[Souls of Paranoia]Twin Lakes Preserve - On the wilder side [Week 24]

[Miz]

Most of the foliage had turned different colors, if not fallen to the ground, by this point in the year. Only the evergreens were prominent in the landscape. Yet that didn't harm the park's beauty. The forest still smelled of pines and oaks, but a distinct smell of fire could also be picked up. It was light, flavorful and didn't seem to come from a forest fire. Instead it was the distinct scent of firewood burning from either cottages or camping groups nearby.


Zack's cousin Wade invited him to Twin Lakes. He was a few years older than Zack, already graduated from high school and was now finishing up his time in university. Wade's father owned the cottage that resided outside the preserve and his cousin wanted to go to Twin Lakes one more time before it got too cold to go by himself.


Zack was a bit surprised that Wade invited him to go along and that Wade wanted to go alone without any other family members. Zack has suspicions, in fact he was a bit concerned but he didn't inquire about the situation. For that reason, it wasn't until the day of the trip that Zack found out about Nicole: Wade's girl friend from college. She was also coming on the trip, Zack was just their cover for Wade's parents probably wouldn't want them making out in the family cottage.


Zack had invited Sam along a week before, telling him about the cottage and the stuff about it. Yet Zack would have to sleep on the pull-out couch and Sam most likely on the floor. Perhaps it was the issue of sleeping that detered Sam away. Regardless, he rejected the offer without giving much of a reason.


Walking along the trails in the preserve, Zack wanted to give the couple some space. Playing third wheel was always awkward, being third wheel to your cousin was even worse. However Zack didn't mind the alone time, he didn't bring his GPS or his Geo-cache equipment (more out of spite than anything else). Instead he just decided to hike into the half-forgotten nature of Twin Lakes. Some peace and solitude so that he could maybe think about Xandra or something else as pleasant.

 

[Pineapple]

The temperature rose quite a bit recently, and when Julian wanted to go camping, Monroe thought it was a good time to bring Hannah and her to meet a guy. Hannah was a bit excited to meet this stranger, and prepared for the occasion. Hannah was used to camping, and the wilderness never bothered her much. Though, now she had to go in a chair. Yet out in the wilds, she had more privacy and freedom.


Hannah drove up with Julian and Monroe, it was said that their friend would meet them all at the camp ground. The drive wasn't too long before they arrived, and when Hannah saw who it was she was to meet, she flipped out. Webster. It was Webster. Hannah was hoping she would never see that jerk again, and here she is getting set up with him.


After Hannah yelling at Webster, calling him everything from insensitive to closeted butt pirate, she stormed off, using Helen's power to shift into her blood form, she was able to walk once more. In fact, it made everything easier. Large branches would just go right through her, uneven ground didn't stop her, and even if she fell great heights, she would be perfectly fine. A very strong and useful power.


However, her trek across the woods wasn't a solo venture, Monroe did catch up to Hannah and walked along with her. "Ilaria is such a nice girl, it's a shame she keeps getting stuck with all these brutes." Helen said to Monroe and Penny. She could only hope that Ilaria would either learn to wean Webster towards morality or move onto a new body.


However, Hannah just wanted to vent. "I'm not staying in a tent with that stupid fuck. I'd rather have sex with the next guy I see then him. I'd rather lez out right here with you then touch him and I'm straight!" Hannah exclaimed as she marched thorough the woods, occasionally smacking tree's with her hands causing bloody splatters to erupt as her hand explodes before it reforms and does it again. "Is this what I'm stuck with or can I get a guy without a memento?" Hannah questioned rhetorically as she contemplated her situation.

 

[Kagura]

Monroe honestly didn't expect it to go well between Webster and Hannah, he was a man of little merit and she seemed to have high standards. It turned out worse than that when Hannah first saw Webster, going through a mix of emotions and big fuck you to the man in question. The only thing Webster did was play it rather cool which only left the girl more upset, storming off in blood form.


It took a lot for Monroe to power fear the initial fear that coursed through her system, the step into Julian she took, the gasp of air...The blood monster was a big reminder of the man she had straddled in the train all those months ago, and here she was running towards it. Monroe was still keeping her distance, but it was well excused on the rough terrain- she had a lot more trouble moving than Hannah.


The fact that her friend was so angry didn't help bridge their distance, but when Helen spoke up on Ilaria's behalf, Penny skipped forward. "He doesn't seem to like her much, either! Think that's just his way of saying he likes her" she was being cheeky, remembering her previous conversations with the man.


Hannah was venting again, making Monroe smile inwardly- it was some vengeance for what she walked in on. Although the announcement that she wasn't sleeping with him meant they we're switching tent positions. It didn't make her next proposition all that more alluring "I thought you wanted a quick fuck" Monroe shrugs. "If you're into that other stuff, ask Ilaria" she smiled at the blood monster before darting her eyes back all too suddenly.


