Death is Overrated

[deaths_heritor]

[The first thing she does when she wakes up is to check for attached limbs.
Yes.  Four of them.  All there.
The next thing is to listen to some of the calls that have been coming in.  Though she's missed most of the warnings, it's not difficult to tell that things have become progressively worse in her absence.  That, and the men in white were

Comments

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger has managed to return "home" without drawing the attention of the hazmats and is oddly relieved to find Susan in one whole piece.]

Miss Susan...

He never had a chance to tell you about Zemekis, did he.

[Because optimism is far too unrealistic in this town.]

/sorry, had to add this in.

[humandeath]

[And....Death wouldn't let him go alone so your Grandfather is currently making tea in the kitchen. Feel free to ignore him.]

[deaths_heritor]

Unfortunately not.

[Susan does exactly that as she addresses Slugger, merely raising an eyebrow at the tall man in the corner.]

He did manage to get away, though, which I suppose is a good thing. As did you, which is decidedly one.

[strike_you_out]

[Transporting an old man while avoiding random hazmats was not as easy task. Credit: due now. And this concern of yours for his own personal well-being... stop that, it's confounding.]

He got away? What was the gunshot?

[deaths_heritor]

The gunshot was him being shot about three seconds before he got away.

[strike_you_out]

[Giving this some thought...]

What's the point of shooting him? Everyone knows that nobody here--

[Death gets a quick glance.]

--dies.

[deaths_heritor]

[Susan finally acknowledges her grandfather now by sweeping to the tea and motioning for him to move over before he made too much of a mess of things.]

. . . Only if they decide to revive us, it seems. That's the only sensible explanation.

[strike_you_out]

True.

[Though now he wonders what happens when they don't choose to revive someone. Do those that die for good truly escape?]

It could be a way out.

[deaths_heritor]

. . . Death? I believe you're mistaking that with being permanently brainwashed.

[strike_you_out]

[He drops into the nearest seat at the table, visibly frustrated with all of this. Also visibly exhausted.]

Smirnov said nothing was left of his world.

[Brainwashed people aren't nothing, right? Though Smirnov didn't exactly specify what he meant by "nothing"... Sigh.]

[deaths_heritor]

. . . I believe he meant it was completely and utterly destroyed. Everyone from that town is dead, for good.

[strike_you_out]

Dead for good and freed? Their world couldn't exist without them...

[Is he talking in circles? He honestly can't tell anymore and leans over the table, chin resting upon his folded arms.]

[deaths_heritor]

. . . Ah.

[Susan vaguely understands now what he is saying. No, Slugger, she means a different sort of release here.]

You know, some of us are happier alive than dead, even if it is here.

[humandeath]

[....he's not making a mess. Okay maybe a little. There may be a broken tea cup involved. He'll allow himself to be moved aside and goes to sit at the table. Still just listening to their conversation.]

[strike_you_out]

Some of those may change their minds as time passes... if they have minds left to change.

[Grim enough to make the Grim Reaper look like Santa Clause. Oh wait--]

[deaths_heritor]

[Susan sweeps the shards into the trash and wipes up the spilled tea. Silly Death. The tea bag isn't supposed to be ripped open.]

Whatever you may say about humans, they're very tenacious about surviving. We're a bit remarkable that way.