Broken Bones

Mackenzie Tyler Taxidermy is a hobby of mine, please don't run away screaming. Loud noises bother me.

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

if there was only something between us

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

Tilting his head at the mortician’s willingness to stay out in the cold and the rain, Danny smiled. “You’d stay out here just for me?” he asked. “You’re ridiculous. You’ll get pneumonia.” He picked up Mackenzie’s hand again and began to stroke his fingers and trace along the insides of his palm. He felt so calm with Mackenzie’s head resting on his shoulder, he almost forgot about the urge to kill that was bubbling up inside of him. To make things safer, he took another sip of holy water and gritted his teeth against the burn. He was becoming used to how it felt but that didn’t mean it was any less painful. When the aching subsided, he looked around for a shelter. He spotted the gazebo in the distance. “Let’s at least get out of the rain. I don’t want you to get sick, even though you deserve it, you bastard.” He chuckled and helped Mackenzie get up.

They walked together to the decorative gazebo which had roses and vines trailing up the sides. It looked like it was in disrepair to an extent but it wasn’t falling apart. There were a couple leaky holes in the roof but the benches weren’t wet so it was still a fine place to sit. He sat down with Mackenzie next to him and reached over to give the mortician a hug. To answer his question after the long silence, he kissed Mackenzie’s forehead. “I never stopped loving you,” he said. “I doubted myself time and again for it but I never stopped loving you. It’s funny, I should be absolutely livid since you murdered me, but I missed you. Honest to God, I wanted to break your neck at first, but now I just want to kiss you.” 

Maybe this was a sign that they truly were dangerously codependent on one another but Danny didn’t recognize his forgiveness as something wrong. They were a couple who abused one another in a vicious cycle of hurting then forgiving then hurting again and never giving up because they couldn’t see life without one another. Neither of them fully realized it, though sometimes they had glimpses of reality in which they could recognize how unhealthy their relationship was truly. However, that didn’t seem to change their attitudes towards one another a bit. Here they were, kissing and hugging like nothing had ever even happened. Like Danny had never struck Mackenzie out of anger, like Mackenzie had never killed Danny, like they had completely forgotten about what they’d done to one another. 

Danny stroked Mackenzie’s cheek tenderly and gazed into the mortician’s brown eyes with nothing but love in his own. Somehow despite everything they’d been through, it only served to strengthen their bond together. Not even death could separate the two of them. He leaned in towards Mackenzie and kissed him again, and then again, and again after that until they were making out in a gazebo in the pouring rain. The world seemed to disappear. With a final kiss, Danny pulled away and smiled. “Mackenzie Tyler,” he said, “I’d let you get away with murder.”

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie was shocked that Danny hadn't killed him yet. He was wary that it was all just an act, that Danny was going to turn on him sometime in the future, but he just couldn't accuse him of something like that. "You never stopped loving me?" He echoed. These words rung foreign in his head like a distant church bell. "Danny... I held you down, I slit your wrists and I shot you with my bow and arrows twice. I wanted to make sure you were very very dead. There's no room for error. Why would you still love me after you know I had every intent to make sure you died?" He couldn't understand it. Even after all the forgiving they'd done to one another every time something happened it was still confusing to him.

Of course he did happen to remember all the times he forgave Danny for hitting him or even breaking his arm once. Maybe it was true what the others said and maybe they really were too close. If they could get away with abusing each other and still claim to love each other at the end of the day, something must be wrong. Mackenzie knew that. He was smart. But his emotions were getting in the way. Every word Danny said made him fall in love with him all over again. The kissing didn't help anything either. It just reminded him of old times and he blinked back tears. He felt horrible for the fact that Danny was dead because of him. "You did let me get away with murder." He sighed. "I feel like you shouldn't even be talking to me. You should be angry with me. Why aren't you angry?"

[fatelocked-blog]

[open to skylar's team, convo] &&_we're all fucked

[fatelocked-blog]

Guys! Guys… Holy fuck, did you see that thing? It nearly tore me to shreds!

[mackenzietyler]

Oh... you survived. Wonderful.

