crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
written: december 12, 2017
1x1 starter
pm/messenger
The alarm clock beeped loudly as the time flashed on the screen. It was 8:00 AM.
A boy groaned and turned about on the mattress of his bed. He slowly rose up and stretched his arms. His head turned to face the still-beeping alarm clock. "Already?" He muttered under his breath. The noise only stopped once he had reached out and pressed the button on top of the clock.
He wiped his eyes with his fingers, clearing out the morning stars if there were. Afterward, he looked down on his blanket covered body and sighed. Today was Monday, another school day for him. His eyes darted to the calendar stuck to the wall, with the day's date encircled.
Inside the circle were the words:
"Meetup with friends, 9AM."
Classes would just start at 10AM, but he and a couple of people have decided to gather in some cafe in town to discuss... rather confidential things. To be honest, those people weren't his actual friends (despite the writings on the calendar saying so) but merely accomplices. Ever since the breakup, things have gotten a bit out of hand. Whether he liked it or not, he had to attend. He needed answers.
The boy moved out of the bed, revealing his almost naked body. Almost, because the only piece of clothing he wore was a pair of patterned boxers. He ran a hand through his messy and curly hair as he quietly went inside the bathroom with a towel hung by his shoulders.
He turned on the bathroom's lights, not expecting to see anyone else except for his reflection on the mirror. Yet, to his surprise, the first thing he saw was a miniature gremlin perched by the edge of the sink. The gremlin looked like a mix of animal and human with his furry skin, ears that pointed upwards, and a size no larger than the boy’s palm. Despite his body already being covered with fur, the creature still wore brown clothing made up of scraps. A brownie, that's what it was.
"Oh, hello." He leaned in closer to the brownie. He didn’t seem to be scared of the creature, despite it being obviously otherworldly. The boy held out his pointer finger for him to shake. "Name's Joshua, what's yours 'lil guy?" He said in a polite tone. The creature smiled widely and grabbed his finger, shaking it eagerly. He knew exactly why the brownie was this delighted.
Brownies could only be seen by children, yet Joshua was still able to see him despite already being an adult.
This was his peculiarity, and it's both a blessing and a curse.
The creature spoke, but Joshua only heard the sound of twinkling bells from his mouth. He understood the chimes, but sadly he couldn't really replicate his sounds. He just had to resort with calling him a nickname. "That's a really nice name, ‘lil guy. Working hours are at night, right?”
The brownie nodded enthusiastically and spoke once more. Now the creature was telling him about his current stay in the house. Joshua sighed in relief when the brownie had told him that he was the first to see him. He didn’t want his little brother to discover the magical realm at such a young age, if ever.
"It's a bit dangerous in the city though, maybe I could give you a treat so you could be on your way back to the country?" Joshua suggested.
The creature pouted and slumped his back in defeat. Yet he still agreed, although reluctantly. Joshua smiled and lightly petted the brownie on the head.
"Okay then, would you mind going out for a moment while I take a shower?"
__________
Joshua left the house at around 8:30 with the brownie peeking out of his backpack zipper. “To the cafe we go…” The gremlin cheered in excitement, and Joshua almost laughed at him.
The weather was quite chilly, but luckily he had put on his favorite greenish brown trench coat. He looked around his surroundings and readjusted his coat before he started to walk along the pavement. Occasionally he would check around him again to make sure that no one would be following them. The meeting involved confidential information after all. Although, he still wondered why they chose a cafe out of all places.
The cafe where they would meet was conveniently nearby, so he didn’t need to worry about being late. It only took a couple of minutes of walking, and Joshua could already see the sign from a distance. “Thanks a Latte” was written on the hanging wooden board in intricate calligraphy. He found the name quite cheesy, but he had to admit that it was a pretty clever pun. “Almost there, buddy.” He told the creature.
However, the brownie tugged on his shoulder when they were only a few meters away. “Hm?” Joshua looked over to him. Placing his right hand over his ear to make it seem like he was answering a phone call, Joshua asked the creature. “Is there something wrong?” The small being looked extremely worried and rambled, spilling all their thoughts. Apparently, he had sensed danger looming nearby; that they should not enter the cafe until whatever person or thing in there has left and as much as possible, hide.
“Oh,” He replied, “I guess we could wander around the town for a while. It’s still 8:45, and maybe it’s okay to be a little late.” Joshua tried his best to console the almost panicking creature while they walked away from the cafe and blended into the crowds of walking people. “I’m sure it would be harder to find us... if they are looking for us anyway.” He chuckled and hoped that it at least lightened up the atmosphere.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
written: december 26, 2017
1x1 reply
pm/messenger
Day #???
Honestly, Talthe has forgotten how many days she’d been held captive in this room. Well, “captive” wouldn’t be the right word as she semi-willingly put herself in this place. More like she was… “staying” in some sort of weird hotel. She could always leave the room in a blink of an eye, but where’s the fun in that?
She stared at the toys in front of her with a mix of confusion and amusement plastered on her face. Her look almost said: Toys, really? The fact that the scientists thought that aliens would like plain wooden blocks engraved with letters of the English alphabet or bulky toy cars in vibrant colors made her giggle. Did the humans think she’s some sort of mindless child? She’s 25 for God’s sake, even older when put into Earth years. It was like the humans were thinking of her as inferior to them, but she didn’t really put much thought into that.
She raised her right palm, revealing a closed eye. Talthe focused onto one of the blocks. The eyelids on her palm gradually opened to reveal purple irises that seemed to glow. The block levitated off the ground by a couple of inches, and it became coated with some sort of a bright pink aura. She moved the block closer to inspect it once again.
She wondered how human children think this as an actual toy. She listed down the object’s characteristics in her head. Wooden, cubic in shape, has English letters on it, the engravings painted in pastel colors. There was absolutely nothing special about it. It was so mundane that to this day it still makes her think why human ways of entertainment are so bland.
The block still stayed in place even when Talthe heard people enter the view station. Her eyes darted to see who it was. It was the woman (whom she cannot remember the name off as she thought she was too boring to even pay attention to) who seemed in charge of the entire thing and with her is… another girl? This newcomer was not familiar to her at all. Another pawn for the woman, it seems. Poor kid, having to deal with such a superior as uninteresting as the block she’s “holding”.
To her, the new girl looked pretty young. Like, she was a student of some sorts. Talthe would be pretty delighted if it was a student as she believes that they are still open minded (and unfortunately impressionable). She listened in on the conversation they were having with interest.
Talthe can’t help but to laugh loudly when the woman told the young girl about the incident. This revealed her surprisingly sharp teeth. The woman would probably be so mad for interrupting the conversation, but she couldn’t help it.
“It wasn’t my fault the guy was trying to be sexual with me.” She defended herself. Her eyes met with the young girl’s, and she smirked, “You’re going to be fine with me unless you’re a jerk.” She turned to face the older scientist. “You know, you’re a scientist. You should have at least kept your people in check.”
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
(1x1 starter)
where: hospital ✿ mood: overwhelmed ✿ ooc: n/a
Screeching tires. Broken brakes. Crashing metal. To Ashley Brice it was all just a blur. It was supposed to a fun little trip to the mountains, but that didn’t seem to be the case the moment a truck appeared from the indistinguishable fog heading straight for them. Her hands were on the wheel. All of this wouldn’t have happened. Her hands were on the wheel, but she was in complete shock. Fight or flight got all jumbled up when Ashley spun the steering wheel launching the car through the guardrails. It felt like gravity didn’t exist as everything around her started to float as they fell. They screamed.
Ashley looked at her friend for one last time, mouthing the words she’d never had the guts to say. Time seemed to stop as she reveled in her features one last time. Everything faded to black.
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was the blindingly white ceiling. Was this the afterlife? Ashley wasn’t so sure. Her ears picked up the sound of the beeping heart monitor. Her fingers twitched, and the attending nurse noticed that she had regained consciousness. Soon the room was filled with nurses and doctors. She was confused. Extremely confused. The amount of people suddenly around her was overwhelming. Her head was filled with questions. What was happening? Where was she? What were they doing to her? The doctor was now asking her questions as well but Ashley couldn’t really make out what he was saying. She struggled to get words out of her mouth. Yet there was one thing she surely wanted to know.
”Where- where is…?”
There was a gap in Ashley’s memories. It plagued her. There was someone. Someone who was with her during the crash, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She felt great regret not knowing who this particular person was and she racked her head trying to figure out what was now bugging her.
The doctors finally decided that she was too buzzed to get anything out of her and let her regain herself for the moment. If only her body would let it, Ashley would have torn every needle off her and roam the halls looking for that person in her thoughts. But alas, she was aching all over and all she could do was lay on her bed.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
(group starter)
|| where: [x] || with: [x] || (ooc)
Every bump on the road kept Kirk awake.
The moon shone bright above the band’s tour van as it journeyed through the highways. He didn’t know what time it was, and he didn’t want to know either. It was probably midnight or something, but he hasn’t even slept a minute. Something other than the road was keeping him up. Maybe it was due to this certain fear he has, maybe because he was homesick, or maybe he was just overthinking. Whatever it was, it kept bugging him.
Well, the good thing was that he was the only person awake in the van (aside from the driver of course). That meant that there was no one who’s going to be worried about him not getting enough sleep… or so he thought.
The van took a turn, forcing Kirk to his right. He couldn’t help but bump into one of his bandmates, so he uttered a soft “sorry” to him. He didn’t expect a reply from him, as he just said it out of instinct. So it really surprised him that the sleeping lump beside him asked, “Yer still awake, Kirk?” The obvious scouse in his voice reminded him that it was Theo.
Kirk didn’t want to answer, knowing that the other will scold him once he says “Yes.” But he didn’t have to anymore, as Theo shifted from his position to face Kirk. His drowsy, sleepless eyes were enough to answer his question. Theo frowned, his expression a mix of disappointment and worry. Kirk tried to avoid his best mate’s gaze. But he can’t, since the two of them were pretty much cramped in a small space.
He readied himself for Theo’s worried rant, but it never came. “I carn’t sleep ay-therr,” he heard him say. Kirk looked back to Theo. “So what’s keeping ya awake?” Theo followed soon with a question.
Kirk sighed. “I honestly don’t know. There’s something bothering me but I can’t really pinpoint what it is.” His Italian accent poked through, which made Kirk cringe a bit. Theo didn’t seem to mind, though. “So how ‘bout you?”
Theo chuckled “Unlike ya, I know what’s bothering me.” He leaned against the van window. “Have ye ever wundered, ‘When are we gonna get signed to a label? When are we gonna get noticed?” His expression softened.
“Yeah…” Kirk said slowly. The question struck him odd, not because of the question itself but because of the person who was asking it. “I think about it. A lot.” Theo wasn’t the person who doubted the band, he was actually the most dedicated one. The one who always had faith in them.
The other boy smirked. “Ya know that I’m usually not like this but… Sometimes ye have to stop and see if yer actually gettin’ somewhere.” He looked away from Kirk, and onto the window he was leaning on.
Theo continued to speak, “I feel that we’re getting close. Very close. But at the same time I feel like we haven’t even gotten off from where we started.”
Kirk sighed, “We’ll never know unless we keep trying.” He meekly placed his hand onto Theo’s shoulder. He was expecting him to shrug it off, but surprisingly he didn’t. “You know what you’ve always told me every time I get in that kinda mood?”
He saw Theo smile through the reflection of the glass. “Don’t count the days, make the days count.”
“Then we’ll just live by that.”
The van was enveloped with silence once again, with Theo just looking out the window and Kirk just staring off into the distance. Kirk’s eyes finally felt quite heavy, feeling drowsiness washing over him. Maybe the conversation with Theo calmed him down, maybe that was all he needed.
Theo was the one who broke the silence (as usual), “Now that I think of it. I really was acting silly earlier. Why should I doubt the band? Why should I doubt our skills? Yer skills?” He said, putting emphasis on the ‘your.’
Kirk had a solemn smile. “You have every right to doubt my skills.”
“No I don’t. Yer the best bass playah I know.” Theo retorted.
Kirk giggled, but yawned soon afterwards. Theo smiled. “Yer finally sleepy, good.”
Kirk just smiled and leaned back onto the seat. His eyes slowly fluttered to close. He relaxed his shoulders and breathed out. He shifted his position a couple times, trying to find just the right spot. Theo didn’t mind the constant moving, however, as he was just staring out the window in his own little world. Once Kirk found himself comfortable, he let sleep take over him.
It was light at first, he could still sense every movement of the van. He felt himself getting sleepier as time passed. His body looser, his mind more free. As he was nearing actual sleep, he only barely noticed his head landing onto Theo’s shoulders. Kirk was too out of himself to care.
He woke up with his face hitting the ground. Nothing caught him other than the soil. Not even Theo’s lap, not even the beat-up seats of the van. Just the ground. Kirk furrowed his eyebrows as the sun shone onto his closed eyelids. He felt the grass and the dirt through his clothes. This wasn’t right. Shielding his eyes from the direct sunlight, he slowly opened his eyes. His hand reached desperately for his glasses that have fallen nearby. “Ha ha, very funny guys. Leaving me on grass while I’m sleeping.” He sarcastically said, with his raspy morning voice.
Once his fingers have reached his glasses, he pulled them closer. He rubbed his eyes and wiped his glasses against the clean part of his sweater. Kirk squinted his eyes to adjust to the sunlight before putting the pair on. “Okay, I’m awake now. Where are you guys?” He called out.
He pressed his lips into a thin line. What a great way to start the morning. Not only did the sun just shine almost directly into his eyes, not only did he get his sweater dirty, but also because his band mates are still nowhere to be found, and they don’t seem to be showing up anytime soon. Kirk slowly rose up from the ground. “Guys. Joke’s over. You can all come out now.”
Kirk just fully realized his situation once he gave time to look at his surroundings. Rocks were arranged in formations he had never seen before. Not even on National Geographic. They were arranged in some arch-like pattern, and he was sure that the sight wasn’t even naturally possible. In the distance he saw hills of vibrant green grass, covering these rock formations. The trees were thin but tall, having almost no branches yet a bloom of green leaves at the very top. The ground ahead of him was quite irregular: going up and down in no particular pattern. To put it simply, everything was different.
There was only one thing in his mind as he saw all of this: He was definitely not in Britain anymore.
But all of this was just a dream, right? This had to be a dream. He couldn’t be transported to an entirely new world overnight, magical worlds don’t even exist. Or maybe, just maybe, someone laced his drink with drugs the night before and it’s just taking effect now. Those were the two most possible answers to his current situation. And not once did he assume something supernatural.
Kirk didn’t even bother calling for any of his bandmates anymore. If this was all just a dream or some extremely realistic LSD trip, so be it. Two new goals were put in mind: Wake up from whatever this world was and try not to die in the process. Sounded simple and easy enough for him.
Not anymore.
As the skies darkened, a horrible feeling filled Kirk’s gut. The sun he so eagerly cursed earlier was soon replaced with another heavenly sphere that looked somewhat like the Earth’s moon. His surroundings were engulfed with darkness, leaving him alone with only a couple glowing organisms. Not to mention the eyes that suddenly appeared around him, watching him with curiosity, judging him if he was decent prey. The sunny fields that were once welcoming became a void of hostility. He must be having a bad trip. Biting his lip out of anxiety, he quietly wished that he would just wake up already.
His ears picked up the sound of rustling bushes, and he hastily turned his head to face the direction of the noise. “Who’s there?” His eyes scanned his surroundings once again, inspecting it as if he could see anything. Kirk was so focused on trying to identify whatever the hell made that noise that he didn’t notice a humanoid figure approach him.
Kirk felt a hand grab his shoulder. Everything that happened next was a blur, and he ended up in a stranger’s tight embrace with a blade pointed right onto his neck. Kirk leaned his head back, trying so hard not to touch even the tip of the cold metal. He looked down and noticed the glowing green pigment lining the stranger’s arms. It made them look like a skeleton, a human skeleton.
He swallowed his own saliva and tried to reason with the aggressor. “I...uh… I come in peace. Please don’t hurt me. I’m not going to hurt you I swear.” But the stranger kept quiet, making Kirk wonder if they even understood what he was saying. A couple seconds passed, and he was let go after hearing a what he assumed was a command from a new voice.
Kirk’s eyes widened in surprise as he tried to regain his footing. Did they understand him? He turned around to get a good look at the stranger.
