((Kiera Hayes continued from in the pines))
She wasn't sure how fast or for how long she'd bolted. Certainly far enough that she wasn't being pursued, or at least she hoped so.
She sat on some old, withered deck of an abandoned home; evidently, the way she ran was towards the town. She'd briefly tried to get inside, but the doors were locked, and she wasn't confident she could get them open without making a lot of attention-drawing noise. The deck itself, at least, was covered by an awning and thus safe from the lightly-unpleasant weather, so it could do for shelter until she'd caught her breath.
She leaned back into the old patio chair, scanning what she could see of the town. Hopefully there was a safe place to hunker down out there.
i'll fly away
sorry gang we got stuff to do (closed)
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almostinhuman
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((Shu Hawthorne also came from the pines.))
Shu huffed with a hand on his side trying to surpress the stitches that pulsated and stabbed from inside. His throat burned with each draw of cold air as he slowly plodded behind Kiera's footsteps, his own steps dragging through the ice.
There was a settlement up ahead, like actual houses and nothing like the boring brutalist research center he had woken up in.
Every breath stung, but he had to keep going. He wouldn't let her go.
...Just as soon as he could catch his breath.
Shu huffed with a hand on his side trying to surpress the stitches that pulsated and stabbed from inside. His throat burned with each draw of cold air as he slowly plodded behind Kiera's footsteps, his own steps dragging through the ice.
There was a settlement up ahead, like actual houses and nothing like the boring brutalist research center he had woken up in.
Every breath stung, but he had to keep going. He wouldn't let her go.
...Just as soon as he could catch his breath.
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almostinhuman
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The town seemed an ordinary sort, from what she could see of it from her barely-elevated perch. Lots of similar-looking homes equally spaced apart, dotting the side of the road towards what seemed like the town center. She wondered how long it'd been since anyone actually lived here. It seemed old, but not that old. Had it been abandoned entirely when their kidnappers found it, or had it been... cleared out, so to speak? The former seemed more likely, but the thought of one or two stragglers still living in the ghost town only to be murdered and forgotten sent a chill up Kiera's spine.
She glanced back at the woods she emerged from, hoping to dispel such a thought. When she caught a flit of movement in the trees, she froze. Had she been followed after all? Had whoever shot at her really pursued her this far?
It was only when she looked more closely that she realized who she was looking at.
She rose from her seat, headed down the steps, and turned to face the woods and await his arrival. She didn't dare call out to him, still nervous of drawing attention as she was. He seemed to already know she was there, anyway. Anything they needed to say to each other could wait for a more secure venue.
She glanced back at the woods she emerged from, hoping to dispel such a thought. When she caught a flit of movement in the trees, she froze. Had she been followed after all? Had whoever shot at her really pursued her this far?
It was only when she looked more closely that she realized who she was looking at.
She rose from her seat, headed down the steps, and turned to face the woods and await his arrival. She didn't dare call out to him, still nervous of drawing attention as she was. He seemed to already know she was there, anyway. Anything they needed to say to each other could wait for a more secure venue.
Huff... Huff...
The ice latched onto Shu's legs and lungs, but he wasn't gonna stop. Not until he found Kiera. Not until he would have her. He would have her.
He breached past the trees, finally coming upon the settlement of nondescript houses, still led by the trail of breadcrumbs that were a single line of small footsteps entrenched in the snow.
Someone was at one of the houses up ahead.
He picked up his steps. Still burning. Still salivating.
He threw his right hand up with two fingers sort-of-raised as he continued trekking through the ice towards the steps of the house the girl had run down from, somewhat obscured by the trickle of cold rain but still bright and clear even to a gray-toned world.
He had her.
The ice latched onto Shu's legs and lungs, but he wasn't gonna stop. Not until he found Kiera. Not until he would have her. He would have her.
He breached past the trees, finally coming upon the settlement of nondescript houses, still led by the trail of breadcrumbs that were a single line of small footsteps entrenched in the snow.
Someone was at one of the houses up ahead.
He picked up his steps. Still burning. Still salivating.
