"Good to be back, baby," Lissa cooed into her reflection, rubbing her thumb against the fading bruise on her jaw. It had been pretty incredible, the way all of her swelling had gone down, but at this point she was doing her best to just take the good fortune for what it was. She had her voice back, there hadn't been any other strange zombie incidents, and that was what counted.
(She wasn't thinking about what had happened to Rebecca Fong. She hadn't seen it and she wasn't going to see it, so for now she could place the gruesome story on the back burner, along with the rest of the massive pile of things to be considered and processed never.)
Even better, the Mall Rats had done a good share of the b***h work the Harbingers had assigned them, which meant that Jeff and his nebulous new assistant had access to something strange and powerful. Lissa didn't trust the Harbingers, and she didn't trust this new Tron-looking a*****e, but she knew Jeff, and to whatever extent people could be trusted at the end of the world, she trusted Jeff. He was straightforward--Lissa could respect that.
She spent a good chunk of the day back at the mall, patching up her blanket fort where things had been stolen and cuddling in her hard-won bed once it was all done. She considered briefly going back into IKEA for more supplies to spruce up the place, but one look at the labyrinth from the outside reminded her that it wasn't worth the headache for something that could potentially be stolen.
Lissa let out a theatrical sigh, and then she began to head back towards her little glitter hovel, rubbing at her face all the while. She was just beginning to swing up the gates of the craft store when she thought she heard a noise in the distance. It was something she felt more than heard, a pressure in her eardrums that barely sounded like drums in the distance, or perhaps gunfire. Everything sounded like gunfire these days. Eyes up and alert, Lissa turned for the Winchester and walked with purpose, keeping tight reins on the panic that started to bubble up within her. Their defenses were well-tested, surely there weren't bandits again? And the Undying weren't capable of using guns, so that was out. She was going to calmly walk up to the Winchester with a calm demeanor, and then calmly she would determine what calm circumstance the mall was experiencing. Calmly. Lissa was the one in control here, not some silly base emotion.
She reached the Winchester and followed past to the barricades, watching several people climb over the walls to outside, where there appeared to be...multiple flares of light? Were they getting rescued a few days early? Curiosity won out over a need to stay behind safe walls, and Lissa followed suit with the others, clambering over boards and broken-down kiosks to wrestle her way to the outside world. She joined the small throng of people as she looked to the dark sky in the distance, dumbfounded.
They weren't flare guns. They were fireworks.
"Well, it's gotta be someone with supplies, yeah?" Lissa cajoled, shrugging her shoulders upwards as the others murmured among themselves. "And they want our attention, so they have it. Maybe these are the guys on the radio, playing the game or whatever. I'd be down for some bingo with a new crowd, you guys probably cheat." She laughed to herself through the dirty looks she received, then turned back for the mall and her supplies. These guys were squares and didn't appreciate the fact that her speaking voice was back in full swing, she was going to investigate what was clearly the rescue pickup was. Was running around in the streets at night the wisest of decisions? Maybe not, but then again, the greatest of innovators took the path least traveled. At least, the path least travelled by humans. Shambler paths of travel were uncertain.
All stocked up on supplies and donning a sweater over her 'luxurious' khaleesi dress, Lissa set out for the source of the fireworks, which couldn't have been more than a few miles away. The streets might have been corroded from the disaster, but she still knew this area like the back of her hand, as well as backroutes and big open areas where she was least likely to get ambushed. For maximum efficiency, she girded her dress while she jogged in the cold, giving her a little more mobility in case she needed to sprint, but it seemed her caution was largely unnecessary. For all the sound and light the fireworks made, the Undying didn't seem to want to bite, an uncharacteristic behavior but one that put Lissa at ease. Anywhere the Undying weren't sounded like a great place to be!
The fireworks were already beginning to dim, but the light from the building itself was enough of a guiding star for Lissa, who was amazed that one single source even had that much power. She rounded a corner and had to squint at all the scintillating little bulbs, shielding her eyes against the alabaster 'DELTA CASINO' sign. Once her eyes adjusted, though, she looked up at the display with a sense of awe and absolute welcome. This was it, she was living here now, they didn't even have to be rescued. There were lights and it smelled like maybe there was food, and they had to have showers, which meant it was perfect. It had to be perfect, right?
Anything was better than wasting away alone.
OOC
Character's name: Elizabeth "Lissa" Buckly Character's faction: Mall Character's journal link:[Journal] Character's survival stats: [Stats] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Freckly-tan skin, wavy auburn hair, brown eyes, stands at 5' 7" with strong shoulders and a little bit of holdover baby fat on her stomach and thighs. Currently wearing a light blue gown made of cheap fabric, calling to mind a particular character from Game of Thrones. The dress is worn over what appears to be a comfortable sweater and jeans because nothing about Khaleesi's outfit is Canada-approved.
