((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued from First The Sirens, Then The Lights...
))
Shoshanna sat on the floor of the cabin twirling a pen in her fingers. She stared ahead of her, knowing that the two hammocks in front of her contained the bodies of people who, about 24 hours earlier, were living, breathing allies and friends. She continued to twirl the pen around her fingers, having gotten really good at doing so without dropping it over the last few hours. Otherwise, she had drifted in and out of sleep, awkwardly adjusting her already sore back against the wall.
After they brought Marion in, Shoshanna had changed out of her crappy t-shirt and track pants and back into her starting outfit. It was finally dry, although it was a bit rigid and smelled like salt water. But it was preferable to clothes with blood on them. The Hershey's shirt had been turned inside out and laid over Marion's face. She didn't want people to see her face, and she sure as hell wasn't going to use her body to advertise fucking chocolate.
The girls had remained quiet in the time. Marion's death and the circumstances around it had left the three of them fairly drained and without the desire to converse. Shoshanna herself hadn't tried to say much. She didn't want to annoy Rhonda and Nadine with more collar and escape talk right when they were dispirited.
She closed her eyes and rested her head against her shoulder. What had she read about dealing with grief and trauma on SOTF while you were still in SOTF? Jewel's book had talked about that a bit, and she was sure there were interviews from former winners to help. There was also that audio recording of that Season 60 guy that showed how bad it could truly get, but she was going to ignore that. She needed something to get her back on track, and to at least move the plan forward.
She opened her eyes and looked around. Her bag was nearby, and her notes were inside. She grabbed the bag and pulled the items out, resting the pen on her earlobe. She quietly looked over the notes she had made from her initial theories to the information she and Marion had found from inspecting Jasper's collar.
Shoshanna flipped over the pages, her eyes half open and fluttering as she did. There had to be something for her to notice, or to at least give her that Archimedes in the bathtub spark of brilliance.
Born to Be Public
A little bit before the next announcement (PM for entry)
Born to Be Public
G014: Mayumi Tendou
(Rhonda Rollins continued from First The Sirens, Then The Lights...)
The night was not a pleasant one. The cabin felt cramped and even though there was enough room for all of them, and it stank like blood. Rhonda was able to force herself to sleep, but only barely. She jolted awake in the middle of the night a couple of times due to predictable nightmares, but she put herself back to sleep and hoped that neither of the others noticed.
The lack of conversation was eerie. Rhonda wasn't sure if Marion just happened to be the main maker of small talk in the group, but it seemed almost like the socialization among them died with her. Only a few sparse words had been exchanged since they shut themselves in the cabin, and it was making her uncomfortable. She just wanted to hear something whether it was a new plan to escape or even a simple "Good morning." They might as well have been in three separate rooms instead of sharing one with their deceased allies.
After one of her awakenings, Rhonda retreated to a corner to change her bandages by whatever light she could get. Her side didn't look particularly infected, but she wasn't going to get too excited about that. She still had a long way to go to heal, and this was just one step. She winced at the antibacterial as she applied it, then laid on the new bandage, feeling fresher and cleaner. She wasn't sure what to do with the old bandages, and just leaving them out would have been pretty nasty, even considering the corpses in the room, so she balled them up and dropped them into a bucket, hoping that would be good enough.
She once more took a seat on one of the cots, her elbows on her knees, and her head cradled in her hands. She had nothing on hand to distract herself unless she wanted to practice loading the shotgun again, so she just watched Shoshanna read for minutes that dragged on and on. Unable to put herself back to sleep, and unsure of what time it really was, she opened her mouth and let her surly, groggy voice loose.
"What are you doing?"
The night was not a pleasant one. The cabin felt cramped and even though there was enough room for all of them, and it stank like blood. Rhonda was able to force herself to sleep, but only barely. She jolted awake in the middle of the night a couple of times due to predictable nightmares, but she put herself back to sleep and hoped that neither of the others noticed.
