Afterthought (Silas, Tiffany, & Ionone)
Quote from Adriana on November 21, 2019, 4:57 pmWhat was that sound? I knit my brows and willed myself to listen harder.
Click... click... click...
I had turned to begin up the path but I was stopped midstep-one foot forward, one foot behind me, head lowered. Then, keeping the low and slow theme, I began up the uncut path, using my free hand to help find my footing.
What was that sound? I knit my brows and willed myself to listen harder.
Click... click... click...
I had turned to begin up the path but I was stopped midstep-one foot forward, one foot behind me, head lowered. Then, keeping the low and slow theme, I began up the uncut path, using my free hand to help find my footing.
Quote from Indy on November 23, 2019, 7:51 pmA skeletal hand made contact. It felt dirty, cold, and wet. The bones could be felt easily in Tiffany's hand, the fingernails short. But warmth remained there of flesh-and-blood. Once the palm made contact, it constricted around her palm and trembled faintly.
"Real...." the man's voice breathed, not for an instant loosening his hold. A strangled sound caught in his throat, perhaps a sob.
Suddenly the hand went slack, starting to draw away, "Do... you work for him?"
A skeletal hand made contact. It felt dirty, cold, and wet. The bones could be felt easily in Tiffany's hand, the fingernails short. But warmth remained there of flesh-and-blood. Once the palm made contact, it constricted around her palm and trembled faintly.
"Real...." the man's voice breathed, not for an instant loosening his hold. A strangled sound caught in his throat, perhaps a sob.
Suddenly the hand went slack, starting to draw away, "Do... you work for him?"
Quote from Mae on November 23, 2019, 9:40 pmI went up the stairs with my hand out stretched in front of me. I didn't know what I was going to find. When fumbling I finally found something, it didn't help the imagery in my mind about what this poor lost soul looked like at all. Ransom, I found a shiver go up and down my spine, but I tried not to let it reach my fingers.
"Heh!" I laughed to keep things light. "I work for one wrench of a man, sugar, but I don't think I know who ever you're talking about."
Or didn't I? I might have a ticket to the lottery-winning guess, but while there's still a doubt there's no harm in keeping it to myself.
Once I had his hand, I wasn't going to let him get away. I heard people are apt to be a little crazy when they've been alone too long, but I wasn't exactly in my right mind being down here myself. So, I held on tight and guided the lost soul down the stairs.
"How on earth did you get down here, sugar? My friends and I were just messing around this afternoon and got lost in the woods, but we know where the exit is. We'll get you out alright."
Actually... by my reckoning, we'd gone down a flight of stairs to get here, and here was another flight of stairs on the other side leading back up? Something didn't sit right about that. Did I get turned around somehow? If I've lost my bearings already, I sure hope Ionone still has hers.
"Now, sugar, I've got me a dog down here, so don't be alarmed if you feel her tail up against you or something. There's no monster going to get you. Her name's Roxy."
It was funny having Ionone here. For a moment, I thought I came up with the name off the top of my head, but having her here reminded me that I always used the name Roxy when we were girls. Roxy was just another name I gave myself. She was a belladonna beauty with a string of beaus and five rings for every finger. I guess she was who I always wished I could be.
******
Click... click... click
The clicking sound never seemed any closer. The path winded upward and curled down sharply. Then it became so narrow that it was impossible to walk upright. And now, something could be smelled up ahead... Or rather, someone.
******
Whirr-rrrrr!
A sound echoed through the tunnels that sent a chill down my spine. It sounded like a machine. Almost immediately I knew there was electricity going through these tunnels somewhere, only question was where. I could feel it prick my skin in something of a sixth sense, but I still couldn't see anything.
******
The wirring of lights echoed through the mine, but the uncut tunnel remained dark. Further ahead, a dim yellow glow covered the rocks through a collapsed tunnel. There was a space big enough for a man to crawl through the rubble, and it looked like there was some kind of room on the other side, but before any attempt could be made to go on the lights went out and the clicking stopped.
I went up the stairs with my hand out stretched in front of me. I didn't know what I was going to find. When fumbling I finally found something, it didn't help the imagery in my mind about what this poor lost soul looked like at all. Ransom, I found a shiver go up and down my spine, but I tried not to let it reach my fingers.
"Heh!" I laughed to keep things light. "I work for one wrench of a man, sugar, but I don't think I know who ever you're talking about."
Or didn't I? I might have a ticket to the lottery-winning guess, but while there's still a doubt there's no harm in keeping it to myself.
Once I had his hand, I wasn't going to let him get away. I heard people are apt to be a little crazy when they've been alone too long, but I wasn't exactly in my right mind being down here myself. So, I held on tight and guided the lost soul down the stairs.
"How on earth did you get down here, sugar? My friends and I were just messing around this afternoon and got lost in the woods, but we know where the exit is. We'll get you out alright."
Actually... by my reckoning, we'd gone down a flight of stairs to get here, and here was another flight of stairs on the other side leading back up? Something didn't sit right about that. Did I get turned around somehow? If I've lost my bearings already, I sure hope Ionone still has hers.
"Now, sugar, I've got me a dog down here, so don't be alarmed if you feel her tail up against you or something. There's no monster going to get you. Her name's Roxy."
It was funny having Ionone here. For a moment, I thought I came up with the name off the top of my head, but having her here reminded me that I always used the name Roxy when we were girls. Roxy was just another name I gave myself. She was a belladonna beauty with a string of beaus and five rings for every finger. I guess she was who I always wished I could be.
******
Click... click... click
The clicking sound never seemed any closer. The path winded upward and curled down sharply. Then it became so narrow that it was impossible to walk upright. And now, something could be smelled up ahead... Or rather, someone.
******
Whirr-rrrrr!
