It was Alice's words to her that snapped Sandra out of her panic. Things were still bad, yeah, but Sandra's mind cleared up just a little bit.
She realized that Bryony had also gotten hit, this time in her hand. Sandra gulped, then moved toward Bryony, bringing the first aid kit with her. This wasn't time to be panicking, and if Alice was the one taking charge, then all the better.
Sandra looked through the first aid kit for the disinfectant... or the closest thing to it in the kit she could find. She brought out the antiseptic wipes, and looked at Bryony's hand.
"We should... we should wash off the area, shouldn't we?" Sandra asked.
Bryony asked if she was going to be fine.
Snadra was... wasn't sure. It was just her hand, right? As long as they stopped the blood flow, she'd be... fine in the long run, right?
"You'll be fine," Sandra said, trying to be reassuring.
Tea Party with Death at Dawn
Early Morning Day 7: Open
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Okay, okay. Alice had to think. The whirlwind of frightful images and chaotic ideas was overwhelming her. She needed to take care of Bryony's wound as well as her own, though luckily Sandra seemed unharmed. This was really, really bad, though, and the tight grip of fear kept distracting her from her task.
Bryony's concern was enough to help her focus. "Yeah, it'll be okay." Of course, Alice had no way of knowing whether or not it'd be okay, in any sense. Realistically, even if it didn't become infected, the wound could prove a major hindrance, depending on much damage there was. And that assumed Bryony lived long enough to face adversity because of it.
"We'll get you patched up, and once we go home you'll be alright. Alright?" Alice smiled reassuringly and patted Bryony's unharmed hand with her own. It was a tall promise, to be sure. She couldn't really guarantee anything of the sort, but she wasn't going to give up hope yet.
She couldn't let Bree despair.
Bryony's concern was enough to help her focus. "Yeah, it'll be okay." Of course, Alice had no way of knowing whether or not it'd be okay, in any sense. Realistically, even if it didn't become infected, the wound could prove a major hindrance, depending on much damage there was. And that assumed Bryony lived long enough to face adversity because of it.
"We'll get you patched up, and once we go home you'll be alright. Alright?" Alice smiled reassuringly and patted Bryony's unharmed hand with her own. It was a tall promise, to be sure. She couldn't really guarantee anything of the sort, but she wasn't going to give up hope yet.
She couldn't let Bree despair.
"Home..."
Bryony softly mumbled the words. At least, she thought she did. She felt like she had opened her mouth, but everything in her vision was beginning to swim and everything she could hear was muted, like she'd left the world's volume on low. Alice and Sandra had crowded around her to try and deal with her injury, and she dreamed a smile crossed her face.
Home. God, she wanted to be home so badly. She missed her house and her city and her school and her friends. She missed the smell of her room, all fresh paper and cinnamon candles, and she missed lying on her bed glued to her laptop, a sunbeam falling on her and the gentle breeze from her fan tousling her hair. She missed her parents, her dad's corny jokes and how they never failed to make her laugh, and her mom's gentle smile that lit up every corner of her face like a warm and inviting fireplace. She missed Jake, and she wished so badly now that she'd spent more time with him. She even missed Bethany and all of her – well, maybe she wouldn't go that far.
She still would prefer having to deal with anything Bethany had to throw at her than spending another second on the island.
But it was all going to be all right. They were going to fix her hand and then patch up Alice's leg and then they were gonna find Alba and everyone else on the island. And then after that they were gonna go home again. She wasn't sure how. But they were gonna get back. Back home, where they belonged.
"Yeah... home sounds... good... right about now..."
A ghost of a smile flitted across Bryony's face, before her whole body went limp and she blacked out.
Bryony softly mumbled the words. At least, she thought she did. She felt like she had opened her mouth, but everything in her vision was beginning to swim and everything she could hear was muted, like she'd left the world's volume on low. Alice and Sandra had crowded around her to try and deal with her injury, and she dreamed a smile crossed her face.
