bequiet: (Default)
The Quiet Place Mods ([personal profile] bequiet) wrote in [community profile] quietplacememes2018-02-28 08:56 pm
Entry tags:

TDM #003



TEST DRIVE MEME

You wake, standing. A thick, muddy red dust coats your skin and clothes - it sticks to your tongue and blocks your vision. Inhale and it chokes you, exhale and your breath puffs out in front of your face in a transparent maroon cloud. It tastes of copper, tangy and harsh. Movement is difficult, every limb tingles and aches. Look to your left, your right. Evenly spaced in each direction stands another person indistinguishable in every way from the next. You're disoriented and lethargic, unable to grasp onto a single thought. A pinprick of light blooms ahead and grows steadily larger; a door has opened.

Hands grip your wrists, push at the small of your back and guide you out of the darkness into a room with four walls and a thin, sagging ceiling. The plaster is peeling, the air is musty, and the floor is slick. White plastic piping juts up from the center and curves into multiple spouts, clean water flowing in uneven streams. Those hands pull your clothes off and clear the dust from your body, redress you in handsewn jumpsuits.

A finger is pressed to your lips. Kind eyes meet your own and a single word is whispered - hush.

Led out of the room in a line, you’re taken down a short hallway and into another, much larger room. There’s a woman waiting for you there, a child hugging her leg, and a cloth bag in her hands. She reaches in and pulls out a device, passes one to each of you. Once finished, she begins to move both hands in graceful gestures, a language. One of the people who helped you lifts their device and the screen lights up, tracks the woman’s hands. Letters appear on the screen and you understand the device’s purpose. She tells you what she knows and it’s not much.

This world is haunted. Noise attracts them, so it is not allowed. Communication is through body language, soundless writing, and the device. She tells you that your feet must be light and your mouth never used. There is a community outside these doors, where you can survive together, but only if you agree to one thing: complete and total silence. You'll have time to talk it over. Acceptance allows you to journey outside. The ground is marked in pathways of sand, lining the paths to each building and everywhere in between. You notice that the locals hold their devices always, aloft and glance to it often. It will not vibrate or make a sound to signal a message.

Notices appear. Rules. Guidelines. Feet on the sand and never anywhere else. To open a door you brush your fingers along the hinges - oiled and you may enter. If not, take the brush from the can sitting nearby and coat the metal with the dark liquid. You're to settle into your new home.

Caught me unawares
Content Warnings: Confusion, disorientation
Themes: Survival, horror, it's like groundhog day

The ending of the floor has caught me unawares. This must be the reason why I’m falling down the stairs.

That night, when you fall asleep, you dream of your life before The Quiet Place. At first it's the happiest moments of your life played on repeat, over and over. Everything good and sweet and fun. The second night, it's much the same. You go to bed anticipating another restful and pleasant sleep. But on the third night it changes.

For everyone, it starts the same. There's a long hallway with a door at the end. You walk towards it with nowhere else to go. You twist the knob and when you step forward, the floor ends and you fall. Falling lasts for seconds, minutes, or hours and when you land, it's with a jolt and a cloud of red dust all around you. There's someone else next to you, stumbling, coughing and choking on that familiar dirt that coats your tongue and mouth. When your eyes meet, everything blurs and you're falling again - this time, when you land, it's inside that dream from the first night. Only you're not alone. They're with you. The only way out is to experience the dream together. And when you do wake up, for real, that same red dirt is on your hands.

Falling down the stairs
Content Warnings: Confusion, disorientation
Themes: Survival, horror, it's like groundhog day

The ending of the floor has caught me unawares. This must be the reason why I’m falling down the stairs.

That night, when you fall asleep, you dream of your life before The Quiet Place. At first it's the worst moments of your life played on repeat, over and over. Everything bad and sour and awful. The second night, it's much the same. You go to bed anticipating another restless and dreadful sleep. But on the third night it changes.

For everyone, it starts the same. There's a long hallway with a door at the end. You walk towards it with nowhere else to go. You twist the knob and when you step forward, the floor ends and you fall. Falling lasts for seconds, minutes, or hours and when you land, it's with a jolt and a cloud of red dust all around you. There's someone else next to you, stumbling, coughing and choking on that familiar dirt that coats your tongue and mouth. When your eyes meet, everything blurs and you're falling again - this time, when you land, it's inside that nightmare from the first night. Only you're not alone. They're with you. The only way out is to experience the nightmare together. And when you do wake up, for real, that same red dirt is on your hands.

OOC
From your mods:

Please remember to mark your content in your starters or subject lines as material comes up. The threads on this meme can be used as game canon. Feel free to thread out arrival style meetings as well! If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment below. Have fun!

NAVIGATION



oorah: (☠︎030)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-03 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ frank nods after a minute. it takes a moment for his brain to catch up, but he gets the gist and he makes an OK symbol. go on, bro. ]
oorah: (☠︎325)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-03 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
i'm hotdog

welcome
morphogenia: (unfair adults are always)

[personal profile] morphogenia 2018-03-03 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Kamala somehow has mastered the art of silently huffing at people. She still has a few rants left in her.] What makes you think you can judge that?? That's a serious threat!
oorah: (☠︎032)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-03 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ he's met quite a few people from different times, so world war II doesn't come as much of a shock. again, frank's making the mistake of not even thinking in terms of his own world so as ever the reference flies right over his head. all he can really do is listen/read and nod his understanding. ]

afghanistan for me. just as much fuckin sand there, too.

