((David escaped from the house of bugs and bad vibes.))
David didn't know how long he'd kept running for. It was well after being in any sort of immediate danger from the cockroaches and spiders that surely knew all their friends he killed before and were now exacting their sweet revenge, but he kept going anyway.
He finally stopped somewhere out in the middle of some flatlands, his hands on his knees as he panted like a mutt. Cardio was never his strong suit; for a while there back in elementary school, he was regularly one of the slowest runners in his class, kind of to an embarrassing degree. Lifting things up and putting them down was just so much easier, and he was kind of built for it anyway. That's what Dad tried to brush it off and encourage it as, but in hindsight he was probably just making excuses for himself since he was a pretty big guy, too.
David wasn't gonna throw up this time at least, so that was something.
He turned around to look at the building, still panting and squinting his eyes in the pleasant but blinding sun. From over here that box looked like it was crawling in an absolute swarm of blacks and browns and reds. No way he was going back there. He wondered for a moment if anyone else managed to escape; he kind of hoped they did, at least the two guys in the basement, maybe Melodie too, but also like no huge loss if any of them stayed and turned into bug food like a bunch of idiots.
He wasn't gonna throw up again.
...He needed to sit down. And so he did, parking himself by some kind of grass bush looking thing and faced the overtaken building. The sun beat down on him even in the cool temperature, but at least he had his hat and jacket and stuff.
His panting slowed as he kept watching and waiting for nothing in particular, his arms wrapped around his knees.
He wasn't gonna cry.
And So It Goes
But where it's goin', no one knows (private for now, get off my lawn)
Moderator: SOTF Supers Staff
((Raja Narang continued from Nothing Breaks Like A Heart))
Raja had been so consumed by the drive to get away from the compound that in his panic, he'd completely lost track of everyone else. He'd been so caught up that it hadn't occurred to him until some time after he resumed walking. Obviously they hadn't followed him out, or if they had, they hadn't gone in the same direction. The thought wasn't enough to make him turn around, but it settled an uncomfortable weight in the pit of his stomach nonetheless.
He'd managed to make himself stop scratching at the bites or stings or whatever on his arms. Between that and the sweat, they were starting to look pretty irritated. He'd slipped his jacket back on once he'd cooled off enough from his sprint; not quite out of sight, out of mind, but close enough.
It was quiet, out in the open desert. Raja had never visited anywhere like it before, though his state bordered on plenty of desert areas. It was kind of the opposite of his preferred environment. Once he had fallen into a rhythm of walking, though, he could almost appreciate the surroundings. Not enough to forget about everything, but enough to settle the terror that had spiked in him at Isabella's arrival. There were no birdcalls nor, thankfully, the buzzing of any insects around save for the faintest stray noise here and there. It was only his own footsteps crunching on the dirt as he tried to walk in a relatively straight line away from the compound.
There was a fine line between peace and isolation, though, and Raja's needle was slipping towards the "isolation" side of the scale once he'd had his fill of nature. When he caught sight of Dan's form, crouched by some scrubby brush, it was enough of a relief that he momentarily forgot himself and started to call out.
"Hey-" Raja immediately realized his mistake and instead raised his arm to wave vigorously at him. Stopping to sit for a while again sounded good, now that he saw someone else doing it. He was used to physical exertion, but he'd had so much of that and all the stress on top of it that he was kind of short of breath.
Raja had been so consumed by the drive to get away from the compound that in his panic, he'd completely lost track of everyone else. He'd been so caught up that it hadn't occurred to him until some time after he resumed walking. Obviously they hadn't followed him out, or if they had, they hadn't gone in the same direction. The thought wasn't enough to make him turn around, but it settled an uncomfortable weight in the pit of his stomach nonetheless.
He'd managed to make himself stop scratching at the bites or stings or whatever on his arms. Between that and the sweat, they were starting to look pretty irritated. He'd slipped his jacket back on once he'd cooled off enough from his sprint; not quite out of sight, out of mind, but close enough.
