((Autumn O'Leary continued from Take Back the Fear ))
Autumn had been walking on her own for quite sometime. She'd left the "fun fair" as it was labeled on the map (not very fun from her perspective) and had set off wandering around. She'd just set off in one direction for the sake of not staying in the same place. Every once in a while she'd heard a gun shot or a scream but she wasn't swayed from her straight path to no where. Autumn didn't spend her energy needlessly, keeping a nice steady pace. She had more than enough food and water after taking the rations from three bags back at the fair. So she carried on at a leisurely pace, ate when she felt hungry, drank when she felt thirsty and didn't endanger herself by rushing off to involve herself in one of the many disputes she'd heard between her classmates.
If they want to kill each other, it's none of my business.
It was sunset when Autumn reached the key. She avoided most of the mucky swamp by sticking closer to the coast line while not going right in the middle of the beach. It would be a move of idiocy to just stroll along the beach with no cover.
Day 7. She was unhurt, well fed, well hydrated, and armed to the teeth. And all of it all on her own. She was doing just fine all by herself. All that was missing from the winning equation was sleep. She'd tried to sleep but it was rough going jolting awake to every twig snap. Autumn had Nik's gun on hand always, ready to take down anyone who decided they wanted to involve her in their hunting games.
Over the past days she'd heard the announcements. By her estimations about half the class was gone and dead. She couldn't quite figure it out. She somehow outlasted half the class just walking around and eating bread. Oh, and of course some girl had done something to her collar. Good for her, she supposed. But just as quickly she'd been denounced and had the whole island gunning for her. Oh well, those were the brakes.
The most annoying thing was that it felt like she was drifting along with no purpose or direction. She didn't like not having a goal. Other than the obvious goal of "don't die."
When she reached the edge of the beach there seemed to be a boat a little way away. Autumn walked up to it. It was a wreck. An idea struck her. She climbed up to the rickety boat and grabbed one of the old doors leading down into the boat from the cock pit. After a few pulls the door came off. It wasn't hard, the boat was falling apart as is. She threw the wood down to the sand and hopped off the boat after it.
I Was a Teenage Hand Model
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Ruggahissy
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(Madeleine Smith continued from The Beggar King)
Last night had not been a comfortable one for Madeleine, what with tossing and turning over the people who she had left behind. They were all dead. She hadn't heard them on the announcements, but she knew it was just a matter of time. She was smart to leave them behind. Yes, that's what she told herself. It wasn't cowardice at all, but common sense. All the group would have done was take her gun and then leave her as a distraction for the terrorists anyway. She was better off alone, leaving her classmates to be shot-or, she noted, blown up-rather than risking her own death by running with them.
It was easy to say that, but believing it was a different matter.
Maddy saw Autumn O'Leary quite a ways off, and if she had been feeling like it, she could have definitely given her a wide berth. She didn't, however, because she was curious to find out why she was tearing the parts off of an old boat. She couldn't possibly have been thinking of fixing it and sailing away, could she? There was really only one way to find out, and if Maddy's suspicions were correct, then perhaps Autumn would be willing to provide an extra seat if she asked nicely enough.
And so, with her SMG at the ready (just in case), Maddy walked slowly up to Autumn and meekly asked, "Uh...Wh-what are you doing?" She considered putting the gun away, but she knew that she absolutely couldn't. There was no way that she would allow herself to die from being careless.
Last night had not been a comfortable one for Madeleine, what with tossing and turning over the people who she had left behind. They were all dead. She hadn't heard them on the announcements, but she knew it was just a matter of time. She was smart to leave them behind. Yes, that's what she told herself. It wasn't cowardice at all, but common sense. All the group would have done was take her gun and then leave her as a distraction for the terrorists anyway. She was better off alone, leaving her classmates to be shot-or, she noted, blown up-rather than risking her own death by running with them.
It was easy to say that, but believing it was a different matter.
Maddy saw Autumn O'Leary quite a ways off, and if she had been feeling like it, she could have definitely given her a wide berth. She didn't, however, because she was curious to find out why she was tearing the parts off of an old boat. She couldn't possibly have been thinking of fixing it and sailing away, could she? There was really only one way to find out, and if Maddy's suspicions were correct, then perhaps Autumn would be willing to provide an extra seat if she asked nicely enough.