[fuckyeahbonescaps]

[fatelocked-blog]

[open to skylar's team, convo] &&_we're all fucked

[fatelocked-blog]

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This thing had better not kill me! If it does I will come back and murder all of you. All. Of. You. Even you ghosts. All of you.

[mackenzietyler]

Where do we go? What place is safe?

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

if there was only something between us

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

Danny felt like he could have smacked himself over and again after Mackenzie reminded him about his state of being. Of course that’s how he’d survived being mauled by a monster. Danny knew that. He knew it and he felt dumb as a bag of rocks for forgetting about it. If he had remembered that Mackenzie would just regenerate after being wounded then he wouldn’t have left him in the woods thinking he was as good as dead. He thanked, as Mandy would say, the heaven’s above that he hadn’t gone through with his plan to mercy kill Mackenzie. Then again, if he had then maybe he’d still be alive. It all came down to whether or not he valued his life over Mackenzie’s life.

His brow furrowed. “They really beat you up that badly?” he questioned. “From what I heard I thought they just punched you a couple times, and to be honest I was alright with that. But hearing that you were beaten nearly to death… I’m so sorry. I appreciate that people cared enough about me to want to avenge me but to hurt you so badly? Didn’t they realize how much I cared for you?” He spoke using the word cared in the past tense, because he wasn’t sure how he now felt for Mackenzie. After hearing that it was mostly a misunderstanding, he could forgive, but forget? That was another story. The one thing Danny never wanted was to die and be trapped in the Fantome Inn for eternity. Now even worse he was doomed to stay inside the hedge maze with little contact from anyone sane. His corruption threatened to take over his mind completely, and while he hadn’t been the most together person while he was alive, he was completely falling apart in death.

Rain started to drip slowly from the cloudy skies and onto the mortician and the poltergeist. “I can’t go inside,” Danny replied. “Elijah told me he’d send me to oblivion if I ever set foot into the inn again. You see… I tried to kill Peggy. And I killed Mandy. It wasn’t of my own accord, it’s this damned corruption that’s taking over me.” He looked down at the grass and began to pluck it, an idle behavior of which he was fond. “I’ve been banished to the hedge maze. I’m not even sure I should be out here in the garden but I’m taking my chances because it’s torture in the labyrinth. So much screaming and creatures who try to tear you apart, it’s madness.” He shuddered. “As much as I’d love to have drinks with you, I’m stuck out here.”

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie looked disappointed. It was already beginning to rain heavily and he could feel his hair and clothing becoming soaked. Danny probably wouldn't have the same problem since he was a ghost. "I will stay out here with you." He said. He could catch his death out in the cold and wet but he felt like he owed it to Danny to at least stay by his side. Even if they weren't fully on good terms with one another yet, everything they'd been through kept them together even after something like this. It seemed like their codependency hadn't been completely shattered. Not even by death. Even if he had to sit out in a storm he was going to make things right between them.

He sat up and rested his head on Danny's shoulder. It felt just like old times. He remembered how Danny would get him tipsy on stolen alcohol and then they'd make out on the couch. Except now they were outside in the cold and the rain but when Mackenzie closed his eyes he could pretend they were sitting inside in the warmth. "Have I ruined our relationship forever?" He asked after a long silence. "I don't mean our romantic relationship. I don't think you'll ever love me again. I just meant our relationship in general. As whatever." He decided that he'd also pluck the grass. He was beginning to shiver from the cold and the rain but tried to hide it.

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

if there was only something between us

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

That was the explanation. He expected it to be something entirely different, maybe something like he’d been forced to do it or someone was holding him at gunpoint. No instead it was entirely Mackenzie’s fault for perceiving things the wrong way. “I never… ever would have betrayed you, Mackenzie Tyler,” he said. “I thought you you died. I locked myself in my apartment and cried for days, you disappeared and I thought… I thought you were gone for good. You mean to tell me you thought that I’d just left you there for dead? Mackenzie, I would never. I still don’t know how the hell you recovered from your injuries. What happened?”