It was quiet, out in the open desert. Raja had never visited anywhere like it before, though his state bordered on plenty of desert areas. It was kind of the opposite of his preferred environment. Once he had fallen into a rhythm of walking, though, he could almost appreciate the surroundings. Not enough to forget about everything, but enough to settle the terror that had spiked in him at Isabella's arrival. There were no birdcalls nor, thankfully, the buzzing of any insects around save for the faintest stray noise here and there. It was only his own footsteps crunching on the dirt as he tried to walk in a relatively straight line away from the compound.
There was a fine line between peace and isolation, though, and Raja's needle was slipping towards the "isolation" side of the scale once he'd had his fill of nature. When he caught sight of Dan's form, crouched by some scrubby brush, it was enough of a relief that he momentarily forgot himself and started to call out.
"Hey-" Raja immediately realized his mistake and instead raised his arm to wave vigorously at him. Stopping to sit for a while again sounded good, now that he saw someone else doing it. He was used to physical exertion, but he'd had so much of that and all the stress on top of it that he was kind of short of breath.
A breeze blew by, chilling the back of David's and making him shiver more than the cold beads of sweat did alone. His eyes stayed transfixed on the building swirling like a vortex in the distance.
Wonder if Dad knew he was gone, or if he even cared and wasn't just zoned out in front of the TV again like he always was when David got home. He was a real hard-ass for no reason, so even if David ended up getting outta here he'd probably just get yelled at first thing anyway. There was never any winning with someone like that. Though at the same time, it was probably better that way; David thought about it a bunch after Mom died, and given his choice he'd rather people just not care about him than to be cried over. Crying was hard, so being cried over was probably even more difficult.
Another shiver, this time bolstered with some teeth clattering. David stayed put and slightly repositioned himself, or at least he tried to before stopping dead in his tracks from the sound of another voice cutting through the silent afternoon air. David's face shot straight away to the source. He didn't grin or frown harder; he hesitated for a moment before he shot his fingers up like he was one of those weird yokels that greeted people as they passed by them on a neighborhood road.
With the other hand, David quickly and discreetly swiped its back across his eyes before he scrambled to put away his map and shit back into his bag.
"Where's those other dudes at?" David asked Raja, only realizing after it left his mouth that maybe asking stuff that's not binary yes/no questions wouldn't work too well, though he did just speak something so maybe he wasn't actually mute? Whatever.
Wonder if Dad knew he was gone, or if he even cared and wasn't just zoned out in front of the TV again like he always was when David got home. He was a real hard-ass for no reason, so even if David ended up getting outta here he'd probably just get yelled at first thing anyway. There was never any winning with someone like that. Though at the same time, it was probably better that way; David thought about it a bunch after Mom died, and given his choice he'd rather people just not care about him than to be cried over. Crying was hard, so being cried over was probably even more difficult.
Another shiver, this time bolstered with some teeth clattering. David stayed put and slightly repositioned himself, or at least he tried to before stopping dead in his tracks from the sound of another voice cutting through the silent afternoon air. David's face shot straight away to the source. He didn't grin or frown harder; he hesitated for a moment before he shot his fingers up like he was one of those weird yokels that greeted people as they passed by them on a neighborhood road.
With the other hand, David quickly and discreetly swiped its back across his eyes before he scrambled to put away his map and shit back into his bag.
"Where's those other dudes at?" David asked Raja, only realizing after it left his mouth that maybe asking stuff that's not binary yes/no questions wouldn't work too well, though he did just speak something so maybe he wasn't actually mute? Whatever.
Predictably, Raja's answer to the question was a shrug and a grimace. He considered the bush that Dan was huddled up by, and then walked over to break a piece of it off.
DIDNT SEE, he wrote in the dirt once he'd judged that the bush-twig-thing was sturdy enough to do so. No point in going for good penmanship. After only another few seconds of consideration, he dropped his bag on the ground and sat down next to it, crossing his legs. No real shade afforded by the bush, but that looked to be the same in every direction. He was worn out.
