( MINGLE - WEEK 2 )

[abhoth]

SURVIVORS: 40 The sun is shining, the air conditioner units hum as they always do, and a gentle morning breeze blows against the windows. The scent of pine cones and evergreen follow you wherever you go in the motel, save for the parking lot and outdoor pool. It seems like someone was very generous with the detergent while moping the floors. The two grandfather clocks (one on each floor) will ring with each passing hour, indicating the time of day without fail. With this knowledge — they'll note the motel will continue to be surrounded by fog until 8:00 AM on the dot. It is at that hour that the fog will begin to recede. Not enough to reveal the whole city, but enough to allow residents to explore some of the buildings surrounding the motel. And speaking of the motel, it seems like the Storage room has unlocked itself overnight. How quaint. Welcome to Week 2's mingle, everyone! As of this week, we are now accepting murder proposals. If you're interested in having your character murder someone this week, please send in your proposal before Tuesday, 9:00 PM EST. We'll be contacting you on plurk over the week to finalize the details, or ask for rescheduling if necessary. As always, feel free to PM us or send us a PP over plurk if you have any questions! ( quick navigation ) ic rulebook | locations | statuses | room assignments private conversations | ic profiles | graveyard | full navigation

Comments

[potentite]

[Well. That worked at least? And so far, so good. Minus the splinters. Jake is busy taking care not to get splinters everywhere in him as he tries to pick himself up. He does not in fact notice the part of the skull which is a real shame because he loves skulls but Andersen can show him.]

Well! We might have been excessive but it worked. All right there? Mind the bits of wood. Wouldn't want to get a nasty infection.

[abhoth]

[The jawbone seems a little... extra crispy. As in, covered in ashes and the greasy residue of burned flesh. As in, whoever was its previous owner probably died in a horrible fire and this is all that's left of them? There's also a sharp crack on the middle, implying they slammed their jaw into a hard surface at some point.

He might want to be careful in how he handles the bone, lest he wants it to break in his hands.]

[potentite]

[Unlike Andersen, Jake is awful and leans down to pick it up, though he is very delicate with it as though it's some kind of treasure.]

Hmm... Well, you're in luck, as I happen to have first-hand experience with this kind of corpse. [Thanks, Grandma. He loves you.] I think this... was actually more recent than I thought? Maybe? Or time just moves willy-nilly that's also possible. Here, look, that's what's left of the flesh. I don't think the fire caused that crack, either, so it was probably before they kicked it.

[abhoth]

[For reference, it seems like they're in some sort of backroom. There are the remains of charred bits of furniture among the debris, but nothing that would be particularly useful to them. A door sits on the other side to the room, opposite to the entrance they just broke down.

Jake's going to have some trouble determining the age of the skull. For some reason, there are signs of it being several years old due to the state of the bone itself — but the still clinging lipids tells another story. Either way, it's gross.]

[potentite]

[Well dang. He frowns at it.] I... can't tell. It might be older than I thought...? But the bits hanging on are, well, still gooey.

[Though he supposes there's weirder things here. A terrible mystery but an interesting one nonetheless. Jake gently sets the skull down on the remains of the furniture.]

I don't see much in this room. I still can't quite tell what this building used to be. [He motions for the door.] Shall we press inward and onward?

[potentite]

Capital idea, chum.

[Not that he wants to admit this is possibly more dangerous than he suspected but it'd be stupid to back out now.

Jake approaches it and notices how rusty it is. Better not grab it barehanded to yank it free. He takes off the loose button-up shirt he likes wearing over his regular t-shirt and winds it around the pipe. Then he gets a good hold on it and pulls hard to free it.]

There we go! All set and armed. I'll go first since, well. [He is now armed and he should defend tiny grandpa, so. Time to move on?]

[abhoth]

[Onwards they go, past the door.

What appears to be a grand room greets them — but it's nowhere near its former glory. Debris and ashes cover the ground, as well as the occasional surviving piece of furniture. What appear to be tables lay among the wreckage, along with the rare chair. Like the jaw in the backroom, Jake and Andersen will be able to identify bits and pieces of bones and teeth incrusted in the ashes. The only source of light comes from cracks between the boards on the windows, and the large hole in the caved in ceiling.

