And the world kept sinking and nobody noticed. Things got torn around their edges, bent, wrinkled, and it was just a little harder to see any light. And they weren't noticing, nobody was fucking noticing- why weren't they fucking noticing? Why let everything sink and sink and suddenly it's all gone and you never even realized it was leaving? Why aren't you doing something about it, why aren't you fucking noticing?
Yeah. You're too busy yelling at each other. Which...
... which, okay, glass houses. Flash back to just a moment ago, lookit what we had there. Girl, loud, angry (this would be Charlie), and boy, quiet, remorseful (this would be Aaron). She kept yelling and yelling till he sat down and cried. Hey, guys, did you hear that DuClare girl yelled at some nerdy kid till he broke down in tears? Ha ha ha, what a catty bitch. She's nothing if not consistent.
No, hey, break out the silver linings and pull yourself together. It was the right thing to do. Yes? Yes. It had been the good thing, the compassionate thing, the... fuck, what's a synonym for tough love tha doesn't make you sound like an asshole when you use it? Anything? No, nothing? Well, fuck it. It was necessary. Aaron had to realize... and then he realized... and then she hugged him and told him it was alright so that balanced out anything negative. That made it okay.
What the fuck are you gonna do to make it okay, you Hot-Topic-looking motherfucker? Hugs don't count, this is beyond the level of a hug and go fuck yourself, we don't want a hug from you anyway. Make everyone a home-cooked breakfast, then we'll talk. Find a wild boar. Turn it into bacon. Do what you have to do.
And even if he did make it up, why do it in the first place? Why pull any of that shit, going on about herp derp you guys are dumb and Milo was an asshole, which I say without even a hint of irony herp derp. It doesn't help. It doesn't shine any lights. It makes the world sink down, down, further down, and you're not even noticing. Asshole.
So you say,
"Got to be fucking kidding me..."
And you walk towards him. Pretty slowly, and hands held in the air so as to be as non-threatening as possible, but walking towards him all the same. And you say,
"I can't fucking deal with this anymore. Alright? I don't want to hear this shit anymore. I don't want to hear any more insults, or any screaming," wait Charlie who is that part referring to, "or... I just... can't. Deal. With any of this.
"I don't care how many guns I have to stand in front of today," two, please just keep it to two, don't go above two, "just stop. Okay? Just stop, or just fucking shoot me right now...
"Whichever's easier for you."
No Such Thing as a Perfect Plan
Open, Late Day Seven
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((Guess who needs to live? Inactivity avoidance post))
Aaron had tried the basic method of asking him what he wanted.
DuClare, however...
Oh fucking shit.
Oh, oh fucking shit.
Did she have a fucking death wish?! Did she want to get shot? Really, Aileen couldn't put up with this shit right now. This douchebag could just go and rot right now, for all she cared. He had no right to just jump in front of them and tell them how much they screwed up.
And now she was forcing herself in front of his gun, too? Fucking hell. Aileen didn't want any more death, especially right now. She really didn't want to deal with some girl who had some kind of suicidal tendency at this moment, either. Was she really trying to get herself killed?!
Ailee felt herself continue to clench and relax her hand, still angered by the asshole's yelling.
"DuClare... stop. Don't... don't... don't..." she attempted to say, but it only came out like a broken record. Her voice had turned into a quiet tone.
But she figured it out.
"DuClare. Stop throwing yourself in front of guns. Please? Pl..."
She felt herself starting to cry again.
Whenever Aileen was upset about something, she'd often try to snark it off, subtly (or sometimes blatantly) trying to insult something about it. It was her way of coping with things, you see.
And now even that tactic didn't work. Aileen had very little to say.
Looking at the new arrival again, she tried once more. Her lip curled in frustration, her hands still clenching, and tears still running down her cheeks. No more of this shit. No fucking more. He should just run the fuck away. Go fucking away.
"Look... just... go. None of us are willing to deal with this right now. You have no right to come over here and tell us we screwed up. Mind leaving us alone?"
It was, of course, a bit more calmer than last time. But the tone... the tone still wasn't very pleasant.
It was already starting to be a long day.
Aaron had tried the basic method of asking him what he wanted.
DuClare, however...
Oh fucking shit.
Oh, oh fucking shit.
Did she have a fucking death wish?! Did she want to get shot? Really, Aileen couldn't put up with this shit right now. This douchebag could just go and rot right now, for all she cared. He had no right to just jump in front of them and tell them how much they screwed up.
