Cole nodded, slowly and carefully. He'd earned her trust, but that could evaporate at a moment's notice. Walking up to her, he leaned in close to get a better view of the head wound. It wasn't that deep, thank God. He was worried that with all the posturing, all the talk, it'd turn out that he couldn't actually help her after all, and that would have been...Well, he didn't know what would have happened.
As he set to work, he said, "This is going to sting." He was going to have to clean and disinfect the wound then pull the two sides together before connecting them with the strips. It wasn't going to be a pleasant experience all around. But at the end of the day, it would feel a lot worse to keep this thing unattended. Words like scab and pus came to mind.
He wanted to say something to pass the time, something to fill this awkward silence, but anything he thought of saying just died in his throat. He'd given Charlie carte blanche to carve him up like a turkey the instant this was done, and what do you say in that circumstance?
The whole procedure lasted maybe a minute or two. Clean, dry, merge, four or five strips sideways to keep her head together, and two lengthwise to secure. Odds of her keeping these dry and sterile were laughable in this situation, but at least it'd keep for now.
Taking a step or two back to admire his handiwork, Cole thought of saying some reassuring quip, something about how it didn't look that bad or how nobody would even notice. He just stopped instead, casting a glance at the body beside him and saying, "There, it's done."
He wanted to run. The lump of terror building up in him was the same as when he'd come in, when he'd first seen that lump of beef jerky lying there. But she kept her end of the bargain, and pragmatism be damned, he was going to fulfill his. "So..." he choked, "what now?"
Rat In A Cage
Phase 1 (0-12 Hours), Open
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Blastinus*
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:51 am
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Blastinus. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Peters worked and Charlie let him work in silence. What else was there to say? This wasn't smart of him, not even close. Even if he hoped to get her onto his side somehow, there surely had to be ways of doing that which didn't directly expose him to harm's way.
She'd think of them eventually.
The thought crashed in just a few seconds later that being around just about anyone right now was being in harm's way. For someone like Charlie that should count double. More than double. She'd killed and killed early.
She could smell Dyne's blood. If she turned her head just a little, as Peters fiddled around with the strips and tried to pull together the cut, she could see him slumped on the floor with his ruined face.
How many percent was that better off again?
Peters stepped back. If that wasn't fear written over his face, then it was a close twin to it.
"Now..." she raised her hands, flopped them to her side. "Now nothing, Peters. I'm not just going to stab you because—" the words caught and died in her mouth. Because she was told to? Because that's how this worked? Because that wasn't Charlie?
It was Charlie. She'd amply demonstrated that with Dyne.
"I'm not," she finished, after too long of a pause.
She'd think of them eventually.
The thought crashed in just a few seconds later that being around just about anyone right now was being in harm's way. For someone like Charlie that should count double. More than double. She'd killed and killed early.
She could smell Dyne's blood. If she turned her head just a little, as Peters fiddled around with the strips and tried to pull together the cut, she could see him slumped on the floor with his ruined face.
How many percent was that better off again?
Peters stepped back. If that wasn't fear written over his face, then it was a close twin to it.
"Now..." she raised her hands, flopped them to her side. "Now nothing, Peters. I'm not just going to stab you because—" the words caught and died in her mouth. Because she was told to? Because that's how this worked? Because that wasn't Charlie?
It was Charlie. She'd amply demonstrated that with Dyne.
"I'm not," she finished, after too long of a pause.
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Blastinus*
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:51 am
She wasn't going to harm him? Just let him go? He hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath, but Cole suddenly let it all out. "I...see. Okay." He was at a loss for words, frankly. To be handed one's life back after volunteering it so freely...Maybe it was the heavy clothing, but he noticed that he was now dripping from head to toe.
Turning his back to her, he bent down and reclaimed his shield, pushing open the door as he did so. "Take...care of yourself," he said, trying desperately not to betray how petrified he was. Charlie had let him treat her wounds, she'd let him live, but he couldn't trust her regardless. The longer he stayed with her, the more he'd be pressing his luck. The more he'd be testing her courteousness. He'd said it himself, he knew that he wasn't long for this game, but...
At the same time, he wasn't eager to throw himself to the lions, not when he still had work to do.
So, shield held behind him, he strode through the door, casting her one last glance on the way out. Would Charlie kill again as a result of what he just did? Well...frankly, that really wasn't his department.
(Cole Peters continued elsewhere)
Turning his back to her, he bent down and reclaimed his shield, pushing open the door as he did so. "Take...care of yourself," he said, trying desperately not to betray how petrified he was. Charlie had let him treat her wounds, she'd let him live, but he couldn't trust her regardless. The longer he stayed with her, the more he'd be pressing his luck. The more he'd be testing her courteousness. He'd said it himself, he knew that he wasn't long for this game, but...
At the same time, he wasn't eager to throw himself to the lions, not when he still had work to do.
So, shield held behind him, he strode through the door, casting her one last glance on the way out. Would Charlie kill again as a result of what he just did? Well...frankly, that really wasn't his department.
(Cole Peters continued elsewhere)
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Blastinus. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
He turned. Charlie didn't move. She wasn't even sure she was breathing.
After all that, he gave his back to her.
Not trust, but resignation. Peters didn't have some kind of faith in humanity or some deeper level of trust in Charlie to do the right thing, he just knew that one way or another he was already dead. Now, later. Charlie wasn't even sure if it mattered to him.
A knife in his back now, or a bullet to the head later, or—or any of the thousands of ways you could die in the Program.
"Yeah."
She wanted to say something better, give him some inspiration or some fight. There weren't any words. Charlie didn't know if she could find that even for herself.
Charlie stood there in silence for a long time after Peters left. Eventually, she picked up Dyne's abandoned bag, sifted through it for some food and supplies, and then loaded up her own.
She tried not to look back at him, but was unable to commit even to that.
((Charlie Cade continued in Junkyard Nights))
After all that, he gave his back to her.
Not trust, but resignation. Peters didn't have some kind of faith in humanity or some deeper level of trust in Charlie to do the right thing, he just knew that one way or another he was already dead. Now, later. Charlie wasn't even sure if it mattered to him.
A knife in his back now, or a bullet to the head later, or—or any of the thousands of ways you could die in the Program.
"Yeah."
She wanted to say something better, give him some inspiration or some fight. There weren't any words. Charlie didn't know if she could find that even for herself.
Charlie stood there in silence for a long time after Peters left. Eventually, she picked up Dyne's abandoned bag, sifted through it for some food and supplies, and then loaded up her own.
She tried not to look back at him, but was unable to commit even to that.
((Charlie Cade continued in Junkyard Nights))