((Back to the basement they go.))
It was as black as ever down here, just like David never left. Maybe if he ran around aimlessly for a bit again he'd find Raja and Raymond, right there in the hallway as if someone hit a big reset button.
David kept one hand glued to the flashlight and the other on the rail as he led Emily down below and below and below. Ximena said she was just gonna hang around up top. David didn't blame her; truth be told David really didn't want to be down here again either if it meant running into the meat-puter room or the bug lady, now that they knew what did Raja in. But Emily said she really, really needed to find something down here though she wouldn't tell David what. He was fine with that; she had her secrets, and so did he. He rolled his eyes, but the masculine urge to help compelled him to for at least this once.
"You said it's down here?" He whipped his head for a second at Emily before taking the final steps to the bottom of the stairs where it all started. His foot crunched on top of some spider looking thing. David grimaced and quickly wiped his shoe against the bottom of the cold railing.
Parasocial Paranoia
private because random numbers told me I had to kill off my kid
Moderator: SOTF Supers Staff
((Emily Chou continued from And So It Goes))
Emily could feel her hands shaking as she followed David down into the darkness. She had never missed so many doses of her medication before. It wasn't that she was super punctual or anything, but the withdrawal symptoms were so bad that even taking it a few hours late made her feel awful. If she were going through this back home, she would probably have described how she was feeling with the phrase 'I want to die', but after what she and the others had just experienced, such hyperbole felt wildly inappropriate.
At least she didn't have to make the trip downstairs alone. Thankfully, Ximena and the others hadn't pressed her too hard about what she was hiding, though she knew she'd at least have to give David an idea of what they were looking for - she owed him that much. Besides, while having someone on bug squishing duty was nice, he couldn't exactly help her without knowing exactly what they were looking for.
She paused a moment as they reached the bottom of the stairs before answering his question.
"Yeah, um, I'm looking for a small blue bottle of pills, about this big?"
She gestured with her fingers to indicate the size before realizing that it would be too dark for David to see what she was doing. She sighed, moving the hand to her forehead before continuing.
"Sorry, I mean, it's a little over two inches tall. I... I'm sorry, I'm feeling really sick now and am having trouble thinking straight. I'll explain more once we get back upstairs, ok?"
Of course, more explanations were not exactly something she wanted to give, but at the very least, she'd rather have to think of something upstairs than do it down here in the dark.
Emily could feel her hands shaking as she followed David down into the darkness. She had never missed so many doses of her medication before. It wasn't that she was super punctual or anything, but the withdrawal symptoms were so bad that even taking it a few hours late made her feel awful. If she were going through this back home, she would probably have described how she was feeling with the phrase 'I want to die', but after what she and the others had just experienced, such hyperbole felt wildly inappropriate.
At least she didn't have to make the trip downstairs alone. Thankfully, Ximena and the others hadn't pressed her too hard about what she was hiding, though she knew she'd at least have to give David an idea of what they were looking for - she owed him that much. Besides, while having someone on bug squishing duty was nice, he couldn't exactly help her without knowing exactly what they were looking for.
She paused a moment as they reached the bottom of the stairs before answering his question.
"Yeah, um, I'm looking for a small blue bottle of pills, about this big?"
She gestured with her fingers to indicate the size before realizing that it would be too dark for David to see what she was doing. She sighed, moving the hand to her forehead before continuing.
"Sorry, I mean, it's a little over two inches tall. I... I'm sorry, I'm feeling really sick now and am having trouble thinking straight. I'll explain more once we get back upstairs, ok?"
Of course, more explanations were not exactly something she wanted to give, but at the very least, she'd rather have to think of something upstairs than do it down here in the dark.
David looked up at Emily as she spoke before kinda half shrugging his shoulders and shining his light along the rest of the stairwell floor. "Let's just hurry up," he grumbled, "I hate it down here."
Mom's pills were in a blue bottle, too. They were still sitting there in the medicine cabinet back home, shoved in the back next to the ibuprofen. Every time David brushed his hand across it he considered throwing it out, but for some reason he and Dad just never did.
David shook the memory out of his foremind as he paced around the room on the drug hunt.
Out of the corner of his eye he caught- he thought he caught- no. No, he did.
He stared through the plexiglass of the hallway door that led deeper into the basement. The beam of the flashlight was swallowed whole by concrete and blackness.
He looked back at Emily and then back at the door. Back at Emily, back at the door before he took a few steps forward.
"...Sorry, I gotta check something. I'll be right back, Scout's honor."
The screech of the metal door opening and closing were the last sounds of life as he disappeared down the corridor.
