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Post by NPC on Jun 26, 2009 1:12:41 GMT -5
[/b][/center] Nervously clutching the strap of her purse to her shoulder, Francisca Sinclair, digital design student extraordinaire, ambled down the cement stairs of the campus library. Though her senior year had left her with a meager handful of classes throughout the week, she still found the place the best and easiest place to study. Maybe it was the fact that she wasn't confined to a smaller house with three other girls, more specifically her roommates. Speaking of roommates, she was supposed to meet one of them at that very spot outside the library at a quarter to six, ostensibly after her roommate made a brief visit to her paranormal research society's headquarters. At least her roommate was able to relax and indulge herself in hobbies and such. Meanwhile, the night before gave Frankie the scare of a lifetime, and she still wasn't sure what exactly had happened. In her bedroom, she could swear that, out the corner of her eye, she saw the silhouette of a man watching her through the window. Her first instinct to scream, Frankie claimed to her concerned roommates that it was only because a spider crawled onto her. After that was a blur. Maybe it would be better if she told someone, whether her friends or the police, but maybe not. Perhaps it was just a fluke, even a trick of the eye-- though in all likelyhood, her mind hadn't been that stressed lately, enough to make her hallucinate. It could very well have been a cat, or an owl. Her roommate should be getting there any second, Frankie thought as she looked at her phone. 5:29 PM, it said in bold LCD numbers. All Frankie could do was wait, it seemed. |
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Isabela Sharp
Cognitive Projection[M:0]
Smile, bitch. You're on candid camera.[A1i:3]
Posts: 11
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Post by Isabela Sharp on Jun 26, 2009 9:06:08 GMT -5
///// Isabela Sharp
phoenix, arizona
chapter one: shadows
There was simply no time to spare.
In the wake of her last vision, which thankfully hadn't caught Isabela off-guard, she'd spent a little too much time examining the polaroid produced by Chesson's personal camera, and not enough noticing what she truly needed to. Had it been pure luck, or a stroke of fate?
Had it been her own camera, she'd have had to develop the film, and by then it would have been too late.
Isabela had nearly spilled her tea in a frantic fit when she realized that the cel-phone on the ground beside this victim, a girl she swore she could just barely fall short of recognizing, detailed her time of death. She had paid little attention to it in the vision.
No, in the vision... when she was there... she let her mind just briefly wander back into her recent memory of the affair, where she recalled that this was clearly no ordinary case. Something was terribly wrong, something this man had done... it was awful.
What was he?
Blackened skin turned her stomach even in her memory as she recalled the effect his touch had on the victim, and in that brief moment, Isabela recalled where she'd seen the girl. She was a model! She had done a bit of work for a former colleague, who had broken off into his own little business. She'd seen this girl just four days ago, thumbing through his portfolio at his request.
"Nice eyes," she'd said.
Isabela's eyes flew wide just then, as she heard the siren of an officer car kick up just behind her. She was being pulled, now of all times?
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it..." she looked around as she pulled over, and realized she'd placed the polaroid on top of her speedometer.
That likely made it awfully hard to keep under the speed limit... "Hey, hey, come on!" Isabela leaned out of her window, motioning for the officer to hurry and come closer. He increased his pace only slightly, shrugging at her, "Do you have any idea how fast you were going?"
Taking a deep breath for composure, and swallowing, Isabela looked up at him with wide-eyed urgency painted over her face, "Officer, someone's going to die if we don't hurry!" she shouted. The middle-aged policeman flinched a bit, seeming skeptical, and Isabela simply shook her head, "Didn't you hear me!?" she shouted, "Someone's in danger! Would you like to care?" she rolled her hand at him to express urgency.
"All right, now... slow down, now" the policeman held both hands up at her, "Who's gonna kill who? You need to be specific."
"You... I..." Isabela looked to the polaroid again, "Shit... there's no time. You're just going to have to follow me. If you aren't sure what to do, call Detective Gaines--" and on that note, she shifted into drive and pulled forward. If he didn't hurry, he'd be left behind, and realizing this, he moved quickly to his own car.
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Post by Naomi Takeda on Jun 26, 2009 22:24:20 GMT -5
What a miracle! Naomi, perhaps by divine providence, was able to arrive earlier at the meeting space for her and Frankie than she had initially said, though that also depended on her roommate's punctuality. Turning in the reports to Professor Benally, when it was requested that Naomi walk around a graveyard with an EMF meter (willingly, and in her spare time), apparently took shorter than she expected, even after the two shared a bit of small talk.
