((Lucine Everett continued from Do Not Go Gentle))
Lucine was sweating, but for once, it wasn't from the heat of the sun. The nervousness of realizing what just happened, the idea that what she had forced herself to believe wasn't happening was actually happening.
Orion... he was likely very dead. Not only did she leave him there, but she was now face to face with his killer.
But maybe, just maybe, she wasn't truly a killer. Maybe there was some explanation, some hope that one of her classmates, especially one that looked so vulnerable and scared just a few moments ago, was just preparing for the worst. Why else would she be carrying a bottle of her own poison?
Lucine took a deep breath. She could still feel her heartbeat thumping in her chest, but she forced the most stoic look she can. She didn't know if she should be angry, scared, or disappointed. Either way, she had to ask this.
"Nora... why did you have this with you?"
Regrets, I've Had a Few
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PlatFleece
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((Nora Moriarty continued from Do Not Go Gentle))
Nora blinked. Fidgeted. Tugged at her sweater. Took a dry gulp.
“Uh… what are you talking about?” she asked.
Lucine definitely suspected something. Did she figure out the swap somehow? Did she… realize that she poisoned someone? Deep breath. Control that trembling.
“Sorry, it’s just… what do you mean?”
Nora blinked. Fidgeted. Tugged at her sweater. Took a dry gulp.
“Uh… what are you talking about?” she asked.
Lucine definitely suspected something. Did she figure out the swap somehow? Did she… realize that she poisoned someone? Deep breath. Control that trembling.
“Sorry, it’s just… what do you mean?”
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PlatFleece
- Posts: 56
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"Come on, Nora..."
Lucine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Nora being serious, right now? Was she really playing dumb? Lucine nearly crushed the bottle in her hand with how she was acting here. Could her fear have been an act? It couldn't have, right? She was genuinely scared for her life, and Lucine and Joel and Orion... they were all helping her.
It could still be an accident... Lucine held on to that one shred of hope, even though no one would think to poison one of their drinks.
She held out the bottle, clear so that Nora could see it.
"This. This bottle, Nora. You and I both know what this is, right? I just want to know why you had it... that's all..."
Was Joel doing fine with Orion? No... even with his Gift, he couldn't possibly muster enough luck. It was far too late for him. Far too late... don't think about it, just focus on the now. Nora. Focus on her.
...and hope she doesn't turn out to be as cold-blooded as her Gift implied.
Lucine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Nora being serious, right now? Was she really playing dumb? Lucine nearly crushed the bottle in her hand with how she was acting here. Could her fear have been an act? It couldn't have, right? She was genuinely scared for her life, and Lucine and Joel and Orion... they were all helping her.
It could still be an accident... Lucine held on to that one shred of hope, even though no one would think to poison one of their drinks.
She held out the bottle, clear so that Nora could see it.
"This. This bottle, Nora. You and I both know what this is, right? I just want to know why you had it... that's all..."
Was Joel doing fine with Orion? No... even with his Gift, he couldn't possibly muster enough luck. It was far too late for him. Far too late... don't think about it, just focus on the now. Nora. Focus on her.
...and hope she doesn't turn out to be as cold-blooded as her Gift implied.
Nora stared at the bottle. Her eyes flicked up to meet Lucine's face. But only for a few seconds. She looked back down.
"...I'm sorry, I don't-"
She shook her head. Tugged at her sweater a bit more. Another tremble.
"I don't understand-"
She knows. How did she know? Was her Gift really that powerful that she could tell that the water was different? Nora generally was pretty good about remembering who had what Gift, even if there were a few blind spots here and there. But did she underestimate that Lucine would be able to catch her like that? Or, did she see her do the swap? Notice something was off? Did her reaction give her away? How was she caught?
"What do... do... you mean?"
"...I'm sorry, I don't-"
She shook her head. Tugged at her sweater a bit more. Another tremble.
"I don't understand-"
She knows. How did she know? Was her Gift really that powerful that she could tell that the water was different? Nora generally was pretty good about remembering who had what Gift, even if there were a few blind spots here and there. But did she underestimate that Lucine would be able to catch her like that? Or, did she see her do the swap? Notice something was off? Did her reaction give her away? How was she caught?
"What do... do... you mean?"
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PlatFleece
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:11 pm
A flash of anger appeared on Lucine's face. Was Nora seriously denying what just happened? Or was she well and truly guiltless at what happened? Lucine had always thought of her classmates as decent people. Sure, there were some bullies, but nothing more than the average school. There was obviously going to be some people who would be scared to admit when they've made mistakes or was caught red-handed, but this? Someone's life had been taken. This was no time to hide around and play dumb.
Lucine marched up to Nora, gripping the bottle and waving it tightly. More out of emotion than confidence. This entire situation still seemed so alien and bizarre to her, and she hasn't exactly accepted it yet. How could she? How could she accept that people are well and truly dying?
"This, Nora! This bottle filled with your liquid! I already know this is you, so at least just fucking tell me if you really meant to do it or not!"
Her eyes were welled with tears. Lucine didn't realize it, but saying the words made her unable to keep some of her emotions in check. There was anger, confusion, and... fear.
She stopped just halfway before she reached Nora. Her body tensed. She didn't want to get closer, but she didn't want to back down either, so she froze in place, arm halfway in the air gripping a bottle of water that was now halfway crushed from her grip.
What if Nora attacked her right now? Would she? She was already willing to poison a bottle, whose to say she wouldn't eliminate witnesses.
No, Lucine, stop thinking like that. This is still Nora...
...but was it?
"Just tell me..."
...if you wanted to kill him.
"...tell me if you meant to do it or not."
She couldn't say the words. Saying it would mean accepting that her friend was a murderer.