Mom's pills were in a blue bottle, too. They were still sitting there in the medicine cabinet back home, shoved in the back next to the ibuprofen. Every time David brushed his hand across it he considered throwing it out, but for some reason he and Dad just never did.
David shook the memory out of his foremind as he paced around the room on the drug hunt.
Out of the corner of his eye he caught- he thought he caught- no. No, he did.
He stared through the plexiglass of the hallway door that led deeper into the basement. The beam of the flashlight was swallowed whole by concrete and blackness.
He looked back at Emily and then back at the door. Back at Emily, back at the door before he took a few steps forward.
"...Sorry, I gotta check something. I'll be right back, Scout's honor."
The screech of the metal door opening and closing were the last sounds of life as he disappeared down the corridor.
Emily cringed inwardly, wishing she had said 'medicine' instead of 'pills'. Like, David didn't say anything about it but she knew that probably sounded like she was a drug addict or something. It was better than him actually knowing the truth, but still, oh god...
She probably would have tried to clarify with something even more embarrassing had David not taken that moment to run off. Her heart sank as the glow of his veins disappeared slowly into the darkness, followed by a hesitant call of "Wait!" that was almost certainly too quiet for him to have heard.
Just like that, Emily was alone again.
Somehow, the inky blackness felt even more claustrophobic and oppressive than it had the first time around. She took a seat at the bottom of the stairs, her stomach churning as she curled up as compactly as possible with her fingers putting pressure on the throbbing near her eyes.
Thoughts of what could be lurking in the darkness swirled around in her mind yet again, her current helplessness painfully obvious. There might be some more of those bugs that poisoned Raja, or worse, Raymond might be here to get her like he did to Sayuna. Emily couldn't decide what part was more unbelievable, the fact that Raymond would actually kill someone or that Sayuna was... gone. It had been hours since the announcement, and she was still desperately trying to process the information. Every time she tried to think about it, her brain seemed to rebel against her, refusing to let her fully accept what she had heard.
Emily let out a soft groan as she closed her eyes, the hard metal of the previous step pressing into her back. Hopefully David would get back soon and rescue her from her thoughts, at last for a while.
She probably would have tried to clarify with something even more embarrassing had David not taken that moment to run off. Her heart sank as the glow of his veins disappeared slowly into the darkness, followed by a hesitant call of "Wait!" that was almost certainly too quiet for him to have heard.
Just like that, Emily was alone again.
Somehow, the inky blackness felt even more claustrophobic and oppressive than it had the first time around. She took a seat at the bottom of the stairs, her stomach churning as she curled up as compactly as possible with her fingers putting pressure on the throbbing near her eyes.
Thoughts of what could be lurking in the darkness swirled around in her mind yet again, her current helplessness painfully obvious. There might be some more of those bugs that poisoned Raja, or worse, Raymond might be here to get her like he did to Sayuna. Emily couldn't decide what part was more unbelievable, the fact that Raymond would actually kill someone or that Sayuna was... gone. It had been hours since the announcement, and she was still desperately trying to process the information. Every time she tried to think about it, her brain seemed to rebel against her, refusing to let her fully accept what she had heard.
Emily let out a soft groan as she closed her eyes, the hard metal of the previous step pressing into her back. Hopefully David would get back soon and rescue her from her thoughts, at last for a while.
And then it was just David. He took one step forward, then another. The clack of his shoes on the cement floor echoed as he kept heading for a specific door near the end of the hall.
He stopped near an overturned table and looked at the door he came from. He slapped the head of the flashlight against his palms a few times. Maybe he should've left the light with Emily, but... she'd be fine. Probably. People were killing but the ones who were wouldn't be sitting back and just hanging out down here. Worst case she could scream for him or run upstairs or something.
She'd be fine. It was only gonna be a few minutes.
He resumed his pace and headed for the door.
No one in their right mind would still be down here, but he knew what he saw.
His feet slowed to a stop again. Right here.
His heart beat so fast. He didn't know what he was gonna say.
He dragged his feet forward towards the metal door. He looked through the small window and was able to make out some sort of furnace or generator maybe; must've been the power room for the building or something.
He looked down at the door handle. He reached for it and pressed down and gently pushed the door in and leaned forward into the room before stepping inside. He walked around and scanned the area with the light; all of the dark nooks and hiding spots and pipes in the way and machines and shit made him feel more claustrophobic than the room probably was with the intended lighting.
"Uh-, uh, anyone in here?" he called out, sounding more like a dopey security guard in a bad horror movie than he intended.
He stopped near an overturned table and looked at the door he came from. He slapped the head of the flashlight against his palms a few times. Maybe he should've left the light with Emily, but... she'd be fine. Probably. People were killing but the ones who were wouldn't be sitting back and just hanging out down here. Worst case she could scream for him or run upstairs or something.
