(Paisley Hopkins continued from The Nthn Wave.)
Paisley found herself standing at the edge of the beach. She did nothing. She said nothing, she thought nothing. She stood there for Lord knows how long, braindead, staring off into the distance while brushing away excess tears. A small glint of moonlight refracted through the clouds and glimmered across the frozen beach water. It was funny, really. She didn't notice the ice before, when she was with Pia.
The ocean rolled in far distance, beating to a rhythm that Paisley could not follow. Ice lined the water closest to the beach though and what little sand was visible appeared hopelessly parched. December wind tore at her auburn hair. Her body shuddered involuntarily and the weight of her body made the snow crunch. Kelp littered the beach where the snow was absent, like leaves from the old tree in Paisley's backyard. She used to play with Ivy on that tree; the the time for smiling, even out of nostalgia, was long gone.
The brown bandanna fluttered and flipped over her chin; her index finger brushed her collar, then, just as she did the day she woke up. She tugged on her gloves, the ones she stole from the apartments because she neglected to bring a pair to school. They were snug against her fingers because they were one size too small. She made it work, though. She tugged at the collar of her military jacket, wrapped her makeshift scarf back on. Paisley could see her own breath, even with the cloth around her mouth. She used a shard of glass from the food court to tear a piece of fabric from her horse costume. (Better a joke than fan service, she supposed.) The cloth acted as a scarf, but it did not shield her from the cold, not completely. The cold nipped at her face. Again she shivered. She crossed her arms under her chest and stared out at the frozen ocean.
All the while, Paisley thought of fire.
"That," she could not finish. No, she was losing it. She lost it once, she could not let it happen again. Pia wasn't there to pick her back up. She could not, would not, give in.
She liked to think she was a good person. She wanted to believe that God. She hoped that Vahka and Corin were okay, and that the only reason she did not hear her brother's name on the announcement was that he picked a corner and started cowering since day one. Lord knows that plan seemed very tempting. And Paisley tried, forced, strained, to believe that Pia was just an idiot and every decision she made on the island was compulsive. No matter how much she strained, though, she could not convince herself of that. Because Pia wasn't an idiot. She was smart and and stubborn as all hell.
If anyone was stupid, it was Paisley.
Paisley reached into her jacket pocket. She took the liberty of tying another piece of fabric around a glass shard, using to make an amateur handle. She had to be careful with it, since the glass had a slight hooking shape and she could easily nip herself, but the cloth held steadily enough that she could reasonably use it... Looking at it, Paisley shuddered again, and it was not from the freezing cold.
She should have listened to Sarah. She should have bailed and stayed with Corin. No, scratch that, she should have bailed when Pia butted heads with Matthew less than a hour before gunning him down.
Instead you did nothing. And look where it's gotten you.
So very stupid.
"That b-," again, she could not finish. Two syllables, and she hung up on the second. Paisley would not stoop to that level. She shoved the shiv back into her pocket, careful not to cut herself.
Pia's behavior with Matthew first of many, many signs. Pia put up a nice front, but she acted irrationally in many cases; she shot two people, including Matthew, seemingly without any provocation. Paisley didn't even see the second victim until after Pia shot them, but she heard them making a break for it and she heard the single gunshot. Paisley ignored it all at the time; she chalked it all up to self-defense, that there was a reason, and that she could trust Pia. So Pia never explained and Paisley never asked.
Then Paisley shot Genni. Pia looked at her like she was crazy. That, she knew, was the point of no return.
Pia could puff her chest out and squak up and down about how she was looking out for Paisley, and how she was the only one pulling all of the weight. But Paisley realized that none of that mattered to her; it was all hot air. She just wanted to be the Alpha Dog. If Pia really cared, she would not have taken Paisley's gun and left her to die. After Paisley tried to save her.
Pia was her friend though. Paisley loved her; a piece of her heart cracked when she found Pia in the apartment building.
Pia was a friend. A friend who promised to protect her and abandoned her when she needed her most.
Paisley slapped herself. The pain did not set in right away because the fabric around her face shielded her. Realizing that, she ripped her scarf off and slapped her cheek again. And again. Again. Then her hands curled into fists and started hitting herself. Head tucked in, knees shaking, whimpering and moaning but saying nothing. She hit herself until her fingers hurt and her arms burned. Then he started tugging at her hair, but the cold drained her body and no strands budged. She gave up after that. Just crumpled to the ground, dug her fingers into the sand.