He felt the urges to reach out and break Mackenzie’s neck, his hands dug up dirt and grass as he fought himself. The need for vengeance was strong and he didn’t think he would be able to keep himself from hurting Mackenzie. “Listen,” he said. “For what you’ve done, I forgive you. From the bottom of my heart, I forgive you.” He looked to the side and swallowed. “But… I don’t know if I can ever trust you again, and that hurts me. As much as I loved you, you were the one who killed me in the end. The closest person in my life… but you turned on me.” 

He sighed heavily. He flopped onto the grass next to Mackenzie and grabbed his hand. He sat there in silence, holding hands with his ex-boyfriend and staring up at the cloudy sky that threatened to rain with every rolling gray cloud that passed. He knew that he forgave Mackenzie but there was some part of him that still wanted revenge, the corrupted part. Killing Mackenzie would satisfy that need for vengeance, but it would just give the inn another victim. He didn’t think he wanted to be the cause of another death either. Not after Mandy.

[mackenzietyler]

"I'm part ghost." Mackenzie replied flatly. "You know this. You know that my injuries heal by themselves with time." He was frustrated that Danny forgot about this. If Danny hadn't forgotten then maybe none of this would have happened. "I thought you ran off to try to save yourself and left me behind. I thought you wanted me to be left to the monsters." He sighed heavily. "Danny, Mandy had Byron beat me within an inch of my life because of all of this. While I appreciate your forgiveness, I'm frustrated." He squeezed Danny's hand. "You're too forgetful. Maybe if you had remembered that I can regenerate then you wouldn't have left me there in the woods." He looked up at the sky and a drop of rain fell onto his face. "We should go inside." He looked over at Danny. "Maybe we can have a few drinks and I can try to earn your trust back."

[ghostlandsorbust]

Kurt hummed under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest. Mackenzie had killed someone? His head tilted curiously, and although there was some concern in the back of his mind screaming at him that this man had killed someone; Kurt just frowned. He seemed genuinely distraught over the matter, and he was right, it wasn’t like he could kill Kurt again. He plopped himself down onto the floor just by Wolfie, letting his fingers idly toy with the white fur. “You killed someone?”

It wasn’t so much a question as it was an obvious statement, and he eyed his dog for a moment, trying to just avoid eye contact. He hated eye contact anyway. “I- that’s not exactly— what I mean is-” He tumbled over his thoughts, trying to figure out what exactly he should say. He couldn’t say it was alright because it wasn’t really alright, but it wasn’t like it was a surprise either since everyone was strapped in a hotel with ghosts and god knows what else. “I’m not going t-to, to uh- freak out or anything I mean- well I can’t promise I’m not internally freaking out but-” He hummed again. “Like you said it was a mistake, I mean it was a terrible mistake but you didn’t- you don’t seem like you meant for it to happen. I can’t say I’m entirely surprised- Shit shit that came out wrong I mean it because there’s a bunch of whatevers stuck in one building - sorry I didn’t- yeah.”

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie's shoulders slumped. He looked thoroughly defeated and depressed. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and shrugged. "I already got beat up for it." He said. "Now... now barely anyone talks to me." He thought back to the day of Danny's funeral and how he'd been beaten senseless and only managed to recover because he was half-ghost. Every time he got injured his wounds would heal. He didn't know what could actually kill him but he was sure it would probably take a stake to the heart or decapitation. "Not that I really care... I don't like to talk to people much... It just feels bad to be considered a murderer by everyone."

"I was... very codependent on the person I killed." He said. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I don't think... I don't think I would have killed him if we hadn't been so close." He didn't like to think that it was the fact that he and Danny were so close that made him end up murdering him but he figured that if they hadn't been then the perceived betrayal would have seemed like nothing to him. He probably wouldn't have cared if they weren't so stuck on each other. "I never should have let myself become so... devoted. We were inseparable. He's dead now and it's all on me. I killed him. I've never felt so guilty in my... in my life..."