He threw his right hand up with two fingers sort-of-raised as he continued trekking through the ice towards the steps of the house the girl had run down from, somewhat obscured by the trickle of cold rain but still bright and clear even to a gray-toned world.
He had her.
There's a small red dot on the horizon.
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almostinhuman
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As Shu signaled to her and continued walking, Kiera left the deck entirely to meet him. As they met halfway, she carefully snaked her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.
"Hey," she whispered. "It's..."
Good to see you, she nearly said. But it wasn't good to see him, not here. She couldn't fathom a place she'd want to see him in less. Him or anyone else she cared about.
"I'm glad you're..."
Safe? Okay? He wasn't safe though, was he? He was here. And because he was here he almost certainly wasn't okay.
"... you're not hurt, are you?"
It was the only remotely relevant thing she could think to say now. The only thing not founded on an old idea of normal, now forever behind them.
She remained unaware of the other approaching figure.
"Hey," she whispered. "It's..."
Good to see you, she nearly said. But it wasn't good to see him, not here. She couldn't fathom a place she'd want to see him in less. Him or anyone else she cared about.
"I'm glad you're..."
Safe? Okay? He wasn't safe though, was he? He was here. And because he was here he almost certainly wasn't okay.
"... you're not hurt, are you?"
It was the only remotely relevant thing she could think to say now. The only thing not founded on an old idea of normal, now forever behind them.
She remained unaware of the other approaching figure.
Shu froze up at Kiera'a hug, standing there like a deer in a headlight before hesitantly hovering his arm over her and working up the courage to wrap it around her back, pulling her in closer.
He didn't say anything for just enough of an uncomfortable amount of time. Eventually, he uttered a soft "yeah" that was even quieter than Kiera's whisper.
He moved his hand off of her and brushed a few of the stray shards of ice that accumulated on top of her head. He gently smiled and chuckled, mostly to himself.
"...Glad you're not much worse for wear, either."
He didn't say anything for just enough of an uncomfortable amount of time. Eventually, he uttered a soft "yeah" that was even quieter than Kiera's whisper.
He moved his hand off of her and brushed a few of the stray shards of ice that accumulated on top of her head. He gently smiled and chuckled, mostly to himself.
"...Glad you're not much worse for wear, either."
"Awwwww," Marian said, clasping her hands together. She loved lovebirds. They were cute, and their feathers were nice. She smiled at them as she put her hand against the side of the house which had really bad vibes.
Like someone had died in it or whatever.
Which Marian didn't know she had this really cool if unpleasant superpower, if she were correct. But, like, who knew?
Marian got a little closer, the red dot becoming larger with deer on them. Two of them, 'cuz the plural of deer was deer, unless it was non-standard. Once she got near enough, she noticed it was Shu and Kiera. They were like fine people, not her friends from Canada, and not her buddies from the choir, but they were fine. Like fine like people who were like... not serial killers? Marian really wanted to start a monologue right now, but she felt like if she did, she'd break the scene.
So she held her head-tongue, and spoke with her physical-tongue.
"You guys are cute together."
Like someone had died in it or whatever.
Which Marian didn't know she had this really cool if unpleasant superpower, if she were correct. But, like, who knew?
Marian got a little closer, the red dot becoming larger with deer on them. Two of them, 'cuz the plural of deer was deer, unless it was non-standard. Once she got near enough, she noticed it was Shu and Kiera. They were like fine people, not her friends from Canada, and not her buddies from the choir, but they were fine. Like fine like people who were like... not serial killers? Marian really wanted to start a monologue right now, but she felt like if she did, she'd break the scene.
So she held her head-tongue, and spoke with her physical-tongue.
"You guys are cute together."
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almostinhuman
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Shu returned her embrace. She was touched, but surprised; it was a little unlike him, most of the time, to be even this outwardly affectionate. But given their grim circumstances and their no-doubt short time left together, perhaps he was finally coming out of that shell a little bit. Sad that it took such a dramatic, awful event to do it, but at least it might make their time here just a little easier. She could handle being alone, but with Shu, she felt just a bit safer.
The interruption of this quiet moment sent a brief chill up Kiera's spine, though she did her best not to show it. She gently broke off Shu's hug and turned to face the approaching unfashionable sweater.
