((Raina Rose continued from Demons Dance Alone))
Raina hadn't slept.
She had known this would happen, at some point. She hadn't brought any of her insomnia medication with her on the trip, because of course she hadn't. They were only supposed to be gone for an afternoon. The first few nights had been bad, waking while it was still dark and trying to lay still and quiet and think until morning. Last night had been awful. She'd stumbled across the bodies at the radio tower after storming away from the warehouse, and the sight of those two senior girls had been burned onto the back of her eyelids as she tossed and turned fruitlessly in her makeshift hideaway for the night. Sleeping outdoors was also terrible; she was glad nobody in her family had ever been a camping enthusiast.
So here she was, the past few days showing on her face and hair and clothes, groggy brain hounding her to keep moving. The sight at the bottom of the helipad was as bad as what she had found in the radio tower. The sight up top was worse. She had messed up while straightening her hair once, and the burnt smell had clung to the bathroom for days. The same kind of smell lingered around the charred pile on top of the helipad, only slightly lessened by the lingering damp.
Raina sat in the shadow of the decrepit helicopter to shelter from the wind, not trusting it enough to try climbing inside. She wasn't crying, but she was definitely sniffy, knees drawn up to her chest with her arms around them. "Biggest brain in Cochise", ha. Thanks, Johnny. Look at her now. She had no plan, no allies, and a grenade. She should have traded for Johnny's radio - at least she could try to fiddle with that and figure something out.
He hadn't followed. She wasn't sure if she was glad of it or not.
Hemochromatosis
Day 5, tagging VoltTurtle and Cicada Days~
Hemochromatosis
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
((Penelope Fitzgerald continued from See The Needy Greedy Me We Bleed To Feed So Easily))
Penelope and Ben slowly climbed up the rickety, noisy stairs leading up to the top of the helipad.
The plan required meeting people, preferably out in the open, and preferably in large numbers so as to gather a big group all at once. Yesterday's events had lead to a massive fire on the helipad, visible across the island, a signal for all far and wide. The duo had planned to move in that direction, in the hope that others would have also seen the signal and gone that way, even if the person who created it had died, as told by the announcements.
The announcements had inevitably lead to more pain, more tears, and more grief from Penelope, especially with the news of Irene's death. Penelope had fortunately recovered quickly, and had quietly soldiered on in pursuit of their goal. The only thing that mattered now was finding her friends and getting the fighting to stop, even as the bodies slowly piled up.
The burnt stench grew stronger as Penelope and Ben made their way up, hoping to find someone, anyone, who thought similarly to them.
Then, as the faded marking of the helipad came into view, familiar blue hair came into view, and Penelope stood, stunned.
"Raina!" Penelope screamed in excitement, dropping her bag on the steps and running towards her friend.
"Raina! Raina! Raina!" Penelope kept shouting, waving her hand excitedly as she sprinted along the helipad, her joy impossible to contain.
It wasn't long before Penelope nearly tackled Raina in an attempt to hug her, holding her friend tight and nuzzling her head affectionately against her.
Her whole body relaxed as she felt her best friend embrace her in response, Raina's comfort having been sorely missed as the days went by. "Raina oh my god I was so worried about you. I'm so so glad you're safe I can't... I can't even express how happy I am to see you and I... I just..."
Penelope tightened her hug. "I missed you."
Penelope and Ben slowly climbed up the rickety, noisy stairs leading up to the top of the helipad.
The plan required meeting people, preferably out in the open, and preferably in large numbers so as to gather a big group all at once. Yesterday's events had lead to a massive fire on the helipad, visible across the island, a signal for all far and wide. The duo had planned to move in that direction, in the hope that others would have also seen the signal and gone that way, even if the person who created it had died, as told by the announcements.
The announcements had inevitably lead to more pain, more tears, and more grief from Penelope, especially with the news of Irene's death. Penelope had fortunately recovered quickly, and had quietly soldiered on in pursuit of their goal. The only thing that mattered now was finding her friends and getting the fighting to stop, even as the bodies slowly piled up.
The burnt stench grew stronger as Penelope and Ben made their way up, hoping to find someone, anyone, who thought similarly to them.
Then, as the faded marking of the helipad came into view, familiar blue hair came into view, and Penelope stood, stunned.
"Raina!" Penelope screamed in excitement, dropping her bag on the steps and running towards her friend.
"Raina! Raina! Raina!" Penelope kept shouting, waving her hand excitedly as she sprinted along the helipad, her joy impossible to contain.
It wasn't long before Penelope nearly tackled Raina in an attempt to hug her, holding her friend tight and nuzzling her head affectionately against her.
Her whole body relaxed as she felt her best friend embrace her in response, Raina's comfort having been sorely missed as the days went by. "Raina oh my god I was so worried about you. I'm so so glad you're safe I can't... I can't even express how happy I am to see you and I... I just..."
Penelope tightened her hug. "I missed you."
((Ben Fields continued from See The Needy Greedy Me We Bleed To Feed So Easily))
Toby, Irene... What almost pried the teeth from the gnawing of humiliation and regret that he still hadn't done enough, still hadn't come through with his promises... was that the name he'd been closest to was Darius. Fucking Darius was the standout death of the day. If Ben had still had anything left of his lips following their erosion into crags by way of gentle sea breeze he would have maybe laughed. But he hadn't laughed, of course, he'd hurt. Better of the two options, he was sure. Penelope had also been beat up pretty bad. But she'd put on the march, soldiered on. Ben had thus done the same.
Not like he knew what to say on behalf of the dead anyhow. He'd let them have whatever peace they could scrounge up without an ass-looking abnormally short dude trying to sputter on their behalf.
Nate and Matt, at least, were still alive. Good on them. They'd made it count, the still throbbing mess of pasty red hues Ben called an arm. Jerry on the other hand... well. Add that to the thrashing worm pit of Ben's regrets.
But it didn't matter in the end. This plan, this new plan that Ben believed in as if it had come from his own sagging brain matter and not that of a far superior specimen, that was what mattered. They'd all be dead anyways. Dead with honor, pride, dignity. Ben would devote what was left of the man named Ben Fields to the cause. It was true righteousness, true solidarity. Fuck it, even if it wasn't. It was a hell of a better sight and sound than a man without a plan, a rebel without a cause.
They climbed the stairs of the helipad in silence. The bloody orange dying embers in yesterday's twilight hours had summoned them. Reminded him of the bell on the first day, only this time Ben was marching towards his death instead of away from it. Marching with a steadily regulated breath, and a smooth cannonball of a rock held in his dominant fist. He'd scooped it up when they'd started walking from the asylum. He figured he had enough juice- spoiled, rotten, so on- in the tank left for one good throw. Cochise Coyotes might have lost Cristobal, might have lost Irene, might have lost Jerry, but Ben could still make their last play.
Only if he had to. Only in self defense. He had his mandate. Thou shalt not...
"Raina!"
Oh.
"Raina! Raina! Raina!"
Definitely wasn't his conversation. He hung back, let the pretty ones talk it out. Maybe schmoozed a bit with the burnt husk of human on the pile of charred scrap. About as engaging a conversation partner as he himself was.
Toby, Irene... What almost pried the teeth from the gnawing of humiliation and regret that he still hadn't done enough, still hadn't come through with his promises... was that the name he'd been closest to was Darius. Fucking Darius was the standout death of the day. If Ben had still had anything left of his lips following their erosion into crags by way of gentle sea breeze he would have maybe laughed. But he hadn't laughed, of course, he'd hurt. Better of the two options, he was sure. Penelope had also been beat up pretty bad. But she'd put on the march, soldiered on. Ben had thus done the same.
Not like he knew what to say on behalf of the dead anyhow. He'd let them have whatever peace they could scrounge up without an ass-looking abnormally short dude trying to sputter on their behalf.
Nate and Matt, at least, were still alive. Good on them. They'd made it count, the still throbbing mess of pasty red hues Ben called an arm. Jerry on the other hand... well. Add that to the thrashing worm pit of Ben's regrets.
But it didn't matter in the end. This plan, this new plan that Ben believed in as if it had come from his own sagging brain matter and not that of a far superior specimen, that was what mattered. They'd all be dead anyways. Dead with honor, pride, dignity. Ben would devote what was left of the man named Ben Fields to the cause. It was true righteousness, true solidarity. Fuck it, even if it wasn't. It was a hell of a better sight and sound than a man without a plan, a rebel without a cause.
They climbed the stairs of the helipad in silence. The bloody orange dying embers in yesterday's twilight hours had summoned them. Reminded him of the bell on the first day, only this time Ben was marching towards his death instead of away from it. Marching with a steadily regulated breath, and a smooth cannonball of a rock held in his dominant fist. He'd scooped it up when they'd started walking from the asylum. He figured he had enough juice- spoiled, rotten, so on- in the tank left for one good throw. Cochise Coyotes might have lost Cristobal, might have lost Irene, might have lost Jerry, but Ben could still make their last play.
Only if he had to. Only in self defense. He had his mandate. Thou shalt not...
"Raina!"
Oh.
"Raina! Raina! Raina!"
Definitely wasn't his conversation. He hung back, let the pretty ones talk it out. Maybe schmoozed a bit with the burnt husk of human on the pile of charred scrap. About as engaging a conversation partner as he himself was.
V8 Vibes:
V7 Vibes:
"Wha- oof!"
Raina instinctively jerked back, almost knocking her head on the helicopter, but the person who had latched onto her head like a facehugger had no ill intent. As soon as it processed that Penelope had somehow found her, Raina promptly squeezed her back as tightly as she could.
"Penny, oh my god!"
A few stray tears squeezed out of her eyes and oozed down her cheeks, but she was smiling in spite of herself. She couldn't quite breathe, but that was okay. Five days in, and all of a sudden she actually felt okay for the first time here, and sweet jeezy, Penelope needed a shower. Raina probably didn't smell so great, herself.
"I'm okay, I'm fine... I missed you too." She spotted Ben over Penelope's shoulder, hanging back awkwardly. She spared him a short wave with one hand before returning to cling to Penelope again. "How..." she almost asked "how are you," but then she remembered Samuel and Cristóbal and Alessio and thought better of it. "What have you been doing?"
Raina instinctively jerked back, almost knocking her head on the helicopter, but the person who had latched onto her head like a facehugger had no ill intent. As soon as it processed that Penelope had somehow found her, Raina promptly squeezed her back as tightly as she could.
"Penny, oh my god!"
A few stray tears squeezed out of her eyes and oozed down her cheeks, but she was smiling in spite of herself. She couldn't quite breathe, but that was okay. Five days in, and all of a sudden she actually felt okay for the first time here, and sweet jeezy, Penelope needed a shower. Raina probably didn't smell so great, herself.
"I'm okay, I'm fine... I missed you too." She spotted Ben over Penelope's shoulder, hanging back awkwardly. She spared him a short wave with one hand before returning to cling to Penelope again. "How..." she almost asked "how are you," but then she remembered Samuel and Cristóbal and Alessio and thought better of it. "What have you been doing?"
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
"I... uh..." Penelope began, unsure of how to word everything that happened. "Lots of crying, for one."
Penelope let out an intentionally awkward laugh, before trailing off. Her time on the island had been hard, but that wasn't the focus right now. She was together with her best friend, and perhaps more pragmatically, she had the chance to win over another ally. "...I guess, more importantly, I've been trying to put a pretty neat plan together."
She eased herself off of Raina slowly, just enough to be able to actually make eye contact with her. "The basic idea is just... showing the terrorists what for... so to speak, I was thinking we could-"
Penelope was able to get a good look at Raina's face, and she wasn't happy with what she saw. The bags under Raina's eyes were evident, and the problems she had with insomnia immediately came to the forefront of Penelope's mind, shoving out all other thoughts in favor of extreme concern. "Oh... oh gosh, Raina. You haven't been sleeping have you?"
She resumed hugging Raina tightly, before the girl even had a chance to respond. "Oh man I'm so, so sorry. You probably don't have your medication on you and... and..."
Penelope looked for the words. There wasn't much she could say to make up for what Raina had likely been going through. She spoke up anyway, trying her best to offer condolences. "I can't imagine how terrible it's been. I'm... sorry for all of this, really. I wish I could help."
Penelope let out an intentionally awkward laugh, before trailing off. Her time on the island had been hard, but that wasn't the focus right now. She was together with her best friend, and perhaps more pragmatically, she had the chance to win over another ally. "...I guess, more importantly, I've been trying to put a pretty neat plan together."
She eased herself off of Raina slowly, just enough to be able to actually make eye contact with her. "The basic idea is just... showing the terrorists what for... so to speak, I was thinking we could-"
Penelope was able to get a good look at Raina's face, and she wasn't happy with what she saw. The bags under Raina's eyes were evident, and the problems she had with insomnia immediately came to the forefront of Penelope's mind, shoving out all other thoughts in favor of extreme concern. "Oh... oh gosh, Raina. You haven't been sleeping have you?"
She resumed hugging Raina tightly, before the girl even had a chance to respond. "Oh man I'm so, so sorry. You probably don't have your medication on you and... and..."
Penelope looked for the words. There wasn't much she could say to make up for what Raina had likely been going through. She spoke up anyway, trying her best to offer condolences. "I can't imagine how terrible it's been. I'm... sorry for all of this, really. I wish I could help."
((skipping at Cicada's request))
Raina was afforded a brief moment where she could actually breathe before Penelope latched on again twice as tightly. "Egh... it's fine. I got a little sleep. Back up a sec though, what's up with this plan of yours?"
Penelope had a plan. Raina had... well the bare bones of a plan. Maybe they could meld their respective sorta-plans together to form the one true megaplan, savior of the universe, punisher of evildoers. In the name of the moon, and all that.
She eased herself back from Penelope as much as possible while keeping her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Come on, out with it."