Home. God, she wanted to be home so badly. She missed her house and her city and her school and her friends. She missed the smell of her room, all fresh paper and cinnamon candles, and she missed lying on her bed glued to her laptop, a sunbeam falling on her and the gentle breeze from her fan tousling her hair. She missed her parents, her dad's corny jokes and how they never failed to make her laugh, and her mom's gentle smile that lit up every corner of her face like a warm and inviting fireplace. She missed Jake, and she wished so badly now that she'd spent more time with him. She even missed Bethany and all of her – well, maybe she wouldn't go that far.
She still would prefer having to deal with anything Bethany had to throw at her than spending another second on the island.
But it was all going to be all right. They were going to fix her hand and then patch up Alice's leg and then they were gonna find Alba and everyone else on the island. And then after that they were gonna go home again. She wasn't sure how. But they were gonna get back. Back home, where they belonged.
"Yeah... home sounds... good... right about now..."
A ghost of a smile flitted across Bryony's face, before her whole body went limp and she blacked out.
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Sandra knelt there as her question went unanswered. Without direction, especially in this situation, Sandra was left doing nothing.
...No, she couldn't just sit here dumbstruck, she was just going to go for it. But wait... what if it causes a serious infection.
Should she ask again, or should she go for it? She had been debating for a few seconds, so intensely that she almost didn't register Bryony falling backward.
"Bryony?!" Sandra cried, moving quickly. It was amazing how quickly one can move on their knees when they believe, just for a split second, that their good friend has just died.
She caught Bryony just before her head hit the the ground. She scanned her body for maybe some wound that they might have missed.
"Bryony, you alright?" she asked, and immediately she felt stupid for even asking it.
Bryony wasn't alright. That was evident.
...No, she couldn't just sit here dumbstruck, she was just going to go for it. But wait... what if it causes a serious infection.
Should she ask again, or should she go for it? She had been debating for a few seconds, so intensely that she almost didn't register Bryony falling backward.
"Bryony?!" Sandra cried, moving quickly. It was amazing how quickly one can move on their knees when they believe, just for a split second, that their good friend has just died.
She caught Bryony just before her head hit the the ground. She scanned her body for maybe some wound that they might have missed.
"Bryony, you alright?" she asked, and immediately she felt stupid for even asking it.
Bryony wasn't alright. That was evident.
((Control of Alice Baker granted by Espi))
Bryony sounded completely out of it, and that had Alice worried. She was winging it for the most part when it came to dealing with the bullet wound, but anything that even slightly resembled Bree slipping away was enough to set off an alarm in her head. Once she stopped moving at all, fear of the worst immediately came to the forefront of Alice's mind.
"Hey Bree, we're fixing you up right now, all right?" She said, fully aware that the other girl might not be able to hear her. "Just give us a couple minutes and you'll be good to go." The more she talked, the more she felt that she was only trying to convince herself that everything would be all right at the end of this fiasco.
She looked up from her fallen friend to see a panicked Sandra. This was bad. If they lost their heads, then their chances at saving Bryony would be even worse. "Sandra, focus!" She demanded firmly. "We need to get that wound cleaned up now."
If there was one time in her life when she needed to step up, this was it. She wasn't going to let Bree drift away without a fight.
Bryony sounded completely out of it, and that had Alice worried. She was winging it for the most part when it came to dealing with the bullet wound, but anything that even slightly resembled Bree slipping away was enough to set off an alarm in her head. Once she stopped moving at all, fear of the worst immediately came to the forefront of Alice's mind.
"Hey Bree, we're fixing you up right now, all right?" She said, fully aware that the other girl might not be able to hear her. "Just give us a couple minutes and you'll be good to go." The more she talked, the more she felt that she was only trying to convince herself that everything would be all right at the end of this fiasco.
She looked up from her fallen friend to see a panicked Sandra. This was bad. If they lost their heads, then their chances at saving Bryony would be even worse. "Sandra, focus!" She demanded firmly. "We need to get that wound cleaned up now."
