30 Nov 2024, 02:08
Scream for Me
Aamon gripped her arm tightly. Almost painfully, like it was the only thing in the world. That was a good thing, as Avis allowed the slight pain to try to pull her brain out of its frozen state. She was sure he could feel her rapid heartbeat threatening to break out of her chest, and her arms shook as she carefully replaced her wand. His fingernails were torn and caked with dirt from his scramble away from the woods. Away from the things. She tried to breath. She still didn't feel safe. For all she knew, the things could have gone into the woods and come right back out, invisible again. Her eyes searched the empty space, pleading for them to be gone.
They lied. They lied. Really? Echoes of the creatures bounced through Avis' reasoning. They looked like that and he had believed them. Was he blind? He shivered, and Avis remembered her cloak, lying forgotten somewhere on the grounds. Was he in shock? Did he need to be warmed? Or was it terror, similar to Avis, though her fear rocketed through her, keeping her warm and alert?
"Jealous... possessive...they don't want me safe, they want me. Avis shook her head, looking back towards the forest. They were trying to drive him mad. It was like they were trying to turn him into one of them.
"Maybe they want you too now." He had voiced her fear. She bit her lip. Terror filled her eyes and her mind, but her adrenaline was already at its limit. She was exhausted, and exhaustion plus adrenaline was never good. No. She had thought it, but now that it was voiced...why would they want her? Why did they want him, for that matter? She refused to believe it. She couldn't. She sort of wished they were mad, in a way. It would make it no less real, but it would make it less dangerous.
"They won’t stop. Not until…" "They won't stop until what?" Avis prodded gently, though her voice trembled. She was scared for him. There had to be a solution. There had to be.
She looked back towards the castle. The place that had seemed so cold and dark months ago now seemed a paradise. If only they were in their warm beds right now. She turned towards Emily hesitantly, keeping her arm within Aamon's reach. "We should get him away from the forest, away from..." She let the unspoken word linger. To speak it would be to affirm it. She didn't know if she could handle that.
@Emily Shephard, @Aamon Athanatos
They lied. They lied. Really? Echoes of the creatures bounced through Avis' reasoning. They looked like that and he had believed them. Was he blind? He shivered, and Avis remembered her cloak, lying forgotten somewhere on the grounds. Was he in shock? Did he need to be warmed? Or was it terror, similar to Avis, though her fear rocketed through her, keeping her warm and alert?
"Jealous... possessive...they don't want me safe, they want me. Avis shook her head, looking back towards the forest. They were trying to drive him mad. It was like they were trying to turn him into one of them.
"Maybe they want you too now." He had voiced her fear. She bit her lip. Terror filled her eyes and her mind, but her adrenaline was already at its limit. She was exhausted, and exhaustion plus adrenaline was never good. No. She had thought it, but now that it was voiced...why would they want her? Why did they want him, for that matter? She refused to believe it. She couldn't. She sort of wished they were mad, in a way. It would make it no less real, but it would make it less dangerous.
"They won’t stop. Not until…" "They won't stop until what?" Avis prodded gently, though her voice trembled. She was scared for him. There had to be a solution. There had to be.
She looked back towards the castle. The place that had seemed so cold and dark months ago now seemed a paradise. If only they were in their warm beds right now. She turned towards Emily hesitantly, keeping her arm within Aamon's reach. "We should get him away from the forest, away from..." She let the unspoken word linger. To speak it would be to affirm it. She didn't know if she could handle that.
@Emily Shephard, @Aamon Athanatos
Avis Marlong | ”She won't cry or beg for help...she'll isolate from the world and fight her own demons so that nobody can throw it in her face later.” |
"The odds of hitting your target increase dramatically when you aim at it." Benji Marecos |
1 Dec 2024, 00:50
Scream for Me
OC: Guess I am going to continue this since Emily is busy.
