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



blessmefather: (Zero ideas)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-06 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Of course Matt knew he was being trailed. At first he thought the locals were keeping a quiet eye on him, that this has to do with whatever secrets they're keeping behind walls that are too well soundproofed for even him to make out the words whispered behind them. There was something familiar about the mass and movement of the man following though. Without voices and spoken names it takes some observation to be sure it's not just his imagination that he's hearing someone he knows tread somewhere down the road or around the corner of the hall.

He thinks he remembers that pitch of breath and posture from rooftops when the taste of blood was fresh in his mouth. Just as soon as he's sure it's Frank he puts the suggestion out of his head for another few days. He doesn't want someone he knows here. He wouldn't wish it upon anyone else, not even him.

Denial only makes every sign that it is Frank jump out at him. Finally he accepts it, frowning to himself and shaking his head, fighting against the disappointment and sorrow making his fingertips twitch with temptation to strike something. So there is someone he knows here after all. What now?

When Frank slides into the seat behind him at the town hall he raises a brow and just barely tilts his head back to murmur under his breath.
]

Hm. You've been here longer. Quick question: is this Hell?
inconstantly: (Default)

nope sry u have offended me 4 good

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-06 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[John mimes snapping his fingers in an "I knew it" motion without actually doing so.]

all of that after your instigation too

[He gives an exaggerated shake of the head.]

reckon you might be able to make it up to me by telling me your name though. i'll even be a gentleman and go first

name's john
oorah: (☠︎004)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-06 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ he laughs, if it could be described that way. it's a scratchy approximation of a bemused wheeze in any case. frank leans forward a millimeter more, still trying to keep up appearances though he's desperate to know how matt really is. it's pointless anyway: no one is okay here. whether they started out that way or not. ]

Don't think I'm qualified to answer that, Red. Even after two months.
Edited 2018-03-06 23:35 (UTC)
inconstantly: (026)

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-06 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[John is... not the biggest fan of guns. That's gonna be a hard no.]

damn i was really hoping for tentacles

are you always this willing to share those kinds of details with a stranger? sounds like it's been a while
inconstantly: (tumblr_inline_o5affhW9o11qbyjgz_540)

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-06 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[John's eyes grow wide, and then wider still. Okay, maybe this person is serious. Even with his extremely skeptical attitude, it's enough to grab his attention. Fine, he'll follow suit and use his device.]

OK OK

you're going to tell me that this whole situation isn't weird? come on
blessmefather: (So yeah)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-07 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
The natives glare at her for speaking aloud but head for the door; they can see by the way the newcomer lifted his head that he recognized her voice.

Matt isn't sure if he should risk speaking or not. He mouths "Jessica?" as he checks her over. That's definitely her voice and her size and posture. She doesn't smell the same but that would be expected if she has been here longer than a month. There's alcohol on her breath and her upper back muscles sound tensed when she moves. That's Jessica Jones.

He blinks and frowns, shaking his head a little to himself. No, this isn't right. It was confusing enough waking up to hushes and whispers about monsters and far too little noise. Now Jessica Jones is with him? In France.

"Last I remember..." If this isn't just a dream she'll know what he would last remember.
inconstantly: (tumblr_inline_o5affos7K91qbyjgz_540)

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-07 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
much better, well done

allow me to give you a bit of friendly advice. the choking was a very good detail. when you have a nice detail like that add to it with something specific. helps the believably
blessmefather: (so that they will)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-07 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
It's a lot quieter than I expected eternal damnation to be.

[ Far less fire and brimstone than claimed. Jokes aside they might has well compare notes. Matt frowns, thinking back to before he woke up with the taste of clay and mud in his mouth. ]

Last thing I clearly remember were the walls of a cave collapsing around me. Back in the city.
list_maker: (blind)

settling in

[personal profile] list_maker 2018-03-07 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
[Arya is more than a little startled when they grab her in passing, frantically insisting in their sign language that she assist them with one of the new arrival. She doesn't argue too much, willing to take any excuse not to go to the knitting job she's been assigned.

Following them, clad in her leathers and sword on her belt, Arya's clearly no average teen from Matt's time. Or she's very serious about her cosplay. When she sees Matt, her brow furrows. The natives shove a pad of paper and a pen into her hands and then leave her to play nursemaid to the new arrival. The new apparently blind arrival.

Arya stands there a long time, staring at him, thinking of her own time wandering Braavos alone and blind. Even that had been perilous. In a place where noise had to be limited and suppressed? She couldn't imagine the isolation of that. Frowning, the teenager reaches out a tentative hand to set on his arm. She knows from experience that he probably already knows someone is there but perhaps not why. She's not sure what to do then so waits for his reaction.]
oorah: (☠︎023)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-07 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
No shit, right?

[ the quiet isn't the part frank minds, but they can get around to that. he frowns at the next part-- ] Midland Circle? [ micro filled him in on some of that, since he hadn't kept great tabs himself. or however defenders handwaves frank not shooting up that dump. ]
blessmefather: Matt with a neutral expression. (about time I give my icons)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-07 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
[ Matt continues to blink and frown toward the floor but he reaches up with one hand and places it over hers. He's guessing she is in the same position he is. She doesn't smell the way the locals do, with a hint of the clay they've been surrounded by for years. Her clothes carry the scent of a different world and different time, far from the modern New York that he would call home.

He gives her hand a light squeeze and turns toward her, putting on a friendlier face as he reaches out toward her with an expectant hand. He licks his lips and mimes writing in the air over his palm to clarify that he wants the pad and pen.
]
blessmefather: Matt with a neutral expression. (about time I give my icons)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-07 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ He closes his eyes and nods once. ]

Thus my working theory. Don't know why you would arrive first though.

[ Murder gets a soul express delivery to the Bad Place? ]

Last thing you remember? What was the date?
oorah: (☠︎019)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-07 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.

[ which of course, doesn't mean there isn't. frank had a lot of theories when he first got here too. now he's too caught up in the day-to-day most of the time. but he won't begrudge matt that, or anything else really. not here. ]

Thanksgiving 2017.
oorah: (☠︎032)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-07 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ probably for the best since frank is literally always armed, even if it's only with these claw hammers he calls fists (there's also a knife strapped to his ankle.) slowly, his arms lower, but he stays where he is. ]

No, that's definitely not what I say to them. [ more like, this is going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me. cool stuff like thAT. ]
blessmefather: Matt with a neutral expression. (about time I give my icons)

[personal profile] blessmefather 2018-03-07 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
[ There's something about silence and the only voices being whispers that makes this place all the more suspect, even if he believes that sound really will get people killed. It could be as simple as surviving a surreal threat but it feels like more than that. For now at least. ]

Been a while then.

Believe what the locals say? About monsters and that special room?
oorah: (☠︎027)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-07 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
Don't have to believe them. I lived it. [ or... died it?? you know. he says it like it's no big deal. then- ] Yeah, asshole. It's been a while. [ it almost sounds fond ]

inconstantly: (tumblr_inline_o5afjhNauz1qbyjgz_540)

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-07 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
You're not going crazy, love.

[His rough voice is even, understanding. John has plenty of experience in what others would consider the unexplained. While the idea of existing in a dream isn't new, this place and its parameters are. He can stumble through it and hopefully the both of them can emerge relatively unscathed on the other side.]

I was in my own dream before this one, like a memory. Wasn't anything special, just eating. But a wind came and blew dirt in my sandwich, made it inedible. I didn't want it anymore, but next thing I know here I am and it shows up anyway.

[He bends to pick up the sandwich and takes a large step, hurling it off the cliff. The pieces scatter before vanishing in midair, never making the drop.]

The point is that whatever this is isn't playing by any rules.

[The sandwich again lands between them with an even louder splat. Fucking hell.

John stomps on the sandwich with a foot, then with both feet, jumping onto it at full force to flatten it into the ground. The whole thing is a matter of pride now. When he looks up John is slightly out of breath, but he smiles after vanquishing the enemy.]


So we don't have to either.
antigene: (pic#12135581)

[personal profile] antigene 2018-03-07 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
[What the hell dude? So he does kidnap people and say things to them? This guy's a real piece of work.]

Yeah, I could tell you looked like a sick fuck the second you stepped through the door. What kind of shit do you say to them?

[If he knows how kids that lash out due to fear can talk big he can likely see that she doesn't actually mean any of that. She runs her mouth to make him stay right where he is.]
oorah: (☠︎025)

[personal profile] oorah 2018-03-07 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ he laughs, a brief snort of bemusement. he's going to like this kid, he can tell. ]

Ever heard of a joke, sweetheart? [ though this place... isn't much for laughter. the silent or the aloud kind. ] No one kidnapped you, alright? At least, not that we know of. There's somethin' about this room, it pulls people in from everywhere.
iisupergirlii: (atlas)

[personal profile] iisupergirlii 2018-03-07 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Kara nods and gestures for Diana to follow her. She takes her past the horseshoe of houses, past the fountain, and down a sandpath to the remains of a warehouse. It's been gutted and soundproofed and is still used for its intended purpose, even if it gets pretty sparse, especially right after arrivals start showing up. Of course, not everyone gets things from here - there's always scavenging. but at least this stuff has been soundproofed by the natives, and the quiet maintenance workers.

there's a few beds left, pre-assembled with cushioned feet and hospital mattresses on them, and on the back wall are a couple rows of shelves that house pillows and blankets. they're all pretty bland, but they're better than the floor!]


There's never much to choose from, but if you pick out what you like, I could carry it to your house for you! :)
antigene: (pic#12135572)

[personal profile] antigene 2018-03-07 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
Bullshit.

[She pushes herself out of the corner and advances toward him. So maybe he has her curious.]

If we're all victims here, why did they try making me take off my clothes? That's really messed up!
inconstantly: (094)

[personal profile] inconstantly 2018-03-07 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
[What the fuck?

Without warning John is lifted into the air and immediately the first thing he wants to do is shout a list of questions. There is no possible way of doing so with the strong grip on his mouth so instead he does his best to take stock of the current situation and the young woman who caused it.

This is... extremely high, and unlike anything he has ever experienced. He has no idea what will happen next and in a way it almost makes the whole thing kind of thrilling.

When she extends her device to him, John gives a single nod. With his hands still gripping the device, he attempts to return her text. John quickly finds that flying and sending messages takes a good deal more skill than he currently possesses.]


sdo you alsways greet peple like this?
Edited 2018-03-07 01:54 (UTC)
iisupergirlii: (it's not an S)

[personal profile] iisupergirlii 2018-03-07 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
[Kara snorts at his question and shakes her head. her ability to type while flying, meanwhile,
is pretty chill, her hold on him, in all appearance, an afterthought as she stares at her device and types.]


Only if the people are being jerks who don't follow the rules so they can keep everyone safe. You're actually the first.
thechristmasnazi: (smile down)

Network, UN: izzy

[personal profile] thechristmasnazi 2018-03-07 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
So it's kind of luck of the draw. Fingers crossed.

I'm Isabel.
beyourzoomer: (faint smile to the side)

Un: Madmax

[personal profile] beyourzoomer 2018-03-07 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah basically.

I'm Max.