And now she was forcing herself in front of his gun, too? Fucking hell. Aileen didn't want any more death, especially right now. She really didn't want to deal with some girl who had some kind of suicidal tendency at this moment, either. Was she really trying to get herself killed?!
Ailee felt herself continue to clench and relax her hand, still angered by the asshole's yelling.
"DuClare... stop. Don't... don't... don't..." she attempted to say, but it only came out like a broken record. Her voice had turned into a quiet tone.
But she figured it out.
"DuClare. Stop throwing yourself in front of guns. Please? Pl..."
She felt herself starting to cry again.
Whenever Aileen was upset about something, she'd often try to snark it off, subtly (or sometimes blatantly) trying to insult something about it. It was her way of coping with things, you see.
And now even that tactic didn't work. Aileen had very little to say.
Looking at the new arrival again, she tried once more. Her lip curled in frustration, her hands still clenching, and tears still running down her cheeks. No more of this shit. No fucking more. He should just run the fuck away. Go fucking away.
"Look... just... go. None of us are willing to deal with this right now. You have no right to come over here and tell us we screwed up. Mind leaving us alone?"
It was, of course, a bit more calmer than last time. But the tone... the tone still wasn't very pleasant.
It was already starting to be a long day.
Zach Jamis
was unsure
It wasn't like he was doubting. Of course not. He was always doubting himself. He figured that was perfectly normal for teenagers, even though he tried his best never to not be a normal teenager, fuck being a normal teenage, why the hell would he EVER want to be a normal teenager? This was different though. This girl was crying, her hope and innocence has been bled out for all to see and Zach wanted to chew her out for it. Zach was an ass but...
... who the fuck was this girl? He hadn't even realized she was there. And she's standing in the way of him, like some kind of human shield. Zach blinked. For a second he almost forgot that he's bluffing, and remembered that he didn't have a single bullet in the gun. He was supposed to be robbing these people, but of course Zach never followed his plans exactly.
"... I'm not planning on killing you. Jesus."
Then Zach looked at the raccoon. He sneered. Who gave this bitch permission to tell him what to do?
"Don't give me that pity shit. It's your fuck up, not mine. Don't go rubbing your sad, pathetic... I'm not the bad..."
... but. Optimism can overpower logic. Zach was aware of this. He wasn't good at feeling sad. Man, fuck emotions.
"... I'm sorry. Whatever. I'm sorry."
Zach felt uncomfortable. The best thing he could have done was turn around and walk away, just as Aileen wanted. He sighed, turned and did just that.
Zach was crumbling. He could feel it. He was turning into something that he was not. He was... turning into a guy with a conscious. Ugh. Man. The thought of that left a bad taste on his mouth. Zach felt himself gag. He hated this island so damn much. He wish he were off it. For once, Zach really hoped that escape were possible... but then he realized that he was actually acknowledging this game as a game and that alone made him gag a second time. What the hell was he becoming? Because he sure as hell didn't recognize it as Zach Jamis. The voice in his head asked him. What the fuck are you going to do Zach? And he quickly responded. Shut the fuck up.
He had a jolt of apprehension in his gut that he couldn't shake. His head wasn't helping matter. He didn't figure that it was humanity slowly slipping in through the small cracks of his thick armor. Probably a lack of nicotine. Yeah. That must be it.
Zach sneered. Pulled the pack out. It was getting desperately low.
Now whatchu gonna do Zach? What 'you gonna do?"
"The fuck am I going to do?" Zach mumbled in between cancer stick. "I was hoping YOU would know the answer to that. You're completely useless."
Flicked the lighter.
"I guess I'm going to do what I've always done..."
Light. Click.
"Staying in-character."
Inhale. Exhale. Same as always.
(Zach Jamis continued in Boats and Birds)
was unsure
It wasn't like he was doubting. Of course not. He was always doubting himself. He figured that was perfectly normal for teenagers, even though he tried his best never to not be a normal teenager, fuck being a normal teenage, why the hell would he EVER want to be a normal teenager? This was different though. This girl was crying, her hope and innocence has been bled out for all to see and Zach wanted to chew her out for it. Zach was an ass but...
... who the fuck was this girl? He hadn't even realized she was there. And she's standing in the way of him, like some kind of human shield. Zach blinked. For a second he almost forgot that he's bluffing, and remembered that he didn't have a single bullet in the gun. He was supposed to be robbing these people, but of course Zach never followed his plans exactly.
"... I'm not planning on killing you. Jesus."
