Re: The Gradual Massacre (GBS2G4) [Round 4: Misty Swamp]
07-18-2011, 04:08 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.
Bear guided the Countess to a small hut. Looking inside, it appeared to be a bath-house of sorts, though several of the objects near the washtub seemed as though they would be more at home in a repair shop.
"Mechanics cleansing facility," Bear explained.
"Naturally. Given the diverse nature of this town, I suppose you have several machines that wish for a degree of privacy when handling their own maintenance."
Bear nodded, and pointed to a curtain by the hut's entryway. He walked out and turned his back to the hut.
Countess drew the curtain, and stepped into the tub.
As she cleaned out the swamp muck, Countess happened to glance at the privacy curtain. It was hardly necessary, she knew; she was less concerned about some hypothetical peeping tom with an unhealthy interest in machinery and more concerned with shutting out this unpleasant village.
She was surprised when the words began to appear on it.
Dear Countess,
Welcome to Heartholm. Given your initial experiences here, I'm sure that you haven't yet gotten to the point where you lead a happy and comfortable life in this peaceful village, and instead are filled with bitterness and spite towards this place and its inhabitants.
That's good. I need someone who hasn't been corrupted.
This is just an initial message to establish contact. We'll talk more tonight. I'll direct you to the meeting place.
Sincerely,
A friend
The message vanished from the curtain as soon as Countess read it.
***
Some distance away from the bathhouse, a being in a fedora and trenchcoat wandered along a boardwalk.
Nobody really knew anything about him; he had arrived alone, and never said anything.
He had been searched thoroughly upon arrival. Underneath his clothes, he seemed to be an ordinary human, though with unremarkable features and a face that stayed perfectly still, with a blank expression. Searching the coat itself had only revealed an envelope with a blank piece of paper inside.
They'd let him keep it. Even if it was a secret message, what possible impact could it have in this place, forgotten by everyone in the universe?
What they didn't realize was that the paper did hold a message. A message with a will of its own.
The message carefully slipped along the underside of the walkways, and hopped into its home in the trenchcoated man's pocket.
Dear Bryan,
I have a good feeling about this one.
The man could feel the message as it wrote itself. He said nothing, as he always did.
Oh, you don't like that name? Pity, I thought for sure I'd come up with a good one this time. I suppose I'll just have to keep at it.
Regardless, you could smile a little. We're going to make a new friend tonight, after all.
Sincerely,
The Message
Bear guided the Countess to a small hut. Looking inside, it appeared to be a bath-house of sorts, though several of the objects near the washtub seemed as though they would be more at home in a repair shop.
"Mechanics cleansing facility," Bear explained.
"Naturally. Given the diverse nature of this town, I suppose you have several machines that wish for a degree of privacy when handling their own maintenance."
Bear nodded, and pointed to a curtain by the hut's entryway. He walked out and turned his back to the hut.
Countess drew the curtain, and stepped into the tub.
As she cleaned out the swamp muck, Countess happened to glance at the privacy curtain. It was hardly necessary, she knew; she was less concerned about some hypothetical peeping tom with an unhealthy interest in machinery and more concerned with shutting out this unpleasant village.
She was surprised when the words began to appear on it.
Dear Countess,
Welcome to Heartholm. Given your initial experiences here, I'm sure that you haven't yet gotten to the point where you lead a happy and comfortable life in this peaceful village, and instead are filled with bitterness and spite towards this place and its inhabitants.
That's good. I need someone who hasn't been corrupted.
This is just an initial message to establish contact. We'll talk more tonight. I'll direct you to the meeting place.
Sincerely,
A friend
The message vanished from the curtain as soon as Countess read it.
***
Some distance away from the bathhouse, a being in a fedora and trenchcoat wandered along a boardwalk.
Nobody really knew anything about him; he had arrived alone, and never said anything.
He had been searched thoroughly upon arrival. Underneath his clothes, he seemed to be an ordinary human, though with unremarkable features and a face that stayed perfectly still, with a blank expression. Searching the coat itself had only revealed an envelope with a blank piece of paper inside.
They'd let him keep it. Even if it was a secret message, what possible impact could it have in this place, forgotten by everyone in the universe?
What they didn't realize was that the paper did hold a message. A message with a will of its own.
The message carefully slipped along the underside of the walkways, and hopped into its home in the trenchcoated man's pocket.
Dear Bryan,
I have a good feeling about this one.
The man could feel the message as it wrote itself. He said nothing, as he always did.
Oh, you don't like that name? Pity, I thought for sure I'd come up with a good one this time. I suppose I'll just have to keep at it.
Regardless, you could smile a little. We're going to make a new friend tonight, after all.
Sincerely,
The Message
There's no reason for this | Or this | Death is inevitable | You can't challenge fate | The smallest change | I'm overwhelmed
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse