Don't Go In The House

[target_audience]

WHO: A mysterious voice, a masked figure, an assortment of victims, and maybe some heroes, too! This one is open, check the OOC post to coordinate.
WHERE: Temba, Green-14
WHAT: Another homicidal attack!
WHEN: Early January
WARNINGS: This is another murder attempt. It involves fire.


This wasn't often an alluring part of the city. Even dark, the blinking light long since winked out, the radio tower loomed, and the wasteland around it felt like a warning so the snow fell smoothly there, the ground underneath it flat and unbroken by any snarl of resilient weeds. Only a few footprints disturbed its surface. On the road, they were all but gone, the bots dutifully dusting away the snowfall on the new pavement and keeping it easily walkable for anyone who didn't mind the empty eye of the tower, or the hypnotizing maze of the memorial nearby. Someone who might have ducked curiously into a building that was leaning slightly, neglected among the repairs of the city, maybe because of its flat, imposing walls--devoid entirely of any windows, and only accessible by a single, heavy door. Someone who must have finally picked up the courage, or just a flashlight to brave the complete dark within, because as the sun started to sink, leaving dazzling colour dancing around the icicles clinging to the roofline of this abandoned structure, a scream burst out of it. It was tinny and muffled, clawing its way out of the single, dark doorway that it could penetrate, and the snow gathered around the foundations softened the sound even further, but in the empty city, in the air chilled enough that not even the flapping of birds' wings might baffle the sound, it echoed. A scream, then a pleading sobbing, rattling breaths begging for mercy, help, God. A raw, desperate wail.

Anyone moved to help would have to access through that one open doorway, and would be immediately met with the imposing darkness of this closed off space. Inside, it smelled cloyingly sweet, like old rot. Underfoot, the floor was slick, not like melting ice but with a worrying tackiness. If they brought any light, they could see that it was red, and spread slowly, coagulating in the chill.

The sound of the sobbing didn't cease. Even inside, though, it had a strange, small quality, like the source had moved further into the building. The voice had gone hoarse, the screams like rasping paper. Until, maybe, such a helpful hero picked up the communication device, dropped in the middle of the floor, sticky with the red substance. Then, the voice giggles.

In the horrible second you have to wonder at the noise, a burst of heat and light suddenly erupts from the doorway, the one exit standing behind you, now an inferno. Just beyond it, in the cold blue light of the last of the winter's sun, a figure had their hand on the door. A ghost, draped in black that pooled in the snow, with a stark, white screaming face. They slam the door shut, trapping the rapidly spreading fire inside.

Comments

[tempredmental]

Good thing Keith had closed his eyes or he'd probably be temporarily blind at the moment. It was probably also a good thing he was used to the idea of teleporting due to having a teleporting wolf.

Which, reminder to self, never leave Kosmo home again.

Keith pushed himself up into a seated position, glancing back at the others to see if they were okay. The visor on his helmet glowed for a second before disappearing, and then he pulled the helmet off, shaking off the sweat.

"That was a mask, right? Like on a person?" he asked, definitely sounding distressed. He'd thank Leo later, but his brain was going a mile a minute, probably faster, and he needed to process his thoughts in the order that they appeared.

[thepurpleone]

Donnie'd nearly fallen over in an attempt to reach for his brother the moment Leo had moved into the building. His knees sink in the half trampled snow, the cold burning in its own way, but it's still weirdly soothing. He'll complain later, maybe.

Each breath is painful to draw in, and it only feels like he coughs twice the amount out. He can barely feel that familiar pulse as Leo teleports back out with Keith, body sagging in relief. Behind them, as if in final farewell, he can hear metal groaning one last time against the strain of the building before more of it collapses inwards, sending a brief flare through the opening they'd vacated. That hurts almost as much as being stuck there in the first place, his precious baby, gone.

Keith's words sound distant, and Donnie's own thoughts are much more sluggish than they'd normally be, so worn out as he is. Maybe if he closes his eyes for a moment he'll feel better.

[crystalmaster]

Radley had rushed to try to help Donnie and keep him from following Leo back inside, and has been waiting tensely. To see Leo and Keith come back safe, he relaxes immensely.

"Yeah, there was a mask," he says bitterly. "We were all supposed to be the next victims of those creeps."

He flinches at the collapse. Maybe he'll feel like investigating the rubble when the fire's out, but maybe not. He really doesn't want to go back in there ever again.

"I've still got the comm they used," he says. "I'm sure it belongs to somebody innocent again, though."

He sighs, coughing a bit again. "Is everybody okay?" He supposes they'll have to be treated for smoke inhalation, at least, except Keith. He hopes Keith's leg isn't badly hurt.

[faceguy]

The news that masked assailants did this is not surprising to Leo. Of course those guys are causing more trouble. No one’s been in a hurry to stop them.

He doesn’t have the bandwidth to care about investigations right now, though. Instead, he leaves Keith and kneels next to Donnie, already checking him for the source of the red stains.

“You can find the call number for the tablet and use that to find who it belongs to,” he says quickly. “They probably changed the main profile to ‘Unknown’ again… Hey, Dee, you can’t sleep in the snow.”

[tempredmental]

Keith gave a frustrated look. But Leo's concern over Donnie definitely got his attention then. He gave a glance at Radley, too. The three of them were still covered in that goopy stuff, and those two were going to at least need to be treated for smoke inhalation. And, even if he'd had his armor on, Keith was pretty sure just the high heat itself probably left him with some mild burns. The others might be worse off.

"We should get going," he said. He moved to get up. "Everyone should be checked out by a doctor and- ah!" Putting weight on that leg was apparently not a good idea. Keith dropped back to the ground when it gave out during his attempt.

[thepurpleone]

"'m not," Donnie weakly protests, mostly out of reflex, contradicting his response as he starts leaning towards Leo. The red stuff is a bit sticky and smells a bit sweet on closer inspection, so at least it doesn't seem like he's bleeding out in weird places.

[crystalmaster]

"Yeah, I'll check the call number later," Radley says. "Right now we should get away from here."

He cringes when Keith's attempt to stand goes very poorly. He gets up and goes over to him. "Try leaning on me," he says, reaching to help Keith get up again.

[faceguy]

Yeah, Leo doesn't believe Donnie for a second. But at least, on further inspection, the red stains don't seem to be blood, unless Donnie started bleeding red kool-aid.

He looks over at Keith's aborted attempt to stand. He doesn't think anyone in this group can walk very far, so he gets himself under Donnie's arm and drags both of them up, then raises his sword.

"Alright, let's get you guys to the hospital," he says, slashing the air.

At least now, Leo's been there enough times that he can portal them straight inside the door. All they have to do is walk through. He gestures at Keith and Radley to go first.

[tempredmental]

Keith nodded tightly, and then shifted himself gingerly so he could get up without putting too much weight on his injured leg. Accepting Radley's help, he was up, but definitely not steady enough to stand on his own.

At least there was one good thing about having been to the hospital a lot, right, Leo? Heh... He grabbed his helmet, summoning his own sword back from wherever it had landed after Donnie blew the hole in the wall so he could stow it in his armor (a few flashes of light and the sword was back in his hand before being 'gone'...). He nodded at the gesture from Leo.

"Thanks... for getting here." He'd have likely been literal toast if Leo hadn't shown up. Then, leaning on Radley for support, he nodded at him that he was ready to head through. Another, "Thanks," to Radley this time. Keith hated needing help, but at least he had learned over time and with maturity how to accept it.

[thepurpleone]

At the very least Donnie tries to make the effort to stay awake, largely taking the cues from Leo as he feels his brother try to get them up. He just feels numb now but it beats being fried.

Donnie raises his head again at the flash of Leo's portal, even though his eyes remain mostly closed. Just a little farther, and at least his brother's here.

[crystalmaster]

The portal was sure handy. As was being able to summon your weapon like Keith just did. Cool. But Radley didn't focus on that right now.

"Sure," he said. "But I'd probably be dead if you hadn't acted in there, so ... thanks." He smiled and moved to help Keith through the portal.

[tempredmental]

"Hmph." Keith managed a tired smile. He could sit there and explain the whole 'I had protective armor on and you didn't' angle, but he was honestly too tired now to bother. Adrenaline was a powerful energizer, but, when it left, boy did it leave a person exhausted. Keith could feel himself crashing, so it was time to focus what energy he had left on just getting through that portal.

So, with Radley's help, he went through.