Shoshanna's Hail Mary sprint didn't go as well as she had hoped. Of course, in her attempt to dart from the piano to Rhonda and maybe to the exit, she had put herself in the open. She could hope that Rhonda's coverage would deter Seo-yun from shooting. That there would be enough time to bail.
Unfortunately, Seo-yun was a confirmed murderous bastard, and had returned fire.
Shoshanna was so close to Rhonda, but she suddenly felt the stinging pain in the side of her torso that came after Seo-yun's loud bang. She cried out and tripped over herself. She was near one of the tables and fell forward. She dropped the now-useless flare gun and slammed her body into the edge, tipping the table towards herself and sending all the tableware crashing to the floor along with her body.
Shoshanna cried out in pain as she crashed to the floor, having landed on some broken china and glass. She looked down at her shirt, the rich blue color now stained with a large red spot.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she quietly muttered to herself.
This was the kind of injury that ended a game. She knew that very well. She had some cover from knocking the table over, but how long would that last? How long would she last?
Shoshanna tried to sit herself upright, wincing as she accidentally put her hand on some broken glass. She gritted her teeth and looked around. Rhonda was still some distance from her, and Seo-yun had to be getting closer to them if she really was the Terminator of Mangrove High.
If these were to be Shoshanna's final moments, she had to make the most of them. She had to ensure the escape plan could continue even if she wouldn't see it fulfilled.
"Rhonda!" she cried. "Get to the exit now!"
If I ever acquire wisdom, I suppose I'll be wise enough to know what to do with it
Open, shortly after Fourth Announcement (Content Warning: Eye Trauma/Damage)
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
The gunfire and screaming all around set the perfect backdrop to Mandy's personal hell. It was hard to say which of the cries were hers and which belonged to others. She had no idea what was happening. She hadn't been shot yet, and that was all she knew.
The rough, dense carpet pulled at the palms of her hands, at her bare shoulders, at the heels of her shoes. She was tangled up in a tablecloth, which wrapped around her legs and stopped her from moving them freely. She would've kicked it away if she had more presence of mind, but all she could think about was the growing heat, the burning backpack and her burning hair and how very badly she wanted this to not be happening.
Mandy made quick, jerky, uncoordinated motions, slamming her back and sides into the ground again and again, not making full rotations so much as rocking back and forth like a capsized turtle as she tried to work her way loose, clawing at the straps of the backpack. She'd been worried that she might drop it by mistake if things got chaotic, and now she was the victim of her own preparation, the straps tight and snug, binding her to it. This would've taken two seconds if she could slow down and focus and think, but she couldn't because she could smell her hair burning, and she didn't want to think about how she'd smell if she was properly cooking alive.
Once, when she was twelve, she'd taken a pot of water off the stove to make tea, and then a couple minutes later she'd gotten fidgety while waiting for it to get cool enough to drink and had set her hands on top of the stove to push herself up to look at something, she couldn't even remember what, and the burner had still been real hot and had made big blisters against her left palm, and it was probably the most anything had hurt in her life. If she didn't get loose, this was going to be like that except all of her, and then she'd die.
Finally, her right arm came partway free, the strap slipping down to her elbow, and that was all it took for her to pull her limb the rest of the way out and then swing herself around and pitch the pack away from her. She meant to hurl it with all her might, but actually it only flopped about three feet, and she saw the flames climbing one side of the bag and saw whatever had hit her still burning a dozen or so feet further back, brilliant and incandescent.
Then everything faded besides the texture of grainy carpet against her cheek as she rolled herself further away, swatting at her hair as she did, kicking one foot loose from the tablecloth, still crying and whimpering.
The rough, dense carpet pulled at the palms of her hands, at her bare shoulders, at the heels of her shoes. She was tangled up in a tablecloth, which wrapped around her legs and stopped her from moving them freely. She would've kicked it away if she had more presence of mind, but all she could think about was the growing heat, the burning backpack and her burning hair and how very badly she wanted this to not be happening.
Mandy made quick, jerky, uncoordinated motions, slamming her back and sides into the ground again and again, not making full rotations so much as rocking back and forth like a capsized turtle as she tried to work her way loose, clawing at the straps of the backpack. She'd been worried that she might drop it by mistake if things got chaotic, and now she was the victim of her own preparation, the straps tight and snug, binding her to it. This would've taken two seconds if she could slow down and focus and think, but she couldn't because she could smell her hair burning, and she didn't want to think about how she'd smell if she was properly cooking alive.
Once, when she was twelve, she'd taken a pot of water off the stove to make tea, and then a couple minutes later she'd gotten fidgety while waiting for it to get cool enough to drink and had set her hands on top of the stove to push herself up to look at something, she couldn't even remember what, and the burner had still been real hot and had made big blisters against her left palm, and it was probably the most anything had hurt in her life. If she didn't get loose, this was going to be like that except all of her, and then she'd die.
