His nose bent sideways.
Przemek let out a shuddering gasp, coughed out blood.
He tried to lift his hands to protect his face.
Blind Faith
Private; day 6 evening (CW: eye stuff)
Julia winced at the barbaric sound of the brick meeting Przemek's face. She had expected that would be that, but the boy gasped in pain instead as his face suffered further distortion.
What?
He was meant to be dead now. But... he was still alive?
She looked flustered, scanning left to right agitatedly, knowing help wasn't coming but wanting support from anywhere or anyone.
Joshua's silence tempered the room.
She knew what had to be done, even if she retched at the thought.
One more blow.
Julia repeated the movements from before as Przemek tried to summon the strength to raise his hands to his face.
And down. This time with more force.
THUD.
What?
He was meant to be dead now. But... he was still alive?
She looked flustered, scanning left to right agitatedly, knowing help wasn't coming but wanting support from anywhere or anyone.
Joshua's silence tempered the room.
She knew what had to be done, even if she retched at the thought.
One more blow.
Julia repeated the movements from before as Przemek tried to summon the strength to raise his hands to his face.
And down. This time with more force.
THUD.
His skull caved in.
Trails of red furrowed their way from the corners of his eyes, joining the myriad other rivers of blood that stretched across his visage.
"God why," he choked out.
Trails of red furrowed their way from the corners of his eyes, joining the myriad other rivers of blood that stretched across his visage.
"God why," he choked out.
The obscenity of his fissures were unmeasurable, the brick had done more damage with that strike.
All that was left was a bloodied assemblage of injuries new and old, Przemek's face now completely unrecognisable.
Her own desperation for this to be over had superseded her moral conscience. Meanwhile Joshua remained perched behind her, kneeling in church like a good Christian boy. His eyes burning a hole in to her back.
With one hand she held her stomach, the putrid bile in her gut clambering up her windpipes, with the other she raised the brick up once more.
She couldn't stop now.
It was too late to stop this madness.
And down.
THUD.
All that was left was a bloodied assemblage of injuries new and old, Przemek's face now completely unrecognisable.
Her own desperation for this to be over had superseded her moral conscience. Meanwhile Joshua remained perched behind her, kneeling in church like a good Christian boy. His eyes burning a hole in to her back.
With one hand she held her stomach, the putrid bile in her gut clambering up her windpipes, with the other she raised the brick up once more.
She couldn't stop now.
It was too late to stop this madness.
And down.
THUD.
His hands slowly withdrew from around his face, were laid flat on the ground.
His spasming chest slowed down.
The yellow static that had shrouded him for so long faded to a cosmic black, punctuated by flashes of white here and there.
Przemek's mouth opened, one last exhale crossing his lips.
They were so beautiful.
S072: PRZEMYSLAW ZIEMIAK: DECEASED
70 STUDENTS REMAIN
His spasming chest slowed down.
The yellow static that had shrouded him for so long faded to a cosmic black, punctuated by flashes of white here and there.
Przemek's mouth opened, one last exhale crossing his lips.
They were so beautiful.
S072: PRZEMYSLAW ZIEMIAK: DECEASED
70 STUDENTS REMAIN
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2540
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Josh bit his tongue so hard it bled. His mouth held the taste of blood that was now familiar. The boy's chest stopped rising and falling.
Przemslaw was dead.
Josh got to his feet and sprang forward. He wrapped his arms around Julia from behind. His chest pressed against her back and he enveloped her, his head buried against her hair, holding Julia inward.
"You did it. It's over," he said in between shaky breaths. It made him sick to his stomach to look at the aftermath, but he figured he should, he had to. It was his plan and his doing. It was horrific, but he had done it for the benefit of all three. She was such a gentle-hearted girl. There was no other way she would have gotten the kill needed. That Przemslaw had come to them -- was sent to them -- was a victim that was justifiable, was perhaps a miracle on its own.
She had to understand. He would make her understand.
"You never have to -- I'm sorry. I promise -- I promise never -- I'll never -- Anything you want. Anything you ask. Just ask," he said sounding dazed. "You've tried so hard for so long. Don't blame yourself. Blame me. You can blame me."
His fingers dug into her arms that he pinned to her sides.
Przemslaw was dead.
Josh got to his feet and sprang forward. He wrapped his arms around Julia from behind. His chest pressed against her back and he enveloped her, his head buried against her hair, holding Julia inward.
