handler: Namira Dates Away: September 25th - October 9th Days Away: 14 Reason for Away: I have been informed that Elena has no internet access at her new place following a move, so I'm posting on her behalf. Possibly data isn't available either? I dunno, I don't do smartphones. Characters: Norbert N...

((Crystal Henderson continued from ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ )) The wind blew cold and sharp through the mountain pass, and it felt like it blew straight through Crystal as well. She shivered and leaned on the polearm, and she took one step at a time. Foot in front of foot. Inch after inch after inch. She should...

If anyone wants to toss Crystal a save, I'd appreciate it! No sweat otherwise. I'm 95% settled on a death idea, but I always do like backup pitches, so feel free to send me anything you've got!

((Crystal Henderson continued from Passing The Baton )) For a while, Crystal existed. That was the most that could be said. She was empty, it felt like. On autopilot. The problem was, there was no destination and no familiarity. She changed her bandages. Had she been keeping up with that until now? ...

Alone now, Crystal shivered and gazed past the edge. She wasn't looking into the abyss. Not really. Not looking down, for one. That would be a bad idea. It would be so easy to edge closer to the brink. To peer over. To drop. Nobody should go alone, right? Dirt and snow streaked her face, and she fel...

They bounced, rolled, tore at one another. Crystal would lose, of course. It was never in question if this lasted more than a few seconds. If Jenny stopped to think. If she composed herself, or made a plan, or brought her superior strength to bear. Then it would be Crystal alone, sailing to her deat...

Crystal whimpered as she was dragged bodily along. This wasn't right. It hadn't worked. She'd messed up. Her mangled hand hurt more than anything, squeezed in Jenny's. Well, almost anything. That question she'd been asked was doing a pretty good job of contending. Why? "Because," Crystal g...

Crystal wheezed. She did not cry. She did not beg, or bargain, or curse. Not yet. She squirmed and tried to wriggle her way from the stronger girl's grasp, and she was unsuccessful. Stupid. Careless. This was neither whetstone nor cinderblock. This was slipping on a banana peel because she was too w...

Crystal walked past her former hiding place, pushing from her mind the memories, the figments of imagination. She tried to focus not on the echoes of the past, not on imagined fears, but on the very real challenge of putting one foot in front of the other. She moved step by step. Gaze low. Her shoes...

((Crystal Henderson continued from I Hail From Nowhere )) The wind blew swirls of snowflakes through the air as Crystal trudged along the path. Her head was low, her gaze locked on the ground in front of her. Each step was slow, measured. The gun in her hands felt chilly, and carrying it felt awkwar...

Crystal looked at him. Her breathing was not slow and steady, not like she'd practiced. The hole in her hand ached. Her side felt hot. Danya whispered in her ear, gently wrapped his fingers around hers, but with a shiver she shook him off. Cinderblocks and whetstones. She'd dulled herself already. T...

Inside they were talking. A casual interaction, void of suspicion. Blissfully unaware. Did they know what a risk that was? What if someone was nearby, unknown to them? What if somebody was sneaking up? What if somebody had a semi-automatic rifle, and had now been cast as a killer? What if their deat...

((Crystal Henderson continued from This Tape Will Self Destruct In Five Seconds )) Matthew wasn't the only one approaching the rec room. Crystal had thought to move on somewhere, after the announcements played. Maybe back to the village. More places to hunker down. Maybe back to the pass. More oppor...

And Crystal was alone. What was there to say? Who invited the newcomers without checking with everyone else? Who decided to tolerate a threat from outsiders? What lesson would be taught if they let the boy bully them? Who had her back right up until they didn't? There was a lot she could bring up, a...