After that, walking from Professor Benally's office to the campus library, Naomi reflected on the odd dream she had the night before, perhaps driven onward by hearing Frankie scream soon before Naomi decided to go to sleep.
It was almost like a vivid memory of a time she and her best childhood friend, Sachiko, sat in front of a walk-in closet, door open, and the unexpected happened-- a pallid, semi-transparent woman dressed in a white, blood-stained kimono floated right through the open door, her stringy black hair hanging over her face and silent, untouchable flames in all colors of the rainbow engulfed her feet. It was like something mixing modern horror films with Japanese folklore, but every bit as scary as either. Naomi, of course, screamed like the dickens, but she always remembered how Sachiko didn't seem quite as scared.
Oh, memories...too bad they had no bearing on the present. Especially not on a sunny day where Naomi, although accustomed to the weather, chose to wore dark colors as usual; a charcoal-gray pinstripe vest and plain white silken camisole, and a pair of loose charcoal-gray slacks, with white corded leather sandals on her feet. For its style, it was pretty appropriate for warmth, but it had that distinctive flair Naomi enjoyed wearing.
According to Naomi's watch, it was 5:36, and in no time went ahead a minute as her eyes lay upon it-- and coincidentally, as her eyes rose from the device on her wrist, meanwhile wondering if she'd have to drag Frankie from the library, she saw her friend sitting on a cement partition outside the front steps, tapping her foot in rythm.
"Hey honey!" Frankie said, smiling to the longer-haired woman while she stood to her feet. Past the grin, Naomi perceived that Frankie had gotten rather impatient, though she also couldn't help but wonder how long she was willing to wait out in the sun for her. If Naomi were in her position, she'd have just gone back in the building to lessen the chance of a sunburn. Tilting her head, Naomi was affable about it anyway. "Ready to go?"
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Post by NPC on Jul 25, 2009 18:50:09 GMT -5
He had found the girl by chance a few days ago. One of those abominations. One of those touched by the Devil himself. He had seen that girl make a swatch of fabric another color, giving into vanity with her diabolic gift. She had to be ended. Removed from this earth for the safety of God's children. Father Thaddeus Lindon watched the girl walk across the parking lot to meet a friend. He would bide his time for the moment, just so the young woman the child of darkness was treating like a friend was not overly put out. Father Lindon was always mindful of those still capable of receiving the grace of God. He stood as they started to leave the parking lot, adjusting his charcoal suit and blue shirt and navy tie, then following the two nonchalantly. He kept his distance, staying as much out of sight as possible, and making sure to keep a close route to his car in case they decided to drive away. |
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Post by Naomi Takeda on Jul 26, 2009 23:01:13 GMT -5
"Where did you park?" said Naomi, running a hand over her perspiring brow. The sun was rather low in the sky, but the Phoenix air still felt as hot and dry as ever. The hellhole known as campus parking, perhaps a universal rule known by all college attendees, definitely wasn't making things any better.
"A block or two away," Frankie replied, "Not too far, anyway." The two had grown to accept the fact that parking was a valuable commodity on campus. Besides, it was a heck of a lot easier than walking all the way home!
Nodding, Naomi kept pace with her roommate, keeping ahold of the shoulder strap on her bag. It would take a few more minutes, perhaps ten or so, where crossing streets and treading sidewalks were the gameplan, before the two arrived at Frankie's silver coupe. Unfortunately, as the two young women settled into their seats, prepared to make the quick jaunt back home, the new that came when Frankie turned her key in the ignition was most unpleasant. Sighing, she threw her hands up in defeat. "It's broken."
Furrowing her brow, Naomi looked rather confused. Frankie's statement, while concise in itself, was still rather vague. Even if she'd never taken the time to learn to drive, and therefore not educate herself about automobiles, she still new there were many ways a car could fall into disrepair. "Broken?"
One hand was still clinched tightly on the steering wheel, proving Frankie's rage against the junkheap of a car. Her other hand twisted and turned the key in futile attempts, making the engine sound somewhat like a dying horse. "Well, listen! It won't start!"
Naomi fell back on the seat, exasperated. "Damn it..."
"I know. We're gonna have to walk." Getting out of the car, Frankie exasperatedly held a hand to her forehead. She could always make a quick phone call to the mechanic (which she would do soon), but they'd still have to get to the nearest bus stop several street corners over. Even then, they'd have to get there on time, too. Gathering their things, Frankie making sure to lock the door, they solemnly started down the sidewalk. Ho, hum.
