Young Writers Society

Mark/Plague

I didn't reply to Kara's little outburst, and kept my eyes fixated on the entrance doors, I noted that the alarm on the doors where quite outdated in just a glance, This will be easy, I thought as we went over to pay for our tickets.
It turned out that Kara could get in for a lot cheaper than I had first thought, however because of my height the woman at the stand didn't believe I was about the same age and was adamant that I had to pay as an adult, not that it mattered to me, I would get many times more from this place later. Kara walked on a head and behind my indifferent face, I was happily thinking about all the money I would gain and; best of all, the look on the guards, curators, etc faces.
Kara looked at me as if she could see behind my mask and see my glee at the suffering at others, I shook my head slightly and dismissed the thought, just as she opened her mouth to speak.

((I'm going to wait for Riders to post with Ghost's POV before I post again, so this is just a message: head over to the discussion thread, because there're a few updates you should probably be aware of and a summary of where we are so far.))

ok, so im pretty sure both of your characters would cover their faces, so i remember cara had a long sleeve shirt, that I think she would rip if it was necessary, and I dont know what Java would do, but if its not ok, I'll change it.

Ghost/Desmond~~

I cursed as I walked around the compound for a fifth time- there was nothing there!

A piece of metal creaked behind me and I leapt up, grabbing a rafter and pulling myself up. I pulled a ski mask over my face and waited. Two people entered, their faces obscured by the shadows of the room. I moved farther back into the corner, my ears straining to pick up their soft voices.

"If its the guy I think it is he can disappear, so be careful." A girl? The one from last week?

"like invisibility?"

"No, I think he's just good at it."

"Well, I'll check it out." There was a flap of wings and the voices cut off. Did a bird get in? I sat silently, waiting for the voices to start up but there was nothing. Then something hit me in the side.

I adjusted my footing and jumped to another rafter, wincing at the creak that echoed from my landing. the thing hit me again, on the arm, but I reacted even faster than before, anger filling my blood. My hand flashed out, catching the thing on the side and throwing it. Feathers?

I jumped to another rafter, barely avoiding what I could now tell was a hawk, and a big one. As I landed the bird hit me again, squarely in the chest. The air gushed out of my lounges and I fell to the ground flinging the bird into the wall as I did. I landed smoothly, a knife falling out of my coat into my hands. A girl was standing in front of me, the sleeves of what was once a long sleeve shirt wrapped around her face. As I watched the bird fell out of the rafters, changing into a teenage boy as it rushed to the ground. He stood up, his face also obscured.

I looked at the boy in shock, "Well this sure is interesting."

((That's fine by me. I can't think of anything else they would have done.

Aha, only one scene where she has a knife at her throat. Just for the purpose of telling Ghost about her powers.))

Cara/Death

It felt odd to be fighting without costume. The shirt sleeves were tied around her face, obscuring her features, but her arms and all their cuts and bruises were totally exposed. She and Java - or was he Flux now? - stood in front of the boy, whom Cara - Death now? - was now sure was Ghost. Flux was breathing heavily.

"Well, this sure is interesting," Ghost drawled, but there was shock in his eyes. Death was used to Flux's shapeshifting by now, but she's seen the effect it had on villains time and time again. Ghost was clearly working alone, and hadn't seen anything like this before, yet he obviously had some sort of power. Reflexes, perhaps, Death thought, recalling the frisbee in the park.

Ghost turned to Death. "Anything you want to tell me? You're not a shapeshifter. Gonna give me a clue?"

Death grimaced, wishing she had brought her knife, but then she caught sight of the metal glinting in Ghost's hands. I could get that.

"I'll tell you if you'll tell me," she taunted, and made her move. She lunged towards Ghost and he moved out of the way faster than was humanly possible, grabbing her arm as he did so and bringing the knife to her throat. She heard Flux move behind her, but Ghost glared at him, a hatred in his eyes that Death had not seen before.

"Come any closer and I'll slit her throat," he said after a minute, and his voice was level again. For a moment, it looked as if he would totally lose control, and Death wondered if he'd known that. More pressing was the issue of the knife pushed to her throat. Unless he beheaded her, he wasn't going to do any damage, and even beheading her mightn't kill her. Death almost shuddered at the thought.

"Go on, then," she muttered, sensing that Flux was going to move anyway in a few seconds. She raised her voice. "Can't you see I'm just so scared? Slit my throat. Go for it."

Ghost gave her an odd look. She could tell he was trying to guess her power, but the cuts on her arm ruled out regeneration. The corners of Death's mouth turned up, and she nearly laughed.

"Reflexes, speed, maybe strength, judging by the grip you have on my arm. But you're struggling to control it. We can help with that," she said.

Ghost was still staring at her.

