He was sweating pretty bad during this walk. His choice of clothes and everything around them... Was the sun bearing down on them? It was enough to make the feathers at the back of his head stand up. His hands shook so he kept them hidden, though occasionally letting them out just to tug on his jacket as if that would help with stickyness. His feet hurt from walking on granite, or what he supposed was granite. Despite this, He kept a steady tempo despite the pain from below. For all he knew, he could be stepping on something far, far worse and the quicker he went, the quicker he would get away from this.
There was no point in letting anyone see how bad this place could get to him. There was this childish fear that maybe Lily would see him and know how scared he actually was. He could not let that happen, she had been there for him after the whole mess at the Hill. Maybe it was time for him to be there for her, so, yeah...
He was not afraid to admit that he was afraid of the dark, always have been. It was not just the fact that he struggled to see in it, but it was something that had been set early in his life. He had stayed out too late and struggled to find his way home, he had only been about 5 or 6 at the time? He remembered it so well that he could recall just how he felt at that time. It was similar to this, too similar.
This time, though, his parents couldn't bail him out. He would have to do that on his own.
He did not know how far he had gone at this point, and he could not tell where the end of it was. Despite his good eyesight, once again, this place was playing tricks on him. It was much like the stands from just before, the road ahead stretched far beyond what his eyes could tell him. Sometimes, his mind would imagine figures, or hands beyond the veil of light into the dark. It would have to be his mind playing tricks, or Lily's power cause otherwise the answer was too much for him at this point. He did not want to imagine that others were in here with them.
It was difficult to see because all he had was the lights from above and he did not know how good those were for however long he needed to be here. He kept nervously looking up at the lights. He did not have that much experience with Lily's powers, outside of some brief spells here and there back home that were mostly at her fancy and that spill at the hill from earlier, but with how things had been before, he did not want to take chances just in case. He almost did not dare look behind him for fear of what he would see. He tried to keep his eyes straight, focus on the Prize, find the most important thing in this damn place. Someone who would do the same for him if their circumstances were different.
Suddenly, something in the distance caught his eye. A fork in the road and a sign inbetween. One side was pristine, nice, maybe even cozy-looking depending on one's tastes in groundwork. On the other, he could see inbetween flickers of light broken ground that looked like an earthquake had gone through. He stopped in front of him after he eyed his choiches.
Was it a trick question? Lily could be a bit of a trickster at school, but now? With all this? She wouldn't trick him with this, right? Not after Sydney, not after death was so near them. But... What the hell does he know? After everything that has happened so far did he really know as much as he thought he did?
Maybe he would have got it if it was something like a yellow brick road. Something really obvious that he wouldn't need his Birdseye to figure out. One is pristine and everything, sure, but it's still a highway. It was probably equally as long and lonesome as the one he just came from. The other was a disaster, but he knew that. So, what did it mean? Did she want him to prove it? To brave past his fear and go down a broken road. Or, was it a test of his ability to listen to her and follow what she wanted? Or was he thinking this over too much? Maybe there wasn't much to it other than a "good chance".
If only he could ask out loud, "Lily what does this mean?", or a "Lily where art thou?" then he wouldn't be this mess. He did not like to choose, he struggled to choose with basic stuff at home, now he was choosing between life and death, regularly. Even if this was different he still felt that paralysis runs through him. It was hitting him bad right now, he wanted to vomit from it. Much like he did then, but without the extra human parts.
He almost started to dry heave at the memory, but he kept himself standing straight and staring at the sign. He could not do this now, he still had to find her and make sure she was fine, or as close to fine as one could get around here. Not long after, with a squawk that was supposed to be a hark, his hands firmly placed in their pockets and with shaking legs, he moved to the right and prayed to God that he had made the right choice going down this road.
Paint It Black
(Day 2) Open (once Ohm posts), but enter at your own risk!
Moderator: SOTF Supers Staff
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DerArknight
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:47 pm
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
"Why do you stay? What do you want?"
The voice sounded eerily familiar and yet he couldn't put a name or even a face to it. But nonetheless Gary was glad for the voice. A voice meant Lily or at least a part of her subconsciousness was willing to talk. That was what mattered.
Gary raised himself into a sitting position. There had been broken glass on his landing point and his left hand was probably bleeding. He couldn't see it right now, so he just pulled up his the sleeve of his suit for some safety.
