You are Kyle Mercer and you are 23 years closer to the grave, God willing. Or… gods willing? Whatever. You take a hit from your clumsily rolled joint, hold the breath, and then exhale it toward the ceiling. You're lying in bed without a stitch of clothing on, covered only by your scars and the Ouroboros tattoo on your chest, the one that matches your sister's.
"Gimme," Candi, your sister, says. She's laying on your chest, her tattoo nearly touching yours, reaching needily for the joint. You give. You can't say no to her.
That's part of the reason why you're both naked, sweaty, and spent, lying in bed together. Morning rays are filtering in through the gauzy curtains over the window. You might need to go to work soon but… you just haven't felt like it. You've been busy with occult shit. Besides, your sister's making good tips on her cam show, especially now that you're helping out.
All in all, it's shaping up to be a good day.
Candi passes the joint back to you and sighs wistfully, laying her head on your chest, golden hair haloed across you. "Why couldn't it have been you who knocked me up instead of Dad?"
Yeah, even you don't really know how to approach that one. What can I say? You two have a special relationship.
XXX
Nemesis Quest follows an evil man hurting himself and those around him out of malice, lust, and inhuman cruelty. Do not attempt.
Archive: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=NEMESIS+Quest
I aim to update on weekdays around 4:00 PM UTC. I will update more often if there's a clear consensus or I have the time.
XXX
So aside from practicing an advanced form of consanguinity with your darling sister, you've been making deals with eldritch powers, witches, warlocks, and ancient, forgotten gods, getting stronger. Nothing in this world is free though. You run on blood like a truck runs on diesel, and baby you're running on fumes. After fighting off some kind of Emissary of the Thing in the Lake to protect Miss Ellen in her dreams, you're hurting bad. Thank god(s?) that Candi is–apparently–a priestess and devotee of the much more chill Thing in the Woods, able to use the slavering devotion of her simps to fuel her magic and heal you.
You know, it sounds kind of crazy when you string all those words together like that. Who would have thought that knocking boots with Candi would be one of the more normal things going on in your life?
POWERS
>What Doesn't Kill You (Sally)
Serious wounds don't stop you.
>Make Them Disappear (Mall Hobo)
You leave no forensics.
>Behind the Veil (Lasker City Hooker)
See the Veil.
>You Should be Dancing (Rupert)
The power of suggestion.
>Speak of the Devil (Valerie Hedgepeth)
Appear where they least expect.
>Make them forget (Valerie's Daughter)
You are hard to identify.
>The Sacred Form (Nathan Harper)
A transformation, powerful and deadly. Needs to be fed.
XXX
You're going to have to feed. Soon. Like, really soon. Don't worry, you have a number of people you can feed on without feeling any guilt. Not that you feel that much of that anymore. Chip–the asshat who made your high school life hell and is currently holding your sister in sexual slavery–would make a fine morsel. Plus you can work your way through his friends first. A little appetizer. Candi wants to get involved too! They say the family that lays together slays together! Or something.
Also, there's Virginia. The Wendigo Disco Queen trapped in a stone circle in the woods who needs you to kill her "echo." Maybe you shouldn't have flushed all your meds at the beginning of this quest?
What's that? Who am I? Why… just think of me as the Narrator. I'm an utterly impartial observer to all this and really I just want what's best for you. Best for us. Let's not get bogged down in the minutiae of who, what, when, where, or why. Let's talk about something more pertinent. Let's talk about that knock on the door.
You sit up in bed and glance at your sister who likewise sits up beside you. You each trade a puzzled glance. No one comes to the Mercer farm. No one you'd want to see anyway.
Candi's bewilderment becomes annoyance. "Are you gonna get that?"
"No," you say, lying back down. "Let Mom get it." Having your sole surviving parent as little more than a glorified servant has it's advantages.
"What if it's Chip?" Candi whispers.
Hmmm. She has a point.
You roll out of bed, sliding on your jeans as you walk to the window, tugging the curtains aside with a finger.
It's not Chip. It's a cop. A State Trooper.
"Shit."
"What is it?" Candi asks.
You let the curtains close and hear a knock downstairs again. Mentally you run through a tally, how many people have you killed? You can only remember the ones you killed here in Roselake, but you know there have been others. They just don't matter that much. If they had half a clue about who you are–what you are, how dangerous you are, then they wouldn't send one car. Hell, if they were smart they'd just drone strike your house.
"Kyle?"
"Cop," you say, picking your jacket up off the floor and pulling it on. The back is emblazoned with one word, once the name of your band when you fancied yourself a musician, now a title. NEMESIS. "Stay here."
You start downstairs, passing Mom fretting at the foot of the stairs. "Kyle, there's a police officer here," she says, wringing her hands together, eyes wide and darting. You glance at her mutely, feeling nothing. You pass the family shotgun hanging on the wall in the living room. The same one you lobotomized Dad with. If only it took.
You open the door and find yourself face to face with–surprise–a State Trooper.
"Morning," he says, looking momentarily taken aback. A lot of people have that look when they see you the first time.
Tall, built, long blonde hair, pale eyes, and, of course, the burns covering half your face. You're distinctive, at least at first.
He doesn't really look afraid, but he looks like he just mentally clocked you as suspect number one in… something. What he says next surprises the fuck out of you. "Is Candace Mercer here?"
What. You keep surprise from your face. "She's my sister," you say, avoiding a direct answer. "What's this about?"
"It's sort of a delicate situation," he says, glancing over your shoulder into the house, searching for your sister. "I'd like to discuss it with her first."
>I'll get her
>She's not here
>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancing)
>write in
>>6251875>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancing)What's the point of having powers if we don't use it
Might be something with not paying taxes from her streams or smth
>>6251875>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancing)I’m just against using it on Candi or people who will probably notice Kyle using it
>>6251875>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancingOh yeah we're back. I guess this is about the stalker obsessed with Candi. Play it cool cat as Virginia might say.
>>6251875>>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancing)
>You can talk to me about it (Should be dancing)>>6251892>>6251894>>6251910>>6251920>>6251966Writing
"Tell me about it," you say, putting some 'oomf' in your voice. You feel that dull ache of hunger within you become razor sharp for a moment. You're so hungry that you think you might like to take a bite out of this guy and he's not really what you're in the mood for. Get hungry enough though and you'll eat just about anything.
The cop blinks like he's surprised, but doesn't really seem to understand why. "She's involved with a missing person's case. We're looking for a man named Rupert Lynch. Do you know him?"
Literally who? OH! Right. The Worm. You forgot he had a name. The guy who was going to turn your sister into his own personal, fucked up, Disney Land. The guy you fed to Virginia. The guy whose car you scrapped not far from here. That Rupert Lynch.
"No." Automatic answer. "Who is he?" You press your power again, feeling another sharp hunger pang.
"He was reported missing a few days ago. Allegedly he was on his way to meet your sister," he says.
"My sister? Why?" You ask, knowing the answer.
The cop hesitates, like he's becoming aware that he's spilling his guts. "It seems that Candace has an online persona and that he told people he was going to meet her." He blinks, clearing his head. "I'd like to speak with your sister, see if she has any information about this guy. See if she knows where he could be."
Hmm. Missing Person is better than Murder Victim. But it's still not great. Especially if it gets connected to your happy little string of kills in the area. You're also not very happy about anyone else being aware of your sister's income source. What, are you embarrassed? Or are you jealous? What a silly thing to be worried about now. Does the knowledge that this guy has almost certainly seen your sister naked bother you?
"So, can I speak with her?" The cop says, regaining his wits again.
You know Candi won't talk. She can hide anything when she wants to. She can even hide it convincingly when she needs to. You're not worried about that part. Candi will handle it. She's good at playing the part of a dumb slut. Seems like it comes naturally to her.
"I'd also like to take a look around," he says, glancing around the sad ruins of the Mercer farm. "Unless you don't want me to." That's a loaded request. A very Cop thing to do. If you refuse then you have something to hide. There's not much incriminating evidence here. Or is there? Did you clean up the basement? Will he note that you share a bed with your sister? What the fuck will he find in Dad's room? Or the barn. You didn't count on this.
You can send him away. You know you have the power to do that. What you don't know is the long term implications of doing that. Will other cops ask questions?
>Sure. Go ahead.
>Not until you have a warrant
>Go back and say you didn't find anything (Should be dancing)
>Write in
>>6252278>Go back and say you didn't find anything (Should be dancing)Send him away for now but clean up the Mercer farm of evidence and tell Candi to expect the Cops
>>6252278>Not until you have a warrant
>>6252278>You won't find anything here, it's a waste of your time. (Should be dancing)Maybe it's just paranoia but I feel like the third prompt is a trap option since it's not really using suggestion.
>>6252278>>Not until you have a warrant
>>6252278>Sure. Go ahead.
>>6252278>>Sure. Go ahead.
>>6252338>>6252516Repeat after me anons "You do not have my consent to search or enter this property. Already told you I don't know the guy. Farewell."
>>6252338>>6252516>>6252788 (Counting this as support)
Kyle KNOWS HIS RIGHTS
Writing
You stare blankly, pale eyes nearly unblinking.
The Cop stands tall. Waiting.
"You got a warrant?" you ask, know that he doesn't by the way he sags slightly.
"You want me to go get a warrant?" He asks, forcing himself to chuckle like you're being silly. Like this is just a formality.
You don't give an inch. "If you want to search my property? Yeah. I do."
"I can get a warrant if I need to," he says in a tone that makes you doubt that he can.
"Then you don't need to be talking to me," you say with a shrug. "You can talk to my sister, if you want. Then get off my property." You go inside and close the door without waiting for an answer.
Candi is standing on the steps, watching wide-eyed in short shorts and a tee. "What does–"
You move close and grab her by the wrist, hissing in her ear. "Talk to him but don't give him anything. We never saw that Worm."
She closes off her expression instantly, reverting to an unreadable neutral. "Right." She doesn't struggle, even with your fingers digging into her skin. It takes some effort but you force yourself to let go. Candi moves forward automatically, stepping outside and onto the porch.
"Hi," She says, cheerful edging on worried. All an act.
You stand just inside the doorway, out of sight, listening as she gasps in appropriate horror and punctuates with a few "Oh my gosh"s as the officer explains that an unhinged creep might be on his way here.
"What do you think…why is he…what will he do?" Candi asks.
The officer hesitates. "Well… I can't say for sure, ma'am."
"Oh…" Candi sounds worried.
"We can have a car check in here," he says. "Keep an eye out if you're worried about your safety."
You can practically hear Candi smile at him. "Would you be the one watching me?" The cop probably isn't much older than you. Young, handsome, upstanding, a man in uniform. Your blood curdles at her words, heart hammering.
"Well," he hesitates again. "I probably would be one. It would be a rotation."
"Aw, that's sweet of you. But I'll be alright. I have my brother to watch out for me. I think I'll be okay. He wouldn't let anything happen."
Well… that warms your heart. A little bit. But she's being too fucking coy. Too cute. She's playing with fire.
"Besides," Candi says, "We're way out here. I don't think this guy, Robert—"
"Rupert."
"Right. I don't think he'd come out this way."
"Witnesses say they saw him at the gas station not far away. Paul's."
Candi is silent. She's caught just as off guard as you are. The cops know more than they're letting on.
"Then why didn't he come here?" Candi asks, sounding sufficiently confused. "Do you think he's hiding in the woods or something?"
"I can take a look around the property if you like," the Cop says. "Maybe it will make you feel a little safer knowing there's no one hiding in your basement or something."
You clench your jaw, resisting the urge to pop out like an exceptionally pissed off and deadly jack in the box. You're overreacting. Candi has it under control.
"That's alright, I'll get my brother to do it. If we find him…should we call 911?"
"Yeah," the Cop says, sounding defeated. "Give us a call. Here." Pause. "This is my card. Feel free to call me if you need anything."
"Oh, thank you!" Candi says. You hear the porch floorboards squeak as she bounces on her tiptoes. "Drive safe!" She comes back inside and closes the door as you hear the cop car start. She's reading the business card, an absent smile on her face.
You snatch the card from her hand.
"Hey!"
And rip it into tiny pieces.
Candi glowers at you. "Asshole. You could have asked."
"Quit trying to fuck the guy who wants to send us to jail." You drop the scraps to the floor and walk away.
"Wh–" Candi makes an indignant noise. "Jesus, Kyle, I'm not trying to fuck him! Are you seriously jealous?"
You grunt noncommittally.
Mom gets a broom and starts sweeping up the scraps.
Candi stops following you, prompting you to turn and look back at her. "What if he gets a warrant?" She asks.
"It won't matter," you say. "There won't be anything to find. Take a bottle of bleach and go clean everything. Everything."
Her expression falls, first dismay, then annoyance. "What? Are you serious? Bleach!?"
"Yes. Scrub down everything that Worm touched, porch, cellar, everything."
"The Cellar!? It's so gross down there…" She frowns.
"Get Mom to help. Clean it all, Candi. And don't fuck it up or else…"
She sobers up a bit at that. "Ugh…right. Fine." She makes a face, clearly thinking about being forced to huff bleach fumes for hours. Candi, it seems, wasn't made for manual labor or cooking, or cleaning. This begs the question of what Candi was made for. I think you and I both know the answer to that. I think that Cop knew too.
"Do it just like we did with Dad in the Barn," You say, trying to ignore these intrusive thoughts. "Don't miss anything." You feel a sudden surge of anger and a desire to grab Candi by that loose, thin T-shirt and yank her closer. You don't do it. "Anything," you growl.
"I get it," she says acidly glaring at you. Something suddenly occurs to her. "Hey, what the fuck, why do I have to clean everything? What are you going to be doing?"
"I've got errands to run today," you say, thinking of Virginia's task in particular. She's been waiting patiently while you fucked your sister silly. "And then we'll have to figure out what to do about Dad's body." The shallow grave in the barn stall. Plus the buckshot (and maybe skull fragments) embedded in the wooden post. You're going to be cleaning all night. Then you'll have to scour the place for the Worm's shit, make sure he left no trace.
Candi defuses a little when you mention Dad. Maybe she's remembering what you did for her. "Right. Okay." Then suspicion. "What errands?"
You reach out and tussle her hair. "Don't worry about it."
She clearly continues to worry about it.
"Just get it cleaned." You turn around, nearly run into Mom. "Help her," you command, and step around her and onto the porch.
It's still pretty early in the morning. There's time to go to work still if you think that's worth pursuing. Otherwise you can make the trek out to Virginia's house and get started on removing her Echo. Or, maybe you can stop by and see Truesdale, see if he can do anything about these cops sniffing around.
Or maybe something else. You're your own man. You make the rules.
>Kill Virginia's Echo
>Go to work like a good boy
>Go see Truesdale to ask for help
>Write in
>>6252814>Kill Virginia's Echo
>>6252814Hmmm are we in good shape for killing, if we need to pull out the Sacred Form. Our first fight with it turned out to be against a big piece of the Lake Thing and we got a little dunked on.
>>6252872Depends on your opponent. Kyle can still take an ordinary unarmed mortal on his own. Hunger is a power motivator.
The Sacred Form is no-go unless you have a good food supply.
Assuming you're talking about the Virginia task, she didn't say the Echo was dangerous. But she also didn't say that it wasn't.
Tl;Dr depends
>>6252814>>Go to work like a good boy
>>6252814>Kill Virginia's Echoalso some thread-appropriate music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM0WU6h5khY
>>6252814>Fast food then go pedo hunting.
>>6252814>Kill Virginia's EchoI doubt it's dangerous since, if it was, it'd be in her interest to warn Kyle. He can't free her if he's dead.
>>6252814>>Go to work like a good boy
>>6252814>Kill Virginia's Echo
>Kill Virginia's Echo>>6252829>>6252993>>6253011>>6253223Writing
>>6252993>SongThis is the vibe. Great share, thanks!
Work can wait. Plus Chip would probably just fire you anyway. So… into the Pines you go. You're starting to leave a pretty well-trod path with how often you're going out here. Hopefully that's just about finished. Hopefully this is the last time and then you can bring Virginia out with you.
Although…where is she gonna sleep? You only have the one bed. The idea of Candi on one arm and Virginia on the other isn't so bad, but you aren't so sure your sister would agree. It gets even more complicated when you factor in their apparent parasocial relationship as Priestess and Demigoddess. Wow, you sure know how to pick em! Some guys have all the luck, huh?
You duck under a pine bough and keep walking into the increasingly silent woods. You cross the hills but stop before the final stretch to the stone circles and instead cut left, towards where Virginia's house is supposed to be.
Minutes later you nearly run right into a rusted wreck of a car, some kind of ancient sedan totally buried in pine needles and ferns. Oh. You're here.
Looking up, you suddenly realize that you're in what was probably once a yard, now a dense pack of saplings and ferns. Just beyond is a moss-covered flank of a house. Well… half a house. It terminates suddenly in charred, blackened timbers and a pile of masonry. It burned a long time ago. Probably about fifty years ago.
Weird to think how fast this place was reclaimed by nature. You stand for a moment listening to the silence and then press on, moving closer, boots flattening ferns with soft crinkles. The house looks like it was cleaved in two, one half claimed by flames down to the basement, the other more or less intact. The wood beams are swollen and warped by rainwater, covered in moss, dripping and creaking softly. Two stories and a basement laid bare. You look down into the black pool where the basement used to be. It ripples like an ebon mirror, throwing a distorted version of the sky and Pines back at you. It smells like smoke here and you can taste ash in the back of your throat.
Candi found Virginia's diary here. You can imagine your sister picking through these ruins, savoring every moment away from home. Away from Dad.
The Veil here is disturbed, like a rumpled cloth, like it's folded over on itself. It feels… weird. Like deja vu.
You circle the house slowly, staring up at the empty windows and open cross section of floors, mindful not to fall into the basement. Gods only know what's down there. Probably nothing good.
As strange as this place feels, it doesn't feel malevolent or evil, not like the Mall, not like the altars to the Lake Thing. It feels … peaceful but morose. Like a cemetery. It feels… weird. Like deja vu.
You blink and shake your head, trying to order your thoughts. Is this what Virginia meant by 'echo'? It feels sort of like you're repeating yourself. Like deja vu.
You're startled to realize you hear something besides silence, soft humming. It's a tune you know.
It's September.
It's a happy enough song normally, but this feels mournful. Wrong.
You move up, stepping onto the rotten porch, feeling boards creaking alarmingly beneath you as you nudge the door open with a toe. You consider calling out, but you don't.
The layout is similar to your house if it were cut in two. There's an entryway with stairs, living room, kitchen. The downstairs bedroom is gone, burned away. The kitchen is half gone, open and sagging into the yawning black morass of the basement.
The humming comes from upstairs. You proceed up the stairs but hesitate a moment. On the wall up the stair case you see dozens, maybe hundreds, of small occult carvings. Runes and sigils. Triangles. Candi.
You touch them and feel her. This is your sister's work. Practicing. Practicing for her brother.
You trail a hand along the wall, lead paint chips flaking away as you ascend the stairs. Your fingertips brush through the soft grooves in the plaster, feeling your sister at her best, at her purest, at— A jolt of cold makes you pull away. You look at the rune here and are surprised to see that you don't recognize it.
It's not one of hers though it's surrounded with her work. The plaster etching is much older, softer, partially melted away by moisture. It's a Lake rune.
You touch it and feel that icy chill again. Not her work. Not her work at all. It makes you feel squirmy inside. It makes you think of Dad puking out those little parasites. You don't like it. You pull your hand back again.
"Hello?" A soft voice comes from the room at the top of the stairs. It doesn't sound eager or frightened, it sounds…distant.
You finish mounting the stairs and push open Virginia's bedroom door. The room is surprisingly well preserved aside from more Candi carvings covering every surface.
Virginia is here, sitting on the bare metal springs of what had once been a mattress. She blinks, squinting at you, looking confused. "Hello," she says. "Who are you?"
She looks like she did in her yearbook photo, younger, mousier, less gorgeous, more bookish. More… human.
At just a glance you can tell she's not really real. Not real in the way the bed she's sitting on is. Not real the way Virginia in the stone circle is. This Virginia–this Echo–is real the way a shadow or a flame is.
She's frozen in place in the middle of brushing her fingers through her long hair, shaking out nonexistent tangles, staring at you through small, round, clear glasses. She probably needs them to read.
"I'm Kyle," you say, feeling like you have to say something,
"Kyle?"
"Mercer."
"Mercer?" Virginia blinks a few times. "I think I know that name but…" She furrows her brow. "I can't remember…" This seems to bother her a little, but not very much. She lays her hands in her lap, fidgeting with her fingers and turns her head, looking out the window.
>Evan Mercer was a friend of yours
>I'm here to kill you, Virginia
>Do you remember the ritual? The Becoming? It worked.
