003 ☠ dictated

[dgaf]

[ Here at last, the elusive Effy no longer hiding behind loopy writing or Morse code, if only because her arm hurts too much to do either. Today she dictates to the journal, raspy as if after much crying and sounding just as tired. She might as well be reading the dictionary: ]

Monster. From the Old French monstre. A bad portent.

A large, ugly, frightening imaginary creature. Or to criticize and reprimand harshly. To monster. [ She chuckles a little, dryly. ]

We have many monsters here. They're everywhere. Outside your window. Under your bed. In your bed. [ Another giggle. ] If we imagine something, does it become real? When we forget, does it disappear? But when it's quiet and you close your eyes and concentrate, you'll remember. And it comes back to you.

You can't imagine broken bones. Can you?

Comments

[indirectcause]

[He isn't going to even dignify that with a response. But, eventually, there's a knock at her door. See,he was a good guy and brought ice.]

[dgaf]

[ When she thought he had decided against helping her. Which would be just as well. It's better, she thinks, if only those who fought to come in get to stay.

So it's with a surprised look on her face and an oversized kooky t-shirt and no pants that she greets him by the door. ]

What?

[indirectcause]

[Effy you make being a decent human being so hard. Why are there no pants why oh why. He sighs, raising the bag of ice.]

I brought you ice. [Kind of...stating the obvious there, Ben.]

[dgaf]

[ Being a decent human being is totally overrated. She doesn't even seem to notice her lack of pants, eyes trained hard on that bag of ice. Eventually she relents, stepping back from the door and leaving the door open for him to follow in.

The bruise caused by Tess has faded to a yellowish tinge covering the lower part of her face, but right arm is still bandaged. ]

You should've brought your girlfriend.

[indirectcause]

Pretty sure she's busy.

[He'll frown, following her in.] What the hell happened to you?

[dgaf]

[ Effy is such a cynic, but only because she's trying so hard not to believe it. Love is useless. She plants herself back on her messy bed, legs underneath her and arms still crossed, staring at him as if she doesn't understand a word he's saying. It takes her a beat to reply. ]

Stuck my nose where it didn't belong.

[indirectcause]

[H sighs and offers her the ice.]

Jesus. People can be fucking lunatics.

[dgaf]

Yeah.

[ She takes that bag and peeks down into it, as if it can be anything but ice. Taking one out, she doesn't put it on her bruise but licks it instead. ]

Did you see it?

[indirectcause]

[He blinks for a moment, because seriously what.]

Did I see...what? You getting that bruise, no.

[dgaf]

[ Effy gives him a look like it's his fault that he can't read her mind. ]

The monster. Either one of them.

[indirectcause]

[How very dare he not read minds.]

I saw the Bloater, yeah. [Nearly died by it, yay :|]

[dgaf]

[ She puffs up her cheeks and in a poor imitation of a Bloater. ]

Or the one who talks with her fists?

[indirectcause]

[He doesn't even have to guess on that one.]

Jesus, Tess did that to you?

[dgaf]

[ She shrugs, all dismissive, regretting telling him in case he does something stupid like confront Tess. ]

Don't do anything stupid. [ Cause, you know, don't. ]

[indirectcause]

What, like what? [A snort.] She'd kick my ass worse than that if I even tried.

[Try being someone she WATCHES OVER, Effy. It's the worst.]

[dgaf]

[ She wouldn't even want to imagine... ]

Talk about taking on someone her own size.

[indirectcause]

Trust me, I might be taller than her, but she is far more badass.

[dgaf]

I bet you could take her down if you grew some muscle.

[ She runs that piece of ice up and down her nose, instead of her bruised cheek. Because who even does that, right? ]

[indirectcause]

[He'll just stare for a moment, because Effy what is even wrong with you.]

Yeah, I'll pass. I like my limbs in place, thanks.

[dgaf]

[ This is totally a legit thing to do with a block of ice, plus she can catch the water that drips from her nose with her tongue. Ta-da! Facial acrobatics. She smiles at him expecting an applause. ]

Don't be pathetic.

[indirectcause]

Better pathetic than with a broken fucking arm.

[She gets no applause.]

[dgaf]

A broken fucking arm heals.

[ She raises her eyebrows at him, because you know, patheticness doesn't. ]

[indirectcause]

In about a month, yeah. When you're in a survival situation, that sort of shit is a death sentence.