Kai's response was immediate. "I can't."
He realized that sounded like more flat denial and tried to clarify. "Just- leaving her alone isn't going to stop anything. She was alone before Ren and I found her. She only stopped for a while when I was there."
Kai swallowed around the lump forming in his throat again. Abandoning Kitty might at the very least make her reconsider her insistence that killing was the only way forward, but it might also might make her simply lash out at the next person she came across. She had an anger that he didn't blame her for, considering all that had happened in her life. Just that given the means and the reason to let it out, no matter on who...
The results spoke for themselves. Kai could blame fear and misunderstanding and desperation, but he had seen the anger too and what it was capable of.
"I'm not so worried about me," he told Cali softly. She was right about some things, and he wouldn't deny it. He'd thrown himself between Lily and the shotgun, but when faced with the choice of saving Kitty at the expense of somebody else, he'd chosen Kitty without hesitation.
He squeezed Cali, only semi-conscious of doing so. "Even if I go with you, we- she has a huge stockpile of weapons. Just walking away now isn't doing anything but putting things back the way they were before."
The worst part? He wanted to go along with it.
He felt like he'd been carrying something heavy for days, and Cali had shown up and offered him a chance to set it down and rest for a while. He hadn't been able to consider doing it himself without someone else making the suggestion. But even thinking about it made guilt start gnawing at the pit of his stomach.
"Even if-" He began slowly, cutting himself off and then starting again. "I can't just go right now. I can't- leave her with all of that stuff and pretend that I've done anything to keep her from killing somebody else. I have to at least go back for the weapons and make sure that she can't go out and use them."
He looked over Cali's shoulder at the ground as he spoke. Ashamed somehow of what he was suggesting, even if the alternative would seem objectively worse to most people.
Me & Cinderella
Day 8, private for now
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 1412
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
Inside the laboratory, Marshall had tried to stifle the smell by putting his gas mask back on. He’d clumsily patched up the broken eye with tape from his first-aid kit during the two days of waiting at the safehouse, though he didn’t think the mask wasn’t functional anymore. It felt like it helped, but only a little.
He’d searched the lab for something to cover the bodies with, and found some musty lab coats in one of the wardrobes. He rolled Tully onto his back, helping cover the grotesque bullet hole that had been the cause of his death, and covered his top half with one of the coats. He’d never had cause to talk to Cedar. But he did the same to her body, too, though someone had done the minimum with her and at least closed her eyes. She was smaller, so the coat was big enough to cover the massive gut wound that had killed her.
Marshall didn’t say anything once he was done. He just put his hand over the coat to touch each of their foreheads for a moment, eyes shut. He didn’t believe in an afterlife. Maybe the respect wouldn’t matter to either them or anyone left, especially when their bodies had no chance of getting home. But maybe there was someone out there who’d be able to take comfort in it.
He’d been about to return, but he’d seen the bag sitting on a table in the room. Filled with… tobacco? He picked it up, along with the wraps next to it. California might be running out of cigarettes. He normally wouldn’t encourage it, but that didn’t matter when they only had a week to live.
He left the lab quietly, opening the door a little first to listen and see if they were ready for him to come back.
He’d creaked the door open in time to hear the tail end of the discussion about Katelyn. That she wouldn’t stop killing. That Kai shouldn’t go back. Or that he should go back, if only to disarm her.
Marshall remained where he was, listening, until Kai suggested going back. Then he spoke up, creaking the door open more and pushing the gas mask back up using the wrist of his damaged hand once he was out of the worst of the stench.
“Disarming her sounds like a good idea. It isn’t fair on anyone for her to be carrying an armoury. I’ll help you get it done.”
Disarming Katelyn and making sure Kai lived through the process. Then California would keep her friend. Kai would get to live outside of her influence. Neither of them would have to kill Katelyn themselves, and Katelyn would have a harder time killing others.
And if they had the stockpile instead, maybe they’d be less powerless in the face of people like DeMarcus and Matthew. Not that Marshall wanted to hunt people down. But the least the game could be was a little more balanced.
