A common question you hear as a child is “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
And that meant a lot of things. Do you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a famous actor, a zookeeper? Do you want to be a parent, or not a parent? When you’re just a kid, you don’t really think about the specifics. You just say “astronaut!” and be done with it. Growing up was so far away that it feels like something that would never happen.
“How would you like to die?” was much the same way. Do you want to die in your sleep of old age? Do you want to go out in a blaze of glory? Nobody truly, actually, honestly thinks about these things until, holy smokes, it’s actually time to have a serious convo about that.
And that was something Roxie was kinda familiar with, even before the game.
She’d thought about it after she woke up. She’d thought, and navel-gazed, and analyzed that. It felt like hours sitting there on the ground, hearing the birds chirp. Hell, she was sure she thought about it a few times long before this.
Had she freaked? Well, yeah. Hard not to freak. Her chest still felt heavy. Occasionally she’d huff a loud breath, wipe her face.
Realistically, she and almost everyone she knew was going to die. They already killed one person in front of them, who was going to say that they were going to be rescued like that one time? She knew, knew, that death was just around the corner.
The place she was in right now looked like something out of a horror movie. It looked like a wooded area, like something you’d expect a forest spirit to come popping out of. It was more of a clearing area, and for some reason there were shoes hanging from a tree? She’d woken up right next to it, and then she’d waited, sitting with her back against it.
Roxie checked her prosthesis. Everything was in working order. She’d taken it off to change the sleeve, and once it was back on it was tight, and no screws were out of place. Even if she didn’t have them, at least she’d have the crutches still, probably.
She hadn’t checked what was inside the pot, yet. Maybe it was full of like… mustard gas. Or Joker venom.
She cracked a smile as she imagined herself cackling to death with a huge grin on her face. Okay, at least that’d be funny.
Roxie ran her tongue against her lips, and soothed out her hair.
She didn’t know was she was doing, but she was feeling a bit better. She had time to think. And she did know of a few things she could talk about if there was anyone out there willing to talk.
dear army guys come quik there are terrorists- roxie
Greynolds came inside my house. ): (Open!)
(G067 - Kayla Harris start)
Wandering into the clearing, a girl in a shiba-inu themed hoodie staggered into view, dragging a pair of bags behind her by the straps. Her gaze was fixated upwards, observing the strange sight before her with a muttered, "The heck is this..."
Kayla had woken up in the treeline, just out of the open space. She thought she was dreaming, her first vision being that of a tree covered in shoes, and even as she stumbled into the clearing, she still had to shake her head to fight off the wooziness.
But the bags she was dragging behind her, the cold steel chair, those were real. She never struggled to lift things in her dreams, never felt rough textures. The stickiness of morning humidity, the feel of a lazy breeze on her face...no, this was reality. She was stuck here, in a forest clearing, in the middle of which stood a shoe-lined tree and...she lowered her gaze...Roxie Borowski?
Kayla froze in her tracks, halfway between the safety of the treeline and the girl standing before her. That briefing went through her head...someone had to die today, or else they'd...she clutched at her neck and found hard metal, and her heart dropped as she realized what the chair meant. She'd given little thought to it, concerned as she was with everything else, but now she realized this wasn't just a chair.
It was a weapon.
Grasping both legs of the still-folded chair and sticking it out in front of her, she exclaimed half-jokingly, "Uh...hi. Just letting you know I'm here. Wouldn't be fair otherwise." It was like one of those cruddy folding chairs they used for school events, the kind that you buy in bulk and are uncomfortable as heck to sit on. She was supposed to fight with this? What if Roxie had, like, a gun or something?
That being said...
"But if we could, I dunno, I...I'd like it if we DIDN'T kill each other," she said with a smile. Putting on a brave face was always her specialty, even if she didn't know what she was saying or doing. All she could hope was that Roxie wasn't in a fighting mood, because she sure as heck wasn't.
Wandering into the clearing, a girl in a shiba-inu themed hoodie staggered into view, dragging a pair of bags behind her by the straps. Her gaze was fixated upwards, observing the strange sight before her with a muttered, "The heck is this..."
