Even though she was fully awake, it took Ami Flynn (Girl 072) a hour to really open her eyes. Much later, in hindsight, she would wonder if she had made a horrible mistake by doing that. So careless, so naive. In hindsight, Ami Flynn would be surprised she wasn't killed for her negligence.
The situation made itself known a hour after she woke up, in the middle of a huge mall. Ami sat propped up against an empty rack inside of an abandoned grocery store, checking to see if there really was a cut on the back of her head. Her scalp felt warm and damp. She wasn't quite sure where it was, somewhere between the top of her neck and her skull, but it was there. While it wasn't bleeding much, it was enough to give her pause. Enough to coat her hand.
Her eyes dilated as she stared at her hand. A red stain. A mental switch flicked on and Ami suddenly felt... Queasy. Sick. Nauseous. She felt her stomach sink so far that it nearly made her knees buckle on impact.
Her head was still swimming, objects in the distant aisles blurry, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to piece it all together.
This was real. It was not a dream.
Then she began to remember. Everything came to her in pieces, fragments. Ami forced herself to deal with the flood
The screaming, the gunshot, the silence... The dread. A dead deer on the side of the road. A red haired girl... choking... It was like a nightmare.
No. Not nightmares. Memories.
Ami felt oddly calm... and by that, she wasn't screaming or crying or throwing a fit. It was quiet in the grocery store, eerily so. Ami found herself huddled against the floor, the duffel bag draped across her lap. The only sound was a faint buzzing ringing throughout the building. Or was that just her ears playing tricks?
But then something else as well. Something scratching, scrabbling.... It took her awhile to realize that it was her right arm, jumping involuntarily, knuckles rapping on the floor, fingers scratching and rubbing. She used her left hand to stop it from moving. Ami Flynn also realized then that she was holding her breath. She let it all out in one, giant gasp.
Okay, maybe she wasn't so calm after all.
So, this was Survival of the Fittest. Ami could not recall ever watching a single second of that show. She understood what the gist of it was though, but then again who didn't? Kill your best friends, something about collars and some smug guy talking over a pa system.
The man calling himself Danya had explained the rules, but Ami could remembered none of what was said. Perhaps her lack of understand and of perspective was the reason why she wasn't incredibly worried. She didn't know what to expect so she wasn't sure what to be afraid of? That seemed... perfectly reasonable, albeit rather naive.
She supposed there were details inside of her duffel bag but... she didn't want to look. She remembered the redhead and the duffel bag... The thing weighed a ton though, and that worried her slightly. Ami looked down at the bag in her lap, eyeing it suspiciously.
Well. What the heck could be inside? She would have to look in there at some point! Wouldn't it be best to just do it and get it over with? It wasn't like it was a bomb set to go off, right?
Ami lowered the bag down onto the floor like a mother setting it's baby into a crib. Sitting up onto her knees, she clasped the zipper, pursing her lips in the process. She felt like a member of a bomb squad cutting off wires. Before she could think twice and stop herself, she unzipped the bag and opened it up.
Ami's blood ran cold.
She zipped it back up and fell onto her back, holding her hands to her head.
"...Oh no."
She should have known it wasn't a bomb. How could she have been so stupid? And that was the moment when Ami had the sudden urge to cry and she immediately shot back up.
"No no no no no..."
She slammed her open palm against her head. She slapped herself, squeezed her eyes tight, rocked herself back and forth, anything to stop the tears.
"Pull it together, get a grip, c'mon Ami don't -- please, don't -"
Too late. She let out a sob, her hands automatically moving to cover her mouth. It was enough to muffle her cry but the tears came forth anyway, flowing down her cheeks at an alarming rate. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore. She just... balled her hands into fists, mashed them against her eyes and started crying.
What was she supposed to do?
She couldn't actually use this thing, could she?
So many questions that Ami could not bear to answer.
Ultimately We Just Want to Be Happy
Open
Ultimately We Just Want to Be Happy
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Ciel. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Just outside the Shopping Centre, a certain girl in a red leather jacket was cautiously making her way towards the ominous building, clutching a submachine gun in her hands as she kept an eye out for any potential ambushes.
It had barely been an hour or so since Ruby Forrester had woken up, and the young girl was already on the move. After going through the whole "Is this a dream? Am I really expected to kill my own classmates? Oh Jesus Christ, the unfairness of it all!" schtick, she decided there and then that her first concern was finding a place to lay low and get her thoughts straight, especially seeing as she had woken up to find herself lying out in the open. And what better place to take shelter in than a spooky derelict shopping mall?
Of course, she didn't intend to stay there too long. Heck, the only reason she was heading there at all was because there was a slim possibility that the building still had some supplies in stock. Probably not much, if any at all, but if on the off chance there were some longterm foodstuffs there that hadn't already been looted she wanted to grab them first. Whether or not said food would be necessary or even remotely edible was another question entirely. But hell, given her current situation, why the hell should she pass up this opportunity to nab the best stuff before everyone else with the same idea showed up?
That was another reason why she was on the alert as she neared the building, her gun poised and ready in case some crazy motherfucker with a machete started charging towards her from the darkness. Surreal and distressing as the thought was, she did not doubt for a second that at least some of her classmates would be more than willing to go on the offensive. She never watched Survival of the Fittest, but she had heard more than enough about it to get the idea. For some reason, this twisted game seemed to bring out the worst in people. Otherwise perfectly ordinary highschool students would become sadistic, cackling psychopaths the moment they found themselves on an island with an explosive collar around their neck. Teenagers who had once been bullies or jerks for had a tendency became full-blown mass murderers when put into a situation where traditional laws and morals were no longer applicable.
And it wasn't just the jerks and bullies she would have to look out for. She had heard once about how there was some guy who was the most sensitive, harmless person you could ever think of, who after suffering one traumatic event too many ended up going loco and setting up a gruesome garden full of bloody corpses. If there's anything to learn from that story, it was that in a messed up situation like this, anyone had the potential to just completely lose their shit and start collecting heads.
In other words, she was going to be damn careful about who she was going to trust.
To be entirely honest, she still had a hard time just accepting the fact that she really was in this situation. That despite the all the people in America, in all the schooltrips across the country, her class had been the one that had been chosen. Jesus fucking Christ, it was like she had woken up one day to find herself appearing in one of the crappy stories she was writing.
Which reminded her, those bastards stole her laptop! Admittedly, it was the least of her concerns considering she also was scarred for life by the sight of once of her teacher's getting their brains blown out, but god damnit did she regret never saving back-up copies of what she had written for the past year on a hard drive or something.
In any case, right now her main concern was not getting herself killed. Once she had grabbed enough supplies for her to not have to worry about getting hungry in the near future, she would head off and find somewhere more remote to lay low.
What she did after that was a question she would have to answer later. Right now, she hadn't the slightest clue what she was going to do in the long term. Escape didn't look like a likely prospect, considering how long these guys probably spent making sure that they ironed out all the issues that had led to the dramatic escape in the previous game. At the same time, the thought of murdering her classmates sickened her In self defence, she could probably do it, but without provocation? And that wasn't even taking into account the fact that some of her closest friends were stuck in this situation with her, people whom she had known and loved since childhood.
Brian. For the love of god, don't do anything stupid whilst I'm not around to watch your back.
No. She had already lost her freedom, her most prized possession and possibly her life to these terrorists. No way she was going to let them steal her humanity too.
At the same time though, suicide was completely out of the question. She didn't want to murder people, but she was in no rush to get herself killed either. Not if it meant that there was still a slim chance that she could see her family and loved ones again. Her mother, her father, her brother Nathan...
Regan...
Whilst she wasn't ready to start capping people left right and centre, she wasn't ready to give up either.
She bit her lip nervously as she slowly entered the shopping centre, expecting to hear the sound of gunfire at any moment. Whilst at the moment it looked as though she was alone in this building, she couldn't help but feel like there were a thousand eyes watching her every movement, just waiting for the moment that she let her guard down to strike.
Of course, that could just be her being paranoid, but given the circumstances she felt like she had every right to be.
It didn't take long for her to find a grocery store, one which seemed to contain a fair amount of tinned goods.
Looks like I've struck gold.
However, moments after she stepped through the open glass doors, Ruby heard the unmistakeable sound of a girl crying her heart out.
Immediately stopping in her tracks, Ruby raised her gun defensively as she tried to ascertain the location of the girl she was potentially intruding on. As much as she hoped that whoever was in this store was perfectly harmless, years of playing Left 4 Dead had taught her never to trust the sound of a girl crying, especially not in a supposedly abandoned shopping mall.
That said, tempting as it was to just turn around and leave, she couldn't bring herself to do so. Partly because she still wanted to grab some supplies, but mainly because... God damnit, despite the fact that getting the hell out of there was the most sensible thing she could do she couldn't bring herself to leave a potentially helpless girl to die at the hands of someone more proactive than herself. Worst case scenario, if they turn out to be hostile she'll just tell them to back the fuck off, or -- god forbid -- fire off a warning shot or two.
She crept along the narrow aisles, making sure to remain as silent as possible until she found herself staring around the corner at a girl with black hair sobbing into her hands.
Ruby couldn't tell exactly who it was from where she was standing, although she could hazard a couple of guesses. In any case despite her earlier paranoia, now that she had found this person, she couldn't help but feel more sympathetic. Maybe it was because she was the first living person she had found on an otherwise empty island, but any suspicions she had were beginning to subside. This wasn't some crazed lunatic, or a potentially dangerous sociopath. This was a young girl who, like herself, was scared to death of what she was expected to do.
Oh god, I'm going to regret this, aren't I?
After a moment's hesitance, Ruby stepped forward, lowering her slightly gun in an attempt to appear less threatening.
"Hey, are you okay? Don't be alarmed, I'm not here to hurt you or anything..."
It had barely been an hour or so since Ruby Forrester had woken up, and the young girl was already on the move. After going through the whole "Is this a dream? Am I really expected to kill my own classmates? Oh Jesus Christ, the unfairness of it all!" schtick, she decided there and then that her first concern was finding a place to lay low and get her thoughts straight, especially seeing as she had woken up to find herself lying out in the open. And what better place to take shelter in than a spooky derelict shopping mall?
Of course, she didn't intend to stay there too long. Heck, the only reason she was heading there at all was because there was a slim possibility that the building still had some supplies in stock. Probably not much, if any at all, but if on the off chance there were some longterm foodstuffs there that hadn't already been looted she wanted to grab them first. Whether or not said food would be necessary or even remotely edible was another question entirely. But hell, given her current situation, why the hell should she pass up this opportunity to nab the best stuff before everyone else with the same idea showed up?
