((Ramsey Cortez continued from his last email, left unopened and unreplied to))
The rain continued to beat down, striking everything in its cold and unforgiving path. But Ramsey kept trudging along step by step, dragging his feet through the dirt and the mud, hand squeezed against the side of his stomach as it tried to suppress the neverending pain in his torso and did nothing for the headache and wooziness. The duffel bag hung limp as ever, knocking against his back with increasing tempo as the storm continued.
He couldn't stop. Not until he reached the village. When he looked at the map early this morning, even before the announcements giving Ron and Jeremiah's passing, he felt a voice whisper "Go to the village" behind him. And so go to the village, he did.
They were waiting for him. They had to be.
It was happening again. Ramsey stopped in his tracks as his throat was agitated, and he spat the brown and dull red liquid on the ground. And then he continued on, unperturbed as he forced himself to be against his failing body.
He couldn't stop. Not until he reached the village.
He couldn't stop, even as his legs wobbled and shook under the strain.
He-
He fell. Whether it was because of a fallen branch in the way or a misplacement of his foot he wasn't sure and couldn't process as he toppled backwards, rolling in the mud and careening down the hill before his back collided with a tree.
...
...
...
...
...His arms shook as they pushed him up off the ground. He slowly pulled himself and sat with his hurting back against the tree, its canopy providing minimal protection from the rain sobbing down.
He was... he was just gonna rest for a minute. Rest his eyes, wait for the rain to wash the mud off his face and tank top.
He had to look presentable.
Yeah.
Bells of War
Day 3, late afternoon, tagging somersault and melusine: PM for entry if you absolutely want in
((Angie's now here.))
Angelina was tired. Trecking through the rain, mud, and her half-assed apologies drained whatever energy she had gained from the energy bars. She could, and would, kill for a large iced cappuccino with a cookie on the side from Starbucks tee-em. Anything than else than bread, crackers and shitty energy bars that tasted like ass mixed with shit. She knew the only way to get rid of her hunger for anything tasty was to win the killing award thingy, but that would imply killing someone.
She looked at Mike. He was quietly following her like a lost puppy. Angelina could kill him, but the odds of winning the little challenge wasn't worth it. At least, allegedly. She knew the game would change her, perhaps soon this type of thinking would be warped by her hunger. Killing might become motivated less by survival but more by glutony, possibly sooner rather than later. She looked at the ground, ashamed of her thought, but even more ashamed that she let it get control of her for a second.
Angie knew she just had to keep going. Putting one foot in front of the other, moving and ignoring whatever thoughts her brain sent her to make her situation 'better'. One day, her cravings will win, but for now, she had won the battle.
"I think... we might have passed the shelter?"
Angelina bit her lips. She didn't want to call out for them simply because what if a Quinn - wait, that girl from earlier was Quinn, holy shit, Angelina realized she literally dodged a bullet - or a Kelly might be lurking around. She swallowed painfully then turned toward Mike.
"I'll call out for them so," she made a low pitch noise and cocked her head, "you should like hide, maybe? I don't want you to get shot because I attracted someone like Erika, you know?"
Angelina was tired. Trecking through the rain, mud, and her half-assed apologies drained whatever energy she had gained from the energy bars. She could, and would, kill for a large iced cappuccino with a cookie on the side from Starbucks tee-em. Anything than else than bread, crackers and shitty energy bars that tasted like ass mixed with shit. She knew the only way to get rid of her hunger for anything tasty was to win the killing award thingy, but that would imply killing someone.
She looked at Mike. He was quietly following her like a lost puppy. Angelina could kill him, but the odds of winning the little challenge wasn't worth it. At least, allegedly. She knew the game would change her, perhaps soon this type of thinking would be warped by her hunger. Killing might become motivated less by survival but more by glutony, possibly sooner rather than later. She looked at the ground, ashamed of her thought, but even more ashamed that she let it get control of her for a second.
