It may very well be the worst thing that's ever happened to you! | OPEN MINGLE

[vitaelamorte]

Who: EVERYONE!
Where: EVERYWHERE!
When: Friday October 27th - Tuesday October 31st
Rating: PG-13, warn if you're gonna go higher!
Summary: A catch all for the Horrible Memory Truth Event!
The Story:

For the duration of this event, everyone's entire room will be replaced with a memory playing on loop. They will likely recognize the moment as soon as they see it – it is a moment they remember as the worst moment of their entire lives. It could be a memory from home or something that happened in Wonderland. Lengths of the memories will vary, but they will find that these are not memories they can merely watch – they can step into these memories and attempt to make changes to them, and the memories will be long enough that they have time to make changes (though no more than 24 hours). However, anyone who tries will find that it is futile. No matter what you do or how hard you try, the outcome is always exactly the same somehow. No changes you make will prevent that horrible outcome. It just happens over and over and over again no matter what you do.

On top of that, perhaps complicating any attempts to make changes, everyone will be forced to be honest for the duration of the event. No lies or half-truths are allowed, and filters will be gone for the entire five days. If something bothers someone then they will blurt it out, regardless of whether or not it hurts someone's feelings, and no one will be able to simply keep quiet when they have something to say. They must be truthful and honest with every word they say.

This is a catch-all log for all of your Worst Memory needs! Please mark your threads clearly in the subject line with your character's name and Room Number + Floor for character rooms, or just location if you're making a top level for a public place in the mansion (like the tea rooms or the kitchen) so people can see if there's already a thread available. And here's the plot post if you need it!

Have fun!

Comments

[punful]

[He sits down again too. Standing is such a pain. No time for it. No energy for it.]

i dunno if i want to think of wonderland as...punishment. as hell. my brother's here.

[shorthair]

It's a lot better than where I'm from too.

( She pops more chocolate into her mouth as she glances at Sans when he sits. )

If it's punishment, it's not a very good at being punishment.

[postictal]

I don't think it is.

[He shakes his head, and - belatedly, there's something that spills out between clenched teeth and hunched shoulders.]

Especially since I never died. [No matter how much he wished it had been him, instead of everyone else. Him, instead of Alex, instead of Jay, instead of Brian, instead of anyone who deserved to walk away from the hell he made for them.]

[burntvideocassette]

[They all disagree, and they've all got reasons that make sense. Jay's not sure if he's relieved there's reasons to believe they're not literally in hell, or disappointed that he's got to throw out another theory. Or hypothesis or whatever.]

[And then Tim keeps talking.]

[He never died.]

[He killed Alex, and he survived.]

[He got out. In the end, someone got out.]

[The realization hits with a surge of conflicting emotions: relief--god, mostly relief--shot through with offense and a thin streak of jealousy. Someone got out, even if it wasn't Jay in the end, and Tim kept it a secret for months. It's just like the tape, just like the hospital, just like every single thing Tim knew that could've helped them.]

Why didn't you tell me?

[His voice climbs higher, more urgent, because this is his chance, this is finally his chance.]

Tim, did anybody else make it out?

[punful]

[Sans shakes his head.] it's just some kind of pocket dimension. it might be alive, it might be sentient. those are the sorts of things i'm not sure we can know.

[Monsters don't have much of a concept of Hell to begin with. No more than there's any real afterlife. You live on in whatever has your dust, and that's about it.]

[Tim keeps talking, and Sans sort of forgot that was the sort of thing that needed stating or clarifying. That people just show up here, having died. The way his brother did, twice in a row. He nods again, slowly, but then Jay answers.]

[And apparently, it's news.]

[Sans stays quiet, looking between them. There's a sudden tension that he can't really put a name to, not unless he wants to ask about what Jay means, and what all happened to the two of them back home. And he won't ask. He doesn't want to know.]

[shorthair]

( Clementine stays quiet too since she's only half aware of what's even being talked about. She'll just pull her knees up to her chest, eating her chocolate.

Seems like a good way to handle this situation when she wouldn't want any information that's not freely given, when she hasn't lived the lives they're describing. She's lived her own, but it's so far removed, and the threats were always obvious. She's glad Sans is here too. )

[postictal]

You never asked. You just figured you knew that’s how it was, just like you always do.

[That’s no fucking excuse. He knows that. It’s just that by the time he realized that was the conclusion Jay had drawn, it was too late to correct him. Too late to mention it without losing what little progress they made. Too late to avoid questions like this, that have Tim doing what he’s best at, and the only thing he can think of to do.]

[He bolts.]

[Don’t stop him now, because he’s tearing the door open and getting the hell out while he still can.]

