((Alice Baker continued from Two Mules for Sister Sara.))
Alice took the bunting and cumbersomely cut it in half with scissors in the medical kit. Then she tied the two doors shut at the handles. A makeshift shield against the outdoors, and whomever might be lurking there.
It was foreboding, spending the night in a chapel. Alice explored nervously; though she knew very real threats existed in her vicinity, she found herself vividly picturing horrible things jumping out of the darkness at her. A silly, childish thing; she was perfectly safe from bogeymen. She didn't find much in the way of supplies, and she wanted to conserve her battery-powered flashlight. So she mostly stayed in the eulogy room.
Regardless, she definitely wanted to take shelter here for as long as possible. As the days passed, the risk of a violent student coming along would increase. Alice wasn't a math expert, but she figured that anyone willing to kill would be more likely to attack people unwilling, since they were easy targets.
Alice was such a person. She tried to imagine herself swinging an axe at an unfamiliar girl, but could only shuddered in revulsion. Violence was certainly not her forte. So eventually, killers would outnumber the people like her, and her chances of being attacked would as well.
So what was all the reckoning for? She wanted to avoid people. That'd been her decision, right here in fact. She sat down on a pew, her bag between her legs. Staring upward at the ceiling, she wondered if there was any point praying. She wasn't especially religious; her parents were very lax Protestants, and she rarely went to church even as a child. What would be the point now? God wasn't going to save them. He hadn't saved the last five classes, after all.
She would need to keep herself alive until...what? She won? She had to commit murder to go home if she won, otherwise they'd keep her here and the whole thing would be pointless. All her friends dying for nothing. So, she realized, she was going to die. Unless she was saved by an outside factor. But how likely was that? It'd happened once, she knew. But that was eight years ago. Would anything happen this time?
She slept fitfully, curled up on the floor with her hard bag as a pillow. But she wasn't prepared for what morning brought; the announcements.
Jennifer Su. Alice knew her; the poor thing was even shyer than Alice. Perhaps dying early and hopefully quickly meant she was spared suffering. Alice wondered what that implied for her.
Tina Luz. The Luz family had already lost someone. Her killer wasn't someone Alice knew well, but Isabel was apparently well-known from what she'd heard.
Alice gasped as she heard Scarlett McAfee's name. She'd...she'd been alive yesterday. Alice had seen her. She'd been nice, traveling with Aiden, whom Alice had frightened. Now she was dead, and someone with an axe had killed her. If she hadn't met Alice, she might still be alive. God help her.
Cristobal was an athlete, a baseball player. She'd probably never met him. Barry Banks, too. Kimiko was in Alice's math class. She'd murdered a boy. Barry had been killed by Alvaro, a boy she knew enough to be shocked that he'd slain another man.
Abby Floyd was a legitimately good person. Alice had never heard a bad thing said of her. She'd committed suicide.
Conrad and Harold. Conrad killed Harold, and then was killed by Isabel. Someone to avoid, for sure. Alice wished she knew them better. It felt callous to not be able to think of a person as more than a body count.
Rea was aloof, but she didn't know Alice well. Joshua was a nice enough person. Alice didn't know him, either.
In a way, Alice was grateful. Nobody she knew well, save Jennifer, had died. Nobody she knew well had killed. She was also horrified that murders had been committed so near to her. They could have been her. She could be dead now.
She wrapped her arms around herself, felt her breathing speed up. She heard, or thought she did, a sound, like the doors moving. It might have been the wind, for all she knew.
But she screamed, shrill and girlish, nonetheless.
Down the Rabbit Hole
Open (yes I went there)
-
Courtography
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:52 pm
(Keith Bauer continued from Helvetica Standard)
Keith had spent the rest of the night inside a storage closet in the asylum. He managed to sleep on and off, but never all that well. It was the only thing he could think of doing. His only ally on the island had been killed and there had been nothing that he could do about it. He felt guilty. He should have refused to keep watch, then Jasmine wouldn't have been able to get the jump on Joshua.
