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 Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 12:30 am
So she had signed up to the battleship tournament just for something to do. She had never been exactly good at the game but it was just a bit of fun right? She had found an email in her inbox telling her she was playing someone from Barren Pines. The strange school. It could be interesting, she had never seen anyone from that school, they always seemed to keep to themselves.
Oh well, time to meet one virtually.
She logged on to the computer and signed in. She started to set up her battleship board.
LouisaM2156: Hello?
Right her board was set up, all ready to go.
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:20 am
It was one of the few things Joanne and her father would do with regularity. Every Sunday night, he would bring out a board game and they would play. Clue was their favorite, but others in the collection included Monopoly, Scrabble, and Battleship. When Joanne saw the tournament advertised on a forum, she felt pangs of homesickness. Since coming to Barren Pines, there had been no board games with her father. And even though her father was still far away, maybe this would help.
Joanne logged into the gaming site and found her opponent waiting for her. A girl, by the looks of it, and a prompt one. It was sort of nice, as long as she didn't actually have to face her.
Jo_Sews: Hello. A pleasure to meet you.
For Joanne, this definitely qualified as meeting.
Quickly ready to get started, she clicked the first square of attack: B4
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:45 am
Louisa smiled as she saw the other person log on and with her board ready she was able to notice the girl miss. She smiled to herself wondering just how well her board was set up or whether it was just a disaster waiting to happen. Either way she was excited to play.
LouisaM2156: Heya! I am Louisa and go to Meadowview. I have never spoken to someone from Barren Pines so this is interesting.
Louisa was generally much more chatty over the internet as there wasn't the whole social awkwardness of being face to face with someone. It meant that this was the most ideal way of meeting with someone.
Now for a box. She stared at her grid and then smiled before clicking D2.
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:05 am
It seemed that they would both start by missing. Joanne smiled. This could actually be fun, and it seemed that the other girl was pleasant enough. It wasn't long, however, before she saw a problem. She had signed up for the site as Jo Sews. If this girl- Louisa- wanted to get to know her, she'd get to know Jo. But if she came to Barren Pines... no, that would never happen. Would it?
The anonymity that the internet offered started to flake away. Holding her breath, Joanne typed quickly.
Jo_Sews: It's nice to meet you, Louisa. My name is Jo, and I've never spoken to a Meadowview student. Would you tell me about what it's like?
Crisis averted, subject changed. For now. Letting herself breathe finally, Joanne clicked her next square: G8
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:01 am
Louisa watched the square turn blue. A miss, darn. She looked thoughtfully at the grid when she saw Jo's turn go up. G8, Miss! Awesome. Louisa was already starting to like this game.
LouisaM2156: It's kinda cool here, I like it. I guess it's like most schools though. How come we never see you guys about? Aren't you allowed out of school or something?
It was normal to wonder right? I mean Crystal girls boarded at their school but they were still seen about, a lot. Why were the Barren Pines kids never seen? Maybe she would at last find out.
Now for her next attempt. C6.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:05 am
Another miss, for both of them. It was the beginning of the game still, so Joanne was patient. Eventually, she would land hits. So would her opponent. The only question was, who would hit them all?
Well, there was one more question. Why was her opponent so curious about her school? They'd always been there!
Jo_Sews: Yes, we're allowed out of school sometimes. I can't speak for my classmates, but I find it a bother to go out too often.
Tapping the mouse a little harder than necessary, she clicked F4 and waited for the next move.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:40 am
Another miss, darn! Louisa looked at her grid and did some thinking, it took a lot of thinking and luck to play this game, she was sure of that. At least the other girl missed to, hopefully one of them would hit soon and then the game could really start.
She looked and clicked f6 hoping maybe there was something there? She could hope, anyway if nothing more she could get to know this school that she didn't know much about.
LouisaM2156: Oh really? I haven't ever seen any of you lot about, maybe I am just never in town when you guys come out. I hear its a good school though, good reputation and all that.
She wouldn't have minded going to a school like that but she wasn't gifted in anything and she wasn't posh enough in her books to go to Crystal and after all Meadowview wasn't all that bad. It was just another school.
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:27 pm
The scoreless game didn't bother Joanne at all. Yes, it would be nice to make a hit. But everything had its own time, and she was in no mood to rush. Especially considering this was something she was doing in an attempt to relax.
Breathing deeply, she considered the next question. A good school? Yes, it was that. Everything was in the best condition, the teachers were good... and everyone was dying all around her. Perhaps not an ideal learning environment. Had the outbreak been publicized? Probably not. Joanne didn't want to talk about it, but at the same time, she wanted someone to know.
Jo_Sews: It's a good school, yes. Things are difficult right now, be
Her hand hit the enter key as she wavered in her seat, suddenly dizzy from lack of air. She tried to grab her throat, but there was nothing around it. And then, just as soon as it happened, the pressure released and she could breathe again.
Gasping for air, Joanne's hands crashed against the keyboard again, and she accidentally clicked a square: E7
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:08 am
Damn she hit. Though the hit didn't bother Louisa she was more curious about what the girl was saying before she seemed to just stop.
LouisaM2156: Well every school has difficulties, whats going on?
Of course everyone had heard of the bacterial meningitis going around and Louisa supposed it must be difficult to be living in a place where people are dying from it. She half wondered why they hadn't sent everyone else home.
She then decided to click i8.
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:22 am
Slowly, her breathing returned to normal. Joanne sat there for several moments, just breathing, not looking at the computer or thinking about the game. Her thoughts were all on what had happened, and why, and how.
She remembered her conversation with Mr. Azzo, and how he had choked up when he tried to tell her something. How she had thought he was unwell, perhaps mentally as well as physically. But that wasn't necessarily a basis for thinking something was wrong at the school. According to him, he'd been coughing because he knew too much. Joanne felt comfortable in assuming she knew nothing.
By the time she reached that conclusion, she noticed a couple of minutes had passed. Her opponent had missed, and- when had she hit? And there was another question.
Jo_Sews: I'm sorry about the delay. I was distracted for a moment.
She hadn't wanted to talk about her school before, now she would avoid it at all costs. Avoidance always worked. So why didn't she feel more relieved? Fingers twitching anxiously, the mouse hovered over several squares before finally selecting E6.
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:15 am
Miss and miss. So far jut the one hit. Louisa really wanted to get a hit now, she was starting to get into the game more and so didn't mind the girls clear avoidance of her question. Some people just weren't that open and Louisa assumed she was just like that.
LouisaM2156: Fair enough, looks like you are winning at the moment!
With that she looked at the board and chose H2.
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