9.1 The City

[SOTF: Discord]

The city is surprisingly big for such a small island. The outer parts are mostly living houses while the inner part features a market place, a tech store, a library, the city hall and a supermarket.
The city also has a harbour where the ferry to the mainland used to stop. It was also used to ship whatever the factory constructed from the island.
There are still some boats on the harbour, but they are either broken or in need of some good repair before being usable. Plus all of them lack fuel. Lastly, any student foolish enough to try and work on them would be instantly blown up by the terrorists, just to make a point.
Maybe two dozens of people were left by the time the AT arrived, so a few places, especially in the inner parts of the city still have working electricity in some capacity. One might even find some food reserves the terrorists missed while clearing the houses.

[SOTF: Discord]

[+] F. M. L.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/23/2021 5:22 PM
Name: F. M. L.
Time: Day One
Status: Closed

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/23/2021 5:22 PM
Mr. Smith was dead. Mr. Smith was fucking dead, what the fuck.

[[Ava Grae: START]]

It had all happened so fast. One second they were just sitting there, wondering what the fuck happened. Then next, her teacher had a fucking bullet in his head. It was awful. Completely awful.

Waking up on some bathroom floor was something she actually felt grateful for. At least she didn't have to go far to throw up somewhere discreet.

She didn't care if someone found her like this, vomiting into a toilet, tears in her eyes. Not like anyone could blame her, as far as she was concerned.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/23/2021 7:15 PM
Ahn, however, did mind the retching.

Whatever. Everyone has their own coping mechanisms. Maybe vomiting their brains out or that kinda gross shit was one of them.

"So, uh,"

(Man, talking to people sucked,)

"You doin' alright there buddy?"

(Wrong question. He didn't really give a shit. Maybe that's for the better?)

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/23/2021 7:22 PM

[B003 - SULLIVAN, NIGEL: CONTINUED FROM "We Tried Our Best, and That's What Matters."]

Nigel paused at the ajar door of the building, peering into the room from the street. He could hear the sound of illness from outside. His hand trembled as he moved to open the door, then hesitated.

"Hey, uh..."

He paused to keep his voice from breaking.

"Who's in here?"

He held the grip of the gun tightly and double-checked to make sure the safety was on.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/23/2021 7:34 PM
In the back of her mind, Ava could acknowledge gratefulness over her previous choices. Most questioned her decision to go from long hair to a pixie cut, but it meant she didn't get puke in her hair, and that was about the only positive she had in this situation.

In the front of her mind, she just focused on aiming in the bowl.

She didn't try to pay attention to the contents of what was now in the toilet. All that do would make her stomach feel worse. Plus, it was hard to make out in the post-purging haze, but she could definitely hear voices. She needed to focus on something-anything-else.

She pulled her head up, looking at the doorway. A guy. What had he said? She didn't know, but she there was someone else. Another voice after his.

"Do you guys mind? I'm trying to mourn our teacher here."

Was this guys part of her class? Was the other, unseen guy? She didn't know. She didn't pay attention to the people in that class. May as well been strangers to her.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/23/2021 7:45 PM
"Uh, mourning, yeah. Sorry."

Damn, fuck his life. Fuck it with a rusty goddamn fork.

"Now, uh, no offense but... you got any ideas on how not to die here?"

Some kind of death game, yeah. Fortnite Battle Royale bitches, we're going to tomato town and-

alright he can't even make that joke anymore because he actually would die of cringe. And also like feel like a dick

Y'know what's worse than dying as a kid? Dying as a kid without even doing fun kid shit. Like taking heroin and having underaged sex. Yeah. That fun kid shit. Like, oh, yeah, mom, I totally should study for the university that I'll NEVER GO TO, not because he's dying here by the way it's because he wanted to just become an artist or whatever but like mom is a fucking bitch and made him be That Nerd in class. How did that pay off, huh?

(He was mad and not making sense and repressed, don't look at him weird, aight?)

Now that he saw someone puking, he actually felt... better? Not to be a sadist or anything? Is it bad of him? To be comforted by the girl vomiting? Because it's the nonconsensual version of some kind of pep talk, of, well, that person's doing worse than me so of course I'm not the worst person in the room, that counts for something, right, except he's just being a major dick here.

Still not puking, though. So, take that fuckers. Like, FML, but at least somebody else's life is getting assraped worse, yaknow?

God, he's such a mess.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/23/2021 8:26 PM

"Sorry, I..."

He hadn't meant to intrude on a moment of sorrow such as this. He remembered the teacher in question - he'd always enjoyed Mr. Smith's geography class.

"I just wanted to talk to someone. I'll leave if you want."

Nigel paused and looked at his feet.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/23/2021 8:51 PM
She sighed. One wanted ideas on what to do here, the other sounded like someone had kicked his puppy or something. What was she to these boys-the blue fairy or some shit? Like she had all, let alone any answers?

A part of her wanted to tell them both to fuck off, but she knew she'd regret it. She didn't want to be alone right now. Not really. She'd seen someone die. Someone she knew, gone in a second.

She needed to not be alone. Right now, at least.

"Just...just give me a minute."

Maybe she looked pathetic, pulling herself to her feet, using the toilet as support. But ideas like shame weren't exactly considered in situations like this. It was live or die here, and Ava had no intentions on dying.

She grabbed a piece of the toilet paper, ripped it from the roll, and wiped away whatever remained on her chin before dropping it in the toilet bowl.

"Okay...who the fuck are you people?"

She would prefer knowing these peoples' names before talking to them. Sue her.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/23/2021 9:12 PM
"...

Anh. A-N-H. Don't look at me weird, I'm Vietnamese."

Third Gen, but still... he's got the eyes and all, yeah, and that stupid phuking name.

lol.

"And, like, if you wanna talk then feel free to talk. I'm cool with that, yeah, I'm cool with that but maybe she isn't? Doesn't matter. Do we share classes?"

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/24/2021 3:01 PM

Nigel hung the rifle on his shoulder with the sling it possessed - one which his dead acquaintance hadn't utilized. He held tight onto the strap with his right hand, then opened the door and stepped inside, his left hand up slightly.

"My name's Nigel Sullivan. I was, uh, in AP Human Geography, if that helps narrow anything down."

It had been an unpleasant experience, the sight of his teacher's brain and bone matter exploding across the room in a fraction of an instant. It had been the first of two deaths he had seen so far that day, and he doubted either would leave his mind again.

"By the way, uh..."

He stopped and looked at his feet.

"...never mind."

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/24/2021 4:47 PM
Anh and Nigel. Anh and Nigel...nope, neither name rang any bells. Maybe they were in different cliques, maybe she just hadn't given enough of a shit to care about either of them. Whatever the answer was, it didn't really matter now. She was stuck with them for the time being.

"Ava Grae. And if we're doing spelling bee stuff, that's spelled G-R-A-E, not a Y. You can ask my parents why that is, if you ever get the chance."

Bad comment. Bad thoughts. Don't think about Mom and Dad right now-think LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE

"Just-just ask the question. I don't care right now. Not like I have anything better to do."

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/24/2021 5:57 PM
"Oof."

"That's unfortunate."

"The name, I mean, but... eh, we're deep in shit right now, too."

But it's easier to focus on the funny part, right? Like how some parents just give the most downright embarrassing names, or the fact that he had a different teacher for AP Geo so he never met Mr. Smith and now everybody's crying over him and Ahn just... has no idea who he is?

Yeah, that.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/24/2021 7:48 PM

Nigel sighed and turned his head to look back out the door. He closed it lightly and sat down on the floor. A distinctive frown formed on his face as his hand rubbed the small, still-bleeding cut on his cheek.

"Doesn't matter anymore. It's nothing of any importance anyway."

It mattered, and he knew it did.

"In my view, there's not much hope now."

He forced himself to smile anyway, a thin facade for his fear.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/24/2021 9:41 PM
"Could be worse. They had another idea for my first name, but they decided to hold off in case they had another girl. Now instead of Amy spelled A-M-Y, my sister has to spell it E-M-I-G-H."

Oh my God, SHUT THE FUCK ABOUT FAMILY, ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF CRY?!?

Deep breath in, deep breath out. You're okay, Ava, you're okay.

Nigel was deciding to be a downer, and honestly, she gets it, but now is not really the time to throw a pity party. Complain about the trauma once you were safe, not when everyone was in danger of killing each other.

And maybe that was hypocritical, since she was just emptying her stomach into a toilet. But that didn't mean she was right or smart when she did it-she was being stupid then too.

Maybe she should help Nigel not be stupid too.

"Don't say that. I'll admit, the situation is crap, but if we start talking and thinking like that, I'm pretty sure it's just gonna get a whole lot shittier."

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/24/2021 10:57 PM
'Oh, wow. Poor Emigh. I'm so freakin' sorry.''

What else was there to do but to laugh? What else was there to feel?

Man, denial's one helluva drug. Doesn't mean he's sober though.

''Well, I mean, nothing here can get shittier. We're getting put through like Fortnite Battle Royale here. Doesn't mean we should, like, mope around or something.''

Back in school, he wouldn't have been so callous, wouldn't have said this. But he didn't have a future to upkeep. He was the nerd, the kid that those shitty stereotypical jocks would shove into lockers in those 80s movies, he was someone who lived in fear of his parents finding a stole can of beer or two underneath the bed.