Kayla had woken up in the treeline, just out of the open space. She thought she was dreaming, her first vision being that of a tree covered in shoes, and even as she stumbled into the clearing, she still had to shake her head to fight off the wooziness.
But the bags she was dragging behind her, the cold steel chair, those were real. She never struggled to lift things in her dreams, never felt rough textures. The stickiness of morning humidity, the feel of a lazy breeze on her face...no, this was reality. She was stuck here, in a forest clearing, in the middle of which stood a shoe-lined tree and...she lowered her gaze...Roxie Borowski?
Kayla froze in her tracks, halfway between the safety of the treeline and the girl standing before her. That briefing went through her head...someone had to die today, or else they'd...she clutched at her neck and found hard metal, and her heart dropped as she realized what the chair meant. She'd given little thought to it, concerned as she was with everything else, but now she realized this wasn't just a chair.
It was a weapon.
Grasping both legs of the still-folded chair and sticking it out in front of her, she exclaimed half-jokingly, "Uh...hi. Just letting you know I'm here. Wouldn't be fair otherwise." It was like one of those cruddy folding chairs they used for school events, the kind that you buy in bulk and are uncomfortable as heck to sit on. She was supposed to fight with this? What if Roxie had, like, a gun or something?
That being said...
"But if we could, I dunno, I...I'd like it if we DIDN'T kill each other," she said with a smile. Putting on a brave face was always her specialty, even if she didn't know what she was saying or doing. All she could hope was that Roxie wasn't in a fighting mood, because she sure as heck wasn't.
Flinch a little. But once you process the noises being… noised at you, at least be thankful that Kayla Harris isn’t the sneak-up-behind-you-jumpscare-or-death type. And, y’know, let you know she’s there.
Roxie had turned her head, to see her holding a folding chair. Okay, so Kayla was apparently supposed to murder someone like some WWE wrestling thing gone horribly horribly wrong.
“Uh, wasn’t planning on it,” Roxie said, kind of forcing a smile on.
Kayla and Roxie did have a few things kinda in common? Like, Kayla did cosplay and science-fiction, and Roxie did spooky horror and FX makeup. Close enough, at least.
“Uh, you can stick around if you want. Pull up that chair or something. I’ve been meaning to get something off my chest, if that’s cool?”
Roxie had turned her head, to see her holding a folding chair. Okay, so Kayla was apparently supposed to murder someone like some WWE wrestling thing gone horribly horribly wrong.
“Uh, wasn’t planning on it,” Roxie said, kind of forcing a smile on.
Kayla and Roxie did have a few things kinda in common? Like, Kayla did cosplay and science-fiction, and Roxie did spooky horror and FX makeup. Close enough, at least.
“Uh, you can stick around if you want. Pull up that chair or something. I’ve been meaning to get something off my chest, if that’s cool?”
"Phew...okay, cool."
Kayla let out a breath and lowered the chair. Disaster averted, and thank goodness for that. She didn't know what she would have done if it'd actually gone to blows. She honestly didn't. She probably would have frozen up on the spot.
Roxie was asking her to pull up a chair, so she complied, cracking it open and laying it down. Part of her was telling her not to be such a giant chump, that Roxie was playing her hard, but if she assumed that, if she thought that everyone was out to get her, then...she didn't know. It wasn't a frame of mind she was cool with.
She took a seat. As predicted, it was hard as a rock, and worse, the clearing wasn't evenly flat, so it was a bit wobbly, forcing her to adjust herself. But hey, at least it was fairly clean. No staining her nicely-tailored skirt.
"So what's on your mind?" she asked, trying hard not to lean back lest the chair tip over entirely. In truth, she was pretty curious. If there was something worth spilling in a situation like this, with who knew how many cameras watching them, it had to be pretty important. Or it was a trap...no, she was going to have to force those thoughts back down. There were no traps. It was just a conversation between two tangentially-related strangers. Everything was cool.
