SURFACE PRESSURE. [POST-FALLOUT XXIII]
Apr 2, 2022 9:16:38 GMT -5
CallMeRobert, Swindle Shelldrake, and 2 more like this
Post by Savannah Sunshine. on Apr 2, 2022 9:16:38 GMT -5
Pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that'll never stop, whoa-oh. Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, whoa-oh-oh-oh.
Give it to your sister, your sister's older. Give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder.
Who am I if I can't run with the ball? If I fall to... Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa-oh.
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh-oh.
Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger. See if she can hang on a little longer.
Who am I if I can't carry it all? If I falter.
Give it to your sister, your sister's older. Give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder.
Who am I if I can't run with the ball? If I fall to... Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa-oh.
Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-oh-oh-oh.
Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger. See if she can hang on a little longer.
Who am I if I can't carry it all? If I falter.
MARCH 31ST, 2022
DCU CENTER [WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS]
MOMENTS AFTER HER DISCUSSION WITH PETEY & ARIK
"The man you married is Andrew Holt. He is Arik's twin brother, who was released from prison, abducted poor Arik here, and completely took over his life." Her head was spinning, full of haze as she shoved past lingering workers in the backstage area. Her eyes were burning, hot with fresh tears that had sprung to the surface. Her chest felt tight, like she couldn't breathe. She had to stop in one of the halls, had to drop against the wall as she fought to catch her breath. "He took over Arik's life because he was jealous of the things Arik could have... but he didn't. That's when he saw you... and well, the rest is history."
Savannah kept going back to Petey's words, kept hearing them over and over within her mind as her chest began to rise and fall at a quicker pace. Her vision was going fuzzy, it was hard to focus as she curled up into a ball. Arms wrapped around her knees as she rocked back and forth, panic attack setting in. How could she have thought this could ever work out? How could she have believed this was the best way to keep everyone else safe? How- "Breathe, Sav! Come on. Please." There it was, a familiar voice, just barely there. She could just hardly make out the familiar figure that was in front of her, trying to soothe her and calm her down. "In through the nose, out through the mouth. Real slow. Come on, you can do it."
Billy knelt down in front of her closest friend, championship set aside as she focused on getting her to calm down. A water bottle held in her hands as she carefully handed it to Savannah, who took it thankfully. She gulped down big sips, audible gulps falling from her lips as she wiped her mouth with a shaky hand. Eyes closing momentarily as she rested against the wall, with Billy not too far from her taking the water bottle from her shaking hands. "What's goin' on? Talk to me." Billy narrowed her gaze, ready to gut anyone who dared to upset Savannah. It's quiet for a few moments, Savannah taking some time to try to calm down.
"Arik." It's a simple word, though it holds so much weight. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought that if I did what he asked, if I played by-" She paused, feeling sick to her stomach as she quickly stood up to race on shaky legs to the nearby trashcan. What little contents were within her stomach were spilled into the trashcan, Billy walking over to hold her hair back for her. She pukes until she's dry heaving, still trying to puke even with nothing left to spill. She takes a few gulps from the water bottle again, spitting some water out into the trashcan to rinse her mouth out.
"He lied to me. Over and over and over and over again, Billy. It wasn't enough when he killed Jason, it wasn't enough when he kidnapped Kit, it wasn't enough when he kidnapped my brother. It wasn't enough when he tortured every single person in my life for his own sick and twisted and perverted fantasies." Her hands are shaking, though she's not sure if it's out of fear or anger. Perhaps it's both, though she's not really afraid anymore. "Petey, he told me the- the truth about "Arik". He's... He's not who he said he was. He's not even Arik at that." Savannah glances to Billy, whose face shifts just slightly when Savannah mentions this news.
Savannah blinks, focuses real hard on Billy, who she can read like a book these days. "Billy..." Savannah pauses, tries to think carefully about her next choice of words. "Billy, you... You knew?" She pauses again, watches as Billy grimaces and looks away from her. It's a brief moment, but it's one that still hurts nonetheless. "Yeah... I knew, but ya' gotta understand. It's not that simple. It was somethin' all of us had to take to the grave, some more literal than others. I couldn't tell ya', Sav'. No matter how bad I wanted to. Do ya' know how hard that was for me? To keep that from ya'?" Billy carefully, with slight hesitation, reaches out for one of Savannah's hands.
"I wasn't trying to hurt you, ya' know that. I would never do anything to hurt ya'. But, I knew if I spilled so much as a single shred of a hint to you? He'd do something terrible, something diabolical. You gotta believe me, I didn't want to keep it from you. When we were at the wedding, it took everything in me not to grab you and run off with you to get you away from that freak. But, I couldn't..." Billy looks away from Savannah again, swallowing hard as she takes a moment to compose herself. "If you're mad at me, I understand. But, I was only trying to protect ya'. Honest." Billy spares a glance at Savannah, who is still trying to process too many things all at once. There's a blank look on her face, an unreadable expression. Those dark bags beneath her eyes so easy to see, it's clear she hasn't slept much lately. "Say somethin', anything." Billy practically begs Savannah, who slowly lets go of Billy's hand that she had been holding onto. The motion alone sends a frown to Billy's face, though it's a beat before Savannah so much as makes another move. The two staring at one another, Billy with a look of slight confusion, and Savannah still with that blank look.
