Week Four

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, Gershwin High School Academy University saw its very first intentional murder! What a milestone! And right after Spongebob's No Murder party, too - that doesn't seem like it bodes very well for anybody's future.

You all wake up this morning with yet another new memory returned to you. You'll also find that the school's external doors have now unlocked. Congratulations! You're free! Unfortunately, you also seem to be entirely in the middle of nowhere. So maybe it's more of a symbolic victory.

Still, you should look around and do some investigation! Maybe you'll find a fun surprise.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regains and your AC for this week! Hester's office hours and the merch booth also remain available! ))

Comments

[mayavericks]

[While everyone else is working, Maya will just sort of. Sit down by his head and work on running her fingers through his hair? Very gentle, of course. And since they're here, she'll sing a little, too. It's not exactly a pleasant song, but it's a nice memory of their performance?]

Par les larmes dont votre fille
Arrose en tremblant votre sein
Mon père de votre famille
Ne devenez pas l'assassin!
Mon père, Mon père...ne devenez pas l'assassin

[barberic]

[The combined efforts have managed the acute effects of the stress. He relaxes even more at the gentle fingers in his hair, although his breath still trembles, and his mouth moves, half-forming words that have no voice behind them.

As the present begins to return, tears trail out from beneath the compress over his face, streaming down his temples and into his hair, and his shaky breaths turn into quiet, broken sobs.]

[mayavericks]

[Well... Maya still doesn't know what to do with these displays of emotions but. She sure is trying her hardest to comfort him. Mostly by continuing to do what she was already doing.]

It's okay, Barker-san. You will be okay. You are with us, and you will be okay.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri is going to fumble in his pants pocket and pull out one of his handkerchiefs, offering it to Maya--if she wants to help Benjamin that way]

CW: physical punishment

[barberic]

[Every cell in his body is trying to rebel at once, alight with dormant sense memory all at once, the weight of shackles around his wrists and chains around his legs, the sting of the whip, the heat baking his shoulders through the cheap clothing-

But slowly her voice, her gentle hand in his hair, runs so counter to all the sensations in his brain that he begins to return slowly to himself. His voice is hoarse, cracked and parched from tears and from hyperventilating.]

Maya?

[mayavericks]

[Using the handkerchief from Salieri, she dabs at what tears she can reach with one hand. The other keeps up the careful strokes through Benjamin's hair. And though she isn't verbally singing, she does keep a pleasant, reassuring hum.]

It's me, Barker-san. I am here. Salieri-sensei is here, and so is Rina-chan and McFife-san.

You are not alone. You are safe.

[barberic]

I'm sorry...

[This time it isn't the desperate whimper of a prisoner trying to avoid punishment, but a man whose strength has crumbled in front of those he wanted to be strong for the most.

His skin is still warm to the touch, although not as direly hot as before, and he starts struggling to sit upright.]

I think... I...

[There's something still lost and confused in the way that he looks around, and then down at his hands.]

[mayavericks]

Ah-ah.

[Maya gives his shoulders a tap, gentle at first, but she'll press down firmly if she needs to.]

Rest, Barker-san. We can't have you falling and hitting your head.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri will assist with that, gently pressing down on his other shoulder to keep him down]

Maya is correct. You need to rest, Benjamin. [he squeezes his hand] Just breathe for a moment, it's alright.

[barberic]

[He doesn't register the gentle tap, but when the pressure registers his breath goes shallow again and his eyes briefly go wide and panicked.

Safe. He's safe here. His heart is still racing, but slowly the overwhelming sensation is becoming more and more bearable.]

...The academy. I'm still here.

[He looks down at himself as if taking stock of his limbs.]

I'm still...