Jasmine wasn't listening. At least she wasn't screaming anymore, but that was because her back pumped up against a wall, wait what? She looked back. She must have crawled back too far to the left because the door was a couple of feet or so to her left. Damn it! If she got up, Lily could easily close the distance before Jasmine even made it to her feet. No escape.
She stared at Lily. Lily didn't seem to be pouncing just yet. She was waving her bloody hand at her. Jasmine must have missed something she said. All she knew was that Lily's hand was bloody, holy shit holy shit it was practically pooling on the floor. Rational thinking was out of the window.
"What?!" Jasmine yelled. "T-Tell you what? I don't understand!"
Wait, Lily wasn't looking at her. Jasmine's eyes darted, wait, was she talking to someone else? Wait, wait, here's two of them?!
This was so so bad. She grabbed hold of her bag and felt the form of her hammer in her dufflebag. Jasmine coughed. A shudder raked up her spine. Must be her weapon. She had no idea what it was but it felt hard - err, the painful kind of hard. She could probably hit someone with it.
She eased the zipper to her dufflebag down and reached for the hammer.
Jasmine felt sick. Tears streamed down her face. She could not believe she was actually considering this. She breathes in, exhaled, calm down, just think. Maybe - Maybe she had to. Maybe she was protecting herself.
Only if she comes after you. Only if she tries to kill you. Promise me.
Jasmine bit her tongue and said nothing. For once.
Dramatica
G008 Start
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Coleen winced when Lily called for her aid. Ordinarily, she wouldn't let such matters get in the way of trying to stay as inconspicuous and unseen as possible. Ordinarily, the litany of 'what if' scenarios running through the girl's mind when trying to make a decision didn't end with a series of endings where somebody ended up dead, which could very well be the case if she decided to stay hidden.
She made the decision to do as Lily as asked, though her displeasure in doing so was clearly written across her face. Coleen shakily stood up from behind the couch, raising both hands to show that they were empty. Strands of hair hung in front of her nose and cheekbone, irritating and tickling and generally bugging her. Her face urgently told her to straighten things out, countered quite powerfully with the notion that Coleen could not safely assume neither of these girls had a gun.
No guns seemed brandished at the moment between the junior who identified herself as Lily and the other girl... Jasmine, Lily had called her moments before, just before all the screaming. Coleen allowed herself to remain standing, but her stare had zoned in on Jasmine's hand reaching inside her bag for something. She was reaching for a weapon, no doubt, or anything else to protect herself with. Coleen's heart was ready to beat out of her chest; her stomach also wished to evacuate and if her gut feelings were remotely accurate, it was due to leap out of her throat at any moment.
But in feelings of tension, Coleen did what she felt she always did best.
She acted.
"Jasmine, calm down, it's alright," Coleen said, her voice unwavering past the first word or so. She had settled into that groove on the stage, pretending that she wasn't about ready to pee herself in fear. "Lily just explained to me that she cut her hand. I'm unhurt. Nobody wants to hurt anybody. Right, Lily? Right Jasmine? Nobody here wants to hurt anybody."
She didn't truly believe the words for one second, but hey. She never believed that Danny wasn't just trying to get into Sandy's pants, either. Summer days, her ass.
She made the decision to do as Lily as asked, though her displeasure in doing so was clearly written across her face. Coleen shakily stood up from behind the couch, raising both hands to show that they were empty. Strands of hair hung in front of her nose and cheekbone, irritating and tickling and generally bugging her. Her face urgently told her to straighten things out, countered quite powerfully with the notion that Coleen could not safely assume neither of these girls had a gun.
No guns seemed brandished at the moment between the junior who identified herself as Lily and the other girl... Jasmine, Lily had called her moments before, just before all the screaming. Coleen allowed herself to remain standing, but her stare had zoned in on Jasmine's hand reaching inside her bag for something. She was reaching for a weapon, no doubt, or anything else to protect herself with. Coleen's heart was ready to beat out of her chest; her stomach also wished to evacuate and if her gut feelings were remotely accurate, it was due to leap out of her throat at any moment.
But in feelings of tension, Coleen did what she felt she always did best.
She acted.
"Jasmine, calm down, it's alright," Coleen said, her voice unwavering past the first word or so. She had settled into that groove on the stage, pretending that she wasn't about ready to pee herself in fear. "Lily just explained to me that she cut her hand. I'm unhurt. Nobody wants to hurt anybody. Right, Lily? Right Jasmine? Nobody here wants to hurt anybody."
She didn't truly believe the words for one second, but hey. She never believed that Danny wasn't just trying to get into Sandy's pants, either. Summer days, her ass.
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
Jasmine was just freaking out. It was fine. And Coleen, thankfully, was not leaving Lily to deal with this on her own. Even sounded calming and confident in what she was saying. Lily would need to thank her once everything was calmer.
But then Jasmine reached for her bag, and Lily saw a glimpse of metal.
Could have been any number of things, but all Lily thought was 'she has a gun.' Lily's immediate response to just that glimpse of metal was to raise the mirror shard a little higher and take two big steps back.
"Leave it in the bag!" Lily's voice was suddenly loud, shrill and afraid. "Don't shoot, or... or..."
