((GMing not approved. Arscapi, let me know if I need to edit stuff))
(Rebecca Kiesling continued from I Better Light Another Candle)
The knot of tension in Rebecca's chest was finally gone. After their flight from the convenience store, Logan had explained the situation to her. It was a freak accident, what had happened to Joseph. Nothing intentional had been done to the reserved boy.
Despite Logan's words, there was a part of Rebecca that was still afraid. Afraid of her friend and afraid of the situation that had been created. What if someone came looking for Logan because he had caused Joseph to die? Joseph had to have had some other friends somewhere on the island, right? Jessica hadn't followed them when they left the store. Maybe she blamed Logan for what happened. Maybe she was looking for them, going to try to get revenge for the loss of Joseph.
It wasn't as if Rebecca had been with the group for very long. She didn't really know if they had bonded and grown close. Plus, their departure had been super abrupt. She didn't even give Logan a chance to explain anything before she had yanked him out the door. If anything happened with Jessica, if she showed up looking to fight, it would have been all her fault.
Those hours had passed in a kind of wary watchfulness. Sleep had not come easily that night. But in the morning, there had been announcements. And for the first time on the island, she was glad by what she had heard. Rebecca had breathed a sigh of relief as the announcements concluded. The terrorists said Joseph's death was an accident. There wasn't anything to fear about people seeking retribution.
It really had been an accident, just like Logan had said. She could relax and enjoy her friend's company again. The gated community of cookie-cutter houses seemed pretty safe. Not as secure as the store they had left, but a step above the school and other places she had been. At least it meant they didn't need Logan's tent to have a dry place to sleep.
Rebecca sat on a stool they had 'liberated' from their new headquarters and dug her toes into the slightly damp lawn. The sun was peeking through clouds. It was kind of nice to have a relaxing moment after all the stress. As she watched the quiet little street, a thought occurred to her. "So, since this little group of houses is severely lacking in uniqueness, if you had to live here, what would you change in your house?"
Arcadia
-
BetaKnight
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 4:05 am
((Leona Van Kamp continued from Exposure))
The saying went, "Fortune favors the bold", but Leona never cared for that construction. It was never how anything shaked out, really. She had seen luck put a foot to the hindquarters of all kinds of people that got a little too courageous for her own good. No, she'd always seen it as "Fortune favors those ready for favor." Made more sense, really. Blind luck, setting yourself in the path of benefits and reaping the rewards was the real way of the world. People didn't get rich because they had balls. Ultimately they got rich because something worked out.
This was why she was almost unsurprised when, wandering around a neighborhood that looked like it came right out of Leave it to Beaver, she found her lost friend Rebecca, mounted on a stool and enjoying the sun like she was queen of the block.
Leona was a ways down the street, but she could tell what Rebecca had been wearing. That and the latest announcements hadn't brought about a mention of her name. Leona felt some relief. Finally, someone she could trust, and someone who would trust her. A small smile cracked her lips. Everything really would work out. She just had to keep living.
Leona started down the street at a brisk walk, ready to finally meet up with Rebecca.
The saying went, "Fortune favors the bold", but Leona never cared for that construction. It was never how anything shaked out, really. She had seen luck put a foot to the hindquarters of all kinds of people that got a little too courageous for her own good. No, she'd always seen it as "Fortune favors those ready for favor." Made more sense, really. Blind luck, setting yourself in the path of benefits and reaping the rewards was the real way of the world. People didn't get rich because they had balls. Ultimately they got rich because something worked out.
This was why she was almost unsurprised when, wandering around a neighborhood that looked like it came right out of Leave it to Beaver, she found her lost friend Rebecca, mounted on a stool and enjoying the sun like she was queen of the block.
Leona was a ways down the street, but she could tell what Rebecca had been wearing. That and the latest announcements hadn't brought about a mention of her name. Leona felt some relief. Finally, someone she could trust, and someone who would trust her. A small smile cracked her lips. Everything really would work out. She just had to keep living.
Leona started down the street at a brisk walk, ready to finally meet up with Rebecca.