Finally, after enough time has passed, Savannah wraps her arms around Billy's waist. Practically clings to her as she buries her face in the crook of her neck, she's sure that Billy can feel the hot tears that are spilling down her cheeks. But, she doesn't let her go, and Billy can't help but to wrap an arm around her waist in return. Just keeping her close as she holds her crying and sobbing friend. The two stay like that, clinging to one another until Savannah can finally calm down after having the chance to let out everything that had been building up. "... I'm... I'm not mad at you. You did what you thought was best, you tried to protect me. But, you also kept this from me. Against my will. I love you, Billy. But, if you ever do anything like this again?" Savannah shakes her head, sniffling as she pulls away from Billy. She wipes at her tear stained face, sniffling and hiccuping from her own moment of a breakdown. "I don't want to be alone right now, Bill'." Her voice is quiet, small, as she rubs a hand at one of her eyes tiredly.
Billy nods, a small worried frown crossing her features. She had never seen her friend in such disarray, but she would do anything to make sure she helped put those pieces back together. "It's alright, I got ya'. You don't gotta be alone, not right now. I'm here." Billy reaches out both hands, steadies the swaying Savannah who has to catch her footing. "Hey, hey. Come on, don't pass out on me now. Ain't that heavy, but I need ya' to stay awake a bit longer alright?" Savannah blinks blurry vision, rubs at her eyes with a gentle sigh. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, Billy. You're a good friend, sometimes, too good of a friend. You're always looking out for me and stuff. I appreciate you." Savannah wastes little time in hugging her friend again, this time Billy doesn't hesitate to hug her back. The pair staying that way for a few moments before they pull apart from one another.
"Alright, think we might be one of the last few stragglers around here." Billy picks up her bag and Savannah's, Legacy championship picked up from being discarded on the floor and into Savannah's hands. It's heavy, but not too overbearing for the smaller female to carry. "Let's get outta here." Billy spares a glance at her friend, just out of the corner of her eye, but Savannah is merely holding it for safe keeping. Billy can't help but to give the briefest glimpse of a smile, so brief that it tugs at the corners of her lips. But, she holds out one of her hands for Savannah to take hold of as the pair head out for the night. No funny business, no worries about her running for the hills with it. Just a pair of friends, who love each other dearly. One, seemingly broken like the jagged pieces of a forgotten puzzle, and the other doing their best to balance their own shit while being there for her. What a pair they were, eh?
DCU CENTER [WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS]
MOMENTS AFTER HER DISCUSSION WITH PETEY & ARIK
"The man you married is Andrew Holt. He is Arik's twin brother, who was released from prison, abducted poor Arik here, and completely took over his life." Her head was spinning, full of haze as she shoved past lingering workers in the backstage area. Her eyes were burning, hot with fresh tears that had sprung to the surface. Her chest felt tight, like she couldn't breathe. She had to stop in one of the halls, had to drop against the wall as she fought to catch her breath. "He took over Arik's life because he was jealous of the things Arik could have... but he didn't. That's when he saw you... and well, the rest is history."
Savannah kept going back to Petey's words, kept hearing them over and over within her mind as her chest began to rise and fall at a quicker pace. Her vision was going fuzzy, it was hard to focus as she curled up into a ball. Arms wrapped around her knees as she rocked back and forth, panic attack setting in. How could she have thought this could ever work out? How could she have believed this was the best way to keep everyone else safe? How- "Breathe, Sav! Come on. Please." There it was, a familiar voice, just barely there. She could just hardly make out the familiar figure that was in front of her, trying to soothe her and calm her down. "In through the nose, out through the mouth. Real slow. Come on, you can do it."
Billy knelt down in front of her closest friend, championship set aside as she focused on getting her to calm down. A water bottle held in her hands as she carefully handed it to Savannah, who took it thankfully. She gulped down big sips, audible gulps falling from her lips as she wiped her mouth with a shaky hand. Eyes closing momentarily as she rested against the wall, with Billy not too far from her taking the water bottle from her shaking hands. "What's goin' on? Talk to me." Billy narrowed her gaze, ready to gut anyone who dared to upset Savannah. It's quiet for a few moments, Savannah taking some time to try to calm down.
