Event Log: Flu Season

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters
What: The event log for the Flu Season event
Where: All over the city
When: March 20th-March 30th
Warnings: Gross sneezing, sick people, and paranoia

It starts with a cough, a sneeze, a sore throat - something small and simple, easily ignored. But then your symptoms get worse. It's probably been awhile since you've been sick, that sort of thing doesn't usually happen here. You might be able to raid the shops for some tissues and tea before it gets too bad, and hopefully you've got a friend to help out until you get better. Surely it'll be over soon, right?

Until the fever sets in, and you start to understand why your friend is really there. They don't want to take care of you. They want to make sure this is the last anyone will ever see of you. They want to learn all your secrets. They want to steal your most precious possession. You know they're plotting against you, you know they're keeping something from you. What will you do to find out what it is?

Then, as the sickness fades, you realize it was all in your mind. Let's hope you didn't do or say anything too awful. But that friend of yours... they seem to have picked up your cough. Maybe you should help them out?

► This log covers March 20th-March 30th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If your paranoia ends in murder, please let us know here.

Comments

[barold]

Taa--

[It's as far as he gets before a surge of electricity courses through him. The feeling hits him before the sound does, the feeling of being weightless and immensely heavy at the same time as the force of Taako's spell knocks him clean off his feet, sending him flying, forcing him far away from the panicking elf.

This is the second time in as many months that a Taaco twin has cast Thunderwave to push him away. It would be funny if it didn't hurt so badly.

Not that he even registers the pain until he hits the ground.

Barry slams into the ground and rolls for a few feet with a pained cry, body twitching and shaking as the currents work their way out of him. His ears ring, a loud persistent shriek of noise after the thunderous boom that followed the spell. Everything hurts. He can't unclench his fingers or relax his jaw, he can't rise to his feet for several seconds, just left reeling on the ground long enough for Taako to start running. If the hot desert sand hadn't cushioned his blow, he might have seriously injured himself.]

T-Taako! Taako, please!

[He wasn't going to attack. He wasn't. But now he is reaching for his wand, on instinct, ready to shield himself if Taako tries attacking again. This isn't good. This isn't like him.

He's really sick, isn't he?]

[pocketspa]

[It takes him as long as it takes Barry to fall to regain his footing, his whole body shaking and his heartbeat thrumming in his head. His ears are tilted down, whole body curled in on itself as bits of static roll off him, the Umbra Staff held protectively in his arms.

It's not her, of course. But it brought him comfort in a way he never understood. And now, it's power.

Unfortunately, he's too blinded by Fear's influence to concede, to really comprehend what he just did. Now it's just worse across the board, that he hurt Barry, that Barry could hurt him, that there's too many what ifs and the lack of control is stifling.

He's still until Barry actually reaches for his wand, and that's finally it, as he digs in his heels and starts to run.]

[barold]

[Barry hears the shuffling in the sand, the scrape of feet pushing off the ground in a heedless, desperate run. Taako is getting away. This isn't good, this-- he's too sick, he can't be left alone like this, he can't--

Even though he'd just attacked him, blasted him away like a frightened, cornered animal, Barry can't in good conscience let Taako run off on his own like this. What if he hurts himself? What if he picks a fight with someone who has no qualms about hurting him? Killing him? Lup would be devastated.]

Don't! C-Come on, listen to me!!

[He's still on the ground, still too jittery and stiff with lingering electricity to get to his feet. But with his wand in hand, he manages to point it at Taako and cast Hold Person with a desperate cry, hoping beyond hope he can immobilize the elf, keep him in place long enough to contact Lup and get him some help.

All he wants to do is help. Taako has to see that, right?]

[pocketspa]

[Barry is yelling, but he can't even really hear. He's going to catch up. He has spells and brains and Taako didn't stop him, he couldn't, he has to leave he has to go--

He barely makes it away before the spell hits him, feeling the paralysis crawling up his legs and limbs and choking around his throat. Taako's mind is racing, trying to think of counterspells or some way to fight this, but even as he jerks against the bonds, shoves every part of himself against those limits, he can't move.

He thinks he might be crying. Or at least, he's certain started. He can barely speak, but words are still ripping out of his throat, hot and wet.]

You can't! You can't take me back to that fucking jellyfish I-- I won't forget! I won't!

[He's ticking down the seconds in his head, he's got a minute, less than, if Barry can't keep up he can do something he could cast something with sight, maybe, his jaw is locking but he can still see, if he can just think of something.

But for the moment, he's well and truly stuck.]

[barold]

[Good. Good, he caught him before he could get away. Barry sighs, loudly, trembling, pushing himself up on his feet as quickly as he can with the lingering effects of Thunderwave still making him feel unsteady.

He doesn't have much time. He knows that. Taako's going to break away and start running again, unless he can...

What? Convince him he's not dangerous? Convince him he's not going to make him forget? He's too sick... There's no way Barry can get through to him.

But Lup. Lup could.]

S-Sorry. I'm sorry, Taako, I'm sorry. [He's mumbling softly as he hobbles over. If it's any comfort to the elf while he's immobilized, Barry looks and sounds sincerely apologetic.] Didn't wanna do that... I'm n-not gonna take y'back anywhere, okay? Nobody's gonna make y'forget, Taako, I promise you.

[As he's talking, he's taking out his phone, trembling fingers dialing Lup's number. He prays she's not busy.] Just-- Just gonna call Lup for ya, okay bud? [Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight... Still ringing...] Lup's gonna come get ya, you're gonna be okay.

[pocketspa]

[Unfortunately for this entire scenario, Lup is well out of the city, her girl trip leaving her unknown to this situation and therefore missing a sorely needed piece of this puzzle. Of course Lup could protect him, if he just had her he could run with her somewhere far away. But she's missing and he draws conclusions he shouldn't, things he could normally pick apart if the adrenaline wasn't so on him.

Taako tries to jerk a shoulder, running through spells in his head on what he can do on sight line alone, but he shapes things, not this. He needs words and motion and he has nothing but to keep his own countdown of the spell until he can do something to get away. He looks towards Barry as he approaches, hears what he's saying but can't believe it. But Barry can finally see him up close, something murky behind his eyes and the bits of water that gather there, the almost literal cloud of fear plaguing him right now.

He just needs out, he thinks. He needs to be away from Barry and everyone and eventually he can get Lup and they can run and run and run and never be caught again. Just them. No forgetting or fakes or people wanting them hurt.

She's all he needs, right? She's all he needs.]

[barold]

[Thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty...]

C’mon… come on, Lup, please...

[But of course she doesn’t pick up. She’s far away, far outside the city, completely unaware of anything painful or frightening happening to anyone. For all she knows, everyone are doing great - or, as great as one can be in Hadriel. For all she knows, she’s going to come home and her brother is going to be waiting for her with some snarky comment about how much action she missed, or how boring her trip must have been without him.

She doesn’t expect to come home to a sick, terrified brother convinced his family is out to get him, convinced he’s going to lose absolutely everything. Forty-three, forty-four, forty-five…

Barry hangs up. She’s not going to answer. Meanwhile, Taako struggles, desperately trying to break free. A gentle hand settles on Taako’s shoulder.] I’m real sorry, Taako. I-It’s gonna be okay, okay? You’re just sick, you’re just-- one of’em got into yer head, okay, this isn’t you. It’s gonna pass. Please, Taako, just listen t’me. You’re gonna be fine.