He wasn't sure what to do anymore. He and Joshua had talked about trying to escape, but now that seemed impossible. Not if there were killers lurking around every corner.
He had snuck out of a side door of the asylum shortly after the announcement without anyone seeing him. He needed to be out of there. The basement was flooded and the library had Joshua's dead body inside it. He repeated the name's of the killers he remembered in his head every once in awhile as he walked. Isabel Ramirez, Kimiko Kao, Nancy Kyle, and the killer he had met, Jasmine Reed, were who he could remember. Keith knew there were a few more, but it's not like he had made a list.
As he rounded the corner of the asylum he spotted the small chapel that had been marked on the map. He hadn't been to church in a long time, but he felt so aimless, that maybe a visit to the chapel would give him some direction. He had to cross through a small part of the nearby gardens before reaching the front door.
He tried it once without it budging. It wasn't that surprising since everything he had seen in the asylum suggested the place was pretty old. With a grunt he tried it again, and it started to move.
Finally.
Keith had spent the rest of the night inside a storage closet in the asylum. He managed to sleep on and off, but never all that well. It was the only thing he could think of doing. His only ally on the island had been killed and there had been nothing that he could do about it. He felt guilty. He should have refused to keep watch, then Jasmine wouldn't have been able to get the jump on Joshua.
He wasn't sure what to do anymore. He and Joshua had talked about trying to escape, but now that seemed impossible. Not if there were killers lurking around every corner.
He had snuck out of a side door of the asylum shortly after the announcement without anyone seeing him. He needed to be out of there. The basement was flooded and the library had Joshua's dead body inside it. He repeated the name's of the killers he remembered in his head every once in awhile as he walked. Isabel Ramirez, Kimiko Kao, Nancy Kyle, and the killer he had met, Jasmine Reed, were who he could remember. Keith knew there were a few more, but it's not like he had made a list.
As he rounded the corner of the asylum he spotted the small chapel that had been marked on the map. He hadn't been to church in a long time, but he felt so aimless, that maybe a visit to the chapel would give him some direction. He had to cross through a small part of the nearby gardens before reaching the front door.
He tried it once without it budging. It wasn't that surprising since everything he had seen in the asylum suggested the place was pretty old. With a grunt he tried it again, and it started to move.
Finally.
-
CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Sandra wasn't.
((Sandra Dyer continued from Why Y'all Gagging?))
She had woken Noah up at the end of her night watch shift, and went to "get some rest". In a way, she was surprised that she managed to sneak away from the group, but somehow, it had happened.
She wanted to apologize, but what would that have accomplished? Instead, she wandered. The sun was going to coming up soon, and so Sandra decided to head north. Well, north-west.
The announcements came on as she walked. People died, but Sandra didn't really pay attention to it. Well... the first name on that list had her attention.
Blair said that Jennifer had jumped off the bridge, but the narrative of the announcement didn't really match it. If she was still with the group, she'd probably have asked Blair what was up. Was it good that she left, then? Sandra didn't know.
Cristo was dead. That one stung, just a little bit. They weren't particularly close, but as his name was said her mind went to that encounter back at Mannie's. Killed by Kimiko... she'd run into her when she'd woken up. Sandra didn't know how to feel about that.
The supply depot was a danger zone. That was... where she had just been, wasn't it? Sandra didn't know, but she hoped that if it was, Noah and the others got away safely. Sandra couldn't worry about that. She wasn't with them anymore, so...
Soon, the announcements ended, and Sandra decided to stop and take in her surroundings. There was a chapel nearby. She headed over to the building, listening for any noises.
As she reached the door, she saw someone there, pushing against it.
Sandra didn't say anything, simply clearing her throat loudly.
((Sandra Dyer continued from Why Y'all Gagging?))
She had woken Noah up at the end of her night watch shift, and went to "get some rest". In a way, she was surprised that she managed to sneak away from the group, but somehow, it had happened.
She wanted to apologize, but what would that have accomplished? Instead, she wandered. The sun was going to coming up soon, and so Sandra decided to head north. Well, north-west.
