More shots, more exchanges. Not much time left.
Renee didn't know what to do, but something was preventing her from just sprinting out and shooting Rebecca. Maybe it was some subconscious desire for her to kill Katie so that she wouldn't have to deal with it? No, that couldn't be it. Things were moving too fast for instinct to affect her actions like that. Renee edged out a little more, sighting Rebecca's cover with the MP5's iron sights.
She squeezed off a few more shots in her direction, clicking off the automatic fire so that she was only firing semi-automatically. The submachine gun bounced against Renee's shoulder and the shells ejected from the MP5, landing near her mangled thigh. This had to be ended soon.
Renee saw Rebecca's bow arm moving, and she let out a sound that was halfway between a grunt and a groan.
She was getting tired of this.
Last of the Alderbrooks
It ends HERE! Virtua Grand Finale!
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The gunshots around her sounded so distant, like fireworks down the street on New Years. This was a shitty enough situation without needing hearing aids before the age of eighteen. Beat being dead though, by a long shot.
You will be soon if you don't get it together...
She banished the thought with a shudder. Katie had stopped to reload. This was her chance. She'd kill one of her best friends and that was gonna be that.
She had no other choice.
She jumped out of cover and fired the arrow, seeing Renee was close by. Why hadn't she aimed for her then?
Idiot.
You will be soon if you don't get it together...
She banished the thought with a shudder. Katie had stopped to reload. This was her chance. She'd kill one of her best friends and that was gonna be that.
She had no other choice.
She jumped out of cover and fired the arrow, seeing Renee was close by. Why hadn't she aimed for her then?
Idiot.
Katie took deep breaths, trying to stay somewhat in control. Calm was a lost battle, but she needed to at least take care of herself and keep together so that she could finish this. She was in the best position to do so, with Rebecca focusing her attention on Renee.
For just a moment, a horrible little thought flitted through her mind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Rebecca took Renee down before succumbing. It would make things easier by removing that horrible little choice that was going to face them otherwise. Katie didn't want to have to decide who would live and who would die. She didn't want to think about fighting another friend, and this time in something other than self defense.
The gun was ready, and Katie looked out, only to see something unexpected. Rebecca had apparently changed tactics, and was coming right at her, arrow ready. As she let loose, Katie let out a gasp and pulled the trigger, firing a round in her attacker's direction.
For just a moment, a horrible little thought flitted through her mind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Rebecca took Renee down before succumbing. It would make things easier by removing that horrible little choice that was going to face them otherwise. Katie didn't want to have to decide who would live and who would die. She didn't want to think about fighting another friend, and this time in something other than self defense.
The gun was ready, and Katie looked out, only to see something unexpected. Rebecca had apparently changed tactics, and was coming right at her, arrow ready. As she let loose, Katie let out a gasp and pulled the trigger, firing a round in her attacker's direction.
Rebecca's arm moved and, suddenly, everything seemed to slow down for Renee. For absolutely no reason that she could fathom, she moved from her protected position inside the bathroom. Katie was next to her now. Katie was behind her now.
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, her throat started hurting.
She coughed and started gagging.
"Renee, you okay?"
Renee looked up.
"I'm fine," Renee smiled, having disgorged the foreign object from her throat. A mangled piece of an eraser had ended up in her throat while she was busy chewing the back end of a pencil. Blushing with embarrassment, she put the pencil down next to her sketchbook. She was sketching a bridge, a wide, metal bridge that a train could pass through. Around it was a searing hot desert, with accompanying tumbleweed. Renee liked this particular piece. It had a certain "American" vibe to it that reminded her of the one time that her parents took her to Phoenix. "Really, Patrick. You worry too much."
Renee cleared her throat and faced the boy sitting in front of her at the lunch table. Patrick, a (relatively) tall boy in comparison to Renee, was currently flashing a huge grin at her. They were the only two at the lunch table, since Renee wanted some time by herself finish up her drawing. Patrick had barged in uninvited. But it was dumb, lovable Patrick, so Renee gave him a pass.
"Aw, don't be like that," Patrick said. "You've been drawing that thing for, like, the past 30 minutes."
