Dead of Winter (CA - Robin, Uno, & Bob)
Quote from Adriana on November 2, 2023, 4:51 pm"Hah, hah.." the deep bellied came out without any humor.
"Whelp, you ain't got an inch. Tell you what, though, you got guts to try. I'll play along."
He said, and turned around.
All was quiet. Val was right to assume the fields were full of monsters. Armed in more ways than one, they waited with every muscle tensed, every ear turned forward.
When Darius reemerged a few minutes later, he had Robin by the wrists in front of him with a single thick paw. From the distance Val stood, he was too far presently to discern the full state of her condition, except from the way her head hung low and she didn't seem capable of standing upright on her own volition. But she was alive.
Darius scarcely left the dark of the shed.
"You Steele's pup?"
"Hah, hah.." the deep bellied came out without any humor.
"Whelp, you ain't got an inch. Tell you what, though, you got guts to try. I'll play along."
He said, and turned around.
All was quiet. Val was right to assume the fields were full of monsters. Armed in more ways than one, they waited with every muscle tensed, every ear turned forward.
When Darius reemerged a few minutes later, he had Robin by the wrists in front of him with a single thick paw. From the distance Val stood, he was too far presently to discern the full state of her condition, except from the way her head hung low and she didn't seem capable of standing upright on her own volition. But she was alive.
Darius scarcely left the dark of the shed.
"You Steele's pup?"
Quote from Indy on November 2, 2023, 4:59 pmDarius' voice was loud and booming enough to be heard through the car. And haunting enough to be felt in his bones... this was a monster not to be played with. The moment he left the car, he assumed he had seconds.
He could see Robin was alive. He didn't need to see more than that.
"Okay... okay.... show-time. Smile nice for the crowd...."
He exited the car, not bothering to answer the monster's question. Figuring the answer in either case wouldn't help him, and besides his attention was focussed elsewhere. Rather than walking across the field to the hangar, he came to the trunk and unlocked it.
Inside, a figure squirmed. They were wrapped head to toe in a black cloth, and secured with thick form-fitting chains. The head was covered. The slenderness of the form and curve suggested female. Her mouth was gagged so no voice could be heard. But he knew Darius would recognize her.
He pulled the struggling figure over his shoulder effortlessly, for she weighed nothing at all.
"Here's the deal. You got one of mine, I got one of yours. You want it back and you're gonna have to pay," his handgun was already drawn, "Otherwise..."
Darius' voice was loud and booming enough to be heard through the car. And haunting enough to be felt in his bones... this was a monster not to be played with. The moment he left the car, he assumed he had seconds.
He could see Robin was alive. He didn't need to see more than that.
"Okay... okay.... show-time. Smile nice for the crowd...."
He exited the car, not bothering to answer the monster's question. Figuring the answer in either case wouldn't help him, and besides his attention was focussed elsewhere. Rather than walking across the field to the hangar, he came to the trunk and unlocked it.
Inside, a figure squirmed. They were wrapped head to toe in a black cloth, and secured with thick form-fitting chains. The head was covered. The slenderness of the form and curve suggested female. Her mouth was gagged so no voice could be heard. But he knew Darius would recognize her.
He pulled the struggling figure over his shoulder effortlessly, for she weighed nothing at all.
"Here's the deal. You got one of mine, I got one of yours. You want it back and you're gonna have to pay," his handgun was already drawn, "Otherwise..."
Quote from Adriana on November 2, 2023, 5:13 pm"Don't do it..."
It wasn't Darius who spoke next. Robin lifted her head. Her eye on one side was swollen shut, her bottom lip was broken. Her voice was harsh.
"Don't get on his level." she added, tiredly, but there was a plead in her tone.
Darius just chuckled.
"Man, you play dirty. I like that. Fit right in 'round here. Don't got a prayer, all of a hundred pounds soaking wet, but you feisty. Went and caught one of my dogs, too. Naw, though. You can catch her, go head - pull the trigger. She's weak."
Robin opened her mouth to protest against, but Darius picked her up by the neck and brought her ear up to his toothy maw, "An you, shuddup."
"Go on, then."
"Don't do it..."
It wasn't Darius who spoke next. Robin lifted her head. Her eye on one side was swollen shut, her bottom lip was broken. Her voice was harsh.
"Don't get on his level." she added, tiredly, but there was a plead in her tone.
Darius just chuckled.
"Man, you play dirty. I like that. Fit right in 'round here. Don't got a prayer, all of a hundred pounds soaking wet, but you feisty. Went and caught one of my dogs, too. Naw, though. You can catch her, go head - pull the trigger. She's weak."
Robin opened her mouth to protest against, but Darius picked her up by the neck and brought her ear up to his toothy maw, "An you, shuddup."
"Go on, then."