She nearly screamed.
Nearly. Because she stopped herself.
In that moment, Paisley remembered.
She felt the bulge of the knife in her pocket. She turned back and saw the broom pole, tucked into her backpack. She remembered Tucker and the times he would rope her into watching this stupid show.
She recalled all of this and, all at once, an epiphany.
So, so very stupid.
Paisley sobered immediately. She stopped crying. She got up. She took her bag and the scarf. Then she walked away from the beach as quickly as she could.
It wasn't until she was far, far away, away from the night's sky, away from the boardwalk and the ocean, and the cameras appeared to thin; and the wind choked; and only she remained; then, and only then, did Paisley Hopkins allow herself a moment of weakness.
She tugged her bandanna taut and fed it into her shirt. She pressed her gloved palms against the outline of her collar, where she assumed the microphone was, and cupped it as if she were choking. Then, with a low, guttural voice, she spoke.
"That bitch."
(Paisley Hopkins continued in "I will open my mouth in parables.")
Matthew 13:35 KJV :
Once a white sand beach filled with umbrella stands and seashells, the winter months have coated the Jewelled Beach with a healthy dusting of snow, extending out to the shoreline and crusting the water with a thin layer of ice. Umbrellas are jutting out left and right, most frozen closed or heavy and open with sleet.
Jump to
- Important
- ↳ Announcements
- ↳ Rules & Information
- ↳ SOTF Mini Wiki
- ↳ SOTF Mini Discord Server
- ↳ SOTF Main
- Discussion and Support
- ↳ General Discussion
- ↳ Roleplaying Discussion
- ↳ Critiques
- ↳ Adoption Zone
- ↳ AU Adoption Zone
- ↳ Support/Suggestions
- ↳ Site Suggestions
- ↳ OOC Archive
- ↳ Other Roleplaying
- ↳ Art Showcase
- SOTF: Second Chances
- ↳ Important Information: Second Chances
- ↳ SC Planning/Discussion
- ↳ SC3 Character Registration
- ↳ SC3 Approved Characters
- ↳ SC3 Forfeited and Abandoned Characters
- ↳ SC3 NPC Roster
- ↳ SC3 Pregame
- ↳ Alderbrook Park
- ↳ Aurora Bay High School
- ↳ Larson's Comics and Games
- ↳ The Links
- ↳ Midway Bowling Alley
- ↳ The Promenade
- ↳ Quik Stop
- ↳ Shooters (SC3)
- ↳ Steve Carlson Arena
- ↳ The Twin Cities
- ↳ The Zoo
- ↳ Events/Other
- ↳ Memories Of The Past (SC3)
- ↳ SC1 Archive
- ↳ SC1 Announcements
- ↳ SC1 Character Roster
- ↳ SC1 Pregame
- ↳ SC1 Pregame Student Roster
- ↳ Oceanview Terrace
- ↳ Village Harbour
- ↳ Clifton Court
- ↳ Highland Hills Shopping Mall
- ↳ Bryan's Bowl-a-Rama
- ↳ Carmike Cinema
- ↳ Shooters
- ↳ The Beach
- ↳ The City of Highland Beach
- ↳ Memories From the Past (SC1)
- ↳ Colehurst Secondary School
- ↳ Stonegate Island
- ↳ The Island
- ↳ The Mall
- ↳ Eastern Shore
- ↳ Makeshift Hospital
- ↳ The Jungle
- ↳ The Helipad
- ↳ The Resort Hotel
- ↳ The Ruined Mansion
- ↳ The Lighthouse
- ↳ The Inland Lake
- ↳ Lookout Tower
- ↳ SC2 Archive
- ↳ Announcements (SC2)
- ↳ SC2 Character Roster
- ↳ SC2 Pregame
- ↳ P.J. Hobbs Senior High School
- ↳ Central Mall
- ↳ Benson's Bar and Grill
- ↳ Sweet Bay Coffee
- ↳ Kensington Heights
- ↳ Carrington Pointe
- ↳ Tilles Court
- ↳ The Seaside
- ↳ Major Taylor Skate Park
- ↳ Parkway Shopping Plaza
- ↳ South 62nd Street
- ↳ Memories of the Past (SC2)
- ↳ The Abandoned Mining Island
- ↳ The Shipping Yard (Endgame)
- ↳ The Scorched Ruin
- ↳ The Mess Hall
- ↳ Isolated Cabin
- ↳ Tunnels
- ↳ Coastal Woods
- ↳ The Parish
- ↳ The Cliffs
- ↳ The Lighthouse
- ↳ The Quarry
- ↳ The Tar Pits
- ↳ The Old Warehouse
- ↳ The Field Of Flowers
- ↳ The Showers
- ↳ The Ravine
- ↳ The Lake
- SOTF-TV
- ↳ Important Information: SOTF-TV
- ↳ World of TV