Raina was afforded a brief moment where she could actually breathe before Penelope latched on again twice as tightly. "Egh... it's fine. I got a little sleep. Back up a sec though, what's up with this plan of yours?"
Penelope had a plan. Raina had... well the bare bones of a plan. Maybe they could meld their respective sorta-plans together to form the one true megaplan, savior of the universe, punisher of evildoers. In the name of the moon, and all that.
She eased herself back from Penelope as much as possible while keeping her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Come on, out with it."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
"Well... first and foremost... it's not an escape plan." Penelope began, looking down at the ground to avoid the inevitable look of disappointment from her friend.
"I don't think I'm smart enough to figure out how to break out of a game designed by the best, most evil minds of a generation." She said, her tone somber. "Basically... you know how they told us that if none of us hurt each other for an entire day, they would just detonate all of our collars?" The collar sitting around Raina's neck and her own neck became all the more difficult to just ignore as her words slipped from her lips. "My idea is... get everyone together, and have everyone just... stop fighting. For a full day, and then... well..."
"...We all die."
Penelope bit her bottom lip. Saying her plan out loud without all the embellishments made it sound so much darker and so much more pointless. She needed to state the point, in order for Raina to get it and not just find it unacceptable. "But!" She started up again, acting more triumphant. "If we do this, we'll have shown them that they can't just take a bunch of innocent children and force them to kill each other, or at least not every time. We'll have shown them that we're better than them, and... even if we'll all be gone..." Her voice gained a tinge of hopefulness. "...I-I'm certain that our solidarity in the face of oblivion would inspire the world into doing more to... to fight these guys. So this never has to happen to anyone... to anyone ever again."
She took hold of Raina's hand with both of her own, in an attempt to show solidarity. "Th-the way I see it... if these terrorists had been regular, old fashioned terrorists... we would all already be dead, vaporized before we even knew what happened to us. A-and... and that's okay. Some lives get cut short tragically, we got unlucky. At least this way we get to make the best of it."
"And in the end..." Penelope lightly squeezed Raina's hand. "...we'll all be travelling into that dark void after life, together." She smiled softly, still averting her gaze. "Nobody will have to die alone."
"I don't think I'm smart enough to figure out how to break out of a game designed by the best, most evil minds of a generation." She said, her tone somber. "Basically... you know how they told us that if none of us hurt each other for an entire day, they would just detonate all of our collars?" The collar sitting around Raina's neck and her own neck became all the more difficult to just ignore as her words slipped from her lips. "My idea is... get everyone together, and have everyone just... stop fighting. For a full day, and then... well..."
"...We all die."
Penelope bit her bottom lip. Saying her plan out loud without all the embellishments made it sound so much darker and so much more pointless. She needed to state the point, in order for Raina to get it and not just find it unacceptable. "But!" She started up again, acting more triumphant. "If we do this, we'll have shown them that they can't just take a bunch of innocent children and force them to kill each other, or at least not every time. We'll have shown them that we're better than them, and... even if we'll all be gone..." Her voice gained a tinge of hopefulness. "...I-I'm certain that our solidarity in the face of oblivion would inspire the world into doing more to... to fight these guys. So this never has to happen to anyone... to anyone ever again."
She took hold of Raina's hand with both of her own, in an attempt to show solidarity. "Th-the way I see it... if these terrorists had been regular, old fashioned terrorists... we would all already be dead, vaporized before we even knew what happened to us. A-and... and that's okay. Some lives get cut short tragically, we got unlucky. At least this way we get to make the best of it."
"And in the end..." Penelope lightly squeezed Raina's hand. "...we'll all be travelling into that dark void after life, together." She smiled softly, still averting her gaze. "Nobody will have to die alone."
Hm. They'd been quick about it. Less a conversation and more a sales pitch. Immediately down to business, like one of those brain dead girls from Mojave giving her brain dead friends a pyramid scheme sales pitch. Probably didn't look so good. Maybe. Maybe the faux pas was better received when there was an actual immaterial charisma behind the speaker's slow, lip-biting dirge for the class of 2015.
He didn't know how Raina would respond, went without saying. Ben knew he believed in the solvency of Penelope's high-flying rhetoric, even when he himself was stuck on Earth by his own leaded weight. But that also went without saying. For every other living name on this island the terrorists hadn't dangled cockily over announcements, even for the ones they had, who knew where the priority lay? For all Ben knew they cared about life over the honor, over the glory, over the humble pride to look their loved ones in the next life in the eye and know they belonged. Shit, maybe they were even right.
Ben had all but killed that line of thought a long time ago, killed it like the sensations in his bad arm. Days? Years? But he knew there was a certain underclassman girl left alive. Name, Lana Fields. To press on without her brother, to be the head of a household she'd never learned to care for, if Ben went and got himself killed.
