nine | joy, then pain. is this how christmas is supposed to work?

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger cautiously makes his way down the stairs and into the living room, stepping around and over the many, many cats that have taken sudden residence in the house. A certain skeletal cat-lover comes to mind, but when Slugger reaches the living room, Death is nowhere around. Neither is Eddie or Susan.

He's about to go search for them when

Comments

B

[hubrisextremeis]

..Are you alright? [He might not like humans, but if he's stuck here, he might as well play the part. B|]

[strike_you_out]

[Not a word seems to reach his ears. As the episodic memory comes to an end and the pain begins to fade, he growls under his breath, furious. Still panting, Slugger raises his head and gives it a hard shake. For just an instant, a bright red glimmer flashes beneath the bill of his cap and his teeth look much too large for his face, much too sharp.

Then he freezes. Perfectly still and silent, head bowed. Evidently, someone has been watching him and he looks up slowly to see who it is.]

...

[hubrisextremeis]

[Pride notes that with an odd curiosity. Not an insect then? He shrugs. HE can slowly test the water about this later. He needs to act like a normal kid. Which he does with aplomb, a worried expression plastered all over his face. ]

..Are you hurt?

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger regards him with watchful suspicion. He isn't breathing as hard anymore and he raises one knee to place the blade of his skate on the ground, ready to stand. When he speaks his voice is steady and low.]

You a drone?

[Sometimes it's hard to tell.]

B

[bridgetroll]

....Hey, don't tell me you're dying or something.

[hunches down, staring at him, ignoring the cold]

[strike_you_out]

[Despite how close she is, he doesn't appear to realize she's there yet and inches toward her. It looks as if he's trying to bury his head in the snow, for whatever batshit reason...]

[bridgetroll]

....hey!

[shakes his shoulders, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SUFFER WITHOUT HER THAT'S NOT FAIR]

[strike_you_out]

[Startled, his shoulders jerk at the touch. It seems to do the trick though, and he pulls his head out of the snow to look up at her.]

P- Parsee... [oh. shit!] -!!

[Rollings backwards off of his knees, he is now focused on frantically pulling off his skates before another (very recent) memory can kick in.]

C.

[thegodsareinert]

Ah! Hey, that's dangerous!

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger lifts his head a little to see who's talking but otherwise doesn't stop or say anything. He looks angry and exhausted and he's limping slightly. It looks as though he's already been through the most dangerous part.

Not to mention, his feet are freezing cold. Worst Christmas ever.]

-??

[thegodsareinert]

I hope you're heading straight home. You're gonna catch a cold at this rate.

[strike_you_out]

[He slows.]

...Catch a what?

[Human diseases how does they work?]

B

[protectorial]

I take it the town has twisted your wish as well?

[She looks down at him calmly, one eye bandaged. Though while she sounds calm, she is actually very very angry.]

[strike_you_out]

[Still disoriented from the latest assault on his mind, Slugger finally registers a woman's voice and peers up at her from the ground with wild, frightened eyes.

He thought he could get used to it the more he let it happen, but the "reality" of each memory only seems to get stronger. The pain of being stricken -- the pain his victims had felt -- is more and more real each time.

One hand pressed to the side of his head, he looks as though he's about to jump up and run away, but instead he just looks at her and shivers.]

B

[deaths_heritor]

Slugger! Slugger, what are you --

[With a cat perched on top of her head, Susan walks over as quickly as she can to her 'son'.]

[strike_you_out]

[Just icing his head in the snow. And shivering. Nothing to worry about.

Though he still hasn't moved since she approached.]

[deaths_heritor]

[A grim expression set on her face, she kneels down beside him and turns him so that she can see his face.]

Look at me, Slugger. . . . Can you hear me?

[strike_you_out]

[He merely stares at her with wide, horrified eyes until reality sets in and her face becomes suddenly recognizable.]

Miss Susan...

[Breath of relief. Slugger quickly directs his gaze toward the ground where his hat is still lying and presses a palm to his forehead. When next he looks up at her, he seems slightly more relaxed.]

...Is that a cat?