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Post by NPC on Jul 31, 2009 22:56:24 GMT -5
The girls got into a car, and Father Lindon turned back to get his cr and follow them. Just then, he heard the telltale signs of a car not starting, and arrested his walk. The Lord was delivering the abomination into his clutches, but the woman was playing it smart, keeping her friend with her. He would have to separate them. He started walking towards the girls as they got out of the car, keeping his pace even so as not to alarm them unduly. He paced himself so that when they passed an alley, he struck, moving quickly and grabbing the devil woman's arm and dragging her into the alley, away from her friend, pushing the abomination down onto the pavement next to a dumpster. Turning to the other girl, he looked her squarely in the eye, speaking calmly. "Run now, child. There is still time to save yourself." |
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Post by Naomi Takeda on Aug 5, 2009 2:20:56 GMT -5
This, of all days...
Naomi's roommate was suddenly whisked from her and rather violently pushed into an alley by a complete stranger. Well, she hoped the man was a stranger, and Frankie hadn't been fooling around some odd dating site. Naomi had never assessed the girl to be that much of a bimbo, so as to actually pursue online dating, though harboring a harmful secret like this would explain why Frankie had withdrawn herself in more recent months.
After a painful metallic collision, Frankie collapsed to the floor in no time, feeling helpless with the inability to defend herself that was inherent to her powers. She could only look up, vision blurred, her head swimming with shock and terror. His manner was chillingly calm, but he spoke in hypocrisy and delusion. The only threat present was himself, without a doubt.
Whatever level of suspicion Naomi settled upon in the briefest of conclusions, there was no time for silly deliberation. What had happened was plain to see; Frankie had fallen victim to a hostile man, and was clearly in danger. Naomi surged with inner flames when she realized she had an opportunity of her own to strike, once she got within range. The evidence was right there in her purse, easily accessible, in a bright red spray bottle. She would just have to keep herself relatively far from harm's way before putting herself into the fray.
"What do you think you're doing?" Naomi shouted at him, apparently speaking in Frankie's silent place. "Get away from her, now!" While realizing she wasn't the most intimidating sight, confidence was blessed by bravery. Naomi was walking right at the assailant whether she realized it or not.
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Post by NPC on Aug 6, 2009 8:49:16 GMT -5
They were all so deluded, taken in by the abomination's friendly facade. He had no wish to hurt the girl berating him, but he would if he had to. His ire was raised, but he had the deep well of patience and grace the Lord had given him to mitigate his failings. Father Lindon stood his ground as the small woman advanced, his demeanor as calm as the sea before the wrath of a storm. He would warn her once more, and only once. Her salvation was not as important as purging the abomination on the ground behind him from the world, and if she resisted him much longer, she would make her own life forfeit. "You have no right to order me, girl," he replied to Naomi's outburst, his voice radiating dangerous calm. "This woman is an abomination and must be cleansed for the safety of all. You, child can still be saved."If she had any sense at all, she would realize the logic in his words and run, he thought. No conscientious person, no matter how fallen, would associate themselves with the Devil's pawns, especially at the risk of their own life. |
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Isabela Sharp
Cognitive Projection[M:0]
Smile, bitch. You're on candid camera.[A1i:3]
Posts: 11
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Post by Isabela Sharp on Aug 6, 2009 21:47:55 GMT -5
///// Isabela Sharp
phoenix, arizona
chapter one: shadows
Isabela kept her eyes peeled for landmarks, signs, anything that resembled the wispy, dream-like version of the place she had ventured through in her vision. She paid such close attention to her surroundings that she was driving a little less than safely, and certainly a bit too fast...
However, Isabela was known by the local authorities, her and her agency. She had assisted them on several occasions, and presently employed their best profile artist. She assumed the officer behind her would understand, and not throw the woman's life to the wind to pull her over a second time for a speeding ticket. Luckily, she was right, but the officer needed to at quickly to swerve aside when Isabela suddenly slammed on breaks and nearly spun her car 90 degrees in the process.
She had recognized something, and acted, but for the few disoriented seconds that followed, she looked around to see if she could figure out what. She peered, blinked, and peered again in frustration, but was too pressed for time, or too anxious, and found herself interrupted by the officer, who ran to her window once more and asked her if she was alright.
"Yeah, yeah, fine... um..." she pulled open the door just slightly, "I'll run in and check the library..." he offered, "Ms. Sharp, please stay here until back up arrives. I've already called." the officer assured, hoping to ease her worries.
Take to the sidelines? Hardly.