Or what? Lily'd bleed on her? The best chance Lily had of taking down Jasmine—especially if she had a gun—was getting shot and bleeding enough to drown Jasmine in her own blood. If Jasmine raised that gun, it'd be too late to react.
She should attack. Not to kill, just to... kick the bag out of reach, get the weapon away from her, something so that this wouldn't end with a bullet through her chest.
But Lily couldn't summon the nerve. She just took another step back.
But then Jasmine reached for her bag, and Lily saw a glimpse of metal.
Could have been any number of things, but all Lily thought was 'she has a gun.' Lily's immediate response to just that glimpse of metal was to raise the mirror shard a little higher and take two big steps back.
"Leave it in the bag!" Lily's voice was suddenly loud, shrill and afraid. "Don't shoot, or... or..."
Or what? Lily'd bleed on her? The best chance Lily had of taking down Jasmine—especially if she had a gun—was getting shot and bleeding enough to drown Jasmine in her own blood. If Jasmine raised that gun, it'd be too late to react.
She should attack. Not to kill, just to... kick the bag out of reach, get the weapon away from her, something so that this wouldn't end with a bullet through her chest.
But Lily couldn't summon the nerve. She just took another step back.
... Don't shoot. Shoot? Shoot.
Jasmine's pupils dilated. Coleen successfully managed to calm Jasmine down just enough for her to start listening to what Lily was actually saying. Fear still prickled at her skin, and her mouth felt dry. Her gaze turned, alternating between Lily and Coleen several times. She was scared, sure, but there was this overbearing sense of guilt churning in her belly. She didn't quite understand it. Sure, now that she was calming down she knew why she felt guilty. She could see just how scared Lily was. Lily was as scared as she was. That... That reassured her, strangely.
Jasmine wanted to speak, but again, she stopped herself. She cleared her throat, sniffled, then pulled her hand out. She held up the hammer, with the small head and wooden handle. It felt heavy in her hand, but now that she was seeing it for the first time, it looked puny. Like a toy.
... Snrk.
Jasmine giggled. She couldn't help it; her fear collapsed, relief hit her so hard that she giggled. She didn't even know what she was laughing at, just, wow.
Jasmine's pupils dilated. Coleen successfully managed to calm Jasmine down just enough for her to start listening to what Lily was actually saying. Fear still prickled at her skin, and her mouth felt dry. Her gaze turned, alternating between Lily and Coleen several times. She was scared, sure, but there was this overbearing sense of guilt churning in her belly. She didn't quite understand it. Sure, now that she was calming down she knew why she felt guilty. She could see just how scared Lily was. Lily was as scared as she was. That... That reassured her, strangely.
Jasmine wanted to speak, but again, she stopped herself. She cleared her throat, sniffled, then pulled her hand out. She held up the hammer, with the small head and wooden handle. It felt heavy in her hand, but now that she was seeing it for the first time, it looked puny. Like a toy.
... Snrk.
Jasmine giggled. She couldn't help it; her fear collapsed, relief hit her so hard that she giggled. She didn't even know what she was laughing at, just, wow.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Jasmine's laughter was far from reassuring. Lily's startled protests had already caused the heart in Coleen's chest to skip a beat or three. The girl suddenly considered herself fortunate that she didn't have a gun on herself after all; if she did, and if she had the necessary know-how in order to use it, there was a very real chance Jasmine would have been shot just then.
Coleen just stared at Jasmine laughing, at Lily standing there flabbergasted, and at herself, thinking about everybody just shooting up the whole joint like a scene ripped straight from the Boondock Saints. She found herself peering at the couch sitting in front of her, pulling finger through the right side of her hair where it ran behind her ear and down her neck. Her fingertips brushed against the cool, cold ring of steel locked around her throat. It served as a reminder of where she was and what they were doing.
Something about Jasmine's giggling broke down a wall inside of herself, and Coleen found herself weakly giggling as well. She shook her head and slumped against the couch. How absurd all of this was, how quick a situation had devolved into everybody suspecting the worst of everybody, only for things to dissolve just before the boiling point was reached.
Coleen wasn't sure when her giggles turned to sobs and the tears began streaming down her cheeks once more.
Coleen just stared at Jasmine laughing, at Lily standing there flabbergasted, and at herself, thinking about everybody just shooting up the whole joint like a scene ripped straight from the Boondock Saints. She found herself peering at the couch sitting in front of her, pulling finger through the right side of her hair where it ran behind her ear and down her neck. Her fingertips brushed against the cool, cold ring of steel locked around her throat. It served as a reminder of where she was and what they were doing.
Something about Jasmine's giggling broke down a wall inside of herself, and Coleen found herself weakly giggling as well. She shook her head and slumped against the couch. How absurd all of this was, how quick a situation had devolved into everybody suspecting the worst of everybody, only for things to dissolve just before the boiling point was reached.
Coleen wasn't sure when her giggles turned to sobs and the tears began streaming down her cheeks once more.
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
Oh.
Lily had raised the shard just a little more when Jasmine pulled her hand out of the bag, thinking she was about to be shot. Because that would be it, wasn't it? And she wasn't ready to die. But it was a hammer. Just a hammer. Dangerous, possibly, but not... not a gun.