Quote from Indy on November 2, 2023, 5:24 pmHis heart thundered in his chest. The gun felt shaky in his palms where always it felt as natural as his own finger tips. Do it, Darius said.
It's just an animal, Steele's voice said.
It's a monster, his mother's said.
He lifted the gun.... raised the barrel to the squirming form's temple, and pulled back the safety. It would be easy. Painless.
And once he pulled that trigger, it was all over anyways.
Seconds now. He had his attention, a moment of distraction. One hand was restraining a very squirmy werewolf, the other a gun... he dropped the gun and launched himself back for the car with his free hand opening the handle. He tossed his captive to the car seat. Frantic thoughts were flashing in his mind, a half formulated, improvised idea. He had firecrackers in his bag, a car, and--
Suddenly he face-planted into the steering wheel. Tongue heavy, orientation skewed. He lifted his hand to his back and found a dart in it.
His heart thundered in his chest. The gun felt shaky in his palms where always it felt as natural as his own finger tips. Do it, Darius said.
It's just an animal, Steele's voice said.
It's a monster, his mother's said.
He lifted the gun.... raised the barrel to the squirming form's temple, and pulled back the safety. It would be easy. Painless.
And once he pulled that trigger, it was all over anyways.
Seconds now. He had his attention, a moment of distraction. One hand was restraining a very squirmy werewolf, the other a gun... he dropped the gun and launched himself back for the car with his free hand opening the handle. He tossed his captive to the car seat. Frantic thoughts were flashing in his mind, a half formulated, improvised idea. He had firecrackers in his bag, a car, and--
Suddenly he face-planted into the steering wheel. Tongue heavy, orientation skewed. He lifted his hand to his back and found a dart in it.
Quote from Adriana on November 2, 2023, 5:45 pmRobin knew there were worse things than death.
"He's out."
Giving up your humanity was something you could do, regardless of if you were a man or a werewolf. To give into the lowest, most animalistic desires, to betray everything that made the soul of a man worthy of grace... was a slippery slope from which one did not often return.
"Get 'em inside."
Darius had betrayed his humanity a long time ago. Robin looked into his soulless eyes over two decades ago, but he was prowling the streets of the cities long before then.
"Get the collar... yeh, secure them."
If Val had pulled the trigger, he would have given up the only thing that meant he was truly alive.
"Moons full in three days. No food, only water. I'mma come back then, you two watch 'em.. leave her, too."
The two were fastened by shackles to the wall. There was no escape from their prison.
Robin knew there were worse things than death.
"He's out."
Giving up your humanity was something you could do, regardless of if you were a man or a werewolf. To give into the lowest, most animalistic desires, to betray everything that made the soul of a man worthy of grace... was a slippery slope from which one did not often return.
"Get 'em inside."
Darius had betrayed his humanity a long time ago. Robin looked into his soulless eyes over two decades ago, but he was prowling the streets of the cities long before then.
"Get the collar... yeh, secure them."
If Val had pulled the trigger, he would have given up the only thing that meant he was truly alive.
"Moons full in three days. No food, only water. I'mma come back then, you two watch 'em.. leave her, too."
The two were fastened by shackles to the wall. There was no escape from their prison.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 5:07 amHe woke up to the taste of blood in his mouth, a pounding headache, and what felt like broken ribs.
He rolled over in a groan and the chains around him tinkled. Excessive, he thought absently. Recent events come back to him as disjointed flashes, but enough he could piece it together. Darius had darted him, and by the feels of it, had used a strength better served either by a werewolf or a man twice his size. It hadn't stopped his heart, which he supposed was the good news.
The less good news was the taste of blood on his lips. Gingerly he brought a tongue up, but found nothing amiss. Just bit his tongue, by the feel of it. Finally he brought a hand to his ribs, and found the bruises fresh and biting. Someone had taken out their wrath on him, while he was unconscious... He blinked, trying to ease himself upright, but everything hurt too much to try. So he sat there a moment, just sensing what he could from his environment.
His glasses were missing. That annoyed him more than anything else. When he investigated the area around him, hoping they had just dropped off, he felt broken glass and twisted metal. Broken.
"Freaking idgets," he swore, and sat up.
This was a mistake. Instantly pain flashed, a bright light in his eyes, and he doubled over, "Euugggg"
He woke up to the taste of blood in his mouth, a pounding headache, and what felt like broken ribs.
He rolled over in a groan and the chains around him tinkled. Excessive, he thought absently. Recent events come back to him as disjointed flashes, but enough he could piece it together. Darius had darted him, and by the feels of it, had used a strength better served either by a werewolf or a man twice his size. It hadn't stopped his heart, which he supposed was the good news.
The less good news was the taste of blood on his lips. Gingerly he brought a tongue up, but found nothing amiss. Just bit his tongue, by the feel of it. Finally he brought a hand to his ribs, and found the bruises fresh and biting. Someone had taken out their wrath on him, while he was unconscious... He blinked, trying to ease himself upright, but everything hurt too much to try. So he sat there a moment, just sensing what he could from his environment.
