Event: Consolidation Theory, Part Four and Five

[snowblindmods]

Characters: red-marked characters and their new friends
Location: ???
Date: Morning 354, Morning and Day 355
Summary: A quiet morning and a confusing morning, or maybe they're both, or maybe they're neither.
Warnings: gore, psychological horror, warn for specifics in the subject lines

Part Four OOC Post
Part Five OOC Post

Comments

cw: generalized trauma but will edit as necessary

[lacecase]

a.

[It's hard to say how long Ginger's been awake. For anyone who can see her from their cell, it's hard to even immediately recognize her as the ever-smiling woman from the Network. Her clothing is in shreds, leaving her fairly exposed, and her hair has been cut and pulled away from her scalp, leaving it a ragged and bloody mess of a hack job. Although one of her arms, clearly broken, is splinted at her side, she has her legs curled up her stomach with the other, rocking and crying and shaking into her knees.

If it seems as if she's hiding her face, it's because she is--curling away from anyone who gets close or looks her way.]

Don't be real, don't be real...oh ow, ow.

[Ginger won't ignore anyone who tries to get her attention from where she sits talking to herself, but it's obvious enough that she's in shock, so her thoughts and focus are scattered.]

b.

[Ginger was fortunate enough not to have her legs damaged, so once the shock wears off and leads itself to a more generalized fear, she ultimately stands herself up and starts to examine the rest of the room. She has no idea what to do--her focus is still all over the place. There's no recollection in her mind of which of the red-lined captives did this to her, so there's no one person she can be afraid of...but knowing that they were touching her, grabbing her, ripping her apart...it lends itself to a general unease.

She's too nervous to go into any of the cells without prompting, but at the same time she's too kind of a woman to ignore anyone, so she'll stop at the outside of their cells, knees shaking, barely holding herself together. Now that she's standing, it's easy to see the bruised ring circling her neck. Blood's splashed across her wide-eyed face.]

Can I do anything? Can I help you?

[Her voice is ragged from what must have been screaming. At least now she's wearing what remains of England's shirt over her own, covering a bit more of her exposed skin.]

B

[warriorscribe]

[Enoch has put enough pieces together to sort of know. To realize he's been made to do something terrible again, and this time can't remember what. With his emotional outburst rapidly checked - probably by someone else's reaction, all things considered, he's curled up in the one out of sight place he can find - his cell's bathroom. The only thing marking this cell as occupied is the barely touched tray of food.

At the sound of Ginger's voice, a red-marked face peers out from the corner. Enoch's eyes widen at the sight of her, and he ducks back into the bathroom to answer from out of sight. His voice is halting, shaking. Whatever happened he knows he doesn't deserve her kindness right now.]

As kind as that offer is, you should- offer it to someone more badly hurt.

[lacecase]

But, I...

[She's just so confused. She hesitates at the entrance to Enoch's cell. Enoch's the kind of person it's just natural to gravitate toward. He's always been so sweet and so gentle. And now, now he's hiding from her, like he can't even bear the sight of her. She raises her good hand to her face, trying to scrape away the blood that's stuck and crusted onto her skin like a marionette's mask.]

If you can't get out, I don't want to leave you.

[warriorscribe]

I'm one of them. I wasn't- it doesn't matter that I can't get out, I might have-

[He stops for a long, shuddering breath that doesn't quite mask a sob.]

I can still walk, talk, and eat. I have the use of both hands. There must be people who can't. Who...we hurt more badly. If I could remember, I would- I would tell you who needed you.

[lacecase]

[Ginger still remembers the way that she thought when the paranoia had been turning her against the ones with line. Back then, she would've been happy to throw him under the bus, blame him for any part he may or may not have had in what happened to her and the others.]

You're Enoch. You're my friend.

[Her voice breaks, her eyes burn again. Ginger shakes her head. She doesn't know what to do. She just doesn't know.]

b.

[zunesareawesome]

Aw, hell, they got you too?

[Peter's leaning against the barrier, watching--watching these poor people go by and feeling absolutely helpless, his red eyes are wide with increasing fear and anger, and here comes Ginger all sweet and good as always, and she was so hurt and look at her poor hair--]

I'm okay, you should--you should get some rest.

