((Aracelis Feuntes continued from Depth))
The travel had been tough. Aracelis was still getting used to her compromised vision and found herself tripping on rocks or sticks she would have normally been able to see. The first time she had caught her foot on something the curse that escaped her lips had been quiet, but the volume had increased each time.
The tripping was due to what they had been walking through. The ruins of a town that had been attached to the mine, and now stood as a preview of the earth once humans were gone. The houses stood as relics to their previous owners, their straight lines and hard edges a harsh disruption of the curved branches and jagged rocky ground they had been built upon. Meanwhile, in the distance, the mountain jutted out from the skyline above the road, stark and black, its silent, uncaring geology assembled to intimidate those traveling beneath it. On their other side, the trees reached out for the road, skeletal fingers emerging from the weather eager to grasp travelers who strayed too far from the path. It left them walking a path darkened by shadow and treacherous.
They'd left the sheriff's office because Aracelis had wanted to get started on trying to find Lúcio, but she hadn't thought about how to go about doing that. It was stupid really, but she hadn't wanted to stay in that room with Leslie any longer. The weird contradiction of his actions bothered her.
She had been contemplating asking Leslie about it but his outburst in the sheriffs' office still replayed in her memory. Instead she took refuge in a common topic of their conversations.
"So how much longer do you think our supplies will last?"
Our Conversations
A Reunion (Open)
((Leslie Romero continued from the sheriff station))
Leslie shrugged a shoulder, flecks of snow falling off him as he did so. "We got enough. Really should think about finding a new mark soon, though."
He kept his gaze down at his feet. It was still fucking cold, but at least there wasn't any wind clawing at his face. Snow was manageable, but fighting the wind on top of that was unbearable. Luckily it seemed like they picked a good day to start looking for a hay in a needle stack.
Truth be told, he was getting tired of this line of questioning, about plans and inventory taking and time management. But it was about the only thing that Leslie and Aracelis seemed to vibe at the same frequency on, or at least in the sense it was a discussion topic that didn't completely lose momentum after 3 seconds. So he guessed he didn't mind it. Talking about family or animals would've just been noise; a big mistake would be getting your heart into this. It's just not the way things worked. She probably didn't care, anyway.
"So, uh..." His head stayed down. "Any clue where Lúcio could be hanging around?"
Leslie shrugged a shoulder, flecks of snow falling off him as he did so. "We got enough. Really should think about finding a new mark soon, though."
He kept his gaze down at his feet. It was still fucking cold, but at least there wasn't any wind clawing at his face. Snow was manageable, but fighting the wind on top of that was unbearable. Luckily it seemed like they picked a good day to start looking for a hay in a needle stack.
Truth be told, he was getting tired of this line of questioning, about plans and inventory taking and time management. But it was about the only thing that Leslie and Aracelis seemed to vibe at the same frequency on, or at least in the sense it was a discussion topic that didn't completely lose momentum after 3 seconds. So he guessed he didn't mind it. Talking about family or animals would've just been noise; a big mistake would be getting your heart into this. It's just not the way things worked. She probably didn't care, anyway.
"So, uh..." His head stayed down. "Any clue where Lúcio could be hanging around?"
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VoltTurtle
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((Speak of the devil.))
Lúcio marched down the old road, with Molly shortly behind him, snow crunching underneath his feet as the cold air tickled his chin. Even more people were dead, and all of Lúcio's attempts to stop the violence had fallen apart. He didn't know if rescue actually was on the way, but at this rate, all of them would be dead long before they arrived. Exactly as the terrorists planned, presumably.
All he had left was trying to find Aracelis, so they were going into town to try to find her. That was the plan at least, until he saw the two figures in the distance. Initially, he couldn't quite make out who they were, and stopped in place, squinting to try to get a better look at them. And then he saw her.
"ARI!"
He started running, waving his arms in the air to get her attention.
"ARI!!"
