December 18th, 2017 at 04:12am
Residuum
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Beau
Beau sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. As usual today would be unreasonably hot in the small Florida town. Not the best temperature to be working on his baby, but that was exactly where he was, bent over his precious engine adjusting the cooling belt for a third time this week. He'd need a new one but that would require a trek out to the city and his Gramps was always busy during the summer season dealing with heat stroke'd golf enthusiasts and dehydrated beach goers. He could probably get Willa to come along but that would require also bringing the Torres girls too and then before he knew it baby would be weighed down with half the town on a day trip. He didn't like the idea of breaking down somewhere between Coral Cove and Miami with nothing but beach and swamp between the two. Sure he could probably fix the problem but Azalea Torres was known for not having the best attitude and getting stuck with her was last on his list of fu-
"Beau?" His name came across along with a lot of static from inside the cab of his truck, the sound of his grandfather's voice sounding gruff compared to usual. A tone of urgency seeping into his question, "Answer the radio, we have a situation." he finished, as Beau fumbled for the HAM radio through his truck window grabbing the receiver before pulling it out of the car.
"I'm here, what kind of situation?" Beau asked listening for a reply over the radio from his grandpa, who often messaged him from the EMT radio when something came up.
"There's some kind of threat in Miami right now, we're light on the details here but we've been ordered to start evacuations to the high school, probably nothing, but-" his voice cut out replaced by static.
"Gramps?" Beau tried again to no avail, sighing with irritation as he threw the receiver back into the cab of his truck and shut the hood.
Another hurricane drill?February 24th, 2019 at 12:03am -
Willa was not exactly what one would call a patient girl, and at the current moment she was even less of an example of what a patient, calm young woman should be. Her high heeled boot of nearly three inches tap-tap-tapped against her hardwood floor, the low thump a dull echo in her lonely home. The signal was still so faint in her room, she might as well be living in the middle of nowhere. Her screen showed the loading circle, the search bar at the top innocently waiting for it's answer. The question?
How to tell cousin you cant skate?
Upon her floor, beneath the desk and strewn about her bed as if it was a shopping mall dressing room and not where she slept, was a selection of discarded clothes. Skirts were out, Talulah would never let her hear the end of it if she tried to skateboard with a skirt on. So she had looked at her shorts, the hot and humid weather the perfect invite to let her legs catch a little sun. But with skates and shorts came scrapes, and besides, it didn't feel right for today. Plus, what if it rained? She still didn't trust Florida weather and she had gotten caught in a shower once already. It wouldn't do to wear the light colored shirt she had planned. Yet with all of this, she still didn't know how she'd explain the shoes to Azalea. It was common knowledge that you just don't wear shoes without traction, and anyone who tried to skate with heel boots was maybe just a little bit of a dumba-
That was besides the point. She knew Azalea would know the instant she saw her that she had lied about wanting to skate, and Willa didn't want to disappoint her when she had been so excited about skateboarding... she traced the leaf of her Aechmea, it's leaves just sprouting as she pondered what to do. Risk her neck, quite literally, or just... spill the truth? She glanced to her new pair of flat shoes, they would suffice if she opted for the deadly option, but...
ALERT , ALERT, ALERT
Her phone vibrated angrily, the sensation causing it to move closer and closer to the edge of her desk and to the floor. She caught it just in time, silencing the alarm, and flipped it over. There was an influx of notifications, but she was confused as only a few were from her apps and texts. The primary thing she saw was the notice on top in bold letters, Coral Cove Residents: STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED. Her lips twitched downward- was this serious? A joke? Why would there be something like that?
She clicked out of the browser on her computer and opened up a new window, Mozilla this time, and input the search. Go figure, it actually worked. She scanned the results of her search, but there didn't seem to be anything national going on. Maybe it was a fluke? Her mom had been skeptical of the town emergency alert system- even with a small town like this, keeping that many people notified simply through text when something was going on seemed pretty absurd and bound to fail.
She glanced one more time at her heeled boots, loving the feel of them, but then decided if there was going to be walking involved regardless it'd be best to go with flats. She grabbed them and high tailed it out the door, long sleek hair flowing behind her as she saw that Baue was outside like usual. She called out to him, waving her cell phone clutching hand then letting out a small cry when it sailed out and flew to the ground. Shit shit shit- she held it too loosely! She went for it, calling out behind her "I need to ask you something!"February 24th, 2019 at 01:51am -
Beau
Beau flung his backpack into the bed of his truck. The emergency pack making a satisfying thump as it landed in the back. He was halfway to the cab when Willa came flying through their dividing hedge like a bat out of hell. As usual the lanky Filipino girl was as graceful as a goose. Her phone soaring through the air before crashing at his feet. Her cellphone flashing red with the town warning signal. Beau's stomach churned with unease. First his grandfather now this... He looked up bracing his face from the beating sun. The sky was clear. Not a single cloud, just the ever present Florida rays and the sweltering heat.