[lacecase]

I don't think I can.

[She laughs, but it doesn't sound like her. A desperate, last-change attempt at being herself that falls short and shatters against the ground. She ducks her head as if she's ashamed of the sound, trying to subtly shield her face from him.]

I don't like what I see when I close my eyes.

[zunesareawesome]

Oh no.

[Peter feels his heart just crack in two. He slams his fist against the barrier, he doesn't have a place for the rage, the helplessness--]

Ginger, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I wish I could help.

[lacecase]

[Ginger nods, the gesture numb. She flinches automatically at the expression of anger and takes a reflexive step away from him...but she doesn't blame him. How could she?]

Me, too. I don't feel right sitting down but I don't know what else to do for myself or, like, anybody else.

A, cw mentioning of nails and amputation

[cahooted]

[Once the initial shock has worn off Flynn finally manages to start breaking through the fog in his head and actually dealing with the situation they find themselves in. Walking the hallways and seeing the state others are in - broken bones, bloodied nails, missing limbs - he suddenly feels a burning shame about his earlier breakdown. He pushes the thought away for now, trying to keep focused on helping those who seem to really need it.]

Ginger? H-hey.

[He approaches slowly, still looking a bit shaken but his voice is soft and gentle, trying not to startle her.]

It's... it's me, it's Flynn.

[lacecase]

Flynn...

[His voice reaches her like she's in a daze. This is the first time they're meeting face-to-face, isn't it, if you don't count those false memories. Her face would be burning if she had the the wherewithal to be embarrassed.]

Oh God, Flynn, you don't want to look at me right now.

[It's so nice to hear his voice. Like, so nice, but she can't imagine this being it. This being the time they get to spend together.]

[cahooted]

[Flynn sits down with her. He wants to reach out and put his hand on her shoulder, then hesitates, unsure if the contact is welcome. Instead, he slips out of what is left of his shirt and carefully drapes it over her shoulders.]

What, don't be silly, I, of course I do. It's alright. [It's not alright, nothing is alright.] It's gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine.

[lacecase]

...thank you.

[It feels wrong taking things from anyone, but it helps not to feel quite so exposed. She pulls his shirt closer around herself.]

Are you sure we'll be alright? What if...

[She lowers her voice even more. She doesn't know who did this, not exactly, but she remembers the red lines.]

What if they come after us again? Not on purpose, but you heard what Robert said...about this being a failed first attempt?

B

[0thingsonmymind]

*He flinches back as Ginger stops at his cell. She seemed to be able to get past the blue wall, so that meant she might be able to get into his cell...but she doesn't seem to be dangerous at the moment. She looks pretty bad, actually.

He shakes his head at the question, then points to her neck and cants his head. What happened? Would she even know, given how confusing everything was right now?*

[lacecase]

[Fortunately for Brian, Ginger doesn't get any closer. She does raise her good hand to her neck as she follows his gesture, wincing. She has to clear her throat before she can speak properly.]

I'm not...I don't know...there was something around my neck and...it kept...

[No, she doesn't want to think about it. It still hurts. It hurts so much.]

Has anyone figured out where we are?

[0thingsonmymind]

*He touches his own neck, in part to make sure there isn't something around it. He doesn't seem any more sore there than anywhere else either...perhaps it had something to do with why she could get out but he couldn't.

He shakes his head. He's pretty sure no one knows and isn't sure there's more to say than "somewhere in norfinbury."*

B

[devoutish]

[Like so many people that Alfie doesn't talk to regularly but still has alternate memories of thanks to that one event, it takes him a second longer than it should for him to figure out how he should react to Ginger. They traveled together for a while. No, wait, they've only met up a couple of times. But they've slept together. Except no, they haven't. He blinks blearily at her, and even when his mind clears a little, he still looks pretty out of it.]

You haven't got any supplies.

[He's pretty sure that if she did, England or America would have had her use them on herself.]

[lacecase]

No, I'm sorry.

[She has her own clothes on her--or at least what's left of them, but other than that, she woke up without any of her things. Whoever grabbed her and the others didn't bother to pick up their backpacks.]

But if you have an injury that you need bandaged, I can, ah...

