9 Dec 2021, 11:57
Impervious
Flash had not been himself for a while. After a summer where he had finally felt like he was starting to get a footing, the first day of school had sent him tumbling into disaster. For a long time, he had been able to mostly keep his sanity, despite his inability to get a good night's rest, among other horrifying distractions. His school work was suffering, his training was becoming more difficult to perform. Most days, his concentration drifted and his eyes glazed over, neither able to rest nor to be productive. Without sleep, he was slowly but perceptibly fraying at the edges.
While he had during his first year snuck away to the Room of Requirement to sleep in a far more cozy and comfortable bed, he had stopped once the rules on curfew had become more strict. He was not one to follow rules that didn't suit him, but he also feared expulsion. Hogwarts might have been where he was brutally attacked, but it was also where every friend he had ever made was, his safety net, the people who actually loved him. If he lost them, he would be losing everything, which was not worth a comfier bed away from the dark dungeons of Slytherin, as much as it had pained him to accept it.
Things had changed though. It was no longer only choking, cramped discomfort he felt at being in the dark and underground. Now, he was being robbed of every wink, tossing and turning like he was being wrung and crushed. Something had to be done to attempt relief, and he was becoming desperate. Desperation, of course, would not make him any more stealthy, but while at the end of the rope, there is nothing to do but try to climb.
After nightfall, Flash had awoken barely able to breathe, a heavy weight crushing his chest and dark visions clouding his thoughts. Half-conscious, he wandered towards the fifth floor where he dreamed a respite from this mad torture lie. His only hope was that he'd not coincidentally run into one of the prefects on their patrols-- unlike last year, he did not have a schedule of their pairings and patterns. He relied on luck instead, and if he absolutely needed to, he'd just plead for clemency.
If Flash could see himself as he was then, bleary-eyed and shuffling forward as though connected to loose strings, he'd likely have many uncharitable opinions to share about it. However, the voice in his head that moderated himself and demanded perfection had been quieted in recent days, having fallen asleep at the wheel, as it were.
@Jake Morris
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
30 Dec 2021, 19:19
Impervious
@Flash Holmwood
As Jake wandered through the halls after dark, he was dealing with something in the back of his mind, a small realization that he didn't want to admit to. But with every new turn around every new corner, in every equally dark hallway, the truth was becoming harder and harder to avoid. Somehow, Jake had gotten lost.
Everything looked different after dark. Every door, every statue, every painting...so inviting by the light of day, took on a different aura in the dark of night. The statues seemed to tower over him, obscured partially by shadows and given an eerie glow by the dim light of his wand. They seemed far more monstrous, like they were leering down at him, ready to come to life and snatch him up. Paintings that had once been familiar, now seemed different, or even empty, until he wasn't quite sure if he'd ever been BY that painting before.
Jake knew that there was a lot more to Hogwarts than he'd ever seen. He always stuck to the familiar paths. But he didn't know how he'd gotten where he was, or how he'd gotten separated from his partner. Willow had disappeared a while ago. They had each gone to check a separate corridor, and were supposed to meet right back where they'd left from. Jake hadn't really liked that idea....but he hadn't wanted to say it. It was only supposed to be for a minute, anyway. That's what Willow had said at least...they'd cover more ground and be done faster.
But when Jake had reached the spot where they'd left from (at least he'd THOUGHT that was where he was) there had been nobody there. The longer he stood, the more he wondered if this WAS where they'd left from...And then he'd made the mistake of wandering, though he KNEW it was the last thing you were supposed to do, and then the more he tried to find his way back the less he knew where he'd gotten to.
So now he was alone in the dark.
Jake took a deep breath and kept walking. Kept walking and walking and walking...He had to be brave. He was a prefect now. Prefects were brave. They didn't get scared. They didn't run off to find somebody to help them. And they definitely didn't cry. Jake was determined not to do that.
But he was still scared.
Then came the soft sound of footsteps.
What was that? Jake came to an instant halt, straining his ears to take in the distant sound. It was soft, but in the quiet Jake could make it out...and with every passing moment he became more and more sure. "W-Willow...?" the boy called out quietly, practically a whisper. The shuffling footsteps continued, echoing through the empty hallways.
Jake's grip tightened on the wand, and for a moment he couldn't move.
There's nothing in the dark....There's nothing in the dark.....Jake told himself, over and over, as his parents had always told him to. It probably WAS Willow...who else would be out this late? Or what else? The thought came to him before he could push it away.
The footsteps were coming closer...getting just a bit louder. It seemed like forever that Jake stood motionless listening...his eyes drifted to the corner in front of him. And though he'd never admit it, Jake began to tremble just a bit.
He HAD to look around that corner. When he did, he would see that it was nothing to be afraid of. He'd probably just see Willow, out looking for HIM. It wouldn't be any kind of dark wizard or monster or anything like that. He was thirteen now, that kind of thought was just silly. That was the kind of stuff you thought of when you were a first year, not a third. There weren't any monsters in Hogwarts halls.
Jake's heart beat more quickly.
"Hello...?" he finally called out, gathering all his courage and stepping around the corner. He jumped slightly as he saw....a boy? Jake stared forward, holding up his glowing wand, and peering into the black. He recognized the boy. Flash...?
