Tag: windsorgirllove

Escape Room: Library

~ zecretsanta ~ Leave a comment

to: @choicemtn

from: @windsorgirllove

Merry Christmas! Or more specifically Merry Finals at the time I’m writing this. I really hope you enjoy!

…

Phi was going to die.

Well, not physically. But emotionally, probably. Academically, definitely.

She had fallen asleep on the library. Apparently this school couldn’t pay for decent security guards, cause she had been locked in. She wasn’t even tucked away in a corner; she was in one of the computer banks, out in the open. The keyboard had left painful red indents in her face. She growled, pushing herself off the hard plastic seat while rubbing at her cheek. The library was dark.

She checked her phone. 2:58. Only 12 more hours until her final term paper was due and she could finally collapse. She picked up her bag and headed for the front door.

Locked, of course. Phi knelt down, placing her bag beside her, and peered at the door latch. She could pick regular locks pretty easily – learn how to one boring summer – but she didn’t know what to do about an electronic lock. It was probably rigged to set off an alarm, too. That would be a great way to end her first semester at college, getting kicked out for breaking into the library. She fell back to a sitting position and put her chin in her hands. Maybe she could just stay there until morning. Freak out the librarians when they finally arrived.

She sighed, falling back and stretching on the floor. This was hard. College was hard. Life was hard.

It wasn’t supposed to be.

She wasn’t supposed to be stumped by a simple locked door. She wasn’t supposed to have put off an essay until the very last moment. She wasn’t supposed to be falling behind.

Phi let out a frustrated scream, kicking the ground. Then, abruptly, all her angry energy left her. Her stomach growled. She groaned and pushed herself back up. The basement was supposed to have vending machines.

Her footsteps were especially loud on the echoing steps down. She should probably be more worried about making so much noise. But it’s not like anyone would hear. That would be too lucky for her.

She punched the numbers into the machine and leaned against it, surveying the basement study area. They’re were bean bag chairs in some of the private study rooms on the top floor. Maybe she could just sleep here. That would be nice – a quiet night, for once. She couldn’t get comfortable in her own room. She was an only child. Sleeping with another person in the room was… weird.

Phi tore the wrapper off the chocolate and took a big bite of it. Food made her brain feel a little clearer. She couldn’t sleep – not yet. And she couldn’t stay here either. There were probably other exits from the library. Maybe she could climb from one of the windows. There was also the cafe – they had to have a door in the kitchen or something.

She strolled through the basement, looking around. Most of the basement was dedicated to the archives. She had spent most of her time upstairs, in the private study rooms. It’s the only chance she got to be alone. It’s what she wanted.

Alright, no. No it’s not what she wanted. That’s what she was used to. It’s what she was comfortable with but it wasn’t what she wanted. She just didn’t know what she wanted. Not this, certainly. Not college.

More specifically not locked in the library in this shitty college by herself. There wasn’t any escape route from the basement, unless she fancied digging. She tramped up the stairs, munching her chocolate bar. She just wanted to get out of here. Out of this college, out of this town. Find an apartment, get a shitty job, get a cat. Disappear from the lives of everyone she ever knew. Find some new friends.

The cafe door wasn’t locked, although she half expected it to be. She hopped the counter, wandering into the kitchen. There was one door, leading out to the terrace where students would sit during the warmer months. Phi rushed to it, jiggling the handle. Locked, of course, but locked normally, not electronically. She crouched down, glaring at the keyhole while she fiddled with her hair. Her bangs fell in her face as she removed her hairpin and bent it back. It slid into the lock, clicking as she moved it around. Before long the lock sprung open.

She stopped to pin her hair back, repositioning the flower pin in her hair. Then she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulders, and escaped.

There was a tall hedge of bushes surrounding the terrace and pinning her in. Phi growled and stepped up onto the brick base of the planter. She had no time or patience to try finding the easiest route. Just the shortest.

The branches tore at her hair and her skin, but she pressed on, fueled by determination and late night desperation. Eventually, gasping, she made her way to the other side. She stood panting. Fucking finally.

Phi slumped to the ground, shivering. It had been so warm this afternoon when she left for the library, but now at night the December chill finally made its appearance. She hugged her knees to her chest. All her energy from before had left her, and she felt exhausted. Phi closed her eyes. She just wanted to open her eyes and be somewhere else.

There was something strange pressing at the back of her mind. She closed her eyes tighter, willing it to go away. But it kept growing. It was like the worst migraine she had ever had times ten. She let out a groan as it kept building. Her eyes shot back open, and everything was blurry. She tried to get to her phone, call for help, or even shout, but she didn’t get a chance before she passed out.

When she woke up she was staring at a blank gray ceiling.

April 13th, 2029

~ zecretsanta ~ Leave a comment

to: @guessworks-art

from: @windsorgirllove

Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy! Some VLR!End JunpeixCarlos

Junpei paced around the cramped apartment. Left, right. Six steps up, six steps to the side, six steps down. He sighed. He ought to be home by now.

