My Brother's Keeper
Night of Day 7 (Private)
- VoltTurtle
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- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
My Brother's Keeper
((What better place to rest up than the sleeping quarters?))
They never did find a nice hole in the ground, but that endeavor had always been doomed to begin with. Why did Lúcio ever think that they'd just be able to ride it all out? Even if rescue arrived tomorrow, their captors had already won. Mitch was gone, God rest his soul, and nearly everyone they had run into was right there with him. Matthew was still out there, probably hunting down Kitty. Lúcio hoped they never found each other, for their own sake.
At least he was here with Ari. He had almost given up hope, and right when he needed her the most, she arrived. In spite of it all, she was still herself, and that's all he needed her to be.
The sleeping quarters were a lot warmer than the outside, despite the draft coming through the hall. The door to the bedroom Ari and himself were nestled into was closed shut, leaving it to warm up a few degrees off their body heat. They had spent the rest of the prior day just enjoying each other's company. Now, with the sun long gone, it was pitch black inside, with only the gentle pressure of Ari's arm around his chest letting him know that she was there. He wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep, but he was still awake, worry running through his head.
What were they gonna do now? He didn't know, and that was eating him up.
Leslie and Molly were out in the hallway on watch, something her and Lúcio hadn't bothered to worry about up until this point. Maybe the paranoia wasn't justified, or maybe they had just gotten lucky. He was starting to think it was more the latter, which would mean the two of them had been in more danger than he ever realized. How were they possibly going to survive long enough for someone to finally get here?
Unanswered questions left a lead weight of dread in the pit of his stomach.
He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep wouldn't escape him. Once it came, he always slept like the dead.
They never did find a nice hole in the ground, but that endeavor had always been doomed to begin with. Why did Lúcio ever think that they'd just be able to ride it all out? Even if rescue arrived tomorrow, their captors had already won. Mitch was gone, God rest his soul, and nearly everyone they had run into was right there with him. Matthew was still out there, probably hunting down Kitty. Lúcio hoped they never found each other, for their own sake.
At least he was here with Ari. He had almost given up hope, and right when he needed her the most, she arrived. In spite of it all, she was still herself, and that's all he needed her to be.
The sleeping quarters were a lot warmer than the outside, despite the draft coming through the hall. The door to the bedroom Ari and himself were nestled into was closed shut, leaving it to warm up a few degrees off their body heat. They had spent the rest of the prior day just enjoying each other's company. Now, with the sun long gone, it was pitch black inside, with only the gentle pressure of Ari's arm around his chest letting him know that she was there. He wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep, but he was still awake, worry running through his head.
What were they gonna do now? He didn't know, and that was eating him up.
Leslie and Molly were out in the hallway on watch, something her and Lúcio hadn't bothered to worry about up until this point. Maybe the paranoia wasn't justified, or maybe they had just gotten lucky. He was starting to think it was more the latter, which would mean the two of them had been in more danger than he ever realized. How were they possibly going to survive long enough for someone to finally get here?
Unanswered questions left a lead weight of dread in the pit of his stomach.
He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep wouldn't escape him. Once it came, he always slept like the dead.
((Aracelis Fuentes continued from Our Conversations))
They'd looked around for a while not finding anything before settling on the sleeping quarters at the research station. Aracelis had never been to the research station. She and Leslie had been avoiding it, assuming that more people would have been there, which Leslie didn't want to worry about or deal with. He preferred the wilderness and the town. There were less people and it was a larger area, so it would be easier to get away, or so the theory went. It hadn't worked out that well for Aracelis when she really thought about it. After all, she was the one who had been blinded in one eye.
And while she wasn't past that—and maybe never would be—she was taking the edge off through Lúcio's company. She could feel his gentle breathing, her arm rising and falling with his chest, her cheek resting in the space between his shoulder and neck. It was comforting and almost normal, them sharing a bed—his—back in Salem. She drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally awakening to shift herself closer into his grip and body heat and let out a purr of satisfaction before slipping back into dreaming.
Molly and Leslie were on watch, but as long as Lúcio was still next to her she felt safe.
They'd looked around for a while not finding anything before settling on the sleeping quarters at the research station. Aracelis had never been to the research station. She and Leslie had been avoiding it, assuming that more people would have been there, which Leslie didn't want to worry about or deal with. He preferred the wilderness and the town. There were less people and it was a larger area, so it would be easier to get away, or so the theory went. It hadn't worked out that well for Aracelis when she really thought about it. After all, she was the one who had been blinded in one eye.
And while she wasn't past that—and maybe never would be—she was taking the edge off through Lúcio's company. She could feel his gentle breathing, her arm rising and falling with his chest, her cheek resting in the space between his shoulder and neck. It was comforting and almost normal, them sharing a bed—his—back in Salem. She drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally awakening to shift herself closer into his grip and body heat and let out a purr of satisfaction before slipping back into dreaming.
Molly and Leslie were on watch, but as long as Lúcio was still next to her she felt safe.
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((Mônica “Molly” Oliveira continued from Our Conversations.))
Outside the room, Molly and Leslie were on watch. It made sense for them to be. Keeping the numbers balanced, leaving the happy couple alone, and so on. More people had died and been listed that morning, a former fellow cheerleader (as well as an amiable ex of Molly’s) had won the award for best kill twice in a row, but they weren’t talking about that.
Well, Molly wasn’t, anyway.
She was talking about the arcade.
“--anyway, the joystick always sticks a little when you try to go left, probably because the game is super old, and who even watches stuff about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles anymore? But it’s super fun, if you get back you should try it. Donatello’s the best one.”
She was keeping her voice somewhat down, mostly for the sake of Lúcio and Aracelis.
‘Just a little while,’ so far, had lasted just over a day.
They hadn’t run into anyone. Hadn’t had arguments. Hadn’t really spoken about anything important.
It’d been nice. But even as Molly chattered about one of the machines at the old arcade, she kept wondering if that moment would be the end of ‘just a little while.’ Kept listening for movement inside, waiting for if ‘just a little while’ would end inside, or end out here.
She’d prefer that it ended out here. She, at least, knew what she’d do if Leslie broke the peace. And she knew what Lúcio would do, if Aracelis broke it.
Outside the room, Molly and Leslie were on watch. It made sense for them to be. Keeping the numbers balanced, leaving the happy couple alone, and so on. More people had died and been listed that morning, a former fellow cheerleader (as well as an amiable ex of Molly’s) had won the award for best kill twice in a row, but they weren’t talking about that.
Well, Molly wasn’t, anyway.
She was talking about the arcade.
“--anyway, the joystick always sticks a little when you try to go left, probably because the game is super old, and who even watches stuff about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles anymore? But it’s super fun, if you get back you should try it. Donatello’s the best one.”
She was keeping her voice somewhat down, mostly for the sake of Lúcio and Aracelis.
‘Just a little while,’ so far, had lasted just over a day.
They hadn’t run into anyone. Hadn’t had arguments. Hadn’t really spoken about anything important.
It’d been nice. But even as Molly chattered about one of the machines at the old arcade, she kept wondering if that moment would be the end of ‘just a little while.’ Kept listening for movement inside, waiting for if ‘just a little while’ would end inside, or end out here.
She’d prefer that it ended out here. She, at least, knew what she’d do if Leslie broke the peace. And she knew what Lúcio would do, if Aracelis broke it.
((continued from Our Conversations))
A genuine smile escaped Leslie's lips, punctuating the chuckle under his breath. "Yeah, maybe. I think I'd try Michelangelo first though, since he was always my guy."
'If you get back'
The smile faltered as he kept thinking, his arms crossing harder as his back pressed against the bare hallway wall.
He wasn't sure how the conversation got around to arcade games for the last several minutes, but it was a nice distraction. But that line alone was like a beach bully knocking over the sand castle he just made. He didn't need a reminder about what the ultimate goal was.
At least Molly was fun to talk to. Maybe not "fun", but it was a different experience than trying to talk to Aracelis. He didn't have to hold back over something as silly as video games. In fact, this was probably the longest conversation he's been in for... how many days? Leslie lost count a while ago; if anyone told him they'd only been there for 3 days or 3 weeks, he'd have believed it. It couldn't have already been a week, though. Anyway, it was a good break and a good distraction from how drowsy he felt.
But he made up his mind. Aracelis didn't need him anymore. Tonight, he was gonna walk out. Sometime when the others were all asleep, he was gonna do it; it was just biding his time until then.
So for now, he was talking to Molly about arcade games. At least, until nature called and stayed on hold.
Leslie rose from his trace and looked at the room Lúcio and Aracelis were sleeping in before glancing up at Molly, throwing a thumb towards the room behind. "...You mind taking over for a bit? I gotta go take a piss."
A genuine smile escaped Leslie's lips, punctuating the chuckle under his breath. "Yeah, maybe. I think I'd try Michelangelo first though, since he was always my guy."
'If you get back'
The smile faltered as he kept thinking, his arms crossing harder as his back pressed against the bare hallway wall.
He wasn't sure how the conversation got around to arcade games for the last several minutes, but it was a nice distraction. But that line alone was like a beach bully knocking over the sand castle he just made. He didn't need a reminder about what the ultimate goal was.
At least Molly was fun to talk to. Maybe not "fun", but it was a different experience than trying to talk to Aracelis. He didn't have to hold back over something as silly as video games. In fact, this was probably the longest conversation he's been in for... how many days? Leslie lost count a while ago; if anyone told him they'd only been there for 3 days or 3 weeks, he'd have believed it. It couldn't have already been a week, though. Anyway, it was a good break and a good distraction from how drowsy he felt.
But he made up his mind. Aracelis didn't need him anymore. Tonight, he was gonna walk out. Sometime when the others were all asleep, he was gonna do it; it was just biding his time until then.
So for now, he was talking to Molly about arcade games. At least, until nature called and stayed on hold.
Leslie rose from his trace and looked at the room Lúcio and Aracelis were sleeping in before glancing up at Molly, throwing a thumb towards the room behind. "...You mind taking over for a bit? I gotta go take a piss."
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“Michaelangelo? Yeah, I guess he would be like the most fun turtle to hang out with, but I think I’d trust him less to hold my back in a fight? But I guess they’re ALL ninjas.”
Leslie seemed alright. Plus, Molly hadn’t run entirely dry with topics with him yet. Talking to Lúcio had over the last week become more just talking at him.
It was nice to chat. It was nice to be normal for a minute.
Just for a little while.
There was the slightest pause before she responded to Leslie’s request to go to the bathroom. Barely perceptible.
“Yeah, sure. I got this.” Molly beamed and lifted the handle of the zweihander slightly, where it was rested in her lap. “Swords beat everything. Well, except lances. But if anyone comes at me with an axe, I’ll get ‘em.”
Leslie seemed alright. Plus, Molly hadn’t run entirely dry with topics with him yet. Talking to Lúcio had over the last week become more just talking at him.
It was nice to chat. It was nice to be normal for a minute.
Just for a little while.
There was the slightest pause before she responded to Leslie’s request to go to the bathroom. Barely perceptible.
“Yeah, sure. I got this.” Molly beamed and lifted the handle of the zweihander slightly, where it was rested in her lap. “Swords beat everything. Well, except lances. But if anyone comes at me with an axe, I’ll get ‘em.”
Lances... axes?
Leslie furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head slight like a confused dog before accepting that was something that really flew over his head, instead just nodding it up and down when Molly said she'd take care of the watch for the next several minutes. "Awesome, thanks."
"Be right back," he said, walking down the hall with consistent steps, not looking back as he turned the corner and descended down the stairs.
About halfway down, a ghastly chill suddenly ran down his spine. The hair on his neck and arms stood up as he came to a stop and looked back up the stairs towards the hallway exit, as if something was pleading for him to come back.
He shook his head and continued his decent until the sound of his heavy steps disappeared with him.
Leslie furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head slight like a confused dog before accepting that was something that really flew over his head, instead just nodding it up and down when Molly said she'd take care of the watch for the next several minutes. "Awesome, thanks."
"Be right back," he said, walking down the hall with consistent steps, not looking back as he turned the corner and descended down the stairs.
About halfway down, a ghastly chill suddenly ran down his spine. The hair on his neck and arms stood up as he came to a stop and looked back up the stairs towards the hallway exit, as if something was pleading for him to come back.
He shook his head and continued his decent until the sound of his heavy steps disappeared with him.
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Molly waved as Leslie headed off, and stayed still for a couple of minutes afterwards, her ears straining as Leslie’s footsteps moved away.
She waited until she hadn’t heard them for long enough to feel confident that she was alone, before her head turned towards the door to the sleeping quarters. She looked down at the flashlight she and Leslie were using to keep watch down the hallway, and turned it with one finger to make sure it was pointed away from the door.
She got up, carefully puling the sword with her, then reached out and turned the handle of the door. She did so as silently as she could, hoping that any noise she made blended in with the rest of the creaky building.
The door only open a sliver, and one eye peered through the door. Just barely in the dark, from the hint of light in the hallway, she could make out the still forms of Lúcio and Aracelis huddled up on a bed together.
It almost made her close the door again and return to her post.
But she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to. She so desperately wished she could believe that help was coming, and that this game would never need to be played. But she’d known for days that this wasn’t the case. Maybe she’d known since Oakley.
For days… she’d meant to talk to Lúcio about it. That talk would have involved questions. Questions that she didn’t really want to know the answers to. What were they going to do if no help came? How would they protect themselves? What if Aracelis had turned on them? What if she did later? What if someone came after her, and caught them in the crossfire?
But she’d never figured out how to open the conversation, especially with how non-responsive Lucio had been in the days after Shu. So she’d rambled about nothing instead. And during that time, as every other subject ran dry and dropped away, those questions took up more and more of her thoughts.
Because, honestly? She knew the answers.
Lúcio would never play this game.
If Aracelis attacked him right now, he’d try to talk it out. Probably try to hug her. He would let her kill him before he raised a hand against her. If he’d try to talk to Shu, someone who had strangled his girlfriend with barbed wire on the first day, he didn’t stand a chance with Aracelis.
It wasn’t that Molly disliked her. She considered Aracelis a friend, even now. And staring through this crack in the door hurt. It made her stomach churn with nausea and guilt for something she had yet to do.
But Aracelis was a danger. To Lúcio, she was the biggest danger on this island. And he would never acknowledge that.
Leslie wasn’t here. When he came back, it would be two-on-one again. So Molly stepped into the room. One careful step at a time, trying not to let anything squeak. Like when she’d been little and wanted to poke around her parent’s room while they were occupied elsewhere in the house.
She held the sword close to her chest. Her heartbeat so loud that she was sure it would be what gave her away.
She stopped beside the bed and stared down at the two, cuddled together like they were on the ski trip that they’d meant to go on. Like nothing was wrong with the world. Molly’s mouth tightened, and she held her breath. Tears were already prickling at the corners of her eyes, but she ignored them.
She lifted the sword up, both hands gripping the handle tight as she made to line the point up with Aracelis’ throat, so she could slam it down in one quick, merciful plunge.
If they were going to stand a chance of getting off the island… Molly had to be the strong one.
So preoccupied by the noise of her feet, her breath, her heart... she didn’t realise that, as faint as the light from the hallway was, it still framed her silhouette vividly. Still made her cast a shadow over Aracelis. She only realised when she saw light glint on the metal surface of the blade.
She waited until she hadn’t heard them for long enough to feel confident that she was alone, before her head turned towards the door to the sleeping quarters. She looked down at the flashlight she and Leslie were using to keep watch down the hallway, and turned it with one finger to make sure it was pointed away from the door.
She got up, carefully puling the sword with her, then reached out and turned the handle of the door. She did so as silently as she could, hoping that any noise she made blended in with the rest of the creaky building.
The door only open a sliver, and one eye peered through the door. Just barely in the dark, from the hint of light in the hallway, she could make out the still forms of Lúcio and Aracelis huddled up on a bed together.
It almost made her close the door again and return to her post.
But she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to. She so desperately wished she could believe that help was coming, and that this game would never need to be played. But she’d known for days that this wasn’t the case. Maybe she’d known since Oakley.
For days… she’d meant to talk to Lúcio about it. That talk would have involved questions. Questions that she didn’t really want to know the answers to. What were they going to do if no help came? How would they protect themselves? What if Aracelis had turned on them? What if she did later? What if someone came after her, and caught them in the crossfire?
But she’d never figured out how to open the conversation, especially with how non-responsive Lucio had been in the days after Shu. So she’d rambled about nothing instead. And during that time, as every other subject ran dry and dropped away, those questions took up more and more of her thoughts.
Because, honestly? She knew the answers.
Lúcio would never play this game.
If Aracelis attacked him right now, he’d try to talk it out. Probably try to hug her. He would let her kill him before he raised a hand against her. If he’d try to talk to Shu, someone who had strangled his girlfriend with barbed wire on the first day, he didn’t stand a chance with Aracelis.
It wasn’t that Molly disliked her. She considered Aracelis a friend, even now. And staring through this crack in the door hurt. It made her stomach churn with nausea and guilt for something she had yet to do.
But Aracelis was a danger. To Lúcio, she was the biggest danger on this island. And he would never acknowledge that.
Leslie wasn’t here. When he came back, it would be two-on-one again. So Molly stepped into the room. One careful step at a time, trying not to let anything squeak. Like when she’d been little and wanted to poke around her parent’s room while they were occupied elsewhere in the house.
She held the sword close to her chest. Her heartbeat so loud that she was sure it would be what gave her away.
She stopped beside the bed and stared down at the two, cuddled together like they were on the ski trip that they’d meant to go on. Like nothing was wrong with the world. Molly’s mouth tightened, and she held her breath. Tears were already prickling at the corners of her eyes, but she ignored them.
She lifted the sword up, both hands gripping the handle tight as she made to line the point up with Aracelis’ throat, so she could slam it down in one quick, merciful plunge.
If they were going to stand a chance of getting off the island… Molly had to be the strong one.
So preoccupied by the noise of her feet, her breath, her heart... she didn’t realise that, as faint as the light from the hallway was, it still framed her silhouette vividly. Still made her cast a shadow over Aracelis. She only realised when she saw light glint on the metal surface of the blade.
It was a silly thought but one of the occasions Aracelis drifted off she had been thinking about how she and Lúcio had never shared her bed back in Salem. They’d shared his plenty of times, the rules were looser at his house and his parents didn’t mind as much. Hers however, it wasn’t up for debate, Lúcio could come over and he could sleep in the bed but Aracelis would have to sleep on the sofa or air mattress in the living room. Her dad was too protective and her mother too religious. Sure, they’d messed around coming home late after parties but they’d never shared the bed. Not at night. She had no idea what they thought happened when she stayed over at Lúcio’s.
Nothing had prompted the thinking but a slither of saccharine thoughts had been snaking through her mind ever since they’d settled in the sleeping quarters. So she’d found herself nostalgic for the times they’d shared her bed, even though they’d never strictly done that.
She lightly squeezed Lúcio as she groggily awoke, a small groan of protest emanating from her lips as a hint of light reflected into the room. Turning her head and face toward it she opened her eye to see a familiar figure in the room with them.
“Bethany?…” She whispered as her brain tried to process the silhouetted figure. But before she could fully catch-up with what she was seeing the glint of light reflecting off the blade of the sword flashed across her eye.
Her body shot into action, powerfully rather than gracefully as she rolled off the bed and lunged for her bat, her security blanket and pressure release valve. Gratefully she grasped it in her hand and turned to face the intruder, swinging as she did so.
Nothing had prompted the thinking but a slither of saccharine thoughts had been snaking through her mind ever since they’d settled in the sleeping quarters. So she’d found herself nostalgic for the times they’d shared her bed, even though they’d never strictly done that.