Renee wanted to let Patrick know that the last 30 minutes had, in fact, been the first half of their lunch hour. Discounting the fact that this was easily one of the more realistically drawn works that Renee had done, she didn't expect to be done with it for at least another hour. Before Renee could let out anything that resembled a witty retort to Patrick's less-than-insightful comment, she suddenly felt the crick in her throat again.
She fell to her knees. Her hands moved up to her throat to massage the aching body part.
Her gaze shifted around. She was in the school's hallway after school, kneeling in front of the lockers to access her own. Her locker door was open, revealing everything from a sketch of her parents she'd done when she was younger to her piles of History notes that she was surprised she bothered keeping in her locker. Sighing, she shut the locker door. Shutting the door opened her view to a figure leaning against the lockers with his arms crossed, an obvious smirk on his face. Renee didn't have to spot the horridly out-of-place fedora on his head to guess who this was.
"Brian," she said, smiling brightly. "Fancy meeting you here."
Brian said nothing, but the grin suddenly disappeared from his face. As if from nowhere, he suddenly had a shotgun in his hands. A decidedly serious look of determination crossed his face as he aimed the gun at Renee. Suddenly, the whole hallway burst with bullets. Her classmates that she had known all her life had all revealed all manner of weapons. And now they were all killing each other.
Renee dropped down as she watched Brian get torn apart by the bullets littering the hallway. He fell sideways, slumping up against the lockers, leaking blood everywhere. Renee screamed, but no sound came out of her throat. After only a few seconds of the huge exchange of gunfire in the hallway, things suddenly went silent. Renee wondered if she'd gone deaf as the sounds seemed to have disappeared in an instant. Shaking, she got up. The scene before her was grotesque, disgusting. Bodies, bodies of her friends, lay on the ground.
Vivian was beside Brian, an arrow in her heart. Amelia, her head caved in, had her lower half inside a classroom. Julia Wilson had an axe stuck in the middle of her neck and lay slumped against Cameo Conroy, who looked relatively uninjured except for the bullet hole in her forehead. Patrick was there, too, dead from... something. Delilah lay next to him, marks on her neck as if she had been strangled. Dead, all dead.
She heard something behind her. Whipping around, she saw Sam, defenseless, standing in the middle of the hallway. Renee called out his name, and started running towards him, intent on saving him from this chaos. Before she could reach him, an arrow struck, suddenly, from out of nowhere. It tore through his chest, straight at his heart. Renee's eyes widened as she attempted to yell again, but no sound came out, once more. Renee turned to the direction that the arrow had come from. Rebecca stood there, stone-eyed, another arrow nocked in her bow. She was aiming for Katie, who had appeared from nowhere as well. Renee charged past Katie, getting hit by the arrow instead of Katie.
Suddenly, her throat started hurting.
An arrow was jutting out of her neck. Renee Murphy dropped dead onto the floor of the train car.
F05, RENEE MURPHY: GAME OVER
2 STUDENTS REMAINING
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, her throat started hurting.
She coughed and started gagging.
"Renee, you okay?"
Renee looked up.
"I'm fine," Renee smiled, having disgorged the foreign object from her throat. A mangled piece of an eraser had ended up in her throat while she was busy chewing the back end of a pencil. Blushing with embarrassment, she put the pencil down next to her sketchbook. She was sketching a bridge, a wide, metal bridge that a train could pass through. Around it was a searing hot desert, with accompanying tumbleweed. Renee liked this particular piece. It had a certain "American" vibe to it that reminded her of the one time that her parents took her to Phoenix. "Really, Patrick. You worry too much."
Renee cleared her throat and faced the boy sitting in front of her at the lunch table. Patrick, a (relatively) tall boy in comparison to Renee, was currently flashing a huge grin at her. They were the only two at the lunch table, since Renee wanted some time by herself finish up her drawing. Patrick had barged in uninvited. But it was dumb, lovable Patrick, so Renee gave him a pass.
"Aw, don't be like that," Patrick said. "You've been drawing that thing for, like, the past 30 minutes."