If there was one time in her life when she needed to step up, this was it. She wasn't going to let Bree drift away without a fight.
As the tumultuous storm of her two friends panicking raged on outside, inside the shell of Bryony Adams, everything was finally calm. Her mind was still somewhere in there, but it was wrapped in a dark fugue, floating and unknowing of all that was happening and all that had ever happened.
She didn't dream, or at least if she did she was unaware of it. All the terrified thoughts and horrible knowledge that was stored inside of her retreated back into the darkness as she slumbered on. She stirred slightly in Sandra's arms, nestling against the crook of her elbow, chest gently rising and falling to an unheard rhythm.
Maybe it would have been best for Bryony to have reached her inevitable end on the island there and then. She was finally at ease now, surrounded by two of her closest friends, and she would peacefully slip away without even knowing what had happened.
But her heart kept beating, and her mind refused to drift away, and she merely slumbered on in the shadow of the willow tree.
She didn't dream, or at least if she did she was unaware of it. All the terrified thoughts and horrible knowledge that was stored inside of her retreated back into the darkness as she slumbered on. She stirred slightly in Sandra's arms, nestling against the crook of her elbow, chest gently rising and falling to an unheard rhythm.
Maybe it would have been best for Bryony to have reached her inevitable end on the island there and then. She was finally at ease now, surrounded by two of her closest friends, and she would peacefully slip away without even knowing what had happened.
But her heart kept beating, and her mind refused to drift away, and she merely slumbered on in the shadow of the willow tree.
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
For the second time in just a few minutes, Alice was the one in charge, and she was the one snapping Sandra out of her panic.
Right. Clean the wound.
Sandra began to work on the wound, disinfecting it and dressing it as best as she was able, occasionally looking up at Alice for direction. Sandra didn't want to mess this up. She was afraid that she would. But she had to do something, so she wordlessly worked.
Hopefully she was doing it right.
Well... right enough that she didn't fuck everything up.
Sandra wanted to leave. What an insightful thought. Didn't everyone on this god forsaken island want to leave? But Sandra wanted to leave the garden in particular. She had been sitting here for far too long. That would make her antsy in the best of situations, nevermind when her best friend had just passed out and she was trying to dress the wound to the best of her ability.
She wanted to leave. She wanted them to leave.
Eventually, Bryony's hand was covered in bandages.
"I think... I think I'm done," Sandra said, her voice wavering.
Right. Clean the wound.
Sandra began to work on the wound, disinfecting it and dressing it as best as she was able, occasionally looking up at Alice for direction. Sandra didn't want to mess this up. She was afraid that she would. But she had to do something, so she wordlessly worked.
Hopefully she was doing it right.
Well... right enough that she didn't fuck everything up.
Sandra wanted to leave. What an insightful thought. Didn't everyone on this god forsaken island want to leave? But Sandra wanted to leave the garden in particular. She had been sitting here for far too long. That would make her antsy in the best of situations, nevermind when her best friend had just passed out and she was trying to dress the wound to the best of her ability.
She wanted to leave. She wanted them to leave.
Eventually, Bryony's hand was covered in bandages.
"I think... I think I'm done," Sandra said, her voice wavering.
It was done, at least for the moment. Bryony's hand had been wrapped to the best of Sandra's ability. Alice wasn't sure how good of a job they had done, but considering their limited supplies and experience, she thought that they had done as well as I could.
She took a look at Sandra's work. She couldn't see any part of the wound exposed, so at least nothing else should be able to get in and infect it. She nodded with approval. "Yeah, it looks good. I guess now we just have to wait for her to wake up."
Alice barely had time to ponder how they should spend their time waiting before she felt a sharp stinging sensation flare up in her leg. Since she had been focusing so much on trying to help Bree, she had almost forgotten about her own injury. Now that she didn't have something else occupying her mind, her own wound made itself known once more.
