( EXECUTION - WEEK 3 )

[abhoth]

Unlike the previous day, those who are asleep past 8:00 AM will experience no pain as they're roused awake. Instead, they're pulled from their sleep peacefully, almost as if enveloped in a mother's loving embrace. A comfortable warmth spreads through their body as they open their eyes, finding themselves free of any grogginess or disorientation. Similarly, those who woke up early or were unable to sleep at all will find themselves alert and ready to take on the day. Considering what is about to transpire, however... no one would be blamed for wishing they could stay asleep. "Good morning. My staff and I hope you were able to sleep well. As promised, an execution will take place on this fine day. Please make your way to the Dining Hall. A member of our distinguished staff will be waiting for you with a summary of last night's results." Just like the previous day, residents who do not make their way to the Dining Hall before 8:15 AM will be forcibly escorted out of their rooms (or wherever else they may be). True to Craftly's words, one of the faceless men will be waiting in the Dining Hall while all the current survivors gather. Once everyone is there, with the exception of Mira, the staff member will slip a transparency into the projector, switching the device on to reveal what appears to be a telegram. VICTIM STOP MARTY MIKALSKI STOP THE BOOTLEGGER STOP VICTIM STOP RACHEL CLAUDIUS STOP THE ATHLETE STOP MAJORITY VOTE STOP MIRA STOP THE GHOST STOP EXECUTIONER STOP JAKE ENGLISH STOP INNSMOUTH MOTEL & CO ( quick navigation ) ic rulebook | locations | statuses | room assignments private conversations | ic profiles | graveyard | full navigation

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EXECUTION

[abhoth]

[As the remaining survivors wonder what's to come next, a pressure begins to form in the room. At first it is subtle, but it becomes completely and utterly unbearable after thirty (30) seconds. Breathing will be a difficult task, and just as asphyxiation starts to feel like a very real possibility — it stops. The room is plunged into darkness. Hands grab at the survivors, sticky and cold as they pull them down and through the floor. A gurgling, squelching sound drowns out any panicked screams from the people in the room, and a putrid tasting slop fills everyone's mouths, noses and ears.

This horrifying experience lasts all of two (2) seconds.

When everyone opens their eyes once again, they'll be in the middle of a clearing next to a lake. A nearby sign identifies it as Lake Crotin, but the thick fog surrounding the area makes it hard to see the other end of the lake. Trees and heavy foliage circle the clearing, but again, the fog makes it impossible to see what's in the distance. Despite this, the sun can be seen in the horizon, almost as if witnessing the events that are about to transpire.

As fascinating as the scenery is, however, residents might be more captivated by the sight in front of them. Mira is suspended by her arms, her body pressed against a large glass pane laced with chains attached to her wrists and neck. Though they're not tight enough to strangle her to death, it's clear they're restricting her airflow — every breath an agonizing experience she must fight for. Next to the pane rests a rusting metal table, where the executioner can find a bloodstained saw and two varieties of knives: curved and grotesque.

Unfortunately, there is one noticeable departure from previous executions. Namely, the fact that the crank is gone from the wooden platform. Instead, it's only Mira, the executioner, and the equipment that is presumably to be used on her. There is no easy way to do this from a distance, detached from the act of personally executing the guilty. It seems like it's expected of the executioner to personally carry out the punishment.

Faceless men block access to the platform and crank, with Craftly standing a couple paces away from the group, keeping anyone who might want to interfere out... as well as keeping those inside the perimeter in. Trapped on the platform is Jake English, chained by his remaining leg to the glass pane. Next to him is a wooden sign, with drawn instructions featuring step by step instructions of how to disembowel, quarter and behead a person, all in that order. The art style may seem familiar to some.

Coming from both nowhere and everywhere at once, an unpleasant, nauseating voice speaks all those who are present. It is not Craftly's voice. It cannot even be classified as a human voice. The longer it's heard, the worse the sensation becomes.]

M̴͏ĄY̵̧͜ ̢M҉̸͠Y͝ ̕͢C̕H͘I͠L̢D ̴̛R̵͜È̡A͢P͘͟͏ ̴̸͢H̵͘ER ̸̛͟R͢͝E҉W͟͝ÁR҉̶͠D͘
̀
̨͞T̶͘H͡ÌŚ̢ ͘C̡͘͟Ḩ̷̨A̷̧͝N̕͡͠G͠ES̨̀ N͢O̶̧T̢͝͡HI͏̢N̢G̕

[The message is clear. Now it's up to the Executioner to decide what to do.]

( This thread is for the majority vote and executioner only. If you wish to react, feel free to post your own top level. )

[potentite]

[It isn't immediately clear to him what's wrong. Or rather, he doesn't want it to be, so it isn't. He sees the differences: the missing crank, the way Mira is suspended close to him, the tools laid out. But he doesn't actually allow himself to understand until he looks at the nice little instructions he's been given.

He swallows and runs his hands through his hair, everything forgotten. He doesn't dare look at anyone but Mira. He doesn't want to see their pity or worry or fear. He can't, not right now.]

Mira, I— I told you, I've never— [He doesn't know why he's pleading with her. She's his victim right now.] —Can't I just, just... I don't know, um, please, what's... what's quickest, I— I can just do that, right? I don't...

[He looks at the instructions again before pressing his hands into his face.]

[lohengrins]

[ the air is thick — suffocating. percival stands tall, features near expressionless as he watches intently. subtly, he blockades the view for any children who may be standing behind him.

the place strived to rob every victim of its remaining purity, didn't it? nothing would be left intact.

all he can do is ensure that the others don't have to suffer the consequences as well — it was his vote, after all. ]

[crushcard]

[ He'll watch. He won't flinch. He refuses to let himself flinch. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[holy shit]

[every execution up until now has been an exercise in torture. he hadn't expected anything less from Mira's, but this. . .?]

[this absolutely is the worst of them all]

[he forces himself to watch, for the sake of satisfying that small niggling guilt in the back of his brain that tells him he's partially responsible for this because of how he voted. his gaze is distant, unfocused. expression stony]

[he hates this game]

[perceptions]

[Mira is still conscious, but fuck is it hard to breathe right now. What a pain. Jake is predictably pretty upset looking over this. Removing the crank... she wonders if "mother" did that on purpose, but she also wonders why the fuck she couldn't be given a more comfortable position? Guess executions aren't meant to be comfortable for the person getting offed though.

Oh, but right, Jake is blubbering. She would let out a sigh if her airway wasn't so restricted. Those dolts really should have just done what she told them to. They're subjecting Jake to this act through their pride.]

Do you... want me to -- walk you through it? [She says through pauses, the chains around her neck restricting her ability to speak.] I never... disemboweled a person either.

[rextenebrae]

[ Of all the things...

Knoll had been witness to some horrifying things on the battlefield. It was true. But this was a slow torture he couldn't bear to watch, and as soon as it begins, quietly, his gaze follows along to the surroundings.

If only he could cover his ears as well. ]

[18x0]

[Akane watches, expressionless and unflinching. She wishes Jake didn't have to do this, but right now she won't allow herself to even feel distress for his sake. Even after a night's rest, she's still too full of rage for anything else to matter.]

[wristbands]

[in her gut, she knows she could not be up there, in jake's position. she hadn't slept that night, too anxious and tense about the executioner poll. "there's nothing in the damn world that can get me to murder someone else." that's... not how justice is supposed to work, is it? this is eerie, as she flashes back to her home—she and her had the chance to execute adachi, take the murders of inaba into their own hands. he deserved it, didn't he? he was a twisted person; an unrepentant murderer; an embodiment of all things wrong with the world.

they let him live.

as awful as mira was during their stay in yuggoth, to force this kind of torturous death upon her, to force jake to personally end her life with his own hands, is unthinkable.

she tries her damnedest to watch her spectacle, but it eventually becomes too much for her. bile is rising in her throat, but unlike hana's execution, she does not sink to her knees. taking her eyes from the bloodshed before them all, she marches right up to craftly, and yells as loud as she can,]

Why?!

[ninjay]

[ watching someone you have lived with the past three weeks have to disembowel someone isn't pleasant, to say the least. jay just thinks of the dozens of different ways to apologize to jake later for voting him as the executioner, while also knowing that jake would still prefer to do it over the other candidates. he watches, although at one point he looks down angrily. ]

Goddammit.

[ jay looks back up after, to continue watching. ]

[thawedheart]

[...it's different this time.

Both more personal and more brutal - but then, that was probably always Mira's intention, and the intention of... whatever that voice was. She notes the difference in what it says, but there will be time to think on it later. For now... all she can do is watch.

Yukina does not look away. She doesn't want to give Mira the attention, but Jake, at least, deserves the support, even if it's wordless.]