Renee wanted to let Patrick know that the last 30 minutes had, in fact, been the first half of their lunch hour. Discounting the fact that this was easily one of the more realistically drawn works that Renee had done, she didn't expect to be done with it for at least another hour. Before Renee could let out anything that resembled a witty retort to Patrick's less-than-insightful comment, she suddenly felt the crick in her throat again.
She fell to her knees. Her hands moved up to her throat to massage the aching body part.
Her gaze shifted around. She was in the school's hallway after school, kneeling in front of the lockers to access her own. Her locker door was open, revealing everything from a sketch of her parents she'd done when she was younger to her piles of History notes that she was surprised she bothered keeping in her locker. Sighing, she shut the locker door. Shutting the door opened her view to a figure leaning against the lockers with his arms crossed, an obvious smirk on his face. Renee didn't have to spot the horridly out-of-place fedora on his head to guess who this was.
"Brian," she said, smiling brightly. "Fancy meeting you here."
Brian said nothing, but the grin suddenly disappeared from his face. As if from nowhere, he suddenly had a shotgun in his hands. A decidedly serious look of determination crossed his face as he aimed the gun at Renee. Suddenly, the whole hallway burst with bullets. Her classmates that she had known all her life had all revealed all manner of weapons. And now they were all killing each other.
Renee dropped down as she watched Brian get torn apart by the bullets littering the hallway. He fell sideways, slumping up against the lockers, leaking blood everywhere. Renee screamed, but no sound came out of her throat. After only a few seconds of the huge exchange of gunfire in the hallway, things suddenly went silent. Renee wondered if she'd gone deaf as the sounds seemed to have disappeared in an instant. Shaking, she got up. The scene before her was grotesque, disgusting. Bodies, bodies of her friends, lay on the ground.
Vivian was beside Brian, an arrow in her heart. Amelia, her head caved in, had her lower half inside a classroom. Julia Wilson had an axe stuck in the middle of her neck and lay slumped against Cameo Conroy, who looked relatively uninjured except for the bullet hole in her forehead. Patrick was there, too, dead from... something. Delilah lay next to him, marks on her neck as if she had been strangled. Dead, all dead.
She heard something behind her. Whipping around, she saw Sam, defenseless, standing in the middle of the hallway. Renee called out his name, and started running towards him, intent on saving him from this chaos. Before she could reach him, an arrow struck, suddenly, from out of nowhere. It tore through his chest, straight at his heart. Renee's eyes widened as she attempted to yell again, but no sound came out, once more. Renee turned to the direction that the arrow had come from. Rebecca stood there, stone-eyed, another arrow nocked in her bow. She was aiming for Katie, who had appeared from nowhere as well. Renee charged past Katie, getting hit by the arrow instead of Katie.
Suddenly, her throat started hurting.
An arrow was jutting out of her neck. Renee Murphy dropped dead onto the floor of the train car.
F05, RENEE MURPHY: GAME OVER
2 STUDENTS REMAINING
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Rebecca didn't understand.
She wasn't upset, but she didn't understand.
Why did Renee save Katie? It didn't make sense to Rebecca at all. Only one person was getting out alive, and committing suicide to do it was disturbing. Was that what others thought she should do? Just give herself up and die so that Katie could live?
No, she'd find Leo. Deal with him.
She took off in the other direction, not wanting to see such a disturbing sight as the girl with an arrow in her neck.
It raised too many questions.
She wasn't upset, but she didn't understand.
Why did Renee save Katie? It didn't make sense to Rebecca at all. Only one person was getting out alive, and committing suicide to do it was disturbing. Was that what others thought she should do? Just give herself up and die so that Katie could live?
No, she'd find Leo. Deal with him.
She took off in the other direction, not wanting to see such a disturbing sight as the girl with an arrow in her neck.
It raised too many questions.
In that split instant when she thought she was going to get shot, Katie's life did not flash before her eyes, but time did seem to slow for a moment as adrenaline she didn't even know she had in reserve pumped into her body. Renee's shout came at the same time Rebecca loosed her arrow, and Katie didn't have time to figure out how true her former friend's aim was. It didn't matter, because Renee interposed herself, catching the arrow in her neck. Katie's eyes went wide as Renee collapsed to the floor.
She was frozen in horror and anger for a second. Then Rebecca took off. The rationale there eluded Katie. Maybe Rebecca was out of arrows. Maybe she found the situation tactically disadvantageous somehow. It didn't matter.
What mattered was, Katie wasn't going to let her get away with it. Maybe she was heading into a trap. It didn't matter. Her gun was loaded, and Rebecca's luck couldn't hold forever. Katie was angry, now, more than she'd ever been. She stood, stumbling a little as the train lurched, and took off after Rebecca. She'd finish this. That was the most important thing now.
She was frozen in horror and anger for a second. Then Rebecca took off. The rationale there eluded Katie. Maybe Rebecca was out of arrows. Maybe she found the situation tactically disadvantageous somehow. It didn't matter.
What mattered was, Katie wasn't going to let her get away with it. Maybe she was heading into a trap. It didn't matter. Her gun was loaded, and Rebecca's luck couldn't hold forever. Katie was angry, now, more than she'd ever been. She stood, stumbling a little as the train lurched, and took off after Rebecca. She'd finish this. That was the most important thing now.
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She passed through the exit to the car, all too able to tell how the train was lurching. Would this plan work with her leg? She really could only figure it out by doing.
The train had ladders, she could tell that much. If she went to the roof could she avoid Katie long enough to find Leo? She hoped so.
She got closer, knowing Katie was probably just behind her. There, the ladder. She rushed to it, began climbing up, feeling her leg scream its obscenities at her, that it wasn't going to do this climbing shit for long.
She reached the top, flopping out onto the roof on her knees. Made it, her leg's screaming pulled back to an agitated whisper.
Standing up probably would have been a good idea.
The train had ladders, she could tell that much. If she went to the roof could she avoid Katie long enough to find Leo? She hoped so.
She got closer, knowing Katie was probably just behind her. There, the ladder. She rushed to it, began climbing up, feeling her leg scream its obscenities at her, that it wasn't going to do this climbing shit for long.
She reached the top, flopping out onto the roof on her knees. Made it, her leg's screaming pulled back to an agitated whisper.
Standing up probably would have been a good idea.
((Apologies for the delay. The advent of final V5 prep and related work, coupled with the absence of a few staffers, resulted in some delays and this fell through the cracks. It will not happen again.))
Rebecca turned and left. Katie blinked for a second, barely able to believe it. That was it? She'd just killed Renee, and now she was going to run away? It was almost unbelievable.
Apparently, Rebecca didn't realize that Katie might be, oh, just a little bit upset about the whole thing? That she might not be as done with it as Rebecca was?
So Katie got up and took off in pursuit, pistol out. Leo was somewhere, but it didn't matter. Katie decided she would even be fine with Leo ambushing her, if it came to that. Well, not fine, she'd prefer to survive, but better Leo than Rebecca.
Rebecca went up a ladder, just quickly enough that Katie didn't get a clean shot at her legs. She growled, and then, slowly, started climbing herself, gripping tightly so as not to be dislodged by the train's movement. She knew this could lead to an ambush, but so be it. As a precaution, she fired the pistol once out of the opening as she neared the top, in the rough direction she thought Rebecca was. She just had to ward the girl off for a moment, keep her head down so that she could get a clean shot.
Rebecca turned and left. Katie blinked for a second, barely able to believe it. That was it? She'd just killed Renee, and now she was going to run away? It was almost unbelievable.
Apparently, Rebecca didn't realize that Katie might be, oh, just a little bit upset about the whole thing? That she might not be as done with it as Rebecca was?
So Katie got up and took off in pursuit, pistol out. Leo was somewhere, but it didn't matter. Katie decided she would even be fine with Leo ambushing her, if it came to that. Well, not fine, she'd prefer to survive, but better Leo than Rebecca.
Rebecca went up a ladder, just quickly enough that Katie didn't get a clean shot at her legs. She growled, and then, slowly, started climbing herself, gripping tightly so as not to be dislodged by the train's movement. She knew this could lead to an ambush, but so be it. As a precaution, she fired the pistol once out of the opening as she neared the top, in the rough direction she thought Rebecca was. She just had to ward the girl off for a moment, keep her head down so that she could get a clean shot.
