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Post by Della Edington on Jun 5, 2020 1:42:31 GMT
Cassim was holding her, kissing her, telling her he loved her...for a moment everything in the world was right. He felt like home. "I never looked at another man," she whispered, leaning into his touch, desperate for more. "It's always been you, only you."
And then the door opened. Della blinked against the light, a sudden change compared to the dim blue from before. Two silhouettes stood in the doorway, one tall and one much smaller, and the first one holding what looked to be a knife. Before fear could grip her, the first one spoke Cassim's name, and she relaxed; this person seemed friendly, at least. Maybe even their salvation, since the door opened. Another voice, female, spoke up, and Della was able to recognize it. "Katherine!"
If she was going to say something else, it died in her throat when seeing the expression on the model's face. As she confessed, Della looked away, but stayed close to Cassim, her heart hurting for her friend but unwilling to let go of the hand in her own. Della couldn't blame Katherine; she herself had said if it had been Cassim's name on the letter, she would've gone through with her task.
The stranger tried working with Cassim's shackles, but the key didn't seem to fit in quite right, filling Della with a sense of dread. She looked down at her wrists, where the chains had broken but the shackles remained, and began to shake from something other than the cold. She needed to be wrong. She had to be.
Dorian. That was this man's name. He was the "winner", and Della was his "prize". She felt sick to her stomach, but the speaker kept going, uncaring or unaware of the emotions in the room.
This couldn't be real. Dorian wouldn't take Cassim's place, no sane person would. If Della had the option, she would offer herself up in a heartbeat, but that wasn't going to happen from the looks of it. But she couldn't just leave him to die!
"Please," she begged, looking at Dorian. "Please, I know I rejected the love letter that had your name, but please, let's talk about this. Maybe-maybe we can look around? There might be another key hidden somewhere in here, right?" Della moved over to Katherine, trying not to cry as she grabbed her hands. "Katherine, I'm sorry, Casism and I only just happened last night, I'm sure he would never want to hurt you like this. Was there anything in the room behind you that could help us? Anything?"
And then she noticed the cut on the model's cheek. "Your cheek...what happened? Was that part of the "game"? What happened to you?" That wasn't something she could just bandage up like the wrist injury.
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Post by Cassim ben Ishak on Jun 5, 2020 2:14:11 GMT
You have a choice to make.
Cassim's heartbeat pounded painfully in his chest, his grip on Della going slack as she pulled away from him to reach Katherine. All he could do was look at the models face. Letter? What letter? Had she really felt that way...? Guilt pooled in both his mind and heart. But worst of all... There... There really wasn't any way to get out of this. His eyes met Dorians for a brief moment. A sudden, horrible thought blossomed in his mind. One that involved chains coiled like a serpent around the younger mans neck.
No, his mind hissed venomously. He couldn't do that to Dorian, to Katherine... Della was already scrambling to think of solutions. Trying to think of a way to free him. Yet he already knew the outcome. No matter what any of them did, he knew the outcome would always be the same. The matchmaker had already decided his fate.
"I'm sorry, Katherine," he said quietly in a broken voice, "I didn't... I never meant to hurt you. Not like this."
Obsidian eyes rose back to Dorian's face. He moved closer, pulling the man into a hug. They'd been through so much together. Watching him grow from boy to man had been a pride and love he didn't realize he had possessed until now. In every sense of the word... Dorian was his son, not matter if they shared the same blood or not. His arms trembled as he held the younger man, trying to keep his composure together. The idea of dying like this... In a god damned freezer... Wasn't exactly how he imagined going out. But the idea of losing any of them was just something his mind simply could not begin to comprehend.
"Promise me you'll take care of her," Cassim whispered into Dorian's ear. "Swear it to me, Dorian."
The idea of Della being Dorian's prize... sickened him to his very core. Della was not a prize to be tossed from man to man just to please some sick woman's fantasies. She deserved love... Real love, where she was cherished for being the kind soul he knew her to be. To lose his life, to lose his chance with her so soon after finally confessing his feelings... Life, it seemed, was playing a cruel joke.
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Post by Dorian F. Blund on Jun 5, 2020 18:40:46 GMT
As Dorian made his way to Cassim, he could hear behind him the sound of Katherine’s lament. She sounded cruelly distraught; of course the situation was deplorable, but something in her tone instantly told him that there was even more to it, though he couldn’t currently figure out why. That is, until she started confessing her love to a seemingly confused and regretful Cassim. Apparently, there was some kind of love triangle happening around him in the room, and Dorian could not have possibly felt more out of place. Deciding not to get involved, he concentrated on the chains; whatever they were talking about could be resolved later, they needed to all get out of the room first. Alas, though he tried multiple times, the key wasn’t budging. “I don’t understand.” He muttered, looking around the room, seeing no other door to be opened. What else could it possibly be fo—wait. He hadn’t noticed it before, disregarding her the moment he’d seen she was free, but Della’s hands were also shackled, they simply didn’t seem to be connected to anything. Either she had freed herself somehow or their host had a weird way to handle these conflicts, chaining her up just for the sake of it. Was that what the key was for? But then, what about Cassim?