[She reaches down to her pants, idly. She's not keen on losing any more of the torn fabric that's keeping her barely modest, but she'd feel better knowing she did anything she could.]

[devoutish]

I've got bandages.

[He pats his arm gingerly. He has nothing to change them out with, but he's used to making do.]

A

[rubikscomplex]

[House had wanted her to accept the horrors of this place. He'd snarled and snapped, trying to get Ginger to understand that the fall was only going to be farther and faster the longer she tried to smile at everything and pretend she was all right. House doesn't actually like seeing people cry, though. Not ones who haven't earned it. Not pretty girls.]

Stand up.

[His voice is hoarse, but it's still commanding. He's covered in blood, but his own clothes are more or less intact. One item, in particular that was spared most of what he got. House unties the ragged, blue gingham blanket he uses as a sort of cloak. If Ginger complies, he'll step in close without saying anything else and tie it around her waist like a skirt. He stares at her face instead of anything else she has exposed.]

Now you're beach-ready, babe.

[lacecase]

[It's hard not to flinch at the sound of House's voice. Granted, he's usually a text-based presence on the Network, but it's hard not to recognize who's addressing her even with the way they all sound like they've been choked out. Even with the fact that she wants to curl into herself and disappear. Ginger doesn't even register when she starts to do as House says, sliding up shakily against the wall. She doesn't register when she's started to brace herself, or when her heart starts to race just a bit more. Anxious, anxious, anxious.

...but what happens isn't something that she was expecting. She'd been looking away, out and off to the side into some dirty corner, but her gaze follows his hands to his task, and then, as he speaks again, she meets his gaze. The relief in his eyes is devoid of any kind of joy, or victory in the revelation that he does have a kinder side buried underneath his prickly, harsh exterior. No, she's just relieved. But even hollow gratitude is something better than what she was feeling before.]

Thank you.

[rubikscomplex]

It's gonna get worse. [So much for the comfort. House is trying to prepare her, at least. House steps away, out of her immediate personal space bubble and glances to the side, rather than looking directly at her.] You heard Miller. This time didn't work. Means he'll be trying something else. Don't eat anything they put out for us. The food was drugged in the tower.

b

[sharktrash]

[ Hey, it's the nice (and mildly annoying) girl. Squalo raises his head; he's already standing up in his own cell, but his back's still against the wall as he steels himself to move again. The pain in his arms is subsiding for now, but he expects it to spike again as soon as he takes a step. ]

[ He sort of examines Ginger for a moment. She definitely doesn't look like she's in a state to be helping anyone else, yet here we are. Fucking nice people just won't give it a rest. He does his best to quirk a wry smile at her, though there's still a certain strain in his expression that hints at agony. ]

Yeah, actually. I've been holdin' this piss in for hours and I'm kinda stranded here...

[ he sort of lifts his bandaged arms a bit to accent that he can't use them properly. ]

[ that's right he's daring u to touch his ween ]

[ though if she does try to come closer he'll stop her. just being a fucker because that's how he deals. ]

[ then again, this issue could become very real soon enough. ]

[lacecase]

O-Oh!

[Congratulations, Squalo. She definitely looks surprised and awkward. If they were somewhere else she might have laughed, but as it is, she looks around her as if she's checking to see if there's anyone else who could help him...but, hm...no, not really. And she feels bad just leaving him if he really needs help with his, um, functions...! So Ginger starts to step toward him.]

I'm not much of a nurse, but...I'll do my best! One good arm should be enough, right?

[You've underestimated her ability to take things absolutely at face value. Surely, he wouldn't be trying to make her uncomfortable!]

[sharktrash]

[ He'll take the awkward! It's nowhere near as entertaining as he'd hoped, though. He'll blame it on the pain and not the fact that somebody acting so goddamn pure just sort of deflates him. ]

Absolutely.

[ She's... actually coming closer? It's still a pretty good scenario, but. ]

Just kidding. The towel's knot on the right. Take it and wrap up. [ He's giving up his dolphin cape for you, Ginger. How touching is that. ] I'd offer my coat, but...

[ spreads his arms a bit the best he can with the splints and whatnot. his sleeves are bandaged to his arms so even with help there's no way to take that off now. ]