"We're gonna hunker down," Shu spoke over Kiera, his words matter-of-fact. He didn't move his hand off of her even as he repositioned his feet in the snow, glaring at Marian again with a hard frown.
"Can't trust anyone but Kiera. Sorry. Go look for your car."
i'll fly away
sorry gang we got stuff to do (closed)
"That sounds really codependent.
"And honestly? Kinda' insane. You should be able to trust other people, and be able to hang out with other people than your significant other.
"It's a sign of something deeper, scarier. Like, yeah, we're in a death game, and yeah, we'll all eventually die, probably on this island, but you don't need to be unhealthy about it. There's many healthy ways to do this. Like, for example, you could share a warm coke with me and set your cool ride beside me. But you're not! You're busy having brain worms.
"Which is really unfortunate. Because our relationship could become something we couldn't ignore. Like something secret and quiet between you and me.
"But no, you're a weird motherfucker, and no offense to Kiera, but she's going to end up killing you, you know?"
Marian didn't say any of that.
She instead quietly walked away.
"And honestly? Kinda' insane. You should be able to trust other people, and be able to hang out with other people than your significant other.
"It's a sign of something deeper, scarier. Like, yeah, we're in a death game, and yeah, we'll all eventually die, probably on this island, but you don't need to be unhealthy about it. There's many healthy ways to do this. Like, for example, you could share a warm coke with me and set your cool ride beside me. But you're not! You're busy having brain worms.
"Which is really unfortunate. Because our relationship could become something we couldn't ignore. Like something secret and quiet between you and me.
"But no, you're a weird motherfucker, and no offense to Kiera, but she's going to end up killing you, you know?"
Marian didn't say any of that.
She instead quietly walked away.
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:20 am
Kiera watched Marian go, frowning. That hadn't been what she'd wanted to say to her at all; if anything, she'd been more inclined to invite her to stay safe with them. But Shu had spoken right past her and ended things right then and there. She almost wanted to contradict him, to call out to Marian again, but she knew better than to try. It was clear the two of them weren't going to get along, and maybe this separation was for the best.
She wondered if that was the last time she was ever going to see Marian.
She shrugged Shu's hand off her shoulder and started walking into town.
"Was that really neccessary," she asked, not looking back at him. "She wasn't a danger to us."
She wondered if that was the last time she was ever going to see Marian.
She shrugged Shu's hand off her shoulder and started walking into town.
"Was that really neccessary," she asked, not looking back at him. "She wasn't a danger to us."
Shu's lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk as Marian sulked away in the cold. "Stop. Don't. Come back," he intrusively thought about calling out in his best Gene Wilder impression, but the offhand chance that she'd take him at face value kept him from doing so.
It was for the best, for himself. For Kiera.
He kept watching until Kiera shrugged off his hand, slipping out of his grip with intent. The smirk collapsed onto itself and all he could do was stand there looking dumb-faced with his hand still hovering in the air as she started to walk away herself. He scoffed under his breath. She never understood.
Shu shook off the shock and quickly followed Kiera's purposeful steps, him coasting along just a little behind before he replied in a slightly less irked tone than he gave Marian. "Sorry, didn't know; left my crystal ball at home. Did they let you keep yours?"
It was for the best, for himself. For Kiera.
He kept watching until Kiera shrugged off his hand, slipping out of his grip with intent. The smirk collapsed onto itself and all he could do was stand there looking dumb-faced with his hand still hovering in the air as she started to walk away herself. He scoffed under his breath. She never understood.
Shu shook off the shock and quickly followed Kiera's purposeful steps, him coasting along just a little behind before he replied in a slightly less irked tone than he gave Marian. "Sorry, didn't know; left my crystal ball at home. Did they let you keep yours?"
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:20 am
She turned her head to look back at him, scowling. Where was the sudden smartassery coming from?
"Don't sass me, Shu. Now's really not the time."
She looked ahead, towards where Marian had vanished on the horizon. Her shoulders sagged.
"Even if we can't trust her, you didn't need to be so hostile. What's the point of parting on bad terms like that?"
She looked to the ground, head hanging low.
"... it's not like we're gonna see her again."
"Don't sass me, Shu. Now's really not the time."
She looked ahead, towards where Marian had vanished on the horizon. Her shoulders sagged.
"Even if we can't trust her, you didn't need to be so hostile. What's the point of parting on bad terms like that?"
She looked to the ground, head hanging low.
"... it's not like we're gonna see her again."