That was another reason why she was on the alert as she neared the building, her gun poised and ready in case some crazy motherfucker with a machete started charging towards her from the darkness. Surreal and distressing as the thought was, she did not doubt for a second that at least some of her classmates would be more than willing to go on the offensive. She never watched Survival of the Fittest, but she had heard more than enough about it to get the idea. For some reason, this twisted game seemed to bring out the worst in people. Otherwise perfectly ordinary highschool students would become sadistic, cackling psychopaths the moment they found themselves on an island with an explosive collar around their neck. Teenagers who had once been bullies or jerks for had a tendency became full-blown mass murderers when put into a situation where traditional laws and morals were no longer applicable.
And it wasn't just the jerks and bullies she would have to look out for. She had heard once about how there was some guy who was the most sensitive, harmless person you could ever think of, who after suffering one traumatic event too many ended up going loco and setting up a gruesome garden full of bloody corpses. If there's anything to learn from that story, it was that in a messed up situation like this, anyone had the potential to just completely lose their shit and start collecting heads.
In other words, she was going to be damn careful about who she was going to trust.
To be entirely honest, she still had a hard time just accepting the fact that she really was in this situation. That despite the all the people in America, in all the schooltrips across the country, her class had been the one that had been chosen. Jesus fucking Christ, it was like she had woken up one day to find herself appearing in one of the crappy stories she was writing.
Which reminded her, those bastards stole her laptop! Admittedly, it was the least of her concerns considering she also was scarred for life by the sight of once of her teacher's getting their brains blown out, but god damnit did she regret never saving back-up copies of what she had written for the past year on a hard drive or something.
In any case, right now her main concern was not getting herself killed. Once she had grabbed enough supplies for her to not have to worry about getting hungry in the near future, she would head off and find somewhere more remote to lay low.
What she did after that was a question she would have to answer later. Right now, she hadn't the slightest clue what she was going to do in the long term. Escape didn't look like a likely prospect, considering how long these guys probably spent making sure that they ironed out all the issues that had led to the dramatic escape in the previous game. At the same time, the thought of murdering her classmates sickened her In self defence, she could probably do it, but without provocation? And that wasn't even taking into account the fact that some of her closest friends were stuck in this situation with her, people whom she had known and loved since childhood.
Brian. For the love of god, don't do anything stupid whilst I'm not around to watch your back.
No. She had already lost her freedom, her most prized possession and possibly her life to these terrorists. No way she was going to let them steal her humanity too.
At the same time though, suicide was completely out of the question. She didn't want to murder people, but she was in no rush to get herself killed either. Not if it meant that there was still a slim chance that she could see her family and loved ones again. Her mother, her father, her brother Nathan...
Regan...
Whilst she wasn't ready to start capping people left right and centre, she wasn't ready to give up either.
She bit her lip nervously as she slowly entered the shopping centre, expecting to hear the sound of gunfire at any moment. Whilst at the moment it looked as though she was alone in this building, she couldn't help but feel like there were a thousand eyes watching her every movement, just waiting for the moment that she let her guard down to strike.
Of course, that could just be her being paranoid, but given the circumstances she felt like she had every right to be.
It didn't take long for her to find a grocery store, one which seemed to contain a fair amount of tinned goods.
Looks like I've struck gold.
However, moments after she stepped through the open glass doors, Ruby heard the unmistakeable sound of a girl crying her heart out.
Immediately stopping in her tracks, Ruby raised her gun defensively as she tried to ascertain the location of the girl she was potentially intruding on. As much as she hoped that whoever was in this store was perfectly harmless, years of playing Left 4 Dead had taught her never to trust the sound of a girl crying, especially not in a supposedly abandoned shopping mall.
That said, tempting as it was to just turn around and leave, she couldn't bring herself to do so. Partly because she still wanted to grab some supplies, but mainly because... God damnit, despite the fact that getting the hell out of there was the most sensible thing she could do she couldn't bring herself to leave a potentially helpless girl to die at the hands of someone more proactive than herself. Worst case scenario, if they turn out to be hostile she'll just tell them to back the fuck off, or -- god forbid -- fire off a warning shot or two.
She crept along the narrow aisles, making sure to remain as silent as possible until she found herself staring around the corner at a girl with black hair sobbing into her hands.
Ruby couldn't tell exactly who it was from where she was standing, although she could hazard a couple of guesses. In any case despite her earlier paranoia, now that she had found this person, she couldn't help but feel more sympathetic. Maybe it was because she was the first living person she had found on an otherwise empty island, but any suspicions she had were beginning to subside. This wasn't some crazed lunatic, or a potentially dangerous sociopath. This was a young girl who, like herself, was scared to death of what she was expected to do.
Oh god, I'm going to regret this, aren't I?
After a moment's hesitance, Ruby stepped forward, lowering her slightly gun in an attempt to appear less threatening.
"Hey, are you okay? Don't be alarmed, I'm not here to hurt you or anything..."
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Fiori. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
The sounds of a door opening echoed from somewhere in the store, but she didn't notice them. She didn't realize that someone had just walked into the grocery store. Heck, she didn't even recognize those footsteps as sounds. They were just there, in there separate universe, so far removed from her little corner that they mattered little in the grand scheme of things.
Ami's body felt weak and sluggish from crying. The muscles in her face were sore and her voice was hoarse from the loud, ugly sobs. Ami could never remember crying so much in her entire life.
The worst part about it was that, had she not looked in the bag, she wouldn't be crying. Why did it take her until she saw a giant gun in her bag to have an emotional breakdown? What had she been doing all this time?! It didn't make any sense! Why was she crying now and not before?! How could she be so calm about dying, but so livid at the possibility of hurting others?! What was wrong with her?!
Soon the tears stopped coming, not because Ami was calming down but because she had cried so much and had so little water that she had used them all up. Ami kneaded her lap with her fists. She just wanted to sit there and sob until she either starved, or killed by someone. The latter made her moan even louder. She wouldn't fight, or run. If someone came in here with a gun, she would just tell them to get it over with, she wasn't meant for this world, just kill her so she wouldn't have to -
Someone was here.
Ami's head shot up. She clammed up immediately, biting her lip in order to hold back another sob. Her eyes were wide. She looked like a deer in the headlights.
Yes. Someone was definitely here.
Ami sat up on her knees. Her eyes adjusted to the distance and the blurry figure began to dissipate. Even though her eyes were still wet from the violent stream of tears, she could see who it was and she recognized her almost immediately. It would be hard not to remember her with her dyed hair.
How long had Ruby Forrester been standing there? Had she been watching this entire time? Ami sat upright.
"... Ruby?"
Ami squinted at her just to make sure. She brushed the excess of tears off on the sleeve of her cardigan. She sniffed, trying to compose herself. Ami felt so embarrassed, despite herself, that someone had to see her like that. It occurred to her that her hair was a frizzed-out mess. She didn't have any make up on either. Sure, worrying about appearances should definitely be at the top of her priority list.
"Ruby, it's me, Ami." She paused with a harsh swallow. "I'm - I'm Mallory's friend?"
Ami's body felt weak and sluggish from crying. The muscles in her face were sore and her voice was hoarse from the loud, ugly sobs. Ami could never remember crying so much in her entire life.
The worst part about it was that, had she not looked in the bag, she wouldn't be crying. Why did it take her until she saw a giant gun in her bag to have an emotional breakdown? What had she been doing all this time?! It didn't make any sense! Why was she crying now and not before?! How could she be so calm about dying, but so livid at the possibility of hurting others?! What was wrong with her?!
Soon the tears stopped coming, not because Ami was calming down but because she had cried so much and had so little water that she had used them all up. Ami kneaded her lap with her fists. She just wanted to sit there and sob until she either starved, or killed by someone. The latter made her moan even louder. She wouldn't fight, or run. If someone came in here with a gun, she would just tell them to get it over with, she wasn't meant for this world, just kill her so she wouldn't have to -
Someone was here.
Ami's head shot up. She clammed up immediately, biting her lip in order to hold back another sob. Her eyes were wide. She looked like a deer in the headlights.
Yes. Someone was definitely here.
Ami sat up on her knees. Her eyes adjusted to the distance and the blurry figure began to dissipate. Even though her eyes were still wet from the violent stream of tears, she could see who it was and she recognized her almost immediately. It would be hard not to remember her with her dyed hair.
How long had Ruby Forrester been standing there? Had she been watching this entire time? Ami sat upright.
"... Ruby?"
Ami squinted at her just to make sure. She brushed the excess of tears off on the sleeve of her cardigan. She sniffed, trying to compose herself. Ami felt so embarrassed, despite herself, that someone had to see her like that. It occurred to her that her hair was a frizzed-out mess. She didn't have any make up on either. Sure, worrying about appearances should definitely be at the top of her priority list.
"Ruby, it's me, Ami." She paused with a harsh swallow. "I'm - I'm Mallory's friend?"
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Ciel. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Ruby breathed a sigh of relief when she realised who it was, allowing herself to lower her guard for the first time since she first woke up on this island.
It was Ami Flynn, the girl who worked at a funeral home. Okay, there was probably a hell of a lot more to her then that, but admittedly that was one of the few things Ruby knew about her. They never really spoke that much back at Aurora High, partly because they didn't share that many classes together. She had seen her a couple of times at Mallory and Owen's parties, but otherwise they never really hung out before. It wasn't that Ruby had been actively avoiding her or anything, seeing as she didn't really have any problems with her, it's just that she usually preferred to hang out with her friends.
About the only other time she had seen her was during her grandmother's funeral. It had pretty much the first time she had seen her outside of school, and admittedly Ruby was somewhat surprised. Ami had always struck her a very normal girl. Introverted, yes, but not the kind of girl who you would find working somewhere so macabre. That said, she figured that anyone who had been working at such a place all their life wouldn't think too much of it. It was just a job, after all. Not the kind of job Ruby would personally aspire to, but hey, someone had to do it right?
"Hey Ami. Sorry if I, uh, startled you there. Saw this place and thought I'd try to get my hands on some extra supplies before someone else beat me to it. Wasn't really expecting to bump into anyone so soon."
She sighed again and leaned against the empty rack, checking the surrounding shelves for any canned goods.
"I'm guessing you just woke up as well?"
It was Ami Flynn, the girl who worked at a funeral home. Okay, there was probably a hell of a lot more to her then that, but admittedly that was one of the few things Ruby knew about her. They never really spoke that much back at Aurora High, partly because they didn't share that many classes together. She had seen her a couple of times at Mallory and Owen's parties, but otherwise they never really hung out before. It wasn't that Ruby had been actively avoiding her or anything, seeing as she didn't really have any problems with her, it's just that she usually preferred to hang out with her friends.