The announcements came on as she walked. People died, but Sandra didn't really pay attention to it. Well... the first name on that list had her attention.
Blair said that Jennifer had jumped off the bridge, but the narrative of the announcement didn't really match it. If she was still with the group, she'd probably have asked Blair what was up. Was it good that she left, then? Sandra didn't know.
Cristo was dead. That one stung, just a little bit. They weren't particularly close, but as his name was said her mind went to that encounter back at Mannie's. Killed by Kimiko... she'd run into her when she'd woken up. Sandra didn't know how to feel about that.
The supply depot was a danger zone. That was... where she had just been, wasn't it? Sandra didn't know, but she hoped that if it was, Noah and the others got away safely. Sandra couldn't worry about that. She wasn't with them anymore, so...
Soon, the announcements ended, and Sandra decided to stop and take in her surroundings. There was a chapel nearby. She headed over to the building, listening for any noises.
As she reached the door, she saw someone there, pushing against it.
Sandra didn't say anything, simply clearing her throat loudly.
The door was beginning to open, the ties starting to stretch and break. Someone was definitely trying to get in, and Alice didn't know what to do. Had she trapped herself? The other door was tied, too, and Alice was terrible at undoing knots.
Trying to keep from hyperventilating, Alice attempted to rationalize the situation as the person pushed in. Were they going to hurt her? No way to tell, but if their intentions were good, why use force to enter? Alice was in danger, she was sure of that. She looked around feverishly, stepping away from the door in the process.
There were no flower vases, no urns, nothing she could use to protect herself with. Her bag was too heavy to throw with enough force, and her bunting was wasted now. Wait, the stained glass! Perhaps she could-
The floor gave way. The worn, partly-rotten wooden beam snapped under the sudden weight of Alice's slight frame. She stumbled, fell back and slammed the back of her head against the floor as she landed.
Dazed, Alice tried to sit up and nearly vomited as the room spun. She laid back, spread-eagle, and squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering.
Trying to keep from hyperventilating, Alice attempted to rationalize the situation as the person pushed in. Were they going to hurt her? No way to tell, but if their intentions were good, why use force to enter? Alice was in danger, she was sure of that. She looked around feverishly, stepping away from the door in the process.
There were no flower vases, no urns, nothing she could use to protect herself with. Her bag was too heavy to throw with enough force, and her bunting was wasted now. Wait, the stained glass! Perhaps she could-
The floor gave way. The worn, partly-rotten wooden beam snapped under the sudden weight of Alice's slight frame. She stumbled, fell back and slammed the back of her head against the floor as she landed.
Dazed, Alice tried to sit up and nearly vomited as the room spun. She laid back, spread-eagle, and squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering.
-
Courtography
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:52 pm
Keith jumped a little in surprise at Sandra clearing her throat. He hadn't heard her sneak up on him. A wave of fear washed over him for a moment, before he dispelled it with a little logic. If she wanted to kill him she would have just attacked him instead of passive-aggressively clearing her throat.
"Just a sec."
He pushed on the door more, before he heard what sounded like cracking inside, and the door finally gave, swinging wide open. He had done it, the darn door had finally opened. That's when he saw Alice Baker sprawled out on the floor. Had he shoved her over with the door? The idea of having hurt someone made his mouth turn dry. "Jesus, shit, are you okay?"
It probably wasn't the right language to be used in a church, but Keith had bigger things to worry about than that.
"Just a sec."
He pushed on the door more, before he heard what sounded like cracking inside, and the door finally gave, swinging wide open. He had done it, the darn door had finally opened. That's when he saw Alice Baker sprawled out on the floor. Had he shoved her over with the door? The idea of having hurt someone made his mouth turn dry. "Jesus, shit, are you okay?"
It probably wasn't the right language to be used in a church, but Keith had bigger things to worry about than that.
-
CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Sandra waited as Keith pushed against the door some more. She heard something snap, before the door itself gave in and Keith managed to push it open. Sandra came up behind him as he uttered a question, to see who he was talking to.