[potentite]

[Knowing Mira, he wonders if she even feels irritation like a normal person. She still doesn't seem to be feeling much of anything at all. Even now at worst she just seems vaguely annoyed by it all.

God and he's crying, he can feel that, so he rubs hard at his eyes again. It's stupid, she's a murderer and it doesn't matter if he's annoying her in her final moments. It's not why he's crying but it's what he focuses on, because if he thinks about anything else—

But he asked for this. He thought it wouldn't be so bad, that he could just not look at her and turn a crank while whatever terrible fate befell her. It'd hurt, he'd hate it, but he's always been good at removing himself from being involved if he really believes it. This is probably his own punishment for thinking a life could ever be anything close to easy to take. Now he just has to try, because he asked for it and he can't let the others feel bad for putting him here.

Jake nods slightly, still afraid of looking at the others.]

Sorry. I'm sorry, I'm— [He bites down hard on his lip to stop it.] Just— Which one do I use? I'm sorry it's like this.

[ninjay]

[ he does not answer her question, but jay does walk over to chie and just stands next to each other. not close enough for their shoulders to touch, but close enough so he can still lightly bump against her to let her know he's there.

sorry, chie. ]

[gamerscore]

[ Chiaki hadn't seen anything like this. It was primal, more raw than any of the previous executions. She had her idea that everything would need a device to execute - much like a gamer needed a controller.

But, this was no game. Not anymore.

She stays silent, tugging the strings of her hoodie tighter so it scrunches around her face more. She doesn't want to look at it anymore than anyone else but it would be an insult to Jake.

They weren't doing the hard part. ]

[wristbands]

[it does not register in her mind immediately—all of her attention right now is directed toward craftly—but she will appreciate the sentiment later on.

jay are you having a feeling.]

[nowyouseeit]

[he remembers her rage from the day before. remembers the way she had almost taken a chair to Mira's head. quietly, he slides up next to her]

Oi. . .

[perceptions]

[...Good grief. What a pain. None of the executioners would have been the "right" choice for this, but Jake isn't quite as brave as she thought.]

Curved. [She chokes out from the chains, and then half-turns her head toward where Craftly and the faceless men are. However she doesn't get far and her head lobs back painfully straight-ahead to where Jake is.] Look, Jake, if you -- hesitate, they're going to... make it worse on you.

[18x0]

[Her eyes don't leave the stage, but she nods slightly to acknowledge Kaito's presence.]

Yes?

[nowyouseeit]

[it'd be a useless platitude to ask her if she's okay. in fact, anything he says right now would be extremely unhelpful. she instead, he just. nods at her in return and stands close, a silent showing of solidarty]

[potentite]

[God. Right. Mira's right. There definitely seems to be something awaiting a failed executioner and he doesn't want to find out what it is. And if he's punished further, that will just make it harder on everyone. He refuses to factor how he's feeling into this right now when the last thing he can deal with on a good day are his own emotions. Just do what's best for everyone else. Just do something, fuck. Jake nods and grabs the curved blade and comes towards her.]

I know. I know, and— Just, tell me the quickest way before I start. Um, Locations. I know you can barely talk, so I just— Shortest answer is fine.

[Fuck. His grip tightens on the blade.]

Let me make it as quick for you as I can.

[ninjay]

[ shut up don't @ me ]

[g101]

[ honestly? it's kind of annoying. it's a low buzzing of irritation in her brain, because jake doesn't deserve this. it's worse because there's something in the way he fumbles that makes her think there's a lot on his mind - but what? what's hurting him? just the knowledge? or is there more here, and can she help? he's a good kid. she can see it. anyone can. they sent him to this. it's annoying they did that. (even if she didn't vote for him, she maybe could have kept it from happening.)

hajime bends down, then crosses her legs, sitting criss cross applesauce. ]

We have to make sure he gets stronger. [ not physically. she means emotionally. don't let it break him. ]

I'm not looking away this time. [ jake deserves that much, she thinks. someone has to make sure what he's doing for the rest of them is observed. ] Make sure the kids do, though. [ she, uh, can't. refuses to look away. this is where she's sitting until the end. ]

[fauxtetsu]

[ With a pat on the back in case Jay doesn't want to be interrupted (or he can take his chance to have his execution-watching be interrupted, that's cool): ]

Watch over him, please.

[splinten]

[It catches his attention. Without looking away from Jake, he follows after Andersen. He can't let the damned man die while Jake is doing this.]