Kayla let out a breath and lowered the chair. Disaster averted, and thank goodness for that. She didn't know what she would have done if it'd actually gone to blows. She honestly didn't. She probably would have frozen up on the spot.
Roxie was asking her to pull up a chair, so she complied, cracking it open and laying it down. Part of her was telling her not to be such a giant chump, that Roxie was playing her hard, but if she assumed that, if she thought that everyone was out to get her, then...she didn't know. It wasn't a frame of mind she was cool with.
She took a seat. As predicted, it was hard as a rock, and worse, the clearing wasn't evenly flat, so it was a bit wobbly, forcing her to adjust herself. But hey, at least it was fairly clean. No staining her nicely-tailored skirt.
"So what's on your mind?" she asked, trying hard not to lean back lest the chair tip over entirely. In truth, she was pretty curious. If there was something worth spilling in a situation like this, with who knew how many cameras watching them, it had to be pretty important. Or it was a trap...no, she was going to have to force those thoughts back down. There were no traps. It was just a conversation between two tangentially-related strangers. Everything was cool.
Roxie leaned back against the tree, causing a few shoes to swing and sway. Alright, so we’re talking this out. Cool.
Roxie shuffled a bit, wondering how to put this into words. It was something kind of heavy to bring up first thing, so figuring out how to bring it up tactfully was tricky. Roxie was usually the kind of person to run at the mouth, but, well, stuff was heavy right now.
“Okay, so… before I start, do you want to do a bit of small talk so we’re more relaxed, or should I dive straight in?”
It was the sort of topic that made people uncomfortable even if, y’know, the whole death game dealio wasn’t going on. Talking about stuff like, life and death and stuff was something people don’t like to talk about as casual conversation.
Maybe she should just dive in. But she’d wait to see what Kayla said.
Roxie shuffled a bit, wondering how to put this into words. It was something kind of heavy to bring up first thing, so figuring out how to bring it up tactfully was tricky. Roxie was usually the kind of person to run at the mouth, but, well, stuff was heavy right now.
“Okay, so… before I start, do you want to do a bit of small talk so we’re more relaxed, or should I dive straight in?”
It was the sort of topic that made people uncomfortable even if, y’know, the whole death game dealio wasn’t going on. Talking about stuff like, life and death and stuff was something people don’t like to talk about as casual conversation.
Maybe she should just dive in. But she’d wait to see what Kayla said.
Small talk, eh? Kayla couldn't help but snicker a bit. Yeah, sure, how's your day been? Terrible? Mine too! I heard some guy tell everyone we have to kill each other or our heads will explode! Crazy, huh? Betcha never heard THAT one before.
But...fine. There wasn't anything else to do, except kill each other. Why not do some small talk?
"Well...I guess we can swap notes or something. I had a look in my bag. Phone's gone, of course. What about you?"
They'd taken her iPad too, but why go down the list? It'd probably be the same story. Whatever they could use to contact the outside world was gone. All they'd left was their clothes and...oh right!
Kayla unzipped the second bag, the one they'd jammed her stuff into, and she pulled out a box. She'd gotten interested in a few Japanese snacks lately, and she still had half a box of one in particular. Withdrawing one for herself, she tilted the box over towards Roxie and asked, "Want some pocky?" Bit of chocolate would do everyone good right now, she figured.
But...fine. There wasn't anything else to do, except kill each other. Why not do some small talk?
"Well...I guess we can swap notes or something. I had a look in my bag. Phone's gone, of course. What about you?"
They'd taken her iPad too, but why go down the list? It'd probably be the same story. Whatever they could use to contact the outside world was gone. All they'd left was their clothes and...oh right!
Kayla unzipped the second bag, the one they'd jammed her stuff into, and she pulled out a box. She'd gotten interested in a few Japanese snacks lately, and she still had half a box of one in particular. Withdrawing one for herself, she tilted the box over towards Roxie and asked, "Want some pocky?" Bit of chocolate would do everyone good right now, she figured.
"They took your phone?" Roxie said thoughtfully.