Bringing a hand to her injured leg and hissing with pain, she reached out and pointed to Sandra's first-aid kit. "Hey, you wouldn't mind passing that over here for a second, would you?
She took a look at Sandra's work. She couldn't see any part of the wound exposed, so at least nothing else should be able to get in and infect it. She nodded with approval. "Yeah, it looks good. I guess now we just have to wait for her to wake up."
Alice barely had time to ponder how they should spend their time waiting before she felt a sharp stinging sensation flare up in her leg. Since she had been focusing so much on trying to help Bree, she had almost forgotten about her own injury. Now that she didn't have something else occupying her mind, her own wound made itself known once more.
Bringing a hand to her injured leg and hissing with pain, she reached out and pointed to Sandra's first-aid kit. "Hey, you wouldn't mind passing that over here for a second, would you?
There was something there. Something vague and formless, nearly indistinguishable from the clouds within Bryony's head. It might have been something important. It might not have. It didn't really matter, not right now. Nothing really did, not when nothing really existed.
Time passed, allegedly. The thing didn't go away. It was still just as formless, but yet, somehow more prominent, more... forceful in its existence. It was impossible to ignore, even for someone drifting through nothingness. What was it? What on Earth could it be?
Oh. It was her mind. Hello, mind. She had missed it. Or, rather, it had missed her. It must have returned for a reason. What could that be, she un-wondered? It must have returned for a reason. There had to be something important it needed her to do, or something important that she needed it for.
Something important.
Something... important...
...
No. Not something. Someone.
She wasn't floating alone, she wasn't the only one in the garden. It was her, it was Alice, it was Sandra, it was them under the willow tree, in the dew coated grass, in the leaf-dappled light, it was the gunshots and muzzle flare and smoke, it was blood and bandages and
"Alice!"
Bryony bolted upright, heart pounding, scream ripped from her mouth, every breath was a gasp like it was her last, and she gazed around frantically, eyes like saucers.
"Alice, oh my God, Alice, we... we need to fix your leg! Lemme help, I can-"
Bryony was in the process of trying to clamber up, when the world started spinning and all the blood rushed to her head. She desperately attempted to carry on getting up, but any movement made her feel like the floor was about to vanish from underneath her and send her spiralling into the depths of the earth. She sat down hard, and waited for her vision to stop swimming. She could feel the pinpricks of a new wave of tears in the corners of her eyes, and she shakily looked between Alice and Sandra.
"What... what happened?" she asked, quiet as a mouse.
Time passed, allegedly. The thing didn't go away. It was still just as formless, but yet, somehow more prominent, more... forceful in its existence. It was impossible to ignore, even for someone drifting through nothingness. What was it? What on Earth could it be?
Oh. It was her mind. Hello, mind. She had missed it. Or, rather, it had missed her. It must have returned for a reason. What could that be, she un-wondered? It must have returned for a reason. There had to be something important it needed her to do, or something important that she needed it for.
Something important.
Something... important...
...
No. Not something. Someone.
She wasn't floating alone, she wasn't the only one in the garden. It was her, it was Alice, it was Sandra, it was them under the willow tree, in the dew coated grass, in the leaf-dappled light, it was the gunshots and muzzle flare and smoke, it was blood and bandages and
"Alice!"
Bryony bolted upright, heart pounding, scream ripped from her mouth, every breath was a gasp like it was her last, and she gazed around frantically, eyes like saucers.
"Alice, oh my God, Alice, we... we need to fix your leg! Lemme help, I can-"
Bryony was in the process of trying to clamber up, when the world started spinning and all the blood rushed to her head. She desperately attempted to carry on getting up, but any movement made her feel like the floor was about to vanish from underneath her and send her spiralling into the depths of the earth. She sat down hard, and waited for her vision to stop swimming. She could feel the pinpricks of a new wave of tears in the corners of her eyes, and she shakily looked between Alice and Sandra.
"What... what happened?" she asked, quiet as a mouse.
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
"Right... yeah."