He was nobody now.

''Do you think this is all a hoax? Like, not I know it probably isn't. Because I have, uh, illegal drugs on my person that they gave me. And this whole thing is waaayyyyy too high effort, but, still. Like, are they just bullshitting us?''

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/25/2021 10:11 AM
Suddenly, the door to the room slammed open, hard and a voice came in with it.

“Oh, this is very real.”

((Brody Paxton continued from “the c, the c, the shining c”))

Brody Paxton stepped into the room, dramatically pointing his katana at the three already inside before once again bringing it to rest at his shoulder.

“We all saw Mr. Smith die, and I found Bob out by the beach. That’s why we’ve gotta start making moves.” Brody stopped himself, remembering Monica’s advice.

“You know, doing… stuff.”

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 09/25/2021 10:24 AM
((Monica Reed continued from "the c, the c, the shining c"))

Monica followed shortly behind him, less openly armed. She looked deeply unimpressed with Brody's theatrics.

"Don't point that at people, we're not trying to scare them."

She turned her attention to the others.

"He is right, though. This grim shit we're in, it's very real."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/25/2021 3:41 PM
"... I was just trying to emphasize my point. Jeez."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/25/2021 5:52 PM

Ava tried to console him, but his heart only sunk further into his boots. Anh claimed that it couldn't get any worse, at the very least. Nigel didn't believe that for a moment.

They didn't get it, that there was a point at which things could turn out kind of okay for him maybe, and that he had crossed it when he had murdered a classmate. He couldn't tell the truth as much as his heart ached for a confession.

In Nigel's mind, he had not yet hit the nadir - the way he saw it, the darkest hour in the story of his life had yet to come.

"The only place things can go from here is down, I think."

A nervous, crestfallen laugh escaped from his mouth.

Anh doubted the dismal reality of their situation. Nigel wished he could still have enough hope to imagine that it was all some hoax or horrible nightmare that he could snap awake from at any moment.

He couldn't make unreal the ceramic shards strewn about the rone of the forest or the drops of blood scattered across the right side of the dead boy's skull. He couldn't pretend.

A noise at the entrance informed Nigel of a potential threat, and what followed set him on red alert. He stood, leveled the rifle with his left hand, and aimed it at the intruder.

His finger hovered by the trigger and needled it gently - the only thing that physically stopped him from pulling it was the safety of the gun. The other boy was only a single motion of his thumb away from obliteration.

He knew that other things were preventing him, reasons that went further than a dial with text marked in red and white.

When the other boy rested his weapon against his shoulder, Nigel let the barrel lower. He kept his eyes intensely focused on the one, then two, people who entered.

"You two don't know the half of it when it comes to real," he muttered under his breath.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/25/2021 6:01 PM
''I know it's, like, probably real, jeez.

Doesn't mean I'll start doing stuff, ya know? But, like, god, imagine- we, like, all shoot each other dead and shit and then they just go 'oh its just a prank bro' and we just have a pile of corpses or whatever.''

A katana. A fuckin katana, pointed at them.

''Like what are you gonna do with this katana, huh? Are you gonna stab me with it? Someone else? 'Cause, like, they gave it to you for a reason, y'know. And as cool and animesque it is someone's gonna take it for a threat.''

Shrugging, he put on his best shit-eating grin.

''Not me, though. You're cool. Y'all are cool. I don't care if you stab someone else. Just, like, don't make it gross. 'Cause that's prolly what they want. Actually, no, they prolly get off from us murdering each other to death, too.

Man, can't we just start an agricultural society here or something? We don't have to go home.

Oh, and put that gun down.''

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/25/2021 7:11 PM
Jesus, fuck, everything is happening at once-

Anh laughed about Emigh's name-which honestly, fair-Nigel continued to be depressive, and then other people decided to show up and make shit a party-thank fuck neither of them had shown any lead based party poppers, otherwise shit probably would've gone down the drain even quicker.

Bob was aparrently dead, Rip. She didn't recognize Mr. Let's-Wave-Around-A-Katana-Like-That's-A-Great-Idea, but the girl looked kinda familiar-Monique maybe? Something that started with an M, she was pretty sure.

Everyone talked about how the situation was real, which like, fucking duh, when did you figure that out, when Mr. Smith's brains got splattered all over Stacy from Calculus? Swear to God, sometimes it seemed like Ava was the only one with a brain.

But she didn't talk shit yet-the sooner she did that, the more likely they'd hate her, and she's not interested in a four-on-one fight.

So Ava sighed and talked.

"I doubt that's gonna be an option at this point, as much fun as growing food and living here in peace and harmony and all that crap sounds.

"Of course now that we all know this is real, the question is what the fuck we're supposed to do now, because I'm gonna go out on a limb and say none of us want anything to do with the corpse pile this situation is gonna end in."

She paused for a moment.

"I'm open to suggestions, no stupid ideas and all that."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/25/2021 7:31 PM
Shit...

These people were such bitches, really. The gun guy was out there trying to pull out some edgy psycho line, acting like his family had just died or some shit. They all had the same tragic backstory here, man. Maybe they were just intimidated by the sort of lone warrior aesthetic Brody had going on, though. He really couldn't blame them for that, though.

But today, Brody couldn't quite live up to that archetype. There were greater foes to vanquish than prideful idiots like the gun guy.

"Well I, Brody Paxton, and my assistant Monica here are trying to work on suggestions. And we thought it might be possible to find some very helpful... suggestions by exploring this city area." Brody explained, gesturing his hand through the air to indicate the space beyond this room.

"Of course, we would welcome many more to our clan. In challenges like this, numbers will be our ally, rather than elite skill." Brody tapped his head and gave a sage nod to the others in the group.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 09/25/2021 8:36 PM
Assistant.

Dick.

She'd been prepared for people to be on edge; it'd be weirder if they weren't. One of them having a gun was alarming, but at least he wasn't aiming it at them anymore.

It'd help if Brody was better at getting to the point. Right now he was selling this abysmally.

"If you're serious about not wanting to play by their rules, I think we can help each other. We've got some ideas regarding, well..." She idly tapped her collar. "Any extra input is welcome, though."

Such input would be especially welcome because she didn't have any actual ideas.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/25/2021 10:25 PM

The more Nigel thought about it, the more tortuous the idea became. The idea that what he'd done, what had happened, that it all had meant nothing. His skin crawled at the thought, and he felt disgusted with himself for coming to a selfish conclusion. It was better for him that it was real.

Real.

He wanted it to be, and he needed it to be.

Anh told him to put the gun down, and he did. He slung it back over his shoulder, and his eyes drifted sheepishly at the ground.

"Sorry," he mumbled timidly.

"A little keyed-up, from everything going on."

The other girl mentioned their collars and reminded him of the shackle on his neck. He'd almost forgotten that it was there. He pressed his hand against it, and it felt cool to the touch on his palm. Now that he remembered, it felt uncomfortable against his neck.

"Anything's better than..."

His voice drifted off and then returned. He touched the bleeding cut on his face again.

"...than playing, like they want, you know?"

It sounded so hypocritical and hollow in his ears.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/25/2021 10:49 PM
CLAN???
CHALLANGES???
ELITE SKILL???

Wow. Oh wow. What in the fuck. This guy is on more substances than Ahn himself.

(the drugs he'd taken (and been forcibly administered) filtered out of his system molecule by molecule.

He's going to regret this.)

''Yeah. Like. We can, uh, find some animals and raise them, get a clean water source, eat any plants we can find and then grow the seeds... Did they say we have to kill each other? No. Did they say we have to do it to go home? Maybe, but we don't know if they actually can back that claim up.''

...

''But, like, if even one person wants to go more more than they want the rest of us alive... We're screwed.''

Always been screwed.
It'll be a delusional future. Under the rule and thumb of red room dark web fortnite playing sadistic fuckups.

But it'll still be a future, and he's desperate enough to want this one.

Just think about it.

It'll be beautiful.

Just think about it...

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/26/2021 12:31 AM
Thank you Monica for being actually sensible, if everyone here was just going to act like a bunch of crazies Ava would've elected to skipping the bullshit and just finding a nice cliff to jump off of.

Was that a joke in bad taste? That depended on whether or not she was joking, and at this point she had no idea. Seriously, a clan? THIS WASN'T SOME SHITTY MOBILE GAME, BRODY!

Be cool, be cool. It'd be best to at least get one ally from this situation, and currently it looks like she could get multiple, so it's probably for the best that she just keep calm and roll with the punches.

"I'm not exactly a tech whiz, but I'm willing to help where I can. Better than having to kill people or anything."

Anh had a bit of a point, but there was also a counterpoint.

"We might just wanna cross that bridge when we get to it. If all we think about is doom and gloom and the bad shit that could happen, we may as well take the gun and take ourselves out to skip the suffering, and I don't plan on dying here if I can help it."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/26/2021 4:15 AM
None of the three introduced themselves after Brody had done his part to get that ball rolling. Real rude of them, but it was fine. The group itself was of mixed utility regardless.

The first guy was still brooding about something. Maybe somebody attacked him or something? But that was kind of what was going on out here? If Guy #1 had been stupid enough to try to convince himself that this wasn’t real only to get himself sliced it would kind of make sense, but it was still pretty lame. It was the beginning of this thing, front-loading angst this hard wasn’t gonna be good further down.

