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The Call (1) : An unknown number calls you. Maybe you pick it up, maybe you don’t, but the message is the same–someone on the other line is warning you about something. They seem to have details that give credence to whatever they’re warning you about, but there’s something particularly unbelievable about it all–because, they sound like you. And they know things only you would know. And then, the line drops, and you’re left alone. If you try to call the number back, it’s been disconnected. If it was a prank, it was a good one. But, maybe there was something more to it.
(( Follows immediately after this RP. ))
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It was amazing how refreshing a shower could be, Cliff thought as he stepped outside of the bathroom, all clean save for the evidence of cuts from his encounters on that gameboard. Checking his phone, he noted that he still had a little bit of time left before Abby or the food, so he grabbed his first aid kit and settled onto the couch.
He noticed the missed call, too, and the voicemail, but he didn’t recognize the number so he left it for later. It was probably a spam call, anyway, so he could deal with it after he took care of all of his cuts.
And there were plenty of those. They weren’t painful, but he could feel a very subtle stinging sensation all over his body because of them, and considering he’d been half covered in mud for an extended period of time, he figured some ointment to prevent infection would be a good idea. He was clean now, sure, but it never hurt to play it safe.
Eventually he did get a knock on his door, and he paid and thanked the pizza guy and was about to close the door when he glimpsed Abby coming down the hall, so he waited at the door for her instead.
He noticed the missed call, too, and the voicemail, but he didn’t recognize the number so he left it for later. It was probably a spam call, anyway, so he could deal with it after he took care of all of his cuts.
And there were plenty of those. They weren’t painful, but he could feel a very subtle stinging sensation all over his body because of them, and considering he’d been half covered in mud for an extended period of time, he figured some ointment to prevent infection would be a good idea. He was clean now, sure, but it never hurt to play it safe.
Eventually he did get a knock on his door, and he paid and thanked the pizza guy and was about to close the door when he glimpsed Abby coming down the hall, so he waited at the door for her instead.
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Abby let the pizza guy go past and continued to Cliff’s dorm door where he was waiting. Her eyes picked up the salve on his arms, absently noting the damp hair, and zeroed in on the piping hot pizza in his hands. With a smile she scooped the pizza up and sauntered into his place, quickly making herself at home in his much larger singles room. She still had no idea who he had to bribe to get this set up. Once the pizza was placed down on the counter and paper plates were secured she turned towards him and asked blatantly, “Do you need help with the hard to reach places?”
She had already spotted the various cuts so he had definitely gone through something, this made her feel oddly better, and guilty at the same time. Glad that he hadn’t ditched her for no apparent reason, that it had also been as hazardous for him as her being left to the horseman’s device’s had been. And guilty because she was secretly glad about the injuries, at least slightly glad about them. “Or are they only on the arms and legs?” Abby indicated her own arms to imply his own ‘ouchies’, thankful that the red line that had circled her throat had finally faded. No visible wounds remained but she was still rather shaken from it all. This she buried just as deep as she could, underneath the guilt and anger and relief and other general emotions that she could handle a lot better.
She had already spotted the various cuts so he had definitely gone through something, this made her feel oddly better, and guilty at the same time. Glad that he hadn’t ditched her for no apparent reason, that it had also been as hazardous for him as her being left to the horseman’s device’s had been. And guilty because she was secretly glad about the injuries, at least slightly glad about them. “Or are they only on the arms and legs?” Abby indicated her own arms to imply his own ‘ouchies’, thankful that the red line that had circled her throat had finally faded. No visible wounds remained but she was still rather shaken from it all. This she buried just as deep as she could, underneath the guilt and anger and relief and other general emotions that she could handle a lot better.
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Of course she went straight for the pizza.
Cliff couldn’t help but chuckle lightly as she whisked it away, walking right past him and into his room without any hesitation. It was always nice to see that she was this comfortable around him. He closed the door and locked it behind him before following her in, moving to the fridge to grab some drinks as she got settled. He pulled out a couple bottles of water and a couple cans of soda and was just closing the door when she asked about helping.
“They’re kinda everywhere,” he said, and he set the drinks down on the coffee table before turning and pulling his shirt up to show her his back. There were lines here as well, and in fact there were enough that his whole back was tingling because of them. It was…a weird sensation. Tolerable, sure, but definitely uncomfortable.
“I was actually just gonna give up on these ones, but if you can help me that’d be awesome.”