- ↳ TV Planning/Discussion
- ↳ Court Of The Dragon
- ↳ TV3 Student Roster
- ↳ TV3 Sandbox
- ↳ TV3 Sandbox Memories
- ↳ The Flotilla
- ↳ The Cruise Ship (Endgame)
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Banquet Hall
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Bowels (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Captain's Quarters (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Corridors
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Deck
- ↳ Cruise Ship: Open-Air Pool (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Cargo Floats (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Clipper Ship (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Ferry: Lower Deck (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Ferry: Upper Deck (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Fishing Trawler (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Floating Restaurant (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Ghost Ship (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Glass-Bottomed Boat (Danger Zone)
- ↳ House Boat (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Jetties: Central (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Jetties: Outlying (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Marina Sprawl: Inner (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Marina Sprawl: Outer (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Patrol Boat (Danger Zone)
- ↳ RocketBoat (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Shop Boat (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Submarine (Danger Zone)
- ↳ Yacht (Danger Zone)
- ↳ TV3 Character Registration
- ↳ TV3 Approved Characters
- ↳ TV3 Forfeited and Abandoned Characters
- ↳ TV1 Archive
- ↳ TV1 Student Roster
- ↳ TV1 Announcements
- ↳ TV1 Sandbox
- ↳ TV1 Sandbox Student Roster
- ↳ The Island
- ↳ The Dock
- ↳ The Resort Hotel
- ↳ The Inland Lake
- ↳ The Resort Beach
- ↳ The Cruise Ship
- ↳ The Tar Pits
- ↳ The Open Plains
- ↳ The Northern Beach
- ↳ The Western Beach
- ↳ The Coastal Lake
- ↳ The Geyser
- ↳ The Ski Resort
- ↳ The Forest
- ↳ The Rain Forest
- ↳ The Hot Spot
- ↳ TV2 Archive
- ↳ TV2 Announcements
- ↳ TV2 Student Roster
- ↳ TV2 Sandbox
- ↳ TV2 Sandbox Student Roster
- ↳ The Coastal Resort
- ↳ Space Bam Alley
- ↳ The Bull Craps Casino
- ↳ The Cigarette Holder Theatre
- ↳ Lernean Beauty Parlor
- ↳ Aloha Daycare Centre
- ↳ The Bamboo Boardwalk
- ↳ The Beach
- ↳ Cabana Cul de Sac
- ↳ Open Air Cabaret
- ↳ Mauna Loa Condominium
- ↳ The Orchard
- ↳ Nature Walk
- ↳ Palms Spa and Salon
- ↳ The Lānaʻi Hotel
- ↳ The World Oyster
- ↳ The Pa’ani Sports Centre
- ↳ Sunshine Tower
- ↳ Tour Guide and Transportation Centre
- ↳ The Ice Palace
- ↳ The Aqua-Museum
- SOTF: The Program
- ↳ Important Information: The Program
- ↳ Program V3 Planning/Discussion
- ↳ Character Registrations (PV3 Proper)
- ↳ Approved Characters (PV3 Proper)
- ↳ Forfeited and Abandoned Characters (PV3 Proper)
- ↳ Student Roster (PV3)
- ↳ Sandbox (PV3 Proper)
- ↳ Cabeza del Dragón (PV3)
- ↳ Program V3 Announcements
- ↳ The Wharves (PV3)
- ↳ Cannery (PV3)
- ↳ Wet Market (PV3)
- ↳ First Missionary Church (PV3)
- ↳ The Dump (PV3)
- ↳ The Graveyard (PV3)
- ↳ Boat Shed and Salvage Yard (PV3)
- ↳ The Seaside (PV3)
- ↳ Trucking Road and Customs Office (PV3)
- ↳ Casa del Diablo (PV3)
- ↳ Western Dwellings (PV3)
- ↳ Northern Dwellings (PV3)
- ↳ Eastern Dwellings (PV3)
- ↳ Southern District (PV3)
- ↳ Student Roster (PV3 Prologue)
- ↳ Prologue Character Registrations
- ↳ Before (Prologue)
- ↳ Cabeza del Dragón (Prologue)
- ↳ Announcements (Prologue)
- ↳ Upper Wharf (Prologue)