About the only other time she had seen her was during her grandmother's funeral. It had pretty much the first time she had seen her outside of school, and admittedly Ruby was somewhat surprised. Ami had always struck her a very normal girl. Introverted, yes, but not the kind of girl who you would find working somewhere so macabre. That said, she figured that anyone who had been working at such a place all their life wouldn't think too much of it. It was just a job, after all. Not the kind of job Ruby would personally aspire to, but hey, someone had to do it right?
"Hey Ami. Sorry if I, uh, startled you there. Saw this place and thought I'd try to get my hands on some extra supplies before someone else beat me to it. Wasn't really expecting to bump into anyone so soon."
She sighed again and leaned against the empty rack, checking the surrounding shelves for any canned goods.
"I'm guessing you just woke up as well?"
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Fiori. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
-
Ghost Of Ravenstar†
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:27 am
((Gavin Hunter continued from The First Drop))
((Note: This post was moderately reformated due to new developments.))
The walk from the gazebo to the shopping centre had not been particularly eventful by island standards. Gavin and Cassidy had been side-by-side for most of the journey, one acting stoic while the other seemed nervous. The trouble was, Gavin couldn't be entirely sure which of those attitudes was best assigned to him.
He had been surprised when Cassidy had followed him out of the park. Getting picked as a likely companion was something he had anticipated, and he wasn't sure what to make of the added responsibility yet. Cassidy made things more complicated, but at least focusing on her helped distract him from his own issues. At least, that was the theory.
Survival. That was the most pressing concern on his mind, that and getting a gun. But survival in the world of SOTF was about the shedding of blood and the tearing apart of old loyalties, not making allies and forging lasting bonds of friendship. Having Cassidy along with him was making Gavin feel the weight of the island on his shoulders more and more with each step. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew that eventually he would have to stop running from the truth and start thinking about survival on the island in terms other than food and water supply.
In truth, Gavin needed to do some soul-searching. He needed an outlet for his emotions, and Cassidy wasn't it. He already liked her, but he was also under no illusions that the fragile bond of trust she seemed to have developed with him would survive the kind of emotional baggage he needed to get out of his system. But Gavin would not be Gavin if he didn't have other options.
"Hey Cassidy, hold up for a moment. There's something I need to say."
Gavin cleared his throat awkwardly, and then decided to plunge ahead with his usual frankness. "I know we're not far from the shopping centre now, but I'd like to call a halt for a few minutes. More than that, there are some issues that I need to get squared away before I can carry on. If you don't mind, I'd like a bit of time alone."
He watched as Cassidy blinked a few times at the request. Her expression read as confused, and slightly concerned. Her head turned slightly as she tried to understand what Gavin was asking and why. Another blink and she pulled her head back, as if becoming aware of the brief, but awkward silence she'd created.
"Uh, yeah if you need. I'll just..." Her voice trailed away for a moment as she looked around, and then picked back up again. "I'll be right here."
Gavin nodded once. He couldn't really think of anything else to say, so he just turned off the road and into the trees which lined this part of the coastal roadway. The leafy canopy blocked the sunlight, providing a pleasant relief from the heat he had previously been enduring. In other circumstances Gavin could see himself enjoying a walk like this, but not right now.
He found what he was looking for after only a minute or two of searching. It was a camera, nestled in the bough of a sturdy old oak tree and overlooking a small clearing. There hadn't been many cameras on the coastal road - apparently the terrorists didn't consider that place to be of much interest - but the occasional glimpse of a shiny metal lens tracking his movements had always sent a surge of utter hatred through Gavin.
Unlike some of his classmates, Gavin was not ignorant of how SOTF worked. He had watched the news about the V4 abductions over four years ago, and had later read Kimberly Nguyen's personal recounting of her time on the island. That dark tale had been nauseating to read in places. It had shattered any illusions he might've held about the world being an inherently safe place maintained by sensible and observant adults.
"It's all so damned poignant, isn't it?" He asked in a faintly sarcastic tone of voice, lifting his head to glare at the camera mounted high in the tree. The movement was harder than normal due to the weight of the collar around his neck. Of all the indignities he could have suffered, the collar was easily the worst of them. Gavin was confident that he could've endured anything else, but this constant reminder of his status in the eyes of the terrorists made him feel as weak and helpless as an infant.
"I wonder if you're watching me right now, Kimberly." He continued, more to distract himself from the presence of the collar than for any other reason. "You see, my name is Gavin Hunter and I read your book once, a few years ago by now. I found it to be a chilling read in many respects; you did an excellent job of conveying your hopes and fears to the reader along with the harsh reality of the situation. I never once doubted that it was real, and my tears were quite genuine in places."
Gavin honestly didn't know why he was rambling on like this in his clipped, scholarly British accent. He knew that the chances of Kimberly actually watching the show were exceedingly remote, but some part of him still held on to the idea with all the grim determination of a sailor clinging to a lifeline during a storm at sea. Taking a deep breath, he continued.
"I thought about contacting you several times over the years. I dissuaded myself in the end on the basis that you probably wouldn't want some random teenager bugging you about experiences you'd rather forget, but now I think I regret that decision. I hope that you're alright, wherever you are. I know that you're doing the best you can for us, and I appreciate that. Just know that I don't blame you, and that I wish you well."
Gavin swallowed hard as he finished. He realised suddenly that tears were stinging his eyes, and he slid fingers under his glasses to wipe them away. As mawkishly overdramatic as his little speech might have been, it had held a surprising amount of emotional weight that Gavin hadn't anticipated. He had spoken to Kimberly not as somebody safe and sound on dry land, but as a lonely and probably doomed teenager with no expectation of rescue. In a way, that speech had been his last will and testament.
A lump rose in Gavin's throat. He knew that he was going to start crying, so he turned away from the camera so as not to give the terrorists the pleasure of seeing him break down. He dropped his lead pipe to the ground with a clatter, using the hand that had previously held it to keep the tears from running down his face and staining the collar of his leather jacket. Normally he would have fought such an undignified display, but he no longer had either the willpower or the strength. He had known this was going to happen, and his last act of rationality had been to take himself away from Cassidy before it all came spilling out.
Exactly how long he stood there would always remain a mystery. But slowly, slowly, the tears began to abate, and Gavin knew he had weathered the storm. When he opened his eyes again they were dry, and although his cheeks were damp, the warm sun would soon dry them. He was Gavin Hunter, he was in control.
Reaching down to pick up his lead pipe, Gavin used it like a walking stick to push himself back to his full height. He let out a deep sigh, then straightened and resumed his old posture. Now was not the time to be overcome by emotions, now was the time to take initiative. He knew what he had to do now; it was so clear and obvious that it seemed absurd that he hadn't grasped it sooner.
"Thank you, Kimberly." He said, and then raised his lead pipe in a salute to the camera which he was still facing. "I know what I have to do now."
Five minutes later, Gavin was marching back to the roadway. His eyes were still slightly red from crying, but he no longer felt the crushing weight of depression weighing down on his shoulders. His problems hadn't gone away, but there was an odd comfort in confronting the reality of the situation instead of hiding from it.
When he emerged from the trees he saw that Cassidy was still waiting patiently for him. He grinned at her, and then waved for her to follow him before setting off towards the shopping centre. The large building was clearly visible from this distance, no more than a few hundred meters away across a deserted car park. There was no activity nearby. Indeed, the two travellers hadn't seen anybody else while walking the mile or so along the coast to his destination, but that was no reason to let his guard down.
As he approached the open doors of the shopping centre, Gavin began to slow his pace. He wasn't worried about being attacked yet, but he had already learned that it was a good idea not to startle people on the island. Rather than shout, he instead brought his lead pipe down off his shoulder and tapped it firmly on the tiled floor three times. The sound echoed loudly throughout the building, the hard concrete and steel construction making the perfect echo chamber. Gavin was briefly amused at the idea that if he ever wanted to sing, this would be a wonderful place to practice.
Once the echoes had faded away Gavin took a deep breath and spoke in a loud, clear voice to the empty shop fronts. "Hello? Is there anybody in here?"
((Note: This post was moderately reformated due to new developments.))
The walk from the gazebo to the shopping centre had not been particularly eventful by island standards. Gavin and Cassidy had been side-by-side for most of the journey, one acting stoic while the other seemed nervous. The trouble was, Gavin couldn't be entirely sure which of those attitudes was best assigned to him.
He had been surprised when Cassidy had followed him out of the park. Getting picked as a likely companion was something he had anticipated, and he wasn't sure what to make of the added responsibility yet. Cassidy made things more complicated, but at least focusing on her helped distract him from his own issues. At least, that was the theory.
Survival. That was the most pressing concern on his mind, that and getting a gun. But survival in the world of SOTF was about the shedding of blood and the tearing apart of old loyalties, not making allies and forging lasting bonds of friendship. Having Cassidy along with him was making Gavin feel the weight of the island on his shoulders more and more with each step. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew that eventually he would have to stop running from the truth and start thinking about survival on the island in terms other than food and water supply.
In truth, Gavin needed to do some soul-searching. He needed an outlet for his emotions, and Cassidy wasn't it. He already liked her, but he was also under no illusions that the fragile bond of trust she seemed to have developed with him would survive the kind of emotional baggage he needed to get out of his system. But Gavin would not be Gavin if he didn't have other options.
"Hey Cassidy, hold up for a moment. There's something I need to say."
Gavin cleared his throat awkwardly, and then decided to plunge ahead with his usual frankness. "I know we're not far from the shopping centre now, but I'd like to call a halt for a few minutes. More than that, there are some issues that I need to get squared away before I can carry on. If you don't mind, I'd like a bit of time alone."
He watched as Cassidy blinked a few times at the request. Her expression read as confused, and slightly concerned. Her head turned slightly as she tried to understand what Gavin was asking and why. Another blink and she pulled her head back, as if becoming aware of the brief, but awkward silence she'd created.
"Uh, yeah if you need. I'll just..." Her voice trailed away for a moment as she looked around, and then picked back up again. "I'll be right here."
Gavin nodded once. He couldn't really think of anything else to say, so he just turned off the road and into the trees which lined this part of the coastal roadway. The leafy canopy blocked the sunlight, providing a pleasant relief from the heat he had previously been enduring. In other circumstances Gavin could see himself enjoying a walk like this, but not right now.
He found what he was looking for after only a minute or two of searching. It was a camera, nestled in the bough of a sturdy old oak tree and overlooking a small clearing. There hadn't been many cameras on the coastal road - apparently the terrorists didn't consider that place to be of much interest - but the occasional glimpse of a shiny metal lens tracking his movements had always sent a surge of utter hatred through Gavin.