"Now, Dorian," ‘She’ was back. Shit, he really couldn’t stand her voice, least of all the way she said his name. He hated the way she said anything. "You have a choice to make. Della as your rightful prise will follow you into your room”
My prize? He turned to the woman in obvious puzzlement; he was starting to piece together that Katherine and him might have been playing for different people, and that his hadn’t been Cassim despite how much sense it would make, but he had assumed that it would simply mean them getting out of the freezer and accompanying them as their next roommate, not… anything beyond that. How was he to take a woman as a prize? To his room? Was he expected to take her in the most literal sense? Dorian shook his head, feeling within him the same sickness he could read on the poor woman’s face. This… this wasn’t right. She wasn’t an object, for crying out loud. And Cassim clearly loved her, too. Before he could interject, the voice continued.
“However, Cassim is not going to leave this room unless... you switch places with him"
Dorian froze. He had come to the conclusion that he and Katherine had been competing for different human beings; but at most, he had expected this meant that he would somehow ‘own’ Della, whatever that implied, while Katherine would come out ‘empty-handed’. Now, though, he realized the true meaning of the game. They were playing for these people’s ‘lives’. And by winning, Dorian had sentenced Cassim, one of his only friends and mentor, to a certain, slow, agonizing death.
He had killed him.
“Wait.” Dorian breathed out, the cold surrounding him and slowly entering his bones turning his respiration to a warm steam. He had killed Cassim. Indirectly, but he had. He was going to die unless he switched places with him; and Dorian did not know if, despite his distress, he could bring himself to do that. To choose to die.
Of course, he should have fucking known. He had guessed that the prize would probably not be an actual reward, that it would fuck him over somehow. But if only he had known he was playing against Cassim’s life… He avoided Della’s eyes. Would he have let her die? Maybe. He didn’t even know her. Cassim loved her, he would be devastated, but he would be alive. Shit. “Wait, I—“
"Please," that very woman interjected, looking at him with desperate, pleading eyes. "Please, I know I rejected the love letter that had your name, but please, let's talk about this.”“ The what?” Dorian stared back at her, his face the absolute image of pure confusion. “I never sent you a love letter.” Was she confusing him with someone? By God, he barely even knew the woman, why would he ever confess to her, in written form no less? God, why did it even matter? This was not the time, they could worry about this mess later. Shit. Dorian was sensing his heartbeat rise to a dangerous speed. He’d always thought to be a man good in tense situations, who knew how to work his way out of a conflict, but this; this was beyond anything he’d ever had to handle. All of these emotions, these sentiments, this complicated romantic affair he’d just seen himself thrown in the middle of; that wasn’t for him. He didn’t do intense sentiments, love, strong demonstrations of affection, and now they had suddenly dropped the weight of someone’s life on his shoulders; he didn’t know how to work his way around that, how to negotiate that, and soon, he felt his breathing accelerating too. Don’t panic. Don’t fucking panic.
And suddenly there were big, strong arms around him; he briefly thought back to Katherine hugging him in their past room, right after he had told her about Kamala’s death. Funny how he almost longed for that moment, a time when all he had to worry about what to deal with the passing of a friend who had already died, rather than the anticipation of a new loss, taken indirectly by his hands. Yet, as soon as he heard Cassim’s words, he understood this wasn’t just a comforting embrace. "Promise me you'll take care of her. Swear it to me, Dorian." This was a goodbye.
“No.” Dorian felt something snap in his mind, a cold feeling wash through him from head to toe. Raising his hands to the older man’s shoulders, he pushed him away, his expression having returned to the harsh, apathetic face of a businessman. What was he doing, panicking like a stupid child? There were lives on the line. Get a grip on yourself. “No, this isn’t the end of this. There’s got to be something else these people want from us.” Maybe this, too, was a test. A test of obedience perhaps; or, maybe the exact opposite, a test to know what they could get out of them, just like they’d gotten Katherine to harm herself for their sick enjoyment. He’d bargained his way through worse. Well, maybe not quite…
Taking a couple steps back from the man, Dorian looked up towards the speakers, now seeing a camera. Of course. God forbid there be one singular room in this godforsaken place that wasn’t watching their every movement. “Look, I don’t know what you expect from us; but I’m sure you’re aware there is a lot you can get from me and Cassim both; money, estates, you name it. This operation can’t be cheap. Just name your price.” Taking a small pause, he finished his tirade, feeling guilty of his next words before he’d even said them, avoiding Cassim and Della’s stares. “I will keep the woman if you so desire. I’m sure Cassim can make a good match too. You seemed to like the idea of him and miss Sallow.”