"I want to propose an alliance." Gary spoke into the darkness. He had no one to face, so he looked straight forward where the wall had to be.
"It would be cool if you could tone down your illusions for a bit. I just want to talk."
The voice sounded eerily familiar and yet he couldn't put a name or even a face to it. But nonetheless Gary was glad for the voice. A voice meant Lily or at least a part of her subconsciousness was willing to talk. That was what mattered.
Gary raised himself into a sitting position. There had been broken glass on his landing point and his left hand was probably bleeding. He couldn't see it right now, so he just pulled up his the sleeve of his suit for some safety.
"I want to propose an alliance." Gary spoke into the darkness. He had no one to face, so he looked straight forward where the wall had to be.
"It would be cool if you could tone down your illusions for a bit. I just want to talk."
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Frozen Smoke
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
White irises whipped back and forth, tracking clouds as he passed them.
He was kneeling. The wind rang in his ears. He was falling.
Jacob's hand splayed out on the cool surface below him as he swayed over to his right side. Drool seeped out of his slack mouth.
His cheeks tingled.
Jacob felt the vomit come out of his mouth. Thin, burning liquid that forced it's way out of him in painful spasms that arched his back up.
He couldn't see it.
It splattered over his arm, slid between his fingers. Warm and sticky, like spilt lemonade that had dried out in the sun. The taste in his mouth was all consuming, acrid - Clinging to his tongue like oil to a seagull. Jacob closed his eyes. Took a shuddering breath in.
He stopped falling.
Jacob knew better than to argue with the words that formed everywhere he looked. He pushed himself up, stumbling listlessly to the left until his flailing arm found purchase, holding himself up on something he couldn't see.
"Where?" he croaked, desperately.
He was kneeling. The wind rang in his ears. He was falling.
Jacob's hand splayed out on the cool surface below him as he swayed over to his right side. Drool seeped out of his slack mouth.
His cheeks tingled.
Jacob felt the vomit come out of his mouth. Thin, burning liquid that forced it's way out of him in painful spasms that arched his back up.
He couldn't see it.
It splattered over his arm, slid between his fingers. Warm and sticky, like spilt lemonade that had dried out in the sun. The taste in his mouth was all consuming, acrid - Clinging to his tongue like oil to a seagull. Jacob closed his eyes. Took a shuddering breath in.
He stopped falling.
Jacob knew better than to argue with the words that formed everywhere he looked. He pushed himself up, stumbling listlessly to the left until his flailing arm found purchase, holding himself up on something he couldn't see.
"Where?" he croaked, desperately.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
The Companion followed the pristine highway. Away, away it led him, twisting and turning and looping back in on itself until suddenly-
-it ended. Kyle was back in the desert, away from the compound, led through a gap in the decaying chain link fence. In the distance far behind him, Lily rested against the compound's concrete outer walls, Sydney's body resting not too far from where she lay. Lily fidgeted in her sleep, as if responding to something only she could hear. Her breathing was fast, her mouth opening and closing as if she were muttering to herself, and her eyelids twitched, as though they were struggling to open.
--
Melodie stepped through the door, finding herself in a wide canyon, its walls stretching high into the sky. The ground beneath her, and the walls around her, were made of sinewy flesh, red and twitching. A disturbing sight to some, but one that was deeply familiar to her. Wind whipped through the canyon, whistling into Melodie's ears, but not ruffling her hair.
A mouth emerged from the ground, its lips chapped, and its teeth gnarled and yellow.
"There is safety in the nightmare," it rasped. "For despite the terror, no-one may truly come to harm within its walls."
Then, the canyon itself seemed to stir.
--
"An alliance?" the meek voice asked, its tone incredulous.
There was a deep low hum, and then an eruption of canned laughter from all sides.
Then it, abruptly, cut off.
"You're better off without," the meek voice whispered, almost too faint to hear.
--
For a brief moment, the illusion around Jacob faltered and faded, revealing the room that he had woken up in, along with the door leading out into the hallway.
Then it came roaring back, darkness engulfing him on all sides. Words floated in front of his face.
"Away from here. To anywhere else."
There was a growl behind him, followed by the gnashing of teeth.