Bending down Beau picked up the cracked phone, a new dent in her seriously mistreated device.
"I'd say it's a malfunction but Gramps radiod in a few minutes ago, I was about to get you," he paused passing her the phone before opening the car door. "It's probably just a practice drill, Gramps said something about Miami. Did your parents watch the news this morning? Only thing i've heard about are those bath salt cases and that plane down at MIA. Nothing about a hurricane." He explained unlocking the passenger door, "Do you want to grab anything before we leave, protocol is to head to the high school but I figure we have time." He shrugged before starting up his truck.March 6th, 2019 at 03:16am -
Willa took her phone from her neighbor's hand, blushing slightly at her clumsiness but offering a warm smile nonetheless. "Thanks," she sighed, putting the device in her back pocket. "We don't really use the tv all that much, so I doubt they saw the news before they left. I get updates on my phone and haven't heard a peep on anything particularly out-there," she huffed, pulling herself up into the truck, tossing her bag unceremoniously to the floor. She paused, biting her lip - if they were going to be stuck at the highschool, she'd rather be able to bring some extra stuff, maybe some of her books or plant catalogs. A change of clothes. But...it's not like it'd take long to get back to the house once everything was settled.
"I- yeah, no, I'm good," she nodded, slamming her door shut. She had essentials in her bag anyways. Things she always took in case the urge to wander or explore hit her, or she needed to collect some samples (which were always in pretty decent supply considering her new place of living). Then she started, glancing at her shoes, so simple and flat. "Actually, wait!" She exclaimed, though Beau hadn't even pulled out yet nor moved all that much. "Azalea- Azalea and Talulah. I was going to go meet with them when my phone went off. We should stop by for them first."March 12th, 2019 at 10:58pm -
Beau
Beau grumbled slightly at her words, of course they had to get Azalea and Talulah he should have figured as much. "Did you call them to let them know you were coming?" he asked fiddling with the radio, his hand moving the dial up and down with annoyance as a few channels came up as only static. Shifting into gear Beau pulled out of his driveway and onto the country road gravel crunching below his tires as they moved towards town. His hand still turning the dial as a message came screaming into the cab,
"RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO REMAIN CALM, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOMES, PLEASE DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THE INFECTED, THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR RYAN," the message quickly looping around and around. Beau's knuckles turning white as he held onto the steering wheel. Perhaps this was a little more serious than he had thought it had been. But infected? Ebola? Rabies? He wasn't quite sure what to make of that statement and his grandfather had specifically told him to go to the high school. Yet, what if Willa's family showed up and she wasn't there to greet them? Beau only had to worry about finding his grandfather and he knew where he was going to be, but Willa... He wasn't sure about.
"You might want to call your parents too," he offered before locking the car doors.March 16th, 2019 at 11:20pm -
"I sent them a message," she quipped, clutching at her seat belt as they pulled out, fiddling with her phone as Beaue fiddled with the radio. He seemed exasperated, but she couldn't figure out why exactly, he was usually so calm and he had said this was probably just a practice drill. But still, she sent another message to Azalea, telling her to call her ASAP.
She was so focused on trying to send a message to the few people she knew in town, that when Beaue finally hit a working station it nearly gave her a heart attack, sending her phone flying off once again- this time below her seat and out of grasp. "Jiminy," she whispered, mouth an uncharacteristic thin line of stress. "Y-yeah, you're probably right," she laughed, leaning over as far as she could to get her phone, thuds following her movements. When she finally grasped the phone she jumped up, feeling victorious, only to thump her head on the glove compartment. She was frazzled, and that meant she was even more clumsy than usual today. Not a good mix.
She leaned back, phone already dialing as she looked out her window. "It looks like the phone's are do-" she was saying, when she gasped, dropping the phone again and pointing. "Beau, look! Mrs. Gardner! What is she doing, who are those people she's with? Stop, stop, we should let her know about the alerts-" she kept rambling, phone forgotten, as she gestured again and again out the door.March 16th, 2019 at 11:51pm -
Beau
Beau frowned as he took in the dishoveled appearance of Mrs. Gardner, It was nearly noon but the usually well dressed 80 year old was still clad in her fuzzy pink bathrobe and a handfull of rollers. He idled the truck as he watched her trample through her prize winning rose bushes, flower and thorn alike catching on her sleeves. "What is she doing?" He asked disturbed as he watched the elderly woman fight with one of the men over something in his arms. What he was seeing made no sense, who were these men? None of them were facing the truck, too busy fighting over what the man in the suit had in his arms. Their movements staggering and off rhythm as they tugged and with a sickening pop the object gave way a circle of red and gray sailing towards his truck becore bouncing off Willa's window with a sickening thump leaving a gory trail of paint... No - oh blood it was fucking blood, on her half open window.
