#lhiverse

[peaceific-archive]

Starter Call, Verse Only Day 4, after Mark’s Death

[legendhasitgv]

Honestly, Noah was glad that Zara had come to his room earlier – at least there was one fight less now, and the idea of teaming up seemed logical as well. Groups of up to three people – yeah, Noah had to admit, that way they would be safer, or so he hoped, anyway.

Maybe, after Eileen and Mike, there wouldn’t be a third victim. That was what they had to believe in – that things would be alright, without anyone else being murdered.

Still … as much as Noah wanted them to stick together and keep each other safe … One of them was a killer, whether they wanted to entertain that thought or not. One of them was, possibly, just waiting for another opportunity to kill, and not knowing who it was … it was the scariest part, really. The lack of control. The lack of knowledge. There were a few people Noah could rule out, or so he thought, anyway, but …

Either way, if they teamed up and remained in groups of three people, two of them should definitely be innocent, right? Zara was currently informing everyone of the meeting, well, everyone but Shelby, anyway. So, that was where Noah was heading to – Shelby’s room, hoping to find the girl there so he could pick her up and get her to come to the lounge with him.

What Noah hadn’t expected, though? To be confronted with another listless body , sprawled at the bottom of the stairs.

Noah felt his blood run cold, and before he could even sort through his dumbfounded mind, he had fallen to his knees by Mark’s side.

“Mark! Mark, wake up! Shit .. Shit, wake up!”

His hands were about to touch the man’s form, fingers reaching to turn him around so he could inspect his face. But .. Shit, if Mark had hurt his neck in any way or form, chances were Noah would only make it worse by moving him.

“Mark, can you hear me?!”

No response. His heart was racing, pounding against his ribcage, blood pumping through his veins and filling him with sickening dread. No. No, no, no, not another one, not Mark. Mike had just died mere hours ago and for a few seconds Noah couldn’t help but think that the killer was either panicking and therefore murdering more people in a shorter time,   growing impatient, or increasingly bolder.

Noah wanted to believe that maybe, maybe Mark had simply stumbled and crashed down the stairs, but at this point that seemed like a ridiculous coincidence. Hovering over his body, Noah’s hands were touching him ever so carefully. It wasn’t until he reached for his cheek in an attempt to get a proper look at his face that he noticed something else altogether – Mark hadn’t just fallen down the stairs, but there were marks around his neck, painted in an angry red.

He had been choked. This hadn’t been an accident – Mark had been pushed and strangled.

“Fuck … Fuck … Mark …”

As it seemed, Zara’s plan to get everyone to stay close to one another had come too late.

@peaceific & @latiimer.

THE DAY FOUR CHATZY IS STILL OPEN. All interactions will now be taking place after Noah has discovered Mark’s body and they have placed it with the others.

[legendhasitgv]

Dear Bethy,

I love you so much. So so much.

I hope to god that you never have to read this, but after everything else that has happened these past couple of days I had to do this. If When Sally has done what I’ve asked her and she made it out then thank her for me. She’sone of the only person I can trust in this place and you can trust her too.

I know you kept pestering me about a will and I never did anything about it. What’s mine is yours. It always has been Beth. Do what you want with it all. I won’t know. Do what you have to do to keep going. Just stay safe for me. Chloe needs one of us and it has to be you since I’m not coming home.

Tell Chloe that I love her zillions and I’ll always be there watching out for her. I don’t know how you’ll explain it to her but I know you can do it. You’re a greamazing mum even if I don’t say it enough. There isn’t anyone else I’d trust with her like I do you. Hopefully everything of mine will come back as well including her toy lamb. Tell Chlo that he’ll always be there to keep her safe and she has to be a big girl now for me. I’m always thinking about her now and you too.

You have to be strong now Bethy. So so strong. Not just for you but Chlo and the new bab

The sound of shuffling outside of Shelby’s room brought Mark’s attention away from the page of written words before him. To his knowledge, everyone else was downstairs, except Sally who was in her room where he’d last seen her.