If he made it home he'd betrayed her, simple as that. If he didn't make it home...
No regrets, right? He glanced at the camera for answers.
No response.
Back to the girls. He kept his distance, maybe half a pace forward at most. Enough so he wasn't yelling like a dumbass just to be heard.
"Together..." He nodded solemnly. "We owe it to ourselves to go out without letting the terrorists have won. No matter who wins this version they already lost, they already gave in... So yeah." God as his witness he'd never expected to go out in life with this many rocks in his mouth. Before the actual ones were introduced to his halitosis maw whenever Mother Nature started doing her rites for his corpse. Anyways. Invoking God. "Think the dude in the sky would be pretty happy if we all stood down... Kept our souls from wasting away on the off chance there's a chance at life."
To think he'd been ready to kill only... however many days prior. That anger, that urge was gone. Even as his body fell apart at the seams in anticipation of death, the gut churning boil of pointless ass anger that had once burned his tender innards to chewiness was dissipated. It left him clean, humbled. Maybe this was real heroism, real manliness. Letting go of the bullshit. Ignoring the marauding thieves, the starving friends, the awkward lesbians, focusing on what really mattered. Dignity, grace before the final hour.
He didn't know how Raina would respond, went without saying. Ben knew he believed in the solvency of Penelope's high-flying rhetoric, even when he himself was stuck on Earth by his own leaded weight. But that also went without saying. For every other living name on this island the terrorists hadn't dangled cockily over announcements, even for the ones they had, who knew where the priority lay? For all Ben knew they cared about life over the honor, over the glory, over the humble pride to look their loved ones in the next life in the eye and know they belonged. Shit, maybe they were even right.
Ben had all but killed that line of thought a long time ago, killed it like the sensations in his bad arm. Days? Years? But he knew there was a certain underclassman girl left alive. Name, Lana Fields. To press on without her brother, to be the head of a household she'd never learned to care for, if Ben went and got himself killed.
If he made it home he'd betrayed her, simple as that. If he didn't make it home...
No regrets, right? He glanced at the camera for answers.
No response.
Back to the girls. He kept his distance, maybe half a pace forward at most. Enough so he wasn't yelling like a dumbass just to be heard.
"Together..." He nodded solemnly. "We owe it to ourselves to go out without letting the terrorists have won. No matter who wins this version they already lost, they already gave in... So yeah." God as his witness he'd never expected to go out in life with this many rocks in his mouth. Before the actual ones were introduced to his halitosis maw whenever Mother Nature started doing her rites for his corpse. Anyways. Invoking God. "Think the dude in the sky would be pretty happy if we all stood down... Kept our souls from wasting away on the off chance there's a chance at life."
To think he'd been ready to kill only... however many days prior. That anger, that urge was gone. Even as his body fell apart at the seams in anticipation of death, the gut churning boil of pointless ass anger that had once burned his tender innards to chewiness was dissipated. It left him clean, humbled. Maybe this was real heroism, real manliness. Letting go of the bullshit. Ignoring the marauding thieves, the starving friends, the awkward lesbians, focusing on what really mattered. Dignity, grace before the final hour.
V8 Vibes:
V7 Vibes:
Well, that was a letdown.
Okay, that was being uncharitable. Penelope had strong convictions and strong morals, and the urge to write her plan off as Sam or some other friend's death hitting her even harder than first thought was a disservice to those morals. Raina knew her misgivings must show in her expression, so she hurried to voice her thoughts.
"Okay, well, you know that's not exactly what I wanted to hear. But-" She held a hand up quickly to stay any objections. "But... look. I've been working on a bit of a plan myself, alright? I am looking for an escape plan. I've got some ideas." She swallowed, glanced at the nearest camera. Ideas alone weren't enough for her to lose her head, she was banking on that. She took a deep breath.
"Look. I'm not going to give up on looking for a way out. But if- if it comes to that..." Even voicing the option sent a shudder through her. For five days now, she had been repeating it to herself: she wasn't going to die here. She would think of something.
She didn't intend for it to come to that. Not just yet. Not ever.
That was without even getting into all the holes Raina could poke in the plan. The irony of it all was that every new person who joined in was another chance for things to go wrong. All it would take is for them to listen to the announcements, to really stop and think about the fact that Penelope was proposing mass suicide, and go "That's not going to be me." It'd probably be difficult to convince more than a handful at any one time, and by the time only a handful remained... well, it was probably safe to assume everyone who got to that point was playing for keeps. It wasn't feasible. She could see that clearly, eyes free of Penelope's film of idealism.
"If it comes to that then... then we make our point. Go out with our middle fingers up, and all that." But for now, she could agree with Penelope, because she didn't need a lecture on morals. She could agree, so maybe the people behind the cameras would disregard her ideas for just one more day.
