((Jacob Winters continued from Keep Your Children In A Coma))
This was harder than he'd thought it would be. And it hadn't exactly sounded easy.
Jacob sat on the porch of another tacky little home. One he'd just finished searching, so alike with most of the others he'd already searched, and doubtlessly like many more he'd yet to reach. Unfortunately, his leg, mangled as it was, demanded he stop. Trying to find Salem was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack already, but the fact he had to move half as fast as normal and stop frequently to ease the terrible pain in his calf made it all the more daunting a task. He could at least busy himself scanning the roads and nearby buildings for signs of life, Salem or otherwise, while he waited for his leg to be just-about-good-enough to walk on again.
He knew he had at least one method of easing the pain, at least a bit. But trying to find and kill someone took focus, and the weed would rob him of that. He'd rather save that for celebration once he'd done the deed. Once Salem was dead, he could have one last little hurrah before...
...
He wasn't sure what came after it, still. Upon this course he was set, and he knew there was a good chance it led nowhere but the grave. But if it didn't, and he succeeded? He didn't know what the next step would be. He could think, objectively, of possible answers - none of them good - but envisioning himself following any of them was another matter altogether.
But it didn't really matter yet. A bridge to cross if he got there, and that was far from guaranteed. For now, he had to keep a sharp eye out until he was fit to move on from here.
the dead include the living in their own great collective
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almostinhuman
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ViolentMedic
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((Mônica Oliveira continued from Memento Mori, Memento Vitae.))
Mônica was trying not to cry. She didn’t think she had the hydration for it.
Dani’s name had come up over the announcements that morning. Mônica knew, if she was fully logical about it, that it was better this way. Dani being killed meant that Mônica didn’t have to do it. And it wasn’t like Dani would have trusted her anymore, not after killing Lucio. (Even factoring Dani’s thing for him out of the matter.)
Still. Dani was one of her best friends. So despite herself, tears kept leaking out of her eyes. Maybe it was also because she felt more alone than ever. If Lucio had been here, there’d at least be someone to hug and cry on.
It’s better this way. It’s better this way. Maybe if she said that to herself enough, she could stop crying and get down to the business of winning.
Or finding food and water, at the very least. Most of the morning had been taken up by that, as well as the last day. She’d found, in one of the houses, a couple of mouthfuls of water from a bottle that had been broken and leaked most of its contents. It’d been by a body that looked pretty gross by now – Mônica hadn’t looked closely. Between that and shoving snow into her mouth – ill-advised, but she had to take what she could get – she was thirsty, but it could be worse.
There. A boy sitting in front of one of the houses. Jacob, a goth guy that Mônica had never really talked to all that much, but seemed okay. He hadn’t killed yet, had he? His leg looked terrible. Mônica didn’t know if he had a gun… but she could outrun him if this went bad.
So she approached, wiping her eyes and trying to look like she had it together.
“Hey, Jacob. Do you have any water or food?”
Her voice was dry and croaky, and she was still red-eyed and sniffly despite her best efforts. She kept the sword held close to her chest as she spoke.
Mônica was trying not to cry. She didn’t think she had the hydration for it.
Dani’s name had come up over the announcements that morning. Mônica knew, if she was fully logical about it, that it was better this way. Dani being killed meant that Mônica didn’t have to do it. And it wasn’t like Dani would have trusted her anymore, not after killing Lucio. (Even factoring Dani’s thing for him out of the matter.)
Still. Dani was one of her best friends. So despite herself, tears kept leaking out of her eyes. Maybe it was also because she felt more alone than ever. If Lucio had been here, there’d at least be someone to hug and cry on.
It’s better this way. It’s better this way. Maybe if she said that to herself enough, she could stop crying and get down to the business of winning.
Or finding food and water, at the very least. Most of the morning had been taken up by that, as well as the last day. She’d found, in one of the houses, a couple of mouthfuls of water from a bottle that had been broken and leaked most of its contents. It’d been by a body that looked pretty gross by now – Mônica hadn’t looked closely. Between that and shoving snow into her mouth – ill-advised, but she had to take what she could get – she was thirsty, but it could be worse.
