a pretty nifty little lighting trick that has the lights moving faster than the carts so your brain thinks you're going fast but you're not moving that quickly, so we can bring you out in into one of the other rooms without losing space," he explains.

"I know nothing is going to eat me." Parker sounds a little annoyed but he doesn't scoot away. Instead, he thinks of those poor men caught on infrared when things went wrong.

The new port of the ride gets most of his attention, though, and he peers at the walls and the ceiling and the lighting, looking for cracks that might violate code. "You're responsible for those lights, aren't you?" It's an interesting thing, one he doesn't usually pay mind to. How fast does he think he's going right now?

Thomas opens his mouth like maybe he's about to say something ill-advised but clearly thinks better of it, closing his mouth again and merely grinning instead.

The question has Thomas smiling again. "yeah, I am, picked it up from a few places so thought I'd give it a shot," he says, and there's a hint of smugness to his tone. "So far it's tested well, at least, so we're gonna keep doing it." After what feels like a long ride (but probably is a quarter of the distance it feels like), they emerge in a wine cellar populated by ghosts that try and 'tempt' the occupants to stay for just one glass wine.

Does Parker notice this? No, his attention is on the newer section of the ride and the potential for excitement it offers: The illusion of speed without the danger. Now this is good stuff.

"I think you're doing good work here. Honestly, I don't know why your record is as scattered as it is." Here, he turns to actually look at Thomas, not just as the employee he has to deal with, but as someone with something to offer the park. This time, it looks like he's about to say something, but the ghosts interrupt. "I wish, but I'm due for the real stuff soon." Waving the ghost away, he wonders how long the ride is in total.

It's clear that they're near the end, the ghosts finally letting go of their guests as the ride drags them finally into the gardens where the chain-wrapped ghost tries to chase them into a set of newly dug graves.

"Yeah, well, sometimes you just gotta find the slot you fit in, you know?" Thomas says with a shrug, though he looks away at the reminder of his record. "Mmm, yeah I am definitely looking fowards to the end of today. Not that your company hasn't been enjoyable!" he says quickly. "Just, y'know, be glad to shut the ride down and let my hair out or something, y'now?"

That chain-wrapped ghost is featured in advertisements and even a past sippy cup, so Parker knows it well. When it's all said and done, though, he can't find anything to fault the ride about. That's great news. "Everything seems in order here, which is may favorite thing to say."

Turning to Thomas, he smiles and nods his agreement. "Me, too. No hard feelings. I just want to start winding down." And then, after a pause, he adds, "I've enjoyed your company."

"That's one of my favourite things to hear!" Thomas says with a grin in response. "Anything you need me to sign?" he asks, glancing down to Parker's pad before he looks up in surprise.

"Oh, thansk, man. I hope I didn't talk your ear off too much," he says hopefully, tilting his head at the other man.

Parker shakes his head. "No, the only signature needed is mine. I'll file the report and hope it stays there. Because if it does, that means someone annoying is snooping around." He shakes his head at that, as if the threat is both to real and and a cartoonish menace.

As far as the compliment goes, he isn't going to lean too far into it. "Not at all. I don't know what your past managers were talking about." This does make him grin, though. "Let me give you my number, in case there's anything you left out that you think I should include."

"Well if it comes to light all it's going to say is what a model employee I am doing great work," Thomas teases lightly, grinning cheerfully at Parker as the ride finally comes to a stop and the bar releases, Thomas letting them both out before he hops to the ground.

"Sure, do you want mine as well? In case you realise you forgot anything. or you get bored and want to learn all about voltage drops in long cable runs or something," he offers.

"Well, someone might infer that." Parker can give Thomas that, at least. "Mostly, it will say what the others say. This ride is safe, things are up-to-date, and that we'll schedule a follow up for the new section soon." Another data point to help tell the story of Spellbound.

Removing a sleek phone from his pocket, he nods. "Of course. I don't see myself getting that bored, but I like to be prepared."

"Well that sounds like a good report to me," Thomas says cheerfully, stepping away for a moment to bring the house lights back up. When they're on again he returns, pulling his own - somewhat less sleek - phone out.

"Ouch," he laughs. "I think I brought that on myself," he says, passing his phone number across to Parker. "Well if you ever want to experience a different kind of happy hour, you know where to find me."

The two men exchange numbers and a brief moment of silence falls between them as they do. "Honestly?" Parker looks up from what he's doing, slips the phone back in his pocket, and purses his lips thoughtfully. "I may reach out just to figure out what you mean by that."

Happy hour. He'd been surprised to find any that suited him, but to learn that there are many different types in their community? Clearly, this calls for an investigation.

"Sure man, if the mood takes you," Thomas says with a grin, before he flicks off a quick salute to Parker. "Me on the other hand, I'm gonna shut everything down and lock up. Was good to meet you, Mr. Somerset," he says, offering his hand to the other man.

Parker takes the offered hand and gives it a firm, solid shake. "Pleasure, Mr. Graves." And then he's off, swiveling on a heel to about face and find his own way out. And you know what? The exit signs and emergency route maps are well placed, because they lead him where he needs to go after without having to embarrass himself asking for directions. Bonus points for the Haunted Estate.