The lack of conversation was eerie. Rhonda wasn't sure if Marion just happened to be the main maker of small talk in the group, but it seemed almost like the socialization among them died with her. Only a few sparse words had been exchanged since they shut themselves in the cabin, and it was making her uncomfortable. She just wanted to hear something whether it was a new plan to escape or even a simple "Good morning." They might as well have been in three separate rooms instead of sharing one with their deceased allies.
After one of her awakenings, Rhonda retreated to a corner to change her bandages by whatever light she could get. Her side didn't look particularly infected, but she wasn't going to get too excited about that. She still had a long way to go to heal, and this was just one step. She winced at the antibacterial as she applied it, then laid on the new bandage, feeling fresher and cleaner. She wasn't sure what to do with the old bandages, and just leaving them out would have been pretty nasty, even considering the corpses in the room, so she balled them up and dropped them into a bucket, hoping that would be good enough.
She once more took a seat on one of the cots, her elbows on her knees, and her head cradled in her hands. She had nothing on hand to distract herself unless she wanted to practice loading the shotgun again, so she just watched Shoshanna read for minutes that dragged on and on. Unable to put herself back to sleep, and unsure of what time it really was, she opened her mouth and let her surly, groggy voice loose.
"What are you doing?"
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
(Nadine Flores continued from First The Sirens, Then The Lights...)
By the time Nadine returned to the ship's cabin, it was only and hour or two from sunrise. It had taken that long to work up anything resembling the nerve to come back inside. She'd spent practically the entire night in a stupor outside before she finally relented to the need for sleep. She was still laying in one of the cots, as far from what was left of Jasper and Marion as she could manage. She hadn't even bothered changing out of the blood-splattered ensemble, aside from putting her glasses in her pack.
It was a quiet morning so far, compared to yesterday's. As awful as sharing the room with two corpses was, one of the benefits was they were easy to ignore as long as you didn't look at them. They couldn't talk or move around or do anything to remind you it was your fault they were dead. The other girls were awake, but nearly as quiet, and hadn't bothered to rouse her. Which was fine by her, really; she'd be all too content to spend the rest of the day here, or perhaps the rest of whatever was left of her life.
Of course, staying in bed wasn't really an acceptable course of action. Giving up felt like spitting in Shoshanna's face, and she deserved better than that. Rhonda too, for that matter. It was clear they'd need all the help they could get. She could at least power through her own bullshit for that.
She groggily sat up on the cot. The room was a blur without her glasses, but the two colorful moving shapes were presumably Shoshanna and Rhonda. At the very least, one of them certainly sounded like Rhonda. She fished around in her pack for the glasses and quietly started cleaning them, trying to remove the little flecks of blood still clinging to the lenses.
By the time Nadine returned to the ship's cabin, it was only and hour or two from sunrise. It had taken that long to work up anything resembling the nerve to come back inside. She'd spent practically the entire night in a stupor outside before she finally relented to the need for sleep. She was still laying in one of the cots, as far from what was left of Jasper and Marion as she could manage. She hadn't even bothered changing out of the blood-splattered ensemble, aside from putting her glasses in her pack.
It was a quiet morning so far, compared to yesterday's. As awful as sharing the room with two corpses was, one of the benefits was they were easy to ignore as long as you didn't look at them. They couldn't talk or move around or do anything to remind you it was your fault they were dead. The other girls were awake, but nearly as quiet, and hadn't bothered to rouse her. Which was fine by her, really; she'd be all too content to spend the rest of the day here, or perhaps the rest of whatever was left of her life.
Of course, staying in bed wasn't really an acceptable course of action. Giving up felt like spitting in Shoshanna's face, and she deserved better than that. Rhonda too, for that matter. It was clear they'd need all the help they could get. She could at least power through her own bullshit for that.
She groggily sat up on the cot. The room was a blur without her glasses, but the two colorful moving shapes were presumably Shoshanna and Rhonda. At the very least, one of them certainly sounded like Rhonda. She fished around in her pack for the glasses and quietly started cleaning them, trying to remove the little flecks of blood still clinging to the lenses.