Lucine marched up to Nora, gripping the bottle and waving it tightly. More out of emotion than confidence. This entire situation still seemed so alien and bizarre to her, and she hasn't exactly accepted it yet. How could she? How could she accept that people are well and truly dying?
"This, Nora! This bottle filled with your liquid! I already know this is you, so at least just fucking tell me if you really meant to do it or not!"
Her eyes were welled with tears. Lucine didn't realize it, but saying the words made her unable to keep some of her emotions in check. There was anger, confusion, and... fear.
She stopped just halfway before she reached Nora. Her body tensed. She didn't want to get closer, but she didn't want to back down either, so she froze in place, arm halfway in the air gripping a bottle of water that was now halfway crushed from her grip.
What if Nora attacked her right now? Would she? She was already willing to poison a bottle, whose to say she wouldn't eliminate witnesses.
No, Lucine, stop thinking like that. This is still Nora...
...but was it?
"Just tell me..."
...if you wanted to kill him.
"...tell me if you meant to do it or not."
She couldn't say the words. Saying it would mean accepting that her friend was a murderer.
Nora took a few steps backwards. She looked behind her for a moment. For a moment, she contemplated running. Looked back at Lucine. Looked back at the bottle.
“... how…? I mean- did…”
You’re not helping your case.
“Did… someone grab the wrong bottle? Uh…”
She didn’t come up with an alibi if she was caught. She didn’t think someone would find out so easily. Idiot Nora, she was one of the few people here with any sort of toxin, maybe you should have thought of that?
Nora grabbed at her sweater a bit more.
“What makes you think it was my spit?” she asked.
Her voice came out quiet.
“... how…? I mean- did…”
You’re not helping your case.
“Did… someone grab the wrong bottle? Uh…”
She didn’t come up with an alibi if she was caught. She didn’t think someone would find out so easily. Idiot Nora, she was one of the few people here with any sort of toxin, maybe you should have thought of that?
Nora grabbed at her sweater a bit more.
“What makes you think it was my spit?” she asked.
Her voice came out quiet.
Then, right at that moment, there was another blare from a hidden intercom. And Nora stopped. Listened.
Froze.
It clicked off, and Nora stared at Lucine for a few beats.
Then turned in the other direction and ran.
((Nora Moriarty continued in Spit Take))
Froze.
It clicked off, and Nora stared at Lucine for a few beats.
Then turned in the other direction and ran.
((Nora Moriarty continued in Spit Take))
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PlatFleece
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:11 pm
"Hey, wait!"
Lucine tried calling out to her, but she had already left.
...Was it true, then? Was Nora also...
...a murderer?
She can't be right? She was just scared. Lucine had to keep thinking of that.
It was all Lucine could to to keep herself from drowning into a sea of paranoia. She was supposed to be the reliable one, who knew each and every single thing about every object, every item, every piece of information. She wasn't the type to get scared or afraid.... but people? She could never read people. She was sociable, but there was always that exhilarating sense of the unknown with other people. That was probably why she enjoyed making friends so much, why she hung out with people like Sayuna and Raja.
Sayuna and Raja, were they even okay?
That was when Lucine heard it. It was faint at first, and it shocked her. That announcement. That voice, the same voice that had come much earlier in the day. It talked about deaths... deaths? More people have died? So Orion wasn't just an accident, or even the first?
And then Lucine heard their names.
A feeling of vertigo came after. She dropped the bottle on the ground. Whatever strength she had in front of her had faded. She was doing her best to keep herself held solid, to keep herself in the right state of mind... until she heard their names.
Her friends were dead. More than that, other people were dead. Everything she thought was true... wasn't.
She had to keep moving, though. She was all alone again. The next time she met someone, she would have to stop herself from assuming the best of them, but that wasn't in her nature. How could she be asked to do that.
She then remembered her sister... how she might not see her again. Her family, all because of this... this terrorist kidnapping.
Slowly, her hand touched her collar. Was there even any answers here? She didn't know. For now, she just had to rely on her best instincts.
((Lucine Everett continued in ../!-,..~`.`!//I don't want to go back))
Lucine tried calling out to her, but she had already left.
...Was it true, then? Was Nora also...
...a murderer?
She can't be right? She was just scared. Lucine had to keep thinking of that.
It was all Lucine could to to keep herself from drowning into a sea of paranoia. She was supposed to be the reliable one, who knew each and every single thing about every object, every item, every piece of information. She wasn't the type to get scared or afraid.... but people? She could never read people. She was sociable, but there was always that exhilarating sense of the unknown with other people. That was probably why she enjoyed making friends so much, why she hung out with people like Sayuna and Raja.
Sayuna and Raja, were they even okay?
That was when Lucine heard it. It was faint at first, and it shocked her. That announcement. That voice, the same voice that had come much earlier in the day. It talked about deaths... deaths? More people have died? So Orion wasn't just an accident, or even the first?
And then Lucine heard their names.
A feeling of vertigo came after. She dropped the bottle on the ground. Whatever strength she had in front of her had faded. She was doing her best to keep herself held solid, to keep herself in the right state of mind... until she heard their names.
Her friends were dead. More than that, other people were dead. Everything she thought was true... wasn't.
She had to keep moving, though. She was all alone again. The next time she met someone, she would have to stop herself from assuming the best of them, but that wasn't in her nature. How could she be asked to do that.
She then remembered her sister... how she might not see her again. Her family, all because of this... this terrorist kidnapping.
Slowly, her hand touched her collar. Was there even any answers here? She didn't know. For now, she just had to rely on her best instincts.
((Lucine Everett continued in ../!-,..~`.`!//I don't want to go back))