Sandra picked up the open first aid kit, handing it over to Alice. In the aftermath of treating Bryony's wound, it seemed that it was now time to get Alice's looked at.
Bryony woke up then.
"Hey, whoa!" Sandra shouted as Bryony suddenly bolted upright. She staggered a bit, before she fell back to the ground on her butt.
She was awake, thankfully, but things still weren't looking great. Bryony seemed out of it, panicked, and Alice was still dealing with her wound.
Sandra wrapped her arms around Bryony tightly, trying to get her in a better state of mind.
"It's okay, it's okay..."
Sandra picked up the open first aid kit, handing it over to Alice. In the aftermath of treating Bryony's wound, it seemed that it was now time to get Alice's looked at.
Bryony woke up then.
"Hey, whoa!" Sandra shouted as Bryony suddenly bolted upright. She staggered a bit, before she fell back to the ground on her butt.
She was awake, thankfully, but things still weren't looking great. Bryony seemed out of it, panicked, and Alice was still dealing with her wound.
Sandra wrapped her arms around Bryony tightly, trying to get her in a better state of mind.
"It's okay, it's okay..."
Alice was all set to start patching herself up when Bryony suddenly shot up screaming, alert as ever despite passing out during her treatment just a moment ago. Even though it was distracting as all hell, Alice was glad to see that her friend hadn't quite released her grip on life just yet.
But still, Bree didn't seem to be well quite yet. She was frantic and panicking, and it didn't seem like she was even aware that she had been shot herself. With Sandra embracing their patient, Alice elected to bring Bryony up to speed before moving on. Hopefully Sandra would be able to either keep her calm, or hold her back from another bout of panic. Either way, it would be best to explain things as soon as possible. After all, it wasn't like a hole in the hand was something that could be overlooked for long anyway.
"It's okay Bree. I'm okay, all right? Everything's fine." She said, trying to keep her voice as even and unemotional as possible to avoid upsetting her friend again. "You got shot in the hand, and me and Sandra were just fixing you up. We've got it all wrapped up now, so you should be fine. We just need you to sit down and rest so you can get your strength back, all right? Just relax." She placed her hand on Bree's shoulder. "Relax. We've got this."
She smiled to aid in comforting Bree, then went back to the medical kit, disinfecting her wound. It was bloody, looked rough, and the treatment burned like the devil's favorite hot sauce, but she was pretty sure that she would be all right. She had gotten to it quick enough, so it didn't have a lot of time to get too dirty. She held up a finger, directing her friends to sit tight for a moment while she applied her bandage.
But still, Bree didn't seem to be well quite yet. She was frantic and panicking, and it didn't seem like she was even aware that she had been shot herself. With Sandra embracing their patient, Alice elected to bring Bryony up to speed before moving on. Hopefully Sandra would be able to either keep her calm, or hold her back from another bout of panic. Either way, it would be best to explain things as soon as possible. After all, it wasn't like a hole in the hand was something that could be overlooked for long anyway.
"It's okay Bree. I'm okay, all right? Everything's fine." She said, trying to keep her voice as even and unemotional as possible to avoid upsetting her friend again. "You got shot in the hand, and me and Sandra were just fixing you up. We've got it all wrapped up now, so you should be fine. We just need you to sit down and rest so you can get your strength back, all right? Just relax." She placed her hand on Bree's shoulder. "Relax. We've got this."
She smiled to aid in comforting Bree, then went back to the medical kit, disinfecting her wound. It was bloody, looked rough, and the treatment burned like the devil's favorite hot sauce, but she was pretty sure that she would be all right. She had gotten to it quick enough, so it didn't have a lot of time to get too dirty. She held up a finger, directing her friends to sit tight for a moment while she applied her bandage.