Shoshanna continued to quietly read over her notes. She wasn't sure if she was going to find anything. She had basic bits of information from the collars, theories she had seen on Ashley Ex Machina, plus notes about other details from the game. Her eyes glazed over the information over and over again, hoping there was something she had missed or another lead to follow.
She was snapped out of this state when Rhonda asked her what she was doing.
"I'm seeing what else we can do," she told the girl. "Just sticking something in one of the pinholes didn't work. There has to be another flaw because of those."
Shoshanna continued to look over, when she can across another bit of info she had written down.
Multiple activation points?
She looked at the paper, then over to the hammock where Jasper was lying. Shoshanna put the papers back in her bag and pulled out her flashlight, turning it on.
She walked over to Jasper's body and shone the light on the collar.
"Let me check something again."
She was snapped out of this state when Rhonda asked her what she was doing.
"I'm seeing what else we can do," she told the girl. "Just sticking something in one of the pinholes didn't work. There has to be another flaw because of those."
Shoshanna continued to look over, when she can across another bit of info she had written down.
Multiple activation points?
She looked at the paper, then over to the hammock where Jasper was lying. Shoshanna put the papers back in her bag and pulled out her flashlight, turning it on.
She walked over to Jasper's body and shone the light on the collar.
"Let me check something again."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Rhonda ran a finger over her own collar, feeling the tiny pinhole and quickly withdrawing her hand from her neck. Marion's neck being blasted open flashed into her mind, and she pictured the same thing happening to her. Those collars were death sentences around their necks, and seeing one of them in action filled her with paranoia. They had tampered with Marion's, yeah, but how much did it really take for one of them to go off? Someone hitting it in a fight? A bad bump? Some dumbass hitting the wrong button in an office somewhere? She didn't know, and that scared her.
She raised an eyebrow as Shoshanna rose from her seat, and her interest grew as she realized that she was heading for Jasper, although she was left with a lot of questions. Rhonda's first thought was that she might have been going to wake up Nadine, but no, that wasn't where she had been sleeping. Shoshanna was definitely going for the dead guy. It wasn't like he could really offer any opinions of his own. The only thing he really had was his collar.
Oh, right.
"Be careful, all right?" Rhonda called over to her. Her body tensed up as she watched Shoshanna examine the collar, expecting to hear that awful screech again.
She raised an eyebrow as Shoshanna rose from her seat, and her interest grew as she realized that she was heading for Jasper, although she was left with a lot of questions. Rhonda's first thought was that she might have been going to wake up Nadine, but no, that wasn't where she had been sleeping. Shoshanna was definitely going for the dead guy. It wasn't like he could really offer any opinions of his own. The only thing he really had was his collar.
Oh, right.
"Be careful, all right?" Rhonda called over to her. Her body tensed up as she watched Shoshanna examine the collar, expecting to hear that awful screech again.
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
With her glasses on and as clean as they'd ever be, Nadine could see what Rhonda was talking about.
She was very much not down for it.
"Are you sure his collar's even still active? How useful can it be to futz with it?"
A secondary concern to her main issue, perhaps, but one that Shoshanna might actually listen to. All Nadine wanted was for Shoshanna not to shower the room in blood first thing in the morning.
She was very much not down for it.
"Are you sure his collar's even still active? How useful can it be to futz with it?"
A secondary concern to her main issue, perhaps, but one that Shoshanna might actually listen to. All Nadine wanted was for Shoshanna not to shower the room in blood first thing in the morning.
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Wham Yubeesling
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- Location: there is a man standing behind you
- Team Affiliation: Stephanie's Buccaneers
- Contact:
A voice comes out of Shoshanna's collar:
"I, um, only really know as much as you guys here, but... I basically have a free chance to talk to you at this point so if you want a suggestion: try and test things. I... don't imagine the collar people will really care about a dead person too much, but they might start watching if you do something to it. I know it's not as good as bringing your friend back to life, but... his collar might be. Just for a bit."
