Places to Chat
Will you?&nb
Chatterbox: Chirp at Cricket
Will you?&nb
Will you?
Footsteps echoed in the hall as a dark figure made their way down it, sliding carefully along the wall. A heavy cloak hung over their eyes, shielding their identity from the outside world. The hems of their black garment rippled as they vanished around a bend, clutching it close to their body. As they skidded into a hallway, suddenly a bright flash of light reflected in their eyes, a beam from a flashlight.
Angry yells coupled with the tromping approach of guards, and hurriedly the cloaked figure whirled around and took off, their hood pulling off and showing a length of thick, silver hair.
“Ey, girl!” an irate man shouted, his blue uniform tight against his skin as he gave chase to the rapidly fleeing character. However, she gave no response—not that he had expected one. “After her!” he roared to his lieutenants, and with a slight stumble four men raced past him, yellowish light cast over the dark corners and revealing beady black eyes. With a squeal the rodents loitering in the darkness skittered away the girl and men just behind her darted past.
Her heart thundering in her chest, she wheeled around a corner and spotted her one solace—what she had been looking for this whole time. Fumbling with a remote in her pocket, she dragged it out with numb fingers and hurled it at the wall, feeling immensely relieved when she saw a panel bend back at the contact. Within seconds she vanished through the wall, melting through solid brick and stone.
Panting, the men rounded the corner and stopped short as they were met with a blank expanse of concrete, impossible to get through. Dumbfounded, the men walked up to it and shoved the shoulders against the wall, but it didn’t yield.
“Come on, men,” the chief grumbled, waving a hand and leading his officers away. “She musta gone down a different path. Ain’t no one who can get through a solid wall.” Hesitantly the officers stepped away from the concrete and followed their boss, casting one or two perplexed glances back. They were sure she had gone through there—but how, they had no idea…
Inside the wall, the girl released a massive breath of relief as she heard the men’s footsteps recede. Shuddering, she quickly loosed the cloak off her shoulders, sighing at the close scrape. She hadn’t been sent here to get captured, so she’d better do what she was meant to and get it over with. Tracing a finger along the outside of the circular room, she slowly felt her way across it until she reached a groove in the wall, one carved by expert hands. Removing a glassy blue bottle from a bag at her waist, she dipped a finger in the choking potion began to fill in the lines with it.
Just as she was finishing up, a slow grating sound from behind her made her whirl around in fear, spotting two icy-blue pinpricks of light glowing in the darkness. A guttural purr followed, and quickly a snake-like neck emerged from the darkness, followed by a reptilian body and two leathery wings.
“A dragon?” the girl whispered, pressed against the wall as the runes dripped potion behind her. Snorting, the dragon crept from the darkness, flaring its ruff and blinking its eyes like a hatchling. It was just then the dragon seemed to notice she was there, and poked a curious nose to her shedded cape.
This wasn’t supposed to happen…
Will she:
A. Try to attack the dragon
B. Try to run back out the into the hallway
C. Try to tame the dragon
D. Do nothing
Two days will be allotted (from your world’s March 7 to March 9) for voting upon her choice. The day of March 10… the story will continue, by the most popular choice voted. Do not forget this thread, for it wouldn't forget you. As long as you keep it on top, her saga will be told.
Her story is in your hands.
Will you?
Won’t you?
(Feel free to guess my identity, though there’s no telling if I’ll reveal it.)
submitted by All, age Everything, Nowhere
(March 7, 2017 - 3:46 pm)
(March 7, 2017 - 3:46 pm)
Perhaps it could continue? She's rested for some time, and if those who read share an interest (whether old or new to Caroline's tale), then she could travel onward for some time, possibly even end her saga. It's up to you, after you read this...
- - - - - -
[You have chosen A]
Her shaking fingers fumbling with the phone, Caroline quickly dialed Ventigo’s number, praying that he’d pick up. Casting a quick look around the darkened streets, silhouetted by the amber glow of the streetlamps, she sat down behind a mailbox and put the phone to her ear, keeping an eye on the dragon and Shale as they hung to the side, warily looking around the nighttime city.
“Caroline,” a voice on the other line said, his voice deep and even. “Have you secured it yet?” Biting her lip, Caroline dithered for a moment before reluctantly answering.
“...no, I haven’t,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “There was this whole thing, and I nearly got caught, but--”
“But?” Ventigo interrupted, sounding a little icier than before.