She would think of something.
Okay, that was being uncharitable. Penelope had strong convictions and strong morals, and the urge to write her plan off as Sam or some other friend's death hitting her even harder than first thought was a disservice to those morals. Raina knew her misgivings must show in her expression, so she hurried to voice her thoughts.
"Okay, well, you know that's not exactly what I wanted to hear. But-" She held a hand up quickly to stay any objections. "But... look. I've been working on a bit of a plan myself, alright? I am looking for an escape plan. I've got some ideas." She swallowed, glanced at the nearest camera. Ideas alone weren't enough for her to lose her head, she was banking on that. She took a deep breath.
"Look. I'm not going to give up on looking for a way out. But if- if it comes to that..." Even voicing the option sent a shudder through her. For five days now, she had been repeating it to herself: she wasn't going to die here. She would think of something.
She didn't intend for it to come to that. Not just yet. Not ever.
That was without even getting into all the holes Raina could poke in the plan. The irony of it all was that every new person who joined in was another chance for things to go wrong. All it would take is for them to listen to the announcements, to really stop and think about the fact that Penelope was proposing mass suicide, and go "That's not going to be me." It'd probably be difficult to convince more than a handful at any one time, and by the time only a handful remained... well, it was probably safe to assume everyone who got to that point was playing for keeps. It wasn't feasible. She could see that clearly, eyes free of Penelope's film of idealism.
"If it comes to that then... then we make our point. Go out with our middle fingers up, and all that." But for now, she could agree with Penelope, because she didn't need a lecture on morals. She could agree, so maybe the people behind the cameras would disregard her ideas for just one more day.
She would think of something.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
As far as Penelope was concerned, that answer was more than good enough.
"Okay!" She declared triumphantly, throwing her arms up in the air in excitement before catching Raina in another brief hug. "I knew you'd at least understand... and hey, if you figure out a way to get us out of here, I'd be glad to go back home rather than stop existing, even if..." She cast her eyes down, taking her hands off of Raina and grabbing her elbows. "E-even if stuff won't really be the same again..."
Penelope clenched her teeth, doing her best to stay strong in spite of the death happening all around her. She was the leader, if she broke down, how could she expect everyone else to stay strong. She looked back up at Raina, before resting her head against Raina's shoulder. "What's important right now is that we're here, together. And whatever happens..."
Penelope lifted her head off of Raina's shoulder, and took hold of her hands again, smiling and doing her best to be cheerful. "...I'm sure that with you and I together, we'll get the good ending, for everyone."
Her attention immediately turned from Raina over to Ben, who had helped affirm her just moments before but was still keeping his distance. "Yo, Ben!" She called out, waving one of her arms in the air. "Get your dumb ass over here and stop being lame! Or are you going to just brood by your lonesome?"
"Okay!" She declared triumphantly, throwing her arms up in the air in excitement before catching Raina in another brief hug. "I knew you'd at least understand... and hey, if you figure out a way to get us out of here, I'd be glad to go back home rather than stop existing, even if..." She cast her eyes down, taking her hands off of Raina and grabbing her elbows. "E-even if stuff won't really be the same again..."
Penelope clenched her teeth, doing her best to stay strong in spite of the death happening all around her. She was the leader, if she broke down, how could she expect everyone else to stay strong. She looked back up at Raina, before resting her head against Raina's shoulder. "What's important right now is that we're here, together. And whatever happens..."
Penelope lifted her head off of Raina's shoulder, and took hold of her hands again, smiling and doing her best to be cheerful. "...I'm sure that with you and I together, we'll get the good ending, for everyone."
Her attention immediately turned from Raina over to Ben, who had helped affirm her just moments before but was still keeping his distance. "Yo, Ben!" She called out, waving one of her arms in the air. "Get your dumb ass over here and stop being lame! Or are you going to just brood by your lonesome?"
Raina didn't buy into the idea whole heart, if her expression was any solid evidence. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Penelope seemed happy to accept it as an answer.
Ben felt the nag of misgivings dig a biting cold right into his temple, brain freeze courtesy of chilling thoughts. Could he trust Raina, Penelope even? When their respective ideals were high in the sky and their collective asses were dunked in the earth's mud and rust? What was it he was marching his ass around for at all?
He was a soldier.
"Get your dumb ass over here and stop being lame...!"
Wasn't his job to question orders. Ben lazily raised his hands half mast in a brief white flag's worth of shrug. "Guilty as charged. I just thought I'd be a bit too gnarly from the sweat, didn't want to ugly up your reunion." Ben put out the lame with the rest of his misgivings, got as close as he dared so they were a group of two point five heads instead of merely two. He'd let them have their hands to each other though, not like he had any business getting involved in that.