Finally, her right arm came partway free, the strap slipping down to her elbow, and that was all it took for her to pull her limb the rest of the way out and then swing herself around and pitch the pack away from her. She meant to hurl it with all her might, but actually it only flopped about three feet, and she saw the flames climbing one side of the bag and saw whatever had hit her still burning a dozen or so feet further back, brilliant and incandescent.
Then everything faded besides the texture of grainy carpet against her cheek as she rolled herself further away, swatting at her hair as she did, kicking one foot loose from the tablecloth, still crying and whimpering.
Once she had safely landed behind the chairs, Rhonda crouched and turned around to look back at Sho, who was following behind. She gritted her teeth in anticipation. They were closer to the door, and with Mandy still temporarily incapacitated, they had a real shot to make a break for it as long as they could keep Seo-yun from landing a shot on them. She was able to see Sho stow away the piano wire, which brightened her mood enough to grin. They had it. They could make another shot at escaping.
But then another shot came from Seo-yun, and that was accompanied by Sho pitching forward, falling to the ground and taking a table full of silverware with her. Rhonda screamed her name as she went down, and it was no mystery what had happened. Shoshanna was still a few feet away, and she was hurt bad.
Rhonda exhaled raggedly as she stared at her friend on the ground. Her hopes had been raised only to immediately get slapped back down to earth once again. Her hands trembled as Sho commanded her to run, and Rhonda couldn't afford to disobey.
But that wasn't all that Rhonda had to do. Seeing Sho go down made her anger start bubbling up. Ever since she arrived, she'd been watching people die. First Xander after they got ambushed by Giselle, then Marion after some anonymous asshole shot her. And now Sho, who took the lead of their escape attempt after Marion's death, shot by the resident serial killer. Rhonda was sick of watching everyone she worked with getting killed. Furious, she followed her instincts and moved from her position.
As she rose and started to run for the door, she looked back with fire in her eyes and fired another shot at Seo-yun, then picking up speed immediately afterward and charged to the exit. She pivoted around the doorframe and pressing her back against the wall, out of the assailants' line of sight. She reached into her pocket and loaded a couple more shells into her gun, hoping that she had given Shoshanna enough of an opening to get out of there.
But then another shot came from Seo-yun, and that was accompanied by Sho pitching forward, falling to the ground and taking a table full of silverware with her. Rhonda screamed her name as she went down, and it was no mystery what had happened. Shoshanna was still a few feet away, and she was hurt bad.
Rhonda exhaled raggedly as she stared at her friend on the ground. Her hopes had been raised only to immediately get slapped back down to earth once again. Her hands trembled as Sho commanded her to run, and Rhonda couldn't afford to disobey.
But that wasn't all that Rhonda had to do. Seeing Sho go down made her anger start bubbling up. Ever since she arrived, she'd been watching people die. First Xander after they got ambushed by Giselle, then Marion after some anonymous asshole shot her. And now Sho, who took the lead of their escape attempt after Marion's death, shot by the resident serial killer. Rhonda was sick of watching everyone she worked with getting killed. Furious, she followed her instincts and moved from her position.
As she rose and started to run for the door, she looked back with fire in her eyes and fired another shot at Seo-yun, then picking up speed immediately afterward and charged to the exit. She pivoted around the doorframe and pressing her back against the wall, out of the assailants' line of sight. She reached into her pocket and loaded a couple more shells into her gun, hoping that she had given Shoshanna enough of an opening to get out of there.
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
Seo-yun barely had time to congratulate herself as the shot hit Shoshanna before she ducked back behind her makeshift cover, her mind racing. Another crack rang out before she could recenter herself, the table splintering where the shot pierced it, wooden shavings flying into Seo-yun's face. She couldn't help but yelp in surprise, despite being unharmed. She supposed these tables didn't make for as good cover as she thought they did. A tough lesson to learn when she was trying to avoid becoming mincemeat, but lesson learned nonetheless.
Though what was really troubling wasn't the shoddy make of these dining tables, but rather the fact that it didn't seem like Rhonda was about to let this go. As much as it pained her to have to kill a teammate, she had to admit she didn't actually care about them in the slightest. She was trying to help Mandy win with the rest of the Sirens anyway, so Rhonda had to die one way or another, and Seo-yun was obviously not afraid to get her hands dirty at this point. Maybe it would even cement her heel status to the audience, as little as that still mattered.
Seo-yun dove back into the fray as soon as she was recovered, doing her best to ignore Mandy's flailing and crying that did, admittedly, make her feel the slightest pang of sympathy. Mandy would be fine, though, especially if everyone else in the room was dead, and that was what Seo-yun was best at accomplishing.
Her boots thundered beneath her as she tore towards the exit that she thought she saw Rhonda nearest to before she lost sight. She hadn't seen where Shoshanna went, but that hardly mattered. A soon-to-be-dead girl that had wasted her shot not going after the real threat wasn't a priority worth thinking about. Much more important was giving Rhonda a one-way express ticket to the afterlife.
Though, just as she was thinking that, she heard a clatter coming from her side.
