Encounterlogs
Rileys Odd Encounter Sr Kah 241206
Riley's journey on Elm Street transforms from a casual evening stroll into a harrowing nightmare as she finds herself unwittingly caught in a macabre tableau. The night air, already chilling to the bone, becomes even more frigid as bizarre occurrences unfold; animals with glowing eyes and inexplicable intelligence gather in silence, casting an oppressive atmosphere over the street. With her back against the wall, Riley's instincts kick in, her phone's flashlight and her pistol becoming her lifelines against the dark, twisted magic that drives the animals into a frenzy. Despite her attempts to fight back, the overwhelming numbers and the relentless assault by the creatures force her to make a desperate run for safety, her path lit only by the meager light of her phone.
As Riley races through the streets, her situation grows increasingly dire. The animals, seemingly possessed by an otherworldly force, continue their pursuit, their attacks relentless and coordinated. In a struggle where every step could be her last, Riley pushes her physical and mental limits to the edge. The relentless cold bites at her skin, adding to the terror of her flight, but desperation lends her speed. Finally, as if by miracle or sheer luck, she escapes the clutches of the eerie congregation, returning to the relative safety of the northern end of town. This encounter leaves her with more than just physical scars; the haunting experience imprints on her a stark reminder of the thin veil that separates the mundane from the macabre. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Haven, Lucy faces a call to action against a different kind of darkness, hinting at the ever-present dangers that lurk in the shadows of this seemingly quiet town.
(Riley's odd encounter(SRKah):SRKah)
[Thu Dec 5 2024]
On Elm Street
It is night, about 19F(-7C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waxing crescent moon.
(Your target is attacked by an animal or small group of animals driven mad with magic, it is up to them to escape or fight them off for long enough for their allies to arrive and help deal with the threat.
)
Riley scrolls through her texts as she walks through the halls of the apartment complex, obviously in no hurry. Her head is down as she copies and pastes a number into her contacts. An idle hand moves to push open the door of the apartment complex without looking, and she ends up on the path leading to the entrance of the Elm Street Apartment complex, where Riley begins scrolling through MyHaven on her phone.
Elm Street lies draped in an eerie quiet, a narrow lane caught between times and tones. The pavement, cracked and uneven, mirrors the general neglect that pervades this part of town. Aging streetlights cast sickly yellow pools of light onto the sidewalk, struggling against the deepening twilight. The glow they emit is weak, like the last breath of a ghost, barely illuminating the faded facades of the buildings that line the street. Old brick buildings stand shoulder to shoulder with newer, uninspired constructions, creating a jarring juxtaposition of eras and architectural styles. Some of the structures have been grand once, their intricate masonry now crumbling, while others are stark and utilitarian, reflecting the more recent push towards quick, cheap building. Peeling paint and boarded-up windows add to the atmosphere of decay and abandonment. Graffiti adorns many surfaces, a chaotic blend of tags and art that hints at the restless energy of the town's younger inhabitants.
Tall trees line the street, their bare branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the darkening sky. These trees, stripped of their leaves by the season, cast twisted shadows on the ground, creating a labyrinth of darkness and light. The occasional flutter of a leaf or the rustling of branches in the cold wind are the only sounds, a stark contrast to the bustling noise of more prosperous parts of town. Strung between the trees and buildings, power lines sag under the weight of the accumulating years. They buzz faintly, a constant hum that blends into the background noise, but tonight they seem to vibrate with an unnatural energy. The lines crisscross overhead, creating a web of potential menace that only adds to the sense of foreboding that hangs in the air.
As the night grows deeper, an unsettling change begins to manifest. Small shapes start to gather on the power lines, their outlines becoming clearer against the dim sky. At first, it is just a few; a couple of crows, a squirrel or two. But soon, more join, arriving in silence as if summoned by an unseen force. The crows' glossy black feathers absorb what little light there is, giving them an almost spectral appearance, while the squirrels, usually so skittish and animated, sit unnaturally still, their eyes gleaming with an unnerving intelligence. The trees too begin to fill with these creatures. Branches that have been empty just moments before now sag under the weight of dozens of small animals. They are an eclectic mix: crows and squirrels, yes, but also rats, raccoons, and even a stray cat or two. All are silent, their eyes fixed intently on the street below, creating an oppressive atmosphere that seems to thicken the very air.