>Write in
>>6253290>>I'm here to kill you, Virginia
>>6253290>>Do you remember the ritual? The Becoming? It worked.
>>6253290>Evan Mercer was a friend of yours>Do you remember the ritual? The Becoming? It worked.Ply for information before the kill. There's no need to telegraph what we're gonna do.
Rolled 18, 11 = 29 (2d20)
>>6253290>Do you remember the ritual? The Becoming? It worked.Ply for information before the kill.
>>6253290>>Evan Mercer was a friend of yours
>>6253290>Evan Mercer was a friend of yours>Do you remember the ritual? The Becoming? It worked.info
"Evan Mercer was a friend of yours," you say, taking a step closer to her, the damp floorboards groaning.
"Friend?" She frowns slightly, eyes searching the air. "Oh, Evan." She smiles to herself. "I remember." She looks at you, her gaze arresting you. The smile lingers for a moment. "He came here with me. He was going to help me."
"Help you?"
Her smile fades again to a soft frown. "With something important…"
"The ritual?" You prompt, taking another step, drawing even closer, almost close enough to grab her.
"Ritual…"
"Do you remember?" you ask. "The ritual." You search your mind for the word Virginia—the Virginia you know—used to describe it. "The Becoming. It worked."
She looks up, startled out of her hazy confusion. "It worked? Oh…hellfire." She stands up suddenly, circling around the bed. "Then I'm…we're merged. I'm the Vessel for–" she stops, blinks, suddenly confused again. She looks at you then looks around the moldering room. "Then…what…What am I doing here?"
"It's…not quite finished," you say, starting to slowly circle after her, a predator stalking prey.
"I'm…oh. You're here to finish it, aren't you, Evan?"
You hesitate, about to correct her before you decide better. "I am."
She nods solemnly, looking away. "I knew I could trust you with this. You and John. You two are…very important to me." She gives you another ghostly smile. "I'm sorry if this is hard for you to do."
You don't say anything.
"But…I don't remember. Why am I still here if it worked?" She looks around. "Oh…this is going to be harder the second time." Her lip trembles and a tear rolls down her cheek before she lifts her glasses and wipes it away.
"What did you trust me and Karlsson with?" you ask.
"To kill me," she says. "To burn this place down. To burn down everything I was and bury me in the holy circle so I can be reborn," the words come quickly and easily, burning through the fog of her addled mind. "You argued with me," she says, laughing bitterly. "Said I shouldn't. Said you couldn't. But I had to. I–" She freezes, staring at you. Her eyes widen a little before narrowing, hardening. "You're not Evan."
"No," you say. "I'm Kyle."
"I'm sorry." She shakes her head. "I can't… this place… I can't remember." She gives a single, pathetic bark of laughter and then leans against the wall. "Why can't I remember?"
"Because you're incomplete," you say, moving a little closer. "I spoke with you. The new you. You asked me to come and finish the ritual. To complete the ritual to…" you struggle with words. What can you say? "To bring you back home."
"Home?" she blinks away tears, looking hopeful, trusting you completely.
"Yeah."
"Will Fred be there?" Her voice wavers as she says her brother's name.
You start to lie to her but you find you can't. That tiny, niggling shred of humanity within you won't let you lie so casually to her. "Your brother," you start. "He's…"
She keeps staring, waiting.
"Maybe someday," you say with some effort.
Virginia nods, hair swaying slightly as she hangs her head. "Alright." A pause. "Evan, can I ask you something?"
"Yes." You're close enough to reach out and touch her now.
"You've met me. The new me."
"Yes."
Virginia seems startled by this. She trembles with nervous excitement and looks away from you, fidgeting with her hair, twisting and coiling it between her fingers. "Is she… am I powerful?" She gives you a short glance. "Am I beautiful?"
>Yes. You're powerful and beautiful
>You were already beautiful
>You're actually kind of a monster
>Write in
>>6253694>You were already beautiful
>>6253694>>You were already beautiful
>>6253694>>You were already beautiful
>>6253694>You became more powerful than anyone could possibly imagine.
>>6253694>You're actually kind of a monsterAnswer to the first question.
>You were already beautifulAnswer to the second. IIRC when Kyle looked at an old picture of her he thought she looked good.
>>6253694>>You were already beautiful
>>6253694>>You were already beautifulIt's the truth.
>>6253694>>Yes. You're powerful and beautiful
>>6253694>You were already beautiful
>You were already beautiful
Writing
A broken young woman stands before you, rubbing her arm anxiously, waiting for your approval. Her eyes flicker, unable or unwilling to stay on yours. She's just a shadow of what she once was. An Echo. But you can see through to the woman who you first met in the stone circle.
"You were already beautiful," you say.
She smiles as her eyes well with tears. "Evan…" They rolls down her cheeks again. She sniffles and wipes them away. "You were always sweet. Hellfire, I'm lucky to have you as a friend." She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "But… I ain't what I wanted to be." She manages to meet your eye again. "Understand?"
You think about your desperate drive to become stronger, to become strong enough to protect Candi. Your drive to make yourself into something More. "I do."
Virginia doesn't say anything for a minute. "Evan, do you think I made a mistake?"
She tore herself into pieces. Burned everything she was to ashes in order to be reborn fused to the remnant of a dead God. Because of that she lost everyone she ever loved and spent the past half century trapped in a prison. Alone.
And yet… godlike power seems just within her reach. You don't pretend to understand it, but she does have power. Insight. Maybe in time it will be worth it. Maybe she'll rebuild everything she lost.
It's a complicated question because you aren't even sure if you made a mistake. Are you happy with what you became? I know I am. I'm pretty sure you are too. Most of you anyway, the parts I like. It's better to be the one doing the stomping than the one being stomped on, isn't it?
Virginia continues to stare at you.
"I think you did what you had to," you say. "I think you wouldn't be content… couldn't live the way you were."
She wipes her tears away again. "Maybe. It's been very lonely here… am I–the other me, the New me–is she lonely?"
"No," you lie.
"She has you?"
"Yes."
Virginia considers this for a moment. "And I'll have you too after you… finish this. Right?"
"That's right."
She smiles nervously. "I'm glad you're the one to do it, Evan. I knew you'd do it right and I knew you'd see it through." She steps forward, reaching out to suddenly take your hand. It tingles beneath her touch, like touching a CRT screen. "Thank you."
You say nothing.
"Since you'll be waiting for me," she says, collecting her hair and pulling it all to once side, baring her neck to you. "Then… then I can do this."
Not often you have a willing victim. Candi doesn't count.
You eye her throat, your hand itching to go for your knife. You can make it quick and you can try to make it gentle. You feel like she deserves at least that much. Crouching, you slide your knife from your boot and stand back up.
"You know what I missed?" Virginia says dreamily, eyes glazed. "Music." She smiles to herself. "And people."
>Kill her
>Write in
>>6255604>Hum "September" with her>Kill herSee you on the other side, Virginia.
>>6255643>>6255604I'll support that
Nice we're back on.
"Come here," you say, voice softening. You put an arm around her and feel that peculiar staticky feeling as you guide her back to the bed. "Sit down."
She sits soundlessly, but the springs creak beneath you as you sit with her.
You keep your left arm looped around Virginia's shoulders, holding her close but not too tight. Your right arm poised and ready, tensed.
Virginia looks at you, trembling, then closes her eyes.
You lick dry lips and then, with some effort, start to hum her favorite tune.
After a moment Virginia begins to hum along with you, quavering a little at first but growing more confident as she relaxes. You bring the knife closer as Virginia begins to sing, her voice light and airy.
"Say do you remember?" She sings. "Dancing in September."
Your knife is a quarter inch from her throat.
"Never was a cloudy day…"
You plunge it in, sharp, quick, biting into her flesh. But she's gone like she was never there. You're sitting along on the bare mattress springs surrounded by rot and sorrow. Standing, you slip your knife back into your boot and look around the room. "See you on the other side, Virginia," you whisper, turn and walk out of the room.
You stop and look at the Lake Rune in the stairwell again. You resist a dim urge to reach out and touch it again. Karlsson must have stood here fifty years ago carving this into Virginia's wall, his insurance plan to ensure she wouldn't come back 100%. He didn't count on you.
You continue down the steps and out of the building, now well and truly dead. You hope you never have to come back to this place.
Before you know it you've blazed a trail through the stillness of the Pines and reached Virginia's Circle.
She's sitting on her altar, wearing fringed denim with swirls of sequins running down the sleeves and legs. Her jacket is open down the middle, showing off a stripe of smooth skin from neck to navel. She's grinning at you, her glasses flashing pink in the light. "It's the Boogeyman!"
You walk through the defaced circle, notably not feeling anything. No static, no discomfort. It's dead. "Virginia."
Her smile fades to melancholy. "You… did it?"
You nod.
"Did she… did I…" she hesitates.
"We talked," you say. "It was quick. She didn't suffer." Anymore than she had already.
Virginia's shoulders sag with relief and she nods, staring at her lap. "Thank you, darlin. That was…" she shakes her head. "I feel her. Me. That missing part." She looks up at you. "She was sad. She was hurting. It was a mercy what you did for her. For me."
You nod again, folding your arms and leaning on one of the inner stones still smeared with your dried blood. It's sick, but it reminds you of how hungry you are.
"Thank you," Virginia says again.
"A promise is a promise," you say, pushing aside your hunger again.
She nods with finality, mentally putting it behind her. Suddenly she gasps. "Kyle! I didn't get a chance to tell you!" She hops off the altar and goes to you, grabbing you by the shoulders, staring into your eyes, a rosy reflection of yourself stares back at you from her glasses. "The cult ain't dead!"
You tilt your head, your reflection does the same. "What do you mean?"
Virginia lets go of you and twirls around, arms splayed. Her jacket flies out enough to show more flesh, but nothing you can't put on TV. "Last night!" She declares proudly. "Last night I felt it, baby! Someone reached out and touched me! Someone still remembers! I got a big jolt!"
"Jolt?" You watch her dance with joy.
"A blessing!" She laughs and stops spinning. "Oh, baby, someone came to me for a blessing. They reached out. Worshipers, ritual, the whole shebang! I've felt what might have been little taps in the past, but this was a big one!"
Oh. It clicks. The ritual last night. Your sister. Candi prayed to the dead Antlered God. The Thing in the Woods. And here she is, in the flesh. Virginia is the living vessel of the deity, the one Candi is praying to.
Virginia thinks that one of her old cultists is alive somewhere. Maybe doddering around with a cane or walker, casting spells and shit. Is it time to tell her more about Candi? You've been keeping the secret from one another, but if Virginia really is free (which you should find out in just a moment) they're likely going to meet.
>That's great
>That was my sister
>Write in
>>6256115>That was my sister
>>6256115>That was my sisterDon't drain your worshippers dry
>>6256115>>That was my sisterWell it was bound to come out sooner or later, at least this actually confirms the funny High Priestess thing lol.
Will the book turn out to be another chain in on Virginia? Then Kyle won't steal the book as that would be a betrayal, but have to introduce Candi to Virginia and see what sort of agreement they can reach. Probably teaching Candi everything from the book and more. Which might happen anyways once they meet.
>>6256115>That was my sisterAbout time really.
>>6256115>>That was my sister
>>6256115>Bruh. That was my sister
>>6256115>>That was my sister
>>6256115>>That was my sister
>THAT'S MY SISTER!!!
Writing
"About that," you say casually. It's time. Tell the truth and shame the devil. "That was my sister."
Virginia's elation is lost in confusion. "Your sister? The one who got attacked by that pissant you brought me?"
You nod.
Virginia stares blankly at you, waiting fro you to elaborate.
"I'm not sure how to tell you this, Virginia, or what it means, but she's your biggest fan."
Virginia blinks.
"She found your diary."
"My diary?"
You nod. "She found it. Studied it, learned what she could. She's got…" how do you explain Simps to someone trapped in the woods for fifty years? "Followers." Sure. Close enough. "Fans."
"Fans?"
Mmm. This is going to be complicated. "She's an entertainer."
"A rockstar?"
You're getting uncomfortable with this line of conversation so you deviate from it. "She's getting powerful. I think she might be your most powerful follower…"
Virginia absorbs all of this information blankly. "She did all that to you, didn't she, honey?" She points at your body.
You nod.
"And she learned that from my diary?"
"That's what she says," you say.
"Hm. Sloppy work. No offense. But not bad for a first timer. Standing on the shoulders of giants, isn't that right, sugar?"
You say nothing.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Virginia asks, sounding just a little hurt.
"I didn't know how you might react or what it meant. And I only really found out yesterday when she healed me."
Her eyes widen a little. "Healed you?"
You nod.
"Hm. Impressive. She really has a cult for me?"
You think it's really more Candi's cult, but probably best not to broach that right now. "She's got something," you say.
"Well," Virginia says, beaming sharply. "Can't wait to meet her."
This is it. You can't help but feel a little excited. Your heart beats fast, and not in the dangerous way. You're nervous. So is Virginia. Looking around you don't see anything tethering her and you don't get that sense of being smothered by the veil. So far as you can tell, her prison cage is hanging wide open. "So," you say. "Ready?"
Virginia nods. "Born ready, sugar." She holds out her hand for you.
You regard it a second and then take it. It's warm.
"Lead on," she says, eyeing the stones nervously, terrified of her tremendous disappointment last time.
You start walking. Moss squishes beneath your boots and you kick aside a stray bone. Virginia trails along behind you, her grip tightening slightly on your hand as you near the perimeter. A gust of warm wind shakes the Pines around you, stirring the woods as dark clouds roll in.
Virginia doesn't seem to notice, her attention on the ground as she walks, step by step.
You reach the stone perimeter and step beyond the inner ring.
Virginia squeezes your hand and steps outside the circle.
Thunder rolls as the white, hazy sky is blotted with black storm clouds. The air positively hums with electricity.
You don't stop. You keep walking, moving straight for the outer ring. Virginia's heart is pounding. You feel it, somehow, beating like it's your own. You glance back and see she's still not looking up, stepping over ancient bones. Then she draws to a halt, arresting you.
Turning around you see she's stopped just inside the outer ring, looking apprehensively at the stones here, eyes wide with fear, feet planted.
You give her hand a light tug, drawing her eye to you. Then, she steps over the threshold and into the world.
Virginia Bonnie Stevenson, the Vessel of the Antlered God, prisoner of the past half century, is free.
Thunder cracks again, echoing far longer than thunder really should, seeming to roll in circles overhead, an ouroboros of noise.
She stares at you, then a droplet of rain strikes her glasses and she smiles, lips spreading. It starts raining and then it's pouring. She lets go of your hand and runs circles around you, arms raised in jubilation.
"Free!" She cries, laughing. "Oh Hellfire I'm free again! Damnation!" She twirls, the fringe of her jacket wheeling in circles with her as curtains of frigid water fall form the sky. She throws her face back, letting it wash over her, laughing, laughing, laughing. She falls to her knees, body shaking with laughter.
This probably looks pretty ominous to an outsider, but you don't feel that at all. You feel…joy, sympathetic joy to see her free again. She looks up at you, face streaked with water, tears invisible in the rain. "You did it. You did it, baby."
You walk over to her, your hair plastered to your face with water, and reach down, helping her to her feet.
"You came through, Boogeyman," She says, putting her arms around you, face only inches away as she smiles at you. "Thank you." Quickly she adds, "Just as soon as I get situated and get myself back together I'll make it worth your while. I promise. I promise." There's a heartbreaking sincerity to her words. You don't doubt that she means them.
The only person you ever saved before was Candi. Seems like you're on a roll, but you're at a loss for what to say as the rain comes endlessly down.
Virginia smiles into your eyes, genuine and unfiltered, her hands gripping your jacket tight.
>Come on, I'm sure Candi would like to meet you
>Kiss her
>We need to figure out where you can stay for now
>Write in
>>6256635>Come on, I'm sure Candi would like to meet you>We need to figure out where you can stay for now>>6256654That would just start apocalyptic drama.
>>6256635>We need to figure out where you can stay for now
>>6256635>youre a free woman now - anything you want to do before we get down to business?
>>6256635>Come on, I'm sure Candi would like to meet you>We need to figure out where you can stay for now
>>6256635>We need to figure out where you can stay for now
>>6256635>Come on, I'm sure Candi would like to meet you
>>6256635>Kiss herFuck it, we can plow a god and the high priestess
>>6256635>Start dancing with her in the rain.
>>6257009I really like that, +1
>>6256635Switching
>>6256709to
>>6257009I actually really like that as well, maybe hum September as well? Support the kiss as well if Nememis thinks it fits the scene.
>Start dancing with her in the rain.
>6257009
>6257040
>6257044
>Kiss her
>6256654
>6256865
>6257044
>6257198
>Come on, I'm sure Candi would like to meet you
>6256658
>6256857
>We need to figure out where you can stay for now
>6256658
>6256661
>6256709
>6256782
>youre a free woman now - anything you want to do before we get down to business?
>6256678
>Apocalyptic Drama
Writing
You start to move, to dance. Looping an arm around Virginia's waist, you pull her with you as she grins up at you, her eyes wide, playful.
"Well," she says, water beading down her face. "This is a surprise! Thought you weren't much of a dancer, sugar."
"Does it seem like I'm much of a dancer?" You say. "But come on. I'd be a real dumbass not to take every chance I could to dance with a goddess, right?"
She only smiles back, following your moves. The rain seems to part around you, a curtain of water falling on all sides but none touching you anymore.
You start to hum as you sway with her. September.
"Remember," she murmurs, furrowing her brow before her mouth opens in surprise. "That was…" she blinks. "I remember… You sat with me," she says, her surprise giving way to a fond smile. "You sat with me when you… untethered me. I sang to you."
"Yeah."
She grips you a little tighter as the two of you dance. You hum, only it's not just humming anymore. You feel the music all around you, coming from the rocks, the trees, the raindrops. Dappled light without source plays over the two of you, cast by an invisible mirrorball. It's just you, Virginia, and the music that kept her going through the decades.
"So," you say. "You're a free woman now."
"Thanks to you, my Boogeyman," she replies, flashing her teeth.
"Anything you want to do before we get down to business?"
Her eyes flash with excitement. "Everything. I gotta lot of catching up to do. New music, new style, new people. But right now we're doing exactly what I want to!"
You give her an experimental dip and she squeals in joy and surprise.
"I gotta meet your sister," she says. "I gotta rebuild the cult. I gotta settle accounts. Oh, baby! I got big things in store! Huge!"
The song goes on and on, longer than it has any right too, but it feels timeless to you, like it's more than music. But, like all songs, this one eventually ends and the rain comes back, drizzling down. Virginia pulls her self against you, chest to yours. Water beads down her glasses. "Thank you."
You don't say anything because… well, I guess you're past that.
Virginia is power. A god in human form. An Occult Disco Queen. But she's also more than that. You saw her at her weakest, at her most vulnerable. Beneath the veneer and satin and lame and lights and flash she's still a human. Kind of like you, I guess.
She's insecure, afraid, angry, lonely. But she doesn't have to be anymore. Fuck it. You go for the kiss.
Virginia doesn't resist as your lips press to hers. She tastes like sugar and cigarettes. Her eyes drift closed and she tightens her grip on you. It's electric. A jolt of energy pulses through your whole body. It feels like flying.
Damn, you should have been kissing deities this whole time. It's great, or maybe the moment is just right.
The kiss, like the dance, feels like forever and too short all at once. She breaks it first, pulling back to regard you curiously. "Hellfire, sugar. Been saving that one up?"
Strangely—or maybe not so strangely, you don't do a lot of kissing. Was Annie really your first and last? You can't remember any others…
"Seemed right," you say with a shrug.
She lets you go, fingers trailing off your arm. "Well it felt good. That's for sure. Ain't had a good kiss in… well, you know." She laughs and takes a few steps back from you. "Gotta say, didn't take you for the sentimental type."
"Normally I'm not," you say. You're a slit their throat and drink their blood type.
"Me neither." She looks you over, reevaluating you."If you'd hit me with that a week ago I'd've wrapped my legs around you till you were howling for mercy, baby," she laughs.
If that's as good as the kiss, sounds like a good bargain. "So what's changed?"
"What's changed? Well, I like you now, Boogyeman!" She flashes you another playful smile. She pauses, glances up at the sky with a scowl. The rain lets up, pattering down in a final shower before the unnatural clouds start breaking up, letting beams of sunlight in. "There." She looks back at you. "I like you, Kyle. Get it?"
"I get it," you say. At least you think you do.
"If that's your desire then I'll make your dreams come true, baby," she says, looking your body over with what can only be described as animal lust. "I told you I'd make it worth your while. But if you're after me…" she trails off, thinking about it. "Last time I had to worry about this was a long time ago. You ain't exactly a mortal and I ain't exactly a god. Dig? Might make things… complicated."