Cliff couldn’t help but chuckle lightly as she whisked it away, walking right past him and into his room without any hesitation. It was always nice to see that she was this comfortable around him. He closed the door and locked it behind him before following her in, moving to the fridge to grab some drinks as she got settled. He pulled out a couple bottles of water and a couple cans of soda and was just closing the door when she asked about helping.
“They’re kinda everywhere,” he said, and he set the drinks down on the coffee table before turning and pulling his shirt up to show her his back. There were lines here as well, and in fact there were enough that his whole back was tingling because of them. It was…a weird sensation. Tolerable, sure, but definitely uncomfortable.
“I was actually just gonna give up on these ones, but if you can help me that’d be awesome.”
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With a slight huff of surprise at the sheer amount of cuts he was sporting when he lifted his shirt Abby quickly agreed. “How the bloody hell did this happen?” She asked as she grabbed the ointment and started to apply it. “Honestly at this point you might as well use this as lotion.” It was tempting really but still, she stuck to the injuries, and soon had worked her way across his back, her fingers gentle and quick. “I mean, it's not like either of us have gotten worse but still, how in the world did you get cuts on your back as well? Did you get into a fight with a paper shredder or something when you ditched me?”
Since she was finished with his back she tugged his shirt back down and went to wash her hands. No point in getting ointment on the pizza. While drying her hands she once again looked Cliff over, trying to figure out where he had gone, and what had happened. Something had to have happened because he never would have just poofed like that voluntarily. “Spill… or no pizza for you.”
Since she was finished with his back she tugged his shirt back down and went to wash her hands. No point in getting ointment on the pizza. While drying her hands she once again looked Cliff over, trying to figure out where he had gone, and what had happened. Something had to have happened because he never would have just poofed like that voluntarily. “Spill… or no pizza for you.”
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“I probably should have tried that,” he laughed lightly, “thanks.”
Cliff stayed quiet as she got the ointment on him, and when she finished and tugged his shirt down for him he promptly flopped down onto the couch and was about to reach for the pizza when she suddenly held the pizza hostage.
Somehow, from a distance, she was able to keep him from just grabbing a slice for himself to munch on while he explained.
“I wound up on my homeworld,” he said plainly as he shifted back so he could properly sink into the cushions. No position was comfortable given all the cuts, but this was marginally better than properly sitting up. “Not sure why or how, but there I was, and it wouldn’t let me just come back. So I walked for ages, touched a tree and felt some kinda surge of power, and then had a freaky non-memory or something. I also found some old tools, but I kinda wanted to get back ‘cause of how I left you and all. It worked when I tried again at that point.”
He sounded halfway between curious and irritated. Some part of him wished there had been more clues or hints or something so he could figure out what exactly he was doing, and why.
But when were things ever that easy?
“And then when I got back, I saw this wooden die and next thing I know I’m dealing with some kinda weird gameboard piece of s**t.” His irritation flared then, as he recalled the experience. “That was where I got all these cuts. One of the spaces I passed through I think there were invisible sharp threads or something, and I tried to be careful but they were ********’ invisible so I was mostly just glad I got out of there in one piece. Then I sank in swamp, wound up on a giant sticky web with no spider but I could hear it coming as I got away, and then nearly fell into a void because the last space before I got to the end crumbled as soon as I stepped on it. I got out, but it’s been a helluva night.”
The brunette heaved a sigh at that, shifting his gaze back to Abby at that point. “So can I have a slice of pizza now?”
Cliff stayed quiet as she got the ointment on him, and when she finished and tugged his shirt down for him he promptly flopped down onto the couch and was about to reach for the pizza when she suddenly held the pizza hostage.
Somehow, from a distance, she was able to keep him from just grabbing a slice for himself to munch on while he explained.
“I wound up on my homeworld,” he said plainly as he shifted back so he could properly sink into the cushions. No position was comfortable given all the cuts, but this was marginally better than properly sitting up. “Not sure why or how, but there I was, and it wouldn’t let me just come back. So I walked for ages, touched a tree and felt some kinda surge of power, and then had a freaky non-memory or something. I also found some old tools, but I kinda wanted to get back ‘cause of how I left you and all. It worked when I tried again at that point.”
He sounded halfway between curious and irritated. Some part of him wished there had been more clues or hints or something so he could figure out what exactly he was doing, and why.
But when were things ever that easy?