To be honest, she hadn't fully looked through her things. She just woke up, and, pow! She had a duffle bag and pot. She'd spent so much time thinking over this gnarly stuff when, hey, maybe she should properly look at things.
Roxie's phone had like... various FX looks on it. She remembered the last one she did, for a video. "President Evil." Kind of a cheesy pun, but she went for it. It was her, as a Zombie George Washington. See, the whole "Washington D.C. trip" dealio inspired her, so she got the wig, the makeup, and a rough outfit. She'd uploaded the video just before she went on the trip, but the photos were on her phone and Insta beforehand.
It was funny to remember that it'd be the last major look she'd do. Or that she wouldn't be able to visually reflect on the stuff she did.
"Sure," she said, reaching for the Pocky.
"So... I guess they really don't want us to be distracted, then? Kinda like school."
She smiled at her own joke.
To be honest, she hadn't fully looked through her things. She just woke up, and, pow! She had a duffle bag and pot. She'd spent so much time thinking over this gnarly stuff when, hey, maybe she should properly look at things.
Roxie's phone had like... various FX looks on it. She remembered the last one she did, for a video. "President Evil." Kind of a cheesy pun, but she went for it. It was her, as a Zombie George Washington. See, the whole "Washington D.C. trip" dealio inspired her, so she got the wig, the makeup, and a rough outfit. She'd uploaded the video just before she went on the trip, but the photos were on her phone and Insta beforehand.
It was funny to remember that it'd be the last major look she'd do. Or that she wouldn't be able to visually reflect on the stuff she did.
"Sure," she said, reaching for the Pocky.
"So... I guess they really don't want us to be distracted, then? Kinda like school."
She smiled at her own joke.
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Emprexx Plush
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"Um, excuse me. Did you say you were missing some things?"
((Nona Hart Continued From one day i'll be king rat but hell, just a cockroach is fine for now))
Nona had been mechanical since she'd woken up. Look around. Don't think about the blood. Check your body. Don't think about the blood. Look in your bags. Don't think about the blood. Count your supplies. Don't think about the blood. Listen for people. Don't think about the blood. Walk away. Don't think about the blood.
It was working, except for all the times she'd thought about the blood.
Whoops. There it was again. Very careless of her. That was okay. Don't think about the blood, but if you do think about the blood don't think about where it came from. Nice, vague limits. Nothing to refocus her. The weight of her bags dragging across the ground let her focus until she found the clearing the voices had been coming from. As she entered and got their attention, she held up the slip of paper she'd found with the extra things by her bag.
B076 - Watanabe, Abraham
"I think, um, someone was in my bag..."
((Nona Hart Continued From one day i'll be king rat but hell, just a cockroach is fine for now))
Nona had been mechanical since she'd woken up. Look around. Don't think about the blood. Check your body. Don't think about the blood. Look in your bags. Don't think about the blood. Count your supplies. Don't think about the blood. Listen for people. Don't think about the blood. Walk away. Don't think about the blood.
It was working, except for all the times she'd thought about the blood.
Whoops. There it was again. Very careless of her. That was okay. Don't think about the blood, but if you do think about the blood don't think about where it came from. Nice, vague limits. Nothing to refocus her. The weight of her bags dragging across the ground let her focus until she found the clearing the voices had been coming from. As she entered and got their attention, she held up the slip of paper she'd found with the extra things by her bag.
B076 - Watanabe, Abraham
"I think, um, someone was in my bag..."
"More like they don't want us phoning home," Kayla grumped in response to Roxie's joke. Like it would ever be that easy to get out of here. It'd ruin these bastards' stupid game if they could just call the police and get out of here in a few days. Be kinda funny though.
Then Nona Hart came into the picture looking shellshocked as heck, and any cheery feelings immediately vanished. The piece of paper she was holding up had a name that Kayla didn't recognize, but that immediately set off alarm bells.
"Someone robbed you? When? Why?"
