Hit the Road, Jack [One-Shot/Complete]
Characters: Eva Lilian, Lanternkeeper
Setting: Ira--from the Clean Bedroom and Poppy Hallway to the Torture Chamber and Soft Room and beyond.
Time: Early Night 015
Summary: Eva discovers tonight's safe room, and gets a little more than she bargained for.
Warnings: Harm done to a little girl? Description of a burn wound? Possible creepy?
Easy to admit or not, Eva was scared. Watanuki's idea had been a good one, and had probably saved all of their lives--going out into the hall was easier than being trapped as night fell, and they would have been trapped, seeing those things that had shown up in their room once the sun set.
She wasn't sure what they were, just that they were scary looking, pale and powdery and badly malnourished, wearing nothing but just bandages, and they barely even looked human, their bodies were so smooth. But they were wandering around like they were blind, and they had bandages over where their eyes should be too, and--well, she just didn't feel comfortable making much noise or even speaking outside the door, not if she could help it.
But she very carefully closed the door to keep the monsters inside, breathing a sigh of relief once it clicked shut. The air felt heavy and still in the hallway, but safe and strangely peaceful, considering the monsters so close by. Even reminiscent of blood though the hall's color was, the Bible and cross were a comforting sight. She took a step towards them, then frowned as the brilliant glint of light flashing off of metal caught her eye. "What was that....?"
It settled into a steady, bright glow soon enough, and Eva ventured to the corner to peek around it, frowning a little--the entire Torture Chamber was lit up. Why was that? Curiosity getting the better of her, and seeing no monsters in sight, Eva went to take a look. Gruesome and bloody though the room was, it felt almost.... safe, now? Warm and welcome, inviting. Like the light made it a place people should want to stay in. Maybe this room really was safe tonight? She really hoped so; where else would they sleep, with those things in the room right now? The Lanternkeeper looked up, and Eva moved to step inside.
Their eyes met. Eva froze.
Scum, her eyes seemed to whisper. Her lips never moved, her throat was a ragged hole, blood covered the front of her dress--but her eyes were cold and full of disdain, uncompromisingly harsh and angry. Still glaring, she rose.
Eva never made it across the threshold; the Lanternkeeper was there, stern and insistent in spite of her tiny frame and typically meek demeanor. Every line of her body screamed You will not pass, and she moved to block the doorway with her own body, lantern flashing out in a swift cut.
Eva reeled back with a short, sharp cry of pain as the glass hit the arm she had flung up to shield her face; the blow wasn't so shocking as the incredible heat, and she could feel her flesh burning and melting under even that brief contact. The smell of seared flesh was bad, but the pain was far worse. "Wh-what are you doing?! Stop it!"
Another strike. The Lanternkeeper pressed her lantern against Eva's arm, pushing, forcing her back with strength surprising for such a frail-looking girl.
Eva screamed outright this time, staggering as her legs nearly buckled under her from the pain; her flesh blackened and twisted, melting fat and hissing blood running down her arm as the lantern scorched straight through to the bone--the work of seconds of contact. "Leave me alone!"
There was no hiding her tears from a wound like that; Eva sobbed as she cradled her arm against her chest, turning to run. She bolted through the Hell Hallway without so much as glancing back, hair streaming and eyes glazed by tears. Bewildered and distressed as she was, she felt fearfully sure that she would see the Lanternkeeper in hot pursuit if she were to look back. Even the Soft Room and its Bandaged were no deterrent to her, in this state; she rushed past without a care for noise, even running bodily into one as she went through. The one she had struck drew back sharply away from her and let her pass, though the others continued milling about despite the racket, ignoring her as soundly as though she didn't even exist.
The Lanternkeeper stood in the doorway for a moment longer, then carefully wiped the blood off of her lantern, before moving back to take her seat once more.