"Roll up your window Willa!" He screached as all three turned suddenly, his stomach wrenching as he noticed Mrs. Gardner's jaw was hanging on by shear will alone. The body of her cat Maize cluched in chewed up chunks in the suited man's arms. It was the fucking cat, they ate her cat-jesus it looked like they ate her. Oh no... no no no. "Fuck it," he growled diving over the bench seat and Willa's lap to slap the door lock in place and crank up the window barely finishing as Mrs. Gardner's hands hit the once open plane of glass. Beau trying best not to hyperventilate in Willa's lap before awkwardly pulling himself back into his own spot. His hands shaking as he reached for the wheel putting the truck into drive as he tried to ignore the pounding on their windows and the sound of his own heartbeat. This was not a hurricane drill.March 19th, 2019 at 10:50am -
Hana, June & Sun Park
Hana looked thoughtfully out her kitchen window, her hands busy at work scrubbing away the extra sticky syrup from the children's dishes. This was the third time this week her two toddlers had demanded pancakes. Most likely it wouldn't be the last. She couldn't help but blame their eating habits on their father, her husband could never turn down a sweet, and American food was turning out to be all sweets. Sweets and chicken nuggets. Her mother would be appalled. It was the first thing she had been worried about when Seok had gotten a better paying job in Miami. Were the grandchildren going to be Koreans or Americans? Would they get fat off instant food or stop learning Hangul? Surely they would forget their Halmeoni! Hana's mother tended towards the dramatics... Seok took it pretty well overall, her mother's nagging, considering he had no reference to this drama on his own, something her mother also liked to point out, but her husband for all his sweet eating and tendency to work nonstop was understanding, kind, and a good father. Even her mother had to give him that one. He spent more time with Sun and June, more than her father ever did, and he was a good provider. The Florida home was lovely, her backyard a blissful dream of flowers and a swing for the kids, hidden behind a tall white picket fence.
It wasn't Korea but it was becoming home.
The light streaming in the window warmed her face as she watched a perky little bumblebee dot across the rosebushes which lined the back of her house. It was summer finally. She'd missed having Sun home every day even if the soon to be kindergartner had loved preschool. Hana could see her little black bob bounce behind her as she chased June around the garden.
She'd give them another ten minutes before ushering in to get ready. The more they played the better they'd nap later and she planned on wearing them out. They had to go to the post office and the grocery store but maybe if she took them to the beach in the afternoon Seok could put them down by seven and she could have her husband all to herself. No chubby little bodies between them tonight. Nope, just a cold bottle of soju and the promise of lingering touches. Ah, date night.
Drying off her hands Hana put back her embroidered dishtowel before scuttling off to switch over loads in her laundry room, America did have it's perks... American sized appliances made work so much easier.
Hana sighed irritably as she heard the loud sounds of gunfire and screaming come through the laundry room wall. Her hands working the knobs frustratedly before the dryer kicked on and muffled out the sounds of the neighbor boy playing his video games in his garage. Too loudly again. Marching towards her back door Hana yanked it open, not at all surprised that his game was audible from the back yard as well. Sun and June were practically trying to climb over the fence to catch a glimpse of the brat next door, "ah ah ah Sun, June inside now!"
"Eomma!" Sun whimpered dragging her feet as she pulled June with her their fingers clasped as they reluctantly listened to their mother.
"Ye?" Hana asked a hand on her waist as she waited expectantly for her daughter to put on the works, as she always did with that tone.
"aiseukeulim?" Sun pouted her bottom lip wibble wobbling as she looked up at her mother with her big brown eyes. The classic puppy dog tactic Hana was used to from her daughter. She was a daddy's girl and the trademark Sun Look won every time with her husband.
"Aiseukeulim! Aiseukeulim!" June chanted hopping up and down excitement on the three year old's face.
"You both just ate pancakes and it's 10 am. No, no icecream right now," Hana stood her ground ushering her toddlers inside before closing the back door shutting out the sound of her neighbor boy's games while trying to distract her children from the prospect of icecream before lunch.
"Auuuuuhhhhhhh," they whined as if on cue in unison.... Today was going to be a long day.March 26th, 2019 at 09:39pm -
"Maybe she has a history of dementia-?" Willa offered, eyes stuck on the odd scene before them, her stomach turning with nerves. This felt wrong. Very, very wrong. That didn't explain the others being with her, or the odd lumbering gait they had as they gathered around whatever was in one of the people's arms. She was half tempted to roll the window down and lean out to get a closer look when something flew out, soaring through the sky, and hit the window with a loud thump that had her shrieking and reeling back. She didn't even hear Beau, her panick sending a loud train horn through her head as she stared at the bloodied window, trying to make sense of it all.
"I- I - I" she kept stuttering, a broken gasp as she saw Mrs. Gardner's face. That was definitely not dementia. Beau jostled her as he dove over to close the window, and Willa just sat there. Frozen, unmoving, her mouth a gaping 'oh' that made her look like a fish, opening and closing in shock. She didn't snap out of it until Beau was peeling away and Mrs Gardner was a horrifying image in her memory.