On the rooftops, more shapes appear, moving with quiet purpose. The rooftops of the old buildings provide perfect perches for the gathering, their edges now lined with dark silhouettes that look down on the street with an almost palpable intent. The air grows colder, the wind picking up and swirling around the gathering animals, rustling their fur and feathers but doing nothing to displace them from their perches. The crows, with their beady eyes and sharp beaks, seem to be the ringleaders of this unnatural congregation. They occasionally caw softly, the sound carrying a sinister undertone that sends shivers down the spines of anyone who might be brave enough to venture out at this hour. The squirrels, usually so frenetic in their movements, are unnervingly still, their bushy tails twitching only occasionally.
As the minutes tick by, the gathering grows larger and more ominous. The power lines, once merely sagging, now bow under the collective weight of the perched animals. Their eyes, reflecting the dim light, create a multitude of small, glowing points that seem to pierce the darkness, watching, waiting. The sense of something imminent, something deeply unsettling, hangs heavy in the air, as if the very street itself holds its breath in anticipation. Elm Street, already steeped in an air of neglect and decay, now feels like the setting of some dark ritual. The quiet that has once been merely eerie is now oppressive, laden with a sense of looming dread. The animals, silent and still, bear witness to the unfolding night, their gathering a harbinger of something unknown and unsettling, casting a long, dark shadow over the seedy heart of the town. It seems that Riley has come a long way from the nicer areas of the apartments and the Campus, lost in the scrolling through her phone. The curse of these little devices, and the things they rob from us. Now they find themselves ... in a precarious situation.
Riley looks around, eyes flicking side to side as she looks to her phone furrowing her brow as she opens the maps application. Her other hand reaches into her jacket, thumbing a pistol within' as her ears strain to listen out in the dark. The atmosphere or perhaps just the temperature of the frigid night making her shiver. The straining of her ears along with the eerie situation causing her to jump at the loud bongs of the clocktower. Were it not for her handgun's safety it'd have gone off in her pocket, and right into her leg as she lets out an 'eep', frantically looking around as she does so.
It may be something of a surreal sight for Riley. These animals all seeming to gather, and all seeming to be guided by some semblance of dark intelligence that cries beyond the natural abilities of these creatures. As the dark sets in, those beady little black eyes can be seen everywhere all around. While the girl grabs her pistol for safety, and praising whoever invented the safety, it's a feeling not unlike being watched by someone you can't quite see out of the corner of the eye. A caw from some of the crows comes calling out to break the silence as Riley is checking the maps on her phone, realizing she's walked much further down the south stretch of Elm street than they'd intended to perhaps. No matter what way they turn to look or walk though, these critters seem like they're following Riley. There's no doubt about it. Out of nowhere, one of them swoops down out of the air from a powerline up above and comes close to winging the side of the woman's head in a near miss before flapping wing and fluttering back to join it's evil-seeming companions.
Quickly attempts to dodge out of the way, gripping her phone hard as she ducks to the ground. Riley ignites the flashlight on the phone as she draws her pistol and deftly flicks the safety off, arms crossed as she uses the one holding her phone for support and brandishes it toward the direction the swooping creature came from flicking quickly to where it went. Riley attempts to collect her nerves in that brief moment as she does so.
Quick reactions make it easy for Riley to dodge the swoop of the crow, and like that she's got a flashlight out and pistol in hand. Shining that flashlight out into the night, they can get a much better idea of just how many of these things are out there. Crows, squirrels, stray cats and small dogs. Dozens and dozens of them show beady eyes gleaming off of that bright light. Shining it up above, will reveal an equal number of winged birds up there, sharp beaks glossy and gleaming like their eyes. There's no easy explaination for it, but there's a sense that any moment that tesnsion is going to break, and who knows what will happen, then? As that light sweeps back and forth, it becomes more and more apparent that she's going to need to make some kind of decision, and quick. Run, get inside somewhere that's got a door .. even if she's packing eighteen and one in the chamber, it doesn't look like there's gonna be enough bullets.
