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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 3:39:27 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 3:39:27 GMT -5
August sat a top the tall pine tree. She liked it here. Her bare-feet felt ..good caressing the coarse bark. She breathed in the cold air, feeling very much alive. August looked up, trying to get a glimpse of the stars, but to no avail. Instead, she looked down, watching the faint moonlight filter through the leaves. It was peaceful..
Her ears perked up, and her head couldn't help but tilt slightly to the side. She listened and heard muffled footsteps. Her heart beat to a rhythm she knew well, excitement. August couldn't help but look in the direction of the footsteps. She watched the older man; he looked distressed, almost delirious. Whatever his problem, or problems, they seemed to bother him a lot.
A smile couldn't help but color August's face. She didn't enjoy his problems or his misery, but she loved to see him react. He pulled his hair back, pacing feverishly but quitely. She liked people..but didn't like them. If that makes sense. She thought about talking to him, but decided against it. Talking wasn't her forte. Instead, she quietly unwrapped a lollipop and enjoyed the show, confident she wouldn't be seen, nor heard.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 3:55:22 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 3:55:22 GMT -5
Ryan hadn't been able to sleep. As usual. He couldn't remember the last time he had gotten a good night's sleep. So, instead of laying in his bed, staring helplessly at the ceiling, he had gone walking to pass the time until the dawn. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't care. His bare feet made little sound as he padded through the forest, hands deep in the pockets of his trench coat, fingering his knives. Head down, he stared without seeing at the ground. Few thoughts crossed his mind except Step, step, step, step, repeated over and over again. He looked up as he heard an animal scrambling around and realized he was in a forest. He looked around, bewildered. Where had the forest popped up from? He shook his head and ran his hands through his greasy hair, then began pacing back and forth between two of the trees as he started to really think.
"I gotta get myself together... What am I supposed to do? I have nothing... 'Cept those dreams about talismans. And I don't even know if those are real! Could be my brain... Anthony said he had them too, but I wasn't paying much attention then, was I? No, and now he's disappeared." He didn't realize he was talking quietly to himself. He hissed through his teeth and slammed a fist against the nearest tree as hard as he could and heard a satisfying cracking sound. The pain hardly registered as he pulled his hand back to examine it. But it got some of his frustration out.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 4:22:31 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 4:22:31 GMT -5
August leaned forward, desperately trying to listen. Her head tilted more. She tried to read his lips.. but he was muttering. Did he say ham? Frustrated, she leaned slightly more. August watched him punch a tree in alarm. Startled, she slipped. Maybe I shouldn't have leaned so far? She clung to the limb, looking very much like a disturbed sloth. August looked back at Mr. Distressed.. slightly puzzled. The smile drained from her face. He's an angry one, he is.
But what could make someone this upset? Money..? A bully? She could only speculate, seeing as she had no experience with money or people. She put her mind puzzle away for futher enjoyment and watched closely. August's smile had returned.
She watched him stare at the injured tree, muttering to himself. August couldn't hear, which annoyed her. She crawled back up on the branch, returning to her former position of hugging her knees, only making slight noise. She watched his body go tense. August had only made a little noise. He couldn't hear...could he? Her excitement slipped a little; it was replaced by discomfort. Her smile dissappeared and worry painted her features. August wiggled her toes, a nervous habit. She watched his unmoving, concentrating figure. All she could manage to do was feel helpless and will herself invisible.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 4:36:37 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 4:36:37 GMT -5
He stared, going silent, into nothing, losing himself in the whirlwind of thoughts. What might have normally seemed so simple to someone else was far too complicated for him. What might have normally seemed too complicated for someone else was so simple to him. Everything was backwards, upside-down and inside-out. He shook his head and returned to looking around. He shifted uneasily. He felt like he was being watched. Over the years, he had learned to not trust his thoughts and to rely on his gut. And his gut told him something was wrong with what was around him. But everything seemed so peaceful. So painfully peaceful. His eyes narrowed at the tree he had punched. "Enjoy your easy life, why don't you?" he snarled at it. The sound of his voice louder than a mutter almost startled him.
He rubbed his inured hand with his good one. The dull pain was starting to set in. But he was able to ignore it easily. Over the years, he had also become numb to pain. He looked down at his hands. "Only pity is now I can't use you right," he told them, once again going quiet. He cast another look up and around, searching the trees limbs, bushes, anything that might conceal a hidden pair of eyes. Then he let his eyes focus on the more obvious things. If he focused too hard on something, he was likely to miss what he was really looking for. If he didn't focus, he would likely find the needle in the haystack. But another noise distracted him and he whirled to see an bird of some sort suddenly take flight from a tree several yards away. He let himself relax only sightly as he tilted his head to watch the bird fly out of sight.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 4:58:04 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 4:58:04 GMT -5
August's smile came back, but two-fold. Her large grin, showing almost all the teeth she possessed, couldn't have been more obvious. But what did she have to worry about? An Olive had more acute senses then Mr. Distressed. She was tempted to mess with him, but decided against it. It wouldn't be very nice. After all, just look at him. He looks so... sad doesn't seem quite the right word.. upset? disturbed? ..wired seemed pretty accurate.
