Howard Bassem (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
iselldrugstothecommunity) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thearena2013-03-25 12:54 pm
iselldrugstothecommunity) wrote in thearena2013-03-25 12:54 pm
Entry tags:
Stranded in This Spooky Town [Closed]
WHO| Howard, Wyatt, Aunamee and Grey
WHAT| Howard gets a message and goes to save his Pony Girl.
WHEN| Week 2
WHERE| Frontierland/Fantasyland
WARNINGS/NOTES| Death of a cat, plus the resident psychopaths are probably going to get messy later in the threads.
There is comfort in having an ally, and over the week Howard seems to be a little bit less of a mess for having Wyatt around. He still sleeps lightly, interrupted by strange visions and the creaking of the tracks outside, but he doesn't startle so hard at every sound, doesn't pace around the little hideout endlessly before resting. He catches rats and, during the day, continues to rig various booby traps throughout Thunder Mountain. The length of rope has made the latter much easier.
But he worried last night when he couldn't find any rats to share with Wyatt, and even though Wyatt was perfectly understanding Howard's more than a little relieved to catch a tabby cat the next morning. It's injured before he gets to it, which makes catching it easier, and while it scratches up his neck and arms he manages to snap its neck without much struggle. It makes a loud squall, though, and Howard freezes where he is in the shooting gallery, hoping no one heard him. He absentmindedly strokes the dead cat's neck as he listens, looking for all the world like a kid holding a plush animal and not a combatant with his next meal.
It's then that he notices that there's a long strip of fabric wrapped up in the cat's Minnie Mouse collar. He lays the cat down on the ground and silently crouches down, pulling the fabric out. It's a torn piece of a baby's t-shirt from the gift shop, moth-eaten and faded pink, with the image of Tinkerbell's feet faintly visible. There's a note written on it in pencil, smudged by the effort of writing on cloth. Howard reads it, licking his dry lips.
He gets up, grabs the cat, and races up the rigged track to the hideout in Thunder Mountain to Wyatt, cloth clenched tight in his fist.
WHAT| Howard gets a message and goes to save his Pony Girl.
WHEN| Week 2
WHERE| Frontierland/Fantasyland
WARNINGS/NOTES| Death of a cat, plus the resident psychopaths are probably going to get messy later in the threads.
There is comfort in having an ally, and over the week Howard seems to be a little bit less of a mess for having Wyatt around. He still sleeps lightly, interrupted by strange visions and the creaking of the tracks outside, but he doesn't startle so hard at every sound, doesn't pace around the little hideout endlessly before resting. He catches rats and, during the day, continues to rig various booby traps throughout Thunder Mountain. The length of rope has made the latter much easier.
But he worried last night when he couldn't find any rats to share with Wyatt, and even though Wyatt was perfectly understanding Howard's more than a little relieved to catch a tabby cat the next morning. It's injured before he gets to it, which makes catching it easier, and while it scratches up his neck and arms he manages to snap its neck without much struggle. It makes a loud squall, though, and Howard freezes where he is in the shooting gallery, hoping no one heard him. He absentmindedly strokes the dead cat's neck as he listens, looking for all the world like a kid holding a plush animal and not a combatant with his next meal.
It's then that he notices that there's a long strip of fabric wrapped up in the cat's Minnie Mouse collar. He lays the cat down on the ground and silently crouches down, pulling the fabric out. It's a torn piece of a baby's t-shirt from the gift shop, moth-eaten and faded pink, with the image of Tinkerbell's feet faintly visible. There's a note written on it in pencil, smudged by the effort of writing on cloth. Howard reads it, licking his dry lips.
He gets up, grabs the cat, and races up the rigged track to the hideout in Thunder Mountain to Wyatt, cloth clenched tight in his fist.
no subject
It's an excuse. The truth is that he can't just wait around not knowing where she is or what's happened to her.
"And someone needs to stay here to make sure no one takes over our hideout. We'll still need shelter."
He takes a deep breath and starts to gather his things. "But...thanks. And..."
He doesn't know how to apologize for avoiding Wyatt since the last Arena. He doesn't know if he even needs to.
no subject
It made a certain sense, he could see that, and he could understand the need to do it oneself. That inability to wait on the sidelines, useless and unknowing. And... he'd promised, hadn't he? Told the boy that all he'd had to do was give the word and Wyatt would honor it.
He nodded again, acceptance and agreement.
"Alright." The word felt like a stone, settling in his chest. He hoped he wouldn't live to regret it. "But ya keep an eye out, and an ear to the ground." He moved to the tunnel opening, looking at the sky, studying the position of the sun, the slight of its light. "Come sundown, if ya ain't back, I'll come lookin."
no subject
He knows it's not really a promise if you aren't sure you can deliver. It's really just a lie. He tries to smile, then gives Wyatt a little mock salute and heads out.