come_sailaway | JUNE EVENT: CAMP

early on June 10th, Friday's morning announcements end with a request for everyone going on the latest excursion to meet her in the atrium. she seems in noticeably better spirits than she had been last time, and she leads them cheerfully to the tender. once they are all aboard, and the door is securely shut, the interior fills with gas, and, perhaps, their last thought before they slip into unconsciousness is "oh shit, not again."

passengers wake up on a rickety old school bus, driving down a dirt road surrounded by woods. what is it that they notice first? that, no matter what they were wearing before, they are now wearing a camp t-shirt and legitimately horrifyingly short shorts? the overstuffed backpack between their knees? the words "take one down and pass it around" dying on their lips? the fact that Friday is absolutely driving the bus?

or, maybe the fact that it's already slowing down, pulling up in front of a massive wooden sign, saying:

CAMP AION

when they get out of the bus, Friday is the one to divide them up into their cabin groups, and she is the one to give the counselors their very official-looking clipboards and whistles. she explains that they are in charge, and that she will be back to pick them up in a week, and... very little else. she responds to nothing outside of whatever is on her unseen little script, and she gets back on the bus shortly after, leaving them there.

welcome to camp. let's make some summer memories!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Ha! Now you're getting it." Rich beams, before pondering the question. "I mean, they're pretty obvious. Don't split up. Don't stay alone for too long. If you're being chased, don't try to hide somewhere restricted. That sort of thing."

He shrugs his shoulders. "Usually, the last one standing is a badass lady, but we're not really going to fit that description."

"We are certainly out of luck in that department," Watson says with a little laugh, gently thumping Rich on the back.

He's... not good at hiding. That will never be his first choice, even when it probably should be. His fight-or-flight response is too strongly turned to "fight," maybe. "Well. We'll have to be on our guard, at least. See what sort of threat we're dealing with, if it's something external or just ourselves."

Rich smiles softly, a little proud to be acknowledged the way he likes to be. He can still be a badass boy, at least. And hopefully do something to make sure Watson gets out of this safely.

"We should... try to check in with each other every couple hours. It's important to have an ally in a place like this. If we can trust each other, we won't turn on each other the minute things start getting ugly."

"I agree."

Watson looks out across the camp, his expression serious, and he sighs. "If anything happens," he says, with sudden urgency, "anything untoward at all, anything suspicious, please let me know. If there's something out there that we need to be aware of... well, it will be better to have early warning, if we can."

Rich hears the urgent nerves in Watson's voice and tries not to frown. He folds his arms over his chest, and though Watson is looking away, he keeps his eyes on him.

"I'll tell you first thing. But only if you promise to get out of here when we do. I don't want you sticking around to play hero, okay?" Even if Rich also leans towards fighting as an instinct, he knows well enough there's no way they're going to be able to take on something as dangerous as a serial killer or anything supernatural.

Watson bristles.

"Lad, it is always my goal to protect as many people as possible. I don't 'play hero.' I go where I can do the most good. And sometimes, yes, that means going into danger." He pauses, then admits, "Though sometimes a tactical retreat is the best option, I agree."

Rich sighs and shakes his head.

"As long as you recognize when it's good to retreat. I mean, I know you're a doctor and you have experience with fights and stuff, but..." And he feels guilty even saying this much. "I mean, if you get hurt, are your boyfriends going to be okay with that?"

His expression goes very serious, and he leans down to Rich.

"César and Johnny have already seen me die," he says. His voice is low, with a sudden edge, not angry but cautioning. "They saw me be attacked and murdered on the last excursion, because everything that happened on the last excursion was shown to those on the ship. My body was taken into our room and laid out for them to see. Please, lad, do not seek to tell me to protect them when they have already gone through that. I know perfectly well what I am putting at risk by being here."

"...They what?" Rich immediately looks taken aback, enough that he isn't annoyed by the way Watson bends over to speak to him. Of course he had known about the last excursion, and the horrible things people saw, but... he doesn't recall anyone mentioning that Watson had gone. If they had, they certainly didn't mention he was one of the ones to die.

"How... how long was your body there? Before you woke up?"

"Overnight," he says. "Friday brings the body to the room at turndown service in the evening. We wake up in the morning. I'm assured I was quite cold, with no signs of life. I see no reason to doubt their word."

He sighs. "And yet, here I am again."

"That's... insane. I mean, for everyone involved. I just... I can't imagine seeing someone's body and being sure they were dead, only for them to wake up the next morning. Can't imagine it anymore than actually dying and then waking up completely fine."

Both scenarios cause him to shiver involuntarily.

JUNE EVENT: CAMP

CAMP AION

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