|
Post by kilnarak on Oct 27, 2023 22:25:44 GMT -6
Rounding the corner and considering the few lit stores, the group decides to split up. Stenson, Samael, and Casmir step into the nearer Fish Pro store, while Moana and Kail continue down the dark hallway toward Big 5.
Stepping into Fish Pro, there is a register near the front, set atop a counter that doubles as a glass case. Inside the case are an assortment of lures and hooks, as well as some hunting knives and multitools. Further into the store they can see that one wall displays a variety of fishing rods and nets, while another has hunting gear - bows and crossbows, guns, different scopes and binoculars. The back wall appears to have a few taxidermy forms - mostly fish, but there are also a few birds and one of an elk. The rest of the store is divided into rows - there is a section for clothing with... a lot of flannels, camping equipment, tackleboxes and boating equipment. There is even a row dedicated to dog training and dog-related equipment. Fish Pro seems to be an all around hunting-goods store rather than simply focusing on fish.
There is also a clearly marked staff door in the back. As they begin to move through the store, looking for things they might be able to use, the quality of the light in the room shifts, gradually taking on a red hue, and growing brighter. Casmir immediately recognizes the light - he caught a glimpse of it downstairs around a corner. Now, however, it is apparating directly in this room. Three distinct balls of light form hovering over the racks of clothing, and they quickly grow to a blinding brightness - enough that just glancing in their direction hurts. Worse, as they grow more visible, an ear piercing ringing begins, making it impossible to focus.
Not so far away, Kail and Moana make their way to the Big 5. They pass an escalator leading up to the third floor above them; it does not appear to be working, although if they wanted to ascend it later it might be able to serve for stairs. On closer inspection there is some sort of black ichor smeared on some of the steps, leaking out from the space between the steps and the rollers.
They continue into the Big 5 Sporting Goods store, only to find the place is trashed. Display racks have been toppled on one side of the store, where the fishing and hunting gear would be. The clothing area is a mess with thick flannels and sportswear intermixed with shoes and empty shoeboxes scattered all across the floor. It looks as if something big moved through here, and given the blood and non-distinct dark-red goop smeared about, they could probably take a guess at what it was. Picking up one of the pieces of clothing to glance under it, Kail finds that he has unveiled a writhing mass of white worms. A few cling to the fabric and attempt to work their way toward his fingers before he drops it.
Past the mess that has been made of the store, they can see the smashed open, blood-smeared doorway into the staff hall at the back.
|
|
|
Post by luscen on Oct 28, 2023 18:57:35 GMT -6
[CASMIR attempts to grab a utility belt and some magazines for his sidearm. Thinking back to the women's restroom, he asks SAM and JONES about it, only to be interrupted by the GLARE. Ducking for cover, he tries to figure out what he can about the nature of the light, while staying out of sight of it.]
Casmir began to examine the store, trying to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. A cursory search only revealed some tools, weapons, and clothing. All of which might have been useful, under different circumstances. Still, perhaps a few clips of ammo wouldn't go amiss, here. And if there were any more creatures like that slime around, something heavy and weighted might come in handy. Nothing in here really seemed to stand out as being a key to help them progress, however. And, given what Moana had described - as well as his own run-in with the note downstairs - if there were anything key to their survival, it'd likely be in a unique case or associated with a puzzle or some such thing.
Casmir's mind thought to a moment of the bathroom with the door propped open downstairs- had that been something he could have used, if he'd taken the time to explore it? "Did either of you happen upon a bathroom in the north hall?" he asked Jones and Sam, reaching for a utility belt. The scarred man paused, however, as he felt something shift in the air. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and after a moment the reason for the disturbance manifested- the light abruptly changed from pale to glaring red, and with it came a horrendous, screeching cacophony that assaulted his ears, like nails being driven slowly into his skull.
'The red light from downstairs!'
Casmir immediately relented on trying for the utility belt, and instead ducked down behind a shelf, trying to stay out of the light's path. Outside of trying to split his skull in half, he couldn't be sure what sort of thing this phenomenon was, besides dangerous.
|
|
|
Post by Salandis on Oct 28, 2023 20:26:59 GMT -6
[Moana investigates, and advocates running if they find another monster.]
