Stephen had a few things he wanted to say, but Claudia summed it all up pretty well. Ultimately, even if there were murderers among them, the real enemy was those furries in masks, the ones who had abducted them and brought them here to kill each other. Who had killed so many people on the bus already, let alone all the dead people here. That was on them. But at the same time, they couldn't forget that even if they were in a situation where it was encouraged, Mercedes and the rest were still murderers.
He listened to Crispin rant next. It gave him a little bit of information about just what had happened and it proved him right; Mercedes was the one who had given him those injuries. Watching Crispin scream and kick sand, not dealing with any of this well at all, Stephen stepped forwards and put his hand on his back. In a way, he could relate to Crispin. Maybe he was just trying to insert himself into stuff, find a way to sympathise with him, but Stephen knew well what it was like to have something, some kind of injury that affected your entire life. That wasn't what Crispin was emotional about, he knew that, but it sort of helped.
"I..." His voice was a little quieter, subdued. "Maybe you're right, maybe trying to escape is hopeless. But I'd rather try and die with hope in my heart, working together with friends and people who reject what those masked fuckers want, than just give up and die. Because what other option is there? Sitting down and waiting for Joel, or Mercedes, or God knows who to kill us? Or fully embracing what they want and killing innocent people?"
A brief pause, as Stephen worked out in his head what he'd say next.
"There's still hope. There's always hope, Crispin. If Mercedes comes and tries to kill us all just because we're with you, then we'll work together and bring her down." And then Crispin would kill her, but if she was going to attack all of them in this hypothetical, Stephen probably wouldn't be complaining. If he was in a position to complain. He gave Crispin a few pats on the back, glancing up at Claudia. "Out of curiosity, what's your Gift? Maybe it'll be useful."
Welcome to Hell, We’ve Been Waiting For You
Day 2, closed thread
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Applesintime
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It was like Steve and her were on the same wavelength, and he had taken all the words from her brain and spoken them. Maybe she should’ve interacted with him more in the past. They probably would’ve gotten along well with each other. Steve had taken a few moments to pat Crispin on the back, and Claudia felt it was necessary to do the same. She knelt down to his level and put a hand on his shoulder, hoping it would be received as a comforting gesture.
“Steve’s right. You said you were gonna die anyway by the end of the week. Would you rather die submitting to the masked freaks’ will, or would you rather die with your head held high trying to get out of this mess?”
She heard Steve’s question, looked over at him, and gave him a flat answer.
“My gift? I’m like a flashbang. I emit really loud sound and really bright light when I feel like using it. Oh, and I also emit heat and really powerful shockwaves. Not really sure how much that helps us. I’m sure they don’t need to see me to pop my collar.”
She then realized she didn’t know Steve’s gift either.
“Oh, and uh, Steve, what’s your gift?”
“Steve’s right. You said you were gonna die anyway by the end of the week. Would you rather die submitting to the masked freaks’ will, or would you rather die with your head held high trying to get out of this mess?”
She heard Steve’s question, looked over at him, and gave him a flat answer.
“My gift? I’m like a flashbang. I emit really loud sound and really bright light when I feel like using it. Oh, and I also emit heat and really powerful shockwaves. Not really sure how much that helps us. I’m sure they don’t need to see me to pop my collar.”
She then realized she didn’t know Steve’s gift either.
“Oh, and uh, Steve, what’s your gift?”
There was a part of Crispy that thought they were pulling his leg. That whole spiel of if he was going to die he might as well die helping them serve their purpose, regardless of if anything comes from it or not. Hell, he was pretty sure he was being taken advantage of, reminded him of Alan. Everyone hates a fighter until you need a meat shield to do the dirty work for you.
Another part thought they were genuine. That there was something to refusing to take part in this sick shit, that at least they had their dignity in the end or something like that. They had a point there, but…
“Fuck… I want to.” When shit hits the fan, everyone imagines themselves the hero, the one who’s gonna solve the problems. Fewer see themselves as the ones who cause them, even less take pride in that. Funny thing is, fewest people of all see themselves as the bystander, the one that does nothing, yet who’s the most common in a catastrophe. Sometimes, what you want ain’t what you get.
“I wanna- If Ima die I wanna do the right thing, but I don’t know if the right thing is the obvious choice or not. Yeah we could work together, and if Mercy showed up we could deal with her, but it ain’t that simple.”
