(( Stay Sane Inside Insanity --> Bounce))
How far had they walked along this damn coastline anyway? Bounce wasn't good enough with distances to be able to stick a number on it, but she could hazard a pretty good guess at 'too far'. Suffice to say, by the time the rocky shores gave way to an actual beach, Bounce was exhausted. Her feet were dragging, the pack and duffle bag were weighing her down and she just felt... sore. This wasn't what she was used to. Bounce lived and breathed in front of a computer screen; she wasn't cut out for hiking.
It just, really, hammered home what she'd thought all along. Bounce's knowledge of the game put her a couple of steps in front of the rest of the pack, but she didn't have the skill, the stamina to maintain that lead. At best, she had a head start, at best she'd avoid going down to a stupid mistake, but otherwise... who was she kidding? Bounce was 100 pounds soaking wet and one of the smallest kids in the year, she couldn't fight and classed walking home from school an athletic activity. Maybe, just maybe, if she was callous and ruthless, fought with her brain and was utterly without mercy...
But Bounce just couldn't fathom doing that. Most of those that knew her considered her to be a loner, a nerd and a bitch in about that order, depending on how close they felt like getting; and hey, in fairness they'd be right about most of it. Bounce was prickly, you had to have a lot of patience (like Alice) or relatively limited exposure (like Aaron Hughes) to get on with her. But... that didn't mean she was a stone cold killer. On the message boards, Bounce had always been sickened by the people enthusing over the mutilations and the rapes, the extreme violence... that wasn't what she watched SOTF for. It was part and parcel, but not the main appeal. The stories, the interactions... those were what fascinated her.
Bounce was no Rizolo or Jenson, she wasn't even a Dodd or Calvert. She didn't have that edge... and so she was dead.
At long last, Bounce sank to her knees on the beach, before sprawling out onto her back with little regard for the sand that would doubtless get in her hair.
"Sorry... Victoria," she panted to her partner. "I ... I can't continue... need a ...rest."
Stamina
((Continued from Stay Sane Inside Insanity))
Vic was hating life as she trudged along the beach. It wasn't enough that she needed to keep a weather eye on everyone they met for fear of being shot. No, she had to be tired and sore on top of that. Not the good-sex kind of sore, either, but the extensive exercise and effort kind. She was still alive, though, so she couldn't complain too much. Not when things were the way they presently were. At least most people wouldn't be gunning around yet. From the episodes she watched at home, the first day or two were usually pretty quiet. That wasn't to say it would be completely safe, but for the most part people would still be hesitant to pull the trigger on someone. Seeing how they hadn't found Alice yet and had no real way of protection, that suited her just fine.
The two of them had been moving at a good clip since leaving the docks. It wasn't that rough or terrible, but it certainly seemed to be taking a toll on Bounce. Vic found herself slowing a number of times to keep pace with the poor girl. Considering that they were essentially wandering at this point and that didn't have an exact destination, it wasn't a problem. If anything, Vic felt a little sorry for her. It was only after watching her drag her way up the beach did she realize how far out of her element she was. Bounce was one of those computer geeks, too. This must be as close to Hell as possible for her.
Vic lagged a few steps behind Bounce, if only so that she would know when her pace slowed. When the Russian girl slowed to a stop, Vic stood over her for a second, her eyes scanning up and down the beach to make sure they weren't about to get some unexpected and unwanted company. Nodding to herself that things seemed clear, Vic took a seat down next to Bounce. "No problem. I wouldn't mind a break myself." Vic began to rummage through her pack for the water, pausing only to offer Bounce a quick grin. "This isn't Alice we're talking about, after all." After another few seconds of searching, she removed the bottle water with an 'a-ha' of satisfaction. With a quick twist to break the seal, she passed the bottle over to Bounce.
"Rest up. It's not like we know where we're going, right?" With the bottle out of her hands, she reached back over to her bag and removed a grenade, as well as the little pamphlet explaining how to use the fuckin' things. The grenade itself was a cylindrical shape, with a handle running down the side and a couple holes running down the shaft. It didn't look like any grenade she'd ever seen, that was for damn sure. While glancing over the instructions and turning the cylinder over in her hand, she glanced up at Bounce. "I've known you through Alice for a while now, but you know, I've never really talked to you. Funny, right? So, naturally, I want to ask you about Alice first. It's kind of a puzzle to me. You two are some of the most anti-social people ever, so I'm pretty surprised you two get along so well. How'd you meet?"