-it ended. Kyle was back in the desert, away from the compound, led through a gap in the decaying chain link fence. In the distance far behind him, Lily rested against the compound's concrete outer walls, Sydney's body resting not too far from where she lay. Lily fidgeted in her sleep, as if responding to something only she could hear. Her breathing was fast, her mouth opening and closing as if she were muttering to herself, and her eyelids twitched, as though they were struggling to open.
--
Melodie stepped through the door, finding herself in a wide canyon, its walls stretching high into the sky. The ground beneath her, and the walls around her, were made of sinewy flesh, red and twitching. A disturbing sight to some, but one that was deeply familiar to her. Wind whipped through the canyon, whistling into Melodie's ears, but not ruffling her hair.
A mouth emerged from the ground, its lips chapped, and its teeth gnarled and yellow.
"There is safety in the nightmare," it rasped. "For despite the terror, no-one may truly come to harm within its walls."
Then, the canyon itself seemed to stir.
--
"An alliance?" the meek voice asked, its tone incredulous.
There was a deep low hum, and then an eruption of canned laughter from all sides.
Then it, abruptly, cut off.
"You're better off without," the meek voice whispered, almost too faint to hear.
--
For a brief moment, the illusion around Jacob faltered and faded, revealing the room that he had woken up in, along with the door leading out into the hallway.
Then it came roaring back, darkness engulfing him on all sides. Words floated in front of his face.
"Away from here. To anywhere else."
There was a growl behind him, followed by the gnashing of teeth.
"Are you awake?"
She frowned, and then un-frowned.
"Are you alright?"
She looked down at the mouth, as if waiting for a confirmation.
She frowned, and then un-frowned.
"Are you alright?"
She looked down at the mouth, as if waiting for a confirmation.
Things started to make less and less sense the further he got. Everything had turned twisty on his walk here, to the point that he thought he was walking on air. Reality would shift around him and at times he wouldn't even notice that it was happening. Spinning him right 'round in circles. Until suddenly Kyle stared out into the distance. He had to blink a few times to make sure this wasn't another illusion or trick played on him. He could see the sun again, feel it bearing down on him right now, he could see so many things in the distant hills and miles of desert.
He was out, he did it! He freed himself! Holy shit! He did not expect that to happen. He could turn around right now and walk away. No one here would notice that he could do that. That's... All he had to do. After all this mess, right, would people blame him? Could he do that though? Against her?
Kyle wanted to lift his right arm in victory, of being free, if only in mind. But... Celebrations were short-lived once he turned around and saw them through the gap they had made to get through in the first place. He could see Lily sitting by the wall, stirring in her sleep. Looking no less peaceful than she did the last time he saw her like this. Her eyes were struggling, whether it was to keep asleep or to wake up he was not sure, but it seemed like a fight inside her mind. Her entire face was straining under the guise of the sun.
Not far away from her was what was left of Sydney. A gory mess the ground left ignobly on the ground through the night, it was a horrid sight, and spending time laying about outside had done her no favors. It brought back memories of yesterday, seeing her cry before these bastards snuffed her light out. It was almost enough to make him cry.
He definitely could not do that. If he did she would just end up the same. She helped him back then, it's time for him to do the same for her. Kyle steeled himself, gritted his beak, closed his hands into fists, and marched towards her. Reality shifted again, but he was prepared now for its tricks. Come heaven, hell, or high water, he would get her out of there no matter what.
He was out, he did it! He freed himself! Holy shit! He did not expect that to happen. He could turn around right now and walk away. No one here would notice that he could do that. That's... All he had to do. After all this mess, right, would people blame him? Could he do that though? Against her?
Kyle wanted to lift his right arm in victory, of being free, if only in mind. But... Celebrations were short-lived once he turned around and saw them through the gap they had made to get through in the first place. He could see Lily sitting by the wall, stirring in her sleep. Looking no less peaceful than she did the last time he saw her like this. Her eyes were struggling, whether it was to keep asleep or to wake up he was not sure, but it seemed like a fight inside her mind. Her entire face was straining under the guise of the sun.
Not far away from her was what was left of Sydney. A gory mess the ground left ignobly on the ground through the night, it was a horrid sight, and spending time laying about outside had done her no favors. It brought back memories of yesterday, seeing her cry before these bastards snuffed her light out. It was almost enough to make him cry.
He definitely could not do that. If he did she would just end up the same. She helped him back then, it's time for him to do the same for her. Kyle steeled himself, gritted his beak, closed his hands into fists, and marched towards her. Reality shifted again, but he was prepared now for its tricks. Come heaven, hell, or high water, he would get her out of there no matter what.
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DerArknight
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:47 pm
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
What the hell?
Hearing Lily's answer made Gary angry. Not because she was laughing. But because what she was saying with her response. Lily was casually flexing with her powerful gift while talking about being useless. It was the epitome of hypocritical self-deprecation.
"So you are fine with this all?" He shouted maybe a little too harsh. "Fine with being just another victim? Fine with pitying yourself while sitting around and waiting for death? Pathetic! With your gift, you could easily-"
Before he could end this sentence, he remembered the cameras and bit his tounge. After all, he was still supposed to keep up his act of trying to get a group to hunt other students. That was the lie he had told towards Isabella, and if he now suddenly talked about escaping the game, the gig would be up.
"Forget it. This conversation is over."
Gary sounded annoyed, and he was. This was the second time he failed to recruit a powerful potential ally. Last time could be chalked up to Isabella being weird. But this time? This time it was Lily turning out to have cracked under the pressure or something. He shouldn't have bothered.
With careful movements he stood up. His left hand was aching, so odds were he had indeed cut himself somewhere. Well, at least that was some sort of progress.
"See you later. Or not."
He went to leave.
Hearing Lily's answer made Gary angry. Not because she was laughing. But because what she was saying with her response. Lily was casually flexing with her powerful gift while talking about being useless. It was the epitome of hypocritical self-deprecation.
"So you are fine with this all?" He shouted maybe a little too harsh. "Fine with being just another victim? Fine with pitying yourself while sitting around and waiting for death? Pathetic! With your gift, you could easily-"
Before he could end this sentence, he remembered the cameras and bit his tounge. After all, he was still supposed to keep up his act of trying to get a group to hunt other students. That was the lie he had told towards Isabella, and if he now suddenly talked about escaping the game, the gig would be up.
"Forget it. This conversation is over."
Gary sounded annoyed, and he was. This was the second time he failed to recruit a powerful potential ally. Last time could be chalked up to Isabella being weird. But this time? This time it was Lily turning out to have cracked under the pressure or something. He shouldn't have bothered.
With careful movements he stood up. His left hand was aching, so odds were he had indeed cut himself somewhere. Well, at least that was some sort of progress.
"See you later. Or not."
He went to leave.
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Frozen Smoke
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
Stars flashed in the darkness, his eyes burning as he screwed them tight, holding onto the afterimage of reality for as long as he could. Jacob's left hand gripped the wood of the door frame, his shoes dragging across the floor of the hallway as he swung his body through the portal, half expecting the floor to fall away as his weight bore down on it.It didn't.
A sharp exhale.
Every finger protested, but forced his fist to uncurl, releasing him from his anchor. He drifted across the space, groping blindly in front of himself. They found something a few shuffling steps later, brushing along a flat, painted surface. He pressed his palm flat against it, running up and down, side to side – Looking for anything to give him direction.
He let just a sliver of light into his eyes as he caught hold of something.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
There were many more nightmares that the Dreamer's unconscious mind had yet to show those it had trapped within. Terrors beyond the scope of anything that they had experienced before, living nightmares built of blood and spite. All of it born of fear that she had yet to confront, her ocean of grief spilling forth into the world around her, no longer kept in check.
It all came to an end when the explosion rocked the compound, jarring Lily awake, the nightmare melting and fading away, relinquishing everyone within from its grasp.
Lily panicked and began scrambling away from the concrete walls, thinking that she was being attacked. It was only after the dust settled on the other side of the building that she realized that she was fine, even if the explosion signaled that someone else most certainly wasn't.
With her heart hammering in her chest and her breath risking being stolen away at any moment, her attention was once more brought directly to the body that she helped create. Staring, mouth agape, just as shocked as before, muttering "no" to herself over and over again as though she could not believe that all of this was still real. Confronted with the fact that her attempts to escape into fantasy did not work, and that they would never work, she curled up on the sand immediately around the compound, buried her face in her legs, and wept.
It all came to an end when the explosion rocked the compound, jarring Lily awake, the nightmare melting and fading away, relinquishing everyone within from its grasp.
Lily panicked and began scrambling away from the concrete walls, thinking that she was being attacked. It was only after the dust settled on the other side of the building that she realized that she was fine, even if the explosion signaled that someone else most certainly wasn't.
With her heart hammering in her chest and her breath risking being stolen away at any moment, her attention was once more brought directly to the body that she helped create. Staring, mouth agape, just as shocked as before, muttering "no" to herself over and over again as though she could not believe that all of this was still real. Confronted with the fact that her attempts to escape into fantasy did not work, and that they would never work, she curled up on the sand immediately around the compound, buried her face in her legs, and wept.
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DerArknight
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:47 pm
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
Slightly faster than before, Gary made his way back through the darkness.
He needed a new plan. Just running around in the hopes of finding useful people was clearly ineffective. If only he had a way to get a good overview of the arena...
The roof! He realized. If I can find a way up, I should be able to see for a large distance. And then I can-
Before he could finish this sentence, the world around him crumbled.
Out of the four people within Lily's vicinity, Gary was the closest to August when he vaporated. As a result, he was affected by the shock that went through the building and fell forward.
Seeing up, Gary had barely time to take in what had transpired before a part of the ceiling became loose and crashed right onto him.
((Gary Greer-Wheatly continued in We All Deserved Better))
He needed a new plan. Just running around in the hopes of finding useful people was clearly ineffective. If only he had a way to get a good overview of the arena...
The roof! He realized. If I can find a way up, I should be able to see for a large distance. And then I can-
Before he could finish this sentence, the world around him crumbled.
Out of the four people within Lily's vicinity, Gary was the closest to August when he vaporated. As a result, he was affected by the shock that went through the building and fell forward.
Seeing up, Gary had barely time to take in what had transpired before a part of the ceiling became loose and crashed right onto him.
((Gary Greer-Wheatly continued in We All Deserved Better))
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Frozen Smoke
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:25 pm
Jacob had never glowed so brightly seeing the back of his hand before.Or stairs. Or doors.
Or the open desert. The endless stretch of yellow carving a line under the bruised purple sky.
The sand cooled under the his knees, burned in his lungs, as his one good hand braced him again.
He was still alive.
((Jacob Rowe continued elsewhere))
The world faded, as did her presence.
Twenty seconds later, a girl appeared somewhere.
((-->))
Twenty seconds later, a girl appeared somewhere.
((-->))
It did not take many steps before the darkness was back, surrounding him once more. The world went back to twisting and turning around him, but this time he was ready for it. A determined stride across this dark vacant highway to his destination, and no matter how it would look like or how long it would now he would step across and find her. He had to.
He owed her that, and much more.
Kyle stopped in his tracks, however, when the world around him shook and vibrated. It was an assault on his eyes. He wanted to drop down to the ground to shield himself, but his legs were locked in place. The ground he stood on shook and the mirage quickly faded away as reality seeped in once more.
He was back in the compound, standing in the open. He could see figures around, two to be precise. The all too familiar sight of Sydney's corpse... And Lily lying right next to it in a fetal position. It was a sad sight to see her in such away. It compelled Kyle to rush over to her, go down on one knee and grip her by the shoulders, a slight shake with both of his hands as he did so. It was a sudden movement towards her he had not thought over, but at that moment he needed to make sure she was fine enough to move.
She did not look hurt which was good. The best-case scenario, actually. Now they just had to get out of here. No matter what, they could not stay here. Whatever caused that explosion was enough to tell him that. Anyway, He had enough of this place, and he had seen enough of Sydney to last a lifetime. Anywhere else would be better now.
With enough coaxing on his side, and some waiting. Kyle was able to get Lily back on her feet, he followed her stead once she did so. Dirt clung to her already worn jeans and she had tears in her eyes, which she tried to dry away. He gave her a pat on the shoulder for comfort. He probably could have done more, but seeing her like this made him uncertain of what to do, afraid if he did it wrong... and mad that this was happening at all. They never did anything to anyone, why was this happening to them? What did they do to deserve any of this?
People behind this needed to pay. He could not stay dormant anymore. Lily told him something related to her plan from earlier, eyes still stained with tears. He nodded at that. It was a plan, and he had already decided that no matter what he would see it through. It was better than giving up and doing nothing. He had seen that and he would take any alternative over it.
Even if it meant putting himself in others' way.
Kyle noticed that at this point Lily was walking toward the compound and while he wished she’d pick a better place to check out, he still followed her out of built-up concern to see what she had in mind.
He owed her that, and much more.
Kyle stopped in his tracks, however, when the world around him shook and vibrated. It was an assault on his eyes. He wanted to drop down to the ground to shield himself, but his legs were locked in place. The ground he stood on shook and the mirage quickly faded away as reality seeped in once more.
He was back in the compound, standing in the open. He could see figures around, two to be precise. The all too familiar sight of Sydney's corpse... And Lily lying right next to it in a fetal position. It was a sad sight to see her in such away. It compelled Kyle to rush over to her, go down on one knee and grip her by the shoulders, a slight shake with both of his hands as he did so. It was a sudden movement towards her he had not thought over, but at that moment he needed to make sure she was fine enough to move.
She did not look hurt which was good. The best-case scenario, actually. Now they just had to get out of here. No matter what, they could not stay here. Whatever caused that explosion was enough to tell him that. Anyway, He had enough of this place, and he had seen enough of Sydney to last a lifetime. Anywhere else would be better now.
With enough coaxing on his side, and some waiting. Kyle was able to get Lily back on her feet, he followed her stead once she did so. Dirt clung to her already worn jeans and she had tears in her eyes, which she tried to dry away. He gave her a pat on the shoulder for comfort. He probably could have done more, but seeing her like this made him uncertain of what to do, afraid if he did it wrong... and mad that this was happening at all. They never did anything to anyone, why was this happening to them? What did they do to deserve any of this?
People behind this needed to pay. He could not stay dormant anymore. Lily told him something related to her plan from earlier, eyes still stained with tears. He nodded at that. It was a plan, and he had already decided that no matter what he would see it through. It was better than giving up and doing nothing. He had seen that and he would take any alternative over it.
Even if it meant putting himself in others' way.
Kyle noticed that at this point Lily was walking toward the compound and while he wished she’d pick a better place to check out, he still followed her out of built-up concern to see what she had in mind.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
Lily didn't say a word as Kyle helped her to her feet. She was stuck staring off into the distance at the afternoon sun, feeling as though the inside of her skull would threaten to leak out at any moment. She had overused her Gift again, touched that darkness, came close to something, and now she could barely think straight.
She focused her eyes on the horizon to steady herself, and wondered for the first time if she would ever see anything beyond it again. If rescue really was coming, it might not make it here in time for them. It hadn't for Sydney, and who knows how many others.
She glanced towards Kyle, puffy-eyed and somber, and briefly contemplated taking him and hiding somewhere. All she would have to do then is let whatever was about to happen between her classmates play out however it would, and hope someone made it in time to save them. Kyle deserved that much, for sticking by her all this time, through all of her emotional meltdowns.
She looked away, and shook her head to clear that thought. No, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she sat idly by and let her classmates kill each other. If she made it out when everyone else died, what kind of life would she be living afterwards, consumed by survivor's guilt? The people running this had to be proven wrong, and even if she was a total idiot that was definitely going to get herself killed, she was going to try her best to do so.
She would consider it making up for the debt she owed Sydney.
"We're gonna prevent more death, one way or another," she muttered.
The best time to act was yesterday, and the second best time is now.
She climbed back through the window she had broken earlier, and threw open the door that she had previously, timidly left closed.
((It was time for destruction.))
She focused her eyes on the horizon to steady herself, and wondered for the first time if she would ever see anything beyond it again. If rescue really was coming, it might not make it here in time for them. It hadn't for Sydney, and who knows how many others.
She glanced towards Kyle, puffy-eyed and somber, and briefly contemplated taking him and hiding somewhere. All she would have to do then is let whatever was about to happen between her classmates play out however it would, and hope someone made it in time to save them. Kyle deserved that much, for sticking by her all this time, through all of her emotional meltdowns.
She looked away, and shook her head to clear that thought. No, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she sat idly by and let her classmates kill each other. If she made it out when everyone else died, what kind of life would she be living afterwards, consumed by survivor's guilt? The people running this had to be proven wrong, and even if she was a total idiot that was definitely going to get herself killed, she was going to try her best to do so.
She would consider it making up for the debt she owed Sydney.
"We're gonna prevent more death, one way or another," she muttered.
The best time to act was yesterday, and the second best time is now.
She climbed back through the window she had broken earlier, and threw open the door that she had previously, timidly left closed.
((It was time for destruction.))