She lightly squeezed Lúcio as she groggily awoke, a small groan of protest emanating from her lips as a hint of light reflected into the room. Turning her head and face toward it she opened her eye to see a familiar figure in the room with them.
“Bethany?…” She whispered as her brain tried to process the silhouetted figure. But before she could fully catch-up with what she was seeing the glint of light reflecting off the blade of the sword flashed across her eye.
Her body shot into action, powerfully rather than gracefully as she rolled off the bed and lunged for her bat, her security blanket and pressure release valve. Gratefully she grasped it in her hand and turned to face the intruder, swinging as she did so.
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She hesitated. Should have plunged the sword the moment Aracelis spoke. She didn’t. Waited a beat too long before slamming the sword down, piercing the bed and missing Aracelis by inches.
Now Aracelis was up. Now she was armed. Now Molly had made a mistake.
“...Haaah, um… this is, uh… fuck.”
Molly grinned nervously, even though her eyes were wide in sheer panic. She searched her mind for an excuse that would make Aracelis lie down and forget this had happened. She came up blank.
She tugged on the sword, trying to casually pull it out of the bed. A short tug, then a couple more. It took a strong pull to get loose, making it clear even in the darkness just how hard she’d stabbed down. It eventually came loose and Molly stared at the blade, a silhouette with a sword framed by the only light source.
She hoped rocking the mattress like that hadn’t woken Lúcio up. He didn’t need to see this. She couldn’t tell, he was just a shape in the darkness. But he’d always been able to sleep through anything, including little sisters jumping on the bed.
“Lie down. Just… lie down, please,” she whispered, as she pointed the sword at Aracelis.
Now Aracelis was up. Now she was armed. Now Molly had made a mistake.
“...Haaah, um… this is, uh… fuck.”
Molly grinned nervously, even though her eyes were wide in sheer panic. She searched her mind for an excuse that would make Aracelis lie down and forget this had happened. She came up blank.
She tugged on the sword, trying to casually pull it out of the bed. A short tug, then a couple more. It took a strong pull to get loose, making it clear even in the darkness just how hard she’d stabbed down. It eventually came loose and Molly stared at the blade, a silhouette with a sword framed by the only light source.
She hoped rocking the mattress like that hadn’t woken Lúcio up. He didn’t need to see this. She couldn’t tell, he was just a shape in the darkness. But he’d always been able to sleep through anything, including little sisters jumping on the bed.
“Lie down. Just… lie down, please,” she whispered, as she pointed the sword at Aracelis.
As the figure stabbed the sword into the bed where she had been then spoke Aracelis’ fear rapidly morphed and heated into an anger that began to boil over.
It was Molly.
Molly had tried to kill her.
The shaking started slowly, it began in her fingers then engulfed her whole hand before engulfing her arms and cascading down the rest of her body like water rushing out of a collapsed dam. It crashed and rushed out filling her ears with nothing but a roar. Her whole body shook while she burned up inside.
One of her best friends had tried to kill her.
The sword was wrenched free and pointed in her direction. The effort Molly had to exert proved she’d had murderous intent.
Meanwhile Leslie was nowhere to be found.
Had she already killed him?
“You’re supposed to be my friend.” Aracelis hissed at the other girl, the venom dripping from her wounds and stinging her lips.
The point of the blade flashed at her in the darkness and as Molly said some lie Aracelis burst into movement, taking the baseball in both hands and swinging it to try and knock the sword out of Molly’s hands.
It was Molly.
Molly had tried to kill her.
The shaking started slowly, it began in her fingers then engulfed her whole hand before engulfing her arms and cascading down the rest of her body like water rushing out of a collapsed dam. It crashed and rushed out filling her ears with nothing but a roar. Her whole body shook while she burned up inside.
One of her best friends had tried to kill her.
The sword was wrenched free and pointed in her direction. The effort Molly had to exert proved she’d had murderous intent.
Meanwhile Leslie was nowhere to be found.
Had she already killed him?
“You’re supposed to be my friend.” Aracelis hissed at the other girl, the venom dripping from her wounds and stinging her lips.