Angie knew she just had to keep going. Putting one foot in front of the other, moving and ignoring whatever thoughts her brain sent her to make her situation 'better'. One day, her cravings will win, but for now, she had won the battle.
"I think... we might have passed the shelter?"
Angelina bit her lips. She didn't want to call out for them simply because what if a Quinn - wait, that girl from earlier was Quinn, holy shit, Angelina realized she literally dodged a bullet - or a Kelly might be lurking around. She swallowed painfully then turned toward Mike.
"I'll call out for them so," she made a low pitch noise and cocked her head, "you should like hide, maybe? I don't want you to get shot because I attracted someone like Erika, you know?"
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
((Mike Brown,[ continued from the same place Angie came from))
"Oh, sure. Might as well."
Sure. That was kinda the opposite of how Mike was really feeling, about the whole following Angie because maybe they'd find Ramsey or the team, and maybe, they wouldn't bump into some murderer-ass who would like shoot them down, because he was like pretty sure Angie didn't really know how to use a gun, but it wasn't polite to just go 'round asking a lady if she could like do what she did, so he just agreed, nodded, tipped his hat.
Not as if they really talked about much else, anyways. Maybe if he'd been in a better mood he'd have been a lil' more upset about that, but even in the middle of the death and the murder and all the other bad shit, Mike was still finding it kinda hard to focus, stop his mind from drifting, 'cause really? Him? Surviving two day sout here? In this fucked-up shit? It made no sense, not when people who were stronger, faster, smarter, were all dying before him. Still next, though, still on the choping block, but there was no rhyme or real like, explanation for why he was still breathing.
Still, 'cause he didn't feel like disappointing Angie and continuing to breathe for now seemed as good an idea as any, he ducked away and began searching for a hiding spot, rain continuing to fall on him, sneakers still squelching in the mud. Kinda hard to see anything out here, downpour covering everything in a layer of blur, but he'd find something. Probably. Or not. Whatever.
Eyes narrowed beneath his cap, he continued to search, trying not to wince at the sound of his shoes squelching 'cause he'd done like a year of Boy Scouts so he probably shoulda known better, but still, gross, and shit, and-
"Shee-et, man!"
He kinda couldn't deny that his voice cracked then and there, 'cause how could he stop it, when the person they'd been searching for all along was laying like almost dead or something next to a tree!
"What fucked you up?"
"Oh, sure. Might as well."
Sure. That was kinda the opposite of how Mike was really feeling, about the whole following Angie because maybe they'd find Ramsey or the team, and maybe, they wouldn't bump into some murderer-ass who would like shoot them down, because he was like pretty sure Angie didn't really know how to use a gun, but it wasn't polite to just go 'round asking a lady if she could like do what she did, so he just agreed, nodded, tipped his hat.
Not as if they really talked about much else, anyways. Maybe if he'd been in a better mood he'd have been a lil' more upset about that, but even in the middle of the death and the murder and all the other bad shit, Mike was still finding it kinda hard to focus, stop his mind from drifting, 'cause really? Him? Surviving two day sout here? In this fucked-up shit? It made no sense, not when people who were stronger, faster, smarter, were all dying before him. Still next, though, still on the choping block, but there was no rhyme or real like, explanation for why he was still breathing.
Still, 'cause he didn't feel like disappointing Angie and continuing to breathe for now seemed as good an idea as any, he ducked away and began searching for a hiding spot, rain continuing to fall on him, sneakers still squelching in the mud. Kinda hard to see anything out here, downpour covering everything in a layer of blur, but he'd find something. Probably. Or not. Whatever.
Eyes narrowed beneath his cap, he continued to search, trying not to wince at the sound of his shoes squelching 'cause he'd done like a year of Boy Scouts so he probably shoulda known better, but still, gross, and shit, and-
"Shee-et, man!"
He kinda couldn't deny that his voice cracked then and there, 'cause how could he stop it, when the person they'd been searching for all along was laying like almost dead or something next to a tree!
"What fucked you up?"
Silence.
"Who are you talking to-" Angelina saw the figure slumped against the tree. "Holy fucking shit, holy fucking shit, holy fuck fuckfuckfuck."
