((Lucas Abernathy continued from DXXM))
It had been a day since the trial within the manor, and things were quiet for the most part. Lucas and Kelly had remained hold up within the manor, only ever going just outside to the exterior of the manor when it was needed but never really venturing too far. For Lucas, that was fine. It was away from the elements, he had a bed to sleep in at night rather than the ground, and no one had entered the house since the third day. So in a way he felt pretty safe for the first time since they all arrived to this island. Or as safe as he could feel with someone who had a killed someone.
Of course, Kelly hadn't really done anything wrong since they were paired together. She did as he asked if he asked her to do something, was friendly enough, didn't try to make a run for it, nor did she try and do anything to him when he was vulnerable. Hell, she even helped him moved Mercy's corpse away from the manor so it wouldn't start stinking up the place. It made him nervous at first to be all alone within this house with her, but after a while of her being cooperative and not doing anything hostile, he started to feel at ease with her presence. Maybe it was because Max, Darlene, Jonah, or Arizona had never came back since they left. Maybe it was because he found her attractive.
Regardless of the reasons, she was his sole companion and she hadn't done anything yet. He didn't fully trust her yet, though, but she had given him no reason not to trust her. She did kill Mercy, but given her testimony that it was actually an assisted suicide and her behavior around him, he was open to giving her the benefit of the doubt.
Still, he felt a tad lonely even with her.
He missed Camille. He hadn't seen her in so long and every announcement he feared he would hear her name. He sincerely hoped she was okay and that they would find each other soon enough. At times he thought about just going back out there to look for her, but at night when he peered into the all consuming darkness of the night just beyond the manor walls, he felt fear. Not a sort of thrilling fear like he enjoyed with horror movies, but actually, palpable primal fear. So he stayed within the safety of the manor walls, unwilling to leave.
It made him antsy to hide within the comfort of the abandoned house rather than look for his beloved girlfriend, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the safety of its confines.
He had patrolled the halls of the manor several times since they holed up here, occasionally peering out windows for signs of people and occasionally he would see some figures at the nearby houses or the gardens moving about. He thought about leaving his sanctuary to interact with them but he decided against it. He didn't know how people were behaving out there and the risk, he felt, was too great.
So he stayed here, and waited. And waited. And waited.
He found himself wandering back into the makeshift courtroom, looking around it and sighing before taking a seat and resting King Ghidorah next to him.
Le Manoir du Diable
Day 5, Midday after announcements — Open
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TheLordOfAwesome
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((Kelly Nguyen continued from DXXM))
As time passed, the conclusion of the trial seemed to become more and more of a natural fit.
An edited image, something Kelly had a wealth of experience with, was what began to mutate out of her memories. The hue and saturation echoed the original, subtle flourishes of burn and dodge blurring away the thickness of some lines so that certain humanly soft shapes would retain more of an edge, or a shadow. Emphasis shifted in waves like the eons-long erosion of sand on a beach: unnoticeable, in the moment. Kelly's long nights with Photoshop came to life in such a way, in the slow twisting of the words of those faces who had tried to pass judgement on her.
Mercy, truly, had in some quiet and understated way been asking for release. Her eyes, if not her lips. It had been so unfortunate that Kelly's playing angel of death had been as brutal on the senses and imagination as it had been, it had been a scene too blatantly horrible to edit, or compartmentalize away. But Kelly understood now, with a bit of assumption in her favor, that she'd been in the right. Her jury, judge, and executioner had followed suit. That was the picture of the past, as Kelly understood it.
Memories never told the whole truth. That left room for artistic interpretation.
Day five now- she counted each hour with premeditated intent. Breathe, meditate, and the seconds passed no faster or slower than they needed to. Wasn't it the case that time slipped away from the distracted mind at all the worst times? Kelly took it as positive news, that she was now honed and focused.
She'd woken to don the same garb she'd worn on the day of her trial- minus the scrunchies, her hair was now let down. If she could find an excuse to leave the house she could imagine her hair capturing the breeze promised by the cloud-kissed sun. It would flutter like butterfly wings, strikingly matching the gentle pond ripple of the hem of her sundress. She had been consigned into reusing old clothes- unfortunately. But! She'd made an earnest effort to rain out the stench. With a firm knuckle and exhausted wrists she'd wrung out the water, as Mom had taught her to be so practically minded. No soap, just water. The dress still smelled stale to an extent, and was now crunchy like candy with wrinkles. But it could have been worse. She'd hummed all the while. An old tune, something pleasant that had wormed its way into her brain from months of repeat by 103.7. It’d felt good to exert her bones, and to be rewarded with something she could take pride in.
Sort of rewarded. Her clothes still hung on her like flesh on a zombie. But she presented herself a good deal better than she was sure most of her erstwhile peers could manage.
All of the best of herself, that’s what she wore as her skin as she watched Lucas silently from the shadows bleeding over the wall on the far side of the court. She’d snuck in before him.
There was something to him that was pleasant, at least that’s what she told herself. They could have been closer friends in their high school days, perhaps. She could have had yet another annoying boy to keep at arm’s length? That might have been fun. Here and now that lab grown chemistry of boy-meets-girl was an old and cliche trope she was rather grateful for. He seemed to like her attention. It was all too easy to pay that particular tax. In a way she did enjoy his company. His style was morbid in a particularly boring way, but she could appreciate it for it’s inanity. White noise to tune into, to fill the time.
She nodded as she finally drew his attention with a wave, smiling easily. She felt the ease of that smile- more than was appropriate, perhaps.
“How are you and the king?”
She found a seat on the quote-unquote ‘bench’ closest to him, crossing her legs such that she exposed the vulnerable side of her stomach to his gaze.
There was more to be said, but she knew letting him lead the conversation worked out best for all involved. No need to direct, just to play along. She had a good idea of how the rest of the song and dance went, and she was feeling light on her feet.
As time passed, the conclusion of the trial seemed to become more and more of a natural fit.
An edited image, something Kelly had a wealth of experience with, was what began to mutate out of her memories. The hue and saturation echoed the original, subtle flourishes of burn and dodge blurring away the thickness of some lines so that certain humanly soft shapes would retain more of an edge, or a shadow. Emphasis shifted in waves like the eons-long erosion of sand on a beach: unnoticeable, in the moment. Kelly's long nights with Photoshop came to life in such a way, in the slow twisting of the words of those faces who had tried to pass judgement on her.
Mercy, truly, had in some quiet and understated way been asking for release. Her eyes, if not her lips. It had been so unfortunate that Kelly's playing angel of death had been as brutal on the senses and imagination as it had been, it had been a scene too blatantly horrible to edit, or compartmentalize away. But Kelly understood now, with a bit of assumption in her favor, that she'd been in the right. Her jury, judge, and executioner had followed suit. That was the picture of the past, as Kelly understood it.
Memories never told the whole truth. That left room for artistic interpretation.
Day five now- she counted each hour with premeditated intent. Breathe, meditate, and the seconds passed no faster or slower than they needed to. Wasn't it the case that time slipped away from the distracted mind at all the worst times? Kelly took it as positive news, that she was now honed and focused.
She'd woken to don the same garb she'd worn on the day of her trial- minus the scrunchies, her hair was now let down. If she could find an excuse to leave the house she could imagine her hair capturing the breeze promised by the cloud-kissed sun. It would flutter like butterfly wings, strikingly matching the gentle pond ripple of the hem of her sundress. She had been consigned into reusing old clothes- unfortunately. But! She'd made an earnest effort to rain out the stench. With a firm knuckle and exhausted wrists she'd wrung out the water, as Mom had taught her to be so practically minded. No soap, just water. The dress still smelled stale to an extent, and was now crunchy like candy with wrinkles. But it could have been worse. She'd hummed all the while. An old tune, something pleasant that had wormed its way into her brain from months of repeat by 103.7. It’d felt good to exert her bones, and to be rewarded with something she could take pride in.
Sort of rewarded. Her clothes still hung on her like flesh on a zombie. But she presented herself a good deal better than she was sure most of her erstwhile peers could manage.
All of the best of herself, that’s what she wore as her skin as she watched Lucas silently from the shadows bleeding over the wall on the far side of the court. She’d snuck in before him.
There was something to him that was pleasant, at least that’s what she told herself. They could have been closer friends in their high school days, perhaps. She could have had yet another annoying boy to keep at arm’s length? That might have been fun. Here and now that lab grown chemistry of boy-meets-girl was an old and cliche trope she was rather grateful for. He seemed to like her attention. It was all too easy to pay that particular tax. In a way she did enjoy his company. His style was morbid in a particularly boring way, but she could appreciate it for it’s inanity. White noise to tune into, to fill the time.
She nodded as she finally drew his attention with a wave, smiling easily. She felt the ease of that smile- more than was appropriate, perhaps.
“How are you and the king?”
She found a seat on the quote-unquote ‘bench’ closest to him, crossing her legs such that she exposed the vulnerable side of her stomach to his gaze.
There was more to be said, but she knew letting him lead the conversation worked out best for all involved. No need to direct, just to play along. She had a good idea of how the rest of the song and dance went, and she was feeling light on her feet.
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TheLordOfAwesome
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Lucas looked up to see Kelly emerge from the shadows, smiling and waving at him as she approached. There was something about her smile that put him at ease, made him relax and lower his guard slightly as he leaned back into his chair. As she asked how he was he simply shrugged his shoulders and offered her a smile of his own.
"I'm doing alright," he said. "Just finished up patrolling around the house. Just taking a break, thinking... and enjoying the company."
His eyes inadvertently darted downward to look over Kelly's body, focusing on her legs and stomach with particular interest. He cough into his hand and shook his head, forcing himself to look back up to Kelly's face. He didn't want to weird her out or something if she caught him looking her over since she was the only friendly face he had right now. Hormones aside, he had to admit she looked pretty good despite being put through the wringer like the rest of them. Maybe not 100% pristine but she look better than how he felt he looked at the moment. No doubt to people watching them she looked pretty well kept while he must look pretty rough.
"You look nice," he said, smiling pleasantly at her. He had no doubt she'd appreciate a compliment given the current situation. "I know you probably don't think so given everything that's happen, but you do. Just, uh, thought you should know."
He took his gaze away from her for a moment, looking around the room.