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:15 pm
The lights, the sounds, the smells...was that alcohol? Honest to God alcohol that wasn't some stale beer? Lissa had to be in heaven, or whatever agnostic equivalent she could be afforded in the afterlife. It even felt like they were running heaters in there, but that could have just as easily been the massive number of people floating about, playing slots. People were dying out in the streets, and these assholes were playing slots.
This was awesome.
Lissa felt a sense of wonder and hope that she hadn't experienced long before the zombies ever came, basking in the glow of the lights and sounds of leisurely play. For the first time in weeks, she actually began to feel...grimy, out of place in her hand-me-down sweater and her dust-spattered costume. It was an uncomfortable feeling in her sea of dizzy happiness, and she was quick to shove it aside. Lissa was precisely where she belonged, thank you, and now that she had her extravagant dress costume she no longer smelled, so these people had no reason to judge her, and if they did, they were assholes, so that was that.
And besides, some suave-looking bartender was making eyes at her and bringing her a drink, so she totally belonged here. "Hell yes," she nodded in approval, clamoring for the cocktail with hands that had been perhaps too desperate. She took a long sip and sighed contentedly--Jeff could make a stiff drink, but this was elegant, well-blended, smooth, and it melted the worries all out of her achy muscles. "You're an angel if I've ever seen one," Lissa sighed, exalting in the refreshing feeling of her calloused hands on chilled glass. She heard something something Delta Casino, but her eyes were already focused on the stacks of coins on the tray, and when the bartender offered them forward, she snatched at the currency with impunity.
"Oh my God, you are the best," she said, pocketing coins as she went while her eyes wildly searched for a game to play. The Arcade had been all well and good for killing time, but this was a real funhouse, with all the bells and whistles and vices Lissa could ask for. It was a place she would have never been able to afford stepping into before the apocalypse, but if they were going to straight up give her free coins, then she was going to take advantage of it all she could.
Dollar signs in her eyes, she sidled up to the blackjack table. Those were the ones with actual strategy, yeah? Everything else in this gilded palace was a game of chance, and Lissa was in it to win it.
OOC
Character's name: Elizabeth "Lissa" Buckly Character's faction: Mall Character's journal link:[Journal] Character's survival stats: [Stats] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Freckly-tan skin, wavy auburn hair, brown eyes, stands at 5' 7" with strong shoulders and a little bit of holdover baby fat on her stomach and thighs. Currently wearing a light blue gown made of cheap fabric, calling to mind a particular character from Game of Thrones. The dress is worn over what appears to be a comfortable sweater and jeans because nothing about Khaleesi's outfit is Canada-approved.
"Deal me in," Lissa smirked as she put down the minimum bet, clinging to her drink as if it might be her final lifeline. The dealer gave her hardly a second glance before tossing two cards her way, dealing his own hand face-up. A nine and an eight, Lissa noted, but not before glancing down at her own cards. Dealer has seventeen, I have eighteen. This is rough...
"I'll stay," she nodded, trying to hide the hesitation in her eyes. If the dealer caught sight of it, he made no mention, and with a nod, began to deal out the rest of his hand. A two, that made nineteen, and then...
A four. Bust.
"Ha! Yesss," Lissa hooted, grabbing for the coins as the dealer sent them her way. This was so easy, she was going to be filthy rich before the night was through!
Success! 5 Coins added to total.
OOC
Character's name: Elizabeth "Lissa" Buckly Character's faction: Mall Character's journal link:[Journal] Character's survival stats: [Stats] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Freckly-tan skin, wavy auburn hair, brown eyes, stands at 5' 7" with strong shoulders and a little bit of holdover baby fat on her stomach and thighs. Currently wearing a light blue gown made of cheap fabric, calling to mind a particular character from Game of Thrones. The dress is worn over what appears to be a comfortable sweater and jeans because nothing about Khaleesi's outfit is Canada-approved.
Current Coins: 55
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:17 pm
Drinking was a slippery slope--one became two became three became the walls spinning and the room warm, so very warm, just warm enough for a cozy nap...