Then Zach looked at the raccoon. He sneered. Who gave this bitch permission to tell him what to do?
"Don't give me that pity shit. It's your fuck up, not mine. Don't go rubbing your sad, pathetic... I'm not the bad..."
... but. Optimism can overpower logic. Zach was aware of this. He wasn't good at feeling sad. Man, fuck emotions.
"... I'm sorry. Whatever. I'm sorry."
Zach felt uncomfortable. The best thing he could have done was turn around and walk away, just as Aileen wanted. He sighed, turned and did just that.
Zach was crumbling. He could feel it. He was turning into something that he was not. He was... turning into a guy with a conscious. Ugh. Man. The thought of that left a bad taste on his mouth. Zach felt himself gag. He hated this island so damn much. He wish he were off it. For once, Zach really hoped that escape were possible... but then he realized that he was actually acknowledging this game as a game and that alone made him gag a second time. What the hell was he becoming? Because he sure as hell didn't recognize it as Zach Jamis. The voice in his head asked him. What the fuck are you going to do Zach? And he quickly responded. Shut the fuck up.
He had a jolt of apprehension in his gut that he couldn't shake. His head wasn't helping matter. He didn't figure that it was humanity slowly slipping in through the small cracks of his thick armor. Probably a lack of nicotine. Yeah. That must be it.
Zach sneered. Pulled the pack out. It was getting desperately low.
Now whatchu gonna do Zach? What 'you gonna do?"
"The fuck am I going to do?" Zach mumbled in between cancer stick. "I was hoping YOU would know the answer to that. You're completely useless."
Flicked the lighter.
"I guess I'm going to do what I've always done..."
Light. Click.
"Staying in-character."
Inhale. Exhale. Same as always.
(Zach Jamis continued in Boats and Birds)
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-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
The girls drove the new guy off. The group wasn't mugged or shot or killed. Charlie's and Aileen's aggressive and near-suicidal assertiveness actually paid off and backed the boy away, coerced him into letting out a meek little almost-apology. Aaron was completely stunned. He'd been expecting, well, he wasn't quite sure what, but he'd been getting ready to make a move, and now it was totally superfluous.
He wasn't going to complain. He wasn't going to worry. He was going to pull things together, get everything worked out, and carry on. He was going to see his plan enacted.
Well, okay, he didn't have much of a plan anymore. He was on his backup plan now, and it wasn't that applicable if they were all going to survive and make their way home, but it would do. It could tide them over until he figured out something better. It would at least keep them together, keep them from dissolving in the face of adversity. They'd bonded over this experience. They'd all learned a bit more about each other. Aaron was impressed with his allies, impressed at their ability to handle themselves, impressed at their competence now that they were unrestrained by worthless hangers-on, and, most of all, impressed by the way they were willing to put their lives on the line for those they trusted.
He'd have to be sure to maintain their trust. He'd have to retrieve his notebook before Aileen got to flip through it. There was something in there that it would be very, very bad if she found.
He reclaimed his gun, flipped the safety on, and stuck it in his pocket. Its weight was comforting.
He rubbed his eyes a little bit, then turned to Charlie and Aileen.
"H-hey," he said. "I... I'm sorry this ended up this way. I'm going to need to... find somewhere to think for a bit. I think I can s-still maybe come up with something, but it's going to... take some time to get everything figured out."
He glanced meaningfully at Milo's body there, hoping he looked sufficiently disheartened and upset.
"If you don't want to come, then I understand. But I... hope you will."
There. That was good. He was shaken, but not defeated. He was going to regroup. They were going to follow him. After that, how could they not? After everything they'd been through, after Charlie's hug, after Aileen's killing of Milo, well, they needed Aaron more than ever. He was their hope, their guidance, their leader.
Yeah. They'd follow him.
So he set off. This time, he made sure to keep his pace a bit slower, to not get ahead. This was supposed to be a learning experience for him. He was supposed to mend his ways. Might as well pick something easy that Aileen had seemed upset about.
Besides, it was dangerous to be alone at night.
((Aaron Hughes continued in Altering the Deal))
He wasn't going to complain. He wasn't going to worry. He was going to pull things together, get everything worked out, and carry on. He was going to see his plan enacted.
Well, okay, he didn't have much of a plan anymore. He was on his backup plan now, and it wasn't that applicable if they were all going to survive and make their way home, but it would do. It could tide them over until he figured out something better. It would at least keep them together, keep them from dissolving in the face of adversity. They'd bonded over this experience. They'd all learned a bit more about each other. Aaron was impressed with his allies, impressed at their ability to handle themselves, impressed at their competence now that they were unrestrained by worthless hangers-on, and, most of all, impressed by the way they were willing to put their lives on the line for those they trusted.