Moana paused briefly at the escalator, then shook her head. “If we can find more stairs, maybe, but that just looks like death trap. I don't want to end up pulled under one of those things.”
She found herself shaking her head again when they entered Big 5. “I don’t think we’ll get batteries here,” She said, carefully picking and kicking her way through the floor. That doesn’t stop her looking, taking care to not get worm-fected. Finally working her way over to the open staff door she hefts the torch. “I’m going to take a look back there,” she called softly to Kail. “If there’s another one of those things back there though, we should probably just leave.”
|
|
|
Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 28, 2023 20:57:24 GMT -6
[Stenson replaces his kitchen knife with one of Fish Pro's finest, before he is hit with the onslaught of light and sound to his senses. He shouts to the others to head for the exit, and attempts to make his way there himself, keeping low and behind cover of the shelving and other store fixtures.]
As they entered the store, it didn't take long for Stenson to spot numerous items that would definitely be of use for at least part of the remainder of their journey. The hunter seemed fixated on a utility belt, and Stenson made a b-line for the hunting gear section. He scanned the weapons on display, spotting everything from bows, crossbows, rifles, shotguns, and of course pistols. Pulling the knife from its makeshift sheath, Stenson then made to replace it with a sizeable 500 magnum revolver that practically screamed at him as his most obvious choice from where it was displayed. If anything was going to stop things like what they ran into at the gemstone store, this would do the trick. Stenson pulled a box of ammo from a nearby shelf and loaded it to max capacity, and adjusted the apron tied to his belt to fit the new weapon.
With that in place, Stenson turned to the others as they continued to move through the store. Above them, the lights buzzed until suddenly they took on an ominous red hue. There was a moment when they seemed to peel away from the ceiling to form 3 distinct balls of light above the clothing area, but the more Stenson tried to pinpoint what and where they were, the more their intensity burned like lasers into his eyes. To add insult to injury, an awful screeching sound followed not far behind, adding an equal amount of pain to their hearing.
"Ah! What in the world-" Stenson cried, hands shooting to his ears as he ducked down and behind the nearest set of shelving he could find. Somewhere he heard Casmir shouting something about lights from downstairs, whatever that meant. "We need to get out!" Stenson shouted back, hoping Casmir and Sam could hear him. He squinted through the horrible red glare, wincing as the sound seemed to pierce through his hands and stumbled in a half-crouch back towards the exit. He was mindful to remain behind shelves as he did so. Whatever those lights were, he felt very strongly that being in their direct line of sight (if they could even see...) was probably a bad idea.
|
|
|
Post by qhostqrowls on Oct 28, 2023 21:38:10 GMT -6
[Kail checks the staff entrance with Moana]
Kail dropped the clothing in disgust, stepping back from the writhing mass of worms. He had the feeling they’d burrow through his skin if they touched him, and he picked his way warily through the trashed store to follow after Moana.
He already had a knife, but he cast a cursory glance around the hunting section for anything with more heft or range.
“Agreed.” He said in the same hush, joining Moana at the entrance.
|
|
|
Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 29, 2023 0:25:09 GMT -6
(OOC: Sam grabs a gutting knife, and tries to pick up a crossbow + blots, if possible. When the light appears, he ducks down to stay in cover and out of sight and tries to make it out of the store)
There was a moment of almost-calm as the three investigated the store. Save from the strange music and the lack of normal, sane humans, the store was orderly, selling what one would expect from a place like thus. Hunters and fishers sure liked to make a show out of their gear… A dark blade caught Samael’s attention and he studied it carefully, turning it between gloved fingers. With a hooked point and sharp blade, it was easy to guess at its purpose. Perhaps it was a grim choice, Samael thought to himself, but it was utilitarian if nothing else. The gutting knife quickly found a home in his belt. Almost instinctivelyhe turned towards the crossbows and bolts. Perhaps not as explosive as the guns, but much quieter. It was worth a try.
