paradisa | [02 - Things are slowly spiraling]

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[02 - Things are slowly spiraling]

[This is filtered to the folks who aren't trying to kill people and only to those on the Event Horizon. Her breathing is raspy and it's clear from her tone of voice that she's badly frightened. Her voice is weak from blood loss. ]

Does anyone know what happened to the people who disappeared? Are they all acting...murderous? Also, is the clinic safe? I...I'm in need of medical assistance. I had a little run in with Lucrezia.

[There's a sudden hiss of pain, as if she moved or did something else that would jar the wound]

Also is it just me or...or is anyone else hearing things? Seeing things? Voices? Shadows? Shapes?

[The fear was definitely clear now. She sounded close to tears, it's possible that she already was]

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[Chell's still trying to fight off the hallucinations, but it's getting harder. A LOT harder.]

Ruby?

Chell?

[A hopeful, yet still fearful, tone]

Are you okay?

For the moment. But things. I keep seeing her... I didn't mean to...

[Chell breaks off for a minute, but when she picks up her sentence, she's sounding more fearful than ever.]

And turrets. I keep seeing them around every corner. I've been sneaking around. Maybe if I'm stealthy they won't see me. If they see me, I'm dead. And I don't have a portal device. I can't shoot them. But maybe I can keep you safe.

Her? Her who? Turrets? Wha-?

[Chell jerks enough of her mind back to the present to try to explain.]

I.. I'm sorry. Let me try to explain. I was raised in a laboratory run by an AI who wanted to kill me. Turrets... they shoot lasers and if one hits you you die. They can't see you if you stay still, or if you drop behind a solid surface. Or if you move very fast. I'm.. sorry. It's getting harder to fight off the ... the... whatever this is.

...Damn. I-

[There was a moment of silence then, in a very small voice]

Peter? Peter is that...?

[She seems to have momentarily forgotten about the journal and Chell]

[Chell's listening.]

Ruby? Who's Peter?

[Chell's trying to keep Ruby calm, to pull her back, even as her own mind is being screwed with.]

Peter...

[Chell's voice manages to snap her back to reality for a brief moment]

He...he was my love. In the Enchanted Forest. I...I was the wolf and I...I ate him....I didn't know...Oh god...

[She's starting to slip again, Peter's voice was getting louder]

[Chell's on the move. There's the sound of her Long Fall boots on the metallic floor, metal on metal. But she's not about to take them off.]

You didn't know. You didn't know, Ruby.

[She's looking for you.]

Where are you? I'll come sit with you.

[Just hope she doesn't lose her mind first.]

I...I don't know. I'm near one of the gore rooms.

[Chell's keeping her eyes peeled, searching... But when she does find you, she'll move slowly so you see her. She looks a little worse for wear. Her hair's fallen out of the ponytail, so it's actually hanging down, her face looks haggard. There are dark circles under her eyes. She'd not eaten in two days, because she'd figured that since there were rationing, that others needed it more. And she'd gone without food longer.]

[She says softly.]

[There's a hand resting on her side and her shirt is sticky with blood. Her face is pale and her eyes are slightly glassy]

Hi.

[She sounds a little childish, frightened]

[Chell sits down on the floor at her side. Surprisingly, she's still got the presence of mind to try to comfort her newest friend if such a word could be used. But desperate times make friends of all men, or women in this case. Sloooowly, Chell reaches out a hand, petting Ruby's hair if she'll allow it.]

I'm here.

[Just those simple words. The hand on Ruby's hair may be shaking violently, but Chell can hold on a little longer if she's protecting someone else.]

[The petting is actually comforting. She leans into Chell, whimpering slightly]

The shapes are getting clearer and the voices are louder. My mom...Peter...Quin...Billy...they're taunting me.

[Chell's hand remains. Slowly, she turns to Ruby, being careful not to touch her side, and wraps her arms around the werewolf, shielding. She knows it won't help, even as her hallucinations become more real, but maybe the feeling of being shielded can help.]

You can cling to me.

[She murmurs softly, reflexively burying her face against Ruby to keep out an encroaching turret]

I won't leave you.

[She wraps her good arm around Chell, snuggling close and closing her eyes. The voices were getting louder, blaming her for everything. Quinn, Peter, her mother, Billy. They were all dead because of her]

I'm scared.

[Chell is so unbelievably happy to not be alone right now.]

Me too.

[She murmurs softly. And then speaking to one of her hallucinations.]

I am not an unlikeable loner. I'm not a monster. I'm not... Ruby likes me.

[There's a fact she's clinging to.]

Yes. You're nice. You're warm.

[She whimpers, pulling closer to Chell]

No. Not my fault. I didn't know. She won't leave me. She told me that they won't leave me.

[Chell moves one hand back to stroking Ruby's hair. That whimper pulled her back out of her hallucination, and she speaks to Ruby's instead. She can't see, of course, and it probably won't help. But hell, she's not in her right mind anyhow soo.]

Ruby's my friend. I won't leave her. You leave her alone.

[She glares into the emptiness over the other girl's head. Congratulations. You have a guard-Chell. Better than a guard dog and fifty times more loyal.]

They're right. My fault. Their deaths are all my fault.

I don't think so...

[But then she ducks, instinctively, dodging out of the line of sight of a turret that only she could see.]

Shit. Turrets that can move? GLaDOS never told me about those.

They were pulled into a dimensional distortion generated by the Gravity Drive. The change in behavior seems to have been triggered by something they experienced while in said distortion.

The clinic is safe as far as I know. It is being guarded by someone I trust.

[This is now the second time he's had someone mention hearing voices. Now he's worried.]

I have not, however, I am aware of others who have. It is likely a result of the activation of the Gravity Drive, a disturbance in the fabric of space, or something to that effect.

Oh.

[She got the gist of that, at least]

I...I think they saw something. Lucrezia spoke about...about people. About them, whoever they are.

This may have something to do with the Latin phrase that has been seen and heard repeatedly "Save yourself from hell." Whatever they experienced, it has unbalanced their mental state to a high degree.

For now, you should make your way to the medical bay. Do you require assistance walking?

Edited 2013-05-07 06:35 (UTC)

Lovely. Yeah. I...I think a little assistance would be needed. I can't stand up without nearly passing out.

Affirmative. Where are you now? I will find my way to you, and help you to the medical bay.

I...I don't. I think...I think Chell's coming.

All right. If you need my assistance, you need only ask. For now, I will be taking up a position near the Gravity Drive, to prevent anyone from tampering with it, given what has already happened.

That sounds like a good idea. Someone may get stupid and be pulled through it again.

That was my thinking, as well. I was present when it activated the first time, though it did not pull me in. I am hoping it will not come to violence, but I am prepared to engage my combat protocols if necessary.

It's already come to violence. We're all...

[There's a silence, then a small whimper]

Peter? No...no...Billy...

I was referring more to myself having to commit an act of violence. I would rather avoid hurting anyone if possible, as I am not equipped to subdue human targets. I may cause more injury than I would intend to.

[Mental keysmashing. He doesn't know you like he knows Raiden, has no idea what to say to help you keep your head together.]

I do not know your personal history, or what you may be seeing or hearing, but you must know that it is not real. There are people being injured and killed in the here and now, and you must make sure that you are not among them.

It's getting clearer. The voices are louder. They won't go away.

[She sounds close to tears]

You must keep your wits together. A voice cannot harm you, only convince you to harm yourself, or others. You must not allow it to influence your actions, as only you are responsible for what you choose to do.

[There's silence. No breathing, no movements, nothing. She's either listening really hard or ignoring him]

Did she stab you, too?

Yeah. In the side. It's not a pretty sight. What about you?

Shoulder. I had to rip my jacket to bandage it.

Ouch.

[In a small voice]

Are you hearing things, too?

[there's no answer. Maybe he's hearing something right now]

I'm starting to think we shouldn't be separating ourselves from everyone else. Strength in numbers or something.

[ but even she doesn't sound so convinced anymore. ]

No. Voices calling out...Peter, my Peter...Separation good. People are going crazy.

[Her voice is fractured, broken almost. She keeps reverting from sane to not so sane]

Yeah, I hear it, too. Not sure if it's actually there or--

[ yeah she's seeing creepy flashes, too. ]

Look just stay there and try to stay calm.

[ easier said than done, she knows. ]

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[02 - Things are slowly spiraling]

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