Though what was really troubling wasn't the shoddy make of these dining tables, but rather the fact that it didn't seem like Rhonda was about to let this go. As much as it pained her to have to kill a teammate, she had to admit she didn't actually care about them in the slightest. She was trying to help Mandy win with the rest of the Sirens anyway, so Rhonda had to die one way or another, and Seo-yun was obviously not afraid to get her hands dirty at this point. Maybe it would even cement her heel status to the audience, as little as that still mattered.
Seo-yun dove back into the fray as soon as she was recovered, doing her best to ignore Mandy's flailing and crying that did, admittedly, make her feel the slightest pang of sympathy. Mandy would be fine, though, especially if everyone else in the room was dead, and that was what Seo-yun was best at accomplishing.
Her boots thundered beneath her as she tore towards the exit that she thought she saw Rhonda nearest to before she lost sight. She hadn't seen where Shoshanna went, but that hardly mattered. A soon-to-be-dead girl that had wasted her shot not going after the real threat wasn't a priority worth thinking about. Much more important was giving Rhonda a one-way express ticket to the afterlife.
Though, just as she was thinking that, she heard a clatter coming from her side.
Shoshanna winced as she held her hand to wound. This was a real shit show. Rhonda had managed to get to the exit, so now Shoshanna had to hurry over there. She adjusted the bags she had. She still had her supplies and notes in there, and no matter what happened, she had to pass them along to Rhonda and anyone else she came across. She failed one major sprint, and she was sure she could muster enough for a second.
But that's when she heard the running. She peered out from behind the table and saw Seo-yun was running over towards Rhonda. Rhonda was busy loading the gun, leaving her open. Shoshanna couldn't permit Seo-yun's desire to harm Rhonda. They had to get out of here.
Shoshanna moved her hand over on the ground and felt something metallic. It was a fork. The flare gun was too far from her, and Shoshanna didn't have much else to use. So with that, she quickly adjusted the beret on her head with her bloody hand, grabbed the fork, and pushed off the ground.
Shoshanna whipped around the table, seeing the murderous bitch before her. Shoshanna let out a scream, moved the fork back, and jammed it forward into Seo-yun's face. She felt it connect with the girl's eye, so she pushed forward, shoving Seo-yun back and the fork deeper into her.
"Remember this!" Shoshanna screamed as she jammed the fork deeper. "Remember this, you fucking cow!"
If Shoshanna was going to be another person towards Seo-yun's count, she had to leave a permanent impression on her. That's why she dug deeper.
But that's when she heard the running. She peered out from behind the table and saw Seo-yun was running over towards Rhonda. Rhonda was busy loading the gun, leaving her open. Shoshanna couldn't permit Seo-yun's desire to harm Rhonda. They had to get out of here.
Shoshanna moved her hand over on the ground and felt something metallic. It was a fork. The flare gun was too far from her, and Shoshanna didn't have much else to use. So with that, she quickly adjusted the beret on her head with her bloody hand, grabbed the fork, and pushed off the ground.
Shoshanna whipped around the table, seeing the murderous bitch before her. Shoshanna let out a scream, moved the fork back, and jammed it forward into Seo-yun's face. She felt it connect with the girl's eye, so she pushed forward, shoving Seo-yun back and the fork deeper into her.
"Remember this!" Shoshanna screamed as she jammed the fork deeper. "Remember this, you fucking cow!"
If Shoshanna was going to be another person towards Seo-yun's count, she had to leave a permanent impression on her. That's why she dug deeper.
G014: Mayumi Tendou
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
There was pain.
First there had been a scramble, a flash of brown hair, and the glint of metal.
Then there was a thunk coming from inside her skull.
Then, finally, there was the pain.
Blinding, scorching, screeching pain that was so enormous that she felt a flash of fear in her heart that it might rip her very being in two. It rippled out from her left eye like a wave, overwhelming her mind with the clear and unassailable truth that something was very wrong that she couldn't focus or think about anything else.
The scream that tore itself out of Seo-yun's throat could curdle even the days old blood that soaked her hands.
It was only her finger squeezing around the trigger of her shotgun that finally snapped her back to reality, the rattling of her bones giving her something to focus on other than the mind-shattering agony.
She stumbled backwards, the hand that had destroyed her seemingly relinquishing its grip on the intruding object that her eyelid curled around. Perhaps her desperate, panicked shot had hit something, or perhaps the noise had scared them away. She didn't know either way, she couldn't see between the sudden darkness on her left and the tears clouding her vision anyway.
There was blood trickling down her left cheek, tickling the side of her face. An incoherent mix of swears and gibberish escaped her mouth as she stumbled, three-quarters blind, to the nearest object that she could make out in the blur. Her thoughts were occupied by nothing but the fact that she needed to run, that she needed to hide, that she needed desperately to get away from here. In her panic, nothing else mattered. She lost her balance, hitting the ground hard, but seemingly out of view of her assailant.
Her hand finally reached up to feel at what had been done to her, and when she felt the handle of the fork that was now sticking out of her eye and finally realized what had just happened, she let out another scream.
First there had been a scramble, a flash of brown hair, and the glint of metal.
Then there was a thunk coming from inside her skull.