Vic was hating life as she trudged along the beach. It wasn't enough that she needed to keep a weather eye on everyone they met for fear of being shot. No, she had to be tired and sore on top of that. Not the good-sex kind of sore, either, but the extensive exercise and effort kind. She was still alive, though, so she couldn't complain too much. Not when things were the way they presently were. At least most people wouldn't be gunning around yet. From the episodes she watched at home, the first day or two were usually pretty quiet. That wasn't to say it would be completely safe, but for the most part people would still be hesitant to pull the trigger on someone. Seeing how they hadn't found Alice yet and had no real way of protection, that suited her just fine.
The two of them had been moving at a good clip since leaving the docks. It wasn't that rough or terrible, but it certainly seemed to be taking a toll on Bounce. Vic found herself slowing a number of times to keep pace with the poor girl. Considering that they were essentially wandering at this point and that didn't have an exact destination, it wasn't a problem. If anything, Vic felt a little sorry for her. It was only after watching her drag her way up the beach did she realize how far out of her element she was. Bounce was one of those computer geeks, too. This must be as close to Hell as possible for her.
Vic lagged a few steps behind Bounce, if only so that she would know when her pace slowed. When the Russian girl slowed to a stop, Vic stood over her for a second, her eyes scanning up and down the beach to make sure they weren't about to get some unexpected and unwanted company. Nodding to herself that things seemed clear, Vic took a seat down next to Bounce. "No problem. I wouldn't mind a break myself." Vic began to rummage through her pack for the water, pausing only to offer Bounce a quick grin. "This isn't Alice we're talking about, after all." After another few seconds of searching, she removed the bottle water with an 'a-ha' of satisfaction. With a quick twist to break the seal, she passed the bottle over to Bounce.
"Rest up. It's not like we know where we're going, right?" With the bottle out of her hands, she reached back over to her bag and removed a grenade, as well as the little pamphlet explaining how to use the fuckin' things. The grenade itself was a cylindrical shape, with a handle running down the side and a couple holes running down the shaft. It didn't look like any grenade she'd ever seen, that was for damn sure. While glancing over the instructions and turning the cylinder over in her hand, she glanced up at Bounce. "I've known you through Alice for a while now, but you know, I've never really talked to you. Funny, right? So, naturally, I want to ask you about Alice first. It's kind of a puzzle to me. You two are some of the most anti-social people ever, so I'm pretty surprised you two get along so well. How'd you meet?"
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JamesRenard†
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:55 am
((Garry Villette continued from Out Of The Darkness And Into The Light))
To anyone who would be watching the boy walk down the eastern shore of the island, they probably would have pointed out to him that the beret he wore on his head looked completely out of place. If he'd heard such comments, the boy probably would have liberally cussed the persons out, and maybe smacked them around a bit as well.
Garry's feet were starting to ache, having walked non-stop for what seemed like hours. After leaving Cyrille's body, Garry had tried making his way back to the tunnels. He, much to his astonishment, managed to wind up there again, but there was no sign of Saul. He'd called out, but no reply; Saul was gone. Feeling down about losing track of his friend, he decided that for the moment, the best course of action was to fulfill Cyrille's last request, and for that, he desperately needed to find Violetta as soon as possible.
Shortly after leaving the tunnel for the second time that day, Garry discovered a river and decided to follow it as a point of reference, stopping periodically to top up his water bottle and also to wash his already-greasy face and facial hair. He continued to walk alongside the stream until he'd reached the coastline, continually thinking about finding Violetta and humming to himself. The humming over time turned into singing, Garry currently mumbling one of his favourite songs to himself.
"...In touch with the ground,
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.
Scent and a sound. I'm lost and I'm found,
And I'm hungry like the wolf..."
'... Hmmm... I still have some crackers, so I won't be hungry like the wolf for long,' Garry thought with a slim amount of satisfaction, pausing on the damp sand and fishing around in his bag for the opened packet. He pulled it out and took a couple of the savoury snacks, wolfing them down and chasing them down with a couple of gulps of river water. 'Much better.'
He put the crackers and bottle back in his bag and continued to walk down the beach, ji in hand and gazing out over the eastern horizon and wondering if his home, their home, was in that general direction. He had absolutely NO idea where the island was in relation to the States, nor if they were even anywhere close to North America anymore. Who knew where that Danya bastard had dropped them off?
He stopped looking over the choppy waters, turning to face the front again and saw two girls, standing there and conversing amongst themselves. 'Could one of them be Violetta?' he wondered, stopping still and just about praying that it was indeed the case, even if the odds of that were so miniscule. There had to be over a hundred girls on the island, so to run into Violetta so soon, it would be a near-miracle. 'Gotta ask them and find out.'
"Hey, you two," he called out loudly, starting to approach the pair at an increased pace and having to hold the beret tight so it wouldn't fall off his head. "Can you two help me at all? I'm looking for Violetta Lindsberg, have you seen her, or know what she looks like?" he asked.