"Dirty Wendigo sex-complicated?"
She laughs. It's genuine and free. "Not on the first date." Virginia winks at you and then starts walking into the woods, you trailing behind. "Let's just tuck this one in our hat for now. Don't want you rushin into something you can't exactly get out of. I'll just let you have that kiss for free, and you be thinkin if that's how you want things to be. What do you say, baby?"
>That's how I want them to be
>That works
>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)
>Write in
>>6257220>>6257221>That works>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)"Honesty is the best policy" is probably true here, even if it's gonna be drama since it's better to deal with it now than later. How is this even gonna work long term anyway?
Maybe that anon I complimented for making good calls can make this woman wrangling less annoying.
>>6257221>>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)
>>6257221>>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)>That worksLet's break it to her while she is still elated from the whole 'no longer imprisoned for unlife' schtick.
>>6257221>That works>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)
>>6257220>That works>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)>>6257269I think that would be me. If I have any solid ideas I'll let you know lol.
Idk I'm trying to think of the relationship between a God, her Boogeyman (Champion) and her High Priestess. Theres fucking going on, and theres power, and maybe everyone learns to share without any backstabbing. Maybe Candi teaches Virginia how to do webcam shows in return for the esoteric witchcraft knowledge lol, or Virginia as a special guest.
Candi has a lot to untangle. What would make her happy? Not being afraid that another woman will take Kyle away entirely. The debt cleared. Chip and his goons dead. More witchcraft knowledge and power. Also she the violence and masochism.
Also she scorched the mothers soul to punish her maybe shes satisfied with that or maybe she wants Kyle to plow Candi right infront of the mother or whatever fucked up shit is in her head. Maybe Kyle could go into the dreamworld and see if theres any weird demon thing to beat up in the tv room, ask her to apologize to Candi, if theres any salvaging anything. On the other hand shes basically someone to be ignored even by her own husband, she never wins ay anything except that magic lotto card.
Oh right that reminds me, Candi must have seen the Shade of Virginia while she was at the house carving it up for practice and for the notebook?
Sorry for the delay. Crazy day.
>That works
>There's something you need to know about me and my sister… (Tell her about your relationship)
This won't even be a little awkward. Writing.
>>6257732Hey, it will only be awkward if one of them makes it awkward!
"That works." You really hate having to finesse situations that can't be handled with a good knife and a lot of determination. Maybe you should be a little less impulse… of course, where would the fun in that be? Plus it was a really nice kiss… and now you can't get the image of Virginia's legs around you out of your mind. Hm.
"Groovy!" Virginia flashes you a content smile and then starts walking into the woods. "Hellfire… feels so weird to… move around! See new things. I ain't seen the other side of these trees in a lifetime."
You follow behind her, partly watching where you stop, partly watching how her ass moves in those jeans. "There's something else you should know." Might as well rip that bandaid off. Plus, if there's anyone you can be honest with about your sister-fucking, it's got to be Virginia.
She glances back at you, a little impatiently. "Can we walk and talk? I want to keep movin."
You answer with silence and by catching up with her. "About my sister."
"Ah yeah. What's her name anyhow?"
"Candi."
"Candi?" She gives you a glance, then a shrug. "Guess it ain't any worse than Virginia. What about her, honey?"
"We're fucking."
Virginia stops dead.
You stop.
She looks back at you. You see her eyes dart down to your chest, where your tattoo is. "Sorry, you say you're fucking your sister?" she asks, eyebrow raising.
Ooh, this is uncomfortable. What the hell is the matter with you? How the fuck does a man end up having to explain his incest to another woman like this? How humiliating. "Yeah."
Virginia looks… surprised but not horrified or disgusted. "Well," she says after a moment. "I can't say I get it, honey. I'd never do that with my flesh and blood but…" she laughs. "To each their own I guess." There's a pause, she waits for you to say more. When you don't she says "What, you think that's gonna put me out? Darlin I've eaten people. You seen me do it."
True. Still.
You stare back at her. "There's a lot about me you don't know."
She laughs. "I expect I know a lot more than you think I do, Nemesis." She puts her hands on her hips, starts to say more, then stops herself. "You reckon your sis—Candi, is gonna be jealous or something?"
"Something."
"Hm. Funny," she says. "You're fucking my priestess and trying to fuck me too. Oh, don't deny it, I see it in your eyes, baby. Wonder if I'm gonna want to fuck your sister." She chuckles and shakes her head like 'those crazy darn love triangles.' "Ever feel like a snake eatin its own tail, honey?" She gives your tattoo a knowing glance and then turns away, continuing into the woods, forcing you to catch up.
You don't know why Virginia used the same words as your sister did and you don't like that. "Why do you ask?"
"I think you know."
"Spell it out for me," you growl, patience worn thin with Virginia's coy behavior.
Virginia gives you a cold look out of the corner of her eye, a warning. "Means you got some powerful magic tying you together. Your sister got a tattoo just like that?" She nods at your chest.
"Yeah."
"You got em together?"
That's what Candi says, though you still have no memory of this event. "I think so."
"Everything's got a cost," Virginia says. "Nothing in life comes for free. I think your sister bought something big and I think you two are gonna pay for it together," she says finally.
Something about her words chills you. Not quite the same way the breeze from beyond the Veil does, but not far off either.
When you start reaching the outskirts of what had once been the Mercer farm, where the Pines are still young, Virginia starts looking troubled.
"This… is your farm?" She looks around at the woods.
"Was I guess. Before my time."
"What happened?"
"Dunno. Grandpa died, Dad made deals he should have. Everything fell apart and Candi and I paid the cost."
You catch Virginia frowning to herself. You forget that she knew these people. Your Grandpa, Evan, was her friend. She trusted him with her life. Knowing he was gone had to hurt.
In a few minutes you reach the edge of the woods and you stop, halting Virginia with a hand to her chest. It's starting to edge into afternoon, the sun sinking in the west, already low on the horizon. Candi's probably getting ready to stream.
"What is it?" Virginia asks, impatient again. Probably ready to see something besides woods and trees.
"We need to figure out where you're going to stay."
Virginia gives you a look. "I thought I was gonna stay with you."
That could prove problematic. Potentially. "No offense but… aren't you goddess? Can't you conjure a house or some money?"
She shrugs. "Sure. I could do that. But who's gonna pay for it, baby, you? Everything has a cost." She gives you a patient, plastic smile. "Didn't I just tell you that?"
Right.
"Maybe if I got a cult together and we put some time on it. Maybe some sacrifices… but that seems an awful lot of work for a damn low condo."
Probably best you sort out where Virginia is sleeping without your god damned sister buzzing in your ear.
The house has (presumably) two beds and a couch. One bed is for you and Candi of course, but there's a devilish voice in the back of your mind saying there's room for Virginia in that bed. You'll all just have to get real friendly.
A little more pragmatically, there's a couch to sleep on too. Mom also has a bed…probably, though you're really not sure. She could sleep on the couch and Virginia could get her room, though you don't really like the idea of Virginia sleeping in Dad's room. Makes you shiver.
The last option would be the Eagle or pickup. You could roll it into the barn, recline the seat, throw a blanket out there or something. Seems kind of cold, but it's better than sleeping on a stone altar right? And it wouldn't force Candi to suddenly accept a new roommate.
Suddenly it occurs to you. Does Virginia even sleep?
"Do you even need to sleep?"
"I ain't made of magic, honey." She's getting annoyed. Hard to blame her.
"Just curious."
So Virginia needs a place to sleep. And you don't have enough money for her to crash at a hotel for more than a night or two. Maybe you could ask a favor of Ralphie… or Annie… or Ellen. But that seems dicey. Maybe you could murder someone and take their house? Something else? Ah, bed logistics. How thrilling. Edge-of-your-seat-type shit.
>Are you alright sleeping with us?
>You can crash on the couch
>Give her Mom's room
>Let her stay in the Eagle
>Let me talk with Candi first. Wait here?
>Write in
>>6257752>Let me talk with Candi first. Take a seat on the couch, let me get you something to drink.
>>6257745As expected, Virginia doesn't really care but she wasn't the one I was worried about.
>>6257752Sure
>>6257804, sounds good.
>>6257752>Let me talk with Candi first. Take a seat on the couch, let me get you something to drink.This.
>Let me talk with Candi first. Take a seat on the couch, let me get you something to drink.
Writing
You cross the yard, Virginia following behind, looking at everything in awe and horror. She wrinklers her nose at the lingering smell of bleach, stoops down to examine the stairs of your porch, touches the splintered wood of the hand rail, looks at her reflection in the window. Sensory overload. From an old, shitting porch. "Wow."
"Let me talk with Candi first," you say, pulling open the front door and inviting her in.
Virginia hesitates at the threshold, seeming to have not heard you. "Ain't been inside in a long time," she says before stepping in, looking all around. "Wow."
You put a hand on the small of her back, guiding her into the living room and the couch. "Take a seat on the couch, let me get you something to drink."
She sits slowly, nodding as she leans forward to study the ash tray and stack of ancient TV guides. She picks one up and cracks the page as she peels it open. "Wow."
You move into the kitchen, looking up to see Mom regarding Virginia with suspicion and terror from behind the door frame. "Kyle, who is she?" she whispers.
"Get her a drink," you say. "Coke okay, Virginia?"
Virginia looks up and smiles. "A Coke sounds just perfect, baby." She takes a cigarette out of her jacket pocket and lights it with her fingertip, leaning back on the couch, arms draped over the back.
"Get her a Coke," you tell Mom.
Mom nods, not taking her eyes from Virginia.
"Where's Candi?"
"She's upstairs," she says. "Getting ready."
You go upstairs, pushing open the bedroom door. Candi sits at her PC, using the webcam as a mirror while applying mascara. She's wearing her cheerleader uniform again. She glances at you through the computer monitor, lips in a tight frown. "I doused and scrubbed every-fucking-thing down in the basement," she says with a sigh. "And I did the porch too. Not that you noticed."
You move to stand behind her.
"And don't think I'm sucking your dick today," she adds. "That's just for—" she stops and looks up at you warily. "You smell like cigarettes… Again."
How to broach this?
"Virginia is here."
Candi blinks. "Virginia?"
"Virginia Bonnie Stephenson."
"Don't be fucking stupid," Candi says, turning away and doing her makeup some more. "What's with you and Virginia…"
"She's not dead, Candi."
Candi's hand hesitates, applicator wand an inch from her lashes. She glances at you again. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Did you see her when you found her diary?" You ask. "Did you see her Echo in that house?"
Candi's jaw drops, eyes wide as she stares up at you in abject surprise. "Wha– how did…" she snaps her jaw shut and looks away, putting down her makeup. "I always thought I was just high," she says. "I mean… until I saved you."
"So you did see her."
"I saw… something. What did you say? Echo? Yeah it was like a scratched record. Same shit every day. She didn't remember shit." Candi shakes her head. "Yeah I saw her. A long time ago."
"She taught you how to do all that stuff."
"Fuck no," Candi says sharply. "I taught myself. What part of 'broken record' do you not get?" Candi glares but then seems to catch herself. "Wait, she's here?"
You nod gravely.
"Kyle, what the fuck!" Candi blurts before lowering her voice to a terrified whisper. "You brought her to our house?"
"She was trapped in a stone circle in the woods," you say, rehashing old ground. "That version you saw was just an echo of who she used to be."
"Who she used to be?"
"Before she made herself a Vessel."
Candi shivers. "Ugh, don't say that word."
Ah right. Dad. You proceed anyway. "She's back and she's all hyped up on some eldritch God shit."
Again, Candi looks surprised, maybe horrified. "The Antlered God?"
You nod again.
"Fuck." Not dismay, just surprise. "Fuck, Kyle." She blinks, staring into space. "Holy fucking fuck. So… it's all real?"
You feel shock like a splash of cold water. Isn't she supposed to be the expert? "Are you kidding me? You're her fucking Priestess, aren't you? You do magic and shit. Don't pull 'is it real' on me."
"It's one thing to pray to God," Candi says sharply. "It's totally different to meet it. Holy fuck." She turns around in her chair, eyes darting as she thinks, hands limp in her lap. "So… what are we going to do?" She looks up at you eyes wide and innocent.
Useless. Or at least pretending to be useless. Impossible to say with your sister. "She's downstairs right now," you say. "I think she wants to meet you."
"Me?" Her voice is small, afraid, awestruck.
"And…" the kicker. Best to get her with this while she's still stunned. "She wants to stay here. With us."
"Here?" She repeats, sounding a little less awed. "Here!?" She repeats, confused. "What, in this shit hole?"
You nod. "She doesn't have anywhere else to go."
Candi ponders this then gives you a suspicious glance. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her I'd talk to you."
Anger mars her expression. "Me!?" she stands up suddenly. "What the fuck, Kyle! Why me? Why do I have to make all the fucking decisions around here? Aren't you supposed to be the fucking man of the house?"
You could wring her neck. "Don't be a cunt. I'm just getting your input," you say. You feel a wave of cold numbness descend over you, like a blanket of ice. Your lips peel back into a sneer. "So do you want me to tell Virginia she can sleep on my left, or is that your favorite side?"
She gawps at you, the jibe failing to land in the face of her horror. "Wh–" Her eyes go wider. "Kyle did you fuck her!? What the fuck!?"
Your sadistic glee evaporates. "No!" You blurt. "No. I did not fuck her." Not yet.
Candi looks totally overwhelmed. She puts her hands on her head and walks past you, eyes fixed ahead. "What the fuck." She sits on the bed. "Fuck. My brain dead frankenbrother is going to get our fucking souls scorched."
"What the hell are you talking about?" you ask, eyebrow twitching. "You're her follower."
"Kyle, what part of 'god-fearing' don't you get?" Candi asks. "She's seriously dangerous!"
"So am I," you say, unfazed. "So are you."
This seems to calm her a little bit. She nods to herself. "Yeah. I guess. Yeah." She looks at you again. "And she wants to meet me?" She looks down. "Fuck! I'm dressed like a stupid slut! God dammit!" She tugs at her skirt in frustration.
"She's not going to care," you say. "Chill."
"You chill! Fuck you, Kyle! Why did you do this without talking to me first!?" She looks like she's on the verge of tears. Angry tears. Frightened tears.
With a heavy sigh, you sit beside your sister and put an arm around her. "Relax. Everything is fine. She owes me. She likes me. She'll like you too. Just… quit fucking freaking out."
Candi hangs her head, sitting quietly for a bit. "Do we have any Ketamine?"
"No," you say. "And you're not getting bombed before you meet your god. Chill. One problem at a time."
"So what's the problem?" Candi asks, looking shaken still.
"Where is Virginia staying?"
Candi shakes her head, her thoughts elsewhere. "Like I care, Kyle." She sounds beaten. "Where do you want her to stay?"
>Our bed
>The couch
>The car
>Write in
>>6259294>The couchGet her a blanket and get her comfortable, this is in line with the wait and see chat with Virginia earlier
>>6259294>The couchCar would be interesting, who knows how much a weird magic God can see into a place or thing and its history. Is the Car more intimate than the couch for how much Kyle has put into it?
OIP(16)
md5: 0baeefb1d3a95d4badba8696dfee4a39
🔍
>>6259386This is the one.
>CouchgodWriting
>>6259368Well for one, Kyle hasn't fucked his sister in the Eagle.
"The couch is probably best," you say.
"No shit, Kyle," Candi says, putting her hands on her hips. "You weren't really even considering having her sleep with us, were you?"
You decide to interpret that as a rhetorical question and don't answer. "Just get her some pillows and blankets and shit so she can be comfortable there, alright?"
"Well ain't that sweet of you," Virginia says before Candi can complain more about being told to do stuff.
You both turn, Candi with wide-eyed surprise.
Virginia smiles at you both from the doorway of the bedroom. She lowers her glasses. Her strangely bright eyes roam across everything, gleaming like her teeth. They pass over the desk, computer, one of Candi's vibrators, the bed, and come to rest on your sister. "Gonna invite me in, honey?" she asks, voice dripping with amusement.
Candi gawks, glances at you and then nods. "Yeah. Uh. Sure. Come in."
Virginia smiles a little wider and steps over the threshold, continuing to look around. "That's a wild lookin television," she says, looking at Candi's computer. "What a world."
Candi says nothing.
Virginia turns to face her, looking her over. "So, Kyle tells me you're my priestess."
Candi nods.
"Why you dressed like that? You just get back from school?"
"No I–" Candi stammers. "I-It's a costume."
"Is it Halloween?"
Candi gives you another glance. "No."
An awkward silence settles over everyone. You break it. "Virginia, this is Candi. Candi, Virginia."
"She's cute," Virginia says. "I can see why you've been fuckin her." She turns around to start browsing idly through Candi's things.
Your sister turns slowly toward you, eyes wide with shock and horror. "You told her?" She mouths.
You shrug.
Virginia stops at her diary, picks it up and leafs through it. A couple flakes of pages fall out.
"Hey! Careful with that!" Candi blurts, taking a step forward but freezing when Virginia looks at her. "P-please…" she adds.
Virginia tosses it onto the bed. "Oh, lighten up, honey. You don't need that ratty old thing anymore. You got the real deal now." She spreads her arms invitingly, then chuckles. "Your brother been tellin me all about you." Virginia reaches over, grabs the hem of your T-shirt and lifts it up, exposing some of the scars on your stomach. "Your handiwork?"
Candi nods, her fear giving way slowly to a quiet wariness. She's getting her mask in place.
Virginia nods and lets your shirt drop. "I gotta say, I am just pleased as hell to be here. Finally." She sits on the bed with a squeak, looking between the two of you. "Hm. Well, I reckon it's a start. The Pom-Pom Priestess and the Boogeyman." She laughs for a moment but quickly returns to business. "Now tell me about my cult."
"Your cult?" Candi asks.
"Your simps," you say.
"Simps?" Virginia raises an eyebrow.
"Oh God," Candi says, overcome by embarrassment. "Fucking… God dammit, Kyle!" She sits at her desk with a huff, folding her arms. "Look, I stream online."
"Stream?"
"She's from 1979, Candi," you say, trying to be patient with your dumbass sister.
"The internet?" Candi asks, probing Virginia's non-existent technical knowledge. "World Wide Web?"
Virginia just smiles blandly at her.
"Jesus…well uh…" Candi tries to think.
"She's basically a stripper," you say, taking some sadistic pleasure in watching your sister turn a shade of pink.
"A stripper?" Virginia is amused. "Well. That's a way to get attention. You any good at it?"
This time Candi answers without reservation, her voice edged with pride as if daring anyone to challenge her. "Yes. Very."
"I bet you are," Virginia says, glancing at Candi's legs as she crosses them. "And, tell me, sugar, what do you do with all that power?"
This time, your sister smiles a little. "Whatever I want."
"Hm. Your brother know about all that?"
Candi's smile flickers towards latent anger. "No. Yes."
"Hm." Virginia snorts softly, then shrugs. "Well, the way I see it, we're all tied together. Bound by necessity. You need me, I need you."
Candi keeps her face expressionless, but her pale eyes are cold, distant. You imagine she's wondering just how much she really needs Virginia.
Virginia stands up suddenly and crosses the room to Candi. She reaches out and lifts your sister's chin with a fingertip, turning her face up to her. As if on command, Candi slides from the chair and onto her knees, looking up at Virginia. "I owe your brother big," Virginia says, staring down into your sister's wide, doe eyes. "He and I have an understanding, I think." Virginia throws a wink at you. "I reckon you and I should get on the same page too, honey."
Candi nods slightly, seemingly transfixed. Her lips part slightly and she looks enraptured. You're not really sure if Virginia did something to her, if your sister is just a subby mess, or if she really takes this whole "god" thing seriously. Maybe all three.
Virginia leans down, bending at the waist like she's going to kiss Candi. She stops just inches away. "I can do a lot for you, baby. I know that you know that, don't you?"
Again, your sister nods, not looking away.
Virginia's eyes glint like her rose glasses. "Say 'yes."'
"Yes," Candi whispers.
"Good girl." Virginia flashes you another grin. She's really enjoying this. "Now, listen here. I ain't askin you for anything more than a place to stay and some loyalty. I give good as I get. Don't I, Kyle?"
"So far," you say, not sure how you feel about watching someone else dominate your sister.
"So, let's be friends, alright? Think of me like…" she grins as if a joke has occurred to you. She throws that serpent-smile your way. "Think of me like the sister you never had." She trails her finger up Candi's chin and away, straightening back up. "I reckon that should be easy for you."
Candi looks at you, then at Virginia. "Yes," she says again.
"Now come on." Virginia offers Candi a hand, pulling her back to her feet. "Let's all be friends. Alright?"
