[ WEEK THREE – KILL LOG (ANNABETH) ]

[sheriffexe]

[ So, Annabeth is in the stocks.

That sucks.

She would have been there since 5 AM. Hopefully someone brought her things to eat and drink during the day but otherwise, hands and head bound in the wooden frame.

If someone was with her earlier, they're suddenly not now. Instead, she is alone and the moon shines bright in the sky with an accompanied stillness to the air. Nearby, a raccoon dives underneath the General Store porch, a piece of stolen meat clutched between its tiny paws. It watches her with beady yellow eyes.

She might, in the distance, see someone approaching. ]

Comments

[guiltlevel]

[ And well... Here he is, the "mysterious" person..! If that is what you can call him.

He is carrying his "weapons", basically a small gas can and a box of matches. Sadly... Russell isn't much for conversation? Err.. ]

Oh, the sheriff was right... You are really stuck. Isn't it scary out here..? With the animals...

[ Hello? ]

[athenite]

[ gas can and box of matches. well then. at least percy has her dagger, probably, and he's not here, more importantly. she's supposed to be the smart one, and she's supposed to always have a plan, but her plans don't amount to much of anything when she can't actually move. with arachne she'd known enough of the nightmare spinner to know how to talk her around.

she doesn't know anything about this kid but his name. ]

No, it isn't scary. [ or she'll never say the words. maybe it is instead something very sad: she escaped tartarus, and new rome just keeps sliding further and further away. ] Were you hoping it would be?

[guiltlevel]

No... I don't know why I would want it to be...

[ Sometimes the dark can be pretty scary okay! But Russell in particular is more accustomed to it... Though, moving on... Honestly, it will be better to get to the point, huh? Especially since Russell isn't the kind that likes to stand around and talk all night - besides, he's gotta make it back to the hotel in a bit. ]

I'm... Going to kill you, okay. I don't really know it'll be quick or not, though... [ And without further ado, he's uncapping the gas can. ]

[athenite]

It won't be. Death by burning alive generally isn't.

[ she's actually not sure why anyone would think it was, so she kind of assumes he wasn't being sincere about not knowing about if it would be quick or not. ]

Are you going to at least tell me why? [ clipped and to the point. if she doesn't know, then she's even more helpless than she already is.

annabeth tries not to think of percy. ]

[guiltlevel]

This is all I have... So I can't really change my mind.

[ Kinda weird talking to someone you're about to kill, minus the times where the people actually asked Russell to kill them... That's a different situation.

He'll at least begin pouring some of the gasoline around the base of the stocks before pausing to answer. ]

The sheriff guy told me I gotta kill someone... So I am?

[athenite]

Why do you have to?

[ look if she has to die - and thank fuck she ordered percy inside, probably, or maybe he'd have had to kill someone tonight and annabeth has never wanted that for him - she at least wants to die knowing shit. it's easier to focus on questions than on what's about to happen.

she's pretty determined to not let on it bothers her, or at least not to scream or anything, until she can't think about that kind of thing any longer. ]

[guiltlevel]

Because... He told me I was a bandit, like Mr. Higekiri...? I'd also get a reward.

[ Even though the reward isn't really his motivation... But he's kind of curious what it'd be, to be honest. ]

But ... I might as well, pay attention to the rules... Because that's how you play the game, right?

[ Just going with the flow, really. So... Yeah, Russell can't even say "sorry I'm going to burn you" because he doesn't even feel bad... He's even going to splash some gasoline on her? Gotta empty that can out before he can start using the matches!

The more gasoline the more it burns right? Is that how it works??? ]

[athenite]

[ there is literally no way to argue with someone who is just doing something because "why not" good lord this kid seems kind of crazy to her right now? it's easier to focus on that fact than anything else. her mind is still racing for options, but she can't move and she doesn't think anything she can say will have an effect - and all she can do is talk. ]

It's how you lose the game.

[ she'll try. for percy. and because she's annabeth, and she won't stop trying until the very end, even if she can't do anything other than talk. ]

[guiltlevel]

[ Yeah, it's fair to think that, honestly. Totally fair. ]

Is it..? That's not what the sheriff said...

[ Russell drops the gas can, and reaches for the box of matches. He's lit a few before, so this should be easy, really... With a little flick against the match box, he lights one, and drops it on the ground where he initially poured the gasoline.

Now... Will he need more than one? He'll prepare a second one just in case because he's going to get ready to book it. First, he'll watch the flames spread for a few moments. ]