Shit, shit, shit. Five seconds in, and everything had gone tits-up in the worst way imaginable. Ashley never stopped to think; she just saw Sam stop, saw the reason he stopped, and then reasons or morals be damned. Ashley's survival instinct kicked in, and she bolted.
She didn't have a direction in mind besides away, ungainly as she was clutching the scythe and with her bags bumping against her side as she moved. When she slipped, she pitched forward and went to her knees. The impact stung, and the scythe went clattering out of her hands as she released it to catch herself, but a quick pat-down revealed no new holes. Ashley had just a moment to hope that Sam had managed the same result in the opposite direction, since he was no longer at her side, when she became really aware of her surroundings again.
More importantly, aware of who was laying in front of her.
"Yian!"
Fuck. Fuck. Gun or no, announcement or no, it was Yian, sprawled on the ground, blood puddled around him. Just like Morton. Ashley scrambled over. "Yian, shit, you alive!?"
True Dark Is Coming From the Inside
Private, I guess
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Cactus
- Posts: 295
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Team Affiliation: Malcolm's Mariners
The exclamation came from everywhere at once; the interior of the cannery was, for a moment, a relic of its past self, a mechanical sound that still seemed out of place. The submachine gun kicked back against Victoria's shoulder, though she was prepared for it this time around. Lowering it, she looked out across the room. The boy with the sword had gone down. Shot.
Something stirred within her.
Remorse? Regret? No, the emotion was more one of quiet satisfaction. She had acted against the sword-carrier before he had taken action against her. She was no longer anyone's victim, no longer operating on instinct and barely in control of her own situation. It felt comfortable yet awkward at the same time, reconciling that she was once again likely the cause of someone demise. She was already a killer. She'd shot Rue in self-defense.
The boy with the hose? Maybe. That was a bit more nebulous.
Not this time, though.
Victoria was no longer just a killer; she was a murderer.
Hearing another voice from within the cannery - a female voice this time, Victoria knew she could no longer stay. A third person in this dark, dingy and indefensible place could spell her own demise, and so she did the only thing that still made sense, the only thing that felt comfortable.
The murderer turned around and bolted out of the exit to the cannery, past the downed boy, past the path out in front, past the trees.
It didn't matter how quickly she ran, she knew that death would be hot on her heels.
She ran anyway.
((Victoria Amaro continued in Something to Believe In))
Something stirred within her.
Remorse? Regret? No, the emotion was more one of quiet satisfaction. She had acted against the sword-carrier before he had taken action against her. She was no longer anyone's victim, no longer operating on instinct and barely in control of her own situation. It felt comfortable yet awkward at the same time, reconciling that she was once again likely the cause of someone demise. She was already a killer. She'd shot Rue in self-defense.
The boy with the hose? Maybe. That was a bit more nebulous.
Not this time, though.
Victoria was no longer just a killer; she was a murderer.
Hearing another voice from within the cannery - a female voice this time, Victoria knew she could no longer stay. A third person in this dark, dingy and indefensible place could spell her own demise, and so she did the only thing that still made sense, the only thing that felt comfortable.
The murderer turned around and bolted out of the exit to the cannery, past the downed boy, past the path out in front, past the trees.
It didn't matter how quickly she ran, she knew that death would be hot on her heels.
She ran anyway.
((Victoria Amaro continued in Something to Believe In))
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Frozen Smoke
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
Victoria stopped for a moment. It looked like she was considering it. But then, more shouting, gun shots. Footsteps. Two pairs. Getting louder and quieter. He let out a long sigh that ended up morphing into an ow halfway through, as the movement of his chest did no favours to his body, stretching and straining the burning lines he could feel that cut through himself. It was like he could feel the parts of him that were no longer there.
Another voice rang out, calling his name. It sounded familiar, and a few moments later, a familiar face matched it. A small smile, tinged with pain fought it's way onto his face, as he looked at Ashley. They'd never been super close, but they'd spoken before, and she'd always seemed nice. She was nice enough to care about him now, at least. If only they'd met earlier.
She asked him the kind of question that was almost funny as he sat there, lying in a pool of his own blood, diluted by the water that had been sprayed around.
"Ju- Ah! Shit."
He pressed his hand against the wound in his belly tighter. It felt like something was trying to come out. He took in a shaky breath.
"Just about" he said, trying to sound like he didn't mind, and failing as his voice wobbled.