Candi blinks, spell broken. Her lip turns down slightly, frowning a little as she finds her bratty, rotten core. "Sure. Right."
Virginia takes a cigarette from behind her ear, lights it, and takes a drag. "Now, who the hell is that lady downstairs?" She looks between you and Candi, realization dawning on her. "Is that mama?"
"Yeah," you say.
"And who Sundered her like that? Was that you, baby?" She asks Candi.
"You mean scorching her soul?" Candi asks, eyes dark. "Yeah. That was me."
"Did y'all want me to fix her?" Virginia asks, looking between the two of you. "Put her back together. Or does she deserve it?"
Candi looks blankly at you. She says nothing, but you read her eyes. She trusts you.
>She deserves it
>I think she's had enough
>That's up to Candi.
>Write in
>>6259905>She got off a little too easy.
>>6259905>I think she's had enough
>>6259905>That's up to Candi.
>>6260010>Make it worseThis dude
>>6259905>I think she's had enough
>>6259905>I think she's had enoughThey were all beholden to papa, mama shouldn’t hurt no more
OIP(17)
md5: 100e9b3090c8cf55dc4e5218d106e691
🔍
>>6259905Hmmm I feel Kyle wouldn't really care emotionally, the only consideration being how this will make her either more or less useful.
What does scorching do again? Is it just pain?
>>6259905>She deserves it
>>6260462>What does scorching do again?It's not exactly clear to Kyle, but it's the reason Mom is apparently awake in the dream world, and it's probably the reason for her personality shift to be so timid and flighty.
>Is it just pain?Since Mom is crying in the dream world you imagine it isn't pleasant. But who can really say?
>>6259905>>I think she's had enough
>>6259905>sacrifice Mom in elaborate ritual and eat her remains with Candi to renounce your humanity
It occurs to you that you could sacrifice Mom in elaborate ritual, hunch over her still warm body and eat her remains with Candi, side by side as brother and sister, renounce your humanity once and for all. Shed this thin, ever-loosening skin, and be reborn as what you could be, something More. Something Stronger. It also occurs to you that this is not a normal thought to have, but I like the way you think!
"I think she's had enough," you say, noting the shock, irritation and hurt that flashes across you sister's face before she looks away from you. Oh well. "Dad made us all monsters."
Virginia's tight, glittering smile fades to a sympathetic frown. "Honey, I'm sorry to hear that… was… did Ryan really turn out that bad?"
"Worse," Candi says, maintaining her mask. "But Kyle killed him." There's a flash of awe and appreciation in her eyes, too strong to hide.
Virginia looks between you two. "Honey, I'm sorry." You aren't sure which of you she's addressing, so you assume both.
"He got what he deserved," you say. Probably true, but it raises an uncomfortable question: when are you going to get what you deserve? Best not to dwell on that!
"But Mama's had enough," Virginia says, confirming your request.
"Yes."
Candi doesn't say anything.
"Alright, I'll stitch her up and make her whole," Virginia says. "Me and Candi can have some gal talk." She moves hip to hip with your sister, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her into a close side hug. "Sister to sister."
"Can you…" Candi trails off, hesitates, then continues with a surprising determination. "Can you teach me how to undo it so… I can do it for you?"
Virginia gives her an approving smile. "Of course, sis!"
"What about me?"
Virginia shakes her head. "Ladies only. This stays between sisters." She gives Candi an affectionate squeeze which causes her to make a face. Candi isn't a hugger. "You go find something to do, alright?"
You shrug. What' the worst that can happen leaving those two alone? "Sure." You leave the room, glancing back as Virginia and Candi sit down side by side on the bed. It looks tense, but not hostile tense. More like… performance review with the boss at a job you've been skipping on the regular-type tense. You wonder what a Vessel and Priestess have to talk about as you close the door.
Mom is standing at the base of the steps looking startled to be caught eavesdropping. She scurries off. You hear the door to Dad's room close hard. Fine.
You stop in the kitchen and start making a sandwich. You're ravenous, and not just physically. You need to hunt. To feed. You already have some promising targets, Chip and his goons, but you promised to take Candi with you when you make them bleed. Unfortunately she has "girl time" and then her show tonight so that'll have to wait a little longer. Until then you have time to kill.
>Eavesdrop on Virginia and Candi
>Go hunting in Lasker, doesn't have to be someone special
>Just get some sleep
>Write in
>>6260602>>6260660>Go hunting in Lasker, doesn't have to be someone special
>>6260602>Go hunting in Lasker, lets go for maybe 2 or 3. Sleeping homeless should be easy. Bring zipties, Virginia's probably famished too.
>>6260602>Go hunting in Lasker, doesn't have to be someone special
>>6260602>>Go hunting in Lasker, doesn't have to be someone specialKyle did make an agreement with his friend in his head, so he can't exactly start reneging.
>>6260602>>Go hunting in Lasker, doesn't have to be someone special
>>6260602>>Just get some sleep
Off the couch, out the door, aboard the Eagle. The door creaks slightly as you slam it shut. It's time to hunt. You made sure your cleanup kit was in the trunk of course. It occurs to you to ask Virginia if she wants you to pick her up anything but you decide against it. Candi just cleaned up and, with the cops snooping around, it's not a great time. Plus she seemed kind of lukewarm on the who sacrifice thing. Maybe best to leave that be for now.
You look up at your sister's window and the garish pink light pouring out of it. She's going to be starting her show soon.
The Eagle growls awake and you put it in reverse, crunching down the gravel drive and pulling onto the road. Feels good. The painful ache in your heart has settled to a slow, rolling burn, like an oil fire. You're hungry, but it's a hunger tempered with the knowledge that a meal is on the way. You put the accelerator down and leave Roselake behind, cruising toward the setting sun and the urban blight of Lasker City where you let your instincts take over.
Normally you prefer blondes, but in this case your appetite is calling the shots and you're in the mood for something a little different. You find yourself idling across the street from a dilapidated house in a decaying part of town. The engine purrs deeply as you peer at the building.
The guy standing on the porch seems a couple shades too healthy to be a meth-head, but his goatee and sideburns are just too white trashy to be completely removed from meth. He's a dealer, you decide. He's your guy.
You turn off the car and get out. This was a suburban neighborhood once, families who lived here worked Lasker City's burgeoning industry. When those factories all rotted away, so did the families. Now there's nothing here but bad vibes and worse people.
You cross the street, walking straight for the house.
The guy eyes you curiously. He's smoking a cigarette but doesn't move otherwise. "Can I help you?"
You stop at the foot of the porch and smile at him, marveling at how unconcerned he looks. "Yeah," you say. "I think you can."
Blood washes off leather pretty easily. Your hair and face are another matter. Your heart is racing fast, painfully fast. God, it's been too long. You stare at your reflection in what had–until very recently–been that meth dealer's bathroom mirror. Now you suppose it's no one's mirror.
Your smile is fading slowly, receding like thunder after a storm. All that remains of your orgiastic kill is his drying, cooling blood on you and your hammering heart. You open wide, drawing your tongue across blood-slick teeth, examining yourself in the mirror as the sink fills with water. You swallow what you can and then take a sip straight from the tap before gargling and spitting.
Candi should have been here. She would have enjoyed this one. He put up a pretty good fight, better than some emaciated hooker anyway.
You dunk your knife in the sink, using a dirty toothbrush to scrub it clean. You clean off your jacket too, rinsing and rubbing it down in the grimy shower. After you're passably clean you leave the bathroom, stepping over the dealer's mangled body in the hall, and check through the house for anything of interest.
There's a cut-down double barrel shotgun whose stock is wrapped tight with friction tape. You break it open. It's empty, plus it feels wrong. You can't really explain it exactly, it's like how you choose victims. It's a feeling that's beyond gut level. It's just not for you. You leave the shotgun and exit the house, crossing the dead yard and getting your gas can from the Eagle. Back inside you douse the body and the meth lab in an adjoining room.
You consider taking some of the product back with you but… well, to be honest you're just not the meth type and the last thing your sister needs is more vices. You finish emptying the can and light the place on fire with a tossed match.
Poof. The heat rolls through the hall instantly, stinging your scarred face. You take a step back, in no hurry to lose your eyebrows. From the doorway you watch the flames lick everything up. The bright neon orange light makes your eyes water.
Maybe it sounds a little crazy, but fire makes you think of Candi. Beautiful, dangerous, unpredictable. On second thought, maybe that association is pretty obvious. Still, it feels appropriate. You like watching them both, you like watching them both destroy things. The flames spread from the gas and soon wood is burning too. The bones of the house are compromised. Time to go.
It's dark outside except for a lone, distant street lamp and the orange flames pouring through the windows. You feel satisfied. For now.
The Eagle starts and you take a roundabout way back home. It's night, but not super late. Candi will be wrapping her show around the time you get home. You're passing Paul's. The gas station is empty. Almost empty. Annie's car is here. You haven't seen her since the Lake Party.
>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.
>You can only ever hurt Annie. Leave her alone
>Write in
>>6261357>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.
>>6261343>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.Nice
>>6261357>>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.Mmmhhmmm, Annie friend. Kyle help Annie. Annie happy, Kyle happy.
>>6261357I don't get the Annie hype, what's the appeal?
>>6261357>>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.
>Stop and hang out with Annie. She's your friend.Writing
>>6261771>what's the appeal?Big tits, big dreams, apparently well adjusted. What's not to like?
You pull into the parking lot, radials crunching gravel. You gas up the Eagle–she's gotta eat too–and your gas can. The only sounds are chirping crickets, buzzing sodium lamps, and the chug of the gas pump. When it clunks off you go inside to pay, the bell over the door chiming.
Annie emerges from the back room, setting down a careworn paperback. She gasps slightly when she sees you, startled, then laughs nervously. "God, Kyle. You scared me."
You smile back. It's partly genuine. "I get that a lot."
She laughs a little more nervously but seems to consciously put aside her very well-placed fear of you. "What are you doing out? Midnight drive?"
"Not quite midnight yet," you say, eyeing the array of snacks on sale around the counter. You need something to get the taste of blood out of your mouth. "Just grabbing some gas before work tomorrow. Thought I'd stop by and see you."
"That's thoughtful," she says. "It's been a day." She frowns a little to herself. "Weird day, you know? Weird vibes."
You know exactly what she means. It feels… portentous, like the air is statically charged. It feels bad. You hadn't really noticed it since you were so busy coming down from your post-kill high. "I know the feeling."
She chews her lip for a moment. "Um. Look, sorry if I was weird at the Lake Party. It was a bad day. I…" she trails off. "Just a lot going on."
You take a Slim Jim and lay it on the counter then grab a Coke from the fridge. "Oh?" The place is empty, just you and her. Alone together.
"I didn't get the stupid internship," she says with a heavy sigh, folding her arms over her chest and staring at the counter. "High competition they said, go figure." She gives you a tight, sad smile. "So I guess I'm stuck here." The smile fades a bit more and she shakes her head. "So… sorry for being weird."
"Weird is kind of my thing," you say, putting the coke on the counter.
"Yeah," she says distantly. A moment later she seems to pep up, quickly ringing you up. "So how's work going?"
Honestly, you're probably fired already. That no-show didn't help the situation. You're going to have to make a choice about how seriously you want to try to be legit. "Great," you lie. "They let me run the saw."
She laughs. "That sounds like you."
Mmmm. The Saw.
"How's your sister?"
Mmmm. Your sister.
"She's good too," you lie. Candi hasn't been good maybe ever. "All's well." You pay for the gas and snacks, wondering if Virginia's presence will make your sister more or less broken.
"Some cop was asking about that weird guy," she says. "The one who said your sister was famous. Was he like a stalker or something?" There's some genuine concern in her voice.
"Yeah, sounds like it." Better to keep the details close, no telling what she told the police.
"God," she says. "That sucks. I mean… I'm sure that was hard for her. I can't imagine. I'd probably go to pieces," she covers her mouth and laughs nervously.
"She bounces back," you say. "And the police are handling it. We're lucky he never showed up," you lie again. You're on a roll.
Annie nods, looking relieved.
Headlights sweep across the front windows of the store but you pay them no mind. You're not the online night owl in Roselake.
You decide to try showing some interest in another human being for once. "So if the veterinarian thing is off the table, what's next?"
"Sell Slim Jims till I slit my wrists," she says with a cold chuckle. "What else is there? I don't know. Fuck, Kyle, when we were kids… I thought I had my whole life all figured out. I thought I knew what I wanted. I guess I don't have a clue." She looks at the ceiling wistfully. "Like… I used to think it was all so unfair, you know? Good people had bad things happen to them, bad people have good things. But I guess no one really deserves anything. Good or bad. Things just… happen."
It rings true to you. You know first hand. You've been on both sides of that equation. "You don't think there's any justice in the world?"
Annie gives you a skeptical look. "Do you?"
No. Not really. Maybe that's why Virginia took matters into her own hands, Candi too. You too. Better to be the one dishing out than the one receiving, isn't that right?
The bell chimes above the door and you turn your head. A stranger approaches. He visually sweeps the store, walking in an odd, stiff-legged gait, moving with determined strides, hands in his coat. His eyes seem to slide off you without registering your presence, but you recognize something in them, a reflection of something within yourself. The eyes of a killer.
Fate can be funny sometimes, can't it?
The stranger stops at the counter and pulls a handgun from his coat, pointing it directly at Annie's face. With his other hand he throws a crumpled ball of plastic grocery bags at her. "Cash and cigarettes," He snarls.
Annie gasps, flinching at the bags, eyes locked on the gun. "W-what the fuck?"
"Cash and cigarettes!" He blurts more insistently, waggling the gun at her. His eyes shift your direction, suddenly registering the scarred, silent guy in the leather jacket standing an arms length away and staring at him. "The fuck? Where the fuck did you come from?" He points the gun at you, finger hooked on the trigger. "Back up! Way up, asshole!"
>Give him the cash, Annie
>[Kill this Rat]
>You'd better get out of here while you still can
>Write in
>>6262026>Give him the cash, AnnieThen we hunt him down and return the goods
Say he left town after the beat down we gave him
>>6262026>Give him the cash, AnnieKyle being a coward and Annie distressed by this robbery seems like the max emotional damage possible
>>6262026>Write inFuck him up, but don't kill him
>>6262026>>[Kill this Rat]
>>6262025>Give him the cash, AnnieWe can kill him later
>>6262034>>6262218Not necessary I think.
>>6262026>Relax[SBD], give him the cash Annie.>[Beat the shit out of this Rat]Since we're at arms length we can take the gun faster than he can react the second he stops paying attention.
>>6262106What's the point in this reasoning?
>>6262026>Give him the cash, Annie
>>6262026>Write in>[You should be dancing] Give me the gun.If he's momentarily dumbstruck grab the gun
>>6262026>>Give him the cash, Annie
>Give him the cash, Annie (And nothing else)>>6262106>>6262256>>6262460>Thrash the Rat (now or later)>>6262034>>6262108>>6262207>>6262218>>6262236>>6262392>>6263909>Thrash the Rat Writing
"Relax," you tell him, not looking away, not blinking, your muscles like high-tension steel cable. "Annie, give him the cash."
She doesn't move, she's frozen with shock and fear.
"Back the fuck up," the Rat insists, finger tightening on the trigger, pistol pointed at your chest. He can definitely squeeze it faster than you can move and you're not bullet proof.
You take a slow step backward. "Annie."
She breaks from her shock and starts fumbling with the cash drawer.
"Come on," the Rat growls, gun trained on you, but eyes darting to her. You're trying to gauge how just fast he is. "Come on!"
"I-I'm doing it," Annie stammers.
"Relax," you say again, this time putting some oomph in it, commanding him.
He blinks, eyes wide in surprise. It didn't work. He is decidedly un-relaxed now. "Y-you're one of them!" The muzzle of the weapon shakes as he grips it in both hands. "Tell me what's going on," he blurts. "I couldn't sleep. Couldn't sleep!"
You say nothing.
"It's time," he says, sweating. "It's fucking time! Heard the trumpets in my sleep, like a thunderhead on a clear day. Three blasts."
Annie falters, looking over it the man, fear becoming dread.
The Rat realizes she stopped, he turns to her, pointing the gun at her again. "Money in the fucking bag! She's here!"
You tense, about to spring, but you can't, not with the gun trained on Annie. "Give me the gun," you command. Maybe it would work this time. You're not sure. You don't find out. You lunge as he turns. He's fast, you're faster.
You grab his wrist and force it up, the gun discharges into the ceiling, deafening you. Your ears are ringing in sync with Annie's screaming as you struggle for the weapon.
"She's here! She's here!" the Rat screams in your face, eyes wide in panic.
The gun goes off again but you managed to twist his wrist enough that he drops it and you throw him to the ground, pinning him, but only for a moment. He's strong. Weirdly strong. Your heart thunders with hunger and excitement. You're going to kill him. You're going to gut this Rat and feast on his fucking blood. Your feel yourself reaching for your boot knife.
No. You can't. You can't kill him. Not now. Not it front of Annie. Not in cold blood. The voice is dim, weak, tired. But you suppose it's probably right. You should listen to it.
Should.
But the best you can do is try.
xxx
Roll 1d6
I need three rolls looking for 4, 5, or 6.
You need two to pass.
Rolled 6 (1d6)
>>6264036Virginia woke him up?
Rolled 3 (1d6)
>>6264036rolling to not spill spaghet in front of Kyle's crush
Update May come late today. Having issues posting.
Unless this works...
>>6264577Disregard.
>>6264040>>6264044>>6264054>6>3>3>SpaghettiW-whoops
Writing
You try.
With a bit of effort you clench a fist on air instead of around the handle of your knife, then you bring it crushing down, hammer-like, onto the Rat's face. You fee the satisfying crunch of cartilage. A second blow catches his cheek and he sputters blood. Cracked teeth. A third blow to his forehead sends painful vibrations up your forearm. A fourth blow strikes his jaw and his head snaps to the side.
You should stop here.
A fifth blow makes pain radiate from your fist as your knuckles strike bone again. A sixth blow. A seventh. The eighth knocks him from your grasp, the back of his head striking the linoleum floor, his blood pooling. You aim your ninth at his exposed throat to crush his windpipe, but you redirect at the last minute into his face again. The man that was has now been erased behind a mass of swelling and blood.
He's shivering, twitching on the ground, drawing in a long, snore-like rattle. You stand up, lips peeling back gleefully as you prepare to stomp the Rat into hell.
Then your eyes meet Annie's.
She's not screaming but tears run down her cheeks as she watches in shock as you beat this man to death. Whoops. You force the smile off your face, your mask falling quickly into place. But not quickly enough. Annie saw what lay Beneath. She saw who you are.
The Rat gurgles, continuing to seize on the ground. Well, technically he's not dead yet. But obviously he's going to die without help. Maybe even with help.
"K-kyle?" Annie says, frozen like a deer, a rabbit, her mind unable to process what she saw, unable to flee.
Stop it! Don't hurt him! Annie's words when you'd shown Ken what life through a feeding tube was like.
You unclench your fist, feeling the joints crack. The sick, warm joy that overcame you leaks out like blood from an open vein leaving you feeling hollow, unfulfilled.
Blood drips from your fingers, tapping on the linoleum. The Rat lets out another alarming snore.
Annie doesn't move.
What's the etiquette here? There's only one surefire way I know of to keep Annie from turning on you, but I'll understand if you don't want to go that route yet. Still, you have to say something. You turn inward to the human part of you. Do something, say something.
"He was going to kill you," you say. It's probably true, but Annie doesn't answer. You pivot. "Annie, are you alright?" You take a step, blood streaking beneath your boot.
Annie flinches but doesn't back away, instead she looks down at the Rat. "Is h-h-he… i-is..." she's starting to hyperventilate.
"No," you say. "No, he's… alive." You pick up his gun and tuck it into the back of your jeans. Force of habit. Annie watches this with silent alarm.
"Kyle…what…" She lays a hand on her chest which rises and falls with her breath.
You circle the counter quickly, locking the front door as you pass. "Annie, relax. Sit down." You guide her to a chair behind the counter, leaving a bloody print on her forearm. "Just breathe, okay?"
"I think… I'm gonna puke," she says, gasping.
The Rat snores again, the sound wet with blood. You could stop that with a few well-placed bootheels.
You drag a small trash can over to her and put it between her feet. "Just breathe." It would be easy to finish them both off.
She leans over, hair hanging over the can as she breathes in and out.
The Rat snores again, choking a little.
Annie jolts as if hit with a taser. "W-we've got to get him to the hospital! Oh God, if he dies… oh god…" she looks paler than normal.
Yeah, if he dies there's good odds she'll be accessory and you'll be manslaughter if you're lucky. Doesn't look good though. All these people just keep dying and disappearing around you.
You can take the Rat out into the woods and Old Yeller him, give Annie a story about dropping him at a hospital, something to soothe her conscience, but something tells you she'll never believe that.
