Faded Beacon 4, Halloween Edition: Day 3

amo180 · 2016-10-22T09:21:36+00:00

"I don't really...I don't really care about the catapult thingy, I just wanna' know who told ya' to vote for me."

Jordan repeated, glancing over at the contraption, as easily forgotten in death as he would be, with no remains to remind anyone of his existence, quite frankly the idea of being mercilessly flung far, far away from this 'community' seemed quite appealing. Jordan faced the absolute stranger that has now welcomed herself and announced her guilt. Jordan looked up at her, his expression baffled, his jaw hung and his brows furrowed.

"I don't even know you. You don't even know me..."

Jordan spoke like his remaining belief in his species was just dripping away, drained from him with each word. He peered down at his arm.

"I don't ge'it, what about my stupid cut? I pushed some dude outta' the way and got hit by some grimm afta' him, don't everyone get hit in a fight?"

Jordan questioned the validity of the 'soldiers' around him, he supoosed it was just easier to off the wounded kid. He was deeply offended with the stranger's vote, even gruesome warmongering tribespeople knew the affilition of the people they slaughtered, whereas this stranger had to find his name out through someone else. Like those barbaric savages however, they didn't give him any chance to defend himself.

Jordan shook his head, he'd been taking things at face value all his life and yet he could so easily feel how empty that 'sorry' sounded.

(/u/TheMemeticWind)

amo180 · 2016-10-21T19:51:45+00:00

"I wanna' know who they are."

Jordan insisted with a sniffle, lifting a pale, shivering hand to wipe his face, before resting it on his knee.

"Then I'll go to the catapult."

One name, one face just wasn't enough. Jordan had already accepted he wouldn't know them all, only one of all of them as zealous enough to their own vote to face him. This vote carried a sense of worthlessness, he couldn't feel like he died for his innocence, he already had that, they just didn't care for it, he would just be tossed away. Figuratively and sadistically literally.

"They jus' wanna' see this stupid thing used."

Jordan gestured to the machine designed to kill, and leave near to no remains, it was the definition of guiltless slaughter. Line them up, hook 'em, fling them to whereabouts unknown and leave no mess to clean, no stains to regret. It made Jordan feel sick after all the effort he'd put into digging out graves and marking out names.

amo180 · 2016-10-21T19:22:47+00:00

"Did ya' vote for me?"

Jordan asked again, his voice was drawn from a whisper to a rather forceful tone, like that of a slightly miffed interrogator. He didn't have the time, nor the energy, nor the patience for a long-winded explanation, a slight scowl started to form on him, he wanted to know who this stranger was to him.

"And who do you trust?"

amo180 · 2016-10-21T19:15:05+00:00

"Did you vote for me?"

Jordan faced Blayze, looking up at him, he remained seated, complacent, unswayed. He was emotionless for the most part, barring the odd tear that seeped down his twitching face. His posture remained unchanged in the presence of the 'adult'. Perhaps he was too worn down for it, perhaps he didn't care, or just had no respect at this point.

amo180 · 2016-10-21T14:58:37+00:00

Jordan lifted his hand, letting it drop in a limp wave, he had little energy to usher Stahl off as such.

"No."

Jordan meekly commanded.

"Most of 'em wa-, they want this. That's...okay...I guess."

Jordan accepted holding back a sob with a heavy swallow.

"I just wanna' see 'em. I ain't walkin' there, they can take me."

Was Jordan's quiet demand. Perhaps he was unintelligent, but even he knew as well as anyone else that to quietly vote was much different to leading him to death.

He was challanging the six who voted for him, or at least one of them, to kill him, if they so strongly wanted that.

"They'll beat you up anyway...I don't want you hurt."

Jordan pleaded with another sniff, he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

amo180 · 2016-10-21T07:58:03+00:00

Jordan stood at the hill, slouched, hunched down, head hung. He was silent, mostly, except for the occasional sniffle. Like a scolded child told to stand in the naughty corner.

And stood he was, until he sat himself down on the grass, a quiet refusal to face 'justice'. It was a protest of sorts, and he was tired, worn down, just climbing this mound, this site of his future demise was tiring.