"We're the heroes. You fight us, you're a villain. You join us, you can fight the villains. You have to choose. You can't walk a line somewhere in between." Ghost was silent, and Death knew Flux was getting impatient. He'd trusted her for this long, and she was grateful for it. "I'd move that knife away from my neck, if I were you. It's not going to do a hell of a lot anyway." She whispered her final words. "That's right. Immortality."

The moment of realisation was the moment Death chose to strike. She kicked forward, landing a blow just below the waist and grabbing the knife with the other hand. She landed on her back, but quickly stood up. Ghost was on his feet too, clearly in a bit of pain, but watching them both.

"Don't keep doing that," Flux muttered beside her. "It's dumb and you will get hurt, even if it's not physically."

The adrenaline was subsiding, but Death was still focussed on Ghost. "Well, I made you an offer. Do you accept?"

**Could someone bring in Dalia please?**

i will be gone for the next couple of days so I am going to go ahead and post~~
Ghost/Desmond~~

I looked at the two 'heroes' with utter disbelief. What were they playing at? There were no heroes, no villains. Nothing was that absolute. But my heart still told me to say yes. I could accomplish a lot if there were others like me, or in the case of the boy, not so like me. But I wouldn't join up with kids that had probably never seen a person die.

"I'll think about it." I jumped up into the rafter, my body blurring into the shadows with the speed of my movement, "Don't try to follow me, and don't try to contact me. I'll see you here, whenever I see people gather."

Java/Flux

"Don't try to follow me, and don't try to contact me. I'll see you here, whenever I see people gather."
The guy leapt up and escaped, his movements were so quick I couldn't tell how. I tried to see where he went but it was pointless.
I shrugged and unnwound my shirt from my face.
"So, that went well."
Cara grimaced.
"I don't like him knowing where we are. If he decided not to join we'll have to deal with him."
I nodded, we would have to. But we also had to give the guy a chance to make his decision, things weren't always as clear cut to people as they were to me.

We walked out of the building into the bright sunshine. I nudged Cara with my shoulder.
"Y'know, you should really stop trying to get yourself killed all the time. I mean, I know that you're immortal and all but I think I prefer you this way to decapitated."
She shuddered. "Yes. I was afraid that he might do that."
I chuckled, "uhuh, wouldn't have been pretty. And then I would've had to kill him which might not have made my day."
We wandered aimlessly up the street, not trying to go anywhere.
"So, where d'you want to go now?"

Cara/Death

"So, where d'you want to go now?"

"Um, I don't know, but..." A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she giggled. "Did you leave the popcorn lying in the park?"

Java grinned. "You were holding it, last time I checked."

"Only because you were on the swings, behaving like a prat." She laughed properly now, gasping a little, for the first time in months. Her hand went to her mouth and she struggled to keep a straight face, breaking out into a smile every time she met Java's eyes.

"Breathe," he said, smiling himself, but with uncertainty in his eyes.

"Don't - have - to," Cara said, straightening up, the euphoria subsiding as quickly as it had come. "Not as regularly as you do, anyways. But I don't know where to go next. We've been around, haven't we?"

Java was giving her a strange look, almost critical, and Cara began to untie the shirt that hid her face.

"Didn't realise I was still wearing this," she muttered, and stuffed the sleeves into her pocket. She felt embarrassed now; what had brought that on? Maybe it was just the adrenaline wearing off for good, but Cara knew it was more than that. Something to do with being here, with Java, and just enjoying herself. Something different.

((Anyone who wants to jump in, please do. I'm at a bit of a loss. Sorry it's so terrible. Any ideas, Aqua?))

Hmmm, okay. I decided that Java had a little sister (brings out the protective side in him) so what if he gets a call and has to go home to look after her. She's around ten. Now, would Cara go back with him and enjoy being with a little girl. Perhaps she's a little like Rose, I don't know. Or maybe something else ... it's too early in the morning to think properly xD

((It'll work. We need something. You can post first, though, if that's okay. I'm having a bad day for writing. It's because I actually wrote yesterday. My mind is overloading. xP))

Firstly, I'd just like to say that this is my 500th post. I am proud. People should be honoured. *bow here*

Java/Flux

We fell into a little bit of a silence, I was thinking about possible people Ghost could be. I had some ideas in school but I didn't think any of them matched up.
To break the silence I turned to Cara. "Ok, how about we go - "
A burst of drums sounded out of my pocket which had started vibrating. I rolled my ears and dug out my phone. It was my mum.
"Java honey, it's Mum."
"Hi?"
"Listen, I know that you're probably busy but I've just got an urgent call from one of my patients. You know the clingy, suicidal guy? Apparently he's been threatening to kill himself and his family want me to go down."
"Ok..."
"The problem is that Hannah is at home with me. She says she doesn't want to go to her friend's house and you know that she can't be left alone."
I groaned, "mum, can't you just make her go?"
She sighed, "I've tried honey, I really have."
At that moment I heard my sister wailing in the background. Damn but she was immature for a ten year old! I listen to my Mum's weary breathing and sighed.
"I'll be home soon."
I cut off her thanks and snapped shut my mobile. Cara was watching me amusedly. I made a face.
"Listen, I'm really sorry but there's been an "emergency" at home. I have to go look after my sister. You're welcome to come if you want to. I know it's not the most exciting prospect I could give you but ... "