You could actually take him to the hospital, drop him on the sidewalk outside, and leave. Maybe Annie could live with that.
But there's only one person (or maybe two) you know who can save this wretch. No idea what you'd do with that, but it would certainly let you and Annie avoid any real criminal charges or suspicion.
>I'll take care of this (Take the Rat, dispose of him)
>Come on, we'll drop him outside Roselake General anonymously
>I know someone who can help him (Take him to home to Candi and Virginia)
>Write in
>>6264587>We will take care of this (Take the Rat, dispose of him)Is it still possible to gorge on that guy? Let Annie witness it and then play the victim/unwell bad boy which needs to be healed/changed card. She saw the real us anyway already, so may as well go all the way. After we are finished talk Annie into helping with disposal and cleaning up evidence. Will get us bonding over shared experience.
>>6262236>What's the point in this reasoning?Seems suitable for this quest doesn't it?
>>6264587>I know someone who can help him (Take him to home to Candi and Virginia)You heard the crazy man's talk. This is Virginia's fault. Activating crazies in a hundred mile radius with the release of the Woods Thing. Is it just schizos with one foot on the other side, or more. Either way its trouble.
Besides it'll be more fun with Annie in the gang, she doesn't wanna spend time at her own troubled home anyways. Too late now that shes seen the beast. Shes the kind of person who will blame herself later, that she pushed Kyle out of Roselake with her thoughtless actions and into even more violence. Then Kyles picking up the phone and teleporting over to prevent her suicide, and bringing her to Virginia and Candi to heal her or bring her back from the dead or some shit. May as well get her in here too. Besides maybe she can finally get that Scholarship she wants with Virginia's help by joining our cult after seeing real magic.
Maybe she'd even help kill Chip if we ever confirm that she was under his dark magic and thats why she left Kyle.
>>6264600>Is it still possible to gorge on that guy?Oh, absolutely. Waste not, want not.
>>6264587>Call the cops. Asshole had a gun and probably a long record of doing pants on head retarded shit. Anyone asks, just blame the adrenaline. This was legit self-defense. You're a hero, Kyle.
>>6264587Did we get caught on CCTV?
>>6264600No? Kyle being a coward certainly isn't, not since he killed his father and beat the shit out of his bullies.
>>6264776>Did we get caught on CCTV?There are cameras, but they record locally and Annie has access. Wiping them would be simple.
>>6264779hmmm I think the biggest liability here is Annie. Kyle should SbD her to find out her thoughts before deciding on how to proceed.
If she isn't thinking of snitching on Kyle then taking care of this personally is best. Otherwise, calling the cops and telling them about this self defense situation is better. If it looks like the cops might try to escalate this then better call Truesdale.
>>6264587>I'll take care of this (Take the Rat, dispose of him)Get Annie to clean up, Kyle then needs to return, wipe the tapes and make sure things are all good.
Kyle knows what her feelings are, but the rat must [go]. Saving him is pointless. Kyle is a hungry boy.
>>6264587>>Come on, we'll drop him outside Roselake General anonymously
No update today. I'll continue tomorrow with the Fate of the Rat
That took longer than expected.
>We will take care of this >>6264600>>6264842>>6264817>I know someone who can help >>6264605>Call the cops>>6264737>Come on, we'll drop him outside Roselake General>>6264956>We'll take care of thisWriting
"Annie." You crouch down and take her by the shoulders, looking into her wide, doe eyes. "It's going to be alright." You smile at her. "Don't worry." You say the words with power and feel her relax a little, shoulders un-tensing, though she's still trembling a little.
"Kyle, I don't want anything bad to happen to you," she whispers.
You smile wider. There's nothing you need to hide from Annie anymore. Feels nice to be yourself. "Then help me, okay?" You stand before she can answer and circle around the desk again, glancing out the front door to the parking lot. The Eagle still sits at the pumps. The Rat's car is idling outside too. Otherwise, there's no one. "Shut off the lights," you say. "Like you're closed." You grab the Rat by the wrists and start dragging him to the back room, the drink cooler. It leaves a crimson smear on the ground. "And get a mop."
Annie stands up on shaky legs but nods obediently.
You bring the Rat into the walk-in fridge. The floor here is concrete. Easy to clean. Probably. Just in case you walk out to your Eagle and grab the tarp and bleach bottle. Annie watches you go buy, moving like a sleep walker. She's getting a mop and wheelie bucket, sloshing water everywhere.
Back in the fridge you lay down the tarp and put the Rat on it.
His legs twitch and he gargles blood but only for a moment before you push the silver of your knife through his throat, watching red well out of the wound. He hardly reacts, already almost gone. Almost, but not entirely. You hunch over him like an animal and put your mouth on the wound. Hot blood covers your tongue. Intoxicating, powerful. You drink it down greedily, feeling a rush of energy, feeling stronger than you have in a long time.
The hardest part is restraining yourself from tearing into his neck with your teeth. Annie needs to be eased into this, you decide. You're going to make her understand what you are, what you've become, and to do that you have to do it by degrees.
Funny, you think as you swallow a dying man's blood. Funny how this is easing her into things. Eventually you're full. Full enough anyway. You sit back, squatting beside the dead man. You wipe your lips with the back of a hand and look toward the fridge door.
Annie stands in the doorway, pale as a sheet, staring at you, eyes blank. Looks like she's going into shock.
You could invite her over here and share a kiss with her. You could press your bloody lips to hers and show her just what she's been missing out on her whole life. The intoxicating thrill of it all.
"Th-the blood…" she says. "Th-the blood's…" her eyes suddenly go wide and she covers her mouth. The mop hits the floor with a clatter and she dashes away. You hear the bathroom door slam.
Hm, maybe too much too soon.
You roll the Rat in the tarp like a burrito, careful to keep as much blood as you can in the plastic. Then you slosh a little bleach around on the ground. Feels right. Plus you like the smell. You drag the body back through Paul's watching for any leaks, careful not to knock anything off the shelves. Like Annie tried to tell you, the floors are clean. The mop is a lost cause, soaked with blood. It'll have to go. The ceiling tiles also bare some peculiar holes. Those will need to be covered with tape or moved around or something. You make a mental checklist as you drag the Rat.
Murder is so tedious.
As you pass the counter you pick your Slim Jim up and rip it open, taking a bite.
Another glance shows you the parking lot is dark and empty. You take him outside and then dump his body into the trunk of his car, shutting it off and pocketing his keys. He's got a little cash in the car but not much. You take it anyway.
Back inside you see the bathroom door is still closed. You take the opportunity to finish your Slim Jim and take the contaminated mop and chuck it into the truck with the Rat.
Back inside again, still no Annie.
You tap on the door. "You alright?"
Silence. Then a flush. "Kyle, are we going to get in trouble?"
You resist a laugh. "No. No. He was going to kill us, Annie. He was a monster. He got what he deserved. It was self defense." Not really. Kind of. Sure.
More silence. The door opens again and Annie, looking deeply shaken, stare at you from the darkened bathroom. "Kyle… are you a vampire?"
Now you do laugh. How can you not? "No. You've seen me in the sun, haven't you?"
"But… the blood…"
You take her by the arms again. She doesn't resist. "There's a lot about me you're going to learn," you say.
"L-like what?"
"Like," you say, considering the question. "For starters, I'm not the guy you used to know."
She says nothing, staring blankly.
Gently, you guide her out of the bathroom and resist the urge to push her back against the wall. Man, what is it with you? Keep it together, Kyle.
"I'm more than he was," you say. And less. But you don't say that. "I'm something New. I'm…" Shit, let's just say it like it is. "Dangerous."
She tenses a little in your grip, but you don't mind.
"A-are you going to hurt me?" She asks in a dry whisper. She's terrified. Obviously. Shaking like a leaf on a tree but… there's something more about Annie you're starting to notice. She's terrified and very, very horny. Terrified, horny, and confused. It's a potent chemical cocktail which seems to have basically left her catatonic, her mind unable to reconcile everything she's feeling right now.
"Only if you want me to," you say, smirking. Ah, that one slipped out. You couldn't help yourself. You let her go before your Id escalates things more. That poor impulse control is really going to get you into trouble one day. You wheel the mop water bucket into the bathroom and dump the pink blood-water into the toilet, watching it swirl down as you try to ignore the lingering stink of vomit. "No," you say finally. "I'm not going to hurt you, Annie."
"I threw up," she whispers.
"I know," you pat her on the shoulder. "It's alright. Go sit."
She goes and sits behind the counter again, knees together, hands in her lap, thousand yard stare, trying to process everything that's happened.
You feel… strangely guilty. That tiny, irritating sliver of humanity would never have wanted to expose Annie to this. But at the same time, you feel incredibly liberated. Another taboo burned to the fucking ground. You've got to dump the Rat's body still. You're thinking you can dump his body in the woods where you dumped that hooker, maybe ditch the car in Lasker City again, especially since you can just Speak of the Devil right back here so long as Annie remains. Convenient. It's all trivial stuff. Assuming you don't get caught.
"Annie?"
"Mh?"
"Can you get me the tape for these cameras?" you gesture to the CCTV pointed at your face.
She blinks, then shakes her head. "No." She blinks again like she's trying to wake up. "I mean, I can erase it," she says. "I…" she looks at you again. "Kyle, I'm scared." She might have stopped there but she doesn't. Annie bites her lip and looks at you. "I don't want to be scared anymore."
>Don't be scared, I promise nothing will happen (Comfort)
>There's someone I want you to meet. Someone who can help us both. (Induct to Cult)
>Maybe this will help (Lewd)
>Write in
>>6265834>There's someone I want you to meet. Someone who can help us both. (Induct to Cult)Oh shit its CuLt TiMe.
>>6265834>Maybe this will help (Lewd)I don’t think Kyle can promise nothing bad will happen and I don’t think Annie should join the cult. Therefore Kyle must lewd.
>>6265834>>Maybe this will help (Lewd)
>>6265834Gah decisions decisions...
>Maybe this will help (Lewd)This isn't wise but going from IC, this whole sequence has been Kyle indulging his urges.
>There's someone I want you to meet. Someone who can help us both. (Induct to Cult)Not in this way though, too immediate. More like: "There's someone you will meet." or something then just let her sit on that mystery and induct her later.
>Maybe this will help (Lewd)>>6265846>>6265866>>6266114Writing
>>6266313If having a tie has you include the second part of my vote then remove the first part. Otherwise, go ahead and cook.
>>6266314Sorry, what do you mean?
I'm seeing 3 for lewd and 2 for cult.
One of the lewd votes is also opposed to the cult, so I'm going to do the lewd with no cult invite.
>>6266318As in, if my vote didn't include lewd it would be 2-2. A tie. Im trying leverage that to include this:
>More like: "There's someone you will meet." or something then just let her sit on that mystery and induct her later.Into the update.
>>6266326Okay, I see. My apologies for the confusion. Long week!
>Invite to cult>>6265844>>6266114 (Later)
>Lewd>>6265846>>6265866>>6266114>Do not invite>>6265846I'll interpret this as "Lewd and lay the ground work to invite" and we can clear that up later.
Writing
>>6266385>Lewd and lay the ground work to invite.Exactly what I wanted.
You know, if it's cool if you sometimes kill people, it's probably okay to fuck your old crush too. Right? This seems an appropriate time. Nothing goes better with murder than hot, illicit sex.
You smile at Annie, not holding back. You like how her lower lip quivers. You lean in close to her, looping your fingers around her neck. She tenses, gasps softly. You bring your lips to her ear and nip earlobe. "So don't be," you say, running your tongue along the curve of her ear. You feel goosebumps break out along her neck. Perfect.
You go lower, breathing on her collarbone. She turns her head to the side, offering herself to you. You kiss warm skin and then sink your teeth into neck her as she gasps and puts her arms around you.
"K-Kyle!"
She likes it.
You like it too. You reach down and unbutton her jeans.
XXX
It's cathartic to finally see what you'd missed out on. You buckle your belt and pick your shirt up off the counter. Feels like a promise fulfilled. Maybe like… old times. Before everything went bad. Well… worse.
Annie lays on the counter, still half-dressed, staring at the ceiling. Her chest rises and falls softly. Oh relax. She's alright, you didn't hurt her or anything. Hell, you've done worse to Candi. All very consensual. In fact, you daresay she had a good time. So did you.
Candi is going to be pissed.
You watch Annie's chest for a minute, not stopping when she sits up and awkwardly pulls her shirt back down. She looks at you. Not afraid, not shaken, just… looks at you. It's like you're a stranger to her. She doesn't seem to mind, not really, but she seems… guarded. Maybe like she's not really sure what's going to happen next. Hell, that makes three of us!
"Alright," you say, still a little out of breath. "You stay here. I'll get rid of the Rat and be right back." You give her a look, put some power in your voice and command her. "Don't go anywhere."
She nods blankly.
Outside the cool air is refreshing. You're not really sure if you're making a mistake or not but… hell, it's done. After cruising through the country for a bit you ditch the plastic-wrapped body over a guardrail and down into a deep gully. The bloody mop goes into a separate gully a few miles away, then you cruise into Lasker, directly to the worst part. It's all routine. Mostly.
There's some smiley face graffiti in the first alley you stop at. It gives you pause. Nothing veil-wise feels off here but… why does it feel like this rune beaconed you here? Suppressing a shiver you go somewhere else, ditching the car a couple blocks away and quickly wiping it down. You check for anything which might tie you, Annie, or Paul's to the car. When you come up clean you place the keys on the dashboard, roll the windows down, and walk off.
Then you focus. You've got plenty of energy to call on now. One minute you're walking on pavement, the next step you take is on gravel. You push open the door to Paul's and lock it behind you. Smells faintly like Pine Sol.
Annie is here, fully dressed, down on hands and knees wiping up the floor. She looks up, brushing her hair back. "Is he gone?"
"Forever," you assure her.
She looks relieved, then worried, then confused. "What's the matter with me?" she says, sitting back on her heels.
You sit on the floor beside her. You don't have an answer. Sometimes people are just broken. Sometimes they get broken. You're not sure which one Annie is, but… she is.
She looks at you. "You're not Kyle anymore, are you?"
The question takes you by surprise. You're really not sure what the answer to that is. You were born Kyle, but was that you the same you that got his ass beat by Dad? Was he the same Kyle who got Candi abortion pills? The same one that painted Dad's brains across the barn? The same one that killed that woman in the motel?
"I'm not sure," you say finally. "I feel like Kyle." Mostly.
She brushes her hair back, running her fingers through it to straighten it. "The Kyle I knew wouldn't have…" she … actually smiles slightly. She shakes her head. "You know I loved you. Him." She looks at you earnestly, no longer guarded. The bite mark on her neck sort of undoes a little bit of the seriousness to her tone. "I really did."
"I know," you say. "I loved you too."
She tries to smile but it comes out sad. "It feels like nothing matters," she says. "I mean… you killed that guy. You… you…" she shakes her head. "Me and Chip and… my dad and…" she puts her hands on her face, taking a deep breath. "And having sex with you… what's going on?"
"I think maybe the world is going to end," you say, not really sure why you think that or or you mean by that. But… isn't that what the lady at the motel said? The one you killed to kick start this whole wacky adventure?
Annie looks scared all over again. "What?"
"The end," you say. "Maybe metaphorically, maybe literally." Where the hell is this coming from? What the fuck are you talking about? … Oooh. I get it. Because of what the Rat said, right? Some schizo rambles about thunderheads and trumpets in the sky and you release forgotten gods from their prisons and drowned eldritch monsters start waking up and suddenly the world is gonna end? Well maybe that's just wishful-fucking-thinking. Ever think of that, sister-fucker? Maybe it's just easier for you if the world does end because your world ended a long time ago.
She blinks a few times. "What do you mean?"
Didn't we just cover that? It's your turn to shake your head. "There's a lot more, Annie," you say. "A lot more. Stuff about the Lake Parties and my sister and… everything."
Annie says nothing, she seems to consider your words. She looks worried about she's calmed down a bit anyway. Old time hysteria treatment. Ha. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What happened between us… me getting with Chip… was that because of…" She reconsiders the question. "Forget it."
Ah, she's so close. "No," you say. "Ask."
Your insistence startles her, so she asks. "Was that because of the Lake Club?"
You smile, you can't help it. Annie's not stupid. Not usually. "Yeah. I think it was."
"They… made me like that, didn't they?" She sounds horrified.
You frown at the memory, the hurt, the betrayal. "Yeah."
"And you can do that to me too, can't you?"
You hesitate, not sure how to answer that.
"You used something," Annie presses. "You told me to calm down and I did, even though I didn't want to. You told me to stay even though I didn't want to. There's something about you, isn't there? Something… powerful."
You don't answer.
"What are you?" It's without fear, without judgement.
Nemesis.
"I'm what's left," you say finally. "I'm… I can do things. See things." This sounds so retarded. You grit your teeth. "Annie, there's things I want to tell you that maybe you're not ready for yet." You reach out and touch her thigh. It doesn't feel like an imposition since you were just fucking her a few minutes ago. But it doesn't feel romantic either, not exactly. It feels… new.
She doesn't pull away or react at all to your touch. "Candi is involved, isn't she?"
Oh boy, if Annie knew about Candi… although, she is taking 'murderous cannibal' pretty well. Still, some taboos are harder to accept than others. "Yeah."
Annie nods. "You two were always close."
So close.
"Kyle, I don't know what happened here tonight and… I'm not sure if I like it. I think I might be dreaming," she sounds hopeful.
"Do you want this to be a dream?" you ask.
She thinks, staring at the floor, then squeezes her eyes shut. "I… I don't know. I feel like I've been asleep since I got with Chip and just woke up. Did Chip do this to me?" She looks at you again, this time her eyes are wet with tears. "Did he ruin my life?"
You want to hug her, hold her tight, tell her everything is okay. "Your life isn't ruined," you say. "In fact… I think it's about to get so much better." You stand up and offer her your hand. She takes it and you pull her to her feet. "Think about it. Take a couple days. I can show you everything if you want, but only if you want."
She nods, hair swinging. "Thank you." She wipes her eyes with the heel of her hands. "I'll… I'll think about it."
You smile. It's genuine. "Good. Now I hate to–" you almost say 'eat and run' and then you almost say 'shoot and scoot'. "-leave so soon, but I need to get back home."
"I understand," she nods, then laughs softly. "I guess I'll lock up. I destroyed the tapes and moved the tiles with the holes." She points at the ceiling. "So… I think we should be alright."
There's no evidence the Rat ever stopped here.
"Good. See? No problem. Night, Annie."
"Night."
You get in your Eagle and start it up, staying long enough to watch Annie lock up and leave. You're pretty sure she's not going to tell anyone what you did. You're pretty sure she's…okay with it, if not thrilled. Still, that was close. You've got to be more careful.
You pull out and head home.
The porch light is on. Mom is here. Her eyes widen as she sees you approaching. When you stop the car and walk toward the house, she comes towards you, moving unsteadily.
"Kyle?" she says, like she can't believe it. Oh. Oh shit, she doesn't look spaced out. She still looks scared but there's a dark spark of intelligence in her eyes again.
"Yeah?"
She hugs you, arms around you, face against your chest. She starts sobbing. It sounds just like she does in the dream world.
"I-I'm sorry," she sobs. "I'm s-so sorry." Her whole body heaves as she cries against you. "F-for everything for… for everything!" And then she's crying too hard to speak.
>It's okay
>You should be sorry
>I see a little trip through Hell woke you up
>Write in
>>6266409>A bit too late for that now.Things are so different that I think Kyle no longer cares about all that. No use crying over spilled milk
>>6266408>Holy fuck. Get off me.
>>6266409>>6266429I can see him saying "Get off me" if she starts dirty snot crying.
>>6266409>>You should be sorry
>>6266409>A bit too late for that now.Nothing can be done, Kyle should move on
>>6266409>I see a little trip through Hell woke you up
>>6266409>>You should be sorry
Alright, let's get back to whatever the fuck is going on in Nemesis Quest.
>>6266429lmao
>A bit too late for that now.>>6266412>>6266576>You should be sorry>>6266550>>6266819>No mercy for mamaWriting
"Get off me," you say, levering her away from you.
Mom gasps, clutching herself and looking up at you in fear.
"It's a little late to be sorry now, isn't it?"
She blinks. "K-Kyle, I don't–"
"You knew," you say. "You knew what Dad was doing to me. You knew what he was doing to Candi." Hate flares in your voice.
Intelligent thought flashes behind Mom's eyes. This is relatively new. "Do you know what he would have done if I said anything?" She says, suddenly angry. "What was I supposed to do?"
"Fucking anything," you say, the words cold as ice. "Anything more than nothing." You lower your voice further. "Candi was innocent," you say. There's a strange emphasis on 'was' in your tone. "She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve what he made her into."