If Angie didn't have a strap holding her gun, it would have fell straight into the mud as she rushed for her brother. She recognized him because of three factors: first, his face. It was wet and muddy, but still very discernable. There were scratches on his chin that sparked up with dots of blood, but other than that, he seemed fine.
Then, when she got closer, she saw him soon-to-be shirtless. That was something he did a lot, and usually, the first symptom of his habit came with a tank top. If Ramsey was about to go shirtless, the tank top was always the final layer between the world and him so that was the second thing that made Angie clicked as she got closer
Finally, there was that fucking face on his face. It was his normal face. So, it was something she should be comforted by, but for some reason, it just made her worry.
"Nononononono, don't fucking do it, don't you fucking die."
If Angie didn't have a strap holding her gun, it would have fell straight into the mud as she rushed for her brother. She recognized him because of three factors: first, his face. It was wet and muddy, but still very discernable. There were scratches on his chin that sparked up with dots of blood, but other than that, he seemed fine.
Then, when she got closer, she saw him soon-to-be shirtless. That was something he did a lot, and usually, the first symptom of his habit came with a tank top. If Ramsey was about to go shirtless, the tank top was always the final layer between the world and him so that was the second thing that made Angie clicked as she got closer
Finally, there was that fucking face on his face. It was his normal face. So, it was something she should be comforted by, but for some reason, it just made her worry.
"Nononononono, don't fucking do it, don't you fucking die."
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
So, yeah, fucked up shit, right? Like really fucked up, which was why Mike couldn't just be quiet like a mouse or something when he saw Ramsey. Just natural, just all instinct, but like, probably not super smart.
Well, definitely not, considering Angie was now screaming at Ramsey about how he needed to ya know, not keel over, although the over part was already partly debatable. But not the keel? Was that how it went? Whatever, whatever, especially considering she was starting to freak the fuck out and so maybe it was time for him to speak. So, he did just that.
"Hey," soft, kid gloves, a pat on back of the little freshman. Kiddo, pal, gotta keep trying, not everything was a homerun. "I think he's still breathing. So, it's 'kay. We...we just gotta go patch him up."
His eyes weren't on Ramsey. Honestly, he couldn't tell if he was still breathing, and as much as he was hoping that was still the case, there was still the gun. And that meant chilling this place the fuck out.
Well, definitely not, considering Angie was now screaming at Ramsey about how he needed to ya know, not keel over, although the over part was already partly debatable. But not the keel? Was that how it went? Whatever, whatever, especially considering she was starting to freak the fuck out and so maybe it was time for him to speak. So, he did just that.
"Hey," soft, kid gloves, a pat on back of the little freshman. Kiddo, pal, gotta keep trying, not everything was a homerun. "I think he's still breathing. So, it's 'kay. We...we just gotta go patch him up."
His eyes weren't on Ramsey. Honestly, he couldn't tell if he was still breathing, and as much as he was hoping that was still the case, there was still the gun. And that meant chilling this place the fuck out.
Nothing.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as the rain continued its downpour, pelting everything in its path.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as the rain continued its downpour, pelting everything in its path.
“You’re right,” her hands hastened to her brother’s arms. “We have to- to move him-“
Where? There was nowhere that was dry and safe. She couldn’t get in a car and hurry to the hospital. There was no one to help but her. Angie started to panic, for real this time. Something happened to Ramsey, she didn’t know exactly what but he was hurt.
Her brother wasn’t moving. He didn’t speak. Normally, he wouldn’t shut up. Why wasn’t he speaking now? He was breathing, he was alive, then why was he no answering her? Angelina threw away her pride and dunked it into the trash. Her goal to move her brother somewhere safe was gone, she just wanted to shield him from the rain.
“Ramsey?” She begged. Tears were mixing with the rain. Her good had come off because of her frantic movement. “Ramsey, what happened? Tell me so that I can help, okay? Just tell me.”