He'd have to be sure to maintain their trust. He'd have to retrieve his notebook before Aileen got to flip through it. There was something in there that it would be very, very bad if she found.
He reclaimed his gun, flipped the safety on, and stuck it in his pocket. Its weight was comforting.
He rubbed his eyes a little bit, then turned to Charlie and Aileen.
"H-hey," he said. "I... I'm sorry this ended up this way. I'm going to need to... find somewhere to think for a bit. I think I can s-still maybe come up with something, but it's going to... take some time to get everything figured out."
He glanced meaningfully at Milo's body there, hoping he looked sufficiently disheartened and upset.
"If you don't want to come, then I understand. But I... hope you will."
There. That was good. He was shaken, but not defeated. He was going to regroup. They were going to follow him. After that, how could they not? After everything they'd been through, after Charlie's hug, after Aileen's killing of Milo, well, they needed Aaron more than ever. He was their hope, their guidance, their leader.
Yeah. They'd follow him.
So he set off. This time, he made sure to keep his pace a bit slower, to not get ahead. This was supposed to be a learning experience for him. He was supposed to mend his ways. Might as well pick something easy that Aileen had seemed upset about.
Besides, it was dangerous to be alone at night.
((Aaron Hughes continued in Altering the Deal))
It's okay to be shaking now.
And to fall to your knees as soon as you're sure the kid with the gun isn't looking, and to think to yourself about how stupid it was to wait till he wasn't looking. That was valuable time you wasted. Time spent on your feet is time spent pretending to be okay. Time spent pretending to be okay is time spent not being okay.
And here was Aileen asking if she could maybe not step in front of so many guns. Which sorta approached the vicinity of kind words.
"Haha, yeah... that's the last one, I promise." Some sort of weird, nervous giggle type thing. Certainly not any sound a normal person would make. "At least for today."
And then a full-blown laugh, with all the glorious cracks around its edges so everyone could see.
But it was going to get better now. There were friends here now. Here to chase all the monsters away and to shine their lights till all the news was good. And mend all the cracks around the edges till Charlie could laugh again and mean it.
God, wouldn't that be the day.
And here was Aaron, saying he hoped Charlie would come along to wherever he was going. And in doing so, raising the possibility that she might not. Don't. Even. Joke. About. That. She's coming, of course she's coming, she's on her way, she's getting up right now, she's ready to go.
Ready to lead where you will follow, where anyone will follow, because there are so many fucking monsters on this island and anything's better than seeing them constantly out of the corner of your eye.
Anything.
((Charlie DuClare continued in Altering the Deal))
And to fall to your knees as soon as you're sure the kid with the gun isn't looking, and to think to yourself about how stupid it was to wait till he wasn't looking. That was valuable time you wasted. Time spent on your feet is time spent pretending to be okay. Time spent pretending to be okay is time spent not being okay.
And here was Aileen asking if she could maybe not step in front of so many guns. Which sorta approached the vicinity of kind words.
"Haha, yeah... that's the last one, I promise." Some sort of weird, nervous giggle type thing. Certainly not any sound a normal person would make. "At least for today."
And then a full-blown laugh, with all the glorious cracks around its edges so everyone could see.
But it was going to get better now. There were friends here now. Here to chase all the monsters away and to shine their lights till all the news was good. And mend all the cracks around the edges till Charlie could laugh again and mean it.
God, wouldn't that be the day.
And here was Aaron, saying he hoped Charlie would come along to wherever he was going. And in doing so, raising the possibility that she might not. Don't. Even. Joke. About. That. She's coming, of course she's coming, she's on her way, she's getting up right now, she's ready to go.
Ready to lead where you will follow, where anyone will follow, because there are so many fucking monsters on this island and anything's better than seeing them constantly out of the corner of your eye.
Anything.
((Charlie DuClare continued in Altering the Deal))
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And just like that.
Just like that he left.
She... wasn't aware it would be that easy. She'd expect him to be a stubborn prick and insist on staying, insulting them some more. And that was the best scenario coming up in Aileen's mind.
Aileen stared off as he left just after beginning to fire off more insults and having stopped himself mid-sentence.
People were strange.