He swallowed, leaning his head back against the pipe again, breaking eye contact with her.
"Do- Do you have any water?"
Another voice rang out, calling his name. It sounded familiar, and a few moments later, a familiar face matched it. A small smile, tinged with pain fought it's way onto his face, as he looked at Ashley. They'd never been super close, but they'd spoken before, and she'd always seemed nice. She was nice enough to care about him now, at least. If only they'd met earlier.
She asked him the kind of question that was almost funny as he sat there, lying in a pool of his own blood, diluted by the water that had been sprayed around.
"Ju- Ah! Shit."
He pressed his hand against the wound in his belly tighter. It felt like something was trying to come out. He took in a shaky breath.
"Just about" he said, trying to sound like he didn't mind, and failing as his voice wobbled.
He swallowed, leaning his head back against the pipe again, breaking eye contact with her.
"Do- Do you have any water?"
Pain.
That was Sam’s world as he lay on the blood-soaked floor, desperately trying to funnel air into his perforated lungs. Everything was dark, and cold. It was obvious now that there was only one outcome to this situation. He was going to die.
A loud wheezing gasp erupted from his throat as he saw Ashley’s legs move past him. She was behind him this whole time? His eyes burned as he stared at the girl approaching the fallen student up ahead.
This was all because of her. She was supposed to back him up, not let him die! Instead, she hung back, and let their only decent chance of getting off this godforsaken rock go up in smoke. Slowly and painfully, Sam brought a hand in front of his face and grabbed onto the ground, pulling himself towards the pair. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all. He was supposed to be the hero, the genius who outsmarted the Americans and got all his friends to safety (or at least most of them), striking back at the evil empire. Instead, he was bleeding out on the floor, all because this retarded bitch couldn’t do the one job that she was supposed to do.
Another agonizing pull brought him closer to his betrayer, a swath of crimson streaking on the ground behind him. He had to get to her. She had to pay for what she did.
Sam’s mind swam with confusion as he fruitlessly fumbled for his sword, his fingers grasping empty air as he found himself in reach of Ashley’s leg. He swiped at it, clumsily attempting to grab her ankle as a horrifying death rattle pushed its way out of his mouth. His voice was little more than a whisper as he said the final words that his mind could put together.
“Your...fault…”
B014: Samuel “Sam” Rosen - DECEASED
That was Sam’s world as he lay on the blood-soaked floor, desperately trying to funnel air into his perforated lungs. Everything was dark, and cold. It was obvious now that there was only one outcome to this situation. He was going to die.
A loud wheezing gasp erupted from his throat as he saw Ashley’s legs move past him. She was behind him this whole time? His eyes burned as he stared at the girl approaching the fallen student up ahead.
This was all because of her. She was supposed to back him up, not let him die! Instead, she hung back, and let their only decent chance of getting off this godforsaken rock go up in smoke. Slowly and painfully, Sam brought a hand in front of his face and grabbed onto the ground, pulling himself towards the pair. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all. He was supposed to be the hero, the genius who outsmarted the Americans and got all his friends to safety (or at least most of them), striking back at the evil empire. Instead, he was bleeding out on the floor, all because this retarded bitch couldn’t do the one job that she was supposed to do.
Another agonizing pull brought him closer to his betrayer, a swath of crimson streaking on the ground behind him. He had to get to her. She had to pay for what she did.
Sam’s mind swam with confusion as he fruitlessly fumbled for his sword, his fingers grasping empty air as he found himself in reach of Ashley’s leg. He swiped at it, clumsily attempting to grab her ankle as a horrifying death rattle pushed its way out of his mouth. His voice was little more than a whisper as he said the final words that his mind could put together.
“Your...fault…”
B014: Samuel “Sam” Rosen - DECEASED
"Water- shit, yeah." Ashley couldn't breathe in deeply enough, no matter how she tried. She fumbled with her bag, yanking the zipper open, and her fingers clumsily closed around a bottle of water. She unscrewed the cap, didn't care that it dropped and rolled away, and unsteadily held the bottle to Yian's lips so he could drink.
"It's okay," she said, unable to bring her voice up above a whisper. "It's okay, you're gonna be fine-" She knew she was lying. He knew it too. She hadn't had a chance to say it to Morton, or to Dan, or to Michelle's friend Anvi.
