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Archive 3 / feral-mistake
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reddeR 16-Nov-21 03:39 AM
😍 2
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Blazee Todd BOT 16-Nov-21 12:29 PM
they never explained why, it was just...known. it's not safe outside. There are others outside. They never told us where they came from, or who they are. Just that they were out there, and if we left, we would never be able to come back. So of course I went out. The base was home to some 30,000 people, all locked in with their walls and fences and floodlights. I knew there was more to discover, more to see. I knew there was something else. It was so easy, really, to get out. Nobody ever wanted to go out. Nobody had any idea what was outside of the walls. It hadn't taken much for me to find a way out. The walls were old, and much had been left unmaintained. The maintenance door had been concealed in a garden that had long since overgrown. The lock had rusted out, the hinges were hardly holding it in place. Now I was out, free. The confines of the camp would be my prison no more. I wasn't afraid of the outside. I wasn't going to watch their sick games of politics, their sadistic mind control of the slowly disappearing people who trusted them. I refused to be a part of it. The last thing I was expecting was for the ground to open under my feet. Fortunately the spikes at the bottom of the pit trap were rotted and crumbled under me, rather than impaling me. Not that I was any less trapped. The walls were at least ten feet above my head. The small hole in the thick underbrush was hardly visible. No light could reach me through it. I tried to climb out, digging my fingers and toes into the thick clay of the walls, but it only crumbled under my weight, sending me back to the bottom of the pit. That's when i start to panic. I didn't escape that prison just to fall into a hole and die like an animal! The rotting wood of the spikes crumbles to easily, I can't use it to climb out. I don't scream intil I find the bones at the far end of the pit. Something had already died and rotted long ago. Now it was my turn.
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reddeR 16-Nov-21 12:31 PM
(Dm with your ideas! Be creative!)
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redrum 01-Dec-21 06:58 AM
Doren Iyones Leader of “the savages” whom have no given name, but are considered savages by the council of the domes Doren was among the few who survived the Great War, only a boy of 15 when the last gunshot rang out and the war crept to a halt. His mother, Aryana, was his only family left once the fighting ended. His father and brothers never came home. That day he swore to protect his remaining family with his life, and has done so since…. Until now. On an expidition into the ruins for more supplies, Doren and his mother were ambushed by men in white and yellow suits, they took his mother and beat Doren inches from death. As he lay there in his own pool of blood, hearing his mother’s screams, a toil of anger boiled inside of him. He vowed these people would pay for whatever they were going to do to her, no matter the cost to himself. Doren and his mother met a small group of men shortly after the war’s end, soldiers who had deserted their stations when all hope seemed to be lost. They taught Doren and Aryana to fight, both in ranged and close ranged combat. For years, they scavenged the lands for whatever supplies they could find and people they could save. Before Doren was 20, the men who had trained him had all died off from one illness or another - starvation, fever, infection… the world was cruel, and it hardened the young man’s heart to it’s hardships. Wordlessly, Doren became the leader of his people. He had been the only one to last as long as the beginning while also caring for the others. They looked up to him, trusted him, and Doren gave them no reason not to. Once his mother was captured, and Doren returned to camp to find out she was not the only one, he promised every one of his people that the men in white would pay for what they had done. They dig pits outside of their freshly built dome, set patrols to check the pits daily, and waited diligently for their opportunity to arise. The war had only begun. (edited)
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redrum 01-Dec-21 07:22 AM
........
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Doren Iyones BOT 01-Dec-21 07:33 AM
Sounds of shuffling feet and screaming children shook me from my sleep, pulling me mercilessly out of my dream and back into the cruel world I lived in. I slowly sat up in my cot, the furs of my kills slowly rolling off my toned body and lumping into my lap. A small groan of displeasure left my lips as I rested my forehead into my hands for a moment, taking in the not-so-fresh morning air as I readied myself for yet another day. I barely had the chance to swing my feet over the side of the bed before one of my men rushed in through my door with a panicked yet excited look on his muddied features. "We've got one!" He exclaimed, eyes wide like a doe in headlights, and his words caused my brows to furrow together in confusion. I opened my mouth to speak only to be cut off by another man yelling just beyond my window, "get the ropes! It's finally time!" I stood from my sheets and waved the man out of my home, picking up a tattered white shirt and pulling it quickly over my head before covering it with my black and brown cloak. The winter was coming, the mornings growing cooler and cooler by the day and I knew that if we were to go to war with the men in white it would have to be soon. I stomped on my leather boots and pushed through the curtain of my front door, "let's go see our catch, shall we?" Our travels were not long, as my people had strategically placed our camp in the deeper and thicker parts of the woods just about a quarter day's ride away from the Domes. The sun was just about to peak in the sky as our horses rode up to the edge of the pit and skid to a halt, "Stay back! I ordered, dismounting the Appalachian steed I had tamed as my own and approaching the edge of the hole. My dark gaze peered over the cliff of dirt and scanned your comparatively smaller body, as if drinking in every detail I could about you without speaking. "You're quite a way from home, stranger." (edited)
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Blazee Todd BOT 01-Dec-21 07:42 AM
I look up at the sound of a voice. The first voice I've heard since I fell in this stupid hole, how long ago now? I'd screamed until my throat was raw. I'm covered in dirt and mud, and still b ain't been able to get up the clay sides of the pit. "Please, water!" I croak, moving over to try and see who'd spoken. I can't see anybody through the hoke I fell through. Every breath burns like fire. I wish I hadn't screamed like that, I might not have such a sore throat. I'm saved now! I realize, they will get me out of here! I can go home! But I only just left, just a couple of days ago. I feel defeated. I fell in this stupid hole and ended my expedition on day one! I don't want to go back. I'll just leave again, and next time I won't fall in any stupid pits.
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Doren Iyones BOT 01-Dec-21 07:47 AM
I couldn't help but let a slight grin crack at my lips as you called for help. It was almost pathetic, but I wasn't a complete monster and I needed you alive. I turned back to my men, motioning one of them to come forward. He stepped down from his horse and took a rope off of it's saddle, bringing it over to me. I took it with a gracious nod and tossed the end down into the pit, "alright. grab hold." I wrapped my fingers around the other end of the rope and held on tightly, bracing myself to hold your weight and eventually hoist you up from the hole. A few tuffs of dirt dislodged from my feet and rolled down the side of the hole and into the pit. It must've been 10 feet deep, probably quite the fall for the likes of you.
