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

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob hears the commotion and immediately runs in. He knew he didn't want to see this, he knew something bad must have happened, but he didn't want to ignore it. His friends were hurting, and even if he could to nothing about it, he didn't want to turn a blind eye to it.

When he sees the madness, the rubble, The Balladeer's body, he doesn't scream or start sobbing, he just... stares. He desperately wants to cry but they don't come, like he wasted all his tears earlier. Like he completely wasted all his energy.

That... was his buddy. He failed him. They were supposed to make sure the other one was safe, and he failed.

Spongebob stands back from the crowd, hugging his sides.]

No control...

[whatyouwant]

[Elle does her best to block Spongebob's view of the body.]

Come on, you don't need to look.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob does look away, but it's more so he doesn't meet Elle's gaze rather than to look away from the body.]

This is my fault.

[whatyouwant]

No!

[Elle grabs his shoulders and pulls him into a hug.]

This isn't your fault, it's no one's fault but that stupid wizard.

[employeeoftheyear]

[There is a long pause.]

He was my buddy. I should have looked out for him. He would still be alive if I stuck with him.

[whatyouwant]

If you were up there with him, you could have fallen too.

[Elle gives him a squeeze.]

You could have- could have-

[Oh god, B's really dead, isn't he?]

[employeeoftheyear]

[He leans against her and closes his eyes, completely exhausted.]

I’m so tired of being useless, Elle. Nothing I’m doing is doing anything. No matter how cheerful I act it’s not doing anything.

[whatyouwant]

We can't--I-[God, isn't that the same as her? Acting cheerful, telling people not to give up, trying to pretend that with each death she isn't breaking a little bit more.]

I know, I am too. [She rubs soothing circles into his back.]

Let's move out of the room to give the others room to work.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He looks up at the crowd, to the Wizard mocking them, to everyone's horror.]

I'm just a simple sponge...

[He stills, mind swirling with thoughts.]

... Ok, I guess I'll let the others work.

[whatyouwant]

[Elle pauses for a moment to do some yelling of her own before pulling Spongebob out of the room with her.]

Come on, lets go get some snacks ready. I'm sure the others will want to meet after this.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's not far behind, and when she processes just what all the yelling and frantic talking is all about, she immediately turns away. She can't... she doesn't want to see this. No more death, no more blood... she can feel her stomach turning just thinking about it, so instead she focuses entirely on the young man frozen next to her. Putting both hands on his shoulders, she very gently nudges him, as if trying to turn him around.]

H-Hey... come on, let's go. They might need our help to prepare for... a meeting, to discuss whatever happened here?

[She's not really sure what there is to discuss, or if there even will be a meeting. But she wants to find some kind of distraction to snap Spongebob out of it.]

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob stays put, firmly, as if glued to the floor.]

You can go. I wouldn't be able to help anyway.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa shakes her head.]

No, that's not true! You've been one of the biggest helpers out of all of us. I doubt half of us will be as happy without you around.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He pauses, not looking Elsa in the face.]

But that hasn't stopped people from dying, has it?

[defyingfrigidity]

[She can't answer that. The pessimist in her, which hasn't gone away even after three good years of being able to live her life again, understands that. She knows that good feelings can't just... destroy negativity, and that there's always the risk of this happening. But god, she has to try and keep her head up, at least for him. If poor Spongebob breaks...]

But it's thanks to you, and some of the others, that we're more determined than ever to not let a murder happen again. That's helping with something.

[employeeoftheyear]

Yeah, I’m sure they won’t.

[His tone is hollow, entirely unconvinced.

He wants to believe everything will turn out fine, that this will be the last death among them, but the more the days go on.

The more he has a hard time seeing himself making out of this alive.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[She hates this. She hates this so much. It's the pain of others that's really tearing Elsa down during all of this; any worry she may have for herself, any of her own pain, is always pushed to the side for them. These are people she likes, people she wants to help, and it tears her apart that she can't do anything more substantial.]

They won't. There's no way this can just... continue on forever.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob shoots her a quick look, one of complete hopelessness.

A part of him wants to say “Yeah, eventually we’ll all be dead” but he can’t say that. He wants to retain his shred of hope that maybe something will happen that will end all of this, and that maybe they’ll all be okay.

And besides, he didn’t want others to worry about him. He’s relied on them too much already.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[Too late. Elsa's already worried.

Worried enough that she's just going to pull Spongebob into a hug. She doesn't say anything, doesn't try and force any more empty reassurances or promises. She just... holds him, as tightly as she can.]

[employeeoftheyear]

[He stands there, not immediately going to hug her. Suddenly is emotions hit him like a wave and he hugs her back, letting out a muffled sob.]

I’m just so scared that we’re all gonna die here. I... I don’t think I can take it again.

[defyingfrigidity]

[She doesn't let up one bit, one of her hands going to the back of his head to rub at his neck. It's a comforting gesture that often worked for her, at least to encourage her to cry, even if it didn't always calm her down.]

We have to get out of here. For the people here, and the people waiting for us... there has to be a way out. We just need to find it.

[God, what she wouldn't give to see her sister again...]

[employeeoftheyear]

[He cries more, holding onto her for dear life.]

I just... I just don't know if the Wizard will stop until we're all... we're all...

["dead"]

[defyingfrigidity]

It... it has to get old eventually, right?

[God, it leaves such a sour taste in her mouth to say that about murder.]

Just... manipulating others into killing, over and over... it can't just keep going with no end in sight. Even if this is all some sick form of entertainment...