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Post by Katherine Sallow on Jun 5, 2020 18:52:38 GMT
"You have a choice to make," Katherine felt like she knew where this was going and she didn’t like it one bit. "Della as your rightful prize will follow you into your room, however, Cassim is not going to leave this room unless... you switch places with him," No….Della and Dorian were the next match...what went wrong?! Katherine's thoughts consumed her till she heard "Please, I know I rejected the love letter that had your name, but please, let's talk about this. Maybe-maybe we can look around? There might be another key hidden somewhere in here, right?" Katherine looked up, Della...didn’t do her task...this was her fault. No...maybe. When Della grabbed her hands and tried to explain everything between her and Cassim she pulled away. Not wanting to be touched, she shook her head. “Della...how can you be...so stupid? I thought you knew better. You know Dorian would never send such a thing when you two barely know one another! It was a task! If you did the task! WE WOULDN’T BE HERE!” She covered her mouth. She was losing it. Katherine, breathe ,it's ok...but it wasn’t. Della then moved onto her cheek asking all types of questions “I chose to give myself the scar so that way I would get a letter and be one step closer to winning. Funny what we do to stay alive. See the knife with the blood on it?” She went over and picked it up. “That's the same knife I used to give me this wonderful scar.” Katherine looked at the blade that had her blood and dropped it. “You and I know that this won’t end well for either of them. No confetti to fake the blood...two men that I love dearly….one will walk out with us while the other will stay here. I really thought you would know better Della but I guess you decided to be selfish…” Katherine turned her back to her, tears falling down.
Katherine then saw Cassim and Dorian hugging. Cassim was saying his goodbye and Katherine could only watch. “Look, I don’t know what you expect from us; but I’m sure you’re aware there is a lot you can get from me and Cassim both; money, estates, you name it. This operation can’t be cheap. Just name your price.” Katherine felt sorry for him and all she could do was bite her lip.”I will keep the woman if you so desire. I’m sure Cassim can make a good match too. You seemed to like the idea of him and Miss Sallow.” Katherine just couldn’t do it. How could she marry Cassim when the kidnapper, herself and everyone knew...it wouldn’t be a perfect match. “Dorian…” Tears fell and she tried to muster some courage but she couldn’t say anything.
"I'm sorry, Katherine,I didn't... I never meant to hurt you. Not like this." she heard Cassim say. Katherine picked up her red dress ,which was freezing cold at this point and ran over to him. Katherine hugged him gently. “I was a fool to think you would have such feelings for me but I do love you.” She pulled to look at him and cupped his face, a memory made itself known to her. She did the same thing when they were both in a dressing room while waiting for a photoshoot but this time she didn’t pull away. Katherine kissed his cheek, she wanted to kiss his lips but with Della there...it would be wrong. “I don’t want you here alone and I don’t want Dorian here either. I wish...I wish there was a way all of us could just leave, no deaths because I can’t bear the thought of losing both of you...I just can’t. Cassim...I…” More tears fell and hugged him tightly. “I wish we had more time to talk and just catch up but here we are and I wish this was just a nightmare. I want to wake up and see that I'm still in the room with Dorian and that you and Della are safe. It’s too much and I can’t take it anymore. This game is too much. I wish it didn’t come to this.” How she missed him so much and the one time she would embrace him...would probably be her last. Katherine didn’t want to let go until she had an idea. She pulled back and kissed Cassim’s hands.