Aamon’s grip on Avis’s arm tightened further at her words, his breath hitching in his throat. Her question—They won’t stop until what?—hung in the air, the weight of it pressing down on him like a stone. His head tilted slightly, his gaze fixed not on her, but on the forest’s black maw, as if drawn by some unseen force. His voice, when it came, was hoarse and uneven, each sound coming out in a shudder, barely above a whisper.
"Until they take me," he rasped. "Until there’s nothing left of me but… them." His words trembled, and he squeezed his eyes shut, his body shivering violently. He was not entirely sure that was their intention, but as he saw them change and take on his likeness he became increasingly certain. When he noticed they moved at night, when he was not looking. When 'accidents' involving him felt less accidental and more like they were seeking to disable him, to physically break him, perhaps study him. "That’s what they do. They… they mimic, they mock. They pull pieces of you away, little by little, until you’re hollow. Then they fill what’s left with… whatever they are."
His voice broke, and he forced himself to look at Avis, his face pale and streaked with dirt and tears. His eyes, wide with terror, searched hers, as if seeking some kind of sanctuary he knew she couldn’t offer. "They’ve been doing it for weeks. I didn’t know at first—I didn’t want to know. They’d say things, things I thought were mine, my thoughts, my memories. But they weren’t. They were twisted, wrong. And now I hear them all the time. Laughing. Whispering. Trying to make me change what I am."
He shook his head violently, as though trying to shake off their influence even now. "I thought I could stop them. Discard them. Run away. Ignore them, that maybe if I didn’t fight, they’d get bored and leave. But they didn’t. They never left, they just got worse. Stronger. They’re jealous, possessive. I can feel it, like strings wrapped around my chest, tighter and tighter every time I even look at someone else." His voice lowered, his words turning cold.
His eyes darted toward the forest, his face twisting with hatred and fear. "They’re not done. They’ll come back. They always come back."
For a moment, Aamon seemed lost in his own thoughts, the weight of his words pulling him deeper into the darkness of his mind. Then, his gaze snapped back to Avis and then to Emily, his voice rising in urgency. "You can’t stay near me. You can’t. If they see you, if they decide you’re a threat—or worse, decide they want you, too…" He trailed off, the thought too terrible to complete.
Avis announced the need to get him away from the the forest and that specific statement reminded him of what he still had left to fear. He had briefly forgotten the terror that was the forest, that he was close to its border on the darkest of night. That if the dolls did not have their way with him, the forest would have taken him surely.
He tried to push himself to his feet, his knees trembling beneath him. "You’re right," he muttered, his voice distant but resolute. "We have to go. Away from here. Away from them." His eyes lingered on the forest for a moment longer, his expression hollow. "But it doesn’t matter how far I go. They’ll follow me. They always do." But at least he has some time. Some witnesses, they did not like being seen.
His fingers slackened slightly, his grip on Avis loosening just enough to let her guide him if she wanted to. "I’ll go," he said, his voice barely audible, "but don’t think for a second we’re safe."
OC: Aamon follows Avis, if this is to a fres topic please link me.
Aamon’s grip on Avis’s arm tightened further at her words, his breath hitching in his throat. Her question—They won’t stop until what?—hung in the air, the weight of it pressing down on him like a stone. His head tilted slightly, his gaze fixed not on her, but on the forest’s black maw, as if drawn by some unseen force. His voice, when it came, was hoarse and uneven, each sound coming out in a shudder, barely above a whisper.
"Until they take me," he rasped. "Until there’s nothing left of me but… them." His words trembled, and he squeezed his eyes shut, his body shivering violently. He was not entirely sure that was their intention, but as he saw them change and take on his likeness he became increasingly certain. When he noticed they moved at night, when he was not looking. When 'accidents' involving him felt less accidental and more like they were seeking to disable him, to physically break him, perhaps study him. "That’s what they do. They… they mimic, they mock. They pull pieces of you away, little by little, until you’re hollow. Then they fill what’s left with… whatever they are."