Her words were frantically coming out of her mouth. She didn’t bother with prononciation or clarity. The sounds she was making to communicate to her brother were raw and painful. Angelina could feel her face twist as she spoke to him.
Actually, she wasn’t speaking; she was screaming.
Where? There was nowhere that was dry and safe. She couldn’t get in a car and hurry to the hospital. There was no one to help but her. Angie started to panic, for real this time. Something happened to Ramsey, she didn’t know exactly what but he was hurt.
Her brother wasn’t moving. He didn’t speak. Normally, he wouldn’t shut up. Why wasn’t he speaking now? He was breathing, he was alive, then why was he no answering her? Angelina threw away her pride and dunked it into the trash. Her goal to move her brother somewhere safe was gone, she just wanted to shield him from the rain.
“Ramsey?” She begged. Tears were mixing with the rain. Her good had come off because of her frantic movement. “Ramsey, what happened? Tell me so that I can help, okay? Just tell me.”
Her words were frantically coming out of her mouth. She didn’t bother with prononciation or clarity. The sounds she was making to communicate to her brother were raw and painful. Angelina could feel her face twist as she spoke to him.
Actually, she wasn’t speaking; she was screaming.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
Angie was screaming again, which wasn't great, and saying that it wasn't great changed nothing still left them here in the rain as the guy he was pretty sure he liked was like dead or something with his sister screaming and it was a lot so-
It was a lot, so who could blame Mike for just taking a step backwards and not doing anything to help? A bit much, really, too much, and he wasn't the kinda guy for this, just a good times guy, keep them rolling, keep them coming, and there wasn't much for a good time man to do here except pray, pray that somehow the clouds would part and the sun would shine.
Words were rusty, faded, decade-old words catapulted right back to the front of his brain, but they were there, alright, pouring out. chocolate water like the mud.
Time. An hour. A minute. A second. All he was asking for.
It was a lot, so who could blame Mike for just taking a step backwards and not doing anything to help? A bit much, really, too much, and he wasn't the kinda guy for this, just a good times guy, keep them rolling, keep them coming, and there wasn't much for a good time man to do here except pray, pray that somehow the clouds would part and the sun would shine.
Words were rusty, faded, decade-old words catapulted right back to the front of his brain, but they were there, alright, pouring out. chocolate water like the mud.
Time. An hour. A minute. A second. All he was asking for.
"...Angie."
This couldn't be real. So unceremonious yet such a one-in-a-million chance. Real life didn't work this way, Ramsey and his sister reuniting on the side of a non-path in the middle of the woods in the middle of a rainstorm in the middle of the day.
But here she was, in the flesh. Right here, right now, with someone else Ramsey couldn't tell other than it was a boy who sounded somewhat familiar. Maybe if he willed hard enough it could be Ace, too.
It hurt to breathe.
It hurt to cry.
But Ramsey couldn't stop through clenched eyes and clenched teeth. Tears streamed down his face and mixed with the rain, the mud, the blood.
He answered.
"Angie... I... I can't..." He shook his head, but he couldn't look up.
This couldn't be real. So unceremonious yet such a one-in-a-million chance. Real life didn't work this way, Ramsey and his sister reuniting on the side of a non-path in the middle of the woods in the middle of a rainstorm in the middle of the day.
But here she was, in the flesh. Right here, right now, with someone else Ramsey couldn't tell other than it was a boy who sounded somewhat familiar. Maybe if he willed hard enough it could be Ace, too.
It hurt to breathe.
It hurt to cry.
But Ramsey couldn't stop through clenched eyes and clenched teeth. Tears streamed down his face and mixed with the rain, the mud, the blood.
He answered.
"Angie... I... I can't..." He shook his head, but he couldn't look up.
Angelina stopped screaming when her brother started to whisper.
Instead, she was smiling through her tears. She waited for his conscience to realize what was happening around him. Something terrible had happened, but she was here now, and they were going to be okay.
"Take your time," she whispered to him like a newborn, softly and carefully. "I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere."