From far away, inside the locked house that Kiera had earlier attempted to enter, came the incredibly faint but potentially audible GALUNKALUNKALUNKALUNK-esque sound of somebody sliding down a flight of damp, slightly mushy stairs.
none of you can prove im in v8
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
Shu's eyes went wide as he absorbed the scolding, stopping in his tracks and filling the empty spaces of dialogue with soft grunts that could be rebuttals or even considered words if they weren't cut short.
He sighed again, frustrated. He took a few more steps and closed the gap between himself and Kiera, though this time he did not put his hand on her, instead cupping his hands on both sides of his own hips.
"You just said you were shot at." He kept his head turned away from her, his tone still tainted with annoyance.
More silence, barely filled by the quiessence of winter or the plopping of someone on slippery stairs.
"...Sorry," Shu sighed, more patient this time. "Shit's stressful."
He sighed again, frustrated. He took a few more steps and closed the gap between himself and Kiera, though this time he did not put his hand on her, instead cupping his hands on both sides of his own hips.
"You just said you were shot at." He kept his head turned away from her, his tone still tainted with annoyance.
More silence, barely filled by the quiessence of winter or the plopping of someone on slippery stairs.
"...Sorry," Shu sighed, more patient this time. "Shit's stressful."
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:20 am
Kiera turned back to Shu, arms folded and eyes apologetic.
"... I don't wanna argue." She sighed, shaking her head. "Not now. I just..."
She shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. He was right; this shit was stressful. Even if he was currently part of why. She knew exactly why Shu'd done what he'd done, and she couldn't even say it was the wrong call. She just...
She opened her eyes and met his gaze.
"... let's just figure out where we're going next, okay?"
"... I don't wanna argue." She sighed, shaking her head. "Not now. I just..."
She shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. He was right; this shit was stressful. Even if he was currently part of why. She knew exactly why Shu'd done what he'd done, and she couldn't even say it was the wrong call. She just...
She opened her eyes and met his gaze.
"... let's just figure out where we're going next, okay?"
Greg might have fallen down the stairs a little bit, but he was okay!
Hours ago, he'd woken up in a bed. It was not his bed. Due to the circumstances, he was not very concerned that it wasn't his bed, though he was momentarily very concerned about the fact that the bed was very moist and decreipt and probably full of black mold.
Anyways, he'd gotten out of bed and wandered around the house a bit. It was like a normal house, except it had been abandoned for decades, so not really. The front door and the back door were both already locked. Greg found this slightly confusing, because he wasn't super sure how one of the SOTF terrorist people could have left him here unconscious, locked all the only ways to leave (from inside the house), and then left the house without unlocking anything. Oh well, he wouldn't dwell on it. The terrorists probably had the keys to the house or something, and locked it from the outside.
After that, he'd opened up his bag and found a submachine gun. He'd never even touched a gun before, and submachine guns were pretty scary -- like, jeez, you know, it felt like it was gonna go off on its own at any moment and turn everything into Emmentaler cheese, okay -- so he wasn't gonna be dealing with that subject right now. He put it back into his bag without reading the instructions.
Then he'd sat around for a few hours, staring into town through a second-floor window, watching for any human life. He tried not to think about his presumably eventually impending death. He did not succeed at not thinking about it. He hoped mom and dad wouldn't be sad about... this whole thing, for too long. Same with the goth gang. He didn't want to hang over them like an everpresent flannel-patterned ghost. Gerard, Heidi, and Sadie had all signed up for the skiing trip with him, but then they all immediately pulled out because none of them knew how to ski. Greg didn't know how to ski either, but he decided he probably wouldn't mind learning. So he decided to still go on the trip. And so here he was now.
Eventually, through the window, he caught sight of Shu and Kiera walking away from the house and into town. He’s never spoken to either of them in his entire life. Once again, due to the current circumstances, that no longer mattered.
And then he tried to run downstairs to greet them, and instead he fell down the stairs kind of, but it turns out that the smushiness of wintery, rotting wood and carpeting can make for an okay cushion for a fall.
Anyways, Greg got to his feet, brushed some strands of pulverized wood fibre off his knees, and limped to the front door. Momentarily, he fumbled around with the little locking mechanism doohickey below the knob. After some straining (it was very rusty!), he managed to twist the doohickey into the unlocked position. The lock screeeeeaked as he did so, like the door was a little too big for the frame.
Then he grabbed the knob and tried to open the door.
The door was stuck.
He put his weight into opening the door.
It was still stuck. But eventually, he managed to actually push it open!
He stumbled out onto the front deck. Then, after taking a moment to collect himself, he turned his body to face in Kiera and Shu's direction, and waved his left hand above his head.