Katherine continued to hold Cassim’s hand and looked up at the ceiling. “If you can hear me, I'm sure you can please listen to what I have to say. I think you see Della and Dorian as the perfect match and I have no doubt in mind you would marry them. To you it is the perfect match but to everyone else, they would know it was an unhappy one. I’m sure Hannah and Geoff are a match made in heaven and I know you would want successful matches but…”She looked at her friends. “But...sometimes not everything is like a fairy tale that we grow up to believe. Please I beg of you...if there is any kindness in your heart which I know there is. Let us all go. We will never tell a soul about this.” She looked at Cassim and then let go and stepped forward “I will trade myself to be married to whomever you see fit if it means Cassim can live. I have a family. I have my father...my two brothers and my...my…” She sighed there was no backing out now. “And my two children, Thomas and Alianore. Yes they were conceived out of marriage but the man refused to do anything to prevent such a thing. Please pick someone for me to marry so my children will have a father…” Tears falling down her cheeks, she knew this was helpless but she wanted to fight for Cassim’s life. “I am bound to obey and serve you and my husband, should you pick but please….let us live.” Bound to Obey and Serve...the motto of Jane Seymour who just did as she was told and never argued...This would now be Katherine’s motto as well“A marriage for a life. Please consider it for I know...there is kindness within your heart.” She looked at Dorian, Della and Cassim. Both her and Dorian had given this woman something in trade for Cassim’s life. This was her plea. If this didn’t work then she didn’t know what would happen to herself. This...this would be a bittersweet tragedy.
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Shake the hand of a brand new fool
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Post by Della Edington on Jun 5, 2020 19:55:25 GMT
Della was seeing everything unfold in front of her, but she couldn't understand any of it. Cassim was hugging Dorian, Dorian had confirmed he didn't write the letter and was bargaining with the woman behind the camera, Katherine was yelling at her and then kissing Cassim and then promising to do whatever their captor wanted...And there was no answer from the speakers. Silence. It was all too much. Cassim wasn't going to be freed, no matter who begged or who agreed to marry who. He was going to be left to die in a freezer with only a butcher knife to ease his passing. The idea was intolerable.
Having stood still for a few moments, watching the drama before her, Della moved back to Cassim, taking his hand and looking at the other two.
"I'm staying." Compared to her pleas earlier, her voice was low but clear. She would not be talked out of this. If this was truly her fault, she would make her bed and lie in it. With her other hand she pulled the pair of scissors from her skirt pocket, holding it firmly. "And before you start," she said, turning her head to look up at Cassim, "I already promised you we were in this together. I won't let you sleep alone ever again." Even for the final sleep. She squeezed his hand, her calm demeanor faltering for a second as she whispered, "Don't ever go where I can't follow. Please."
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Post by Cassim ben Ishak on Jun 5, 2020 20:46:11 GMT
This was all in vain. No matter what they did, his fate had already been long decided by the matchmaker. Dorian seemed almost desperate, while with Katherine... He... He didn't know how to feel. He loved her. But not in the way she loved him. So many times he had found himself lost in her arms to forget the pain of yesterday. For awhile it worked. Cassim's time spent with her was pure and filled with love and friendship. Yet he couldn't find it in his heart to give more than that. Her speech was beautiful and slowly stabbed small knives into his heart, begging and pleading for his life. Cassim gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he gazed down at her, trying to give her one last sweet smile.
"Katy," he began gently, "thank you. These past few years... They've meant so much to me." He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a light kiss against her knuckles. A small reminder of the first time they'd officially been alone together. No matter how many scars could have marred her face, she still would have been one of the most beautiful women to have ever crossed his path in life. "Find your father. He needs you."
Then... he let her go. There was no way he could help her through this. But there was no getting around it. Katy was strong-willed... She would make it out. If Dorian was with her, all doubts fled his mind.
Dorian.
He finally looked back at the younger man. Dorian had always been a hard one to read. Always so formal, so in control. Never allowing anything to phase him. He was like a pillar of stone standing against the constant push of the ocean, unyielding to its power. The boy he had held and cradled as a child... Tears threatened to form in his eyes, but Cassim forced them back as he placed a firm hand on Dorian's shoulder.
"I know you, boy. Don't blame yourself." You didn't know. "My time has just come sooner than expected... I am ready. I've taught you all I can, now it's up to you to use that knowledge to its full potential."
His gaze softened and his voice dropped low. "I'm proud of the man you've become, Dorian." Their eyes locked on each other for the briefest moment, and Cassim tried to display the love and affection he had for the man. Eventually, he pulled away. The chains around his ankles felt heavier now. A grim reminder that his time for goodbyes was running out. But there was still one person he had yet to say it to...
Della moved to his side, yet he struggled to find the words.
"I'm staying."
Cassim's head whipped up to stare at Della with wide eyes, his hands curling into fists. Before he could begin to protest, she pulled a pair of scissors from her pocket; the same pair that she'd used the day they'd been trapped within the basement.
"And before you start," she began firmly, "I already promised you we were in this together. I won't let you sleep alone ever again." Her face seemed to crumbled before his eyes, and she whispered just loud enough for him to hear, "Don't ever go where I can't follow. Please."