He stood up straight. “I saw firsthand what that bitch could do if she gets the drop on you, and I don’t think she’s gonna stop at Moose, or even me if she gets me. And after what she did to me n’ him, I don’t think the right thing is to ignore her and hope she goes away. Of all the shitty ways to go, I think burnin’s one of the worst from what I… saw, felt too I guess.”
He turned around to look at the two. “If nothing else, I gotta stop her. Ain’t nobody deserve what happened to Moose, least of all him. Even bitch ass Austin or fake ass Alan don’t deserve that. If I died knowing I could’ve done something to stop her when I didn’t, I’d be in my own special hell for letting it happen. It’s one thing to beat someone to death with a rock over a fight. It’s another to walk up to someone, laser their face off and walk away while they’re still screaming.”
Another part thought they were genuine. That there was something to refusing to take part in this sick shit, that at least they had their dignity in the end or something like that. They had a point there, but…
“Fuck… I want to.” When shit hits the fan, everyone imagines themselves the hero, the one who’s gonna solve the problems. Fewer see themselves as the ones who cause them, even less take pride in that. Funny thing is, fewest people of all see themselves as the bystander, the one that does nothing, yet who’s the most common in a catastrophe. Sometimes, what you want ain’t what you get.
“I wanna- If Ima die I wanna do the right thing, but I don’t know if the right thing is the obvious choice or not. Yeah we could work together, and if Mercy showed up we could deal with her, but it ain’t that simple.”
He stood up straight. “I saw firsthand what that bitch could do if she gets the drop on you, and I don’t think she’s gonna stop at Moose, or even me if she gets me. And after what she did to me n’ him, I don’t think the right thing is to ignore her and hope she goes away. Of all the shitty ways to go, I think burnin’s one of the worst from what I… saw, felt too I guess.”
He turned around to look at the two. “If nothing else, I gotta stop her. Ain’t nobody deserve what happened to Moose, least of all him. Even bitch ass Austin or fake ass Alan don’t deserve that. If I died knowing I could’ve done something to stop her when I didn’t, I’d be in my own special hell for letting it happen. It’s one thing to beat someone to death with a rock over a fight. It’s another to walk up to someone, laser their face off and walk away while they’re still screaming.”
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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Applesintime
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So Claudia was a walking flashbang. Not useful for getting collars off, but if they ever got into a fight, she might give them a distraction. And Crispin was... a squirrel thing? Squirrely powers? Something like that; Stephen had never been able to ask him, but just looking at him it was obvious.
It was still annoying to a degree how his Gift came with such drawbacks. "I can make my bones grow however I want, basically. I'm also really good at breaking them, so most of the time I just use it to unbreak my bones. It sucks to trip over something and break both your wrists when you catch yourself." He scoffed, a little self-deprecation in his tone. Then Crispin started talking, and Stephen listened.
"I can't say I'll help you, but... I'm not gonna stop you. Here's hoping she has a brain aneurysm or something and we don't have to worry about fighting her." A part of Stephen was aware that he was probably being played by Crispin. Hell, he didn't even know what exactly had happened. But there was something about how Crispin was saying everything that sounded genuine. He still wanted to know Mercedes' side of the story, but if she was lasering on sight, maybe he never would.
"Also, not sure if you guys know, but if you see a lot of bugs, that's Isabelle. I think she kind of... had a meltdown or something."
It was still annoying to a degree how his Gift came with such drawbacks. "I can make my bones grow however I want, basically. I'm also really good at breaking them, so most of the time I just use it to unbreak my bones. It sucks to trip over something and break both your wrists when you catch yourself." He scoffed, a little self-deprecation in his tone. Then Crispin started talking, and Stephen listened.
"I can't say I'll help you, but... I'm not gonna stop you. Here's hoping she has a brain aneurysm or something and we don't have to worry about fighting her." A part of Stephen was aware that he was probably being played by Crispin. Hell, he didn't even know what exactly had happened. But there was something about how Crispin was saying everything that sounded genuine. He still wanted to know Mercedes' side of the story, but if she was lasering on sight, maybe he never would.
"Also, not sure if you guys know, but if you see a lot of bugs, that's Isabelle. I think she kind of... had a meltdown or something."