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Rebecca thought she heard a gunshot as she struggled back to her feet. But her ears still weren't working as well as she liked. A chill went through her as she wondered whether she'd ever enjoy classic rock the same way again. Plus the train was shaking too much, it was distracting her. She was on her feet now, but trying to move much at all would probably knock her down again.
Didn't matter. She needed to reload first anyway. Two arrows left, this was bad. She figured she had a fucking awful chance to take care of Leo and Katie with one arrow each. She wished she still had the shotgun.
She attached the arrow to the string of the bow, nearly fumbling it as the train shook again.
Out of the corner of her eye she watched to try to tell if they were close to the train crash the sheriff had mentioned. She couldn't tell.
That was probably bad, real fucking bad.
Didn't matter. She needed to reload first anyway. Two arrows left, this was bad. She figured she had a fucking awful chance to take care of Leo and Katie with one arrow each. She wished she still had the shotgun.
She attached the arrow to the string of the bow, nearly fumbling it as the train shook again.
Out of the corner of her eye she watched to try to tell if they were close to the train crash the sheriff had mentioned. She couldn't tell.
That was probably bad, real fucking bad.
Katie pulled herself up the ladder, rung by rung. She kept the pistol in her right hand, scooting her left along the side of the ladder. The bumping motion of the train threatened to dislodge her, but she held tight. As she reached the top, she peeked out. Rebecca was fiddling with her bow. Katie pulled herself onto the roof, staying low.
In one of the movies she'd once loved, this would have been climactic, some final battle between good and evil. Instead, she just felt tired, ready for it all to end. The wind whipped past her, tossing her hair and making it impossible for her to hear anything. The only good thing was, it would make it really damn tough for Rebecca to get a good shot off with her bow.
Maybe this could finally be over, then. Maybe she wouldn't even have to find Leo. It would be fitting, in a way, if Katie and Rebecca died together, leaving the one uninvolved person to ride to freedom as a reward for keeping his head low. That thought didn't even scare Katie so much anymore.
She pointed her pistol at Rebecca, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger twice.
In one of the movies she'd once loved, this would have been climactic, some final battle between good and evil. Instead, she just felt tired, ready for it all to end. The wind whipped past her, tossing her hair and making it impossible for her to hear anything. The only good thing was, it would make it really damn tough for Rebecca to get a good shot off with her bow.
Maybe this could finally be over, then. Maybe she wouldn't even have to find Leo. It would be fitting, in a way, if Katie and Rebecca died together, leaving the one uninvolved person to ride to freedom as a reward for keeping his head low. That thought didn't even scare Katie so much anymore.
She pointed her pistol at Rebecca, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger twice.
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The distorted sound of gunshots brought her back to the matter at hand. There was a new dent on the metal next to her foot as well. So close, but what was the dumb saying her dad liked, no cigar? She thought that was what it was.
Not that it mattered, Katie had gotten more than close before. Rebecca could feel a dripping feeling going down her back where she'd felt the pain earlier.
She got her bow aimed up, pointing the arrow at her best friend, wondered if she'd live to hear her father say the cigar thing again, and let the arrow fly,
Not that it mattered, Katie had gotten more than close before. Rebecca could feel a dripping feeling going down her back where she'd felt the pain earlier.
She got her bow aimed up, pointing the arrow at her best friend, wondered if she'd live to hear her father say the cigar thing again, and let the arrow fly,
Katie could see Rebecca preparing, could see the girl aiming. The accuracy with which she shot was still incredible to Katie, especially compared with her own decidedly-lackluster results using the pistol. That was not a good thing to think about right now, though. Katie moved as Rebecca loosed her arrow, taking a half step towards the edge of the train. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the shot to go off course. Maybe Rebecca really wasn't able to compensate for the wind howling around them.
Katie allowed herself a grim little smile. She could see only one more feathered shaft sticking out of Rebecca's equipment. Even if the girl had more in her arsenal, it would take time to bring it to bear, and Katie could use that. She pointed her pistol, took a moment to aim, safe in the knowledge that it would take Rebecca more time to ready another arrow, took a deep breath, and fired three times.
So close. She was so close to ending this all. She just wanted it to be over.