She saw Alice Baker whimpering on the floor. Sandra wasn't the best of friends with Alice, but she saw her a lot with Bryony, and she could confidently say they were at least friends. But that wasn't important right now. Alice was whimpering on the floor, and it was obvious that something had happened.
Sandra doubted that any of it was Keith's fault. Most likely, whatever happened must have happened before the door had opened.
"Alice? Alice, it's me, Sandra," she said, moving up to and kneeling beside her, "Are you alright? Talk to me."
She saw Alice Baker whimpering on the floor. Sandra wasn't the best of friends with Alice, but she saw her a lot with Bryony, and she could confidently say they were at least friends. But that wasn't important right now. Alice was whimpering on the floor, and it was obvious that something had happened.
Sandra doubted that any of it was Keith's fault. Most likely, whatever happened must have happened before the door had opened.
"Alice? Alice, it's me, Sandra," she said, moving up to and kneeling beside her, "Are you alright? Talk to me."
"No, please, ssstay away!" Alice gasped, holding her hands out un a useless attempt at protecting herself.
A moment passed. As she recovered her wits enough to actually hear and comprehend what the two were saying, Alice felt herself flush red with embarrassment. She looked at them, concern written plainly on their faces, unarmed. It seemed her reaction was, for lack of a better term, an overreaction.
Giving a small, sheepish smile, Alice lowered her hands. "Ah, uh, sorry about that. You startled me and I...fell down."
Alice onto one knee and managed to stand up without tripping despite the aching pain in her hips. Hopefully she didn't bruise her tailbone.
"Sorry." She said again.
A moment passed. As she recovered her wits enough to actually hear and comprehend what the two were saying, Alice felt herself flush red with embarrassment. She looked at them, concern written plainly on their faces, unarmed. It seemed her reaction was, for lack of a better term, an overreaction.
Giving a small, sheepish smile, Alice lowered her hands. "Ah, uh, sorry about that. You startled me and I...fell down."
Alice onto one knee and managed to stand up without tripping despite the aching pain in her hips. Hopefully she didn't bruise her tailbone.
"Sorry." She said again.
-
Courtography
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:52 pm
He let out a sigh of relief after it was revealed that Alice was mostly okay. Or at least, as okay as anyone could be in the circumstances they found themselves in. The thought of escape crossed Keith's mind again, but he still wasn't sure how it could be done with the collars around their necks and under constant surveillance.
He felt a little ashamed though of scaring her. He wished there was a more obvious way of letting people know that he wasn't dangerous, but with people like Jasmine running around, you couldn't be sure about anyone.
"Oh uh, sorry." He looked down at his feet. "Just didn't know what was with the doors."
Things felt very awkward all of a sudden. He wondered what the girls had been planning, but wasn't sure how to ask. There really wasn't any good way to talk about their situation.
He felt a little ashamed though of scaring her. He wished there was a more obvious way of letting people know that he wasn't dangerous, but with people like Jasmine running around, you couldn't be sure about anyone.
"Oh uh, sorry." He looked down at his feet. "Just didn't know what was with the doors."
Things felt very awkward all of a sudden. He wondered what the girls had been planning, but wasn't sure how to ask. There really wasn't any good way to talk about their situation.
-
CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
Sandra followed Keith's sigh of relief with one of her own shortly thereafter. She stood up as Alice explained what she was doing on the floor. Sandra stepped back, taking a look back at the doors they had come through. She walked over to the door, noticing the snapped bunting. It seemed that Alice had used it to hold the doors closed.
Didn't really work out, though.
"Looks like Alice was trying to keep the doors closed," Sandra said, holding a banner of the bunting up for Keith to see, "Can't say I blame her, though. People are already dead. It's kind of fucked up."
She let the fabric fall to the floor as she walked back to Alice and Keith.
"Have you guys seen anyone else?" she said, looking at the two, "Like..."
Bryony.
Sandra's gaze went to Alice as she thought that. But it didn't make sense for Alice to have separated with Bryony if she had found her.
"Yeah..."
Didn't really work out, though.