Guy #2, on the other hand, was afflicted by some kind of madness. In its early stages, of course, but soon enough he’d be frothing at the mouth, his eyes going distant, while he repeated certain phrases and tried to kill everyone. Brody had seen it all before. A shame.

Guy #3, the girl guy, was pretty decent, though. Not, like, in terms of skill, but in terms of not being out of her mind.

“Well, I believe, that our next move was to do some scavenging.” He declared confidently before turning to Monica.

“Uh… right?” He asked in a whisper.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 09/26/2021 7:25 AM
No one called her on it. Good. She'd bullshitted her way into having three less people who wanted her dead. Maybe even into actually getting the collars off, if everything went smoothly.

"Scavenging sounds good." She nodded Brody's way. "Access to electric currents, useful tools... anything that might seem a plausible solution. Just, ah, avoid being too open about what we're up to."

Perhaps a bit late for that; they hadn't been especially coy.

"We don't know how closely they're listening."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/26/2021 11:52 AM

Hopeless dreams of an idyllic life on the island seemed to have filled Anh's mind, and Nigel wanted so badly to believe that it could happen. That they could lay down their guns and live peacefully, forget the battle lines that their captors have drawn between their classes.

As much as his heart ached for peace, he knew it wouldn't happen. They had condemned them to a warzone - this was their battle to fight. Like the boy in the forest, people would grasp and claw at the fading light of their lives until the last breath.

"I wish, I wish we could. Maybe if we tried, but yeah, there's the risk. We can't ever be sure anymore," Nigel muttered as his eyes shakily traced the outlines of the tiles of the floor.

"I dunno. It's like, I want everything to be okay again. To be normal again, like none of this had happened. But, like, the captors, they wouldn't let us camp out here and live as we want, you know? But on the other hand, fuck, like..."

He wiped the cut and his eyes in one motion.

"...we can't go back, you know? We can't turn the clock back a couple of days and pretend everything didn't happen here, return home and forget that we'd been here. We can try, and maybe it's worth a shot, but it can't ever be okay again, and it can't be right again unless we make it."

He traced the square patterns on the floor, right to the left, then down, then left to right. The reminder pounded at his skull like a jackhammer.

Undead Sweetheart | Tad, Evan — 09/26/2021 5:58 PM
"The world is mine, the world is mine, mine~"

A soft, loud, confident voice was singing as the footsteps were creaking on the wooden floor downstairs.

"Gonna win, win, win. Just so the world is mine~"

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/26/2021 8:07 PM
''What song is that?''

Ugh. Please don't tell him that somebody is having fun. Not just because that'll be fucked, but because someone would be having a better time than him right now. And that's just horrible.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/26/2021 8:29 PM
'Assistant my ass. I'd bet actual money he's only still alive because Monica was waiting to find actually competent people before pumping full of lead.'

Cruel, almost definitely, but Brody was quickly proving himself an idiot that thought he was better than everyone else, and as far as Ava was concerned that kind of person just lead to trouble, and a situation like this was enough trouble for a lifetime.

She gave a small smile to Monica. "Sounds like a plan. Ava, by the way." Maybe Monica already knew that, like how she already knew her name started with an M, but hey, always good to be safe over sorry.

Nigel continued to be depressive as shit, and at this point someone else could coddle him-there was only so much Ava could do before she just tried to smack the guy and tell him to shut up, and she had no plans on gaining a hole in her stomach.

Plus, it didn't help that they had company, and not good company if the singing was any indication-you don't go around singing on murder island unless you wanna get shot, or you've gone seriously loopy and plan on doing the shooting. Probably not entirely acurrate, but enough that she felt like the point stood.

The smile quickly disappated from her face, Ava unzipped the bag hanging from her shoulder and sent a hand into it to rummage for whatever her weapon was.

"No idea about the song, but we might wanna bail before Mr. Sinatra decides to come a knocking.

"Just a hunch."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/27/2021 9:26 AM
At the sound of the strange voice, Brody leapt into action, heedless of the others. If there was one thing that he knew, it was that confidently singing a song about winning in the middle of a death game was not a good sign.

“Hey, stranger!” He called, peeking his head out of the room, lowering his katana into a ready stance, spreading his legs. “Announce yourself, are you friend or are you foe? We have numbers here and are armed. If you still have, like, any sanity, I suggest you approach peacefully or flee while you’ve got the chance!”

Undead Sweetheart | Tad, Evan — 09/27/2021 10:08 AM
"BANG. You're dead, dumbass!"

A rubber band came flying towards Brody's face out of nowhere.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/27/2021 2:22 PM
“S-Shit!” Brody felt something connect with his face and his mind shifted into a different gear. The swordsman had been awakened.

Stepping out from the room, he swung the katana in a controlled upward sweep, followed by a downward slash. The reaction was reflexive, and it was possible there was no one there. But Brody had spent untold hours studying the blade, and that training did not teach him to be complacent when attacked.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 09/27/2021 2:29 PM
Monica watched as the boy she was trusting her life with, the supposed leader of their escape effort, got shot by rubber bands and swung his katana around like a LARPer.

They were so screwed.

Undead Sweetheart | Tad, Evan — 09/28/2021 2:45 PM
"Pffft...."

The boy was standing off to the side more as he watched Brody swinging the sword around as if he was the protagonist in some shitty fantasy anime and he was shaking with laughter. His free hand was slapping his own knee as if this was the funniest shit he had ever witnessed.

"Hahaha! What the fuck was that weebo bullshit?!!" He touched at his side, his eyes were watering a bit from laughing too hard. "Holy... holy shit. What a fan-fucking-tastic show from the supposed hero, I assume."

((Tad Livingston continued from What You Are In The Dark))

Tad wiped a tear from his face and he grinned at Brody with a satisfied smiirk being present. He couldn't see the the other people that were with this guy yet.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/28/2021 5:38 PM
"Weebo?

You mean weaboo?

(Fucking dumbass.")

Both of them, in fact. Both of them.

Ahn rolled his eyes. Conceited, overtly serious jackass, and thinks-everything-is-a-joke, last words would probably be 'try me I dare you' jackass, and himself, who admittedly is probably also being a jackass.

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/28/2021 6:46 PM
'Holy fucking shitballs, is there one boy in this shitshow of a situation that can just be reasonable in the fucking slightest?'

Something cold and metalic was in her bag, and Ava gripped it as tight as possible. Shape suggested it was a gun, and finally she felt like she had some form of good news. Something like a sword may be useful, and definitely preferable to some stupid shit she could've been given, but a gun was better, hands down.

The problem at this point was everyone else. So many fucking people-two other guys were fine, five in the area was a pain, especially with the different personalities, but manageable if she was willing to get gray hair in her teenage years. Six people though, and one clearly having gone off his rocker already?

Yeah, she's done here thank you very much. She wants off Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Standing next to Monica, Ava kept her voice quiet enough that only the other girl should've heard.

"Not against abandoning the rest of them if you aren't."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/28/2021 7:46 PM

A song emanated through the building. Nigel didn't recognize the point of origin, but the cheeriness of the delivery set him on edge. Ava seemed to have concluded with Monica and suggested they leave - something which Nigel would be more than happy to do.

The boy with the blade in his hands was quickly proving himself to be just as dull as his sword was sharp, and the melody that hung in the air made his skin crawl. The matter only worsened when Brody confronted the stranger and received a rubber band to his face for the trouble. The projectile hit his forehead and bounced into the room, where it landed by Nigel's feet. Nigel was, in a way, relieved - either the stranger didn't have the will to fight, or he didn't have the means, and both of those options left survival as a likely possibility.

His relief ended mere seconds after, however. Brody reacted and swung his sword around like a leading character from an Akira Kurosawa film. None of his attacks seemed to hit a target - they cut only through the air and the group's faith in his insistent and ill-advised leadership. The stranger reacted only with incredulous laughter and mockery, which prompted an insult from Ahn on his pronunciation.

Nigel had a bad feeling about this. Soon enough, there'd be blows, and he'd have no choice but to step in - something which he was keen to avoid. He glanced at the entrance, then back at the three others who he believed he could trust to remain decently sane.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not dying over this," he said, loud enough for the other three to hear.

"We need to get the fuck out, A-S-A-P."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/28/2021 8:55 PM
Brody paid no heed to the discussion within the room. There was serious business at hand. The laughter and activity of the stranger had drawn Brody's eyes to his proper position, position shifting tp properly face the newcomer.

"You laugh, but this is serious business right here. People are dead and you think it fun to play practical jokes and scare those you've been trapped with. Disgusting." Brody spat, shaking his head.

"Now, who are you? Identify yourself and make it clear whether you mean harm to me or my allies here?" He demanded, taking another step closer, katana steady in his hands, focus and grip never faltering.

He hoped that the others stayed back. The boy with the gun was far too quick on the trigger.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 09/28/2021 9:43 PM
Monica was dumbfounded. It was like peeking through the window of an anime con, except there the guns and katanas probably weren't real. This display would be cringy if the stakes weren't so high.

Scratch that. It was cringy because the stakes were so high.

Ava wanted to leave, and Nigel echoed the sentiment. And really, they weren't wrong. Brody was fucking dumb, embarrassingly detached, and probably kind of a danger to them and himself, even if he meant well.