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Blazee Todd BOT 01-Dec-21 07:56 AM
I manage to get to the edge of the hole , and out. Then I look around at who rescued me, mouth dropping open in shock. These are not people from the dome. There is no way. I've never seen anything like them! The one who hauled me out, standing there with the rope, stands thereblooking like he would see me dead, if he could. But I don't care, he can kill me or give me some water. "Please, water?" My voice sounds like hell and talking is difficult at best. My throat feels like sandpaper. I'm hungry, but thirst is my biggest issue right now.
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Doren Iyones BOT 01-Dec-21 03:38 PM
I looked you up and down for a moment before deciding to fulfill your request, taking broad steps towards my horse and unlatching a small tin from it's side. I unscrewed the top and offered it to you, ignoring the slight huffs of disappointment from my men. "What are you doing so far out here? None of you leave the Domes." My brows furrowed, realizing just how odd it was that you hadn't turned tail and ran from me the moment you had a chance. But, none of that really mattered, because you were merely a pawn in my battle plan and nothing else. I didn't care what kept you from trying to return home.
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redrum 01-Dec-21 03:38 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 01-Dec-21 04:36 PM
I grab the water and drink, sweet moisture soothing my burning throat. I have never tasted anything so good! When the tin is empty I lick the drops off the outside. Then for a horrible moment, I feel like I might throw up. When the naseau eases up I look up at my rescuers again. They understood my request for water, they speak common. It's worth a shot. "Thank you," I say, still sounding raspy. "I thought I was going to die in there."
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reddeR 01-Dec-21 04:36 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 01-Dec-21 04:55 PM
I reached out and took my tin back from you, screwing the top on and replacing it to my horse’s saddle before I looked back at you. I chuckled a bit to myself before I reached forward, grabbing your shoulder and swinging you around so your back was to me. I gripped both of your wrists, pulling them behind your back and using the same rope I had used to save you to tie your wrists behind you. “I wouldn’t thank me yet.” “Are we sure they’d want this one back?” One of the men asked, his horse shifting from side to side as he watched. “they will.” I said confidently, dragging you away from the pit and slinging you over the back of my horse before remounting my steed.
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redrum 01-Dec-21 04:55 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 01-Dec-21 05:36 PM
I hang out over the horse, wondering what the hell it is and where I'm being taken. My bottom sticks out like this, putting it on display, making me blush
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reddeR 01-Dec-21 05:44 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 02-Dec-21 11:00 AM
I flicked the reigns on the horse and started riding back to our camp. It wasn’t too long of a ride but surely you’d be a bit sore by the time we arrived. The camp nearly exploded in both excitement and anger, especially since your people were the ones that kidnapped their family. They yelled and cried out for the girl to be treated with no respect, but I lifted my hand to silence them. The crowds slowly went silent, save for some shuffling of feet and huffs of frustration, “the girl will not be harmed. If anyone lays a hand on her they will answer to me.” I swung my leg off my horse and hopped down, picking you up off it’s rear and letting you stand beside me, “come.” I stated bluntly, leading you away from the people who still attempted calling out crude words to you, threatening that your people would pay for the lives they have taken. I took you to my home, holding the curtain back for you to enter, “you must be hungry.”
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redrum 02-Dec-21 11:00 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 02-Dec-21 12:10 PM
I follow you, confused and beginning to be afraid. I don't know what these people are talking about! "Th- I think there's been a mistake!" My raspy voice sounds frantic, which makes sense. I feel frantic, these people I never knew existed are saying my people had killed their families! "I don't know what they are talking about, I didn't know there was anybody out here!"
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reddeR 02-Dec-21 12:10 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 02-Dec-21 07:21 PM
I pushed inside of my home with a small grunt, acknowledging your confusion with a ping of annoyance. “How could you know nothing of the men in white and yellow suits that come out of the domes and pluck my people straight from their homes?” Despite being angry with you and your people, I had to keep you alive and that meant feeding you. I trudged to the small make-shift kitchen, plucking a few pieces of jerky from the counter that I had made a few days prior. Side stepping to a small crate on my left, I picked out a small cup and dunked it into a water basin beside it. Once I was satisfied with the snack I created for you, which was more than generous for your people, I turned on my heel and closed the distance between us. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.” In the light, which filtered ever so softly through the window in my home, my features were illuminated nicely. I was dirty, the trek to the pits had been short but still a bit brutal. My jaw was strong and my gaze was tense. Distrust shimmered in the depths of my hazel irises, even as I looked down into your seemingly innocent gaze. As far as I knew your people were monsters, liars that would say anything to survive and continue to terrorize my people.
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redrum 02-Dec-21 07:21 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 02-Dec-21 07:29 PM
I frown up at you, trying to understand what you are talking about. A tight, suffocating feeling starts to grip my chest. I truly have no idea what is going on, but you seem to think I have done something terrible. I accept the food and drink the water eagerly, but the food remains in my hand, untouched. "Nobody leaves the domes! Nobody! That's why I thought I would die in that hole, nobody would come find me! And I...it..." I frown, my eyes dropping to the floor as a thought occurs to me. I have seen men in white and yellow suits, once. They had been under gaurd, in the office of affairs. They were criminals, I'd thought. "White and yellow suits?" I whisper, "what is going on?"
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Doren Iyones BOT 02-Dec-21 07:42 PM
I continue to think you are playing dumb, my eyebrows furrowing together as I think of ways to get you to talk… but something about the shock in your voice convinces me otherwise. You really didn’t know what I was talking about. A part of me felt guilty for kidnapping you, knowing now that you were innocent of the horrific things that were being done to my family. To my people. The other part would do anything to get my mother back. I turned away from you and ambled over to the window, looking outside with a look of grief passing over my sharp features, “the men in the white and yellow suits have been taking our people for years. We have only seen 2 return… but they were not alive.” I allowed a soft sigh to leave my lips as I watched a pair of dirty children playing with each other in the mud. One of them tossed a ball of dirt towards the other, smacking him in the chest with it. I shook my head as I thought about the boys that lost their mother to the white and yellow suits, “they were discarded behind the dome in a pile of trash and shit. They were nearly unrecognizable, from all the things they had been through.” I blinked slowly, turning my chin over my left shoulder to cast a glance behind me, “I suppose your people have been keeping secrets from you.”