Then his foot caught in a particularly bad snow drift, sending him toppling face first to the ground. He remained there, considering his perfect timing at making a fool of himself, even when he wasn't doing it on purpose, and then he spoke into the snow, his muffled speech only audible to Molly.
"I'm okay..."
Lúcio marched down the old road, with Molly shortly behind him, snow crunching underneath his feet as the cold air tickled his chin. Even more people were dead, and all of Lúcio's attempts to stop the violence had fallen apart. He didn't know if rescue actually was on the way, but at this rate, all of them would be dead long before they arrived. Exactly as the terrorists planned, presumably.
All he had left was trying to find Aracelis, so they were going into town to try to find her. That was the plan at least, until he saw the two figures in the distance. Initially, he couldn't quite make out who they were, and stopped in place, squinting to try to get a better look at them. And then he saw her.
"ARI!"
He started running, waving his arms in the air to get her attention.
"ARI!!"
Then his foot caught in a particularly bad snow drift, sending him toppling face first to the ground. He remained there, considering his perfect timing at making a fool of himself, even when he wasn't doing it on purpose, and then he spoke into the snow, his muffled speech only audible to Molly.
"I'm okay..."
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ViolentMedic
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((Mônica “Molly” Oliveira continued from Recycle.))
Molly crouched next to Lucio and gave him a little prod that lined up with his muffled confirmation that he was okay.
“Cool. Come on, this is so not dashing of you, you know?” Molly prodded him again. “Up you get.”
She considered grabbing him under the arms and hauling him to his feet. But that would require her to drop her zweihander. Her arms hurt after… five, six days of lugging it around?
Five announcements. A dead cheerleader here, a dead prom queen there. On and on and on, and somehow the two of them were okay. So far.
But Aracelis had killed. Only once, which was kind of a screwed up thing to think about. That there were others out there that just couldn’t get enough. Still, murder was murder. And Day 1 murder even more murdery, somehow.
Basically, Molly couldn’t drop the sword. Because maybe, just maybe, this was a mistake.
She stuck her free arm over her head and waved at the two down the road anyway.
“Heyyy~!”
Molly crouched next to Lucio and gave him a little prod that lined up with his muffled confirmation that he was okay.
“Cool. Come on, this is so not dashing of you, you know?” Molly prodded him again. “Up you get.”
She considered grabbing him under the arms and hauling him to his feet. But that would require her to drop her zweihander. Her arms hurt after… five, six days of lugging it around?
Five announcements. A dead cheerleader here, a dead prom queen there. On and on and on, and somehow the two of them were okay. So far.
But Aracelis had killed. Only once, which was kind of a screwed up thing to think about. That there were others out there that just couldn’t get enough. Still, murder was murder. And Day 1 murder even more murdery, somehow.
Basically, Molly couldn’t drop the sword. Because maybe, just maybe, this was a mistake.
She stuck her free arm over her head and waved at the two down the road anyway.
“Heyyy~!”
Aracelis shrugged at Leslie's question.
"I don't-" But before she could even finish saying she had no ideas she heard Lúcio's voice calling her name and looked into the distance to see a figure rushing towards them before faceplanting into the ground. At first, Aracelis could only stare mouth agape at the scene, but then a wide smile spread across her face and she turned back to Leslie.
"There he is I guess." She said, her excitement uncontained and as genuine as her smile. Just like the earlier day when they had stumbled across the abandoned bag that shored up their supplies whatever force ran the island had seen fit to help them "Another milagro."
Turning she made her way closer to Lúcio and Molly, moving quickly but not running, she didn't trust herself to navigate the ground quickly with only one eye.
"Yooo!" She called back to Molly as she hopped closer over the cracked road. Nearly effortlessly falling back into her old routine, until she got close enough to notice the sword in Molly's hand and remember the bat held in hers. As she did so her footsteps faltered as she got closer before she stopped a few steps away.
