Discord
06-05-2023, 03:33 AM
SUGGEST: CHARACTER ACTION
'Finding a safe place would be smarter than running. Think of the shop.'
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Freaking out won't help. You need to think this through calmly and rationally if you want the best chance of escape.'
fuck
god dammit, man
Docket sloooooowly pulls back,
not shutting the door so as not to make noise,
but getting it almost closed,
backing up on the stairs as quietly as possible.
cant. cant do it.
too risky, need t' think. Hate This
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'You need all the help you can get, try to see us as what we are and not what you fear us to be.'
The chorosy glances back at the present on the stairs.
fine.
screw it.
only cause im over a barrel and this might be like a revolver or somethin
It takes a few steps down, then sits in front of the present.
TO: Docket
FROM: Mort
It lifts the lid off, one glowing eye shut,
revealing a sealed, opaque plastic bag simply labeled 'COOKIES'.
. . .
Docket puts its head in its claws.
...............yea im gonna die here
It leans its head back, eyes closing.
It nearly tosses the cookies across the room,
but pulls back.
The chorosy breathes out, leaning forward with a resigned shoulder shrug,
and bags the cookies in its bag.
maybe whatevers 'bout to try n' gnaw my face off can be distracted with off-brand cookies
maybe monsters like generic flavor.
at least itd be funny 'fore i get mauled or somethin'
RECALL: MEMORY
'Something comforting, preferably opening presents on a birthday, holiday, or other such event.'
Docket stares down at the now-empty present.
In its attempts to quell rising panic, its eyes unfocus . . .
Highways and rivers whizz past the car window.
The flameproof chorosy in the passenger seat stares at the top of the gift box in its lap.
"...How d'you want me t' label this one?"
The car radio faintly plays in the background.
The driver - a moto chorosy - glances over for only a moment, keeping her eyes on the road.
"That th' one to y'r cousin?"
"Uh-huh."
"Auntie Nina's fine." "...He still calls y' Auntie?"
"'Course. Y'r the only one that stopped."
"I'm way too old."
"A seventh grader?"
"Yea, too old."
"Yeaaah, sure."
Docket writes on the label.
"'Kay, got it."
The labeled present is placed into the backseat, where Docket grabs another one.
"...Ain't gotta do that the whole ride home."
"I'd get it done faster."
"Y' got three whole days! C'monnn.
You're always wantin' t' see me when I'm busy with th' shop.
Now I got a day off, and y'r in my car,
and we're not even gonna hang out for a li'l bit?"
"I guuueeessss." It says, feigning disinterest.
"Oh yeah? You guess?" "Uh-huh." "Why's that?"
"Well y'r like. Really, really old;
like seventy... five or somethin'.
Don't wanna hang out with some ol' lady, y'know?"
"Yeah-?"
She reaches over with a claw, her other on the steering wheel, eyes on the road,
and 'ruffles' the chorosy's firefighter helmet.
"HeyhEY--!" "I'm forty-one ya li'l punk!" Docket can't help but giggle, Nina joining in infectiously.
"Y' said you were forty-three last I heard!" "Oh-Well-Now don't listen t' that."
She moves her other hand back to the steering wheel.
"Sometimes I just say things, y'know?" "Uh-huh." "Just comes outta me." "Right."
"...Like I'm possessed-" "PossES--" Docket doubles over, snickering. "Yeah!
Possessed, y'know like those guys on them shows, th' Spirit Mediu-ums--" Nina can hardly keep a straight face either,
starting to crack up again.
"-Alright, alright.
Gotta be serious, can't keep- I'm gon' laugh so hard I tear off the road and kill us both."
"Yea don't- don't do that.
Drive better." "I'll show ya drivin'."
The moment hangs, only faint radio and muffled highway noise.
"...That'd be one hell of a present though, right?" "Oh my GOD."
"'Sorry granny, gramps, I sent us both t' the afterlife-'" "-H-HUSSH--" "'Happy Holidays, get yer cheer on.'"
Docket snorts, busting out laughing, leaning against the window as Nina struggles to contain herself.
"...Ohhh, man."
"Y'r terrible. That ain't even funny." "You love me, ya li'l monster." "Yea that's a likely story. Prove it." "A-pfffft.
I ain't gotta prove-
...Oh, shoot--"
Apparently hearing something, she reaches over and turns the radio up,
starting to snap her claws as the song fades in.
"Ohh, I 'member this one."
"Yeah? Prove it, punk."
"...nah, I'm- I'm not gonna Sing."