But a pang of guilt nagged at her; it felt like abandoning a puppy on the side of the road. Ditching him very likely meant leaving him to die. If this was how he reacted to a rubber band to the face, he was utterly unprepared for when actual fucking danger came his way.

There was also a worryingly high chance Brody was actually gonna attack this guy, which'd probably get him or Brody or both of them killed. The dude was a dick, sure, but she wasn't super keen on standing by and letting that happen. The boy on the beach was more than enough.

"... Just gimme a minute, y'all. But be ready to bolt." Hopefully that wasn't too alarming. Hopefully they didn't just run off without her.

She stepped out of the bathroom, behind Brody. It gave her a good look at the other dude, though he was unfamiliar to her. It probably didn't matter, though; they weren't gonna be around each other too long, one way or another.

"Heeeey, Brody, bud?" She put a gentle hand on his shoulder, trying not to spook him. "You're overreacting. It was just a rubber band."

Undead Sweetheart | Tad, Evan — 09/29/2021 9:24 AM
"Oh shit. Oh noooo. I said it wrong." Tad was fake-apologizing as he heard the other boy in the bathroom. Actually it seemed like there was a lot of voices in there. What the hell was going on in that bathroom? "Are ya'll having a party or something in there?"

Tad was now staring at the katana guy who was rightfully angry with him and Tad almost was tempted to walk up to him and tower over him like a complete dick. But yeah, he was not that suicidal and he didn't want to get another scar, thanks.

"God, you need to chill, my man. As if I didn't know that this was all serious. I'm not that dumb." Tad clicked his tongue slightly and he pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "I rather keep a happier mood than be a depressive baby any-day."

Identify myself? What are you? A cop or something?

And then a girl came out of the bathroom and was trying to calm katana guy, who was now known as Brody, down.

"Yeah, chill. Listen to.... whoever she is. And I am not gonna tell you my name. I have my reasons."

Also it was too bad that Brody wasn't alone because Tad would have definitely made mincemeat of him if he had been.

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 09/30/2021 7:25 AM
[Ahn needed a moment to process how fucked he was.]

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 09/30/2021 3:59 PM
Okay, so maybe she needed to work on her volume control. Things to think about in the future. But hey, if Nigel was being smart and acknowledging the situation was going to shit and they needed to leave five minutes ago, she wouldn't complain about it. Maybe there was some hope for him after all.

Too bad Brody was way too far gone. She didn't care if it was being on the island or just being insane beforehand, he was acting like a fucking anime protagonist or some other stupid bullshit, and Ava was feeling more and more like he was just gonna be a problem.

But when Monica went to try and talk with insane asylum escapees one and two, what left her mouth wasn't 'For the love of God no, please don't risk getting killed because of this dumbass, I beg of you.'

For some reason she said, "Alright, fine, try to be careful or something."

Maybe she just liked having someone actually, definitively sane on her side. Maybe she didn't want either of the assholes on the other side of the door getting a kill and hoped Monica was able to defend herself well enough. Maybe she actually wanted to save a good number of people, whether they were batshit crazy or perfectly normal. Or maybe she just genuinely didn't want any more people she knew dying.

Probably that last one honestly. Even if she only knew the guy for two seconds, the idea of Brody's blood becoming the new mural on the walls made her stomach drop. She was human, after all.

So she stood there, back to the wall, next to the door, still out of sight of the apparently less crazy guy as she agreed with him.

"Gonna have to agree with Mr. Rubber-Band-Shooter. It might be best if we all walked away from this situation, you know, alive."

Not that she wasn't prepared to try the alternative, given the gun in her hands.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 09/30/2021 6:31 PM

Nigel didn't want to be here anymore.

The situation was growing tenser as the standoff continued, and he could sense that his allies were growing nervous. His finger needled the trigger, idly tapping against the polymer.

Nigel didn't want to be alone, either.

He wanted things to turn out okay. His brain told him to leave, but his heart told him to stand ready. He frowned, then turned to Monica, who requested a minute, presumably to talk down Brody, who brandished his sword like a ronin at the stranger, and that the rest of the group prepare themselves to leave.

"Stay safe," he mumbled as his eyes drifted away from her and back towards the floor.

All of them, the stranger included, had a reason for wanting Brody to back down. None of them were interested in dying - Brody was the most significant risk to life out of anyone in the area.

Nigel wondered what would happen if this went wrong - if the stranger drew a real gun while they were distracted or if Brody turned his blade against them for their desire to back down. A dead boy in the forest came back into his mind. He knew it would be his responsibility to remove the safety and pull the trigger if the rest of the group came under attack, to become a murderer again.

He couldn't afford to think like that. He knew it would only drive himself further into despair - he needed to focus on the present, not the future.

In the present, he waited.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 09/30/2021 9:35 PM
Brody felt his body tense up as a hand touched his shoulder, thinking that the attacker snuck behind him somehow. However, as he started to turn, he heard Monica speaking up instead.

It was then that the attacker appeared more properly, mocking Brody for daring to react to an attack and accusing him of being disconnected from reality. Brody was certain that, if the gun boy had been hit in the face with a rubber band, he would have started firing off randomly. Rubber band boy was certainly lucky that Brody had greater control of his sword arm.

Monica was right. This wasn’t worth a fight.

“Very well. I’ll take you at your word.” Brody gave a slow nod, his eyes narrowing as he stared down rubber band boy. “But for someone that says they know what’s happening here, you’re sure acting pretty stupid. Starting shit and then getting confrontational and everything is going to get you in trouble with people with less self-control than myself.”

With that, Brody turned to re-enter the bathroom with Monica, only to stop himself, thinking of something, turning back to rubber band boy, and pointing.

“Know your genre. This is no comedy. We’re in a horror.” He thought it sounded pretty cool.

And then he stepped back into the bathroom, significantly more relaxed.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 10/01/2021 6:37 AM
god what even is with this boy a minute ago you were swinging a real fucking sword around like it was a stick you found in the woods and now you're spouting cheesy one-liners god fucking damn do you even know where you are you goddamn clown

...

Whatever. At least he wasn't about to hack this other little shit to death anymore. She'd known him all of thirty seconds and already her impression of him was worse than even Brody. Hopefully he'd skedaddle and let them get to shit that actually fucking mattered, finally.

She glowered his way briefly, to indicate he wasn't wanted, before heading back to the bathroom.

Undead Sweetheart | Tad, Evan — 10/01/2021 2:54 PM
Tad felt himself cringe. Also the girl was giving him the stink eye and he couldn't help but chuckle a little. Man, what an interesting group. He couldn't wait to take them out one by one. Tad was enjoying this game a lot more than he should.

"Oh wow! You really are a hero cliche, Brody!" He yelled as he peek into the room and he fired another rubber band at someone randomly.

And then he ran off, laughing like a cartoon villain.

((Tad Livingston continued elsewhere))

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 10/01/2021 4:05 PM
Like alright he didn't wanna agree with the guy who's taling the whole thing as a joke and also laughs like some sort of guy pretending to be a cliche villain snorting helium and replicating a hyena or whatever the fuck but like

But like Brody really is a cliche, just... not a hero cliche, he's just a freakin asshole.

''So, uh, that happened!''

He shrugged.

''Do we do anything? Can we make, like, smoke signals? All I have is drugs right now.''

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 10/01/2021 4:24 PM
And then Ava shot the laughing idiot in the back after he hit her in the face with a rubber band.

Not really, but holy shit was she tempted. At the very least she wanted to fire a warning shot into the ceiling, but she was not about to scare people off over being a petty bitch.

Instead her scowl only deepened as the dumbass Joker wannabee made his exit, laughing all the while. What a fucking creep.

But there was other shit to focus on now. Actually important shit. Brody, dumbass as he was, joined them back in the small room, not raring to kill any of them. They all wanted to focus on the important stuff, so it was talking time.

"You can say that again." She said with a sigh. That shit did indeed happen, after all.

"I don't think smoke signals are gonna help. Unless we're somewhere help can walk or drive to, the only attention we might get is others stuck here, and with guys like that?"

She pointed a thumb to where crazy boy had run off to.

"I think we're better off without that kind of attention."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/03/2021 7:49 PM

Nigel inhaled and took in oxygen, then exhaled and released it. He sighed in audible relief at Brody's decision to back down. The rifle was allowed to fall to his side on the strap. He didn't care enough to listen to Brody's monologue. It didn't matter - he didn't have to see another death, not yet at least.

He didn't have to cause one, either.

Not yet.

Not yet, again.

Monica returned to the room, and Nigel was glad for it. She had proven herself to be even-keeled, even more so in comparison to the reckless, wanton stupidity of the stranger - who had quickly exited - and Brody, their self-proclaimed messiah.

"It fucking did, yeah," He said, responding to Anh's idle comment, which had barely registered in his mind, "At the very least, all of us came out of this more-or-less okay."

He was glad for that if nothing else. It helped reduce the feeling of overwhelming uncertainty. Ever since he had awoken, he had seen nothing but death, and he had expected at least one body to have resulted from this confrontation.

Instead, he felt a relative calm, a little bit of peace in their warzone in the sea. It helped put his mind slightly more at ease, though the tension still bit at him.

"I don't know. I don't think we should leave everybody else behind, you know? Like, even if they've done something horrible..." He said, then paused as the words hung in his throat.