"Hello!" He called.
Hours ago, he'd woken up in a bed. It was not his bed. Due to the circumstances, he was not very concerned that it wasn't his bed, though he was momentarily very concerned about the fact that the bed was very moist and decreipt and probably full of black mold.
Anyways, he'd gotten out of bed and wandered around the house a bit. It was like a normal house, except it had been abandoned for decades, so not really. The front door and the back door were both already locked. Greg found this slightly confusing, because he wasn't super sure how one of the SOTF terrorist people could have left him here unconscious, locked all the only ways to leave (from inside the house), and then left the house without unlocking anything. Oh well, he wouldn't dwell on it. The terrorists probably had the keys to the house or something, and locked it from the outside.
After that, he'd opened up his bag and found a submachine gun. He'd never even touched a gun before, and submachine guns were pretty scary -- like, jeez, you know, it felt like it was gonna go off on its own at any moment and turn everything into Emmentaler cheese, okay -- so he wasn't gonna be dealing with that subject right now. He put it back into his bag without reading the instructions.
Then he'd sat around for a few hours, staring into town through a second-floor window, watching for any human life. He tried not to think about his presumably eventually impending death. He did not succeed at not thinking about it. He hoped mom and dad wouldn't be sad about... this whole thing, for too long. Same with the goth gang. He didn't want to hang over them like an everpresent flannel-patterned ghost. Gerard, Heidi, and Sadie had all signed up for the skiing trip with him, but then they all immediately pulled out because none of them knew how to ski. Greg didn't know how to ski either, but he decided he probably wouldn't mind learning. So he decided to still go on the trip. And so here he was now.
Eventually, through the window, he caught sight of Shu and Kiera walking away from the house and into town. He’s never spoken to either of them in his entire life. Once again, due to the current circumstances, that no longer mattered.
And then he tried to run downstairs to greet them, and instead he fell down the stairs kind of, but it turns out that the smushiness of wintery, rotting wood and carpeting can make for an okay cushion for a fall.
Anyways, Greg got to his feet, brushed some strands of pulverized wood fibre off his knees, and limped to the front door. Momentarily, he fumbled around with the little locking mechanism doohickey below the knob. After some straining (it was very rusty!), he managed to twist the doohickey into the unlocked position. The lock screeeeeaked as he did so, like the door was a little too big for the frame.
Then he grabbed the knob and tried to open the door.
The door was stuck.
He put his weight into opening the door.
It was still stuck. But eventually, he managed to actually push it open!
He stumbled out onto the front deck. Then, after taking a moment to collect himself, he turned his body to face in Kiera and Shu's direction, and waved his left hand above his head.
"Hello!" He called.
none of you can prove im in v8
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
Shu kept staring into Kiera's eyes for several moments before drawing the hood of his jacket up and closing the gap between the two of them. He placed his hand on her back in-between the shoulder blades and gave her a pat.
"Could just hide in one of these houses. If you-" he turned his head towards Greg in the background before turning his attention back to Kiera. "-If you want. Your call. Don't care as long as we're together."
"Could just hide in one of these houses. If you-" he turned his head towards Greg in the background before turning his attention back to Kiera. "-If you want. Your call. Don't care as long as we're together."
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:20 am
"Hm... yeah. The houses seem our best bet. Without power they're not ideal but they'll at least keep us out of the snow."
Her eyes turned to Craig - or was it Greg? - and the house he'd just burst out of.
"And would you look at that..."
She looked at Shu from the corner of her eye, smirking just a bit.
"... one opened up for us just now!"
Her eyes turned to Craig - or was it Greg? - and the house he'd just burst out of.
"And would you look at that..."
She looked at Shu from the corner of her eye, smirking just a bit.
"... one opened up for us just now!"
Greg jumped up and down and waved both his hands in the air under the patio's awning. His breath visibly puffed out in the cold air in front of him.
"I'm here!"
He couldn't tell whether the two in the distance had noticed him yet; they looked pretty blurry from here. Greg hadn't updated his glasses prescription for a few years.
"I'm here!"
He couldn't tell whether the two in the distance had noticed him yet; they looked pretty blurry from here. Greg hadn't updated his glasses prescription for a few years.
none of you can prove im in v8
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
Shu stared at Greg flailing around like an overgrown toddler. He wasn't staring daggers; this time it was much more observative, like he was a patron at the zoo.
He grumbled under his breath. What was it with these people? Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
Whatever. Shu couldn't risk pissing off Kiera again. Not until he was done. Not until he was sure. This was just a snag.