He’d searched the lab for something to cover the bodies with, and found some musty lab coats in one of the wardrobes. He rolled Tully onto his back, helping cover the grotesque bullet hole that had been the cause of his death, and covered his top half with one of the coats. He’d never had cause to talk to Cedar. But he did the same to her body, too, though someone had done the minimum with her and at least closed her eyes. She was smaller, so the coat was big enough to cover the massive gut wound that had killed her.
Marshall didn’t say anything once he was done. He just put his hand over the coat to touch each of their foreheads for a moment, eyes shut. He didn’t believe in an afterlife. Maybe the respect wouldn’t matter to either them or anyone left, especially when their bodies had no chance of getting home. But maybe there was someone out there who’d be able to take comfort in it.
He’d been about to return, but he’d seen the bag sitting on a table in the room. Filled with… tobacco? He picked it up, along with the wraps next to it. California might be running out of cigarettes. He normally wouldn’t encourage it, but that didn’t matter when they only had a week to live.
He left the lab quietly, opening the door a little first to listen and see if they were ready for him to come back.
He’d creaked the door open in time to hear the tail end of the discussion about Katelyn. That she wouldn’t stop killing. That Kai shouldn’t go back. Or that he should go back, if only to disarm her.
Marshall remained where he was, listening, until Kai suggested going back. Then he spoke up, creaking the door open more and pushing the gas mask back up using the wrist of his damaged hand once he was out of the worst of the stench.
“Disarming her sounds like a good idea. It isn’t fair on anyone for her to be carrying an armoury. I’ll help you get it done.”
Disarming Katelyn and making sure Kai lived through the process. Then California would keep her friend. Kai would get to live outside of her influence. Neither of them would have to kill Katelyn themselves, and Katelyn would have a harder time killing others.
And if they had the stockpile instead, maybe they’d be less powerless in the face of people like DeMarcus and Matthew. Not that Marshall wanted to hunt people down. But the least the game could be was a little more balanced.
California released Kai, selfishly she didn't want him to go. She could imagine him not going through with his plan. Once he returned to Kitty and was face to face with her California wasn't sure if he would have been able to follow through. Given the option, she would have demanded that he not do it, that instead they leave her behind. She would either keep killing or be killed by someone else. But she knew Kai was right, taking Kitty's weapons away was the right thing to do. When Marshall reappeared and agreed with the idea the matter was settled. There wouldn't be any way for California to convince both of them. She had only been planning on having to convince Kai.
From where they stood in the snow she gazed up at his eyes.
"Okay," She said, dropping any further arguments she wanted to make. "But please, be quick."
She left everything else unsaid. She didn't want to burden him with the rest of her thoughts.
From where they stood in the snow she gazed up at his eyes.
"Okay," She said, dropping any further arguments she wanted to make. "But please, be quick."
She left everything else unsaid. She didn't want to burden him with the rest of her thoughts.
Kai started a bit when Marshall announced himself again. He'd have rather stayed longer in Cali's embrace, but he let her go when she stepped back and adjusted to face both of them.
"You can't come with me," he said flatly. "I'm not going to fight her for them, I'm just going to- wait for her to go to sleep or something. She... trusts me." Another sharp pang of guilt in the pit of his chest.
He glanced between Cali and Marshall. "I know that I'm asking a lot for you to trust me too, after everything. But please. I know you want to help, but you won't be safe." Cali probably would be, but not Marshall. Lily had approached them with the intent to talk and a contingency plan, and it had taken only a second for Kitty to be willing to kill her. Marshall... yeah.
Kai wasn't going to lead either of them into danger either way. "I'll take the weapons and meet you somewhere. We can decide what to do with everything then."
"You can't come with me," he said flatly. "I'm not going to fight her for them, I'm just going to- wait for her to go to sleep or something. She... trusts me." Another sharp pang of guilt in the pit of his chest.
He glanced between Cali and Marshall. "I know that I'm asking a lot for you to trust me too, after everything. But please. I know you want to help, but you won't be safe." Cali probably would be, but not Marshall. Lily had approached them with the intent to talk and a contingency plan, and it had taken only a second for Kitty to be willing to kill her. Marshall... yeah.
