Count to Ten

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Astro

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Count to ten then run. As fast as you can, and as far as you can. Don't look back, don't turn around, don't blink.

The icy cold sank into Kella's bones. It was like a fog that sank over her home. She could see her breath and she watched the tips of her fingers turn white. She closed her violet eyes, and whispered, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." She popped open her eyes and took off. She burst through the front door, her long brown waves curling behind her in the wind. She didn't look back, she didn't blink. She ran as fast as she could. The cold was nipping at her heels and her lungs were burning. She gasped for breath and skirted into the forest. There was a club house, about a mile from where the cold had invaded. Those monsters, they were after her again. For some reason, they hunted her. She wasn't special. Except maybe the eyes. Her violet eyes were not normal. She didn't look back. She ran for as long as she could, as fast as she could. She collapsed at the door of the club house, gasping and heaving for air. The could wasn't there anymore, but she assumed that they were still there. Waiting in the shadows, where you never look, the corner of your eye. She went inside the tiny, ran shackled fort and closed the ragged door behind her. It was nearly off its hinges but it would work for now. For now, she would be safe. Until they came fore her again. Then she would run, just like her parents had told her. Close your eyes, count to ten, the run. Kella's breathing steadied and now she had to prepare. Figure out where she would go. She heightened her ears and herd footsteps. She covered her mouth, and hoped it wasn't something that wanted to kill her.
 
luke was hiding out in the fort when he heard someone or some thing open the door. he slowly made his way to the wall to see what it was he peeked around the corner and saw a girl. he just sat there and stared.
 
Mavis trailed behind Luke. "What? Who is it?" she asked, with a hint of anxiety in her voice. "Is it them?" When he stopped to look around the wall, she stepped forward, noticing Kella.

She raised an eyebrow at Kella, secretly concerned if she was all right. Not that she would say that out loud, of course. "Oh please, Kel, get over yourself," she said dryly. "No need for the heavy breathing. Just count to ten." She and Kella were polar opposites; Mavis didn't worry about things that weren't right in front of her, while Kella would spring into action the moment their familiar chill appeared even a little. Kella was (mostly) open with others, and Mavis could fill a room with solid snark. They were like fire and water. Somehow it worked, and as unlikely as it seemed, the two of them were actually devoted friends.

"It's not like they target people in particular," Mavis continued. "Once you shake off the cold, you're safe, right?" Her rhetorical question was met with silence. "...Right?"

Oh, wait. They did. In fact, most of the people who went to this club house were followed by them the moment they stepped outside. Sooner or later, the group would have to think of a plan to escape them permanently. For the time being, it looked like it would be later rather than sooner.

She sighed and let herself fall onto a bean bag chair. "Luke, quit your staring," Mavis said with one of her customary eye rolls. "It's embarrassing, really."
 
"Oh shut up Mavis. We all know its more than that. They're targetting us. Us, Mavis. Not just you, not just Luke, not just me, and not everyone on the earth. They've been chasing us for years! Why not give up? And get over myself? You're the one who thinks they're the boss Mav. So maybe you could step off your high and mighty throne and help us form a plan!" Kella yelled. As soon as the words flew from her mouth, her hand came to slap over it in silence. Her violet eyes wide in horror. She had never said anything like that to anyone. Kella was a good person. Not one to yell, not one to argue. She started to apologize, but shook her head. Mavis wouldn't accept an apology from her. Kella stood up and went into the other room. Her face was red and she was shaking. By now, she thought everyone knew how angry she got when the cold came back. She got angry and shaky, but she was always able to control it. She sat down in a big leather chair and put her face in her hands. If it wasn't for the cold, maybe she would be normal. She hated the running. Constantly moving around the world. What was next? Uruguay? Ireland? The mountains of Russia? She didn't know. She didn't want to know. She wanted to stay here, in a small town in Missouri. Of course they can't. They can't stay for much longer or they'd die. The cold would catch them.
 
luke stepped out from behind the wall. "im sorry mavis" he sat down against the wallhe ran his hand through his black hair
 
Mavis sat there in shocked silence. She wasn't used to Kella yelling like that; yes, Mavis was usually nicer, but did she really deserve all that? She took a deep breath, attempting to keep herself from exploding.

"All right, Kella, Luke, I'll admit my behavior towards both of you was uncalled for," she said in a measured, almost formal tone. "But if we're going to think of a decent idea, we should at least be able to hold a conversation without using an invisible megaphone of rage." Mavis stood up. "They are after us, yes. What do we do about that?" she asked the small group. "Somebody, please tell me we remember something from the last time we met them. It would be really pathetic if we didn't."

Mavis paused for a moment. "Hey," she said suddenly, "what's that supposed to be?" She pointed to a shadow outside the window. "That's not... them, is it? I hope it's not them," she continued anxiously.
 
Kella thought about it, "Last time they came for us we were in Oregon... They..." Kella trailed off. They all know what happened in Oregon, and didn't need reminding. They killed Allen. It was his own fault. He didn't run, he didn't count. He just stayed. It hit Kella hard though. She thought that it hit all of them hard. Running since kids, and then one of them is just.. just gone.

Kel's head snapped up, "It shouldn't be." Kella says standing up, "They never come back this soon." She went over to peak out the window, trying to get eyes on whatever or whoever was outside. "Okay, lets think fast. Where do we feel the need to go, and how are we going to get there?" She asked meekly. She didn't want to be loud, or angry, or condescending. She just wanted to help. Kel brushed back her brown curls wringing her hands.

Kella's violet eyes glazed over and she went back to Oregon. There was a haze around her memory, and she watched from some 3rd person point. She saw herself, her hair drastically shorter but still brown and curly. She saw herself react to the cold feeling she recognized so well. Allen was next to her. Her brother who shared her eye color and hair color. She watched herself close her eyes count and then jump up. She turned around, grabbing at her brother. He shoved her, yelled, told her to run. She left. She watched as shadows filled the place, and her brother screamed. She ran back in, the cold was gone and the room was empty except the body of her brother.

It was Mavis who yanked her away from his body. Tossed Kel over her shoulder like a feather and carried her.

When Kella came back to reality, little salty tears were falling from her eyes.
 
image.jpg Aragon didn't stop; couldn't stop. He had killed one of these things before but that was out of pure luck. He wouldn't dare face these things head on. He ran with every ounce of strength in his body, his eyes remaining right in front of him. He knew better than to turn around, that's how they caught you.

Aragon's deep blue eyes were stinging due to the constant whipping on cold winds against his face. The cold was all around him. Was it his time to die? Would they finally catch him? No, he wouldn't let them. He swore to his brother that he'd survive this. "FUCK OFF!" he yelled as he pushed on thinking of his brother Vladimir. He ran in what seemed to be an endless straight line. His lungs burned, his legs protested every stride he took, his eyes beginning to hallucinate. What was that in the distance? A structure?

His eyes weren't lying to him, there was a building in the distance, and it looked like there could possibly be others inside. "Yes" he said through a breathless pant as he gave one last burst of effort. This was it, he would either live or die right here. This was for survival, this was for Vlad.

He pushed his way into the door and quickly closed it behind him. He caught a glance of three other people standing inside. He was going to say something, but his body immediately collapsed and he blacked out. His brain weak from barely being able to breathe through a large portion of a multi-mile long run, and his heart near bursting inside of his chest. Every muscle in his body ached and he couldn't move. But he made it.... Unless these people were going to kill him. In that case, he was fucked
 
"Um, Kella? Are you all right?" Not this again, Mavis thought. What happened in Oregon happened, jeez. "All right, back to our plan. Allen had a lighter when we were being chased in Oregon, and I think that's what kept those things away for a few minutes," she began, businesslike. Mavis was definitely in her element, discussing strategy. Sometime before she started being chased, Mavis's family had done this often. She had only one specific memory.

"What do we do about our daughter, when they get bored with your sister? What happens to Mavis?"
"She stays in the compound, no questions asked."
"Didn't they penetrate it before?"
"I have the construction team working on an escape route."
"Mother, Father, what are you talking about?"
"Go practice on your violin, Mavis. I think your music is beautiful so far."

She ran a hand through her glossy auburn hair. "But he might have had other things on him that could have put them off," Mavis continued. "What do w-"

Bang. The door to the club house flew open, interrupting Mavis's sentence, as a male teenager sprinted inside. He slammed the door behind him and fell prostrate to the floor. Mavis looked him up and down. "What the hell?" she asked in a hushed voice to nobody in particular. "Is... Who is he? I think he's unconscious." She turned to get a large pillow in a corner of the room. "Get him something to lie down on," she called over her shoulder.
 
Tyler's stomach hurt. He hadn't eaten in days. Not that he knew how many days it had actually been since he regained consciousness but at least he was alive. That was more than he could say for the pile of dead, mangled and partially devoured corpses that were strewn throughout the hallway he found himself in.

It was strange to think of things that made no sense. Was it day or night? Why can't he remember how he got here? Where was here? Why are all the doors locked? Who or what made this carnage? Why was he spared?

Oh, life. It's bitter.

Thanks, R.E.M., for a random blurb of lyrics. Tyler had to find a way out of here. The smell was intoxicating and not in a good way. He began to focus on the amount of blood and guts his jeans and Chuck's had soaked up when he heard the familiar, albeit distant, slam of a door. There came several other sounds that seemed to be muffled voices. People?!

People!!!

Oh, blessed day!..or night… Tyler leapt up and began scouring the small corridor with his eyes for a way out. It was so freaking dark! Frustration and adrenaline welled within the young man's form and he began throwing himself bodily against the closest wall. THUD! A bolt of pain went singing through his right arm from the shoulder down to his fingers. He did it again. THUD! This time as he landed, he slipped in the gory mess at his feet. His face smacked on the cool floor. His right eye instantly began to burn like it does when you get soap in it. Tyler was certain it wasn't soap.
In pain and running low on energy, he gave it all he had to base up and get back on his feet. Whatever he had been smashing into was stronger than he was so he made an about face and took off running. THUD!

"Oooowwwwwww!! Son of a-!" He groaned and slid to the floor. His left wrist was either jammed into his elbow or broken. He felt very dizzy and leaned against the wall. His right arm flopped at his side and caught the base of a pole door stop. "Seriously?!" The dizziness was getting worse but Tyler yanked as hard as could and freed the stop from under the door knob. He had been throwing himself at the doors and they opened inward. He got to his feet while cradling his left wrist with his right hand and gathered his strength. He slowly and as silently as possible opened the door and stepped through.

EDIT: added photo
handsome-cowboy-10541586.jpg
 
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Kella hopped up and grabbed one of the foam mats they kept for when they slept here. She brought it back through the door and laid it down next to the boy that had passed out. Kella, gingerly picking up the boys wrist felt for his pulse. "His heart is beating very fast. I think he might have over-exhausted himself. I wonder if he was.." she trailed off, "Do you think he was running from them?" Kella asked standing to search through a small box for a bottle of water. She pulled out one that hadn't been open yet.

Kella got down onto her knees sitting back on her heels, and lift the boys head. She unscrewed the water bottle poured a little down his throat. "If we keep giving him a little water at a time, he should wake up just fine. Maybe then he can tell us who he is, and where he came from." Kella said stiffly standing back up. Her parents had trained her in medicine. Better than anyone else she knew of. She could fix just about any injury with herbs and plants not many others knew of.

She pulled back her hair and put her into a messy bun, sitting down on the couch pulling her legs up to sit criss-cross. She placed her chin in her palms and leaned forward watching the boys breathing. She kept doing counts, watching as his breathing slowly returned to normal rate.
 
Tyler took a step through the door but stopped mid-stride. He turned and stared into the enveloping blackness. "Aww man! My hat…", he sighed deeply. He loved his cowboy hat but given the circumstance and the unknown factor, Tyler stepped out and let the door shut behind him. He turned to see several windows illuminated by a partial moon. The soft white light painted shapes and shadows that his eyes quickly adjusted to since he was in total blackness moments ago.

Tyler saw several desks with typical desk stuff; staplers, phones, pens, papers…PHONES!!!

He took two huge steps and nearly overshot the desk. He grabbed the phone and lifted the receiver to his ear only to hear nothing. He checked to make sure he was holding it the proper way and listened again. Tyler smashed his fingers down on the button to reset each time hitting it harder and accompanied by a growing "no. no. no. No. No! No!! NO!!! NOOO!!!!" He slammed the phone down and looked around some more.

A sign behind the door read 'ALL UNITS MUST KEEP A DUPLICATE KEY IN THE OFFICE'. He was in a storage facility.

"Ummmm…now I'm really confused." Tyler said aloud. He scratched his head and looked around some more. Maybe there would be a first aid kit or something he could use to wrap his wrist. He began searching the desk he was at and then moved to the next when he was unsuccessful at finding what he needed. After a few minutes he found a small red first aid kit that had an Ace bandage. "Now we're cooking with peanut oil!"

He sat on the edge of the desk and tightly wrapped the stretchy cloth around his wrist. It instantly stopped throbbing. Tyler was still tired and hungry but he was feeling inspired now that he was out of that dark, smelly room. He headed towards the door and paused when the moonlight cascaded over his form. He was about seventy percent covered in blood and tissue. Most of what was on his clothes had dried except his right hip and thigh. He turned and looked around the office some more. He needed to wipe some of this crap off.

Tyler ran back to the first aid kit and began ripping open alcohol pads and giving himself a sponge bath. After several minutes and all ten alcohol pads, he was satisfied that his hands, face, neck and arms were clean. He got back up and headed for the front door. He crept slowly along the windows being silent and ever watchful. He still had no memory of what had been going on or why those bodies were so mangled. Once at the front door he leaned against it to look around. He had heard voices very faintly while in the other room. He did not see anything and decided he could always come back but he had to press on.

He stepped out into the night and was surprised at how refreshing the cool air was against his skin. Tyler sidled along the wall to the west which is the direction he assumed he had heard the muffled voices. After almost twelve feet he came to the corner of the building and peeked around the other side. The moon revealed only woods. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. A chill caused him to look up again and there was a light in the woods not of the moon.

Tyler squinted and traced the outline of a small house but there was definitely some light coming from the inside. He looked around the open area between him and the hut. He did not see or hear anything. He took a couple deep breaths and jogged out away from the sanctuary of the storage unit. He did not run full speed because he was trying to be as quiet as possible. Once he was within ten yards he slowed and began creeping from tree to tree until he was able to peek into a window. Even though it looked like normal kids, he thought it best to watch and see what they do before entering or announcing his presence.
 
After about twenty minutes, Aragon began to slowly regain consciousness. His mind felt distorted and unclear, he couldn't remember what happened to him or where he was. He felt the cool sensation of water as someone poured some into his mouth. At least he hoped it was water and not his own blood. It didn't taste metallic, so yes it was water.

Aragon's vision began to develop blurry shapes of figures moving around him. He started to remember how he ended up here. He was running from those "things" for at least three miles before he found a house, he assumed that was where he was now.

He tried to sit up but all of his muscles screamed in protest. He then rolled over onto his stomach and painfully used his arms to prop himself onto his knees. His legs felt like they would collapse if he stood up so he just stayed kneeled down looking around at the other people in the place.

"I'm sorry for they forced entry, I was being chased by something... Something terrible." He took a few seconds to gather his thoughts and attempted to stand. He legs simply denied the action and he went back into kneeling position. "My name is Aragon ventorí." He said and forced a small smile to everyone.

He put his arms on the ground and pushed up putting both feet under him. He must have looked like a child learning how to walk, his legs simply refused to cooperate. He managed to finally stand up, but he didn't dare try and walk around. He used the wall behind him to prop himself up as he balanced on numb legs
 
((OOC: The excessive aqua I have used was blinding to me after a while, so I will now only color Mavis's speech.))

Mavis stepped back, giving the strange boy - Aragon, was it? - room to stand in. She made a face, but quickly replaced it with a saccharine smile. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Aragon," she said, not unkindly but not necessarily sweetly either; Aragon seemed nice enough, but she still wasn't all that familiar with him, and she had to be on her guard. "We know how it is, being chased by... things." Mavis couldn't help but remember something Allen had told her, the first time she had needed to run: "Count to ten, Mave. Then, run. Run for dear life - like you're ten years old, and there's a pedophilic, fire-breathing, Shrek-slash-Shadow-shipping demon after you. The place where you run out of breath and fall to the ground is the place where you spend the night."

She cleared her throat. "This is Kella," Mavis said, gesturing to her partner in crime on the couch, "and I'm Mavis. Mavis Alexandra Evangeline Reed, if you want my full name." After pausing for a few seconds, Mavis sighed. "Let me guess. A cold feeling through your whole body, and a big black shape that you can't quite make out?" she inquired. If he was running from the same creatures they were, he could either (a) be extra weight for the little group, or (b) turn out to be a valuable asset. Mavis would have to wait and see.

((OOC: Found a picture!))

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He heard the girl Mavis speaking "Welcome back to the world of the living, Aragon." He gave her a small smile "Great to be back" Aragon felt that he had regain control of his legs for the most part though his body still ached, but he could handle it. "Nice to meet you all, though I wish I could've been under better circumstances"

"Let me guess. A cold feeling through your whole body, and a big black shape that you can't quite make out?" He heard Mavis say. "Yeah, are you all being chased by those things?" He asked looking around at the group. They were all just regular people, so why were they all being chased by those things.

"Does anyone have any idea what these things are or why they're chasing us?" He asked though he knew that they were probably just as lost as he was when it came to these... Whatever the fuck they were. He took a step testing his legs, then walked over to a window looking outside for any sign of those things.

((OOC: As far as the setting, is it snowy. I kinda assumed it was due to the cold and I thought maybe the falling snow would be the reason we could only see the creatures as black figures.))

 
Kella smiled and waved. "We aren't entirely sure what they are. But they're basically shadows that bring and icy cold feeling." She said standing, "Sorry to be imposing, but do you mind if I check your vitals? Your heart rate was very high when you came in." She asked. "Also, I don't think we have a reason for them chasing us. And we didn't know there were any others. When we were little we were all grouped up."

Kella thought about it, she assumed there could be more of them, but she always shook off the thought. There was at least twenty of them when they started chasing them. Now there numbers were down to three. Four maybe. Depending on who this kid is.
 
"My vitals? Um, sure. Wouldn't anyone's heart rate be high after running miles non stop." He gave a small smile letting her know he wasn't trying to be a jerk. "How old where you guys when they started following you? Were you guys always together even before the chasing? He walked over to Kelly allowing her to check his vitals. He saw why she would be concerned seeing as he did collapse the moment he came in the door.

After she was done checking he turned back to the rest of the group. He felt if he was going to ask them questions he should give answers as well. "Those things killed my brother. They had been chasing us as we ran back home, my brother looked back at them to see how far they were and that's when they got him; one almost killed me too but I cut off its head before it could. Killing one only attracts more, I learned that the hard way. After I killed it, three more showed up and retrieved its body then they came for me. I didn't have time to think, I just ran. I ran beyond my body's limits and kept running, that's how I ended up here. Sorry, for passing out the moment I came in." He gave a sheepish smile at the last part, he knew how weird that must have been for everyone here
 
Neo sat outside in the dark, cold, wind. It didn't bother him, as he was cloaked in his stealthy, black armor. His hood was pulled far over his face, enough to shield his single, black eye and his eyepatch. The wind blew a bit harder and stung his lips. He had been waiting there for quite a while now, since he was told of the girl's chasing. The moment she had been sighted, he was sent to stake out the forest, and now here he was: Close enough to listen to whomever entered the small building, yet far enough to keep his bitter and chilling presence hidden.
"...illed me too but I cut off its head before it could. Killing one only attracts more, I learned that the hard way..."
Well, kid, at least you learned... And what a shame about your dear brother...
Neo thought whether he should intrude in on the kids... Yet that would only scatter them, so perhaps it was best to let the others know he was successful in finding them so quickly.
"Finding them was faster than expected..." He whispered into his hands. "A tiny, abandoned building in the forest, not far from Kella's last visit." He put his hands up to his lips, and blew the message to be sent to the others.

((Neo is genderless, but I'm addressing him as a male, I hope choosing an evil character is alright? ^^;;))
 
((@Darkness Dies - I'm guessing Kit Sparks thinks it's cool beans.))

Mavis slowly nodded at Aragon, her smile becoming smaller but more sincere. "I was thirteen when they showed up for me," she said, answering his question. "I went to this hoity-toity five-day boarding school, so I wasn't used to hanging out with people who didn't have a high net worth back then." She let out a short laugh. "Class war doesn't seem to matter when you're running from the same thing, eh? Now, Kella's a pretty good friend of mine," she told him. She was getting to trust this guy.

"I ran beyond my body's limits and kept running, that's how I ended up here. Sorry, for passing out the moment I came in." Mavis shrugged. "No big deal," she said offhandedly, "but all that running isn't the healthiest thing. Allow me to give you a piece of wisdom: If you can't see the creatures, and you can only feel them a little, it's okay to take a rest. Stop running for a while, then count to ten, and run for dear life." Mavis's advice had a sage quality to it, since it had been tried and tested and used with success by everyone in the little group of refugees.

Most of the time.
 
"Class war doesn't seem to matter when you're running from the same thing...." He let out a small laugh, she had a point. "Huh, guess not. But it's always good to have someone who's got your back." Aragon tried to contribute to a light mood amongst the group. It was good to be at least semi ok when unknown shadows are chasing you for miles.

"All that running isn't the healthiest thing. Allow me to give you a piece of wisdom: If you can't see the creatures, and you can only feel them a little. It's ok to take a rest. Stop running for a while, count to ten, then run for dear life." Aragon thought about Mavis's advice for a moment. She had a point, but a part of Aragon thought that stopping was pretty much signing a death wish. He thought if you couldn't see them, and you could only slightly feel them, you should run faster to get completely out of range so that you could lose them. Both ideas had their own pros and cons, but was there really any perfect evasion or defense?

He gave her an appreciative smile. "Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely keep it in mind. So do you guys just hold out here, or do you move from place to place?"

 
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