"You did it. It's over," he said in between shaky breaths. It made him sick to his stomach to look at the aftermath, but he figured he should, he had to. It was his plan and his doing. It was horrific, but he had done it for the benefit of all three. She was such a gentle-hearted girl. There was no other way she would have gotten the kill needed. That Przemslaw had come to them -- was sent to them -- was a victim that was justifiable, was perhaps a miracle on its own.
She had to understand. He would make her understand.
"You never have to -- I'm sorry. I promise -- I promise never -- I'll never -- Anything you want. Anything you ask. Just ask," he said sounding dazed. "You've tried so hard for so long. Don't blame yourself. Blame me. You can blame me."
His fingers dug into her arms that he pinned to her sides.
A few rattles later, Przemek had passed.
His final groans were excruciating, the hellish lacerations painted across what was left of his face unleashing echoes of permanent scars on Julia's psyche. Gasps of powerless desperation had reverberated throughout the church, cutting across all senses like synaesthesia melodies pirouetting under the shrine to God. Those few moments of murderous conclusion replayed in her mind repeatedly as she stayed on her knees, shaking violently as she choked on the grief. The fractured remnants of the brick left bloodied in her hand, the unreconciled torment of the botched mercy kill eating her from the inside out.
All she had wanted to do was to end his suffering, to save him from his unfortunate fate of bleeding out on the stone cold floor of the church and give him the terminating clemency that he deserved. Her intentions were pure, and yet the reality barely fell short of antithesis.
Julia had tried so hard. The sanctified convenance bearing down on her from above, willing her on to put him out of his misery with her first blow. But it took many more than that. She had lost count, her body steering her in auto-pilot as each thud conjured treacherous shadows of blood and gore spraying across her and the room with each slice of her guillotine.
She remained kneeled, dazed in to paralysis as the warmth of Przemek's blood streamed towards her. Not long ago, the grossness of the intruding blood would've summoned a sharp reaction, the type of reaction when you see or hear something unexpected. But Przemek's encroaching body fluids left her numb. It almost felt symbolic, the blood draining from Przemek's corpse signifying the end of his life, a sacrifice to the holy gods. Her hands stained with the darkness of his blood as if she were Lady Macbeth.
Those few moments of murderous conclusion replayed in her mind haunting her more with each repeat. The smiting noise of each blow resonated through her ears despite the silence that had shrouded the room. The crackling and popping of the fire behind her embedding the repenting tone.
For a second she had forgotten that Joshua was there, until he disturbed the silence by grabbing her from behind, pulling her away from the path of Przemek's cascading sap.
The warmth of his embrace was appreciated as his chest pressed against her body. He was her guardian angel, sent to help her against the turmoil of sin. His words quivering as he pleaded with her that he would never force her to do something like that again. He wanted to annul her blame and guilt, the shreds of shame that plagued her. His desires were virtuous and yet she felt emptier than she had expected.
He begged her to forgive him, to give him another chance like a scorned lover who had just lashed out.
Maybe she would but for now she was still in shock.
"i'm sorry," she whispered.
She wasn't sure who or what she was apologizing to.
Sorry to Przemek for administering his harrowing demand? Sorry to Josh for being his pawn? Sorry to her parents potentially watching her commit this heinous crime probably suffocating from shame?
Sorry for herself having to play the role of executioner?
His final groans were excruciating, the hellish lacerations painted across what was left of his face unleashing echoes of permanent scars on Julia's psyche. Gasps of powerless desperation had reverberated throughout the church, cutting across all senses like synaesthesia melodies pirouetting under the shrine to God. Those few moments of murderous conclusion replayed in her mind repeatedly as she stayed on her knees, shaking violently as she choked on the grief. The fractured remnants of the brick left bloodied in her hand, the unreconciled torment of the botched mercy kill eating her from the inside out.
All she had wanted to do was to end his suffering, to save him from his unfortunate fate of bleeding out on the stone cold floor of the church and give him the terminating clemency that he deserved. Her intentions were pure, and yet the reality barely fell short of antithesis.
Julia had tried so hard. The sanctified convenance bearing down on her from above, willing her on to put him out of his misery with her first blow. But it took many more than that. She had lost count, her body steering her in auto-pilot as each thud conjured treacherous shadows of blood and gore spraying across her and the room with each slice of her guillotine.