ARE YOU OKAY? He scratched into the ground between himself and Dan. He absently pressed the heel of his free hand to the center of his chest, as though that would help him breathe more deeply. He didn't usually get this kind of chest tightness after exercising, but he figured an exception could probably be made for running away in terror and also the whole entire situation at hand.
DIDNT SEE, he wrote in the dirt once he'd judged that the bush-twig-thing was sturdy enough to do so. No point in going for good penmanship. After only another few seconds of consideration, he dropped his bag on the ground and sat down next to it, crossing his legs. No real shade afforded by the bush, but that looked to be the same in every direction. He was worn out.
ARE YOU OKAY? He scratched into the ground between himself and Dan. He absently pressed the heel of his free hand to the center of his chest, as though that would help him breathe more deeply. He didn't usually get this kind of chest tightness after exercising, but he figured an exception could probably be made for running away in terror and also the whole entire situation at hand.
David flinched as Raja approached, and then he subsequently loosened as Raja just broke a piece of the bush off. David furrowed his brow and tilted his head a little to the side like a dog before he realized what the other guy was doing.
"OIONf 5EE"
...Actually, he tilted his head even more until he got what he (maybe) tried to write down.
He nodded his head, and then eyed Raja as he settled down next to him and wrote something out again, this time a little more legibly.
"Yeah," David lied. He grabbed his hat by the bill and shook it out a few times before placing on his head front-faced again. "Are you? Want a water or somethin'?"
He started digging through his own bag.
"OIONf 5EE"
...Actually, he tilted his head even more until he got what he (maybe) tried to write down.
He nodded his head, and then eyed Raja as he settled down next to him and wrote something out again, this time a little more legibly.
"Yeah," David lied. He grabbed his hat by the bill and shook it out a few times before placing on his head front-faced again. "Are you? Want a water or somethin'?"
He started digging through his own bag.
Raja nodded in response to both questions, though it might have been kind of hard to tell. His hand was shaking, he realized, looking down at his outstretched arm. The end of the stick that he'd pointed into the dirt trembled, creating a little divot. There was an odd tingly feeling in his fingertips.
Was this what the aftermath of a panic attack felt like, or maybe an oncoming one? Raja had never had one before, so he didn't know one way or the other. He figured you were just supposed to drop on the ground and start hyperventilating when you had a panic attack, but maybe it was a delayed thing. Or just the come-down from the worst adrenaline rush of his life. Either seemed equally likely.
Water sounded good. He'd already had some of his own, but there was sweat beading on his brow now. Mild days like this were sneaky; you got dehydrated easily on these kinds of days because you didn't think about needing to stay hydrated so much until it was too late.
Was this what the aftermath of a panic attack felt like, or maybe an oncoming one? Raja had never had one before, so he didn't know one way or the other. He figured you were just supposed to drop on the ground and start hyperventilating when you had a panic attack, but maybe it was a delayed thing. Or just the come-down from the worst adrenaline rush of his life. Either seemed equally likely.
Water sounded good. He'd already had some of his own, but there was sweat beading on his brow now. Mild days like this were sneaky; you got dehydrated easily on these kinds of days because you didn't think about needing to stay hydrated so much until it was too late.
David found a bottle near the bottom of the bag and clutched its base with his hand. It crinkled as he pulled it out and handed it to Raja.
He watched Raja take it and start sipping on it. Dude looked like he was sweating up more of a storm than David was. It sucked to lose a bottle, but at least now him and Raja were square as far as the water situation went. Owing people shit sucked, so the less debt the better.
...Ok, man, he was really sweating, actually. Like there were some cold beads on David's neck and forehead and stuff but Raja was looking like he sprung a leak or something. Maybe he just really hated bugs? At least he was still sweating; murder game or not, dehydration was the real danger out here. You always heard those stories about people being found with a bunch of water and shit but dying anyway because they didn't drink enough even though their piss was probably as yellow as amber. David wasn't a smart guy, but dying from something like that was straight up dumb and embarrassing. He wouldn't let it happen to himself.
