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

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Comments

[antigene]

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!

[oorah]

[ frank remains stock still as she comes closer, tilting his head in a commiserating manner. he gestures to his jumpsuit vaguely. ] They're worried about your clothes making noise, that's all.

[antigene]

[Her arms wrap around herself like a rope keeping her clothes tied down to her. No one is taking them off of her.]

With the clickers that are out there everyone has to be quiet when they're out of quarantine zones. Is that what this is?

[oorah]

[ he understands her hesitation, and if it were up to him no one would be taking her clothes from her. maybe he can talk to the natives -- he does have something of a rapport with them. what the girl says next interrupts his thoughts, and he's not really sure what it means fully. his confusion shows plainly on his face. ]

Clickers? If you mean the monsters, then yeah. Any noise you make will attract them.

[antigene]

[Wait, what? His confusion makes her confused in return. She's been thinking that she's still in the US but maybe not. Now that she thinks about it she remembers some old lady mentioning France.]

Yeah, and then I kill them. Do you not know how or something?

[oorah]

[ he narrows his eyes. not because he doubts she kills monsters on her world. he doesn't. but the sound eaters are... something else. ]

No one knows how.

[antigene]

[What kind of ass backward safe zone is this? She doesn't know what to say to that. So she doesn't say anything and rubs at the back of her head.]

We're in France, right? So things must be different here. But I can teach you how to kill them. Maybe...maybe that's why I was brought here.

[oorah]

[ he nods calmly. maybe it is. but he doubts it's that simple after watching people as powerful as gods struck down in mere instants. surely this girl is more than she appears, but even so, frank doesn't think killing a sound eater will be so straightforward. ]

Tell me what it is you think we're dealing with here.

[antigene]

I thought everyone knew about Cordyceps and the infected.

[But hey guess she was wrong. It's not the first time and it won't be the last. The way she's looking at him stays hardened but she speaks with an edge of softness.]

It's a parasitic fungal infection that grows really fast and takes away higher brain function. Once that happens you're not a human anymore. Get bit and it's a one way ticket to zombietown. How can you guys really not know about this stuff? It wiped out 70% of the population in a matter of months.

[oorah]

[ all of this is disconcerting, but it isn't unexpected. everyone here is from some kind of fucked up place. in comparison, frank's universe is downright normal. frank himself too compared to some of the freaks around here. ]

No zombies here. Not unless they come through the Room. Sound Eaters are something... else. [ he pauses here, clearly unsure how to proceed. ] They seem to be blind, but they can hear even the tiniest noise from miles away, and be there in seconds. No one's figured out a way to fight 'em yet.

[antigene]

A big, tough guy like you? Psh.

[She grins and takes a play swing at his jaw. Her fist barely makes contact with his face. He's finally getting her to relax.]

Endure and survive. Keep that up and we'll find a way to beat them.

[oorah]

[ he doesn't move or blink, unsure what's happening until her smile catches up. then he's smiling too, lopsided and almost silly. ]

That's about the size of it, sweetheart. You really kill zombies? [ cause he can dig thAT ]

[antigene]

[That smile reminds her too much of Joel. She hates how it comforts her. It has to be a betrayal or something right? Joel isn't here to see how she looks proud of herself and that makes it easier on her.]

You better believe it. Maybe I'll show you how I do it sometime, princess.

[oorah]

[ he nods, his smile only widening at the moniker. ] Deal. I teach fighting around here. Maybe you could whoop my ass for a demo sometime.

[antigene]

I could kick your ass right now. We don't have to wait for an audience.

[She's a punk that could take another swing at him. But she doesn't. Her eyes are too busy sizing him up.]

But nothing you do or say will make me hand over my clothes. Or my knife. Got it?

[oorah]

[ he believes it so he doesn't counter her. to the rest... ]

It isn't me who wants to take anything from you. I'll work on the locals. You go along. But the second you leave the Rooms you can't make a sound.

[antigene]

[She nods like she understands him. Like she has to be the fucking adult here. She's only fourteen but she has to be the one to always call men like this guy and Joel on their shit. Her fist hits her palm and she narrows her eyes.]

Don't you dare fucking lie to me. They sent for you and you came running. You're here on behalf of them. You're a part of all this [She widely gestures with her arms to encompass the entire room] whether you want to admit it out loud or not.

[oorah]

[ her volume and noise and big gestures don't phase him. like her paranoia, she's right to be wary of this too. and maybe in a way he is a part of this now, but he started off very much like her. he still wants to get everyone out, but he's also invested in the locals. how could he not be, when he brought two of them into the world? ]

They elected me to speak for them and all of the Arrivals. That doesn't mean I've stopped trying to get everyone the fuck out of here.

[ it's almost a growl, he takes half a step forward, his first true advance towards her. ]

Don't you dare tell me my motives. I've got no reason to lie to you.

[antigene]

[She stands her ground and doesn't flinch. Let him advance on her. Her finger is pointed at him accusingly and her temper gets the better of her. This guy is way too much like Joel. Good at getting under her skin.]

Hey, you know what? Fuck you! I don't even know your name and you're trying to get me to trust that you won't lie to me? [Her hands brace against the side of her head and she makes a frustrated sound.]

Look, I just had to kill a guy that locked me in a cage and tried to get me to trust him. He was a cannibal, okay? He called me his fucking pet. And I don't know if he wanted to try and eat or rape me. So don't you dare think this isn't a big deal to go from that to waking up someplace where people want to take my clothes!

[She brings a hand up to her face to cover her tears. Fucking emotions. They happen at the worst possible times.]

[oorah]

[ frank wasn't trying to get her to trust him. not even close. he listens calmly and slowly lowers himself, crouching down so they're eye-level. his heart aches for her, and more than that he wants to grind that guy's bones into paste and feed it to him through a straw after he rips out his teeth one by one. at least that image keeps him pacified for a moment, but there's still the matter of a crying girl. one who very much does not need any more pain right now. ]

Okay, it's okay. No one's taking your clothes. They're quiet, right? That's all that matters. [ and that she's safe. try as he might, some of that empathy leeches into his wide, wet gaze. ] I'm glad that sick fuck is dead.

[antigene]

Yeah, me too. [She drops her hand so she can look him in the eyes. He's close enough she could punch and give him a black eye if she wanted to. The fight is all out of her for now. She's just exhausted. The busted lip and bruised up face she has is from her last fight and all she wants to do is sleep it off.]

I'm Ellie.

[She doesn't trust him but he's earned her name.]

[oorah]

[ he nods with gravity like his head is heavy, and it looks like it is. he internalizes her name, knowing he should let her find her own way out there even if he wants to stick around. she's tough, she can do this. (he'll check in first thing tomorrow.) ]

The people here call me Hotdog. [ and that's the moniker he uses on the devices too, so she'll easily find him should she need his help between now and then. ]

[antigene]

Hotdog.

[Riiiiiiiight. This guy is something else. She smiles like she can't believe he'd willingly open himself up to her jokes. Riley comes through again with her joke books. She's got every single one of them memorized.]

I guess that means I can declare you the weiner of weirdest name ever. [Badum-tish] And frankly, [See what she did there?] you better relish the title. [How can anyone tell jokes like these with a straight face? She can't.]

[oorah]

[ he's laughing because IT STARTED OUT AS A JOKE. really it did. but then no one knew what hotdogs were and things spiralled. fast. she might find it funnier if she knew it's an actual pun on his name, but he won't give her the satisfaction. ]

Oh, I do. It was nice to meat you, Ellie. We'll ketchup soon. [ he winks in a cheesy way and stands back up to full height, intending to go either distract or otherwise beat sense into some natives so she can keep her shit. ]

[antigene]

[She laughs and winks in return. Her hand moves into a finger gun motion and she clicks her tongue. Bam! Yeah, she can tolerate this guy. Anyone that plays along with her puns is cool.]

Yeah, soon. See you around, Princess.

[If he thinks he's calling her Hotdog he's not as smart as he looks. Before he has time to respond she hurries to the door and runs off.]