It really was a human, evidenced by the outlined features of the green paint. Definitely a native. Maybe they knew about his situation, and this gave Kirk a small spark of hope. He opened his mouth to speak, probably to thank the stranger for being merciful enough to let him go. But before a word was spoken, he felt a sharp jab to his head. The impact knocked him out cold.
Kirk felt himself being dragged as he slowly regained consciousness. He was being carried by the two natives from earlier. His eyes darted left and right, only seeing rocky walls around them. His vision was quite blurry, like he wasn’t wearing… wait, where were his glasses? He couldn’t feel his glasses supposedly perched on the bridge of his nose. Panic filled his gut. He could hardly see anything without those glasses.
Everything was going wrong. Very wrong. He’s lost in God-knows-where, with no one he knew, with no one to ask for help. He’s also captured by what seemed to be a tribe of natives with very vague intentions. To top it all off, he lost his favorite pair of glasses. Basically, Kirk was overwhelmed and pretty much scared. Things were getting out of his grasp, and it definitely did not feel good.
They neared a wooden cage at the end of the underground tunnel. Kirk squinted his eyes and could make out the vague shape of another human being inside. Someone who seemed to be wearing clothes more similar to his. Another non-native. Finally, someone he can ask about what the hell was happening… hopefully.
The cage door was opened and Kirk was shoved inside. “Woah, hey.” He almost stumbled and fell, but luckily he caught himself before that. Kirk looked back to take a look at the natives, but they were already at the other end. He gave out a defeated sigh and sat on one side of the prison walls.
Kirk mumbled a question, “Where the hell am I…?” He ran a hand through his hair. A sign of stress. He closed his eyes tight, his desire to get back to reality getting greater.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
(1x1 starter)
where: dragon's cave ☼ mood: determined ☼ ooc: i'm sorry i made the starter a bit too long, as i've said you don't have to match the length if you want to
“It’s nigh time you got ‘ere, missy.” Uttered the scruffy bartender as Val Midford stepped into the old pub. It was a surprise that the old man somehow knew it was her. But then again, her polished armor stood out from the rest of the raggedy crowd. She slowly approached the counter, passing by tables full of burly men already getting drunk at daylight. Val sat on one of the stools hearing it creak under the weight. Val was a mercenary, and a good one at that. She’d been hired by countless people to do jobs far and wide and Val makes sure she does all of them perfectly. This particular job struck her as odd, honestly. It wasn’t so often that noblemen required her services. Usually the ones who ordered killers were well, killers themselves. Unless her client had some shady business going on too.
Her client requested that she would meet him in the town’s local pub. The instructions were as follows: Of course you had to go to the pub first. Then, tell the bartender that you’re looking for the Duke who would apparently be waiting there. He’ll take you behind the counter and into the maze-like storage room, and there you’ll meet the man himself. The Duke would give you half of the payment, the rest of the details, and off you go until you do whatever he wanted you to do. Val wondered why he couldn’t have just ordered one of the Kingdom’s knights instead. But hey, it was an opportunity to get more money.
“Ye want to order a drink?” He had asked her. She shook her head and cut straight to the chase.
“I was called for a job. What is it?” Her voice was stern and cold. Very unfitting for a woman who had quite the baby face. The bartender raised his brow in a mixture of confusion and surprise, which made the mercenary wonder if this guy knew even knew anything about what she was talking about. She cocked her head to the side expecting an answer somehow. The man sighed.
“Gee, no need to be so demanding. Loosen up a bit, will ‘ya.” He nonchalantly said as he took care of the other customers. Val rolled her eyes at the old man’s comment. She opened her mouth to say something but the bartender continued to speak. “But anyways, ye want to know about why the townspeople called ye ‘ere?” Oh, so this guy knew about it after all. So Val nodded. At least she needed to squeeze out as much information as she could.
“Well I’m not the best person ya should be askin’.”
Oh.
So he didn’t know anything after all. Just the fact that the Duke hired a mercenary. Val was already expecting some sort of hint to what she was getting into but fate was not being nice to her it seemed. She was disappointed. And it showed. Val leaned onto the counter and looked at the bartender straight in the eye. “If you aren’t gonna tell me anything, might as well show me where the Duke is then, won’t you?” She might have come too strong but she didn’t care at that point.
The bartender’s smile disappeared under the mercenary’s stare. He took a step back and gestured to the door behind him. “Fine then, lasse.” The nickname made Val wince, but at least the guy was finally going to bring her to her client. The old man grabbed the nearby lantern and stepped inside. She went behind the counter and followed him into the back door. Once she entered, he closed the rickety pub door. Her eyes only saw black until she heard a flick. The bartender’s lamp had been lit up, but Val was sure as hell that he didn’t bring anything to light the lamp with.
“It’s a neat ‘lil trick I learned back in me youth.”
“I see.”
The tapping sound of their boots and the clunking of her armor filled the silence that enveloped the two of them. ”The Duke is staying in one of the rooms.” He stated matter-of-factly. For some reason the storage room of the bar had a hallway full of doors aside from large kegs of beer and liquor. ”This place has got some history if yer wonderin’.” To which Val replied: “As if that wasn’t obvious already.” A couple minutes passed before they reached the wooden door at the end of the hall. She had to admit, the pub’s basement was large. The place most probably was a shelter in the days of war.
”Why don’t you double the pub as an inn, though?”
The bartender knocked loudly on the door. ”Eh, then I’d have to move me kegs somewhere else. Too much work if ye ask me.”
”Suit yourself.”