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redrum 02-Dec-21 07:42 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 02-Dec-21 07:49 PM
the food falls from my numb hand as I stare at you in shock. I don't even consider that you are lying, why would you lie about it? "I..." I don't even know how to respond. The anger from these people was clear, and now that I know the reason, I don't blame them. I sit down where I am, covering my mouth with my hands, trying to wrap my head around this. Why? Why would they be taking these people? Why would they kill them? "The dome is supposed to protect us!" I whisper, frowning and shaking my head. "I don't understand!"
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reddeR 02-Dec-21 07:53 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 02-Dec-21 07:59 PM
I turned around fully once you fell to the ground, my eyes watching your movements with concern, “you really had no idea that they were doing these things?” I spoke half to myself, and half to you. It was almost unbelievable that the people in your home had managed to keep such a thing a secret… but somehow it didn’t shock me. They were murderers, monsters, and I wouldn’t put anything past them. I slowly shuffled over to you, kneeling in front of you and hesitantly reaching out to you. I brought your hands closer to me, undoing the ties that had kept the rope around your wrists. You held no threat to me or my people, there was no reason to have you restrained. “how did you escape?“
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redrum 02-Dec-21 07:59 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 02-Dec-21 08:09 PM
"I...I snuck out. I ran away. Nobody tries to leave, the dome...they say it's dangerous out here. They say there are horrible things, and the dome keeps us safe. But I wasn't afraid. I...wanted to see for myself. I thought I could handle it." Tears fill my eyes, I make no move to pull away from you. "I thought they were just afraid. I didn't think the danger was...us..." I look up at you finally as tears spill from my eyes. "They said nobody lives outside!"
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reddeR 02-Dec-21 08:09 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 02-Dec-21 08:13 PM
I listened to you quietly, and for a moment my heart seems to twist for you in pain. You seemed genuinely heartbroken from this information, but it didn’t change that it was your people that took mine. I sighed and rocked back onto my ass, buckling my knees and putting my elbows on top of them. My hands hung limply in front of me, and I stared at the ground between my legs, “they lied to you. We’ve been out here since the war ended, surviving. Your people have taken 8 of ours. What they do to them leave them unrecognizable.” I paused a I thought for a moment, allowing a soft groan to pass through my lips, “which probably means you don’t want to go back now.”
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redrum 02-Dec-21 08:13 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 02-Dec-21 08:19 PM
I shake my head vehemently. "I c-can't go back there! I know I can't stay here, I don't blame you for hating me." I scrub at the tears on my cheeks, folding my legs up in front of me and hugging my knees tightly. I rest my cheek on my knees, feeling like a monster. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'll go, if you can live out here I can, too. I won't bother you." I say without conviction.
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reddeR 02-Dec-21 08:19 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 03-Dec-21 07:46 PM
I lift my eyes once more to judge your reactions, my brow furrowing slightly at your insistence to stay away from the dome. I wanted to help you, I really did… but my mother was still in there, and I had to help her first. “for now, you’ll stay here. I need to have some way to convince your people to let mine go.” I rose to my feet slowly, rubbing the back of my neck as I moved over to the bed. “I’ll have someone fetch you some clothes, and a blanket.”
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redrum 03-Dec-21 07:46 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 03-Dec-21 08:00 PM
"Wait, you...you're going to give me back? After what you just told me? You're just going to...to use me?" I ask, shocked. I stare at you in disbelief. This was the last thing I'd expected.
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reddeR 03-Dec-21 08:01 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 03-Dec-21 08:53 PM
”Unfortunately you are the only one who has come out of the domes, and your people won’t give mine back for free.” I knew that it would be hard to convince you to agree to this, so I didn’t intend to. If you tried to run, my people would catch you. If you stayed and helped, it would surely make it easier on me. Either way, I had what I needed. I opened a small crate and pulled out a shirt and some shorts, mine from an earlier time where I wasn’t so bulky. I carried them over to you and pointed to a water basin in the corner, “clean yourself up. Don’t forget to eat.” I turned around, not waiting for you to reply before I walked out of the cabin and back into the crowds of my people, leaving you to get comfortable in some clean clothes.
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Blazee Todd BOT 03-Dec-21 09:09 PM
"like hell if I'm going back there." I mutter to myself. I know there are people out here now, I know I can survive. I set to work washing all the mud off. It had been impossible to see before, i was so covered in clay from trying to climb out, but with a little effort my flaming red hair soon come clean. I wash my skin, returning to my pale ivory self. Nervously I look around for anybody, then quickly strip out of my clay covered clothing and wash the rest of myself. I put on the clothes you gave me, laughing at how big they are on me. A couple of rips and some fancy knot tying turns them into a passable top and skirt. The top is basically one wide strap that wraps around my breasts, comes back to the front and wraps around itself between my breasts before being tied behind my neck. The skirt is a similarly simple wraparound piece, reaching about halfway down my thighs. One thing I'd noticed- outside of the climate controlled dome, it was hot.
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reddeR 04-Dec-21 05:31 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 04-Dec-21 05:41 PM
I made my way over to one of the women who was sitting amongst some linen she was cleaning. I frowned a bit to myself in thought before I decided to speak up, “she’s from the dome but she has no idea where our people are. She doesn’t want to go back, either.” The woman stopped what she was doing and sat up straight, her eyes locking onto my own and her withered features hardening in seriousness, “it’s not up to her.” “I know, but it’s odd to me… there is much more going on in there than we thought. We need to-“ “We need to get our people back.” She snapped, and for a moment we glared at one another defiantly. I eventually had to give up, turning on my heel and stomping angrily back to the house. I knocked before entering, my face still contorted with annoyance, “why did you leave? That’s the only thing I don’t understand.”
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redrum 04-Dec-21 05:41 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 04-Dec-21 05:47 PM
I whirl around, then stumble back as you come in looking furious. I actually put my arm up as if to ward off a blow. A startled exclamation escapes. Thinking you are angry over the clothes I tore up to modify, I blurt out, "I'm sorry! They didn't fit!"
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reddeR 04-Dec-21 05:47 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 04-Dec-21 09:57 PM
I waved off your words as if they meant nothing, stepping inside and pulling out the singular wooden dining chair I had at the table and settling down in it,* "the clothes were tattered anyway. I'm glad you could make them fit." I picked up a piece of jerky that I had left on the table that morning and bit into it, eventually turning my eyes back to you, "so, why did you leave?"