Then, the lights turned a stark red and an ear piercing ringing filled the room, feeling as if it was trying to split Samael’s skull open. Quickly, he ducked behind some of the store shelving seeking cover. The ringing reverberated within his head and he became aware of the feeling of teeth grinding, bone tension, muscle twitches. The pain of the living. Human pain. This flesh was not made to endure the same way his normal body was. Just when he thought he couldn’t be more disappointed… No wonder humans could easily break, mentally or physically, when force was apllied. Samael shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the noise. He heard Stenson and the blonde shouting, about two different things, exits and bathrooms, the sound almost drowned out by the ringing. But his colleague was right, they needed to get out of here, this thing, phenomena, was definitely dangerous, even while unaware of them, and Samael wasn’t sticking around to see how it might greet them.
Moving carefully and staying behind cover, Samael began to make his way towards the exit. He kept his movements careful and precise, imposing upon himself the same rigid control he expected of his usual vessel, even if he felt much more clumsy in a human shell in pain. Once more he was thankful for the motorcycle helmet, not only for the sense of normalcy it provided, but in this onslaught of the senses, it was easy to believe that the helmet’s visor and padding provided some relief.
|
|
|
Post by kilnarak on Oct 29, 2023 0:48:27 GMT -6
In Big 5, Moana and Kail pick their way through the mess that has been left of the store, casting about for items that might be of use as they make their way toward the gaping door in the back. Anything that might have been used as armor or a weapon seems to have been broken or spoiled in the wake of the creature that came through here, and they find themselves having to brush climbing worms from their legs and scrape them off their shoes as they go.
It's while Kail is scraping some of the creatures off - they seem to be trying to burrow through the bottoms of his shoes - that he sees the battery, light reflecting off its protective plastic wrapper and glinting off the silver-and-black metal casing. He also sees that it is sitting amidst a squirming pile of worms and soiled clothing.
Moana makes it to the gaping wound of a door and peers cautiously into the dark staff hallway beyond. Even in the dark, she can make out the wet sheen of blood, bits of gore, and wriggling pale bodies on the floor leading to the south. There is also a faint light from the south, casting reflections on the bloodsmeared floors and walls. There is a light on down there.
-
Meanwhile, in Fish Pro, the hunter and the two agents managed to grab a few things before the glaring lights appear:
Casmir had found a box of ammo for his gun and had been in the process of picking a likely utility belt to store it in when the lights appeared. He grabbed the closest one at hand - it didn't have too many pouches, but it was definitely enough to store the ammo in.
Stenson had managed to find a revolver and a box of rounds for it as well and had just set down his unwanted kitchen knife. He had been in the process of re-fashioning his apron-scabbard into a holster for the gun when the lights appeared.
Samael had acquired a knife and had been trying to decide on a crossbow to take - there were heavy duty ones that were large and bulky, meant for hunting big game, and also smaller, more compact models that perhaps weren't as strong but would prove easier to carry. He hadn't quite had time to choose one before the lights appeared, but they would be within easy reach should he risk to grab one.
The lights hovered in place, keeping up their blaring intensity for a few moments. They did not seem to see or otherwise react to the group in the store, but then again it was hard to look at them to see what they were doing without a spike of pain and a sense of impending doom building inside their heads. As the group ducked for cover, the lights shifted - one of them faded out, only to reappear under one of the fluorescent lights near the front of the store, another faded and reappeared near the staff door in the back, the third remained near the middle of the room, it's light pulsing slightly.
The group manages to keep their eyes averted even as the lights shift. Thinking is easier when they aren't looking at them, even with the droning sound filling their heads with a horrible ringing. It would be easier still, if they could get away from the lights - or perhaps if they held firm and kept their heads down, the glaring lights might fade on their own.
|
|
|
Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 29, 2023 18:09:33 GMT -6
[Stenson notes that one of the lights is now blocking the entrance. He hunkers down and waits, hoping the light might move away to allow him a chance to hurry out.]
As Stenson moved through the red aisles, he noticed the light's intensity shift. It seemed to dim for a moment but then brighten near the direction he was headed, barring his exit from the front.
"Shit!" He hissed, dropping to one knee and throwing himself against the shelf to his side. He squinted, attempting to peer through or around the shelving, but the moment he caught sight of the light by the front door, the searing pain in his eyes told him what he was wanting to know. Yes, his way was blocked.