The news was bad. Worse than it usually was, even. Ever since Radical-6 was released on the world, death tolls, crime rates, everything had gone up. It was a busy time to be a firefighter.

Busy time to be a detective too, probably, not that Junpei had been doing much detective work lately. Ever since he had woken up in the middle of Nevada with no memories, again, he hadn’t really felt like doing any detective work. He hadn’t felt like doing anything, really. He hadn’t even been home in the four months since then.

He guessed he was lucky that Carlos had found him. He still had no idea how he had gotten to America, but apparently he had found him collapsed on the ground and brought him to the hospital. He had saved his life.

There were three short knocks on the door. Junpei rushed to unlock it, practically throwing the door open. “You’re late,” he accused.

“Sorry,” Carlos said, scratching his neck. He was covered with more ash than usual today. “Long day.”

“I can see that,” Junpei said, stepping aside to let him through. He glanced outside suspiciously, then closed the door, replacing the locks. “Anything exciting happen?”

“Oh, the usual.” Carlos cracked a smile, which quickly faded. “Someone jumped in front of the truck.”

“Again?” Junpei asked, fetching two glasses from the cupboard. “Pretty soon they’re just gonna close the roads.”

“But if they do that, we wouldn’t be able to get help to anyone,” Carlos pointed out. He accepted the cracked cup from Junpei.

“It’s like the apocalypse out there.” Junpei commented, pulling a bottle of gin from under the counter.

“Not yet,” Carlos muttered. He shook his head when Junpei offered him the bottle. “Just water.”

Junpei shrugged and tipped the bottle back, taking a swig for himself. Carlos reached over and snatched the bottle from his hands. “Just water,” he said again.

Junpei rolled his eyes, filling the cups with water instead. “We might as well start drinking now,” he said. “It’s not like things can get much worse.”

“Let’s wait anyway,” Carlos said. “We can save it for a special occasion.”

“Ooh, how romantic,” Junpei teased, perching on the edge of the couch. “Are you gonna take me on a picnic?”

“W-well, I-” Carlos stuttered. Junpei laughed as he got more flustered. He was saved from answering by the news clicking on.

“Today is April 13th, 2029, and this is the evening news.”

Carlos sat up with a start. “Today’s April 13th?!”

“Shh, I’m trying to watch the news,” Junpei said, smacking him in the shoulder.

“Unfortunately, I…” The newscaster took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any news to read. All of our station’s reporters have – have passed after contracting Radical-6. So have my…” She brushed her eyes, clearly struggling to remain composed. “Excuse me. I’ve managed to keep us on the air until now, but I’m out of tricks.” She shrugged, smiling sadly. “It’s time for me to sign off. This concludes our broadcast day. I pray that someday our world can be cleansed of this horrible plague.” She took a breath, and with a shaking hand brought a handgun out from under her table and pressed it to her temple. “Goodbye.”

The shot rang around their tiny apartment followed by a loud crash. Junpei looked over and saw that Carlos had dropped the glass he was holding.

“Come on, man we only have so many of those,” he joked weakly. Carlos didn’t respond. “Hey, come on. It’ll be fine.” He reached over and clicked off the tv, which had gone to static once the woman had shot herself. “We’ll get through this. I mean, it’s not like it’s any worse than what you see everyday.”

Carlos was still silent, and Junpei thought he had said the wrong thing. Then he shook himself, and said quietly, “Right.” He stared at the shards of glass for a few more seconds, then turned to face him. “Junpei, do you want to go on that picnic?”

“What?” Junpei laughed, but Carlos was dead serious. “Uh, sure man. Whatever you want. Just… not right now, though,” he continued, putting a hand on Carlos’s arm. “Cause it’s dark out.”

“…Right,” he said, as though he’d just remembered. “Tomorrow. Or the next day. We have time. We have time.” He kept repeating that, quieter and quieter. Junpei shook him.

“You alright? You’re scaring me, dude.”

“I am? I am. Sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s just…” He reached up and cradled Junpei’s cheek. “You’re important to me. You know that, right?”

“Um, yeah?” Junpei brought his hand to Carlos’s. “Same here? What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Nothing, everything’s fine-”

“No! Tell me.” He stared into Carlos’s eyes. Ever since they met Carlos had been tip toeing around him, like he thought he would break. Or like he knew something Junpei didn’t. “What’s happening? What do you know?”

“Junpei?” Carlos asked.

“Yeah?”

“Do you trust me?”

“…yes.”

“Then kiss me.”

He didn’t even hesitate. As they kissed the world lit up. Across the planet, all eighteen antimatter plants exploded simultaneously. And inside a ramshackle apartment outside of Los Angeles, they clung to each other, oblivious as the world came tumbling down.