- ↳ Lower Wharf (Prologue)
- ↳ Cannery (Prologue)
- ↳ Wet Market (Prologue)
- ↳ First Missionary Church (Prologue)
- ↳ The Dump (Prologue)
- ↳ The Graveyard (Prologue)
- ↳ Boat Shed (Prologue)
- ↳ Seawater Pool (Prologue)
- ↳ Salvage Yard (Prologue)
- ↳ El Diente (Prologue)
- ↳ Trucking Road (Prologue)
- ↳ Casa del Diablo (Prologue)
- ↳ Barricade (Prologue)
- ↳ Seaside Barricade (Prologue)
- ↳ Customs Office (Prologue)
- ↳ Western Dwellings (Prologue)
- ↳ Northern Dwellings (Prologue)
- ↳ Eastern Dwellings (Prologue)
- ↳ Southern District (Prologue)
- ↳ After (Prologue)
- ↳ Program V1 Archive
- ↳ Program V1 Announcements
- ↳ Program V1 Student Roster
- ↳ Program V1 Sandbox
- ↳ The Compound
- ↳ Endgame
- ↳ The Gate
- ↳ Watchtower
- ↳ The Garage and Depot
- ↳ Field Hospital
- ↳ The Mess Hall
- ↳ Officers' Quarters
- ↳ Barracks
- ↳ Administration Building
- ↳ Warehouse
- ↳ The Armoury
- ↳ Firing Range
- ↳ Jailhouse
- ↳ The Helipad
- ↳ Open Ground
- ↳ Program V2 Archive
- ↳ Program V2 Announcements
- ↳ Program V2 Student Roster
- ↳ Program V2 Sandbox
- ↳ The Alpine Valley
- ↳ The Town
- ↳ Mountain Track
- ↳ The Crag Cabin
- ↳ The Lake
- ↳ The Pine Stands
- ↳ Woodman's Shack
- ↳ Meandering Stream
- ↳ The Scorched Ruin
- ↳ The Slope
- ↳ The Clearing
- ↳ The Stone Circle
- Large Scale AU RPing
- ↳ SOTF: International
- ↳ SOTF: International Important Information
- ↳ SOTF: International Character Registrations
- ↳ SOTF: International Approved Characters
- ↳ SOTF: International Forfeited And Abandoned Characters
- ↳ SOTF: International Student Roster
- ↳ Puerto De Brujos
- ↳ The Shallow River [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Rocky Shore [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Empty Farmhouse [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Temperate Rainforest
- ↳ The Fishing Village [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Underground Cave
- ↳ The Mysterious Circle
- ↳ The Cold Harbour [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Abandoned Camp [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ SOTF: Supers
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Important Information
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Character Registrations
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Approved Characters
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Forfeited And Abandoned Characters
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Planning/Discussion
- ↳ SOTF: Supers Student Roster
- ↳ The Great Basin Desert
- ↳ The Flatlands (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Roughlands (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Old Road (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Exterior (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Compound (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Recesses (Danger Zone)
- ↳ The Outskirts
- ↳ Memories from the Past
- ↳ Aftermath
- ↳ New Battle Royale AU
- ↳ BRAU2 Important Information
- ↳ BRAU2 Discussion
- ↳ Okishima Island
- ↳ Cliffs (A8) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Clinic (G9) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Farm Storage (H6) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Harbor (H9) [Forbidden]
- ↳ House With Well (E4) [Forbidden]
- ↳ In-Between [Forbidden]
- ↳ Lighthouse (C10) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Northern Peak (C7) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Orchard (E8)
- ↳ Residential Area (H/I8) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Sandy Beach (I6) [Forbidden]
