She sighed and she smiled and she pressed herself close and thought for a moment how nice it would all be if any of it were real. She dared for a moment to let her eyes fall shut, squeezed her chest flat against Theo's skinny frame. A shiver ran through her, almost brushed the worry away, but no sooner had it passed than Theo began pulling away, speaking to her again.
"More or less," she said flatly after they broke off. "Not much else to do, is there?"
She shrugged and turned, bending to grab the scythe off the ground, but she didn't let her eyes stray too far from Theo. She stood up and paused, and then she dug through her bag and dug out the can of Coke she still had left.
"Catch you then," she said, tossing it to him, and then she turned and slid away.
((Katarina Konipaski continued in Crushed Dreams and Broken Hearts))
Memories of the City
Open
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Rattlesnake
- Posts: 255
- Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 12:51 am
Theo nodded. "Catch you...later, I guess." He caught the soda can with fumbling fingers, feeling the cold metal and pressing it against his cheek. He'd have to save it for when he had a chance, or he supposed he could have it for breakfast. Didn't really matter.
He gazed out to the setting sun once again, and started his descent down the mountain trail to find a safe place to sleep for the night.
As he walked off, there was almost a smile on his pallid face.
((Theodore Fletcher's story continues in Mass Destruction))
He gazed out to the setting sun once again, and started his descent down the mountain trail to find a safe place to sleep for the night.
As he walked off, there was almost a smile on his pallid face.
((Theodore Fletcher's story continues in Mass Destruction))
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 2566
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
What was the plan, when it all came down to it? He was paying attention to Sharon, to her comments on their predicament, on her feelings when Steven abandoned her. He really was, and he really did care, but there were lives on the line. The potential victims were chief among them, of course, but he also held concern for Theo and Kat. He saw the hug, through his binoculars. It didn't take too much to piece it all together from there.
They were working together. Maybe they were directly allied, maybe they were just playing off each other, working themselves into a feedback loop that would lead to a never-ending chain of death and violence. Which it was didn't make much difference. What he saw was that he couldn't just focus on one and hope to stem this tide, and if both weren't dealt with, whoever was left unchecked had a good chance of spurring some recidivism in the other.
And they were going their separate ways. Clearly not playing as a team, then. That actually made this harder. There wasn't time to plan everything out perfectly. There wasn't time for a proper reunion with Sharon. It could wait. It would have to.
"We need to go after them," he said, hopping off the bike. "I think we should split up, make sure we keep track of them both. We can meet up again at the hotel, midday tomorrow at the latest."
This next part was the moment of truth. Which of them should Steven follow, and which could he leave to Sharon? For a moment, he almost second-guessed himself. But, no, it would only be right or fair for him to chase the dangerous target. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Sharon got killed biting off more than she could chew. She'd take the easy job, and he'd make sure she didn't know it. She wouldn't like that reality.
"You follow Theo. Take the bike; he likes to run a lot. If you've got better mobility, if it comes down to a confrontation, he'll be winded and you won't. He lost his gun. He knows me, so if I follow, his guard'll be up, whereas he won't suspect you. Keep two of those bottles. They're Molotov cocktails I brewed up, but it's fairly likely they won't work. Best to use them to threaten. We want to stop Theo from killing again, but not to kill him. We start killing, we're no better than they are. But, if he goes for you, do whatever you have to. There should be a lighter in your first aid kit.
"I'll follow Kat. She's got a gun, but I think I can talk her down easier."
It was always the little white lies that niggled. Kat wouldn't be easier to talk down at all, not if what Steven suspected about her was true. She had the air of someone who had chosen their path after some real thought, kind of like Steven himself. Theo had most decidedly not run through the numbers or considered the repercussions of his actions. Kat probably had.
But he had an ace or two up his sleeve, a few ways to really make her think twice, to change that logical calculation. If he couldn't win a change of heart, he'd settle for some coerced good behavior.
They were getting out of sight, heading in different directions. No more time to plan, to talk. He grabbed one of the Molotovs from the basket.
"Be careful. Remember, the hotel tomorrow. If it's a danger zone again, back here. If we can't come here, the reactor. I doubt they'll block off all three."
He gave Sharon a nod and then got moving at a light jog. The bike would be better, much better and easier, but Sharon would need it to keep track of Theo.
More than that, if things went wrong, the last thing Steven wanted was to deliver any tools into Kat's hands.
((Steven Salazar continued in Crushed Dreams and Broken Hearts))
They were working together. Maybe they were directly allied, maybe they were just playing off each other, working themselves into a feedback loop that would lead to a never-ending chain of death and violence. Which it was didn't make much difference. What he saw was that he couldn't just focus on one and hope to stem this tide, and if both weren't dealt with, whoever was left unchecked had a good chance of spurring some recidivism in the other.
And they were going their separate ways. Clearly not playing as a team, then. That actually made this harder. There wasn't time to plan everything out perfectly. There wasn't time for a proper reunion with Sharon. It could wait. It would have to.
"We need to go after them," he said, hopping off the bike. "I think we should split up, make sure we keep track of them both. We can meet up again at the hotel, midday tomorrow at the latest."