To anyone who would be watching the boy walk down the eastern shore of the island, they probably would have pointed out to him that the beret he wore on his head looked completely out of place. If he'd heard such comments, the boy probably would have liberally cussed the persons out, and maybe smacked them around a bit as well.
Garry's feet were starting to ache, having walked non-stop for what seemed like hours. After leaving Cyrille's body, Garry had tried making his way back to the tunnels. He, much to his astonishment, managed to wind up there again, but there was no sign of Saul. He'd called out, but no reply; Saul was gone. Feeling down about losing track of his friend, he decided that for the moment, the best course of action was to fulfill Cyrille's last request, and for that, he desperately needed to find Violetta as soon as possible.
Shortly after leaving the tunnel for the second time that day, Garry discovered a river and decided to follow it as a point of reference, stopping periodically to top up his water bottle and also to wash his already-greasy face and facial hair. He continued to walk alongside the stream until he'd reached the coastline, continually thinking about finding Violetta and humming to himself. The humming over time turned into singing, Garry currently mumbling one of his favourite songs to himself.
"...In touch with the ground,
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.
Scent and a sound. I'm lost and I'm found,
And I'm hungry like the wolf..."
'... Hmmm... I still have some crackers, so I won't be hungry like the wolf for long,' Garry thought with a slim amount of satisfaction, pausing on the damp sand and fishing around in his bag for the opened packet. He pulled it out and took a couple of the savoury snacks, wolfing them down and chasing them down with a couple of gulps of river water. 'Much better.'
He put the crackers and bottle back in his bag and continued to walk down the beach, ji in hand and gazing out over the eastern horizon and wondering if his home, their home, was in that general direction. He had absolutely NO idea where the island was in relation to the States, nor if they were even anywhere close to North America anymore. Who knew where that Danya bastard had dropped them off?
He stopped looking over the choppy waters, turning to face the front again and saw two girls, standing there and conversing amongst themselves. 'Could one of them be Violetta?' he wondered, stopping still and just about praying that it was indeed the case, even if the odds of that were so miniscule. There had to be over a hundred girls on the island, so to run into Violetta so soon, it would be a near-miracle. 'Gotta ask them and find out.'
"Hey, you two," he called out loudly, starting to approach the pair at an increased pace and having to hold the beret tight so it wouldn't fall off his head. "Can you two help me at all? I'm looking for Violetta Lindsberg, have you seen her, or know what she looks like?" he asked.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler JamesRenard. 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.
Bounce just lay back for a long few moments, panting softly, chest rising and falling rapidly. The motion made the lettering on her t-shirt catch her eye, Bounce letting out a slight snort. How very ironic this was. A huge SOTF fan thrown headlong into the latest version of the killing game, and not only that, she was wearing SOTF merchandise too. How droll. The message boards were probably alive with this; Danya had likely enjoyed a good little chuckle about it. The next exhalation was rather tremulous and something, for a moment, pricked at Bounce's eyes before she sat up and blinked hard.
She had to keep her cool. Had to. Hysterics led to nothing but an early grave for SOTF participants. Fortunately, Victoria chose that moment to interject with a welcome distraction. Speaking up as she looked over her weapon(s). It occurred to Bounce that she hadn't even thought to ask what Victoria had drawn just as she recognised the grenade. It was a flashbang, issued weapon of Sydney Morvran back in v1, and... a girl in v2. Bounce couldn't recall. Hurrah for useless trivia.
When Vic actually asked her the question though, Bounce was slightly taken aback. Of course, it was only natural for somebody to be curious about their girl/boyfriend's own acquaintances, but Bounce simply wasn't used to, well... socialising. It was made particularly odd by the exact circumstances, but it beat 'So how about our imminent deaths, eh?'
At length, Bounce replied. "Library," she stared off a little as she tried to recall the memory. "If I recall correctly... Alice was studying, and I was waiting for a computer to be freed up so that I could go onto the internet for a while. Since I was bored, I examined what Alice was doing and noticed she was trying to work through... I don't remember, but nontheless it was the same assignment I had been given," Bounce shrugged. "I had little better to do, so I asked for the solution, and... we just started talking, I suppose," the slight girl favoured Victoria with a glimmer of a smile. "I apologise that it's not a terribly exciting story..."
She tailed off, then somebody - a male, called out. Bounce immediately scrambled to her feet, grateful at least that she'd regained her wind, turning to face this new arrival... And blanching. The guy that was approaching them was big, tough looking, and packing some kind of halberd. That he was wearing a beret that really didn't suit him too well didn't do a whole lot to subtract from the overall menace of his appearance.