Reality had returned with a vengeance, raging and clawing and overwhelming every one of Bryony's senses. The pleasant drifting sensation, the feeling of floating through nothingness from moments ago, that was already a faded dream, replaced by a ceaseless assault on her already weakened state. Her head span, even with her eyes squeezed tightly shut, and she felt as though her insides had been drained and discarded elsewhere. The gentle garden breeze felt like a blizzard on every patch of exposed skin, and the sting from beneath her brand-new set of bandages served as a constant reminder of what had happened under the willow tree.
Most painful of all was the single thought that had returned to the forefront of her mind; the heady remembrance that there was no easy way to get off the island, no quick and magic way for her and Alice and Sandra and Alba and everybody else to leave the island alive. They were going to have to fight tooth and nail to do so, and people were still going to die, and no matter what, the odds would always, always be weighted in the terrorists' favour.
The urge to just lie there, cradled in Sandra's arms, and just give up and wait for the inevitable end, already so strong, was near-irresistible now. She could just wait there, in the peace and the shade, wait for one of the players to come along, wait for the churchyard to become a danger zone, wait for the world to end. It would be so easy. As easy as blinking.
But still that indomitable spirit within Bryony burned brightly. Maybe she truly did believe there was a way out of this nightmare, a way hidden by brambles and traps and heartache, but a way that the sheer force of her optimism would lead her down. Or maybe it was sheer stubbornness. Make she was just pushing forwards because it was all she had left to do; everyone around her was dead and dying, and she was helpless to do anything but keep on going.
Bryony didn't really care which it was. It was keeping her alive. That was all that mattered.
She watched silently as Alice set to treating her own injury. It was hard to watch; there was so much blood, coating Alice's leg and scattered on the ground, that she thought she might pass out again. Harder still was seeing her friend in pain. She wanted so badly to rush over to Alice and hold her tightly, as Sandra was doing right now, and never let her come to any harm ever again.
She doubted Alice would really appreciate that as she was wrapping a bandage around her own leg, however.
Instead, Bryony did her best to do as Alice and Sandra had requested of her, and relax. She tried her hardest to slow her breathing down, to decrease the fantastic pace of her heartbeat. Somehow, it was actually working. She'd just been shot, in the actual hand, with an actual bullet, and she was actually managing to calm down about the situation. She could hardly believe it, and she was the one doing it.
"Um... You're... You're okay, right, Sandra?" Bryony asked, voice still barely raised above a whisper. "That... that guy didn't hit you, right? Whoever it was... Did, um, either of you see who it was that... um... shot, uh, us?"
Bryony looked down into her lap. She shuffled slightly in Sandra's arms.
"I... I guess this just, um, solidifies that we need a weapon... that guy attacked us even though we weren't a threat..."
There was a lump in her throat now.
"If we're... If we're gonna get attacked no matter what we do, even if we're nothing but peaceful... I'd rather be able to defend myself... um, right?"
Most painful of all was the single thought that had returned to the forefront of her mind; the heady remembrance that there was no easy way to get off the island, no quick and magic way for her and Alice and Sandra and Alba and everybody else to leave the island alive. They were going to have to fight tooth and nail to do so, and people were still going to die, and no matter what, the odds would always, always be weighted in the terrorists' favour.
The urge to just lie there, cradled in Sandra's arms, and just give up and wait for the inevitable end, already so strong, was near-irresistible now. She could just wait there, in the peace and the shade, wait for one of the players to come along, wait for the churchyard to become a danger zone, wait for the world to end. It would be so easy. As easy as blinking.
But still that indomitable spirit within Bryony burned brightly. Maybe she truly did believe there was a way out of this nightmare, a way hidden by brambles and traps and heartache, but a way that the sheer force of her optimism would lead her down. Or maybe it was sheer stubbornness. Make she was just pushing forwards because it was all she had left to do; everyone around her was dead and dying, and she was helpless to do anything but keep on going.
Bryony didn't really care which it was. It was keeping her alive. That was all that mattered.
She watched silently as Alice set to treating her own injury. It was hard to watch; there was so much blood, coating Alice's leg and scattered on the ground, that she thought she might pass out again. Harder still was seeing her friend in pain. She wanted so badly to rush over to Alice and hold her tightly, as Sandra was doing right now, and never let her come to any harm ever again.