She remained kneeled, dazed in to paralysis as the warmth of Przemek's blood streamed towards her. Not long ago, the grossness of the intruding blood would've summoned a sharp reaction, the type of reaction when you see or hear something unexpected. But Przemek's encroaching body fluids left her numb. It almost felt symbolic, the blood draining from Przemek's corpse signifying the end of his life, a sacrifice to the holy gods. Her hands stained with the darkness of his blood as if she were Lady Macbeth.
Those few moments of murderous conclusion replayed in her mind haunting her more with each repeat. The smiting noise of each blow resonated through her ears despite the silence that had shrouded the room. The crackling and popping of the fire behind her embedding the repenting tone.
For a second she had forgotten that Joshua was there, until he disturbed the silence by grabbing her from behind, pulling her away from the path of Przemek's cascading sap.
The warmth of his embrace was appreciated as his chest pressed against her body. He was her guardian angel, sent to help her against the turmoil of sin. His words quivering as he pleaded with her that he would never force her to do something like that again. He wanted to annul her blame and guilt, the shreds of shame that plagued her. His desires were virtuous and yet she felt emptier than she had expected.
He begged her to forgive him, to give him another chance like a scorned lover who had just lashed out.
Maybe she would but for now she was still in shock.
"i'm sorry," she whispered.
She wasn't sure who or what she was apologizing to.
Sorry to Przemek for administering his harrowing demand? Sorry to Josh for being his pawn? Sorry to her parents potentially watching her commit this heinous crime probably suffocating from shame?
Sorry for herself having to play the role of executioner?
-
Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2540
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
"No. No, no, no," he said quietly.
Josh squeezed her once more and then stood up, guiding her up from her knees with him and turning her to face him.
"You did what you had to. You didn't let him suffer more."
He looked upon her shell-shocked face. She was still innocent, to him. She was still beautiful. It had to be done if she was going to leave here, if the boy wasn't to expire painfully over days, if they weren't to be responsible for caring for another person when it was hard enough just looking after oneself.
Josh desperately wanted to alleviate her pain -- he liked her. An urge took root in his heart. He took hold of her face gently in both hands and lightly kissed her, hoping it might help ground her in something other than the grim reality at their feet.
"Use some of the water to wash up. I'll move him. And we can leave at first light."
Josh got up and moved to the sacristy where he picked up the vestament that had been covering the other body. Lifting the cloth revealed a corpse in about as bad a shape as Przemek, but not someone he knew. Josh took the fabric and brought it to the body in the church, wrapping mainly the head and upper torso in it before transporting it back to the little room. It was not the first corpse he had moved by now. Still, the circumstances made him shiver and he laid the body down near the older corpse.
There was still the pool of blood near the front of the church. Josh sighed with exhaustion, picked up the gun, and placed it on the altar. He went back before the fire, set about pulling out the emergency blankets and lay down a safe distance from the rock containment they had built for the fire. It had almost eaten down all of the wood they had started it with, leaving the flames low and quiet. Soon it would be snuffed out.
"Come to bed," he said.
Josh squeezed her once more and then stood up, guiding her up from her knees with him and turning her to face him.
"You did what you had to. You didn't let him suffer more."
He looked upon her shell-shocked face. She was still innocent, to him. She was still beautiful. It had to be done if she was going to leave here, if the boy wasn't to expire painfully over days, if they weren't to be responsible for caring for another person when it was hard enough just looking after oneself.
Josh desperately wanted to alleviate her pain -- he liked her. An urge took root in his heart. He took hold of her face gently in both hands and lightly kissed her, hoping it might help ground her in something other than the grim reality at their feet.
"Use some of the water to wash up. I'll move him. And we can leave at first light."
Josh got up and moved to the sacristy where he picked up the vestament that had been covering the other body. Lifting the cloth revealed a corpse in about as bad a shape as Przemek, but not someone he knew. Josh took the fabric and brought it to the body in the church, wrapping mainly the head and upper torso in it before transporting it back to the little room. It was not the first corpse he had moved by now. Still, the circumstances made him shiver and he laid the body down near the older corpse.