They looked fine, unharmed, you would have barely been able to tell they had all been stuck in the same situation. A pang of jealousy shot through her gut and she self-consciously reached up to her bandaged eye.
"I-I'm glad you're okay."
"I don't-" But before she could even finish saying she had no ideas she heard Lúcio's voice calling her name and looked into the distance to see a figure rushing towards them before faceplanting into the ground. At first, Aracelis could only stare mouth agape at the scene, but then a wide smile spread across her face and she turned back to Leslie.
"There he is I guess." She said, her excitement uncontained and as genuine as her smile. Just like the earlier day when they had stumbled across the abandoned bag that shored up their supplies whatever force ran the island had seen fit to help them "Another milagro."
Turning she made her way closer to Lúcio and Molly, moving quickly but not running, she didn't trust herself to navigate the ground quickly with only one eye.
"Yooo!" She called back to Molly as she hopped closer over the cracked road. Nearly effortlessly falling back into her old routine, until she got close enough to notice the sword in Molly's hand and remember the bat held in hers. As she did so her footsteps faltered as she got closer before she stopped a few steps away.
They looked fine, unharmed, you would have barely been able to tell they had all been stuck in the same situation. A pang of jealousy shot through her gut and she self-consciously reached up to her bandaged eye.
"I-I'm glad you're okay."
"Mmm?" Leslie grunted, not processing that someone was shouting at them from some distance away until Aracelis's tone abruptly changed to one full of excitement like a kid on Christmas Eve. He shot his head up and turned around to see Lúcio pratfallen into the snow making an unintentional angel and Molly close by, her hand on some sort of giant fuck-off sword. He stood there slightly dumb-founded as Aracelis hoofed it without hesitation before doing the same, albeit at the much slower one speed he had.
As he got closer to the other pair, he shot a hand up and gave a half-wave before withdrawing it back into his jacket pocket. "Small island," he said, stopping a few feet behind Aracelis to let them have their reunion.
As he got closer to the other pair, he shot a hand up and gave a half-wave before withdrawing it back into his jacket pocket. "Small island," he said, stopping a few feet behind Aracelis to let them have their reunion.
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VoltTurtle
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Lúcio pushed himself to his feet, dusting off the fine covering of snow that covered the front of his parka. At the sound of Aracelis's voice, he felt all the depression leaving his body. A lot of his friends were dead, but they were back in business now, because he finally had both of his favorite girls by his side.
For a moment, he considered something to say to her, but words failed him. He put his arms out, and somewhat more gingerly than normal accounting for her visible injuries, stepped forward to pull Aracelis into a hug. Silent, he held her close to his chest, letting the moment breathe. This might be the last, nicest hug they'd ever get, and he wasn't going to fail her, especially not after taking so long to find her.
"I was starting to think I'd never see you again," he whispered, finding his voice again. "I'm so glad I was wrong."
For a moment, he considered something to say to her, but words failed him. He put his arms out, and somewhat more gingerly than normal accounting for her visible injuries, stepped forward to pull Aracelis into a hug. Silent, he held her close to his chest, letting the moment breathe. This might be the last, nicest hug they'd ever get, and he wasn't going to fail her, especially not after taking so long to find her.
"I was starting to think I'd never see you again," he whispered, finding his voice again. "I'm so glad I was wrong."
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ViolentMedic
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At least Aracelis was behaving normally for the most part, and not running at them screaming or swinging the bat or anything, although—ow, what the hell happened to her?
“Eeech,” was all that got out of Molly’s mouth regarding the eye before she crammed it back down. No, Aracelis probably already knew about the eye, what was commenting on it going to do? Molly could guess how it happened. Probably could be summed up as ‘you know how death games are.’
At least Lúcio was happy. Him being so miserable for the last few days had been freaking her out. If he’d not managed anything on seeing Aracelis… well, that wasn’t worth thinking about.