She watched him a little longer, he had a talisman, or at least it felt like he did. She didn't quite get how it worked, telling who was who. August looked at him, couldn't help but wonder what he was. Something fluffy, she decided. She lowered herself to a closer branch on nearby tree with only one thought in mind Too skinny to be a Panda, too muscular to be a cat, maybe if i get closer i can figure it out.
Something bright caught her eye, a red dragonfly. August watched with amusement, and found herself following it. She walked gingerly along the branch, but it zoomed past her. Disappointed flooded her, but was quickly drowned by alarm. Her eyes flew back to Mr. Distressed, but she couldn't see him. Fog was settling in, and her panic grew. August hopped lightly on the ground, looking in every direction. I lost him!
Disappointment, a thousand times greater than the dragonflies, hit her like a recking ball. Her fun had to end so soon? But it only just begun..
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 5:11:14 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 5:11:14 GMT -5
After the bird had gone, Ryan looked around. Fog had risen, and was getting both taller and thicker. Already, it was waist height. Had it been there before? No, it hadn't. Was it normal for fog to rise so quickly? He pondered this for several more seconds before getting distracted by nothing as he stared off into the darkness. He felt the corner of his eye twitch for not blinking in a while and blinked rapidly. It was started to feel creepy. The fog kept rising, and rising, swirling in circles. He watched these as he started walking. Soon, he got dizzy and stumbled over an unseen root. He threw his arms out to catch himself and shouted as pain lanced up his arm from his right hand. He fell onto his side and lay there for some time, holding his hand close to chest and staring into the fog.
Watching it from this angle, it all looked different. He pushed himself onto one elbow and cocked his head sideways, studying the fog with narrowed eyes intently. It was quite amusing. Everything kept changing, never staying the same for too long. Then he shook his head and stood, turning a slow circle, scanning around him again. The feeling was gone, but he didn't like the fact that it had been there in the first place.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 5:31:57 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 5:31:57 GMT -5
August heard a shout. She stood there for a few seconds, having a silent argument. She'd rather not get close, Bet the relief she felt was almost unbearable. How could she not get close? She almost lost him, and now a situation presented itself to her almost shouting I love you so, now go have fun! August couldn't resist.
Sighing, she compromised. She'd go as her talisman. Safer...right? But curiosity was getting the better of her. August threw safety out the window, and shifted. Her excitement couldn't be contained. She sniffed him out, the fog causing only slight trouble. Her white pelt and full moon eyes blending in with the fog, she slowly circled him, wondering which way he'd be facing. Though August couldn't see him, she knew exactly where he was. She hadn't had fun like this in a long time.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 5:41:22 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 5:41:22 GMT -5
He started to notice a pattern in the swirls. Circles, around him... He narrowed his eyes at it as his good hand slipping into his pocket, closing around the knife. It was merely circles in the fog, right? No, it wasn't. The feeling was back. His gut twisted, and he almost wanted to throw up with anxiety, but he had nothing in his stomach. When was the last time he had eaten? He couldn't remember that either. He started to spin slowly, following the disturbance in the fog. It was probably just his imagination, something conjured up in his exhausted brain. Right? Wrong. He saw it, a small, white form, the cause of the disturbances. A cat? Dog?
In one swift, fluid movement, he stepped to intercept the animal's path, at the same time drawing his knife and crouching. If it was a normal animal, it would, or should, flee. What if it's not an animal? What if it's a talisman? What were the chances of him meeting yet another person with a talisman? Slim. Slim to none.
A fox, he saw. A white fox. He sneered. "Cute," he said sarcastically. "I get all worked up over a little fox." But he didn't straighten. His guy was still twisting, and it was more likely he would sit down instead of standing.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 6:11:19 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 6:11:19 GMT -5
Inside, August's heart was pounding, and she was gasping for breath. She hated sharp things...nasty..pointy things. Out of fright, August shifted back. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and in no time she began to cry. Breath escaped from her mouth, and the cold air turned it visible. I knew this was a bad idea! A bad, bad idea! August was standing much like a fox, but she quickly landed on her bottom, scooting farther away from the knife. In a crucial moment like this, the only thing that came to her mind was ..i lost my lollipop..? August felt stupid and immature, wishing she could have handled this calmly. But that was impossible ..I can't even control my talisman right.. She felt pathetic.
Frustration, Fear, and Self-hatred filled her up. August had emotions, she just didn't understand them or how to deal with them. She looked at the man who, a few minutes ago had fascinated her, now frightened her. In reality, he looked like he was going to be sick, but in August's mind, he was just a calm looking killer. August glanced at the knife, watching his thumb him gentley stroke the handle absent mindedly, but she couldn't take it; She covered her eyes and wished herself invisible. If I can't see him, he can't see me.