David licked his dry lips as his eyes wandered from Raja drinking the water to the whole field of desert outstretched around them. "How far out you think this shit goes?"
He watched Raja take it and start sipping on it. Dude looked like he was sweating up more of a storm than David was. It sucked to lose a bottle, but at least now him and Raja were square as far as the water situation went. Owing people shit sucked, so the less debt the better.
...Ok, man, he was really sweating, actually. Like there were some cold beads on David's neck and forehead and stuff but Raja was looking like he sprung a leak or something. Maybe he just really hated bugs? At least he was still sweating; murder game or not, dehydration was the real danger out here. You always heard those stories about people being found with a bunch of water and shit but dying anyway because they didn't drink enough even though their piss was probably as yellow as amber. David wasn't a smart guy, but dying from something like that was straight up dumb and embarrassing. He wouldn't let it happen to himself.
David licked his dry lips as his eyes wandered from Raja drinking the water to the whole field of desert outstretched around them. "How far out you think this shit goes?"
Raja paused in his drinking to shrug again. He felt a little better once he'd had more water, and he set the bottle down by his side after capping it, assuming that Dan didn't want his backwash much the way he hadn't wanted Dan's.
IM HEADING FOR THE FENCE, he wrote in the dirt, hand marginally steadier now. GOING TO FIND OUT
WANT TO COME WITH ?
IM HEADING FOR THE FENCE, he wrote in the dirt, hand marginally steadier now. GOING TO FIND OUT
WANT TO COME WITH ?
David hesitated, swallowing a ball of saliva down his parched throat before audibly hmm'ing and haw'ing. The heel of one of his feet pressed down into the dirt a few times.
With a sigh, he grabbed his bag and started to seal it up again. "Sure. Not doing anything else right now, anyway."
He sniffled and swiped the back of his hand across his eyes again before getting up.
With a sigh, he grabbed his bag and started to seal it up again. "Sure. Not doing anything else right now, anyway."
He sniffled and swiped the back of his hand across his eyes again before getting up.
Raja almost imitated Dan's movements, wiping his sleeve over his forehead before gathering his own things up and standing. He wanted to explain his reasoning for finding the fence. His certainties, or the beliefs that he intended to hold onto strongly enough that they became certainties. He reached up to tie his hair back into its bun and realized very belatedly that he'd lost the elastic band he used for that back when he had been having his panic breakdown. Ugh.
Instead, Raja combed his fingers through his hair and then shook it out, which at least afforded him a little cooling from the sweat. With that done, he gestured towards Dan as though to say, "After you." They ended up more or less falling into step only a couple of minutes into walking anyway.
Silence kind of got on Raja's nerves, which a lot of people would probably find surprising since he almost never spoke in public. It wasn't entirely silent now, with two pairs of footsteps crunching along just barely out of sync with each other, but there were no bird calls, no trees for the wind to rustle. When he spent time outdoors, he was used to it sounding like the outdoors. This just sounded like two dudes walking, and they couldn't even make conversation since Raja couldn't speak and Dan didn't understand sign.
He wasn't sure how well he'd be able to sign right now. His fingers still felt oddly tingly when he paid attention, and it was starting to make him worry that he was more dehydrated than he'd realized. He wasn't thirsty and had been chugging water like his life depended on it (because, well, his life depended on it), but still...
It could be the bug bites. Stings, whatever. Raja knew that, but he'd been trying hard not to think about it too much. The welts on his arms and hands had started to throb again as Raja and Dan walked along, falling back into that rhythm of pulsing with pain in time with his heartbeat. It didn't hurt so much anymore, actually. When he rubbed at his arms, trying not to scratch but still taking some relief from the textured denim of his sleeve digging into his skin, the areas immediately around the bites almost felt a little numb, like a toothache that he was just getting used to unless he worried at it. He told himself that was a good thing, that they didn't keep stinging. He'd had a reaction and now it was going away.