Setting the pad of paper and pen aside, he rose to his feet, holding out a hand towards Shelby to stay where she was. He said nothing as he stepped towards the door, head peeking out both ways before he stepped out.

“Sally?” he called, head twisted in the direction of her room. The hallway was empty. Standing entirely still, he could only hear the sound of his heartbeat in his ears as he waited. Waiting for the shuffling sound to come once more.

When it did not, he turned his attention to the stairs, heading towards the top step. Had he been imagining things? Had it been his mind, still in a panic, which had pretended to hear the sound of someone creeping outside the door?

A hand rested on the bannister, tilting his body to the side just enough to see down below. No one.

He doesn’t hear the footsteps behind him, muffled by the sound of carpet under their feet. Just as he is about to turn around, if only he’d done so a second before, he may have been able to keep his balance as two hands shoved him hard in the back. Standing on the edge of the top step, he does not stand a chance as his body was propelled forward by the force of the hands on his back.

Instinctively his hand grabbed for the bannister his hand had been resting on only a second before, however, it was too late as he lost his balance and fell forward. Eyes close as Mark tumbled, arms, knees, elbows, and legs hitting the stairs with hard hits as he unwillingly fell. Hands attempt to grasp for something, anything, to stop his fall, but there is nothing. He is going down too quickly.

Not too far from the bottom, he felt the hard crack as the back of his head became the next victim to the stairs. The pain shot through his entire body, from head to toe as he finally came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. His mind is foggy where he is, a crumpled heap at the base of the steps he had just fallen down.

Pain is everywhere, Mark letting out a muffled groan as a hand attempted to form itself into a claw to drag himself across the floor. In the back of his mind he knew, but with the little energy he had, knew he had to move.

He doesn’t move.

Darkness is coming closer, tugging him away from the real word, away from the pain.

The thought of Shelby and Sally crossed his thoughts just before his mind faded to black. Shelby, who he was supposed to be looking after. Sally, who reminded him of his daughter.

Chloe…

His breathing evened out, hand loosening from the pathetic claw it had attempted to make.

He doesn’t hear the footsteps coming down the stairs for him.

@latiimer.

[latiimerarchive]

Mark and Sally ( @cxrrera ) LHI Verse Day 4 Sally's room

Sally: Sally finally got Finnick to leave. She was exhausted and didn't want to move. She felt safest in her room, and it felt good to be alone. She loved people, God did she, but she didn't love these people. These people made her feel nervous and sick and tired. She just wanted to be alone and grieve from the loss of her best friend. KNOCK But apparently ...that wasn't going to happen. "I don't want to see anyone," She called out. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?"

Mark: He didn't have long, but after hearing of what had happened between Finnick and Sally, Mark had felt the need to go and check up on her himself. Telling Shelby he'd only be gone for a few minutes, he made his way down the hall to Sally's door. Frowning at her response, he didn't let up just yet. He had to try at least. Leaning in closer to the door, his hand still rested on the wooden door from when he had knocked. "Sally, it's Mark. I just wanted to check up on you."

Sally: At the very least it was Mark. She could stand to see Mark. He was the one person she was sure she could trust. Why would a man with a daughter and wife waiting at home for him do anything like this? He seemed to love them too much to risk everything just to kill for sport. "... You can come in," Sally said into her pillow. "But only for a little while. I really do want to be alone."

Mark: He was shocked at how quick her response was, surprised she let him in so easily. He wasn't about to pass up on the opportunity however, opening the door quietly to step inside. Seeing her caused his stomach to drop. She looked so upset. Of course she would be. They had only spoken little, but he'd seen her with Mike most often. Stepping deeper into the room, he made to sit on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling, eh? I heard you before."