She doubted Alice would really appreciate that as she was wrapping a bandage around her own leg, however.
Instead, Bryony did her best to do as Alice and Sandra had requested of her, and relax. She tried her hardest to slow her breathing down, to decrease the fantastic pace of her heartbeat. Somehow, it was actually working. She'd just been shot, in the actual hand, with an actual bullet, and she was actually managing to calm down about the situation. She could hardly believe it, and she was the one doing it.
"Um... You're... You're okay, right, Sandra?" Bryony asked, voice still barely raised above a whisper. "That... that guy didn't hit you, right? Whoever it was... Did, um, either of you see who it was that... um... shot, uh, us?"
Bryony looked down into her lap. She shuffled slightly in Sandra's arms.
"I... I guess this just, um, solidifies that we need a weapon... that guy attacked us even though we weren't a threat..."
There was a lump in her throat now.
"If we're... If we're gonna get attacked no matter what we do, even if we're nothing but peaceful... I'd rather be able to defend myself... um, right?"
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Sandra sat, cradling Bryony in her arms, as Alice explained everything that happened to Bryony. Sandra let her talk. There was nothing for Sandra to add, so she stayed quiet while Alice talked, and she kept staying quiet even as Alice finished talking and started working on her wound.
Bryony asked her a question. Was she okay? She was...
No, yeah, she was okay. If she'd been hit, she would have felt it by now. She nodded.
"Yeah..." Sandra said, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Sandra wondered if she was a bad person for being relieved that she hadn't been hit. It's not like she was happy that the other two were hit, but... she was relieved. Was that a bad thought?
...Surely, it wasn't as bad as the thoughts she'd been having earlier. And just like that, it all came back, and that terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach returned.
She wanted to go home... that meant she had to kill someone.
More than that, she had to be the only one left alive.
...
She looked down at Bryony, then over to Alice, then to Bryony again.
Then Bryony said that this incident proved that they need a weapon. And Sandra felt weird knowing that Bryony had been convinced. Because she felt that neither Bryony nor Alice were actually 100% on board with the idea when she pitched it back at the bell tower.
So to hear those words escape Bryony's lips...
"Right."
It's all she said.
Bryony asked her a question. Was she okay? She was...
No, yeah, she was okay. If she'd been hit, she would have felt it by now. She nodded.
"Yeah..." Sandra said, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Sandra wondered if she was a bad person for being relieved that she hadn't been hit. It's not like she was happy that the other two were hit, but... she was relieved. Was that a bad thought?
...Surely, it wasn't as bad as the thoughts she'd been having earlier. And just like that, it all came back, and that terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach returned.
She wanted to go home... that meant she had to kill someone.
More than that, she had to be the only one left alive.
...
She looked down at Bryony, then over to Alice, then to Bryony again.
Then Bryony said that this incident proved that they need a weapon. And Sandra felt weird knowing that Bryony had been convinced. Because she felt that neither Bryony nor Alice were actually 100% on board with the idea when she pitched it back at the bell tower.
So to hear those words escape Bryony's lips...
"Right."
It's all she said.
((Candice Banks continued from Rivers of Sadness and Mutual Need))
Somehow in the process of "checking the surrounding area," Candice's definition of surrounding had undergone a bit of scope creep. First it was the area outside the cabin. The staff dorms were right next door, so those got included, too. At that point she'd checked out a good portion of the western peninsula-or-whatever, and the eastern one was right across the bay...
It's truly amazing how motivated you can become when the alternative is something you're nervous about.
These gardens were rather nice, though. Or at least, Candice assumed that they were nice-looking, since that description didn't really fit them in the present. Then again, they could still probably make the list of "Ten places on this island that you have to see before you die, which by the way might be tomorrow," so maybe it was just a matter of things being relative.