His glasses were missing. That annoyed him more than anything else. When he investigated the area around him, hoping they had just dropped off, he felt broken glass and twisted metal. Broken.
"Freaking idgets," he swore, and sat up.
This was a mistake. Instantly pain flashed, a bright light in his eyes, and he doubled over, "Euugggg"
Quote from Adriana on November 3, 2023, 12:40 pmThe room was brutally cold. It was late-past midnight-and a howling wind shook the metal structure. Their room provided an extra layer of sheet rock and plywood, but would bring little comfort against the November winds.
Outside, the two male guards who had remained. They were inside the structure, not far from the room, huddled around a space heater and spotlight run off a generator, playing cards and drinking beer. Angel had been tended to.
The anesthesia given was mixed with a heavy muscle relaxer, and the teen would find it hard to move much. On the opposite wall, Robin stirred. She opened her good eye and looked at Val, but much of his condition she had already discerned by scent. There was sympathy on her face, but not for what had already occurred. The worst was yet to come. She could have told him that he shouldn't have come out here-but he realized that already. Could have asked him if he was alright, but she knew he wasn't. Might have asked him why he went looking for her-but she knew the reason.
"Lie still... try to conserve your energy."
She kept her voice low, but the guards would hear them anyway. It was a rasp, lacking all of it's usual spirit and mirth.
The room was brutally cold. It was late-past midnight-and a howling wind shook the metal structure. Their room provided an extra layer of sheet rock and plywood, but would bring little comfort against the November winds.
Outside, the two male guards who had remained. They were inside the structure, not far from the room, huddled around a space heater and spotlight run off a generator, playing cards and drinking beer. Angel had been tended to.
The anesthesia given was mixed with a heavy muscle relaxer, and the teen would find it hard to move much. On the opposite wall, Robin stirred. She opened her good eye and looked at Val, but much of his condition she had already discerned by scent. There was sympathy on her face, but not for what had already occurred. The worst was yet to come. She could have told him that he shouldn't have come out here-but he realized that already. Could have asked him if he was alright, but she knew he wasn't. Might have asked him why he went looking for her-but she knew the reason.
"Lie still... try to conserve your energy."
She kept her voice low, but the guards would hear them anyway. It was a rasp, lacking all of it's usual spirit and mirth.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 2:47 pm"Shut up, Robin..." the words were mumbled as an instinct. His muscles felt like wounded jelly. He would be better served by Robin's advice, but he was too stubborn to take it. He cradled his head between his knees and crossed his arms in front.
"Shoulda just.. shot 'im when I had the chance. Too many yards away for a good shot but - shoulda taken it - better than.. and shoulda just left her in the passenger seat and just rammed the car into him - that'da given him pause..."
He was consoling himself as much as anything, not unlike a sulking child. But it was easier to imagine the past than the future.
"Shut up, Robin..." the words were mumbled as an instinct. His muscles felt like wounded jelly. He would be better served by Robin's advice, but he was too stubborn to take it. He cradled his head between his knees and crossed his arms in front.
"Shoulda just.. shot 'im when I had the chance. Too many yards away for a good shot but - shoulda taken it - better than.. and shoulda just left her in the passenger seat and just rammed the car into him - that'da given him pause..."
He was consoling himself as much as anything, not unlike a sulking child. But it was easier to imagine the past than the future.
Quote from Indy on November 3, 2023, 3:39 pmHer broken, slurred words caught him strangely. It was hard to see her in the flickering light and no glasses, but he could see enough.
"Robin?"
When she didn't respond, he called again, "Robin?"
The room was small but the shackles around his wrist prevented him from reaching her entirely. Despite the pain and uncooperativeness of his limbs, he scooted forward and nudged her with the corner of his foot.
She was still warm. She was still breathing. But he could see the abuse she had endured in better detail. If he had the power, in that moment he would have killed the entire gang as ruthlessly and painfully as he could have. Though Robin had said not to become like them, in that moment he wanted no more than to be a worse monster than they ever had been for hurting her like this.
But lacking the power, all he could do was stay there with her.
Her broken, slurred words caught him strangely. It was hard to see her in the flickering light and no glasses, but he could see enough.
"Robin?"
When she didn't respond, he called again, "Robin?"
The room was small but the shackles around his wrist prevented him from reaching her entirely. Despite the pain and uncooperativeness of his limbs, he scooted forward and nudged her with the corner of his foot.
She was still warm. She was still breathing. But he could see the abuse she had endured in better detail. If he had the power, in that moment he would have killed the entire gang as ruthlessly and painfully as he could have. Though Robin had said not to become like them, in that moment he wanted no more than to be a worse monster than they ever had been for hurting her like this.
But lacking the power, all he could do was stay there with her.