As much as she hated to admit it, Claudia saw a piece of herself in Crispin. What had she planned to do after she bailed from the compound? She planned to neutralize the swarm. While she never wanted to hurt Isabella like Crispin wanted to do to Mercedes, she had still thought about fighting a classmate. She sighed audibly before standing up again.
“Crispin, I... as much as I try, I obviously can’t convince you to change your mind. So... I’ll stop. But... it’s just that I don’t want anyone else to die. Nine people are already gone. Nine people we’re never gonna see again. I just don’t know how many more names on the announcements I can take.”
Claudia felt lucky that none of her close friends were on the announcements. Lucine, Anatoly, and Selene were all still safe. The same couldn’t be said for many of her other classmates. She had tried to hunt Isabella for killing someone she wasn’t even close to. What would she do when someone she truly cared for was read off? Would she go the same route as Crispin? He had to watch his best friend die in front of him. He had a right to his vengeance.
“Crispin, if you’re confident that Mercy will kill us just for being near you, then it’s probably best if we split. I... I don’t condone your plan to kill Mercedes. I don’t want to help you do it. But... I wish you the best out here. Be as safe as you can be, okay?”
Claudia looked over at Steve. His power was that his bones broke easily? He basically just had osteoporosis with a temporary cure. Poor bastard.
“I’ve seen Isabella in the flesh. It’s not pretty. She’s covered with every insect within ten miles. I think she has my stuff.”
“Crispin, I... as much as I try, I obviously can’t convince you to change your mind. So... I’ll stop. But... it’s just that I don’t want anyone else to die. Nine people are already gone. Nine people we’re never gonna see again. I just don’t know how many more names on the announcements I can take.”
Claudia felt lucky that none of her close friends were on the announcements. Lucine, Anatoly, and Selene were all still safe. The same couldn’t be said for many of her other classmates. She had tried to hunt Isabella for killing someone she wasn’t even close to. What would she do when someone she truly cared for was read off? Would she go the same route as Crispin? He had to watch his best friend die in front of him. He had a right to his vengeance.
“Crispin, if you’re confident that Mercy will kill us just for being near you, then it’s probably best if we split. I... I don’t condone your plan to kill Mercedes. I don’t want to help you do it. But... I wish you the best out here. Be as safe as you can be, okay?”
Claudia looked over at Steve. His power was that his bones broke easily? He basically just had osteoporosis with a temporary cure. Poor bastard.
“I’ve seen Isabella in the flesh. It’s not pretty. She’s covered with every insect within ten miles. I think she has my stuff.”
“Yeah… I think-“
He sighed. “I wish y’all the best. I want to do the right thing, but the right thing for me is staying the fuck away from anyone who might have an idea out. Even if I got rid of Mercy, Kennedy’s stealing people’s fingers, Kaine ambushed me. Austin ambushed me, lost, then probably told everyone he can mindfuck that I ambushed him. Best intentions or not, motherfuckers want to waste me, and a lot of these dumb sumbitches prioritize that over actually getting out of here.”
He looked around, wanted to figure out his next course of action. He knew what he was doing, just needed to know how he’d start. “Ain’t gonna put a target on y’all’s back. I’d like y’all to put in a good word for me, but I don’t wanna risk it. Anyone asks about me, Alan, maybe Austin’s peeping in your head, fuck, even shit iunno, someone I ain’t seen here yet, just say you ain’t seen me. If Mercy comes to ask, run and hide like you would Isabella. Do NOT let her close. Same thing with Kennedy.” He sighed.
“Just… Be careful I guess. You heard the midget ass owl, bitches be creeping out here. Don’t let your guard down for nobody, even if you think you can trust them.”
Guess it was time to go. Probably the last time he’d see them like this. He began to walk away, then stopped.
“Look, if none of us see each other again, and the last thing you hear about me is my name on the announcements, just know I ain’t made it easy on ‘em. If it’s the other way, well…
I ain’t started shit. Just finished it.”
((Crispin Cuyler continued elsewhere.))
He sighed. “I wish y’all the best. I want to do the right thing, but the right thing for me is staying the fuck away from anyone who might have an idea out. Even if I got rid of Mercy, Kennedy’s stealing people’s fingers, Kaine ambushed me. Austin ambushed me, lost, then probably told everyone he can mindfuck that I ambushed him. Best intentions or not, motherfuckers want to waste me, and a lot of these dumb sumbitches prioritize that over actually getting out of here.”
He looked around, wanted to figure out his next course of action. He knew what he was doing, just needed to know how he’d start. “Ain’t gonna put a target on y’all’s back. I’d like y’all to put in a good word for me, but I don’t wanna risk it. Anyone asks about me, Alan, maybe Austin’s peeping in your head, fuck, even shit iunno, someone I ain’t seen here yet, just say you ain’t seen me. If Mercy comes to ask, run and hide like you would Isabella. Do NOT let her close. Same thing with Kennedy.” He sighed.
“Just… Be careful I guess. You heard the midget ass owl, bitches be creeping out here. Don’t let your guard down for nobody, even if you think you can trust them.”
Guess it was time to go. Probably the last time he’d see them like this. He began to walk away, then stopped.
“Look, if none of us see each other again, and the last thing you hear about me is my name on the announcements, just know I ain’t made it easy on ‘em. If it’s the other way, well…
I ain’t started shit. Just finished it.”
((Crispin Cuyler continued elsewhere.))
Catche thinks my squirrel is Fisk so here's my daily reminder that he is not.
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Applesintime
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Well, he tried.
Stephen took a deep breath and watched Crispin turn to leave, exhaling it. They tried, rather. At least now he was with someone who had the same mindset as him, who wanted to get out of this game without further bloodshed. And there'd probably be more like them. On the other hand, there were also the people who'd already succumbed to violence.
Once Crispin was far away enough, out of earshot, Stephen quietly asked the question that had been on his mind.
"How much of that do you think was bullshit?"
Stephen took a deep breath and watched Crispin turn to leave, exhaling it. They tried, rather. At least now he was with someone who had the same mindset as him, who wanted to get out of this game without further bloodshed. And there'd probably be more like them. On the other hand, there were also the people who'd already succumbed to violence.
Once Crispin was far away enough, out of earshot, Stephen quietly asked the question that had been on his mind.
"How much of that do you think was bullshit?"
As Claudia watched the form of Crispin go farther and farther into the horizon, she felt a pang of something akin to guilt for letting him go. Whether she felt guilty about letting him die or Mercedes die, she wasn’t sure, but she thought that was probably the last time she’d see him.
Now that he was gone, Steve had asked her another question.
“Honestly? I’m not sure. He seemed pretty genuine about most of the stuff. I’m sure he’s blowing the threat of Mercy out of proportion, and I’d like to hear her side of the story before I make up my mind about it. I’m also pretty sure he started most of the shit he’d gotten himself in. But I can’t help but hold a degree of sympathy for him. He did watch his best friend get burned alive in front of his eyes.”
God, all of this talking was making Claudia even thirstier than before. She let out a couple of dry coughs before continuing.
“Hey, Steve, you still got some water on ya? I don’t have any. My shit’s back in the compound, and I’d like to get it before the end of the day. If you wanna come with me to go get it, I’d be down.”
Now that he was gone, Steve had asked her another question.
“Honestly? I’m not sure. He seemed pretty genuine about most of the stuff. I’m sure he’s blowing the threat of Mercy out of proportion, and I’d like to hear her side of the story before I make up my mind about it. I’m also pretty sure he started most of the shit he’d gotten himself in. But I can’t help but hold a degree of sympathy for him. He did watch his best friend get burned alive in front of his eyes.”
God, all of this talking was making Claudia even thirstier than before. She let out a couple of dry coughs before continuing.
“Hey, Steve, you still got some water on ya? I don’t have any. My shit’s back in the compound, and I’d like to get it before the end of the day. If you wanna come with me to go get it, I’d be down.”
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Applesintime
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"Yeah. I can't blame him for being kind of jumpy when he watched his friend die in front of his eyes. I'm not a stranger to blood," Stephen remembered that time he tripped and his bone broke through his leg and one of his arteries or veins or something and he nearly died with a shudder, "but seeing someone else die is something entirely different. Let's hope we never do." Honestly, he wasn't so sure about Mercedes either. If she did laser on sight, then they'd deal with that when they met her. But for now, he found it hard to reconcile their brief interaction with what Crispin had said. It was like a game of telephone; everyone saying something, and no way to truly discern the truth.
At his companion's question, Stephen nodded, pulling his bag off his shoulder and holding it by the strap while he unzipped it and pulled a bottle out, handing it over to her. "You said Isabelle had your stuff? Wish we had some bug spray. I encountered one of her swarms yesterday. It wasn't nice to be in the middle of it." He still remembered the buzzing. The incessant buzzing and feeling of wings brushing against him. Another shudder. The idea of going right into the belly of the beast didn't appeal to Stephen, but getting out of the inevitable morning sun sounded good.
