here at the bottom of the world [07]

[courtneycrumrin]

Courtney and Thorn run hand-in-hand behind Irma and Harold, along a dark and crumbling path. Chunks of dirt and asphalt seem to be falling away behind and above them, some floating out into space, others sinking into some sort of subterranean chamber below. Stopping to rest is not an option

Comments

[allmyyesterdays]

Irma runs like a mad woman with Harold when the path starts to crumble. In the corner of her eyes, she sees things moving, and she runs faster.

As they run, things under their feet disappear under them, falling after them. Some things spin into space, and Irma shivers upon seeing the darkness and the stars.

They come up to a pit, and Irma looks down into it. They have to go down there? But down there is where the Strangers are. So down there they will go. "I'm willing to try to climb down." She has good experiences with the death grip, after all.

[orchidlover_wa]

Seeing all that space behind him makes his heart race and his hands feel numb, but he holds his terror at bay as best he can. "It's... it's okay, I can climb," he tells Courtney, once he gets to the edge. He's agoraphobic, not acrophobic.

He peers down into the pit. "There's... the machinery makes some handholds here..." Tentatively, he swings over the edge and grasps the handholds along the shaft. It's a long way down, but he's willing to try. He doesn't want to contemplate the alternative.

[janitor_thorn]

By the time they've reached the shaft, Thorn is puffing, and limping badly. Perhaps he should not have had that last cigarette, earlier. It hasn't helped his running any. He eyes the dark way down with a measure of trepidation, but it seems to be the only option, short of staying here and being flung off into space with the rubble of the city. He sinks down to hang his feet over the edge, biting his lip. "Um... 'S not... um... G-guess I'll be orright." He would offer one of the ladies a hand down, but it has occurred to him that should anyone be climbing directly below him, and should he fall, he would take them with him to the unseen bottom. This is one instance perhaps where it should not be ladies first

[courtneycrumrin]

Courtney grumbles something about damn high heels and this is why she never wears them, then swings herself down lightly over the side. She's not afraid of heights; she can always catch herself with levitation if need be. Climbing down carefully, she keeps an eye on Thorn. If he slips again, she'll catch him.