((OOC: This is a scene-setting sort of one-shot. If anybody wants to thread with Eva after this, just let me know, and I'll set up a thread for you! =3))
Setting: Ira--from the Clean Bedroom and Poppy Hallway to the Torture Chamber and Soft Room and beyond.
Time: Early Night 015
Summary: Eva discovers tonight's safe room, and gets a little more than she bargained for.
Warnings: Harm done to a little girl? Description of a burn wound? Possible creepy?
Easy to admit or not, Eva was scared. Watanuki's idea had been a good one, and had probably saved all of their lives--going out into the hall was easier than being trapped as night fell, and they would have been trapped, seeing those things that had shown up in their room once the sun set.
She wasn't sure what they were, just that they were scary looking, pale and powdery and badly malnourished, wearing nothing but just bandages, and they barely even looked human, their bodies were so smooth. But they were wandering around like they were blind, and they had bandages over where their eyes should be too, and--well, she just didn't feel comfortable making much noise or even speaking outside the door, not if she could help it.
But she very carefully closed the door to keep the monsters inside, breathing a sigh of relief once it clicked shut. The air felt heavy and still in the hallway, but safe and strangely peaceful, considering the monsters so close by. Even reminiscent of blood though the hall's color was, the Bible and cross were a comforting sight. She took a step towards them, then frowned as the brilliant glint of light flashing off of metal caught her eye. "What was that....?"
It settled into a steady, bright glow soon enough, and Eva ventured to the corner to peek around it, frowning a little--the entire Torture Chamber was lit up. Why was that? Curiosity getting the better of her, and seeing no monsters in sight, Eva went to take a look. Gruesome and bloody though the room was, it felt almost.... safe, now? Warm and welcome, inviting. Like the light made it a place people should want to stay in. Maybe this room really was safe tonight? She really hoped so; where else would they sleep, with those things in the room right now? The Lanternkeeper looked up, and Eva moved to step inside.
Their eyes met. Eva froze.
Scum, her eyes seemed to whisper. Her lips never moved, her throat was a ragged hole, blood covered the front of her dress--but her eyes were cold and full of disdain, uncompromisingly harsh and angry. Still glaring, she rose.
Eva never made it across the threshold; the Lanternkeeper was there, stern and insistent in spite of her tiny frame and typically meek demeanor. Every line of her body screamed You will not pass, and she moved to block the doorway with her own body, lantern flashing out in a swift cut.
Eva reeled back with a short, sharp cry of pain as the glass hit the arm she had flung up to shield her face; the blow wasn't so shocking as the incredible heat, and she could feel her flesh burning and melting under even that brief contact. The smell of seared flesh was bad, but the pain was far worse. "Wh-what are you doing?! Stop it!"
Another strike. The Lanternkeeper pressed her lantern against Eva's arm, pushing, forcing her back with strength surprising for such a frail-looking girl.
Eva screamed outright this time, staggering as her legs nearly buckled under her from the pain; her flesh blackened and twisted, melting fat and hissing blood running down her arm as the lantern scorched straight through to the bone--the work of seconds of contact. "Leave me alone!"
There was no hiding her tears from a wound like that; Eva sobbed as she cradled her arm against her chest, turning to run. She bolted through the Hell Hallway without so much as glancing back, hair streaming and eyes glazed by tears. Bewildered and distressed as she was, she felt fearfully sure that she would see the Lanternkeeper in hot pursuit if she were to look back. Even the Soft Room and its Bandaged were no deterrent to her, in this state; she rushed past without a care for noise, even running bodily into one as she went through. The one she had struck drew back sharply away from her and let her pass, though the others continued milling about despite the racket, ignoring her as soundly as though she didn't even exist.
The Lanternkeeper stood in the doorway for a moment longer, then carefully wiped the blood off of her lantern, before moving back to take her seat once more.
((OOC: This is a scene-setting sort of one-shot. If anybody wants to thread with Eva after this, just let me know, and I'll set up a thread for you! =3))