Fine. Fine.
Fine.
He turned around and started walking towards the house, one hand patting Kiera on the shoulder. "Tch," he clicked his tongue as his steps crunched in the snow. "Come on. Let's see what he wants."
((Shu continued in the house))
He grumbled under his breath. What was it with these people? Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
Whatever. Shu couldn't risk pissing off Kiera again. Not until he was done. Not until he was sure. This was just a snag.
Fine. Fine.
Fine.
He turned around and started walking towards the house, one hand patting Kiera on the shoulder. "Tch," he clicked his tongue as his steps crunched in the snow. "Come on. Let's see what he wants."
((Shu continued in the house))
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almostinhuman
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:20 am
Her suggestion hadn't been met with an irritated glare or a snippy comment. Good. It'd be nice to have a little bit of company, and she didn't want Shu chasing them off again. It's not like she didn't get why, but the idea of isolating herself in paranoia like that...
Well, thankfully, she wasn't gonna have to.
She followed Shu, waving at Greg - Craig? - with a smile.
((Kiera Hayes continued in the banks of the ohio))
Well, thankfully, she wasn't gonna have to.
She followed Shu, waving at Greg - Craig? - with a smile.
((Kiera Hayes continued in the banks of the ohio))
Greg squinted, trying to see through the light mix of rain and snow falling from the sky.
OH, okay, they were walking over now. The girl even waved back. So they'd seen him. Alrighty. Okay.
Greg didn't really have a plan. He just... well, if this was really SOTF, which he was pretty sure it was, then to him it seemed like a good idea to try and get a big group of people together, before things, uh, started getting desperate. And then everyone, together, could organize a plan for what they were going to do -- like hopefully band together and agree to cooperate and be relatively civil (except for the necessary evil of sacrificing one person a day so that the terrorists didn't kill everyone (yikes!)), and then they could all wait it out together until... somebody found them? He hoped.
How many of these had there been? Nine? Interpol or the Navy SEALS or whoever, they had to have been getting closer and closer to saving everyone with each version, he was pretty sure. Like, they had to be figuring out the terrorists's sneaky tricks, right?
Did that make sense? He didn't know what he was talking about, he didn't know. He didn't know anything about what had happened to the people in the SOTFs before this one except that most of them hadn't made it.
He'd always tried to avoid reading about SOTF whenever it came up in the news. It made him too sad.
Just, it was... well, you know. Death just... wasn't a thing he'd ever had to really process before in a non-abstract way. He spent a lot of his free time adjacent to goths. He'd never been to a real funeral. But now he'd seen two of his teachers die (and heard a video of a kid dying too (he'd closed his eyes during that part of the briefing)), and it was really a lot all at once, so, listen, he was trying his best, okay.
He was trying his best.
"There's less snow in here, if you need a place to stay." He beckoned to the others moving toward him.
((creg graig continued in the sequel I'll fly away: Part II: Fly Away With a Vengeance))
OH, okay, they were walking over now. The girl even waved back. So they'd seen him. Alrighty. Okay.
Greg didn't really have a plan. He just... well, if this was really SOTF, which he was pretty sure it was, then to him it seemed like a good idea to try and get a big group of people together, before things, uh, started getting desperate. And then everyone, together, could organize a plan for what they were going to do -- like hopefully band together and agree to cooperate and be relatively civil (except for the necessary evil of sacrificing one person a day so that the terrorists didn't kill everyone (yikes!)), and then they could all wait it out together until... somebody found them? He hoped.
How many of these had there been? Nine? Interpol or the Navy SEALS or whoever, they had to have been getting closer and closer to saving everyone with each version, he was pretty sure. Like, they had to be figuring out the terrorists's sneaky tricks, right?
Did that make sense? He didn't know what he was talking about, he didn't know. He didn't know anything about what had happened to the people in the SOTFs before this one except that most of them hadn't made it.
He'd always tried to avoid reading about SOTF whenever it came up in the news. It made him too sad.
Just, it was... well, you know. Death just... wasn't a thing he'd ever had to really process before in a non-abstract way. He spent a lot of his free time adjacent to goths. He'd never been to a real funeral. But now he'd seen two of his teachers die (and heard a video of a kid dying too (he'd closed his eyes during that part of the briefing)), and it was really a lot all at once, so, listen, he was trying his best, okay.
He was trying his best.
"There's less snow in here, if you need a place to stay." He beckoned to the others moving toward him.
((creg graig continued in the sequel I'll fly away: Part II: Fly Away With a Vengeance))
none of you can prove im in v8
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.