Bounce didn't relax as the newcomer continued to speak to them, querying a classmate's location. It could well have been a ruse, designed to make them let their guard down whilst he got within striking distance. As the guy advanced, Bounce backed off slowly, preparing to break into a run if need be. This wasn't good at all. He was clearly and athlete, and more than likely capable of outrunning either Bounce or Vic if need be, even carrying such a cumbersome weapon around.
"I have no idea," Bounce said curtly, still searching for avenues of escape. "As it happens, we're searching ourselves, so we're unlikely to be of assistance."
Watch him closely, Lizzie. Eyes, voice. You'll see the signs. You KNOW the signs. You're not strong or tough... but you have the knowledge. That's an edge. Watch him.
She had to keep her cool. Had to. Hysterics led to nothing but an early grave for SOTF participants. Fortunately, Victoria chose that moment to interject with a welcome distraction. Speaking up as she looked over her weapon(s). It occurred to Bounce that she hadn't even thought to ask what Victoria had drawn just as she recognised the grenade. It was a flashbang, issued weapon of Sydney Morvran back in v1, and... a girl in v2. Bounce couldn't recall. Hurrah for useless trivia.
When Vic actually asked her the question though, Bounce was slightly taken aback. Of course, it was only natural for somebody to be curious about their girl/boyfriend's own acquaintances, but Bounce simply wasn't used to, well... socialising. It was made particularly odd by the exact circumstances, but it beat 'So how about our imminent deaths, eh?'
At length, Bounce replied. "Library," she stared off a little as she tried to recall the memory. "If I recall correctly... Alice was studying, and I was waiting for a computer to be freed up so that I could go onto the internet for a while. Since I was bored, I examined what Alice was doing and noticed she was trying to work through... I don't remember, but nontheless it was the same assignment I had been given," Bounce shrugged. "I had little better to do, so I asked for the solution, and... we just started talking, I suppose," the slight girl favoured Victoria with a glimmer of a smile. "I apologise that it's not a terribly exciting story..."
She tailed off, then somebody - a male, called out. Bounce immediately scrambled to her feet, grateful at least that she'd regained her wind, turning to face this new arrival... And blanching. The guy that was approaching them was big, tough looking, and packing some kind of halberd. That he was wearing a beret that really didn't suit him too well didn't do a whole lot to subtract from the overall menace of his appearance.
Bounce didn't relax as the newcomer continued to speak to them, querying a classmate's location. It could well have been a ruse, designed to make them let their guard down whilst he got within striking distance. As the guy advanced, Bounce backed off slowly, preparing to break into a run if need be. This wasn't good at all. He was clearly and athlete, and more than likely capable of outrunning either Bounce or Vic if need be, even carrying such a cumbersome weapon around.
"I have no idea," Bounce said curtly, still searching for avenues of escape. "As it happens, we're searching ourselves, so we're unlikely to be of assistance."
Watch him closely, Lizzie. Eyes, voice. You'll see the signs. You KNOW the signs. You're not strong or tough... but you have the knowledge. That's an edge. Watch him.
Vic waited for Bounce to speak while she continued to fiddle with the grenade. She was immensely disappointed to discover that it was a non-lethal grenade. Or was it less then lethal? Whatever it was they called them now, it wasn't designed to kill. Maybe disappointed was a strong word, but knowing that she didn't have any real means of defense (especially the confidence it gave her when she thought they were still deadly) was enough to rain on her parade. It was always possible Bounce had something, but that was only conjecture. Then, if Bounce had a decent weapon, she'd have it on hand. Whatever, she always flash the grenade if she was pressed. If everyone was like her, they'd assume it was something that could blow them up. Good enough for her.
She glanced up when Bounce started to talk. The girl seemed to be struggling to drudge up the details, but Vic supposed the two have been friends for a while. Personally, she didn't remember how she'd met half the people she knew. Then again, Bounce's mind wasn't screwed up by years of recreational drug use and excess. The story wasn't that surprising, the library. Vic always assumed they had a class together or something. Maybe Alice was in a club with her or something. Vic offered her a quick grin. "Well, that's a relief. I almost thought you were Alice's first love." Vic set the grenade in her lap while she put the booklet back into her bag. "I dunno, I always figured you met her at her bookstore or something."
Vic looked to return her smile, maybe explain how she'd met Alice when she saw Bounce go rigid. Then she heard the voice, calling out across the beach. The taller girl clambered to her feet, the grenade clenched tightly in her hand. No, no, she wasn't ready for another confrontation, not after that shit on the dock. The way this guy was strolling up with that monster looking spear, he was probably looking to pick off two unguarded girls.
Even if the beret did make him look more or less like a tool.