Then, finally, there was the pain.
Blinding, scorching, screeching pain that was so enormous that she felt a flash of fear in her heart that it might rip her very being in two. It rippled out from her left eye like a wave, overwhelming her mind with the clear and unassailable truth that something was very wrong that she couldn't focus or think about anything else.
The scream that tore itself out of Seo-yun's throat could curdle even the days old blood that soaked her hands.
It was only her finger squeezing around the trigger of her shotgun that finally snapped her back to reality, the rattling of her bones giving her something to focus on other than the mind-shattering agony.
She stumbled backwards, the hand that had destroyed her seemingly relinquishing its grip on the intruding object that her eyelid curled around. Perhaps her desperate, panicked shot had hit something, or perhaps the noise had scared them away. She didn't know either way, she couldn't see between the sudden darkness on her left and the tears clouding her vision anyway.
There was blood trickling down her left cheek, tickling the side of her face. An incoherent mix of swears and gibberish escaped her mouth as she stumbled, three-quarters blind, to the nearest object that she could make out in the blur. Her thoughts were occupied by nothing but the fact that she needed to run, that she needed to hide, that she needed desperately to get away from here. In her panic, nothing else mattered. She lost her balance, hitting the ground hard, but seemingly out of view of her assailant.
Her hand finally reached up to feel at what had been done to her, and when she felt the handle of the fork that was now sticking out of her eye and finally realized what had just happened, she let out another scream.
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
Mandy had barely regained control of her senses when it happened. She was on all fours, still crying, but her hair was extinguished, even as the flames spread behind her, smoke rising towards the ceiling.
She'd messed up, but it didn't really matter. Her friend was there to fix things, again, routing Shoshanna and Rhonda, turning this venture into, if nothing else, at least a draw. Except then it all went wrong.
Mandy blinked and dragged her hand across her own eyes and tried to process. She saw Shoshanna, saw the glint of silver embedded where it shouldn't be, saw the figure who had been so strong and confident before, now stumbling away. Her throat was tight. She couldn't breathe, because she wasn't sure if she was watching someone die.
She still forced out a shout.
"Seo-yun!"
The gunfire from the shotgun was louder, more effectual than anything Mandy had to offer. Her eyes stung with smoke and tears and her hands shook so badly that she could see it despite everything else, but she still held the revolver and screamed again as she fired the remaining bullets in the direction of the other girls.
She didn't even come within a yard of hitting anything, but it was all she had to offer, all she could do.
She'd messed up, but it didn't really matter. Her friend was there to fix things, again, routing Shoshanna and Rhonda, turning this venture into, if nothing else, at least a draw. Except then it all went wrong.
Mandy blinked and dragged her hand across her own eyes and tried to process. She saw Shoshanna, saw the glint of silver embedded where it shouldn't be, saw the figure who had been so strong and confident before, now stumbling away. Her throat was tight. She couldn't breathe, because she wasn't sure if she was watching someone die.
She still forced out a shout.
"Seo-yun!"
The gunfire from the shotgun was louder, more effectual than anything Mandy had to offer. Her eyes stung with smoke and tears and her hands shook so badly that she could see it despite everything else, but she still held the revolver and screamed again as she fired the remaining bullets in the direction of the other girls.
She didn't even come within a yard of hitting anything, but it was all she had to offer, all she could do.
Shoshanna let go of the fork and let Seo-yun fall backwards. The other girl crashed to the ground after firing a random shot into the wall. Shoshanna watched as blood and eye goo dripped down her face as she screamed bloody murder. Shoshanna didn't have much time to revel in it, because Mandy seemed to have dealt with being set on fire and was now shooting wildly.
Shoshanna crouched, regretting it as it stirred up her chest wound. She put her hand back to the injury and bolted towards Rhonda.
"Okay, let's go!" she shouted.
She rushed past Rhonda and into the halls of the cruise ship. Shoshanna wasn't sure how much time she had left, but she and Rhonda needed to get somewhere safe. Seo-yun and Mandy were sufficiently fucked up by Shoshanna, but never count a bitch to fight back when backed against a wall. That was a takeaway Shoshanna had gained from years of watching.
And she was ready to show the world she could live up to that too.
((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued elsewhere))
Shoshanna crouched, regretting it as it stirred up her chest wound. She put her hand back to the injury and bolted towards Rhonda.
"Okay, let's go!" she shouted.
She rushed past Rhonda and into the halls of the cruise ship. Shoshanna wasn't sure how much time she had left, but she and Rhonda needed to get somewhere safe. Seo-yun and Mandy were sufficiently fucked up by Shoshanna, but never count a bitch to fight back when backed against a wall. That was a takeaway Shoshanna had gained from years of watching.
And she was ready to show the world she could live up to that too.
((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued elsewhere))
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Rhonda got the shells in the chamber and slammed it shut, ready in case she needed to fire off another shot, a possibility that she couldn't deny considering how viciously Seo-yun had come into the room, and she was pretty sure that unless something major happened, that was going to stop. It was looking a lot like unless Rhonda could either hit something important with her next shot or outright kill her, Seo-yun's pursuit wouldn't be stopping soon. And considering Shoshanna's state now... Rhonda was pretty sure that she was going to have to bite the bullet and take that shot.