The shelf pressed uncomfortably into his shoulder as he leaned against it. The sound it was emitting was unbearably loud and all he could was stay where he was, hands pressed firmly to the sides of his head and over his ears. Whatever these things were, they were moving. Whether it was because they were sentient, perhaps anticipating the group's escape, or they were some automated thing. Either way, he couldn't budge. Not yet.
"Auuugh, I hope they move, I hope they move..." He muttered, mostly to himself. He had no idea where Sam or Casmir were, perhaps the other lights were reacting to those two as well. He could only hope they were hunkered down somewhere safe as well. He waited, his breath coming out in hitches and teeth gritting through the pain. He kept his eyes squinted open through the awful red glare, staring at least at the floor so as to tell if the lights might shift back away from the entrance again.
|
|
|
Post by Salandis on Oct 30, 2023 0:28:58 GMT -6
[Moana hands Kail the plasma torch and makes a play for the batteries]
Moana backed away from the door and over to where Kail was standing. “The floor in there is also covered in worms,” she murmurs, getting closer to talk quietly, “But it’s also dark, so I don’t think it’s a great idea.” Seeing the batteries, then noting the condition of the floor and the worms, she pulled out the wrench and lighter, handing Kail the plasma torch. “From what I remember, they don’t like fire,” she said quietly. “I’d hate to use the plasma torch on worms, but maybe…”
She cautiously pushes away at the soiled clothing using the wrench. Any worms that try and wriggle up the surface of it to get to her she’ll direct the lighter at. Ultimately if that doesn’t work, she’ll drop the wrench and back off – no way is she going to get eaten by a bunch of oversized maggots.
|
|
|
Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 30, 2023 0:41:59 GMT -6
(OOC: Sam stays in cover and avoids looking at the lights, waiting for them to go away. He remains very unhappy about being a fragile living thing that’s so affected by this.)
|
|
|
Post by qhostqrowls on Oct 30, 2023 0:56:32 GMT -6
[OOC: Kail uses the burnt-up torch to try and push the bulk of the worms away from the battery, dropping it and getting ready to plasma-torch blast any if they look like they’ll touch Moanas skin]
Kail scrunched up his nose as he looked at the worms, shifting his weight from one foot to the next. He really wanted to grab the battery, but he also didn’t want to be eaten from the inside out like the corpse he’d grabbed the necklace from.
While he was trying to figure out how to get it, Moana took charge.
“Hold on a second,” He said, and pushed the bulk of the soiled clothing back from the battery with the burnt-up torch. Moana’s wrench was worth more than a charred piece of driftwood and burnt cloth, and he wanted to clear the area enough that she wouldn’t have to drop it.
He dropped the driftwood, taking the plasma torch from the taniwha.
“You got this,” He encouraged, his finger hovering over the button. If a worm touched her bare skin, he was ready to burn them to a crisp.
|
|
|
Post by kilnarak on Oct 30, 2023 1:53:43 GMT -6
Things are not looking good inside of Fish Pro as the lights continue their blaring existence. Stenson's retreat from the store is blocked as one of the glaring lights shifts position. The brief squinting glance of his eyes across the apparating light causes them to sting and tears to begin welling up - but worse than the sting is the panic the brief sight induced in him. Something about the light is terrifyingly wrong and it hurts his mind to try to process it. Even looking away quickly, he can feel terror welling within him. It's all he can do to hold still and look at the floor, wishing for the light to vanish.
Samael and Casmir choose to hunker down and wait out the lights, their eyes cast to the floor, tense and awaiting an attack that does not come.
Waiting does eventually have a pay-off, although it feels like the seconds and minutes are stretching out forever. Eventually the light at the back of the room fades away, and following it, the light near the entrance. The one in the middle of the room remains, however, glaringly bright and painfully intense. Still, if they do not look at it, perhaps they can make their way to one of the exits safely...
-
In the Big 5, Moana chooses to abandon the staff hallway, the threat of blood and worms outweighing any curiosity she might have about that faint light at the end of the south hallway. She returns to Kail and the two work together to retrieve the battery he found. Together, they clear away at the nearby cloth and at least some of the writhing worms surrounding it, and the rest squirm back as she brings the fire from her lighter near them. She manages to snatch the battery without any worms clinging to it. Their prize retrieved, the two move back to the entrance.