His voice broke, and he forced himself to look at Avis, his face pale and streaked with dirt and tears. His eyes, wide with terror, searched hers, as if seeking some kind of sanctuary he knew she couldn’t offer. "They’ve been doing it for weeks. I didn’t know at first—I didn’t want to know. They’d say things, things I thought were mine, my thoughts, my memories. But they weren’t. They were twisted, wrong. And now I hear them all the time. Laughing. Whispering. Trying to make me change what I am."
He shook his head violently, as though trying to shake off their influence even now. "I thought I could stop them. Discard them. Run away. Ignore them, that maybe if I didn’t fight, they’d get bored and leave. But they didn’t. They never left, they just got worse. Stronger. They’re jealous, possessive. I can feel it, like strings wrapped around my chest, tighter and tighter every time I even look at someone else." His voice lowered, his words turning cold.
His eyes darted toward the forest, his face twisting with hatred and fear. "They’re not done. They’ll come back. They always come back."
For a moment, Aamon seemed lost in his own thoughts, the weight of his words pulling him deeper into the darkness of his mind. Then, his gaze snapped back to Avis and then to Emily, his voice rising in urgency. "You can’t stay near me. You can’t. If they see you, if they decide you’re a threat—or worse, decide they want you, too…" He trailed off, the thought too terrible to complete.
Avis announced the need to get him away from the the forest and that specific statement reminded him of what he still had left to fear. He had briefly forgotten the terror that was the forest, that he was close to its border on the darkest of night. That if the dolls did not have their way with him, the forest would have taken him surely.
He tried to push himself to his feet, his knees trembling beneath him. "You’re right," he muttered, his voice distant but resolute. "We have to go. Away from here. Away from them." His eyes lingered on the forest for a moment longer, his expression hollow. "But it doesn’t matter how far I go. They’ll follow me. They always do." But at least he has some time. Some witnesses, they did not like being seen.
His fingers slackened slightly, his grip on Avis loosening just enough to let her guide him if she wanted to. "I’ll go," he said, his voice barely audible, "but don’t think for a second we’re safe."
OC: Aamon follows Avis, if this is to a fres topic please link me.
@Emily Shephard | @Avis Marlong
iNPC: Taylor Athanatos
1 Dec 2024, 01:50
Scream for Me
@Aamon Athanatos and @Avis Marlong
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
Mentioning: @Evelynn Decipio
OOC Notes: I know I said I'd be away for a few days but just so I'm not keeping yous waiting until next week (this feels like an important thread to keep on top of anyway), I'll throw this reply in now while I've got five minutes (do forgive me if it's poorly written though)
Emily listened intently to the Slytherin boy. The more he talked the more tense she got. This was all starting to sound familiar and she despised that realisation. She didn't like the thought of the inhabitants of her precious forest playground tailing the students back into the castle. Too many stories from experienced students and her own ventures into the forest herself were enough to warn her that terrible omens would pass if that happened.
She tapped her foot apprehensively, the boy's words sinking in like a concentrated stain. "These creatures are definitely something we don't want skulking around in the school... Their faces were enough to put me into cardiac arrest..."
And that was before she mentioned the absolute shock and horror ingrained into her from the boy's shrieking state mere moments ago. The poor bloke. Emily couldn't help but frown sympathetically at him. She curled her arms around him and just held him close. She wouldn't blame him if he pushed her away out of fear, especially after everything that just happened, but if there was ever a need for comfort, she would do her best to give it to him.
"Please try not to worry... We'll think of something... We won't let those things take you." She let go and looked deep into his eyes with her own look of determination. "And if they come after us too, then we'll be prepared for it."
Emily stood aside to let the Ravenclaw girl take care of him, suggesting the bright idea of escorting him back to the safe walls of the castle. Well, it would be safer than out in the forest at the very least. Emily agreed with an affirming nod and since the boy showed clear agreement through his hurried determination to leave, she turned to the Ravenclaw girl.