"I, um, only really know as much as you guys here, but... I basically have a free chance to talk to you at this point so if you want a suggestion: try and test things. I... don't imagine the collar people will really care about a dead person too much, but they might start watching if you do something to it. I know it's not as good as bringing your friend back to life, but... his collar might be. Just for a bit."
Shoshanna continued to look over the collar, as the other girls each chimed in. Rhonda was more concerned about another explosion, while Nadine was curious if the collar was even active.
Thankfully, Shoshanna's mentor decided to also add some information. The collar was active, but it was advised that they still work on it. Shoshanna nodded as she heard that.
"Okay, I want to test something with Jasper," Shoshanna said.
Shoshanna walked away from the body and over to their bags. The three of them had five bags worth of supplies on hand, which means they were pretty set on food and water for the rest of their time here. However, this also meant extra fabric, extra medkits, and extra goodies.
Shoshanna went through her bag, then Jasper and Marion's. She found the med kits in all of them, taking the needles out of all of them. Once she had them, she went back to Jasper's body.
"Okay," she told the girls. "Both of you, stand to the far side of the room. I have an idea, but it might get messy."
Thankfully, Shoshanna's mentor decided to also add some information. The collar was active, but it was advised that they still work on it. Shoshanna nodded as she heard that.
"Okay, I want to test something with Jasper," Shoshanna said.
Shoshanna walked away from the body and over to their bags. The three of them had five bags worth of supplies on hand, which means they were pretty set on food and water for the rest of their time here. However, this also meant extra fabric, extra medkits, and extra goodies.
Shoshanna went through her bag, then Jasper and Marion's. She found the med kits in all of them, taking the needles out of all of them. Once she had them, she went back to Jasper's body.
"Okay," she told the girls. "Both of you, stand to the far side of the room. I have an idea, but it might get messy."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Rhonda sidled over to the bed that she had slept on and gathered her things. She didn't want to be caught flat-footed if anything happened, and the feeling that something was about to happen was creeping up on her very quickly. Maybe she was alert, maybe she was paranoid, but she was sick of things not going to plan.
She could see Shoshana pulling from the first aid its, and she saw her handful of needles. Whatever she was doing seemed lost on Rhonda at first, but once Shoshanna said that she had an idea, Rhonda put the pieces together real quick. Her first instinct was to try to stop her. They had already tried a needle, and it failed. Not only that, it failed catastrophically, and Marion's exploded throat was burned into her brain as a result. Sure, Jasper was already dead, so it wasn't like she'd see another person die, but she couldn't really take a lot of comfort in that.
Rhonda stood against the wall, the door within arm's reach in case shit went south again. She tried not to think about explosions as Shoshanna went to work.
She could see Shoshana pulling from the first aid its, and she saw her handful of needles. Whatever she was doing seemed lost on Rhonda at first, but once Shoshanna said that she had an idea, Rhonda put the pieces together real quick. Her first instinct was to try to stop her. They had already tried a needle, and it failed. Not only that, it failed catastrophically, and Marion's exploded throat was burned into her brain as a result. Sure, Jasper was already dead, so it wasn't like she'd see another person die, but she couldn't really take a lot of comfort in that.
Rhonda stood against the wall, the door within arm's reach in case shit went south again. She tried not to think about explosions as Shoshanna went to work.
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
Shoshanna's mentor chimed in, encouraging Shoshanna to go ahead with whatever she had planned for Jasper's collar, and she immediately set about gathering needles from the first aid kits. If Nadine had to guess, it was going to end pretty much exactly how it had with Marion. At least Jasper was already dead for it.
"Alright, just... be careful, I guess." She sighed, bracing herself for yet another explosion and the accompanying spray of gore.
"Alright, just... be careful, I guess." She sighed, bracing herself for yet another explosion and the accompanying spray of gore.
Shoshanna waited until Rhonda and Nadine were a comfortable distance from her to turn back to Jasper's body. She held the flashlight in one hand and the needles in her other. She found a few of the pinholes on the collar, then slipped the needles into them. The needles appeared to fit, although they were a bit slack. Shoshanna had previously assumed that heating the needle like a soldering iron might help get the collars off, but now she wanted to test something else with the items.