Riley tenses for just a fraction of a second, her stance changing as she turns doing an about face in that moment of tension to look behind herself or for any gap in the animals before breaking into a sprint. She takes a few shots at some of the larger animals who may actually do some damage or be able to pin her such as the larger of the small dogs. She doesn't even bother putting the safety on her gun once more after emptying all 18 rounds toward the pack, shoving it between the waist band of her shorts and tights muttering to herself while wincing at the heat of the gun barrel through her clothes, "Tch- at least it isn't a damn snake men." Riley uses her phone, keeping it in front of herself, using the light to guide her way as she runs; her form very much untrained. The wind against her skin making those shivers worse, the attire just at a glance not meant for wandering around outside at night in the winter.
Taking some shots toward the largest of the creatures, larger cats and the smaller dogs that begin to encroach on Riley to limit how much they may do if they all catch up, but dropping all of her shots in a panic might not be! They turn to run and the phone's flashlight only gleams out for so far as she tries to run out. The animals haven't completely boxed her in though, being so small. The strees are still relatively clear and the western pathweay leads out into the woods and the western stretches of town. So it's either west, or north back toward the safety of the northern end of Elm maybe. A nicer bit of town though, at the very least. How lucky is she? IN the meantime, as they break into a run, that cold air` bites through the thin fabric of a flimsy white t-shirt and thin tights to burn a cold into the body of Riley and like a flock moving in unison, a whole burst of crows come swooping down now toward Riley Beaks swoop and peck and jab as they fling by, wings flapping and fluttering loudly in the ears as blood pumps and rushes through the woman's ears. They pick and rip at her skin, at her clothing at her hair! The chatter of squirrels and cats yowling seems to follow close behind her. If she makes the mistake of looking back behind her shoulder, she'll see a whole litter of these little creatures chasing her, all as one!
[Fix] Taking some shots toward the largest of the creatures, larger cats and the smaller dogs that begin to encroach on Riley to limit how much they may do if they all catch up, but dropping all of her shots in a panic might not be! They turn to run and the phone's flashlight only gleams out for so far as she tries to run out. The animals haven't completely boxed her in though, being so small. The strees are still relatively clear and the western pathweay leads out into the woods and the western stretches of town. So it's either west, or north back toward the safety of the northern end of Elm maybe. A nicer bit of town though, at the very least. How lucky is she? IN the meantime, as they break into a run, that cold air bites through the thin fabric of a flimsy white t-shirt and thin tights to burn a cold into the body of Riley and like a flock moving in unison, a whole burst of crows come swooping down now toward Riley Beaks swoop and peck and jab as they fling by, wings flapping and fluttering loudly in the ears as blood pumps and rushes through the woman's ears. They pick and rip at her skin, at her clothing at her hair! The chatter of squirrels and cats yowling seems to follow close behind her. If she makes the mistake of looking back behind her shoulder, she'll see a whole litter of these little creatures chasing her, all as one!
Riley does just that, her curiosity getting the better of her as she peeks behind herself, the sight only serving to increase the fervent pumping of her arms. While not the best form, she's no slouch in the physical department. Not quite an athlete, but not a couch potato either. Riley heads north as panic starts to set in. She wraps her arms around herself as she shivers in the below freezing weather, teeth chattering as the bite of the air digs into her flesh. Her arms swat at the flying flock as she ducks to try and avoid at least some of them. Riley picks up her pace as best as she can, hoping to alleviate the cold through sheer force of physical exertion and muscular heat generation.
Below freezing is no place for these critters to be out here, and it's not a place for Riley to be out here either, in these clothes! That cold continues to become more of an issue even than the potential of the animals chasing her down. When she looks back, Riley could swear she sees a red-like gleam coming from the eyes of all of these critters, like a swarm and she's running her breath coming in plumes of steam against the cold air. Running, she can feel more and more of these birds more than anything jabbing and pulling at her, painful snaps and jabs and needle-like pains coming as her swats make some, and miss others only for her arms to be included in the assault. Something seems like it will never end, all she can do is run and gasp for air as the limits of her stamina start to reach their end. Then ... she'll realize she's made it back into the northern end of town. The new store looms up ahead, Paine avenue's street lamps making it easier to see. The Campus's shadow ... and the safety of Riley's apartment.
OOC: Thank you very much for participating in the minor scene here! I didn't want to wound you or anything over this one, just kind of a spooky thing for her to have to try and justify in Riley's mind! Once you're ready you can step down. LEt me know if you need a summon to somewhere closer to your apartment!