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redrum 04-Dec-21 09:57 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 04-Dec-21 10:14 PM
"I left because..." it seemed like ages ago, but it was only a few days. Being in that pit had been hell. My reasons for wanting to leave seemed so childish, so foolish now. I blush, dropping my eyes to the floor. "I left because I could, and I'm not a coward." I force myself to meet your eyes again. "They don't let anyone come out- not that they tell us about. Nobody even wants to come out. They have everyone in there convinced its death to step outside of the dome. They say the rain is acid, the water is polluted, and what animals are left are crazed, monstrous beasts who survived the ash fallout. They told us nobody lives outside the dome, that everybody who didn't make it to one of the domes was dead within a month of the gates being sealed. I...was born in there. I never believed them. My dad said it's because I didn't see it, I never lived through the fear. But the people in charge of the dome are keeping them afraid! They keep the memories from going to sleep! The people who lived before the dome are afraid to come back out!" "And I'm not. I was going to come with some friends, but they got scared too. The said I'd never go if it was just me, and I should just give up my stupid plan. They told me it was smart to be afraid of death! I told them they are cowards, and I went out that door, and...well..." I falter, my eyes dropping once again. "Well, then I fell through the ground." I know my cheeks are as red as my hair. I can't bring myself to look at you. They hadn't been wrong, not about what I'd said they were wrong about. I would have died, if they hadn't been wrong about nobody living out here. I feel like a child, I'd behaved foolishly and recklessly and almost paid with my life. If you hadn't pulled me out of that pit, I surely would have died, by now. Alone, so alone, and nobody would have thought to look outside for my body.
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reddeR 06-Dec-21 08:09 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 07-Dec-21 05:27 PM
I listened to your words quietly, my eyes never once leaving your form as I noticed every emotion you felt flashing across your face. For a moment, I felt empathy for your position. It must've been hard being kept in that dome with people whispering lies into your ear. Yet, they weren't all lies. Much of the water was poisoned, many of the animals crazed. The people out here weren't always the best either... but it didn't mean that everything they had done to you was right. "You help me get my family out of there, and I keep you safe," I said suddenly, stepping towards you and extending a hand. I wanted to save everyone, that was my fatal flaw. My eyebrows stay knit together in seriousness as I wait for you to take my offer, my calloused hand outstretched.
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redrum 07-Dec-21 05:27 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 07-Dec-21 06:26 PM
i consider your offer for a bit. i don't know how i can help. I didn't even know there were people out here when i came out. i also don't know how to survive out here on my own. I need help, but I don't like the idea of another person 'keeping me safe'. "how about this," i counter, "I will help you get your family back, and you can teach me how to keep myself safe? I don't want anybody keeping me safe. That's what they said the domes were for.
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reddeR 07-Dec-21 06:26 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 07-Dec-21 06:33 PM
I chuckled slightly at your words, shrugging my broad shoulders and shaking my head slightly. “Alright, if you believe you can handle it.” I knew that the world was cruel, and the domes were not. We would see just how capable you were when I put a weapon in your hand.
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redrum 07-Dec-21 06:33 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 07-Dec-21 07:37 PM
"OK, I can agree to that." I say, taking your hand to shake on it. I pause with my hand still in yours and stare for a moment. You make my smaller hand look so pale, for a moment I'm fascinated by it. Then I pull my hand back, glancing up at you, really seeing you. A lot of muscle rippled under your dark skin. You are easily the most muscular man I've seen, not that I've seen many men. Your sheer size is intimidating. "So, what do I do first?" I ask.
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reddeR 07-Dec-21 07:37 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 09:46 AM
”First, we rest.” I said quietly as I released your hand and made my way over to the wash basin. I reached over my shoulders and took a handful of my shirt into my hand to pull it off and over my head. Scars practically riddled my back and upper arms, each told a very dark story from where they came from. I picked up a rag and dunked it in the water before beginning to wash the grime from my torso. “What’s your name?“ I asked, not turning to face you as I continued to scrub my dark skin.
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redrum 08-Dec-21 09:46 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 09:53 AM
"Blazee Todd," I say breathlessly. I can't tear my eyes off of the markings on your back. I've seen scars, occasionally. Usually relics from before the dome. This is not the same. I slowly move closer wanting to see better. Then a thought occurs to me. "I can...I mean, would you like me to wash your back?" I ask nervously.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 09:53 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 01:26 PM
I nodded a bit at your name, acknowledging that it was a rather fitting name, seeing as you were very attractive and so was the name. I stopped scrubbing my arms as you offered to clean my back for me, and I furrowed my eyebrows together slightly in shock that you’d willingly offer to do that. “That would be… helpful.” I admitted eventually, turning around and extending the washcloth to you. Every muscle rippled intensely under my now wet skin, even more scars decorated my chest and torso. I’d been through hell, that much was obvious.
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redrum 08-Dec-21 01:26 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 01:33 PM
I take the rag and stare, eyes tracing each scar. I don't say anything, but it's clear I've never seen anything like it. I wash your back, feeling the uneven texture of your skin through it. When I finish, I give in to temptation and reach up with my other hand to gently run my fingertips along a raised ridge of scar tissue. "What happened?" I ask, almost whispering.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 02:29 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 03:31 PM
My shoulders seemed to relax as I felt your delicate fingers run across my back. I hadn’t realized that my shoulders were so tense, so it felt nice to have a moment to relax. I had expected you to ask where my scars came from, but it wasn’t always easy to talk about where they came from. “The men from the dome..” I started, placing my hands on the edge of the basin to lean against it, “they jumped my mother and I, took her and beat me until I nearly died.”
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redrum 08-Dec-21 03:31 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 03:42 PM
my hand stills upon your back. You feel me tremble just before I gently flatten my hand on your back. I feel dirty, like somehow, by being from the dome, I am guilty for these things they did to you. "How old were you?" I ask, barely whispering.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 03:42 PM
@reddeR
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 04:28 PM
”I was 16.” I said, but my voice did not shake. It had been a long time since then, since my mother had been taken. I still held out hope that she was in there… waiting for me to rescue her. I slowly turned around, feeling the tremble of your hands it made me feel almost guilty for telling you. I took them into my own, a firm but gentle grasp leaving me looking down into your eyes, “it was a long time ago, Blazee. You didn’t do this to me.”
