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 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:55 pm
"See, but then I'm dead. Julian t--awwwh," Liam sighed, "I know, I know. Me too. I was almost better off at the dump. Almost." He sounded no more ancient than usual, trying to keep his demeanor generally optimistic so he wouldn't end up sticking his head in the oven.
He gave Crow a quick kiss on the top of the head and sighed once more.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:02 pm
Trying very hard to stop crying and achieving only getting her voice half-level, Crow curled into a tight ball.
"I'm sorry you're stuck with this. Everyone. You, Rabid, Len, Ethan, Björn, everyone, everyone. I never wanted to be born. All I got was being beat, and half-starvin', and doing awful things to other people 'fore they could get me first. I'm so tired."
There was a hysterical giggle in her voice now, and she clung to Liam, body shaking with laughter and sobbing both.
"And now Ethan's dying, and Julian, ah gods, all because of me, he's hurt so much worse'n he let on and it's my fault, Liam, and now you've got that monster in you too and there's nothing I can do to keep you safe!"
The breakdown had been a long time coming, and Crow cried into Liam's shoulder until she had exhausted herself.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:09 pm
Liam simply clung back, feeling desperately like he had to cry and holding back for poor Crow's sake. Breakdowns meant saying things you didn't want to mean, and he knew that.
That didn't make it any less painful to hear.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:16 pm
Feeling hollow as she finally stopped crying, Crow awkwardly wiped her eyes and took a long breath. She almost felt better. Her hand slid slowly over Liam's face, not caring if he tried to pull away. She cared about very little any more. She leaned in and kissed him, then just seemed to collapse, leaning against him for support.
Jeddeth, an empty glass in its taloned hands, waited out in the hallway, trying not to skulk.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:19 pm
Oh, God, so adorable and depressing at the same time.
"Crow?" Liam asked, poking the girl on him, "Y'okay? Maybe you should go sit down."
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:23 pm
"I am sitting," Crow mumbled into Liam's shoulder. "I'm fine here."
Jeddeth crept in, setting the dirty glass in the sink.
"Is he okay?" she asked, not bothering to look up.
"More or less," Jeddeth said, creeping out again. "Wondering why he is tied up. He wishes to tell you that he isn't....er. 'In to bondage'."
Crow gave a creaking laugh.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:39 pm
__Part 37
"So this is where it gets interesting."
Crow was recovered from the small, weepy creature she'd been only hours before. Her eyes were hard and manic, and she sat on the kitchen counter hunched over like a gargoyle. The Dhev-Anak was in her hands, and thusly Julian, half awake and rather paranoid, was a good distance away from her.
"Interesting is putting it lightly," Jeddeth said, mixing a glass of saltwater for Ethan. "Are you sure you want to go so soon?"
"Yes," Julian said, eyes flicking onto the purplish-blue blade of the dagger. "You have our way in. We go, ******** him up until he doesn't know which way is up and kill him, we leave."
"That's the general idea," Jeddeth said. "Provided we don't die."
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:43 pm
"We won't die," Liam said matter-of-factly, "I mean, I cant die unless Julian does and he c--...well, s**t."
Rabid was off in a corner, glancing nervously between Ethan and the group in the kitchen.
"Yeah. So." And that was it.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:51 pm
Julian winced.
"It made sense to do it at the time," he offered weakly, looking embarrassed. "Sorry."
"Do what?"
"Er. Nothing."
Crow gave her brother a look, which he pointedly avoided. Both glanced over at Ethan as he coughed, scrabbling for the water Jeddeth gave him and knocking it back. A trail of salt seeped into his mouth as he drank everything in a long gulp, and he coughed again. He didn't seem to notice anyone around him for a minute before his head jerked up slightly, as though he'd just been jolted awake. He frowned, looking at his tied-up hands and scratching awkwardly at a wrist beneath the bonds.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:54 pm
Rabid's eyes floated to Björn, who was sitting on a chair he'd pulled up to Ethan's makeshift bedside and experiencing rather strange nervous tics.
"Let's go before things get even worse."
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:01 pm
Crow and Julian exchanged looks, then turned back to Ethan. He blinked owlishly, noticing them for the first time in a while.
"What's wrong?" he asked, looking around in slight confusion. Crow smiled back with effort.
"Not a damn thing," she said. "Be good while we're away, hai? No dirty movies or parties with your horrible school friends."
Ethan laughed, forgetting the discomforted confusion.
"Don't be late," he said, still smiling slightly as he rolled over, awkwardly tugging a blanket over his shoulders. Crow swallowed hard, stowing the Dhev-Anak in intangibility and jerking her head for the others to follow her outside. Lenore waved goodbye as they passed, face torn between anger that she had been denied permission to go along and deathly worry.
"Jeddeth," Julian said, his voice steely as they left the house.
Jeddeth held the medallion out unasked.
"Ready when you are."
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:03 pm
Rabid, who had been following wordlessly, simply closed her eyes hard and grabbed onto Liam's arm. The little man, however, was simply staring in determination.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:05 pm
Crow scored a long cut in her palm, blood running free. The iron heated and smoked as she painted a streak across its face, and Julian followed suit. Jeddeth, its withered body bloodless, thoughtlessly yanked out a tooth and twined it in the medallion's chain before offering it to Rabid and Liam.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:07 pm
Rabid blinked.
"What. The ********>" It was only a casual statement, though, as Liam bit into his palm and simply copied Crow and Julian. Rabid hesitantly followed, not really liking the idea of giving her bodily fluids to something that was going to take her somewhere evil.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:10 pm
The iron was burning white-hot by now. Julian drew in a long breath, jaw set.
"Do it," he said. Jeddeth obeyed, and let the medallion fall to the ground.
And there was a great billowing rush of white fire...
...an overwhelming feeling of falling....
....and suddenly Julian opened his eyes to find he was underwater, thrashing and a shout of surprise turning into a rush of bubbles. He swam upwards, breaking the surface with a great gasp.
"What the goddamned ******** HELL!" Crow shrieked, surfacing beside him. "******** DEJA VU. DAMMIT!"
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