There. A boy sitting in front of one of the houses. Jacob, a goth guy that Mônica had never really talked to all that much, but seemed okay. He hadn’t killed yet, had he? His leg looked terrible. Mônica didn’t know if he had a gun… but she could outrun him if this went bad.
So she approached, wiping her eyes and trying to look like she had it together.
“Hey, Jacob. Do you have any water or food?”
Her voice was dry and croaky, and she was still red-eyed and sniffly despite her best efforts. She kept the sword held close to her chest as she spoke.
((Aracelis Fuentes continued from Sana Sana Colita De Rana))
As they had been making their silent way back to the town Aracelis had been thinking a lot about Dani. Mainly the fact that she was dead, and Aracelis didn't know how she felt about it. There was a weird feeling of emptiness in her gut, like something that had been there was suddenly missing. She didn't particularly like it, and she was also starting to realize that maybe Juanita had been lying about the death squad they'd made being Dani's idea, given that Dani hadn't killed anyone and Juanita had. So Leslie had been right about that in the end she supposed. Not that she was going to say that to him. He didn't deserve a pat on the back after his prior outburst.
After getting into town it hadn't taken them too long to sort out where to go. There had been an explosion from the direction of the bar so they'd wordlessly exchanged a look and quickly moved away from the area. There was only one person that they knew had explosives but it wouldn't have been worth messing with anyone who did. There were too many ways for the situation to go wrong, and if it went wrong it would have gone extremely badly extremely quickly. Instead, they looped around and returned to the more residential part of the neighborhood, past a house with all the windows smashed in, and a house containing the body of Billie, the girl in the wheelchair. Salem had been the one to kill her, Ashlyn's weirdo boyfriend.
But they'd kept moving until she heard movement from up ahead.
They ducked around the side of a nearby house and looped around the garden to get a better angle of the source. A boy sat on the porch of a house opposite.
"I think it's Jacob," She whispered to Leslie. "He's on his own it looks like."
As Aracelis was crouched there sorting out her baseball bat there was the sound of another voice, and another figure walked into view. At the sound, her head shot up, an animal on high alert. Her heart began to go into overdrive and the blood boiled in her ears.
It was Molly.
As they had been making their silent way back to the town Aracelis had been thinking a lot about Dani. Mainly the fact that she was dead, and Aracelis didn't know how she felt about it. There was a weird feeling of emptiness in her gut, like something that had been there was suddenly missing. She didn't particularly like it, and she was also starting to realize that maybe Juanita had been lying about the death squad they'd made being Dani's idea, given that Dani hadn't killed anyone and Juanita had. So Leslie had been right about that in the end she supposed. Not that she was going to say that to him. He didn't deserve a pat on the back after his prior outburst.
After getting into town it hadn't taken them too long to sort out where to go. There had been an explosion from the direction of the bar so they'd wordlessly exchanged a look and quickly moved away from the area. There was only one person that they knew had explosives but it wouldn't have been worth messing with anyone who did. There were too many ways for the situation to go wrong, and if it went wrong it would have gone extremely badly extremely quickly. Instead, they looped around and returned to the more residential part of the neighborhood, past a house with all the windows smashed in, and a house containing the body of Billie, the girl in the wheelchair. Salem had been the one to kill her, Ashlyn's weirdo boyfriend.
But they'd kept moving until she heard movement from up ahead.
They ducked around the side of a nearby house and looped around the garden to get a better angle of the source. A boy sat on the porch of a house opposite.
"I think it's Jacob," She whispered to Leslie. "He's on his own it looks like."
As Aracelis was crouched there sorting out her baseball bat there was the sound of another voice, and another figure walked into view. At the sound, her head shot up, an animal on high alert. Her heart began to go into overdrive and the blood boiled in her ears.
It was Molly.
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almostinhuman
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Jacob spotted the girl before she reached him, watching silently as she approached. Despite the sword in her hands, Jacob didn't start running or reach for the gun in his bag. Frankly, she looked ready to crumple to the floor and burst into tears. Molly, her name was? Or Monica or something? He didn't really know. They probably shared a class or two but he couldn't remember ever even talking to her before.