There was still the pool of blood near the front of the church. Josh sighed with exhaustion, picked up the gun, and placed it on the altar. He went back before the fire, set about pulling out the emergency blankets and lay down a safe distance from the rock containment they had built for the fire. It had almost eaten down all of the wood they had started it with, leaving the flames low and quiet. Soon it would be snuffed out.
"Come to bed," he said.
Joshua's words of reassurance lit a fire in her body, like a beacon in the wintry mountains. Signalling that it would be ok, she would be ok. He pulled her up to her feet, out from the seeping pools of blood now left at her feet as the wobbliness in her limbs stabilised. Julia tremored forward slightly as she found her balance, Joshua's arms guiding her to his lips.
The kiss felt good.
A glimmer of light amidst a coffin of darkness. His lips delicate despite the cracks, a kiss that in so many ways felt wrong and yet in reality it eased her mind and her body. Her mind threw itself back to when she first saw him in his store, that sandy blonde hair and light smile of customer service. Those fleeting seconds of thinking how cute he was that were quickly forgotten before the long range echoes had found her again yesterday. When he entered that room, his hostility was chilling and yet this represented a - slightly misguided - warmth that she so desperately needed. Her mind wandered with thoughts of what could've been.
His penchant for timing was a little off, but that was one of the quirks she liked about him. His ability to make her smile despite how bad everything else around them seemed. She was glad he was here with her, perhaps it was the only thing stopping her from having a full blown breakdown. His kiss a soothing flower bringing optimism like the first days of spring.
He left her with a plan to clear the room of Przemek's remains, offering her some of their water reserve to help he get cleaned up. She nodded gently, purposefully resisting looking up.
Przemek may not have had working eyes, but ever since she raised that brick for the first time she felt stalked by the oculus of the camera's around her, judged contemptuously by the lens of God bearing down on her heavily.
She tried not to watch as Joshua rummaged around for the cloth, the vulgar smells of rotting flesh radiating out from underneath. She couldn't bring herself to take one final look at Przemek as Joshua bundled him up and moved him in to the sacristy. It felt awful to disturb his sleeping corpse, peacefully comatose under the light of the fire.
Before long, Joshua returned and made up a place for the pair to sleep. She had lost track of the time but knew from the whirring outside that it was late in the to night, early in to the morning. Despite her numbness, she didn't actually feel tired, a fear of closing her eyes in case the holy curse exorcised a reckoning upon her. She fell towards him, landing beside him on the makeshift bedsheets and emergency blankets. It was comfortable, despite the cold setting of the floor.
The pair cuddled for a little while, a loose embrace that symbolized their protective feelings of one another. Julia tried to fall asleep but to no avail. Soon after, his breathing slowed, feeling heavier as he fell asleep whilst leaving her awake, his arm fastened across her stomach to protect her from any evil spirits.
Intermittently her eyes closed as she desperately tried to drift off to sleep. Each time the darkness sliced down from her shutting eyelids the reminiscence of Przemek's bloodied, raptured face stared back at her. Apparitions tormenting her dreams, bleakly driving her to despair. The vicious cycle continued for much of the night, the sporadic cry of panic as she sought to vacate her abandon.
Maybe she did manage some sleep, occasionally here and there, but nothing sufficient for another long day of fighting for her life.
Eventually the sun started to rise and the dawn shadows curtained the bloodshed of the night, the fire had burned itself out and the room was silenced in mourning for the boy no longer alive. She was in a hurry to leave the church, face banishment for what she had done. Outside their divine sanctuary lurked many challenges or potential enemies, and yet it felt safer than remaining in this war-torn place of worship.
Who knows what they would find on their journey as they set out, but at least she would be able to escape from his immortal eyes.
[S119 - Julia Guercio - continued in By some unrecorded and powerful hand]
The kiss felt good.
A glimmer of light amidst a coffin of darkness. His lips delicate despite the cracks, a kiss that in so many ways felt wrong and yet in reality it eased her mind and her body. Her mind threw itself back to when she first saw him in his store, that sandy blonde hair and light smile of customer service. Those fleeting seconds of thinking how cute he was that were quickly forgotten before the long range echoes had found her again yesterday. When he entered that room, his hostility was chilling and yet this represented a - slightly misguided - warmth that she so desperately needed. Her mind wandered with thoughts of what could've been.
His penchant for timing was a little off, but that was one of the quirks she liked about him. His ability to make her smile despite how bad everything else around them seemed. She was glad he was here with her, perhaps it was the only thing stopping her from having a full blown breakdown. His kiss a soothing flower bringing optimism like the first days of spring.