"No," Cassim all but growled as he moved closer, grabbing her wrists. He couldn't let her do this. Wouldn't let her. "No, Dells. I've lived my life. A good, happy one. You still have so much time left. Don't throw your life away for an old man who has served his time." Both rage and fear mingled together within his blood, hot tears threatening to overflow. "Don't you get it? You were a comfort. Nothing more. You meant... You meant nothing to me."
The venom in his voice died and his facade was quickly faded. His hands shook as he held her. Cassim hated crying. He never cried. Never wanted to show his weaknesses to the rest of the world. But now it was as if someone has opened the floodgates and now no matter how he tried to steel himself they wouldn't stop.
"Della, please," he begged in a broken voice. "Don't do this. Don't make this harder than it has to be."
Obsidian met emerald. Tears were in her eyes, too. But then there was that look. The one that he knew no matter what he said, what he did, her mind was set. There was no changing it. A broken laugh left him as he pulled her tight against his chest, burying his face in her chocolate hair.
"Why must you always be so stubborn?" he asked quietly.
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Post by Dorian F. Blund on Jun 6, 2020 0:15:41 GMT
As soon as his bargaining ended, started Katherine’s plea, hers with a very different tone. Rather than demanding and resolute, hers was complacent and compassionate; perhaps too much so. She was talking about fairytales, and love, and good hearts, and by God, what was she thinking?? Did she truly believe that someone who had already taken so many lives, and offered them a deal consisting of two men having to decide which one of them would live, all of that to be “rewarded” with a woman, would ever listen to such platitudes? She was putting in doubt the very idea of him and Della being together, which, while he wholeheartedly agreed with, was not the right move. This person was already prepared to kill one of them, he doubted she would hesitate to kill them all, if they refused to comply in a way that satisfied her. And going against her wishes so thoroughly would not help them.
She added in her wish to be married off to placate her, and while it seemed to go against everything she had just preached, it was at least a possible way to sway them, if she was to offer herself up as a prize. It was tragic, to see her lower herself to such acts just to save the life of a man she loved who did not want her back, and yet at the same time, it spoke for her kindness. His heart skipped a beat when she mentioned her children, and he could only close his eyes for a short second in apprehension, hoping this would not be her downfall. Still, perhaps between her offer and his money, they could work something out to appease the beast. Silence. Absolute, dead silence. … Alright, money hadn’t worked. Not yet at least. Was it the wrong move? Had Katherine’s speech angered them? Wheels turned in his head at top speed; surely he could figure out another plan, if given a couple more minutes. A hand rested on his shoulder, and Dorian tensed. He refused to think about, did not want to turn around; still, he felt like he knew what was coming. Gingerly, he looked back at Cassim. “I know you, boy. Don't blame yourself." Don’t. "My time has just come sooner than expected...” Don’t. ”I am ready.” Don’t. “I've taught you all I can, now it's up to you to use that knowledge to its full potential." No."I'm proud of the man you've become, Dorian."“Don’t say that.” Dorian shook his head, lips pressed together in a fine line. Old man had no idea what he was doing, what he was agreeing to. He looked back up at him with pained rage in his eyes. “Since when do you give up so quickly? This isn’t the Cassim I know. We can still work something out.” They were professionals. They were smart. They could handle anything; but they needed to work together. And yet, Cassim was here, already throwing in the towel. Why couldn’t he take his hand and help him figure something out, for his own life, for his lover? No one in this damn room was being any help at all. Idiots.
"I'm staying." Della’s voice rang in his ears, and immediately, Dorian felt as if an invisible hand was reaching for his neck, holding him in place, preventing him from breathing. Shit. Not her too. Why couldn’t – why couldn’t anyone just work with him? This was difficult enough. Now Cassim was screaming at her, crying, and Dorian’s hands reached his head, hissing. “Stop this. You two are only making this worse.” Now this person could claim two lives instead of one. What if this was what they wanted? What if they were angry instead, and killed them all for their insolence? Why couldn’t they think. "Don't do this. Don't make this harder than it has to be." Dorian eyed the older man; this should have been his line. Instead, Cassim was directing it to Della. The woman had seen right through his attempts to push her away, his lies of unrequited love that even Dorian could see for what they were. And the woman stared back at Cassim, with such passion and devotion, that Dorian could only look away. This moment wasn’t for him, it belonged to them alone, and only being in their presence felt like he was intruding. How did I never notice? He’d known that Cassim had relationships with many women, the number and situations often making him uncomfortable. And he had heard of this Della. Something had told him that perhaps, she would be one of Cassim’s conquests one day, and yet, she never was. A rebel, he had thought. Someone had to deny him once in a while. And yet, there they were now; because the connection they shared was not just a mindless flirt, he realized. It was actually love. The kind of love he’d never felt. And somehow, despite all the time he’d spent with Cassim, he had never even noticed it. How could he be so blind? That was when it finally clicked. Now, with Cassim’s hands around Della, his face buried in her hair, her embracing him strongly.