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redrum 08-Dec-21 04:28 PM
@reddeR
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@reddeR
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redrum 08-Dec-21 04:29 PM
Tagged yourself 😂)
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 04:29 PM
(OofXD)
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 04:35 PM
"I understand why they all hate me, though." I say, gesturing slightly with my head toward the doorway, Indicating "they" to be the rest of the people here. "I feel like I've done something wrong, like Im...guilty by assocoation." I slip one hand free of yours and touch a scar on your chest, following It all the way across. I sigh, then look up at you. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry they did this to you. I'm sorry they still have your mother. I will do anything I can to help you." I promise quietly.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 04:35 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 04:38 PM
”You didn’t hold the knife, so I won’t let anyone harm you.” I responded, feeling my body slightly tingle at your delicate touch. My eyes lowered to my chest, frowning at the memories that resurfaced from even the sight of the scars. I instinctively lifted a hand and grabbed your wrist, my breathing suddenly hastening. “Don’t…” was all I could say, clenching my jaw in frustration at my own actions.
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redrum 08-Dec-21 04:38 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 04:44 PM
my eyes widen as you grip my wrist, but don't pull my hand away. I look up to meet your eyes, surprised again by the tension in your face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" I say hastily
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 04:44 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 05:01 PM
I looked into your eyes as the trauma of that day slowly began to fade away, and I eventually realized how intensely I had been holding your hand. “I… Im sorry… I don’t know what came over me.” I slowly released your wrist, glancing over it to be sure I didn’t unintentionally harm you. “No one’s… touched me since that day.” I mumbled softly, taking a deep breath to try and rid myself of the remnants of the horrid memories
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redrum 08-Dec-21 05:01 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 05:05 PM
I look at you and frown, confused. Nobody has touched you? My heart aches for you. "What kind of people...nobody? Nobody even...hugged you, or...nobody?" I whisper, then I gently pull my hand out of your grip, step close, and wrap my arms around you.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 05:07 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 05:26 PM
I had just been looking at you as you spoke, my eyebrows furrowing together slightly as I thought about the last time I had let anyone touch me… and then you hugged me. My body stiffened slightly and for a moment I thought about pulling away, but the warmth of your arms around me made me slowly relax. It was… nice. I couldn’t help but slowly put my arms around you as well.
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redrum 08-Dec-21 05:26 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 05:30 PM
"somebody should have done this a long time ago." I whisper, feeling your arms slowly wrap around me. I step even closer, surprised by how warm you feel, and solid, and good. After a few minutes I awkwardly step away, immediately feeling almost cold where your skin no longer touched mine. "Um...so, what do I need to do? If I'm going to learn to keep myself safe?" I ask, blushing slightly.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 05:51 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 07:43 PM
When you finally let me go there was a certain… longing I felt for more physical touch. It was so nice to have someone just touch me for a moment, after so long… but I had to ignore that weak need to be close to someone. I couldn’t risk that. “We’ll rest, and then I’ll take you out and show you how to hunt first.” I said, clearing my throat and scratching the back of my head as I tossed the washcloth back into the water basin. I lumbered over to my bed and picked one of the blankets off of it, motioning you towards it, “you can sleep here. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
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redrum 08-Dec-21 07:44 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 07:56 PM
I frown, looking from the bed to you, the blanket in your hand, and back. I glance around, but don't see any sign of a couch or armchair. I walk up to you and hold my hand out for the blanket. "Either you are sleeping on your bed, or we are both sleeping on the floor, because I'm not kicking you out of your own bed." I say decisively. Then I smile. "Besides I'm the captive, how would it look if someone came and saw me in your bed, and you on the floor?"
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 07:57 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 08-Dec-21 08:17 PM
I chuckled slightly at your words, but it didn’t take me too long before I knelt down, curled an arm under your legs and swept you off your feet. I carried you to the bed and plopped you down on it, “you forget I am much stronger than you, Blazee. If anyone dare to question me, he would be a foolish man to do so.” I looked down at you for a moment, shaking my head in slight frustration of your words before I walked over to the small fireplace that was on the opposite side of the home than the kitchen. I began to stock it with wood, making sure to build a nice pile that would burn long enough for me to catch some sleep before needing to toss more into it.
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redrum 08-Dec-21 08:17 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 08-Dec-21 10:05 PM
you walk away and I glare at your back. Then slip off the bed, grab the blanket from where you set it when you started building the fire, and wrap it around myself as I head over to the wall by the kitchen. I smirk, holding back a snicker.
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reddeR 08-Dec-21 10:12 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 09-Dec-21 06:41 AM
Once I was satisfied with the fire I built I picked up a match box and struck it together, throwing the flame into the pile and leaning down to blow on it gently. Slowly the wood began to cover in orange flames, a nice touch of heat wafting over my face. I sit up and turn back to look at you, surprised to see you not on the bed, “what are you up to?” I asked; as my dark eyes flashed with curiosity.
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redrum 09-Dec-21 06:41 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 09-Dec-21 11:29 AM
I plop down next to the wall, wrapped in the blanket, and smile at you. I wiggle a bit and get comfortable, then sort of just tip over. I laugh at myself lightly, kick my feet until I get the blanket wrapped under them, and meet you eyes, still smiling. "I'm not kicking you out of your bed." I say simply.
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reddeR 09-Dec-21 11:29 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 09-Dec-21 11:45 AM
I merely shook my head at you as I watched you disregard my order. You were going to be difficult, and some part of me found that exciting. A slowly rose to my full height, leaving the fire to its own devices and walking over to you. “Is that right? Because I can tie you down to the bed to keep you still.” Was all that I said, before I bent over, swept you into my arms, and carried you back over to the bed. I plopped you back into the cot and ignored the slight creak that it made in defiance.
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redrum 09-Dec-21 11:45 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 09-Dec-21 11:50 AM
"well, then, get your ropes, because I'm not taking your bed!" I protest, slipping back off the bed to the floor. I cross my arm and frown up at you defiantly. This was exactly the thing that had brought me outside of the dome in the first place. I've never been anything but stubborn, and the more I was told I can't, the more determined I'd become to do it. That, and a general disregard for my own safety, had always gotten me in trouble more than anything else.
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reddeR 09-Dec-21 11:51 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 09-Dec-21 05:01 PM
A flash of annoyance crossed over my features as I looked down at your stubborn form, but I would not let your bratty nature dictate how I acted. If you wanted to be difficult, fine. You could be difficult. I shrugged a bit before I sat down on the bed and rolled onto my side, tucking an arm under the pillow and laying my head into it's plush, downy fabric. If you joined me, so be it, if not - well I hoped you enjoyed the floor. Perhaps that would teach you to be so outright defiant with someone who was only intending on being nice.