She'd be fine. It was only gonna be a few minutes.
He resumed his pace and headed for the door.
No one in their right mind would still be down here, but he knew what he saw.
His feet slowed to a stop again. Right here.
His heart beat so fast. He didn't know what he was gonna say.
He dragged his feet forward towards the metal door. He looked through the small window and was able to make out some sort of furnace or generator maybe; must've been the power room for the building or something.
He looked down at the door handle. He reached for it and pressed down and gently pushed the door in and leaned forward into the room before stepping inside. He walked around and scanned the area with the light; all of the dark nooks and hiding spots and pipes in the way and machines and shit made him feel more claustrophobic than the room probably was with the intended lighting.
"Uh-, uh, anyone in here?" he called out, sounding more like a dopey security guard in a bad horror movie than he intended.
Nothing in this corner, just a bunch of cobwebs.
David knew what he saw. He wasn't gonna leave until he found her, even if he had to tear apart this room bolt by bolt.
Clack, clack.
Nothing over here. He huffed. "I saw you come in here... I wanted to make sure you were okay... Been a crazy fucking last few days..."
She must've been so scared... that was the only answer that would make sense. Hell, David was, too. But he had to be brave right now or at least put on a brave face for her.
This was the moment he was always waiting for. He'd find her. He'd talk to her. He'd help her. He'd save her.
He just had to coax her out first.
David knew what he saw. He wasn't gonna leave until he found her, even if he had to tear apart this room bolt by bolt.
Clack, clack.
Nothing over here. He huffed. "I saw you come in here... I wanted to make sure you were okay... Been a crazy fucking last few days..."
She must've been so scared... that was the only answer that would make sense. Hell, David was, too. But he had to be brave right now or at least put on a brave face for her.
This was the moment he was always waiting for. He'd find her. He'd talk to her. He'd help her. He'd save her.
He just had to coax her out first.
In the video recording, a shadow could be seen scurrying across the floor behind David.
Meanwhile, the minutes continued to tick by one by one, with no sign of David in sight. Without a clock, or better yet, her phone, Emily had no way to tell how much time had passed since he left, but it really didn't matter - regardless of the exact length of time, it was way too long for comfort. Her mind had already gone down her long list of fears and anxieties and now seemed to be repeating stuff at random, evidently still planning on refusing to give her a break any time soon. It didn't help either that physically, Emily was in agony. The pressure in her head continued to increase, sending a jolt of pain through her every time she moved her eyes, and by now her muscles had begun to spasm, the irregular intervals of cramping making it impossible for her to adjust to the current level of discomfort.
Not only did she have to deal with all of that, but the thought of Isabella's bugs coming back left her whole body feeling itchy, with no amount of scratching seeming to dull the sensation. With all of this going on, one would probably be able to guess that the thought of hanging around the steps by herself any longer quickly became unbearable. It wasn't like it was much safer here than anywhere else in the basement, and the longer she went without her medication, the sicker she'd probably get. She had to get moving.
Still, deciding to get up was one thing, and actually doing it was another. Emily opened her eyes and slowly began to uncurl herself from the almost fetal position she had placed herself in. With that accomplished, she took a deep breath and, using the railing of the stairs for support, pulled herself to her feet.
Not only did she have to deal with all of that, but the thought of Isabella's bugs coming back left her whole body feeling itchy, with no amount of scratching seeming to dull the sensation. With all of this going on, one would probably be able to guess that the thought of hanging around the steps by herself any longer quickly became unbearable. It wasn't like it was much safer here than anywhere else in the basement, and the longer she went without her medication, the sicker she'd probably get. She had to get moving.
Still, deciding to get up was one thing, and actually doing it was another. Emily opened her eyes and slowly began to uncurl herself from the almost fetal position she had placed herself in. With that accomplished, she took a deep breath and, using the railing of the stairs for support, pulled herself to her feet.
David shot the flashlight straight behind him, only to be greeted by the matte reflections of the vents and pipes along the wall.
He looked back to the door, still closed. He kept walking forward.
He passed his hand over the rusting opening of the furnace, furrowing his brows. Maybe he should've changed his approach.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
"You seen any pill bottles around? Me and Emily are looking for a little blue one... a few of us are trying to wait the game out. See if the fucking cops show. Dunno what went down between you and Yvette, but you can hang with us if you want. It, uhm, it won't be weird."
He looked back to the door, still closed. He kept walking forward.
