poly_chromatic | 006 - Deserted Like the Wharves at Dawn

DAY 1/1:24 AM

[The feed snaps on to a surreal image. Five fish in a glowing blue fish-bowl. A pale hand traces the glass, almost caressing. In the background, an eerie crooning is heard. "Five minutes ago, the sky split wide/I raced to this place, hoping she'd be inside/I found it was crowded with others like me/Weeping and shouting and gnashing their teeth...". As Karl hums, the fish dance in the water, mouths opening and closing. They seem agitated. Karl chuckles, as if amused by their antic fluttering.]

~Now now. We mustn't fuss. Death's an inevitable part of life. But is it inevitable in this City? We'll see...

[His palm splays flat against the bowl. The fish swirl wildly. And the feed snaps off.]

DAY 2/4:34 PM

[The video opens to a disturbing sight. The fish spread across a table. All motionless and shriveled. Dead. They seem to radiate a sickly, neon-silver glow. In the background, Karl's shadow is seen. Pacing to and fro. Tensely waiting.]

Hush, hush. Not long now. Not long. We'll know soon. We'll know if it's true. I can endure this ticking till then. I can. Ssh. SSSH. [As he keeps up his feverish muttering, something odd happens. As if by magic, the fish begin twitching. A few feeble jerks at first. Then sharper spasms. One by one, they flop across the table, dying anew as they're reanimated into a world without air. Their mouths gape, as if in silent screams.]

What...?!

[Karl hurries to the table. His eyes are alight with horror.]

No! Nononono! This is wrong! HOW CAN THIS BE?!

[In defiance, the fish keep flailing. Karl watches, aghast.]

God… why? Is there no death here? Am I never to know PEACE?

[There's no answer. Jerkily, Karl steps back. The fish are thrashing harder now. He can’t tear his eyes off them. His breath hitches. Suddenly, he begins to scream.]

NO! IT’S WRONG! IT'S ALL WRONG! I CAN’T ABIDE BY THIS!

[His cry reverberates through the cell. The fish keep flailing.]

DAY 3/5:00 AM

[The fish are back in their bowl. Alive and shimmery. Huddled in a corner, Karl watches them. His hair falls tangled around his face, eyes and cheekbones in deep shadow. He seems caught in a listless stupor. Half-dead, almost. For a long time he stares, without blinking. Then, his eyes slip shut. Very quietly, almost without moving his lips, he hisses:]

I just can't do this. I can't. I can't.

[OOC: A certain deathseeker just learnt the City!Dead rule is TRUE. And is now wretchedly emo over it. Feel free to bug him/yell at him for ~~unsuccessfully~~ killing his fish. He needs cheering up ^^b]

006 - Deserted Like the Wharves at Dawn - Video

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