Lucy sprawls out on her bed, one arm tucked beneath her head as her phones glow casts a soft light across her face. Her thumb scrolls lazily through the Haven chat, her eyes flicking over messages while her mind drifts elsewhere. Occasionally, a soft chuckle escapes her lips, but the dark circles under her eyes suggest she should have been asleep hours ago.
(Your target and their allies are charged with tracking down a supernatural criminal on the run from the factions, what they do with them then is up to the players to decide.
)
Five in the morning, just before dawn, the crescent moon in the sky growing ever stronger every day, hanging over Lucy like a Sword of Damocles as the next day of lunacy comes closer and closer. This time of night, most of the Order is asleep, most of the town is asleep, the world quiet outside. So it's likely a startle of some sort when there's a hiss and a sound that seems to barely garble through the faction comms.
"...-olf escap--...--angerous, lunacy rit--"
Lucy groans softly as she pushes herself upright, her body heavy with exhaustion. She's used to being tired-it's a constant state for her, thanks to the strain of chaining herself-but today feels worse. The ache seeps into her bones, an extra layer of fatigue piled on after a night spent on the phone instead of in bed. She reaches under her mattress and pulls out a revolver. She flips the chamber open, inspecting the six neatly slotted silver bullets. Satisfied, she snaps it shut and slips it away. Pressing a finger to her radio, she asks, voice gravelly from disuse, "Where's this going down?" Without waiting for a reply, she starts to leave white oak.
As Lucy responds to the voices over the comms, there's a long quiet, and then the connection is a little more strong. "Hello?" the voice says, then says, "Look, you don't know me, I don't know you. You don't want to know who I am, but if you're in Haven, there's a woman who broke free from us who's headed your way, and she's extremely dangerous. She's not worth the effort for us to take back, but if she started messing with people in the town -- things could get bad, fast. We need to fall back and recover. She was last seen running down Mariner's before disappearing into the woods. Good luck."
Lucy groans softly. She doesn't own a car so the trek to Mariner's Road is going to be a long one, but one she's determined on making nonetheless. Her gaze flickers from side to side, searching for anything out of the ordinary.
It is a long trek, but at least Haven isn't a big town. As Lucy heads down the long, empty road, those dark and twisted, misty woods surrounding her, there's a point where the guardrail's split, and there's clear disturbance in the underbrush.
With how strong the forest here is at reclaiming land, and, well, the scent of wolf and blood near here, this is almost certainly the spot.
As Riley races through the streets, her situation grows increasingly dire. The animals, seemingly possessed by an otherworldly force, continue their pursuit, their attacks relentless and coordinated. In a struggle where every step could be her last, Riley pushes her physical and mental limits to the edge. The relentless cold bites at her skin, adding to the terror of her flight, but desperation lends her speed. Finally, as if by miracle or sheer luck, she escapes the clutches of the eerie congregation, returning to the relative safety of the northern end of town. This encounter leaves her with more than just physical scars; the haunting experience imprints on her a stark reminder of the thin veil that separates the mundane from the macabre. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Haven, Lucy faces a call to action against a different kind of darkness, hinting at the ever-present dangers that lurk in the shadows of this seemingly quiet town.
(Riley's odd encounter(SRKah):SRKah)
[Thu Dec 5 2024]
On Elm Street
It is night, about 19F(-7C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waxing crescent moon.
(Your target is attacked by an animal or small group of animals driven mad with magic, it is up to them to escape or fight them off for long enough for their allies to arrive and help deal with the threat.
)
Riley scrolls through her texts as she walks through the halls of the apartment complex, obviously in no hurry. Her head is down as she copies and pastes a number into her contacts. An idle hand moves to push open the door of the apartment complex without looking, and she ends up on the path leading to the entrance of the Elm Street Apartment complex, where Riley begins scrolling through MyHaven on her phone.