Vic stood beside Bounce, fighting back the urge to grab her hand again. She wasn't used to this, wasn't used to conflict. She felt useless, scared, and more then a little pathetic. It was like her constant confidence deserted her the moment violence was impending. Back home, she liked to think Alice was the one who relied on her. That Alice was be useless without her, not the other way around. Vic was extroverted, outspoken, confident. Alice was...not. If someone had told her any time in the six months before that she'd be the one who was lost without her girlfriend, she would have laughed in their face. But when she saw the boy making his way down the beach, she never felt more alone.
"I, uh, I don't k-know who that is. B-beside, I-i haven't seen any other girls. Whoever she is, s-she isn't here."
She glanced up when Bounce started to talk. The girl seemed to be struggling to drudge up the details, but Vic supposed the two have been friends for a while. Personally, she didn't remember how she'd met half the people she knew. Then again, Bounce's mind wasn't screwed up by years of recreational drug use and excess. The story wasn't that surprising, the library. Vic always assumed they had a class together or something. Maybe Alice was in a club with her or something. Vic offered her a quick grin. "Well, that's a relief. I almost thought you were Alice's first love." Vic set the grenade in her lap while she put the booklet back into her bag. "I dunno, I always figured you met her at her bookstore or something."
Vic looked to return her smile, maybe explain how she'd met Alice when she saw Bounce go rigid. Then she heard the voice, calling out across the beach. The taller girl clambered to her feet, the grenade clenched tightly in her hand. No, no, she wasn't ready for another confrontation, not after that shit on the dock. The way this guy was strolling up with that monster looking spear, he was probably looking to pick off two unguarded girls.
Even if the beret did make him look more or less like a tool.
Vic stood beside Bounce, fighting back the urge to grab her hand again. She wasn't used to this, wasn't used to conflict. She felt useless, scared, and more then a little pathetic. It was like her constant confidence deserted her the moment violence was impending. Back home, she liked to think Alice was the one who relied on her. That Alice was be useless without her, not the other way around. Vic was extroverted, outspoken, confident. Alice was...not. If someone had told her any time in the six months before that she'd be the one who was lost without her girlfriend, she would have laughed in their face. But when she saw the boy making his way down the beach, she never felt more alone.
"I, uh, I don't k-know who that is. B-beside, I-i haven't seen any other girls. Whoever she is, s-she isn't here."
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JamesRenard†
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:55 am
As Garry got closer to the two girls, they visibly backed off, as if a wild animal had suddenly appeared before them and had started snarling and baring its fangs at them. While Garry would have been halfway proud of causing that reaction back in Bayview (oh how he fondly remembered sneaking up on Saul and spooking the shit out of him, which reminded him that he still had to find the mascot before it got too late), now was not the time for that. He was looking to team up with people, not drive them off.
He slowed down to a stop several yards from the pair. He could see one of the girls clutching something in her hand, but from his distance, he couldn't tell whether it was a rock, a baseball or something else. He didn't want to find out what it was either, if finding out meant having it hurled at his head. One of the girls quickly replied that she didn't know where Violetta was, and her partner backed her claims, though she sounded absolutely terrified when she spoke.
'Great, I've scared one of them at least, that is NOT what I wanted to do,' Garry thought, bitting his lip as he saw Victoria standing behind the other girl. Maybe it was his physique, his weapon or a combination of the two that did it. "Hey, there's no need to be scared, I'm not going to hurt you, kill you, or do anything like that," he said, dropping his weapon to the sand by the side of him, hoping it would prove to them that he wasn't a thread. He was about to add on that he'd seen the (rather bloody) result of students turning on students first hand, but there was no reason in scaring the girls anymore than they were already. Besides, if he did that, they might even believe that he was a killer and was lying to cover his tracks.
"Look, if you do happen to run into Violetta, can you please tell her that I'm looking for her? It's pretty important," he asked. "The name's Garry. Garry Villette, or if you want, Garou."
He slowed down to a stop several yards from the pair. He could see one of the girls clutching something in her hand, but from his distance, he couldn't tell whether it was a rock, a baseball or something else. He didn't want to find out what it was either, if finding out meant having it hurled at his head. One of the girls quickly replied that she didn't know where Violetta was, and her partner backed her claims, though she sounded absolutely terrified when she spoke.
'Great, I've scared one of them at least, that is NOT what I wanted to do,' Garry thought, bitting his lip as he saw Victoria standing behind the other girl. Maybe it was his physique, his weapon or a combination of the two that did it. "Hey, there's no need to be scared, I'm not going to hurt you, kill you, or do anything like that," he said, dropping his weapon to the sand by the side of him, hoping it would prove to them that he wasn't a thread. He was about to add on that he'd seen the (rather bloody) result of students turning on students first hand, but there was no reason in scaring the girls anymore than they were already. Besides, if he did that, they might even believe that he was a killer and was lying to cover his tracks.