"...they were our classmates, our friends, you know? That means something. Or, well, it meant something once. It's not any of our faults that we're here."

It didn't vindicate him, but that was okay.

It wasn't his fault that he woke up on the island.

It was his fault that he didn't play.

He stopped the train of his thoughts before it careened further into the abyss of his mind.

"I don't know. I'll let you all decide. It's not my place to argue."

He didn't have a right to talk anymore.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/04/2021 2:13 PM
No one in the group had any idea what they were doing, which was understandable. Everybody was scared and worried, particularly with that asshole spouting some weird nonsense when he walked off. That’s why the group needed cool heads to help them out.

“Well,” Brody began, relaxing a bit, “I think there’s one matter we need to attend to before anything else.” He explained, gesturing towards the metal that circled his neck, matching the others.

“Which is why I was thinking we should do some scavenging… for ideas. I was thinking here and the factory were probably the best place for, uh, brainstorming.” He added with a nod and a confident grin, convinced he’d been appropriately subtle this time.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 10/04/2021 3:03 PM
After the weirdo left, everyone was antsy to get moving. Understandably so; every second lost was a second closer to their whole plan blowing up, perhaps literally.

Brody actually had the right idea of things; scavenging for methods of removing the collars was Priority #1, and the city and factories were the best bet for finding what they needed.

"We should tackle them both at once, in separate groups. This shit's probably time sensitive, I figure."

The factory, from what Monica remembered of the map, was clear across the island, through a forest that took up most of the central terrain. Likely not an easy trip, especially for this lot who largely seemed a hair out of shape. She wasn't sure who between the four would be the most pleasant company; Ava seemed abrasive, Nigel seemed depressive, Anh appeared barely together at all, and Brody was, well...

"I can handle the factory, I suppose. Anyone else up for the hike?"

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 10/04/2021 7:54 PM
"I'm lowkey lazy as fuck, but, like, sure."

Woah, that was a nice stretch. His elbows popped.

"Not like there's anything else morally acceptable to do here."

Well, it's not like they've been aiming for moral acceptability. But that's far, far beyond the point, right? And it's not like they're, uh, stupid teenagers and also the people manage to get their hands on a whole ass city so like trying to get the collar off is the equivalent of lighting the dynamite's fuse, but, well...

You know. Nothing else to do, except, like, shoot people, and that's lowkey fucked, man.

"So... factory-

"-yeah. I've done some lego robotics when I was twelve."

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 10/05/2021 1:43 AM
Jesús H. Gomez, what is with this guy? One minute Nigel's all doom and gloom, they're pretty much screwed and all that. The next, it's trying to help every Mr. and Missy that's stuck here and thinking they could actually get out of this slice of Hell. Can he not just pick a god damn side or something?

Sigh. Whatever. It wasn't like she was fully against what he had to say-the idea of leaving pretty much everyone to die here didn't really sit well with Ava, even if some of them did go psycho. It would probably be good to get some more peaople with them. At least a couple more sane people.

"Maybe, but we'd have to be careful with people like that. I'm not risking someone dying because we went and trusted Slashely McStaberson."

At least Monica was still being smart. And Brody was showing himself to actually possess something resembling a brain. She wasn't so sure on splitting up, but hey, this wasn't a horror movie or some other stupid shit. They'd probably be fine.

And who to go with? Easy. Monica was actually smart, and while Anh was spacey, Ava was about 70% sure he was on something at the moment, so he would probably get better with time.

"I'm up for the trek. Seems more likely to find something useful there than here, honestly."

She looked to the remaining boys. "Think you two can handle yourselves while we're gone?"

The fact that she said that without a condisending tone should've earned her an Oscar.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/07/2021 5:00 PM

The group had decided to splinter into two groups - one would remain in the city while the other would scavenge the factory. Nigel felt little at ease at this prospective course they had decided to take.

He'd watched enough horror movies to know that the "split up and search for clues" approach was how people got themselves killed. Nigel swallowed his fears - complaint would only cause bad feelings towards him. He couldn't afford to lose the trust of his only allies, the people he needed to protect.

Ava added a note about being cautious with prospective allies, one to which Nigel agreed. He knew first-hand that others had already started to play, to kill.

Like he had.

He didn't think they could afford to trust those who went out of their way to kill when other options had arisen. Trust would need to be proven, earned, rather than given, even in doubtful cases.

"Yeah, I agree there. We've got to draw a line somewhere," Nigel said hypocritically.

The groups were, of course, divided unevenly. There was a total of five people, split into one group of three - Monica, Ava, and Anh, who would scour the factory - and one of two - himself and Brody, who would explore the city - there was no possible even way to divide their numbers.

"Yeah, that works about right, I guess," He said, a hint of discomfort in his voice.

While the prospect of being along with Brody, who had been proven unreliable, did not rest happily in his mind, it seemed they would likely have the less intensive role in the group.

"One thing, though. I say we should pick a time - something like six or seven o'clock, and link back up here by then. The group shouldn't stay split up for long - strength in numbers, you know. If that's alright with everyone else, that is."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/09/2021 5:00 AM
“It’s settled then.” Brody declared with a nod, internally preparing himself for this next leg of his journey.

“We’ll scout our individual destinations and reunite here with our new knowledge.”

He turned to the boy with the gun. He was not… an ideal partner for this, certainly not as even-headed as Monica, but Brody could hold his own, regardless.

“We should start with any workshops, tool shops, the like. That’s where my brain works best.” He said with a rather aggressive wink.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 10/09/2021 8:28 AM
Ava and Anh were quick to sign up to go with her. Fair enough. Any two of this crowd were probably roughly of equal use, and they'd be less... flamboyant than Brody. Certainly less likely to cause the kind of trouble they'd just witnessed.

"Roger," she nodded, already turning to leave. "There's no sense in dillydallying. We've got a rough journey ahead."

She gave a last look to Brody and Nigel. "We'll see you two soon."

She was not as confident in that as she sounded.

((Monica Reed continued elsewhere))

Yona || Ahn/Theo — 10/09/2021 8:33 AM
Ugh, god. Not to advocate for violence but if a gunfight breaks out he'll hope Brody's the first to get shot.

...

((Uh, yeah, so, apparently he's continuing with these losers now?))

we should hug! | Whitney, Ava — 10/09/2021 12:10 PM
Nigel agreed, Brody didn't make a fuss about the groupings, and it was time to be off. At least not everything here was going to be difficult.

Ava gave a sort of mock salute to the pair as she followed Monica and Anh, gun still held tight in her right hand, even if it was just pointing at the floor.

"Good luck, try not to...you know."

[[Probably one of the nicer goodbyes she'd said in her life]]

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/10/2021 2:22 PM

Nigel nodded at Brody, though a hint of reservation permeated the action. He didn't trust him, not after the confrontation with the stranger and the way he'd acted. Not entirely, at the very least. At the very least, however, he seemed to be sane at the moment, and that was more than Nigel had the right to demand.

He turned to the other group before they departed, taking his last looks at Monica, Ava, and Anh. He wished he could have joined them, but he didn't say it.

"Good luck," he said, "and see you soon."

He saluted back at them with two fingers, index and pointer. He then turned back to Brody.

"Let's go."

[B003 - SULLIVAN, NIGEL: CONTINUED IN "Stand Your Ground".]

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/11/2021 6:09 PM
"Divide and conquer, my friends. Together, we will forge our own destiny, heedless of the wishes of anyone else. This is how we win." Brody declared with gusto, throwing some bass behind his voice as he thrust one finger in the air, arm outstretched over his head, that it might pierce the heavens through this lowly bathroom.

"We need no luck. Our faith in ourselves is what will see us through." He gave a nod to Nigel, before seting off with him.

((Brody Paxton continued elsewhere...))

[SOTF: Discord]

[+] Castle Doctrine

WorldCat — 10/09/2021 5:58 PM
Name: Castle Doctrine
Time: Day One
Status: Oneshot

WorldCat — 10/09/2021 6:07 PM
[Benton Prager was dropped into the game, with his favorite rifle. Aw, hell yeah, all he needed was a bit a Heineken.]

A city? Well, shit, ain't nothing much different than back home, living in that Communist hellhole New York, but least he got some experience skeet shootin' out on the Island and gun shootin' out on other states.

Shootin' club was full of pussyfootin' liberals an'ways.

Benton was a New York kid, who for some reason always some reason always spoke with such a country-esque voice. Weirdo.

Anyways, he's found himself in quite the pickle, but with enough brains he could turn this store into quite the fortress. So, maybe, we can ride this shit out! Ask for help.

Knowing the effectiveness of the army of the US of A, they'll be lookin' for him in no time.

But, in the meantime, this [INSERT STORE NAME HERE] is turned into a fortress. Well, as fortified as a small store can be, that is.

It's one of those small convenience stores, with a narrow room for all the small aisles, refrigerators in the back. Good thing is, there's a backdoor and where he's at provides a great vantage point to shoot right down to the front of the store. They gotta come lookin' straight at him to get any closer.

Bad news? It's a small-ass store. And you can't get rid of all the cover. With enough firepower, people could make their way in. Plus, as much as Benton likes to say, he ain't that good a shot.

Whatever, Jesus will protect him now. And, of course, his 2-A too!