Mom looks guilty. "I…" she doesn't have anything to say.
"You're sorry," you say, echoing her. "Well you should be sorry," you say. "Easy way out for you would be to take the shotgun, crawl out into the barn and blow your fucking brains out on top of Dad's."
Mom's eyes snap wide, shocked.
"But," you say. "Somehow I doubt you have the courage to do that. Or maybe," you snarl, taking a step closer. "Maybe what you deserve is to live on knowing how badly you failed. How you failed as a mother and the only accomplishment you can put to your name is that you raised two monsters."
Mom trembles with shame and fear.
"The truth is that we don't need you. We're probably better without you."
Tears roll down her cheeks and you feel another one of those alien sensations. A pinprick of sympathy. You pause and collect your thoughts, feeling the anger drain from you like water form a tub. "If you're sorry, then you've got a lot to do to make it up and, to be honest, I don't think you can." It's enough. You step around her and start walking for the house.
"Kyle," Mom says softly.
You stop.
"That woman… in our house…"
You look over your shoulder. Mom is staring into the Pines, into the dark.
"In my dreams. When I was…" Mom trails off but you know what she means. Scorched. Sundered. "I saw her," she whispers. "I saw her. She talked to me."
"When?"
"Before she and your sister… brought me back."
"So?"
Mom looks at you. "I want to change, Kyle."
You stare back at Mom. She was never mother of the year. Never. Even before Dad became a monster she'd been distant, aloof. She'd never liked Candi and barely tolerated you. Mom, you imagine, never wanted kids. She didn't know what to do with them and wanted little to do with them. But whatever happened, whatever happened between her and Virginia, you think Mom is sincere now.
"Good luck," you say, continuing on into the house
It's dark inside. Late. You spent a while fucking Annie and killing those guys.
"Well, ain't you a regular tom cat." Virginia's eyes flash in the dark, echoing the glow of her cigarette cherry.
"Candi want you smoking in here?" you ask her.
She smiles, eyes, teeth, embers, all shining in the dark. "I'll ask her tomorrow."
You walk into the living room. As your eyes adjust you see Virginia is sitting on the couch wearing different clothes. Your sister's clothes. Pink booty shorts and an oversized T-shirt. Oversized for Candi, anyway. It's a little tighter on Virginia, a little shorter.
"That's… a look."
"You like it?" She spreads her arms and looks down at herself. "Candi was showin me her wardrobe. Don't reckon I could get away with wearin most of that in public. Reckon she can't either." She winks at you.
"What did you say to Mom?" You take a seat on a recliner facing her.
Virginia shrugs. "I told her what your sister wanted to say to her. Told her how it was gonna be now. Told her what her responsibility around her is."
"That is?"
"She's gonna have to be a mama if she wants to stay," Virginia says. She twiddles her cigarette and hums to herself. "Boy, your sister is going to be real upset when she sees you." She looks you over. "You got into some bad business. All in one night too."
"I'm told i have poor impulse control."
"Mm. Comes with the territory I suppose." She takes a long drag, the cigarette light paints her face a dull red. "Still. You go take a shower. She don't need to smell all that on you. Your poor sister already went through enough today."
"Right," you say, wondering if she went through anything else while you were gone.
"Tomorrow's a new day, baby," Virginia says. "I got lots of work to do. Lots to get started on."
>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?
>Are you and Candi getting along?
>What are you going to do tomorrow?
>Say goodnight and go take a shower
>Write in
>>6266405>Hell, that makes three of us!Pale bitchhh
>>6267875>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?Then
>Say goodnight and go take a shower
>>6267875>>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?>>Are you and Candi getting along?
>>6267875>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?>Are you and Candi getting along?>Say goodnight and go take a shower>Write inAsk Virginia if she wants to get in the shower too
>>6267874A bit more emotional than I'd hoped but so be it.
>>6267875>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." He was talking about you wasn't he?>Are you and Candi getting along?>Say goodnight and go take a showerThough I prefer that last part of the first prompt to be: "He was talking about you wasn't he?" since the original comes across as a sincere question rather than a rhetorical one. I mean come on, who else could he have been talking about?
>>6268066Damn bro. Just like that? I don't agree but I respect the moxie.
>>6268077I dont expect it to win, but I know what the inner voice would want
>>6267875>>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?
>One of the men I killed today was talking about trumpets and thunder. He said "She's here." Was he talking about you?>>6267915>>6267927>>6268066>>6268077>>6268228>Are you and Candi getting along?>>6267927>>6268066>>6268077I'll throw a bone and do both. Why not.
Writing
>>6268066>Ask Virginia if she wants to get in the shower tooThis dude is making moves.
"I hope you're getting along with my sister," you say, hoping it sounds casual but you can't help putting a slight edge in your voice. You'll fight anyone over your sister be they your parents or an actual god.
Virginia grins wide. "Aw. Of course, baby. We got on famously. We're practically sisters now."
You're not sure you like Virginia connecting herself to your family like that. Well… connecting to your sister like that. Especially when she knows full well how you view sibling relationships.
Sensing you're not totally satisfied with that answer, she elaborates. "We talked about her…what'd she call em? Chimps?"
"Simps."
She snaps her fingers. "That's it! The simps. We talked about them and how we can grow the cult. She's gonna make a new…" she waves her hand around. "A new group of simps who get her nudies for free. All they gotta do is swear allegiance to the cult. Kinda genius really."
"And what about all the revenue she's gonna lose?" You ask.
Virginia waves you off. "It'll all balance out. Money ain't nearly as important. You'll see."
"Should have asked me first," you growl.
Virginia chuckles. "Aw don't be sore, baby. We were just movin and shakin. Dig?"
You don't. Money is a sensitive topic, especially when you consider the debt. Of course, when you finally kill Truesdale that debt will probably vanish. Or… something. How does that work anyway? "Virginia," you say, trying to be patient. "Candi makes all the money to pay for this place. You know, the place you're sleeping that's not the woods?"
Virginia regards you, apparently amused as she smokes.
"So if you start giving her body away for free then how the fuck are we going to pay for everything?"
"We'll just pass the collection plate, sugar. Or find some donors. I'm sure you can find some rich folks with money to spare. Trust me! I trusted you, didn't I?"
"You didn't have a choice."
She chuckles again, blowing smoke.
Ah. Neither do you. Fantastic. Somehow you hadn't considered that having god as a roommate might affect the pecking order. You wonder if you'd have more sway if you confessed your undying love for her, threw her down on the ground and made sweet sweet–...
I wonder if she can read your mind. You think she knows what we're thinking?
Virginia smiles enigmatically at you, eyes glittering.
"She was pretty upset earlier," you say, steering the conversation back to Candi.
"She was. Big changes in her life. That girl's wound up so tight." She looks sympathetic suddenly. "She's so used to bein the only one she can count on. Sounds like she spent a couple years on her own." She glances at you, a little accusingly.
You look away automatically.
"It's hard for her to give up control," Virginia continues. "But I just showed her how much I appreciate her. I showed her the place she has in the cult. You and her both. Yall are my left and right hands. I'm really hopin we'll be like family."
You guess she'll tell you if she wants to.
Virginia stretches, the shirt riding up to reveal her midriff as she yawns. "Baby, less you need anything else, I am ready as hell for a good night's sleep." She bounces on the couch slightly.
Yeah, there is one more thing actually. "One of the men I killed today," you say. "He was talking about trumpets and thunder." You watch her closely, checking for any recognition. She just stares back same as always. "He said 'she's here.' He was talking about you, wasn't he?"
Her eyes widen a little. Not in surprise or alarm, but in awe. "He said that? Really? Wow…" She leans back on the couch, grinning to herself. "Thunder and trumpets, huh?" She chuckles. Eventually she realizes you're waiting for an answer. "Oh hellfire, you know he was, hun. Of course he was talkin about me! Just didn't realize I was that big a deal. Damnation. That's how you know you made it, the crazies start yowling on about you."
"He robbed a store," you say. "I think he was going to kill someone."
She nods. "Fragile minds. More in touch with the Other Side. What can I say? He was a herald for my return I guess. Ain't that somethin…" She's lost in her fame.
"Virginia," you say, leaning forward slightly. "Is this going to keep happening? Is it going to get worse?"
Her smile fades away to nothing until she's staring at the ceiling blankly. "Maybe. Might."
"Isn't that a problem?" you press, annoyance edging your voice.
"Hell, I don't know," Virginia snaps back at you, sitting up again. "Ain't never been a god before! I never had to deal with all this. Every goddam looney in a fifty mile radius might come shambling out of the woods like Night of the Living Dead on this house! I don't have all the answers."
You stare back at her, unphased.
Virginia blinks, anger fading, her grin returning. "Yeah, he was talkin about me. There're probably gonna be others." A pause. She looks a little more serious. "I'll tell you something, baby. Something I been thinking about… with me and that Lake Thing becoming active at the same time… things might get worse before they get better."
"Worse how?"
"Veil's thin here," she says. "The Veil's always been thin at Roselake. Imagine a finger pressing against fabric, pushing hard, stretching, pulling it tight." She mimes this with her hand. "Now imagine it ain't just one finger, but two, side by side, both pushing. You stretch that fabric enough and you start gettin Bleedthrough. Press a little harder and it starts to tear."
That's probably not good. You shiver involuntarily. "So what do we do about it?"
"Right now? Nothin. Long term?" She grins. "Well… I reckon one of those gods gotta go. Hope you're on my side, baby." She stubs out her cigarette. "I'm beat. Unless you want to cuddle, I'm out."
Cuddles sound… no, who am I kidding? You wouldn't do it.
You stand up, watching as she lays down. "Night, Virginia."
She curls slightly on the couch, pullin a blanket over herself and nestling into the cushions. You don't know that you've ever seen someone so comfortable in all your life. "Goodnight, boogieman."
You take a shower next. Hot water washes away any trace of your id-driven escapades. As you close your eyes you can see Annie's body, hear her moans, feel hot blood swirling in your mouth, the soft tug of your knife in flesh.
Eventually you're clean and you head upstairs.
Candi's room is dark but she's awake, standing in the window, nude, bathed in moonlight. She looks over at you. You expect anger or irritation, but she looks surprisingly calm.
"Can't sleep?" You close the door behind yourself and go sit on the bed.
Candi shakes her head. "I was… I was worried about you. Virginia said you were out hunting."
Intuition or divination? "Yeah."
Candi comes over and sits beside you on the bed, pulling your shirt up over your head. Why did you even bother getting dressed after the shower? She kisses your neck softly. "I don't like when you go out alone. You get into trouble." True.
"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" You ask, trying to sound playful.
Her eyes flash irritation. "Not funny. I always worry about you!" She thumps your chest impotently with a fist. After a moment her expression softens and she leans in to kiss your neck again. "Did you have fun out there?"
Does she know? Can she tell? Does she still smell Annie on you? Is your sister a steel beartrap waiting to crash shut on you, or is this a rare moment of calm?
>Yes
>I would have had more fun with you
>No. It wasn't very good
>Write in
>>6268340>I would have had more fun with you
>>6268340>>I would have had more fun with you
>>6268340>I would have had more fun with you
>>6268340>>I would have had more fun with you>>6268340
Sorry for the lack of updates today. Something's come up. I'll continue the quest on Monday.
Thanks for being patient.
>>6269001Hope everythings fine, good luck.
>>6269001Don't worry about it. To keep us posted is all I ask.
>I would have had more fun with you
Writing
Sorry for the delay. Crazy weekend. All is good, just very busy.
"I would have had more fun with you."
You feel your sister's tongue on your neck. "I'm sure," she says, a little sarcastically. "But I think you would have had a harder time getting laid." Her fingernails trail down your ribs. Sharply. She feels you tense slightly. "Yeah," she says. "I know about that."
"And you're not pissed?"
"Oh, very pissed," she says. "But it's your funeral if you want to get your heart broken by Faketits Annie."
They definitely weren't fake, but now's probably not the time to try to explain that. "It's not like that."
Not yet anyway.
"I'm supposed to feel better that it was 'purely physical?'" she asks.
"So you give me shit for trying to kiss you and when I kiss other people, huh?"
You feel your sister stiffen. "Did you kiss her?"
"What do you care?"
Candi turns away from you. "I don't," she lies.
You turn after her, looping your arms around her, hands cupping her chest and pulling her close. You breathe in her ear. "But you do." She breaks out in goosebumps instantly, squirming in your grip.
"You're gross."
Its your turn to lick her neck. Your sister gasps softly. "Yes. For you."
"I-I'm still pissed," she stammers, trying to sound like she means it. She pulls away from you, drawing her earlobe out of nibbling distance. "You know now I have to let Lawrence fuck me."
"You don't have to," you counter.
"I do," she insists. "Bareback. And I'll let him finish inside and everything."
You don't find this joke amusing anymore.
Your sister smirks at you, eyes shining in the dark. "I'll moan his name. Oh. Lawrence. Fuck me harder.."
You put a hand around her throat and pin her down to the bed, gratified when her artificial moans cut off with a "gurk!"
She grips your wrist desperately as you tighten your grip on her neck. She opens her mouth, trying to form words, a name. An L. "L–L–" You add a second hand, squeezing, choking, pressing your sister into the mattress.
She kicks her legs, trying to pull your hands away, her eyes shining with anger, hate, and lust. Her face is turning red. Fuck, I don't know, maybe this is an overreaction on your part. Maybe chill the fuck out before you give your sister a brain aneurysm.
You let go and Candi gasps, pulling your hands free. She should be terrified, thankful to have brushed against death and lived. Instead she coughs, rubs her neck, and looks at you smugly. "What's the matter, Kyle? Don't like it? Don't like hearing your darling sister taking another man's cock?" She coughs again.
Wow, she just doesn't quit.
You say nothing.
"Maybe I'd even let him do it where you don't get to," she whispers, voice low, dangerous. She touches you, trailing her fingertip down your chest, feeling the scars. Her other hand rubs her neck sensuously, recalling your touch.
Your heart is hammering, pounding, demanding to be let free. You could do it right now, you could quit lying to yourself and claim the true object of your desire in the truest, purest way. A perfect completion of the ouroborus of your life. No more surrogates, no more half-measures. You could take her. Let's face it, you and I both know it's going to happen eventually. Let's just do it now.
"Is what what you want?" she asks, her smile faltering. Her mask slips just a little and you see the broken glass of her soul beyond. For a moment, you think she means killing her and drinking her blood. But no, she's talking about her fucking Lawrence.
"No," you say, willing yourself not to kill your bratty, damaged sister. "That's not what I want."
"You want me all to yourself," she says, partly bragging, partly seeking reassurance.
"You know that I do," you say.
Her eyes flash sadness. "Well then you're going to have to figure out a way to stop me," she says. She turns over on her side.
Your gaze runs down her back to her ass. You sigh and pull the covers over her and slid into bed behind her, spooning her.
>I'll just have to chain you up when I'm not around
>I'll kill Lawrence then
>Do whatever you want
>How can I make this up to you?
>Write in
>>6271320>>I'll just have to chain you up when I'm not aroundHow does the basement sound?
>>6271320>I'll kill Lawrence thenKyle said he would did he not? Being a warden wouldn't be fun either.
>>6271320>I'll kill Lawrence thenKyle wanted fresh meat
>>6271320>Write inTomorrow we'll go for a drive. You won't be out of my sight.
We still gotta move the fathers corpse from the barn in the morning. After that I'm thinking a drive. We get some beers, maybe some drugs from our buddy for later. Maybe a trip down memory lane, or some shopping, or go kill a guy.
Then to finish it off we find a drive in theater thats showing a monster movie at night, and fuck Candi in the Eagle. A perfect day.
>>6271630That could be the plan for tomorrow but I don't think it's a good answer. If we're doing a date then keep the itinerary a surprise.
>>6271320>I'll just have to chain you up when I'm not around
>>6271644A surprise is good. He'll just say we're going for a drive
>I'll chain you up>>6271328>>6271710>I'll kill Lawrence >>6271345>>6271601>Go on a date>>6271630If it's still tied up in a couple hours I'll roll. No time to write an update right now anyway.
>>6271630>>6271814>>6271875If date anon backs my answer then I'll back his.
What day is it btw?
>>6271320>Not if I fuck Lawrence FIRST!
>>6271881>What day is it btw?Tbh I've lost track, just like Kyle.
I believe it's a Tuesday since he missed work yesterday. Unless someone wants to do the math, we'll go with that.
>>6271881Sure, we're solid.
I wasn't sure if the Lakehouse party was on saturday or sunday, we spent the night with Ellen. Got back to the house to Candi the next day. Woke up to the cop the day after that skipping work. So yeah Tuesday sounds right to me.
Probably wanna call out sick or something.
>>6271320>I'll just have to chain you up when I'm not around
>>6272039No? It's a tie. Me and date guy are backing each other.
I'll roll a tiebreak between kill and chains in 30 mins
Rolled 2 (1d2)
>1 KILL
>2 CHAINS
Writing
You spoon Candi, her flesh hot against yours. She tenses at your touch. You grip tight, refusing to let her escape.
"Then I'll just have to chain you up," you whisper into her ear. "Keep you locked in the basement when I'm not around."
"You'd forget about me," she says. "I'd starve."
"I wouldn't forget about you." You hug her a little tighter.
"I'd scream real loud," she says. "The neighbors would hear."
"What neighbors?"
She shrugs a little. "You won't do it anyway."
"I won't?" you ask, amused.
She shakes her head. "Nah. You like me too much. You'll forgive me when I let Lawrence fuck me, too."
You tense your jaw a little. She's still on about this? You're starting to wonder if she's serious. You're starting to wonder if you're actually going to have to chain her up tomorrow. Who knows, that could be fun.
Of course, Mom has autonomy now and Virginia lives here. They might have objections to your sister being made into your pet. I guess we'll have to see.
"Plus I have to do my streams."
That's true at least. "You don't think you can stream while chained up? I think your simps might like it."
She snorts softly. "I know you would, creep."
You get more comfortable, the scent of your sister's hair lulling you steadily to sleep. You feel her chest rise and fall beneath your hands. You're nearly asleep, hovering on the edge of unconsciousness when your untethered mind runs through the events of the recent past. Something Virginia said.
"Candi."
"Mm?"
"What did Virginia mean when she asked if I knew about you doing whatever you wanted?"
Candi is quiet for a little bit. "Don't worry about it."
You obey, of course. Probably not worth the energy to think about it. Candi has her secrets, but so do you, right?
"Did you ever wonder what a happy ending looks like for us, Kyle?" Candi whispers a minute later. It jolts you from the gates of sleep.
"After Dark edit," you mutter.
She snorts softly. "I'm serious. What does the future hold for us? What kind of life can we have?"
You're not sure. You're not really sure people like you or her get happy endings. Maybe you'll help Virginia accumulate enough power that no one can hurt either of you ever again. Maybe you'll destroy and consume each other. Maybe you'll find an equilibrium here on the edge of abyss. Maybe you'll grow stronger, so strong that you can do anything.
"Everything will be alright as long as we're together," you whisper back.
She grips your arm like you're the only one left who can save her.
Then you're asleep.
It's an eternity that's over in a second. When you open your eyes everything is still. Unnaturally still. You sit up in bed, recognizing that you're in the dream world but it's not Red. It's different, desaturated, but not full of hate and danger.
You feel human fear. You feel… hollow. Something's missing.
Candi shivers beside you in bed. "K-Kyle…please…" she mutters. Dreaming. Maybe a nightmare. It's hard to say with her. You stroke her hair and pull the covers up over her shoulders. "Please…" she whimpers again.
You get out of bed and open the door. The runs around the door glow faintly, echoing a powerful light spilling from the living room downstairs.
You hear nothing. Mom isn't crying anymore.
Down the stairs you go. They creak softly with each step. At the bottom you look into the living room and see a place which is not your living room. It's bigger, the couch is taller somehow, roots and vines entwined around its legs, wrapping together to form a woven high back. A throne. Virginia sits here.
"Hello, sugar. I was hopin you'd show up." She's not human. Not entirely. Her eyes glow with the same cold light of the runes. Her teeth are sharp and she's sporting deer-like antlers. Ringing her head is a halo, floating just above the antlers. The halo is the source of the light in this room.
You can't help but stare. She crosses her legs and props a cheek on her palm, watching you back. Bellbottoms and cloven hooves. Long, sharp talons and rose-tinted glasses.
"You look different," you say, trying not to sound afraid as you enter the room.
"You like it?" She looks herself over. "I think it's a bit much." She lights up a cigarette as you come to a halt, looking up at her. "Bad habits," she says of the cigarette. "Ain't that somethin?"
You look around, unable to shake that feeling that something is missing. The Pale Thing.
