a mirror image ;;

[paytcnhclderarchive]

avery

“Here I thought I saw it all, a grown man wielding a light saber. He kept on quoting : Jedi in the streets, Sith in the sheets. I mean, he can’t be serious if that pick up line’s gonna work on anyone. Well, unless they get hot for anything Star Wars but I imagine that’s a little few and far between.” 

“Please tell me you’re joking. Although I thought people weren’t being serious about dressing up for the latest movie, but I was definitely proven wrong.”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

seth

         “You want a drink? Actually, don’t answer that. Everyone in this fucking town needs a drink or we’ll go crazy. If we aren’t going crazy already, I mean – this shit about people doing jumping off buildings and whatnot? Maybe they would have relaxed if they just got a good drink.”

“I think we’re all definitely going crazy already. People jumping off buildings, driving cars through storefronts. We’re definitely already on the crazy train. So yeah, I probably could use a drink. Not even sure the last time I had one.”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

remi

Just a mere few days spent within the hospital’s confines and she was restless; halls were occupied by the sounds of sobs, the overhead lights blanch features ghostly, the stench of harsh cleaners overwhelms the system and maintains a frequent pinch of distaste to Remi’s face. Syllables tied together by a promise that she’d be released the following morning were all that kept her from taking off right then and there. Lids flutter shut for a moment as the blonde allows the night’s air to swell lungs, her mouth bending sheepishly as she turned to meet the silhouette also tucked outside, “promise you won’t rat me out to the nurses– I’m sure they’d have an absolute cow." 

It was late in the night, and Payton was just getting off his recent shift. Lately, he’d been spending more time at work than anywhere else. The recent events of the town had him driving to and from the hospital, consistently bringing in those affected. The town was suffering, and he couldn’t quite understand how. Hearing the familiar tone brought him from deep thoughts, shifting his gaze to Remi, “Your secret is safe with me. You sure you should be out here right now?”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

starter for @petradragovic

It seemed that since the night of the ball, his shifts had become longer, harder. There were more false alarm calls than necessary, people scared after what they had seen. It only served to put Payton on edge, worried over what the next call would be. Leaving the hospital after his latest shift, unsure whether he’d be called back that day, he decided coffee was definitely in order. But he didn’t exactly make it far, instead running directly into the first person he encountered on the street. “Shi --- sorry, sorry,” the words fumbled together, Payton already checking to make sure he didn’t hurt her. “Are you alright? God, I’m so sorry. I totally wasn’t paying attention.”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

freya

Death wasn’t uncommon for Freya. She and her sisters had spent years fighting off death and sometimes even watching those they cared about or were trying to protect, die in front of them. So honestly, as terrifying as it was, what happened at the party wasn’t something she hadn’t seen before. Though, she knew it wasn’t really the same for everyone else. “I mean… in this town, anything is possible, really… probably not the most comforting words someone wants to hear though.”

“What is that suppose --- it’s nearly physically impossible for someone to do that.” There was apparent confusion, for Payton couldn’t understand how this was being talked about as if it were real. A party trick, an elaborate hoax; he didn’t know exactly what it was, but he did know that it couldn’t possibly have happened --- right? 

[paytcnhclderarchive]

quinn

“Actually, it’s relatively easy if you have the right strength”, Quinn spoke without much thought, but was quick to catch herself. Quinn was one of the few that was never ashamed or tried to hide what she was, if anyone were to ask then she would say. That didn’t mean everyone knew the truth. “How about some tea? It’ll help with the anxiousness?”, she asked, already turning for a cup off her back counter. The brew had been made after the events of the night unfolded, it was one of many precautions she had taken after the blood drip from the vampire’s hands.

“The right strength?” He questioned out of pure confusion. The statement didn’t make sense to him, even with the several years of being an EMT under his belt. He couldn’t quite understand how anyone could believe a man had punched through another’s chest cavity with such ease. “What?” He blinked out of his rampant thoughts, working to figure out what she had asked. Watching as she moved about, he pieced it together before responding, “Uh...sure.”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

thalia

              “Trust me, I’ve seen it. It’s possible, and real. And I can’t get rid of the image.” In fact, it had haunted Thalia, making it impossible for her to fall asleep. As if her paranoia and anxiety hadn’t been bad enough already, it was through the roof now, and she was already questioning whether she should move away from the town again. “It’s like – how could anyone be so damn dramatic to think that’s necessary?”

It didn’t make sense, how everyone was believing this had happened. Perhaps he was missing something, a vital detail that would affirm the hoax everyone wanted to play along with. “You can’t be --- do you know the strength or force a man would need to have in order to do that?”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

vala

“You’re right.” Vala pointed out, sarcasm dripped from her tone, she hadn’t meant to sound so icy, but the number of people who remained oblivious in this town was dangerous, not just for them but those around them. The more aware they were, the better off they could all be, the safer. “Someone can’t just rip a heart out. Maybe everyone remembers seeing that, but it’s not what happened, maybe the psychopath cut it out, and we’re all just experiencing a creepy Mandala effect.” Vala explained with a more gentle tone, “or-” She paused, “monsters don’t just live under the beds and in the closets of imaginative children. ”

There was too much information circulating the small town of the lasting events from the party, leaving Payton unable to decipher what was real and what wasn’t. But no matter how many times he’d heard that the newest member of the community had ripped a heart out, he simply couldn’t believe it. Even as Vala spoke, he could only focus on one thing; that a woman had died that night, regardless of what the townspeople remembered or believed they had seen. “Yeah, I’m well aware how monstrous people can be. Did --- did you know her?”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

remi

“I watched it happen, and I’m still not sure how it did. Or why. It seems I have a mouthful of questions and no one to answer them,” a set of thin shoulders lift to a shrug, the topic of the night’s events prompt light features to host both perplexity and awe, “you’re lucky you didn’t see it, Payton. I’m not sure I’ve slept more than a few hours at a time since.”

Even if his mind couldn’t work out exactly why so many people believed what they saw, Payton knew that there was more pressing matters at hand. A woman had still been killed that night, no matter how. “Sorry, Rem. We don’t have to talk about this, you know? We can talk about something else, hope to get your mind off it.”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

josh

.          “I hate to break it to you Halder but you know what you saw. Trying to rationalize it will only make it worse.” Joshua remarked as he studied the other, it still amused and equally baffled the traveler as to how the other had remained so oblivious. 

“I wasn’t there,” he stated point blank, which may have only added to his confusion. He hadn’t seen what nearly the entire town had, regardless of knowing that what many claimed couldn’t possibly be true. Snapping his gaze back to Josh, brows furrowed together, “Aurelia. Did she see it, too?”

[paytcnhclderarchive]

ransome

“Oh, sure they can. Spoiler alert : some things in movies are real.” The male quipped. Obviously sarcasm dripping from his lips. Even if held the truth in between the lines. “Or maybe the punch was laced with something and this is all a figment of your imagination.”

“Yeah, those are called documentaries. Is there one about people ripping out hearts?” He questioned with a lack of amusement. He didn’t exactly liked to be mocked. “I wasn’t there, so my imagination has nothing to do with it. But apparently nearly the whole town believes that’s what happened.”

[christopherwooddaily]

[christopherwooddaily]

[paytcnhclderarchive]

nick

The events of the ball were behind him by a day, but the events still seemed imprinted on his eyelids whenever he closed his eyes. Elaine’s heart held high above his head, the look of absolute focus on Dragovic’s face as he taunted about his plan., the dripping of red onto the pristine floor. He remembered holding Charlotte back, telling her that now wasn’t the time for action. One of the things he had learned in police academy was to pick his battles - just because he was a cop didn’t mean that he had all the power. Sometimes retreating and waiting for backup was the answer.

But neither was running from danger.

Which was why, the day after the ball, Nick found himself plastering fliers around town. Feeling unsafe and need a ride home? Call East End police department! it read, and the number for the front desk, who knew to call Nick. It was…probably not enough, Nick knew, but it made him feel good to at least try to help people. Not that he felt seriously equipped to defend anyone against what he had seen, but again…at least it was something.

He had just finished taping a flyer to a street light when he heard footsteps come up behind him, and an errand wind sent some of his fliers hurtling towards the other.

“Oh, sorry, would you mind grabbing those before they fly away? Pretty please?” he asked, already scrounging to get the ones at his feet.

During the split between his extended shift that day, Payton had gone in search of food that wasn’t the same thing he ate nearly every day. While he was a man of pattern, he also enjoyed switching it up every once in a while. But when a voice called to his attention, he snapped out of his mind trying to determine what to eat to see the fliers twirling through the wind. “Yeah, of course,” he responded quickly, reaching out to snatch the fliers as they neared him. Out of habit, he looked down at what he was holding, seeing the words written out. “Were you there? At the party?” He questioned now, approaching Nick with the fliers extended out.

[paytcnhclderarchive]

“This can’t be real,” he stated plainly, though his voice seemed to be laced with concern. Payton had ultimately left the party early, knowing that he couldn’t stay long with an extended shift the very next day. And he was glad he did. Hearing the next day accounts of what had happened later in the evening, he was glad to have missed whatever show the Dragović’ had wanted to put on. “Someone can’t just rip a heart out.”

[christopherwooddaily]

[paytcnhclderarchive]

mila

        “Tell me about it,” Mila agreed, a soft chuckle falling from her features when she recognized Payton. “I don’t even remember the last time I wore a remotely fancy expensive dress, and now all I can think about is how I better not ruin it. And that definitely doesn’t make me feel like I belong.”

“Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure this would still fit,” he commented with a chuckle, eyeing his own outfit for the night. If he wasn’t wearing his work uniform, then he was likely sporting a plain t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He wasn’t exactly the dressing up type. “Guess we’ll just have to fake it til we make it, huh?” He questioned with a grin, directing his attention back on her.