She shrugs. "Yer loss."
Nina inhales.
"...Well, you know she ain't the one.
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!" She drums on the steering wheel with her thumbs.
"HOOO!"
"Oh c'monnn, now." Docket rubs the back of its head.
Nina ignores it, continuing.
"Now why you wanna do it dirty?
If it was me, how could ya hurt me?
Oh baby, please, please, please!" Nina taps its helmet. - - "Nnnot gonna sing, forget it."
"How could-you-keep-me down here on my knees?
Well, you know she ain't the one,
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!"
"Can't beliiieve y'r leavin' me hangin' here."
"Nope. No way."
She shrugs. "Suit y'rself. Missin' out."
"Ooh, move daddy, move!
You know my heart's not outta room!
You wanna love that little girl?"
"By all means, honey, do..." - - "...AAAAAAHAHA, knew ya would!" "Hush."
"Well, you know she ain't the one- C'mon, let's hit it."
"He said, Now, lemme take ya out."
"Buy you new appliances." - - "Buy you new appliances."
"I wanna take ya out." - - "I wanna take ya out."
"Better home and sciences." - - "Better- ...shoot--"
"I wanna take ya out!" - - "I wanna take ya out!"
"I wanna meet ya kids." - - "I wanna meet ya kids."
"I wanna take you home, baby--" She points at Docket.
"--tell me where it is." - - Nina gives a thumbs up.
"I come back when I want," - - "I come back when I want,"
"And don't you ask no questions!" - - "And don't you ask no questions!"
"Me and you, forever, baby," - - "Me and you, forever, baby,"
"You and me together, baby!" - - "You and me together, baby!"
"I said I lo--" The smaller chorosy starts laughing again, interrupting the song.
"Nah, c'mon gotta keep it up!" "I'm done!
I'm done, can't take- can't take anymore. I'm gonna keel over!" One last giggle as it regains its composure.
"'Nother time, then."
"Nah, never again."
"Come onnnn." "Nooo, nope. Sung my last."
"...Fun, though, right?" "...maybe juuus' a li'l bit."
Nina gives a long sigh.
"Whoof. ...think I needed that." "...Me too."
The radio station turns over to another song.
Nina reaches over to turn it down.
"Hang on. ...Think I like this." "Yeah?"
She puts her claw back down as Docket nods.
"You got it."
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Take stock of what you have. You're a mechanic, a problem solver.
While running can be a viable solution, doing so without a course of action, or a good bearing on your resources in mind, especially in a strange place,
could wind up putting you in a bad place later on. Also you now have a song stuck in your head, sorry.`
The last radio song thunders in its head.
Docket stands up, rubbing its face, sniffling.
screw it.
not gonna die here. quitter talk.
just gotta stay calm
i got this
A quick breath, and it steps back up to the door, again, leaning through carefully.
...th' front door.
busted in like it is
either its a person and theyve never heard of jus' breakin' a window
or its an animal or creature or somethin', and it probably can't jus' Open a door like a person
if its th' second thing...
It glances to the door across the hall, and the two down the hall.
both intact.
pretty good bet that thing aint thru either of 'em,
unless some other place in here connects to 'em - which... gotta take that chance.
this things probably somewhere else in th' house
probably towards th' front, or... think i remember it's got a second floor
bet its up there
some animals like to be high up right? safer?
...think i remember that
so... i can jus'
move REAL quiet down th' hall
make it thru one o' those doors,
then look for a window, backdoor, whatever some other way outside.
then
if it doesnt hear me
doesnt see me thru a window or the open front door
and it isnt Still Outside by my truck or anything
Then
im golden.
start th' truck, get the Hell outta here
...itll probably come runnin' when the truck's started
maybe, anyway. hopefully the noise'll scare it.
...not like it can outrun a Truck anyway right
It looks back over at the beyond-destroyed front door.
...god i hope not
Docket takes a silent breath,
then steps out the door into the hall.
baby steps
cant go TOO slow - longer im out here the more it could see me
jus'
careful, quiet
It takes steps as Slowly as it possibly can - mindful of the noisy toolbox in its bag -
heading further down the hall,
away from the front door.
dont take th' door right across
further back ones means theyre further away from this thing
should have a harder time hearin' it
It gets to the end of the hall, passing the door on the right.
back one might
lead to a backdoor?
maybe? hopefully?
It reaches for the handle.
Turning it in tiny increments.
...if this is a storage closet im gonna combust--
The door opens.
A small room is inside.