She’s not going to agree to free him, no matter what we offer her. She needs him to die, because she wants me to marry Della. And Della will never marry me as long as Cassim lives. No… No, that wasn’t all. It was worse. She won’t marry me as long as she holds any memories of him in her soul. She was truly, honestly ready to die, he realized. No matter how much he bargained and offered and begged, he could not convince their captor to let him go, and he could not convince Della to let go of him either. For the last time he shook his head, an empty feeling washing over him, replacing the desperation he had mistaken for strength. He was not selfless like Della. He was not strong like Cassim. They were both going to die, and he and Katherine would have to carry this on their conscience forever. He waited a few more seconds, giving the couple some more time together, before he walked over to Cassim, and, mimicking the gesture he had done to him earlier, put a hand on his shoulder. For the first time in years, he had no idea what to say. “… I’m sorry.” He murmured. If nothing else, he at least needed to say that. His eyes rested on Della, and he found it was hard to hold her gaze. “… For the both of you. I did not want this. I would never wish to be given anyone like this.” The very idea made him sick, but he had thought it what he needed to do to go on. Now… “Thank you.” He looked back up at the man, his mentor. He’d never opened up enough, valued him enough. Now, it was too late. “For being a father when I needed one and a friend when I couldn’t appreciate you enough.”
His arms wrapped up around the man, in the most inept of embraces. The next words came out slow, rough, hesitant, almost as if he was unsure how to say them, how to let them come out, what they were supposed to sound like. “I love you.”
With one last squeeze, Dorian stepped back. If he did not leave now, he knew he never would. “Katherine, let’s go.” Painfully, he forced his eyes away from Cassim, towards the camera. “I am leaving.”
With that, he turned around, and slowly made his way towards the door; before he could fully reach out, he turned over to the couple once more, his eyes set on Della. “If you change your mind, I promise never to hurt you and to never make you do anything you would not want.” It was a wasted sentence; he knew she wouldn’t leave, not now. But he wanted her to know that if she wanted to take her chance to live, then he would not judge her. “It’s your choice.”
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We finally reach the end of the tunnel, freedom has never been more sweet.
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Post by Katherine Sallow on Jun 6, 2020 4:39:04 GMT
Silence. Katherine had probably blew her chance at living. She then felt a gentle squeeze and she looked at Cassim who was trying to give her one last sweet smile. "Katy," Katherine tried to hold back her tears "thank you. These past few years... They've meant so much to me." He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a light kiss against her knuckles. She broke down and hugged him again. "Find your father. He needs you." She pulled back and nodded " I will. You have my word" She stood up and he let go of her hand. Katherine walked over to Dorian and Della till she heard "I'm staying." Katherine shot a look at Della, of course she was going too. “Stop this. You two are only making this worse.” Dorian said. "Della you know she won't let you do this. We know this from the previous game." Katherine knew no matter what her or Dorian said.
She could see their love was strong then "“… I’m sorry.“… For the both of you. I did not want this. I would never wish to be given anyone like this.” Katherine looked at Dorian and how he was with him. She walked over to Della and hugged her. "I'm sorry I shouted at you. I understand if you won't forgive me but please..." She pulled back and looked at Della "Please...take care of Cassim. That's my one request." Katherine hugged Della once more and then went to Cassim and hugged him. "I'll miss you.I'm sorry it had to come to this." She kissed his forehead “Katherine, let’s go...I am leaving." She looked at Dorian then back at the couple. Hugged them both and whispered "Be quick..both of you." Katherine then stood up and walked over to Dorian to the door and held his hand as reassurance. Dorian then turned “If you change your mind, I promise never to hurt you and to never make you do anything you would not want.” Katherine looked at him. She knew it was impossible to change a lover's mind. "Let's go Dorian." She then whispered "If our kidnapper doesn't want her dead she will gas the room before she can hurt herself." Katherine then walked out of the door.
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Shake the hand of a brand new fool
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Post by Della Edington on Jun 6, 2020 22:02:48 GMT
Her heart hurt to see Cassim try and dissuade her, not because she believed his words, but because of the fear and sorrow in his eyes. She hated seeing him hurt, especially if she was the source, but this was something she refused to back down on. How many times had they had each other's backs? How many times had Della helped him escape an all-too-eager conversationalist, or him swoop in to save her from becoming overwhelmed at an event? For years they had been each other's lifelines. This was, while more extreme, no different.