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redrum 09-Dec-21 05:01 PM
@reddeR (edited)
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Blazee Todd BOT 09-Dec-21 07:31 PM
I smirk with satisfaction when you lay on the bed. I pull the blanket around me tightly and look around the room. Nothing is familiar. Not even the walls. For a moment I feel utterly alone. Then I turn and look at you. Not so completely alone. All the rest of the people here might hate me, but at least you believed me. Or...so I hoped. I sigh quietly, then lay down beside the cot. Closing my eyes, clean, and wrapped in a blanket, feels amazing after days spent in the bottom of a pit with bones for company. I fall asleep almost immediately.
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Doren Iyones BOT 09-Dec-21 08:40 PM
I thought about leaving you there, your stubborn attitude deserved it anyways... but I guess I just couldn't let you sleep there when there was plenty of room on the cot for you to sleep in an actual bed. I sighed, rolling off of the bed and silently bending over to pick you up. I cradled you in my arms as I lifted you from the floor and resituated you on the cot, giving into your wishes and settling down next to you and closing my eyes. It was partly my fault you were here, and I had realized since bringing you into my home that you were more innocent than I... it would be wrong of me to treat you otherwise. I lay awake for a while, my mind running rampant over so many different things, until finally sleep overtook me and I slipped into the darkness.
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redrum 09-Dec-21 08:40 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 09-Dec-21 09:20 PM
I wake up on the cot, and irritation flashes through me. Then I turn and see you beside me. I smile, but don't want to risk waking you by climbing over you. I'll have to soon enough, anyway. I have to pee. I've never seen somebody with skin so dark. I gently place my hand on your arm, admiring the contrast between my ginger fair skin and yours. (BTW big kink of mine!) My attention is inevitably drawn to the scars all over your back. I can't help but touch, lightly, running my fingers along one very lightly. I wonder how they were made. What was done to you. My fingers find another scar and trace it, slowly. Then another. My mind comes up with a different story each time, a possibility of how it could have happened.
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reddeR 09-Dec-21 09:20 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 09-Dec-21 09:50 PM
Ever since that day I had managed to train myself to sleep light enough that I wouldn’t have dreams. It came with quite a bit of meditation and laying awake at night to escape my nightmares. I was slightly aware of your tracing fingers as I slept, but I didn’t actually acknowledge them until the sun began to rise and shined through the window into my features. “Do they intrigue you?” I said suddenly, though I didn’t raise my head from the pillow as I spoke. It was far too early for me to be waking, but I knew that today we would have quite the long day if I were to train you to hunt and possibly begin sparing. If you wanted to learn how to handle yourself out here you would have to be ready to do things that would be considered horrible, perhaps even sometimes barbaric. My shoulders roll back in a stretch and only then did I turn my head over my shoulder to look at you, my eyes slowly scanning over your pale skin. Most of my people had darker skin from the merciless sun… but yours was untouched, porcelain. I wondered what it had been like living in the domes, sheltered from the outside cruel world.
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redrum 09-Dec-21 09:50 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 09-Dec-21 09:57 PM
"i...i...I'm sorry, I though you were asleep!" I stammer. You turn and look at me, and my shocked expression turns into a warm smile. "Good morning!" I say cheerfully. "I really have to pee, where...?" I start to climb over you, not really caring at this point, just needing to get to the bathroom.
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reddeR 10-Dec-21 08:40 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 10-Dec-21 10:30 AM
I sat up slightly and let out a small chuckle, watching you clammer over me was rather amusing. “There’s a… bucket, in the corner.” I said, frowning a bit at my own answer, “no running water unfortunately.” I sat up fully and rubbed my rough hand over my scalp as I tried to fully wake up, letting a soft groan leave my lips in annoyance of having to get up.
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redrum 10-Dec-21 10:30 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 10-Dec-21 12:11 PM
I pause to look at you in surprise. "Um...I think I'd rather go outside!" I say, not liking the sound of a bucket at all. Then I blush and duck to hide my face. i walk toward the exit, then pause again near the door. "Is it...can I go out? Are they going to... ?" I ask, meaning all the people here that seem to hate me.
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reddeR 10-Dec-21 12:11 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 10-Dec-21 04:00 PM
”Sure, just watch for snakes.” I said as I swung my legs off of the cot and stood to my full height, I stretched my arms over my chest and moved over to a small chest, flipping it open and pulling out a new shirt. I pulled it up and over my head to cover my scarred body, leaving it up to you if you wanted to go out or not. “They’ll leave you be.”
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redrum 10-Dec-21 04:00 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 10-Dec-21 04:24 PM
I only hesitate another moment before darting outside. I quickly spot some cover and run over to it to duck behind a bush and relieve myself. On my way back I spot a couple people working on something, talking and laughing with each other. I pause, watching with interest, trying to figure out what they are doing. When they notice me watching, they fall silent, staring at me with angry expressions. A girl stands up and hurls something toward me. The rock misses, but it's enough to get me moving. I hurry back and duck inside your house. "Hey, Doren?" I ask distractedly as I come in, "does everyone here have family that was taken?
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reddeR 10-Dec-21 04:24 PM
@redrum
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reddeR 10-Dec-21 07:13 PM
(That was sent in a dm, no clue why it posted here. Strange)
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Doren Iyones BOT 10-Dec-21 07:28 PM
I watched you dart outside and shook my head with a slight chuckle, only to return back to my own responsibilities in the house as you took care of yourself. I had moved back to the bed to fix the furs and blankets that had been disrupted by our sleeping bodies by the time that you came back. I turned around and furrowing my brow slightly at your sudden question, but I was not going to lie to you as you deserved to know the truth of why everyone here seemed to hate you. "Almost everyone. Many of our people have gone missing, taken by the men in white and never seen again. Knowing what happened to some of them, we can only assume that they are suffering within those walls."
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redrum 10-Dec-21 07:28 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 10-Dec-21 07:48 PM
I stare at the ground for a moment, frowning, my hands curled in fists. I wasn't the one who took them, but I don't blame them for hating me. They will probably hate me even more when they find out I don't know how to help get them back. I look up at you, as you are turned away from me, and sigh quietly. My stomach loudly reminds me I spent several days in a pit trap with no food. I can't help but laugh. "Can I help with anything?" I ask, hoping to get to a meal quicker. I walk over to you and straighten one side of the blankets, then look at you expectantly. Everyone here but you hates me, and by all rights you should too. I don't want to be a burden, and decide to make myself as useful as possible while I learn to keep myself safe out here. If I work hard enough, maybe I can even contribute, or at least make your life easier, while I'm here.