They waited a couple seconds before the door creaked and they heard a voice inside. “Come in.” Val glanced at the bartender, who didn’t look like he was going to leave. The old man looked at her back with a confused look, “What? You’ll need me to get back.” The mercenary just shook her head and entered the shady room.
There he was, the Duke himself. Sitting by the table with his hands clasped together. His eyes landed on Val. Then he gestured to the empty seat across him. ”Please, take a seat.” And so the mercenary did. The chair skidded against the rough concrete as she sat down.
And that’s how Val Midford found herself in front of the gaping maw of the dragon’s cave. She clutched the hilt of her sword tightly and unsheathed it. The mercenary finally knew why she’d been given large pay. It’s because she was hired to slay a dragon herself. Thankfully, she wasn’t alone. The Kingdom was nice enough to lend one of their knights, temporarily under her command. Val still wondered why they didn’t send a team of their knights instead of paying for a mercenary. She sighed and started walking into the darkness of the cave. The ground was damp, and a squishing sound was heard every time they took another step. Val looked up and saw the cave ceiling full of stalactites dripping water every now and then. Basically, it was just a typical cave but way larger. Enough to house an equally large creature.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
written: december 1, 2017
1x1 reply
pm/messenger
A small tinge of color appeared on the tips of his hair. His dear Alice seemed to have remembered something! Although she still didn’t remember everything, it was a start.
“My dear, this isn’t a dream.” The Hatter clarified, “This is as real as it can be.” His expression changed to one of sadness and regret as he said those last words slowly. He took another glance at the scratch marks on her arm. “You should be able to at least remember the cat dragging you in…” His arm reached out to try and examine her wounds.
He never really expected for Cheshire to do this. The Hatter remembered the times where they fought because of the war. Arguing about what war will even bring to them. He would always say “freedom” and “liberation” from the tyrannical rule of the Red Queen. Yet the cat would always reply with how much lives have lost. He recalled the Chesire’s last words to him before he left to God-knows-where: “What’s the point of this war when in the end it’s just going to destroy our precious Wonderland?”
He is of course, thankful for bringing Alice back but it’s still weird to him: Why just bring her now? His head looked up to face her. She’s all grown up now. It was like he was standing in front of Alice, yet it’s not quite her. Was it because all of them just waited? They just stood by when all along they could have just called her when they needed her. If only, if only they had thought of this sooner maybe she wouldn’t have forgotten.
“Don’t you remember us?” He asked her. “Cheshire, Caterpillar, March Hare, Dormouse? Nothing?”
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
written: march 11, 2018
1x1 reply
pm/messenger
Darkness. Emptiness.
Joshua wondered if that was what dying felt like.
It felt weird, and it surely didn’t match what people usually said about death. His life didn’t flash before his eyes, nor did he even see a light at the end of the tunnel. Was this the afterlife? If that was the case, then dying was actually pretty dull. He’d prefer to burn eternally in a sulfur lake than spend the rest of his “life” walking around an endless expanse of black.
When he heard the hiss of a snake behind him, he really wondered if he’s actually dead. For all he knew, this could just be some coma dream. If ever this was his punishment, whatever God of Death there was got his fears wrong. Since, he liked snakes.
He heard it getting louder and louder, like it was getting closer and closer. And after another hiss from the snake that sounded a little bit too close, Joshua finally looked to the direction of the sound. It wasn’t behind him nor even beneath him. The snake was already coiled up around his arm. A viper with black menacing bead-like eyes stared right back into his. Its tongue slithered in and out, and its head moved about as if it was still examining it. The boy could only predict what would happen next.
In a split second, the reptile opened its mouth which revealed a set of sharp fangs dripping with viscous venom. It charged at him, aiming for his neck, with such speed and strength. He almost didn’t feel it. Until, a shot of pain signalled the snake’s fangs sinking into his delicate skin.
Joshua’s eyes shot open, his eyes meeting the blueness of the sky instead of the water’s. He heard the calm waves of the lake, and the caw of a raven. His eyes darted to see the bird, seeing it take off towards the other end of the lake. He slowly raised himself up from the dirt and started to cough. Now sitting on the grassy ground, Joshua took a glance at the waters ahead of him. Seeing some disturbance on the surface of the otherwise peaceful lake, he furrowed his eyebrows. How did he even get here? Did someone notice fall and pulled him back to land? Many more questions popped up in his head, but then he shook them off. He’d rather just be thankful that he was alive.
Seconds passed, and he heard the sound of hasty footsteps. “Joshua!” The voice called, so he looked behind him. Rene and Michael were getting closer to him. They were running, and pieces of grass were stuck on the soles of their shoes.
“Oh my God, are you alright?” Rene stopped beside him, catching his breath as he talked. He knelt beside Joshua and helped him up the ground.
Joshua coughed some more. “Not really,” he answered. “Almost drowned.” He took another glance at the lake.
“We shouldn’t have left you alone,” Michael piped in. He was much taller than both Joshua and Rene, and he was also tanner than the two of them. Michael was a bit toned, looking like he would be the one to start fist fights. But his voice sounds like the complete opposite of that. “You were lucky you still managed to get to shore.”
Rene chuckled. “Chill out, at least he’s still here.” He gave a hearty pat to Joshua’s back. “Why won’t we go back and finish up packing.”
Joshua’s eyebrows furrowed, “You guys are almost done? Already?”
“What do you mean already? It took us qui - Oh damn.” Michael’s eyes widened in realization.
“How long was I out?” Joshua mumbled.
“Oh well! Let’s go back to the cabin.” Rene interrupted. His arm was still wrapped around Joshua’s back as he slowly turned themselves away from the direction of the lake.