"So, uh, how are you?"
"I'm doing alright," he said. "Just finished up patrolling around the house. Just taking a break, thinking... and enjoying the company."
His eyes inadvertently darted downward to look over Kelly's body, focusing on her legs and stomach with particular interest. He cough into his hand and shook his head, forcing himself to look back up to Kelly's face. He didn't want to weird her out or something if she caught him looking her over since she was the only friendly face he had right now. Hormones aside, he had to admit she looked pretty good despite being put through the wringer like the rest of them. Maybe not 100% pristine but she look better than how he felt he looked at the moment. No doubt to people watching them she looked pretty well kept while he must look pretty rough.
"You look nice," he said, smiling pleasantly at her. He had no doubt she'd appreciate a compliment given the current situation. "I know you probably don't think so given everything that's happen, but you do. Just, uh, thought you should know."
He took his gaze away from her for a moment, looking around the room.
"So, uh, how are you?"
Crude as it was, she derived a certain pleasure from being appreciated so viscerally. She'd put in the work, had she not? She couldn't help but be satisfied to harvest fruits from her labor.
"Thanks," and she meant it when she said it, though she did over-sweeten the smile with a dollop too much of honey. She supposed that was how addictions were developed. Cravings wrought of flavors too strong. Kelly let her head tilt, bubbled with a moment of unbridled girlishness. Even to her, she wondered if she oversold her own innocence. She theoretically knew better than that. Or, perhaps she was just too affixed on being cognizant of her own actions. Maybe that was something she could get away with less of.
"I really did try," she gently whined, reminding herself so much of any other inane conversation she'd ever had in her entire life. The same sort of lilt she'd casually fooled Mercy with in the past, some form of trickery by way of genuine intent. "I tried to stay clean. You know, it's like... comforting. Keeps the morale up, to not feel like shit." She shrugged. Looked away when he did, looked back almost on the same cue.
"I'm fine. I. Hm."
The pause was measured to seem like an accident.
"I've been thinking about what you've been saying. About Camille." Everyone had a reason to linger before jumping off the precipice. Some had less valuable reasons than others, but Kelly had no intent on judging aloud. She sighed, earnestly tired as she was wont. Of thinking about it, and of the meta-degree of thought she'd put into Lucas' simpleton schemes.
"I know you feel obliged to protect me." She ignored the surge of revulsion, choked down the oppressive weight of the chains of power dynamics built on foundations of negligent assumptions and idiocy. She instead projected sympathy, a certain doe-eyed hero worship in the softness of her lashes. "To keep me safe from others, and others safe from me. But you said it yourself. Camille could be in danger the longer we stay around here."
"Maybe we should consider our options. As in, I could help you. Serve my time that way? Maybe." She made it sound like her question didn't already have an answer she was banking on.
"Thanks," and she meant it when she said it, though she did over-sweeten the smile with a dollop too much of honey. She supposed that was how addictions were developed. Cravings wrought of flavors too strong. Kelly let her head tilt, bubbled with a moment of unbridled girlishness. Even to her, she wondered if she oversold her own innocence. She theoretically knew better than that. Or, perhaps she was just too affixed on being cognizant of her own actions. Maybe that was something she could get away with less of.
"I really did try," she gently whined, reminding herself so much of any other inane conversation she'd ever had in her entire life. The same sort of lilt she'd casually fooled Mercy with in the past, some form of trickery by way of genuine intent. "I tried to stay clean. You know, it's like... comforting. Keeps the morale up, to not feel like shit." She shrugged. Looked away when he did, looked back almost on the same cue.
"I'm fine. I. Hm."
The pause was measured to seem like an accident.
"I've been thinking about what you've been saying. About Camille." Everyone had a reason to linger before jumping off the precipice. Some had less valuable reasons than others, but Kelly had no intent on judging aloud. She sighed, earnestly tired as she was wont. Of thinking about it, and of the meta-degree of thought she'd put into Lucas' simpleton schemes.
"I know you feel obliged to protect me." She ignored the surge of revulsion, choked down the oppressive weight of the chains of power dynamics built on foundations of negligent assumptions and idiocy. She instead projected sympathy, a certain doe-eyed hero worship in the softness of her lashes. "To keep me safe from others, and others safe from me. But you said it yourself. Camille could be in danger the longer we stay around here."
"Maybe we should consider our options. As in, I could help you. Serve my time that way? Maybe." She made it sound like her question didn't already have an answer she was banking on.
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TheLordOfAwesome
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"Think I hadn't considered that?" Lucas asked, giving her a sad smile. "I constantly think about Camille, and every moment away from her I can't help but worry. And yeah, I know that probably sounds funny coming from me, right? I know what my rep around school is, so go ahead and laugh at me for caring about my girlfriend."
Lucas laughed a little — a small, self-deprecating chuckle.
"I don't know, Kelly... I think I'm losing a bit of hope the longer I'm away from her." he explained, reclining back and looking up towards the ceiling. "First three days I wandered across this fucking island, following Max around because, fuck, I had nothing else to do. Safety in numbers and all that, right? And I figured I'd run into Camille or one of my other friends eventually."
He paused for a moment.
"Then Beryl died in front of me."