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reddeR 12-Dec-21 01:05 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 12-Dec-21 05:08 PM
"Well I planned on taking you out to learn how to hunt first, since you want me to teach you how to live on the outside of the dome." I began, finishing with the sheets of the bed and standing to my full height once more. I turn on my heel and move over to the fire which had died out over the course of the night. "We will also need to gather some more firewood, tonight will be cooler than it was last night." I kicked the one log of wood that was sitting beside the fireplace before I huffed softly in disappointment, turning my intense gaze back over to you and taking a quick look over your attire. "You'll be comfortable in that? Or should I see if the other women have some hunting gear you can borrow?" I knew that it wouldn't be an easy feat to get one of the women to lend you, of all people, their clothes, but they looked up to me as their leader and they would be wise to do anything I asked of them. That was, if they wanted me to get their people back.
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redrum 12-Dec-21 05:08 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 12-Dec-21 05:24 PM
"i...will this work? I don't want to ... ask them, if it can be helped. They already don't like me. I don't blame them." I say, thinking of the rock thrower. I hope to be able to make or earn some more clothing, perhaps, but I don't want to be a burden or take from anybody here. If what I'm wearing will suffice, I will keep it until I've acquired something else. "I would like to avoid asking for handouts." I say, hoping you understand.
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reddeR 12-Dec-21 05:24 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 14-Dec-21 10:27 AM
I looked you up and down for a second, before I turned and walked over to one of the small crates I had stacked at the end of my bed. I rummaged through it, finding a smaller black jacket that would have to work, and tossing it over to you. “It’s getting colder out there, so just in case.” I said, before drawing another jacket out of the crate, which was much bigger than the one I offered you. I leaned over and picked up a bow an arrow, placing the bow over my head and the quip on my hip. I spun around and began making my way out of the house, my eyebrows furrowed intently. “Let’s get going, then.”
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redrum 14-Dec-21 10:27 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 14-Dec-21 03:42 PM
I trail along behind you, pulling the jacket on as I go. It's still big for me, but that just means it will keep more of me warm. I stop and grab my shoes, then stop and put them on just outside the door. I don't say anything as I quickly strap the shoes on, but I catch up quickly once they are on. I have good shoes, not that they helped me get out of the pit trap. They are still covered in clay, but it will flake off as I wear them. They are wear and dirt resistant, and they can be cleaned just by walking through water or rinsing them. I used them for track.
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reddeR 14-Dec-21 03:42 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 15-Dec-21 10:41 AM
The man lead the girl away from the camp, shooting warning glances at his people as they made angered and disgusted faces at her. He starts to part the undergrowth of the woods, walking through them confidently and not worrying much if she was keeping up. They would have to walk for a while before they would find any sort of animal life. “Have you ever hunted before? Held a bow and arrow? A gun?”
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redrum 15-Dec-21 10:41 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 15-Dec-21 12:06 PM
I laugh quietly at the notion. It's strange to think there are people who know nothing about the way life works inside the domes. "We aren't allowed those sorts of things in there. They say it's for our own protection. None of us, except those who were old enough to have fought before, have ever even seen a gun. Our meat comes from what we raise, not from hunting." I explain. It's easy enough to keep up with you, and once I no longer feel the contentious stares of the others on my back I relax a bit, soon find myself actually enjoying the walk with you. You don't talk much, but I don't mind. The woods are beautiful, especially having never been in woods aside from having fallen in the pit trap.
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reddeR 15-Dec-21 12:06 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 16-Dec-21 05:23 PM
”I suppose we all have to start somewhere,” he said , ducking beneath a branch and holding it up and over her head. Doren led the girl into a small clearing, the trees swayed softly in the wind and the grass whispered to the sky as it parted the way for Doren to make his way into the middle. He took the bow off of his shoulder and turned his sapphire gaze towards Blazee with a knowing smirk. “When you shoot a bow, you have to be diligent. Your breathing counts, the grip of your fingers… even the way your feet are planted.” He situated himself so his feet were about shoulder width apart, taking an arrow out of the quip and loading it onto the wooden weapon. He pulled it back, his fingers resting against his cheek as he aimed down his target. He released, and the bow flew quickly through the air and hit a nearby tree. A slight flash of pride crossed his features as he lowered the bow, holding it up to the girl, “do you want to try?”
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Blazee Todd BOT 16-Dec-21 07:55 PM
I nod and walk over to take the bow. It's immediately obvious the weapon is to large for me. I try anyway, and don't get far. My arms don't have the reach to pull the bow fully. Dismayed, but not discouraged, I watch closely as you take a few more practice shots. Each one hits its mark, and when the quiver is empty I sprint toward the targets to retrieve the arrows. I sprint back, grinning and put them back in the quiver. "So, how do I make a bow for myself?" I ask what seems like the most logical question.
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reddeR 16-Dec-21 07:55 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 17-Dec-21 07:24 AM
He chuckles slightly at the sight of her trying, shaking his head and taking a few more practice shots for her to see. Once she returns with the arrows he replaces the bow on his shoulder and crosses his arms over his chest, “there’s a town not too far from here, after we hunt, I’ll take you there and we can if we can find you a weapon that’s better suited for you.” He turns and makes his way back into the woods, his eyes searching for any sign of wildlife. It’s not too long before he notices dung on the ground, deer dung by the looks of it. “Here. It’s fresh, so the deer is close,” he whispered to her, pointing to the pile of crap before following the disturbed signs of brush in front of him. He’s careful not to step on any twigs, or make any other noises. Soon they’d find themselves a couple of tens of yards away from the deer, who was nibbling on a berry bush and flicking its tail lazily. He turned and placed a finger to his lips to show you to be quiet, before turning and taking the bow off of his shoulder. He loaded it once more, pulling the arrow back and letting his breath fall from his mouth. He released, and it struck the deer right in the side behind it’s shoulder-blade. It let out a squeal of pain, but quickly fell to the ground with the life draining from its eyes. He leapt forward, quickly making his way to the deer and making sure it was dead by placing a hand on it’s neck. “Thank you…” he whispered to the creature which had to sacrifice itself for the good of his people.