[glass-spider-deactivated2018041]

if there was only something between us

The poltergeist in sparkling glittery costume peered around the corner of the entrance to the hedge maze. He looked back and forth, making sure that there was no Elijah to stop him from stepping out, if only for a moment. He just had to escape, to get away from the constant hellish screaming and the monsters trying to tear him up. Maybe he wouldn’t be outside of the hedge maze for long but he could use a vacation. He wandered into the garden. He looked up at the sky, which was clouded over and threatening to rain. It was a generally gloomy day which was well enough to be expected in a Maine autumn. As he walked, he caught sight of a familiar figure sitting on one of the benches with head in hands.

If Danny’s heart were still ticking, it would have jumped. He opened his mouth to call out but stopped himself, remembering that things weren’t going to be the same as they were before and that he had no reason to be joyous over seeing the mortician again. After all, Mackenzie Tyler had killed him, and after all Danny had done for him. No, there was no reason to want to be reunited happily again. His shoulders slumped and he turned out to go back to the hedge maze, but stopped himself. Even if it wasn’t going to be pleasant, he still felt the need to confront Mackenzie about the whole sordid affair.

He looked around once again. Elijah had only told him that he couldn’t set foot in the Fantome Inn, not that he couldn’t wander out into the garden. It was a silly loophole but it was one that he was going to try to pull if Elijah caught him outside of the hedge labyrinth. He teleported in front of Mackenzie and reached down to put a hand on his shoulder. “Mackie,” he said quietly. “It’s me.” But without warning, something snapped in him and before he knew it he had Mackenzie held up by the throat. “You murdered me!” he screeched, throwing the mortician to the ground. He didn’t know how to stop himself, realizing that demonic spirits were all about murder and revenge, and he just happened to be one of them. 

The less insanely bloodthirsty side of Danny wanted to stop himself from destroying the mortician, but he felt a rage like nothing he had ever felt in his entire life. “Mackenzie,” he rasped. “You killed me. Why did you kill me?” He knelt down by Mackenzie’s side and put one hand firmly on his chest to pin him down. “Why did you do this to me?” he continued. “I loved you. I was your only friend. Why?” He’d heard the reasons before but he wanted to hear them out of the mortician’s own mouth. Danny’s softer side wanted to forgive and forget, but with the corruption eating away at his soul, he couldn’t do it. He then remembered the flask of holy water and he drank from it quickly to soothe the savage beast within him. He yelled and fell back as the liquid burned through his ghostly body. “Fuck!” he screamed. It worked, however, leaving him feeling capable of having a civilized conversation with Mackenzie Tyler.

The first thing he did was reach over to check to see if the mortician was alright from being slammed into the ground. He crawled over him on his hands and knees and looked down. Mackenzie was gazing back at him fearfully, but he seemed alright other than that. They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity, until Danny leaned in and kissed Mackenzie softly on the lips. He touched Mackenzie’s hair gently, running fingers through the locks of brown. “I’ve missed you, my love,” he said tenderly. “Please have a good reason for betraying me or I may just have to snap your neck.” Those words didn’t sound completely sane despite the fact that he drank the holy water. It seemed that some of the corruption remained despite all his efforts to keep it away.

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie was ostracized by the other residents. They either tried to beat him up or ran away from him when they saw him. Because of this he went out to the garden to clear his mind. Ever since everyone found out that he confessed to murdering Danny McQueen they all seemed to turn against him. In some ways he didn't care because he hated people anyway. But he didn't like people trying to come after him for revenge. It made him nervous and paranoid every time he left his apartment. It looked like it was going to rain but he didn't want to go back inside and face anyone.

He put his head in his hands and started crying softly to himself. He missed Danny more than he thought. If only he hadn't listened to Skylar who kept encouraging him to get revenge. If only he had gone to Danny to figure out the truth. None of this would have happened and his old boyfriend would still be alive and just as manic as ever. It wasn't too long before he felt a hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice speaking to him. "... Danny?" He asked, looking up.

It was Danny all right. He looked different. He was more ghostly and intimidating. Something was terribly wrong with his hair. His eyes were glowing. It was Danny but it wasn't Danny at the same time. Mackenzie got a chill from looking at him. There was something off about Danny. Before he had a chance to say anything else he was grabbed by the throat and held in the air. He kicked his legs and tried to pull at the hand that wrapped around his neck. Danny was questioning why he was murdering. He threw Mackenzie to the ground, leaving the mortician winded. He was pinned down by Danny who was much stronger than he had been while he was living.