"Arik." It's a simple word, though it holds so much weight. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought that if I did what he asked, if I played by-" She paused, feeling sick to her stomach as she quickly stood up to race on shaky legs to the nearby trashcan. What little contents were within her stomach were spilled into the trashcan, Billy walking over to hold her hair back for her. She pukes until she's dry heaving, still trying to puke even with nothing left to spill. She takes a few gulps from the water bottle again, spitting some water out into the trashcan to rinse her mouth out.
"He lied to me. Over and over and over and over again, Billy. It wasn't enough when he killed Jason, it wasn't enough when he kidnapped Kit, it wasn't enough when he kidnapped my brother. It wasn't enough when he tortured every single person in my life for his own sick and twisted and perverted fantasies." Her hands are shaking, though she's not sure if it's out of fear or anger. Perhaps it's both, though she's not really afraid anymore. "Petey, he told me the- the truth about "Arik". He's... He's not who he said he was. He's not even Arik at that." Savannah glances to Billy, whose face shifts just slightly when Savannah mentions this news.
Savannah blinks, focuses real hard on Billy, who she can read like a book these days. "Billy..." Savannah pauses, tries to think carefully about her next choice of words. "Billy, you... You knew?" She pauses again, watches as Billy grimaces and looks away from her. It's a brief moment, but it's one that still hurts nonetheless. "Yeah... I knew, but ya' gotta understand. It's not that simple. It was somethin' all of us had to take to the grave, some more literal than others. I couldn't tell ya', Sav'. No matter how bad I wanted to. Do ya' know how hard that was for me? To keep that from ya'?" Billy carefully, with slight hesitation, reaches out for one of Savannah's hands.
"I wasn't trying to hurt you, ya' know that. I would never do anything to hurt ya'. But, I knew if I spilled so much as a single shred of a hint to you? He'd do something terrible, something diabolical. You gotta believe me, I didn't want to keep it from you. When we were at the wedding, it took everything in me not to grab you and run off with you to get you away from that freak. But, I couldn't..." Billy looks away from Savannah again, swallowing hard as she takes a moment to compose herself. "If you're mad at me, I understand. But, I was only trying to protect ya'. Honest." Billy spares a glance at Savannah, who is still trying to process too many things all at once. There's a blank look on her face, an unreadable expression. Those dark bags beneath her eyes so easy to see, it's clear she hasn't slept much lately. "Say somethin', anything." Billy practically begs Savannah, who slowly lets go of Billy's hand that she had been holding onto. The motion alone sends a frown to Billy's face, though it's a beat before Savannah so much as makes another move. The two staring at one another, Billy with a look of slight confusion, and Savannah still with that blank look.
Finally, after enough time has passed, Savannah wraps her arms around Billy's waist. Practically clings to her as she buries her face in the crook of her neck, she's sure that Billy can feel the hot tears that are spilling down her cheeks. But, she doesn't let her go, and Billy can't help but to wrap an arm around her waist in return. Just keeping her close as she holds her crying and sobbing friend. The two stay like that, clinging to one another until Savannah can finally calm down after having the chance to let out everything that had been building up. "... I'm... I'm not mad at you. You did what you thought was best, you tried to protect me. But, you also kept this from me. Against my will. I love you, Billy. But, if you ever do anything like this again?" Savannah shakes her head, sniffling as she pulls away from Billy. She wipes at her tear stained face, sniffling and hiccuping from her own moment of a breakdown. "I don't want to be alone right now, Bill'." Her voice is quiet, small, as she rubs a hand at one of her eyes tiredly.
Billy nods, a small worried frown crossing her features. She had never seen her friend in such disarray, but she would do anything to make sure she helped put those pieces back together. "It's alright, I got ya'. You don't gotta be alone, not right now. I'm here." Billy reaches out both hands, steadies the swaying Savannah who has to catch her footing. "Hey, hey. Come on, don't pass out on me now. Ain't that heavy, but I need ya' to stay awake a bit longer alright?" Savannah blinks blurry vision, rubs at her eyes with a gentle sigh. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, Billy. You're a good friend, sometimes, too good of a friend. You're always looking out for me and stuff. I appreciate you." Savannah wastes little time in hugging her friend again, this time Billy doesn't hesitate to hug her back. The pair staying that way for a few moments before they pull apart from one another.
"Alright, think we might be one of the last few stragglers around here." Billy picks up her bag and Savannah's, Legacy championship picked up from being discarded on the floor and into Savannah's hands. It's heavy, but not too overbearing for the smaller female to carry. "Let's get outta here." Billy spares a glance at her friend, just out of the corner of her eye, but Savannah is merely holding it for safe keeping. Billy can't help but to give the briefest glimpse of a smile, so brief that it tugs at the corners of her lips. But, she holds out one of her hands for Savannah to take hold of as the pair head out for the night. No funny business, no worries about her running for the hills with it. Just a pair of friends, who love each other dearly. One, seemingly broken like the jagged pieces of a forgotten puzzle, and the other doing their best to balance their own shit while being there for her. What a pair they were, eh?