This didn't make sense. She'd looked at the food and water in her bag, and there was more than enough to last at least half a week, if not a whole week. If someone was going around stealing from people's bags...The game was on, and whoever Abraham Watanabe was, he was going at it hardcore. Kayla felt her innards churning at the thought, the idea that people were already turning on one another without any provocation. Like they didn't even need an excuse. Sure, she'd been willing to threaten someone with a chair, but she'd offered the olive branch first. She wasn't going to sacrifice her humanity for the sake of survival, but this Abraham guy...
If she found him, he was getting a piece of her mind, and maybe a chair to the head.
Then Nona Hart came into the picture looking shellshocked as heck, and any cheery feelings immediately vanished. The piece of paper she was holding up had a name that Kayla didn't recognize, but that immediately set off alarm bells.
"Someone robbed you? When? Why?"
This didn't make sense. She'd looked at the food and water in her bag, and there was more than enough to last at least half a week, if not a whole week. If someone was going around stealing from people's bags...The game was on, and whoever Abraham Watanabe was, he was going at it hardcore. Kayla felt her innards churning at the thought, the idea that people were already turning on one another without any provocation. Like they didn't even need an excuse. Sure, she'd been willing to threaten someone with a chair, but she'd offered the olive branch first. She wasn't going to sacrifice her humanity for the sake of survival, but this Abraham guy...
If she found him, he was getting a piece of her mind, and maybe a chair to the head.
Oof. Kayla didn’t appreciate that joke.
As Roxie took the Pocky into her mouth, snapped off a piece, and began chewing, she realized she never had Pocky before. Come to think of it, was it kosher? She had no idea. She just reached out and grabbed it without considering, but it was too late to reconsider probably.
That thought was interrupted by a third person. Roxie tensed up for a moment, taking in what Nona Heart said.
Were people seriously like, rooting around in each others’ bags?
Roxie leaned in, reading the name Nona held up. Abraham Watanabe, huh? Abe wasn’t really someone she talked to on a regular basis, from what she remembered. Nona, on the other hand, was typically a non-threatening person as far as Roxie knew. Looked harried.
Roxie moved a bit closer, a discerning frown on her face.
“Hey, hey. You’re not hurt, are you?”
She didn’t think anything violent went on. Nona looked more frightened if anything, and by the sound of things someone might have rifled through her bag or something. But it was good to make sure she was alright.
As Roxie took the Pocky into her mouth, snapped off a piece, and began chewing, she realized she never had Pocky before. Come to think of it, was it kosher? She had no idea. She just reached out and grabbed it without considering, but it was too late to reconsider probably.
That thought was interrupted by a third person. Roxie tensed up for a moment, taking in what Nona Heart said.
Were people seriously like, rooting around in each others’ bags?
Roxie leaned in, reading the name Nona held up. Abraham Watanabe, huh? Abe wasn’t really someone she talked to on a regular basis, from what she remembered. Nona, on the other hand, was typically a non-threatening person as far as Roxie knew. Looked harried.
Roxie moved a bit closer, a discerning frown on her face.
“Hey, hey. You’re not hurt, are you?”
She didn’t think anything violent went on. Nona looked more frightened if anything, and by the sound of things someone might have rifled through her bag or something. But it was good to make sure she was alright.
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Emprexx Plush
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Oh. That was quite a lot of questions. She didn't know how to answer all of them. She wanted to, she really did, whoever had taken her things might have taken theirs too. It didn't make sense though. Why would one of their classmates be stealing from them like this? Surely they'd be caught after they broke camp and got back to the buses.
Don't think about the blood.
Why were they camping again? She hadn't figured that out yet. It wasn't part of the itinerary. Maybe she forgot. She'd forgotten an awful lot. Which way had she come from? Where was Coach Skinner, or Ms. Prescott, or-
Don't think about the blood.
No one. There'd been no one else. Silly her. It wasn't her fault. She hadn't had her coffee yet. Actually she hadn't thought about it at all until this moment. It must have been a very relaxing night under the stars for her to lose track this badly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept this long. She must have drifted off on the bus, though she was sure she'd woken up once.
Don't think about the blood.
"I, I don't know," she finally answered. It fit all she'd been asked. Strange she wasn't sure if she was hurt, but she didn't feel any pain. She didn't feel anything right now. "Where are we?" Her body felt so far away.