He passed his hand over the rusting opening of the furnace, furrowing his brows. Maybe he should've changed his approach.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
"You seen any pill bottles around? Me and Emily are looking for a little blue one... a few of us are trying to wait the game out. See if the fucking cops show. Dunno what went down between you and Yvette, but you can hang with us if you want. It, uhm, it won't be weird."
From within the darkness surrounding David, a metal stud scraped against a piece of steamworks.
The room seemed to spin around Emily as she rocked unsteadily on her feet, the head rush from standing up so fast not doing her body any favours. It took a moment for her to get her bearings, but eventually she was able to let go of the railings and step forward into the blackness in pursuit of her search partner.
She couldn't recall if they had brought Raja's flashlight with them, or if David had taken it along with hers, but regardless, she didn't really feel up to rummaging through her stuff to check. Even if it was there, the light would probably hurt her eyes much more than it would help with navigating. Her eyes had gotten a little used to the dark by now, thankfully, and though she still was pretty close to blind, at least she wouldn't trip over anything as long as she walked slowly. It wasn't like David would be hard to see anyway.
Emily continued her journey, each step feeling like more of an ordeal than the last. She wanted more than anything to be able to go back to the stairs and sit back down, but that wasn't really on the table anymore. There were two things she needed to find, an object and a person, and she couldn't afford to wait much longer for either of them. The awful feeling in her stomach was getting worse with every passing minute, anxiety, fear and her withdrawal symptoms all working in a combined effort to make her as miserable as possible.
Finally, she reached her limit. She dropped her bag and ducked into a side room, falling to her hands and knees on the cold floor. The acrid taste of vomit filled her mouth as her stomach began to expel its meagre contents into a sticky pool on the ground, its foul smell more than outweighing the mercy of being unable to get a good look at it.
Gross...
She couldn't recall if they had brought Raja's flashlight with them, or if David had taken it along with hers, but regardless, she didn't really feel up to rummaging through her stuff to check. Even if it was there, the light would probably hurt her eyes much more than it would help with navigating. Her eyes had gotten a little used to the dark by now, thankfully, and though she still was pretty close to blind, at least she wouldn't trip over anything as long as she walked slowly. It wasn't like David would be hard to see anyway.
Emily continued her journey, each step feeling like more of an ordeal than the last. She wanted more than anything to be able to go back to the stairs and sit back down, but that wasn't really on the table anymore. There were two things she needed to find, an object and a person, and she couldn't afford to wait much longer for either of them. The awful feeling in her stomach was getting worse with every passing minute, anxiety, fear and her withdrawal symptoms all working in a combined effort to make her as miserable as possible.
Finally, she reached her limit. She dropped her bag and ducked into a side room, falling to her hands and knees on the cold floor. The acrid taste of vomit filled her mouth as her stomach began to expel its meagre contents into a sticky pool on the ground, its foul smell more than outweighing the mercy of being unable to get a good look at it.
Gross...
David whipped around towards the source of the metal-on-metal. He smirked to himself, although the amber burn of his face more or less gave it away even against the intense beam of the flashlight.
Gotcha.
He strolled up towards the darkness and outstretched his hand, beckoning with its subtle orange aura.. "Seriously, you don't gotta hide from anyone anymore."
He edged closer.
Gotcha.
He strolled up towards the darkness and outstretched his hand, beckoning with its subtle orange aura.. "Seriously, you don't gotta hide from anyone anymore."
He edged closer.
"Just, please -" Astrid's voice begged; as a hand wearing black nail polish lashed out from the shadows and drove the sharp edge of a gauze-handled glass shard into David's outstretched palm.
Emily's stomach continued to seize, forcing her to retch again and again despite having nothing left to throw up. From time to time it would come to a stop, allowing her to take a few ragged breaths, before beginning anew and subjecting her to yet more of its onslaught. At some point, she became aware of the metallic taste of blood in her mouth - a worrying sensation, to say the least, though that concern was soon overshadowed by a loud crack, the sound of which echoed throughout the small room.
Her head immediately shot up as she glanced around in search of the intrusion. It didn't seem like anyone else was there, but with how dark it was, it was impossible to tell for sure. She pulled herself to her knees and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her hoodie. Any further investigation on her part, however, was soon thwarted by the appearance of another similar snapping sound, this time accompanied by an awful pain in her back, forcing her onto her hands yet again. After a somewhat shorter period of respite, it was followed by a series of awful sounding pops and crackles, each one of them sending a shooting pain through somewhere inside of her. A particularly bad one dragged her arm out from under her, sending her head slamming into the hard ground before she managed to pull herself back to her hands and knees.