Kai wasn't going to lead either of them into danger either way. "I'll take the weapons and meet you somewhere. We can decide what to do with everything then."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 1412
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
“Nowhere’s safe here,” Marshall mumbled, looking down.
Kai had survived on his own power and done what he’d wanted to do. And he’d done what Marshall wanted him to do, too. He’d come up with a plan regarding Katelyn. Maybe it had taken him a week, but he’d done it.
“I trust that you know Katelyn better than I do. That you’ll be safer if she’s trusted you this far. But it could still go wrong if Katelyn catches you, and she’s not the only danger on this island. You should have someone nearby. Or tell us where you’re going, so that we can come and get you if it goes badly.”
He’d survived this long, but people had a tendency to die the moment that Marshall turned his back. If he couldn’t stop Kai – again – the best he could do was at least know where to go this time.
Marshall kept his eyes down, fiddling with the bag of fishy-smelling tobacco. As long as his hands were full, he wouldn’t do something like grab Kai to stop him from leaving.
Kai had survived on his own power and done what he’d wanted to do. And he’d done what Marshall wanted him to do, too. He’d come up with a plan regarding Katelyn. Maybe it had taken him a week, but he’d done it.
“I trust that you know Katelyn better than I do. That you’ll be safer if she’s trusted you this far. But it could still go wrong if Katelyn catches you, and she’s not the only danger on this island. You should have someone nearby. Or tell us where you’re going, so that we can come and get you if it goes badly.”
He’d survived this long, but people had a tendency to die the moment that Marshall turned his back. If he couldn’t stop Kai – again – the best he could do was at least know where to go this time.
Marshall kept his eyes down, fiddling with the bag of fishy-smelling tobacco. As long as his hands were full, he wouldn’t do something like grab Kai to stop him from leaving.
California listened to the conversation, wondering how everything had managed to get away from her so quickly.
She wished she was better at talking to people, at convincing them, but she wasn’t. Kai had given his reasoning and all she had been able to do was nod her head and agree. He was going back to Kitty, and while he said he’d meet them elsewhere but she had been abandoned by nearly everyone she had met. Marshall was one of the few exceptions to that, but even he wanted to go with Kai as backup. It meant that realistically California was going to be alone again, with no way of knowing when or even if the boys would meet her.
But still, she had no words she could think of that seemed convincing enough to make either of them break from their plan. It had already become a settled debate. Once again she was going to have to watch someone she cared about walk away and vanish into the snow. There was nothing she could do but accept it and hope Kai wouldn’t be like Kitty or Salem.
“Where should I meet you?”
She wished she was better at talking to people, at convincing them, but she wasn’t. Kai had given his reasoning and all she had been able to do was nod her head and agree. He was going back to Kitty, and while he said he’d meet them elsewhere but she had been abandoned by nearly everyone she had met. Marshall was one of the few exceptions to that, but even he wanted to go with Kai as backup. It meant that realistically California was going to be alone again, with no way of knowing when or even if the boys would meet her.
But still, she had no words she could think of that seemed convincing enough to make either of them break from their plan. It had already become a settled debate. Once again she was going to have to watch someone she cared about walk away and vanish into the snow. There was nothing she could do but accept it and hope Kai wouldn’t be like Kitty or Salem.
“Where should I meet you?”
Somehow the plan had ended up in Kai's hands. "Somehow," like he hadn't insisted. He'd never really wanted to be the ideas guy or the mastermind behind anything, but he couldn't let Marshall recklessly run in to confront Kitty.
And he couldn't let Kitty keep going like she had been going on.
He swallowed and then addressed Cali first. "The lake." He glanced at Marshall. "Or that camp with the cabin. One of those two. Just pick one, and then wait for us. We'll find you."
The weather would be driving people indoors more and more, so the wilderness areas should be safe enough to wait for a little while. Kai could tell himself that, like he wouldn't be thinking and worrying about Cali constantly now until they saw each other again. Like he didn't know firsthand just how many things could go wrong in an instant. He waited for her to nod in agreement, even reluctantly, before stepping back again and turning to Marshall.