But before she could peek back around the corner to set up another shot, a piercing, horrific scream took hold of her ears, and for a few moments she could hear nothing else. It was so loud and primal that Rhonda couldn't pin down whose it was, and she worried that the worst case had already come to pass. She whipped around, but she didn't see Shoshanna's body. Instead, she saw her standing there as Seo-yun collapsed with an errant blast from her shotgun on the way down. She didn't see the reason for the scream or the fall, but she didn't have much time to take in the sight, because Mandy was spraying bullets wildly, forcing Rhonda to take refuge around the corner again.
Shoshanna rushed past her and commanded her to follow, which Rhonda unquestioningly did. They had precious little time to get away from Seo-yun and Mandy, and they had no reasonable option other than to make use of it.
(Rhonda Rollins continued elsewhere...)
But before she could peek back around the corner to set up another shot, a piercing, horrific scream took hold of her ears, and for a few moments she could hear nothing else. It was so loud and primal that Rhonda couldn't pin down whose it was, and she worried that the worst case had already come to pass. She whipped around, but she didn't see Shoshanna's body. Instead, she saw her standing there as Seo-yun collapsed with an errant blast from her shotgun on the way down. She didn't see the reason for the scream or the fall, but she didn't have much time to take in the sight, because Mandy was spraying bullets wildly, forcing Rhonda to take refuge around the corner again.
Shoshanna rushed past her and commanded her to follow, which Rhonda unquestioningly did. They had precious little time to get away from Seo-yun and Mandy, and they had no reasonable option other than to make use of it.
(Rhonda Rollins continued elsewhere...)
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
To say that everything hurt would be an understatement.
Seo-yun sat behind whatever upturned object she had taken shelter behind, whimpering and crying, begging for what had just happened to not be real. Trying to open her eyes was nearly impossible, between the pain, the water, and most importantly, all the blood that was dribbling down her cheek and staining her nice clean shirt.
She couldn't quite believe what had just happened had actually transpired. The agony that currently enveloped her made it impossible for her to think. Everything else she had experienced thus far, including losing her ear, seemed like child's play in comparison to this.
Not that any of that was important, now. What was important was not bleeding to death from a grievous wound. Except, she couldn't treat this by herself, just gently touching the damned thing poking out of her skull right now sent shivers and stabbing pain all through her body. She needed help. She needed-
"Mandy," she cried out, her voice wavering. "Help. I need help. Help me, please."
She struggled to free her backpack from behind her. She didn't know if Mandy would be able to treat this. She didn't know if she'd even survive this, but-
No.
Of course she would survive, because she was Seo-yun.
And a fucking fork wasn't going to kill her.
Seo-yun sat behind whatever upturned object she had taken shelter behind, whimpering and crying, begging for what had just happened to not be real. Trying to open her eyes was nearly impossible, between the pain, the water, and most importantly, all the blood that was dribbling down her cheek and staining her nice clean shirt.
She couldn't quite believe what had just happened had actually transpired. The agony that currently enveloped her made it impossible for her to think. Everything else she had experienced thus far, including losing her ear, seemed like child's play in comparison to this.
Not that any of that was important, now. What was important was not bleeding to death from a grievous wound. Except, she couldn't treat this by herself, just gently touching the damned thing poking out of her skull right now sent shivers and stabbing pain all through her body. She needed help. She needed-
"Mandy," she cried out, her voice wavering. "Help. I need help. Help me, please."
She struggled to free her backpack from behind her. She didn't know if Mandy would be able to treat this. She didn't know if she'd even survive this, but-
No.
Of course she would survive, because she was Seo-yun.
And a fucking fork wasn't going to kill her.
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
"I'm, I'm coming," Mandy called, before coughing.
This was all way too much. She patted at the ends of her hair, still faintly smoking, as she hurried towards her fallen friend in a lurching stagger, only realizing when she got there that her pack, and by extension everything inside including her first aid kit, was still burning on the floor behind her. A quick glance revealed that several patches of carpet were on fire, as was one of the tables. But that seemed distant and unimportant compared to the catastrophe in front of her.
The shiny silver handle of the fork glittered in the light from chandeliers and flames. It protruded straight from Seo-yun's eye socket, streaks of tears and blood and other fluid rolling down the girl's cheek beneath it. Mandy found that her hands were in front of her now, clasping and unclasping, her fingers tangling with each other even as that reminded her of the pain from the burns and bruises and scrapes she'd suffered. That all seemed superficial by comparison.
"I'm," she started, but she was stumbling over her words, rambling, "it's, I, Seo-yun, are you o—I mean, I, oh god."
Mandy was close enough to touch the other girl now, and she did reach out, but her hand did not make contact with her friend's arm, instead hovering uncertainly a couple inches away. Mandy's breaths were coming way too fast and shallow, and the edges of her vision were narrowing as if she was the one half-blinded.