The idea of anything damaging his hands was a special kind of terrifying, and something he'd never really dwelt on before. If he couldn't sign or write, he couldn't communicate effectively at all. He'd be trapped in his own body almost, fully functioning and able to move, able to talk but nobody would be able to listen to him without it hurting them, and they wouldn't be able to understand him any other way.
So yeah. Back to not thinking about that.
His chest was still tight. As they walked (and walked, and walked), Raja managed to lull himself into a sort of half-zen state. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other, focus on breathing in as deeply as he could. All of this desert looked roughly the same. No landmarks except what they were leaving behind. Time was starting to melt.
But there, in the distance- the fence. The border. The edge of forever.
"Oh-" Raja breathed out something that was almost a word before catching himself again, snapping back to reality all at once. He was soaked through with sweat, and his hands were trembling.
Instead, Raja combed his fingers through his hair and then shook it out, which at least afforded him a little cooling from the sweat. With that done, he gestured towards Dan as though to say, "After you." They ended up more or less falling into step only a couple of minutes into walking anyway.
Silence kind of got on Raja's nerves, which a lot of people would probably find surprising since he almost never spoke in public. It wasn't entirely silent now, with two pairs of footsteps crunching along just barely out of sync with each other, but there were no bird calls, no trees for the wind to rustle. When he spent time outdoors, he was used to it sounding like the outdoors. This just sounded like two dudes walking, and they couldn't even make conversation since Raja couldn't speak and Dan didn't understand sign.
He wasn't sure how well he'd be able to sign right now. His fingers still felt oddly tingly when he paid attention, and it was starting to make him worry that he was more dehydrated than he'd realized. He wasn't thirsty and had been chugging water like his life depended on it (because, well, his life depended on it), but still...
It could be the bug bites. Stings, whatever. Raja knew that, but he'd been trying hard not to think about it too much. The welts on his arms and hands had started to throb again as Raja and Dan walked along, falling back into that rhythm of pulsing with pain in time with his heartbeat. It didn't hurt so much anymore, actually. When he rubbed at his arms, trying not to scratch but still taking some relief from the textured denim of his sleeve digging into his skin, the areas immediately around the bites almost felt a little numb, like a toothache that he was just getting used to unless he worried at it. He told himself that was a good thing, that they didn't keep stinging. He'd had a reaction and now it was going away.
The idea of anything damaging his hands was a special kind of terrifying, and something he'd never really dwelt on before. If he couldn't sign or write, he couldn't communicate effectively at all. He'd be trapped in his own body almost, fully functioning and able to move, able to talk but nobody would be able to listen to him without it hurting them, and they wouldn't be able to understand him any other way.
So yeah. Back to not thinking about that.
His chest was still tight. As they walked (and walked, and walked), Raja managed to lull himself into a sort of half-zen state. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other, focus on breathing in as deeply as he could. All of this desert looked roughly the same. No landmarks except what they were leaving behind. Time was starting to melt.
But there, in the distance- the fence. The border. The edge of forever.
"Oh-" Raja breathed out something that was almost a word before catching himself again, snapping back to reality all at once. He was soaked through with sweat, and his hands were trembling.
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Carrion Queen
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((Ximena Rodriguez continued from Attention ))
As the girls ascended the spiral staircase, there had been some bright light. At the top there was screaming, confusion, bugs, and bodies. She and Emily ran out, unnoticed in the mess, exiting the building finally before being deposited into a desert landscape. Ximena had spent a few minutes flailing her limbs, brushing her body, and generally spazzing due to fear of hitchhiking bugs.
Despite the scraggly bushes, cacti, and barren scenery, it wasn't too hot. The sun was shining high and bright overhead, but Ximena had to debate whether or not to take off her sweater. For now, it would stay on. She and Emily decided they would try to see where the perimeter of this area was and took off walking. It was probably also safer getting to an area with fewer people; if their recent run-ins with the bugs and the meat had taught Ximena anything, it was that people were panicking and letting their emotions wreak havoc with their Gifts.