The point of the blade flashed at her in the darkness and as Molly said some lie Aracelis burst into movement, taking the baseball in both hands and swinging it to try and knock the sword out of Molly’s hands.
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“Eep!”
Molly had never been in a fight before. Let alone at night, in the dark, holding a sword. This was not something video games had prepared her for.
She lost grip of the sword when Aracelis swung at her, and it clattered to the ground. She crouched down, holding out a shaking hand like that’d be enough to stop her.
She wanted to explain.
Instead what she whispered as she shifted further back was, “Lie down.”
She wanted to say she was sorry.
Instead what she said as her other hand felt for the sword was, “Lie down!”
She wanted to leave the sword on the floor where it lay.
But now Aracelis had the bat out, and if there had been a time to back out, it was long before now.
“FUCKING LIE DOWN AND MAKE THIS EASIER!” she shrieked, as she snatched the sword back up from the floor and swung it wildly back at Aracelis.
She wasn’t aiming for anything. She couldn’t see enough to aim, her own shadow blocking out most of Aracelis. She was just flailing around like that would persuade Aracelis to put the bat down, lie down and die.
Molly had never been in a fight before. Let alone at night, in the dark, holding a sword. This was not something video games had prepared her for.
She lost grip of the sword when Aracelis swung at her, and it clattered to the ground. She crouched down, holding out a shaking hand like that’d be enough to stop her.
She wanted to explain.
Instead what she whispered as she shifted further back was, “Lie down.”
She wanted to say she was sorry.
Instead what she said as her other hand felt for the sword was, “Lie down!”
She wanted to leave the sword on the floor where it lay.
But now Aracelis had the bat out, and if there had been a time to back out, it was long before now.
“FUCKING LIE DOWN AND MAKE THIS EASIER!” she shrieked, as she snatched the sword back up from the floor and swung it wildly back at Aracelis.
She wasn’t aiming for anything. She couldn’t see enough to aim, her own shadow blocking out most of Aracelis. She was just flailing around like that would persuade Aracelis to put the bat down, lie down and die.
- VoltTurtle
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Nothing woke Lúcio up once he got to sleep, nothing except the shrieking of one of his sisters. When Molly started screaming, Lúcio jarred awake, rolling out of the bed and falling ass-first onto the floor, his arms clutching the mattress in a death grip to keep him up.
"Wh-"
He was groggy, but the rapid influx of adrenaline gave him the kick in the head he needed. It was hard to see exactly what was happening in the dim light, and harder still to make it out while it was happening oh-so fast. He saw Aracelis and Molly facing each other. Both of them had their weapons. They were fighting?
Back in Salem, he hosted a gym club he called the Body Improvement Club, the name a cute reference to his favorite anime. Everyone was free to join, so clashing personalities were commonplace. Sometimes, the hotheads of the club would get into a spat that ended up turning physical. Whenever that happened around him, he would put himself into the middle of it every time, and force them apart until they calmed down.
In his mind, with what little time he had to think, this was no different to one of those fights back in the gym.
Without a shred of hesitation, Lúcio sprung from the ground and threw himself squarely between Aracelis and Molly.
"STOP-"
"Wh-"
He was groggy, but the rapid influx of adrenaline gave him the kick in the head he needed. It was hard to see exactly what was happening in the dim light, and harder still to make it out while it was happening oh-so fast. He saw Aracelis and Molly facing each other. Both of them had their weapons. They were fighting?
Back in Salem, he hosted a gym club he called the Body Improvement Club, the name a cute reference to his favorite anime. Everyone was free to join, so clashing personalities were commonplace. Sometimes, the hotheads of the club would get into a spat that ended up turning physical. Whenever that happened around him, he would put himself into the middle of it every time, and force them apart until they calmed down.
In his mind, with what little time he had to think, this was no different to one of those fights back in the gym.
Without a shred of hesitation, Lúcio sprung from the ground and threw himself squarely between Aracelis and Molly.
"STOP-"
-
- Posts: 1442
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
“Lie down! Lie down! Lie down!”