Elm Street lies draped in an eerie quiet, a narrow lane caught between times and tones. The pavement, cracked and uneven, mirrors the general neglect that pervades this part of town. Aging streetlights cast sickly yellow pools of light onto the sidewalk, struggling against the deepening twilight. The glow they emit is weak, like the last breath of a ghost, barely illuminating the faded facades of the buildings that line the street. Old brick buildings stand shoulder to shoulder with newer, uninspired constructions, creating a jarring juxtaposition of eras and architectural styles. Some of the structures have been grand once, their intricate masonry now crumbling, while others are stark and utilitarian, reflecting the more recent push towards quick, cheap building. Peeling paint and boarded-up windows add to the atmosphere of decay and abandonment. Graffiti adorns many surfaces, a chaotic blend of tags and art that hints at the restless energy of the town's younger inhabitants.
Tall trees line the street, their bare branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the darkening sky. These trees, stripped of their leaves by the season, cast twisted shadows on the ground, creating a labyrinth of darkness and light. The occasional flutter of a leaf or the rustling of branches in the cold wind are the only sounds, a stark contrast to the bustling noise of more prosperous parts of town. Strung between the trees and buildings, power lines sag under the weight of the accumulating years. They buzz faintly, a constant hum that blends into the background noise, but tonight they seem to vibrate with an unnatural energy. The lines crisscross overhead, creating a web of potential menace that only adds to the sense of foreboding that hangs in the air.
As the night grows deeper, an unsettling change begins to manifest. Small shapes start to gather on the power lines, their outlines becoming clearer against the dim sky. At first, it is just a few; a couple of crows, a squirrel or two. But soon, more join, arriving in silence as if summoned by an unseen force. The crows' glossy black feathers absorb what little light there is, giving them an almost spectral appearance, while the squirrels, usually so skittish and animated, sit unnaturally still, their eyes gleaming with an unnerving intelligence. The trees too begin to fill with these creatures. Branches that have been empty just moments before now sag under the weight of dozens of small animals. They are an eclectic mix: crows and squirrels, yes, but also rats, raccoons, and even a stray cat or two. All are silent, their eyes fixed intently on the street below, creating an oppressive atmosphere that seems to thicken the very air.
On the rooftops, more shapes appear, moving with quiet purpose. The rooftops of the old buildings provide perfect perches for the gathering, their edges now lined with dark silhouettes that look down on the street with an almost palpable intent. The air grows colder, the wind picking up and swirling around the gathering animals, rustling their fur and feathers but doing nothing to displace them from their perches. The crows, with their beady eyes and sharp beaks, seem to be the ringleaders of this unnatural congregation. They occasionally caw softly, the sound carrying a sinister undertone that sends shivers down the spines of anyone who might be brave enough to venture out at this hour. The squirrels, usually so frenetic in their movements, are unnervingly still, their bushy tails twitching only occasionally.
As the minutes tick by, the gathering grows larger and more ominous. The power lines, once merely sagging, now bow under the collective weight of the perched animals. Their eyes, reflecting the dim light, create a multitude of small, glowing points that seem to pierce the darkness, watching, waiting. The sense of something imminent, something deeply unsettling, hangs heavy in the air, as if the very street itself holds its breath in anticipation. Elm Street, already steeped in an air of neglect and decay, now feels like the setting of some dark ritual. The quiet that has once been merely eerie is now oppressive, laden with a sense of looming dread. The animals, silent and still, bear witness to the unfolding night, their gathering a harbinger of something unknown and unsettling, casting a long, dark shadow over the seedy heart of the town. It seems that Riley has come a long way from the nicer areas of the apartments and the Campus, lost in the scrolling through her phone. The curse of these little devices, and the things they rob from us. Now they find themselves ... in a precarious situation.
Riley looks around, eyes flicking side to side as she looks to her phone furrowing her brow as she opens the maps application. Her other hand reaches into her jacket, thumbing a pistol within' as her ears strain to listen out in the dark. The atmosphere or perhaps just the temperature of the frigid night making her shiver. The straining of her ears along with the eerie situation causing her to jump at the loud bongs of the clocktower. Were it not for her handgun's safety it'd have gone off in her pocket, and right into her leg as she lets out an 'eep', frantically looking around as she does so.