Unlike some of his classmates, Gavin was not ignorant of how SOTF worked. He had watched the news about the V4 abductions over four years ago, and had later read Kimberly Nguyen's personal recounting of her time on the island. That dark tale had been nauseating to read in places. It had shattered any illusions he might've held about the world being an inherently safe place maintained by sensible and observant adults.
"It's all so damned poignant, isn't it?" He asked in a faintly sarcastic tone of voice, lifting his head to glare at the camera mounted high in the tree. The movement was harder than normal due to the weight of the collar around his neck. Of all the indignities he could have suffered, the collar was easily the worst of them. Gavin was confident that he could've endured anything else, but this constant reminder of his status in the eyes of the terrorists made him feel as weak and helpless as an infant.
"I wonder if you're watching me right now, Kimberly." He continued, more to distract himself from the presence of the collar than for any other reason. "You see, my name is Gavin Hunter and I read your book once, a few years ago by now. I found it to be a chilling read in many respects; you did an excellent job of conveying your hopes and fears to the reader along with the harsh reality of the situation. I never once doubted that it was real, and my tears were quite genuine in places."
Gavin honestly didn't know why he was rambling on like this in his clipped, scholarly British accent. He knew that the chances of Kimberly actually watching the show were exceedingly remote, but some part of him still held on to the idea with all the grim determination of a sailor clinging to a lifeline during a storm at sea. Taking a deep breath, he continued.
"I thought about contacting you several times over the years. I dissuaded myself in the end on the basis that you probably wouldn't want some random teenager bugging you about experiences you'd rather forget, but now I think I regret that decision. I hope that you're alright, wherever you are. I know that you're doing the best you can for us, and I appreciate that. Just know that I don't blame you, and that I wish you well."
Gavin swallowed hard as he finished. He realised suddenly that tears were stinging his eyes, and he slid fingers under his glasses to wipe them away. As mawkishly overdramatic as his little speech might have been, it had held a surprising amount of emotional weight that Gavin hadn't anticipated. He had spoken to Kimberly not as somebody safe and sound on dry land, but as a lonely and probably doomed teenager with no expectation of rescue. In a way, that speech had been his last will and testament.
A lump rose in Gavin's throat. He knew that he was going to start crying, so he turned away from the camera so as not to give the terrorists the pleasure of seeing him break down. He dropped his lead pipe to the ground with a clatter, using the hand that had previously held it to keep the tears from running down his face and staining the collar of his leather jacket. Normally he would have fought such an undignified display, but he no longer had either the willpower or the strength. He had known this was going to happen, and his last act of rationality had been to take himself away from Cassidy before it all came spilling out.
Exactly how long he stood there would always remain a mystery. But slowly, slowly, the tears began to abate, and Gavin knew he had weathered the storm. When he opened his eyes again they were dry, and although his cheeks were damp, the warm sun would soon dry them. He was Gavin Hunter, he was in control.
Reaching down to pick up his lead pipe, Gavin used it like a walking stick to push himself back to his full height. He let out a deep sigh, then straightened and resumed his old posture. Now was not the time to be overcome by emotions, now was the time to take initiative. He knew what he had to do now; it was so clear and obvious that it seemed absurd that he hadn't grasped it sooner.
"Thank you, Kimberly." He said, and then raised his lead pipe in a salute to the camera which he was still facing. "I know what I have to do now."
Five minutes later, Gavin was marching back to the roadway. His eyes were still slightly red from crying, but he no longer felt the crushing weight of depression weighing down on his shoulders. His problems hadn't gone away, but there was an odd comfort in confronting the reality of the situation instead of hiding from it.
When he emerged from the trees he saw that Cassidy was still waiting patiently for him. He grinned at her, and then waved for her to follow him before setting off towards the shopping centre. The large building was clearly visible from this distance, no more than a few hundred meters away across a deserted car park. There was no activity nearby. Indeed, the two travellers hadn't seen anybody else while walking the mile or so along the coast to his destination, but that was no reason to let his guard down.
As he approached the open doors of the shopping centre, Gavin began to slow his pace. He wasn't worried about being attacked yet, but he had already learned that it was a good idea not to startle people on the island. Rather than shout, he instead brought his lead pipe down off his shoulder and tapped it firmly on the tiled floor three times. The sound echoed loudly throughout the building, the hard concrete and steel construction making the perfect echo chamber. Gavin was briefly amused at the idea that if he ever wanted to sing, this would be a wonderful place to practice.
Once the echoes had faded away Gavin took a deep breath and spoke in a loud, clear voice to the empty shop fronts. "Hello? Is there anybody in here?"
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Ghost Of Ravenstar. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Ami sat up onto her knees and crossed her arms. Her lips creased into a frown.
"You could say that."
The question annoyed Ami, simply because she could not remember a single second past her slouching behind an aisle and crying. How long had she been awake? She could still see the sun from the windows up ahead, giving the grocery store enough light to let them see where they were going. Unless she had been out for an entire day... Crap, she didn't have the energy to consider.
Ami slumped forward, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her head upon her knees. Her face still felt sore. Ami heard once that it took more muscles to frown than it did to smile. Maybe that was true, but that didn't explain why they felt like this.
Ami watched Ruby with her eyes for a moment before speaking.
"There's a few cans over there," she gestured lazily towards one of the lower shelves nearby. "You might not want to eat them though. They don't have any labels. I, um, checked earlier."
There was a note of irritation in Ami's voice. First she was passive, then she was forlorn, now she was feeling apathetic. She was going through so many emotions so quickly that she was surprised she didn't get whiplash.
Ami turned her head away from Ruby, looking towards the front windows. She scooted a few inches down to get a better view. There was a open door to the distance east, the one that both she and Ruby had probably used. Ami watched it with about as much interest as one could muster in a mostly stationary object. Would anyone else come through, she wondered?
Of course, she had to jinx it.
Ami did not know the name of the person who came wandering in through the door. She didn't give herself enough time to see their face. All that she remembered from a brief glimpse was a flash of entire, encompassing black.
Ami immediately slid back and scrambled for her bag. Her first impulse was not to grab her gun; she made sure to wave her arm in order to grab Ruby's attention.
"Ruby."
If Ruby didn't hear the footsteps echoing through the empty store, Ami's eyes would be able to make up for that in spades. They were wild, her brows creased into a serious glare. It all but said "there's someone in here."
Three taps. Then a voice asking if anyone was there.
Dear lord. Did he see her just now? The voice did not sound familiar. Ami felt compelled to peek her head out from around the aisle if only to see who it was.
Ami was at a loss. She clutched her duffle bag to her chest and looked up at Ruby.
"What do we do?" she mouthed. She kept quiet.
"You could say that."
The question annoyed Ami, simply because she could not remember a single second past her slouching behind an aisle and crying. How long had she been awake? She could still see the sun from the windows up ahead, giving the grocery store enough light to let them see where they were going. Unless she had been out for an entire day... Crap, she didn't have the energy to consider.
Ami slumped forward, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her head upon her knees. Her face still felt sore. Ami heard once that it took more muscles to frown than it did to smile. Maybe that was true, but that didn't explain why they felt like this.
Ami watched Ruby with her eyes for a moment before speaking.
"There's a few cans over there," she gestured lazily towards one of the lower shelves nearby. "You might not want to eat them though. They don't have any labels. I, um, checked earlier."
There was a note of irritation in Ami's voice. First she was passive, then she was forlorn, now she was feeling apathetic. She was going through so many emotions so quickly that she was surprised she didn't get whiplash.
Ami turned her head away from Ruby, looking towards the front windows. She scooted a few inches down to get a better view. There was a open door to the distance east, the one that both she and Ruby had probably used. Ami watched it with about as much interest as one could muster in a mostly stationary object. Would anyone else come through, she wondered?
Of course, she had to jinx it.
Ami did not know the name of the person who came wandering in through the door. She didn't give herself enough time to see their face. All that she remembered from a brief glimpse was a flash of entire, encompassing black.
Ami immediately slid back and scrambled for her bag. Her first impulse was not to grab her gun; she made sure to wave her arm in order to grab Ruby's attention.
"Ruby."
If Ruby didn't hear the footsteps echoing through the empty store, Ami's eyes would be able to make up for that in spades. They were wild, her brows creased into a serious glare. It all but said "there's someone in here."
Three taps. Then a voice asking if anyone was there.
Dear lord. Did he see her just now? The voice did not sound familiar. Ami felt compelled to peek her head out from around the aisle if only to see who it was.
Ami was at a loss. She clutched her duffle bag to her chest and looked up at Ruby.
"What do we do?" she mouthed. She kept quiet.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Ciel. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
-
umop-ap!sdn†
- Posts: 278
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:15 am
((Sorry for awkward order of posts))
((Cassidy Kant continued from The First Drop))
"I'll be right here."
Cassidy watched Gavin walk away. In one motion, she hauled her bag off of her shoulder and up over the opposite one. She turned away from him, realizing how watching him have his moment alone was even more awkward than just letting him have it. Was he going to the bathroom? Was he changing clothes? Was he... taking care of other needs? She didn't know him that well, he was just the most bearable and most sensible of the companions she'd had to choose from.
Was he abandoning her!? Outside the shopping center where he'd led her? Where was he really going? Why had he told her she was welcome to come along in the first place? Why didn't he just kill her rather than lead her away from a group and leave her? Did he have people here waiting to ambush her?
She dropped her bag and turned around all the way, looking for the bandits in all black demanding her toy boat. Nothing. Maybe Gavin was really coming back.
She laughed under her breath. Did she really want him to return?
Staying with Andi would have been unpleasant, but she would have at least known what she was in for. With Gavin now, anything could happen. She had no idea what went through the kid's mind, apparently he believed asking people for their guns was acceptable.
She dropped her bag to the gravel and sat down on it. Her head rested in her hands while her elbows on her thighs. Her ponytail brushed the back of her neck as she slumped forward. Coach Mac would be disgusted to see her posture right now. Even if she wasn't great on floor, she knew how gymnasts were meant to hold themselves.
She sighed, what now? Looking up to see what might be around, Gavin was on his way back. He waved, apparently he hadn't been hunting chipmunks or gathering coconuts. She made a mental note to avoid contact with his hands. As he neared, she saw his puffy eyes. Quickly looking down, she pretended not to notice, avoiding eye contact all together. As she stood, she turned away from him to pick up her bag, hiding her attempt to politely ignore the fact he'd been crying. She got her bag up and silently moved to his side, they made for the entrance.
Once there, Gavin knocked three times on the ground. Was he signalling somebody? Was this a trap? Maybe he had a group she would be joining now! An army of students he'd recruited!
No answer. He called, there was still no immediate answer. If anybody was here already, they weren't with him. Her hopeful relief shifted back to anxiety.
"Helloooo?"
Maybe people would be more receptive to her voice rather than his...
((Cassidy Kant continued from The First Drop))
"I'll be right here."
Cassidy watched Gavin walk away. In one motion, she hauled her bag off of her shoulder and up over the opposite one. She turned away from him, realizing how watching him have his moment alone was even more awkward than just letting him have it. Was he going to the bathroom? Was he changing clothes? Was he... taking care of other needs? She didn't know him that well, he was just the most bearable and most sensible of the companions she'd had to choose from.
Was he abandoning her!? Outside the shopping center where he'd led her? Where was he really going? Why had he told her she was welcome to come along in the first place? Why didn't he just kill her rather than lead her away from a group and leave her? Did he have people here waiting to ambush her?
She dropped her bag and turned around all the way, looking for the bandits in all black demanding her toy boat. Nothing. Maybe Gavin was really coming back.
She laughed under her breath. Did she really want him to return?
Staying with Andi would have been unpleasant, but she would have at least known what she was in for. With Gavin now, anything could happen. She had no idea what went through the kid's mind, apparently he believed asking people for their guns was acceptable.
She dropped her bag to the gravel and sat down on it. Her head rested in her hands while her elbows on her thighs. Her ponytail brushed the back of her neck as she slumped forward. Coach Mac would be disgusted to see her posture right now. Even if she wasn't great on floor, she knew how gymnasts were meant to hold themselves.
She sighed, what now? Looking up to see what might be around, Gavin was on his way back. He waved, apparently he hadn't been hunting chipmunks or gathering coconuts. She made a mental note to avoid contact with his hands. As he neared, she saw his puffy eyes. Quickly looking down, she pretended not to notice, avoiding eye contact all together. As she stood, she turned away from him to pick up her bag, hiding her attempt to politely ignore the fact he'd been crying. She got her bag up and silently moved to his side, they made for the entrance.
Once there, Gavin knocked three times on the ground. Was he signalling somebody? Was this a trap? Maybe he had a group she would be joining now! An army of students he'd recruited!
No answer. He called, there was still no immediate answer. If anybody was here already, they weren't with him. Her hopeful relief shifted back to anxiety.
"Helloooo?"
Maybe people would be more receptive to her voice rather than his...
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler umop-ap!sdn. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
"Ah, thanks." Ruby replied after Ami pointed her in the direction of the nearest cans.
She walked over to the nearby shelf, kneeling down so that she could get a better look at them. Sure enough, just as Ami said, none of them seemed to have any labels. Ruby couldn't help but wonder why that was the case. Had the terrorists removed them all? If so, for what reason? Had the labels bared some hidden message about to how to deactivate the collars or something? Maybe they just wanted to remove any clue as to what the name of the island they were on was. She wasn't exactly sure why a can of food would have the name of the island printed on the label, but she couldn't think of any other reason, not at that very moment anyway.
"Eh, I'm not really a fussy eater, so as long as it's edible I probably won't mind..." she said, shortly before reading what was printed on top of the can. "Not that it matters, from the look of things these cans are well past their expiry date anyway. Typical."
Ruby sighed, placing the can back where it was. It was beginning to look as though coming here hadn't been that smart an idea after all. She probably should have guessed that all the food was out of date, but then again she didn't expect the island to have been abandoned for that long. Judging from the can, the island had been abandoned at some point prior to the year 2000. Over a whole decade ago. It was weird thinking that she was on a once-civilised island that had been abandoned for so long. Hell, it was weird thinking that she was in this situation in the first place.
She looked over to Ami, whose face looked red from all her crying. It was at this point that it occurred to Ruby that she should probably make a better effort to comfort the poor girl, given how traumatised she probably was. Not that Ruby could blame her. Heck, she was surprised she hadn't broken down yet herself. Probably because she was trying desperately to keep her head straight by not thinking too much about how truly hopeless her predicament was.
Still, she should probably say something anyway, even though she hadn't the slightest clue as to how to even begin comforting her. What exactly could she say? That everything was going to be alright? Not even Brian was that optimistic.
Well, here goes...
"So, uh..." she began, only to be interrupted by the sound of metal tapping against concrete.
Ruby tensed, raising her gun and leaning against the side of the nearest shelf as she looked in the direction of the noise. Two more taps followed the first, each timed too perfectly to be something being blown in the wind. Someone was out there. Someone who was now trying to find out if there was anyone inside.
She looked to Ami, who from the look of things had managed to spot the newcomer. After nudging a little closer, she managed to spot the silhouette of a boy right by the entrance of the building, a boy who happened to have what seemed to be a metal pipe in his hand. She couldn't tell who it was from where she was kneeling, although it was clear that he were pretty tall. Tall enough to pose a decent threat if he intended to make good use of that metal pipe. Of course, the fact that he was announcing his presence led some credence to the theory that he had no violent intent, seeing as most killers tend to prefer avoiding the spotlight. Then again, if he was confident enough in his ability to defend himself, why not draw out every other player in the area to make it easier for him to hunt them down?
Ruby looked back to Ami, who seemed to be silently asking her what they should do. After a moments thought, during which a girl with a slightly more familiar voice announced her presence.
"Keep your head down." Ruby mouthed silently to Ami, after which she then silently made her way down the aisles towards the entrance of the grocer. Her heart was pounding as she sneaked through the store, sweat dripping from her brow as she tried to avoid making any loud noises. She was really doing this, wasn't she? She was really stuck in some abandoned shopping mall with a loaded gun in her hands and a pair of potentially dangerous classmates standing just outside whom she was expected to kill? She had no intention of doing so of course, but if these newcomers had violent intent... Well, they was no way she would let them kill her that easily, that was for certain.
As she reached the entrance, Ruby realised that her arms was shaking. Christ, she couldn't chicken out now, not when it could make the difference between life or death. Sure, she was scared, no doubt about it. She hadn't been this frightened since... Well, ever. For the first time in her life, she was in real genuine danger. The closest she had ever found herself in a situation even remotely like this was during a game of paintball she took part in when she was fifteen, so she had every reason to be utterly terrified.
That said, she couldn't afford to show that. Not even for a second. If these people were dangerous, she had to be prepared to open fire, even if they were classmates whom she knew personally. Besides, odds are they were probably harmless and that she was being overly cautious for absolutely nothing. But if on the off chance that wasn't the case, she had to be ready to do what was necessary to keep herself alive.
Well, no time like the present.
Without further ado, she leaned out from behind her cover, aiming her gun in the general direction of the duo who had just entered the shopping centre.
"Alright, that's close enough!" she began, trying to make out who exactly she was aiming a loaded gun at. It was difficult to tell from where she was, given how dark the building was, but from what she could see they seemed vaguely familiar.
"Now, I'm in no hurry to get blood on my hands, but I'm not in the mood to take any chances either. So if either of you try anything, rest assured I will gun you both down if I have to."
The scariest part about all this was that even Ruby herself wasn't entirely sure whether or not she was bluffing.
She walked over to the nearby shelf, kneeling down so that she could get a better look at them. Sure enough, just as Ami said, none of them seemed to have any labels. Ruby couldn't help but wonder why that was the case. Had the terrorists removed them all? If so, for what reason? Had the labels bared some hidden message about to how to deactivate the collars or something? Maybe they just wanted to remove any clue as to what the name of the island they were on was. She wasn't exactly sure why a can of food would have the name of the island printed on the label, but she couldn't think of any other reason, not at that very moment anyway.
"Eh, I'm not really a fussy eater, so as long as it's edible I probably won't mind..." she said, shortly before reading what was printed on top of the can. "Not that it matters, from the look of things these cans are well past their expiry date anyway. Typical."
Ruby sighed, placing the can back where it was. It was beginning to look as though coming here hadn't been that smart an idea after all. She probably should have guessed that all the food was out of date, but then again she didn't expect the island to have been abandoned for that long. Judging from the can, the island had been abandoned at some point prior to the year 2000. Over a whole decade ago. It was weird thinking that she was on a once-civilised island that had been abandoned for so long. Hell, it was weird thinking that she was in this situation in the first place.
She looked over to Ami, whose face looked red from all her crying. It was at this point that it occurred to Ruby that she should probably make a better effort to comfort the poor girl, given how traumatised she probably was. Not that Ruby could blame her. Heck, she was surprised she hadn't broken down yet herself. Probably because she was trying desperately to keep her head straight by not thinking too much about how truly hopeless her predicament was.
Still, she should probably say something anyway, even though she hadn't the slightest clue as to how to even begin comforting her. What exactly could she say? That everything was going to be alright? Not even Brian was that optimistic.
Well, here goes...
"So, uh..." she began, only to be interrupted by the sound of metal tapping against concrete.
Ruby tensed, raising her gun and leaning against the side of the nearest shelf as she looked in the direction of the noise. Two more taps followed the first, each timed too perfectly to be something being blown in the wind. Someone was out there. Someone who was now trying to find out if there was anyone inside.
She looked to Ami, who from the look of things had managed to spot the newcomer. After nudging a little closer, she managed to spot the silhouette of a boy right by the entrance of the building, a boy who happened to have what seemed to be a metal pipe in his hand. She couldn't tell who it was from where she was kneeling, although it was clear that he were pretty tall. Tall enough to pose a decent threat if he intended to make good use of that metal pipe. Of course, the fact that he was announcing his presence led some credence to the theory that he had no violent intent, seeing as most killers tend to prefer avoiding the spotlight. Then again, if he was confident enough in his ability to defend himself, why not draw out every other player in the area to make it easier for him to hunt them down?
Ruby looked back to Ami, who seemed to be silently asking her what they should do. After a moments thought, during which a girl with a slightly more familiar voice announced her presence.
"Keep your head down." Ruby mouthed silently to Ami, after which she then silently made her way down the aisles towards the entrance of the grocer. Her heart was pounding as she sneaked through the store, sweat dripping from her brow as she tried to avoid making any loud noises. She was really doing this, wasn't she? She was really stuck in some abandoned shopping mall with a loaded gun in her hands and a pair of potentially dangerous classmates standing just outside whom she was expected to kill? She had no intention of doing so of course, but if these newcomers had violent intent... Well, they was no way she would let them kill her that easily, that was for certain.