It has a tiny horizontal window - far too small to fit through -
a wooden door on the left,
two sets of bunk beds at opposite walls in the middle of the room,
and a heavy-duty wooden door on the right side, past the bunk beds.
Docket blinks.
. . .
...backdoor.
BACKDOOR.
LOOKS JUST LIKE TH' FRONT DOOR HELL YES- OH GOD STAY QUIET.
It very careful steps inside,
keeping the doorknob turned with one claw as it does so,
before grabbing the knob on the other side of the door.
It pulls the door to a closed position,
the gradually lets the doorknob turn back to closed.
Docket breathes the tiniest sigh of relief,
shaky hands rolling down its face.
It walks to the door at the right,
opening it with care.
A screen door is behind it.
Night-time bugs chitter audibly on the other side.
YES YES YES YES YES I KNEW IT
IM SO GODDAMN SMART
GO TO HELL YA FUCKIN CRYPTID WHATEVER
ok ok alright settle down
The screen door is soon open,
Docket stepping out into the night air, onto some laid stone,
quietly closing both doors behind it.
There's some chairs arranged around a fire pit to its left,
and a partially tarp-covered barbecue grill just ahead, at the corner of the building.
Not too far beyond the lodge, in every direction,
are numerous trees, marking the edge of the forest.
alright gotta
orient myself here
so im
at the back of th' lodge
lets call it the South side of th' lodge
so im facin'
West, right now, ill say.
my car would be at th' Front
kinda like... north-northeast
somethin' like that
so if i head
East,
around the East side of th' buildin'
then ill be real close t' my car
but--
It takes a few steps forward, looking up above.
looks like theres-
thats right theyve got a Huge balcony on this place
runs all the way around 180 degrees on th' second floor,
from the South here above me,
all the way to above th' front door
and theres windows that into th' house th' whole way 'round
so
if this thing's Actually upstairs, then...
...that thing'll have a Way better chance of seein' me.
It puts a claws onto the side of its gasmask,
creeping forward to peer around the west side of the building.
no windows on this side,
least not that i c'n see
so it wouldnt be able to see me on the west side of the buildin'
but id have to cross past the front door when i get t' the front of the house,
to get t' my car
hell
need to
Think.
'Finding a safe place would be smarter than running. Think of the shop.'
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Freaking out won't help. You need to think this through calmly and rationally if you want the best chance of escape.'
fuck
god dammit, man
Docket sloooooowly pulls back,
not shutting the door so as not to make noise,
but getting it almost closed,
backing up on the stairs as quietly as possible.
cant. cant do it.
too risky, need t' think. Hate This
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'You need all the help you can get, try to see us as what we are and not what you fear us to be.'
The chorosy glances back at the present on the stairs.
fine.
screw it.
only cause im over a barrel and this might be like a revolver or somethin
It takes a few steps down, then sits in front of the present.
TO: Docket
FROM: Mort
It lifts the lid off, one glowing eye shut,
revealing a sealed, opaque plastic bag simply labeled 'COOKIES'.
. . .
Docket puts its head in its claws.
...............yea im gonna die here
It leans its head back, eyes closing.
It nearly tosses the cookies across the room,
but pulls back.
The chorosy breathes out, leaning forward with a resigned shoulder shrug,
and bags the cookies in its bag.
maybe whatevers 'bout to try n' gnaw my face off can be distracted with off-brand cookies
maybe monsters like generic flavor.
at least itd be funny 'fore i get mauled or somethin'
RECALL: MEMORY
'Something comforting, preferably opening presents on a birthday, holiday, or other such event.'
Docket stares down at the now-empty present.
In its attempts to quell rising panic, its eyes unfocus . . .
Highways and rivers whizz past the car window.
The flameproof chorosy in the passenger seat stares at the top of the gift box in its lap.
"...How d'you want me t' label this one?"
The car radio faintly plays in the background.
The driver - a moto chorosy - glances over for only a moment, keeping her eyes on the road.
"That th' one to y'r cousin?"
"Uh-huh."
"Auntie Nina's fine." "...He still calls y' Auntie?"
"'Course. Y'r the only one that stopped."
"I'm way too old."
"A seventh grader?"
"Yea, too old."
"Yeaaah, sure."
Docket writes on the label.
"'Kay, got it."
The labeled present is placed into the backseat, where Docket grabs another one.
"...Ain't gotta do that the whole ride home."
"I'd get it done faster."
"Y' got three whole days! C'monnn.
You're always wantin' t' see me when I'm busy with th' shop.