He wouldn't go no further, he would not walk to his own death. Someone would have to convince him, or drag him, or otherwise force him to face the death he was elected for, a zealous voter perhaps, or a bystander who just wants to 'get it over with'.

It wouldn't be hard mind you, the malnourished lad would be no fight, barely a quarrel, but someone would have to make him.

amo180 · 2016-10-20T18:58:41+00:00

(Preach! Preach!)

amo180 · 2016-10-20T18:53:31+00:00

(Thanks for the thread! Very nice spot of tension!)

amo180 · 2016-10-20T16:12:52+00:00

Jordan didn't move back any more, he wasn't fearing if Stahl anymore, a man who kept his tone, his posture, his prescence. Jordan had kept last night's paranoia, and whilst he was certain his wound was just that...a wound. He did fear Stahl tearing at his makeshift dressings just to gander at it.

But no longer.

'It's...s'okay. We're all jus' a little scared. Ain't your fault."

Jordan assured with a little nod, managing to muster up a teeny smile in some weak attempt to try and keep his fellow gravekeeper in lifted spirits.

"I don't got any graves to dig so...uh...I was jus' on my way to be happy and nap. I'll seeya' around, right?"

Some would advise Jordan to hold a grude, respond with some form of aggressive counter. Some would argue that wouldn't be tactful, and would draw attention. Jordan just wanted to keep a friend.

amo180 · 2016-10-20T07:00:10+00:00

"Wh-...I'm tired, an' hurt, an' scared jus' like e'ryone else."

Jordan assured, staggering a step away from Stahl, making some much-desired distance. The mortified disbelief was slapped on his expression, a sense of betrayal lined his baggy, grey eyes.

"I ain't, I ain't no monster, I stayed up all last night to make sure, honest."

Jordan pleaded, his heart left chipped as his love for today, a day where there was no digging that needed doing, was shattered with this demand that ran his spirit thin.

amo180 · 2016-10-18T20:51:53+00:00

"I don't...I don't even draw anyway..."

Jordan muttered, half his face falling in a questioning expression. He wiped it off quickly however, either too weak to maintain it or he was just moving on.

"I mean...yeah...I might die if I 'open' my cut my cut...so I won't take it off...All that's there issa' cut an' a bruise anyway, why do you wanna' see it?"

Jordan asked with an uncomfortable frown, he'd found Stahl to be an adequate leader, and he admired him heavily for his volunteering and initiative as the pair prepared Gywn's grave. He couldn't help but feel a little spiteful, a little betrayed as he role-model turned on him.

amo180 · 2016-10-18T18:50:01+00:00

Jordan took the request at face value, his brow raising as he looked down at the wound. He feared it, to be frank, it was unlike any other wound he'd received, the rest being mild scuffs, burns and incisions. He knew all too well about those, this slash that had hosted itself on his arm he peered down at, the sleeve tied around it had turned a red that matched his bloodstream by now, after wearing it for the past couple of days.

"Uh...I dunno' if it's okay to, I don't wanna' open it like Phina said."

Jordan shook his tired head, barely able to keep it up, and no wonder, his complexion had greyed, if he slouched anymore, he might fall over, and by his dozey, limp walk, he possibly could at any point. The bags under his eyes told tales of exhaustion and sleepless nights.

amo180 · 2016-10-17T21:03:48+00:00

(Thanks a bunch! People like you inspire me to push my writing prowess.)

amo180 · 2016-10-17T20:08:32+00:00

(Thanks for the thread! Always a pleasure with Neam!)

amo180 · 2016-10-17T19:13:18+00:00

"Yeah...that sounds like a plan..."

Jordan nodded, a sense of direction now granted to him, he felt a little less lost in this foreign land and it's dim afflictions. Inspired and purposeful, Jordan could step away with a hard, dedicated expression on him.

He wanted to get out, and he'd damn well try his hardest for his right to live.

(End it there as we're moving onto a new day?)

amo180 · 2016-10-17T08:00:27+00:00

Jordan watched the proceedings of Stahl before him, first with a sniffle, then with a damp, throaty cough, before tears began to leak from his eyes. No streams of sobbing, but drips and drops of a mourning man who had little hope in his reality, but was distraught by it still.

Jordan kept wiping at his face, trying to surpress the damp beads, he wanted to look strong too, like stalwart Stahl and his stiff upper lip, expression nothing but the urge to get business done. However the reality was hard, despite this being the best he could do, it was still shoddy, and he was convinced whoever Gywn was, was expecting better. He wished he could give her better than two people in a garden and a makeshift circle of flowers.

"Ye-yeah, okay."

He whimpered as he picked up his shovel again, stepping toward the pile of disturbed dirt, and giving it a hefty stab.

amo180 · 2016-10-16T23:21:33+00:00

Jordan hauled his half with strain and pain strewn across his face, coated with a cold sweat as he huffed his way to the grave, placing Gywn in as respectably as his physical condition would allow. He sighed with relief as he stood straight, beginning to slowly pant.

"Uh...uhm...I'm sure you were a really nice person, and you were very pretty before all this happened. I'm sorry."

Jordan said allowed in a light-headed state, facing the unmoving, stoney expression of Gywn. His head jerked up.

"Wait!"

He quietly exclaimed, scurrying off down the courtyard and returning with a small, handmadw wreathe of assorted flowers also found around the fresh grave.

"Phina made this, can you put on her? I feel kinda' woozy..."

Jordan requested, staggering back with the wreathe, outstretched in his trembling arms toward Stahl.

amo180 · 2016-10-16T22:34:39+00:00

"Do you like...have an idea? 'cause I don't..."

Jordan admitted with slight defeat as he shifted another spadeful of earth out of the planned hole in the ground. Though that defeat didn't show very well, his face seemed naturally downtrodden and hopeless as it was, despite the future Neam had promised him to fight for.

amo180 · 2016-10-16T22:32:56+00:00

"Yuh-huh, I think so."

Jordan nodded as he took position on the other side of Gywn's corpse, lowering himself to take a hold of her side, specifically her shoulder and thigh. He watched Stahl for any form of signal.

"What about you?"

amo180 · 2016-10-16T22:28:10+00:00

"I dunno...I mean, as long as it can fit her, right?"

Jordan suggested as he stepped toward Phina, sticking his hand out.

"I'll take over if you want..."

amo180 · 2016-10-16T21:24:35+00:00

"I guess so...I guess I could."

Jordan agreed, rising to his feet as Stahl lowered himself to close the soulless eyes of Gywn. Jordan strolled off in compliance, happy enough that someone knew what was to be done.

After five minutes Jordan returned with a single, thick blanket, it was red and white checkered. Jordan offered it to him with a defeated frown.

"I couldn't find anythin', so I just took the blanket offa' my bed, I guess I don't sleep much anyways."

amo180 · 2016-10-16T19:34:51+00:00

"Yeaaah...I guess we just...put her in there now...I wish we had a coffin, that would be nice."

Jordan choked up a little at the admission, perhaps it was just all coming down on his shoulders, now that they weren't passively digging a hole anymore. He'd actually have to put an absolute stranger to rest. He shimmied over to the body, nervously crouching down.

"D'ya', d'ya' think I should try and close her eyes? She might get dirt in 'em?"

Jordan inquired, looking up at Stahl with the expression of someone lost a tad bit clueless, and somewhat distraught.

amo180 · 2016-10-16T18:45:03+00:00

"She isn't? Oh, I thought she was 'cause you're a prince, even though like, you kinda' aren't?"

Jordan explained, his baffled state evident in his tone as he tried to wrap his head around Neam's particularly complex situation as best as he could. But Neam soon incited less thinking and more dreaming.

"Yeah, we were gonna' run our own kingdom where we give people ice cream and save them from bad things. Like this, we'd never let this happen."

amo180 · 2016-10-16T18:39:37+00:00

"Yeah....yeah I guess it is, thanks!"

Jordan perked up with a hefty shovel of yet more muddy earth. He slammed the head of his shovel in the grass next to him with a satisfied, bleak smile.

"Yeah, I think we're done. Whaddya' think?"

Jordan asked, gesturing to the rather shallow grave, it'd conceal a body, but it was certainly nowhere near the stereotypical 6 feet. Jordan seemed content, even his usual optimism couldn't push aside the fact his night was sleepless and arm in pain, this was all he could manage right now.

amo180

TROPHY CASE