As they reach the entrance, Moana feels a sharp sting in the ball of her foot. Looking at the underside of her shoe, she can see the tail-end of a worm poking out of a hole it has bored through the sole of her shoe. She can see the beginnings of other holes around the crushed remains of other worms she had stepped on. Clearly standing on them for more than a few seconds isn't a good idea. If allowed to get any farther, the wriggling creature might continue it's hole straight up into her heel.
|
|
|
Post by luscen on Oct 30, 2023 2:49:29 GMT -6
[CASMIR tries to see if he can disperse the RED GLARE with a high-powered flashlight aimed at it, still avoiding looking directly at it. Regardless of whether this works, he will make his way out of the store exit, back into the mall proper.]
Casmir’s skull was ringing like the bells of the Notre Dame cathedral. Even with his eyes screwed shut, the light managed to seep in through his eyelids, where its claxon tantrum threatened to split him wide open. And at this rate, it wouldn’t take all that long.
The Hunter, thus stymied, cracked an eye open, casting his gaze around the room. He saw that two of the lights were gone, but the third stubbornly persisted. Assuming it didn’t drive them all mad, any lurking threats would quickly overtake them while they were incapacitated. He needed to try and find a countermeasure.
Lacking in better options, Casmir managed to find a high-power flashlight nearby. It wasn’t going to burn anything like Moana’s plasma torch, but maybe it didn’t need to. Only one way to find out, honestly.
The blonde flicked the flashlight on, hoping it worked. Once he saw the light emitting from the bulb, he flipped the flashlight so he was holding it in a reverse grip, then aimed it over his shoulder, trying to point it towards the epicenter of the crimson glare.
|
|
|
Post by Pearl Dragon on Oct 30, 2023 19:22:32 GMT -6
[Stenson tries unsuccessfully to calm himself while he waits, and the moment the red light dissipates, he makes a break for it. Depending on how far he is from the entrance, if the light reappears - he will either memorize the rest of the way and try to proceed with eyes closed tight to the entrance (1-2 aisles away) or he will hunker back down to wait until they disappear (more than 2 aisles away from the entrance).]
As he sat waiting, Stenson fought hard against the growing knot of panic in his chest. Ever since risking a glance in the red light's direction, the sight of it had really set in and begun to gnaw away at his psyche. His heart raced, an involuntary, pounding force against his ribs that he was all too conscious of. His hitched breathing slowly escalated to hyperventilation, and he struggled to obtain control of it.
IN....out.....IN.....out, he eased as he waited, trying to encourage more steady breathing as he squinted at the ground. The mantra in his head helped some, but he knew it wouldn't let up entirely until they were out of this place. Not to mention, the pulsating agony in his head coming from the sound did not help his current state at all. Whatever those red lights were, they definitely had a direct impact on the mind if looked at, and potentially worse if they stayed in this blaring noise any longer.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity of waiting, the red glow around the front of the store began to let up. Stenson kept where he was, arms trembling as he kept his palms pressed to his ears until the red was gone entirely. Almost as soon as he had the chance, he half-stood and hurried in a crouched run towards the entrance. Where he'd seen the red light before, he tried his best to keep shelving between himself and that spot just in case the light returned. If he made as far as the entrance, he would make a desperate dive out of the store. Should he make it an aisle or two away from the entrance, if the light should return , he would try memorizing the rest of his path ahead so that he could be ready to squeeze his eyes shut as soon as possible in hopes of avoiding catching in his peripherals and still move forward as best as he could, eyes closed. But any farther than that, he would halt to wait out the onslaught of noise and maddening red light until it let up again.
|
|
|
Post by NightshadeVII on Oct 30, 2023 23:27:00 GMT -6
(OOC: Samael stays behind cover and moves out of the store, back into the main hall of the mall)
It was a relief as two of the lights vanished, and his headache went from splitting his head open to simply pounding. It wasn’t worth staying here. Whatever could be found in here wasn’t worth the risk.
Staying low to the ground behind the shelving units, Samael began to make his way out of the store and back into the hallway they had come from. As the pain and discomfort lessened, it became easier to ignore the sound of his breathing and the beating of his heart, easier to remember what he was supposed to be. He tried to keep his focus, to remain steady and move quietly.
|
|