((Logan Cadagon continued from I Better Light Another Candle))
Logan yawned, he'd slept in fits and starts the night before. He had a feeling the girls didn't trust him. Not that they didn't have a good reason too. He still hadn't decided himself whether or not he'd actually killed Joseph. All he knew for sure was that he hadn't meant to. That counted for something, didn't it. All he was trying to do was get the boy to lighten us a little. It was weird if you thought about it. Logan had been convinced that Joseph was going to get himself killed worrying over everything. He was just getting the boy to come out of his shell. Jessica had handled it well.
But Jessica wasn't with them anymore. She'd apparently given up on him and he and Rebecca had spent the better part of yesterday wandered aimlessly. Not that he could blame Rebecca for not having a purpose, it wasn't like he'd been much help. In fact he was the reason why they'd had to leave in the first place. He was glad that he'd remembered to grab his pack, but he regretted that he gone back for the markers, he'd just gotten.
He shook his head at the absurdity of that thought. Another one of his classmates had just died and he was worried about markers. But then what should he be thinking about. Logan shrugged. Was there a normal thing people thought about when trapped in some remote location and forced to watch their classmates die one by one? Somehow he doubted it.
Logan was just glad that Rebecca was talking to him.
"The color to start," he said in response to her question. "Something to liven up the place. We should start a contest. For the next day we should pick a house and using the stuff we find brighten it up. What do you say?"
Logan barely waited for Rebecca's response before heading into the house across the street. "I choose this one," he called disappearing into the house.
Logan yawned, he'd slept in fits and starts the night before. He had a feeling the girls didn't trust him. Not that they didn't have a good reason too. He still hadn't decided himself whether or not he'd actually killed Joseph. All he knew for sure was that he hadn't meant to. That counted for something, didn't it. All he was trying to do was get the boy to lighten us a little. It was weird if you thought about it. Logan had been convinced that Joseph was going to get himself killed worrying over everything. He was just getting the boy to come out of his shell. Jessica had handled it well.
But Jessica wasn't with them anymore. She'd apparently given up on him and he and Rebecca had spent the better part of yesterday wandered aimlessly. Not that he could blame Rebecca for not having a purpose, it wasn't like he'd been much help. In fact he was the reason why they'd had to leave in the first place. He was glad that he'd remembered to grab his pack, but he regretted that he gone back for the markers, he'd just gotten.
He shook his head at the absurdity of that thought. Another one of his classmates had just died and he was worried about markers. But then what should he be thinking about. Logan shrugged. Was there a normal thing people thought about when trapped in some remote location and forced to watch their classmates die one by one? Somehow he doubted it.
Logan was just glad that Rebecca was talking to him.
"The color to start," he said in response to her question. "Something to liven up the place. We should start a contest. For the next day we should pick a house and using the stuff we find brighten it up. What do you say?"
Logan barely waited for Rebecca's response before heading into the house across the street. "I choose this one," he called disappearing into the house.
Leona hadn't noticed the boy until he was leaving. He had a chat with Rebecca, and then took off across the street. She was alright with that. It wasn't in her interest at the time to break in a new person, prior acquaintance of Rebecca or not.
Leona waited from where she stood on the sidewalk, watching the boy, and once he was inside the house she resumed her pace. It didn't take long for her to reach the sidewalk flanking Rebecca's yard.
"Hey." She said, hand on one cocked hip. The word came out casual, but her face barely contained a smile.
Leona waited from where she stood on the sidewalk, watching the boy, and once he was inside the house she resumed her pace. It didn't take long for her to reach the sidewalk flanking Rebecca's yard.
"Hey." She said, hand on one cocked hip. The word came out casual, but her face barely contained a smile.
-
BetaKnight
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 4:05 am
Rebecca had expected Logan to have a long litany of changes for his theoretical house, starting with the exterior trim color and ending somewhere around the color of the tile in the mudroom. So when he started talking, she had somewhat tuned him out as she basked in the watery sunlight that was breaking through the clouds. While sitting on a bar stool and letting her toes dig into lawn of an abandoned house didn't sound great, it was perhaps the most luxurious thing she had experienced since this nightmare began.
It took a second to register that he had hopped up and was disappearing into one of the houses across the way. "Wait! Logan! Lo-" she cut herself off with a huff as she realized that she was yelling at an empty doorway. She flapped a hand at the other house in irritation, concern warring with anger as her earlier relief evaporated.
Logan would return in his own sweet time, lugging along...something he found to fix up their new house. "Well, at least it will be entertaining to see what he find," she said with a resigned sigh.