Reek wasn't especially noticeable. Locker room memories at worst.
"Either of you two need me to hunt out anything for your plans I'll do it." Ben's expression was a neutral conversation, he regarded each girl with a dead eye as if something inane like homework was the topic at hand. "I'm thinking I could leave the two of you to your reunion and scavenge for supplies, actually... Two or three days of water between Penelope and I, about. We were able to get some rain water to refill our bottles. Food might be a bit more tenuous."
Ben felt the nag of misgivings dig a biting cold right into his temple, brain freeze courtesy of chilling thoughts. Could he trust Raina, Penelope even? When their respective ideals were high in the sky and their collective asses were dunked in the earth's mud and rust? What was it he was marching his ass around for at all?
He was a soldier.
"Get your dumb ass over here and stop being lame...!"
Wasn't his job to question orders. Ben lazily raised his hands half mast in a brief white flag's worth of shrug. "Guilty as charged. I just thought I'd be a bit too gnarly from the sweat, didn't want to ugly up your reunion." Ben put out the lame with the rest of his misgivings, got as close as he dared so they were a group of two point five heads instead of merely two. He'd let them have their hands to each other though, not like he had any business getting involved in that.
Reek wasn't especially noticeable. Locker room memories at worst.
"Either of you two need me to hunt out anything for your plans I'll do it." Ben's expression was a neutral conversation, he regarded each girl with a dead eye as if something inane like homework was the topic at hand. "I'm thinking I could leave the two of you to your reunion and scavenge for supplies, actually... Two or three days of water between Penelope and I, about. We were able to get some rain water to refill our bottles. Food might be a bit more tenuous."
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Raina didn't know much about Ben, aside from the fact that he was on the baseball team with Cris. While the though of her boyfriend sent a sudden pang through her, it didn't have any real bearing on what Ben was bringing to the table, or whether he was trustworthy. He looked like he'd been through the wringer, and Penelope seemed to have absorbed him into the friendship circle that just sort of floated through time and space wherever she went, so he could probably be classified as "mostly harmless" for now. Harmless was far from synonymous with helpful, but Raina supposed you had to take what you could get. She'd spent four days with Johnny, after all.
Speaking of which, she supposed they should go back and collect him. She hadn't originally intended to spend a whole day alone, but she had needed space and time to think. She hadn't intended to just leave him to his own devices forever though, God only knew what he would get up to. Possibly some creepy fantasizing about Caedyn Miller, given the last thing she'd seen and heard about that.
"I'm alright on food and water, I think. I actually met someone yesterday - Lili Williams, you know her? She said she had extra stuff, since she'd been with-" Raina stopped short as she remembered.
Had she been satisfied to hear that Darius was dead? Not really. But she hadn't been upset either.
"She was with Darius, before he went running off. We saw him too. Oh, and 'we' is Johnny and me, we were together..." Raina shook her head. Her thoughts were getting crisscrossed. "What I'm saying is, I guess we should go back and pick Johnny up, and then maybe find Lili and her stuff. She offered it to us, anyway. If we all pool our resources, it should be enough."
Speaking of which, she supposed they should go back and collect him. She hadn't originally intended to spend a whole day alone, but she had needed space and time to think. She hadn't intended to just leave him to his own devices forever though, God only knew what he would get up to. Possibly some creepy fantasizing about Caedyn Miller, given the last thing she'd seen and heard about that.
"I'm alright on food and water, I think. I actually met someone yesterday - Lili Williams, you know her? She said she had extra stuff, since she'd been with-" Raina stopped short as she remembered.
Had she been satisfied to hear that Darius was dead? Not really. But she hadn't been upset either.
"She was with Darius, before he went running off. We saw him too. Oh, and 'we' is Johnny and me, we were together..." Raina shook her head. Her thoughts were getting crisscrossed. "What I'm saying is, I guess we should go back and pick Johnny up, and then maybe find Lili and her stuff. She offered it to us, anyway. If we all pool our resources, it should be enough."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 801
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Penelope tapped her chin in contemplation.
"Yeah, I know Lili, kinda. We haven't talked that much but I know her."
Penelope continued tapping her chin while looking at the charred roof of the helipad, contemplating what her friends wanted to do and how they should go about it. Ben wanted to go scavenge for supplies on his lonesome. Raina wanted to go find her presumable ally Johnny, a boy whom Penelope vaguely knew existed but had never really talked to.
"Okay so... Ben," Penelope turned her attention towards him. "You go ahead and try to scavenge a bit, if that's what you want to do. Raina might have some extra herself, but more stuff is never a bad thing. And then..." She paused for a moment. "...once you find whatever you can just meet us back at... wherever Johnny is."