((*applauds 500th postness* And hey! This is my 333rd post. That counts for something. ))

Cara/Death

"Listen, I'm really sorry but there's been an "emergency" at home. I have to go look after my sister. You're welcome to come if you want to. I know it's not the most exciting prospect I could give you but ..."

"Sure!" Cara interrupted, and then realised that perhaps she was being a bit overenthusiastic. "I mean, yeah, it's okay. How old's your sister?"

"Ten," Java said, and winced visibly as Cara froze up. "Look, you don't have to..."

"No, no. I said I'd come, I'll come. It's fine. I want to." Cara smiled a little. Her mind was whirling with panic, fear, love, excitement - and grief. She was ten. Rose was ten. "It's no big deal, Java. It's not as if I've got anything to do until this evening."

"What're you doing...? Oh, right. Justice," Java said, blinking a couple of times. "My house is a couple of blocks away from here. We'll be there in around ten minutes."

Java

Shit. I was such an idiot. I'd totally forgotten until Cara winced. Until I saw the painful mix of emotions on her face.
We reached my house pretty quickly. Before we went in I turned to Cara.
"Listen, my sister's a little ... strange sometimes. She doesn't really like other people that much. Don't get me wrong, she's lovely. But, she might not speak to you."
Cara nodded, "it's fine."
I opened the door and was greeted by my Mum pushing past me out the door, only pausing slightly to shout a quick thanks over her shoulder. She didn't even notice Cara.
Cara raised her eyebrow. "Wow, she's busy..."
I laughed ruefully. "Yeah, she has a stressful job."
"JAVA!" Tearing through the doorway, a small bundle of denim barrelled into me. Hannah hugged my waist hard.
I hugged her tightly, "how are you, baby?"
She sounded a little pissed off. "Mum tried to get me to see Jessica. I hate Jessica!"
I laughed and prised her away from me, turning her to face Cara.
"Hanny, this is Cara. Cara, this is Hannah."
My sister regarded Cara with her bright eyes for a long minute. Then, letting go of me she stepped towards her and held out her hand.
"Hello. I'm Hannah. Are you Java's girlfriend?"

Cara/Death

"Um..." Cara looked helplessly at Java, who was caught somewhere between laughing and blushing, and back to Hannah, who was still holding out her hand. The younger girl's eyes widened.

"You are, aren't you! Java, just wait until I tell everyone! And Mum!" Hannah withdrew her hand and ran upstairs. She stopped on the staircase and turned around. "What happened to your shirt?" She didn't wait for an answer, and soon Cara heard her pick up the phone and dial a number. Before long, she was gushing to someone - another hyperactive ten year old? - on the phone.

"Sorry about that," Java said, and Cara blushed again. "She can be a bit intense... but she likes you. Sometimes she just ignores my friends."

She's not like Rose, Cara thought, and she found herself lost in relief and, oddly, some disappointment. Had she wanted Hannah to be like her own younger sister all along? No. Yet she still felt like someone had given her a lifeline, and then produced a pair of scissors.

"Cara?" Java prompted, and Cara snapped out of her reverie. "She'll be downstairs in a minute, once she realises that her friends don't care that much about my social life. You can borrow one of my mum's tops if you want; I'm sure she won't mind. Meet you back down here in a few minutes."

Java

Cara smiled, still half caught up in her thoughts.
"Thanks."
I pointed at the staircase.
"It's just up there and to the left. All three bedrooms are along there - mum's is the one on the far right."
She nodded and walked up, leaving me downstairs.

I ambled into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water; idly flicking through TV channels as I did so. There was nothing that captured me so I turned it off with a sigh.
Rachel bounded into the room, her brown hair flying in all directions.

"I like her." she announced, getting a glass herself.
I laughed, "yeah, that's great. Only, maybe next time you could leave out the girlfriend part? Way to hit it off."

Hannah pouted. "Well, she is. Isn't she?"

I shook my head, "nope. Sorry to dissapoint you."

"But you want her to be?"

I chuckled, sometimes she could be so damn smart. I winked at her and pointed at the ceiling.
"Shush, Hannah. The walls have ears, y'know."


((Sorry it's so bad. I had a little bit of a block. Maybe it's a Sunday thing.))