"Look, if you do happen to run into Violetta, can you please tell her that I'm looking for her? It's pretty important," he asked. "The name's Garry. Garry Villette, or if you want, Garou."
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler JamesRenard. 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.
Bounce, probably rather uncharitably, felt a stab of irritation at the way Victoria reacted to the newcomer's sudden appearance. If Bounce could - at least outwardly - hold it together, then surely so could the other girl? She was supposed to be the supremely-confident one, right? The girl that, before she went steady with Alice, could have the pick of anybody she wanted. Well, that was the impression Bounce had received, anyway. Point was, she was making Bounce HAVE to keep her composure.
Thanks for that one. It was appreciated.
The reassurances of the guy that had come towards them didn't do a whole lot to settle Bounce. It was easy to say such things. Words were little more than air and there had been plenty of competent liars in SOTF over the years. Still, for all that, his eyes didn't seem anything but earnest, his voice had an appropriate tone, insomuch as she could judge. When he dropped the halberd, her mind settled down a hell of a lot more.
Weapons can be hidden.
Then her guard went straight back up again. A halberd was a large, visible threat. A smart player could always use it as a decoy, throw it away, leave themself 'unarmed' whilst having a gun ready the entire time. Dammit. Maybe ignorance was bliss.
Still, the guy - Garry, his words did make Bounce think. How many times had she seen this? Been struck by little pangs because of it? The searcher. The person out looking for their love or their best friend, to make a confession or to hold them one last time. Victoria and herself were already in the midst of that selfsame plot. It happened over and over again, somehow never getting stale or old, even though it was really a repeat. The outcomes were inevitable. Either there was a joyous reunion, only for one to die in front of the other, or... they never found one another, and the announcement heralded their failure.
"I will," she answered him. "Look... you should move on, quickly. Don't dawdle on our account. You have somebody to look for, somebody to save, perhaps. ...Keep searching. Far better to have closure."
...That's really cold, Bounce. Really, really cold.
Thanks for that one. It was appreciated.
The reassurances of the guy that had come towards them didn't do a whole lot to settle Bounce. It was easy to say such things. Words were little more than air and there had been plenty of competent liars in SOTF over the years. Still, for all that, his eyes didn't seem anything but earnest, his voice had an appropriate tone, insomuch as she could judge. When he dropped the halberd, her mind settled down a hell of a lot more.
Weapons can be hidden.
Then her guard went straight back up again. A halberd was a large, visible threat. A smart player could always use it as a decoy, throw it away, leave themself 'unarmed' whilst having a gun ready the entire time. Dammit. Maybe ignorance was bliss.
Still, the guy - Garry, his words did make Bounce think. How many times had she seen this? Been struck by little pangs because of it? The searcher. The person out looking for their love or their best friend, to make a confession or to hold them one last time. Victoria and herself were already in the midst of that selfsame plot. It happened over and over again, somehow never getting stale or old, even though it was really a repeat. The outcomes were inevitable. Either there was a joyous reunion, only for one to die in front of the other, or... they never found one another, and the announcement heralded their failure.
"I will," she answered him. "Look... you should move on, quickly. Don't dawdle on our account. You have somebody to look for, somebody to save, perhaps. ...Keep searching. Far better to have closure."
...That's really cold, Bounce. Really, really cold.
Vic cowered behind Bounce, an action that she herself would have laughed at in a better frame of mind. It didn't matter that this guy was coming off sincere, Vic had seen enough Survival of the Fittest to know that could hardly be counted on. He might have a gun, or a knife, or a grenade, or any number of hidden implements of death and pain. He may not be outwardly hostile, but that didn't mean a goddamn thing. Just because he wasn't marching towards them, that weren't out and away toward Alice just yet. All it would take was one of them letting down their guard, and it would end on that beach, just like that.
Even though he was putting his weapon down, Vic flinched. She was sure that this would be some kind of ploy, some kind of trick to lull them into a false sense of security. If anything, her white-knuckled grip in the grenade tightened, almost to the point where she was ridiculously expecting it to explode from the pressure. It wouldn't save them if he did attack, no. After all, it was only a flash grenade. It would blind him for a few seconds, and only if he didn't close his eyes. That was without assuming that Bounce would probably be blinded too, and Vic couldn't leave her behind.
Bounce seemed to relax for a moment as he weapon settled in the sand. A second later, her guard was back up and it left Vic frantically trying to see what had riled her so. She had to see something, right? Maybe sense something? This was the Survival of the Fittest queen here, she had to have a sense for this sort of thing. If Bounce didn't trust him, there was no way Vic would. Maybe if Alice was by her side. Maybe.