Shoshanna moved the palm of her free hand over the needles, adjusting them so they were upright in the pinholes.
"Okay, Jasper," she said. "Sorry if this fails."
Once she felt confident, Shoshanna pushed her palm down, pushing the needles into the collar.
There was a moment of silence.
Then the shoe dropped.
And there was a loud ringing.
"Shit!" she muttered.
Shoshanna quickly dashed under the nearby hammock as she heard Jasper's collar blow. She turned back and saw his hammock stained with blood. She let out a long sigh, then climbed out of her hiding spot.
She walked back to her fallen friend. This test was a disaster, but it proved something she needed.
"Guys, after we cover Jasper, let's head back to the cruise ship. We need to be one of the first people on it once the danger zone is cleared. I have an idea."
Shoshanna moved the palm of her free hand over the needles, adjusting them so they were upright in the pinholes.
"Okay, Jasper," she said. "Sorry if this fails."
Once she felt confident, Shoshanna pushed her palm down, pushing the needles into the collar.
There was a moment of silence.
Then the shoe dropped.
And there was a loud ringing.
"Shit!" she muttered.
Shoshanna quickly dashed under the nearby hammock as she heard Jasper's collar blow. She turned back and saw his hammock stained with blood. She let out a long sigh, then climbed out of her hiding spot.
She walked back to her fallen friend. This test was a disaster, but it proved something she needed.
"Guys, after we cover Jasper, let's head back to the cruise ship. We need to be one of the first people on it once the danger zone is cleared. I have an idea."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
The room was locked in an eerie silence as Shoshanna took the needles and inserted them into Jasper's collar, with nothing other than the sound of her voice present as she performed the deed. Rhonda watched and waited, wanting nothing more than for the silence to continue, or perhaps conclude with the sound of a latch unhooking, followed by the clatter of a collar hitting the ground. Or however it was that the collars were fastened.
But that wasn't how it went. The frantic ringing of the collar went off again, and Rhonda knew that they had failed, again. Even though she was right by the door, when the alarm went off, Rhonda backed away as far as she could, pressing herself against the farthest fall away from Jasper and Shoshanna. She raised her arms to shield her face and shut her eyes tightly. She saw nothing, but she heard the blast.
It took a few moments before the courage to look again came to her. When she did, she could see Jasper's hammock splattered with blood, as well as the wall and floor nearby. Her legs were shaky, and she needed a few seconds on her own to breathe. They'd made two attempts at it now, and they still didn't know how to get the collars off. And it was only getting more demoralizing as they continued to fail.
"Yeah, uh... yeah." Rhonda struggled to even come up with that much to say. Her sharpened tongue felt dull, and she went along with helping to cover Jasper without anything else to say. With her bag and shotgun, she walked out the door, praying that Shoshanna's next plan would be the one that finally works.
(Rhonda Rollins continued elsewhere...)
But that wasn't how it went. The frantic ringing of the collar went off again, and Rhonda knew that they had failed, again. Even though she was right by the door, when the alarm went off, Rhonda backed away as far as she could, pressing herself against the farthest fall away from Jasper and Shoshanna. She raised her arms to shield her face and shut her eyes tightly. She saw nothing, but she heard the blast.
It took a few moments before the courage to look again came to her. When she did, she could see Jasper's hammock splattered with blood, as well as the wall and floor nearby. Her legs were shaky, and she needed a few seconds on her own to breathe. They'd made two attempts at it now, and they still didn't know how to get the collars off. And it was only getting more demoralizing as they continued to fail.
"Yeah, uh... yeah." Rhonda struggled to even come up with that much to say. Her sharpened tongue felt dull, and she went along with helping to cover Jasper without anything else to say. With her bag and shotgun, she walked out the door, praying that Shoshanna's next plan would be the one that finally works.
(Rhonda Rollins continued elsewhere...)