It was at that moment that Emily finally realized what was happening. She scrunched her eyes shut, desperately trying to force herself to stay calm, as if to reverse the process through sheer force of will. If only she could hold it back for just a little while longer, she could maybe buy herself enough time to get back up and finally find the medicine that would allow her to shove this thing back into whatever deep, dark abyss that it belonged. She might have even succeeded, had her concentration not been broken by another round of dry heaves, the soreness in her diaphragm lending its voice to the chorus of agony being created by the rest of her body.
Tears began to stream down Emily's cheeks as her clothing began to stretch and tear to accommodate the twisting of her form. Her back arched painfully as her spine twisted around, the enlarged vertebrae nearly tearing the skin above them. The incredible pressure below her ankles forced her to kick off her sneakers seconds before her socks were shredded by massive inhuman paws. The hands holding her up soon followed suit, throwing her to the ground as she continued to writhe in agony, as despair flooded her mind at the injustice of it all. Not even the worst criminals in the world were subjected to this type of torture, and yet here she was, experiencing this punishment all for the horrible accident of her birth. If only someone were here to just kill her and put an end to her suffering!
Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, her skin caught fire. Not literally, of course, but it definitely felt that way. Coarse, black fur began to cover her body as her skin tore and repaired itself again and again to make room for the larger muscles and bones beneath. At this point, all Emily could do was scream, so absorbed by fear and pain that she barely noticed the distant shout echoing through the basement. Thin, bony digits tore their way out of the underside of her arms, the skin around them stretching into leathery wings, flapping impotently as the rest of the body attached to them continued to thrash on the floor.
Her hoarse screams of agony began to take on a bestial quality as the transformation began to reach its end. Helplessly, Emily brought her clawed hands to her face, clinging to the shifting flesh in a futile attempt to hold in place the last vestige of her human appearance. Just like the rest of her body had, however, her face soon betrayed her, pieces of it seeming to slough off into her grasp to reveal the batlike features underneath. It was all too much. Unable to receive the sweet release of death, Emily did the next best thing - she stopped thinking.
Eventually, the screaming stopped too.
Her head immediately shot up as she glanced around in search of the intrusion. It didn't seem like anyone else was there, but with how dark it was, it was impossible to tell for sure. She pulled herself to her knees and wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her hoodie. Any further investigation on her part, however, was soon thwarted by the appearance of another similar snapping sound, this time accompanied by an awful pain in her back, forcing her onto her hands yet again. After a somewhat shorter period of respite, it was followed by a series of awful sounding pops and crackles, each one of them sending a shooting pain through somewhere inside of her. A particularly bad one dragged her arm out from under her, sending her head slamming into the hard ground before she managed to pull herself back to her hands and knees.
It was at that moment that Emily finally realized what was happening. She scrunched her eyes shut, desperately trying to force herself to stay calm, as if to reverse the process through sheer force of will. If only she could hold it back for just a little while longer, she could maybe buy herself enough time to get back up and finally find the medicine that would allow her to shove this thing back into whatever deep, dark abyss that it belonged. She might have even succeeded, had her concentration not been broken by another round of dry heaves, the soreness in her diaphragm lending its voice to the chorus of agony being created by the rest of her body.
Tears began to stream down Emily's cheeks as her clothing began to stretch and tear to accommodate the twisting of her form. Her back arched painfully as her spine twisted around, the enlarged vertebrae nearly tearing the skin above them. The incredible pressure below her ankles forced her to kick off her sneakers seconds before her socks were shredded by massive inhuman paws. The hands holding her up soon followed suit, throwing her to the ground as she continued to writhe in agony, as despair flooded her mind at the injustice of it all. Not even the worst criminals in the world were subjected to this type of torture, and yet here she was, experiencing this punishment all for the horrible accident of her birth. If only someone were here to just kill her and put an end to her suffering!
Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, her skin caught fire. Not literally, of course, but it definitely felt that way. Coarse, black fur began to cover her body as her skin tore and repaired itself again and again to make room for the larger muscles and bones beneath. At this point, all Emily could do was scream, so absorbed by fear and pain that she barely noticed the distant shout echoing through the basement. Thin, bony digits tore their way out of the underside of her arms, the skin around them stretching into leathery wings, flapping impotently as the rest of the body attached to them continued to thrash on the floor.
Her hoarse screams of agony began to take on a bestial quality as the transformation began to reach its end. Helplessly, Emily brought her clawed hands to her face, clinging to the shifting flesh in a futile attempt to hold in place the last vestige of her human appearance. Just like the rest of her body had, however, her face soon betrayed her, pieces of it seeming to slough off into her grasp to reveal the batlike features underneath. It was all too much. Unable to receive the sweet release of death, Emily did the next best thing - she stopped thinking.
Eventually, the screaming stopped too.