And so, with her SMG at the ready (just in case), Maddy walked slowly up to Autumn and meekly asked, "Uh...Wh-what are you doing?" She considered putting the gun away, but she knew that she absolutely couldn't. There was no way that she would allow herself to die from being careless.
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Ruggahissy
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Autumn stood up and stretched after dislodging the door from the boat. Just as her limbs were pleasantly extending and relaxing she heard a voice from behind. Autumn turned to see a girl, Maddy. It also didn't take long for her to realize that this particular girl had a gun. Well, it seemed only fair that they should be on even ground.
Autumn took Nik's colt out of her skirt waist band and turned to face Maddy, now both girls with guns. She sighed and looked the girl over.
"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked.
She wanted to know what was her deal with the piece of boat she just ripped off. Autumn nodded in the direction of the beach towards the still corpse of a girl on the sand.
"Funeral," she said simply.
Autumn took Nik's colt out of her skirt waist band and turned to face Maddy, now both girls with guns. She sighed and looked the girl over.
"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked.
She wanted to know what was her deal with the piece of boat she just ripped off. Autumn nodded in the direction of the beach towards the still corpse of a girl on the sand.
"Funeral," she said simply.
"A funeral?" Well, there went that escape plan. Maddy wasn't too disappointed though, as she probably wouldn't have been able to find land anyway. Still, it seemed a shame to harvest wood from a boat when there were so many good trees to use instead. Perhaps she felt that crafted wood would be easier to use for a cremation or something of that sort, as Maddy couldn't imagine the wood being used to create a coffin or something complicated along those lines.
It was at that point that she noticed that Autumn had a gun of her own. Why she hadn't taken any steps to stop her from drawing it, Maddy didn't know, but it was probably for the best. She was feeling too out of it to try taking someone on in a straight gunfight, especially when she hadn't used it since...
"Well...uh, I can see that you're busy with honoring your friend, so...I guess I'll leave you to it then. Heh..." Maddy didn't turn to walk away, despite her attempts to sound casual. Instead, she backed slowly into the trees, her SMG lowered but still at the ready. Even though she meant no harm with the gun, the threat of violence was usually sufficient to give people second thoughts. Maddy didn't want to die because she'd let her guard down. If she was going to die, she'd make her own funeral pyre, so to speak, rather than letting someone else make a funeral pyre out of ship wood. Though now that she thought of it, Maddy considered that a burial would probably be more respectful...
She forgot where she was going with this analogy. Into the trees, probably, which is where she now found herself, having long ago gone out of eyesight of her new friend. Blinking once or twice, Maddy shrugged and took off, hoping that she'd find someone who wasn't busy with honoring a friend the next time she found somebody.
(Madeleine Smith continued in White Sparrows)
It was at that point that she noticed that Autumn had a gun of her own. Why she hadn't taken any steps to stop her from drawing it, Maddy didn't know, but it was probably for the best. She was feeling too out of it to try taking someone on in a straight gunfight, especially when she hadn't used it since...
"Well...uh, I can see that you're busy with honoring your friend, so...I guess I'll leave you to it then. Heh..." Maddy didn't turn to walk away, despite her attempts to sound casual. Instead, she backed slowly into the trees, her SMG lowered but still at the ready. Even though she meant no harm with the gun, the threat of violence was usually sufficient to give people second thoughts. Maddy didn't want to die because she'd let her guard down. If she was going to die, she'd make her own funeral pyre, so to speak, rather than letting someone else make a funeral pyre out of ship wood. Though now that she thought of it, Maddy considered that a burial would probably be more respectful...
She forgot where she was going with this analogy. Into the trees, probably, which is where she now found herself, having long ago gone out of eyesight of her new friend. Blinking once or twice, Maddy shrugged and took off, hoping that she'd find someone who wasn't busy with honoring a friend the next time she found somebody.
(Madeleine Smith continued in White Sparrows)
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MurderWeasel
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((Claire Lambert continued from Doesn't Matter, I had sex))
Claire hadn't let go of her gun since leaving the gazebo. She supposed she probably would never let go of it again. Not after all that had happened. Not after the announcements had told her that Aislyn had been killed.
Aisyln. The one friend Claire had known she could trust. The one who would have been a reliable teammate, who she had been searching for her whole time here on the island. It was difficult to imagine Aislyn gone. She'd been killed by some girl Claire didn't know, Kimberly Something-complicated-sounding, and now she was gone. JJ was gone. There was no one left on this island Claire could even begin to trust with her life.
"And that's what it all comes down to, isn't it?"
Claire didn't plan to die here. Part of it was that she just didn't want to die, but another part, the bigger part, was that she didn't want to see her parents hurt again. They'd lost one child already. They didn't deserve to lose their daughter, too. They didn't need any more pain.
She'd come out here, away from the main section of the island, to recuperate and wait things out a little. Half of her class, half of her friends and fellow journalists and tennis teammates, were dead now. Maybe more, given the time since the announcement. Claire was still largely uninjured, excepting her bruises from the fight with Dan, and she was well-armed, with his gun and her own original mini magnum, now in her pocket again, just in case. She figured she could wait here for a little, maybe hunker down in the wrecked ship, and let things calm down a bit more. She wasn't feeling too confident at the moment, not with Aislyn dead. It was still so unreal.
She'd meant to thank Aislyn again for helping her out at Prom, for keeping her clear of JJ.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw another pair of girls ahead. One of them left as she watched, the other returning to... whatever it was she was doing.
Claire nearly turned around. She wasn't going to trust people or get into unnecessary altercations. This girl, however, had just parted peaceably with someone else. She was also working on something mysterious. In this sort of situation, information could be as much of a life-saver as a weapon. If there was some escape plot that could actually succeed, Claire would be in it in an instant. She doubted she would find one, but it wasn't worth dying over being too worried to check.
Claire stepped out, trying to catch the girl's eye. She kept her gun in her hand, ready to bring it up at a second's notice if she had to, but content to keep it lowered for the time being.
"Hey," she called. "What are you doing there?"
Claire hadn't let go of her gun since leaving the gazebo. She supposed she probably would never let go of it again. Not after all that had happened. Not after the announcements had told her that Aislyn had been killed.
Aisyln. The one friend Claire had known she could trust. The one who would have been a reliable teammate, who she had been searching for her whole time here on the island. It was difficult to imagine Aislyn gone. She'd been killed by some girl Claire didn't know, Kimberly Something-complicated-sounding, and now she was gone. JJ was gone. There was no one left on this island Claire could even begin to trust with her life.
"And that's what it all comes down to, isn't it?"
Claire didn't plan to die here. Part of it was that she just didn't want to die, but another part, the bigger part, was that she didn't want to see her parents hurt again. They'd lost one child already. They didn't deserve to lose their daughter, too. They didn't need any more pain.
She'd come out here, away from the main section of the island, to recuperate and wait things out a little. Half of her class, half of her friends and fellow journalists and tennis teammates, were dead now. Maybe more, given the time since the announcement. Claire was still largely uninjured, excepting her bruises from the fight with Dan, and she was well-armed, with his gun and her own original mini magnum, now in her pocket again, just in case. She figured she could wait here for a little, maybe hunker down in the wrecked ship, and let things calm down a bit more. She wasn't feeling too confident at the moment, not with Aislyn dead. It was still so unreal.
She'd meant to thank Aislyn again for helping her out at Prom, for keeping her clear of JJ.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw another pair of girls ahead. One of them left as she watched, the other returning to... whatever it was she was doing.
Claire nearly turned around. She wasn't going to trust people or get into unnecessary altercations. This girl, however, had just parted peaceably with someone else. She was also working on something mysterious. In this sort of situation, information could be as much of a life-saver as a weapon. If there was some escape plot that could actually succeed, Claire would be in it in an instant. She doubted she would find one, but it wasn't worth dying over being too worried to check.
Claire stepped out, trying to catch the girl's eye. She kept her gun in her hand, ready to bring it up at a second's notice if she had to, but content to keep it lowered for the time being.
"Hey," she called. "What are you doing there?"
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Ruggahissy
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The other girl backed away slowly until she turned in towards the forest and walked off. That was just fine with Autumn. Being alone was the safest way to be. Your chances of dying went down dramatically if there was no one around to kill you.
She turned back and dragged the part of a door just to were the water licked the sand. Next, she went over to the dead girl and dragged her up to the piece of wood. She was throwing sand over the wood when someone else came up.
A cute girl, and this one also had a nice piece in hand. Autumn stood up from her work and whipped her own firearm out.
She lifted one eyebrow and admired the other girl's gun like they'd just both pulled out rather pretty shades of lip stick. Nik's gun was so much heavier than her old gun. It drooped slightly in her grasp, pointing downward.