He closed his eyes and didn't see Danny sipping the holy water or anything. When Danny crawled on top of him, he expected to be beaten again so he cringed. Instead of getting his ass handed to him he was kissed instead. It felt so good to be kissed by Danny McQueen after so long. He opened his eyes and looked up at the poltergeist. "Danny, I'm sorry." He replied. "I thought you left me for dead, I thought you hated me and I thought you betrayed me. I'm so sorry. You're dead now and it's all my fault." 

[ice-queen-bitch]

★ FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND [MACKENZIE, BYRON + OPEN]

[psychickitten]

"Wait, I don’t think this is right," Peggy said.

She reached out, trying to stop the cruelty but she withdrew her hand. The more she thought about it the more she realized that Mackenzie might just deserve what he was getting. After all if he got away with killing Danny, it might mean he could get away with killing anyone else. And that included her. If he could betray Danny’s trust like that, he could betray anyone. She felt bad watching the beat down though.

"No thanks just… give him a punch for me, ‘kay?" she said as she backed away. "Not too hard though."

She knew Mackenzie deserved punishment. It just didn’t seem right that she would join in though. She wasn’t a pacifist but she could see the fear in Mackenzie’s swollen eyes and she just couldn’t do it. She couldn’t bring herself to join Byron in his beating of the mortician. They were former allies after all.

[mackenzietyler]

With every punch that hit him in the face, Mackenzie let out a yell of pain. His eyes became swollen and his nostrils were dripping blood that ran down his lips and his chin. He looked wearily at Byron but he didn't beg for him to stop this time. He wasn't going to give Mandy the satisfaction of hearing him pleading. He clenched his teeth and tried to grit against the pain. When Byron grabbed him by the hair and started slamming him against the bench, he couldn't take it anymore. Tears welled up in his eyes and he started to cry. He couldn't control his sobbing and screaming. The tears from his eyes mixed with the blood on his face.

Even with enhanced strength he was no match for Byron's no-holds-barred beat down. He tried to struggle away but Byron was angry enough to the point where he could overpower Mackenzie easily. As the blades of the rusty scissors cut his wrists he slumped over and gave up fighting. "Please... stop..." He rasped. He wasn't beyond pleading now. "P-please..." His breathing was labored. "I'm b-begging you... You are... going to kill me... if you d-don't stop..." When asked if Mandy had anything to do with it, he shook his head weakly. "No..." He replied quietly. "No..." He repeated. "Not her." While Byron was catching his breath, Mackenzie wriggled out of his grasp and fell to the ground.

He fell face forward and just laid there bleeding and crying. He felt like he was going faint from blood loss and the blows to the face. He tried to push himself back up but he only ended up falling to the ground again. His wrists were bloodied and cut jaggedly by the scissors so he couldn't support his own weight on them. "I - I - I was Danny's... f-friend..." He said in a voice that was barely audible. "I'm s-sorry I killed him... I th-thought he... left... me..." His voice grew weaker with every word until his eyes closed and he passed out unconscious.

[ice-queen-bitch]

★ FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND [MACKENZIE, BYRON + OPEN]

[psychickitten]

Peggy was about to leave when she noticed a commotion. It was coming from nearby in the garden. She had to see what was going on. When she got closer she saw Mandy and Mackenzie. There was someone else there too. She was familiar with him but she couldn’t recall his name. Whoever he was he was beating Mackenzie black and blue. 

"Hey uh hey!" she exclaimed. "Why are you…?"

The man that she didn’t know the name of loudly proclaimed that Mackenzie murdered Danny. Peggy froze. 

"W-what? Mackenzie?"

She looked at Mackenzie and then back at the man and then to Mandy. She couldn’t believe what she heard. Of all the people she would have thought would kill Danny - and there were many - Mackenzie was not on the list. She thought he was a perfectly loyal boyfriend to Danny. It didn’t make sense that he’d kill someone he loved so much.