"Take him back to his Common Room, yeah?" she instructed. "And you get back to your own straight after too." She gave the pair a soft pat on the shoulder before she let them go, the poor boy walking shakily to the Ravenclaw girl's side.
"I'll be heading back to the Hufflepuff Common Room soon myself... But first, I have someone I need to get in contact with..."
Evelynn.
"It's best if she knew about this too..." Emily muttered quietly to herself. After everything Emily had seen tonight, she would know what to do. She hoped.
Word Count: 498
Emily will leave the thread unless stopped for further interaction
Stats: Stamina: 7|Evasion: 6|Strength: 6|Wisdom: 8|Arcane Power: 7|Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace
Trust Yourself - Love Yourself - Be Yourself
iNPC = Casey Stone
1 Dec 2024, 04:52
Scream for Me
They were like parasites. Like mosquitos, if the mosquitoes were huge and gruesome and looked like you and basically sucked out your soul. They slowly pulled you out of yourself, until all that was left was them. She looked at him as he looked toward the forest, wondering how much of him was already gone with the things.
Avis refused to call them anything but things. She refused to acknowledge their existence. Refused to accept it.
She listened to him, attentive but impatient, as her eyes scanned the area, vigilante for the slightest bit of movement, only breaking when his eyes met hers, searching. She tried to exhibit confidence, but that's hard when you are shaking, unsure if you even have any.
"I can feel it, like strings wrapped around my chest, tighter and tighter every time I even look at someone else." Avis' heart broke for him. Whatever he was afraid of, he was already their hostage. And that wasn't enough for them.
He tried to stand, and she tried to support him, though he had a good six inches on her. She kept a firm grip on his arm as she stood up alongside him, supporting him as much as he needed, though she knew if he were to put all his weight on her, she would topple. She shrunk into the other girl's pat on the shoulder, and instructions, and pleaded with her eyes not to go. But she was never going to stop the girl. The Hufflepuff already seemed to have plans, to find someone. Who she thought she could find in the middle of the night was beyond Avis, but she supposed if there were three people out past curfew, there ought to be a fourth.
They needed to get to the castle. The castle was safe. That was a lie, and Avis knew it. The castle wasn't safe. Nowhere was safe for him. But at least the castle was safer. It had to be. She scanned him again. He was a mess. Torn, bloody fingernails, dirt-streaked face, along with the consequences of being dragged along the ground. She wasn't going to sleep tonight. She had already resigned herself to that. And she had a feeling neither was he. Might as well try to distract herself. Besides, that was a problem she could fix, and if it was fixable, it would help her feel a bit less out of control. So she guided him towards the caste. Dirt was a problem that could be fixed.
@Aamon Athanatos, @Emily Shephard
Avis refused to call them anything but things. She refused to acknowledge their existence. Refused to accept it.
She listened to him, attentive but impatient, as her eyes scanned the area, vigilante for the slightest bit of movement, only breaking when his eyes met hers, searching. She tried to exhibit confidence, but that's hard when you are shaking, unsure if you even have any.
"I can feel it, like strings wrapped around my chest, tighter and tighter every time I even look at someone else." Avis' heart broke for him. Whatever he was afraid of, he was already their hostage. And that wasn't enough for them.
He tried to stand, and she tried to support him, though he had a good six inches on her. She kept a firm grip on his arm as she stood up alongside him, supporting him as much as he needed, though she knew if he were to put all his weight on her, she would topple. She shrunk into the other girl's pat on the shoulder, and instructions, and pleaded with her eyes not to go. But she was never going to stop the girl. The Hufflepuff already seemed to have plans, to find someone. Who she thought she could find in the middle of the night was beyond Avis, but she supposed if there were three people out past curfew, there ought to be a fourth.