"I'm making a pyre," she replied with something of a tired sigh.
She turned back and dragged the part of a door just to were the water licked the sand. Next, she went over to the dead girl and dragged her up to the piece of wood. She was throwing sand over the wood when someone else came up.
A cute girl, and this one also had a nice piece in hand. Autumn stood up from her work and whipped her own firearm out.
She lifted one eyebrow and admired the other girl's gun like they'd just both pulled out rather pretty shades of lip stick. Nik's gun was so much heavier than her old gun. It drooped slightly in her grasp, pointing downward.
"I'm making a pyre," she replied with something of a tired sigh.
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MurderWeasel
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The other girl pulled out a gun too, pointing it in Claire's direction. Instantly, she had her own weapon readied and aimed. The other girl... Claire now recognized her as Autumn O'Leary. No kills, as far as she could recall. Autumn had always seemed a pretty decent girl, but none of that meant anything now. Jimmy Brennan hadn't killed for days. JJ had been an asshole. Everything was different here.
Autumn said she was making a pyre. Claire glanced around the area. There was a body, certainly. Somehow, she had avoided any more than a passing interaction with the older corpses throughout her time so far. Autumn's mission made her think for a second. Would she do the same for Aislyn, pay her body some sort of respect, deliver a posthumous thank you?
"Aislyn wouldn't want you to risk your life, not for something that wouldn't help her in the slightest."
Autumn's choice here seemed like a potentially fatal one. She was going to be distracted, prone to ambushes. Besides that, if she succeeded, any smoke could draw nearby players. Claire made a mental note to be gone before things reached that stage. This wasn't looking like such a safe haven after all.
"Friend of yours?" she asked. She kept the gun angled a bit off, just like Autumn was. She was paying very close attention to the other girl's movements, though, ready to respond at the first sign of something wrong. At the same time, she made sure to keep an ear open for anyone else. This wasn't a good tactical location at all.
Autumn said she was making a pyre. Claire glanced around the area. There was a body, certainly. Somehow, she had avoided any more than a passing interaction with the older corpses throughout her time so far. Autumn's mission made her think for a second. Would she do the same for Aislyn, pay her body some sort of respect, deliver a posthumous thank you?
"Aislyn wouldn't want you to risk your life, not for something that wouldn't help her in the slightest."
Autumn's choice here seemed like a potentially fatal one. She was going to be distracted, prone to ambushes. Besides that, if she succeeded, any smoke could draw nearby players. Claire made a mental note to be gone before things reached that stage. This wasn't looking like such a safe haven after all.
"Friend of yours?" she asked. She kept the gun angled a bit off, just like Autumn was. She was paying very close attention to the other girl's movements, though, ready to respond at the first sign of something wrong. At the same time, she made sure to keep an ear open for anyone else. This wasn't a good tactical location at all.
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Ruggahissy
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Autumn looked steadily at Claire for a moment. If she was going to shoot her, she would have done it by now. Still, it never hurt to be cautious.
"If you take a shot at me you better pray it's fatal or I will put you down," she said.
Autumn tossed sand onto the door. She chucked handfuls of sand until she seemed satisfied by the amount and began spreading it down, even and flat.
"I don't know her," she answered in question about the girl. "I don't care, frankly. It's for me. Not for her."
She hoped that her real purpose might occur to Claire but if it didn't, seeming like a crazy person suited her fine. Autumn grabbed the dead girl by the arms and dragged her to the sand covered door, hefting her onto it after a few tries. They were near enough to the water that the waves licked at the wood. When a particularly large swell came in the door floated for a brief second before being let gently down again by the retreating tide. Autumn threw a few pieces of drift wood onto the girl and dug into her pocket for the plastic lighter that she'd found in Staffan's bag.
"Make a wish," she said and held out the lighter to Claire.
"If you take a shot at me you better pray it's fatal or I will put you down," she said.
Autumn tossed sand onto the door. She chucked handfuls of sand until she seemed satisfied by the amount and began spreading it down, even and flat.
"I don't know her," she answered in question about the girl. "I don't care, frankly. It's for me. Not for her."