Vic was more then content to let Bounce do the talking. It was comforting to see that she was holding it together much better then Vic was. But, of course, that wasn't saying much. In her fear-addled mind, Garry was a looming monster instead of a guy looking for someone he lost. He wasn't trying to make them feel safe, he was waiting for a chance to choke the life out of them. Her mind kept going back to Pondsworth and his cigarette, thinking about how quickly the situation had shot out of control. Vic expected Garry to drop the act any second, maybe conjure up a lit cigarette as he made his way inexorably toward them.
Instead of supporting Bounce like she should have, explaining that they would indeed keep an eye open for his friend, she just kept whispering to herself, "Please go away, just go away and don't hurt us." She wished she was safe, clearly safe. She wished she was at home, curled up with Alice, and not standing on a beach and hiding behind the one person in the school that could still probably fit in a locker.
Even though he was putting his weapon down, Vic flinched. She was sure that this would be some kind of ploy, some kind of trick to lull them into a false sense of security. If anything, her white-knuckled grip in the grenade tightened, almost to the point where she was ridiculously expecting it to explode from the pressure. It wouldn't save them if he did attack, no. After all, it was only a flash grenade. It would blind him for a few seconds, and only if he didn't close his eyes. That was without assuming that Bounce would probably be blinded too, and Vic couldn't leave her behind.
Bounce seemed to relax for a moment as he weapon settled in the sand. A second later, her guard was back up and it left Vic frantically trying to see what had riled her so. She had to see something, right? Maybe sense something? This was the Survival of the Fittest queen here, she had to have a sense for this sort of thing. If Bounce didn't trust him, there was no way Vic would. Maybe if Alice was by her side. Maybe.
Vic was more then content to let Bounce do the talking. It was comforting to see that she was holding it together much better then Vic was. But, of course, that wasn't saying much. In her fear-addled mind, Garry was a looming monster instead of a guy looking for someone he lost. He wasn't trying to make them feel safe, he was waiting for a chance to choke the life out of them. Her mind kept going back to Pondsworth and his cigarette, thinking about how quickly the situation had shot out of control. Vic expected Garry to drop the act any second, maybe conjure up a lit cigarette as he made his way inexorably toward them.
Instead of supporting Bounce like she should have, explaining that they would indeed keep an eye open for his friend, she just kept whispering to herself, "Please go away, just go away and don't hurt us." She wished she was safe, clearly safe. She wished she was at home, curled up with Alice, and not standing on a beach and hiding behind the one person in the school that could still probably fit in a locker.
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JamesRenard†
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:55 am
Garry nodded; the much more confident of the two girls had a really good point. He'd already asked them if they'd seen Violetta, had asked them to look out for her if they came across her. There wasn't anything else he could realistically accomplish now, so why was he still hanging around and not moving on already? It was evident they didn't want him around much longer. One of the girls cowering behind the other, who was quite a lot shorter than she was (and which would have made the scene a lot funnier, if they weren't in a deathmatch) was a massive indication of that.
"You're right, I need to hurry, I'm wasting time now," Garry said, bending down and scooping the halberd back up from off the sand. The beret slowly slid off his head as he bent down, Garry just managing to catch it with his left hand before it could land on the beach. He stood back up with his assigned weapon gripped firmly in his hand and started to walk around the girls, keeping his distance and then continuing to walk parallel to the shore. A hundred yards or so away from the pair, Garry stopped and turned around, looking back at Bounce and Victoria.
"Take care you two!" he shouted out, turning back to face the south and resuming the trek along the coast until he was far out of the girls' sight.
((Garry Villette continued in Caged in Like Animals))
"You're right, I need to hurry, I'm wasting time now," Garry said, bending down and scooping the halberd back up from off the sand. The beret slowly slid off his head as he bent down, Garry just managing to catch it with his left hand before it could land on the beach. He stood back up with his assigned weapon gripped firmly in his hand and started to walk around the girls, keeping his distance and then continuing to walk parallel to the shore. A hundred yards or so away from the pair, Garry stopped and turned around, looking back at Bounce and Victoria.
"Take care you two!" he shouted out, turning back to face the south and resuming the trek along the coast until he was far out of the girls' sight.
((Garry Villette continued in Caged in Like Animals))
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Bounce huffed a relieved sigh as Garry took his leave of them. Even as he ran in the opposite direction, she found herself softening towards him slightly, if only because it was no very clear he'd had no intention of attacking them. Bounce didn't regret keeping her guard up, but equally... well, she hoped Garry found who he was looking for. Violetta. Nobody Bounce knew, but she could relate, in a way.