"Beau!" she looked at him with wild, confused eyes. "Beau, Mrs. Gardner - we can't," she gulped. "We can't just leave her like that!"April 14th, 2019 at 05:39pm -
Beau
"The hell we can't!! Willa they were eating Maize!" He exclaimed his knuckles turning white as they gripped the steering wheel. "It looked like th-... It looked like they had ate her." He said shaking his head as he felt a shiver run down his spine and his heart race in his chest.
They had ate her, the flesh off her bones and she was still among them now hungry for more flesh... it was like the stories his grandfather would tell him on their camping trups in the everglades. "I-I know this might be, no sound, crazy but I think she was a wendigo... I thought it was just a story, but she was dead but not dead. It just sounds so stupid, yeah it freaked me out as a kid but it was just tribal stories-not even our tribal stories, Just something he and his buddies cooked up over beers at Lou's to scare us shitless. My grandfather. Wendigos are from the midwest.. This is florida for christ's sake." He shook his head half muttering to himself as they traveled down the dirt road.
Beau thought about his grandfather, the man who raised him all by himself after his mother- no, he wouldn't- couldn't think about her. Not right now. Not as they were running away from some other tribe's boogeyman. No, he needed to focus on getting to his grandfather who was probably saving lives as they spoke. He needed to help him, help their friends, their town. He needed to pull it together for Willa. Fuck, Willa.
His eyes darted to her the look of shock still plastered to her face the fear in her eyes. Her breathing-
He pulled over, yanking his truck closer to the side of the road before putting it into park his body sliding over the bench towards the panicking girl.
"Willa... It's going to be okay, can you practice breathing with me, " he asked fearful she would start hyperventilating next to him. His fingers going to rest over her hand giving it a reassuring squeeze as he did so.April 23rd, 2019 at 07:50am -
Winter Williams
<SLAP>
The kitchen tile felt cold against her stinging cheek.
She didn't move. Didn't bother to get up.
Blood leaked from her nose dripping over the floor her mother had just mopped hours before. She wouldn't like that.
His breath harsh against the sound of cicadas through the screen door. Escape so close, yet so far away.
"DID. YOU. HEAR. ME. WINTER?"
He shouted barging forward before she could answer. His meaty hands wrapping around her long dark locks before yanking her off the floor by them.
A sob escaping her throat as she felt each hair pulled roughly away from her scalp.
His grasp yanking her neck back so she would have to look up at her six foot two attacker.
His free hand going to painfully cup her face. Shaking her head back and forth as if he could shake the truth out of her.
"I-I- don't have it!" She cried pulling on his arm with her free hands.
"Bullshit you little slut," he hissed tugging again at her hair gaining a scream from the girl. No one to hear her in the boondocks, not this far out of town.
"I don't have it!" She screamed this time with anger. Gaining another slap to her face.
"Listen here you thieving little cunt, know your game," he growled bringing his face inches from her own.
"A little here a little there, Harry won't notice, well I did and now you're going to pay me back, Every. Last. Cent."
Winter's eyes went wide as he let go of her. Sinking to her knees Winter's body cried out to her, bruised and bleeding as she thought about the money she had stashed away in the crawlspace under the trailer. No way Harry's lazy ass would look there. He rarely left his recliner. Aparently today was one of those rare days... Lucky her.
Winter's eyes narrowed as she spit blood onto the floor. She was so close to the door, so close to freedom, if she could just get to her bike.
"I said where's my money whore!" Her stepfather growled stepping on her hand with his boot. Pain radiated up her arm as she shoved him off earning a quick kick in the side that made her teeth chatter and her breath hitch.
Her blood boiled as she thought about the handgun in her mother's closet. She could shoot him. She should shoot him. The bastard deserved it. But she wouldn't for the same reason she was still here right now. She'd have no where to go. Her mother wouldn't have her after that and she didn't have enough money saved up for the bus ticket yet. She needed 50 more dollars and with Harry's beer belly there wasn't that kind of change lying around.
"No," she growled willing to tempt fate just to see his fat ugly face turn that special color purple it only did for her.
"Why you little!" His hands yanked hard on her arm pulling her back up from the floor. Up. Down. Up. Down- was he incapable of making up his fucking mind?
"I SAID NO, ASSHOLE!" She screamed in his face thrashing around as she tried to break away.
"Don't tell me where the money is F.I.N.E Winter, you can earn it then," he threatened pulling the 17 year-old towards his bedroom.
Panic ran wild in Winter as she drug her boots into the carpet. Her free hand grabbing the doorway to the kitchen as he tried to pull her through.
"No! Let Me Go!" She screamed thrashing not caring as she knocked picture after picture off the wall. Frantic to escape. Her eyes scanning for a weapon and not finding anything. Her body twisting in anyway possible to escape his clutches.