“And then when I got back, I saw this wooden die and next thing I know I’m dealing with some kinda weird gameboard piece of s**t.” His irritation flared then, as he recalled the experience. “That was where I got all these cuts. One of the spaces I passed through I think there were invisible sharp threads or something, and I tried to be careful but they were ********’ invisible so I was mostly just glad I got out of there in one piece. Then I sank in swamp, wound up on a giant sticky web with no spider but I could hear it coming as I got away, and then nearly fell into a void because the last space before I got to the end crumbled as soon as I stepped on it. I got out, but it’s been a helluva night.”
The brunette heaved a sigh at that, shifting his gaze back to Abby at that point. “So can I have a slice of pizza now?”
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She kept quiet while Cliff explained his whole ordeal. Everything from being stuck in his homeworld to being dragged into some messed up boardgame from hell. She had no clue what the whole dice thing was but the homeworld, that gave her some ideas, but first… “Yes. Just leave me a slice or two.”
Abby quickly plated her own slice and after finishing her first bite she added with a slight frown, “You know it's not been just ‘a’ night right? It's been a whole day you were gone. I don’t know how long you were trapped on your homeworld, or in that dice thing, but it's a whole twenty-four hours later,” she paused and added, “give or take a few hours.”
Abby quickly plated her own slice and after finishing her first bite she added with a slight frown, “You know it's not been just ‘a’ night right? It's been a whole day you were gone. I don’t know how long you were trapped on your homeworld, or in that dice thing, but it's a whole twenty-four hours later,” she paused and added, “give or take a few hours.”
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As soon as he got the OK he moved to grab a slice, scarfing it down in just a few bites and moving on to his second and third slices faster than what was probably considered advisable.
Or attractive, but that was currently neither here nor there for him. He was starving.
What Abby said next sort of explained why, and he suddenly felt sick as he swallowed the last bite of that third slice and reached for a can of soda instead. He rarely drank soda, but he had it for occasions like this when he needed something to help him cope.
The bubbles helped, and when his stomach didn’t feel like it was ready to turn itself upside-down and inside-out, he cleared his throat. “At least I didn’t have practice today,” he said, glancing over at his phone and only then noticing the date. It had been an entire day…
Again, he saw the missed call and voicemail notifications. Since it had been a whole day, maybe it’d be a good idea to check just in case it was someone calling about something important. Worst case, it’d be spam and he could just delete it.
He didn’t recognize the number and quickly moved on to the voicemail, hitting play and putting it on speaker so he could grab for another slice.
His voice coming out of the speaker made him freeze, though, and glancing back down at the phone he listened carefully to the message that played. It was going on about fears and insecurities that often cropped up in his life, mostly relating to family and friends and personal failure. That he would ultimately amount to nothing and would wind up alone, so everything he did now was absolutely futile.
And then the message ended and he couldn’t do anything but blink dumbly at his phone for a long moment.
Or attractive, but that was currently neither here nor there for him. He was starving.
What Abby said next sort of explained why, and he suddenly felt sick as he swallowed the last bite of that third slice and reached for a can of soda instead. He rarely drank soda, but he had it for occasions like this when he needed something to help him cope.
The bubbles helped, and when his stomach didn’t feel like it was ready to turn itself upside-down and inside-out, he cleared his throat. “At least I didn’t have practice today,” he said, glancing over at his phone and only then noticing the date. It had been an entire day…
Again, he saw the missed call and voicemail notifications. Since it had been a whole day, maybe it’d be a good idea to check just in case it was someone calling about something important. Worst case, it’d be spam and he could just delete it.
He didn’t recognize the number and quickly moved on to the voicemail, hitting play and putting it on speaker so he could grab for another slice.
His voice coming out of the speaker made him freeze, though, and glancing back down at the phone he listened carefully to the message that played. It was going on about fears and insecurities that often cropped up in his life, mostly relating to family and friends and personal failure. That he would ultimately amount to nothing and would wind up alone, so everything he did now was absolutely futile.
And then the message ended and he couldn’t do anything but blink dumbly at his phone for a long moment.
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Abby watched silently as Cliff practically inhaled damn near the entire pizza. It was understandable really if he hadn’t been aware he was gone for so long. He would have missed at least two meals and likely would have been ravenous considering the s**t he had gone through. That being said she definitely snagged a second piece even though she wasn’t finished with her first since she wanted to at least be sure she got dinner too. Not that she ate more than two pieces very often anyway. “Yeah. That's at least a blessing in disguise.” Like Cliff, Abby opened her own can of soda and after enjoying a deep swallow she sighed and added, “I actually think you might have two things to see as good in this whole situation.” She used her can to gesture to him, “When you touched the tree on your homeworld you said you felt power right? Did you notice your uniform change?” If he had just experienced what she thought he had then maybe him ditching her wasn’t such a bad thing… or at least excusable.