As she reached the entrance, Ruby realised that her arms was shaking. Christ, she couldn't chicken out now, not when it could make the difference between life or death. Sure, she was scared, no doubt about it. She hadn't been this frightened since... Well, ever. For the first time in her life, she was in real genuine danger. The closest she had ever found herself in a situation even remotely like this was during a game of paintball she took part in when she was fifteen, so she had every reason to be utterly terrified.
That said, she couldn't afford to show that. Not even for a second. If these people were dangerous, she had to be prepared to open fire, even if they were classmates whom she knew personally. Besides, odds are they were probably harmless and that she was being overly cautious for absolutely nothing. But if on the off chance that wasn't the case, she had to be ready to do what was necessary to keep herself alive.
Well, no time like the present.
Without further ado, she leaned out from behind her cover, aiming her gun in the general direction of the duo who had just entered the shopping centre.
"Alright, that's close enough!" she began, trying to make out who exactly she was aiming a loaded gun at. It was difficult to tell from where she was, given how dark the building was, but from what she could see they seemed vaguely familiar.
"Now, I'm in no hurry to get blood on my hands, but I'm not in the mood to take any chances either. So if either of you try anything, rest assured I will gun you both down if I have to."
The scariest part about all this was that even Ruby herself wasn't entirely sure whether or not she was bluffing.
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Ghost Of Ravenstar†
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:27 am
Gavin was glad that he'd had the foresight to announce his presence to the shopping centre at large before walking inside. The last thing he had wanted was to be mistaken for a hostile interloper and ambushed in this dimly-lit space where his size and reach were negligible assets.
Of course, this approach carried it's own risks. The primary such risk being that if any inhabitants of the store were hostile anyway, he'd just given them all ample warning of his arrival and plenty of time to get their act together and prepare an attack. Gavin didn't expect there to be open hostilities mere hours after the game had started, but the possibility nagged at his mind as he waited for a response from the dim interior of the shopping centre.
He didn't have to wait long. After only a few moments Gavin's well-trained eyes were drawn to the sight of a figure leaning out from the entrance of the grocery store. Then a female voice issued a challenge, and a combination of her words and his eyesight adapting to the gloomy surroundings finally clued Gavin into the fact that there was the muzzle of a gun pointed at him.
His reaction was more of a reflex than something brought about by conscious communication between mind and body. He seized Cassidy around the waist with both hands and pulled her out of the line of fire, stepping forward in the same fluid motion to place himself between her and the shooter, his broad profile providing cover against any incoming fire.
It was a stupid thing to do, more an act of desperate chivalry than anything rational or sensible. In other circumstances Gavin would've been dreadfully embarrassed with himself over such a foolhardy display of heroism, but not now, with lives other than his own at stake.
Standing there in front of Cassidy, Gavin suddenly became acutely aware of the gun still pointed in his direction. Every instinct told him to dive for cover, to get out of the line of fire by whatever means necessary. But he knew he could not do that, at least not until Cassidy was out of it as well.
"I'm glad you're not ready to spill my blood just yet." He said in as calm a tone as he could muster. "But I'd feel far more inclined to treat your words with respect if you would first exercise some muzzle discipline, if that's all the same to you. My name's Gavin, by the way."
He added the last sentence slightly lamely, the spike in adrenaline caused by the sudden spotting of the gun muzzle fading away to be replaced by an unaccustomed chill that had nothing to do with the ambient temperature. Every second that the gun barrel was up felt like an eternity, and Gavin found himself praying that he hadn't just made the last mistake of his life.
Of course, this approach carried it's own risks. The primary such risk being that if any inhabitants of the store were hostile anyway, he'd just given them all ample warning of his arrival and plenty of time to get their act together and prepare an attack. Gavin didn't expect there to be open hostilities mere hours after the game had started, but the possibility nagged at his mind as he waited for a response from the dim interior of the shopping centre.
He didn't have to wait long. After only a few moments Gavin's well-trained eyes were drawn to the sight of a figure leaning out from the entrance of the grocery store. Then a female voice issued a challenge, and a combination of her words and his eyesight adapting to the gloomy surroundings finally clued Gavin into the fact that there was the muzzle of a gun pointed at him.
His reaction was more of a reflex than something brought about by conscious communication between mind and body. He seized Cassidy around the waist with both hands and pulled her out of the line of fire, stepping forward in the same fluid motion to place himself between her and the shooter, his broad profile providing cover against any incoming fire.
It was a stupid thing to do, more an act of desperate chivalry than anything rational or sensible. In other circumstances Gavin would've been dreadfully embarrassed with himself over such a foolhardy display of heroism, but not now, with lives other than his own at stake.
Standing there in front of Cassidy, Gavin suddenly became acutely aware of the gun still pointed in his direction. Every instinct told him to dive for cover, to get out of the line of fire by whatever means necessary. But he knew he could not do that, at least not until Cassidy was out of it as well.
"I'm glad you're not ready to spill my blood just yet." He said in as calm a tone as he could muster. "But I'd feel far more inclined to treat your words with respect if you would first exercise some muzzle discipline, if that's all the same to you. My name's Gavin, by the way."
He added the last sentence slightly lamely, the spike in adrenaline caused by the sudden spotting of the gun muzzle fading away to be replaced by an unaccustomed chill that had nothing to do with the ambient temperature. Every second that the gun barrel was up felt like an eternity, and Gavin found himself praying that he hadn't just made the last mistake of his life.
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... Ruby had a gun? She did. Ami didn't see any gun when she first ran into Ruby. A gun would be very hard to miss. Did Ruby just pull that thing out or... did she have it with her the entire time?
The fact that it took her so long to even notice was... unnerving. Ami stared at Ruby with a shiver, a chill running up her back. The situation was worrisome before, when Ami had seen someone walking in through the open doors, but it became nerve-wracking when she saw Ruby's gun.
Ami was all too willing to listen to Ruby. What she was saying, it was only logical to hide, really. Ruby seemed much more prepared and capable than Ami, seeing as how her own gun (unbeknownst to her) was still in her bag. So she stayed while Ruby turned away and crept out, leaving her alone in a dark, dingy aisle with only the unlabeled food to keep her company. From there, Ami stood up on her knees, keeping her head low. Ami thought to look over to see if whoever was there... was still there, but she figured it too much of a risk.
A thought occurred to her; if it was too much of a risk to peek her head out, how much risk would Ruby be putting herself into?
The silence that question brought began to eat away at her. The gears in her head began to turn despite herself. There had been another voice alongside the first, she and Ruby both heard it. What if there was more than two? What if they all had guns? Ruby would be outgunned! It all seemed very silly to Ami and yet it was a possibility. Her mind began to flash images of possible outcomes, each one more morbid and forlorn than the last. Ruby getting shot, bleeding on an empty road, immobile, alone, dying before Ami could ever think to help.... Ami couldn't let anything happen to her. They weren't close friends but... Ami knew that she didn't have it in her to abandon Ruby. That would be the coward thing to do.
So, obviously, Ami decided to not listen to Ruby after all. And it didn't matter how much her stomach churned in fear, she had to follow Ruby and see if she could help.
Ami plotted out a course for the front door in her mind, remembering vaguely where the aisles stopped and the freezers and inlets at the very front began. It would be foolish to think that she could sneak her way over to the door without being spotted but if but maybe if she found a perfect route...
Ami took hold of her bag, her carefully creeping down the aisle and looking around the other side. As far as she knew, Ruby was approaching the doorway.
... I can't believe I'm doing this.
Ami took it out of her bag and held it in her lap. She let go of the bag. The resulting sound of chains made her wince. She tried not to look at the giant thing in her lap. Ami reached into the bag until she felt a giant cartridge. She took it out, weighing the green metal box in her hands. She looked back into her bag to find that there was another one, covered by the other assorted items she brought with her.
'This wasn't a gun' was her first thought. It had to be a joke. Ami was no expert in guns but this was like some kind of Frankenstein's Monster, built from the parts of other guns. There was a bi pod, the sight of which honestly confused Ami, a stock that looked completely out of place, a sight... It looked ugly and vicious. Ami felt dirty just looking at it.
Ruby started screaming. Ami winced. There was no time to check to see if it actually worked. There would be time for that later. Ami assumed that her gun was the sort that could strike horror into anyone from appearances alone. She could bluff it.
There was a latch on one side, leading to a giant impression under the gun. She spun the gun over, her grip on the cartridge becoming awkward as she tried to push it in. She had no idea what she was doing. There appeared to be a crevice where the belt of bullets were supposed to feed into, but Ami had no time to figure heads or tails. She was just glad that the box itself fit. She pulled on the latch, heard a loud clank and lifted it into her hands.
Ami rose up fully, leaving her bag on the floor. Though surprisingly light for a machine gun, Ami still had difficulty holding it up all the way. She pushed the stock under her arm. One hand was on the contracted bipod, using it as a grip rather than a stand. The other holding the box for dear life. It was a hold that might have destroyed whatever intimidation the Stinger might have had, but Ami was more concerned with keeping a slow but steady pace.
She reached the end of the row of aisles. Ami pressed her back up against the side, peering over the side. She hugged the gun, as if that alone would defend her.
The sunlight made everything brighter, but with that came the glare that made it hard to see. She could make out figures but nothing concrete. She assumed the one with the gun was Ruby. There was a boy and a girl too. The boy was standing in front of the girl, perhaps protecting her. Ami was still a ways back but she could hear him talking and he didn't sound like he was trying to threaten Ruby.
Ami had no idea what to make of it. Logic told her to wait. She kept the gun ready though. Just in case.
The fact that it took her so long to even notice was... unnerving. Ami stared at Ruby with a shiver, a chill running up her back. The situation was worrisome before, when Ami had seen someone walking in through the open doors, but it became nerve-wracking when she saw Ruby's gun.
Ami was all too willing to listen to Ruby. What she was saying, it was only logical to hide, really. Ruby seemed much more prepared and capable than Ami, seeing as how her own gun (unbeknownst to her) was still in her bag. So she stayed while Ruby turned away and crept out, leaving her alone in a dark, dingy aisle with only the unlabeled food to keep her company. From there, Ami stood up on her knees, keeping her head low. Ami thought to look over to see if whoever was there... was still there, but she figured it too much of a risk.
A thought occurred to her; if it was too much of a risk to peek her head out, how much risk would Ruby be putting herself into?
The silence that question brought began to eat away at her. The gears in her head began to turn despite herself. There had been another voice alongside the first, she and Ruby both heard it. What if there was more than two? What if they all had guns? Ruby would be outgunned! It all seemed very silly to Ami and yet it was a possibility. Her mind began to flash images of possible outcomes, each one more morbid and forlorn than the last. Ruby getting shot, bleeding on an empty road, immobile, alone, dying before Ami could ever think to help.... Ami couldn't let anything happen to her. They weren't close friends but... Ami knew that she didn't have it in her to abandon Ruby. That would be the coward thing to do.