A sound echoed through the tunnels that sent a chill down my spine. It sounded like a machine. Almost immediately I knew there was electricity going through these tunnels somewhere, only question was where. I could feel it prick my skin in something of a sixth sense, but I still couldn't see anything.
******
The wirring of lights echoed through the mine, but the uncut tunnel remained dark. Further ahead, a dim yellow glow covered the rocks through a collapsed tunnel. There was a space big enough for a man to crawl through the rubble, and it looked like there was some kind of room on the other side, but before any attempt could be made to go on the lights went out and the clicking stopped.
Quote from Adriana on November 24, 2019, 7:43 pmA little game, she said! Fool me once, shame on me... fool me twice, you'd have to be just as pretty as Diane to get away with it. Rats.
I slipped through the narrow opening as cautiously as one could in oxfords. Did I know how to pick a day to wear business casual. Changing into my secondary form wouldn't do much good now. First of all, and my primary concern, I'd be indecent. Dress pants have no give. Lesson learned previously-anyway. That's not the point. Well, mostly it is.
Focusing.
I made it through the rubble to the room past the death tunnel that'd give Santa Clause claustrophobia. Hahaha... claustrophobia. Santa Clause. Was that where they got that?
Focus.
I was getting tired and somewhat dyslusional. I was always kind of on the border of disillusioned. That's a word, right?
I think it was the claustrophobia. Or maybe the air wasn't so good in here.
Focus.
I rested up against the rubble wall, crouched low... again, I lift the laser sight on my gun and scanned the room..
A little game, she said! Fool me once, shame on me... fool me twice, you'd have to be just as pretty as Diane to get away with it. Rats.
I slipped through the narrow opening as cautiously as one could in oxfords. Did I know how to pick a day to wear business casual. Changing into my secondary form wouldn't do much good now. First of all, and my primary concern, I'd be indecent. Dress pants have no give. Lesson learned previously-anyway. That's not the point. Well, mostly it is.
Focusing.
I made it through the rubble to the room past the death tunnel that'd give Santa Clause claustrophobia. Hahaha... claustrophobia. Santa Clause. Was that where they got that?
Focus.
I was getting tired and somewhat dyslusional. I was always kind of on the border of disillusioned. That's a word, right?
I think it was the claustrophobia. Or maybe the air wasn't so good in here.
Focus.
I rested up against the rubble wall, crouched low... again, I lift the laser sight on my gun and scanned the room..
Quote from Mae on November 25, 2019, 12:28 amPOW!
A bullet ricocheted off the rubble!
After the ringing stopped, a man's voice came through loud and clear. "Put your head through. I'll give you a third ear."
The voice that spoke was a man's voice, and he sounded calm. "You're trespassing. I could've shot your gun down the barrel just now, but I reckon you still need your hand. Do you really want to play this game tonight, wolf?"
POW!
A bullet ricocheted off the rubble!
After the ringing stopped, a man's voice came through loud and clear. "Put your head through. I'll give you a third ear."
The voice that spoke was a man's voice, and he sounded calm. "You're trespassing. I could've shot your gun down the barrel just now, but I reckon you still need your hand. Do you really want to play this game tonight, wolf?"
Quote from Adriana on November 25, 2019, 3:27 pm"Gee, whiz, mister. You mean this isn't grandmas house?" I said, ducking my head back behind the corner. I began to whistle the tune of "over the river and through the woods".
Click.
It was so quiet, he probably couldn't hear over my whistling.
"How is grandma these days? Cold and shriveled? I can't imagine this cave does her eyes any good," I hummed.
Click.
Now I waited for a response.
"Gee, whiz, mister. You mean this isn't grandmas house?" I said, ducking my head back behind the corner. I began to whistle the tune of "over the river and through the woods".
Click.
It was so quiet, he probably couldn't hear over my whistling.
"How is grandma these days? Cold and shriveled? I can't imagine this cave does her eyes any good," I hummed.
Click.
Now I waited for a response.
Quote from Mae on November 25, 2019, 9:00 pm"If you're going to try to shoot me, you're going to need to keep a better conversation."
The man was not exposed in the room.
"You must be desperate to carry a gun. Guess our little game in the woods got under your skin."
"If you're going to try to shoot me, you're going to need to keep a better conversation."
The man was not exposed in the room.
"You must be desperate to carry a gun. Guess our little game in the woods got under your skin."
Quote from Adriana on November 25, 2019, 9:27 pmI listened. Waited for a giveaway. Didn't get anything. That wasn't promising.
"A lot of things get under my skin, I don't do anything about. It's not me you need to be worried about." I responded evenly. I felt the debris wall I was leaned against, and quietly tested my weight against it to see if it had any give...
I listened. Waited for a giveaway. Didn't get anything. That wasn't promising.
"A lot of things get under my skin, I don't do anything about. It's not me you need to be worried about." I responded evenly. I felt the debris wall I was leaned against, and quietly tested my weight against it to see if it had any give...
Quote from Adriana on November 25, 2019, 10:11 pmI was about to do something real dumb.
Borderline suicidal.
But hey, I smoked, so it's okay.
Deeper into the rabbit hole.
In a move, I had transformed into my secondary skin and shoved all of my weight full force, back first against the rubble wall. Best case scenario, in the next few milliseconds - I wouldn't get crushed. The rubble would kick up enough cover and dirt for me to get into the next room without a third ear. I could smell him before he could shoot me. All in.
I was about to do something real dumb.
Borderline suicidal.
But hey, I smoked, so it's okay.
Deeper into the rabbit hole.
In a move, I had transformed into my secondary skin and shoved all of my weight full force, back first against the rubble wall. Best case scenario, in the next few milliseconds - I wouldn't get crushed. The rubble would kick up enough cover and dirt for me to get into the next room without a third ear. I could smell him before he could shoot me. All in.