Tears finally broke through as he pulled her in close, and she held onto him as if that were the solution to all of this. "Because I love you," she answered, her voice just as quiet as his. Because she loved him, had loved him, would continue to love him until this was over, and if they were lucky enough to find the other side, she would keep loving him.
She buried her face in his chest, letting it be just the two of them for a few more seconds before pulling back a little to wipe her eyes and face Dorian and Katherine. They didn't deserve this. They were being put in such a difficult position, a position no one should've had to face, and they would have to carry it the rest of their lives. It was a heavy burden, but hopefully they would live long enough for it to get lighter with time. She bowed her head to Dorian, unable to find the words that would ease the man's suffering, and stepped back a little as he came forward and embraced Cassim, giving the two men the moment they needed.
Della was surprised when Katherine approached and hugged her, taking a second to hug her back. "There's nothing to forgive," she assured the model, pressing the scissors into her hands. "I'll take good care of him, I promise, so you focus on taking care of yourself." It was funny, looking back, how peaceful the time was with Katherine in that dank room. Neither of them could have possibly guessed this conclusion, even after the roulette game together. She just hoped Katherine wouldn't fall victim to a third game after this.
As the two walked away, Della started to turn to Cassim, but stopped and looked back as Dorian spoke up one last time. One last chance to save her life, a promise that he would treat her well and with respect. It was touching, and she hoped he wouldn't be burdened with unwarranted guilt as she shook her head with a small smile. "Thank you, but I want to stay here." Her hand reached out and squeezed the one next to hers, watching Dorian and Katherine leave before returning her attention to Cassim.
How could she explain what she was feeling without seeming crazy? A sane person would've taken the offer to live, no doubt, no matter what; a sane person would've railed and cursed against the forces of the world that had put them here. And yet she felt both sorrowful and at peace, mourning the face that they were going to die but grateful that they had each other to hold during it. She her arms around him again, not the same desperate embrace from before, but a soft one, one that let her enjoy the feel of his skin against hers, one that let her be enveloped by his scent against the cold.
"...Let me know when you're ready," she murmured, "and I'll grab the knife." She was going to take things at his pace. If he wanted to take a few moments just for them, if he wanted to get it out of the way; whatever he wanted, she would follow his lead.
[Della gives Katherine the small scissors. -1 small scissors from Della's item list.]
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I miss you deeply, unfathomably, senselessly, terribly.
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Post by Cassim ben Ishak on Jun 6, 2020 23:40:46 GMT
WARNING: This post has mild mentions of blood and self-harm. Saying goodbye was never easy. But now, it was one of the hardest things Cassim had ever had to do. Having Dorian hug him, tell him that he loved him, nearly made Cassim crack again. Words could not begin to describe how much he would miss that boy. Then there was Katherine... Sweet, beautiful Katherine. His skin burned and tingled where her lips had kissed him oh so gently. One of the last kisses he would ever receive from her. After what she had confessed, it was something a small part of his heart he would forever cherish. While he might have not been able to love her in return... Her kindness had helped save him in some of the darkest of times. Della returned to his side as Dorian paused in the doorway. His pale eyes settled on Della. " If you change your mind, I promise never to hurt you and to never make you do anything you would not want. It's your choice." Cassim glanced down at her, feeling his throat grow tight with emotion. A small part of his heart wanted to shove her towards the other man, and close the door behind them. She did not deserve this fate. None of them did. At least if she left with Dorian she had a chance to get out of here. To live a long, happy life like the one he had dreamed about. "Thank you, but I want to stay here." That's it, then. Tears openly fell from his eyes, burning his cool skin as they did so. Her hand slipped into his and gave it a squeeze before he gave one back in assurance. There it was. The door slowly swinging closed, as if it were taking it's sweet time just in case Della changed her mind. Yet she did not move or pull away from him, and instead embraced him as they were consumed in the darkness once more. The cold bit at his skin like a pack of ravenous wolves. But feeling her against his skin, her sweet scent filing his nose brought a peace over him that overpowered the fear and the dread that threatened to overpower him. Her love was all he ever needed. "...Let me know when you're ready," she murmured softly, "and I'll grab the knife." His grip on her tightened as he held her, eyes squeezing shut as he inhaled a long, deep breath. Remember all the things we wantedCassim pulled away just enough to lightly press his forehead against hers for a moment. If they were to truly die here, he would not let their last moments together be one of fear and regret. "Stay," he breathed, finally pulling away from her grasp. He walked back towards the door and took the knife into his hand. It felt heavy in his hand. Through the dim blue light his obsidian eyes rested