TDM #003

[bequiet]

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

---

Comments

[accursedwings]

[ That response is enough to bring out the first smile out of him, along with what would have been a small chuckle if he hadn't cut himself short of doing so. He still remembers an unfortunate encounter with a human girl who'd been a companion of his friend's; a girl who thought it was okay to pluck one feather from his left wing.

Something which had not left him responding favorably to say the least. ]

Exactly. It's quite a nice change to see someone who understands that much.

[list_maker]

I don't regret any decisions I've made. Only that I wasn't stronger sooner. To help save my mother... and brothers and father. But I'm making sure those who did it will pay. [Revenge runs deep through her heart. It's all she thinks about, nearly all the time. Completing her list. Getting to Cersei Lannister and Gregor Clegane. But she'd had a choice at the Crossroads. To go to King's Landing to kill them or go to Winterfell and see those who still remained of her family. To see Sansa, Bran, and Jon. She'd chosen family. But the list isn't forgotten. She still plans to see it through.]

[oorah]

you're bored already? shit, i'll make you a list then. i can keep you occupied.

[isherarmor]

[It's the opposite of a long ago reunion in another world (another Arya) - instead of a sightless sister she finds herself staring into eyes (like Father's, like Jon - Stark eyes) that seem to stare straight through - no, straight into her, observing - as if taking her in piece by piece and all at once at the same time.

Arya's older. Sharper, too.

When her sister's hand comes to rest upon her cheek her chest aches both with fullness from weight and from the freeing of it. She wishes she could speak with her own hands as she'd seen the people of this place do - it would be far faster than having to pause and tamp the little keys on the device to make letters. She knows she can't type fast enough. But she'll try. She frowns at the machine, as if it's responsible for the interruption.]

taller. older than when i last saw you. keener eyes, too. but you look well. fierce in your fine leathers.

[What she doesn't say is You look like her. Like Aunt Lyanna. Even moreso, now.]

wow

[lovesbitch]

well that's how it works innit?
We be quiet or those sound doofers eat us. if you believe what They say

[clawings]

Sounds good.

[warfares]

You're not the first to ask and I worked in the stores briefly before moving onto the paths.

Pakarna, though I'd take settle for a halfway decent meat pie.

[list_maker]

[This place is very strange. But she does remember the natives said those who were dead could arrive here. Perhaps too that meant people from different times. But that still didn't explain everything she's seeing. She takes out her device too, tucked in a pocket at her back.]

Not so much taller though, I'm sure. [She'd never really experienced a growth spurt quite like Sansa had.] I was with you at Winterfell before I came here. But you were older, not looking like this... [Her hand went from her face to Sansa's hair, lifting it into both of their view, clearly hoping Sansa might explain it.]

[theycalledmeacurse]

I've never heard of pakarna, but I'm sure I could pull off a meat pie with the right ingredients.

[culver]

[Nill has to work to keep a bit of amusement from slipping into her expression. She doesn't know that she's ever met anyone under good circumstances, to be honest. Every important person in her life up until now had been met during some kind of crisis--but perhaps that was what made them so important to her.

As she reads his message, her eyes go a bit wide. That sounds... really amazing, actually. Like something out of a fairy tale. But she doesn't think he would lie about something like that, even though she's just met him.]

not many trees where im from
but i like fruit too

[warfares]

It's a kind of spiced soup. Difficult to find the spices here though, I imagine.

And what would you have in exchange for this generosity?

[culver]

[Though she's seen a lot of people get killed in her life, Nill has never pulled the trigger herself. Still, seeing Mel die like this is so similar to the way he'd really died that she doesn't really feel any horror towards it. Instead, all that floods her is relief. She'd done it--she'd saved herself, and the boy on the ground.

Her heart stops for a moment as she looks to him then, covered in blood and watching Mel die with her. Will he think she's done something unforgivable? She doesn't think so, not from the way he'd jumped in to protect her. But still, she can't know. She can't ask. He opens his mouth, and she expects the worst.

Nice aim.

Nill blinks, completely caught off guard by both his compliment and his following question. She realizes she hasn't yet put down the gun, but does so now that she can see the corners of the room starting to blur. Her hands are red, but it isn't blood. The dream is over, they'd survived. A nod is her only answer before she starts to move towards him, haltingly at first and then with a faster gait. She needs to know who he is, how he got here--why he did what he did. Mel hisses for air, but he's already on his way out, he can't hurt them, so she pays him no more mind. All of her focus is on the boy bleeding on the floor.]

[oorah]

👌

[clawings]

[ Well. Erik has been in the military long enough, done enough ops and black bag shit, that he knows the truth in her words once he hears them. She gets a nod, an acknowledgment that she's seen and dealt with some shit and thus? Would actually have something worth saying. ]

Fair.

[clawings]

👍🏾

How long as this shit been going on? The waking up from the dust into this hellhole part.

[eachother]

How're you so sure they're not just really good at playing pretend?

Where were you?

[theycalledmeacurse]

A lot of things can be used for spices. You never know what we might be able to find. Though it might not be the same, and sometimes that's worse than not having it at all.

I don't need anything in exchange. You'd be giving me a purpose for doing something I enjoy - that's enough.

[clawings]

Fear has its own tell, and these people are soaked in it.

Africa, near the eastern coast.

[monomachy]

[Revenge is a strong motivator--Diana knows this well. She had nearly given into it, had almost let it envelop her and help her do the unthinkable. Ares' offer had seemed so appealing in that moment, when he'd goaded her with the opportunity to kill Maru. We could return this world to the paradise it was before them. She'd hated men in that moment, had been prepared to end them all for her grief. But love had been stronger in her heart, had helped her make the decision she'd known to be right.

But a whisper in her mind tells Diana that sharing this will the girl will not help her. There's something in her voice, in her eyes, that says she is bound to this path by her own choice, and that nothing will deter her.

It is as admirable as it is tragic.

Her gaze wanders, briefly, to the Amazons training in the distance. She longs to be back with them, to return to the days before her powers had awoken. Before she had known she had to leave the island. Before so many things had happened. But there is no going back for her, just as she feels there is no going back for this girl. She looks back to her companion, to her small stature and fiery eyes. This only leaves her with one response, and she feels as if Antiope would agree with it.]

Then you must be properly trained to do so.

[inconstantly]

[The last thing he remembers is falling. When opens his eyes all he can feel is the landing, bottom of combat boots connecting hard with rock. The impact causes a sandwich to flop out of his inner coat pocket and onto the ground with a splat.

Well how about that?

This place is unfamiliar, but the atmosphere is. Though he can't quite pinpoint it, something about the air seems at once hazy and recycled. A voice interrupts John as he stands attempting to gain his bearings. When he sees the person behind the voice a certain suspicion is confirmed and it's difficult for John to not immediately leap into protector mode. She's young, sure, but she seems very aware of herself and her surroundings.]

Are you? [he reaches an arm through an incomplete form of a person, an outline] Doesn't seem like a place for anyone.

[bossily]

[She fixes him with a look that says she thinks he's ridiculous.]

You haven't broken out into song yet. I think it's safe to say you're not a cartoon character.

[Not even three seconds pass before she quickly types out and adds on,]

I'm thinking about heading on inside, if you wanted to join me.

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ There's the barest smile of gratitude at that acknowledgment, an appreciation of his understanding and acceptance of her experiences. It's more than most would have given.

But that's all she needs to say on that matter, and so she takes a deep breath and moves on to other matters. ]

Just because we don't have the answers you want now, doesn't mean we can't find them in time. The people here live in fear because this is the world they've always known - you can't really blame them for not wanting to risk their lives in what might be a fruitless effort at change. But so long as we're careful and don't put these people in harm's way, there's no reason we can't try to make things better for them.

[eachother]

[ newt. oh, thank christ, a familiar face, though thomas is stuck somewhere between relief and frustration. if they've been captured again — and it does seem that way —, thomas would rather newt not be here. the point was to rescue everyone, not get caught doing it.

thomas lifts his head, his eyes scanning the faces of those still making their choice. it's a flash of dirty blond hair that catches his attention first, a little darker than he remembers (probably still damp from the showers, he thinks), followed by a glimpse of a rust-orange jumpsuit. thomas immediately weaves his way through and around the handful of people scattered between them, reaching out to catch his friend by the shoulder, squeezing tightly.

impulsively, he opens his mouth to speak, but catches himself before he can make a sound. for now, he'll play by the rules, but there's not telling how long that'll last. he lets his hand fall from newt's shoulder, and glances down long enough to type something out on his device. ]

You okay?

I think it's WCKD again.

[oorah]

no one really knows apparently? this is the third time it's happened with regularity. but it's been happening for as long as the sound eaters have been here.

oh my god i'm so sorry

[inconstantly]

Lucky for what, a hand in my face?

[He doesn't bother quieting the sound of his voice in the slightest. Then, as if thinking the better of it, John holds up a finger as if to silently ask the young woman to wait a moment. He withdraws his device to type a message to her and when he's finished holds the device between them with a lift of his brows.]

my apologies

it was two hands actually