Something grabbed at Ashley's ankle, and she shrieked and jerked away from it, spilling water over Yian's front. She twisted around, and of fucking course it was Sam, gurgling and choking on his own blood, and of fucking course the shooter was nowhere to be found, leaving Ashley alone to fail to deal with everything. She hadn't been shot. Some luck.
"Shit, Sam-!"
Caught between the two dying boys, a roaring rising in her ears, Ashley didn't hear what Sam rasped at her with his dying breath. She didn't need to. She was thinking it too.
"It's okay," she said, unable to bring her voice up above a whisper. "It's okay, you're gonna be fine-" She knew she was lying. He knew it too. She hadn't had a chance to say it to Morton, or to Dan, or to Michelle's friend Anvi.
Something grabbed at Ashley's ankle, and she shrieked and jerked away from it, spilling water over Yian's front. She twisted around, and of fucking course it was Sam, gurgling and choking on his own blood, and of fucking course the shooter was nowhere to be found, leaving Ashley alone to fail to deal with everything. She hadn't been shot. Some luck.
"Shit, Sam-!"
Caught between the two dying boys, a roaring rising in her ears, Ashley didn't hear what Sam rasped at her with his dying breath. She didn't need to. She was thinking it too.
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Frozen Smoke
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
Yian nodded as Ashley focused on the other boy on the floor for a moment. He wasn't sure what he was agreeing with. Maybe the suggestion that he would be okay. That everything would be fine. That was a nice idea, it managed to make him smile a little as he watched everything happen, his chin falling to press against his chest then rising back up slightly. The water than Ashley had splashed on his chest felt nice, it was cold, the only part of him that didn't feel tingly and hot, like he'd sat on his leg. Except his leg was his whole body.
He felt like he should say something, and whilst his throat was finally whetted enough to do so, the words were escaping him quickly. He let his arms fall down by his side. They were getting heavy anyway, and holding onto his stomach hurt too. It turned out not holding his stomach also hurt, but not much more.
He rested his head back on the pipe, looking up at the ceiling in the dim light, the beams and pipes that cluttered it blending together in the grey to form a magnificently disorganised pattern. Leaning his head back like this hurt his neck. He tried to swallow, but it was wasted effort, and began to breathe through his nose. Soft breaths, as he began to blink, the grey seeming to fuzz in the light like TV static.
Eventually, he closed his eyes.
M08 - GRIFFITHS, YIAN - Deceased.
He felt like he should say something, and whilst his throat was finally whetted enough to do so, the words were escaping him quickly. He let his arms fall down by his side. They were getting heavy anyway, and holding onto his stomach hurt too. It turned out not holding his stomach also hurt, but not much more.
He rested his head back on the pipe, looking up at the ceiling in the dim light, the beams and pipes that cluttered it blending together in the grey to form a magnificently disorganised pattern. Leaning his head back like this hurt his neck. He tried to swallow, but it was wasted effort, and began to breathe through his nose. Soft breaths, as he began to blink, the grey seeming to fuzz in the light like TV static.
Eventually, he closed his eyes.
M08 - GRIFFITHS, YIAN - Deceased.
When she looked back, Yian was dead.
She wasn't surprised.
She cried anyway.
When Ashley moved again, she was stiff and cold from kneeling in the water. Her whole body ached, and it wasn't the kind of pain she could just will away anymore. She thought of doing something for Yian and Sam, the way she'd half-heartedly done for Morton, but there was nothing.
Just, fucking. She had to get back to Michelle. She'd promised to come back. She'd fucked up twice now, and she couldn't fuck up again.
Clinging to that thought to guide her, Ashley slowly and painfully gathered up her belongings and trudged back out into the fading daylight.
((Ashley Pontecorvo continued in And There'll Howl No Demon Louder))
She wasn't surprised.
She cried anyway.
When Ashley moved again, she was stiff and cold from kneeling in the water. Her whole body ached, and it wasn't the kind of pain she could just will away anymore. She thought of doing something for Yian and Sam, the way she'd half-heartedly done for Morton, but there was nothing.
Just, fucking. She had to get back to Michelle. She'd promised to come back. She'd fucked up twice now, and she couldn't fuck up again.
Clinging to that thought to guide her, Ashley slowly and painfully gathered up her belongings and trudged back out into the fading daylight.
((Ashley Pontecorvo continued in And There'll Howl No Demon Louder))