Joshua took another look at the lake, as if there was some force attracting him toward it, like it was pulling him in. It felt like there was a void somewhere in him that desperately needed filling up unless he jumped back into the water. In an attempt to flush out the thoughts he closed his eyes and shook his head. “I think I need to take a nap.”
As soon as they arrived inside, he went into the hallway and looked for any room with a bed inside. He didn’t even care if it was supposed to be someone else’s room since all he needed is rest. Once he found a bed, he instantly threw himself on it. He closed his eyes, letting sleep take over him. Joshua thought that everything would finally be fine after a good old nap. But when he woke up, he somehow found himself by the docks again. The skies were dark, and the moon was high up above the sky. Giving an ominous glow around the lake. “What the-” He blinked. Joshua couldn’t believe it. He turned to look at the cabin, and he noticed that the lights are off. That meant that everyone else was asleep, and somehow he managed to get here undetected.
The tugging feeling from earlier came back, but worse. “God, what’s happening to me?”
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
written: december 29, 2017
1x1 starter
pm/messenger
Crowds of people flocked in front of the building. Their cameras, flashing like twinkling stars. Microphones were being waved to and from people. It was a complete mess. Members of the security staff lined the bottom of the building’s steps (which lead to the entrance), barricading the waves of people who wanted to go in. One could compare the sight to the start of a Black Friday sale, yet these people were not itching for things to buy. They were craving for something less material. It could be information, the truth, or even justice. For the man inside those doors, was a man unlike any other. The people have called him many names: a genius, a revolutionary, the man who will rid the world of all its diseases, but also a monster, a menace, a lunatic, the man who can kill millions of people with a simple mistake. Many were grateful he’s alive, but many also wanted him dead.
The building was exceptionally tall, full of polished one-way glass windows that covered it. It was a feat of architecture, designed for the sole purpose of showing off. Only a few knew about what lied under these panels of glass, adding an air of mystery to the otherwise beautifully crafted tower. Beneath the entrance, there was a platform and a small flight of stairs. A podium was placed right in the middle. On top of the doors were large letters that spelled: “Vern Laboratories”.
A young man observed everything through the windows of his office. His hair was dark, messy, and not that short. A smirk appeared on his lips as he continued to watch the crowd. He pushed up his glasses and readjusted his bowtie, trying to get it to tighten just right. The man placed his hands in his pockets afterward. He was waiting for the cue.
It didn’t take long until he heard a buzzing sound coming from his door. “Come in,” the man commanded. And with those words the doors opened, letting in a man who was way older than him. “Are you ready, sir Vern?” The newcomer had asked. The younger man turned to face him with confidence in his eyes.
“Of course I am, are you?”
The older man nodded and gestured outside, “Well then sir, follow me.” Vern went outside the metallic doors and walked alongside him. The heels of their shoes sounded against the shiny white tiles as they went towards the elevator. Once they have reached the elevator, the older man had pushed the button for him.
Vern used the short time of waiting for the elevator to take a good look at him. Well, yes the man was old especially with grey hairs already present in the guy’s head and a lot of wrinkles on his face. He has seen this man before, as he is an employee of the company. But he has never really caught his name, a sign that the man’s not of high position. Besides, Vern didn’t really care for people’s names. If he did so, that meant that he would want to be friends. And, friends aren’t really his thing.
“You didn’t have to do that,” he said. He went into the elevator anyways, “Oh well.” The man also went into the elevator to accompany him.
“Sorry, sir. I was ordered to make sure you don’t inconvenience yourself with other things.”
Vern’s eyebrows furrowed. “That’s… a bit... odd, but okay.”
The elevator ride was mostly quiet save for its quiet whirrs. Just like the rest of the building, its walls were made out of strengthened glass. Vern glanced outside once more, to which he earned the confusion of his companion.
“Is there anything wrong, sir?” He asked. “You keep looking outside.”
“No. Nothing at all.” Vern looked to the other sides of the elevator which showed the inside of a couple of their laboratories.
“We hired security to keep you safe during the press con. You should have nothing to worry about, sir.”
“I could take care of myself, thank you very much.” He murmured under his breath. “Thank you,” he said to the man anyways.
It took a couple of minutes before they reached the ground floor. The doors opened once again, then they stepped outside. They were now in the lobby, where he could feel the hotter air coming through the open doors. Vern could also hear the noise outside, from the mixed voices of the people to the collective clicking of their cameras.
“Please go ahead, sir. I shall be waiting here.” The man told him.
Vern took one last look of the older man. He nodded and finally proceeded. He walked outside of the building and went behind the podium. One of his staff came over and handed him a bunch of papers.
He adjusted his glasses once again and examined it. A speech about certain allegations regarding their experiments. He grimaced as he recalled the moment the rumor started to spread. He remembered the amount of turmoil that it caused. Their phones were all ringing due to the number of people who were demanding answers. A lot of their investors were so close to pulling out, but luckily they had convinced them to stay. Well, now was the time that they were all waiting for.
Of course, Vern still wondered who the culprit was. But he’ll leave that for another time.
Cameras were pointed at him, recording and taking pictures. Vern looked around and smiled. His eyes went to the far end of the crowd, where there was a line of people holding up signs. Ah, even protesters came to see him. He had to admit, he was pretty flattered. Yet, he knew this was going to happen from the start. He’s aware of his questionable methods, after all.
“Breaking news! Daren Vern, the head researcher and CEO of Vern Medical, has finally shown up to start the press conference regarding the rumor of the company allegedly experimenting on humans against their will.” One of the news reporters said. Vern almost rolled his eyes. Did she really have to say it? He was slightly insulted, but he shook off the thought.