She hoped that her real purpose might occur to Claire but if it didn't, seeming like a crazy person suited her fine. Autumn grabbed the dead girl by the arms and dragged her to the sand covered door, hefting her onto it after a few tries. They were near enough to the water that the waves licked at the wood. When a particularly large swell came in the door floated for a brief second before being let gently down again by the retreating tide. Autumn threw a few pieces of drift wood onto the girl and dug into her pocket for the plastic lighter that she'd found in Staffan's bag.
"Make a wish," she said and held out the lighter to Claire.
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MurderWeasel
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It seemed Autumn was willing to show where things stood. Her threat was honest. That didn't make Claire feel a whole lot better about things, particularly where Autumn's mental health was concerned, but at least she was now forewarned. If Autumn caused trouble, or if conflict became inevitable, she'd have to be sure to take the girl's advice.
And then, Autumn explained that the pyre wasn't for the dead girl's good. Claire considered that, and quickly realized that what she had before assumed to be a negative side effect of the burning was actually its likely intended purpose. Smoke. A signal. The question now was, what for? The girl could be hoping to wave down a passing ship, but at this point in the game, that was a lost cause. She could be hoping to reunite with friends, using a prearranged signal. Or...
"It could be a trap. This may be the bait."
It was a decent plan for killing people, as long as the ones who showed up weren't on guard. The presence of a body, and the appearance of a funeral, would help put them at ease. The fact that Autumn hadn't fired yet meant nothing. She could just not want to risk Claire shooting her, too.
Claire was definitely not letting go of her gun, that was sure.
Autumn held out the lighter, and told Claire to make a wish. Slightly confused by the role she was expected to play, but not about to drop her guard and turn her back in order to light the fire, Claire smiled and said, "I think you'd better do the honors."
And then, Autumn explained that the pyre wasn't for the dead girl's good. Claire considered that, and quickly realized that what she had before assumed to be a negative side effect of the burning was actually its likely intended purpose. Smoke. A signal. The question now was, what for? The girl could be hoping to wave down a passing ship, but at this point in the game, that was a lost cause. She could be hoping to reunite with friends, using a prearranged signal. Or...
"It could be a trap. This may be the bait."
It was a decent plan for killing people, as long as the ones who showed up weren't on guard. The presence of a body, and the appearance of a funeral, would help put them at ease. The fact that Autumn hadn't fired yet meant nothing. She could just not want to risk Claire shooting her, too.
Claire was definitely not letting go of her gun, that was sure.
Autumn held out the lighter, and told Claire to make a wish. Slightly confused by the role she was expected to play, but not about to drop her guard and turn her back in order to light the fire, Claire smiled and said, "I think you'd better do the honors."
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Ruggahissy
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Autumn brushed off Claire's response like she hadn't heard it. She pushed the make- shift raft towards the water line and gave it one hard kick so that it was floating in water just deep enough where it no longer touched the sand. Autumn took a stick off of the pile of brush wood she'd thrown on and lit it with the lighter. She gave the corpse and her disorganized creation one last look before she threw the flaming wood onto the girl and watched as the fire spread slowly, but steadily. She hefted one last shove and it sailed peacefully away from the island. Soon it was a flickering blaze on the otherwise empty ocean.
She watched it drift. "It's not fair," she said to no one in particular. "I didn't do anything to deserve this. I was good. I was responsible. And for all of my organization and my planning there's not a thing in the world that could have made it so I wouldn't end up at the spot at this very moment."
She bit her lip so hard she thought it might bleed.
"It's just not fair."
She watched it drift. "It's not fair," she said to no one in particular. "I didn't do anything to deserve this. I was good. I was responsible. And for all of my organization and my planning there's not a thing in the world that could have made it so I wouldn't end up at the spot at this very moment."
She bit her lip so hard she thought it might bleed.
"It's just not fair."
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MurderWeasel
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Autumn dragged her pyre out to sea. As it turned out, she was planning a sort of viking burial. That would mitigate the direct attraction of players factor, and it also lent credence to the theory that Autumn was hoping to flag some rescue down, delusional as that was. As the body drifted away, Claire stood and watched. Autumn began to speak, talking to herself about how this wasn't fair. She was upset that things hadn't worked out for her, but, hey, weren't they all? The sense of entitlement was disconcerting, though. That was the sort of thinking that could easily lead to her deciding she was more deserving of survival than anyone else.
So Claire didn't interrupt the other girl's speech. She just let her go on. Autumn had, after all, dropped her guard to at least some degree while sending her raft off, a mistake Claire hadn't made during this encounter. She was pretty sure she was better equipped to deal with a conflict than Autumn.