Everyone started laughing. Lily didn't laugh, exactly, but she made that awkward semi-smile. The kind that strangers usually did when passing each other to acknowledge each other but with no further conversation.
It was kind of funny. In a really sad, pathetic way.
Lily lowered the mirror shard and sat down abruptly. Her legs were shaking from... fear? Relief? They didn't want to hold her anymore. She heard Coleen laughing, or maybe crying. Lily chanced a look at her. Okay. Definitely crying. Lily looked away, because she knew that's what she preferred people do if she cried around them.
Her hand was still bleeding, so Lily slowly reached for her bag. Her hand froze halfway there, because... well, she'd just flipped out on Jasmine for doing the same thing, hadn't she?
"I'm just reaching for bandages," she said. Her voice was shaky. Maybe a little more defensive than she'd wanted. She finished unzipping the bag and retrieved her first aid kit slowly, and started to try and figure out how one bandaged a hand.
Lily had raised the shard just a little more when Jasmine pulled her hand out of the bag, thinking she was about to be shot. Because that would be it, wasn't it? And she wasn't ready to die. But it was a hammer. Just a hammer. Dangerous, possibly, but not... not a gun.
Everyone started laughing. Lily didn't laugh, exactly, but she made that awkward semi-smile. The kind that strangers usually did when passing each other to acknowledge each other but with no further conversation.
It was kind of funny. In a really sad, pathetic way.
Lily lowered the mirror shard and sat down abruptly. Her legs were shaking from... fear? Relief? They didn't want to hold her anymore. She heard Coleen laughing, or maybe crying. Lily chanced a look at her. Okay. Definitely crying. Lily looked away, because she knew that's what she preferred people do if she cried around them.
Her hand was still bleeding, so Lily slowly reached for her bag. Her hand froze halfway there, because... well, she'd just flipped out on Jasmine for doing the same thing, hadn't she?
"I'm just reaching for bandages," she said. Her voice was shaky. Maybe a little more defensive than she'd wanted. She finished unzipping the bag and retrieved her first aid kit slowly, and started to try and figure out how one bandaged a hand.
"... Okay," Jasmine said. To Lily, though her eyes stared more at the floor and her sneakers.
Coleen and Jasmine stopped laughing. Now the library was dead silent, you could hear a pin drop. Jasmine hated white noise, hated the lack of sound. She forced herself to stand up, fumbling with the zipper to her duffle bag. She put her hammer away, zipped the bag back up. No reason to have it out now.
"Sorry," she spat out suddenly. "i just - I heard you two talking, and my head was still fuzzy and I just freaked out. Sorry."
Granted, her head was still fuzzy. Brain fog was something Jasmine learned to accept. But she felt guilty too, deep, paralyzing. She didn't quite understand why, it was all a big misunderstanding. The kind of guilt that gets in your chest and just builds and builds, and you can't just apologize and forget about it because an apology just wasn't going to cut it.
Jasmine pressed the weight of her body against the wall. She looked towards the couch again, at the girl, Coleen wasn't laughing anymore. She was crying. Jasmine wanted to go right over and give her a hug. Of course Jasmine didn't know her name was Coleen, but she remembered her face. She was the one with the scars, right? The way she always cropped her hair over the side of the face, it was hard to forget something like that. Jasmine thought the look suited her. Something told her that hugging Coleen would just make matters worse. A rare moment of self-restraint for Jasmine Reed.
"... um," Jasmine cleared her dry throat again. She clasped her arm with the opposite hand. The silence was suffocating her. "Lily, do you need any help with that?"
Coleen and Jasmine stopped laughing. Now the library was dead silent, you could hear a pin drop. Jasmine hated white noise, hated the lack of sound. She forced herself to stand up, fumbling with the zipper to her duffle bag. She put her hammer away, zipped the bag back up. No reason to have it out now.
"Sorry," she spat out suddenly. "i just - I heard you two talking, and my head was still fuzzy and I just freaked out. Sorry."
Granted, her head was still fuzzy. Brain fog was something Jasmine learned to accept. But she felt guilty too, deep, paralyzing. She didn't quite understand why, it was all a big misunderstanding. The kind of guilt that gets in your chest and just builds and builds, and you can't just apologize and forget about it because an apology just wasn't going to cut it.
Jasmine pressed the weight of her body against the wall. She looked towards the couch again, at the girl, Coleen wasn't laughing anymore. She was crying. Jasmine wanted to go right over and give her a hug. Of course Jasmine didn't know her name was Coleen, but she remembered her face. She was the one with the scars, right? The way she always cropped her hair over the side of the face, it was hard to forget something like that. Jasmine thought the look suited her. Something told her that hugging Coleen would just make matters worse. A rare moment of self-restraint for Jasmine Reed.
"... um," Jasmine cleared her dry throat again. She clasped her arm with the opposite hand. The silence was suffocating her. "Lily, do you need any help with that?"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Still considering herself fortunate not to have witnessed a terrible massacre within the first hour of her being awake, Coleen allowed her emotions to run their course. Things got quiet for a moment, during which time she restrained her actual sobs in favor of just having tears stream down both cheeks. Relief mixed with uncertainty for the future, with a swig of fear, was a weird batch of emotions to carry.