Rebecca was so intent on watching for Logan's return that she didn't even realize anyone else was around until Leona spoke. She jerked in fright, her hand flying to her chest as if to calm her racing heart. A second later, she was in motion, limping towards Leona as fast as she could.
"Leo!" She threw her arms out in anticipation of hugging her best friend. "Of course you would appear out of thin air! Like magic!"
It took a second to register that he had hopped up and was disappearing into one of the houses across the way. "Wait! Logan! Lo-" she cut herself off with a huff as she realized that she was yelling at an empty doorway. She flapped a hand at the other house in irritation, concern warring with anger as her earlier relief evaporated.
Logan would return in his own sweet time, lugging along...something he found to fix up their new house. "Well, at least it will be entertaining to see what he find," she said with a resigned sigh.
Rebecca was so intent on watching for Logan's return that she didn't even realize anyone else was around until Leona spoke. She jerked in fright, her hand flying to her chest as if to calm her racing heart. A second later, she was in motion, limping towards Leona as fast as she could.
"Leo!" She threw her arms out in anticipation of hugging her best friend. "Of course you would appear out of thin air! Like magic!"
-
NotAFlyingToy
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:49 am
- Location: Burlington, Canada
- Contact:
"Let's meet at the Guh-gated community," he had said, "after yuh-you're done picking up your gun. Wuh-we can plan our next struh-hategy."
((Hansel Williams, All Battles Are Fought By Scared Men Who'd Rather Be Some Place Else))
Reading through Garrett's notes had Hansel feel discontent, restless. He sifted through the notes, a bruised palm lifting paper, squinting at it, spreading it aside. The notes were spread out across one of the bedrooms on the first floor of the house he had chosen for temporary sanctuary, white pages on dark, ugly mauve carpets.
Garrett had classified players.
He'd given them a few words each, then a recommendation of how he - or someone else - should engage and confront them. It read as a lunatic journal - some kind of bible for attacking and murdering killers on the island.
He'd even underlined and written in the margin's of Danya's survival guide that had come in the packs.
Hansel shook his head, tossing the paper onto the carpet floor of the bedroom as he rose to his feet, stretching his back from tension. His red shirt, one sleeve ripped off and fresh bandage exposed, caught the light as his boots made soft clop clop noises on the carpet, stetson settling back on his head. With his good hand, he snatched up his FAMAS, opened the bedroom door, and stepped into the hallway-
There was a boy stepping through the front door, walking towards him.
Hansel's FAMAS was up and at his cheek in a second, his stance widening in preparation for a shot.
((Hansel Williams, All Battles Are Fought By Scared Men Who'd Rather Be Some Place Else))
Reading through Garrett's notes had Hansel feel discontent, restless. He sifted through the notes, a bruised palm lifting paper, squinting at it, spreading it aside. The notes were spread out across one of the bedrooms on the first floor of the house he had chosen for temporary sanctuary, white pages on dark, ugly mauve carpets.
Garrett had classified players.
He'd given them a few words each, then a recommendation of how he - or someone else - should engage and confront them. It read as a lunatic journal - some kind of bible for attacking and murdering killers on the island.
He'd even underlined and written in the margin's of Danya's survival guide that had come in the packs.
Hansel shook his head, tossing the paper onto the carpet floor of the bedroom as he rose to his feet, stretching his back from tension. His red shirt, one sleeve ripped off and fresh bandage exposed, caught the light as his boots made soft clop clop noises on the carpet, stetson settling back on his head. With his good hand, he snatched up his FAMAS, opened the bedroom door, and stepped into the hallway-
There was a boy stepping through the front door, walking towards him.
Hansel's FAMAS was up and at his cheek in a second, his stance widening in preparation for a shot.
Logan glanced back to see if Rebecca had selected a house and saw that she'd found a friend. He stepped backwards into the house, watching the girls interact. Since she wasn't screaming for him to come back, he figured she was okay for a few minutes. Since he was here he figured he'd take a quick look around and see if there were any supplies left behind. He backed into the middle of the room, before spinning on his heel, which brought him face to face with a gun.
Letting out a startled yelp, he took a step back and raised his hands. Trying to peer around the gun, which covered most of the boy's face.
"Look," Logan said his voice high and squeaky. He cleared his throat and took another step back. "I'll go there's no need for violence."