She stepped back as well, and those steps took her towards Leslie, because hey she might as well bond with him, and it definitely had nothing to do with his hand being in his pocket. Molly wouldn’t have picked Leslie as an island partner for Aracelis, but really… who would make a good one, anyway? Molly had it easy, sharing a womb with someone kind of meant they were your default in a situation like this.
“So, uh… heyyy,” she said, giving the other two some space. “You, uh… been looking after Aracelis for us? Or she’s looking after you?” she said, for lack of anything better to say while the other two had their emotional reunion.
Probably the latter, really. Aracelis tended to have her shit together. But she was the one missing an eye. Man. ...Ari needed a cool eyepatch or something. If Molly lost one of her eyes, she’d be bummed, but that would make her feel slightly less bummed.
“Eeech,” was all that got out of Molly’s mouth regarding the eye before she crammed it back down. No, Aracelis probably already knew about the eye, what was commenting on it going to do? Molly could guess how it happened. Probably could be summed up as ‘you know how death games are.’
At least Lúcio was happy. Him being so miserable for the last few days had been freaking her out. If he’d not managed anything on seeing Aracelis… well, that wasn’t worth thinking about.
She stepped back as well, and those steps took her towards Leslie, because hey she might as well bond with him, and it definitely had nothing to do with his hand being in his pocket. Molly wouldn’t have picked Leslie as an island partner for Aracelis, but really… who would make a good one, anyway? Molly had it easy, sharing a womb with someone kind of meant they were your default in a situation like this.
“So, uh… heyyy,” she said, giving the other two some space. “You, uh… been looking after Aracelis for us? Or she’s looking after you?” she said, for lack of anything better to say while the other two had their emotional reunion.
Probably the latter, really. Aracelis tended to have her shit together. But she was the one missing an eye. Man. ...Ari needed a cool eyepatch or something. If Molly lost one of her eyes, she’d be bummed, but that would make her feel slightly less bummed.
The hug from Lúcio was unexpected but welcome. Aracelis, well, she hadn't known what she had expected. Secretly she had hoped for open rejection, confirmation that he was okay and still alive but didn't want to be around her. It would have been cleaner and easier to deal with. She would have been able to compartmentalize that, and use it as motivation. Instead, she received love and affection.
He pulled her into his chest and held her there, his grip light and gentle but his love obvious and tender. At first, her arms stayed down at her sides. But then she released her vice grip on the bat, which fell to the floor with a dull thud. Her arms wrapped around him as she pulled herself deeper.
When she heard his whispered words the cracks that Beth and Leslie had made in her defenses grew and shattered. All her walls fell away as her eyes began to water and her body gently shuddered with quiet sobs.
"I missed you."
He pulled her into his chest and held her there, his grip light and gentle but his love obvious and tender. At first, her arms stayed down at her sides. But then she released her vice grip on the bat, which fell to the floor with a dull thud. Her arms wrapped around him as she pulled herself deeper.
When she heard his whispered words the cracks that Beth and Leslie had made in her defenses grew and shattered. All her walls fell away as her eyes began to water and her body gently shuddered with quiet sobs.
"I missed you."
For a brief moment, a smile formed across Leslie as he watched Lúcio and Aracelis dance in the snow snow together like he was a wayward soldier coming home for the first time in a very, very long time. For a brief moment, the reality of this game was pushed aside for the fantasy of watching lovers reunite. For a brief moment, nothing else mattered, and things would be all right.
But this was a book without a happy ending. There'd be no rewrites or editing after the fact. Love couldn't beat fear and a bullet.
His smile faltered as he thought how Madeleine was doing, breaking from the trance as Molly started trying to talk to him.
He shr'd, hands still in his jacket as he continued to watch the couple. "It's more like she won't leave me alone."
His nose itched; he scratched it with the back of one hand with several quick motions and withdrew it back into his pocket. "She hasn't seen her face like this yet, so... maybe don't tell her."
But this was a book without a happy ending. There'd be no rewrites or editing after the fact. Love couldn't beat fear and a bullet.