"There's a place-" He caught himself before specifying that he and Kitty had set up in the basement and started again. "Wait for me by the tunnels or just inside. Close to the quarters building. I'll come out through there." That was still more specific than he really wanted to be, but he had a feeling that staying too vague would just end up with Marshall running around haphazardly trying to find him.
It didn't feel like enough of a plan. Thinking about it any harder made him feel sick. He felt himself torn in multiple directions. Multiple pieces. Kai took a deep breath and it still didn't feel like he could get enough air.
Turning back to Cali, he stepped forward to take her hands. "We'll find you. I promise." He squeezed her hands. "If you see anybody like Matthew, or- anybody else. Just run."
He knew so many survival tips. How to make shelter, how to make a fire, how to hunt for food. At the end of the day, all he could tell Cali to stay alive for another day was to run and hide wherever she could.
Not enough. Never enough.
Finally, he tore himself away. He dropped Cali's hands and stepped back. Took a bit more effort to turn his back on her and start walking, with just a pause to pick up the shotgun when he spotted it still laying in the snow. Marshall fell into step behind him.
He'd see her again. He'd keep his promise.
That hope felt like all he had left to hold onto.
((Kai Rosado-Prince continued back in And When I Bite Down))
((Marshall West continued in On Guard))
And he couldn't let Kitty keep going like she had been going on.
He swallowed and then addressed Cali first. "The lake." He glanced at Marshall. "Or that camp with the cabin. One of those two. Just pick one, and then wait for us. We'll find you."
The weather would be driving people indoors more and more, so the wilderness areas should be safe enough to wait for a little while. Kai could tell himself that, like he wouldn't be thinking and worrying about Cali constantly now until they saw each other again. Like he didn't know firsthand just how many things could go wrong in an instant. He waited for her to nod in agreement, even reluctantly, before stepping back again and turning to Marshall.
"There's a place-" He caught himself before specifying that he and Kitty had set up in the basement and started again. "Wait for me by the tunnels or just inside. Close to the quarters building. I'll come out through there." That was still more specific than he really wanted to be, but he had a feeling that staying too vague would just end up with Marshall running around haphazardly trying to find him.
It didn't feel like enough of a plan. Thinking about it any harder made him feel sick. He felt himself torn in multiple directions. Multiple pieces. Kai took a deep breath and it still didn't feel like he could get enough air.
Turning back to Cali, he stepped forward to take her hands. "We'll find you. I promise." He squeezed her hands. "If you see anybody like Matthew, or- anybody else. Just run."
He knew so many survival tips. How to make shelter, how to make a fire, how to hunt for food. At the end of the day, all he could tell Cali to stay alive for another day was to run and hide wherever she could.
Not enough. Never enough.
Finally, he tore himself away. He dropped Cali's hands and stepped back. Took a bit more effort to turn his back on her and start walking, with just a pause to pick up the shotgun when he spotted it still laying in the snow. Marshall fell into step behind him.
He'd see her again. He'd keep his promise.
That hope felt like all he had left to hold onto.
((Kai Rosado-Prince continued back in And When I Bite Down))
((Marshall West continued in On Guard))
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
It was decided and they moved off, heading down into the tunnels of the research station, leaving California alone in the snow. A splash of gold on a field of white. She stayed standing there for a moment, waiting until she heard the footsteps recede, and then looked away, she gently rubbed her hand against the smooth cut on her ear, feeling where the rest of it should have been. She had no idea what would happen to them. She hoped that everything would be fine, that Kai would be able to talk to Kitty and retrieve all of the weapons, and they would get to see each other again at one of their meeting points. That was all she wanted, but it wouldn't be that simple, and she would have been deliberately ignoring the truth if she thought it would be.
California removed her hat from her pocket and placed it back over her head, covering up her ears against the snow. Then she pulled her hood up and with a resigned sigh, turned and ventured out deeper into the snow.
((California Fox continued in Red Cat, White Fox))
California removed her hat from her pocket and placed it back over her head, covering up her ears against the snow. Then she pulled her hood up and with a resigned sigh, turned and ventured out deeper into the snow.
((California Fox continued in Red Cat, White Fox))