Letting out a startled yelp, he took a step back and raised his hands. Trying to peer around the gun, which covered most of the boy's face.
"Look," Logan said his voice high and squeaky. He cleared his throat and took another step back. "I'll go there's no need for violence."
-
NotAFlyingToy
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:49 am
- Location: Burlington, Canada
- Contact:
No need for violence.
Hansel smiled, the flashing of teeth aimed inwards, sarcastic in nature, as the noble deeds he'd accomplished with his time on the island spread out before him. He saw them in the terrified eyes of Logan, sighted through the crosshairs of the FAMAS, saw them reflected back at him, judging him, condemning him.
His finger flipped the FAMAS from safe to burst, the switch from nonlethal to lethal signalled with a telltale click snick.
No need for violence.
Three rounds exploded in the confined space, the rifle bucking back against his good shoulder, as Hansel pulled the trigger.
Hansel smiled, the flashing of teeth aimed inwards, sarcastic in nature, as the noble deeds he'd accomplished with his time on the island spread out before him. He saw them in the terrified eyes of Logan, sighted through the crosshairs of the FAMAS, saw them reflected back at him, judging him, condemning him.
His finger flipped the FAMAS from safe to burst, the switch from nonlethal to lethal signalled with a telltale click snick.
No need for violence.
Three rounds exploded in the confined space, the rifle bucking back against his good shoulder, as Hansel pulled the trigger.
Leona opened her own arms out low, catching Rebecca and completing her half of the hug.
"Yep. Just like magic." She gave her a squeeze, feeling better than she had since getting on the island. She was the entertainer, and she had her assistant back. Everythng was back in alignment.
Almost anything.
They let go, and Leona gave a pointed glance at Rebecca's knee. She had been favoring it pretty hard, and that was troubling.
"Is it getting worse?" A pointless question. Rebecca's limp had never been so pronounced before.
"Yep. Just like magic." She gave her a squeeze, feeling better than she had since getting on the island. She was the entertainer, and she had her assistant back. Everythng was back in alignment.
Almost anything.
They let go, and Leona gave a pointed glance at Rebecca's knee. She had been favoring it pretty hard, and that was troubling.
"Is it getting worse?" A pointless question. Rebecca's limp had never been so pronounced before.
-
BetaKnight
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 4:05 am
Rebecca basked in the warmth of Leona's presence and concern. She had thought she was doing a good job of hiding her discomfort, but it was almost impossible to hide anything from Leona. She was just too observant. Rebecca waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, hoping to dispel some of Leona's concern.
"Funny story," she said with a little laugh. "A couple of days ago, I was walking backwards, talking to some people when, like a complete klutz, I tripped over my own feet and fell. My leg had been bothering me a bit since, well...since all this started. But that fall really made it swell and it's stiff and pretty uncomfortable. I've been trying to not aggravate it, but...."
Rebecca trailed off with an embarrassed shrug. She was making herself out to be the center of attention, which wasn't her intention in the least. "Don't mind me. I'm being a whiner. It's not that bad. But tell me about you! How have you been? Are you okay?" Impulsively, she reached out to hold Leona's hand.
An explosive bang from somewhere behind her made her jump and let out a short, shrill cry. Instinctively, she pivoted towards the sound. The instantaneous ache and burn from her knee let her know what a bad plan that was. Her first instinct was to try and run as far and as fast from the sound as she could. Nothing good could come from that sound.
"Funny story," she said with a little laugh. "A couple of days ago, I was walking backwards, talking to some people when, like a complete klutz, I tripped over my own feet and fell. My leg had been bothering me a bit since, well...since all this started. But that fall really made it swell and it's stiff and pretty uncomfortable. I've been trying to not aggravate it, but...."
Rebecca trailed off with an embarrassed shrug. She was making herself out to be the center of attention, which wasn't her intention in the least. "Don't mind me. I'm being a whiner. It's not that bad. But tell me about you! How have you been? Are you okay?" Impulsively, she reached out to hold Leona's hand.
An explosive bang from somewhere behind her made her jump and let out a short, shrill cry. Instinctively, she pivoted towards the sound. The instantaneous ache and burn from her knee let her know what a bad plan that was. Her first instinct was to try and run as far and as fast from the sound as she could. Nothing good could come from that sound.