He let the words hang in the air for a moment as he silently recalled the events of that day. His group coming across Beryl's, Darlene accidentally shooting her, Nick slitting her throat. Him failing to put her out of her misery. He felt a moistness gathering on the edge of his vision, and his heart felt like it was getting heavy in his chest as he remembered Beryl's death. He replayed the events over and over again in his mind, trying to think of some way he could have prevented it from happening. And maybe some part of him felt that if he thought about it hard enough, he might just somehow warp reality to make it all not true.
All useless. Nothing more than some childish fantasy he was conjuring to make himself feel better briefly before the crushing weight of reality came back down on him.
He collected himself, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes dry before focusing back onto Kelly.
"Look, I can understand if you don't want to stay here any longer than we need to. Hell, I've been thinking about going look for Camille pretty much the whole time. But look at it this way: we're safe here. As safe as we can be at any rate. We've got a roof over our heads, beds to sleep in, and doors that can be locked or blocked if we needed them to be. As much as I want to find Camille, what if I end up just wandering this island and just missing her at every opportunity? What if after we leave she decides to come here and just hide out while we are doing god knows what? What if..." He paused, hesitating to finish the thought for a moment. He inhaled, collecting himself to push on. "What if I die before I see her again?"
He smiled at her again, trying to project an air of at ease to her to mask his own apprehensiveness. "We can talk this out though because, I don't know, maybe you have some idea on what we should do and I really want to believe you can help me find her and that we can work together. But would it really be so bad to stay here a little longer? For my part, I've got a pretty girl to talk to. If boredom sets in here, I'm sure we can find something to keep us preoccupied."
Lucas laughed a little — a small, self-deprecating chuckle.
"I don't know, Kelly... I think I'm losing a bit of hope the longer I'm away from her." he explained, reclining back and looking up towards the ceiling. "First three days I wandered across this fucking island, following Max around because, fuck, I had nothing else to do. Safety in numbers and all that, right? And I figured I'd run into Camille or one of my other friends eventually."
He paused for a moment.
"Then Beryl died in front of me."
He let the words hang in the air for a moment as he silently recalled the events of that day. His group coming across Beryl's, Darlene accidentally shooting her, Nick slitting her throat. Him failing to put her out of her misery. He felt a moistness gathering on the edge of his vision, and his heart felt like it was getting heavy in his chest as he remembered Beryl's death. He replayed the events over and over again in his mind, trying to think of some way he could have prevented it from happening. And maybe some part of him felt that if he thought about it hard enough, he might just somehow warp reality to make it all not true.
All useless. Nothing more than some childish fantasy he was conjuring to make himself feel better briefly before the crushing weight of reality came back down on him.
He collected himself, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes dry before focusing back onto Kelly.
"Look, I can understand if you don't want to stay here any longer than we need to. Hell, I've been thinking about going look for Camille pretty much the whole time. But look at it this way: we're safe here. As safe as we can be at any rate. We've got a roof over our heads, beds to sleep in, and doors that can be locked or blocked if we needed them to be. As much as I want to find Camille, what if I end up just wandering this island and just missing her at every opportunity? What if after we leave she decides to come here and just hide out while we are doing god knows what? What if..." He paused, hesitating to finish the thought for a moment. He inhaled, collecting himself to push on. "What if I die before I see her again?"
He smiled at her again, trying to project an air of at ease to her to mask his own apprehensiveness. "We can talk this out though because, I don't know, maybe you have some idea on what we should do and I really want to believe you can help me find her and that we can work together. But would it really be so bad to stay here a little longer? For my part, I've got a pretty girl to talk to. If boredom sets in here, I'm sure we can find something to keep us preoccupied."
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Emprexx Plush
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((Tonya Collins Continued From I Don't Know Water, Only Thirst))
If you wanted to take a step back and analyze, you could say that when it was just a blotch on a map it didn't bother her. Hanging up in the distance so far you had to squint to make it out, it wasn't worth the energy. Nah, it wasn't until she was right up on the mansion that Tonya's blood started to boil. Girl's out here eating, sleeping, screaming, fighting, and shitting in the woods, popping caves, underbrush, whatever to stay dry. Back and forth on sweating or freezing her tits off, maybe squatting in some piece of shit hut because it's better than the rain and hey, you know what? Tonya knew everybody was running the same game, so she'd bitch but it didn't get under her skin. Nothing serious. She didn't expect to be comfortable. Let off some steam, that's all.
What had her breathing fire was that some motherfuckers must not know what that was like, because they'd been camped up in here living the life. What'd they have up in here? Beds? Locking doors? A bathroom? A shower? Catering? Live in maid and butler all pardon me sir you want a hot towel with that homicide? Yeah, spin that shit as wild as you want. Not like she's thinking any of it straight anyway. Tonya got her fill of introspection whenever she tried to shut her eyes lately. What you got up before here is just a translation of the scream she tore out 'fore she slammed the door open hard enough to rattle the hinges.
Everybody wanted to run out on her? Fuck it. Houses didn't run. She was gonna tear this motherfucker to the ground.