She moved on to her second piece when Cliff decided to check his voicemails, not really paying much attention since it was his phone not hers. Or she was until his own voice came out of the phone’s speaker. At first her brows shot up in surprise before lowering in a scowl as the word vomit came slithering out. Much like it had from her own phone, except it had been her voice that was spewing that nonsense. “That mother ********… I swear, if I get my hands on them…” She trailed off, her voice cold and heavily accented as her earlier anger came back full force. “How dare they! How dare they do that!”
She moved on to her second piece when Cliff decided to check his voicemails, not really paying much attention since it was his phone not hers. Or she was until his own voice came out of the phone’s speaker. At first her brows shot up in surprise before lowering in a scowl as the word vomit came slithering out. Much like it had from her own phone, except it had been her voice that was spewing that nonsense. “That mother ********… I swear, if I get my hands on them…” She trailed off, her voice cold and heavily accented as her earlier anger came back full force. “How dare they! How dare they do that!”
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Abby’s words barely registered as he reached to hit play again. All he got back was static, though, so he hit the delete button–best not to have a constant reminder of an awful memory–before looking over at her. She was properly riled up, he noticed, and it helped to bring him back from his stupor.
“Wait, you got one of these calls, too?” he asked. And then he flashed back to how she answered his call earlier and sort of put two and two together from there.
He took another swig of his soda as he reached over to gently run his hand along her back in the hopes of calming her down. “I’ll live,” he said a bit weakly. He was tired, with everything that had just happened to him recently and now this. “It’s a bunch of horseshit anyway, so ******** whoever that is. We’re probably better off watching a movie or something, take our mind off of it.”
“Wait, you got one of these calls, too?” he asked. And then he flashed back to how she answered his call earlier and sort of put two and two together from there.
He took another swig of his soda as he reached over to gently run his hand along her back in the hopes of calming her down. “I’ll live,” he said a bit weakly. He was tired, with everything that had just happened to him recently and now this. “It’s a bunch of horseshit anyway, so ******** whoever that is. We’re probably better off watching a movie or something, take our mind off of it.”
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Abby spat out a few more curses before she took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders a bit, working out the anger that had tightened her entire frame. “Yes, I thought they were calling back when you returned my call earlier.” She explained before finishing her soda, the can crunching beneath her hand once empty. She looked over her shoulder at Cliff when he tried to comfort her. It was a sweet gesture, even if not necessarily needed. As annoyed as Abby was regarding the call she was more annoyed about the audacity of the caller and not the words themselves. Her caller had mentioned her mom which is when any sad feelings instantly evaporated into anger.
But Cliff, he seemed a bit more rattled. Maybe it was the fact the last day had been so damn long. Maybe it was that whole ‘stuck in a demented game’ or trapped in his wonder. Either way it didn’t matter all that much right now. “Yeah. You're right. You stretch out on the couch again, I’ll get the floor this time.” She followed her own instructions and settled on a cushion on the floor even as she turned on his tv. “Any preference?” Abby asked as she navigated to a streaming site.
But Cliff, he seemed a bit more rattled. Maybe it was the fact the last day had been so damn long. Maybe it was that whole ‘stuck in a demented game’ or trapped in his wonder. Either way it didn’t matter all that much right now. “Yeah. You're right. You stretch out on the couch again, I’ll get the floor this time.” She followed her own instructions and settled on a cushion on the floor even as she turned on his tv. “Any preference?” Abby asked as she navigated to a streaming site.
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Cliff had other thoughts about the seating arrangement, but didn’t stop her when she moved off of the couch. Instead, he followed her instructions and laid down so his head was on the side closer to her, and turned so he could properly see the TV.
“Maybe something light, like a rom-com?” he said, managing a small smile after shoving the lingering thoughts of all that he’d gone through over the past two days, apparently, to the very back of his mind. For now he was happy to settle in and watch whatever movie or show Abby decided on.
“Maybe something light, like a rom-com?” he said, managing a small smile after shoving the lingering thoughts of all that he’d gone through over the past two days, apparently, to the very back of his mind. For now he was happy to settle in and watch whatever movie or show Abby decided on.