- ↳ School (G7) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Shinto Shrine (C4) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Southern Peak (H3) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Tourist Association (E9) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Walled House (F6) [Forbidden]
- ↳ Shiroiwa (Memories)
- ↳ SOTF: U
- ↳ SOTF: U Important Information
- ↳ SOTF: U Planning/Discussion
- ↳ SOTF: U Character Registrations
- ↳ SOTF: U Approved Characters
- ↳ SOTF: U Forfeited And Abandoned Characters
- ↳ SOTF: U Character Roster
- ↳ Severniy Norin
- ↳ The Airstrip [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Airstrip [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Monitoring Station [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Port
- ↳ The Docks [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Submarine Pen
- ↳ The Powerhouse [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ Serensk (Серенск)
- ↳ The School [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ Dormitories
- ↳ Machine Shop
- ↳ House of Culture
- ↳ The Village
- ↳ The Armory
- ↳ The Mines
- ↳ The Mine Shafts [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Conveyor Belt
- ↳ The Union Office
- ↳ The Island
- ↳ The Wastes [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Frozen Lake [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ SOTF: U Pregame - NRV Frontier
- ↳ Memories (SOTF: U)
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Important Information
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Character Registrations
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Approved Characters
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Forfeited And Abandoned Characters
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Student Roster
- ↳ SOTF: Cyber Planning/Discussion
- ↳ Sycamore High 2.0
- ↳ The East Wing
- ↳ The Science Laboratories (East Wing 1F)
- ↳ The Empty Classrooms (East Wing 2F) [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Sorted Classrooms (East Wing 3F)
- ↳ The West Wing
- ↳ The Distorted Homeroom (Room 308)
- ↳ The Club Rooms (West Wing 1F)
- ↳ The Ruined Classrooms (West Wing 2F)
- ↳ The Untouched Classrooms (West Wing 3F) [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Emmett Sterling Memorial Planetarium
- ↳ The Rooftop
- ↳ The Schoolyard [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Parking Lot [DANGER ZONE]
- ↳ The Common Area
- ↳ The Bridges
- ↳ Sandbox & Memories
- ↳ Virtua-SOTF
- ↳ Important Information: Virtua-SOTF
- ↳ Virtua Announcements
- ↳ Virtua Student Roster
- ↳ The Wild West
- ↳ The Train (Endgame)
- ↳ The River
- ↳ Mountain Canyon Path
- ↳ The Ghost Town
- ↳ General Store
- ↳ The Streets
- ↳ Town Outskirts
- ↳ Sheriff's Office
- ↳ Homes
- ↳ Doctor's Clinic
- ↳ The Saloon
- ↳ Isolated Cabin
- ↳ The Mines
- ↳ The Ranch
- ↳ Trading Post
- ↳ Train Station
- ↳ Shrubbery Forest
- ↳ The Creek
- ↳ The Chapel
- ↳ Cactus Patch Springs
- ↳ Dry Plains
- ↳ The Crossroads Bridge
- ↳ SOTF: Evolution
- ↳ Important Information (Evo)
- ↳ Evo Student Roster
- ↳ Proving Grounds
- ↳ The Other Island
- ↳ Radio Tower
- ↳ Settlement
- ↳ The Cove
- ↳ The Shack
- ↳ Holding Cells
- ↳ The Church
- ↳ Ravine
- ↳ Cable Car Station
- ↳ The Great Divide
- ↳ Black Forest
- ↳ Battle Royale AU
- ↳ Rules and Discussion
- ↳ BR AU Announcements
- ↳ The Island
- ↳ Northern Cliffs (A8/9)
- ↳ Lighthouse (C10)
- ↳ Tourist Association (E9)
- ↳ Clinic (G9)
- ↳ Northern Mountain (C7)
- ↳ Shinto Shrine (C4)
- ↳ House w/Well (E4)
- ↳ Reef (J3)
- ↳ Residential District (H8/I8)
- ↳ Farm Coop (H6)
- ↳ Rest of the Island
- ↳ The School Building (G7)