She was still holding him up against the tree, shielding him against the rain.
She was quiet now.
She was at peace.
Instead, she was smiling through her tears. She waited for his conscience to realize what was happening around him. Something terrible had happened, but she was here now, and they were going to be okay.
"Take your time," she whispered to him like a newborn, softly and carefully. "I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere."
She was still holding him up against the tree, shielding him against the rain.
She was quiet now.
She was at peace.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
It...it seemed alright now. Aight, really, just a little bit of good trickling it's way into this place. Ramsey was moving, Ramsey was alive, and Angie seemed really like that too for the first time he'd seen her here.
And yeah, they were happy. 'S good, great, he should've felt happy too. Lightened up just a little tinge, came over, maybe smiled a big real one, but Mike didn't. Still smiled, yeah, 'cause he kinda had to, but it was the usual one, the comfy one.
Stepped closer to them, keeping his distance, just like always.
"Mmm, probs best to take things easy."
And yeah, they were happy. 'S good, great, he should've felt happy too. Lightened up just a little tinge, came over, maybe smiled a big real one, but Mike didn't. Still smiled, yeah, 'cause he kinda had to, but it was the usual one, the comfy one.
Stepped closer to them, keeping his distance, just like always.
"Mmm, probs best to take things easy."
Angie was so warm. It was such a long time since Ramsey felt that sort of human intimacy. Too long, it felt like.
Or maybe it was because this might be the last time.
Regardless, he didn't want to move. He wanted to stay frozen here forever. The pelting rain felt like nothing.
His mouth opened to speak again, but it was stuck agape. Any words he tried to form were mangled into a blubbering mess mixed with the obscuring tears.
Or maybe it was because this might be the last time.
Regardless, he didn't want to move. He wanted to stay frozen here forever. The pelting rain felt like nothing.
His mouth opened to speak again, but it was stuck agape. Any words he tried to form were mangled into a blubbering mess mixed with the obscuring tears.
"We need to set up a shelter."
Angelina was back to her normal self. Well, the most normal that she could be in this situation. She was barking orders, telling people what to do, and taking things in her own hands. It felt good to be back at some type of normalcy.
However, that short lived feeling of control faded away when she looked back at her brother. She had no idea what had happened, but it obviously fucked him up. He wasn't wounded on the outside, but Angie knew something inside of him was broken. He was bleeding, infected, rotting, and Angie couldn't do anything.
She squeezed her eyes and exhaled. Her mind was racing, and it was losing. There was no way she could fix this and she just wanted scream.
"How do we set up a shelter?"
Angelina was back to her normal self. Well, the most normal that she could be in this situation. She was barking orders, telling people what to do, and taking things in her own hands. It felt good to be back at some type of normalcy.
However, that short lived feeling of control faded away when she looked back at her brother. She had no idea what had happened, but it obviously fucked him up. He wasn't wounded on the outside, but Angie knew something inside of him was broken. He was bleeding, infected, rotting, and Angie couldn't do anything.
She squeezed her eyes and exhaled. Her mind was racing, and it was losing. There was no way she could fix this and she just wanted scream.
"How do we set up a shelter?"
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
It was really hard to resist the urge to just shrug, 'cause really what the fuck-else was there to do,because Angie didn't seem right and Mike didn't know how to make that right, so he was just gonna talk and hope for the-
"Well, uh, we could like get some wood or something? Try to set up a little teepee-whatever."
The best? Wasn't the best, not really, because really, when was the shit he did the best, but it was something, something to distract from the fact that Ramsey was alive but not really all there, and was it shitty but he still wouldn't, still couldn't look down.
Instead, he stared off into the trees.
"So...yeah."
"Well, uh, we could like get some wood or something? Try to set up a little teepee-whatever."
The best? Wasn't the best, not really, because really, when was the shit he did the best, but it was something, something to distract from the fact that Ramsey was alive but not really all there, and was it shitty but he still wouldn't, still couldn't look down.
Instead, he stared off into the trees.
"So...yeah."