"Stop struggling, you'll end up turning tricks eventually," he hissed turning to look at the struggling teen. His first mistake as her teeth sunk into his arm, his flesh tearing as she drew blood his surprised scream ringing in her ears as he released her. Her boot coming up hard between his legs sending him stumbling forward giving the girl time to sprint away.
The Florida heat cacooning her as she tore through the front door. Her feet flying over steps not daring to look behind her as she yanked her bike off the lawn and ran towards the gravel road. Blood freely dripping from her as she threw herself onto the bike and started pedaling the sounds of Harry behind her.May 4th, 2019 at 02:10pm -
Azalea & Talulah Torres
Sunlight shone in through the double window, basking the teen in summer heat as she sprawled across her unkept bed her headphones vibrating as she listened to Nirvana at an earbleeding level. Her eyes focused on the Rolling Stones magazine in front of her as she haphazardly coated her nails in another thick and slighly clumpy splash of black.
Her faded canvas sneakers kicking in time, off the side of her bed, as she jammed out to Lake of Fire, humming along before turning the page, grumbling as her index finger smeared black polish on the glossy page.
"Shit," she cursed reaching for the nail polish remover and cotton balls on her bedside table managing to drop an open bag of gummybears in the process over her rug.
Azalea ignored it though, 5 minute rule. Her room was clean.. ish? She'd blow the germs off later. For now she needes to find out the latest scoop on what bands would be touring this summer. She had an itching to see Papa Roach again before she was ancient.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kenna-Focus ! What exactly did Josh say about me?" Talulah whined her fingers curling around her phone as she dramatically laid on the floor. Dying of literal boredom. Wasting away to nothing as she waoted for her mom to get back from work so she could finally go to the beach. She was literally missing the most exciting thing since class ended.
"I told you, he came over to us and said hi, and like asked where you were." Kenna explained exasperatedly to her best friend. The sound of waves and seagulls permeated the background of the call reminding Talulah of all she was missing... All because Azalea had to fail her driving test A.G.A.I.N making them officially the only teen not on the beach today. No, now she had to wait for her mom to drop her off, like a nerd.
"Well. What did you say?" Talulah begged regretting this conversation already.
"I said you were hanging with some seniors, don't worry girl I have your back." Kenna laughed her bubbly voice ringing in Talulah's ears.
"She totally did and he was super impressed, but disappointed, totally disappointed Talulah!" Daisy shot out her voice echoing through Kenna's phone.
"Yeah he said to tell you hi," Kenna giggled.
Hi...
Josh the hottest thing since Nick Jonas asked personally about her. She could die. He was so fine, and it didn't hurt that he was the best surfer in her class, even better than most of the seniors. She felt bad that this moment was tained by a lie. The only senior she was hanging with was her sister. Willa barely counted she was new.... But if she brought Beau, that could be a perk. Beau was dreamy, dreamier than Josh even. Romance novel quality but he fawned over Willa like a starstruck puppy. Willa this and Willa that. It had to be the boobs. Maybe the city charm, boys like that... Willa was nice and had a lot of shoes but wasn't the smoothest person and in Talulah's opinion completely clueless. But maybe Beau liked damsels? She could be a damsel. Damn she could be whatever he wanted with that hunky bo-
"Hey! Dude, buzz off this is our spot! Daisy, ohmygod-" Kenna yelled the phone crackling as it obviously from her hand, the sound of a scream permiating the air before the call disconnected.
~~~~~~~~
<BangBangBang>
"Go Away Tulip!" Azalea yelled ignoring her sister's incessant knocking.
<BangBangBang>
"I'm reading-Beau's not coming today," she yelled flipping the page refusing to take off her headphones or listen to what her annoying sister was bitching about this time.
<BangBangBang>
"I.Said.Go.Away!" Azalea growled finally mustering up the energy to unlock her bedroom door. Flinging it open it bounced off the door jam almost slaming itself shut on its own. Grabbing a hold of it Azalea cocked an eye at her sister waiting for her to complain only to watch the fourteen year-old burst out in tears. Tulip was not the sort to cry. It wasn't really a Torres trait.
Shocked Azalea pulled her headphones off her ears and around her neck. Worry creeping up her back. "Dude... What's wrong?" She asked as her sister's pale face trembled her whole body shaking as she let out another choked sob.
Azalea was beyond uncomfortable as she rubbed the back of her head. Her hand awkwardly patting Tulip's shoulder.
"There, uh there? Um did you finally start, I have a tampon somewhere I think..." Azalea turned trying to remember where the fucking thing rolled. She didn't really get the magical flow since she started taking the pill. "I'm pretty sure it's Willa's but it should be small enough," she gestured going to reach underher bed only to have her sister kaola grab her from behind making her tumble onto her ass.
"Dude-it's womanhood you wanted boobs, stop that; we don't hug." She whined swatting at Tulip to get the overdramatic teen off of her.
"It-it's n-not tha---at!" Talulah sobbed a large trail of snot rolling down her nose.