"Oh, your little friend?" VIrginia plucks the thought like a thread from a frayed blanket. "I thought maybe you'd like to talk without him creepin around," she says.
"Where is it?"
She gestures vaguely around. "Ain't here. When you wake up it'll be back though." She blows smoke, changing topics. "I had a long talk with our sister."
You're confused for a second before you realize she means Candi.
"She told me about what happened to you. The whole thing. Told me what she did. Told me what you did."
You don't remember any of it, of course. Other than Dad crushing your skull. The pain radiating form your head. Paralysis. Death. Then fire.
"Candi doesn't normally open up to people," you say, unable to mask your jealousy.
Virginia's eyes flash amusement and she smiles. "Except you, right?"
"Except me."
"No surprise there given what she did. What yall went through," Virginia says. She looks sympathetic. Truly sympathetic. "I don't know how things went so bad for your family, but I swear on my life, Honey, I will make that rat bastard pay for everything he ever did to yall." Her eyes narrow behind her glasses, flashing with hate.
"That makes two of us," you say.
Virginia nods, tapping her claws on the arm of her throne idly. "You saw I fixed your mama."
"Yeah."
"Candi really got her good," Virginia says, sounding impressed. "Burned her right down to the roots. She's a natural. A hell of a lot more talented than I was at her age. She keeps it up and maybe she'll be gunnin for my job someday." There's a certain edge to Virginia's voice. Anger? Worry? Jealousy? Hard to say.
"Your job? You mean being a Vessel?"
Virginia nods, her halo remaining parallel to the ground even as her head moves. "It'd take some doing," she says. "Like killin me for starters." Virginia grins deviously. "But, I think she's capable of that, don't you?"
You don't answer that.
Virginia dismisses the question with a wave of her hand. "But that ain't why I wanted to talk to you, sugar." She gets off her throne and descends a couple steps to you, hooves tapping softly on stone tile floor. She reaches you and puts a hand on your shoulder. "I fixed your mama," she says again.
"Yeah, you said that."
"And I wanted to ask if you want me to fix you too."
You blink, stunned by the question. "Fix me?"
She nods. "Undo what your sister did to you. Get you back to… well, as human as we can make you. I can't do it now, but I can get rid of your spiritual parasite, get you back like you were. Close enough anyway."
You stare at her, trying to process all that. "What's the catch?"
"Everything you got from that thing, the Pale Thing, that's all gone when it goes. No power, no strength, no blood lust." She says this slowly, making the it sound like this is a very big deal. And maybe it is.
"What about Candi?" you ask. "Can you fix her too?"
Virginia looks less certain. "I can try, honey. But her damage ain't all supernatural if you understand what I mean." A pause. "And it ain't something I can do nice and easy. You see, you got a great big gaping hole right here." She touches your chest. "Somethin's gotta go there. Gonna take a lot of power."
"You're talking about a soul," you say.
She nods slightly. "Nearabout. Like for like. A life for a life. But not just any life."
"So what are you driving at?" you say, tired of the half-speak. "What's the deal here?"
She takes a breath. "We find someone powerful, someone potent, we take their soul and we burn it, use it to fix you up. Force that thing out of you and get you whole again." A pause. "If that's what you want, baby."
Strangely, you're not sure that is what you want. Yeah, you've got a literal black abyss for a heart or whatever, but that's what let you get through what you got through. That stuff is a part of you now. Sure, it's likely going to make any chance of an normal life impossible. But maybe that's what you want. Maybe you'd rather have power than stability.
Then again, you think about what Candi said, about a happy ending. You feel like if the Pale Thing were here it would say you two are spiraling the drain. Maybe you get enough momentum to break free, or maybe you both just drag each other to Hell. Fixing the tatters of your soul might be the only way to be rid of the hunger that follows you everywhere.
Is that hunger who you want to be?
>I want you to fix us
>I don't want to go back
>Write in
>>6272108As anti climatic as expected. Why does losing that vote make me upset?
>>6272113>I don't want to go back>But I'd rather not be so schizophrenic either.Basically that "put the Pale Thing in it's place/Absorb it" idea that was discussed a while back.
>>6272113>I want you to fix us.
>>6272113>>I want you to fix us
>>6272110>>6272142>I don't want to go backWhat happened to Kyle, happened. Fixing things just papers over the cracks and strips him of power. The damage to Candi isn’t just supernatural either.
>Write inSupport subjugation of the Pale Thing. The thing betrayed Kyle.
>>6272113So we would need to capture a powerful Lake Thing Cult member. Possibly even the head honcho himself. Grind their soul up and snort it. Candi's damage isn't all supernatural, its not as bad? Hopefully she would need a soul that isn't as powerful? Maybe Chip since he does have some power. Then see the Cult destroyed, get away with it, and save Ellen ideally.
That lady we killed who had her own altar at home and turned into a fish monster after she died was probably pretty strong, but shes dead. A good candidate might be that one lady who clearly bargained for youth which made her kinda fishy lookin? Or maybe that guy whose skull Kyle crushed, he got juiced up to survive, got juiced up to turn into a strong goon. Hope for some other cultists that are secretly powerful enough, maybe if the Veil is thin at their house that would be a sign they have their own altar and a decent amount of power.
But can we get away with grabbing them? We would want permission, or a solid plan with an alibi.
If theres another 'traitor' that the father needs us to take care of that might do it. If we can show that someone has their own altar maybe that would be enough to make them a traitor? They went around the big gathering where everyone is supposed to work things out, so maybe? Or is that okay as long as he doesn't think they are planning to overthrow him because its what the Lake Thing wants.
Killing them all one by one would be rough. Chip I think did want to overthrow his father after he established himself with the gangster stuff, which could have turned into a civil war? But we would have had to work things out with him and not kill him until the end?
Or wait until they all gather up in the underground cult room, turn into the sacred form, and kill them all before they can summon the Lake Thing to save them. So I culling them a bit first would certainly help. Plus as much help as we can get.
If we could poison the koolaid that would be funny, but how many could we actually kill. If we use the drugs that Chip traffics could we blame it on him.
>>6272113>>I want you to fix us
>Put the Pale Thing in it's place/Fix us
I'm gonna do a thing
>Writing
It's unsustainable. No matter how you cut it, you can't stay like this forever. But… you also can't go back. Even if what Virginia says is true, you'll never be who you used to be. That person is almost entirely gone. Only shreds remain.
"I don't want to go back." you say.
Virginia nods.
"But I don't want to be a slave to this thing either," you continue.
Virginia gives you a curious look. "Baby, the hunger… that's a part of what you are."
"I need to have control. I don't need to be bargaining with myself every time the Pale Bitch gets peckish."
Virginia hesitates, looks sympathetic. "I'm… not sure that's possible, sugar. You want your cake and to eat it to. I'm not sure we can do that."
Anger comes over you. It's not supernatural anger this time, you're just pissed. "What the fuck is the point of God-like power if you can't grant me this? What the hell did I save you for?"
Virginia grits her teeth, eyes flashing. "I am tryin to help you, honey."
"Seems like you're mostly just crashing on my couch, fucking with my sister, and giving me lots of reasons why you can't help me."
Now she's mad. "I told you that there are limits, baby! I can't snap my fingers and make the sun rise in the west! It don't work like that!"
"Sure, there's a cost, right? So what would it cost to give me power and control? To give me a chance of living my life without spiraling out."
Virginia seems like she's about to keep arguing but she draws herself short, seems to calm down a little. "You're real lucky I like you, honey. Real lucky. But don't push it." A pause. "I can't promise you anything. But…"
"But?"
"Might be we just need a bigger power source. Maybe we could get you exactly what you want." She looks away. She sounds very reluctant.
"Bigger power source?" You think. "You're talking about the Thing in the Lake."
She nods, still not looking at you. "If there's any way to do it, that would be the way. Sacrifice a god and get the best of both worlds. You subjugate your spiritual tapeworm but keep the fringe benefits."
"So why aren't you jumping at that option?"
She looks at you again. "Ain't it obvious? Lake Thing's strong. Stronger than I am." She says this with a lot of reluctance and bitterness. "Lake Cult aside, that Thing's magic is high octane jet fuel. Sure, there's a price to be paid, but it's got plenty of ways to make other folks pay. I don't have a single solitary idea how we can kill it in a way that matters."
Your spirits fall a little. Kill a god for power and control, sacrifice power for control, abandon control for power. Not really uplifting options. Still… you're not one to shy away from a challenge. Even a possibly lethal one.
"Alright," you say. "If that's the price, then that's what I'll pay." You pause again. "What about Candi?"
Virginia shakes her head. "Yall are tied together. What happens to one will reflect on the other. I don't know what that means for this. Never been done." She sighs, tapping a hoof and folding her arms. Her cigarette bobs as she speaks. "Reckon we'll find out. Or we'll all burn together, won't we, baby?"
"Yeah."
"But what's wrong with Candi ain't something I can stitch back together. Not entirely. She's just…" Virginia trails off.
"She's just like that," you say. Broken.
She nods, then glances at you. "Don't that bother you?"
"What?"
"What she is."
You think about it and then shake your head. "She's my sister."
Virginia studies you for a moment, opens her mouth, then closes it. She reconsiders whatever she was going to say. "You take good care of her." It's a command, not a comment.
You wonder if chaining your sister in the basement counts as "taking good care of her." You decide to keep quiet.
"It'll be sunup soon," Virginia says. "Got plans?"
"I've got to dig up Dad. Move him where the cops won't find him." You'll probably just call out of work.
She makes a face. "Well… you have fun with that." She turns around, starts back for her throne. "Reckon I'll let you get some sleep then. Less you wanted to stay and boogie with me."
>Let's dance
>Some other time
>Something else (Write in)
>>6272497>Seethe a little more. Bring up Ken out of no where. How weird he is now. Could he be a Vessel and would it be useful to have a... test subject?
>>6272497Fuck it
>Let's dance
>>6272497>>Some other time
>>6272497>Let's danceWe're all having a rough time, we deserve to dance a bit. Then maybe still have that date plan after we dig up and rebury our father. A perfect day.
>>6272497>Let's danceMainly to compensate for Kyle's bitching.
"Let's dance."
Mirror balls and disco lights. The music comes from everywhere and nowhere. You're getting pretty used to this now and Virginia feels good in your arms.
"Your sister sure was mad," Virginia says, grinning into your eyes as you dance.
"Yeah," you say. "I might have to chain her up when I'm away."
Virginia raises an eyebrow. "Business or pleasure?"
"My business is always a pleasure," you say.
Virginia laughs and you give her a little twirl. "You sure are somethin. At least you smoothed things over with her, right?"
Hmm. Not really.
Virginia reads this on your face and frowns. "Oh, Kyle. You're playin with fire, sugar."
"Seems on brand for me. Keeps me warm."
Virginia seems less amused. "She's really crazy for you, honey. I mean it."
Emphasis on the crazy.
"I know," you say. "I'm not going to hurt her."
Virginia shrugs a little. "Yall's little family drama ain't none of my business, cept I'm counting on you and her to get shit done. Can't be havin dissent in the ranks, dig?"
It must be tough running a cult. Especially one with such a fucked up base of support. "Yeah, I dig. I said I'm not going to hurt her. She's always been like this. She'll be alright."
"That why she had to call you home?" She asks.
You give her a look. "Call me home?"
Virginia sighs. "Just don't push her too far, alright, honey?"
"Sure."
"Now," Virginia's joy returns to her face. "No more talkin. Let's boogie."
When you wake up you still have a 4/4 beat echoing in your head and smell cigarettes. Though that might be real. The sun is starting to come up, filtering in through the curtains.
Candi rolls over, laying her head on you. "Had a bad dream," she says.
You put an arm around her, rubbing her back casually, distracted. You feel it. The Pale Thing is back, lurking in the shadowy recesses of your mind. It's keeping quiet for now, probably aware that you seem to have the power to banish it. Maybe you two should try to find a way to get along. Or maybe it really should be afraid for all the shit it's put you through.
"Kyle?"
"What?"
Candi lifts her head, eyes bleary. "Don't you have work?"
You sigh. It's just not happening today. You get out of bed, get your phone and call as you head downstairs, the air cold on your skin.
"Yeah," you say when there's an answer. "This is Kyle Mercer. I'm not going to be in today. I'm sick. I think it's the flu."
"Thank you for letting us know. Oh, I have a message from Mr. Truesdale for you." She means Chip. There's a long pause. "H-he wants to let you know that… if you miss work again we'll have to let you go."
"Again like, one more time after this?" You ask.
"I-I believe so."
"Alright, well I'm sick today for sure. We'll see tomorrow." You hang up.
At the bottom of the steps you peer out through the dining room window at the barn. Today you're moving Dad.
"Mornin, baby," Virginia says. She's looking your body over. Right, you have permanent guests now so walking through the house naked probably needs to stop. "Who do I talk to about food? I mean real food. Food that don't talk back." She grins.
"Mom," you say. As if summoned, she emerges from Dad's room, looks at you, gasps and looks away.
"Jesus Christ, Kyle! Put some clothes on!" Mom blurts. "What the hell is the matter with you!?"
"Make breakfast," you tell Mom, then go back upstairs to dress, moving past a chuckling Virginia.
Candi is getting dressed, adjusting her bra when you walk in. She looks up at you. "No work?"
"No."
She sits at her computer, snaps open a tube of lipstick–black–and starts applying it.
You button your jeans and look at her. "Streaming?"
She smacks her lips at her video reflection. "Nope. I've got a date today."
You stare at her until she finally meets your eyes. "No, you're helping me."
"Uh, no. I've got a date."
"We're moving Dad," you say, desperately clinging to your patience.
"You move Dad. You killed him, you move him." She doesn't even look at you.
You walk over and yank the power cable out of the back of her monitor. It comes out easily, wasn't bolted in or anything.
"Hey!" She looks up at you, eyes flashing defiance. She opens her mouth but stops. For a moment you see something gratifying in her eyes. Fear.
You stare down silently at her for a few moments. "You're the one who led the Worm here," you say finally, voice low and cold. "You're the one who flirted with the cop. You're the reason I killed Dad."
She listens to all this, expression pointedly neutral. Unreadable.
"Now get up, get dressed, and get ready or I am going make you regret it," you say.
For a moment you think Candi will refuse. Finally she sighs and stands up. "Fine. Whatever. Asshole."
You watch her cross the room, open the closet and start rifling through her clothes.
"Don't have to be a dick about it," she mutters.
You don't rise to the bait and instead dress and go downstairs.
Breakfast is ready in minutes.
"I made pancakes," Mom explains, looking at you. "That was your favorite, right?"
You ignore her and eat. Your favorite now is the blood of the unwilling… but these pancakes are pretty good too.
Virginia is here too, chowing down, soaking her pancakes in cheap, fake maple syrup and making orgasmic sounds as she chews. "This beats the hell outta venison!" She laughs, stuffing her mouth.
Mom smiles back nervously.
Candi comes down a short while later, still wearing her makeup but otherwise dressed more conservatively, jeans and a tee. "Still being an asshole?" she asks you as she sits.
"You don't fucking stop, do you?" you growl as you swallow your food.
Candi shrugs and eats too.
When people start finishing you look at Mom. "We're moving Dad."
"Moving…" she stops and looks up at you, horrified.
"So the cops don't find him," you explain. "And you're helping."
Mom looks at Candi and then Virginia, as if seeking support. Virginia looks bemused, Candi pitiless. Mom sags. "Alright."
The three of you meet at the barn. Mom hands you and Candi paper dust masks and latex gloves. You hand Candi a shovel and take one yourself. You enter the barn, past the spot where Dad shattered your skull, and find the stall he's buried in. Sweeping aside moldy straw, you start digging.
You trade off with Candi, and Candi trades off with Mom. Finally your shovel strikes something hard. Bone.
Mom gasps and covers her mouth.
"Oh gross," Candi covers her mouth, despite the mask. A stink of old decay seems to linger here. It shouldn't, it's been years. But it stinks all the same. Mom staggers away and throws up outside. You can see Candi is barely keeping it together.
"Go wait with Mom," you say finally.
Your sister looks grateful and leaves.
You work alone, shifting earth, exposing black garbage bags wrapped around a bony heap. You drag it free, the stink rapidly dissipating. You find yourself staring down at the remains hidden in the plastic. Funny to think that these bones caused you so much pain. Funny to think these bones were once a child Virginia knew.
"And now," you whisper to yourself, "you're fucking worm food."
Setting to work, you re-wrap the bags with a plastic drop cloth, spinning it around and around like a spider cocooning a fly. Then you seal it with duct tape. Now it's time to take it somewhere else. The Pines are deep, no one will find him way out at Virginia's old circle. Candi will help you, whether she wants to or not. But what about afterward?
You've got some things still to take care of. That strange woman you met at the Lake Party, Selena, she wanted to talk. You've got time now, assuming you can trust Candi alone.
>Chain her up, show her you're serious, then go meet Selena.
>Take your sister out on a date. Show her a nice time.
>Trust Candi on her own, go meet Selena
>Something else (Write in)
>>6272967>Take your sister out on a date. Show her a nice time
>>6272967>Chain her up, show her you're serious, then go meet Selena.
>>6272967>Take your sister out on a date. Show her a nice timeI still want Kyle to say that he'd kill Lawrence. Will there be an Annie lewd btw?
>>6273130>Annie lewdI was planning on it unless players don't want me to bother.
>>6273176Im asking because I do want you to bother, please and thank you with sugar on top.
>>6272967>>Chain her up, show her you're serious, then go meet Selena.
>>6272967>Take your sister out on a date. Show her a nice time.
>>6272967>>Trust Candi on her own, go meet Selena
>Take your sister out on a date. Show her a nice time>>6272981>>6273130>>6273299Writing
If you had the kind of Mom who gave you advice she probably would have said something like "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar! And she would have been wrong. Also, Candi is far more to you than a fly.
>>6273178>please and thank you with sugar on top.I'll make it happen when I get a bit of free time. Just for you.
You drag Dad out of the barn, the plastic sheeting trailing through the dust. Your Mom and sister stand outside, watching as mute witnesses. You stop and stare back at them. The shattered remains of the Mercer family, a family bloodline which–god willing–dies with you and Candi. A frayed string, the ends tied into a knot. A snake eating its own tail.
"Help me," you say to Candi.
She pouts. "Make Mom do it."
Mom flashes an unhappy glance at your sister, sighs, and steps forward. "Fine, I'll–"
"No," you say, staring at your sister. "You."
"Oh come on! I just did my fucking makeup! I'm already all dirty and sweaty. You want me to get Dad bone dust on me and then go wandering around in the woods?" She snarls.
"Yes."
Candi lets out a loud, exasperated noise. You're really buttering her up. "Fine," she says through gritted teeth, picking up the other end of the Dad Bag. Together you start for the woods, Candi following your direction.
"He'd better eat good pussy," Candi mutters, hopefully about Lawrence, making sure it's loud enough that you hear.
You sigh silently and lead her deep into the woods. It's a long trip, longer because your sister keeps whining and pausing to catch her breath. Finally you arrive at the stone circle.
"Holy shit," Candi says, looking around at it in amazement.
You start digging as she wanders around, anger forgotten. She touches the stones, eyes the charred marks, your dried blood, everything. "This is where… She was trapped?"
"Yeah." The shovel bites soft, black earth again and again as you work.
"Wow," Candi says. She hesitates at the perimeter, apparently unwilling to go any farther. She wraps her arms around herself and suppresses a shiver. "That must have been… really really lonely."
"Yeah." You keep working.
"I'm glad she's out," Candi says, directing it at you.
You pause, wiping sweat from your forehead. "Me too."
Candi comes back to you, leaning back against a rock and watching you work. She frowns petulantly, arms still crossed. "Was she good?"
"Was who good?"
"Annie," Candi spits the name.
You sigh. "Candi, lay off, okay?"
"So she was."
You spear the shovel into the ground beside the Dad Bag and walk over to Candi. She seems to shrink against the stone as you loom over her. "I don't want to hear anything else about it," you say softly. You pant your hands on either side of her head, pinning her. "Got it?"
"Yeah," she looks away. "Whatever."
"Your turn to dig."
She pushes past you with a huff and takes over at the shovel.
It's hard work, but you two switch off until you have a whole deep enough for the Dad Bag. You kick it in. Candi spits on it. "Rest in piss, fucker."
You chuckle and start shoveling earth back over it. This part is easy. Once it's buried you stop the dirt flat, scatter some moss and dried deer bones over it. Overhead, the sky clouds up, rumbling ominously. You look up at it. "Let's get back."
It's late afternoon by the time all that's done. Rain begins to fall the moment you're both back inside.
"Get cleaned up," you tell your sister. "Get dressed. Do your makeup."