She had a pretty simple request at least. Just food and water, which Jacob now had plenty to spare. Maybe a chance to get another person at least vaguely in his corner, one less person to watch out for while he continued his hunt.
"Uh... sure. Hold on."
He laid the bag on his lap and unzipped it, digging past the weapon and other odds and ends and pulling out a bottle of water, before handing it to Molly.
"Here."
She had a pretty simple request at least. Just food and water, which Jacob now had plenty to spare. Maybe a chance to get another person at least vaguely in his corner, one less person to watch out for while he continued his hunt.
"Uh... sure. Hold on."
He laid the bag on his lap and unzipped it, digging past the weapon and other odds and ends and pulling out a bottle of water, before handing it to Molly.
"Here."
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ViolentMedic
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“Ohthankgod.”
Mônica had to resist the urge to lunge for it, she was so goddamn thirsty, but with a sword in hand that was just opening the way for a huge misunderstanding. So she approached as slowly as she could manage to take the drink, before sitting down next to him on the porch and quickly opening it. She drank first, but stopped herself before long. It was still only a bottle. She couldn’t use it up too fast.
“Thank you…” she said once she’d lowered the bottle. Voice a little less croaky. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then pushed an unconvincing smile back onto her face. “Julia or Jezzie or someone shot my bag a couple of days ago… it’s, like, rude?”
Mônica lifted the bottle of water again, and made herself only take a small gulp. Her eyes flickered down to Jacob’s injured leg as she drank.
She wondered what mobility he had on that leg. Maybe she could grab his supplies and book it. ...Man, that’d be kind of a jerk move after he’d been so nice, wouldn’t it? But if only one person was going to survive, did it really matter?
“Your leg looks pretty bad… how, uh… how did that happen?”
Mônica had to resist the urge to lunge for it, she was so goddamn thirsty, but with a sword in hand that was just opening the way for a huge misunderstanding. So she approached as slowly as she could manage to take the drink, before sitting down next to him on the porch and quickly opening it. She drank first, but stopped herself before long. It was still only a bottle. She couldn’t use it up too fast.
“Thank you…” she said once she’d lowered the bottle. Voice a little less croaky. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then pushed an unconvincing smile back onto her face. “Julia or Jezzie or someone shot my bag a couple of days ago… it’s, like, rude?”
Mônica lifted the bottle of water again, and made herself only take a small gulp. Her eyes flickered down to Jacob’s injured leg as she drank.
She wondered what mobility he had on that leg. Maybe she could grab his supplies and book it. ...Man, that’d be kind of a jerk move after he’d been so nice, wouldn’t it? But if only one person was going to survive, did it really matter?
“Your leg looks pretty bad… how, uh… how did that happen?”
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Ruggahissy
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((Leslie Romero continued from Sana Sana Colita De Rana))
Leslie and Aracelis had avoided running into any further trouble, seeing only the aftermath of trouble where they checked. It didn't take a MENSA member to know to go away from explosions rather than towards.
As the daily news bulletin blasted above them there were more names. He made note of the continuously murderous ones, but he was kind of ashamed to realize that the rest were just names. He wasn't really a social butterfly like Aracelis had been, so while he knew more or less who the names were attached to and thought it was fucked, it also wasn't something that he dwelled on.
Suddenly, noise ahead.
Leslie bent down to tie one of his shoes while Aracelis peaked from behind the side of house. He quietly inched next to her. Leslie raised an eyebrow of uncertainty and peered around the side of the house as well.
There was Jacob, but there was a second person who hadn't been announced. He looked over to see fire in Aracelis's gaze.
Leslie grabbed her wrist and pulled them both back behind the cover of the house.
"Think," he whispered, worried that a longer sentiment would call attention to them.
Leslie and Aracelis had avoided running into any further trouble, seeing only the aftermath of trouble where they checked. It didn't take a MENSA member to know to go away from explosions rather than towards.
As the daily news bulletin blasted above them there were more names. He made note of the continuously murderous ones, but he was kind of ashamed to realize that the rest were just names. He wasn't really a social butterfly like Aracelis had been, so while he knew more or less who the names were attached to and thought it was fucked, it also wasn't something that he dwelled on.
Suddenly, noise ahead.
Leslie bent down to tie one of his shoes while Aracelis peaked from behind the side of house. He quietly inched next to her. Leslie raised an eyebrow of uncertainty and peered around the side of the house as well.
There was Jacob, but there was a second person who hadn't been announced. He looked over to see fire in Aracelis's gaze.
Leslie grabbed her wrist and pulled them both back behind the cover of the house.
"Think," he whispered, worried that a longer sentiment would call attention to them.
As she came closer and made her way to Jacob it confirmed it was Molly. Jacob was saying something to her and then gave her a handout, a free bottle of water. She was getting charity. She was a murderer and she was getting charity. Molly had killed her own brother and tried to kill Aracelis in cold blood before running away rather than face up to her own actions. But there she was, being given supplies as if she hadn't done any of that.
Aracelis' grip on the baseball bat tightened and she took a step forward and out of their cover before Leslie yanked her back behind the house by the wrist. Instantly she rounded on him, aggression that would have gone towards Molly instead being unleashed on him.
"What the fuck are you doing?" She hissed, keeping her voice so low it came out closer to a growl. "They're right there and Jacob's injured."
She found it unbelievable. Leslie was stuck in his feelings and didn't want to make the most obvious move. The play their entire strategy was based around. They took advantage of situations to grab supplies. If Molly happened to die in the enacting of that plan, all the better.
"She's not going to fuck you," She snarled, yanking her arm free of his hand.
Aracelis' grip on the baseball bat tightened and she took a step forward and out of their cover before Leslie yanked her back behind the house by the wrist. Instantly she rounded on him, aggression that would have gone towards Molly instead being unleashed on him.
"What the fuck are you doing?" She hissed, keeping her voice so low it came out closer to a growl. "They're right there and Jacob's injured."
She found it unbelievable. Leslie was stuck in his feelings and didn't want to make the most obvious move. The play their entire strategy was based around. They took advantage of situations to grab supplies. If Molly happened to die in the enacting of that plan, all the better.
"She's not going to fuck you," She snarled, yanking her arm free of his hand.
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almostinhuman
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Jacob's lips subtly twitched downward into a slight frown. His hand rested gently on the bandaged leg.
"Salem. Salem is how it happened."
His hand balled into a fist. He looked away from her, staring down the street behind her again. Maybe she could give him some sort of lead, or maybe there'd be some sign of movement out there.
"Did you see him anywhere, by the way?"
"Salem. Salem is how it happened."
His hand balled into a fist. He looked away from her, staring down the street behind her again. Maybe she could give him some sort of lead, or maybe there'd be some sign of movement out there.
"Did you see him anywhere, by the way?"
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 1414
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
“Oh, yeah? That sucks.” Mônica shook her head. “Nah, not yet. Was hoping I wouldn’t… I mean, we used to be amiable enough, but I don’t think it’s good to run into your ex on murder island, you know? Especially when that ex has… um… four kills? Five?”
Honestly, Mônica never would have guessed that Salem would go so hard on the killing. She’d been expecting that shit from other exes, like Adam. But the terrorists had been showering Salem in confetti and everything. Crazy.
“Are you trying to avoid him? Or trying to, um...” Mônica raised her sword a little, making a half-hearted jab forward with the hilt. “You know.”
As she asked, she thought she heard something. She turned her head a little towards where she’d thought she’d heard it. There were so many houses around… god, this felt like a terrible place to sit, all of a sudden.
Her eyes still felt damp and red, and she’d been trying to hold that back as best she could. She wondered if she should just let it out. She was pretty sure Matthew hadn’t shot her primarily because of her pathetic vibe. Embarrassing… but whatever worked, really.
Honestly, Mônica never would have guessed that Salem would go so hard on the killing. She’d been expecting that shit from other exes, like Adam. But the terrorists had been showering Salem in confetti and everything. Crazy.