This was a detail Aileen found out a long time ago. Of course, it wasn't surprising hearing that from the girl who usually sat by herself reading back at school. It was one of those things you expect people to say. Like the athlete to say "Practice was hard but worth it in the long run", or the popular girl to say "You bitch stop stealing my clothes!". Stereotypes? Yes, but the point remained.
Aileen was once again confused by other people's behavior.
DuClare seemed tuckered out by all this nonsense, but in the end, they all were. And... laughter. It wasn't a good sign. The entire thing had probably driven her up the wall. Aileen found herself feeling sorry for her, actually.
Aaron seemed to flick through the gun and place it in his pocket, and started talking again.
Already they had to leave.
Aileen stared down at Milo. Couldn't they just... she didn't know, do something about him? They couldn't leave him laying out in the open like that! He needed a burial, or a cremation. Or, hell, something. It was unethical to just leave his body lying around where everyone could see if, especially in that state.
Aileen scooped down, and attempted to grab the dead body by the legs. But in the end, it was too heavy for her. What could she say? She was an un-athletic nerd. There was no way she could get his body someplace without the help of Aaron and Du-
She looked up.
They hadn't stayed.
Aileen felt herself panicking.
She didn't care at that moment that Aaron had thought up the plan that got Milo killed, or that DuClare had a death wish. Well, she cared about those, actually. They were going to get themselves hurt, based on what happened here. Aaron had already two times fired on people without warning, and that was only right at the start of the list. DuClare was starting to act suicidal.
If she had told them what she was trying to do or something... then they would have stayed, right?
She had to be there, in case something happened. She wasn't exactly the biggest voice of reason, that she knew. But she knew one thing.
Aileen Borden had to be there so they wouldn't do that sort of thing as much.
It was going to be chaos if she left. That was certain.
Aileen let Milo fall to the ground, and gently touched what was left of his head, like a mother comforting a small child.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
Both for doing that to him, and for not being able to let him rest in peace. Maybe later she could find a way to bury him in some way, if Aaron would let her come back here.
And so she grabbed her things and left to find Aaron and DuClare.
((Aileen Borden continued in Altering the Deal))
Just like that he left.
She... wasn't aware it would be that easy. She'd expect him to be a stubborn prick and insist on staying, insulting them some more. And that was the best scenario coming up in Aileen's mind.
Aileen stared off as he left just after beginning to fire off more insults and having stopped himself mid-sentence.
People were strange.
This was a detail Aileen found out a long time ago. Of course, it wasn't surprising hearing that from the girl who usually sat by herself reading back at school. It was one of those things you expect people to say. Like the athlete to say "Practice was hard but worth it in the long run", or the popular girl to say "You bitch stop stealing my clothes!". Stereotypes? Yes, but the point remained.
Aileen was once again confused by other people's behavior.
DuClare seemed tuckered out by all this nonsense, but in the end, they all were. And... laughter. It wasn't a good sign. The entire thing had probably driven her up the wall. Aileen found herself feeling sorry for her, actually.
Aaron seemed to flick through the gun and place it in his pocket, and started talking again.
Already they had to leave.
Aileen stared down at Milo. Couldn't they just... she didn't know, do something about him? They couldn't leave him laying out in the open like that! He needed a burial, or a cremation. Or, hell, something. It was unethical to just leave his body lying around where everyone could see if, especially in that state.
Aileen scooped down, and attempted to grab the dead body by the legs. But in the end, it was too heavy for her. What could she say? She was an un-athletic nerd. There was no way she could get his body someplace without the help of Aaron and Du-
She looked up.
They hadn't stayed.
Aileen felt herself panicking.
She didn't care at that moment that Aaron had thought up the plan that got Milo killed, or that DuClare had a death wish. Well, she cared about those, actually. They were going to get themselves hurt, based on what happened here. Aaron had already two times fired on people without warning, and that was only right at the start of the list. DuClare was starting to act suicidal.
If she had told them what she was trying to do or something... then they would have stayed, right?
She had to be there, in case something happened. She wasn't exactly the biggest voice of reason, that she knew. But she knew one thing.
Aileen Borden had to be there so they wouldn't do that sort of thing as much.
It was going to be chaos if she left. That was certain.
Aileen let Milo fall to the ground, and gently touched what was left of his head, like a mother comforting a small child.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
Both for doing that to him, and for not being able to let him rest in peace. Maybe later she could find a way to bury him in some way, if Aaron would let her come back here.
And so she grabbed her things and left to find Aaron and DuClare.
((Aileen Borden continued in Altering the Deal))