Don't think about the blood.
Don't think about the blood.
Why were they camping again? She hadn't figured that out yet. It wasn't part of the itinerary. Maybe she forgot. She'd forgotten an awful lot. Which way had she come from? Where was Coach Skinner, or Ms. Prescott, or-
Don't think about the blood.
No one. There'd been no one else. Silly her. It wasn't her fault. She hadn't had her coffee yet. Actually she hadn't thought about it at all until this moment. It must have been a very relaxing night under the stars for her to lose track this badly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept this long. She must have drifted off on the bus, though she was sure she'd woken up once.
Don't think about the blood.
"I, I don't know," she finally answered. It fit all she'd been asked. Strange she wasn't sure if she was hurt, but she didn't feel any pain. She didn't feel anything right now. "Where are we?" Her body felt so far away.
Don't think about the blood.
It occurred to Kayla after the words had escaped her mouth that something was wrong with Nona. Nothing visible at surface level, but there was something roiling underneath, and all this questioning was just agitating that mess even further. If she could have immediately turned back time, she wouldn't have been so insistent with her, but what was done was done. Everyone was stressed out right now, and she couldn't walk on eggshells with everybody, not in this situation.
That being said, when she asked where they were, Kayla found herself drawing an absolute blank. All she knew was that wherever they were, it had trees in it. "I...I'm not sure," she eventually concluded. She'd have to get a better idea of their surroundings if she was going to give some definitive answer. "All I know is we're probably not in DC anymore."
Some kind of forest-y area...probably not in the mainland United States. If this was, like, in Colorado or something, somebody would recognize this landmark. They WERE on camera after all. Had to be millions of hikers who'd know about the tree of shoes.
"Heck," she mused, mostly to herself, "For all I know, we might not even be in the US."
What was this anyway, some kind of political statement? Or did people just start a tradition and then keep going without knowing why? The absurdity of it kept drawing her in, and she found herself glancing back at it constantly, even as she was talking.
That being said, when she asked where they were, Kayla found herself drawing an absolute blank. All she knew was that wherever they were, it had trees in it. "I...I'm not sure," she eventually concluded. She'd have to get a better idea of their surroundings if she was going to give some definitive answer. "All I know is we're probably not in DC anymore."
Some kind of forest-y area...probably not in the mainland United States. If this was, like, in Colorado or something, somebody would recognize this landmark. They WERE on camera after all. Had to be millions of hikers who'd know about the tree of shoes.
"Heck," she mused, mostly to herself, "For all I know, we might not even be in the US."
What was this anyway, some kind of political statement? Or did people just start a tradition and then keep going without knowing why? The absurdity of it kept drawing her in, and she found herself glancing back at it constantly, even as she was talking.
Roxie looked over Nona a bit more. Still seemed anxious. Disorientated? She just gave out a “I don’t know”, and asked where they were. Maybe she was still under the effects of the gas, or maybe she was extremely stressed out by what was going on. Both were possible.
She glanced at a boot that was next to her head. Roxie wondered the same question. They were definitely not in D.C., and this probably wasn’t even in U.S. territory any more. This tree looked like something out of fantasy-horror, she was thinking. It would have made an interesting place to shoot under different circumstances. She wondered if the island was on a map, and if there were any records.
Roxie looked back.
“Hey, Nona. You can stick around, if you want. Kayla and I… we were just talking?”
She glanced at a boot that was next to her head. Roxie wondered the same question. They were definitely not in D.C., and this probably wasn’t even in U.S. territory any more. This tree looked like something out of fantasy-horror, she was thinking. It would have made an interesting place to shoot under different circumstances. She wondered if the island was on a map, and if there were any records.
Roxie looked back.
“Hey, Nona. You can stick around, if you want. Kayla and I… we were just talking?”