She still didn't like it, though. She didn't like any of this. Being unable to trust people was the way to survive, but it also took a tole. Claire's friends had all died, though. All her stagettes were gone now, except for Samya, who she hadn't seen and wasn't as close to as, say, Aislyn. She was utterly, painfully alone.
She'd have been happy to have JJ back right now. Happy to have another shot at Brennan, for that matter.
Instead, she was stuck with Autumn, awkwardly waiting to see if the girl would snap.
So Claire didn't interrupt the other girl's speech. She just let her go on. Autumn had, after all, dropped her guard to at least some degree while sending her raft off, a mistake Claire hadn't made during this encounter. She was pretty sure she was better equipped to deal with a conflict than Autumn.
She still didn't like it, though. She didn't like any of this. Being unable to trust people was the way to survive, but it also took a tole. Claire's friends had all died, though. All her stagettes were gone now, except for Samya, who she hadn't seen and wasn't as close to as, say, Aislyn. She was utterly, painfully alone.
She'd have been happy to have JJ back right now. Happy to have another shot at Brennan, for that matter.
Instead, she was stuck with Autumn, awkwardly waiting to see if the girl would snap.
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Ruggahissy
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((Sorry sorry, I promise not to do that again @_@))
Autumn stood perfectly still, hand on the gun in her waist band and looked at her little spot of light. After some time she turned to look at Claire and Claire was looking back at her. She didn't like that look.
"Do you feel sorry for me? Do you think you're better than me? Do you think I'm crazy?"
Her feet dug into the sand and she turned to face Claire completely.
"I'm not," she said, her voice raising with her word. "I'm not!" this time said defensively.
"I'm fine. And I made it here all alone with no help from anyone. Can you say the same? Can you survive all on your own?"
There was pride in her voice, she was proud to have made it alone. She was independent. It was almost a taunt.
Autumn stood perfectly still, hand on the gun in her waist band and looked at her little spot of light. After some time she turned to look at Claire and Claire was looking back at her. She didn't like that look.
"Do you feel sorry for me? Do you think you're better than me? Do you think I'm crazy?"
Her feet dug into the sand and she turned to face Claire completely.
"I'm not," she said, her voice raising with her word. "I'm not!" this time said defensively.
"I'm fine. And I made it here all alone with no help from anyone. Can you say the same? Can you survive all on your own?"
There was pride in her voice, she was proud to have made it alone. She was independent. It was almost a taunt.
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MurderWeasel
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Snap.
Autumn was having some problems, it seemed. She was working herself up. Perhaps she felt judged. Her questions were clearly rhetorical. As she turned to face Claire, she practically whined, practically begged Claire to agree with her. It was just a little bit scary. Claire still had her gun in her hand, though. She would be fine.
And then, Autumn made a mistake.
She started talking about independence, talking like she was some paradigm of self-reliance trapped in a world of nepotism and handouts. She acted like she was the only one who'd been through bad things, like Claire had had someone holding her hand this whole time. That burned. After all, what had the trust Claire had extended to others brought her? Trouble. Pain. The only people she could have relied on were dead. She'd never even gotten to see Aislyn again. She'd determined to go it alone after all of that, determined that that was the better path, and now this girl was patronizing her.
"Yes," Claire said. "I can survive on my own. What, you think you're the only one who's seen shit? You think no one else is as tough as you? Well then, Autumn, why are you here lighting bodies on fire? Why aren't you already home free? Why is this even still going on?"
"Yes, I can say everything she said, and I suspect I'm being a damn bit more honest about it than she is."
Rising to this was, of course, not a perfect solution. It didn't resolve anything. It didn't do much except antagonize an unstable girl. But Claire was sick of being talked down to, and she had absolutely no reason to put up with it from Autumn. After all, she had her gun. It wasn't like Autumn would be able to try anything without Claire reacting first.
Autumn was having some problems, it seemed. She was working herself up. Perhaps she felt judged. Her questions were clearly rhetorical. As she turned to face Claire, she practically whined, practically begged Claire to agree with her. It was just a little bit scary. Claire still had her gun in her hand, though. She would be fine.
And then, Autumn made a mistake.