[SOTF: Discord]

[+] Stand Your Ground

WorldCat — 10/13/2021 6:32 PM
Name: Stand Your Ground
Time: Day One
Status: Open!

WorldCat — 10/13/2021 6:33 PM
Benton hasn't moved all day. Simply...staring at the door, a good view of the outside.

He hasn't heard anyone. But, God help him, if he sees anyone they were gonna have 10 seconds to leave.

After a warning of course. He's not crazy.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/14/2021 3:39 PM
((Brody Paxton continued from F.M.L.))

Brody strolled down the street, pistol holstered at his side, katana resting against his shoulder.

It had proven difficult to figure out where to locate a good source of electronic equipment thus far, particularly with that mope Nigel at his back providing as little help as possible. Monica was much better.

He shrugged.

Soon enough, Brody knew, his enthusiastic leadership would drag… something out of Nigel.

The nearby [INSERT STORE NAME HERE] drew Brody’s gaze. A place like that would have everything he needed. Probably.

“Hey! Let’s check this place out.” Brody called back to Nigel before stepping inside.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/14/2021 4:02 PM
As Brody took a step inside he was startled by the whir of a camera turning to face him. Jumping, Brody swung his sword in an upward swipe, colliding with the device and knocking it to the ground with a loud metallic clatter.

“Oh… stupid thing.” Brody shrugged, delivering a kick to the now downed camera, knocking it into a nearby wall where it completely shattered.

He thought nothing of it.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/14/2021 5:58 PM

[B003 - SULLIVAN, NIGEL: CONTINUED FROM "F.M.L.".]

Nigel stepped forward on the deteriorated sidewalk which accompanied the empty city streets. It was a desolated, apocalyptic place, one step away from ancient ruins. The cameras turned and panned to face him and his tumultuous companion as they made their way through the city's downtown area, lined with stores and shops.

He'd seen a hardware store in the distance. It was relatively small compared to the stores he had known back home, but he was sure that they would be able to find something of use there. If it had not yet been stripped clean by their captors, that is.

A camera, low to the ground, swiveled towards them and prompted a panicked reaction from Brody, who swung and severed it from the wall. While this would otherwise have set Nigel on edge, it sent him into thought instead.

He drew two contradictory conclusions, one of which he considered immensely more valid than the other. The first was that they might have been allowed some level of leeway to tamper with the equipment, even intentionally. It was the more likely scenario, but it raised a question in Nigel's mind. How far would their abductors humor them, let them continue with their goal? How much damage could they do, how many lines could they cross? He didn't have the answers, but he would raise the possibility to his group.

The other possibility, although less likely and far more irrational, nagged at Nigel's mind. What if they had bluffed, and their supposed explosive collars did no such thing? Nigel's guilty conscience vexed him, told him that what happened was even more inexcusable. He had killed without even a question of the possibility.

He couldn't let himself doubt the veracity of the situation. He knew that he was right to see it as the only possible truth.

It had to be.

Right?

He stumbled forward, lost in his thoughts when he snapped back awake as they drew nearer to the hardware store. Across from it was a tiny grocery store, likely a small business that had closed down a long time ago. The store windows, reinforced with wooden boards, raised concern and caused Nigel to feel uneasy. It stood out like a sore thumb across all the storefronts of the downtown area. He drew closer to Brody and pointed towards the store.

"Stay sharp," he said in a half-whisper, "I think we might not be alone."

He gripped the carry strap of the rifle tightly and darted his eyes from the hardware store to the barricade repeatedly.

WorldCat — 10/14/2021 6:03 PM
A voice from the opposite side of the store. You can't quite see the person, yet, but you notice a good level of store aisles shelves fortifications covering where the voice seems to be coming from.

"Now, that's close enough, intruders!"

A southern accent. Distinct. As if someone was trying to replicate a southern accent, covering their Queens-y New York-y accent.

"Now, y'all, better stand reeeeeeeal still now!"

The chambering of a round into, what sounds to be, a bigger-than-pistol gun.

"Whatchu around here for? 'Ah?"

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/16/2021 9:29 PM
The camera had left Brody sharp and prepared and so the new voice making itself known failed to startle him. The voice seemed to be making threats and doing... something with a gun. Almost immediately, the pistol had left his pants and was now aimed around the shadows of the building.

"I can't say anybody's intruding anywhere around here. Also don't appreciate the threats, pal." He demanded, carefully looking around the space.

"Just looking for some supplies and stuff, not playing any games here. Unless you are."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/23/2021 6:07 PM

Nigel, through the door of the grocery, could see a shadow stir and shift towards them. He pulled the strap towards him and flipped the rifle into his hands. There was someone in there for sure, though he couldn't guess as to who.

His thought process was interrupted by the falsified accent of an assailant. Nigel recognized the voice in an instant - Benton, a fellow member of the school's rifle team. He made demands of them - stay back and stand still, tell him their purpose. Brody responded with his characteristic standoffishness.

Nigel and Benton had never gotten along. Benton always had a lot to say, and none of it was ever worth hearing. He was a difficult person to speak to, and they'd argued several times in the past. He had a gun in his hands, as evidenced by the chambering of what sounded like a rifle.

Nigel kept his rifle ready and called into the store.

"We don't want a fight, but if you try something, we'll defend ourselves. All we want to do is get into the hardware store. Stay out of our lane, and we'll stay out of yours."

WorldCat — 10/23/2021 6:11 PM
Bentons eyes squinted as he heard a familiar voice. Could that be what he thought it could be? No use in not seeing if he guessed right.

"...Nigel? They gotchew too?!"

Hardware store?

"Hardware store? This here's a-uh-convenience store. And, by law of our Yoo-nited States of America and the grace of God, this is my castle. And I am LEGALLY BINDED to be able to defend it."

"This is my lane you're gettin' into! But, uh, if that's Nigel then...I guess I can come out for a moment!"

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/24/2021 5:11 AM
Brody turned to Nigel had spoke in a whisper.

“Dude, why is he taking it like that?”

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 10/27/2021 3:32 PM

"There's a hardware store further down, probably the same place you got your boards. We're heading there."

Nigel already felt like he was having a debate with a brick wall. He'd explained once that they weren't interested in the grocery store, but that had gone in one ear and out the other. Benton had never been one to get the message.

Of all the people at the school, he seemed to have gotten stuck with the most stubborn and thick-headed ones. At the very least, it seemed like Brody had begun to wise up.

"Hell if I know," he whispered to Brody in a confidential tone, "but he seems like trouble to me. Watch your back."

He kept his gun at the ready, just in case, and tapped at the safety dial.

WorldCat — 10/27/2021 3:42 PM
"Uh, boards?" Truth be told Benton didn't even know where the hardware was. He literally created a rickety wall of thin aisles and racks from the convenience store.

"O-Oh, right, yeah, that one. Ah. Ermm.." The safety would click back on the gun.

"I'm, uh, I'm coming out!"

Out from the fortifications stood a tallish guy. He's wearing a shirt which reads "Jesus is my saviour. [CONTROVERSIAL PRESIDENT NAME HERE] is my President." He is also wearing a red hat with - oh, you know exactly what's on it.

On the shirt has pictures of assault rifles and-yeah, yeah, yeah he's a gun toting right-winger, you get the point.

Benton kinda smiles a tad bit, perhaps out of relief that there's at least someone he knows among them.

"Nigel! It is yew!"

Catche | Brody, Horace — 10/30/2021 5:56 PM
"And also Brody. I'm also here, just so we're clear." Brody spoke up as he carefully looked Benton up and down.

It didn't take long for him to determine that he did not trust this guy one bit. Firstly, because Brody preferred that people keep their politics out of killing games. Secondly, because this guy's voice still bothered the shit out of him.

However, this seemed to be Nigel's guy or whatever, so while they spoke he simply began to browse the shelves, leaving this matter to his comrade.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 11/02/2021 7:15 PM

Nigel slid his finger along the dial of the G36, flicked it forward, another click in response.

He flicked the safety off, then on.

He clicked it off, and it stayed that way.

The first time, there was a threat. It didn't make it right, but it gave Nigel a reason. For all he knew, Benton wasn't hostile, was ready to listen.

No need to be paranoid.

He didn't want to be paranoid.

He kept his finger off the trigger as the other boy, decked out in political slogans, walked up to him. Benton smiled at him, and he reciprocated, forced it, faked it. It wasn't real, but it could pass for it.

"Yeah, it's me, Ben."

A half-sigh escaped Nigel's lips, and he closed his mouth, stopped smiling. He was relieved that the greeting was devoid of gunshots, but the tension was still there. He tipped his head towards Brody as he looted the store, glanced back.

"He and I are part of a group. We've split up for now, but there are five of us total, and not one wants to play," he said confidentially, "That's why we're gathering supplies, why we're here."

He moved just slightly closer, then hesitated, drew back.

"You want to go home, right?"

WorldCat — 11/05/2021 10:55 AM
A sniffle. "Well yeah..but...y-you, uhm, you go on ahead for now."

A hesitation.

"I'll hold down the fort, ya know, and uhm...come back when you're done with..planning it out."

The truth is, Benton did not want to leave until he was completely sure of everything.

"And if anything goes wrong, you all can stay with me in here!"