It may be something of a surreal sight for Riley. These animals all seeming to gather, and all seeming to be guided by some semblance of dark intelligence that cries beyond the natural abilities of these creatures. As the dark sets in, those beady little black eyes can be seen everywhere all around. While the girl grabs her pistol for safety, and praising whoever invented the safety, it's a feeling not unlike being watched by someone you can't quite see out of the corner of the eye. A caw from some of the crows comes calling out to break the silence as Riley is checking the maps on her phone, realizing she's walked much further down the south stretch of Elm street than they'd intended to perhaps. No matter what way they turn to look or walk though, these critters seem like they're following Riley. There's no doubt about it. Out of nowhere, one of them swoops down out of the air from a powerline up above and comes close to winging the side of the woman's head in a near miss before flapping wing and fluttering back to join it's evil-seeming companions.
Quickly attempts to dodge out of the way, gripping her phone hard as she ducks to the ground. Riley ignites the flashlight on the phone as she draws her pistol and deftly flicks the safety off, arms crossed as she uses the one holding her phone for support and brandishes it toward the direction the swooping creature came from flicking quickly to where it went. Riley attempts to collect her nerves in that brief moment as she does so.
Quick reactions make it easy for Riley to dodge the swoop of the crow, and like that she's got a flashlight out and pistol in hand. Shining that flashlight out into the night, they can get a much better idea of just how many of these things are out there. Crows, squirrels, stray cats and small dogs. Dozens and dozens of them show beady eyes gleaming off of that bright light. Shining it up above, will reveal an equal number of winged birds up there, sharp beaks glossy and gleaming like their eyes. There's no easy explaination for it, but there's a sense that any moment that tesnsion is going to break, and who knows what will happen, then? As that light sweeps back and forth, it becomes more and more apparent that she's going to need to make some kind of decision, and quick. Run, get inside somewhere that's got a door .. even if she's packing eighteen and one in the chamber, it doesn't look like there's gonna be enough bullets.
Riley tenses for just a fraction of a second, her stance changing as she turns doing an about face in that moment of tension to look behind herself or for any gap in the animals before breaking into a sprint. She takes a few shots at some of the larger animals who may actually do some damage or be able to pin her such as the larger of the small dogs. She doesn't even bother putting the safety on her gun once more after emptying all 18 rounds toward the pack, shoving it between the waist band of her shorts and tights muttering to herself while wincing at the heat of the gun barrel through her clothes, "Tch- at least it isn't a damn snake men." Riley uses her phone, keeping it in front of herself, using the light to guide her way as she runs; her form very much untrained. The wind against her skin making those shivers worse, the attire just at a glance not meant for wandering around outside at night in the winter.
Taking some shots toward the largest of the creatures, larger cats and the smaller dogs that begin to encroach on Riley to limit how much they may do if they all catch up, but dropping all of her shots in a panic might not be! They turn to run and the phone's flashlight only gleams out for so far as she tries to run out. The animals haven't completely boxed her in though, being so small. The strees are still relatively clear and the western pathweay leads out into the woods and the western stretches of town. So it's either west, or north back toward the safety of the northern end of Elm maybe. A nicer bit of town though, at the very least. How lucky is she? IN the meantime, as they break into a run, that cold air` bites through the thin fabric of a flimsy white t-shirt and thin tights to burn a cold into the body of Riley and like a flock moving in unison, a whole burst of crows come swooping down now toward Riley Beaks swoop and peck and jab as they fling by, wings flapping and fluttering loudly in the ears as blood pumps and rushes through the woman's ears. They pick and rip at her skin, at her clothing at her hair! The chatter of squirrels and cats yowling seems to follow close behind her. If she makes the mistake of looking back behind her shoulder, she'll see a whole litter of these little creatures chasing her, all as one!
[Fix] Taking some shots toward the largest of the creatures, larger cats and the smaller dogs that begin to encroach on Riley to limit how much they may do if they all catch up, but dropping all of her shots in a panic might not be! They turn to run and the phone's flashlight only gleams out for so far as she tries to run out. The animals haven't completely boxed her in though, being so small. The strees are still relatively clear and the western pathweay leads out into the woods and the western stretches of town. So it's either west, or north back toward the safety of the northern end of Elm maybe. A nicer bit of town though, at the very least. How lucky is she? IN the meantime, as they break into a run, that cold air bites through the thin fabric of a flimsy white t-shirt and thin tights to burn a cold into the body of Riley and like a flock moving in unison, a whole burst of crows come swooping down now toward Riley Beaks swoop and peck and jab as they fling by, wings flapping and fluttering loudly in the ears as blood pumps and rushes through the woman's ears. They pick and rip at her skin, at her clothing at her hair! The chatter of squirrels and cats yowling seems to follow close behind her. If she makes the mistake of looking back behind her shoulder, she'll see a whole litter of these little creatures chasing her, all as one!