This next part was the moment of truth. Which of them should Steven follow, and which could he leave to Sharon? For a moment, he almost second-guessed himself. But, no, it would only be right or fair for him to chase the dangerous target. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Sharon got killed biting off more than she could chew. She'd take the easy job, and he'd make sure she didn't know it. She wouldn't like that reality.
"You follow Theo. Take the bike; he likes to run a lot. If you've got better mobility, if it comes down to a confrontation, he'll be winded and you won't. He lost his gun. He knows me, so if I follow, his guard'll be up, whereas he won't suspect you. Keep two of those bottles. They're Molotov cocktails I brewed up, but it's fairly likely they won't work. Best to use them to threaten. We want to stop Theo from killing again, but not to kill him. We start killing, we're no better than they are. But, if he goes for you, do whatever you have to. There should be a lighter in your first aid kit.
"I'll follow Kat. She's got a gun, but I think I can talk her down easier."
It was always the little white lies that niggled. Kat wouldn't be easier to talk down at all, not if what Steven suspected about her was true. She had the air of someone who had chosen their path after some real thought, kind of like Steven himself. Theo had most decidedly not run through the numbers or considered the repercussions of his actions. Kat probably had.
But he had an ace or two up his sleeve, a few ways to really make her think twice, to change that logical calculation. If he couldn't win a change of heart, he'd settle for some coerced good behavior.
They were getting out of sight, heading in different directions. No more time to plan, to talk. He grabbed one of the Molotovs from the basket.
"Be careful. Remember, the hotel tomorrow. If it's a danger zone again, back here. If we can't come here, the reactor. I doubt they'll block off all three."
He gave Sharon a nod and then got moving at a light jog. The bike would be better, much better and easier, but Sharon would need it to keep track of Theo.
More than that, if things went wrong, the last thing Steven wanted was to deliver any tools into Kat's hands.
((Steven Salazar continued in Crushed Dreams and Broken Hearts))
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:35 pm
"Split up, right after I finally find you?" Sharon exclaimed in disbelief. She stood, mouth agape as she tried to come up with some fault in his logic to justify her not having to leave him again. However, judging from what he had said, there didn't seem to be any room for argument. Frowning, she let out a sigh and turned away from him for a moment, trying not to show that she was visibly displeased.
Steven kept on talking though, outlining the plans like he did before. Things just seemed to fall into place a lot of the time with him, it was almost too good to be true. The way he justified everything, it made it hard for Sharon to really raise a point of objection. All she could do was stand there, crossing her arms and trying not to look too displeased. She didn't like the fact that they had to depart again.
"If you say so. I'll go after Theo." Sharon replied curtly, gathering her things as well as the faux Molotov cocktails. There were a lot of things she had to carry, so she was relieved to know that she would get a bicycle as well to follow him. It was nice to know that she didn't only have the advantage with regards to speed, but also with regards to the equipment. Steven said he didn't have a gun, so she stood a chance of being on somewhat equal footing.
After she had gathered up her things, she turned to look back at her friend. It seemed like there was nothing she could do to stop him. He knew he could get like this. After all, she was a witness to it when he left the safety of the mansion in the first place. Things just seemed to have an odd way of working, but she knew that it could only go on for so long.
"You better not get yourself fucking killed by that bitch!" Sharon shouted after him once he was making his move away. Judging from the lack of a response, she wasn't sure if she was heard. All she could do was put faith in him. Letting out a sigh, Sharon got cycling in the vague direction that Steven pointed. She had a job to do. Hunt down Theo and talk him down. If he refused to stand down, she was ready.
((Sharon Austin continued in The Things We Lost in the Fire))
Steven kept on talking though, outlining the plans like he did before. Things just seemed to fall into place a lot of the time with him, it was almost too good to be true. The way he justified everything, it made it hard for Sharon to really raise a point of objection. All she could do was stand there, crossing her arms and trying not to look too displeased. She didn't like the fact that they had to depart again.
"If you say so. I'll go after Theo." Sharon replied curtly, gathering her things as well as the faux Molotov cocktails. There were a lot of things she had to carry, so she was relieved to know that she would get a bicycle as well to follow him. It was nice to know that she didn't only have the advantage with regards to speed, but also with regards to the equipment. Steven said he didn't have a gun, so she stood a chance of being on somewhat equal footing.
After she had gathered up her things, she turned to look back at her friend. It seemed like there was nothing she could do to stop him. He knew he could get like this. After all, she was a witness to it when he left the safety of the mansion in the first place. Things just seemed to have an odd way of working, but she knew that it could only go on for so long.
"You better not get yourself fucking killed by that bitch!" Sharon shouted after him once he was making his move away. Judging from the lack of a response, she wasn't sure if she was heard. All she could do was put faith in him. Letting out a sigh, Sharon got cycling in the vague direction that Steven pointed. She had a job to do. Hunt down Theo and talk him down. If he refused to stand down, she was ready.
((Sharon Austin continued in The Things We Lost in the Fire))