If you wanted to take a step back and analyze, you could say that when it was just a blotch on a map it didn't bother her. Hanging up in the distance so far you had to squint to make it out, it wasn't worth the energy. Nah, it wasn't until she was right up on the mansion that Tonya's blood started to boil. Girl's out here eating, sleeping, screaming, fighting, and shitting in the woods, popping caves, underbrush, whatever to stay dry. Back and forth on sweating or freezing her tits off, maybe squatting in some piece of shit hut because it's better than the rain and hey, you know what? Tonya knew everybody was running the same game, so she'd bitch but it didn't get under her skin. Nothing serious. She didn't expect to be comfortable. Let off some steam, that's all.
What had her breathing fire was that some motherfuckers must not know what that was like, because they'd been camped up in here living the life. What'd they have up in here? Beds? Locking doors? A bathroom? A shower? Catering? Live in maid and butler all pardon me sir you want a hot towel with that homicide? Yeah, spin that shit as wild as you want. Not like she's thinking any of it straight anyway. Tonya got her fill of introspection whenever she tried to shut her eyes lately. What you got up before here is just a translation of the scream she tore out 'fore she slammed the door open hard enough to rattle the hinges.
Everybody wanted to run out on her? Fuck it. Houses didn't run. She was gonna tear this motherfucker to the ground.
Kelly had always been a bit mystified with Mahelona's pull on the multitudes of GHHS. It always became a hypothetical question of: how much could one project themselves onto charlatan vaguery and riddles? And how could Kelly herself strive to one day exude such gravity? Wasn't even that it remained an irrelevant question in the here and now. Kelly was certainly guilty as charged of hiding behind as much of a mask, woven as it was out of air and ether.
She'd put a hand on Lucas' shoulder, reaching across the divide between them.
She'd promptly regretted it, when his moment of vulnerability had closed up. The wound promptly replaced with a questionable quality flirtation. Flattering in all the worst possible ways. Musing on ways to disengage her palm had fortunately been brief. Seemed they had company- loud, obnoxiously so. There was a wall in the singular, an open doorframe between the two of them and all the unknown amount of guns and vendetta this newcomer brought to the fray.
It had been days uninterrupted, but Kelly was finally due to suffer another judgement, in one way or another.
"Lucas," she hissed, rushed. "About those blocked doors."
She glanced in the direction of the other room, where the sound still reverberated freshly, slightly dampened. And now, of course, she had a good excuse to return her hand to a safer place, a more presentable place of tense readiness as she prepared for any amount of the running and hiding her immediate future might ask of her.
She'd put a hand on Lucas' shoulder, reaching across the divide between them.
She'd promptly regretted it, when his moment of vulnerability had closed up. The wound promptly replaced with a questionable quality flirtation. Flattering in all the worst possible ways. Musing on ways to disengage her palm had fortunately been brief. Seemed they had company- loud, obnoxiously so. There was a wall in the singular, an open doorframe between the two of them and all the unknown amount of guns and vendetta this newcomer brought to the fray.
It had been days uninterrupted, but Kelly was finally due to suffer another judgement, in one way or another.
"Lucas," she hissed, rushed. "About those blocked doors."
She glanced in the direction of the other room, where the sound still reverberated freshly, slightly dampened. And now, of course, she had a good excuse to return her hand to a safer place, a more presentable place of tense readiness as she prepared for any amount of the running and hiding her immediate future might ask of her.
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TheLordOfAwesome
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Kelly placing a hand on his shoulder was nice. It had been sometime since he had some sort of physical contact with another and it just felt nice to have someone show at least a little empathy towards him and offer this small token gesture. Of course, Lucas didn't like to project the image that he was vulnerable and tried to save face with his flirting. He didn't know how Kelly felt towards it and he honestly was just phoning it in with the obvious subtext of his statement. It was more to lightened the mood than anything. Of course, he wouldn't complain if it had somehow worked.
The house shudder for a moment as someone slammed the door in the room over. Kelly hissed some words to him and he frowned as he looked towards the direction of the other room.
He stood up from his seat, carefully and deliberate as to not try and make too much noise. He reached down and gripped his shotgun, King Ghidorah, and held it close. He look down at the firearm, his heart pounding in his chest as he eyed the safety of the weapon. Not once had he needed to take the safety off and the prospect of it was intimidating. He stared at it for a few second, inhaled, then flipped it to being off.
He silently gestured for Kelly to stay behind him, holding a finger to his lips to tell her to remain silent. Slowly he lifted King Ghidorah up and pointed it in the direction of the open doorframe between them and the other room with the newcomer.
"If we survive this," Lucas thought. "I better find myself a drink or get myself laid..."
The house shudder for a moment as someone slammed the door in the room over. Kelly hissed some words to him and he frowned as he looked towards the direction of the other room.
He stood up from his seat, carefully and deliberate as to not try and make too much noise. He reached down and gripped his shotgun, King Ghidorah, and held it close. He look down at the firearm, his heart pounding in his chest as he eyed the safety of the weapon. Not once had he needed to take the safety off and the prospect of it was intimidating. He stared at it for a few second, inhaled, then flipped it to being off.
He silently gestured for Kelly to stay behind him, holding a finger to his lips to tell her to remain silent. Slowly he lifted King Ghidorah up and pointed it in the direction of the open doorframe between them and the other room with the newcomer.
