[Video]

[flickerflash]

[She'd been waiting for hours to see if they'd turn up.

Just a little after dawn on the 25th a piece of smudged notepaper gets carefully tucked into Katie's journal, and then she tosses the whole thing into the hollow log she's sitting on out in the forest.

The video clearly picks up the message. It's not very long.]



   Gone fishing.
Everyones invited
   except Raine.
  No drowning.



[There won't be any replies. She's gone.]

Comments

[wise_maiden]

[And because it's Katie, no matter how it sounds, it can't be taken at face value.]

You aren't alone here... and yet, you've died here. That just makes it worse, doesn't it? And surely that... with how you've been acting, and even losing your magic... it's taken a toll on you. Perhaps more than anyone could see.

1/2

[flickerflash]

[...

...it isn't often that Katie is rendered speechless. For a long moment, she just stares back at Raine with a look that shifts from astonished to simply lost-- she'd never expect anyone at all to come close to the heart of thinsg, let alone an adult. A human.]

...

I-- I don't--

[flickerflash]

[And then her gaze shifts and snaps suddenly to the edge of the roof behind Raine, as a slender, not-quite-human hand curls its long fingers over the edge.]

You should go.

[wise_maiden]

[Her lack of response is almost as good as a response, but the way the subject seems to be diverted by Katie's change of tone and shifting gaze - there's something off about that too, sudden and ... almost telling.]

Come with me.

[flickerflash]

[She wants to. She really does want to now, but the thing will follow her, likely drawn by the glamour she used just a few moments ago. And perhaps Raine can hear it now, the sound of something odd behind her, a soft swish and tug sound, almost like someone's dragging too much hair over concrete. Katie starts backing away.]

Later. I'll come later. You really should just go. [She cups her forehead with both hands, pushing against the sudden ache, but her eyes are still on the thing now hauling itself over the edge of the roof. Please don't see it.]

[wise_maiden]

[And she can hear something, now. Something fueling Katie's insistence and distraction, and it wasn't anything that she had inadvertently dragged there.

But they're up on a roof. The only way to get away was down, and the water was waiting there, if it hadn't climbed higher as well, and there wasn't a rooftop near enough to try and jump over to.]

Please, let me help you. I can't --

[The sound is louder, almost prompting a slight glance backward over her shoulder.]

[flickerflash]

That's right.

[You can't. Can she? For a moment, Katie doubts-- considers hiding behind Raine like a child, letting the grown ups take care of things. It only takes a moment. This is her world. She can't let someone else take responsibility for it.

Not when a touch might rip the life out of them. Something that Raine, and only Raine, is vulnerable to right now.

And here it comes over the edge of roof, all hands and mouths and rank, matted hair that might be silver under the grime, rotting teeth--

It's gotten so big.]

Don't turn around. [She's urgent. If it doesn't know Raine can see it--] Please.

[wise_maiden]

[She can't get down from there.

Her gaze moves right back to stay on Katie, remaining calm. Hearing her speak completely true was rare, but she wasn't incapable of it. And now, that she thinks of it, she never seems to look well, when she does.

And then it would all boil down to trying to determine what could help someone so used to being self-reliant that they didn't know any other way. There was a certain familiarity in that, and yet...]

You were alone when you needed someone the most, and now it is taking its toll. You're not alone now. Do you understand?

[flickerflash]

[...

...]

I don't understand. [She swallows, but for this one moment she keeps her own gaze on Raine, trying to ignore the nervosa.] And I'm not sorry at all.

[And the nervosa ignores Raine. She hasn't looked at it. But it moves past her, which means Katie has run out of time.

So before Raine can give away that she's seen it-- before she even sees it properly, she hopes-- Katie reaches out with her magic and flings Raine safely off the roof to the top of the closest community building. Sorry. It's for your own good.]

[wise_maiden]

[It moves past her, giving her a better view of it from the side, but there isn't any time to comment further. It is a monster, which may have clues. Arms, teeth, hair, dirty. Not many clues.

But Raine's minor observations are cut short, at Katie's words and apology - something was happening, something was about to happen - and before she can even utter a word, she's moving through the air, quickly, temporarily disoriented -

and Katie is alone with her monster.]

[flickerflash]

[Not alone for very long. Or rather, not alone with the monster. Katie hesitates only long enough to make sure the nervosa doesn't so much as glance in Raine's direction as she leaves.

Then she waggles a finger at it and vanishes herself, jumping as far as the mountain range. It'll take a while for the monster to catch up.

Sorry, Raine.]