Main Campfire | Afternoon | Thursday | August 5

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

Jonas had not disappeared. The only reason he knew something was possibly amiss was the fact that he kept seeing shadows lurking just out of sight, their images passing by the corners of his eyes and disappearing.

It was strange. He thought it was a hallucination at first but he kept seeing them. Jonas frowned, coming to stand near the main campfire, a little tense. It didn't feel like a good day to relax.

In the distance, he thought he saw...something that looked like a bug but it was way too big to be a bug. Right? It had to be. Jonas frowned and crossed his arms. A shadow seemed to appear near a cabin and he turned, hoping to see something.

Nothing. Despite the heat, Jonas shivered.

[Open for those that haven't been eaten by voiiiiiiiiiiids!]

Comments

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"What the heck are with these bugs!" Asuna demanded loudly all but running to the campfire demons she could handle gross and creepy bugs she'd rather not deal with.

Also, she felt a little out of sorts, something felt hinky about this day.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"What sort of bugs did you see?" Jonas asked, crossing his arms and frowning as Asuna ran up. "Big ones?"

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"Yeah!" She exclaimed. "Really big ones, what's up with that?!"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I don't know but I've seen them too. Off in the distance but I've seen them. Bugs aren't supposed to be that big. Perhaps I should light a fire to keep them away," he said, shivering again. "Did they...get close to you?"

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"I ran away when they were trying to," Asuna looked around, nervously. She brought out her pactio card just in case any of those bugs were around. Hopefully they didn't fly-- "Maybe you should light the fire, Jonas-kun."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I should," Jonas said, reaching for a pack of matches that had been left behind from the last fire and went about lighting the kindling to try and get a fire started. It would be warm but it would be worth it.

"I've been seeing..." He stepped closer to the growing fire. "...shadows too."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

She looked at Jonas with wide eyes. "Y-you mean I'm not just imagining that?"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I thought I was," he said, laughing humorlessly. "I keep seeing them. I try to look at them straight on and never see them. It's like...a feeling that they're there."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

Asuna shivered and drew closer to the fire. "Giant bugs and creepy shadows, what in the world is going on here?"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," he said and that wasn't an unfamiliar feeling. "Perhaps a sign of something that's going to happen? Perhaps a new weather pattern?"

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

She looked at Jonas, confused.

"A new weather pattern can cause bugs to grow and shadows act weird?" With her free hand and threw more kindling to the fire.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," he said and shrugged, feeling the helplessness growing in the pit of his stomach. "Perhaps? This island is strange. I think attributing a weather pattern to this isn't the oddest thing I could say."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"You're right, the island's done weirder things." Asuna nodded then tried to lighten the mood. "Don't worry, if there are any bugs or shadows coming I'll protect you, Jonas-kun!"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

Jonas laughed and looked at the fire, shaking his head. "That's kind of you to say but I really hope it doesn't come to that. If it does, I know where I have to be and what I have to do. I'm not a good fighter so I make sure to stay out of the way."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

Asuna smiled. "Maybe the bugs and the shadows are only for today."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Maybe." For some reason, he didn't think so. "Nothing's tried to outright attack me so I suppose that's good, isn't it?"

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"That's always a good sign," she agreed. She threw more wood chips in the fire. "But I think maybe we should be more alert just in case."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Believe me, I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight," he said and sighed. "I was hoping for a quiet weekend so I hope this is just...temporary. I'm not sure the cabins are the best place to hide."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I agree with you Jonas-kun, they're not really sturdy..." Asuna frowned. "But maybe the school will do something?"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"They have before," he said by way of agreement. "I mean, I'm sure they're aware of the situation. They wouldn't want to unnecessarily panic us, though."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"Exactly, the teachers would do something about it! And, anyway, what's a little mutant roach and creepy shadow, right?"

Too bad Asuna wasn't familiar with the concept of 'Tempting Fate' yet.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"A little scarier than normal," he replied, suppressing a shiver. "I'd still rather stay away from those, if I can. I've barely had a chance to adjust to regular sized bugs."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"Even the regular kind are creepy." Asuna dug into her pocket and found candy. "Do you want one?"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

Jonas had to laugh at her going from talking about bugs to offering him candy.

"What kind is it?" he asked, peering closer.

[I am going to be commuting home soon so I will be AFK!]

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

Asuna grinned, that was just the way she rolled.

"Lifesavers candy, I bought them yesterday. There's only a few left but they're really good!"

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I'll take one, yes," he said, holding out his hand. "Thank you for the offer. I haven't eaten as of yet."

[ostianbelle.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," she said, giving him a green Lifesaver. "You should always be ready with an emergency candy on hand."

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Hi, Jonas," Sookie said, her arms crossed around herself as she wandered over. All morning, she'd felt off. The usual ebb and flow of thoughts from the rest of the island had been interrupted -- and a quick scan told her that there were way fewer people on the island than there had been last night. "Do you know if there's a school trip or something today?"

That'd explain it. Maybe.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"A field trip?" Jonas repeated, having not thought of that option. "I don't...I haven't heard anything so, if there is, it's not one that's been advertised."

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"There aren't as many people on the island as usual," she explained worriedly as she sat down.

The other option was that people had died, but she was ignoring that for now.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"There aren't?" he asked, frowning now. "Maybe...they've all gone home? It's close to the weekend."

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"...maybe," she said hesitantly. That wasn't normal, either, though. "I mean, I hope so. Or maybe my telepathy's acting up."

Also not normal.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Does that happen often?" He didn't know how telepathy really worked.

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"...no," she said, hesitantly. "First time for everything, though. I mean, I can usually keep tabs on specific people 'cause brain signatures are like fingerprints, and everyone has a different one? But I also have a real good idea of how many people are thinking on the island. And I can't hear as many today as I could last night."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Could they be sleeping?" Jonas asked, going for the least likely but most hopeful.

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Your brain still buzzes when you're asleep," she said with a little smile. "Even if they're all just...knocked unconscious, I'd still hear them. But no, it's like people are just gone."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I haven't noticed anything myself but I haven't gone far," he said, scratching his chin and watching as another shadow appeared in his peripheral vision. "Should we worry?"

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"It's probably nothing," she decided.

Didn't really answer the question, though. "Um, this is gonna sound crazy, but is -- are you seeing weird things, at all? I slept okay last night and I still keep seeing these weird things out of the corners of my eyes, too."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"Yes! Shadows!" he said, grateful that he wasn't going insane. "It looks like shadowy figures but when I turn to see them, they're not there."

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"Yes!" Sookie's eyes were wide. "Like little figures. Like someone's sneaking up on you or something. Oh, God, I'm glad I'm not losing my mind."

Of course, that just meant that all signs pointed to the island being crazy.

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"You're not losing your mind," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "I - I don't know what it means but it's not just you. Could it be a new weather pattern?"

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"It's nice how you're trying to find reasonable explanations," Sookie said with a little smile. "I hope it's a new weather pattern."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"If I think of the unreasonable and strange things, I'll scare myself," he admitted with a slight blush. "I don't want to be scared."

[justwantsquiet.livejournal.com]

"You shouldn't have to be," Sookie said softly. "Maybe we're just overreacting."

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"I hope so," he said, closing his eyes when he saw another shadow from the corner of his eye. "It's getting...it feels strange."