"What do I do?" she whimpered. "I don't know what to do. What do I do?"
This was all way too much. She patted at the ends of her hair, still faintly smoking, as she hurried towards her fallen friend in a lurching stagger, only realizing when she got there that her pack, and by extension everything inside including her first aid kit, was still burning on the floor behind her. A quick glance revealed that several patches of carpet were on fire, as was one of the tables. But that seemed distant and unimportant compared to the catastrophe in front of her.
The shiny silver handle of the fork glittered in the light from chandeliers and flames. It protruded straight from Seo-yun's eye socket, streaks of tears and blood and other fluid rolling down the girl's cheek beneath it. Mandy found that her hands were in front of her now, clasping and unclasping, her fingers tangling with each other even as that reminded her of the pain from the burns and bruises and scrapes she'd suffered. That all seemed superficial by comparison.
"I'm," she started, but she was stumbling over her words, rambling, "it's, I, Seo-yun, are you o—I mean, I, oh god."
Mandy was close enough to touch the other girl now, and she did reach out, but her hand did not make contact with her friend's arm, instead hovering uncertainly a couple inches away. Mandy's breaths were coming way too fast and shallow, and the edges of her vision were narrowing as if she was the one half-blinded.
"What do I do?" she whimpered. "I don't know what to do. What do I do?"
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
Mandy would have to pull it out.
Oh no.
Seo-yun was well aware that pulling the weapon out of a stab wound would make the bleeding worse. Her parents were both doctors, and she couldn't help but pick up some medical knowledge over the years with them. Normally you'd want to leave it in until you got professional medical care, but that wasn't an option here. The best she could hope for was stuffing her eye socket with as much gauze as she could, bandaging it up, and praying it didn't get violently infected.
She could feel her heart hammering through her head at the thought. This wouldn't be pleasant, at all, but she would—she would be fine, surely. She took a long, hard breath. She would be fine.
"Put s-some gauze in my hand. Get out some b-bandages. Then, pull it out, c-carefully."
Her voice shook, her whole face burned. She'd need to act fast.
"H-Hurry. We have t-to go."
Oh no.
Seo-yun was well aware that pulling the weapon out of a stab wound would make the bleeding worse. Her parents were both doctors, and she couldn't help but pick up some medical knowledge over the years with them. Normally you'd want to leave it in until you got professional medical care, but that wasn't an option here. The best she could hope for was stuffing her eye socket with as much gauze as she could, bandaging it up, and praying it didn't get violently infected.
She could feel her heart hammering through her head at the thought. This wouldn't be pleasant, at all, but she would—she would be fine, surely. She took a long, hard breath. She would be fine.
"Put s-some gauze in my hand. Get out some b-bandages. Then, pull it out, c-carefully."
Her voice shook, her whole face burned. She'd need to act fast.
"H-Hurry. We have t-to go."
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
"Okay," Mandy said. "Okay. Okay."
She should've had more to offer. She should've at least done something to convey that she was listening and preparing to follow Seo-yun's directions, rather than freezing in terror and indecision. The problem was, it was taking all that she had to avoid doing just that, and proper articulation of her status was simply too much to ask.
Instead, she dug through her friend's first aid kit, haphazardly strewing objects besides those she needed around them. Bandages, gauze, one of those big absorbent pads—that was the right stuff, wasn't it? What about antiseptic liquid? Would they pour that onto Seo-yun's eye? Didn't those things usually say, very specifically, to keep them away from eyes? But then, that was true of forks too, wasn't it?
She was trying hard still not to think too much about what had happened, and definitely not to look. Her gaze just caught Seo-yun's cheek, the horrid trail of fluids running down it, and that was enough. Mandy pressed the big pad and the bandages and the roll of gauze into her friend's fingers, and she tried to calm herself down but she could feel her heart slamming in her ears and in her toes. Her nose was running and her eyes were watering and it wasn't just because of the smoke. She was wheezing, faintly, and that wasn't just the smoke either, and it also wasn't the pain, though now that her life was less immediately in peril the aches of high activity and the sting of burns were all becoming clear.
"Okay," Mandy said again. "Okay, I'm going to, to..."
Her hand came up, towards that once-perfect face. She didn't look at the spot where utensil entered skull. She didn't look at the lump of bandage a few inches away beneath which an ear no longer existed. She told herself it was just like pulling a spoon out of a carton of ice cream when you accidentally pushed it in too deep.
"Okay."
Mandy's fingers wrapped gently around the handle, and she turned her head entirely, looking at the wall where the girls had vanished, telling herself it was so if they came back at this vulnerable moment she could do something, even though there was nothing she could do. Seo-yun would have a better view of the process than she would, and that was all wrong, but there was nothing she could do about it.
"Okay."
As smoothly and gently as she could, Mandy pulled the fork free.
She should've had more to offer. She should've at least done something to convey that she was listening and preparing to follow Seo-yun's directions, rather than freezing in terror and indecision. The problem was, it was taking all that she had to avoid doing just that, and proper articulation of her status was simply too much to ask.