[burntvideocassette]

Tim, wait!

[Isn’t it just like Tim, to be so scared of a simple goddamn question that he’d rather bolt? This is Jay’s one chance to get the truth. Last time, Tim could just refuse to speak, but this time? This time, he has to keep talking. He has to tell Jay what’s going on, he has to—]

[Jay makes it as far as the door before he freezes.]

[Wind it back. Remember.]

[He remembers his hands wound around Tim’s neck, Tim backing away, Tim splayed across the leaves, unable to escape. A knife in Jay’s hand, the blood seeping through Tim’s shirt, liar, liar, liar—]

[This isn’t right.]

[He didn’t used to do this, did he?]

[Gripping the doorframe, Jay looks back at the others, for...for advice, guidance, instructions, something. Jay doesn’t know what to do.]

[punful]

[Tim Flees.]

[Sans climbs very slowly back to his feet as Jay starts after him.]

jay. don't.

[Jay stops at the doorframe even before Sans said anything. He goes to the door himself and looks out to see if he can spot Tim, but the other man is already gone. Sans sighs. It's exactly what he would have done if confronted with a question he simply refused to answer--though of course Sans would have taken a shortcut.]

just...let him be for awhile. i don't really know what's going on with you two, but...this event's already a nightmare. just give him some time, yeah?

[shorthair]

Leave him be.

The truth is a weapon sometimes. ( It's why people keep their secrets. It's why finding out the truth isn't always freeing. It's why telling the truth in the wrong moment can only put someone in more danger.

She's seen it happen again and again.

If he doesn't want to answer, he shouldn't have to. )

It's okay.

( to let it go. )

[burntvideocassette]

[Leave him be.]

[He does. He stands there at the door, still gripping the frame, still rooted to the spot. He lets Tim go.]

[It's wrong. He shouldn't give up this easily. He'd be dead if he gave up this easily. He's making a mistake. This is how the case dies; this is how he gets months switching hotel to hotel to hotel aimlessly while he knows they're one step ahead. He knows they're watching. He's losing ground. He can see the messages piling up, scolding him for letting Tim run. They need answers. They need answers, and who is he to place Tim's comfort over the needs of hundreds of thousands of others?]

[This used to be easy. It used to make sense. Package of zipties and a flipknife. You'll make him talk.]

[He's got the camera. The liar didn't steal it away this time.]

[His eyes dart along the corners of the theater. Too much room, and yet not enough. It's not right. It's not right.]

[He's got his eyes, but he seems to have lost his voice. There's a network here, but no good way to broadcast. The archive's useless, and he's useless without the archive.]

I need the channel.

[Does that make sense? He's sure it does.]

Tim's not important to me right now.

[punful]

[Sans leans back against the doorframe next to Jay, letting his eyesockets slide closed. This has all gone to shit in record time.]

i'm tired.

[He has no idea what Jay means by "channel," and he doesn't care. If he wants the TV, he can have it.]

i'm...gonna go see how much of this event i can sleep through. let's, uh. maybe see if we can do this again in the future. if we all don't hate each other by the time this is over.

[With that, without waiting for an answer from Jay--who seems pretty out of it, anyway--Sans gives Clem a parting nod, and leaves.]

[shorthair]

( Clem nods back to Sans even as she folds her arms across her chest to survey Jay now with a wary look since she- she doesn't know what he's even talking about.

She considers leaving. She thinks maybe she should, maybe she'll just make this worse since she doesn't know how to do any of this, but she's at least got to make sure of- of something before she heads through that door. )

...Jay?

[burntvideocassette]

[Sans is gone now, too. Running out of chances, running out of time to...to what?]

[He hears Clementine say his name, and he twists to face her, holding the camera up over his eyes. Fallible human things.]

Hm?

[She's small. Could be overpowered if necessary, as long as she doesn't have a weapon.]

[He doesn't think she has a weapon. She's not moving like she wants to hurt, and she doesn't have any secrets. None useful to him, anyway.]

[Jay blinks.]

Does it feel cold in here to you?

[shorthair]

( Clementine doesn't know what the hell is going on, but she recognizes the shift has gotten worse. She's always armed with multiple weapons.

There's never a time in her life she doesn't have a weapon on her even when she's sleeping.

She doesn't know what's happening, but her guard's up immediately in any situation where she's confused especially when another person is involved, because people are unpredictable. This is even more unpredictable than normal. She takes a step back and then another, making her way to the exit. She's always self serving in that sense. She cares until it threatens. Her expression shifts to something guarded. )

No.

What the hell's going on with you?