Not an issue here. I've been depressed for a long time before now. Unhealthy mindset makes for a healthier person in an unhealthy situation.... or something, she thought to herself.
She only had two friends who had been on the bus, and who knew if they were alive. Some number of them had perished before they even woke up according to the mask weirdos. Ximena supposed Emily was a friend now out of necessity and given the situation. They were partnered for the time being and she was privy to the existence of a secret that Emily clearly didn't want anyone to know. That was like a friendship, she supposed.
Since they'd been walking for a bit, she decided to take her sweater off and tie it around her waist. When Ximena looked up, she noticed two figures ahead that looked like they didn't belong to the desert.
"Hey, is that people?" she asked.
As the girls ascended the spiral staircase, there had been some bright light. At the top there was screaming, confusion, bugs, and bodies. She and Emily ran out, unnoticed in the mess, exiting the building finally before being deposited into a desert landscape. Ximena had spent a few minutes flailing her limbs, brushing her body, and generally spazzing due to fear of hitchhiking bugs.
Despite the scraggly bushes, cacti, and barren scenery, it wasn't too hot. The sun was shining high and bright overhead, but Ximena had to debate whether or not to take off her sweater. For now, it would stay on. She and Emily decided they would try to see where the perimeter of this area was and took off walking. It was probably also safer getting to an area with fewer people; if their recent run-ins with the bugs and the meat had taught Ximena anything, it was that people were panicking and letting their emotions wreak havoc with their Gifts.
Not an issue here. I've been depressed for a long time before now. Unhealthy mindset makes for a healthier person in an unhealthy situation.... or something, she thought to herself.
She only had two friends who had been on the bus, and who knew if they were alive. Some number of them had perished before they even woke up according to the mask weirdos. Ximena supposed Emily was a friend now out of necessity and given the situation. They were partnered for the time being and she was privy to the existence of a secret that Emily clearly didn't want anyone to know. That was like a friendship, she supposed.
Since they'd been walking for a bit, she decided to take her sweater off and tie it around her waist. When Ximena looked up, she noticed two figures ahead that looked like they didn't belong to the desert.
"Hey, is that people?" she asked.
((Emily Chou continued from Attention))
Emily rubbed her shoulder yet again as she followed behind Ximena through the desert. Even though they had long since left the bugs behind, the memory of hearing them crawling and clicking through the basement still made her feel itchy, no matter how many times she had confirmed that she hadn't carried any off with her. Wherever the swarm had been going, hopefully its final destination lay elsewhere in the compound - the idea of encountering it again on her return to that dark staircase made her want to cry, or at least even more than she already did.
Thankfully, she was saved from having to ruminate on that awful possibility by Ximena's discovery. Emily put up a hand to shield the sun from her eyes, peering off into the distance as she identified the unmistakable shape of two people, though they were much too far away to learn anything else about them. A slight hope began to bubble up inside of her at the possibility of meeting up with one of her few friends that had come on the trip, but she quickly pushed it away. Building high expectations like that was a sure way to end up with disappointment - she knew that from experience.
After a minute of squinting, her hand finally fell back to her side. She looked over at Ximena, speaking cautiously.
"Yeah... I think so. Should we...?"
She left the rest of her sentence unsaid, hoping Ximena would fill in the blanks for her.
Emily rubbed her shoulder yet again as she followed behind Ximena through the desert. Even though they had long since left the bugs behind, the memory of hearing them crawling and clicking through the basement still made her feel itchy, no matter how many times she had confirmed that she hadn't carried any off with her. Wherever the swarm had been going, hopefully its final destination lay elsewhere in the compound - the idea of encountering it again on her return to that dark staircase made her want to cry, or at least even more than she already did.