She shook her head in disbelief. “Are you sure? Really? Mackenzie killed Danny?”

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie went completely still. He didn't move a muscle even as he saw Byron coming towards him in what seemed like slow motion. He just felt dread in the pit of his stomach. Seconds later, he felt the intense pain of Byron's knuckles colliding with his face. He recoiled and put his hands up, blubbering some kind of nonsense all the while. "I - don't - please - don't - please." He said. He was pushed onto the ground and kicked multiple times in the sides until he was gasping for air. He tried to crawl away but Byron grabbed him and pulled him face to face. He stammered and stuttered. "I-I-I uh-uh-uh." He squeaked. "I-I thought that-that Danny l-l-left me for d-d-dead and I-I - Skylar - c-c-convinced me to... to... get re-revenge. P-p-please let me go."

He heard Peggy approaching and breathed a sigh of relief. That was until Byron loudly announced that he was a murderer. Mackenzie felt like his heart was sinking into his stomach. Peggy would probably turn on him too and he knew just how strong she was from having fought with her before. "Peggy!" He said but his voice cracked. "P-please make them l-let me go. I w-will explain everything." He hoped she would hear his pleas and have mercy on him but inside he knew that she would probably decide to beat him up too. 

[ghostlandsorbust]

Kurt merely chuckled under his breath, smiling faintly at the comment of ‘you seem all right’. Sounded like something he would say in a conversation to be honest. “That big noodle is my loyal friend. But uh- yeah you seem alright too.” Kurt glanced once more around the room, opting to just lean against something that wasn’t an animal. 

"Steals spectral energy too huh? I- does anyone know why or how it got here I mean- this place was pretty normal before. Well not normal but as normal as a hotel you can’t leave with spirits and whatnot floating around could be - yeah you know what I mean right?" Wolfie padded back over to Kurt, laying himself on the floor and huffing out a breath as he closed his eyes. "You here that boy, stay away from it okay? Even if you think you’re protecting me don’t." He cooed at his furry companion.

"Why did I have to travel to this point in time man.”

[mackenzietyler]

"Well... We guess the Manager sent it? You know, the big creepy whatever it is that runs this place? We got a note on the bulletin board and it told us that the monster was coming and that it was deadly to both people and ghosts..." He said. He pulled a nearly empty bottle of whiskey off the table and drank the last of it in a few short gulps. It burned his throat but also made him a little less nervous. It was the last bit of alcohol he had in his possession. It had been Danny's but Danny wasn't around anymore so it didn't matter if he took it. "I guess... I can talk about that thing I was guilty about..." He started. The alcohol might have made him a little too brave. 

"I killed somebody." He sighed. "I killed somebody who didn't deserve to die." He wiped his hands across his face and then rested his head in his palms. "I guess you could say I'm a murderer?" He looked up at Kurt sadly. "I made a mistake." He moaned and leaned back against the seat of the couch. "It was a very big mistake. Please do not freak out though... I mean it isn't like I can kill you anyway. You're already dead. Besides even if I could I would not do it. Like I said, it was a mistake."

[fatelocked-blog]

[open to skylar's team, convo] &&_we're all fucked

[fatelocked-blog]

I was only kidding, you guys! You… I… I am not going to dance in front of that thing, you can’t make… Fuck you’re going to shoot me if I don’t aren’t you? Fuck. Fine! Fine, but when I catch up with you guys, I’m going to kick your asses so hard.

[mackenzietyler]

That is provided you survive. I have my fingers crossed for your mutilation at least. 

[ghostlandsorbust]

"I’m assuming it was time travel because nothing else seems to make sense I mean- then again when does anything in this hotel make sense I’m a ghost along with a ghost dog and you’re talking to me and we cant leave and why aren’t I waking up this needs to be some kind of nightmare.” Kurt groaned, burying his head in his hands. “I don’t know who any of these people are I haven’t been here that long- I guess I have since it’s been so long since- I mean I’m assuming it’s been a while since I was talking to-“ 

He shook his head, trying not to think about it. “I thought being dead was supposed to be peaceful this is anything but.” Wolfie seemed to be looking back and forth between the two, but he kept himself pressed to Mackenzie’s legs. “I guess I’m not your typical quiet dead thing huh?” He tried to joke and laugh but his laugh was more of a forced cough if anything. “What if I just find my way back to my room and stay there for the rest of - well forever, maybe I’ll go back to the roof and just watch the stars. Your uh- ex boyfriend? Sounds like he was right I mean I guess it’s good to have someone watch your back but I mean I have Wolfie I could just- I don’t know.”