Lissa woke to the feeling of rope at her wrists and her head slumped down, groaning to herself. It wasn't an entirely unfamiliar situation she found herself in, but it still wasn't a friendly one. "...the hell..." she muttered, trying to shake some of the hair out of her face. Had she ended up at that one weird goth night again? Haha, that was a memory she wished she could forget--
But everything came rushing back at once, and with the alarm at being so aggressively restrained, Lissa sobered up fast. She lifted her head to see where she was and got rewarded with a blinding light that sent her reeling, a string of carefully blended curses whipping out of her mouth in pain and agitation. "Who the hell even--" she began to shout when she took note of the numerous bodies around her, all restrained as she was and struggling to adjust to the light. Lissa began to see the scope of the danger she was in, and as the announcer came on, she actively began to squirm. No, no, no, she had not just survived four weeks of the apocalypse to be sent off to some human trafficking ring. She began wiggling around in search of her knife, but the rope held taut and her fingers tingled numb.
"...and be auctioned for our dinner fundraiser tonight."
What the actual <******** questions?" One per person please!"
"Yeah, so..." Lissa barked, still squirming in her chair. "Any chance this is all a joke and we've been punked? Because that would be great."
There was a pause in the announcer's speech, and in that silence Lissa began to learn what regret felt like. Her body wrenched with sudden force, and she felt herself being dragged from behind by the very chair keeping her upright. She wriggled and squirmed, cursing up a storm under her breath, but there was no use, and suddenly she was in a room, a much smaller room with a much smaller cast, and the voice began to talk again.
"You're joking, right?" Lissa asked as she looked up to the disembodied voice, refusing to look at the two choices in front of her. These weren't people, they didn't have lives on the line, this was not her decision to make. But the voice remained silent, and Lissa began to uselessly thrash in her chair. "Hey, what the hell, man! You can't just put someone in a room and expect them to pick something like that."
In the midst of her tantrum, Lissa accidentally glanced down at one of the chairs, at a pair of ruddy, honest eyes that made her stomach lurch. She tried to look away but the wheels in her head were already turning. He's too young to be in a casino, he doesn't deserve any of this. Just let him go, let him go home, the blackjack tables are easy, you can buy the both of you out.
In the silence, Lissa heard the shuffle of a pair of fancy shoes, and all at once feared the retribution on the boy should she not choose. "Him, I pick him," she sputtered out, wide-eyed and frantic. She chose not to look at the woman as they dragged her away--whatever they were doing and why she might be screaming was none of her concern now. She had someone to look after, someone she needed to score points for--
--and in a dash, he was running for the door, and Lissa let out a victorious whoop. You go, kid, you show 'em what's up, you get out of here--
Gunshots and the dull thud a body made against tile. Lissa stared blankly as the body twitched its lifeblood away. "What the hell," she intoned, her voice lost to the volume of the announcer. "What the hell, what the HELL, who DOES THAT?!"
No one paid her newly-healed voice any mind as she was dragged away, left only long enough to watch the twitching stop.
OOC
Character's name: Elizabeth "Lissa" Buckly Character's faction: Mall Character's journal link:[Journal] Character's survival stats: [Stats] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Freckly-tan skin, wavy auburn hair, brown eyes, stands at 5' 7" with strong shoulders and a little bit of holdover baby fat on her stomach and thighs. Currently wearing a light blue gown made of cheap fabric, calling to mind a particular character from Game of Thrones. The dress is worn over what appears to be a comfortable sweater and jeans because nothing about Khaleesi's outfit is Canada-approved.
Current Coins: 55
AMItotic
Nebulous Trash
Offline
AMItotic
Nebulous Trash
Offline
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:23 pm
They fitted her for her collar in one quick succession, her body left numb by the insolent rage that blinded her. How, how was that even remotely fair, how was she supposed to know that he was going to run, that he wasn't going to make it? Why had she looked down at him when he was already doomed, just like the rest of them? This was pointless, this was all pointless, they were just cattle for the slaughter, pawns for the rich. She was in the same place she'd always been, except now she had less time to work.
And for what? To earn a freedom in the cold arms of the undead? How was that even some tantalizing option? Lissa was too numb to move, to numb to think.
They deposited her on the main floor with a dead look to her eyes that began to slowly burn. She would win. She had to win. She had to get every single coin in this building if it was the last thing she did. She was going to buy out herself, and then the Mall Rats, and then anyone else because this game was dumb and this whole system was dumb and everyone deserved that chance.
Expression hard, she sidled up to a table. It was time to play.
OOC
Character's name: Elizabeth "Lissa" Buckly Character's faction: Mall Character's journal link:[Journal] Character's survival stats: [Stats] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Freckly-tan skin, wavy auburn hair, brown eyes, stands at 5' 7" with strong shoulders and a little bit of holdover baby fat on her stomach and thighs. Currently wearing a light blue gown made of cheap fabric, calling to mind a particular character from Game of Thrones. The dress is worn over what appears to be a comfortable sweater and jeans because nothing about Khaleesi's outfit is Canada-approved.