He tapped the microphone, and the crowd’s noise dwindled down somewhat. “Good Morning everyone. I know what you’re all here for today.” Vern glanced at his notes. “I’m sure all of you have heard of the rumors going about recently. About our company involving itself in rather… inhumane things.” He paused for a moment and heard the disagreeing cries of the protesters. “So I’m here to tell you personally that: No. We are not doing unethical human experimentation. Yes, I do agree that we do experiment on humans. But we do so without breaking the law. All the humans in our experiments are very willing to do this.”
He preserved eye contact with the audience. “I know this rumor started all because of the company’s secretive nature, coupled with stories about my past. But I assure you all, that nothing wrong is happening behind these walls. We are all doing this for the sake of humanity’s safety.” Vern ended his speech there, but of course, the press was still craving for more explanation. The protesters weren’t too satisfied either.
“All other questions will be answered by my representative,” He added. He looked to his left and saw his representative there. The woman gave him a subtle smile and went to the podium. Vern stepped back and let her take it from there.
He went back into the building, planning to carry on with his day as usual. The man was only a couple meters away from the elevator when he heard the voice of an elderly woman along with the sound of footsteps getting louder by the second. “Mr. Vern! Mr. Vern!” She called out to him. Vern’s pace got faster as he rushed towards the elevator in an attempt to escape the woman.
The metal doors of the elevator opened and he was about to step in when he felt a tug pull him back. He almost stumbled and fell, but quickly regained his footing before he did. For an old woman, she sure was strong. He turned around to face her saying, “What the hell do you want? Where is the security when I need them…” He patted down his clothes, thinking that the woman had managed to get her dirty hands on them.
“Mr. Vern! I have been wanting to see you for such a long time,” The elder woman told him.
“Well you should have arranged an appointment then,” Vern said with disdain in his tone. He looked behind her and saw that the security guards have finally decided to do their job. They were walking towards them.
“But please, hear me out!” She protested. Before Vern could even react, the woman had grabbed his hand. He tried to pull but her grip was firm. “You have to be cautious from now on, my dear.” Hot searing pain in his hand erupted, making him flinch. What was in her hand anyway? It seemed like it was burning his palm. His reflexes made him pull away, and she let go.
“What the ******** was that?” He practically hissed, clutching his hand that was now smoking. “Are you trying to kill me!?”
“No, but I know that there are forces out there who are itching to do so. Your enemies, your competitors, people who don’t want the world to be a better place.” She explained. “I know your heart isn’t pure, but you can still change.” The woman looked at him straight in the eyes.
The security had restrained her and started to carry the woman away. Yet, she still didn’t stop talking. Her feet skidded against the tiles as she tried to keep still.
“You aren’t on the right track, but let my gift guide you back!” She was practically outside by then, but he could still hear her loud and clear. “You are part of something big!” Vern had a very confused expression on his face. He couldn’t believe what just happened. He was sure that the old woman was more insane than him.
One of the security personnel came and clutched his shoulder, “Are you okay sir?”
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe I need a smoke or two.” He took a glance at the hand she was still clutching. It still stung whenever he exposed it to even the tiniest amount of air. “And a first aid kit.”
Back in his office, he hastily grabbed the first aid kit placed on his desk and sat down on his black leather couch. He put down the kit on the coffee table and pulled out the things he needed. Vern knew that just treating the wound first aid instead of going straight to one of the company’s doctors is not really a good idea, but he didn’t feel like doing otherwise. Not to mention that while he was doing it, there’s a lit cigarette perched upon his mouth.
The burn has been there for a couple of minutes, but he only managed to take a good look at it now. That was when things started to get weirder as if it wasn’t already weird for him. Besides the red swollen skin expected from a first-degree burn, there was something else he noticed. As Vern inspected it closer, he could see that a distinct symbol had formed on his skin. “What the ********…” He mumbled. His fingers touched the surface of the burn, and then it stung again.
He sighed, “It’s probably just the crazy old woman’s wrinkles.” He stood up and grabbed an icepack from a mini-fridge. His men once said that he was a bit too extra when he was getting it set up. But hey, it’s actually useful.
He pulled out a towel from the first aid kit and wrapped it around the ice pack. Afterwards, he pressed the cold pack against his burnt hand. It was quite soothing and painful at the same time.
Vern breathed out and rested his head on the couch. His eyes looked at the grey ceiling, and his vision started to get blurry. Drowsiness soon took over him. Sleeping was even a worse idea than not getting this burn treated, but he didn’t feel like doing otherwise. Before he knew it, he was in pretty deep slumber. The old woman's words echoed in his head.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
1x1 reply
written: april 26, 2019
discord
Mies froze in a mixture of shock and fear the moment he saw the girl's shadowy claws appear. At that point on, the glassman knew that this wasn't an ordinary demon. Their eyes glanced over to the orb that she clung to and wondered if it had anything to do with how she was acting at the moment. What even was that orb? Was it magical or did it have anything special? They felt an itch of curiosity but they didn't act on it since they were worried that they might trouble the small girl any further. But it seemed to them that the girl could somewhat handle herself, so Mies decided not to interfere any further. They stood up and continued to watch the scene unfolding in front of them.
The elf started to walk towards the doorway, and the sushi bar's workers all hoped that he was going to leave and let everyone be. Mies was about to sit back on his table until they saw what happened next.