Catche | Brody, Horace — 11/13/2021 3:40 PM
Brody shrugged, disinterested in this guy's agenda, whatever it was. If there was no electronic equipment around this place, than Brody had no business there anyway.

"Alright, buddy. We're outta here. You can stay behind in your hidey-hole if you want, but unless we take the fight to them, we're just waiting to die." And with that Brody turned and began to walk on out of there.

"Let's keep looking, Nigel." He added, not looking back

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 11/13/2021 9:42 PM

Nigel stared forward, frowned.

"Okay, uh," he said, "Yeah, we'll come back. You can trust us."

He wasn't sure that he could keep that word, but he'd try.

He'd try to try.

He looked at Brody as he took his leave and sighed.

"See you around."

For all he knew, he'd be looking at a corpse then.

[B003 - SULLIVAN, NIGEL: CONTINUED IN "When You Talk, All I See Is Red".]

WorldCat — 11/13/2021 10:58 PM
And Benton retreated back into the Benton cave, and waited. And waited, but really not for that long.

Until the announcements of course. Can't stay here then!

[Benton Prager, quickly leaves his fort. Very, very sad moment, this is.]

Catche | Brody, Horace — 11/20/2021 10:40 AM
(Brody Paxton, continued elsewhere)

[SOTF: Discord]

[+] whitney.

jillz [abel/harriet i guess idk] — 18/10/2021 01:09
Name: whitney.
Time: Night One
Status: Oneshot

jillz [abel/harriet i guess idk] — 18/10/2021 01:10
(( whitney. ))

[SOTF: Discord]

[+] All the Difference in the World

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 4:12 PM
Name: All the Difference in the World
Time: Night Two
Status: Private.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 4:21 PM

((He stood alone in the tech store, surrounded by empty shelves and silence.))

Ahn waited. It was dark outside.

(They should have been here by now.)

His eyes hurt from the artificial lights of the store.

(Kinda reminded him of a classroom, actually.)

(Oh well.)

He could hear the footsteps, see the silhouettes, shadows dancing in the distance.

Any moment, they would step through the door.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/04/2022 4:45 PM
((Monica Reed continued from the river/cool games for attractive people))

Anh led them to a location not so far from where they'd first met. Monica wished she'd known about it when they first split up. If she had, Ava might still be alive.

She ushered Brody and Nigel in quietly. She'd said little in general the whole way; her big mouth and bright ideas were part of why there were only four of them now. It was best to let Anh take the lead, lest they meet with further tragedy.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 5:30 PM

[B003 - SULLIVAN, NIGEL: CONTINUED FROM "cool games for attractive people"]

In their search for a way home, the four had set course for the city.

The announcements were a blow to their spirits; Ava was dead, they now knew. Nigel wanted to blame himself.

If he'd been there, maybe she would walk beside them now.

He tried not to dwell on it, even as the number of their classmates dwindled like particles of sand in an hourglass.

Ahn had led them to a tech shop, drawn like a moth to a lamp.

Their classmate's next moves were opaque; he'd made demands for some materials, both vague and specific. His plan involved the other three going on supply runs while he remained in the tech shop.

None of them questioned it too hard. As enigmatic and weird as the guy could be, Ahn was the best shot they had.

After that, they'd split up.

Monica and Brody went to the hardware store. Nigel had gone the opposite direction, towards the city center.

At a grocery store, he'd collected aluminum foil and plastic wrap. He didn't know quite why, but Ahn needed them for his plan, whatever it was.

In addition, Nigel had stumbled upon a generator in the city hall, smashed to bits but full of fuel. A nearby gas station provided him with a means to store and transport it.

An oversight, most likely,

He wasn't one to complain about a gift.

The three of them had linked back up, supplies in tow, and made their way back.

Nigel took a step towards the door and opened it with his right hand, the tank sloshing with liquid.

He didn't speak.

The four of them knew the risks.

Loose lips sink ships.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/04/2022 6:10 PM
((Brody Paxton continued from "cool games for attractive people"))

Brody followed behind the others, locked in his own frustrating bout contemplation.

The last set of announcements had apparently made it clear that the fifth member of their group, Ava he was told, died after getting separated from Monica and Ahn.

They also notified him of the death of Harriet Kownacki, the vice president of Anime Club, a revelation that left him similarly uncomfortable. Harriet was one of the few people one of the few people that the lone wolf had known for a long time. Sure, she was a nag and all that, bitter about how elections turned out, but in Brody's head she still seemed so... alive? He couldn't find the proper way to think about it.

Though is was the leader of this group, Brody found that he wasn't able to provide much in the way of guidance. His idea of using a shitton of batteries in order to facilitate their escape had brought little notice and it seemed like he was now just being ushered along.

Monica, his faithful lieutenant from the beginning of this ordeal, had been mostly silent along the walk. Brody gave her a firm nod as he entered the tech store. He wasn't sure exactly what was bothering her, but it was clearly something. She was acting like Nigel, who always seemed on-edge.

"Hey, we've got this guys." He said, giving each of them a glance, though he know yet what "this" was. It sounded like a reassuring thing to say.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 7:34 PM

Ahn watched as the group poured into the room, bags full to bursting.

(What was the Carry Weight of a real human being?)

(Could you be over-encumbered with fear?)

"Okay, uh, like..."

Ahn paused, then motioned to the table in the center of the room.

"...put the stuff on the table. I need to see it."

(He couldn't give the plan away. Not yet.)

(It needed to happen first.)

Ahn took several short, quick breaths.

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/04/2022 7:45 PM
Monica emptied her bag onto the table, revealing a medley of tools and materials. She'd been thorough in her search, grabbing nearly anything that sounded like it vaguely fit Anh's shopping list if supplies. She hoped the boy could turn all this into a way out. If he couldn't...

Well, he had to. This had to work out.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 7:56 PM

Nigel nodded and did likewise.

He placed the gas can beside the table and tossed the foil and wrap into view.

His eyes scanned the arrangement of tools and items scattered haphazardly across the table.

He hoped it would be enough.

He stared for a moment at the cameras in the corners of the room.

He counted them. One, two, three, four, five. One in each corner. One at the door.

They were in the open. Any false move meant death.

Their lives depended on what came next, the moments in front of them.

His gaze turned back to Ahn, lost in thought.

He waited for the reaction.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/04/2022 8:01 PM
Brody gave his nod to the others and similarly began to lay out the supplies he'd brought, first those that came from the list Anh had provided them. Brody himself hadn't been sure as to the exact purpose of these tools, but he decided to leave leave the science to the scientists. However, he also spread out a few of the batteries he'd held on to.

Y'know, just in case.

Smiling, he gave a quick thumbs up to Anh.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/04/2022 8:08 PM

Ahn looked at the cameras and frowned.

(He had to make this look real.)

"Not enough."

Ahn turned back to the group.

"We, uh, don't have everything we need."

(A lie, but one compelled.)

Ahn shot a wry smile at the group and made a thumbs-down motion.

"We can't escape."

(He couldn't say it out loud, but he hoped they'd get what he really meant.)

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/04/2022 9:08 PM
For a second, Monica's blood froze. It sounded like Anh was declaring them all doomed. Only a flash of a smile communicated what was (probably, hopefully) actually going on.

Clever boy.

She'd do her best to play along; everything probably counted on it now. With any luck Nigel and Brody would pick up on the trick themselves without too much extra prompting.

"You're saying that's it then," she replied, her expression blank. "We're fucked."

She wasn't much of an actor, but hopefully this was a convincing show.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/06/2022 2:30 PM

Nigel was, at heart, a director.

He loved to create a sprawling world, a story in moving pictures.

So, when Ahn made his proclamation, Nigel knew the score.

They would play a part, all of them, choreographed and fine-tuned.

They would play a part, all of them, choreographed and fine-tuned.

One false move and credits would roll on the snuff film.

Scene ten, take one.

Marker.

Set

Action.

Nigel glared daggers at the other boy and raised his voice to speak.

"What the hell are you talking about, not enough?" he roared, "You mean we came all the way here, survived all this time, lost fucking Ava, all so you can just fucking, what, give up?"

His eyes were full of rage.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

He took a step towards Ahn, explicit hostility in his approach.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/06/2022 5:44 PM
Brody saw it all, the proclamation of doom, the mismatched smile, the anger that followed from Nigel. Subtle social cues were laid out before him, an equation to be solved.

He blinked.

And blinked again.

"Uh...." He stared directly ahead, brows furrowed, thinking harder than he'd ever managed before, the machinery of his mind working overtime, churning and twisting to make sense of what his next move needed to be. Thoughts slammed into one another in a hectic storm.

"...yeah, fuck uh..."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/06/2022 7:04 PM

Ahn first turned to Monica.

"Yeah. We're fucked."

Ahn shrugged nonchalantly.

(We'll all die, so what does it matter, etc., etc.)

Ahn scowled back at Nigel.

(He knew that he knew. Or something like that.)

"They won, and we lost. Simple as that."

"Do you not get that? It's not a difficult concept to grasp."

(Low-key became high-key. A subtle shift.)

Ahn shifted his weight, a grimace on his face.

"It was all in fucking vain, every moment of it!"

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/06/2022 9:25 PM
Damn, Anh was giving quite the performance. Was he a drama kid in addition to being a tech savant?