"Oh. Um. Is it Josh? There's other fish in the sea, I know for a fact Gray has a crush on you, think of the Catholic-Jewish drama- like one of your books," Azalea offered even more out of her zone. The only boys she hung out with were their cousins. And Beau. If he counted. He probably didn't.
"No!!!" Talulah sobbed her breathing becoming even more raspy.
"What then? Hmmh, speak, use your words," Azalea asked with exasperation.
"My-M-My phone," she cried holding up her prized possession.
Azalea's face dropped from awkwardly sympathetic to pissed in a millisecond.
"ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW! OUT OUT, ByeBye!" She hissed swatting at her sister as she tried to push her out of her room.
"No! You don't understannnd, I I was talking to Kenna and Daisy and there was screaming and it hung up and she won't answer and 911 was busy and my phone isn't working now I-I tried calling mom, and it wasn't working sssso I was going to go into tttown on my board to get her bubut look!" Talulah sobbed crawling towards Azalea's window her eyes peaking over the sill.
"Oh jesus, their jist pranking you, did you try shutting it off and turning it ba-" Azalea's eyes went wide as she staired out her window watching as hell broke loose on her street.May 4th, 2019 at 10:27pm -
Karoline Kraus
Kara held the picture frame tightly as she laid haphazardly across her freshly made bed. Her long blonde hair spread around her in a halo, her echo filling the room with the sound of Halsey. Staring up at the familiar face Kara let out a sigh her index finger trailing along the image of the girl in the photograph, bringing it towards her face she could almost smell the vibrant flowers surrounding her look alike. The same blonde locks, the same blue eyes, peachy skin, and slightly hooked nose. But this girl had freckles and thicker lips. Close but not the same. Not to mention the photo 17 years too old to be the teen lounging in the Florida bedroom.
Rolling onto her stomach Kara placed the photo carefully in her large blue plastic suitcase. Covering the precious item with more of the freshly ironed clothes Ida had prepared for her trip. The case barely able to close as she pulled on the thick metal clasps she trusted to keep her life safe.
The 16 year old's stomach swirling as put the roller case on the floor pulling the handle out so she could safely rest the backpack ontop securing the straps so manuvering through the airport would be easier. She couldn't help but rummage through her bag double checking for the third time this morning that her passport, ID, Banknotes, Euros and ticket were still safely protected in their respective spots. It felt strange leaving her credit card at home, but it wouldn't do much in Berlin and she was just as likely to lose it than need it.
Kara rubbed her hands together nervously as she stared at herself in her bedroom mirror pulling her hair behind her ears as she tried to calm her nerves. It was finally time. The letters from her grandparents resting on her dresser. Their penmanship perfectly scripted German.
She hadn't seen them since she had been an infant. Not since her father left with her and never came back. He still couldn't. The ghost of her mother haunting him even to this day the memory of her sunshine excruciating in his heart. Karoline would be 17 by the end of her trip, the same age her mother had been when she'd died. Complicated birth. Anja died and left behind something he hadn't been prepared for. His daughter. He'd been only a freshman at the time in college but had transferred just the same, taking Karoline with him and little else to his new college. They'd lived in London for a while until his books had started taking off and he'd relocated them to Florida 8 years back. Now it was time to go back. She needed this, the closure and the adventure of her homeland, the opportunity to reconnect with her family and have the chance to get to know the woman who gave birth to her. In a way she childishly hoped that it would help her figure out who she was. A sisterhopd of the traveling pants moment when the heroine goes off on an adventure and realizes she's in a coming of age novel. That's what Karoline hoped for.
Grabbing a clip she snapped it into her hair to make sure the strands were kept in place, "Alexa, quiet please," she smiled happy the device listened to her for once.
The sound of Ida thumping around downstairs greeting her ears as she padded her way down the hall, her bare feet loving the cool hardwood as she took her time brushing her teeth and washing her face, dabbing on moisturizer as she heard a pan clatter downstairs.
"Ida can we have pancakes? Gray might swing by," she called down the hallway in German knowing the burley woman would have no problem hearing her.
Ida had been bugging her about needing something hardy before the flight, so they'd skipped breakfast and planned for Brunch instead. Not a big deal considering her dad rarely got up before 11. Even then he'd need an hour to read the paper and drink his sacred coffee before communication could occur. He was not a morning person. Not when he spent all night writing for his publisher. The next draft for his novel due Tuesday. This latest installment in his Blair Andrews series was irritating the hell out of him. But it put him up there with Paterson and King where sales went so another Detective Andrews book it was. He swore he was going to toss it at least 3 times a day but never did.
Writers.
Padding down the hall Karoline let out a yawn, wiping away the sleep as she made her way down stairs loosing herself to another yawn as she stepped off the last step her arm brushing her face before her eyes filled with panic as her foot slid in something wet sending the girl sliding forward an inch before she fell backwards hard bracing herself with her hands as she hit the bottom steps hard causing a gasp to leave her throat she felt the stinging pain. Staring up she let out a whimper, "Ida did you mo-" that's when she saw it.