She pauses on the stairs, giving you a strange look. "What? Why?"
"Just do it," you reply. Your cold tone becomes mocking. "You know how to look pretty, don't you?"
Candi glares at you, rolls her eyes, and then obeys. Of course she does.
While she gets ready, you do too. Quick shower, change of clothes. You tuck the bong and some weed into a bag and put it in the Eagle. An hour later your sister is ready.
Makeup immaculate, black pleather dress, choker, heavy boots. "Ta da," she says. "Now what? Am I bait for Chip or something?"
Not a mental image you wanted before the date.
"No. We're going out." You hold the front door open for her.
Mom watches you balefully from the living room, saying nothing, probably lamenting all her life choices that led to this moment.
Virginia is… where is she? You look around the living room. "Where's Virginia?" You ask Mom.
She shakes her head. "I think she went out."
Not helpful. Well, you'll have to assume Virginia can handle herself. You go get int he Eagle. Candi is already in the passenger seat.
"Where are we going?" she asks. She sounds nervous. Maybe a little afraid. Maybe she's wondering if you've finally decided to act out your darkest fantasies. Not quite.
"Edenvale," you say, backing out of the driveway and purring onto the road.
"Edenvale?"
"There's a drive in theater there," you say. "Conveniently they play monster movies at night."
Candi gawks at you, dumbfounded. Then, shock gives away to amusement. Her eyes glitter in the dark. "Oh my gosh," she says. "Are you actually taking your literal sister on a date?" She starts laughing.
You give her a look, unamused. "Not too late for me to chain you up instead," you say.
Her laughter tapers off. "Ah. Nah. It's fine. No, I think it' sweet." She leans over, hugging your arm, her head resting on your shoulder. "We don't hang out enough. You and me. And fucking doesn't count," she adds quickly.
"Right."
"So, what's after the movie? Dinner? Gonna take me out for steak?" She teases, sticking her tongue out at you.
>If you want
>I figure we'd get high and hang out
>We could kill someone
>Write in
>>6273348<3
>>6273368>No spoilers. (Get high, hang out and kill someone)Something like this would be fun I imagine.
>>6273368>I figure we'd get high and hang outGet high in the car parked somewhere
Though if we do end up with killing, maybe do the killing and cleanup before we get high lol
>>6273368>>I figure we'd get high and hang out
>>6273366>How bout grab burgers, pick up some ketamine, then pick up a human sacrifice for our god?
You reach over and tap her nose. "You'll see."
She first looks surprised at your display of affection, then grumpy. Candi hates surprises. This makes you enjoy them more. She eyes you warily. "Just don't get my dress dirty." She turns away and looks out the window.
You drive on in silence.
Edenvale is a thirty minute drive away. It's kind of like Roselake but without the lake and smaller. If Roselake were to ever become too mainstream, Edenvale would be the place the "in" crowd would go.
You pass a few (closed) antique stores and art galleries in the short downtown before you reach the Starlite Drive-in on the outskirts.
It's nearly deserted. Only a handful of cars are here. You pay the kid at the gate and roll in. "Want some popcorn?" You ask your sister.
She shrugs.
You park the Eagle and shut off the engine. The rumble stops. You affix the window speaker and the movie begins.
[b]The Creature's Eye[/b]
The title flashes up in a zappy, outrageous font. It's black and white. A shrill, orchestral score tells you that you should [i]definitely[/i] be scared.
Candi sits up straighter. This is her jam.
You only partly watch the movie. Mostly you watch your sister. Her eyes are wide, almost unblinking. They reflect the high-contrast whites and grays of the film. Shadow and light plays over her features, shining on her painted lips and the reflective material of her dress
Reaching over, you drape an arm across her shoulders.
She hardly seems to notice.
"[i]That horrible shrieking![/i]" The film's heroine bemoans. "[i]Why won't it stop!?[/i]" She pulls at her hair in terror.
"Because it's coming for you," Candi whispers to herself, her lips pulling into a sadistic grin.
You're not sure that you're supposed to empathize with the Creature. But who are you to argue with your sister?
She grins even wider when the heroine screams and swoons at the sight of the monster toward the climax of the film.
You're staring at your sister's lips. Soft, full, dark.
You lean towards her only to stop, hesitating.
Candi turns and looks at you, surprised. Her eyes shine in the dark.
Neither one of you looks away.
"[i]You've got to stop this! You've got to stop it![/i] The hero of the film demands.
You reluctantly obey, turning away from Candi and finishing the film.
"That was pretty good," she says afterwards as if she hadn't caught her brother trying to kiss her a moment ago. "I'll have to pick up that one on DVD. I liked the Creature design."
You watch the handful of other cars pull out of the drive-in one by one. "Yeah."
"What now?" Candi asks. Is it just your imagination or… does she sound excited? Is your sister enjoying her sibling date? Obviously she is.
"Burgers."
You're living like it's 1957. Drive-in movie and then an All-American greasetrap outside Edenvale. It's not a chain, it's one of those weird retro fast food places. The kind where the waitresses wear roller skates and they cook the fries in animal fat instead of oil.
You watch a waitress sail by, skates hissing on pavement. Her long braid swings behind her, matching the swish of her skirt. A familiar hunger starts to well up inside of you. Until you glance over and see Candi frowning at you jealously.
You're only supposed to want to kill [i]her[/i].
Burgers, fries, and shakes are next.
"Fuck," Candi says, struggling to cram the monster burger into her mouth. "That's a good fucking burger."
You eat silently and nod. "How are things going with Virginia?" you ask.
She gives you a look. "It's been like, one day."
You shrug. The question stands.
"Actually… pretty good." She says this with her mouth full before she swallows. "She gets me, you know? Doesn't make me feel weird about… everything. Ever felt like you've known someone your whole life?"
Yes. You have.
"It's like that," she says. "I mean… I guess in a way I've been praying to her and stuff. She's been making me stronger but…It's just weird being able to … tell someone stuff." She fidgets with the hem of her dress, tugging nervously. She slurps her milkshake.
You both finish your meals and then you're off again, this time to somewhere remote. A gravel pull-off on the edge of a wooded hill on the freeway.
You shut the engine down and open the glove box, taking out the bong. "Want to?"
She grins. "Yeah."
You take turns taking hits from the bong. Soon you're both very pleasantly stoned. It's nice. Warm. Soft. Like your sister's thighs. Or her lips. You're looking at both now.
Or like blood. The kind pulsing through your sister's veins. Or someone elses'.
Candi's staring at you. She laughs. "What's up?'
>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this time
>I'm thinking about your body. Your blood
>I was thinking we could go kill someone. You know, for fun
>Write in
>>6274668>>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this time
>>6274668>I'm thinking about your body. Your blood.Then depending on how it goes either:
>Let's go kill someone. You know, for fun.Or:
>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this timeWhichever feels right.
>>6274668>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this time
>>6274668>>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this time
>>6274668>I was thinking we could go kill someone. You know, for fun.
>>6274668>Kiss her, don't let her pull away this time
>Kiss your sister
Man, how did it end up like this?
Writing
There's no need for words. She knows what's up. You reach over, cup the back of your sister's head, and lean in to kiss her.
Candi tenses, stiffens, starts to pull back but you're stronger than she is. Tightening your grip on her head, you pull her in and your lips meet hers.
"Mmmh!" She grabs your leg, fingers squeezing, eyes wide.
Her lips are tense, trembling.
You don't relent. You give in and you make sure she comes with you. You kiss your sister.
Candi relaxes a little, stops fighting back actively. Her lips are soft, yielding. It's good. Feels like a victory. Makes you want more. Makes you want to sink deeper, keep eating, never stop until—
After a moment she breaks the kiss, though you maintain your grip on her, keeping her face inches for yours. In that moment her guard is down. Her eyes search yours, glistening in the dark.
"Kyle," She whispers. "This is so fucked up." A rare moment of lucidity from your sister.
You smile. "I don't care. Do you?"
She hesitates. "No."
You kiss her again. She tastes like weed and lipstick. She doesn't exactly kiss you back, but she doesn't stop you either. She takes it, still stiff in your arms.
This time you break the kiss, frustrated with your sister. She'd still holding back. Despite everything she's clinging to what was instead of surrendering to what can be.
"What are you afraid of?" You whisper, staring into her pale eyes.
She stares back into yours. She's trembling. "Disappearing."
You shake your head. "You're a part of me. I'm a part of you. We won't disappear."
She doesn't argue with you, just continues to stare at you.
This time when you kiss her she surrenders completely. Her tongue finds yours. Her hands entwining in your hair. It feels like coming home. You spend an interminable amount of time making out with your sister, reveling in the way it makes you feel, good and bad. It's exactly what you've been longing for.
You catch her lower lip between your teeth and trail your tongue across the soft skin.
She whimpers into your mouth and you release her.
Both of you are panting, staring into one another's eyes, one of the final rules broken. Two remain.
"What now?" she whispers, voice quavering with fear and nerves.
You can think of a lot of things you'd like to do now. Your appetites are intersecting in ways that are probably unhealthy.
>Eat your own tail (Lewd)
>I want blood (Kill)
>Just this (Kiss her until you have your fill)
>Write in
>>6274995>Eat your own tail (Lewd)Plus passionate kissing and non debilitating blood drinking? Sating all those intersecting appetites the inner monologue mentioned.
>>6274995>Eat your own tail (Lewd)Coming Home
https://youtu.be/8CbpYqBJ9T8
>>6274995>Just this (Kiss her until you have your fill)
>>6274995>>Eat your own tail (Lewd)
>>6274995>I want blood (Kill)
>>6274995>Eat your own tail (Lewd)
>Eat your own tail (Lewd)>>6275141>>6275244>>6275333>>6275582Writing
>>6275244>SongHell yes
There's a voice in your head which wants you to really partake. You know, consanguinity and all that. I'm not so sure that's a good idea though, are you? Who knows what will happen when you open your sister's vein and taste her for the first time.
You might not be able to stop. She might not want you to stop.
Maybe some other time… maybe soon.
Instead, you reach down, running your hand along your sister's thighs, inching her dress up. She knows what you want and doesn't stop you. Of course, you stick to the other two rules as you rut like animals in the car. She lets you kiss her though. She even kisses you back.
The scent of sex hangs heavy in the Eagle when you reach home again hours later. You spent all day screwing around. First re-burying your stupid Dad and then burying yourself in your sister. A productive day from a certain point of view.
Candi doesn't speak on the entire drive back. She lost something today. Or maybe she gained something. Or maybe you gained something. Who can really say?
When you shut off the engine she gets out and goes inside. No goodnight kiss.
Mom is asleep. Virginia is on the couch, smoking at watching TV. She winks at you. "Yall have fun?"
"Tons." You're too tired to do more than follow Candi upstairs and join her in bed.
You have to go to work tomorrow. No choice. At least to maintain appearances a little longer. So you do.
Hunter and the other guys seem unconcerned with your long absence, but a nervous guy from the office tells you that they have zero-tolerance policy for no-call no-show. You sort of listen, then you Saw. The sweet keening of that blade was one of the only things you missed.
As you watch the hypnotic, spinning disc, you think about the future.
You've still got to start killing Chip's friends. You promised Candi you'd do it and she's going to hold you to it. You'll do that tonight. No more delays. Chip's friends are going to start having accidents.
That thought keeps you going through the shift until finally you're back home.
Virginia and Candi are watching TV in the living room. Candi is in pajamas. So is Virginia. You recognize them as Candi's clothes. They're a little short on her.
"Welcome home, Boogie Man!" Virginia calls.
Mom is in the kitchen cleaning.
You join the ladies on the couch. They scooch to make room for you in the middle. Feels nice, like an occult chick sandwich. They're watching Candi's movies. The Thing From Beneath. You think. Honestly they all kind of blur together.
Candi glances at you but says nothing else. She's still a little shaken from your makeout session you think. She'll get over it.
"How was work?" Virginia asks.
"Fine. I'm going to kill someone tonight."
She raises an eyebrow and gives you a playful smirk. "For me?"
You shake your head. "No, this is for me and Candi."
"Ain't that somethin." She keeps watching TV.
Candi still says nothing.
"Well, I reckon it's time I start making some moves," Virginia says. "Don't you think?"
"Like what?"
"Like rebuilding the cult, sugar!"
Ah yeah, that's a thing.
"Candi's chimps are nice and all, but I want somethin a little more old fashioned."
"Simps," Candi corrects softly, but Virginia doesn't seem to hear.
"How do we do that?" You say. "I mean, how did you do it last time?"
"Find hurting people," she says, more seriously. "People with nothin left to lose, willin to try anything. More importantly, people who want a second start. People who want to do somethin good." From her tone, she isn't looking to exploit. She seems to genuinely want to help.
You nod.
"I got you two," Virginia says. "It's a start, but we need a couple more. Once we get a handful we can start doing services. Ceremonies. Rituals."
"How do you convince people to join?"
"Find what they need, what they want, and give it to em. That's how I got you two, ain't it?"
Indirectly, but you see her point.
"We need to start with people we can trust," Virginia says. "A little core group. Yall know anyone?"
"Lawrence," Candi suggests.
"Who?"
Your sister hesitates, give you a look. "He's… my friend."
"Sure! Anyone else?"
God, Lawrence in the cult? How insufferable. You hate that idea. I mean, a worshiper is a worshiper, but Candi is really playing with fire here. Or is she? Maybe she just sees Lawrence as a resource. Something to be used.
You think of the handful of people you know. It would be an awkward conversation, but you suspect you could recruit some of your friends. Doesn't have to be just one either, could be all or none or a combo of people.
>Ralphie, your dealer
>Hunter, your co-worker
>Annie, your friend
>Write in
>>6275677>Ralphie, your dealerOur best buddy. If hes there we can get some stuff, and hopefully anyone that doesn't stick around thinks they were just really high on something in the food and drinks.
Annie will be around when shes ready. Unless Kyle wants to take her suggesting Lawrence as another barb to get a reaction, but I'm pretty sure thats not what she intends here.
Or maybe she and Virginia want more of a Stranger in a Strange Land kind of Church lol
>>6275677>Ralphie, your dealerDrug dealers are amazing networkers.
>>6275677>>Hunter, your co-worker
>>6275677>Ralphie, your dealer
>>6275677>>Ralphie, your dealer
"Ralphie," you say.
"Ralphie?" Candi asks and you nod. She doesn't sound incredulous. She sounds pleased. She likes Ralphie.
Oh right. She likes Ralphie. Two guys who want to fuck your sister. Great start to the cult so far. At least she's not the kind of priestess who takes off her clothes, right?
"He's our dealer," Candi says, smiling at Virginia. "Nice guy."
"We take all kinds, honey," Virginia says. "That's great. Lawrence and Ralphie," Virginia seems to commit the names to memory. "Well, if y'all go talk to them, I bet you can each recruit one and we can all have a little get together. Sort of a welcome, party. Dig?"
You dig. But Candi looks a little too happy about getting to recruit Lawrence.
"No sweat," she says smugly. You sure hope there's no sweat involved in his recruitment.
"How are we going to do that?" you ask, . Somehow you don't think Candi will have any difficulty talking Lawrence into it. Assuming talking is her strategy. Man, you sure think a lot about other dudes railing your sister.
"Use your imagination, sugar," Virginia says, patting your head. "He's your friend, ain't he? Bond with him. I bet he'll trust you. Besides, he's gonna get something out of it,"
Your sister?
"Remember, this ain't a Sunday church revival," Virginia says with no small amount of disdain. "We're doin practical work here. Makin people's lives better. Find out what the boy wants and he can have it."
Your sister?
"Then we get a couple new ambassadors and they get a couple and so on and next thing you know–" Virginia claps her hands. "Bam! We got ourselves a genuine cult!" She wiggles her hips on the couch.
"Sounds easy," Candi says.
"You got the hard job, honey. You're my priestess, you know? People gonna be lookin to you for leadership."
"You're going to make her run things?" You ask.
Virginia gives you a look. "I got my own responsibilities. Just like you do."
"What are mine?" You ask.
"You keep people in line," Candi says, answering for Virginia. "Root out heresy. Stamp out dissent. Destroy those who oppose us." Damn, she said that really quickly and with full sincerity.
Virginia nods. "Thou shalt have no other gods but me, baby." She drapes an arm over your back, turning to lay her head on your shoulder, speaking directly into your ears. "I'm the only one you need to be worshiping."
"No worries there," you say, suppressing a shiver. Enforcer. Inquisitor? Somehow it appeals to you.
Candi's giving Virginia a look that can only be jealousy.
Virginia straights back up. "There's lots more to do. Gonna need a temple, gonna need some goals. Gonna need to deal with those Fishheads at the Lake." She clenches her teeth, her glasses flash in the light of the TV.
Candi nods eagerly. "Kyle and I can do that." You don't know the last time you've seen your sister so focused, so determined. She's really serious about this stuff. She wants to impress Virginia, she wants to please her, she wants to make this work.
Virginia smiles at your sister. "I know, baby. I'm countin on you two."
Now you're just counting down the minutes till nightfall and you and your sister can go kill. You all fall silent, eyes fixed on the screen. Thrills and kills in black and white.
>Put your arm around Candi
>Put your arm around Virginia
>Put your arms around both
>Keep your damn hands to yourself
>Write in
>>6276067>Make a bowl of popcorn.
>>6276067>Put your arms around both
>>6276067>Put your arm around Candi
>>6276067>Put their hands around youCult murder buddies
>>6276067>>Keep your damn hands to yourself>Make a bowl of popcorn.
>>6276067>Put your arm around CandiDo get that popcorn tho.
>>6276067>>Put your arm around Candi
You stand up suddenly, a man compelled.
"Where you off to?" Virginia asks.
"Popcorn."
"Sit down," Candi says. "I'll do it."
Your cold, dead heart is strangely touched by her selfless act. You've got a wonderful sister, especially considering what a pain in her ass you are. You sit back down.
Candi takes a deep breath. "Mom!"
A moment later Mom hurries in. "What? What?"
"Make us popcorn," Candi says, eyes locked on the TV.
"Pretty please," Virginia adds.
Man, Mom looks like she has no idea what the fuck is going on. But at least she doesn't argue. Within minutes you smell hot, buttery goodness.
Mom returns with some bowls and popcorn and passes them out.
You decide to throw her a bone. "Thanks."
She nods stiffly and looks at the TV. "Oh. You're watching your movies."
"Yep," Candi says, munching popcorn. "Now move. You're blocking the TV."
Mom steps aside. "You always loved those," she says.
"It was all you would get us," Candi says. "Cheap ass." She finally looks at Mom. It's not a warm look.
Mom looks both wounded and frightened. She retreats.
"Oh come on, you ain't still sore at her, are you, baby?" Virginia asks.
Candi shrugs. "Wasn't my idea to let her out of the torment nexus." She gives you a little side eye.
Virginia sighs softly and shakes her head. "Darlin, you gotta learn to let things go."
Now Candi's glower is fixed past you and onto Virginia. It seems that your sisters tolerance has limits, even with a demigod. "You really are all about that peace and love shit, huh? I thought maybe it was just a look."
You're a little surprised that your heart skips a beat. Not much scares you. Candi starting shit with her deity still scares you apparently.
Virginia leans back so she can see past your head, looking Candi in the eyes. "You better be polite, honey or might just have to give you a spankin." A pause, then Virginia laughs. It seems natural enough.
Candi still looks cranky but you laugh too.
"Kyle would protect me," your sister says, lightening up a little. She leans into you.
"What do you think, Boogieman? You wanna see your sister get spanked or not?"
"I'm trying to watch the movie," you say, wisely not wading into that one.
Candi leans slightly into you. You lift an arm and drape it over her shoulders, holding her close. She nestles against you deeper.
On your other side, Virginia glances and gives you a knowing grin before going back to the movie. It's a good one.
Maybe it just feels good because it feels like you're finally crawling out of a hole. You've got your sister (sort of) wrapped around your finger like you want, you got a powerful patron who can (probably) help you kick the Truesdale habit, you think you've got a route to keep me out of your hair, and best of all you're going to kill one of Chip's friends tonight. Better than that, you're going to do it with your sister.
She lays her head on your shoulder.
Yeah. You grin at the TV. You can just barely see your ghostly reflection grinning back at you.
Yeah. Things are good.
XXX
Thanks for walking this dark path with me, guys. I'm going to take a little hiatus again for a couple weeks. I've got some IRL tasks that need attention and I need to plan the next arc. I'll be back before long. I'll see you then.
>>6276642Take care Nemesis, cya
>>6276642Hope it goes swimmingly for ya, can't wait for the next one.
>>6276642Life's good indeed. Thanks for running!
>>6276642Take it easy, thanks for running :)
>>6276652>>6276974>>6276983>>6277024Thanks Anons. It's a pleasure to run for you.