Instead, she dug through her friend's first aid kit, haphazardly strewing objects besides those she needed around them. Bandages, gauze, one of those big absorbent pads—that was the right stuff, wasn't it? What about antiseptic liquid? Would they pour that onto Seo-yun's eye? Didn't those things usually say, very specifically, to keep them away from eyes? But then, that was true of forks too, wasn't it?
She was trying hard still not to think too much about what had happened, and definitely not to look. Her gaze just caught Seo-yun's cheek, the horrid trail of fluids running down it, and that was enough. Mandy pressed the big pad and the bandages and the roll of gauze into her friend's fingers, and she tried to calm herself down but she could feel her heart slamming in her ears and in her toes. Her nose was running and her eyes were watering and it wasn't just because of the smoke. She was wheezing, faintly, and that wasn't just the smoke either, and it also wasn't the pain, though now that her life was less immediately in peril the aches of high activity and the sting of burns were all becoming clear.
"Okay," Mandy said again. "Okay, I'm going to, to..."
Her hand came up, towards that once-perfect face. She didn't look at the spot where utensil entered skull. She didn't look at the lump of bandage a few inches away beneath which an ear no longer existed. She told herself it was just like pulling a spoon out of a carton of ice cream when you accidentally pushed it in too deep.
"Okay."
Mandy's fingers wrapped gently around the handle, and she turned her head entirely, looking at the wall where the girls had vanished, telling herself it was so if they came back at this vulnerable moment she could do something, even though there was nothing she could do. Seo-yun would have a better view of the process than she would, and that was all wrong, but there was nothing she could do about it.
"Okay."
As smoothly and gently as she could, Mandy pulled the fork free.
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
Seo-yun's mother always liked to sew.
It was a hobby of hers that she did when she was home, utilizing the steady hand that she had developed over decades of being a pediatric surgeon. Seo-yun would often sit by her mom's side when she was a young child, mesmerized by how deftly and quickly her mother would turn a bundle of thread into something tangible and usable. When she watched her mother do this, she was often preoccupied by thoughts hoping that she would be that good at something, one day, and that someone would admire her in the same way she admired her mother.
Except one day, when Seo-yun was just six years old, her mother had lost one of her sewing needles. Her parents had been unable to find it, and had assumed it had been picked up by their robotic vacuum, and didn't let it trouble them further. Only, it hadn't been picked up by the vacuum, and instead had embedded itself in the carpet. It only took a few days for Seo-yun to find it, by accidentally stabbing it deep into her foot.
Alice had been home at that time, and she came running when she heard Seo-yun screaming and crying at the sudden pain. Not long after, Seo-yun found herself sitting in her caretaker's lap, having the needle carefully and cleanly pulled out of her foot. Despite all the care, it had hurt much more when it was pulled out than when it had been stabbed in, because she had been anticipating it.
This time around, the process was so, so much worse.
The noise that she let out when Mandy pulled the fork free was the most horrid one she had ever made, a mix of a screech and a violent coughing fit. She felt what was left of her eye getting tugged on from inside her skull, a sensation that she had never wanted to feel, never imagined she would feel, and one that she was unlikely to ever forget. She heard the wet, viscous noise that was made as the points were pulled free from her head, tasted the metal in her mouth. A surge of vomit tore its way up her throat and out of her mouth, staining her shirt and pants a sickly green.
In that moment, she almost lost sight of her goal, almost gave up right then and there and submitted to death. It was preferable to what she just felt.
Only she was still alive, and she wasn't giving up yet.
She powered through the pain, forcing the gauze into her eye socket, feeling whatever remained of her left eye squish up against the back of the cavity. She tried not to think too hard about what that meant.
"Wrap it up," she choked out, "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up-"
It was a hobby of hers that she did when she was home, utilizing the steady hand that she had developed over decades of being a pediatric surgeon. Seo-yun would often sit by her mom's side when she was a young child, mesmerized by how deftly and quickly her mother would turn a bundle of thread into something tangible and usable. When she watched her mother do this, she was often preoccupied by thoughts hoping that she would be that good at something, one day, and that someone would admire her in the same way she admired her mother.
Except one day, when Seo-yun was just six years old, her mother had lost one of her sewing needles. Her parents had been unable to find it, and had assumed it had been picked up by their robotic vacuum, and didn't let it trouble them further. Only, it hadn't been picked up by the vacuum, and instead had embedded itself in the carpet. It only took a few days for Seo-yun to find it, by accidentally stabbing it deep into her foot.
Alice had been home at that time, and she came running when she heard Seo-yun screaming and crying at the sudden pain. Not long after, Seo-yun found herself sitting in her caretaker's lap, having the needle carefully and cleanly pulled out of her foot. Despite all the care, it had hurt much more when it was pulled out than when it had been stabbed in, because she had been anticipating it.
This time around, the process was so, so much worse.