They needed to get to the castle. The castle was safe. That was a lie, and Avis knew it. The castle wasn't safe. Nowhere was safe for him. But at least the castle was safer. It had to be. She scanned him again. He was a mess. Torn, bloody fingernails, dirt-streaked face, along with the consequences of being dragged along the ground. She wasn't going to sleep tonight. She had already resigned herself to that. And she had a feeling neither was he. Might as well try to distract herself. Besides, that was a problem she could fix, and if it was fixable, it would help her feel a bit less out of control. So she guided him towards the caste. Dirt was a problem that could be fixed.
@Aamon Athanatos, @Emily Shephard
Avis Marlong | ”She won't cry or beg for help...she'll isolate from the world and fight her own demons so that nobody can throw it in her face later.” |
"The odds of hitting your target increase dramatically when you aim at it." Benji Marecos |
1 Dec 2024, 14:03
Scream for Me
Aamon stumbled slightly as Avis guided him toward the castle, his body trembling as though it could barely hold itself upright. He clung to her arm—not just for support but as an anchor, a tether to something real in a night that felt anything but. His breaths came shallow and uneven, and his gaze flicked over their surroundings, scanning the darkness for signs of movement. The forest loomed behind them, silent now, but he could feel the things watching, waiting. He knew he would never see them, they knew how to hide.
They would amble up the hill, back towards Hogwarts in silence. His eyes dropped to the ground, as if he was watching the dewy grass pass them by. Shame and guilt started to replace the fear as the panic of the near-death moment started to become a memory. He knew that she should not be helping her. That she should not even be near her. They hated that. The last time she got too close and was in a perilous place, they pushed her down the stairs to what could have been her doom. Probably would have been if it had not been for magic, the one thing that set wizards above muggles in every conceivable way. They were going to come for her too. This was twice that she was too near.
Aamon let out a shaky breath but did not say a word. He was grateful, but he was also terrified for her. For everyone who tries to help him. He glanced back at the forest, as if expecting the things to emerge from its shadows at any moment. The castle might be safer, but it was certainly not safe. Nowhere was. They would follow him wherever he went.
The thought of being truly alone, of surrendering entirely to the things, made him shiver violently. He stumbled again, his exhaustion and fear nearly overwhelming him, but he pressed forward, leaning some on Avis. He was so much larger than her. He was larger than most of his peers, it was a quirk that seemed to run in the family. Every step toward the castle felt heavier, the weight of the night pressing down on him. His voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how much of me is left. If anything was even taken, since I do not even miss it. But if they take the rest…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I don’t even want to imagine what I’ll become.”
They would amble up the hill, back towards Hogwarts in silence. His eyes dropped to the ground, as if he was watching the dewy grass pass them by. Shame and guilt started to replace the fear as the panic of the near-death moment started to become a memory. He knew that she should not be helping her. That she should not even be near her. They hated that. The last time she got too close and was in a perilous place, they pushed her down the stairs to what could have been her doom. Probably would have been if it had not been for magic, the one thing that set wizards above muggles in every conceivable way. They were going to come for her too. This was twice that she was too near.
Aamon let out a shaky breath but did not say a word. He was grateful, but he was also terrified for her. For everyone who tries to help him. He glanced back at the forest, as if expecting the things to emerge from its shadows at any moment. The castle might be safer, but it was certainly not safe. Nowhere was. They would follow him wherever he went.
The thought of being truly alone, of surrendering entirely to the things, made him shiver violently. He stumbled again, his exhaustion and fear nearly overwhelming him, but he pressed forward, leaning some on Avis. He was so much larger than her. He was larger than most of his peers, it was a quirk that seemed to run in the family. Every step toward the castle felt heavier, the weight of the night pressing down on him. His voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how much of me is left. If anything was even taken, since I do not even miss it. But if they take the rest…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I don’t even want to imagine what I’ll become.”
[Topic Left with Avis]
@Aamon Athanatos | @Emily Shephard
iNPC: Taylor Athanatos