So, obviously, Ami decided to not listen to Ruby after all. And it didn't matter how much her stomach churned in fear, she had to follow Ruby and see if she could help.
Ami plotted out a course for the front door in her mind, remembering vaguely where the aisles stopped and the freezers and inlets at the very front began. It would be foolish to think that she could sneak her way over to the door without being spotted but if but maybe if she found a perfect route...
Ami took hold of her bag, her carefully creeping down the aisle and looking around the other side. As far as she knew, Ruby was approaching the doorway.
... I can't believe I'm doing this.
Ami took it out of her bag and held it in her lap. She let go of the bag. The resulting sound of chains made her wince. She tried not to look at the giant thing in her lap. Ami reached into the bag until she felt a giant cartridge. She took it out, weighing the green metal box in her hands. She looked back into her bag to find that there was another one, covered by the other assorted items she brought with her.
'This wasn't a gun' was her first thought. It had to be a joke. Ami was no expert in guns but this was like some kind of Frankenstein's Monster, built from the parts of other guns. There was a bi pod, the sight of which honestly confused Ami, a stock that looked completely out of place, a sight... It looked ugly and vicious. Ami felt dirty just looking at it.
Ruby started screaming. Ami winced. There was no time to check to see if it actually worked. There would be time for that later. Ami assumed that her gun was the sort that could strike horror into anyone from appearances alone. She could bluff it.
There was a latch on one side, leading to a giant impression under the gun. She spun the gun over, her grip on the cartridge becoming awkward as she tried to push it in. She had no idea what she was doing. There appeared to be a crevice where the belt of bullets were supposed to feed into, but Ami had no time to figure heads or tails. She was just glad that the box itself fit. She pulled on the latch, heard a loud clank and lifted it into her hands.
Ami rose up fully, leaving her bag on the floor. Though surprisingly light for a machine gun, Ami still had difficulty holding it up all the way. She pushed the stock under her arm. One hand was on the contracted bipod, using it as a grip rather than a stand. The other holding the box for dear life. It was a hold that might have destroyed whatever intimidation the Stinger might have had, but Ami was more concerned with keeping a slow but steady pace.
She reached the end of the row of aisles. Ami pressed her back up against the side, peering over the side. She hugged the gun, as if that alone would defend her.
The sunlight made everything brighter, but with that came the glare that made it hard to see. She could make out figures but nothing concrete. She assumed the one with the gun was Ruby. There was a boy and a girl too. The boy was standing in front of the girl, perhaps protecting her. Ami was still a ways back but she could hear him talking and he didn't sound like he was trying to threaten Ruby.
Ami had no idea what to make of it. Logic told her to wait. She kept the gun ready though. Just in case.
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umop-ap!sdn†
- Posts: 278
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:15 am
A threat came from the darkness before Cassidy's eyes had even adjusted. She'd stopped walking as soon as she'd heard the girl's voice, but then felt herself get grabbed around the waist. She'd started to yelp in surprise before she felt the hard, cylindrical pipe in Gavin's hand, and realized it was friendly. She stepped backwards in the direction she was pulled, both to cooperate with her partner and to keep herself from falling on her ass. He now stood in front of her defensively.
Despite the tension and looming threat of violence, she couldn't help but feel relieved she'd made the right decision to come with him. Even if they both died now, she at least knew she'd made an ally out of somebody so brave. If they survived this, she'd even feel comfortable calling him her friend.
But the gun was pointed at them, and the light was to their backs. She could tell from the shadow she cast on Gavin's back that they had the visual disadvantage. Even if they could no longer see her behind him, they'd heard her voice, and probably seen her already. The only slight advantage they had now was that her movements were mostly hidden behind Gavin's frame.
And maybe that tiny advantage would be enough to change the odds. Reversing them wasn't possible, but causing some panic in the girl with the gun might give them a better opportunity for their fight or flight. She turned around and pressed her back against Gavin's, tugging on the zipper of her bag so it opened quickly and made as little noise as possible. She pulled out the plastic toy boat and put her hand on Gavin's shoulder. Her fingers pressed into his deltoid muscle twice to signal she might have a plan if he didn't.
Then, the sound of metal hitting the floor came from the other side of the store's entrance. She turned to face the direction, hoping that she could keep them at bay just by looking in their direction She kept her body between where the sound had come from and the toy boat to conceal her bluff.
She breathed her words to quietly she wasn't even positive Gavin would hear them. "If you can get the gun... go."
Quickly trying to cover up the whisper, she spoke up too. Gavin had given his name, if that was what they were doing to keep everybody calm, it was worth a go. She kept her gaze towards where the clanging had come from. It had to be something, it had to be a person... Maybe it was nothing.
"I'm Cassidy." Hopefully her introduction would take away from Gavin's criticism about how to hold a gun on somebody properly.
I think it's our move, Gavin...
Despite the tension and looming threat of violence, she couldn't help but feel relieved she'd made the right decision to come with him. Even if they both died now, she at least knew she'd made an ally out of somebody so brave. If they survived this, she'd even feel comfortable calling him her friend.
But the gun was pointed at them, and the light was to their backs. She could tell from the shadow she cast on Gavin's back that they had the visual disadvantage. Even if they could no longer see her behind him, they'd heard her voice, and probably seen her already. The only slight advantage they had now was that her movements were mostly hidden behind Gavin's frame.
And maybe that tiny advantage would be enough to change the odds. Reversing them wasn't possible, but causing some panic in the girl with the gun might give them a better opportunity for their fight or flight. She turned around and pressed her back against Gavin's, tugging on the zipper of her bag so it opened quickly and made as little noise as possible. She pulled out the plastic toy boat and put her hand on Gavin's shoulder. Her fingers pressed into his deltoid muscle twice to signal she might have a plan if he didn't.
Then, the sound of metal hitting the floor came from the other side of the store's entrance. She turned to face the direction, hoping that she could keep them at bay just by looking in their direction She kept her body between where the sound had come from and the toy boat to conceal her bluff.
She breathed her words to quietly she wasn't even positive Gavin would hear them. "If you can get the gun... go."
Quickly trying to cover up the whisper, she spoke up too. Gavin had given his name, if that was what they were doing to keep everybody calm, it was worth a go. She kept her gaze towards where the clanging had come from. It had to be something, it had to be a person... Maybe it was nothing.
"I'm Cassidy." Hopefully her introduction would take away from Gavin's criticism about how to hold a gun on somebody properly.
I think it's our move, Gavin...
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Well, she wasn't met with a barrage of bullets. That was a good start.
As Ruby kept her gun's sights trained on the two newcomers, she couldn't help but notice that the tallest of the two positioned himself in front of his female companion. Whilst normally she wouldn't take much notice of such an action, given the situation it did imply that these supposed intruders were not as big a threat as she first suspected. She doubted that any duo with violent intentions would go out of their way to defend one another so selflessly, unless they had a Bonnie and Clyde thing going on.
In any case, after berating her for her lack of "muzzle discipline" (Well, forgive me for being paranoid in a situation where we're expected to kill each other on sight.), the boy identified himself as Gavin. It took her a moment to recall who in her class was Gavin, but eventually she remembered. Of course, he was the tall goth guy, wasn't he? She didn't know much about him other than he had a metal sense of fashion, although for the most part she generally had no problem with the guy. That said, if someone was to tell her that he was secretly a serial killer, she'd be slightly inclined to believe them.
A loud clanking noise caught her attention, the young girl briefly glancing to her left to see Ami holding up what looked like a massive machinegun. Jesus Christ, she had that thing with her the whole time?!
Damnit, this was no time to get distracted. At least Ami seemed to be on her side for now, although Ruby made a mental note to make a better effort to find out what her classmates were armed with before deciding to befriend them.
Shortly after Ami set herself up, the girl behind Gavin revealed her name to be Cassidy. Ruby recognised the name more quickly than Gavin's. She was one of the cheerleaders, right? A bit of a ditz, but made up for it by being genuinely friendly, not to mention kind of cute. Whilst she and Ruby had never been friends, Ruby knew enough about her to know that she wasn't the type to go on killing sprees right from the word go.
"Ruby. I'm Ruby." she replied, just in case they hadn't figured out who she was yet. Now that she had a decent idea of whom she was aiming at, she was beginning to feel that she was the one who in the wrong here. These weren't bloodthirsty killers, they were her classmates! Sure, she wasn't entirely certain about Gavin's intentions, but she was pretty sure that Cassidy wouldn't mean any harm. And here she was, aiming a gun at them both and threatening to open fire. Maybe she was just being cautious, but at the same time she didn't want to make enemies with people she could be allies with instead.
"Okay, look, I really don't want to be the bad guy in this situation. I'm just trying to be careful, that's all. Just show us what weapons you were both assigned with and tell us what your intentions are, then maybe we can talk without me having to aim a gun in your direction."
As Ruby kept her gun's sights trained on the two newcomers, she couldn't help but notice that the tallest of the two positioned himself in front of his female companion. Whilst normally she wouldn't take much notice of such an action, given the situation it did imply that these supposed intruders were not as big a threat as she first suspected. She doubted that any duo with violent intentions would go out of their way to defend one another so selflessly, unless they had a Bonnie and Clyde thing going on.
In any case, after berating her for her lack of "muzzle discipline" (Well, forgive me for being paranoid in a situation where we're expected to kill each other on sight.), the boy identified himself as Gavin. It took her a moment to recall who in her class was Gavin, but eventually she remembered. Of course, he was the tall goth guy, wasn't he? She didn't know much about him other than he had a metal sense of fashion, although for the most part she generally had no problem with the guy. That said, if someone was to tell her that he was secretly a serial killer, she'd be slightly inclined to believe them.
A loud clanking noise caught her attention, the young girl briefly glancing to her left to see Ami holding up what looked like a massive machinegun. Jesus Christ, she had that thing with her the whole time?!
Damnit, this was no time to get distracted. At least Ami seemed to be on her side for now, although Ruby made a mental note to make a better effort to find out what her classmates were armed with before deciding to befriend them.
Shortly after Ami set herself up, the girl behind Gavin revealed her name to be Cassidy. Ruby recognised the name more quickly than Gavin's. She was one of the cheerleaders, right? A bit of a ditz, but made up for it by being genuinely friendly, not to mention kind of cute. Whilst she and Ruby had never been friends, Ruby knew enough about her to know that she wasn't the type to go on killing sprees right from the word go.