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Emprexx Plush
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The more they spoke the more confused Nona got. It was nice that they wanted her to stay, but shouldn't they be getting back? Everyone would be waiting on them by now, they needed to hit the road to get home on time. Nona had to find her phone to tell her mom about the delays, she'd be so worried. She'd never believed she'd overslept either, Nona wasn't a liar but even she wouldn't believe that excuse if she heard it. It was so weird. It had to be sorted out. Once they were back on the bus everything was going to be fine.
Oh. She understood now. They were joking. Kayla and Roxie probably weren't all that much more outdoorsy than she was, and to all of them these woulds could be anywhere. She was always missing the joke. At least she hadn't said anything stupid. "I guess I can't tell the difference either...are you lost too? I can't seem to remember where..."
A sharp pop echoed through her memory. Liquid scattered on the floor. She couldn't make out the color.
It must have rained last night. She was lucky she wasn't soaking, she didn't know how to set up a tent right. Did she take hers down? She must have forgotten it. Her mother would be so upset if she came home without it, it had to be new, she'd never owned one before. Oh no, what if she'd borrowed it? What if she'd lost someone else's tent? They'd never forgive her and they shouldn't unless whoever took her other things took that too. Yes, that made sense. Why had they left their name? There was something about the paper slips, the strange brand name on the bag, the extra things she'd found, it was so close.
She couldn't hide from it much longer without an excuse.
"I'm okay, really, we should probably get back to the bus right?"
Nona stared at them both wide eyed with a plastic mile frozen on her face.
Why was she crying?
Oh. She understood now. They were joking. Kayla and Roxie probably weren't all that much more outdoorsy than she was, and to all of them these woulds could be anywhere. She was always missing the joke. At least she hadn't said anything stupid. "I guess I can't tell the difference either...are you lost too? I can't seem to remember where..."
A sharp pop echoed through her memory. Liquid scattered on the floor. She couldn't make out the color.
It must have rained last night. She was lucky she wasn't soaking, she didn't know how to set up a tent right. Did she take hers down? She must have forgotten it. Her mother would be so upset if she came home without it, it had to be new, she'd never owned one before. Oh no, what if she'd borrowed it? What if she'd lost someone else's tent? They'd never forgive her and they shouldn't unless whoever took her other things took that too. Yes, that made sense. Why had they left their name? There was something about the paper slips, the strange brand name on the bag, the extra things she'd found, it was so close.
She couldn't hide from it much longer without an excuse.
"I'm okay, really, we should probably get back to the bus right?"
Nona stared at them both wide eyed with a plastic mile frozen on her face.
Why was she crying?
"Holy...crap..."
Kayla slowly rose from her chair as the realization hit her. At first, she just thought that Nona was still loopy from the knockout gas, that maybe she'd just gotten too much of it and she was slowly coming down from the effects, but no. This was much, much worse. Forget walking on eggshells. She and Roxie were treading through an emotional minefield.
"Nona," she said slowly, "there is no bus." Was this the wise choice? How hard in denial was she? How would she react when the impact hit her? Should Kayla grab her chair again?
She snuck a glance over to Roxie, trying to gauge her reaction, trying to figure out what the game plan was. She decided that she was going to go with both barrels, praying that whatever happened, she'd be able to react quickly enough.
"This place...wherever we are...we're prisoners. You see this?" she pointed at her own collar. "Feel your neck. You've got one too."
Please don't let this blow up in her face. Please...
Kayla slowly rose from her chair as the realization hit her. At first, she just thought that Nona was still loopy from the knockout gas, that maybe she'd just gotten too much of it and she was slowly coming down from the effects, but no. This was much, much worse. Forget walking on eggshells. She and Roxie were treading through an emotional minefield.
"Nona," she said slowly, "there is no bus." Was this the wise choice? How hard in denial was she? How would she react when the impact hit her? Should Kayla grab her chair again?
She snuck a glance over to Roxie, trying to gauge her reaction, trying to figure out what the game plan was. She decided that she was going to go with both barrels, praying that whatever happened, she'd be able to react quickly enough.
"This place...wherever we are...we're prisoners. You see this?" she pointed at her own collar. "Feel your neck. You've got one too."
Please don't let this blow up in her face. Please...