The noise that she let out when Mandy pulled the fork free was the most horrid one she had ever made, a mix of a screech and a violent coughing fit. She felt what was left of her eye getting tugged on from inside her skull, a sensation that she had never wanted to feel, never imagined she would feel, and one that she was unlikely to ever forget. She heard the wet, viscous noise that was made as the points were pulled free from her head, tasted the metal in her mouth. A surge of vomit tore its way up her throat and out of her mouth, staining her shirt and pants a sickly green.
In that moment, she almost lost sight of her goal, almost gave up right then and there and submitted to death. It was preferable to what she just felt.
Only she was still alive, and she wasn't giving up yet.
She powered through the pain, forcing the gauze into her eye socket, feeling whatever remained of her left eye squish up against the back of the cavity. She tried not to think too hard about what that meant.
"Wrap it up," she choked out, "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up-"
-
MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3450
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
It took far longer than it should've for Mandy to start moving again.
She'd just assumed, somehow, that her role was to pull the fork out and that was it. Why else would she have given Seo-yun all the medical stuff? Of course, that process made absolutely no sense, but she wasn't thinking super clearly after all the terrifying things that had happened and with the fatigue sweeping over her and so she had braced herself for precisely what had been directly asked of her and not a thing more.
Now, with an extra demand suddenly placed upon her, she floundered and fumbled. The fork dropped from her fingers to the floor, and she did look at it then for a split second, caught sight of the blood and... stuff stuck between the tines, and that was enough to at least get her attention back on the first aid gear. She turned back and forth, back and forth between the little pile she'd made Seo-yun and the open kit still next to them, wracked by indecision—taking what she'd laid out might mess up what Seo-yun was planning, but digging in the case would take more time, but...
But the mounting pain and pressure in Seo-yun's voice broke Mandy out of her stupor and she just grabbed the most obvious roll of gauze, shaking fingers struggling to get an end loose. She coughed and blinked, smoke and stress building and building, but she managed to start the bandages unspooling and right away she got to work, wrapping them up and over Seo-yun's face, holding the padding stuffed into her eye in place.
It was, at least, easier to look with the wound covered. The trails still ran down Seo-yun's pale cheek, but they could almost be a private makeup disaster, or, or face paint or something, if Mandy really pretended hard and didn't pay too close attention. And the new band of gauze sat at an angle against the last set covering the ear wound, and so immediately Mandy started considering what that angle was. It was not a right angle, which meant that the four different sectors would mirror in two sets of two. In each of those, the smaller angle was acute, the larger oblique, and together they would add up to 180 degrees. She could get a lot more information with a ruler or a protractor. She could imagine some hip teacher even using this in class: "Your friend has suffered a head wound and you need to make sure the dressings stay on. You have four meters of gauze. Remember, SOHCAHTOA."
It wasn't as bad that her hands were shaking at this point. It was just wrapping, first one roll of gauze and then another, and they'd have to change it in a few hours anyways, right?
There would still be a purpose in doing so, because Seo-yun would be alive and Mandy would be traveling with her and things would be much better.
Right?
She'd just assumed, somehow, that her role was to pull the fork out and that was it. Why else would she have given Seo-yun all the medical stuff? Of course, that process made absolutely no sense, but she wasn't thinking super clearly after all the terrifying things that had happened and with the fatigue sweeping over her and so she had braced herself for precisely what had been directly asked of her and not a thing more.
Now, with an extra demand suddenly placed upon her, she floundered and fumbled. The fork dropped from her fingers to the floor, and she did look at it then for a split second, caught sight of the blood and... stuff stuck between the tines, and that was enough to at least get her attention back on the first aid gear. She turned back and forth, back and forth between the little pile she'd made Seo-yun and the open kit still next to them, wracked by indecision—taking what she'd laid out might mess up what Seo-yun was planning, but digging in the case would take more time, but...
But the mounting pain and pressure in Seo-yun's voice broke Mandy out of her stupor and she just grabbed the most obvious roll of gauze, shaking fingers struggling to get an end loose. She coughed and blinked, smoke and stress building and building, but she managed to start the bandages unspooling and right away she got to work, wrapping them up and over Seo-yun's face, holding the padding stuffed into her eye in place.
It was, at least, easier to look with the wound covered. The trails still ran down Seo-yun's pale cheek, but they could almost be a private makeup disaster, or, or face paint or something, if Mandy really pretended hard and didn't pay too close attention. And the new band of gauze sat at an angle against the last set covering the ear wound, and so immediately Mandy started considering what that angle was. It was not a right angle, which meant that the four different sectors would mirror in two sets of two. In each of those, the smaller angle was acute, the larger oblique, and together they would add up to 180 degrees. She could get a lot more information with a ruler or a protractor. She could imagine some hip teacher even using this in class: "Your friend has suffered a head wound and you need to make sure the dressings stay on. You have four meters of gauze. Remember, SOHCAHTOA."
It wasn't as bad that her hands were shaking at this point. It was just wrapping, first one roll of gauze and then another, and they'd have to change it in a few hours anyways, right?
There would still be a purpose in doing so, because Seo-yun would be alive and Mandy would be traveling with her and things would be much better.
Right?