His smile faltered as he thought how Madeleine was doing, breaking from the trance as Molly started trying to talk to him.
He shr'd, hands still in his jacket as he continued to watch the couple. "It's more like she won't leave me alone."
His nose itched; he scratched it with the back of one hand with several quick motions and withdrew it back into his pocket. "She hasn't seen her face like this yet, so... maybe don't tell her."
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VoltTurtle
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"I missed you too," Lúcio whispered.
He hadn't commented on it, and had barely even thought about it until after he had his arms wrapped around her, but Aracelis looked like she had a terrible time. Missing an eye didn't make her any less beautiful, because beauty came from the soul, but it certainly made him worried for her. Once they were rescued—if they were rescued—maybe he could help pay for a glass eye? Or a cool eyepatch. Yarr!
He didn't let go, even as these thoughts passed through his mind and Molly questioned Leslie. He didn't want to let go, and he'd hold her as long as she would allow it. So long as he kept his arms around her, and felt her arms around his, then nothing else mattered. It was like all the cold and pain and grief would melt away in the face of love.
Look at him, he was getting all sappy.
"Love you so much, Ari. We'll get through this."
He hadn't commented on it, and had barely even thought about it until after he had his arms wrapped around her, but Aracelis looked like she had a terrible time. Missing an eye didn't make her any less beautiful, because beauty came from the soul, but it certainly made him worried for her. Once they were rescued—if they were rescued—maybe he could help pay for a glass eye? Or a cool eyepatch. Yarr!
He didn't let go, even as these thoughts passed through his mind and Molly questioned Leslie. He didn't want to let go, and he'd hold her as long as she would allow it. So long as he kept his arms around her, and felt her arms around his, then nothing else mattered. It was like all the cold and pain and grief would melt away in the face of love.
Look at him, he was getting all sappy.
"Love you so much, Ari. We'll get through this."
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ViolentMedic
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Molly watched the tearful reunion for a moment, then politely averted her eyes. It wasn’t right to stare openly at a loving couple reuniting, she felt like.
Or at least the high school equivalent of that, like… who actually fell in love in high school? Also Aracelis crying was, like, super uncomfortable. She was too together the rest of the time, so it was like seeing one of your parents cry, like… it wasn’t allowed, you know? (Also, why was Lúcio so immediately full of pep about this when he'd gone like two days being straight-out miserable at all hours? Molly had barely been able to get the hint of anything positive out of him since the plane. But if she said that outloud, she'd be, like, a huge bitch.)
“Well, you at least must have been reliable, then?” Molly said cheerfully. “But, like...” Her eyes flickered to the bandages on Aracelis’ face and her voice took on a quieter, more serious tone. “I mean, she knows, though? Like, bandages as an aesthetic doesn’t work when it’s covering a working eye?”
Molly used one hand to fiddle with her sunshine-yellow ruana. If she had a bad eye, and wanted to look cool… hmm…
Lowering her voice yet further, enough to hopefully not be heard by the loving couple, Molly murmured, “So, uh... whatcha both been up to?”
Or at least the high school equivalent of that, like… who actually fell in love in high school? Also Aracelis crying was, like, super uncomfortable. She was too together the rest of the time, so it was like seeing one of your parents cry, like… it wasn’t allowed, you know? (Also, why was Lúcio so immediately full of pep about this when he'd gone like two days being straight-out miserable at all hours? Molly had barely been able to get the hint of anything positive out of him since the plane. But if she said that outloud, she'd be, like, a huge bitch.)
“Well, you at least must have been reliable, then?” Molly said cheerfully. “But, like...” Her eyes flickered to the bandages on Aracelis’ face and her voice took on a quieter, more serious tone. “I mean, she knows, though? Like, bandages as an aesthetic doesn’t work when it’s covering a working eye?”