"Oh, uh..." she muttered, unsure of how to respond. "Th... thank you?"
The interruption of this quiet moment sent a brief chill up Kiera's spine, though she did her best not to show it. She gently broke off Shu's hug and turned to face the approaching unfashionable sweater.
"Oh, uh..." she muttered, unsure of how to respond. "Th... thank you?"
The smile on Shu's face quickly melted as he glared sharpened daggers at Marian, the new arrival. He pulled himself forward, positioning himself slightly in front of Kiera.
"What do you want?" his words were cold and flat like the snowfields around them.
"What do you want?" his words were cold and flat like the snowfields around them.
“Bro, calm down. I just said y’all were cute.”
If Marian could roll her eyes out of her skull, she would. It’s not like she wanted anything from them; she was just passing by and was saying hi to her soon-to-be dead classmates. Her body shuddered from the cold, and she continued to walk toward the pair. Not directly toward them, but enough to make it seem like she was going to pass close.
“Have you guys seen a car around?”
If Marian could roll her eyes out of her skull, she would. It’s not like she wanted anything from them; she was just passing by and was saying hi to her soon-to-be dead classmates. Her body shuddered from the cold, and she continued to walk toward the pair. Not directly toward them, but enough to make it seem like she was going to pass close.
“Have you guys seen a car around?”
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
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Kiera stepped forward, placing herself just-barely between Shu and Marian. She smiled, an attempt to cool things before they could hope to get heated. She could sense the tension coming from Shu, and while she understood very well why he'd be wary, she couldn't imagine someone like Marian would be dangerous. Kiera'd never known her to be particularly hostile or unfriendly, and her question seemed perfectly innocuous.
"Uh, have you tried in town at all? There's gotta be one forgotten in a garage or something, right?"
She looked back, past Shu, into the woods behind them both, eyeing the treeline with an air of suspicion before turning back to Marian.
"I wouldn't recommend following the road out into the wilderness, though. Someone shot at me out there."
"Uh, have you tried in town at all? There's gotta be one forgotten in a garage or something, right?"
She looked back, past Shu, into the woods behind them both, eyeing the treeline with an air of suspicion before turning back to Marian.
"I wouldn't recommend following the road out into the wilderness, though. Someone shot at me out there."
Shu's expression didn't change as he kept sizing up Marian and glaring her down, one of his hands clutched on Kiera's shoulders. He only broke his stare when Kiera divulged about getting shot at.
"Me too," he said, the hand on Kiera's shoulders subtly twitching for a fraction of a second, his gaze falling elsewhere towards the horizon of the mountain piercing into the clouds above.
"Haven't seen any cars either," he talked at Marian. "Check the town if you really want. Know that the killings have already started."
"Me too," he said, the hand on Kiera's shoulders subtly twitching for a fraction of a second, his gaze falling elsewhere towards the horizon of the mountain piercing into the clouds above.
"Haven't seen any cars either," he talked at Marian. "Check the town if you really want. Know that the killings have already started."
"Shot at..."
Marian bit the bottom of her lip. Her eyes narrowed, her face having crunched down into a painful grimace. She had spotted blood from one of the house, and you know, it could have been anything. If they weren't on murder island, that is.
"Well, shit." She crossed her arms, now walking past the back. From the back, the duo could notice the earmuffs laying against her neck. She turned around, putting her hand on her hip. "Any plans other than making out?"
Marian bit the bottom of her lip. Her eyes narrowed, her face having crunched down into a painful grimace. She had spotted blood from one of the house, and you know, it could have been anything. If they weren't on murder island, that is.
"Well, shit." She crossed her arms, now walking past the back. From the back, the duo could notice the earmuffs laying against her neck. She turned around, putting her hand on her hip. "Any plans other than making out?"
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
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Kiera tensed. The way Shu said that bothered her, somehow. Had he witnessed something?
She stole a brief, furtive glance at him before facing Marian again.
"Well, uh... not really? I was just gonna hunker down."
She stole a brief, furtive glance at him before facing Marian again.
"Well, uh... not really? I was just gonna hunker down."