"As for us..." Penelope squeezed Raina in another brief hug, nuzzling her head against Raina's shoulder again and doing her best to ignore how she smelled. "...we'll go get Johnny."
Penelope paused for a moment, taking her head off of Raina. "Now that I think about it... where even IS Johnny?" She asked, before continuing on, "...And also, why did you guys get separated? If it's okay for me to ask, that is."
"Yeah, I know Lili, kinda. We haven't talked that much but I know her."
Penelope continued tapping her chin while looking at the charred roof of the helipad, contemplating what her friends wanted to do and how they should go about it. Ben wanted to go scavenge for supplies on his lonesome. Raina wanted to go find her presumable ally Johnny, a boy whom Penelope vaguely knew existed but had never really talked to.
"Okay so... Ben," Penelope turned her attention towards him. "You go ahead and try to scavenge a bit, if that's what you want to do. Raina might have some extra herself, but more stuff is never a bad thing. And then..." She paused for a moment. "...once you find whatever you can just meet us back at... wherever Johnny is."
"As for us..." Penelope squeezed Raina in another brief hug, nuzzling her head against Raina's shoulder again and doing her best to ignore how she smelled. "...we'll go get Johnny."
Penelope paused for a moment, taking her head off of Raina. "Now that I think about it... where even IS Johnny?" She asked, before continuing on, "...And also, why did you guys get separated? If it's okay for me to ask, that is."
"Lili? Yeah, I spoke to her some. She's cool, I guess I always respected her style even if I didn't understand it."
Lili and Darius. A combination almost as strange as... Ben and Raina plus Penelope. Ben couldn't have envisioned how Lili and Darius could ever have been in the same room without sniping shitty insults at each other. But that sorta shit had changed anyways, his mind's eye was well devolved. If he tried to envision it now... Lili. Darius. One room, one roof. A couple of guns, a pool of blood, a few broken corpses. The new normal.
He lingered on the image too long. Another betrayal from his mortal brain. Ben dourly meandered, past both Raina and Penelope. Inadvertently put himself in spitting distance of the pile of summer time barbecue that had once been a human being, and he stared because his eyes were also retarded like the rest of him.
"I should probably stick close to you guys, so I won't split off until we've got a route established." He was talking out into the void between himself and a splatters worth of Ben Fields on the grounds below the helipad. It wasn't really his conversation. He didn't know this Johnny dude, ace as he sounded if two girls were hankering for his ass.
"Lili marches to the beat of her own drum," Ben vaguely remembered. He wasn't even sure who he was addressing. "Dunno if seeking her out will accomplish anything."
Lili and Darius. A combination almost as strange as... Ben and Raina plus Penelope. Ben couldn't have envisioned how Lili and Darius could ever have been in the same room without sniping shitty insults at each other. But that sorta shit had changed anyways, his mind's eye was well devolved. If he tried to envision it now... Lili. Darius. One room, one roof. A couple of guns, a pool of blood, a few broken corpses. The new normal.
He lingered on the image too long. Another betrayal from his mortal brain. Ben dourly meandered, past both Raina and Penelope. Inadvertently put himself in spitting distance of the pile of summer time barbecue that had once been a human being, and he stared because his eyes were also retarded like the rest of him.
"I should probably stick close to you guys, so I won't split off until we've got a route established." He was talking out into the void between himself and a splatters worth of Ben Fields on the grounds below the helipad. It wasn't really his conversation. He didn't know this Johnny dude, ace as he sounded if two girls were hankering for his ass.
"Lili marches to the beat of her own drum," Ben vaguely remembered. He wasn't even sure who he was addressing. "Dunno if seeking her out will accomplish anything."
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
((Jerry Fury continued from Timey Wimey fuckball))
Far off in the distance, past the shoreline and barely visible from the view of the helipad, Jerry Fury ran screaming.
While most of his voice carried as nonsense and gobbledeegook, there was a chance little bits such as 'he's after me!', 'not like this' and 'I think my leg is cramping' could be pieced together from his lungwork.
He never approached, instead changing course to follow the coast north, still running from whoever was chasing him. He faded from view long before the screams faded from... uh... sound.
((Jerry Fury, continued in The Scarlet Garden))
Far off in the distance, past the shoreline and barely visible from the view of the helipad, Jerry Fury ran screaming.
While most of his voice carried as nonsense and gobbledeegook, there was a chance little bits such as 'he's after me!', 'not like this' and 'I think my leg is cramping' could be pieced together from his lungwork.
He never approached, instead changing course to follow the coast north, still running from whoever was chasing him. He faded from view long before the screams faded from... uh... sound.
((Jerry Fury, continued in The Scarlet Garden))