It didn't really take much to imagine how the place might have looked back when the place was inhabited, though. It'd be a lot better if you pulled all the weeds, swept the paths, got rid of the teenage girls covered in blood...
...
The feelings of dismotivation were forced out of Candice's mind in an instant. She was willing to admit that she'd basically spent a week hiding away while her classmates killed each other. As detestable as the thought was, she wouldn't be surprised if one of these days, she did something like abandon a friend in danger to save her own skin. But this situation was different. There was no danger here.
There were only people who were hurt, and that was something where she didn't have to waver on what to do. She ran over to where the other three were.
"Are you guys okay?"
Somehow in the process of "checking the surrounding area," Candice's definition of surrounding had undergone a bit of scope creep. First it was the area outside the cabin. The staff dorms were right next door, so those got included, too. At that point she'd checked out a good portion of the western peninsula-or-whatever, and the eastern one was right across the bay...
It's truly amazing how motivated you can become when the alternative is something you're nervous about.
These gardens were rather nice, though. Or at least, Candice assumed that they were nice-looking, since that description didn't really fit them in the present. Then again, they could still probably make the list of "Ten places on this island that you have to see before you die, which by the way might be tomorrow," so maybe it was just a matter of things being relative.
It didn't really take much to imagine how the place might have looked back when the place was inhabited, though. It'd be a lot better if you pulled all the weeds, swept the paths, got rid of the teenage girls covered in blood...
...
The feelings of dismotivation were forced out of Candice's mind in an instant. She was willing to admit that she'd basically spent a week hiding away while her classmates killed each other. As detestable as the thought was, she wouldn't be surprised if one of these days, she did something like abandon a friend in danger to save her own skin. But this situation was different. There was no danger here.
There were only people who were hurt, and that was something where she didn't have to waver on what to do. She ran over to where the other three were.
"Are you guys okay?"
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Muninn. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Alice's face was like a mask as she concentrated on treating her leg. She wrapped the bandage around her thigh, working slowly and methodically. She had to make sure that it was tight enough to stop the bleeding, but not so tight that she would lose circulation in her leg. The rest of the world seemed to drop out momentarily as she placed all of her focus on fixing her leg as best she could. Bree and Sandra's conversation was muffled and the environment dulled as she brought the bandage around, every small movement carefully planned.
Once she was confident in her job, she patted her newly-mended leg and closed the first aid kit, returning to reality. She tuned back in to the latter end of her friends' conversation, particularly the acknowledgment that they needed some way to defend themselves. It was a notion that she could agree with, which made it doubly unfortunate that they had zero items that could even pass as improvised weapons between the three of them. And with how long they had been on the island, it was unlikely that most of their remaining classmates had been as unlucky as them.
"Yeah, we need something, and fast." She nodded. "Anyone got a plan?"
She wondered for herself how they could get a weapon, or at least something resembling one, but was forced to put that on hold when Candice Banks walked onto the scene. To tell the truth, Alice wasn't really in a bright and sunny mood, but she forced a smile anyway. They were already injured, so making the situation worse by pissing off a newcomer was definitely not in her best interest.
"Well we've been better, but we're alive."
Once she was confident in her job, she patted her newly-mended leg and closed the first aid kit, returning to reality. She tuned back in to the latter end of her friends' conversation, particularly the acknowledgment that they needed some way to defend themselves. It was a notion that she could agree with, which made it doubly unfortunate that they had zero items that could even pass as improvised weapons between the three of them. And with how long they had been on the island, it was unlikely that most of their remaining classmates had been as unlucky as them.
"Yeah, we need something, and fast." She nodded. "Anyone got a plan?"
She wondered for herself how they could get a weapon, or at least something resembling one, but was forced to put that on hold when Candice Banks walked onto the scene. To tell the truth, Alice wasn't really in a bright and sunny mood, but she forced a smile anyway. They were already injured, so making the situation worse by pissing off a newcomer was definitely not in her best interest.
"Well we've been better, but we're alive."