"If we survive this," Lucas thought. "I better find myself a drink or get myself laid..."
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Emprexx Plush
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Well somebody must have hated this place near as much as she did. A couple steps through the front door put her in the middle of a horror show, snatched the fire right out of her so quick she was shivering. There were stains of blood and she didn't even wanna know what else on the floor. No bodies but plenty of wreckage; whatever went down, Tonya couldn't imagine everybody walked out. Nah. Dirt got done up in this nice-ass living room. It was wrecked, and not the kinda way she could follow. Yeah she could fuck up the walls, tear some furniture, whatever. All that was replaceable. You clean the room spotless from this state though, and gun to her head Tonya would have sworn you'd still smell death in the air. If you were here when it went down? You'd probably never unsee it either. No way you walk in this room without remembering every move. The stains weren't gonna wash out. They were up under your eyelids. They'd be up under hers if she wasn't haunted with her own bullshit already.
She was sweating. Her grip on the machete started to slip and when she tried to squeeze down her hand wouldn't stop shaking. The heat was smothering when she busted in but it wasn't doing a thing for her now. She'd tried, yeah? She'd been making moves to drop somebody damn near since she woke up. Looked like a joke next to all this. If she'd done it, what kinda stains would she catch?
There was a creak across the mansion, and she didn't need any stronger excuse to bury all that deep under survival impulse. She swung the machete up in front of her and fixed her sight on a doorway in the right direction. Deep breath. "Hey! Step on out, you don't want me to come find you!"
She was sweating. Her grip on the machete started to slip and when she tried to squeeze down her hand wouldn't stop shaking. The heat was smothering when she busted in but it wasn't doing a thing for her now. She'd tried, yeah? She'd been making moves to drop somebody damn near since she woke up. Looked like a joke next to all this. If she'd done it, what kinda stains would she catch?
There was a creak across the mansion, and she didn't need any stronger excuse to bury all that deep under survival impulse. She swung the machete up in front of her and fixed her sight on a doorway in the right direction. Deep breath. "Hey! Step on out, you don't want me to come find you!"
She was staying behind him, certainly. No amount of distance too great. Kelly could all intents and purposes see the weight of Lucas' 'King' spilling out into the tension of his palms. It was an intimate composition, almost arresting in how it played out in real time.
Kelly was no bitch- so she liked to tell herself nowadays- but she wasn't too keen on walking the wrong direction on the stretch of pathway that connected life to death. That pathway was a circle, and Kelly wasn't quite done with her horse race of a life. Not yet. She'd come this far. The voice she recognized, when they called out. The teen mom. Maybe promising. But Tonya Collins was one of the few Kelly was honestly most surprised hadn't started murdering yet. They had an easy out- something to fight for.
"Lucas. It's Tonya." Kelly didn't necessarily know that name meant anything to him, but she bravely threw herself back into that position actually being at his side as she whispered. Shame. She'd had a clear shot for the other doorway and a few windows, a brief moment in time prior.
"Let her know it's you," she hissed. "You haven't killed anyone yet. You're safe. But you have a gun." Her breathless tone continued to sharply ebb and flow with the gentle squeeze of the hand pressing her lungs panini-style. "Mention me too. Tell her I'm safe to be around."
Kelly was no bitch- so she liked to tell herself nowadays- but she wasn't too keen on walking the wrong direction on the stretch of pathway that connected life to death. That pathway was a circle, and Kelly wasn't quite done with her horse race of a life. Not yet. She'd come this far. The voice she recognized, when they called out. The teen mom. Maybe promising. But Tonya Collins was one of the few Kelly was honestly most surprised hadn't started murdering yet. They had an easy out- something to fight for.
"Lucas. It's Tonya." Kelly didn't necessarily know that name meant anything to him, but she bravely threw herself back into that position actually being at his side as she whispered. Shame. She'd had a clear shot for the other doorway and a few windows, a brief moment in time prior.
"Let her know it's you," she hissed. "You haven't killed anyone yet. You're safe. But you have a gun." Her breathless tone continued to sharply ebb and flow with the gentle squeeze of the hand pressing her lungs panini-style. "Mention me too. Tell her I'm safe to be around."
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TheLordOfAwesome
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The stranger talked and the sound of their voice immediately recognized the owner. Tonya Collins and him were friends of a sort back before the island. Not many would expect a caustic teen mom and sorta-pretentious and promiscuous film buff to get along, but they were chill enough with each other. At least, before the island. But now, after several days of being stuck here it was hard to say how much value their friendship had towards her at this point, especially considering she has all the reasons she needs to fight tooth and nail to get off this island.
Kelly whispered some command to him and he nodded to her. It was as good a plan as any. What other course of action could they take? Just remain silent this whole time? He didn't really like that options since he did still considered Tonya a friend, and so far she hadn't done anything... as far as he was aware. The terrorists only announced deaths, not general shitty behavior.
"Uh... Hey there, Tonya!" Lucas called out. "It's me! Ya boi!"
He paused, then continued.
"Er... I mean, it's me, Lucas. Abernathy. Obviously. I, uh, I'm cool and all that if you're cool, but just to let you know I got this big fuck off shotgun. So if, uh... you're not cool, then don't get any ideas! Um... A-also, Kelly is here! Kelly Nguyen! She's all good to be around around too."