Isabela slowly pulled herself out of the driver's seat and stood beside her car, "Sure, sure..." she replied unattentively as the officer turned to head for the library itself, hand held close to his holster. Isabela, meanwhile, thought she may have caught a glimpse of something. A dark alley way looked like a good spot to...
Gods... she thought, and spun to the door of the library, the officer had already sprinted too far away to shout for, and was already entering. With a heavy gulp, she reached down by her steering wheel and popped the trunk open, and then shut the door, moving around to the back.
Just briefly, she entertained the idea in her head of her arriving, finding the killer... "Don't do this," she thought in her mind, as if to coax him down from the crime, "You don't want to throw your life away..."
Maybe he'd break down into tears, realize what a murdering bastard he was about to be, and stop.
As if things ever went that smoothly.
That was why she'd popped open the trunk. She needed a little extra beef in her stew, after all, she didn't know just what this man could do...
It was then that a cry for help from several blocks back from where she'd come sent shivers down her spine. She shot a quick glance to the library-- no time! Thoughts filled her head of what could be happening this very second, and she broke into a sprint, surprising herself as she gained speed quickly on foot. She concentrated on pumping her body as efficiently as possible toward the sound.
She could have used her car, but she wasn't thinking too deeply. It was all impulsive now, all adrenaline. Time to act. There was no car, there was no officer, there was no danger, no life or death. There was only the imperative to save the life of the model girl... because no one else was going to.
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Post by NPC on Aug 12, 2009 14:47:57 GMT -5
[/b][/center] Those few seconds of inactivity, her head stirred horribly from clanking against the dumpster so hard, had really left Frankie vulnerable. She was halfway conscious the entire time, but dizziness and nausea bound by fear kept her dangerously earthbound for the time being. When she opened her eyes, she saw the figure of a dark-haired girl quickly coming into focus, fending off the hostile man-- and she was grateful. Taking one deep breath, Frankie rolled to her side and put her hands on the floor, trying to gain her bearings. Not only that, but she had something else in mind, and now would be the time to test it out. Sometimes, caution was meant to be thrown into the wind... Letting loose a blood-curdling scream, loud enough to be heard far away, Frankie clamped her eyes shut and felt her power start to work. Sure enough, everything within about ten feet of her, even the air (though the effect was transparent) and Frankie herself, was covered by psychedelic neon colors that swirled and pulsed nauseatingly. Frankie would do anything at all to hold him at bay. She just didn't know exactly how much Naomi was trying to help. |
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Post by Naomi Takeda on Aug 13, 2009 1:29:05 GMT -5
How small-minded must one be to think any human being could be an abomination? How cruel! Enough to send Naomi's blood pumping and her eyebrows creased into angry arches, her nostrils flared madly. Her immediate notion was that the suit-clad man, clearly too religious for his own good, was attacking Frankie for her sexual preferences-- and that was most certainly a hate crime, regardless of one's hateful religion. The more Naomi learned of his motives, the more she felt the need to strike.
However, it seemed there was even more to learn about the young woman on the floor, her roommate Frankie, as colorful waves and bursts emanated outward furiously. While she didn't discount the idea that she had fallen asleep somewhere along the line and was dreaming up this entire debacle, Naomi, amidst receiving an eyeful of dazzlingly disorienting colors, reached into her bag and drew out the first thing that felt like her tube of pepper spray-- and hopefully it wasn't a tube of lip gloss, she pondered for a moment.
Dream or not, she wanted to arm herself before the alarm clock would potentially sound and rouse her from sleep. Otherwise, if she sprung awake right before the good part, how dissatisfying was that?
Almost instantaneously, her eyes narrowed to a hair's breadth, observing the kaleidoscopic battlefield well enough to discern where the assailant was standing, casting a dark silhouette behind rainbow-colored air. Figuring he was within range, her success depended on just one more detail-- he had to turn around. She was confident in her ability to swing her arm up in time.
Thus, holding the tubular pepper spray can close to her side and posing herself at a slight turn so that spotting it right away would be difficult (as if it wasn't already, considering the ebb and flow of obnoxious colors everywhere), Naomi boldly made known her threat. "Leave her alone. Please."
