curtainsdown | the mark of those who cannot be saved

[You remember dying. Maybe the memory is clear and bright and your body still aches from the cause. Maybe it was fast enough that you didn't feel it and don't remember what you went through. But no matter how you went out, that's no excuse for truancy! Which is to say: you are still in the school.

For those executed, you will wake up in your beds. The dormitories look exactly as they did when you first arrived, without any of the changes or personal effects you and your dormmates might have made. The only real difference is that the little cot in Ambassador isn't there.

For those who were victims, you will wake where your body was discovered. All of your injuries are gone, and you feel fine. It's almost like you're still alive - but you remember what happened to you. It couldn't have just been a dream, could it?

The school looks much as you remember it, save perhaps for a few key differences. For one, there's no groundhog murals anywhere. Where things were green on the other side, like banners or paint, you'll find that here they're blood red.

The doors, for the moment, are still locked. Looks like even death couldn't free you.]

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

(( ooc: Welcome to deadland, everyone! It mostly resembles the school here, and new floors will be revealed after new people die. For example, the second area will unlock after the week 3 dead arrive, and so on. Also, all dead characters will wake up at their actual canonpoint, with all lost memories restored. Have fun being dead! ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Where's the shirt?

[Once the book is set aside, Elle holds out the plate for him to take. The sandwich is simple: meat, cheese, and lettuce.]

Also, how are you feeling?

[he'll reach out to accept that sandwich, then, gratefully]

Less like someone is trying to crack open my skull with a sledgehammer, so already an improvement.

As for the shirts...I'm afraid Discord sort of just tossed them both in the corner over there. [he looks a bit embarrassed, gesturing to a corner of the room]

I was simply considering just disposing of them later as a lost cause.

Well, I can't promise a miracle, but I'll try my best!

[Elle goes to the indicated corner and rifles through until she sees the blood stained shirt. It isn't a big stain, but it's dry now, which is not great.]

So things with you and Discord have been good?

I appreciate you even trying. Thank you, Elle.

[as for that other bit]

They...yes. Surprisingly. [you know. all things considered]

[She begins by soaking the stain with a spray bottle and dabbing gently with a rag.]

That's good! He was...pretty upset. I mean we all were, especially the kids, but you probably knew that.

I...assumed, yes. [they haven't actually really talked about the trial that much in detail, aside from the bombs. Salieri's quiet for a moment, expression going briefly troubled, before--]

Elle, I believe I owe you an apology.

[Elle looks up and cocks her head to the side.]

What for?

Everything. That is...my actions last Friday, what I chose to do...I put you and everyone in danger based on a flawed chance. I shouldn't have done so, and I'm deeply sorry for my actions.

Oh. [Elle looks back down, apparently focusing on the stain, but really just looking for a reason to break eye contact.]

I can't really fault you for it. I, uh, kinda tried to do the same thing.

[at that, Salieri blinks, once, in surprise. He turns a bit more towards Elle then, a slight frown on his face, watching her]

...I was going to ask earlier, however, I wasn't sure when the right time would be...

[he takes a small breath]

Might I ask what happened, exactly?

You heard what our 'motive' was last week, yeah? How the Wizard made us all sick?

[She spritzes the stain again, still not looking up.]

Maybe the fever was making me paranoid or something, but with all the hallucinations people were suffering...something was going to happen. Someone was going to do something they didn't mean to.

[Her frown deepens as she dabs at the stain a little too intensely.]

So I figured if one person, you know, killed themselves, then no one would have to be executed, so they'd only loose one instead of two. And one of the flowers on the roof is literally called 'deadly nightshade', so it seemed easy enough.

[Spritz, spritz, spritz, dab, dab, dab.]

But after I took it Maya came to the roof. I think we were both hallucinating, but I remember her pushing me off. So I guess my stupid plan didn't really mean anything.

[Salieri listens, quietly. There's something that clenches with upset in his stomach as Elle talks about killing herself, about the deadly nightshade. It's an effort not to close his eyes against it--instead he pushes to his feet, slowly picking his way around the stacks of books until he can reach her in the corner, as she starts talking about how it didn't mean anything--

Salieri moves to kneel in front of her and just ever so gently ease the shirt and the spritzer bottle out of her hands, if she'll release them--so he can set them aside and pull her into a hug]

[It takes a little force to break her out of he motion, but Elle does let go of the bottle and shirt.

Elle doesn't hate crying, nor does she see it as a sign of weakness, but she is tired of it. She's cried so many times since she woke up dead, all about pretty much the same thing. Just when she thinks she's done, it happens. Someone comforts her, pulls her in for a hug, and she just melts.

There's no sobs this time, thankfully. This time her tears are hot with frustration as she returns the hug, gripping the back of Antoni's shirt like a lifeline.]

It was just suppose to be me.

I know. [gently, because even if it wasn't necessarily a good decision, it's one that he more than understands.]

You were trying to minimize the damage. [right or wrong decision, he can understand the motivation]

[Elle lets out a choked laugh.]

And it didn't even work! Orpheus and Eurydice died just because they saw what happened to me. If I hadn't been on that roof, they would still be alive.

You couldn't have known what was going to transpire, Elle. [his hand settles on her back between her shoulder blades, supporting.] Not to mention the sickness happening at that time...I can't imagine it made anything easier.

[Elle is silent for a minute before finally letting the tension in her shoulders drop into Antonio's hold.]

Thank you.

[She stays in that position for a moment more, not sure what else to say. What is there to say? Of anyone here, Antonio is the one who probably understands her decisions the best.]

the mark of those who cannot be saved

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cw mentions of suicide

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion

cw: suicide discussion