All at once, she wished that wishes came true. I wish the knife was gone. I wish that he would go. I wish that i can live. I wish i wasn't such a kid. I wish i could stop crying. I wish i wasn't so.. pathetic.
Despite her wishing, the knife didn't go away. Despite her wishing, Mr. Distressed remained. Despite her wishing, she was still too young. Despite her wishing, she continued to cry. Despite her wishing, she felt more pathetic then ever before.
What kind of kid still believes in wishes?
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 15:38:30 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 15:38:30 GMT -5
He didn't react when a girl suddenly appeared where the fox had been and shuffled away, crying. It was obvious she was no threat to him. To anyone, looks like, sneered a voice in the back of his head. He chuckled humorlessly and let himself sit down, still stroking the knife with his thumb without realizing it. He put his hood hand against his stomach as he watched the girl with unwavering eyes, wondering what he should do. Rest for a minute, then get up, and leave. That's what he would do. The fog distracted him again, and he looked over his shoulders to see if anyone else was there. He couldn't sit any longer.
Standing up, he slipped the knife back into his pocket. He looked back at the girl for a moment. She looked pitiful. She was weak. An Innocent, perhaps, or just a scared Undecided. Either way, she was frail, and, perhaps, would be easy for anyone to break. But that wouldn't be Ryan. He wasn't into the hunting. Yet. He might just let it slip to Anthony about the girl. Yes, that sounded good. "What's your name, girl?" he asked quietly. A name would simply help Anthony search, but Ryan had already seen every main details of the girl. If he saw her again, he would remember. She had given him enough of a fright for him to remember.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 16:05:32 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 16:05:32 GMT -5
With the knife gone, August could relax, and that's exactly what she did. For August, Out of sight, out of mind described her perfectly. Her violent sobs subsided quickly, leaving her hiccuping. August looked at him through her teary eyes. He looked exhausted, and though still frightening, not as menacing as when he had the knife. Dark circles hung about his eyes, giving him a strange tortured look. He was tall. Most people were taller than her, but not this tall. August stayed on the ground, too self-conscious to stand up. The height difference would be... embarrassing.
"What's your name, girl?"
The sentence "I don't talk to strangers." hung on her lips, but she bit it back. August thought back to the knife, and doubted he'd be amused. Her eyes drifted over him, she took in his greasy hair, and bare-feet. What weirdo hung around the woods without..shoes.. August looked down at her feet, and blushed. I'm not weird..
August had already avoided the question long enough. She kept her eyes away from his. Instead, she counted the buttons on his trench coat. August Frost.. She wanted to work up the courage to ask for his.. but courage was something August lacked. Taking a chance, she looked at his face, but couldn't read anything. He was... completely blank, as far as she could tell.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 16:27:32 GMT -5
Post by Waddle on Jul 9, 2010 16:27:32 GMT -5
He put the name in a safe place in his mind and locked it there. He gave her a small nod and almost turned around to leave, but stopped himself. "You were watching me earlier." It was a statement, not a question. He knew it for a fact. He didn't know how he knew it, he just did. His gut speaking again. He also had the strange feeling that they might not be able to find this girl again. How to handle this? He sighed. He wasn't good at pretending to be nice, so he wouldn't. He walked over to the girl and offered her his good hand, but lowered it quickly. No, that wouldn't work. She would probably be too afraid to take his hand.
Instead, he bent down to grab her by her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. "Listen, I have a friend who's been looking for you for a while," he lied. "He's been trying to find you, says he's your cousin, and he really wants to meet you." He let her go. "I'll take you to him if you want." He started walking without another glance back. He was actually hoping she would run for it. If she didn't, it would be a simple detour to Anthony's house... Wait, he had no clue where Anthony was. Ah well, it was most likely that they would run into each other. It was a small town after all, and Anthony had issues of his own that be might want to think on while walking around.
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Unwell
Jul 9, 2010 16:58:35 GMT -5
Post by Augustus is a SWOObat on Jul 9, 2010 16:58:35 GMT -5
You were watching me earlier.
August flashed a grin, Okay, maybe the Olive isn't more alert. She watched his offered hand, her own fingers twitched slightly, ready to take it, but the offered hand disappeared. August looked into his face, puzzled. He lifted her up easily, shocking her. Somehow she knew he was strong, but she didn't really expect to be lifted so easily.
August listened to his lies with hidden amusement. She only had two cousins; One was dead, the other only a baby.
I'll take you to him if you want.
Her eyes followed him for a few seconds, before her feet did. Her smile growing bigger the whole time. Curiousity had a hold of her. Her heart pumped faster, but not because of fear. The familiar feeling of excitement returned. A small voice in the back of her head whispered Isn't this how you got into trouble the first time? But she pushed the whisper away. She hummed as she followed his footsteps exactly, counting them as she went.
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