Molly used one hand to fiddle with her sunshine-yellow ruana. If she had a bad eye, and wanted to look cool… hmm…
Lowering her voice yet further, enough to hopefully not be heard by the loving couple, Molly murmured, “So, uh... whatcha both been up to?”
"Mmhmm" She replied, too emotional to adequately be able to transfer what she was feeling into words.
She kept herself pulled in close to him and let herself experience it all. The feeling of him holding her and his own body between her arms, the sound of his heart beating in her ears and his smell, she took it all in. The way she felt and every aspect of him was something she tried to store in her memory because she didn't know how long she had or if she would get another chance. So she held on for longer than may have been necessary, longer than she felt comfortable with in front of Leslie, but she didn't care. Eventually, with a resigned sniffle Aracelis let go of Lúcio and withdrew her head from his chest. Raising her hands to her face she used her index fingers to wipe away any wetness and tried to compose herself.
"You-you're not angry with me?"
She kept herself pulled in close to him and let herself experience it all. The feeling of him holding her and his own body between her arms, the sound of his heart beating in her ears and his smell, she took it all in. The way she felt and every aspect of him was something she tried to store in her memory because she didn't know how long she had or if she would get another chance. So she held on for longer than may have been necessary, longer than she felt comfortable with in front of Leslie, but she didn't care. Eventually, with a resigned sniffle Aracelis let go of Lúcio and withdrew her head from his chest. Raising her hands to her face she used her index fingers to wipe away any wetness and tried to compose herself.
"You-you're not angry with me?"
Leslie flashed a glance at Molly as she continued making small talk, ending with the inevitable question.
We killed a girl because she tried to take her stuff back.
We stole an orphaned bag someone left behind after drowning.
I tried to abandon Aracelis the other night but couldn't go through with it.
He shrugged and picked at the snow on the ground with the toe of his boot. "Just keeping on keeping on, one day at a time. Same as you."
Some snow scattered out of his next kick, the flakes landing right on top of Molly's leg and shoes. Leslie straightened up and replanted his feet firmly into the earth. "Sorry."
We killed a girl because she tried to take her stuff back.
We stole an orphaned bag someone left behind after drowning.
I tried to abandon Aracelis the other night but couldn't go through with it.
He shrugged and picked at the snow on the ground with the toe of his boot. "Just keeping on keeping on, one day at a time. Same as you."
Some snow scattered out of his next kick, the flakes landing right on top of Molly's leg and shoes. Leslie straightened up and replanted his feet firmly into the earth. "Sorry."
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VoltTurtle
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Lúcio felt a pang of sadness when Aracelis finally let go of him. He followed suit shortly after, but kept his hands gently resting on her shoulders as he looked into her eye.
"No?" he answered, raising an eyebrow. "Why would I be mad at you?"
Obviously, he knew what she was talking about. The murder she committed. What else could it be? But it was only one, and there were lots of justified reasons that she could have for killing someone here of all places. If he was willing to give Shu the benefit of the doubt—something he had come to regret—why wouldn't he give Aracelis the same courtesy?
"I know you killed someone, but... this place has turned a lot of our peers into monsters, Ari. I'm sure you had a good reason for what happened."
Unless she didn't, but he didn't even want to consider the possibility. That didn't match up with the Aracelis he knew, and it didn't match up with the Aracelis that was right in front of him, either.
"No?" he answered, raising an eyebrow. "Why would I be mad at you?"
Obviously, he knew what she was talking about. The murder she committed. What else could it be? But it was only one, and there were lots of justified reasons that she could have for killing someone here of all places. If he was willing to give Shu the benefit of the doubt—something he had come to regret—why wouldn't he give Aracelis the same courtesy?
"I know you killed someone, but... this place has turned a lot of our peers into monsters, Ari. I'm sure you had a good reason for what happened."
Unless she didn't, but he didn't even want to consider the possibility. That didn't match up with the Aracelis he knew, and it didn't match up with the Aracelis that was right in front of him, either.