She wiped the inside corners of her eyes again, considering her makeup an absolute wash by this point. The first sink she found in this strange place, she'd wash everything off and start again with a bit of special foundation to her scars. It was an activity for later.
Coleen dragged her assigned dufflebag around the side of the couch and plopped down, sitting there in a despondent manner for whatever few seconds she allowed herself. Then she began shuffling through her bag to see what items she had been afforded. They were practical items, for the most part, things that wouldn't be out of place on your most basic camping trip. When she came across the first aid kid, she pointedly removed it from her bag and placed it on the cushion next to her. That was worth a more thorough search later.
The next thing she removed from the bag appeared to be some kind of food bar. Coleen glanced at the wrapper through pink, puffy, smudged eyes and saw enough calories to feed her for a day, and a bunch of ingredients that she didn't bother trying to make heads or tails of. She unwrapped the corner and brought the bar close to her nose, giving it a sniff. She didn't smell anything. She peeled the wrapper back further and hesitantly took a bite.
She clapped a hand over her lips to keep from reflexively spitting it out. Her imagination wasn't out of place in conjuring up the taste of a torn-up cereal box, mushed and ground up and molded to form a block of incomprehensible sludge with an unsettling consistency that also somehow managed to be unpleasantly dry. It wasn't so much that the nutrition bar tasted horrible to her; the real issue was that it didn't so much taste like anything. She turned the bar around in her hand to get a look at the other side. This thing was definitely meant to keep her alive, and nothing more. She pulled the wrapper back to as much of a closed position as she could handle, deciding maybe it would be more palatable when she was starving.
When the next thing she grabbed was a tin of crackers, Coleen pulled it back to her lap and curled up on the couch, snacking impulsively.
She wiped the inside corners of her eyes again, considering her makeup an absolute wash by this point. The first sink she found in this strange place, she'd wash everything off and start again with a bit of special foundation to her scars. It was an activity for later.
Coleen dragged her assigned dufflebag around the side of the couch and plopped down, sitting there in a despondent manner for whatever few seconds she allowed herself. Then she began shuffling through her bag to see what items she had been afforded. They were practical items, for the most part, things that wouldn't be out of place on your most basic camping trip. When she came across the first aid kid, she pointedly removed it from her bag and placed it on the cushion next to her. That was worth a more thorough search later.
The next thing she removed from the bag appeared to be some kind of food bar. Coleen glanced at the wrapper through pink, puffy, smudged eyes and saw enough calories to feed her for a day, and a bunch of ingredients that she didn't bother trying to make heads or tails of. She unwrapped the corner and brought the bar close to her nose, giving it a sniff. She didn't smell anything. She peeled the wrapper back further and hesitantly took a bite.
She clapped a hand over her lips to keep from reflexively spitting it out. Her imagination wasn't out of place in conjuring up the taste of a torn-up cereal box, mushed and ground up and molded to form a block of incomprehensible sludge with an unsettling consistency that also somehow managed to be unpleasantly dry. It wasn't so much that the nutrition bar tasted horrible to her; the real issue was that it didn't so much taste like anything. She turned the bar around in her hand to get a look at the other side. This thing was definitely meant to keep her alive, and nothing more. She pulled the wrapper back to as much of a closed position as she could handle, deciding maybe it would be more palatable when she was starving.
When the next thing she grabbed was a tin of crackers, Coleen pulled it back to her lap and curled up on the couch, snacking impulsively.
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
"I'm fine," Lily said a little too quickly. She paused a moment, then added, "It's shallow, anyway. Just a dumb mistake."
She didn't want anyone within an arm's length of her. Sure, it seemed like Jasmine was friendly again. But it only took one mistake. One wrong move. One moment of trusting someone she shouldn't. And Lily'd be dead. She couldn't take that chance.
Besides, she never liked help all that much. Cutting her hand open was embarrassing enough as it was.
Now that things were quiet again, she had a moment to stop. Breathe. Think. Her plan was to look at her map and get her bearings. Once she'd done that, she could figure out a new plan. One to carry her further. But to make one, she needed to know as much as possible.
Already, she was cycling through what she did know in her head. Trying to sort out the most important parts. Nothing about the collars mattered except the danger zones. She wasn't going to try and escape, not unless she thought of a way. She couldn't count on that. If she wanted to live, she'd have to kill once. But just once. She wasn't sure if she could, but that's what would be necessary. And each day, they'd announce who was dead and who killed them. So even if she wanted to kill someone, doing so too soon... that would just paint a big, red target on her back.
Lily looked at the books scattered around her—evidence of a mistake that could have easily gotten her killed—before peeking into the bag she'd brought on the trip.
They'd taken her notebooks. She thought of all the hours she'd poured into those notes, into rearranging the information so that it was easiest to revise, and felt really annoyed that the terrorists had taken that work and probably burned it. Stupid thing to get annoyed about, when she'd likely never get a chance to revise anything again. She had some tissues and a sweater. That was something. But a notebook would have been nice to keep track of the announcements when they occurred. Though, if there was anywhere she could find some paper and a pen, it was a library.