“Are you trying to avoid him? Or trying to, um...” Mônica raised her sword a little, making a half-hearted jab forward with the hilt. “You know.”
As she asked, she thought she heard something. She turned her head a little towards where she’d thought she’d heard it. There were so many houses around… god, this felt like a terrible place to sit, all of a sudden.
Her eyes still felt damp and red, and she’d been trying to hold that back as best she could. She wondered if she should just let it out. She was pretty sure Matthew hadn’t shot her primarily because of her pathetic vibe. Embarrassing… but whatever worked, really.
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2541
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"Duh, like anyone would" he responded, rolling his eyes at the supposition that anyone would treat a terrorist attack like a Tinder speed run.
Leslie let Aracelis take her hand back, but took one step forward and regained his hold on her.
Against the wall of the house that sheltered them from view, their elongated shadows stretched and formed a shadow play, his larger frame embracing her. He held her with his wide, flat palm firm on her back.
"And it’s not gonna bring him back," he said quietly. Maybe he was a hypocrite, but maybe that didn’t matter if no one could confirm it.
"You’ve got a lot of feelings about it, anyone would. But when you lead with feelings, you know, you're more likely to be sloppy. And you’ve only got one eye left."
The embrace had the scent of cactus fruit — prickly pears. It was the smell of sugar and pain.
Leslie let go of Aracelis and looked at her with his breath coming out in puffs in front of him.
Leslie let Aracelis take her hand back, but took one step forward and regained his hold on her.
Against the wall of the house that sheltered them from view, their elongated shadows stretched and formed a shadow play, his larger frame embracing her. He held her with his wide, flat palm firm on her back.
"And it’s not gonna bring him back," he said quietly. Maybe he was a hypocrite, but maybe that didn’t matter if no one could confirm it.
"You’ve got a lot of feelings about it, anyone would. But when you lead with feelings, you know, you're more likely to be sloppy. And you’ve only got one eye left."
The embrace had the scent of cactus fruit — prickly pears. It was the smell of sugar and pain.
Leslie let go of Aracelis and looked at her with his breath coming out in puffs in front of him.
Leslie didn't return her anger, instead, he was placid, merely agreeing with her. It was more infuriating in a way. She had wanted a reaction out of him, wanted him to want to disprove her or alternatively confirm her suspicions. Instead, he just shrugged it off, the words sliding off his skin.
Her hand was released but Leslie stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace and Aracelis was stunned. It was more unexpected by his easy dismissal of her caustic words. He held her tight, in a grip that was for comfort, not restraint. Aracelis was too shocked to react at first but she didn't pull away. It was the closest they had been to each other since they'd woken up. At least, the closest they'd been that she had been awake for. Leslie would have had to carry her to the house after the fight with Bethany.
She was so caught off-guard that his words easily slid past her defenses, the harsh walls she'd erected fractured and vulnerable to what he was saying.
He let her go and Aracelis stood dumbfounded for a moment, processing what had happened and what he'd said.
On the other side of the house, the muffled voices of Jacob and Molly could still be heard, discussing something.
"I..." Aracelis didn't know what to say.
Then the already fractured walls collapsed, as she grabbed Leslie in an embrace of her own, sobbing into his shoulder.
"I miss him so much," She said between hitched breaths. "It's not fair."
Her hand was released but Leslie stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace and Aracelis was stunned. It was more unexpected by his easy dismissal of her caustic words. He held her tight, in a grip that was for comfort, not restraint. Aracelis was too shocked to react at first but she didn't pull away. It was the closest they had been to each other since they'd woken up. At least, the closest they'd been that she had been awake for. Leslie would have had to carry her to the house after the fight with Bethany.
She was so caught off-guard that his words easily slid past her defenses, the harsh walls she'd erected fractured and vulnerable to what he was saying.
He let her go and Aracelis stood dumbfounded for a moment, processing what had happened and what he'd said.
On the other side of the house, the muffled voices of Jacob and Molly could still be heard, discussing something.