Kelly whispered some command to him and he nodded to her. It was as good a plan as any. What other course of action could they take? Just remain silent this whole time? He didn't really like that options since he did still considered Tonya a friend, and so far she hadn't done anything... as far as he was aware. The terrorists only announced deaths, not general shitty behavior.
"Uh... Hey there, Tonya!" Lucas called out. "It's me! Ya boi!"
He paused, then continued.
"Er... I mean, it's me, Lucas. Abernathy. Obviously. I, uh, I'm cool and all that if you're cool, but just to let you know I got this big fuck off shotgun. So if, uh... you're not cool, then don't get any ideas! Um... A-also, Kelly is here! Kelly Nguyen! She's all good to be around around too."
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Emprexx Plush
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It was almost funny. Of course out of all the people she could run into in this horror show house wiry ass Lucas was waiting for her around the corner with a jump scare. Near anybody else heard that entrance and the might have played it closer to the vest but here he was, hollering bashful about his shotgun and this Kelly girl like she'd walked in on him with his dick out. Run it back a few days before everything really popped off and pitch hard enough she'd stumbled into some wild art project he had going down and sure, you might get a laugh or two out her.
"Huh."
Tonya ain't laughed in a minute though, and Lucas ain't that funny.
"Kelly Nguyen?"
Not when he's throwing judgement on who's "cool" shacked up with a murderer. Tonya didn't come any closer.
"Lucas I know you don't give a fuck what gets in you, but we all heard what happened last time somebody thought she was 'all good to be around.'" Heaviest sass possible on that echo. "You keep that food locked up when you close your eyes or you crazier than I thought?"
"Huh."
Tonya ain't laughed in a minute though, and Lucas ain't that funny.
"Kelly Nguyen?"
Not when he's throwing judgement on who's "cool" shacked up with a murderer. Tonya didn't come any closer.
"Lucas I know you don't give a fuck what gets in you, but we all heard what happened last time somebody thought she was 'all good to be around.'" Heaviest sass possible on that echo. "You keep that food locked up when you close your eyes or you crazier than I thought?"
"Last time," Kelly spoke up, voice bereft of all but stone-touched placidity. "A fully armed group of people heard me out and decided I was all good to be around."
She'd formerly operated under the assumption that Tonya, of all people, would have understood what it was like to make hard decisions. Kelly shuffled the hem of her dress along like a clock hand, little increments. She held her position at Lucas' side, already less impressed by the rigor demanded of their situation than one would have expected of 'big fuck off shotgun'.
"No need to hide food, I'm not a bear." Kelly sighed, in that moment drawing a caricature sketch of the her who'd been a pettily clever school-age girl. Coming-of-age movie affect, as if it were gossip between them and not guns. She felt the eye roll when it came on. Really did. It seemed all too natural, like it wasn't a relic of a time gone by.
She'd formerly operated under the assumption that Tonya, of all people, would have understood what it was like to make hard decisions. Kelly shuffled the hem of her dress along like a clock hand, little increments. She held her position at Lucas' side, already less impressed by the rigor demanded of their situation than one would have expected of 'big fuck off shotgun'.
"No need to hide food, I'm not a bear." Kelly sighed, in that moment drawing a caricature sketch of the her who'd been a pettily clever school-age girl. Coming-of-age movie affect, as if it were gossip between them and not guns. She felt the eye roll when it came on. Really did. It seemed all too natural, like it wasn't a relic of a time gone by.
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TheLordOfAwesome
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"Good to hear from you too, Tonya." Lucas snarked, smiling easily. He always did enjoy her sassy attitude, never really being bother by what comments she threw his way. For this brief moment it was like times before the island, even if the subject matter of her comment was a lot more dire than his sleeping around.
Although, he wouldn't deny feeling just slightly annoyed that Tonya assumed he hadn't already thought of that. Despite what his rather casual attitude might make others think, he wasn't an idiot. He knew Kelly was potentially dangerous and was staying cautious enough around her. Sure, he let his guard down a little around her, but that was because she hadn't done anything when she had plenty of opportunities to. Like, she could have ran to the door or windows while all this was going on but didn't. It was things like that he felt good enough to give some level of trust towards her.
"Yeah, Kelly kinda got it in one." He said, shifting slightly. "Me and the group I was with kinda held a improvised trial after we found her and heard her out. Kelly here claims it was a mercy kill, and I'm just a little inclined to believe her because I know for a fact the, uh, people who kidnapped us will lie to make things seem worse than they actually are. I should know, I experienced first hand on the first day."
He briefly shot a glance to Kelly, slightly lowering his shotgun before continuing.
"Anyway, after we did the whole trial thing we pretty much decided that, since I was the judge in the matter, she'd be left with me so I would keep an eye on her and all that. So far she hasn't done anything."
Although, he wouldn't deny feeling just slightly annoyed that Tonya assumed he hadn't already thought of that. Despite what his rather casual attitude might make others think, he wasn't an idiot. He knew Kelly was potentially dangerous and was staying cautious enough around her. Sure, he let his guard down a little around her, but that was because she hadn't done anything when she had plenty of opportunities to. Like, she could have ran to the door or windows while all this was going on but didn't. It was things like that he felt good enough to give some level of trust towards her.