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redrum 17-Dec-21 07:24 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 17-Dec-21 12:47 PM
I follow as silently as possible. I'm good at running, but walking with stealth is new to me. I do my best, however, and manage not to scare away the deer. Once you take your shot, I almost cheer, but cover my mouth at the last moment when I see you taking off toward the kill. I trail behind you, just in time to catch your words of thanks. I look curiously from you to the deer, then kneel down beside you. I've never seen a deer, dead or alive. I reach out tentatively and stroke its fur gently. It still feels warm. You thanked it for its life, and it is still warm. I stand abruptly, walking a few steps away, turning my back to you to scrub at my eyes with the heels of my hands. I sniffle once, rubbing away tears I don't want to shed in front of you.
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reddeR 17-Dec-21 12:47 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 19-Dec-21 05:21 AM
Doren turned his head when you came over to the deer, letting you stroke its fur and watching you quietly. It was always a gamble of how one would react to seeing an animal die. Doren didn’t particularly like killing them but it had to be done for the sake of his people. The pickings of imperishable foods from whatever was left in abandoned towns was running low. He frowned slightly as he watched you go, slowly standing to his feet and making his way over to you quietly. Gently, Doren put his hand on your shoulder and turned you around. For a moment he just stared at you, taking in just how complex you were as a person before he pulled you into a big hug. You had done the same for him the day before, it would be terrible if he didn’t try to comfort you now. His large arms wrapped around you tightly, squeezing gently but if you tried to move away he wouldn’t stop you. “I know it’s hard.. but we only take what we need.”
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redrum 19-Dec-21 05:21 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 19-Dec-21 08:26 AM
I didn't expect the hug, but it was exactly what I needed. I lean against you, wrapped tight in your arms, and take comfort from your embrace. "That's the first deer I've ever seen." I say quietly, then take a deep breath, closing my eyes as I blow out slowly. One more, and I step back from you a bit and offer a small smile. "I'll be okay!" I say, almost enthusiastically. "So what do we do with it now?" I nod to the deer. "Do we take it back, or dress it here?
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reddeR 19-Dec-21 08:27 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 20-Dec-21 02:29 PM
”We’ll take it back, it will keep the meat clean until we can take care of it back at camp and hang the pieces that we don’t cook tonight to dry.” He turned away from her and walked back over to the deer, his mind still on the hug and how you reacted. The other women that followed him were entirely desensitized to death. They didn’t even seem to blink when something’s life was taken, it was almost something that turned him away from trying to love any of them. Yet you, it seemed every turn you were surprising him for some reason or another. He thought this over as he kneeled down, wrapping a large arm around its body and managing to lug it up and over his shoulder. He grabbed one of the other legs and managed to situate the deer against his back so he could carry it back. “Let’s get going.” Was all that he said before he would begin his trek back to the camp.
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redrum 20-Dec-21 02:29 PM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 20-Dec-21 02:55 PM
I watch you haul the deer over your shoulder and hustle up to you. "I can carry your bow, or...how can I help?" I ask, feeling quite useless. So much for my planning on being so helpful I make life easier. There's no way I could haul a carcass like that! The deer was as big as myself! I follow you back, pointedly keeping my eyes off of the deer. Once we get to camp I subconsciously step closer to you, anticipating the hateful glares of the others. I'm not disappointed. The first person I catch a glimpse of looks like they would kill me themselves if given a chance. I step closer, crowding you, almost stepping on your heels.
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reddeR 20-Dec-21 05:52 PM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 21-Dec-21 04:51 AM
He noticed how close you had gotten when he walked into the camp, taking the deer over to the unlit campfire and tossing it to the ground with a thud. “You can help me dress the deer,” he said, turning his eyes back up to the man who shot piercing looks at you and scowled at him. He didn’t seem happy, but he turned back and went into his house as to not disturb them. “They’ll get over your presence,” I assured you, pulling a large butchering knife out of the ground beside the campfire and holding it out towards the deer. “When you skin an animal, you have to keep your knife level with it’s hide. You don’t want to cut any of the meat off.” He said, sticking its sharp blade into the animal’s pelt.
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Blazee Todd BOT 21-Dec-21 05:33 AM
I wince as the blade cuts into the animals skin, and reflexively step back. A moment later I hesitantly move forward and squat beside you. I watch quietly, then, as you peel the skin back. I grab on as well and try to help. I don't seem to be doing much actual help, but my enthusiasm is notable. I listen attentively to everything you say, hoping I can remember all of your instructions.
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reddeR 21-Dec-21 05:33 AM
@redrum
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Doren Iyones BOT 22-Dec-21 07:44 AM
He couldn’t help but smile slightly at your enthusiasm but lack of help nonetheless. He continued to skin the deer until they were left with only the meat, beginning to fillet the pieces that were edible off of its skeleton and place them in a pile on a board of wood beside the fire. “What do you say to a juicy steak for dinner?” He asked as he stood and grabbed the head of the doe, carrying it to the back of camp and discarding it with some other trash. It wasn’t the best place to discard the remnants of the deer but they didn’t have much other choices. Soon he would return to you, holding a rag that he had fished off of a nearby table to wipe off the blood from his hands. Once he was finished, he offered it to you for the same purpose. “The day is past noon, we’ll have to go look for a weapon for you tomorrow. The nearest town is hours away.”
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redrum 22-Dec-21 07:44 AM
@reddeR
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Blazee Todd BOT 22-Dec-21 01:02 PM
I wipe my hands off, searching out clean parts of the rag and almost obsessively trying to get everything off my hands. The deer's brain sits on the hide, almost appearing to melt in the sun. A woman comes to a dress you, asking if you'd like her to treat the hide. I perk up immediately, looking from her to you. "Shouldn't I learn how to do that?" I ask, "I want to learn how to do that." The woman looks bemused, which is better than the angry response I'd expected from her. "You don't know how to tan a hide?" She asks, "it's important to know. You can't use your whole kill if you don't know how to tan a hide. I'll teach her, if you want, Doren. She may as well be useful while she's here. She doesn't look like she'd be big enough to be much use hunting, so she'll need to know how to dress and process a kill." Both of us look at you, waiting for your answer. This woman didn't seem to have the animosity toward me that I'd seen from others. She was dark, her skin the darkest brown I've ever seen, her hair black and short, tightly curled against her scalp, and her eyes so dark they looked black. She regarded me with curiosity, more than anything else, a fact for which I was very greatful. She didn't hate me just for coming from the dome. The relief of finding someone willing to see me as a person was immense.
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reddeR 22-Dec-21 01:02 PM
@redrum
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