Sally: She didn't say what was on her mind -- a thousand cuss words -- but instead did everything she could to tame her tongue. "I feel like crying," She answered after a long moment of silence. She didn't even look at Mark. She stayed laying down, staring at the empty wall. "but I can't seem to anymore. It's...physically impossible." Regardless, her eyes felt like they had been bit, her breathing was still heavy, and her throat felt like it was in a bind. "...There's nothing like holding a dead body. And I -- I can't believe Mike is gone." Her voice is barely a whisper. "He was the best person in my life and now he's gone. And I couldn't protect him. I couldn't save him. I couldn't -- I couldn't --"

Mark: He couldn't begin to understand what she was going through. Didn't want to know. If their positions had been swapped, if it had been Beth who'd been taken from him, he'd be in just as bad a state. If not, even worse than her. He didn't dare imagine, more than glad he hadn't asked her to come along with him. Knowing what could happen to her would have hurt him so much. "Did you want to talk about it? I'm here if you want anything... Even a hug. Anything for you." Reaching out slowly, he rested a gentle hand on her back, rubbing up and down slowly. If she pulled away, he wouldn't say a word. She knew what she needed most now.

Sally: She didn't pull away. But she did shake her head, beginning to cry again. As much as she could. Her tear ducts were as dry as the desert. "There's nothing you can do," She answered him, weakly. "There's nothing anyone can do." She shifted, looking at Mark finally. Her eyes dilated, her nose red, her hair a mess. "I want Mike back." She said with a firmness in her voice, void of anger. "I want Mike. I don't want to have to find his family and tell him their son died. I don't want to think about the fact that Mike will never be able to be FBI like he wanted to. There's nothing else to talk about. I just want my best friend back, Mark. That's all I want." Her voice cracked, and she took the blanket and moved it up around her neck. She also wanted to hide from the rest of the world.

Mark: Looking to Sally as she spoke, Mark nodded his head slowly. He wanted to do more to help her, but if she didn't ask then he wouldn't inflict on her grieving too much. Just enough to check on her. "You won't have to do all that alone. I'll be there if you want me, alright? If you want me I'll be here." He was sure it couldn't have been Sally. She was a wreck. She couldn't have killed Mike like that. He didn't think she could hurt anyone. She was the one person he could be sure of in this house. Never had she given him a reason to doubt her, unlike all the others. He trusted her above all the others. "You need me for anything just give me a shout, eh?"

Sally: "Wait, don't go yet." Sally sat up, the blanket pooling around her waist and atop of legs. She had been in different clothes then the ones she found Mike in, of course, having thrown those away after disinfecting them so they wouldn't smell up the house. She didn't want to smell Mike's blood anymore. "We have to get you out of here," She whispered. "I can't have you die, too. We have to get you back home. I don't want your family to hurt like this."

Mark: He'd thought about it. Thought about it too much. What would happen if he didn't make it home. Especially so since Mike had been found downstairs. He wanted to do something, but he just didn't know what. "Sally... I can't leave. You've seen what it's like out there. I'm stuck here as much as you are." Leaving had crossed his mind, but then he'd be leaving the others behind. How it would make him as bad as killing them himself. He reached out for her hand, clasping it in his larger one. "We'll be alright. I'll look out for you. We're in this together, you and me. Alright?" It pained him to think about, knowing how much worse it would feel to lose Sally in all of this. The one person he had been most honest to. He squeezed her hand with his. "... Would you do one thing for me... I-if I don't make it."

Sally: Sally cringed. He needed to stop. She couldn't deal with another death. Not unless it was her own. That would be different. That wouldn't be as horrid. Except for her sister and her mother. But even then. They gave up on her a long time ago. "If you and I leave we can work together. We can find somewhere to call the police. We can survive together. We could, Mark." Sally protested, her voice succumbing to panic. "...What's your favor...?" Just in case Mark still refused her plan.

Mark: "And leave all the others here?... There's only one killer here, Sally. What if we leave and don't get help to them in time?... And we don't know what it's like out there. We mightn't make it to safety. I can't risk that happening to you." Hearing her panic, Mark rose to his feet only to move two steps to sit down beside Sally. He wrapped an arm around her middle to draw her into his side. His hand rubbed up and down her side gently, wanting to calm her. "We can't just walk out... If I thought we could then I'd have already got you out." Pausing as he thought of how to next say what he wanted. What he had to ask of her. What he could only know she'd do for him. "I want to write something to Beth... Make sure she knows how much I love her and Chlo... I need you to make sure it gets to them."

Sally: Her hand cupped her mouth as she rested against his warm body, shaking. "You can't be sure I'll live, Mark." She told him, not daring to look him in the eye. If she couldn't do this for him, she'd hate herself even more. "What if I don't make it? What if your --" She stopped herself. She couldn't take it. "If we can't leave, what are we supposed to do?!"

Mark: "Don't talk like that. You'll make it. I promise." He knew deep inside that he couldn't promise anything to her, but he felt the need to say the words. To reassure her. Reassure himself that she would be fine. They couldn't all die. "Promise me, Sally, please." Tilting his head, his free hand rested under her chin to her look up to him. He needed it now. He didn't know what to do. What he could do to get them out. To keep them safe. "... I don't know... We find somewhere. Just for the two of us... No, the others could come looking... But we stick together."

Sally: Reassuring her didn't work. She didn't believe it. Besides, if she had to sacrifice herself for someone else in the house, she would. In a heartbeat. No more deaths, please. No more. Mark made her look at him, and her lips pressed together, turning them yellow she shut them so tight. Hesitating, she finally nodded to his request. "Okay," She mouthed. "I promise," This time she spoke; barely. "I promise. I -- I will. I promise."

Mark: The relief is apparent in Mark's eyes immediately, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. It was one less thing to worry about. Perhaps it wouldn't seem much to the others, but it meant the world to him. "T-thank you." He meant it. More than anything else. He couldn't stay here forever however. Yet he didn't move immediately. Preferring this for a few minutes more before heading back to Shelby. "I can come back later. Stay with you if it'll make you feel better, eh... Will have to get someone else to watch Shelby, but I'll make it happen."

Sally: "Whatever..." Sally said, throwing herself back onto her pillow and covering up once again. "Finnick is ...okay, too. I don't think he'd hurt me. But I don't -- I don't know. I don't trust anyone except you anymore, Mark." She didn't even pray that it wasn't a mistake. She knew it couldn't be. "Thanks for coming in, but I really do wanna be alone if I can..."

Mark: Twisting on the bed go look back to Sally, Mark smiled ever so slightly at what she said. The feeling was mutual. More than that if it could. "Yeah, I get that... Still I'll come around again later. Check up on you, if you don't mind." He had to check, if only for his own sanity. Finnick was to look after her, but he would as well. Make sure she was fine. He couldn't trust Finnick entirely with her safety.

Sally: "No...that's fine," She said it hesitantly, but it wasn't as though she really had a choice. There was a murderer here, and if she was gonna get Mark out, she needed to stay alive. But for now, she was going to continue to grieve over Mike; over the loss of her very best friend.

Mark: Nodding his head, Mark was fine with that. He didn't have another choice really. It was this or nothing. "Yeah, just give me a shout if you need me. I'll be around. I'll be here whenever you need."

[unendiing-blog]

                                  LHI: Day 4; Anna’s Room

Zara: She doesn't have many things in Anna's room. Nightclothes; a bag of toiletries; one book. Most else she's left back in her own room, the one she shared with Eileen, the one that's now messy and bloody following Mark's frantic search. She has little to carry; still her arms are full when the door opens.

Anna: She doesn't expect Zara to be on the other side of the door, at least not as close as she was. Nearly running into her, she stops in her tracks at the sight and her gaze falls to the belongings cradled in her arms. "What are you doing?" Looking over her shoulder, where Zara's necessities once were was only an empty night stand. "Where are you going?"

Zara: Anna's sudden proximity makes her jump. She sniffs hard, socks spiking to the floor as she drops one hand to swipe her nose. But the eyes are still unavoidably red.  "I'm, uh, I'm going back to my room." And suddenly she can't meet Anna's gaze.

Anna: She bends, takes the fallen socks into her hands, pausing for a moment before returning to her full height. "Why would you go back-- what's going on?" She tilts her head, tries to make Zara look to her.

Zara: "Ah," A rasp on her voice. She clears her throat. Looks stubbornly at the floor. "Anna, I just think... I just think it's better if we -- if we're not... alone together. I mean rooming together, I..." She chokes herself into silence.

Anna: Confusion clouds her expression, fingers tightening around the abandoned item of clothing. "Alone together?" What exactly was going on here? "Zara, come on." Her voice is soft, yet unyielding. She isn't going to let her off the hook so easily. "What's wrong?"

Zara: "Listen, you heard what they said." Her voice becomes shriller, like a peasant flushed from the bush. "Maybe it's just not wise, OK? Anyone being alone with... one another."

Anna: "What, you think I care about what Mark thinks?" A roll of her eyes, and a lift of her shoulder. "I don't think you're a murderer, Zara. Maybe if Mark had found a hit list or a bloody knife, but meetings? It doesn't scare me."

Zara: "I..." She swallows. "And I'm grateful, but..." Her voice drops to a whisper. "I just... I don't know. I don't want you to get hurt, Anna."

Anna: She tenses only slightly, not really knowing what to do? "Why would you think I'd get hurt?" Eye raise, searching Zara's face.

Zara: "Look, what Mark said..." She sits on the bed. Drops everything. It's hard to breathe suddenly and her clothes seem less than important. "The drugs, th-the meds, it... it's true, I... I'm--m" Whatever she means to say is lost in stuttering.

Anna: She follows, sitting beside her-- not too close for she doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. "You're what?" Her voice is encouraging, as if everything in the world was going to be okay no matter what the answer was.

Zara: “The thing is that I…” Breathe. Swallow. Christ, but the words are sticking to her throat like knives. “They were only antidepressants and anti-anxiety, because you can’t treat it, not — and it hasn’t not for months, but… after my mother… my mother died a year ago. Almost a year. After that I… the doctor… there were long periods where I couldn’t remember, not anything, and the doctor called it dissociation, and, I mean, I never did anything bad, but I couldn’t — couldn’t remember, Anna, nothing seemed s— seemed real. I couldn’t — and I can’t… I don’t have my meds, Mark was right. How do I know it’s not me?”

Anna: A moment of silence follows, a moment of contemplation at her friend's words. "Okay--" It's matter-of-fact, and never doubtful. "First things first, have you lost any time here. You're telling all of this to me, so you have to be at least semi-lucid."

Zara: “I don’t know!” Why is Anna so calm? How is she so calm? Zara’s voice is shrill, laced with panic. “I don’t think so, but how would I… Anna, I don’t know. I just don’t want to be alone.” She wipes her eyes, smudges tears across her cheeks. “I don’t want to die, and I don’t — I don’t want to kill anyone, either, God…”

Anna: "Hey-- hey." She moves closer, a hand resting on Zara's shoulder. "You been alone with me for a good portion of this trip, I've slept next to you completely vulnerable and look, I'm still here." Stopping, she looks to her lap for a moment, head shaking. "We will figure this out, I don't think this is you but if you're worried, we will figure out a way to find out for sure."

Zara: Slowly, she nods. Anna still trusts her. That counts for something. She draws a shaky breath, nods again, and curls her fingers over the other girl’s hand where it rests upon her shoulder. It’s some comfort, feeling her presence — her belief. “But how, it… we can’t just sit around waiting for someone else to die. ”

Anna: "We won't." Fingers squeeze those now wrapped around them, her head lowering to place a temple against Zara's shoulder. "There has to be something we can do, there has to be something we are missing."

Zara: A pause; slight hesitation, and then she traces the girl’s jaw with her fingers. Gentle. Clumsy. “Listen. I mean it, though. We shouldn’t — no one should be alone or in pairs, yeah? If we can’t all stick together in one place, then maybe in groups, but not… not just sitting around waiting to be picked off.” She sighs. Fingers pinch at the bridge of her nose. “And… knives. We can gather them, lock them in a room somewhere, have one person hide the key, I don’t know. Nobody’s doing anything , and it’s like… I don’t know, do they want to die?” Frustration still simmers under her skin. “Will you get everyone together with me? We need to be in groups, Anna, that’s the only damn thing that’s going to keep us alive.”

Anna: "I don't think anyone really knows what to do, it's hard to believe that someone we know is going around killing us off." A sigh escapes her, head tilting ever so slightly into Zara's touch. "But, I'm with you. We'll try and get everyone together, see what can be done about weapons. We'll keep each other safe."

Zara: But it's happening, she goes to say. It's happening and we need to wake up and fucking deal with it. But Anna goes on before she can burst with frustration. She collects her breath instead, sighs, nods. That will have to do.

[peaceific-archive]

Starter Call, Verse only

[peaceific-archive]

Open: LHI Verse

Noah was sitting on his bed in the room that he had shared with Mike up until some hours ago. There was a cup of coffee between his fingers, the fifth that day - his hands were trembling, and at this point he couldn’t really tell whether it was the caffeine that got him shaking, or the suffocating feeling of being stuck. No matter how much he attempted to ignore the fact that they couldn’t leave the house, the walls still seemed to come closer, the air getting thinner, temperature entirely too high. 

All these fights didn’t help at all, really - neither the way Mark accused Zara, nor her violent reaction.

 It wasn’t until a light knock at the door pulled him out of his own mind and back into reality that he looked back up again. 

“-- For how long have you been standing there?”

[legendhasitgv]

Mike not being upstairs caused immediate alarm; Sally tried to make sure everyone was in a similar spot, but when Mike left, she knew immediately, and didn’t even go to see if anyone else was gone. She headed downstairs, trying not to panic herself, in search for him.

“Mike?” She called out. “Mike, are you down here?” She called out again. “Are you with someone? You shouldn’t be–”

There’s RED. It’s liquid. It’s sticky. It smells. Sally’s heart stopped for too long, nearly causing herself to collapse. She lost all color in her face. “No…” She breathed. “No, no–”

Mike was laying on the cool ground, nearly drowning in his own blood. “MIKE–!” Her scream curdled Mike’s blood that she ran through to get to him, her knees pounding against the ground and splashing the blood into her pants. “Mike, no! Mike!” She grabbed onto his soggy shirt and shook him. “Mike, Mike!” Her hand patted his cheek, harder and harder and harder.

“SOMEONE HELP!” She screamed again, not taking her eyes off of the dead body in her hands.

“MIKE, WAKE UP!” She called. “Mike! MIKE! You said you wouldn’t die – you PROMISED ME!” By now she can’t see; her vision blurred and tears came out like a waterfall down her cheeks, soaking her shirt.

“MIKE, YOU PROMISED ME! MIKE!”

He doesn’t move. She doesn’t stop sobbing. She picked up his head and pressed it to her bosom. Her head laid atop his, trying to protect him.

From what? He was already gone.

“…You promised…”

@cxrrera.

The second body has been found. It is now obvious that whoever killed Eileen was not only after her. The Day Three chatzy is closed, and the Day Four is now open. Feel free to post summaries of any interesting events or plot twists of Day Three in the ic tag, but for now, Day Four takes precedence.

The new chatzy is here.