"I..." Aracelis didn't know what to say.
Then the already fractured walls collapsed, as she grabbed Leslie in an embrace of her own, sobbing into his shoulder.
"I miss him so much," She said between hitched breaths. "It's not fair."
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 228
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His scowl deepened. So she'd caught the implication. Not like Jacob was being subtle about it. At this point, with Salem and others running around butchering everyone, maybe he shouldn't feel anxious and ashamed of what he wanted to do. It was only one guy, and one who so clearly had it coming, right? All for revenge for someone he'd cut down, too, a fallen friend or at least friend-adjacent. Jacob wanting to kill Salem so bad wasn't the same as whatever grim impulse drove his target and Kitty and the rest to all this mayhem, right? Besides, it wasn't like he intended to keep going afterwards.
And, like... okay, he wasn't really sure if he'd caught her name on the announcements or not. Whether it was weed haze or leg injury haze, he'd not been paying attention to at least half of them. But if she was still around there was a solid chance she'd already taken someone out. With that bigass sword it wouldn't be hard, outside of the emotional toll at least. So maybe she got it.
"... yeah. I am."
He met her gaze, eyes peering over the upper edge of his sunglasses. He wanted to look steely and determined, but with the pain and exhaustion racking his body he probably just looked kinda weary and sad.
"I'm gonna kill that motherfucker."
And, like... okay, he wasn't really sure if he'd caught her name on the announcements or not. Whether it was weed haze or leg injury haze, he'd not been paying attention to at least half of them. But if she was still around there was a solid chance she'd already taken someone out. With that bigass sword it wouldn't be hard, outside of the emotional toll at least. So maybe she got it.
"... yeah. I am."
He met her gaze, eyes peering over the upper edge of his sunglasses. He wanted to look steely and determined, but with the pain and exhaustion racking his body he probably just looked kinda weary and sad.
"I'm gonna kill that motherfucker."
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ViolentMedic
- Posts: 1414
- Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:53 am
“Fair enough.”
Mônica sure as hell wasn’t going to try and stop him. If Jacob took out Salem, it would mean not running into an ex that was on some kind of crazy power trip.
She leaned back on the stairs, staring upwards.
“You sure, though? I mean… he’d have, like… a lot of guns by now?”
Though… really, didn’t she stand an equal chance of being found by Salem either way? She wondered if he’d shoot her on sight or be more open to hanging out. Had he killed any of his other exes so far?
“Do you have a gun? Or, like… anything? I mean, with that leg… you’d have to have a real ace up your sleeve to stand a chance?”
If Jacob had a gun, and an ally who might stand a chance at distracting Salem long enough to get him from behind… then maybe. And maybe Mônica would stand a better chance if she ran into him.
Right now, the idea of running into Salem alone… that was a scary thought. Aside from running into Aracelis again, perhaps the scariest. Though if Jacob didn’t have that ace up his sleeve, he’d be dead weight on that--
…
“Do you hear crying?”
Mônica sure as hell wasn’t going to try and stop him. If Jacob took out Salem, it would mean not running into an ex that was on some kind of crazy power trip.
She leaned back on the stairs, staring upwards.
“You sure, though? I mean… he’d have, like… a lot of guns by now?”
Though… really, didn’t she stand an equal chance of being found by Salem either way? She wondered if he’d shoot her on sight or be more open to hanging out. Had he killed any of his other exes so far?
“Do you have a gun? Or, like… anything? I mean, with that leg… you’d have to have a real ace up your sleeve to stand a chance?”
If Jacob had a gun, and an ally who might stand a chance at distracting Salem long enough to get him from behind… then maybe. And maybe Mônica would stand a better chance if she ran into him.
Right now, the idea of running into Salem alone… that was a scary thought. Aside from running into Aracelis again, perhaps the scariest. Though if Jacob didn’t have that ace up his sleeve, he’d be dead weight on that--
…
“Do you hear crying?”
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2541
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Leslie tugged on the sleeve of his right hand, which was still occupied by gripping the taser tightly.