But first. Her hand. And her bearings. That's what she needed the most.
As she wiped away blood and then reached for the antiseptic wipes—a dirty mirror shard couldn't be sanitary—she spoke.
"I don't... I don't suppose either of you ever watched this game. The last time it happened, I mean," Lily said slowly. Lily hadn't. Of course she hadn't, because this game was disgusting. But she was really wishing she had, now. Just so she'd know. Know how people tended to behave, know what strategies had worked the best for kids before them.
She didn't want anyone within an arm's length of her. Sure, it seemed like Jasmine was friendly again. But it only took one mistake. One wrong move. One moment of trusting someone she shouldn't. And Lily'd be dead. She couldn't take that chance.
Besides, she never liked help all that much. Cutting her hand open was embarrassing enough as it was.
Now that things were quiet again, she had a moment to stop. Breathe. Think. Her plan was to look at her map and get her bearings. Once she'd done that, she could figure out a new plan. One to carry her further. But to make one, she needed to know as much as possible.
Already, she was cycling through what she did know in her head. Trying to sort out the most important parts. Nothing about the collars mattered except the danger zones. She wasn't going to try and escape, not unless she thought of a way. She couldn't count on that. If she wanted to live, she'd have to kill once. But just once. She wasn't sure if she could, but that's what would be necessary. And each day, they'd announce who was dead and who killed them. So even if she wanted to kill someone, doing so too soon... that would just paint a big, red target on her back.
Lily looked at the books scattered around her—evidence of a mistake that could have easily gotten her killed—before peeking into the bag she'd brought on the trip.
They'd taken her notebooks. She thought of all the hours she'd poured into those notes, into rearranging the information so that it was easiest to revise, and felt really annoyed that the terrorists had taken that work and probably burned it. Stupid thing to get annoyed about, when she'd likely never get a chance to revise anything again. She had some tissues and a sweater. That was something. But a notebook would have been nice to keep track of the announcements when they occurred. Though, if there was anywhere she could find some paper and a pen, it was a library.
But first. Her hand. And her bearings. That's what she needed the most.
As she wiped away blood and then reached for the antiseptic wipes—a dirty mirror shard couldn't be sanitary—she spoke.
"I don't... I don't suppose either of you ever watched this game. The last time it happened, I mean," Lily said slowly. Lily hadn't. Of course she hadn't, because this game was disgusting. But she was really wishing she had, now. Just so she'd know. Know how people tended to behave, know what strategies had worked the best for kids before them.
"... Okay," Jasmine said, resigned. She nodded, more aimed at herself than anyone else. "... Yeah. Sorry about that."
She said nothing else for awhile. She slumped against the wall. Jasmine hated this feeling, this churning in her stomach, the guilt she assumed. Assumed being the keyword. It was the only way she could describe it. It made her want to avoid people, to curl up into a ball and not talk to anyone for the rest of the day. As much as that desire nagged at her, tugged at her in the back of her brain, she ignored it. It wasn't healthy, or at least that's what WebMD told her once.
Jasmine sat there for a time. You could say that she was curled up in a ball, hugging her knees, head tucked, staring off into space. She was in her own little world. Away from the library, away from Lily and Coleen, away from everything, alone with her own thoughts. She tried not to think about it, the situation she was in. The blood...
... Mr. Graham was always so nice to her, too. So why, why did they, why...
"... Huh?" Jasmine rose her head. She blinked her misty eyes, dabbed them with her sleeve. "Oh. Um, no. I tried not to watch it when it was on."
It was funny how, when she pictured SOTF in her head, she still thought of it as a show. Something you could just tune out, turn off. It made her squirm inwardly and she looked away from Lily. Her eyes landed on Coleen as she... she ate a bunch of crackers? Wait, where did she get those? Did she bring them with her?
"Sorry Lily," Jasmine apologized. Because she truly was sorry, for everything. She gave a small nod towards Coleen, just as a gesture, maybe she's seen it? "Why did you wanna know?"
She said nothing else for awhile. She slumped against the wall. Jasmine hated this feeling, this churning in her stomach, the guilt she assumed. Assumed being the keyword. It was the only way she could describe it. It made her want to avoid people, to curl up into a ball and not talk to anyone for the rest of the day. As much as that desire nagged at her, tugged at her in the back of her brain, she ignored it. It wasn't healthy, or at least that's what WebMD told her once.
Jasmine sat there for a time. You could say that she was curled up in a ball, hugging her knees, head tucked, staring off into space. She was in her own little world. Away from the library, away from Lily and Coleen, away from everything, alone with her own thoughts. She tried not to think about it, the situation she was in. The blood...
... Mr. Graham was always so nice to her, too. So why, why did they, why...
"... Huh?" Jasmine rose her head. She blinked her misty eyes, dabbed them with her sleeve. "Oh. Um, no. I tried not to watch it when it was on."
It was funny how, when she pictured SOTF in her head, she still thought of it as a show. Something you could just tune out, turn off. It made her squirm inwardly and she looked away from Lily. Her eyes landed on Coleen as she... she ate a bunch of crackers? Wait, where did she get those? Did she bring them with her?