She shrieked again and again, swinging the sword a little more each time. Everything in front of her was just a mess of metal and shadows.
She heard the word ‘stop.’ She hit something. The blade caught, dug and tore through before she could register it, and her stomach seethed with relief and regret in equal amounts, because it was done, she couldn’t take it back, even if... if...
“Lie... down...”
No. There were too many shadows in front of her, and Aracelis wasn’t close enough. She’d heard stop, but she hadn’t registered who said it.
...oh.
The sword slipped out of Molly’s hands and clattered to the floor once more. The blade was red, and she made no effort to pick it up.
She shrieked again and again, swinging the sword a little more each time. Everything in front of her was just a mess of metal and shadows.
She heard the word ‘stop.’ She hit something. The blade caught, dug and tore through before she could register it, and her stomach seethed with relief and regret in equal amounts, because it was done, she couldn’t take it back, even if... if...
“Lie... down...”
No. There were too many shadows in front of her, and Aracelis wasn’t close enough. She’d heard stop, but she hadn’t registered who said it.
...oh.
The sword slipped out of Molly’s hands and clattered to the floor once more. The blade was red, and she made no effort to pick it up.
- VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
For a moment, Lúcio himself didn't comprehend what happened. There was a blur, a sharp stab of pain under his ribs, and a sudden warmth spreading through his undershirt. The sheer shock of the injury drowned out any of his thoughts, briefly freezing him in place, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He lost his balance, faltering back as he clutched his side, hand coming away soaked in blood.
Molly had hit him with a fucking sword.
"Molly," he murmured.
His face felt hot. Something within him snapped.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
He grimaced, immediately regretting the shout as the exertion sent dozens of needles of pain up his rib cage. He let out a groan, his legs wobbling. His whole body ached, and every word he spoke and breath he took demanded deliberate, pained effort. If he were some kind of anime hero, an injury like this wouldn't even phase him, but as he was, he could barely keep himself upright.
Molly had hit him with a fucking sword.
"Molly," he murmured.
His face felt hot. Something within him snapped.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
He grimaced, immediately regretting the shout as the exertion sent dozens of needles of pain up his rib cage. He let out a groan, his legs wobbling. His whole body ached, and every word he spoke and breath he took demanded deliberate, pained effort. If he were some kind of anime hero, an injury like this wouldn't even phase him, but as he was, he could barely keep himself upright.
Lúcio woke and leapt between them. Just trying to help, trying to play peacekeeper as he always did. He didn't want to see his girlfriend and sister fighting to the death.
But Molly had no interest in stopping. Molly continued to shriek at her like a witch while swinging the sword. Right up until the worst possible outcome occurred.
Lúcio had always been too nice, they'd spoken about it a lot throughout their relationship. Something would happen to him, something that should have made him angry but he'd just shrug it off. Aracelis would try to say how he shouldn't have put up with things like that, how he should have said or do something. She'd get angry with him for being so relaxed about her own anger.
But Molly hit him in the gut with the sword and Aracelis finally saw Lúcio angry.
His shout prompted her to action.
She pushed forward, putting herself between Lúcio and Molly. With one heavy, angry blow she kicked the sword away, sending it skittering across the floor. Her grip tightened on the bat.
"Get away from him!" She screamed as she swung with all her might, tears forming in her one good eye.
But Molly had no interest in stopping. Molly continued to shriek at her like a witch while swinging the sword. Right up until the worst possible outcome occurred.
Lúcio had always been too nice, they'd spoken about it a lot throughout their relationship. Something would happen to him, something that should have made him angry but he'd just shrug it off. Aracelis would try to say how he shouldn't have put up with things like that, how he should have said or do something. She'd get angry with him for being so relaxed about her own anger.
But Molly hit him in the gut with the sword and Aracelis finally saw Lúcio angry.
His shout prompted her to action.
She pushed forward, putting herself between Lúcio and Molly. With one heavy, angry blow she kicked the sword away, sending it skittering across the floor. Her grip tightened on the bat.
"Get away from him!" She screamed as she swung with all her might, tears forming in her one good eye.