The bubbling red, it wasn't water she'd slipped on but blood. And a lot of it.
Horror plastered the girl's face as she realized she was laying in a pool of blood. Confusion flowing over her as she shook her head. Splatering droplets of blood as the tips of her hsir let out the soaked up substance.
Her feet and hands soaked in the red as well as the back of her pjs as she tried to evaluate the damage.
Whose blood was this?!
"Papa?" She croaked grasping at the banister smearing the blood on the white surface as she pulled herself to her feet trying to ignore the squishy feeling between her toes.
"I-Ida?" She sputtered, taking a tenative step forward following the trail of blood that led around the corner towards the kitchen. Her eyes darting around, was this an intruder? She needed to hurry, grabbing her father's trophy she white knuckled it as she made her way slowely around the corner. A scream leaving her as she saw what laid in front of her the trophy tumbling from her fingers as she stared agape at her father's spiraled body on the floor. Ida's hands and face burried into his stomach riping and devouring flesh her fathers intestines slipping between she fingers and jaws as she devoured him. The horror intinsified as she realized the grotesk truth that he was still alive his face pale and in a silent scream as he blinked. His eyes as well as Ida's snapping to her as she screamed. "Ppapa!" She sobbed wanting to race to him but finding herself stuck. Ida. Ida. Ida. Why. Why. No.
The woman was the closest thing she had to a mother. How could she- how could she... if there was food in her stomach she would vomit instead she retched falling to her knees as she crawled through the blood towards them.
"No"
He spoke now blood escaping with the words from his lips.
"Un"
"Un"
"Ggun" he gasped at last his eyes rolling in his head as a grutteral growl left Ida's throat. Kara let out another blood curling scream as Ida rose from her father's decimated body her movements jerky and slow as she made her way to the fresh food in sight.
Karoline crawled back across the blood as she continued to scream before twisting and trying to throw herself to her feet only to tumble to her knees making it up on the seond try as she woman reached for her swiping at Kara missing by inches as the girl ran as fast as she could for her fathers room closing the door and running to the safe her heart thundering. There was no lock on the door only on the guncase he kept in the closet. Throwing open the door Kara rammed aside her father's dress shirts sobbing as she heard Ida banging on the bedroom door behind her. Kara's fingers shaking as she typed in her birthday to the keypad. Shaking like a leaf she she pulled out the loaded gun from the safe. Kara had regularly gone shooting with her father. It was his hobby something he did to destress after a particularly annoying deadline.
Trying to calm her breath Karoline checked to see it was actually loaded before clicking off the safety the 9 millimeter handgun smooth in her hands as she pulled it up pointing it at the door. She didn't want to shoot Ida. Gods no. But.. Her father. He had spoken to her, he might make it but not if Ida was still attaking him. Or her. Karoline's phone was still upstairs on the charger and useless to her. She could run for help but she couldn't shimmy out of the window like a coward while her father was stuck with Ida who'd obviously lost her mind.May 5th, 2019 at 11:12pm -
It wasn't right, they needed to go back, they couldn't leave her there- leave the cat there suffering. They all needed help, they-
Her thoughts were a whirlwind, a torrent of noise and concepts that she couldn't capture, couldn't calm down enough to organize and take care of one by one. Beau was a white noise machine in the background, his words beyond her reach, she needed to think, think,, think and she couldn't do that here, right now, with that cat ripped to pieces behind them and the car jostling her as she held the oh-shit-bar, nails digging into the handle's material, her eyes on the glove compartment in front of her.
Breath, just breath. Inhale, nose, exhale, mouth, inha-
Her shoulder slammed mercilessly against the window as Beau pulled over, and he was in her space, he was closer and talking, not at her but to her now and she tried to breathe, breathe, catch her breath and breathe. She stared at him with nostrils flared, chest heaving as she realized how ridiculous she probably looked. She pulled her hand back and chuckled, trying to make it airy and light and calming. It didn't work but she hoped he wouldn't comment on it.
"I'm fine, Beau, I-"
Sharp intake of breath. Pause. She knew she should follow his lead and imitate his breaths but it was too much, she closed her eyes as her forehead burned. She felt hot all of a sudden, and-
She grabbed the handle of the car, popping it open non-too gently and leaning out. There was a splatter sound and thankfully there weren't any people - things around, so she could let the air hit her, cool her. She slowly, gently closed the door, and leaned against it. "We should- we should keep going," she said meekly, head against the window and thus against the red streak of blood. She ignored it, putting the seat-belt on silently and grabbing the handrail so Beau could pull off back into the road.May 6th, 2019 at 12:30am -
Beau
Beau
Beau winced as Willa threw the door open puking out her guts. It took everything in his willpower to not do the same. Swallowing the bile down he shook his head trying to clear his panic before going to rub her back, his free hand gathering up her long black hair to keep it away from her face. It felt silky in his hands, slick against his callused palms.