Katie allowed herself a grim little smile. She could see only one more feathered shaft sticking out of Rebecca's equipment. Even if the girl had more in her arsenal, it would take time to bring it to bear, and Katie could use that. She pointed her pistol, took a moment to aim, safe in the knowledge that it would take Rebecca more time to ready another arrow, took a deep breath, and fired three times.
So close. She was so close to ending this all. She just wanted it to be over.
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Her shot missed, but just barely. Rebecca braced herself, now Katie would respond in kind like they had been doing. Taking shots back at one another, rather than just all out firing.
Before the sounds of the explosions reached her ears she saw Katie give a slight smile. What the fuck? Rebecca may have done bad things, but she never smiled about it. It disturbed her.
With one of her best friends smiling before she pulled the trigger, Rebecca somehow thought she was going to get blown away right then. Somehow the shots missed. How many did Katie even have? The shotgun could only hold four, the pistol probably held more, but it felt like a lot.
She started to reach for an arrow when she realized Katie could probably blow her away as soon as the arrow was in hand.
Her hand dropped to her side. She opened her mouth to speak.
She didn't know what was left to say.
Before the sounds of the explosions reached her ears she saw Katie give a slight smile. What the fuck? Rebecca may have done bad things, but she never smiled about it. It disturbed her.
With one of her best friends smiling before she pulled the trigger, Rebecca somehow thought she was going to get blown away right then. Somehow the shots missed. How many did Katie even have? The shotgun could only hold four, the pistol probably held more, but it felt like a lot.
She started to reach for an arrow when she realized Katie could probably blow her away as soon as the arrow was in hand.
Her hand dropped to her side. She opened her mouth to speak.
She didn't know what was left to say.
Rebecca stopped. Her hand lowered. It was the absolute last thing Katie had expected this late in the game, and it completely blindsided her. Rebecca had done nothing but kill since arriving here, and now, at the final moment, she was slowing down?
In the movies Katie watched, this would be the point at which her head slammed into the tunnel only Rebecca saw coming, but nothing of the sort occurred here. The train just trundled on, the wind whipping past Katie. It was hot, she realized. She was sweating badly, and probably getting a sunburn. She wanted this to end. She wanted Rebecca to just take her shot, but she wasn't enough of a hypocrite to open fire when her foe wasn't making aggressive moves.
Katie didn't lower her pistol, but she let her arm relax a little, finally let a bit of a waver creep into the gun. She wanted there to be another way, a way that this could change. She wanted to go back in time and find Rebecca at the start of the game, stop this all from going so wrong. She wanted them to be kids again.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. The wind whistled past.
In the movies Katie watched, this would be the point at which her head slammed into the tunnel only Rebecca saw coming, but nothing of the sort occurred here. The train just trundled on, the wind whipping past Katie. It was hot, she realized. She was sweating badly, and probably getting a sunburn. She wanted this to end. She wanted Rebecca to just take her shot, but she wasn't enough of a hypocrite to open fire when her foe wasn't making aggressive moves.
Katie didn't lower her pistol, but she let her arm relax a little, finally let a bit of a waver creep into the gun. She wanted there to be another way, a way that this could change. She wanted to go back in time and find Rebecca at the start of the game, stop this all from going so wrong. She wanted them to be kids again.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. The wind whistled past.
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Her eyes glanced over at the landscape. The train was getting closer and closer to their impending death, she was sure there was still a decent amount of time left, but trains going into chasms weren't something she wanted to take risks with.
Katie had lowered the gun. Rebecca wouldn't have considered that smart, but she didn't have room to critique given that she had lowered her own weapon.
She finally yelled out what she was thinking.
"I'm sorry!"
She could barely hear it, the main way she knew that she had spoken was the feeling of her vocal chords, the release of air as it left her mouth.
She watched her friend's lips for a reply.
Katie had lowered the gun. Rebecca wouldn't have considered that smart, but she didn't have room to critique given that she had lowered her own weapon.
She finally yelled out what she was thinking.
"I'm sorry!"
She could barely hear it, the main way she knew that she had spoken was the feeling of her vocal chords, the release of air as it left her mouth.
She watched her friend's lips for a reply.