[burntvideocassette]

[She steps back, closer to the door, ready to run. She's scared.]

[Don't be scared, please.]

[She asks, and he has to answer.]

I'm not sure. Doesn't feel right. You're not...you're not who I'm looking for.

[shorthair]

( There's a pause then.

Clementine stays near the door. Her arms folded across her chest. )

You're looking for someone specific.

( It's less of a question, more of a statement. She has no idea who he might be looking for. It hardly sounds like Jay even knows. )

Are you okay?

[burntvideocassette]

[He stares at her image on the viewfinder. Is he okay?]

[The event steps in. Reluctantly, he shakes his head.]

Feels better. But feels like something's gone weird to make it that way, because I'm not...used to better.

[He slurs slightly when he speaks, though his movements are quick and precise.]

I'm looking for, for what Tim knows. 'Cause he's a liar, but not right now. [His eyes dart to the door, and the camera follows.]

[shorthair]

( Clementine's gaze narrows. She's used to a slurred voice meaning someone who's drunk, but he hasn't been drinking, and he's moving so carefully. She doesn't know what the fuck to make of it, but she also doesn't feel safe.

She's warring with those survival instincts that still ended in her death and the knowledge that sometimes it has to be about more. It has to be about gaining information to save someone later- to save yourself later. )

What the hell will knowing do? Why does it matter if someone lies?

[burntvideocassette]

Because I have to--I have to tell people.

[That's what he does. He observes. He reports. He spreads--]

[--information.]

[Right?]

If I don't, I--

[What happens? What happens if he stops?]

[It will hurt.]

[shorthair]

( Clementine doesn't understand. She can tell he feels this is- It's some kind of need, but she doesn't understand why.

He doesn't even seem to understand why.

What in the hell is all this? Is this how those other people died? They got wrapped up in this need to tell and they stopped and then they were killed? )

Someone hurts you if you don't?

[burntvideocassette]

No, it's not, it's not that simple, I--

[Is it that simple?]

[What the hell is he saying?]

[He has to explain why, which means he needs a reason, and just...stopping for a second is enough to make things feel wrong. What's he doing? Tim's gone--he let Tim go, and now he's talking to Clementine, and this is Clementine, the kid who saved him and died, the one who wanted to watch monster movies, the one who talked to him about evil trees--]

[He's struck with the intense conviction that he shouldn't try watching Evil Dead again.]

[Why is he doing this? He's in Wonderland.]

[But that means he has to tell the truth.]

Look, I'm scared if I don't know what's out there, I'll be in more danger from, from whatever the hell it is. Back home, there was a guy--at least one--who wanted Tim and me and some other people dead, and if I didn't keep moving and if I didn't know where he was, it'd be easier for him to catch us.

[It sounds childish this way, voice quick and panicked. He's scared of monsters. He's scared of that big bully Alex Kralie.]

[But as usual, that's not enough. Wonderland just has to drag more out of him.]

And I'm scared that if I stop finding things out, then, then everything stops. I tried to stop back, back years ago, and it's like I just shut down completely. There was just...nothing. [Functionless.] And I don't want to feel that again.

[shorthair]

( Clementine settles with her back pressed against the door. She still plans on leaving soon. What the hell can she do about all this? Nothing. She fights like hell against physical threats, but this? This is way more fucking complicated than all of that.

It's complicated in a way she doesn't know how to save herself from. )

Back home, you won't know what you find out here. ( there's a little pause. ) You think whatever was back home followed you here to Wonderland?

( cause then that interests her. she wants to know how to defend herself, how to keep herself safe. )

...I don't want you to shut down either.

That sounds scary as shit. It sounds like you'd be seriously in danger.

[burntvideocassette]

I know it has.

[Has he seen it? No. Has it shown up on the tapes? No. Maybe he should qualify that answer.]

I mean, I know it can. It's been here before, and it doesn't...it doesn't just stop.

[Thinking...helps, dumb as that sounds. The static's clearing a little bit. He's feeling more like a human being.]

[Should he?]

[He remembers the look on Tim's face when he bolted. Now he thinks he might know why.]

I don't think I should talk about it now. I'm supposed to, or, or I want to, but I think it's too easy to...to screw things up, like this.

[shorthair]

( Clementine's not used to fighting a force that can't be stopped in some way. She can't stop walkers from happening, but she can kill a walker. She's good at killing walkers. Hell, she's even good at killing people now too when she has to.

She swallows.

If it's been here before, if it can come again, she wants to know how she can keep safe from it, but- )

Okay.

We don't have to talk about it. I just wanted to make sure you'd be okay.

( As okay as possible, he does seem... more like himself now. )