Logan only had time to wish that he hadn't left Rebecca alone. It seemed all he'd done was make bad decisions. At least this time he was the only one that was going to pay for his impulsive decisions. There was a brief moment of pain and then the world went black.
Logan's body slumped to the ground just inside the door.
Logan Cadagon B16 - deceased
Logan's body slumped to the ground just inside the door.
Logan Cadagon B16 - deceased
-
NotAFlyingToy
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:49 am
- Location: Burlington, Canada
- Contact:
Hansel watched Logan fall to the ground, three neat bullet holes in a line from stomach to collar bone. He kept the FAMAS up, kept his eyes on the boy's corpse as it landed like a marionette with its strings cut, crumpled in a heap. He waited for signs of movement, struggle.
Nothing came. No breaths, no movement. Another one bit the dust.
Hansel's lips quirked to the side as he straightened, the gun moving down by his right side as he eyed the body, and then his hand in quick succession. He curled his right fist, slowly balling it and working the tension from his knuckles.
No hesitation, this time. All he'd known was that Logan was between him and the win, unarmed, and alone.
At least, until he heard the shout.
Nothing came. No breaths, no movement. Another one bit the dust.
Hansel's lips quirked to the side as he straightened, the gun moving down by his right side as he eyed the body, and then his hand in quick succession. He curled his right fist, slowly balling it and working the tension from his knuckles.
No hesitation, this time. All he'd known was that Logan was between him and the win, unarmed, and alone.
At least, until he heard the shout.
The story wasn't all that funny. But it was pure Rebecca, so Leona smiled. The smile was wiped clean quickly as the burst of gunfire ripped through the neighborhood. Her eyes snapped to the house across the way and her shoulders slumped as she really that yes, this was all happening again. She was hoping, just hoping, that Rebecca's friend had had a gun and it had accidentally discharged. But she doubted it.
"I think your friend may have run into some trouble." She said, not realizing how distasteful her words were. In her pocket, her fingers turned her talismanic quarters round and round.
"I think your friend may have run into some trouble." She said, not realizing how distasteful her words were. In her pocket, her fingers turned her talismanic quarters round and round.
-
BetaKnight
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 4:05 am
Rebecca shook her head. No, this couldn't be happening. Logan was fine. He had to be fine. She took one small, painful step towards the street. Her heart hammered in her chest as she opened her mouth. It took two attempts before anything would come out. Even then she couldn't hide the tremor in her voice.
"Lo-Logan? Logan, are you okay?"
She didn't even wait before she called out again, much stronger this time. "Logan, answer me!"
"Lo-Logan? Logan, are you okay?"
She didn't even wait before she called out again, much stronger this time. "Logan, answer me!"
-
NotAFlyingToy
- Posts: 321
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:49 am
- Location: Burlington, Canada
- Contact:
The one phrase Hansel had heard more than anything else on the ranch was his father's gruff, gritty don't be stupid, boy. He'd heard it when he'd been holding a drill incorrectly when repairing a fence, or when he was trying to lift too many bags of feed at the same time. He could still picture Jim Williams' big body, hands tucked into smeared overalls, eyes level and solemn as he uttered the words.
Don't be stupid, boy.
He took two steps back and crouched, the FAMAS coming up and pointed towards the door as the voices pierced the hazy ringing in his ears and penetrated the mild shock and quiet doubt that seemed to follow him the past few days. Shifting, he went to a knee and scooted backwards until his back was against a wall and he had full view of the door. Apparently Logan hadn't been as alone as he had thought.
Patience was key, in situations like this. If Logan's allies had anything decent in the way of weapons, they'd probably come charging in after him, or gain entry somehow.
If they didn't, they had shit all.
And it was just a few more people out of his way.
Don't be stupid, boy.
He took two steps back and crouched, the FAMAS coming up and pointed towards the door as the voices pierced the hazy ringing in his ears and penetrated the mild shock and quiet doubt that seemed to follow him the past few days. Shifting, he went to a knee and scooted backwards until his back was against a wall and he had full view of the door. Apparently Logan hadn't been as alone as he had thought.
Patience was key, in situations like this. If Logan's allies had anything decent in the way of weapons, they'd probably come charging in after him, or gain entry somehow.
If they didn't, they had shit all.
And it was just a few more people out of his way.