Now I got a day off, and y'r in my car,
and we're not even gonna hang out for a li'l bit?"
"I guuueeessss." It says, feigning disinterest.
"Oh yeah? You guess?" "Uh-huh." "Why's that?"
"Well y'r like. Really, really old;
like seventy... five or somethin'.
Don't wanna hang out with some ol' lady, y'know?"
"Yeah-?"
She reaches over with a claw, her other on the steering wheel, eyes on the road,
and 'ruffles' the chorosy's firefighter helmet.
"HeyhEY--!" "I'm forty-one ya li'l punk!" Docket can't help but giggle, Nina joining in infectiously.
"Y' said you were forty-three last I heard!" "Oh-Well-Now don't listen t' that."
She moves her other hand back to the steering wheel.
"Sometimes I just say things, y'know?" "Uh-huh." "Just comes outta me." "Right."
"...Like I'm possessed-" "PossES--" Docket doubles over, snickering. "Yeah!
Possessed, y'know like those guys on them shows, th' Spirit Mediu-ums--" Nina can hardly keep a straight face either,
starting to crack up again.
"-Alright, alright.
Gotta be serious, can't keep- I'm gon' laugh so hard I tear off the road and kill us both."
"Yea don't- don't do that.
Drive better." "I'll show ya drivin'."
The moment hangs, only faint radio and muffled highway noise.
"...That'd be one hell of a present though, right?" "Oh my GOD."
"'Sorry granny, gramps, I sent us both t' the afterlife-'" "-H-HUSSH--" "'Happy Holidays, get yer cheer on.'"
Docket snorts, busting out laughing, leaning against the window as Nina struggles to contain herself.
"...Ohhh, man."
"Y'r terrible. That ain't even funny." "You love me, ya li'l monster." "Yea that's a likely story. Prove it." "A-pfffft.
I ain't gotta prove-
...Oh, shoot--"
Apparently hearing something, she reaches over and turns the radio up,
starting to snap her claws as the song fades in.
♫ Heavy Chevy - Alabama Shakes
"Ohh, I 'member this one."
"Yeah? Prove it, punk."
"...nah, I'm- I'm not gonna Sing."
She shrugs. "Yer loss."
Nina inhales.
"...Well, you know she ain't the one.
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!" She drums on the steering wheel with her thumbs.
"HOOO!"
"Oh c'monnn, now." Docket rubs the back of its head.
Nina ignores it, continuing.
"Now why you wanna do it dirty?
If it was me, how could ya hurt me?
Oh baby, please, please, please!" Nina taps its helmet. - - "Nnnot gonna sing, forget it."
"How could-you-keep-me down here on my knees?
Well, you know she ain't the one,
You got to RUN, boy, RUN!"
"Can't beliiieve y'r leavin' me hangin' here."
"Nope. No way."
She shrugs. "Suit y'rself. Missin' out."
"Ooh, move daddy, move!
You know my heart's not outta room!
You wanna love that little girl?"
"By all means, honey, do..." - - "...AAAAAAHAHA, knew ya would!" "Hush."
"Well, you know she ain't the one- C'mon, let's hit it."
"He said, Now, lemme take ya out."
"Buy you new appliances." - - "Buy you new appliances."
"I wanna take ya out." - - "I wanna take ya out."
"Better home and sciences." - - "Better- ...shoot--"
"I wanna take ya out!" - - "I wanna take ya out!"
"I wanna meet ya kids." - - "I wanna meet ya kids."
"I wanna take you home, baby--" She points at Docket.
"--tell me where it is." - - Nina gives a thumbs up.
"I come back when I want," - - "I come back when I want,"
"And don't you ask no questions!" - - "And don't you ask no questions!"
"Me and you, forever, baby," - - "Me and you, forever, baby,"
"You and me together, baby!" - - "You and me together, baby!"
"I said I lo--" The smaller chorosy starts laughing again, interrupting the song.
"Nah, c'mon gotta keep it up!" "I'm done!
I'm done, can't take- can't take anymore. I'm gonna keel over!" One last giggle as it regains its composure.
"'Nother time, then."
"Nah, never again."
"Come onnnn." "Nooo, nope. Sung my last."
"...Fun, though, right?" "...maybe juuus' a li'l bit."
Nina gives a long sigh.
"Whoof. ...think I needed that." "...Me too."
The radio station turns over to another song.
♫ Horses - Night Moves
Nina reaches over to turn it down.
"Hang on. ...Think I like this." "Yeah?"
She puts her claw back down as Docket nods.
"You got it."
SUGGEST: PERSPECTIVE CHANGE
'Take stock of what you have. You're a mechanic, a problem solver.
While running can be a viable solution, doing so without a course of action, or a good bearing on your resources in mind, especially in a strange place,
could wind up putting you in a bad place later on. Also you now have a song stuck in your head, sorry.`
The last radio song thunders in its head.
Docket stands up, rubbing its face, sniffling.
screw it.
not gonna die here. quitter talk.
just gotta stay calm
i got this
A quick breath, and it steps back up to the door, again, leaning through carefully.
...th' front door.
busted in like it is
either its a person and theyve never heard of jus' breakin' a window
or its an animal or creature or somethin', and it probably can't jus' Open a door like a person
if its th' second thing...
It glances to the door across the hall, and the two down the hall.
both intact.
pretty good bet that thing aint thru either of 'em,
unless some other place in here connects to 'em - which... gotta take that chance.
this things probably somewhere else in th' house
probably towards th' front, or... think i remember it's got a second floor
bet its up there
some animals like to be high up right? safer?
...think i remember that
so... i can jus'
move REAL quiet down th' hall
make it thru one o' those doors,
then look for a window, backdoor, whatever some other way outside.
then
if it doesnt hear me
doesnt see me thru a window or the open front door
and it isnt Still Outside by my truck or anything
Then
im golden.
start th' truck, get the Hell outta here
...itll probably come runnin' when the truck's started
maybe, anyway. hopefully the noise'll scare it.
...not like it can outrun a Truck anyway right
It looks back over at the beyond-destroyed front door.
...god i hope not
Docket takes a silent breath,
then steps out the door into the hall.
baby steps
cant go TOO slow - longer im out here the more it could see me
jus'
careful, quiet
It takes steps as Slowly as it possibly can - mindful of the noisy toolbox in its bag -
heading further down the hall,
away from the front door.
dont take th' door right across
further back ones means theyre further away from this thing
should have a harder time hearin' it
It gets to the end of the hall, passing the door on the right.
back one might
lead to a backdoor?
maybe? hopefully?
It reaches for the handle.
Turning it in tiny increments.
...if this is a storage closet im gonna combust--
The door opens.
A small room is inside.
It has a tiny horizontal window - far too small to fit through -
a wooden door on the left,
two sets of bunk beds at opposite walls in the middle of the room,
and a heavy-duty wooden door on the right side, past the bunk beds.
Docket blinks.
. . .
...backdoor.
BACKDOOR.
LOOKS JUST LIKE TH' FRONT DOOR HELL YES- OH GOD STAY QUIET.
It very careful steps inside,
keeping the doorknob turned with one claw as it does so,
before grabbing the knob on the other side of the door.
It pulls the door to a closed position,
the gradually lets the doorknob turn back to closed.
Docket breathes the tiniest sigh of relief,
shaky hands rolling down its face.
It walks to the door at the right,
opening it with care.
A screen door is behind it.
Night-time bugs chitter audibly on the other side.
YES YES YES YES YES I KNEW IT
IM SO GODDAMN SMART
GO TO HELL YA FUCKIN CRYPTID WHATEVER
ok ok alright settle down
The screen door is soon open,
Docket stepping out into the night air, onto some laid stone,
quietly closing both doors behind it.
There's some chairs arranged around a fire pit to its left,
and a partially tarp-covered barbecue grill just ahead, at the corner of the building.
Not too far beyond the lodge, in every direction,
are numerous trees, marking the edge of the forest.
alright gotta
orient myself here
so im
at the back of th' lodge
lets call it the South side of th' lodge
so im facin'
West, right now, ill say.
my car would be at th' Front
kinda like... north-northeast
somethin' like that
so if i head
East,
around the East side of th' buildin'
then ill be real close t' my car
but--
It takes a few steps forward, looking up above.
looks like theres-
thats right theyve got a Huge balcony on this place
runs all the way around 180 degrees on th' second floor,
from the South here above me,
all the way to above th' front door
and theres windows that into th' house th' whole way 'round
so
if this thing's Actually upstairs, then...
...that thing'll have a Way better chance of seein' me.
It puts a claws onto the side of its gasmask,
creeping forward to peer around the west side of the building.
no windows on this side,
least not that i c'n see
so it wouldnt be able to see me on the west side of the buildin'
but id have to cross past the front door when i get t' the front of the house,
to get t' my car
hell
need to
Think.
BOUND INFO:
CHANNELING:
CURRENT TOTALS: