She should have shut up. She knew that she really should have shut up. That boy was deranged and he had a gun, she was no match for him and she knew it. But she wouldn’t shut up.
All her life, she’d been too loud, too opinionated, and so many people had told her to shut up. But she would no longer shut up when something was important to her. So she continued to be loud and opinionated, and she tried not to care what people thought of her. Most of the time, she was proud of that. She didn’t know that it would get her killed someday.
Drea barely had time to process what was happening as Ray shouted at her, as he pointed his gun at her, as he pulled the trigger.
Drea’s head burst open and splattered the wall behind her, before her body crumpled to the ground as a new glitch hit the room, causing gravity to right itself.
Andrea "Drea" Patson - DECEASED
Border Zone
Moderator: SOTF: Cyber Staff
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
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EllisWilson
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:51 pm
Ray had his ears filled fit to bursting by the sound of his own gunshot, which helped force his attention fully on Drea, and on the viscous red spew that came out of the back of her head. There was a short space— half a second— where Ray could truly appreciate what he had just done, the life he had snuffed out, all the dreams of the future he had cut short.
For half of a second.
Then he started falling.
He fell from around the middle of the holographic globe beside him directly to the floor, his finger squeezing The Klobbs trigger all the way down until, feet first, he landed, falling backward further as his ankle rolled under him. The gun flew out his hand but he was to busy banging his head on the ground to notice.
He laid there, groaning.
For half of a second.
Then he started falling.
He fell from around the middle of the holographic globe beside him directly to the floor, his finger squeezing The Klobbs trigger all the way down until, feet first, he landed, falling backward further as his ankle rolled under him. The gun flew out his hand but he was to busy banging his head on the ground to notice.
He laid there, groaning.
The impact of the gravity disappearing sent jolts of pain through Jill's legs which made her knee lock up and give up. After her right knee twisted inward, Jill fell to her left side with the pain appearing in her vision as a thousand of small dots, eclipsed by the vision of the dead Drea. With the air knocked out of her body, Gillian could only gasp in response of the sudden violence having destroyed another life.
She had seen two people die today, and she survived another couple of hours, she would have see one of them again. Gillian was glad she wasn't holding the grenades because she needed her hands to crawl to her hiding spot: a row of seats that, in the darkness, would be perfect cover from the possible more shots from the people who she thought would protect her.
With a couple of gasps that sounded like a prayer, Gillian hid and hoped that Drea, wherever she was, would forgive her for the crime of doing nothing.
She had seen two people die today, and she survived another couple of hours, she would have see one of them again. Gillian was glad she wasn't holding the grenades because she needed her hands to crawl to her hiding spot: a row of seats that, in the darkness, would be perfect cover from the possible more shots from the people who she thought would protect her.
With a couple of gasps that sounded like a prayer, Gillian hid and hoped that Drea, wherever she was, would forgive her for the crime of doing nothing.
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MonteCristo
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2023 4:12 am
Ripley would have been too horrified to react had gravity not thrust him into action. Though not as high up in the air as Ray and Andrea had been, Ripley was still far from the floor, far enough that he had time to realize he was falling. Quickly, he spread himself out and tucked his head in, trying to minimize his injuries.
But he still felt pain erupt from his shoulders and surge through his back as he hit the ground. Ripley couldn’t move from the floor, held in place by a binding, blinding pain. But though his body stalled, his mind raced, reminding him of the situation at hand.
Andrea- Andrea was dead. She died conversely to Sunny; instead of caving in on itself, her head had exploded on the wall behind her. She’d been murdered, just like Sunny; her killer had been dumped somewhere on the floor in front of her.
Ray shot her. He knew she’d die, but he still shot her—or maybe that was why he shot her. That meant he’d shoot everyone else as well. Get Jill, Jon, and Ripley out of the way while he could. Or maybe he’d just use one of the two grenades Ripley had given him back when Ripley was stupid enough to trust the first person he’d met. But Ray would probably prefer to use his gun, which had skidded from his hands, lying just out of his reach-
The gun lay out of reach. Ray dropped it.
Ripley scrambled to his feet, defying the pangs telling him to give in to gravity. He bolted, then stumbled, then forced his legs towards the gun. Then, he lunged at it, determined to keep it away from Ray.
But he still felt pain erupt from his shoulders and surge through his back as he hit the ground. Ripley couldn’t move from the floor, held in place by a binding, blinding pain. But though his body stalled, his mind raced, reminding him of the situation at hand.
Andrea- Andrea was dead. She died conversely to Sunny; instead of caving in on itself, her head had exploded on the wall behind her. She’d been murdered, just like Sunny; her killer had been dumped somewhere on the floor in front of her.
Ray shot her. He knew she’d die, but he still shot her—or maybe that was why he shot her. That meant he’d shoot everyone else as well. Get Jill, Jon, and Ripley out of the way while he could. Or maybe he’d just use one of the two grenades Ripley had given him back when Ripley was stupid enough to trust the first person he’d met. But Ray would probably prefer to use his gun, which had skidded from his hands, lying just out of his reach-
The gun lay out of reach. Ray dropped it.
Ripley scrambled to his feet, defying the pangs telling him to give in to gravity. He bolted, then stumbled, then forced his legs towards the gun. Then, he lunged at it, determined to keep it away from Ray.
When gravity returned, the good news was that Jon's gloved hand was still magnetised to the guard rail. The bad news was that Jon's gloves hand was still magnetised to the guard rail.
That and the Andrea just got shot dead thing. And the shooter still being right there. And the gun. And the not actually CR thing.
The flurry of thoughts was flying through Jon's head. A great distraction, cause otherwise he'd be focusing on the fact he was hanging some considerable ways off the ground, shoulder twisted at a godawful angle.
Below, Ray sprawled and Ripley crawled, all too close and all too far away.
Jon tried not to look at the long smear of Andrea's blood streaking its way down the wall. He was trying not to do a lot of things and not succeeding at not doing them. Classic Jon.
That and the Andrea just got shot dead thing. And the shooter still being right there. And the gun. And the not actually CR thing.
The flurry of thoughts was flying through Jon's head. A great distraction, cause otherwise he'd be focusing on the fact he was hanging some considerable ways off the ground, shoulder twisted at a godawful angle.
Below, Ray sprawled and Ripley crawled, all too close and all too far away.
Jon tried not to look at the long smear of Andrea's blood streaking its way down the wall. He was trying not to do a lot of things and not succeeding at not doing them. Classic Jon.
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EllisWilson
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:51 pm
Rays movements were lethargic, his thoughts more so. He rolled over on his side, trying to blink away this double vision. Why did that happen? What was happening now? He placed a hand on the back of his head, feeling no wetness but wincing as a stabbing pain shot through his skull.
“Fuckin’… ugh…”
He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Why was this guy moving like his legs didn’t work? What were they-
“Wha- hey!”
He’s going for the gun. Of course he’s going for the fucking gun!
Ray rolled onto all fours and tried to push himself up, only to collapse forward with a sudden, sharp yell from the jolt of pain gripping his ankle.
“Goddamnit! Fuck! FUCK!”
“Fuckin’… ugh…”
He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Why was this guy moving like his legs didn’t work? What were they-
“Wha- hey!”
He’s going for the gun. Of course he’s going for the fucking gun!
Ray rolled onto all fours and tried to push himself up, only to collapse forward with a sudden, sharp yell from the jolt of pain gripping his ankle.
“Goddamnit! Fuck! FUCK!”
Gillian heard someone yelled out curses, but no signs of bullets being fired again. Jill knew she needed to get out of her because, well, this space was finite, really. If she stayed hidden here, it would take a matter of minutes, or even seconds, before she'd be found out. As she heard more yelps of pain and gasps of desperation, Gillian knew she needed to act.
She started to crawl, first slowly, and then quickly, making her profile as small as possible. She was lucky, the exit had been right there and she didn't want to be involved with them. She knew she couldn't deal with them without her weapons and with this digitalized body that was inches smaller than her real one. Her quick crawl turned on her going on all four, feeling a sharp pain in her right knee. Like a child mimicking a dog, Jill skittered her way toward the exit, hoping that nobody would bother looking at her.
Andrea was dead, she didn't want to be next, and so she hoped nobody could blame her for running.
She started to crawl, first slowly, and then quickly, making her profile as small as possible. She was lucky, the exit had been right there and she didn't want to be involved with them. She knew she couldn't deal with them without her weapons and with this digitalized body that was inches smaller than her real one. Her quick crawl turned on her going on all four, feeling a sharp pain in her right knee. Like a child mimicking a dog, Jill skittered her way toward the exit, hoping that nobody would bother looking at her.
Andrea was dead, she didn't want to be next, and so she hoped nobody could blame her for running.
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MonteCristo
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2023 4:12 am
Honestly, Ripley didn’t think he could make it. His legs ached, his pace staggered, and he had no weapon to defend himself if he failed—he’d dropped his axe sometime between his fall and his mad dash for the gun. His mind had now caught up with his body, which had run so brazenly, and Ripley realized how close he was to Ray—how close he was to death.
As he dived, Ripley saw Ray begin to get up, and his heart stopped. Why didn’t he escape when he had the chance? Why didn’t he just leave the others behind? Why was he risking his life over a weapon? What the hell was Ripley thinking, going up against someone like Ray? He wasn’t as-
Somehow, Ripley reached the gun.
-as what, exactly? Reckless? Irrational? Selfish? Willing to kill his classmates?
Ripley slammed into the ground, clutching the gun since his life depended on it. Immediately, he rose and checked his surroundings. He glanced at Jill; she was already running to safety. He glanced at Jon; he was hanging from one of the railings above. He glanced at his axe; it had skidded a few feet toward the exit from where Ripley had crashed.
Ripley wanted to get away from Ray as soon as possible. But it wouldn’t have been right. Jill was thankfully not in danger, but Jon was stuck in the air, trapped in the planetarium with a murderer. So long as Ray was around, Jon’s life was at risk.
And so long as Ray was around, Ripley’s life was at risk. In this place, where everyone was fighting to survive, where former classmates turned on each other, where people like Daniel walked with their heads high while people like Sunny got theirs beaten in, there was only one choice Ripley could make. Ripley lifted the gun and pointed it at Ray’s head.
He pulled the trigger and fired-
Reckless.
He pulled the trigger-
Irrational.
He pulled-
Selfish.
He pulled himself back. That was all he would do. He wasn’t like Ray, or Daniel, or whoever else was weak enough to cave in and kill so mindlessly. Ripley didn’t know what other choice he had, but he knew he couldn’t take the one Zeph was offering.
“Don’t move!” Ripley threatened, keeping his gun aimed at Ray, “Don’t you dare hurt anyone else! Stay the hell away from Jill and Jon!” He backed further away, moving out of Ray’s reach. "Stay the hell away from me!"
Ripley continued shouting, eyes still focused on Ray, “Hey, Jon! Can you get down by yourself? I don’t think I’ve got anything that could help.”
As he dived, Ripley saw Ray begin to get up, and his heart stopped. Why didn’t he escape when he had the chance? Why didn’t he just leave the others behind? Why was he risking his life over a weapon? What the hell was Ripley thinking, going up against someone like Ray? He wasn’t as-
Somehow, Ripley reached the gun.
-as what, exactly? Reckless? Irrational? Selfish? Willing to kill his classmates?
Ripley slammed into the ground, clutching the gun since his life depended on it. Immediately, he rose and checked his surroundings. He glanced at Jill; she was already running to safety. He glanced at Jon; he was hanging from one of the railings above. He glanced at his axe; it had skidded a few feet toward the exit from where Ripley had crashed.
Ripley wanted to get away from Ray as soon as possible. But it wouldn’t have been right. Jill was thankfully not in danger, but Jon was stuck in the air, trapped in the planetarium with a murderer. So long as Ray was around, Jon’s life was at risk.
And so long as Ray was around, Ripley’s life was at risk. In this place, where everyone was fighting to survive, where former classmates turned on each other, where people like Daniel walked with their heads high while people like Sunny got theirs beaten in, there was only one choice Ripley could make. Ripley lifted the gun and pointed it at Ray’s head.
He pulled the trigger and fired-
Reckless.
He pulled the trigger-
Irrational.
He pulled-
Selfish.
He pulled himself back. That was all he would do. He wasn’t like Ray, or Daniel, or whoever else was weak enough to cave in and kill so mindlessly. Ripley didn’t know what other choice he had, but he knew he couldn’t take the one Zeph was offering.
“Don’t move!” Ripley threatened, keeping his gun aimed at Ray, “Don’t you dare hurt anyone else! Stay the hell away from Jill and Jon!” He backed further away, moving out of Ray’s reach. "Stay the hell away from me!"
Ripley continued shouting, eyes still focused on Ray, “Hey, Jon! Can you get down by yourself? I don’t think I’ve got anything that could help.”