At his companion's question, Stephen nodded, pulling his bag off his shoulder and holding it by the strap while he unzipped it and pulled a bottle out, handing it over to her. "You said Isabelle had your stuff? Wish we had some bug spray. I encountered one of her swarms yesterday. It wasn't nice to be in the middle of it." He still remembered the buzzing. The incessant buzzing and feeling of wings brushing against him. Another shudder. The idea of going right into the belly of the beast didn't appeal to Stephen, but getting out of the inevitable morning sun sounded good.
When Claudia saw the glimmering water bottle that Steve produced from his bag, she almost cried. She snatched it out of his hand with swiftness and greed. She opened the cap and chugged heartily, the feeling of hydration flowing through her body once more. She was pretty sure that was the first time she’d ever been without water for a day, and she didn’t want to have to experience that again.
“Thanks for the water, Steve. Supplies seem to be limited here, so I appreciate you sharing.”
She prepared herself for the long walk. Having no shoes was a real pain, so she made sure to carefully look where she was going. She also didn’t have any sunscreen, so she loosened her bun and let hair flow free to protect her neck. She knew from experience how annoying neck sunburns were.
She glanced at Steve when he said he encountered Isabella’s swarm. He hadn’t been at the compound then, had he? Was Isabella sending roving hordes of bugs around the arena? If that was the case, she thanked her lucky stars for none of them having found her while she was asleep.
She looked around at the road, it’s decrepit asphalt, filled with potholes and unclear road markings. It led to one place, and one place only in the arena.
“I don’t think there’s anything left for us to do around here. Come on, let’s go. Hopefully we can make it to the building before we get hit with the afternoon sun.”
And with that, Claudia sunk her feet into the sand as she stepped towards the compound, hoping to get her supplies and her shoes before the day was over. While Steve still had his bag with him, she couldn’t rely on his generosity forever. If her stuff wasn’t at the building, she honestly wasn’t sure what she’d do next.
((Claudia Salgado continued in Red Right Hand))
“Thanks for the water, Steve. Supplies seem to be limited here, so I appreciate you sharing.”
She prepared herself for the long walk. Having no shoes was a real pain, so she made sure to carefully look where she was going. She also didn’t have any sunscreen, so she loosened her bun and let hair flow free to protect her neck. She knew from experience how annoying neck sunburns were.
She glanced at Steve when he said he encountered Isabella’s swarm. He hadn’t been at the compound then, had he? Was Isabella sending roving hordes of bugs around the arena? If that was the case, she thanked her lucky stars for none of them having found her while she was asleep.
She looked around at the road, it’s decrepit asphalt, filled with potholes and unclear road markings. It led to one place, and one place only in the arena.
“I don’t think there’s anything left for us to do around here. Come on, let’s go. Hopefully we can make it to the building before we get hit with the afternoon sun.”
And with that, Claudia sunk her feet into the sand as she stepped towards the compound, hoping to get her supplies and her shoes before the day was over. While Steve still had his bag with him, she couldn’t rely on his generosity forever. If her stuff wasn’t at the building, she honestly wasn’t sure what she’d do next.
((Claudia Salgado continued in Red Right Hand))
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Applesintime
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Watching Claudia chug the water with gusto reminded Steve (because fuck it, he was Steve now) that there was still humanity here, even if this desert had seemingly been designed to strip them all of it. It was a small act, sharing a bottle of water, but if the animal fuckers had their way they'd be beating each other to death for it. It was a passive act of resistance.
Or maybe Stephen was just looking too much into sharing his water with someone.
Either way, he mumbled a "No problem" and followed behind Claudia. Delving into where Isabelle had probably set herself up seemed like a bad idea, but maybe she and her anthill of bugs had moved on and it'd be a simple in and out.
((Stephen Sanders continued in Right Red Hand))
Or maybe Stephen was just looking too much into sharing his water with someone.
Either way, he mumbled a "No problem" and followed behind Claudia. Delving into where Isabelle had probably set herself up seemed like a bad idea, but maybe she and her anthill of bugs had moved on and it'd be a simple in and out.
((Stephen Sanders continued in Right Red Hand))