39 // video/action // c2hlbmFuaWdhbnMh
(ooc: Two for the price of one; tag either, neither or both as you desire! But please specify which you've gone for in your tag somewhere. If you're not sure wtf is going on, feel free to check this ooc post.)
39a // videoHere's a video feed of that good old room which some of you might recognise as Alex's. It's dark, but that's actually ( Read more... )
39a // videoHere's a video feed of that good old room which some of you might recognise as Alex's. It's dark, but that's actually ( Read more... )
Not included in this chapter: How to cope with the unexpected and somewhat unnerving sight of-- ]
Markus?
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Anyway.
He stops walking, and stares straight at Philip, tilting his head slightly in question. ]
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1.) Hide from it in a closet
2.) Walk directly into it
Despite the wealth of closets in Wonderland there has yet to be one of them installed outdoors. So... ]
Hey, what are you doing out here?
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Although if he could he wouldn't have to.
This line of thought is extremely silly. He goes back to regarding Philip, then takes a slow look around at the darkened trees surrounding them, then looks at Philip again.
That counts as an eloquent and understandable response, right? ]
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You're... not still speaking code, are you?
[ Because his French wore off and that would just be very inconvenient. ]
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There are still several unoccupied graves scattered around, so Alex has the time to spare to step a little closer, head still at that questioning angle, revealing as he does so that several dark stains on his coat are not patterns of shadow at all but are in fact several dark stains on his coat. ]
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Seeing the dark stains glistening in the moonlight (which is always around for atmospheric scenes like that) Philip gasps and steps closer. ]
What did you--
[ He stops himself just as he's about to grab the masked man by the shoulder.
Philip saw no need to look beyond the clearly identifying mask. But now his eyes are on the stains and from there they take in the entire body, its builts, its posture and everything that so, so clearly isn't who he thought it was. ]
You're not Markus.
{Dun dun duuuuuuuuuun. }
Who-- Who are you?
[ Philip sways.
He wanted to take a step closer, take a closer look.
But that... might not be the right answer.
He steps back. ]
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What's weirder is that some part of him derived from humanity is trying to answer. You see, Phil? You see what you and your stupid amounts of conversation have done?
It results in nothing more than a staccato gurgle, like someone whose throat's been cut.
Then he shakes his head rapidly - half at Phil, and half at himself, because no that was stupid and forbidden and did we also mention stupid. ]
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Okay.
Uhm.
Well.
You know what would be great? If Philip hadn't left his communicator upstairs. Because then he could use his phone joker to help him answer the question of what the hell he's supposed to do now.
He can't just walk away, can he? ]
...Are you hurt? Is that your blood?
[ Please say yes. Yes as in 'No, there certainly isn't a horribly stabbed corpse lying around somewhere nearby'. ]
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He does have commands, though. And Phil can help him out with one of them.
Alex lifts the blade of his shovel clear of the leaf-litter. It too is spattered with blood, even more so than his coat, in that lovely arterial way that happens when you cut off some poor bastard's arm.
Phil might've stepped back, but he's still very close.
Alex swings the shovel. ]
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{Whoa, whoa, watch it out there, I get the sentiment, but I'm still gonna need that face at some point! }
[ For all our readers unaware of the meaning of the word 'dodge', it means 'to yelp in surprise and step back rapidly, causing an unaesthetic and poorly choreographed fall to the ground. ]
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Except that it takes him a few moments. Alex has been running at full capacity for longer than his body is really capable of; though you can go a long way when you're forced to by a supernatural deathgrip on your mind, there comes a point when your muscles aren't just complaining, they're shutting down.
So it takes him a few moments, and his movements are clumsy and his limbs shaking and his breathing a struggle.
Then he brings the shovel down in a stabbing movement towards Philip. ]
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[ Okay, never mind, Philip can see that this is not a good time for Alex, so maybe they can continue this conversation once he's done dodging that--
Yes, dodging that shovel is definitely a good thing to do. Not a novelty act, but hey, Philip is a traditionalist after all and he's been an avid admirer of not getting stabbed by gardening equipment ever since he was a little boy.
He manages to scramble to his knees on time, lunging out of reach and barely stumbling into a standing position instead of back onto the ground.
Philip is on a roll tonight. Two excellent dodging decisions, now all he has to do is--
...apparently not run like hell, but turn around and slowly try to get closer to the masked guy.
Uhm.
Okay. ]
{Let me guess: This isn't the first time somebody took a swing at you with a shovel, only last time it connected pretty good. }
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And yet you still keep trying to do the job you've been told to do.
Alex pulls the shovel out of the ground, turns towards Phil and - has to lower it again and lean on it, his arms going limp.
It's horrible disobedience, and he hurts a little more for it. Alex exerts effort and first keeps himself standing, then slowly lifts the shovel. The static in his throat holds back any sound he might otherwise be making. ]
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Are you sure you don't want to go with the running away thing? No? *sigh* All right then.
...perfect opportunity to throw himself at Alex and make a grab for his mask.
This is what Tim led him to believe would work, so he can only hope for the best. Or... you know, any outcome that leads neither of them to die a horrible death, that would be good. ]
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Oh hey, underneath it is that one kid.
As the mask comes off, Alex begins to scream. There's hardly even a build-up to it; it's as if by removing the mask Philip has tuned in to a broadcast already in progress. His face and the back of the mask are already wet, where he's been crying without attaching it any importance.
Three or four seconds later, the scream stops and Alex's body falls towards Philip and rattles with seizures. ]
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