Week Five

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, you had your very first minor body pileup! Granted, the Balladeer's death was entirely unrelated to anything, but at least he died as he lived - getting completely fucked up in some kind of carnival-themed hellscape. Only two days later, another terrible accident took Rina and Varian both from you. It's just been one of those weeks, huh? At least you got to add both of their corpses to your weird growing collection!

Again, you'll wake up this morning with another new snippet of memory. You'll also find that the stairs in the lobby are no longer blocked. You can only access one part of the second floor, but it seems like there's some neat stuff up there!

Outside, a few things seem to have changed. For one, the weather has turned - it'll be overcast this week, with periodic rain and even scattered thunderstorms. For another, the bushes around that rock out by the football field have bloomed. That's nice.

Get to it, friends! I'm sure everything will be fine this week!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regain and your AC for this week! As always, Hester's office hours and the merch booth remain available. ))

Comments

[tailor_made]

[Good because there sure is a familiar-looking someone just hanging out in the middle of a rain storm.

Hester is sitting on the large white grave marker rock on the outskirts of the football field, framed by the two drowning yellow rose bushes. Her shoulders are slumped, her drenched dark hair curtaining her face from view. She doesn't seem bothered by the rain or the thunder, she's just...sitting there. Getting wet.]

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah stops chasing Farrah Jr.

Then she slowly—- much slower than Farrah normally moves—- approaches that familiar figure, and sets a hand on her shoulder.]

H?

[tailor_made]

[Hester doesn't startle when Farrah touches her. She's still for a long second before she seemingly snaps out of her stupor, looking up at her with red-rimmed eyes and thick streaks of mascara running down her face. Across her middle, her left hand grips her right forearm so tightly there's bound to be marks.]

Farrah-? [Her voice sounds hoarse over the sound of the downpour.]

[brokeforgood]

[She’s soaking wet, and likely already covered in dirt from falling while chasing the naughty goat in question, but Farrah still doesn’t look as rough as poor Hester does.

What does the wizard have against waterproof makeup?

Farrah kneels beside her in the rain. Hester’s voice sounds like Farrah’s own had on Sunday, after she screamed in the showers until she couldn’t anymore. There may still be some weird feelings between Farrah and Hester—- especially after this last week, but Farrah can’t ignore that grief. She moves to touch Hester’s left hand, to try and remind it to let go.]

Hey. Whatcha doin?

[tailor_made]

[Her tense hand relaxes instantly, sliding bonelessly down to touch the rock. She sniffs with an undignified snort of trying to keep her nose from running before she can answer.]

I...I don't know. I remember looking out the window to check on the storm. I saw the roses and I thought about how I hadn't seen them here before, if someone planted them.

The next thing I knew I was sitting here and I-I- [She swallows, looking at Farrah with fresh tears starting to well in her eyes again. She looks absolutely terrified.] Farrah, I don't remember coming outside. I don't know how long I've been out here, or why it feels like someone just ripped my heart out and stomped on it.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah has a lot of things to say about that. She has a lot of things to say about this location in particular, and about Hester—- but Farrah knows the feeling she’s describing. She scoots a little closer, then, if Hester will let her, she’ll tug the older girl into an embrace.]

[tailor_made]

[Hester collapses against her with all the structure of a wet tissue. She presses her face into Farrah's shoulder, letting out a weak little sob as if it's too exhausting to cry any more than she already has.]

I don't know what's happening to me.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah squeezes her tightly, committing in her mind in that very moment to pry the wizard apart with her own fingers, if she gets the chance. She remembers Hester not just as the girl who oversees the trials—- but instead as who she had been to Farrah before this week. Bubbly. Fun to tease. Kind. Understanding. This was the girl who had embarrassing school photos, and who had handed Farrah a copy of her motive photo, just so she could see her sister without upsetting anyone.]

It’s okay, H. We don’t know either, but we’ll find out for you. We have your back. You’re going to be okay—- we got you.

People make mistakes
Sisters—
Brothers,
People make mistakes
Holding to their own
Thinking they're alone
Honor their mistakes
Fight for their mistakes

You are not alone.

cw: dissociation

[tailor_made]

[Hester hiccups. This is the second time someone's sung something like this to her but this time she doesn't have an easy exit...or want one. She lets Farrah squeeze her, lets the how warm and solid she feels ground her. The chill of the rain on her skin cuts her to the bone but she's barely shivering.

She's so tired. She has to keep going.

She wants to stop. It can't end yet.

She was alone. Not anymore.

And from the buried recesses of her mind a memory starts to claw its way to the surface. Hester tilts her head down, her forehead against Farrah's shoulder, and whispers.]

Walking in the sun
I remember someone
Someone by my side