"Y-you're not supposed to be here...." Jake blinked, sounding more confused than accusatory.
As Jake wandered through the halls after dark, he was dealing with something in the back of his mind, a small realization that he didn't want to admit to. But with every new turn around every new corner, in every equally dark hallway, the truth was becoming harder and harder to avoid. Somehow, Jake had gotten lost.
Everything looked different after dark. Every door, every statue, every painting...so inviting by the light of day, took on a different aura in the dark of night. The statues seemed to tower over him, obscured partially by shadows and given an eerie glow by the dim light of his wand. They seemed far more monstrous, like they were leering down at him, ready to come to life and snatch him up. Paintings that had once been familiar, now seemed different, or even empty, until he wasn't quite sure if he'd ever been BY that painting before.
Jake knew that there was a lot more to Hogwarts than he'd ever seen. He always stuck to the familiar paths. But he didn't know how he'd gotten where he was, or how he'd gotten separated from his partner. Willow had disappeared a while ago. They had each gone to check a separate corridor, and were supposed to meet right back where they'd left from. Jake hadn't really liked that idea....but he hadn't wanted to say it. It was only supposed to be for a minute, anyway. That's what Willow had said at least...they'd cover more ground and be done faster.
But when Jake had reached the spot where they'd left from (at least he'd THOUGHT that was where he was) there had been nobody there. The longer he stood, the more he wondered if this WAS where they'd left from...And then he'd made the mistake of wandering, though he KNEW it was the last thing you were supposed to do, and then the more he tried to find his way back the less he knew where he'd gotten to.
So now he was alone in the dark.
Jake took a deep breath and kept walking. Kept walking and walking and walking...He had to be brave. He was a prefect now. Prefects were brave. They didn't get scared. They didn't run off to find somebody to help them. And they definitely didn't cry. Jake was determined not to do that.
But he was still scared.
Then came the soft sound of footsteps.
What was that? Jake came to an instant halt, straining his ears to take in the distant sound. It was soft, but in the quiet Jake could make it out...and with every passing moment he became more and more sure. "W-Willow...?" the boy called out quietly, practically a whisper. The shuffling footsteps continued, echoing through the empty hallways.
Jake's grip tightened on the wand, and for a moment he couldn't move.
There's nothing in the dark....There's nothing in the dark.....Jake told himself, over and over, as his parents had always told him to. It probably WAS Willow...who else would be out this late? Or what else? The thought came to him before he could push it away.
The footsteps were coming closer...getting just a bit louder. It seemed like forever that Jake stood motionless listening...his eyes drifted to the corner in front of him. And though he'd never admit it, Jake began to tremble just a bit.
He HAD to look around that corner. When he did, he would see that it was nothing to be afraid of. He'd probably just see Willow, out looking for HIM. It wouldn't be any kind of dark wizard or monster or anything like that. He was thirteen now, that kind of thought was just silly. That was the kind of stuff you thought of when you were a first year, not a third. There weren't any monsters in Hogwarts halls.
Jake's heart beat more quickly.
"Hello...?" he finally called out, gathering all his courage and stepping around the corner. He jumped slightly as he saw....a boy? Jake stared forward, holding up his glowing wand, and peering into the black. He recognized the boy. Flash...?
"Y-you're not supposed to be here...." Jake blinked, sounding more confused than accusatory.
7 Jan 2022, 18:46
Impervious
Flash had still been careful, he still knew what areas were blind spots, or passages that were less often checked. On a lucky day, he would have passed completely unnoticed, his steps now trained on how to walk lighter. The boy had spent diligent time on learning what the school had to teach him, be it the spells from his classes, or how to be inconspicuous. This day was not lucky though. He heard a voice, but his mind was too scattered to decide on what to do. Fear, panic, indecision. He had simply frozen in place as the prefect rounded the corner and saw him. Talking was the only option, he was a bard, not a rogue.
Though the startle, along with newfound anxiety, stung along his back like needles, he tried to breathe normally, force himself to stay calm. He needed to distance himself from the spiraling agony he was sinking into and approach the situation analytically. He had practice doing this too, though it had been a long time since he had to. He put in all of his effort to keep his wits focused, because a lot was riding on this conversation going well. If he was successful in holding it together long enough, he could crash later.
Quickly scanning for pertinent information grabbed more results than he expect-- he recognized the boy, it was 'Jake'. He was from the same year, had played hockey on his team last winter. Flash hadn't been conscious enough this year to know who had left and joined the ranks, but he didn't expect this Jake would be high on the list. As he recalled, he was quite timid, scared of getting hurt on the ice, not the kind who seemed like they would be comfortable telling people what to do. In fact, he looked visibly frightened. It could be useful.
"Jake. I remember you." Flash voice would crack slightly, he hadn't used it since he was crying in his room before starting this trek. "Why are you alone, aren't prefects supposed to travel in pairs?"
Flash would ignore Jake's observation that Flash shouldn't be here. Instead, he'd deflect and observe for himself. If there was another person right behind him, Flash wanted to know. He hadn't heard the words spoken before, but his eyes were focused now, watching Jake's face with silent intensity.
@Jake Morris
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15