Nah gonna be real, Jon was completely a-okay with being up here away from that, twisted shoulder and all.
"...all good up here!"
He was some ways from good but who was keeping score.
(Jon, Jon was keeping score)
"...all good up here!"
He was some ways from good but who was keeping score.
(Jon, Jon was keeping score)
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EllisWilson
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:51 pm
Ray had been too preoccupied by the feeling of his ankle bones grinding together to go for the gun. He didn’t have to be a genius to know what broken looked like, but it was still unreal to him.
He’d never broken a bone in his life. He had no frame of reference but he still knew on an instinctual level that this dry grinding of nerves was how it would feel outside the game. The sensation this brought to his mind was… fucking bad, for lack of a better term.
Almost as bad as when he looked up. When he saw up the barrel of that gun. He threw a hand up, palm out, trying to hide from it. Pretending it wasn’t there even if he couldn’t fathom that anything else was.
Ripley was yelling but the words slid over his brain seamlessly. Higher thought left him as he struggled for words.
“Rip.. I, uh…. Uh we uh we can… Rip, just… I… don’t…”
He’d never broken a bone in his life. He had no frame of reference but he still knew on an instinctual level that this dry grinding of nerves was how it would feel outside the game. The sensation this brought to his mind was… fucking bad, for lack of a better term.
Almost as bad as when he looked up. When he saw up the barrel of that gun. He threw a hand up, palm out, trying to hide from it. Pretending it wasn’t there even if he couldn’t fathom that anything else was.
Ripley was yelling but the words slid over his brain seamlessly. Higher thought left him as he struggled for words.
“Rip.. I, uh…. Uh we uh we can… Rip, just… I… don’t…”
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MonteCristo
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2023 4:12 am
Jon didn’t seem like he was coming down anytime soon. If he wanted to stay up there, that was fine—that just meant Ray would have to go.
Ripley looked back at the boy on the floor and noticed just how miserable he looked. Hand held in front of his face, putting up a useless shield against Ripley’s weapon. Mouth struggling to stammer out a plea for mercy. Legs not working, keeping him pinned to the floor—did he hurt himself when he fell? Ray was scared and possibly injured; it felt wrong for Ripley to hold him at gunpoint so heartlessly.
Ripley had to remind himself that this was the guy who blew Andrea’s head apart mere moments ago, the one who would’ve killed everyone else had Ripley not intervened. Ripley glared at Ray, remembering Andrea’s death, using it as fuel for the words to come.
“Shut up!” Ripley barked, “You shut up and listen to me! Get out of here! Don’t lay a hand on any of us ever again! And don’t even think about killing anyone else! If you do- If I ever hear Zeph say your name a second time during any of his announcements, I’ll-” He shifted the gun in his hands pointedly, nearly choking as he said, “I’ll kill you.”
Ripley swallowed, holding back a storm of disgust and shame. “Now get up. Don’t make me chase you out myself.”
Ripley looked back at the boy on the floor and noticed just how miserable he looked. Hand held in front of his face, putting up a useless shield against Ripley’s weapon. Mouth struggling to stammer out a plea for mercy. Legs not working, keeping him pinned to the floor—did he hurt himself when he fell? Ray was scared and possibly injured; it felt wrong for Ripley to hold him at gunpoint so heartlessly.
Ripley had to remind himself that this was the guy who blew Andrea’s head apart mere moments ago, the one who would’ve killed everyone else had Ripley not intervened. Ripley glared at Ray, remembering Andrea’s death, using it as fuel for the words to come.
“Shut up!” Ripley barked, “You shut up and listen to me! Get out of here! Don’t lay a hand on any of us ever again! And don’t even think about killing anyone else! If you do- If I ever hear Zeph say your name a second time during any of his announcements, I’ll-” He shifted the gun in his hands pointedly, nearly choking as he said, “I’ll kill you.”
Ripley swallowed, holding back a storm of disgust and shame. “Now get up. Don’t make me chase you out myself.”
As everything happened, she didn’t listen. She just didn’t want to be next.
And so, she ran with a wobbly ran.
And so, she ran with a wobbly ran.
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EllisWilson
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:51 pm
Ray flinched under Ripley’s rising voice. It felt like his veins were tightening around his skull as orders were shouted down at him. Fear. That’s what made him listen now, why his pride was allowing this, and why he tried to stand up and run on an ankle that ground against itself so that he splayed out on his front again, a shrill yelp let loose as his eyes welled up.