"Looks like Alice was trying to keep the doors closed," Sandra said, holding a banner of the bunting up for Keith to see, "Can't say I blame her, though. People are already dead. It's kind of fucked up."
She let the fabric fall to the floor as she walked back to Alice and Keith.
"Have you guys seen anyone else?" she said, looking at the two, "Like..."
Bryony.
Sandra's gaze went to Alice as she thought that. But it didn't make sense for Alice to have separated with Bryony if she had found her.
"Yeah..."
Alice nodded at Sandra. "Yeah. Sorry for the inconvenience, I was scared someone less friendly might come in."
Alice didn't know Sandra off-hand, but she was looking at Alice funny, which made Alice vaguely uncomfortable. Keith seemed more inviting somehow, so Alice addressed Sandra's question to him.
"I ran into a couple people before. Uh, Johnny McKay, Raina Rose, Aiden...Green..."
Scarlett.
Alice tensed up. She'd seen the poor girl yesterday. How long after had she died? Minutes, hours? Impossible to say. Had Alice's decision to flee the scene led to Scarlett's demise? That question might plague Alice the rest of her, probably short and frightful, life.
"That's it I think. Oh, and Jeremy Frasier and Scout uh, something. Them as well. What about you two?"
Alice didn't know Sandra off-hand, but she was looking at Alice funny, which made Alice vaguely uncomfortable. Keith seemed more inviting somehow, so Alice addressed Sandra's question to him.
"I ran into a couple people before. Uh, Johnny McKay, Raina Rose, Aiden...Green..."
Scarlett.
Alice tensed up. She'd seen the poor girl yesterday. How long after had she died? Minutes, hours? Impossible to say. Had Alice's decision to flee the scene led to Scarlett's demise? That question might plague Alice the rest of her, probably short and frightful, life.
"That's it I think. Oh, and Jeremy Frasier and Scout uh, something. Them as well. What about you two?"
-
Courtography
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:52 pm
He wasn't sure if he should feel guilty about forcing his way into the chapel. Usually a stuck door would have signaled that a place wasn't worth his time, but with everything going on he had felt differently. Then again, Alice had apologized, and said that she had only been trying to keep more dangerous people out. So he was probably fine with no guilt required.
Keith listened to Alice's list of people she'd run into. She seemed nervous, but he supposed they were all nervous at this point.
"I uhh, was with Joshua before, uh, it happened," Keith responded, his voice catching at the end. They had heard the announcements, he hoped that he wouldn't have to explain the rest.
He didn't want to talk about how he'd fucked up.
Keith listened to Alice's list of people she'd run into. She seemed nervous, but he supposed they were all nervous at this point.
"I uhh, was with Joshua before, uh, it happened," Keith responded, his voice catching at the end. They had heard the announcements, he hoped that he wouldn't have to explain the rest.
He didn't want to talk about how he'd fucked up.
-
CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
"First person I ran into was Kimiko," Sandra said, "Now that I think about, maybe it was a good thing I didn't stick around."
She thought back to when she had woken up. Kimiko had... Sandra wasn't actually sure what Kimiko had intended to do. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't find out.
"After that, I ran into Noah, Blair, and Maria. Maria didn't stick around. We ran into Rene shortly thereafter. I lost them during the announcement."
That last part was a lie, of course. She hadn't lost them, she intently separated from them, but they didn't need to know that. It was... probably... better that way.
"There are still people I need... want to find, though. I also don't want to stay in one place for too long."
She thought back to when she had woken up. Kimiko had... Sandra wasn't actually sure what Kimiko had intended to do. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't find out.
"After that, I ran into Noah, Blair, and Maria. Maria didn't stick around. We ran into Rene shortly thereafter. I lost them during the announcement."
That last part was a lie, of course. She hadn't lost them, she intently separated from them, but they didn't need to know that. It was... probably... better that way.
"There are still people I need... want to find, though. I also don't want to stay in one place for too long."
It was, perhaps, fortunate that Alice's experiences, while frightening and stressful, had mostly been so from her own fears and insecurities, rather than any actual threat to her well-being.