The elf didn't seem to be fazed by the demon girl's sudden changes in demeanor. In his eyes, she was still a small young girl who would fall down when he pushes her hard enough. With his deep and gruff voice, he taunted her. "Oh, so you're about to resolve to violence? Typical of a demon from Velroruuth." He then proceeded to laugh at her. The elf followed her to the doorway and squatted down to her level. "What's the problem? Come on, show me what you got. I know you've been itching to kill me. Use your claws and prove to everyone in here that every creature from your kingdom is worthless scum." After saying those words the elf spit on the girl.
Upon seeing the elf's next actions, Mies decided that he did need to interfere again. The stranger had a plan, and the glassman didn't want him to proceed any further with it. They quickly left their spot and went over to the stranger. With a swift swing of Mies' palm, they slapped the elf across his face enough to make him stumble back a bit. "She's just a little girl, you heartless troglodyte. Don't use her to push your ideals." The glassman's eyebrows were furrowed in anger, and they didn't care if their slap was a bit too powerful.
He cradled his cheek with his right hand. "That's the problem with you glassfolk, you don't know jack s**t about what happened in the war so you're taking this demon's side." This remark made Mies even more furious, prompting them to slam their heel onto the elf's leg making him yelp in pain. "Excuse me?" Mies exclaimed. "You're telling me? That I know nothing about the war? Some of our people ran away from Cendrillon just to aid the soldiers who were being slain left and right, and I protested against the kingdom for not taking in refugees! And you're telling me that I know nothing about the war!?"
At this point, the elf had shut up after Mies' outburst. This made Mies continue to speak, "Look at you right now. Abusing a young girl just because of your misguided hatred. Disgusting."
The elf slowly stood up and limped out of the sushi bar. Mies could see a wound forming from where they stepped. The glassman breathed out in exasperation, and after a couple of seconds they found themselves blushing. They just yelled at an elf in a restaurant full of people. How could Mies have forgotten their manners? They smiled sheepishly then gestured one of the waitresses to come over. "Can you give a dragon roll to the demon girl? Everything she bought today is on me."
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
1x1 reply
written: may 8, 2019
discord
He inspected his coat one more time to see if the blood has really washed off. There were still a couple of spots here and there, but not enough to make it seem that he had murdered someone in broad daylight. Now he had to find some place to dry it off. He looked around. Maybe he could hang it on a branch somewhere. But then he forgot what he was supposed to be doing the moment he noticed another man a couple meters away. Looking at him.
The world spun around Eremiel, worried about what this man had possibly seen. How long had he been there? Did he see him eat the young man? The monster in him urged for him to do something about it. Anything. Yet he simply stood there, frozen on the spot.
He clutched the white coat closer, which slightly soaked his vibrant red shirt. His eyes darted left and right as if he was looking for something. The egui's eyes landed on a thick wall of trees. A perfect place to hide it seemed. Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could into the deep forest. The view of the river soon disappeared as he forced his long legs to take him somewhere he doesn't know. Occasionally he looked back to make sure the stranger wasn't following him.
Eremiel found himself in a clear patch of the forest. He honestly doesn't know where he was. All he knew is that he was far from civilization. He didn't need to worry about being lost since he could fly anyways. What was important is that he wasn't seen by whoever that was. His chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. Eremiel perched himself against a tree in order to catch his breath. The egui closed his eyes as he rested.
He admits that running away was such a stupid thing. Running away just made it seem more that he had something to do with the mangled corpse. He shouldn't have done that. Maybe he should have talked to the person instead. And there was an intrusive thought in his head that told him that he should have killed the stranger too. Eremiel shook the thought away. One dead person was enough.
crippling despresso
Dapper Duck
1x1 starter
written: may 10, 2019
discord
There was something wrong. Yet Victoria Vern just can't exactly point out what it is or why it was happening to her.
For some odd reason, every piece of technology she owned just crashes right on her hands. She hasn't been able to use her computer for days. Even her phone wasn't letting her do anything. Because of what was happening to her, she couldn't get any of her projects done. Victoria can feel all the deadlines creeping up on her. Oh her boss would be so mad. She found herself scouring books about basic engineering, mechanics, or whatever you called it just to find a way to fix her gadgets. Victoria had already tried bringing them to a store, but they kept telling her that all her stuff was just working fine. This brought even more confusion to the programmer. She swore that they were broken. But then the storekeepers simply take her phone, show her that the screen just boots up fine, then return it to her. At this point, Victoria was desperate. She didn't even know who or where to turn to.
When her friends suggested that it might be a curse, Victoria simply dismissed the idea. Curses? Pfft, magic doesn't exist let alone things such as curses. But as the days passed, she started to consider the possibility bit by bit. Maybe there was such thing as magic, maybe she really was cursed. But that was impossible. Magic went against the laws of physics so how could it be real? On the other hand, the fact that literally every computer she used just refuses to cooperate didn't make sense at all. If turning to magic was the only way to get rid of the so-called curse put upon her, then she supposed it didn't hurt to try.
Looking for a capable person for her "curse" was admittedly tough. Especially since she couldn't even look at Craigslist nor contact people through her cellphone. She first asked her friends if they knew someone. They were the ones that suggested that she was cursed, after all. Fortunately, they did know. Through the rumors that spread through the city, it wasn't that hard to pinpoint the people who were dabbling in the occult. Victoria simply followed the grapevine, and it led her to a myriad of odd places that weren’t really helpful. But in the end, it led her to a certain shop beside some descript alleyway. The programmer was still wary despite everything that had happened to her, and she was sure whoever this person was just another one of those quack doctors who’d charge egregious prices for doing pretty much nothing.
Victoria sighed as she slowly entered the store. There was only one way to find out.