He left her with a plan to clear the room of Przemek's remains, offering her some of their water reserve to help he get cleaned up. She nodded gently, purposefully resisting looking up.
Przemek may not have had working eyes, but ever since she raised that brick for the first time she felt stalked by the oculus of the camera's around her, judged contemptuously by the lens of God bearing down on her heavily.
She tried not to watch as Joshua rummaged around for the cloth, the vulgar smells of rotting flesh radiating out from underneath. She couldn't bring herself to take one final look at Przemek as Joshua bundled him up and moved him in to the sacristy. It felt awful to disturb his sleeping corpse, peacefully comatose under the light of the fire.
Before long, Joshua returned and made up a place for the pair to sleep. She had lost track of the time but knew from the whirring outside that it was late in the to night, early in to the morning. Despite her numbness, she didn't actually feel tired, a fear of closing her eyes in case the holy curse exorcised a reckoning upon her. She fell towards him, landing beside him on the makeshift bedsheets and emergency blankets. It was comfortable, despite the cold setting of the floor.
The pair cuddled for a little while, a loose embrace that symbolized their protective feelings of one another. Julia tried to fall asleep but to no avail. Soon after, his breathing slowed, feeling heavier as he fell asleep whilst leaving her awake, his arm fastened across her stomach to protect her from any evil spirits.
Intermittently her eyes closed as she desperately tried to drift off to sleep. Each time the darkness sliced down from her shutting eyelids the reminiscence of Przemek's bloodied, raptured face stared back at her. Apparitions tormenting her dreams, bleakly driving her to despair. The vicious cycle continued for much of the night, the sporadic cry of panic as she sought to vacate her abandon.
Maybe she did manage some sleep, occasionally here and there, but nothing sufficient for another long day of fighting for her life.
Eventually the sun started to rise and the dawn shadows curtained the bloodshed of the night, the fire had burned itself out and the room was silenced in mourning for the boy no longer alive. She was in a hurry to leave the church, face banishment for what she had done. Outside their divine sanctuary lurked many challenges or potential enemies, and yet it felt safer than remaining in this war-torn place of worship.
Who knows what they would find on their journey as they set out, but at least she would be able to escape from his immortal eyes.
[S119 - Julia Guercio - continued in By some unrecorded and powerful hand]
-
Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2540
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
They slept again as they had the previous night in each other's warmth. Josh slept easily. She would be fine with a little time. He had faith that Julia was strong enough to recover. This time, if she stirred, he didn't awaken.
At first light he woke up. Though he would have preferred to continue sleeping, he had promised they could leave at dawn. Josh sluggishly got up and began packing everything. Unfortunately, this kill did not net them any additional supplies, but it would accomplish what it had to. Julia wouldn't have to worry about her eligibility to leave anymore. And Josh was certain she would be bound to him now. She would need him since he was the one who had been there, and the one who could continue to reassure her of her innocence.
Josh gathered up their bags and picked up his gun. They walked to the front of the church and with a shove from his shoulder, he was able to move the pew that had blocked Przemyslaw's escape the previous night. The scrape and bang echoed throughout the gray building.
Josh crossed the lake of blood before the threshold confidently. He had saved Przemyslaw the suffering; he had gotten everything he wanted.
The pair exited, tracking footprints of blood in the snow
((Josh James continued in By some unrecorded and powerful hand ))
At first light he woke up. Though he would have preferred to continue sleeping, he had promised they could leave at dawn. Josh sluggishly got up and began packing everything. Unfortunately, this kill did not net them any additional supplies, but it would accomplish what it had to. Julia wouldn't have to worry about her eligibility to leave anymore. And Josh was certain she would be bound to him now. She would need him since he was the one who had been there, and the one who could continue to reassure her of her innocence.
Josh gathered up their bags and picked up his gun. They walked to the front of the church and with a shove from his shoulder, he was able to move the pew that had blocked Przemyslaw's escape the previous night. The scrape and bang echoed throughout the gray building.
Josh crossed the lake of blood before the threshold confidently. He had saved Przemyslaw the suffering; he had gotten everything he wanted.
The pair exited, tracking footprints of blood in the snow
((Josh James continued in By some unrecorded and powerful hand ))