... If they look forward, though, they'll notice a stage at the very end of the room. It's large enough to fit at least 25 individuals standing side to side, and a stupidly massive tumbler sits in the middle of it. It looks like something might be inside of it, but they can't tell from this side of the room.

A gentle breeze blows through the room.]

[potentite]

[At least there aren't any soulless beasts, so that's reassuring. Jake keeps going forward, nudging some bones with his foot just to check them but it looks like they're all in the same state.]

Well, I suppose whatever happened, there were more than just that sorry fellow in the back trapped here. [Not that he'd be able to figure out what started the fire unless it was super obvious but he's still curious. It must have been an incredible blaze, he figures, to leave this kind of damage.] Is this a theatre or something?

[Though he asks this while looking in confusion at that giant tumbler. He has no idea if that is normal for a theatre-y building.]

[potentite]

I'd rather not linger either. Though it's a bit dim in here, isn't it? I should have asked Craftly for a lighter or a flashlight.

[He hoists himself up onto the stage, offering to help Andersen up.]

Do stages normally have those, uh, giant cup things?

[Though he isn't sure why it hasn't burnt down with everything else. But he's definitely going to get a closer look at it. They're here to find answers, so they have to look at anything strange.]

[abhoth]

[The purpose of the building won't become clearer until they approach the stage. Now that they're both closer to it, they'll able to spot a large sign, crooked and barely hanging on by its hinges. What little is still readable spells out:

B I N
H L L

There's plastic inside of the tumbler, and on the ground. It kind of looks like something melted inside of it. As Jake climbs up and offers a hand to Andersen, the tumbler lazily begins to spin on its own.]

[potentite]

[Grandpa please don't abandon Jake here you turd. Jake frowns at it but, well, again they need answers and going back without getting any would be a bust, so. He grips the pipe a little tighter and looks up at the sign first.]

B I N H L L... Separate words... Not a theater then? Or, well, hm. Um. Maybe it's a name? I don't... know. I suppose we should, um... hop to it and see what the fuss is in that tumbler over yonder. Just stay close behind me.

[Look even if grandpa would abandon him, he's going to protect him going forward.]

[abhoth]

[Grandpa Squad, chill. It's just an innocent little tumbler, spinning on its own. It'll even stop after a second. Or five. How spooky.

Instead, they'll hear something skittering underneath them, like something is moving under the stage.]

[potentite]

[Well fuck there's the horror sequence he guesses. Maybe it's a rat or something? Except he can't recall seeing any animals in this place. But since he's the one with the weapon, he supposes it's up to him to check on this. Right, okay. He can do this.

He makes a gesture to Andersen to keep still and quiet. Then, very slowly, he lowers himself to the ground of the stage. He wants to hear what it's doing and maybe figure out what it is. If this was a horror movie, he's pretty sure a horrible hellbeast would suddenly explode out of the stage floor to attack them, so he's tense in case he has to react quickly.]

[abhoth]

[The skittering stops.

There is absolute silence. Even the sound of the breeze blowing against the windows is gone.

And then—







A large skeletal hand proceeds to shoot up from the ground, breaking through the stage and reaching for Jake's arm in order to drag him further down onto the floor. It has claws, sharp enough to potentially cause damage if he's not fast enough.]

[potentite]

Jesus shitballing christ!

[That is not a rat at all but rather reminds him more of those horrible skeletons from the game. At least he was ready for an attack, though, and throws himself to the side fast, still holding the pipe tight so he doesn't lose the little defense they have. He's already getting back to his feet but he needs to keep Andersen in mind. He's the weakest one between them.]

[abhoth]

[Jump off the stage? Nah.

As soon as Andersen gets close enough to Jake, another skeletal hand shoots up from the ground. It grips Andersen's leg, claws digging into the flesh with ease, and then it proceeds to yank him downwards. The floor gives away underneath him, the concrete and dirt parting as if they were nothing more than water.

In a second, Andersen is gone.

Jake won't be faring much better, as the first hand will be grabbing him by the ankle and dunking him into the hole in the ground. It won't take long before Jake, too, is gone. The hole then proceeds to close up after them.

Bye, guys.]