Don’t make me chase you out myself!
Ray planted his hands and sprung forward like an injured animal; three limbs propelling him toward the exit with his loose, limp foot trailing behind like a tail. As he scurried out with his teeth grit against the pain of his injury, one thought cycled through his brain:
They’re all going to die.
He won’t.
((Ray Sullivan Continued in Don’t break anyone’s heart, they have only one. Break their bones, they have 206 ))
Don’t make me chase you out myself!
Ray planted his hands and sprung forward like an injured animal; three limbs propelling him toward the exit with his loose, limp foot trailing behind like a tail. As he scurried out with his teeth grit against the pain of his injury, one thought cycled through his brain:
They’re all going to die.
He won’t.
((Ray Sullivan Continued in Don’t break anyone’s heart, they have only one. Break their bones, they have 206 ))
No more killing.
But seeing Ray scuttle out like that, seeing Gillian flee. Seeing Ripley's frothing anger.
It rattled Jon, rattled him far worse than he would care to admit. An optimist would want and hope for things to be okay from here, but he wasn't one. So, well, so much for that.
...His arm was getting to be real painful at this point.
Well. Time to scramble his ass down the wall like the world's shittiest spiderman.
Spiderman made it look much easier.
When he eventually touched his way back onto solid ground, Jon sideeyed Ripley. Paused. Pointed vaguely at the exit.
"Uh so. I'm gonna just..." he shuffled his way over there. "...Yeah. Uh. Bye."
((jon continued elsewhere))
But seeing Ray scuttle out like that, seeing Gillian flee. Seeing Ripley's frothing anger.
It rattled Jon, rattled him far worse than he would care to admit. An optimist would want and hope for things to be okay from here, but he wasn't one. So, well, so much for that.
...His arm was getting to be real painful at this point.
Well. Time to scramble his ass down the wall like the world's shittiest spiderman.
Spiderman made it look much easier.
When he eventually touched his way back onto solid ground, Jon sideeyed Ripley. Paused. Pointed vaguely at the exit.
"Uh so. I'm gonna just..." he shuffled his way over there. "...Yeah. Uh. Bye."
((jon continued elsewhere))
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MonteCristo
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2023 4:12 am
Jill ran out.
Ray, faced with the possibility of death, scurried away.
Jon, unbelievably enough, began climbing down the walls. Then, after an awkward goodbye, he left as well.
Andrea- Andrea was gone.
Only Ripley remained.
There was no one else. No screaming. No shooting. No dying. The planetarium was quiet. Its silence was broken only by the soft clacks of a gun being lowered onto the ground and a long, weak sigh.
He sat against the railing for a few minutes. Alternated between holding his head in his hands, looking at his new weapon, and wondering what was next.
Eventually, he understood that he couldn't understand anything. He could only think about the thoughts he didn't have. Sitting down and letting his mind run in circles trying to decide what to do—that got him nowhere. And in a situation where people moved, killed, and died with every passing minute, he couldn’t afford to stay still.
He took up the gun, went back for his axe, and checked his grenades: two flashbangs, three regular ones, five total.
He hoped he wouldn’t have to use any of them.
He hoped he wouldn’t have to see another dead body.
He hoped he could find something different. Someone different.
((Ripley continued in Look At You, Hacker.))
Ray, faced with the possibility of death, scurried away.
Jon, unbelievably enough, began climbing down the walls. Then, after an awkward goodbye, he left as well.
Andrea- Andrea was gone.
Only Ripley remained.
There was no one else. No screaming. No shooting. No dying. The planetarium was quiet. Its silence was broken only by the soft clacks of a gun being lowered onto the ground and a long, weak sigh.
He sat against the railing for a few minutes. Alternated between holding his head in his hands, looking at his new weapon, and wondering what was next.
Eventually, he understood that he couldn't understand anything. He could only think about the thoughts he didn't have. Sitting down and letting his mind run in circles trying to decide what to do—that got him nowhere. And in a situation where people moved, killed, and died with every passing minute, he couldn’t afford to stay still.
He took up the gun, went back for his axe, and checked his grenades: two flashbangs, three regular ones, five total.
He hoped he wouldn’t have to use any of them.
He hoped he wouldn’t have to see another dead body.
He hoped he could find something different. Someone different.
((Ripley continued in Look At You, Hacker.))