He was shuffling with the sleeves of his jacket, tugging at stray threads. “That- that shadow thing I saw, or didn’t see or maybe saw- what.. what is it?”

[mackenzietyler]

Mackenzie fidgeted. "Yeah... Your dog must be a good protector for you but it still helps... you know... to know people... I guess. People can be useful? Sometimes." He began to chew on his lip and shrugged again. "Most of the time they're just annoying." He added under his breath. "Sorry. Not you. You seem all right." That was about the best compliment Mackenzie could ever give. He found himself becoming dizzier, and realized he had been standing in one place with his legs locked for too long. Black spots appeared in front of his eyes and he reached out for the wall to steady himself. "Uhh... I'm going to sit down. You can sit too if you... want..." He said.

He sat down hard on the couch which was stained with blood and wine. It was hard to tell which was which. "Oh... Yeah the shadow... It's that monster we're all supposed to be looking out for probably." He shrugged. "We narrowly avoided it earlier. I didn't get to see it though. Only hear it. It sounded pretty angry." He scratched the back of his neck and pulled on a strand of his own hair. He continued to play with the strand while he spoke. "You probably don't want to run into it even if you are a ghost. I hear it steals spectral energy too."

[fatelocked-blog]

[open to skylar's team, convo] &&_we're all fucked

[fatelocked-blog]

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. 

I’m not going anywhere near that monster. Fuck you guys, I’m out of here.

[mackenzietyler]

Let's just shoot Skylar and get it over with already.

[ghostlandsorbust]

"Wolfie? He’s uh- he’s my service dog- was my service dog? I guess he’s still my service dog regardless of both of us being kind of un-alive." He forced a laugh, looking down at his dog. "I’m- people are not my thing I. Severe social anxiety, I’m getting better I guess- But - yeah that’s, Wolfie helps." He was tripping over words again, sighing and trying hard to get himself to relax and form actual sentences. "They’re- they aren’t really creepy or anything I just, it’s not something you see often.” Kurt took another glance around the room at the various animals. “They uh- they look well done.”

"Sorry again, I didn’t, I shouldn’t have asked questions such at that it just, I was curious and then my mouth was forming words and then I was asking the the question before I even realized it knowing it wasn’t something I should do- sorry.” The last apology was more of an apology for rambling, and he was about to say he was sorry for being sorry but bit his tongue last second. He could tell from experience how uncomfortable both of them were even trying to talk to each other. It was obvious Wolfie did too, because he stood up and pressed himself against Mackenzie’s legs. “What uh- what exactly is- you mentioned teams before.”

[mackenzietyler]

"Oh..." Was all that came out of Mackenzie's mouth after Kurt explained his dog. "Thanks." He responded to the comment about his taxidermy animals. "I am a taxidermist. Also a mortician. I just work with dead things mostly. Dead things are quiet and they don't bother me so... I do not know. I guess I just prefer to not interact with... anything..." He scratched his arm and let out some breath from his lips. "Do not be sorry, it is all right. Maybe I'll tell you later? I don't know..." He awkwardly tried to smile. It didn't work. "Anyway... Teams.... Yes the teams. Elijah and Skylar fought. They split into groups and I guess everyone took sides. I got stuck with Skylar. Elijah intimidates me." 

"But... James took over the team. He is still intimidating but he's not as horrible and egotistic as Skylar." He seemed thankful for this fact. "I guess from what you've said you haven't heard about all this because I guess you were... time traveling?" He shrugged. "You may want to join up with a team though. My old boyfriend used to always tell me there was safety in numbers and allies. That it was always good to have someone to watch your back."