Keith had been with a boy who was now dead, murdered by someone named Jasmine. From his reaction, Alice wondered if he'd witnessed the killing in person. Dreadful, and traumatic. The poor guy. Sandra meanwhile, had encountered the girl Kimiko before the mute girl had killed someone. Kimiko had even gotten an award of some sort according to the terrorists. Disgusting.
Alice stared at her feet as the two explained themselves. She felt ashamed, really, ashamed and mortified by the fates these two people had experienced, while she'd griped and worried and fretted. Danger was about, to be sure, but there was no reason for Alice to be a ball of anxiety like she was.
"I...I'm sorry guys." She bit her lip. "That's terrible, for both of you. I..." She trailed off.
Keith had been with a boy who was now dead, murdered by someone named Jasmine. From his reaction, Alice wondered if he'd witnessed the killing in person. Dreadful, and traumatic. The poor guy. Sandra meanwhile, had encountered the girl Kimiko before the mute girl had killed someone. Kimiko had even gotten an award of some sort according to the terrorists. Disgusting.
Alice stared at her feet as the two explained themselves. She felt ashamed, really, ashamed and mortified by the fates these two people had experienced, while she'd griped and worried and fretted. Danger was about, to be sure, but there was no reason for Alice to be a ball of anxiety like she was.
"I...I'm sorry guys." She bit her lip. "That's terrible, for both of you. I..." She trailed off.
-
Courtography
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:52 pm
Keith was surprised to hear that Sandra had encountered Kimiko. He figured that most of the people who had killed at this point had been trying to kill whoever they could. Maybe he was wrong about that. It would make some sense, since Jasmine had let him go. That was different though, Jasmine was obviously deranged, where he wasn't sure if that was the case with the rest.
He found the rest of Sandra's statement about losing people during the announcement strange. "How did that happen? It's just sound."
He was also surprised to find that he felt bad about Alice feeling bad for them. He wasn't trying to stress anyone else out, just sharing information about who he'd been with and seen.
"Hey, uh, don't feel bad, you didn't do it."
He doubted she could either. She was tiny.
He found the rest of Sandra's statement about losing people during the announcement strange. "How did that happen? It's just sound."
He was also surprised to find that he felt bad about Alice feeling bad for them. He wasn't trying to stress anyone else out, just sharing information about who he'd been with and seen.
"Hey, uh, don't feel bad, you didn't do it."
He doubted she could either. She was tiny.
-
CondorTalon
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:17 am
"We were in the Danger Zone," Sandra said, addressing Keith's question, "Pretty sure we were too busy scrambling for safety to make sure we stuck together."
Alice went to apologize, which perplexed Sandra at first. Of course, it wasn't an apology, but a condolence. Not a "I'm sorry for what I did" but "I'm sorry that that happened to you".
Sandra simply sighed.
"I dunno what to do at this point. Find friends, I guess, but..." she started, the next part of her sentence, then stopped.
What good was finding her friends going to do if they were all going to die, anyway? Sandra could only think of one, that dying in the company of friends was better than dying alone, or worse, dying at the hands of some maniac.
The announcements proved that such a thing was possible, after all.
But you know what would be better than dying in the company of friends? Not dying. Going home.
It was selfish of her, but Sandra still sought that as her end goal. And of course, that meant...
Kill someone.
Sandra looked away from Alice and Keith.
Alice went to apologize, which perplexed Sandra at first. Of course, it wasn't an apology, but a condolence. Not a "I'm sorry for what I did" but "I'm sorry that that happened to you".
Sandra simply sighed.
"I dunno what to do at this point. Find friends, I guess, but..." she started, the next part of her sentence, then stopped.
What good was finding her friends going to do if they were all going to die, anyway? Sandra could only think of one, that dying in the company of friends was better than dying alone, or worse, dying at the hands of some maniac.
The announcements proved that such a thing was possible, after all.
But you know what would be better than dying in the company of friends? Not dying. Going home.
It was selfish of her, but Sandra still sought that as her end goal. And of course, that meant...
Kill someone.
Sandra looked away from Alice and Keith.