She found a slightly melancholy smile drift across her face as she thought about all of those people she'd been rooting to find their loved one. Usually, it was from the other side of a computer screen, streaming a video. Now, well, Bounce couldn't spare much more than a fleeting thought. She had her own concerns right now.
Bounce's face clouded over again. Her advice to Garry held true for Victoria and herself. She... she couldn't just sit around taking a rest.
"It's time," she announced to Vic. "If we're to find Alice, we have to keep going. I'm... rested. We should cut inland, make sure we listen out for the announcement. Shall we?"
The small girl turned her back on the glittering waters of the beach and headed inward. It would be more dangerous, but maybe, just maybe... successful.
((Bounce --> Where Do You Go From Here?))
She found a slightly melancholy smile drift across her face as she thought about all of those people she'd been rooting to find their loved one. Usually, it was from the other side of a computer screen, streaming a video. Now, well, Bounce couldn't spare much more than a fleeting thought. She had her own concerns right now.
Bounce's face clouded over again. Her advice to Garry held true for Victoria and herself. She... she couldn't just sit around taking a rest.
"It's time," she announced to Vic. "If we're to find Alice, we have to keep going. I'm... rested. We should cut inland, make sure we listen out for the announcement. Shall we?"
The small girl turned her back on the glittering waters of the beach and headed inward. It would be more dangerous, but maybe, just maybe... successful.
((Bounce --> Where Do You Go From Here?))
Vic was still trembling as Garry recovered his weapon. This was it, this was where he was going to drop this facade and make a run at them with his spearswordthing. She'd never get to see another sunrise, never get to hold Alice again. Vic cringed behind Bounce at every move Garry made until it became apparent that he was leaving. All the same, she watched the boy carefully as he left. He seemed sincere, but that meant nothing. The boy could be...planning to...shoot them? Something, anything except him being sincere. This was a ploy, had to be. People weren't sincere, they were always after something. This guy was just looking to get ahead. The Hulk-walking-away routine was just, just a scam.
Vic was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, even after Garry disappeared down the beach. That wasn't all there was to it, couldn't be. But Bounce seemed to relax as his made his way along to shore, so maybe it wasn't a distant possibility to say they were safe? Vic hoped that was all. She wanted to get off the beach, and get somewhere a little less in the open. She felt exposed, on top of her original terror at the sight of Garry and his weapon. Terror was starting to ebb away as she came to to terms with the idea that he was on the up and up.
They weren't dead, Garry wasn't going to kill them. Simple enough in theory. No, she didn't need to second guess this. He was gone, they were both okay. They could keep looking for Alice, and figure out some way to escape. Maybe just start with finding Alice. One step at a time.
Vic felt embarrassed, now that her irrational fear had died down. Even if Garry had meant them harm, she had left Bounce to deal with it by herself. It was like she'd checked out at the first possible hint of trouble. Garry probably wasn't the type of person to put out a cigarette on someone's neck, and he probably wasn't even the type to smack a small girl. Her reaction to his appearance was uncalled for, to say the least. "I-i'm sorry, Bounce. I should have backed you up." Vic felt like she was still shaking, and she ached for something to take the edge off. Too bad this was a school-sanctioned trip, otherwise she might have brought something from her stash.
Bounce started inland and Vic hurried after her, grabbing her hand once more.
((Victoria Logan continued in Civilization at any Price))
Vic was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, even after Garry disappeared down the beach. That wasn't all there was to it, couldn't be. But Bounce seemed to relax as his made his way along to shore, so maybe it wasn't a distant possibility to say they were safe? Vic hoped that was all. She wanted to get off the beach, and get somewhere a little less in the open. She felt exposed, on top of her original terror at the sight of Garry and his weapon. Terror was starting to ebb away as she came to to terms with the idea that he was on the up and up.
They weren't dead, Garry wasn't going to kill them. Simple enough in theory. No, she didn't need to second guess this. He was gone, they were both okay. They could keep looking for Alice, and figure out some way to escape. Maybe just start with finding Alice. One step at a time.
Vic felt embarrassed, now that her irrational fear had died down. Even if Garry had meant them harm, she had left Bounce to deal with it by herself. It was like she'd checked out at the first possible hint of trouble. Garry probably wasn't the type of person to put out a cigarette on someone's neck, and he probably wasn't even the type to smack a small girl. Her reaction to his appearance was uncalled for, to say the least. "I-i'm sorry, Bounce. I should have backed you up." Vic felt like she was still shaking, and she ached for something to take the edge off. Too bad this was a school-sanctioned trip, otherwise she might have brought something from her stash.
Bounce started inland and Vic hurried after her, grabbing her hand once more.
((Victoria Logan continued in Civilization at any Price))
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