[ghostlandsorbust]

Kurt would say he was relieved that it wasn’t the first time things like that happened, but he really wasn’t. This whole situation was awful. “I uh- Thank you it’s much appreciated, much appreciated indeed, regardless of intent- Come on Wolfie ya noodle.” He tugged the leash once, causing the dog to go right to his side as he followed along with Mackenzie.

He stayed as close as physically possible to his furry companion, grinning nervously every time the other looked back. Though Kurt didn’t really know Mackenzie well at all, he would do anything to be out of the halls after what he just saw- or thought he saw. Had he been alive he probably wouldn’t have gone along with this but he was already dead, so what harm could it do really?

The moment the light flipped on, Wolfie’s fur stood on edge and he eyes the taxidermy animals. He was trained as a service dog, so even around other animals he never really growled or barked because he was supposed to be there to calm Kurt down when he got too flustered, so all he did was sniff at the room. Kurt had to admit to himself they were a little- well not creepy just different, and he stepped into the room shuffling around some of them. “I uh- these are interesting, certainly. I do appreciate the place I’m all mixed up right now.” Wolfie moved to lay down, and Kurt let go of his leash finally to let him. “So guilty?- ah sorry I shouldn’t be asking questions it’s none of my business, sorry- sorry.”

[mackenzietyler]

"Why do you have a big dog?" Asked Mackenzie out of the blue. "Sorry. I was just wondering. I have not seen very many animals around here. I have a chickadee... had a chickadee... We didn't have enough food to feed it so it died." He went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. He gulped it down so fast he nearly choked on it. He sputtered a little but came back into the living room. "Oh yes... those are my taxidermy animals... I made them all myself." He said. "I used to buy the animals from hunters and then I would take them home and stuff them and yeah... I built up a big collection."

"Oh... guilty... yes... well..." Mackenzie looked down at the patterns of the carpet. "That is... something I do not believe I'm too comfortable talking about with someone I just met... No offense. I just think you might run away screaming or something and I hate loud noises." He tried to force a laugh but it just ended up as a wheeze. 

[ghostlandsorbust]

Kurt picked up on the awkwardness, which only in turn made him feel more awkward than he already did and he was tugging at Wolfie’s leash, his free hand running through his fur. “The monster? What monster what is— agh.” Kurt by now was just staring at his dog, who was now standing up and panting. “Teams? Okay okay Kurt calm down calm down.” He muttered to himself, taking a deep breath in to try and collect his thoughts and possibly word out a proper sentence.

"What is- what is going on I feel like I blinked and I was- oh gosh this sounds completely insane- it feels like I traveled in time because there was literally someone talking to me and then there was not and Wolfie here, Wolfie never freaks out at things like he did but he was upset and growling-” Who knew that even being dead, things could be this stressful. “Sorry I-” Kurt sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I uh- That’s kind of you I, that is if you don’t mind, just- I’m so bad at this I’m sorry I- people and talking and-” Kurt then held out his hand awkwardly, shuffling on his feet. “I’m uh- Kurt. Kurt MacAllister and I’m really bad at this and I think I’ve finally gone insane.”

[mackenzietyler]

"You time travelled?" Mackenzie echoed. "That... actually is not the first time I have heard someone say that." He awkwardly dropped all contractions in his speech as he usually did when he was nervous. "I think it is something that happens in the inn. I do not know for sure but... I have heard someone say that." He saw Kurt put out his hand for a handshake and he stared at it before timidly reaching out and giving one little shake. "I'm Mackenzie Tyler." He shuffled around and cracked his knuckles. "So... my apartment... Is that way..." He pointed in the direction he came from. "Follow me I guess."

He walked and kept looking back to make sure that Kurt was still following him. "I guess I do not really have visitors often... But you know... I feel like I should help you out for some reason..." He trailed off. "Probably because I feel... guilty. For stuff." He felt himself sweating buckets as he tried to keep up the conversation. It was making him dizzy. When they reached his apartment, the one he and his ex-boyfriend used to share, he turned around again. "Here we are. I guess." He opened the door and flipped on the light. All around there were taxidermy animals that belonged to him. "Uh do not mind this stuff. Just step around it."