"Sorry Lily," Jasmine apologized. Because she truly was sorry, for everything. She gave a small nod towards Coleen, just as a gesture, maybe she's seen it? "Why did you wanna know?"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Coleen shook her head when she heard the question, though she made no attempt to directly address or respond to either Lily or Jasmine. She was drawn into what precious little comfort she could glean from the crackers she was munching on, the characteristically dry but strangely tasty saltines distracting her from her own sorrows.
They could not distract her, however, from her growing thirst. Realizing the error of munching on such a salty treat first thing, Coleen stopped mid-chew with a puffed-out cheek and reached for one of the bottles of water she had located in her daypack. Unfastening the cap, she hurriedly brought the bottle to her lips and relieved her mouth of its parched state.
She swallowed the remaining cracker crumbs in her mouth with relative ease and set her foodstuffs down, turning sideways on the couch so she could face the other girls. Rather than sprawl across the whole of the cushions, Coleen preferred to keep her legs tucked close, as though some unseen monster would otherwise reach over the edge of the piece of furniture and tear her limb from limb were they to dangle, or if her feet were to reach some arbitrary distance from her heart.
She thought back to adopting a similar pose as a little girl, hiding from a thunderstorm raging overhead. That was before she had siblings to contend with. After that, she had to pretend to be brave for them. She had to be their stalwart shelter, unable to be afraid as to offer them comfort.
Coleen attempted to recapture that magic, to pretend she wasn't afraid. If only she had more time before the other two girls had shown up, she could have put on a more convincing act.
They could not distract her, however, from her growing thirst. Realizing the error of munching on such a salty treat first thing, Coleen stopped mid-chew with a puffed-out cheek and reached for one of the bottles of water she had located in her daypack. Unfastening the cap, she hurriedly brought the bottle to her lips and relieved her mouth of its parched state.
She swallowed the remaining cracker crumbs in her mouth with relative ease and set her foodstuffs down, turning sideways on the couch so she could face the other girls. Rather than sprawl across the whole of the cushions, Coleen preferred to keep her legs tucked close, as though some unseen monster would otherwise reach over the edge of the piece of furniture and tear her limb from limb were they to dangle, or if her feet were to reach some arbitrary distance from her heart.
She thought back to adopting a similar pose as a little girl, hiding from a thunderstorm raging overhead. That was before she had siblings to contend with. After that, she had to pretend to be brave for them. She had to be their stalwart shelter, unable to be afraid as to offer them comfort.
Coleen attempted to recapture that magic, to pretend she wasn't afraid. If only she had more time before the other two girls had shown up, she could have put on a more convincing act.
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
"Why else? I want to know what I should expect."
She winced as she worked at disinfecting her hand. Now that she could see it better, although the cut wasn't too deep it was in a terrible place. Anything she did with that hand was going to hurt for the next several days. Possibly the rest of her life. She also, to be honest, had no idea if she was doing this right. This was Emma's thing, not hers.
"The terrorists might have given us the basic layout of the game, but they didn't tell us enough. Rules are one thing. But knowing how the survivors... well, survived? That'd be useful. But even that clip—"
Lily paused for a moment, remembering the boy onscreen who'd gotten shot by his friend. He'd turned his back, and the other boy had gunned him down. Revulsion rippled through her, and she tried to forget the grisly details. She noticed that Graham's blood was still on her dress. She tried to forget that, too.
"All that clip taught us was 'don't turn your back to anyone,'" Lily continued. "It's not enough."
She wondered what her parents thought of all this. She wondered if they'd already decided she was a lost cause. After all, they didn't even have faith in her ability to get to school and back without suffering a horrible accident, let alone this. Even amongst just her cousins she was outmatched. All her cousins were athletic and the majority of them were raised by preppers.
She looked over at Coleen, who had curled up on the sofa. Back at Jasmine, who was in a similar position on the floor. Lily wondered why she wasn't curling up as well. By all rights, she should be.
She wrapped her hand lightly, enough to stop the bleeding, and grimaced at the shoddy job. "That'll do," she muttered under her breath, before packing away her first aid kit. She grabbed her map before closing her bag and hoisting the strap over her shoulder. Then she gestured at the office behind where Jasmine had popped out.
"You mind if I look in that office over there? The terrorists took my notebooks and pens."
She winced as she worked at disinfecting her hand. Now that she could see it better, although the cut wasn't too deep it was in a terrible place. Anything she did with that hand was going to hurt for the next several days. Possibly the rest of her life. She also, to be honest, had no idea if she was doing this right. This was Emma's thing, not hers.
"The terrorists might have given us the basic layout of the game, but they didn't tell us enough. Rules are one thing. But knowing how the survivors... well, survived? That'd be useful. But even that clip—"
Lily paused for a moment, remembering the boy onscreen who'd gotten shot by his friend. He'd turned his back, and the other boy had gunned him down. Revulsion rippled through her, and she tried to forget the grisly details. She noticed that Graham's blood was still on her dress. She tried to forget that, too.
"All that clip taught us was 'don't turn your back to anyone,'" Lily continued. "It's not enough."
She wondered what her parents thought of all this. She wondered if they'd already decided she was a lost cause. After all, they didn't even have faith in her ability to get to school and back without suffering a horrible accident, let alone this. Even amongst just her cousins she was outmatched. All her cousins were athletic and the majority of them were raised by preppers.
She looked over at Coleen, who had curled up on the sofa. Back at Jasmine, who was in a similar position on the floor. Lily wondered why she wasn't curling up as well. By all rights, she should be.
She wrapped her hand lightly, enough to stop the bleeding, and grimaced at the shoddy job. "That'll do," she muttered under her breath, before packing away her first aid kit. She grabbed her map before closing her bag and hoisting the strap over her shoulder. Then she gestured at the office behind where Jasmine had popped out.
"You mind if I look in that office over there? The terrorists took my notebooks and pens."
... Jasmine said nothing. She opened her mouth and it looked like she was about to say something, but she ended up closing her mouth soon after. She sat there, staring at Lily. A single bead of sweat formed at the side of her head. Lily looked at her, she looked at Lily. It was awkward, the silence that ensued, an unintended faux pas on Lily's part. The girl was clearly trying to keep her mind in the game. And no one would blame Lily for doing that, not even Jazz. But Jasmine wanted to keep her mind off of it.
Jasmine thought to herself. There was a tremble in her hand. Her pupils dilated, breath coming in quick, erratic bursts. Of course she remembered the clip. How could she possibly forget it? Just the way that one kid turned his back on his friends, on what he did. She didn't need Lily to remind her of that. How stupid did Lily think she was?
She snapped out of it. Then she scowled. Jasmine was a visual learner, and her mother taught her how to bandage a wound before Physical Education even touched on first aid. Her mom took Jasmine on a few camping trips, in tents. She wasn't an expert, but even she could see that Lily did not wrap her wound up right. A voice in her head told her to get up and rebandage it, jeez, she can't go around like that, what if she gets an infection? She ignored that voice.
Another voice told her to leave it. Just let her get an infection. It was a bitter voice. She ignored that one too.
Wait, Lily... Lily wasn't looking at her anymore. The girl gestured towards an office. There was a doorway behind the library counter, and a long window gave Jasmine a look in on it. She also noticed another door, on the customer side of the counter. It lead into the office, though Jasmine did not know this. Obviously the people who built the library expected anyone to be dumb enough to climb over the counter.
"I don't mind," Jasmine said. "Do you mind if I come with?"
Alright, come on Jasmine. Let's get our head in the game, come on, let's do it. She stood up suddenly, hand pawing for her bag. That's when she saw the characters written in white script on the side - G52. Just a number and a letter. Disposable. Jazz looked up, a smile easing onto her lips. Yeah. Let's look in the office Jazzy, maybe it'll help you stop thinking. About the blood...
... Yeah. Lily was a nice girl, but like hell you're going in there alone. Just smile and get along like you always do. Just flip the switch like you do back in school. Just swallow back your fears and make believe.
"Hey, Coleen?" She said suddenly. She waved at the girl who, for all intents and purposes, was in her own little world too. So Jasmine wasn't the only one. "You wanna join us? Maybe we'll find something there!"
Jasmine thought to herself. There was a tremble in her hand. Her pupils dilated, breath coming in quick, erratic bursts. Of course she remembered the clip. How could she possibly forget it? Just the way that one kid turned his back on his friends, on what he did. She didn't need Lily to remind her of that. How stupid did Lily think she was?
She snapped out of it. Then she scowled. Jasmine was a visual learner, and her mother taught her how to bandage a wound before Physical Education even touched on first aid. Her mom took Jasmine on a few camping trips, in tents. She wasn't an expert, but even she could see that Lily did not wrap her wound up right. A voice in her head told her to get up and rebandage it, jeez, she can't go around like that, what if she gets an infection? She ignored that voice.
Another voice told her to leave it. Just let her get an infection. It was a bitter voice. She ignored that one too.
Wait, Lily... Lily wasn't looking at her anymore. The girl gestured towards an office. There was a doorway behind the library counter, and a long window gave Jasmine a look in on it. She also noticed another door, on the customer side of the counter. It lead into the office, though Jasmine did not know this. Obviously the people who built the library expected anyone to be dumb enough to climb over the counter.
"I don't mind," Jasmine said. "Do you mind if I come with?"
Alright, come on Jasmine. Let's get our head in the game, come on, let's do it. She stood up suddenly, hand pawing for her bag. That's when she saw the characters written in white script on the side - G52. Just a number and a letter. Disposable. Jazz looked up, a smile easing onto her lips. Yeah. Let's look in the office Jazzy, maybe it'll help you stop thinking. About the blood...
... Yeah. Lily was a nice girl, but like hell you're going in there alone. Just smile and get along like you always do. Just flip the switch like you do back in school. Just swallow back your fears and make believe.
"Hey, Coleen?" She said suddenly. She waved at the girl who, for all intents and purposes, was in her own little world too. So Jasmine wasn't the only one. "You wanna join us? Maybe we'll find something there!"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"I..."
