video/action:

[charring]

[Charlie is running today. Running hard. The device is in the pocket of her messenger bag and from the angle, she looks terrified.

She rounds a corner, sliding on something unseen but she rights herself a second later and keeps going. She's mumbling to herself, tone panicked as she just runs and runs.

What could the firestarter be afraid of? Well, listen carefully.]

--didn't burn. It didn't and I pushed and it didn't burn and-- [She falls, tripping over something and she cuts herself off with her own shriek. The device falls out of her bag and there are hands, twisted and gnarled and already burned reaching for her. A few of them hardly flare up as she focuses and she scrabbles backwards,s wearing.]

Why aren't they burning?

[Send help. She doesn't like anything right now.]


[ooc: action for andrew ryan, her hero for the moment.]

Comments

video;

[oceantrauma]

Charlie-san! [So stressed by this one, especially because he can't help.]

I-I think I know where you are.

Re: video;

[charring]

[Charlie's kicking at the hands quite violently. There's crunching sounds and screeches of annoyance from the things.]

Get inside. Don't come here.

[No, that's not mild panic in her voice. What are you talking about?]

video;

[oceantrauma]

[Very, very small voice.] I'm already outside.

Re: video;

[charring]

Ken...please just listen. Tell me when you're inside, safe.

[There's a faint yelp from her and more pushes with her ability. Something offscreen starts burning for a moment and Charlie lets out the most colorful string of insults and swears she has in her.]

video;

[oceantrauma]

I can't really go back inside. I don't want them to get me again. If I leave here, they might. But I don't want them to get you, either. [He looks a little wide-eyed to all of the swearing, and is visibly shaking, because he wants to help her.]

Re: video;

[charring]

Okay. [That made sense to her. She's able to escape more of the Things for a while, up and running again.]

I hate October.

video;

[oceantrauma]

Get inside! Fast! [He's hoping she can make it. Or someone comes along - SOMETHING.]

Why do you hate October? Is this sort of thing common for October here?

Re: video;

[charring]

Yep. Last October was just as bad as this one is starting out to be.

video;

[oceantrauma]

I really hope things don't get worse than this.

Action

[rianofski]

[And here comes her stalwart hero now, completely unaware that he's about to become very helpful. He's in the process of dodging away from one of those things when he turns the corner and sees Charlie being grabbed at. It's not every day that he has the instinct to save someone -- in fact, he'd usually walk away -- but she's right there.

With surprising calm he reaches his hand out to her, trying to avoid the hands that are grabbing at her and threatening to grab at him.]

Can you reach me?

Re: Action

[charring]

[Oh, thank God. Mister Ryan you get free Red Eyes for life for this. There are a few of the hands and claws around her leg which she's trying to kick off and some do let go, the rest still hold on tight.

She stretches her arm out for Mister Ryan, though, just barely grabbing his hand.

She apologizes for how warm her skin is right now. Running plus using her ability, she might feel lie she has a high fever.]

Re: Action

[rianofski]

[He moves a little closer, albeit cautiously, realizing that if they both get grabbed, the whole point of rescuing her -- and he can't lie, he did think of the possibility of free caffeine if he's successful -- would be wasted.

His grip is surprisingly strong, probably from a lifetime of giving people intimidating handshakes, and he tugs at her hand none too gently, trying to pry her away from the hands clawing at her.]

Action

[charring]

[There's a few more flashes of fire around the claws, leaving Charlie surprisingly unsinged, and it does the trick. The things let go, finally, and Charlie stands. She retreats hastily, taking Mister Ryan with her.]

God damn, I hate October in this place. [And after a few calming breaths, she finally faces her rescuer.] I appreciate that. Thank you.

Re: Action

[rianofski]

Is October always this unpleasant?

[He nods in response to her thanks. The truth is, as someone who's the opposite of altruistic, he doesn't do much out of any desire to be a good person, but she doesn't need to know that.]

Let's get inside.

[He starts off quickly, looking over his shoulder to see if she's following.]

Action

[charring]

Last year, it was. And rumor has it, October is always hideous around here.

[She's following. She kicks aside a badly burned broom handle as she does so. That was hers. It had been useful for a while but now it was a piece of useless crap.]

I spent part of October last year as a mermaid who kept drowning people. [A pause, a nosewrinkle.] It was not fun.

Re: Action

[rianofski]

A mermaid...

[He shakes his head, not sure whether to be amused or disturbed.]

I suppose whoever creates these absurd cases thinks they have a sense of humor, and thinks that because Halloween falls within the month of October, the curses should be appropriately ghoulish. This, however, marks two days of dangerous incidences, which is hardly reassuring for the rest of the month.

Re: Action

[charring]

Yep. A singing, man-killing bitch with fins instead of legs. It was awful.

[She just shrugs and continues following, keeping her eyes down and open for any signs of hands coming a them. So far, nothing.]

It's a bit more interesting around Christmas. Awkward, at moments. But then, for all I know, this December won't be like the last.

Re: Action

[rianofski]

Let me guess, Christmas involves eggnog and mistletoe?

[He's watching the street carefully, glad to see that nothing is attacking them. At the moment, at least.]

Action

[charring]

There was mistletoe. Got stuck under it a few times and ended up kissing a lot of people. [It was. The worst day.]

Re: Action

[rianofski]

Of course there was mistletoe, which is, by the way, one of the single most ridiculous inventions in the world.

Re: Action

[charring]

That superstition makes no sense to me, especially since mistletoe is poison.

Re: Action

[rianofski]

And poison should hardly encourage anyone to kiss, although I know several people who may just be strange enough.

[synanthrope]

What didn't burn?

[charring]

The creepy fucking hands coming out of the ground. Some of them just don't burn.

[synanthrope]

Did you think it would be that easy?

[charring]

One can hope.

[synanthrope]

If you're stupid.

[charring]

Gee, thanks. I appreciate that.

[synanthrope]

I'm being honest.

[charring]

There's a fine line between honest and rude.

[synanthrope]

Is there?

[charring]

Yep.

There are subtle ways of calling someone stupid. If done right, they don't even realize you've done it.

[Theres a brief silence and the sound of objects being shuffled around.]

Broken broom handle. Better than nothing, still not good enough by far.

[synanthrope]

But why go for subtle when I can just say it.

[charring]

It's more fun to watch a person figure it out.

[synanthrope]

Best stop using fire.

[charring]

I'll use it as much as I want. Some of them react to it. For the others, that's what kicking and the broom handle is for.

video;

[majorcrotchgrab]

Charlie, where are you? I can send Nathan to get you...

Re: video;

[charring]

I'm almost home. I'll be fine then.

[She and Merlin can keep each other safe. Right?]

video;

[majorcrotchgrab]

Alright. If you need anything though...

Re: video;

[charring]

I will. I promise.

[infernoandhearth]

[Luke, for once, sounds srs bsns.] Some of them don't burn, Charlie, you need to get a weapon. I've a spade. I'll find you something if you need it.

[charring]

[She really doesn't like it when threats don't burn.] I can find something. I just...I just have to get home.

[infernoandhearth]

I can find you quite readily if you need a comrade in arms.

[charring]

No. I'd rather you not put yourself in danger, too.

[infernoandhearth]

I'm already constantly in danger, you know. It's rather widespread, this curse.

[charring]

Yes, but my friends risking themselves? It's not something I can just let happen.

[infernoandhearth]

I'm not exactly risking myself...

[charring]

...I could probably use a little bit of help. Just for a bit.

[infernoandhearth]

Of course. Just for a bit. As long as you keep lighting your fires, I'll find you in no time at all.