He was afraid to turn on the AC incase his belt went and that was the last thing they needed. Looking around he found them alone, the sun beating against the hood of his truck but there was a cool breeze. At least there was that.
"Why don't we take a moment, cool down," he paused cranking her window halfway for her before doing his own. Her skin brushing his own. She was warm to the touch. Willa was not used to the weather and he felt worry pit in his stomach as he reached behind her for the cooler. The ice having long melted since their trip to the beach yesterday but the sodas still cool as he scavenged for the last bottle of water. Handing it to her with a worried expression. Turning to the car ashtray he pulled out two of the elastic bands he kept stashed there pulling his own long hair into a tight bun before going to do the same for Willa hoping it would help cool her down. His hands shakey but gentle. He wasn't much for babying but it was different with Willa. She needed it and he knew it. Almost couldn't stop himself from constantly doing it when the Filipino girl was around.
"Will?" He asked watching her like a wounded animal, "we couldn't have done anything, you know that, right?" He asked carefully concern on his face. The need to protect Willa stinging like a punch to the stomach.May 10th, 2019 at 12:23am -
Karoline Kraus
The gun shook in her hands. The grip slick with blood; her father's blood. Her heart pounded in her head like a drum, refusing to slow, suffocating her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The hearty German woman's body slamming over and over again against her father's bedroom door. Karoline's sobs and sniffling only making the woman frenzy more.
Ida had... Ida had done this thing, this horrible blood curling thing. The memories of what she'd seen threatening to undo her.
Kara wasn't sure who to point the gun at, Ida or herself?
She couldn't help herself, the pounding, it wouldn't stop. Ida wouldn't stop. Why was she doing this?! How could she? She'd lived with them for 8 years! She'd been her mother in everyway but the name. She'd kissed skinned knees, packed her lunches, drove her to horseback riding lessons, and even taught her about her first period and how to use a tampon. Ida was more than a housekeeper she was her mother and her mother wanted her dead.
Karoline's knees wobbled giving out as she let out a soul crushing sob. She couldn't do this! She couldn't do THIS. No, she couldn't...She Just-
Karoline raised the gun. The barrel pressing against her trembling chin. She wanted this over, whatever came after at least it wouldn't be th-
The lock broke, wood splintering as the door burst open and Karoline fired.
The shot hotting Ida in the chest. Blood and body matter flying through the air, splattering Kara's body. Shock glistening in her eyes as she stared devistatedly at the gore covered woman who was perched on her knees.
She'd shot Ida. She hadn't meant to, but she'd reacted, oh God what had she don-
Ida's body rose. Jerking as a monstrous growl split from her lips. The Housekeeper lunging forward catching Karoline's hair in her cold, stiff fingers. They coiled in her long londe locks pulling her new found prey closer. Her eyes bloodshot and blank as she mashed her teeth. Pieces of her father's flesh caught in her mouth like the reminents of a steak dinner. This wasn't her mother.
Karoline Fired.May 18th, 2019 at 07:41am -
Benzion & Grayson Kessler
"Mom? Mom!" Gray whisper-shouted into the phone, panic engulfing him as he sat on the kitchen floor, a butcher knife laying next to his feet. His back trembled against the kitchen counters as he redialed, busy- redialed again- busy- redialed and redialed and redialed until his father slipped into the kitchen. A worried look plastered to his face.
"I couldn't risk closing the shutters, there are more of them out there... I will try again tonight after dark. It should be safer, they might wander off," he whispered fake hope in his voice as he bent down next to his frightened 15 year old son. "I closed the curtains though, it's going to be okay, we just need to be quiet and hide out," Benzion nodded his head moving towards the front of the house.
"I-I lost connection with mom... I can't get ahold of her," Gray whimpered scrunching his eyes closed as he held onto his cellphone like a lifeline. Something bad had happened to her, he could feel it in his bones. Coral Cove was bad, how was there hope for Miami.
"Hey, Hey, Gray it's okay. You heard her, she's safe on pediatric, they have the floor sealed, there's probably too many calls going through. We'll try later." Benzion reassured, squeezing Gray's shoulders supportively.
"Now, since Mom's safe we need to get safe ourselves." Benzion pushed. Hoping to get him out of his state of shock.
Gray nodded his head, swallowing back his fear as he tried to push back his fears and move. It took way too much effort to get off the floor.
"We made it out of the desert so-" Benzion prompted as he always did when his family faced a problem.
"We can make it through this," Gray grumbled automatically, leaning forward to scoop up his knife.
"That'a boy," Benzion nodded appeased to see something normal flicker through his son's eyes. "I'm going to get the hurricane kit from my closet and round up a few things, we can use the supplies, I need you to bag up the pantry, and fill the beach coolers. It'll be safer in the loft, but I don't want you leaving the kitchen until I get back, we'll go together." Benzion explained carefully, he would rather Grayson did not go near the livingroom with all the windows, until he was there to keep him safe.May 22nd, 2019 at 10:03pm
