[log] Screaming Tablet Horror Shack [closed]

[dr_unconscious]

Characters: Clayton and Clementine
Location B11, building 57
Date: day 7, night
Summary: A zombie apocalypse survivor and a recently-revived dead guy find shelter in a tiny, dark room while their tablets yell at them for the entire night. What could possibly go wrong?
Warnings: general horror things, will update as needed

[Clayton was starting to get worried that he wouldn't find somewhere to stay tonight. It's not like he has much to go on; with no idea where he is, how he got here, and low enough visibility that scouting is out of the question, the best he's been able to do is just keep the giant wall of ice on his right. This worked well enough to find him a house to stay in on the first night (that he can remember), but he found that one just in time, too.]

[This time, he runs into the wall's corner. He had a brief moment of panic about it. What if this is the end of the line? What if the outer edges of Norfinbury are the most sparse? What if he'd kept the wall to his left instead? Should he try sprinting back, or keep following? Would he be nearly as worried about this whole business if there wasn't a video of him apparently freezing to death circulating around the network?]

[There are other factors at play, of course. Clayton isn't thinking about the creeping anxiety and paranoia in his gut, because he doesn't have the first couple of days' experience to help him look for it. What grabs his attention instead is the glitching tablet. This is what he's focusing on when house 57 (or what remains of it) finally comes into view.]

Listen--please. [Stumbling through the snow in his socks, Clayton has the tablet--flickering figure and broken screaming and all--mere inches from his face, in the vague hope that his voice will come in over the microphone.] You've gotta calm down. I can't understand ya 'til I--I've found a house! Alright, alright, just a moment. Hang in there.

[Clayton glances up from the tablet and frowns at what he's found. It's...not exactly a house, but it's shelter and that's better than freezing to death. He can't imagine that anyone would be living in this. Still, on instinct, Clayton knocks lightly on the door before he opens it and staggers inside.]

Comments

[neverbitten]

[Clementine is just in the middle of some of the last of her rations, sat down on a fluffy blanket she'd found in one of the other houses, while her screaming tablet (shoved several metres away) offers the only source of light. This is... definitely not the best house she's stayed in so far. Actually, it might be the worst. But she knows it's too late to look for somewhere better now. She'd rather be sat in the dark without a bed than outside freezing to death. At least, she thinks so. Though the instinct to get as far away as possible from that tablet with the strange images on it is rising rapidly.

Clementine is just considering whether to throw the stupid thing out the window when she hears the door opening. She's on her feet immediately, grabbing the hammer she kept under her blanket. It's too dark to see much except the silhouette of somebody standing in the doorway.

Her voice is firm and understandably loud over the screaming of the tablets.] Who's there?!

[dr_unconscious]

[That's a person! Clayton's immediate thought is one of unbridled joy--he hasn't run into anyone yet (that he can remember), and after such an unpleasant journey to get here, having another face, just another presence to sit with is about the best thing he could possibly hope for.]

[But such happy thoughts are cut short as he realizes two things: ]

[First, this is clearly a child. She's alone, Clayton can't imagine for how long, and that's terrible for so many reasons.]

[Second, she's--brandishing a hammer at him?]

[Clayton is almost inclined not to take her seriously, but maybe the screaming is fraying his nerves a little bit. He freezes and his hands go up, palms (and tablet) out in defense.]

Whoa! Easy! It's alright. [Maybe he should answer her question? Yes, that would probably help.] Clayton. Didn't mean to startle ya. Everything okay?

[neverbitten]

Depends. [It was okay, anyway. Now she's not so sure. He doesn't seem immediately threatening, at least. The hand holding her hammer lowers, but doesn't drop completely.]

Do you... Are you hiding any weapons? [He isn't brandishing anything and he might be like George was - he might be friendly, but she can't ignore the risk that he might also try and hurt her. Her eyes run over him for a few moments and it's then she realises that she recognises him from the network. What's more, she recognises him as one of the few people who had apparently died and come back as something - that at least appeared to be - other than a walker. This does nothing to help her trust in him.]

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton is thankful that he decided to take her seriously the first time, because this must be the most paranoid preteen he's ever met. He remains on the defensive.]

Naw, no weapons. [No deliberate weapons--there are a few planks sticking out of the top of his backpack which could probably do some damage if he was especially determined, but such a use is so foreign to him that he doesn't even think about it.] Why on earth would I be carryin' weapons? Folks're so far 'part 'round here, it ain't do no good hurtin' 'em on sight.

[The two tablets wail in unison. Clayton winces and flinches away from the one in his raised hand, then mutters out of the corner of his mouth: ] I know, I know, I ain't forgot ya...

[neverbitten]

[Clementine raises a disbelieving eyebrow, considering that. He actually seems genuine about that though. She hasn't met anyone who would voluntarily go around without a weapon in years - even here where there have been no sign of walkers.]