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 647
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:06 pm
Shoshanna's plan went exactly as poorly as Nadine had guessed it would. Somehow, the boom didn't feel quite as awful the second time. Maybe it was because Jasper was already dead, or that she didn't really know him, or that she didn't nearly losing a hand in the process. Or maybe it was just because she'd expected it to go like this. After all that'd happened, catastrophic failure felt mundane.
Shoshanna wanted something to cover Jasper with. Nadine offered the ugly red cape that'd come with the weird costume she was wearing. She probably needed to ditch it altogether now, whenever she had the time. If Laura had stuck around she'd probably have given her grief over it even before it was splattered in gore...
Wait. Laura. Fuck. She was supposed to rejoin Marion and Nadine today, once the announcement hit and gave them the danger zones. Or, well... just Nadine now. She wasn't sure how Laura would take that. She didn't have a great read on what kind of relationship the two had beforehand, but it would have to have some impact, particularly given the circumstances of her death. It'd be a difficult conversation with anyone, but especially with someone like Laura. In the brief time Nadine had spoken with Laura, she'd proven a paragon of being difficult.
Shoshanna planned to head for the cruise ship, for whatever purpose she had in her head. It was probably the best place for her to start looking for Laura; the girl might be busy skinny dipping in the pool like she'd hoped to.
If she was, Nadine was gonna punch her.
"Right. Cruise ship. On the way there we probably need to talk."
(Nadine Flores continued in Go for Broke)
Shoshanna wanted something to cover Jasper with. Nadine offered the ugly red cape that'd come with the weird costume she was wearing. She probably needed to ditch it altogether now, whenever she had the time. If Laura had stuck around she'd probably have given her grief over it even before it was splattered in gore...
Wait. Laura. Fuck. She was supposed to rejoin Marion and Nadine today, once the announcement hit and gave them the danger zones. Or, well... just Nadine now. She wasn't sure how Laura would take that. She didn't have a great read on what kind of relationship the two had beforehand, but it would have to have some impact, particularly given the circumstances of her death. It'd be a difficult conversation with anyone, but especially with someone like Laura. In the brief time Nadine had spoken with Laura, she'd proven a paragon of being difficult.
Shoshanna planned to head for the cruise ship, for whatever purpose she had in her head. It was probably the best place for her to start looking for Laura; the girl might be busy skinny dipping in the pool like she'd hoped to.
If she was, Nadine was gonna punch her.
"Right. Cruise ship. On the way there we probably need to talk."
(Nadine Flores continued in Go for Broke)
Nadine covered Jasper's body with a red cape, and the girls were about ready to go. Shoshanna quickly consolidated items from Jasper and Marion's bags into one, leaving her to carry her own bag and Jasper's food, water, and medical laden bag, leaving their extra clothes and personal goods in the cabin.
"Alright," Shoshanna said. "I do have a bit to talk about on the walk. I'll share my theory with you guys. Just give me a moment."
As the girls began to walk out, Shoshanna was the last in the cabin. She looked to Jasper and Marion's covered bodies.
"Hey, guys. Sorry this didn't work out. I'll take care of your families if I make it out. So please, take care of me and the girls."
Shoshanna smirked.
"You know. If you feel like it."
Shoshanna closed the door, and for the first time in almost two days, she left the clipper ship and headed back into the mad world.
((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued If I ever acquire wisdom, I suppose I'll be wise enough to know what to do with it))
"Alright," Shoshanna said. "I do have a bit to talk about on the walk. I'll share my theory with you guys. Just give me a moment."
As the girls began to walk out, Shoshanna was the last in the cabin. She looked to Jasper and Marion's covered bodies.
"Hey, guys. Sorry this didn't work out. I'll take care of your families if I make it out. So please, take care of me and the girls."
Shoshanna smirked.
"You know. If you feel like it."
Shoshanna closed the door, and for the first time in almost two days, she left the clipper ship and headed back into the mad world.
((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued If I ever acquire wisdom, I suppose I'll be wise enough to know what to do with it))
G014: Mayumi Tendou