Entry 374; Day 401
[Voice Post]
((Click--slam! The first sounds, skidding and hissing and crackling, are most likely the Network device being thrown to the ground and sliding across stone. And it lasts a few moments until the device skids to a stop.))
((There's a pause, something that might be silence. But, no, there's the sound of somewhere breathing, and heavily, angrily. And then, distantly, Cain speaks at last--but not to the Network device.))
You know, you told me that you'd follow me to hell. You told me that seven years ago. And you held to it for most of those seven years.
I was here alone, I was here alone for so long, and then you arrived for the first time. You don't remember how grateful I was--you'll never remember. But I remember. I remember and I'll always remember.
And you came and went and came and went. And every time you left, I've sworn that you'll come back to me or I'll go back to you. Either one or the other. And you've come back. Every time.
Even this morning, I thought you must have gone on an errand, that you'd be back by teatime. And you weren't. But I still waited and I watched the Network and you were nowhere to be found.
And then I came here and I saw your portrait. Again.
((Silence.))
I longed for something deeper than blood ties. You knew that. I nearly threw myself over a cliff, and you held me back. You swore yourself to me and only to me, to watch over me and to serve me.
Is this that? It can't be. You swore on my blood and you said you'd follow me to hell. You could find me anywhere. You told me how you found me, and it was no trick. It was because you knew me and you belonged to me. Your promise did that. The woman you were to marry tried to kill me, tried to shove me over a balcony, and you reached to catch me instead of her. You belong to me and fight for me. You answer when I call and leave when I say. You belong to me. You belong to me.
((Shouting now, becoming more heated, more angry:))
You're mine, Riff! You said you'd follow me to hell! And this is hell, Riff! This is hell! This has been my hell for nearly three years now! And you've come and gone at least five times now! I've lost count of how often you've come and gone, of how often you've broken your promise to me!
You might as well never come here! You'll only leave again!
((Ebb tide. There's quiet for a moment and, when he speaks, that's quiet too:))
You'll come for a day and assure me that everything's well in London, and you'll make tea for me again, but you might as well not come at all. You come and go and come and go. Stay or leave, Riff. Stay or leave.
I can't keep losing you.
You're in London, I know, and looking after Merry and tending to the house and to the maids and to everything else, I know, I know, but I can't keep losing you.
Riff, you're mine. You're still mine. And I need you here. But you're never here when I need you.
I need you.
Riff.
You're still mine.
You're always mine.
And you will come back to me or I will destroy this City to get back to you.
((There's a long time between the last word and the next sound: footsteps. Footsteps as Cain walks over to the discarded Network device and picks it up again. He turns it off with a--))
((Click.))
[//end voice post]
[ooc: Okay. So. Riff has gone from the City--although I admit this is a little left-footed, since I wasn't sure about the player's plans about repicking, &c. Anyway, he's gone from the City now and, naturally, Cain is quite unhappy. He might be affected by the curse, but it's all going to be backhanded and biting. Don't expect happy!Cain for a while. Cain's found Riff's portrait in the Hall of the Missing and he's yelling at it.]
((Click--slam! The first sounds, skidding and hissing and crackling, are most likely the Network device being thrown to the ground and sliding across stone. And it lasts a few moments until the device skids to a stop.))
((There's a pause, something that might be silence. But, no, there's the sound of somewhere breathing, and heavily, angrily. And then, distantly, Cain speaks at last--but not to the Network device.))
You know, you told me that you'd follow me to hell. You told me that seven years ago. And you held to it for most of those seven years.
I was here alone, I was here alone for so long, and then you arrived for the first time. You don't remember how grateful I was--you'll never remember. But I remember. I remember and I'll always remember.
And you came and went and came and went. And every time you left, I've sworn that you'll come back to me or I'll go back to you. Either one or the other. And you've come back. Every time.
Even this morning, I thought you must have gone on an errand, that you'd be back by teatime. And you weren't. But I still waited and I watched the Network and you were nowhere to be found.
And then I came here and I saw your portrait. Again.
((Silence.))
I longed for something deeper than blood ties. You knew that. I nearly threw myself over a cliff, and you held me back. You swore yourself to me and only to me, to watch over me and to serve me.
Is this that? It can't be. You swore on my blood and you said you'd follow me to hell. You could find me anywhere. You told me how you found me, and it was no trick. It was because you knew me and you belonged to me. Your promise did that. The woman you were to marry tried to kill me, tried to shove me over a balcony, and you reached to catch me instead of her. You belong to me and fight for me. You answer when I call and leave when I say. You belong to me. You belong to me.
((Shouting now, becoming more heated, more angry:))
You're mine, Riff! You said you'd follow me to hell! And this is hell, Riff! This is hell! This has been my hell for nearly three years now! And you've come and gone at least five times now! I've lost count of how often you've come and gone, of how often you've broken your promise to me!
You might as well never come here! You'll only leave again!
((Ebb tide. There's quiet for a moment and, when he speaks, that's quiet too:))
You'll come for a day and assure me that everything's well in London, and you'll make tea for me again, but you might as well not come at all. You come and go and come and go. Stay or leave, Riff. Stay or leave.
I can't keep losing you.
You're in London, I know, and looking after Merry and tending to the house and to the maids and to everything else, I know, I know, but I can't keep losing you.
Riff, you're mine. You're still mine. And I need you here. But you're never here when I need you.
I need you.
Riff.
You're still mine.
You're always mine.
And you will come back to me or I will destroy this City to get back to you.
((There's a long time between the last word and the next sound: footsteps. Footsteps as Cain walks over to the discarded Network device and picks it up again. He turns it off with a--))
((Click.))
[//end voice post]
[ooc: Okay. So. Riff has gone from the City--although I admit this is a little left-footed, since I wasn't sure about the player's plans about repicking, &c. Anyway, he's gone from the City now and, naturally, Cain is quite unhappy. He might be affected by the curse, but it's all going to be backhanded and biting. Don't expect happy!Cain for a while. Cain's found Riff's portrait in the Hall of the Missing and he's yelling at it.]