“B-But I found something else!” Caroline replied hastily, swallowing. “There was… a… a dragon in the chamber, and some other kind of… not-dragon.” As she said it, Caroline realized that pretty much everything else besides a real dragon was a “not-dragon”, but before she could internally smack herself Ventigo gave a chuff of surprise.
“A dragon? Well, isn’t that something… you’ll have to come back as soon as you can. Bring both of them with you.”
“Uh--yes, sir,” Caroline stuttered, nodding to herself. “Will do, sir.”
“I’ll be expecting you,” Ventigo said, then ended the call. Caroline sat in silence for a moment, feeling shivers run down her spine. Then she scrolled through her list of contacts, figuring she had just about enough time to reach someone else before she had to get going.
What should she do next?
A- “Carol Aviarti”
B- “Davy <3”
C- “374596182”
D- Don’t call anyone and move on
Five days, from September 28 to October 2, (All is absent from technology over this weekend) will be allotted for voting on her path. On October 3, the story will continue.
Will you?
Won’t you?
(September 27, 2017 - 10:16 am)
(September 27, 2017 - 11:03 am)
A!
(September 27, 2017 - 12:19 pm)
B
-maybe Davy will be more... forgiving? useful?
(September 27, 2017 - 2:27 pm)
C
(September 27, 2017 - 11:20 am)
B- I want to find out who this Davy person is!
(September 27, 2017 - 4:32 pm)
C, sounds mysterious!
(September 28, 2017 - 8:55 am)
(September 28, 2017 - 11:42 am)
[You have chosen C]
- - - - -
Her still trembling finger alighting on a certain number, Caroline licked her lips and hit call, the jumble of numbers one that she knew well. True, to anyone they appeared to be just an assortment of randomness, but... well, that was exactly its purpose. She just hoped that she was up this late. A tinny sound rang out in the night as Caroline desperatly covered her speaker, looking around to make sure that nobody had noticed the sound. Finally a click emanated from the other line, jerking Caroline back to the phone.
"Carrie?" a confused and bleary voice asked, sounding dragged with sleep. "What on Earth are you doing, calling me at two in the morning?"
"Sorry, Red," Caroline apologized, hushed. "But it's really important, I promise." Red sighed, and Caroline heard some shuffling on her side before Red gave a grunt to continue. "I just called Ventigo," Caroline began, ignoring Red's start of surprise. "Because I found... I found a dragon." Silence.
Just as Caroline thought Red wasn't going to respond, her friend let out a long breath. "A dragon? Really? Wow... I thought they went extinct centuries ago, Carrie. And you're telling me you found one?"
"Yes!" Caroline said, a rush of excitement breaking into her voice. For a second she let herself get swept away in the image of her sitting behind a mahogany desk, a gold plaque with a glittering insignia on it. Then Red spoke again, and Caroline was forced back into the cold and gritty night air.
"Well, what did Ventigo say? No--let me guess, he was short and terse and ordered you to come right away." Caroline muttered something along the lines of "yes", and Red harrumphed.
"Don't listen to that fool, Carrie," Red said, a serious note entering her voice. "He may seem like he can give you anything you want, but I know that it's all edged with a catch. Just... be careful, okay?"
"O-okay," Caroline said. "Well... what should I do, then?" Red thought for a moment before replying.
"Come to my place," she said. "Then we can work out what to do."
"Um..." Caroline hesitated, pondering. Red always said she knew just what to do, but Caroline also knew of her own personal vendetta against the man. She couldn't just pass up a chance to meet Ventigo on equal terms... "I'll think about it."
"I'll wait for twenty minutes, okay?" Red said. "Be there or be square. And... take care."
"Take care," Caroline murmured back before hanging up.
What should she do next?
A- Meet Ventigo
B- Meet Red
C- Go to a diner down the street
D- Head back to the exploded chamber
Two days, from October 3 to October 5, will be allotted for voting on her story. On October 6, the story will continue.
Will you?
Won't you?
(October 2, 2017 - 9:02 pm)
(October 3, 2017 - 6:13 am)
(October 3, 2017 - 11:31 am)
B!
(October 3, 2017 - 9:59 am)
(October 3, 2017 - 8:34 pm)
I just wanted to say thanks for sticking around, Cockleburr. It means a lot to me that you'd still follow this story even after a... what, 7 month hiatus? Wow, that's quite a long time. Anyways, I really appreciate it ^^
(October 4, 2017 - 2:17 pm)
Oh, of course! I love this story, All. You are a really good writer and I really enjoy the fact that, even though we're the ones choosing what comes next there are still big surprises! Thank you for coming back to this brilliant story!
(October 5, 2017 - 12:49 pm)