She grabbed him back and hugged him as she cried. After a slight delay, he returned the embrace and lightly patted her on the back while holding her securely with the other hand.
He could still hear Molly and Jacob faintly, until there was a pause.
If she was asking this guy for stuff, she probably didn’t have a lot on her, so it wouldn’t be a murder of necessity, it would just be violence for vengeance.
He didn’t feel like it was his place really to pass judgement on someone who wanted revenge, he just didn’t want to be the one to have to do it. He wished he was small, so he wouldn’t have to feel important, so he wouldn’t waste anything, or be wrong about what he wanted.
Leslie could see her point of view, that it wasn’t fair for her to get the help after what she had done. There’s no such thing as fairness in a cosmic sense, though most people would like to believe in karma or something like that, but on occasion sometimes you can step in to make your own small bit of fairness.
"It’s not fair, no," he said whispered back. "I don’t want to kill her, but maybe I can make it fair."
The gold crucifix hung from the chain around his neck. He took hold of Aracelis’s shoulders and held her at arm’s length.
"Stay out of sight," he said quietly.
Leslie peered around the wall at them again, then leaned back against it.
What would Jesus do?
Definitely not this.
"Careful, she slaughtered her own brother, snuck into his room while he was sleeping" he bellowed with his hand cupped, in as deep a voice he could muster. Jacob could make further decisions as an informed citizen.
She grabbed him back and hugged him as she cried. After a slight delay, he returned the embrace and lightly patted her on the back while holding her securely with the other hand.
He could still hear Molly and Jacob faintly, until there was a pause.
If she was asking this guy for stuff, she probably didn’t have a lot on her, so it wouldn’t be a murder of necessity, it would just be violence for vengeance.
He didn’t feel like it was his place really to pass judgement on someone who wanted revenge, he just didn’t want to be the one to have to do it. He wished he was small, so he wouldn’t have to feel important, so he wouldn’t waste anything, or be wrong about what he wanted.
Leslie could see her point of view, that it wasn’t fair for her to get the help after what she had done. There’s no such thing as fairness in a cosmic sense, though most people would like to believe in karma or something like that, but on occasion sometimes you can step in to make your own small bit of fairness.
"It’s not fair, no," he said whispered back. "I don’t want to kill her, but maybe I can make it fair."
The gold crucifix hung from the chain around his neck. He took hold of Aracelis’s shoulders and held her at arm’s length.
"Stay out of sight," he said quietly.
Leslie peered around the wall at them again, then leaned back against it.
What would Jesus do?
Definitely not this.
"Careful, she slaughtered her own brother, snuck into his room while he was sleeping" he bellowed with his hand cupped, in as deep a voice he could muster. Jacob could make further decisions as an informed citizen.
Of all the things Aracelis thought would have happened following her breaking down in front of Leslie, it hadn't been that. She hadn't even expected him to return her embrace. They had a partnership but it was a business arrangement. They worked together and split any and all proceeds. They weren't going to fuck each other over, but they certainly weren't friends and at points hadn't even been willing partners, they'd just stuck together because the devil you knew was better than the one you didn't. They knew they weren't going to betray each other, so it was safer to stick together. But they weren't supportive, or at least they hadn't been.
"Huh?"
Aracelis blinked and wiped at her eyes as Leslie told her to stay out of sight. She was confused by what he was planning, they had no way of doing anything to them from a distance, and if he was just stepping out they'd see him straight away. But she did as he asked and stayed behind the back of the house as he stepped around the corner. Meanwhile, she sniffed and rubbed at her face, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising in her cheeks.
Then she heard Leslie yelling across the road at Jacob and Molly and couldn't help but smile.
"Huh?"
Aracelis blinked and wiped at her eyes as Leslie told her to stay out of sight. She was confused by what he was planning, they had no way of doing anything to them from a distance, and if he was just stepping out they'd see him straight away. But she did as he asked and stayed behind the back of the house as he stepped around the corner. Meanwhile, she sniffed and rubbed at her face, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising in her cheeks.
Then she heard Leslie yelling across the road at Jacob and Molly and couldn't help but smile.