Thankfully, she was saved from having to ruminate on that awful possibility by Ximena's discovery. Emily put up a hand to shield the sun from her eyes, peering off into the distance as she identified the unmistakable shape of two people, though they were much too far away to learn anything else about them. A slight hope began to bubble up inside of her at the possibility of meeting up with one of her few friends that had come on the trip, but she quickly pushed it away. Building high expectations like that was a sure way to end up with disappointment - she knew that from experience.
After a minute of squinting, her hand finally fell back to her side. She looked over at Ximena, speaking cautiously.
"Yeah... I think so. Should we...?"
She left the rest of her sentence unsaid, hoping Ximena would fill in the blanks for her.
David kept his head low, his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he trudged through the barren, silent landscape, or at least it was silent until Raja uttered something out again.
David broke from the sand trance and turned his head back. He did a double take and stopped dead in his tracks.
"You sure you're good, bro?" he asked, placing a hand on Raja's shoulder. His jacket didn't feel wet, but it was sopping in sweat.
David broke from the sand trance and turned his head back. He did a double take and stopped dead in his tracks.
"You sure you're good, bro?" he asked, placing a hand on Raja's shoulder. His jacket didn't feel wet, but it was sopping in sweat.
Raja raised his hand in front of his chest. It was visibly shaking. He flexed it in preparation to sign, but his fingers were stiff and felt numb at the fingertips. He stood there for a few seconds, spreading his fingers and grasping at empty air to try to work some feeling back into them. The fence blurred in the distance. His chest was tight.
After several more seconds, he tapped his thumb against his index and middle fingertips, like he was miming a closing mouth.
<No.>
Raja took one more step towards the fence, watched it blur and tilt. The forward momentum of his upper body outstripped his legs, and he staggered before going down on one knee. "Ah, fuck," he wheezed, and the air that escaped his lungs with that curse couldn't seem to find its way back in.
After several more seconds, he tapped his thumb against his index and middle fingertips, like he was miming a closing mouth.
<No.>
Raja took one more step towards the fence, watched it blur and tilt. The forward momentum of his upper body outstripped his legs, and he staggered before going down on one knee. "Ah, fuck," he wheezed, and the air that escaped his lungs with that curse couldn't seem to find its way back in.
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Carrion Queen
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Ximena put her hand up over her eyebrows and mimicked Emily, squinting into the distance. She started walking towards the figures.
“Yeah…”
Walking turned to power walking. The dirt crunched underfoot and dust picked up.
The one figure stumbled and became shorter. Ximena had a bad feeling and picked up the pace, now jogging.
My baby.
She saw a mass of black waves with blue.
Ximena sprinted.
“Raja!”
Her heart skipped like a stone on water. The sweater around her waist came loose and fell away some place behind her. She skidded to a stop in front of the crouching boy and without taking a moment to access the situation she threw herself on him, hugging him on the ground. Her knees hit the dirt, probably ripping her stockings.
She started crying into his shoulder, not caring for the hair everywhere.
“I – bus – bugs – “
Ximena ugly-sobbed into his shirt and hugged him as tightly as she could. It was someone she felt safe with, probably the only one left anywhere on earth and not just wherever they were. She’d held it together until she saw him: her friend, her secret-keeper.
“Y- you o- o- okay?”
“Yeah…”
Walking turned to power walking. The dirt crunched underfoot and dust picked up.
The one figure stumbled and became shorter. Ximena had a bad feeling and picked up the pace, now jogging.
My baby.
She saw a mass of black waves with blue.
Ximena sprinted.
“Raja!”
Her heart skipped like a stone on water. The sweater around her waist came loose and fell away some place behind her. She skidded to a stop in front of the crouching boy and without taking a moment to access the situation she threw herself on him, hugging him on the ground. Her knees hit the dirt, probably ripping her stockings.
She started crying into his shoulder, not caring for the hair everywhere.
“I – bus – bugs – “
Ximena ugly-sobbed into his shirt and hugged him as tightly as she could. It was someone she felt safe with, probably the only one left anywhere on earth and not just wherever they were. She’d held it together until she saw him: her friend, her secret-keeper.
“Y- you o- o- okay?”