on her form. For a brief moment they were no longer in the freezer. They were out on the street, the moonlight washing her form in silver light. Her eyes had been so bright, her laughter making his heart flutter in his chest. What he wouldn't give in that moment to go back in time. Now all our memories, their hauntedHis eyes burned as he moved back towards her, pulling her into his arms once more. Regret pulled and twisted at his mind. They needed, no, deserved more time. All his life he had pushed love away, always in fear of being hurt again. Then there was Della. Who had just practically strolled in one day. She'd been so aloof at first, completely oblivious to his charm. It was so different. She was different. Never pried when he said no, never tried to take advantage of his kindness. Della just... wanted to be there because she loved him. He'd been a complete and utter fool for not realizing it sooner, not accepting his feelings for what they were and just sweeping her into his arms and kissing her until they were completely breathless. We were always meant to say goodbyeHand in hers they moved to the back of the room furthest away from the door. Cassim slipped down to the floor, chains clinking painfully against his ankles as he did so. He motioned for Della to sit down and pulled her down into his lap. Her body fit almost perfectly against his. She nestled against him, glancing up at him with emerald green eyes. Cassim suddenly realized his breathing was becoming quicker, ragged. They only had so much time left. Cassim glanced down at the knife in his hand and then at her arm. "Can I...?" Della bit her lip as she looked up at him before giving a firm nod. With his free hand he grasped her wrist, the other with the knife pressing into the flesh of her forearm... Which began the cutting. The sounds of her cries shattered what little there was left of his heart. Cassim expected her to pull away, but instead, pressed into him. His shirt became damp around the collar from her tears as she hid her face in his chest. Blood pooled from her arm like a river, her breath quick and labored as she stared back up at him. He hated it. Hated that this was happening. He pressed a hard kiss to her forehead, eyes squeezing shut for a brief moment. " I'm sorry, Dells. I'm so sorry." Now it was his turn. The tip of the blade pressed against his skin... Cassim pushed down, hissing in pain as he forced it down further into his flesh. He could feel it all. Every vein and muscle being torn apart, the blood staining his skin in crimson. Once he'd finished he dropped the knife to the ground with a small sigh of relief, hearing it clatter to the ground. "Do you remember it, Della?" he asked quietly, resting his cheek upon her head. "Do you remember that night we ran away together?" Her breathing was so slow now. Gently, her hand slipped into his. Cassim gave it a squeeze as best he could. The room didn't feel so cold now. In fact, it was feeling warmer now. His heartbeat felt light but raced within his chest. His end was near. "I wish we'd had more time together," he admitted in a broken voice. "I wish I'd said something before it came to this." Della had grown very still against him, yet there was still warmth in her touch. "We would have been happy, you and I. We would be married... All of our family and friends would be there. You'd look so beautiful in your wedding dress, Dells. It would have been one of the happiest days of my life." The tears had returned. Breathing was becoming harder, the feeling in his limbs escaping him. Blood had formed in a small pool beside them. Even the light from the lamp seemed dimmer than it had been previously. "Then we would have had children... I would have spoiled them, you would have given them so much love. We would have grown old together... Sitting side by side on the porch, rocking our grandchildren." A beautiful dream. But not one to last. " I love you, Della." Darkness swallowed him whole... But then he saw it. A light. One so bright it almost blinded him. No longer did he feel the pain in his arm. In fact, he felt no pain at all. No chill from the cold. A warm breeze ran through his hair. " Cassim?" He turned around, and there she was. She looked radiant. Nothing but a simple white dress, her long chocolate hair falling about her shoulders in waves. Her emerald eyes glimmering up at him expectantly. Love swelled within his chest and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He stepped towards her, cupping her face within his hands and placed a kiss upon her lips as the light consumed them and they were lost to infinity. END
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Disgrace.
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Post by Madge Baker on Jun 8, 2020 17:10:16 GMT
"Ow, ow, ow," the girl silently mouthed and bit her lips in pain, as Madge's nails pierced into her shoulders. Oh, yes she was mad, but more than mad she was... disapointed. Yet again her subjects failed her. What a bunch of stubborn idiots! Even Dorian, who she put so much hope on to. Now, however, it all made sence. As she always knew - this was NONE of her fault. It was them. They are flaued! They are useless! Nothing but a walking bags of shit! She finally let go of her assistant's fragile shoulders.
"No wonder you were no match for my daughter, you spineless maggot," she hissed herself into the microphone and pressed the button to turn the gas on.
Max and Erin - you can start rping as your secondaries from now on! Both Jasper and Clayton will wake up insdead of Cassim and Della in their rooms with Katherine and Dorian. Dorian and Katherine return in the rooms unharmed, Katherine's cut however was not treated.
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