"Yeah, Kelly kinda got it in one." He said, shifting slightly. "Me and the group I was with kinda held a improvised trial after we found her and heard her out. Kelly here claims it was a mercy kill, and I'm just a little inclined to believe her because I know for a fact the, uh, people who kidnapped us will lie to make things seem worse than they actually are. I should know, I experienced first hand on the first day."
He briefly shot a glance to Kelly, slightly lowering his shotgun before continuing.
"Anyway, after we did the whole trial thing we pretty much decided that, since I was the judge in the matter, she'd be left with me so I would keep an eye on her and all that. So far she hasn't done anything."
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Emprexx Plush
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Lucas was the kinda guy where if you didn't have any reason to give him the benefit of the doubt, he came off bad. A douche drunk as fuck off his own hype, sure everything was gonna work out because it always did. Never known a consequence a day in his life, not because he ain't seen them but because when you try to throw one at him it rolled right off. Zero lessons learned and his step didn't stutter. You couldn't be blamed for hating the guy if that was all you got.
Tonya knew better, much as she wanted to write him off right now. Lucas had bad taste. Booze, movies, and especially girls stood witness to that. His pattern ran long enough you figured there had to be something wrong with the boy up top, but once you got past all that? He was a good guy, or at least he wanted to be one. She figured he might see that in other people, like even when they fucked up they didn't want to, everybody just out here trying to be their best self. If she read on that a little deeper, maybe Lucas thought he was a bad person, or a failure, or whatever. But he was trying, he could always tell himself if he was trying that was enough to keep moving forward. Why not give everybody else that same shake? It explained a lot. Even how he pulled something worth being around out of Ivy Langley of all people.
If she went down that road it'd get real uncomfortable. What'd it say about her that they vibed okay? Did he think she was broken up like that? With the way she'd been bugging out he could be right. Where'd he get the ten hundred carat jewels to judge her though? Well, working through it wasn't a judgement, yeah? It was a connection. A cry reaching out like I might be a piece of shit but there's hope for me, and that means no matter how you feel there's hope for you too. It was gutsy as hell. Did Lucas really believe what Kelly was spinning or did he want...nah nah nah, did he need here more than ever to believe there was hope for her? For him? For everybody?
Damn.
Lotta good questions.
Woulda been cool if any of them had come to her before her gut reaction kicked in. Cuz that was to laugh so hard she near cut herself clutching her stomach. Her wrists were straight and steady though. No tension relieving, forehead wiping, breath taking belly laughs in here. It was a cruel kinda laugh. The kind where there was no question somebody was laughing at you, not with you. It pulled her back up with a smirk, not a smile, and once that train got rolling there weren't no brakes for soulful contemplation.
"Ooooh I get it," she gasped out, "y'all had a trial! Well it's all good then! She beat the charge, lemme call a sitter and get some drinks, it's a party!" Tonya laughed again, smaller but damn if that didn't drill the contempt in harder. " Before I take a sip though you gotta tell me. How the fuck you poison somebody out of 'mercy'?"
Tonya knew better, much as she wanted to write him off right now. Lucas had bad taste. Booze, movies, and especially girls stood witness to that. His pattern ran long enough you figured there had to be something wrong with the boy up top, but once you got past all that? He was a good guy, or at least he wanted to be one. She figured he might see that in other people, like even when they fucked up they didn't want to, everybody just out here trying to be their best self. If she read on that a little deeper, maybe Lucas thought he was a bad person, or a failure, or whatever. But he was trying, he could always tell himself if he was trying that was enough to keep moving forward. Why not give everybody else that same shake? It explained a lot. Even how he pulled something worth being around out of Ivy Langley of all people.
If she went down that road it'd get real uncomfortable. What'd it say about her that they vibed okay? Did he think she was broken up like that? With the way she'd been bugging out he could be right. Where'd he get the ten hundred carat jewels to judge her though? Well, working through it wasn't a judgement, yeah? It was a connection. A cry reaching out like I might be a piece of shit but there's hope for me, and that means no matter how you feel there's hope for you too. It was gutsy as hell. Did Lucas really believe what Kelly was spinning or did he want...nah nah nah, did he need here more than ever to believe there was hope for her? For him? For everybody?
Damn.
Lotta good questions.
Woulda been cool if any of them had come to her before her gut reaction kicked in. Cuz that was to laugh so hard she near cut herself clutching her stomach. Her wrists were straight and steady though. No tension relieving, forehead wiping, breath taking belly laughs in here. It was a cruel kinda laugh. The kind where there was no question somebody was laughing at you, not with you. It pulled her back up with a smirk, not a smile, and once that train got rolling there weren't no brakes for soulful contemplation.
"Ooooh I get it," she gasped out, "y'all had a trial! Well it's all good then! She beat the charge, lemme call a sitter and get some drinks, it's a party!" Tonya laughed again, smaller but damn if that didn't drill the contempt in harder. " Before I take a sip though you gotta tell me. How the fuck you poison somebody out of 'mercy'?"