"Ruby. I'm Ruby." she replied, just in case they hadn't figured out who she was yet. Now that she had a decent idea of whom she was aiming at, she was beginning to feel that she was the one who in the wrong here. These weren't bloodthirsty killers, they were her classmates! Sure, she wasn't entirely certain about Gavin's intentions, but she was pretty sure that Cassidy wouldn't mean any harm. And here she was, aiming a gun at them both and threatening to open fire. Maybe she was just being cautious, but at the same time she didn't want to make enemies with people she could be allies with instead.
"Okay, look, I really don't want to be the bad guy in this situation. I'm just trying to be careful, that's all. Just show us what weapons you were both assigned with and tell us what your intentions are, then maybe we can talk without me having to aim a gun in your direction."
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Ghost Of Ravenstar†
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:27 am
Gavin made an effort to control his breathing as the girl pointing the gun at him identified herself as 'Ruby' and stated her demands. It was difficult to stay calm when faced with the barrel of a loaded gun at close to point-blank range, to say the least. He swallowed, taking a few seconds to absorb both the request and Cassidy's whispered suggestion behind his back. In the end he decided that diplomacy was the way forward. Tucking his lead pipe under one arm, he unbuttoned the front of his Trenchcoat and pulled it open to reveal the empty inside pockets.
"No weapons." He said simply, waiting until Ruby had had the chance to confirm his assertion beyond reasonable doubt before buttoning the coat back up again. He was feeling calmer now, although the icy feeling in his stomach probably wouldn't go away until Ruby lowered her gun.
Once Gavin was certain Ruby understood that he wasn't carrying anything else that might pose a threat to her, he spoke again, keeping his tone diplomatic and respectful. "Cassidy just has a toy boat. I'll let her show you herself, but please lower your gun first. To answer your second question; I'm here for some supplies, Cassidy is tagging along under my protection. Right now I'm just looking for people I can call allies, and I hope I can count you among them."
Now that his eyes had been given a chance to get accustomed to the gloom present in the interior of the shopping centre, Gavin could make out more details about Ruby. She had dark blue hair, assets that could tactfully be described as generous and was wearing a leather jacket almost as large as his own, except coloured a provocative red. All that plus the submachine gun she was holding made Gavin wonder for a few seconds as if he wasn't already dead, and that he'd ended up in some kind of hyper-sexualised paradise for perverted gun fanatics. Oh if only...
Focusing his exploratory gaze deeper into the gloomy interior of the shopping centre, Gavin noticed a hint of movement coming from the grocery store. He guessed that somebody else was there, apparently too shy to step out into full view. He contemplated calling out to whoever it was, but then reasoned that it would be better if Ruby did that after she was satisfied that Gavin and Cassidy weren't a threat.
"No weapons." He said simply, waiting until Ruby had had the chance to confirm his assertion beyond reasonable doubt before buttoning the coat back up again. He was feeling calmer now, although the icy feeling in his stomach probably wouldn't go away until Ruby lowered her gun.
Once Gavin was certain Ruby understood that he wasn't carrying anything else that might pose a threat to her, he spoke again, keeping his tone diplomatic and respectful. "Cassidy just has a toy boat. I'll let her show you herself, but please lower your gun first. To answer your second question; I'm here for some supplies, Cassidy is tagging along under my protection. Right now I'm just looking for people I can call allies, and I hope I can count you among them."
Now that his eyes had been given a chance to get accustomed to the gloom present in the interior of the shopping centre, Gavin could make out more details about Ruby. She had dark blue hair, assets that could tactfully be described as generous and was wearing a leather jacket almost as large as his own, except coloured a provocative red. All that plus the submachine gun she was holding made Gavin wonder for a few seconds as if he wasn't already dead, and that he'd ended up in some kind of hyper-sexualised paradise for perverted gun fanatics. Oh if only...
Focusing his exploratory gaze deeper into the gloomy interior of the shopping centre, Gavin noticed a hint of movement coming from the grocery store. He guessed that somebody else was there, apparently too shy to step out into full view. He contemplated calling out to whoever it was, but then reasoned that it would be better if Ruby did that after she was satisfied that Gavin and Cassidy weren't a threat.
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Ami's eyes were just adjusting to the light when she caught sight of Ruby turning to look at her. Ami quickly buried herself against the rack and clutched her gun. It really didn't occur to her that she was sticking out. Ami had been pretty good at sneaking around the house when the rest of her family was asleep so Ami had just assumed...
It took her a moment to flood the memories out of her head. That could wait. It had to wait.
Ami tried to stay out of sight. She wasn't worried about Ruby seeing her. It was that split moment she would have been distracted, giving whoever was at the door enough time to blindside her. Ami hugged the gun to her chest, tucking it out of sight and squeezing. Then she realized that she had the lip of the barrel pressed against her chest. She quickly corrected that and pointed it at the floor instead.
Ami tried to listen to what was being said. The girl was named Cassidy. The name was vaguely familiar. She didn't sound all that dangerous... Then Ruby introduced herself... said something about not wanting to be the bad guy. Which was pretty ridiculous because she wasn't being the bad guy, she was being safe. She didn't have to apologize for being careful! Ruby had been smart to take her gun along with her! After Ruby finished, the boy started talking...
... A toy boat? Ami caught herself almost laughing. She stood up straight.
The mention of a toy boat of all things allowed Ami some breathing room. It was funny, it honestly took a toy boat for Ami to realize that she was being paranoid. These were her classmates. Why should she be worried? They were human, just like her.
So then why were her hands still shaking? And why was her heart still beating like a drum? And why was the sense of dread in the room thick enough to chew?
"Ruby?" Ami stammered, eyes darting all around. "Is it cool for me to come out?"
Ami had no idea if this was a mistake or not. If whoever was at the door had any guns, surely they would have used them already. And Ruby would have noticed right away too! Her mind was telling her not to play along but Ami was a creature of habit. If they weren't hostile, Ami would trust them. That was how it always worked.
It took her a moment to flood the memories out of her head. That could wait. It had to wait.
Ami tried to stay out of sight. She wasn't worried about Ruby seeing her. It was that split moment she would have been distracted, giving whoever was at the door enough time to blindside her. Ami hugged the gun to her chest, tucking it out of sight and squeezing. Then she realized that she had the lip of the barrel pressed against her chest. She quickly corrected that and pointed it at the floor instead.
Ami tried to listen to what was being said. The girl was named Cassidy. The name was vaguely familiar. She didn't sound all that dangerous... Then Ruby introduced herself... said something about not wanting to be the bad guy. Which was pretty ridiculous because she wasn't being the bad guy, she was being safe. She didn't have to apologize for being careful! Ruby had been smart to take her gun along with her! After Ruby finished, the boy started talking...
... A toy boat? Ami caught herself almost laughing. She stood up straight.
The mention of a toy boat of all things allowed Ami some breathing room. It was funny, it honestly took a toy boat for Ami to realize that she was being paranoid. These were her classmates. Why should she be worried? They were human, just like her.
So then why were her hands still shaking? And why was her heart still beating like a drum? And why was the sense of dread in the room thick enough to chew?
"Ruby?" Ami stammered, eyes darting all around. "Is it cool for me to come out?"
Ami had no idea if this was a mistake or not. If whoever was at the door had any guns, surely they would have used them already. And Ruby would have noticed right away too! Her mind was telling her not to play along but Ami was a creature of habit. If they weren't hostile, Ami would trust them. That was how it always worked.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Ciel. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
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umop-ap!sdn†
- Posts: 278
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:15 am
Cassidy lifted her weapon over her head and above Gavin's shoulder, her forearm brushed his back as she did so. She couldn't look away from where the noise had come from. If it'd even come from that direction. If there'd even been a noise. Hopefully showing that she was now cooperating with this girl with a gun would indicate to whoever she was looking for that she wasn't hostile.
Cooperation was probably much better than her previous idea of throwing the boat in the first girl's face and shouting "GRENADE." Now that the situation was diffusing, there was no need to bring it back to chaos.
Ruby. Punk rock. Edgy. Swears a lot.
She didn't want to be the bad guy here, that was at least a good sign. Hopefully she'd lower the gun and be the good guy she seemed to want to be.
A voice rose from the corner of the store where the mystery noise hand originated. If there had been such a noise. The meek voice asked Ruby if it was safe to come out, and it belonged to a girl.
Cassidy's body relaxed as though she's been injected with a sedative. Everybody was just as scared as the next person. With the exception of Gavin, it was hard to read exactly what he felt, but he'd been worried enough to try to protect Cassidy.
These were good people. Cassidy put her arm over Gavin's closer shoulder and walked out from behind him to stand at his side. She and Gavin were just an unlikely duo in an even less likely scenario trying to make the best of it, no harm, no hostility, and no need to be or seem paranoid.
She smiled at Ruby, who looked even edgier in the dark with a serious looking gun. She could have been on a punk rock album cover. Cassidy gave a slight nod towards Ruby to reassure her that it was, in fact, safe for her companion to reveal herself.
She was glad they were both girls, they were easier to relate to. Plus, many of her guy friends started treating her differently when they heard she had a six and a half foot tall boyfriend...
Boyfriend? BOYFRIEND?! WHERE/HOW/WHERE THE HELL WAS MATT!?!
Cooperation was probably much better than her previous idea of throwing the boat in the first girl's face and shouting "GRENADE." Now that the situation was diffusing, there was no need to bring it back to chaos.
Ruby. Punk rock. Edgy. Swears a lot.
She didn't want to be the bad guy here, that was at least a good sign. Hopefully she'd lower the gun and be the good guy she seemed to want to be.
A voice rose from the corner of the store where the mystery noise hand originated. If there had been such a noise. The meek voice asked Ruby if it was safe to come out, and it belonged to a girl.
Cassidy's body relaxed as though she's been injected with a sedative. Everybody was just as scared as the next person. With the exception of Gavin, it was hard to read exactly what he felt, but he'd been worried enough to try to protect Cassidy.
These were good people. Cassidy put her arm over Gavin's closer shoulder and walked out from behind him to stand at his side. She and Gavin were just an unlikely duo in an even less likely scenario trying to make the best of it, no harm, no hostility, and no need to be or seem paranoid.
She smiled at Ruby, who looked even edgier in the dark with a serious looking gun. She could have been on a punk rock album cover. Cassidy gave a slight nod towards Ruby to reassure her that it was, in fact, safe for her companion to reveal herself.
She was glad they were both girls, they were easier to relate to. Plus, many of her guy friends started treating her differently when they heard she had a six and a half foot tall boyfriend...
Boyfriend? BOYFRIEND?! WHERE/HOW/WHERE THE HELL WAS MATT!?!
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler umop-ap!sdn. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.