Not everyone thinks that way. [She's still not sure this guy doesn't think that way, honestly. She trusted George not to hurt her when they met, and that turned out okay for a while (until he didn't get inside on time and died anyway). The only thing holding her back here is the knowledge that he also died. And yet here he is.

She fidgets, ignoring the wailing tablets as best she can, before adding,]

I think we've talked before, on the network. I'm "Clem".

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton kind of wants to put the tablet down. Actually he would prefer to be about as far away from it as possible. But that would mean abandoning the person screaming on it--the person that clearly needs his support--and he hasn't reached the point where the instinct to flee overwhelms the instinct to help. That point is rapidly approaching, though.]

[Clem is helping distract him from this. He doesn't recognize the name at first, since he doesn't remember their conversation actually taking place, but after a moment of confused staring and some mental sifting through the posts he read over, the connection is made.]

Ah--you were askin' bout the body in the church, right? [He looks proud of himself at first for figuring this out, before the rest of the implications suddenly hit. Clayton's face pales.] ...'Bout Klaus comin' back. I'm...hmm. [He bites his lip.] I think I'm seein' where yer comin' from.

[neverbitten]

[Clementine kind of wants to throw her tablet - and preferably, Clayton's too - right out the door. But this is her only link to others, and she can't abandon that. She just wishes they'd both shut the hell up. Her sympathy for whoever is screaming has dwindled significantly.

She frowns.] Yeah.

You - You died. I saw on the Network. [If it sounds like she's accusing him of something... Well, she is. People don't just come back to life as normal human beings. They come back as monsters.] It isn't like where I'm from though. You're not a walker.

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton can hardly blame her for being wary of him, knowing that she's used to these sorts of thing happening and, presumably, them being dangerous. At least, he assumes they're dangerous. Why would she want to kill them otherwise? That would be awfully rash of her. But then maybe someone as young as she is (much younger than he initially thought she was) wouldn't put too much thought into something she's been taught to believe is universally true.]

[If Clayton knew anything about Walkers, he would realize how silly a thought this is. Either way, there's no harm in trying to rationalize with her.]

I don't know what it's like, where yer from. What're they like? The Walkers.

[neverbitten]

[Clementine thinks she sees what he's getting at and would laugh if this wasn't so serious. Instead, she smiles just a little, and shakes her head.] They can't talk or anything. They're just rotting flesh, not who they used to be. Not anymore.

All they can do is... well, walk. [she admits, dryly.] And eat people. That's about it.

[dr_unconscious]

[A smile is a good start. Clayton flashes a smile back in the hopes of encouraging more of the same.]

Well alright then. So they're real easy t' tell apart from the rest a us, yeah? [He pauses briefly, as if expecting an answer, but the question is hypothetical and he continues anyway.] And I don't fit none a them checks? I mean, I ain't lookin' t' bite off that cute lil' nose a yours, but maybe that's 'cause I ate just a bit ago already. I don't know how this 's supposed t' work.

[neverbitten]

[Clementine nods, relaxing a little as he continues. If nothing else, she's determined that this guy isn't much of a threat. And even if he were, he underestimates her, which is actually good if he does decide to try and hurt her.

She lets herself sink down so she's sat with her back against the wall, hammer still in hand but resting on her lap.]

I don't know either, but not like this. It's just weird. You're supposed to be dead. If people come back normal then - [Her parents, Lee, Kenny... Not something she can think about now.]

Well, you're not dangerous. That's good.

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton relaxes at about the same time Clem does. That seems to be the situation resolved, then. His shoulders slump, he sighs in relief, the tablet screams at him--]

[Oh, right. Mouth half-opened to agree with Clem's assessment that he isn't dangerous, Clayton instead turns back to the tablet.] --I'm sorry, I--please, you've gotta calm down. Can you tell me where you are?

[Behind him, the door locks with an audible click. A shiver runs up Clayton's spine from something other than the cold; he reaches behind him for the handle on instinct, fumbles with it, confirms that it isn't going to budge. He takes a deep, shuddering breath.]

...Ah. [Clayton knows the doors lock at night. This was unnerving enough yesterday, when they caught him in that house with all the dolls, but at least that was a whole house. This is just the remnants of a room--small, dark, with the wind howling outside through the thin walls and these tablets yelling at him. There's nowhere to escape to. He can see the walls breathing.]

[Focus, Epps. Clayton squeezes his eyes shut and works to control his breathing.]

...Right. Don't worry, I--I'm sure I didn't die. Couldn't a done. Otherwise I'd be one a yer walkers, yeah?

[This is supposed to be a joke, but it falls pretty flat because Clayton is now very uncomfortable. He rather abruptly just. Lets his knees buckle and slumps down to the floor, right in front of the door. The window would have been a nice choice, too, if he could actually see out of it and if the floor under it wasn't covered in glass. This will have to do.]