Coleen heard her name and looked up from her own kneecaps forming little mountaintops underneath her dress. "I'm sorry... what did you-"
She was about halfway through her own question when a little bit of retro-active hearing kicked in, and Coleen was able to piece together the individual parts of Jasmine's question until something made sense. The two of them were going to go somewhere, and Coleen was following? It sounded like a plan. She wanted to be anywhere other than where she was now, to understand the scope of the new world that she had been brought into. There was an area beyond this building, and she needed to test and view its bounds.
The timid girl pulled her feet off the couch and stuffed her bag full of all the items she had pulled out, then stood up. The strap of her assigned pack felt uncomfortable on her shoulder; it wasn't as soft as her backpack's straps and wasn't as well designed to facilitate a high school teenager's shoulder and back. She felt a little lopsided, a sensation that was only somewhat remedied if she brought the strap to the other side of her neck. Even then, she felt like the world was at the slightest of slants.
Coleen walked towards Lily and Jasmine, swallowing to collect herself. She looked at the door, then to the girls. "So... where are we going?" 'Somewhere we can dump your body!' her mind finished for her, dreading all the situations wherein somebody she went to school with, or somebody she knew, or even somebody she was close to might snap and kill her with the slightest provocation.
If THAT was going to be a regular thing, then Coleen just knew she was going to have buckets of fun over these next few days.
Coleen heard her name and looked up from her own kneecaps forming little mountaintops underneath her dress. "I'm sorry... what did you-"
She was about halfway through her own question when a little bit of retro-active hearing kicked in, and Coleen was able to piece together the individual parts of Jasmine's question until something made sense. The two of them were going to go somewhere, and Coleen was following? It sounded like a plan. She wanted to be anywhere other than where she was now, to understand the scope of the new world that she had been brought into. There was an area beyond this building, and she needed to test and view its bounds.
The timid girl pulled her feet off the couch and stuffed her bag full of all the items she had pulled out, then stood up. The strap of her assigned pack felt uncomfortable on her shoulder; it wasn't as soft as her backpack's straps and wasn't as well designed to facilitate a high school teenager's shoulder and back. She felt a little lopsided, a sensation that was only somewhat remedied if she brought the strap to the other side of her neck. Even then, she felt like the world was at the slightest of slants.
Coleen walked towards Lily and Jasmine, swallowing to collect herself. She looked at the door, then to the girls. "So... where are we going?" 'Somewhere we can dump your body!' her mind finished for her, dreading all the situations wherein somebody she went to school with, or somebody she knew, or even somebody she was close to might snap and kill her with the slightest provocation.
If THAT was going to be a regular thing, then Coleen just knew she was going to have buckets of fun over these next few days.
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
"That's fine," Lily said. She didn't mind the idea of Jasmine following. At least it meant no surprises.
Jasmine invited Coleen along, too. Coleen apparently hadn't been listening. She seemed a little confused and scattered. Maybe in shock about circumstances?
Lily just gestured at the little office again. "Right there. I want to look for pens and paper. It's not even out of the library. You can stay on the sofa if it's more comfortable."
She stepped around the counter Jasmine had appeared over. As she did, Jasmine and Coleen were momentarily behind her. Lily almost immediately turned so she was facing them, edging somewhat backwards instead.
"I woke up in a nearby gym. All the equipment had long since rusted, and it looked... old. I'm not sure how old, but not modern." She waved her map a little before looking at it. "And judging by this, we're in some sort of recreational quarters for staff of an old asylum." Under her breath, she muttered, "As if they needed to pick somewhere creepy for this."
She had her hand fixed and her bearings now. So next... some paper and a pen. And then...
And then...
She stepped into the tiny office, probably a place to keep track of who'd borrowed what books. She didn't see a computer. That could mean multiple things. Maybe the terrorists took any tech, or maybe this place had never had such tech to begin with. She hoped it was the latter, because then they would have to use paper and pens to keep track of books borrowed.
She started to check around the room. But the entire time, she tried not to turn her back to the others.
Jasmine invited Coleen along, too. Coleen apparently hadn't been listening. She seemed a little confused and scattered. Maybe in shock about circumstances?
Lily just gestured at the little office again. "Right there. I want to look for pens and paper. It's not even out of the library. You can stay on the sofa if it's more comfortable."
She stepped around the counter Jasmine had appeared over. As she did, Jasmine and Coleen were momentarily behind her. Lily almost immediately turned so she was facing them, edging somewhat backwards instead.
"I woke up in a nearby gym. All the equipment had long since rusted, and it looked... old. I'm not sure how old, but not modern." She waved her map a little before looking at it. "And judging by this, we're in some sort of recreational quarters for staff of an old asylum." Under her breath, she muttered, "As if they needed to pick somewhere creepy for this."
She had her hand fixed and her bearings now. So next... some paper and a pen. And then...
And then...
She stepped into the tiny office, probably a place to keep track of who'd borrowed what books. She didn't see a computer. That could mean multiple things. Maybe the terrorists took any tech, or maybe this place had never had such tech to begin with. She hoped it was the latter, because then they would have to use paper and pens to keep track of books borrowed.
She started to check around the room. But the entire time, she tried not to turn her back to the others.