Riley does just that, her curiosity getting the better of her as she peeks behind herself, the sight only serving to increase the fervent pumping of her arms. While not the best form, she's no slouch in the physical department. Not quite an athlete, but not a couch potato either. Riley heads north as panic starts to set in. She wraps her arms around herself as she shivers in the below freezing weather, teeth chattering as the bite of the air digs into her flesh. Her arms swat at the flying flock as she ducks to try and avoid at least some of them. Riley picks up her pace as best as she can, hoping to alleviate the cold through sheer force of physical exertion and muscular heat generation.
Below freezing is no place for these critters to be out here, and it's not a place for Riley to be out here either, in these clothes! That cold continues to become more of an issue even than the potential of the animals chasing her down. When she looks back, Riley could swear she sees a red-like gleam coming from the eyes of all of these critters, like a swarm and she's running her breath coming in plumes of steam against the cold air. Running, she can feel more and more of these birds more than anything jabbing and pulling at her, painful snaps and jabs and needle-like pains coming as her swats make some, and miss others only for her arms to be included in the assault. Something seems like it will never end, all she can do is run and gasp for air as the limits of her stamina start to reach their end. Then ... she'll realize she's made it back into the northern end of town. The new store looms up ahead, Paine avenue's street lamps making it easier to see. The Campus's shadow ... and the safety of Riley's apartment.
OOC: Thank you very much for participating in the minor scene here! I didn't want to wound you or anything over this one, just kind of a spooky thing for her to have to try and justify in Riley's mind! Once you're ready you can step down. LEt me know if you need a summon to somewhere closer to your apartment!
Lucy sprawls out on her bed, one arm tucked beneath her head as her phones glow casts a soft light across her face. Her thumb scrolls lazily through the Haven chat, her eyes flicking over messages while her mind drifts elsewhere. Occasionally, a soft chuckle escapes her lips, but the dark circles under her eyes suggest she should have been asleep hours ago.
(Your target and their allies are charged with tracking down a supernatural criminal on the run from the factions, what they do with them then is up to the players to decide.
)
Five in the morning, just before dawn, the crescent moon in the sky growing ever stronger every day, hanging over Lucy like a Sword of Damocles as the next day of lunacy comes closer and closer. This time of night, most of the Order is asleep, most of the town is asleep, the world quiet outside. So it's likely a startle of some sort when there's a hiss and a sound that seems to barely garble through the faction comms.
"...-olf escap--...--angerous, lunacy rit--"
Lucy groans softly as she pushes herself upright, her body heavy with exhaustion. She's used to being tired-it's a constant state for her, thanks to the strain of chaining herself-but today feels worse. The ache seeps into her bones, an extra layer of fatigue piled on after a night spent on the phone instead of in bed. She reaches under her mattress and pulls out a revolver. She flips the chamber open, inspecting the six neatly slotted silver bullets. Satisfied, she snaps it shut and slips it away. Pressing a finger to her radio, she asks, voice gravelly from disuse, "Where's this going down?" Without waiting for a reply, she starts to leave white oak.
As Lucy responds to the voices over the comms, there's a long quiet, and then the connection is a little more strong. "Hello?" the voice says, then says, "Look, you don't know me, I don't know you. You don't want to know who I am, but if you're in Haven, there's a woman who broke free from us who's headed your way, and she's extremely dangerous. She's not worth the effort for us to take back, but if she started messing with people in the town -- things could get bad, fast. We need to fall back and recover. She was last seen running down Mariner's before disappearing into the woods. Good luck."
Lucy groans softly. She doesn't own a car so the trek to Mariner's Road is going to be a long one, but one she's determined on making nonetheless. Her gaze flickers from side to side, searching for anything out of the ordinary.
It is a long trek, but at least Haven isn't a big town. As Lucy heads down the long, empty road, those dark and twisted, misty woods surrounding her, there's a point where the guardrail's split, and there's clear disturbance in the underbrush.
With how strong the forest here is at reclaiming land, and, well, the scent of wolf and blood near here, this is almost certainly the spot.