[ and the monsters... the monsters are a problem, fuck. they're not even the worst problem he has and that's annoying. ] would rather take a bullet any day of the week, brother
bossily: (worry)

[personal profile] bossily 2018-03-03 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
[He almost makes her laugh again, but instead he just gets a deadpan stare.]

I'm a schoolteacher from London. I just travel with an alien.

[That first wall of text has given her something to think about though. Her curiosity about the Sound Eaters has grown, but all of Frank's warnings make her worry about what exactly it might mean if they're demons. She worries at her lower lip with her teeth as she sends off another thought, this one a little more somber.]

Someone mentioned that you reset when you die because of the Sound Eaters. If that's true, and they're demons, do you think that means we're all dead and this is some sort of limbo? I've been to Hell before and it was nothing like this. But it could be an in between sort of place. Like the strawberry jam between two biscuits.
tacosgay: (yeah well)

[personal profile] tacosgay 2018-03-03 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
"... remember that time I told you that, uh... something bad happened when I combined magic and food?"

He sounds... strangely subdued for Taako, tired and sad, as he watches the scene before them play out.

"This... is it. Um." Taako glances off, a high, pensive sound in the back of his throat that sinks down slowly, and he glances back at Angus after a second. "I used to have this, uh, show, that I did on the road, a while back... this was the last show we ever did. You can probably, uh, see why..."

How does he even begin to explain? Especially given he doesn't want to talk about this. He just wants to be allowed to move on, for once.

People begin to collapse, the scene turning far darker as the time ticks by, and the trailer has pulled away, peeling out into the distance as Taako and Sazed make their getaway. Angus and Taako are left to watch the fallout.

"Uh. You... really don't want to watch this, uh, Angus, we should probably... I don't know, cover your eyes or something, okay?"
tacosgay: (i'm a fully realized creation)

[personal profile] tacosgay 2018-03-03 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
Great. Well, you let me know once you knock this whole thing wide open. I'm just going to be attempting to avoid being eaten, even though they won't give me my umbrella back, which is seriously going to put a hitch in my whole "survival" plan.

[He folds his arms, clearly pissed the fuck off at the natives for taking THAT, if nothing else.]
deadboywalking: ([:o] que?)

[personal profile] deadboywalking 2018-03-03 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Will glances up sideways at Steve, thoughtfully, trying to reconcile the tiny person with the big one. Logically he knows it's possible, but still...

Then, blinking a few times:
] Me? Really?

[personal profile] ex_tagartist520 2018-03-03 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ who else but a dad would cook hotdogs FOR LITERALLY EVERYONE. it's something her dad would've done okay. ]

whatever you say old man
iloveyousirs: (this seems unpleasant)

[personal profile] iloveyousirs 2018-03-03 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Angus takes a step back, head tilted in confusion as he looks Taako up and down. Wait... what? His umbrastaff? Something fishy is going on.]

Do you mean your... [he shakes his head.] Sir, your umbrastaff broke, remember?
deadboywalking: ([:o] i see vine people)

[personal profile] deadboywalking 2018-03-03 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
maybe if you like
power nap? only sleep a little bit? then you won't dream as much

yeah that's true. or we could soundproof your room just in case?
tacosgay: (ready to slice the pie)

[personal profile] tacosgay 2018-03-03 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
... uh. No, last I checked, it was still in working order, so if something happened to it since then, uh, it was one of these chucklefucks who did it.

[Not that he'd be shocked, given the lack of respect they've shown for personal belongings!!!!!!]
iloveyousirs: (Default)

[personal profile] iloveyousirs 2018-03-03 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
Angus doesn't understand. For once in his life, he doesn't want to. What can Taako mean - this actually happened? He watches the wagon peel out into the dust, the crowd falling on top of each other, clawing at their throats, their eyes fluttering closed eventually.

He's not sure what else to say, except to maybe reassure Taako, so he glances over at him and demands, immediately, "I'm not a baby! It's fine."
tacosgay: (you should know...)

[personal profile] tacosgay 2018-03-03 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
Taako swallows hard. Normally, his memories don't include this part-- he wasn't here to see it, after all. But, this time, he's simply watching, and not through his own eyes, for once. Whatever it is that's brought Angus here, it's probably the same thing that's allowing the scene to continue playing in all its terrible, nightmarish glory.

Taako reaches up to catch his braid in his fingers, squeezing it tight, his gaze dropping to the ground.

He's never seen this before. Not so directly. And watching the actual outcome of this...

"... yeah. If you say so. I mean... I don't see why you'd want to, though."
deadboywalking: ([:|] fluffy)

[personal profile] deadboywalking 2018-03-03 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Will offers a smile that's as reassuring as he can make it. This is...probably one of the weirdest things to have happen, he knows. It's all good, fellow kid, see?]

I think...you might be dreaming. And I might be stuck in the dream with you.
culver: chocorouge @ lj (my maria)

[personal profile] culver 2018-03-03 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Her expression remains neutral as she reads his messages, but a slight blush spreads high on her cheeks. Nill hasn't used a lot of technology in her life, it's true, but it's not just that. She's never been to school, and she doesn't remember learning to read. Maybe it was just something that had been put into her head when she'd been made. She'd practiced reading the few battered bibles in the church, but sometimes the words in those were spelled strangely, so it could end up being a lost cause.

She just isn't used to reading, is all. And as far as writing goes, it had always just been short notes scribbled to Badou or Naoto when they couldn't understand her gestures.

Nill shifts where she sits, brows raising with interest. She remembers the natives using their hands to communicate, and the slightest hope blossoms in her chest. It would be... amazing to be able to actually hold a conversation with someone. And if she could do it without having to write, it would be even better. She looks up, blue eyes wide, and nods. Yes, she would actually like that.]
valuedstrength: (c: you totally had it bucky. really.)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2018-03-03 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
[In a lot of ways this is like talking to a wife you can never make happy... or make sense of. Steve stares at this a long time. If it didn't sound so much like Tony, Steve would think this was a prank.]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Since when has Lt. Col. Rhodes been in physical therapy? Who is Vision? Or F.R.I.D.A.Y.?

I get you think it's hilarious to pick on the guy who woke up in the future, but you can't just make stuff up and pretend I should know it.
list_maker: (fight)

[personal profile] list_maker 2018-03-03 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
[She's doing it again with those little icons. A sword this time! How's she doing that!? How did she know about these things already when Arya's only just beginning to learn to type? Is she really that slow?]

[There's so much that's happened, it's easy to forget how important their squabbles had seemed at the time. Now it's all like a dream, all so ludicrous and unimportant. What did it matter who tripped whom or spat, kicked, or prodded... They were alive. They had each other. All of that didn't matter.]


The did assign it to me without asking, yes! Maybe I could ask to become a sandpath technician or a member of the patrol instead.

I know where you are. By the theatre. You'll be safe there as you are anywhere here, just don't go inside. Stay on the sandpath. I'll be there soon.
[Arya doesn't waste any time. She gets on her newly returned leathers, Needle too, the Dagger at her hip. And she's off in the direction she expects to find her sister. What will she find when she get's there?]
valuedstrength: (b: it's like forgetting the words)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2018-03-03 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
[He's drawing that still life of flowers again. Steve is pretty good. They won't put his piece up in a museum, but they're nice. He's clearly experienced.

It isn't until she compliments the people he loves that his guard starts to go down. Steve regards her more kindly. He sighs softly and admits,]
They were the best thing that ever happened to me.
valuedstrength: (Great clouds roll over the hills)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2018-03-03 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
[Steve smiles at that last line, nodding in agreement. God he would give anything for normal problems again. Something occurs to him and he quickly types out something unrelated.] You know sign language? ASL?
valuedstrength: (s: the future)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2018-03-03 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Steve nods, pull out a piece of paper for Will.] She likes art. You're an artist, right? [Why else would he be looking at this stuff like that?]
ibiza: (mildly concerned)

arrival

[personal profile] ibiza 2018-03-03 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ Before the group of people leaves the room, Margo hears the young woman next to her utter a name – Thomas. She can’t help but wonder who he is to her, but she makes the assumption that he’s the man she loves. Lord knows that Seth is on Margo’s mind. It’s something that she can understand, for sure.

When they step outside, Margo has the boldness to put a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. She frowns somewhat sympathetically. Knowing that not everyone can communicate by facial expressions alone, she pulls out her device and begins to type on it. A message pops up from the username bonnie. ]


I know what it’s like to miss someone important. Who’s Thomas?
flyguy: (Should be better)

[personal profile] flyguy 2018-03-03 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh what fresh— It’s a fleeting thought as Tony caves on the standoff routine and steps through the (dwinding) crowd into Steve’s line of sight. He wants to continue being angry, but if he were honest it’s just a show. His hands move through the local sign language, more for F.R.I.D.A.Y. than Steve though F.R.I.D.A.Y. translates it into text for Steve’s benefit regardless.]

F.R.I.D.A.Y. head scan. Make sure there’s no permanent brain damage from passing through the portal. [A blue light emits from the glasses frames Tony’s wearing to wash over Seve’s face. That’s always not...disconcerting. Sure. Yeah.] Since when have you been referring to him as Lt. Col.? I thought we broke you out of that habit. And Vision? His feelings are going to be hurt. Next you’ll say you don’t remember Wanda.
lilithsoul: (07)

[personal profile] lilithsoul 2018-03-03 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
What does it mean to be human?

[Which, despite the fact that it was about as close to a no as you could get right then, was actually not a no.]
list_maker: (wind)

[personal profile] list_maker 2018-03-03 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
Westeros. Specifically Winterfell in the north. I don't expect you've heard of it. No one here has yet. [She's gotten used to it by now. Saying where she's from only to be met by blank stares. She does wish that someone from her world might show up here, so long as it's not any number of people she'd rather see dead than stuck here with her.]