Week one

[letsplayamod]

You've all met Athena, and she's made her point quite clear. She's fully committed to making this world better, and you're the ones who agreed to lend a hand. Something she's obviously quite thankful for.

It's really not so bad around here. Despite the sky, and the state of the land, things are fairly calm. You've got plenty of time to get used to it, and each other. Maybe this'll be easier than it seems.

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[rockymountaindie]

[ Very low, a hand on her arm, Alex assures: ] I was too late with mine too. Tod was my best friend.

[ It hurts. It hurts to think of. But it's less sharp than it used to be. Not when he barely had time to grieve. Not when he couldn't even attend his funeral. ]

I get it. [ He's not empathetic, not like Clear. But he can tell, they're feeling the same thing. ] If I ever hear "Rocky Mountain High" again I'm running for the hills.

[phototraces]

...I get it, too. [She doesn't move his hand away.] I couldn't get my best friend off the rollercoaster. She probably thought I was having a panic attack.

[Jason thought something was up but... Carrie had seen her react badly to things before. She wasn't unempathetic but she was there the last time Wendy had 'freaked' out. She probably thought it was nothing.

Carrie... was stupidly rational sometimes. The fact she didn't try to get off the ride was something Wendy would never forget.]

...If I hear the words 'there is someone walking behind you' on the radio again, I'm right with you.

cw allusions to suicide but only vaguely

[rockymountaindie]

That's what everyone thought about me, pretty much. [ It's perhaps because of this newfound camaraderie that he admits, softly, heavy— ] Tod only got off the plane 'cause...his brother said he should go check on me.

I...barely saw him, between that and when he died. His dad was pissed. Blamed me for George. Made it look like...

[ He hasn't talked about it before. He didn't need to with Clear. She just...she knew what he felt, without words. Not just from living it, she knew. So the words feel weird, rough out his mouth.

In the end, he can't finish saying. ]

...They were puttin' him in the body bag right when I got there.

[phototraces]

It was a double date. All night Carrie, our boyfriends, and me… the three of them rode rides while I took pictures for the yearbook. We were supposed to ride it together but I didn’t want to ride in the front so Carrie and Jason took the front while Kevin and I sat in the back. [For a moment she’s back at grad night. The boys were arguing while Carrie rolled her eyes at them. She swallows hard.] Jason was my boyfriend. I—

[She swallowed hard. She imagines he relives that night over and over, too.]

I couldn’t even talk to their families afterwards. Even if no one blamed me for the derailment, I knew I could have done more. [She didn’t think that anymore. She took a long breath.]

I’m sorry, Alex. For both George and Tod. Death… really is cruel. Vicious.

[rockymountaindie]

[ Palpable grief. Her boyfriend? God, that must have sucked. Ached. If she had the same thoughts he did. The same horrific dreams, the burning silhouettes, the bodies of those he couldn't save. ]

I'm sorry, too. For Carrie and Jason and...all of it.

[ He lets out a soft breath. ]

Death's not here. According to Athena. But...we're still seeing...things. Something's coming.

[phototraces]

[Some part of them never moved on from those terrible nights. Some days she still smells the scent of fried twinkies and popcorn... then motor oil and blood. She practically has to shake herself to continue talking.]

...Thanks, Alex. It's not much but... thanks.

[Right.]

Right... something is going to happen. Maybe not tomorrow but soon. It's... not good.

[rockymountaindie]

...All we can do is be prepared for anything.

[ Oh, just that, huh? ]

Trust our instincts and...and if you see anything else, find me.

[ It's a stark contrast to his quiet plea for her to stay away if she sees signs of Death. But if Death really isn't here, isn't haunting their footsteps... Two heads really are better than one. ]