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Post by NPC on Aug 15, 2009 19:13:41 GMT -5
Distracted by the friend of the abomination, Father Lindon's attentions had not been on his target, leaving the creature a chance to strike. As the world around him exploded into vibrant, nauseating colors, he took momentary comfort in the fact that she was not the deadliest of his targets, for if she were, he would most certainly have perished then and there. Still, this setback was not without peril, and he would do what he could to end it. Stumbling towards the abomination, his eyes blinded by her Devil given power, Father Lindon's foot splashed into a puddle. The Lord provided in his own way, and a triumphant grin crept onto his face. With a deep breath, he steeled himself, accessing the power that his sinful nature allowed him, and praying for forgiveness at once, he concentrated on the water beneath his feet. He could feel the sin enter the water, changing it, making it sting, acidify, then with a sudden movement, he kicked the water..acid now...at the face of the abomination. A noise behind him made him turn with a snarl. It seemed that the friend had tried to sneak behind him and ambush him. ”Get away,” he growled at the girl. Her period of grace was done, and now she would pay for hindering him. |
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Isabela Sharp
Cognitive Projection[M:0]
Smile, bitch. You're on candid camera.[A1i:3]
Posts: 11
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Post by Isabela Sharp on Aug 16, 2009 15:16:22 GMT -5
///// Isabela Sharp
phoenix, arizona
chapter one: shadows
The scream that had sounded put a bull charge into Isabela's step, her hand clenching around the handle of her only hope. She had to do something now-- no later, or a life would be lost.
As she ran, she realized how close she had come when colors erupted from the alleyway, strange abberations of coloration upon everything within a given area, it was as if someone had set off some sort of disco bomb, and normally, she'd have been amused and entertained by the oddity, not to mention intensely curious, but there was no time for that now.
At this point, she was close enough to hear muttering. She heard a girl's voice, and that of a man-- it matched that of the man from her vision, and she practically leapt ahead, assuming the girl would be the victim.
She imagined she'd charge around the bend and shoult Halt! or some such, catch the man's attention, talk him down from what he was about to do, but she simply couldn't stay her momentum as she turned into the colorful mess, and took just a second to take it all in, and saw him standing over the victim from the photograph.
She wanted to call his attention, but her body spoke instead, and Isabela flung herself toward the man's unsuspecting backside, whirling the nightstick from the small of her back--aimed for his head, and began to swing on him wildly to subdue the threat. If she could simply subdue him or knock him out, the others could escape. At least then, the victim would be safe.
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Post by Naomi Takeda on Aug 16, 2009 22:29:44 GMT -5
Frankie's scream for help had turned into one of writhing pain, the likes of which she'd never felt before in her life. She at first thought she had been splattered with harmless water, but she was sorely, sorely mistaken-- no pun intended. She held up her arms before her face simply to keep the dirty water from her eyes, but some of it managed to splash the side of her neck as well-- perhaps the most sensitive part for it to touch. It quickly ate away holes in her clothing at the parts where it struck, and her skin was scalded in no time. In her agony, she couldn't help but switch the diverse and dazzling prismatic display into dark, dull, and dingy shades of green, blue, purple, and gray.
Horrified, yet slightly confused, Naomi tried raising her hand quickly enough to loose a stream of pepper spray from the canister at her hand. She'd burn his eyes, be able to help Frankie, and the two could escape to the hospital before things got worse-- then, maybe, after she beat the game, there would be a congratulatory screen reading 'a winner is you!' Then the alarm would go off.
Seriously. Naomi didn't claim to understand what was happening. Why did water burn Frankie? How did everything suddenly turn all trippy? If there was time for answers, she would've been drilling everyone in order to get them. In fact, after everything was over, survivors or not, she knew she needed to ask plenty of questions-- and one of which would be for an Advil or two, due to those colors that were loud enough to scare away a tree full of scarlet macaws.
She was ready to press down on the release for her pepper spray bottle when she heard, amidst the sudden turn into deep dreariness the landscape took, a woman exerting some kind of grunts of effort. Naomi could barely make out the same figure of the assailant from before, but in the blink of an eye she could see and hear that someone else was there. Nonetheless, whether this mysterious helper would strike soon enough, Naomi liberated the stinging mist from its bottle, heading straight toward the man.
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Post by NPC on Aug 20, 2009 17:51:05 GMT -5
Father Lindon grunted as Isabella's nightstick slammed into him, reeling and crashing against the brick wall of the side of the alley. A moment later, he felt a stinging sensation on his skin and eyes. Yelping in pain, he slapped his hand to his face, trying to use his ability to numb the pain. It helped, but, damage was done, he was outnumbered and hurt. He stumbled back to his feet, trying to scan for a way to get out of the alley and make his escape. It seemed that the she devil would survive another day, and his responsibility was to save his own life so that he could end her life another time. |
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