She started talking about independence, talking like she was some paradigm of self-reliance trapped in a world of nepotism and handouts. She acted like she was the only one who'd been through bad things, like Claire had had someone holding her hand this whole time. That burned. After all, what had the trust Claire had extended to others brought her? Trouble. Pain. The only people she could have relied on were dead. She'd never even gotten to see Aislyn again. She'd determined to go it alone after all of that, determined that that was the better path, and now this girl was patronizing her.
"Yes," Claire said. "I can survive on my own. What, you think you're the only one who's seen shit? You think no one else is as tough as you? Well then, Autumn, why are you here lighting bodies on fire? Why aren't you already home free? Why is this even still going on?"
"Yes, I can say everything she said, and I suspect I'm being a damn bit more honest about it than she is."
Rising to this was, of course, not a perfect solution. It didn't resolve anything. It didn't do much except antagonize an unstable girl. But Claire was sick of being talked down to, and she had absolutely no reason to put up with it from Autumn. After all, she had her gun. It wasn't like Autumn would be able to try anything without Claire reacting first.
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 1593
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
"I don't care what you've been through," she said, voice rising.
Autumn pulled the gun out, though in it's current position it was held pointing the floor.
"SHUT UP!" she screamed at that last reminder that she was still in this nightmare. No matter how much fire power and supplies she had, it was still an inescapable situation. All of her efforts were just spinning her wheels.
Autumn was breathing hard. She realized her gun was pointed square at the other girl's chest. She swallowed and took a deep breath. Autumn took an apprising look at the other girl.
"And what are you doing that's so much better?" she said having regained her normal tone of voice.
"You lost everyone like I did, didn't you? I can tell. Only people like us have that hardened look when they stare at someone. It's stubbornness."
Autumn pulled the gun out, though in it's current position it was held pointing the floor.
"SHUT UP!" she screamed at that last reminder that she was still in this nightmare. No matter how much fire power and supplies she had, it was still an inescapable situation. All of her efforts were just spinning her wheels.
Autumn was breathing hard. She realized her gun was pointed square at the other girl's chest. She swallowed and took a deep breath. Autumn took an apprising look at the other girl.
"And what are you doing that's so much better?" she said having regained her normal tone of voice.
"You lost everyone like I did, didn't you? I can tell. Only people like us have that hardened look when they stare at someone. It's stubbornness."
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
Claire's words had stung Autumn, that was certain. The girl's voice crescendoed into a scream, an order to stop talking, to stop tearing her words and delusions into pieces. She pulled her weapon loose, and Claire tensed, ready to stop any conflict before it properly started. She didn't pull the trigger, though. It seemed Autumn still had enough self-control to avoid making a fatal mistake. Even while she pointed her gun, it was clear that she wasn't about to start shooting so easily.
And then she decided to question Claire, to try to turn things around and hurt her, perhaps. It wouldn't work. Autumn wasn't worth the thought. After what Claire had been through these past few days, Autumn's madness ranked as hardly even an irritation.
"I lost people," Claire said. "Everyone has."
She didn't feel any need to spill her personal pains and losses to Autumn. The girl was probably insane. She wasn't a friend, wasn't someone Claire could rely on or confide in. Everyone who fit that description was gone. Maybe after this, at home, she could talk to her parents about it. Until then, well, Aislyn was gone, and no one else fit the bill.
It was becoming ever clearer that there was nothing here for Claire, no reason to linger. At this point, she simply had to extricate herself from the situation in a manner that left no windows for Autumn to shoot her in the back. As a start towards this, she took a small step backwards, increasing the distance between herself and the other girl by a few inches.
And then she decided to question Claire, to try to turn things around and hurt her, perhaps. It wouldn't work. Autumn wasn't worth the thought. After what Claire had been through these past few days, Autumn's madness ranked as hardly even an irritation.
"I lost people," Claire said. "Everyone has."
She didn't feel any need to spill her personal pains and losses to Autumn. The girl was probably insane. She wasn't a friend, wasn't someone Claire could rely on or confide in. Everyone who fit that description was gone. Maybe after this, at home, she could talk to her parents about it. Until then, well, Aislyn was gone, and no one else fit the bill.
It was becoming ever clearer that there was nothing here for Claire, no reason to linger. At this point, she simply had to extricate herself from the situation in a manner that left no windows for Autumn to shoot her in the back. As a start towards this, she took a small step backwards, increasing the distance between herself and the other girl by a few inches.