Nigel seemed to get it, throwing himself into an equally dramatic display. Brody was... a little slow on the uptake. Hopefully he'd get what was happening and not fuck it all up.

Monica said nothing, merely giving a weary sigh. She didn't even really need to fake it.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/07/2022 4:00 PM

Nigel took another step towards Ahn.

"So, we just lay down and die, then," he snarled, his tongue venom, "because, what, your plan went up in fucking smoke?"

His gait was like a lion, prey in the deadlights.

"You're a fucking coward, Ahn," he spat, bitter scorn in his voice, "a coward and a liar."

In one fluid motion, he went for the throat.

Talons clawed for purchase.

Nigel grabbed at the collar of Ahn's hoodie.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/07/2022 4:18 PM
"Woah what the shit??" Brody yelled, rushing forward and attempting to grab hold of Nigel, to keep him off of Anh. His face turned to a grimace as he attempted to formulate what could possibly have driven Nigel to something so drastic.

"Dude, this is not fucking cool."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/07/2022 7:01 PM

"Yeah, sounds about right."

(He could curl into the fetal position and waste away forever.)

(It's easy.)

"I, uh, I don't think so. I think I'm thinking clearly."

Ahn took a moment to think.

"I think that you just don't ge—"

Ahn's statement was interrupted by the lunge towards him.

(Wait.)

(Take a step back.)

(I didn't)

(didn't)

(you're taking this a little too far, bud.)

The hand gripped at his hoodie and tugged him down, then up into the air.

(yanked around like an action figure)

(funny, but also, he didn't want to like actually get hurt)

(so

"Please...

"...let...

"...go.")

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/07/2022 7:45 PM
Jesus, Nigel. No need to take the act that far.

She and Brody pulled Nigel away. Did Brody realize this was staged? She still wasn't sure.

"Cut it out. Last thing we fucking need is a fight."

She turned to Anh.

"So we're screwed. What's next?"

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/09/2022 12:20 PM

Nigel let go of Ahn, his role completed.

The others pulled him back, as planned.

Scene.

He sighed deeply.

He wasn't sure if it was relief or exasperation.

He hoped that they'd done it right.

He hoped there were no watching eyes.

He hoped.

He leaned back against a shelf and waited for the response.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/09/2022 7:12 PM
Nigel just... leaned against a shelf, like all that shit was nothing. Brody's expression grew harsh.

"Dude, what the fuck? That was not something a team player does!" He raised his voice before stopping himself and letting out a sigh. If he just got mad, he'd just be part of the problem.

"Look man, I know we've all got a little maverick in us, but you can't just go flying off the handle, you know?" Brody explained, raising his chin slightly.

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/09/2022 9:07 PM

Ahn stumbled backward, free from the other boy's grasp.

(He was glad that the game of charades was over.)

Ahn re-adjusted his hoodie.

(Better.)

"We, uh, well, we barricade, I guess."

Ahn paused and turned to Monica.

"Turn over the tables, put them by the windows, rotate the shelves horizontally."

"Then, we put a tarp over it, and the others can't find us."

(A dead zone, in other words.)

(It'd work.)

(He hoped.)

almostinhuman | Monica, Douglas — 03/09/2022 9:46 PM
Monica got the crux of what Anh had in mind. Doing all that shit under the guise of a barricade was great cover. Hopefully their theatrics so far would prevent too much scrutiny from falling upon them.

She nodded.

"Right. Probably all we can do now."

She turned to Nigel and Brody.

"Y'all are done with this shit, right? We don't have time to waste."

Nigel Sullivan | Ahn Phan Phuc — 03/10/2022 6:16 PM

Nigel's eyes dodged contact.

"Yeah, sure," he muttered, "not like we have any other choice."

He paused, turned to Ahn, then murmured again.

"Sorry."

He walked towards a table, lifted the side, and motioned to Brody.

"Come on," he called, "let's get this over with."

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/10/2022 6:28 PM
"Well... uh, good." Brody replied with a nod as Nigel seemed to calm down and get to work.

Eyeing him and Ahn with some nervous suspicion, Brody let out a sigh and began doing as Ahn suggested, helping to set up a barricade that would keep them protected and hidden. He didn't have any better ideas coursing through his mind at the moment, but he wasn't certain that he liked the idea of trapping Nigel and Ahn together for too long.

Still, the work helped to keep him busy and he did his best to contribute, rotating shelves and handling the tarp exactly how Ahn indicated. After a bit, the place started to look pretty secure, though Brody had trouble trying to figure out what was motivating this. After stepping back and admiring his work, he gave another anxious glance at Nigel, then Monica, trying to figure out if he was missing something.

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/15/2022 6:21 PM
Soon enough, the barricade had been set up to the degree Ahn had hoped, forming a protective barrier around the center of the shop, certain to obscure the view of the cameras he’d spotted at each end of the store. Not saying a word, he returned to the laid out supplies, he began to gather up the aluminum foil and plastic wrap that had also been set out on the table.

Monica gave him a quick look before making her way to the table and following his lead. Ahn seemed to know what he was doing, after all. She’d choose to put her trust in that. There wasn’t a whole lot else she could hold onto out here.

Seeing the others fiddling with the supplies, Nigel moved to join them, only for Brody to step in between him and the others.

“Alright, I know shit got testy there, my dude,” Brody began, taking on a tone not unlike a professor providing a particularly dry lecture, “but I just want you to to know that I’m just-”

Nigel didn't acknowledge the words, empty as they were in his ears.

He looked for a moment at Brody, then at Monica and Ahn.

It came off as dismissive, but he didn't pay enough attention to notice.

They were fighting, all of them, and silence was their weapon.

When Brody followed the other boy’s gaze, he saw the others getting to work, the girl raising a finger and indicating that he should probably shut the fuck up. Then he finally understood.

“F-Fine. Whatever.” He spoke with a stunned expression before following Nigel to the table.

That minor miscommunication out of the way, the whole of the group followed each of Ahn’s actions as closely as they could, wrapping their collars in layers of aluminum foil and plastic wrap they had managed to scavenge from around the city. With this completed, Ahn led them in slipping thick rubber gloves between their wrapped collars and their necks, providing a further layer of insulation.

The work felt slow, dangerous. Each of them knew by this point that a single false move could see one or all of them killed.
Putting on a pair of rubber gloves, Ahn led the others in getting low to the floor. The next part would be difficult to explain with words, and he could only hope they would simply follow his actions and assume they remained in the group’s best interest.

Using tools they’d gathered, Ahn began in his attempt to dismantle part of the tech shop floor. Nigel seemed to be the first to pick up on his intent in this, and quickly joined in the effort, Monica and Brody not too far behind. However, even with the four of them involved the work was difficult and felt like it may have carried on for too long.

Still, it was too late for any of them to turn back. They all understood that much.

Finally, they managed to expose some of the electrical wiring running under the store. Everything was almost ready.

Ahn led the others in each of them creating a small hole in the insulation they’d created around the collars.

This was it.

Taking a moment to steady his breath, Ahn cut one of the wires the group had exposed and carefully took it in his gloved hand, electricity still coursing through the wire.

He turned and gave the other three a smile, softer than the one he’d given when they played out their ruse at the start of this night. This was a silent wish for good luck, and a possible goodbye to those who had tried to help him. There were no guarantees.

Then, he brought the wire right up to the hole in the insulation.

(It had to work.)

(It would work.)

(So then, why…)

Catche | Brody, Horace — 03/17/2022 12:54 PM
Ahn let out a cry as he felt fire against his neck, and for but a moment he thought that the plan had failed, that all had been for naught.

But there was no bang, no explosion, only a fizzle.

Brody and Nigel started toward him, he wanted to curl up in agony as pain coursed across his neck,but there was no time. Signaling them to stop, he immediately passed the wire to Monica. Time was of the essence.

She understood what Ahn was doing, that if Ahn’s plans had worked then their captors would know sooner rather than later, and would be sure to kill any that still had a functioning collar. Putting her faith in Ahn’s plan one more time, she brought the wire to the collar and felt what he had. Burning, agony, and hearing that same fizzling sound.

Still no explosions.

Nigel needed no prompting from Monica. Once she moved to pass the wire, he took it, and brought it to his collar. He swallowed.

The skin at his neck burned. Fizzle.

Only Brody remained now, staring at the three at how they moved without hesitation to follow through on their risky plan. He felt the need to speak up, to explain to all of them just how inspiring their determination was.

Instead, he simply took the wire and brought it to his own collar. He yelped and whined as his collar let out that same fizzling sound.
Silence fell over the group as each of them were laid out, stunned and in pain, the skin around the area of their collars burned. And yet, as each of them looked around, they saw that each of their companions had survived.

“Did… did we, like…?” Brody choked out, not exactly sure what to say. He glanced over at Monica, but she seemed to be at just as much of a loss as he was and in a similar amount of pain.

Nigel knew what needed to come next. Slowly, he rose to his feet, with some difficulty at first, before climbing over the barricade and disappearing over the other side. Coughing a bit, Brody followed suit, offering a hand to Monica, but she simply let out a sigh and rose to her feet on her own power.

Finally, Ahn stood up. Time remained of the essence.

The four cameras in the tech shop each captured footage of one of the students approaching one of the cameras, before any recording ceased as they were destroyed.

((Ahn, Nigel, Brody, and Monica continued elsewhere…))