"I would hate to explain souls to someone else" Monroe replied drily to Hannah's next comment, giving it only a moment of thought. "They'd think I was crazy" she shook her head, then tightened the small bun she managed to put in. "He sort of apologized? You sure you can't grin and bear it for your libido's sake?" Monroe makes the motion of weighing the options.

 

[Miz]

Zack was hiking uphill through some of the more rough terrain of the park. The place was hilly between the two lakes. There was hiking paths, some more defined than others. The one Zack decided to take on his journey was a relatively unmarked one. There was no road, dirt part or anything like that associated with this trail. Just one or two signs that might have a map or an arrow pointing where to go. Zack wasn't worried about getting lost. It was still early in the day and he brought some food with him. He was used to traveling around, trying to find caches.


The ground was still a bit moist from the morning. His shoes sinking in when he stepped. Zack noticed there was little rivers, streams, flowing down hill carrying tiny flows of water to the lakes. Zack wondered if Wade would go fishing with him later or if he would be stuck by himself. Remembering how the couple acted when they first arrived in the cabin, he figured the later. "Don't throw a fit," Mimi said to him as they hiked. She knew more than anyone else that the boy's libido was high. Frustration was expected but she had no pity for him. Not here, not in this sublime place. "This is beautiful, I wish I got to go to the countryside more."


"Yeah," Zack said thinking about how much he would have enjoyed Xandra or even Sam attending this hike with him.


Going off path, Zack walked into some small brush of evergreens. That's when he heard voices, female voices. They sounded a bit far away but one was getting closer pretty quickly. Then he saw it, in between the evergreens. A monster. Yes, it was evident now. A monster made of blood.

 

[Pineapple]

As the two woman walked through the woods talking, Hannah thought about it. Was she desperate enough for Webster? No, she wasn't. She may want it, but at the same time, she still had standards. Besides, she would want to have a guy she could talk to and be with, without wanting to strangle him or without feeling useless, weak or damaged. "I'm sure." Hannah said with a sigh. There would be more guys with memento's, she just needed to find them.


Hannah ended the walk by taking a seat on a log, and placing her chin in her hands. Monroe had explained that she would hate to explain to people memento's, that they would think she was crazy. "Anyway, they'd only think your crazy if you say you hear voices. Just show them the power, let them try to break your memento. I mean, there is some tangible evidence that something is happening. I'm sure you can get a normal person to understand, but yeah, it wouldn't be easy, and I guess you would need to be careful who you told."


After speaking to Monroe Hannah looked around the woods. She recalled all the times in her past she would go hiking or camping in places like this, and she wondered if she would still do it even a half as much as she used to. However as she scanned the treeline, her eye was caught buy a young looking Asian boy watching from a distance. "Uh... Monroe?" Hannah said as she pointed him out.

 

[Kagura]

In the moment it took Hannah to answer, Monroe was hoping for her to agree to sleep with Webster, if only to keep their sleeping arrangements. When the woman instead reaffirmed herself, Monroe knew they would be staying in a tent together. Although she, herself, was pushing the woman to sleep with Webster - Monroe knew she wouldn't be able to do it. Putting up with the man on a day-to-day basis was hard enough for her. Secluding him was out of the question though; she knew Julian would be against the idea and protest by volunteering to sleep with him instead.


So Hannah and Monroe with Julian and Webster, it was disappointing to say the least but the blond was sure she would get time to spend alone with Julian. Besides, the idea of Julian and Hannah in a tent together didn't really sit well with her after walking in on the two.


Hannah had already moved past this point while Monroe accepted her fate, pitching the idea of a memento in a sane way. Monroe could only shrug, "I didn't think of dating after I got Penny" is all she says, "Julian wasn't an opportunity I was expecting, not that I'm complaining" she smiles softly to herself. When her companion stuttered out her name, Monroe looked up and over to where she pointed, seeing a boy about Sam's age.


"Wanna bet he shit his pants?" she looks at the blood golem beside her, "I don't know if you should hide or scare him away? or?" Monroe shifts her weight from foot to foot.

 

[Miz]

Zack tried to hide behind a tree from a monster. It was a giant, that looked like it was made of blood. His heart was racing as he dodged for cover from it. He didn't expect anything to be out here, not wolves or bears or anything dangerous. Never, never would he have expected seeing what he saw. Zack closed his eyes as he pressed himself up against one of the evergreens.


No question: he was scared. His legs felt weak and he felt almost like he was going to faint. Yet Zack tried to remain composed. He was a man, he had to impress girls like Xandra. However even Mimi was silent on the matter. That was until the giant said out something, or at least he thought it was the giant. Then he heard a girl's laughter. "Wanna bet he shit his pants?" the female voice said.


That snapped Zack out of his fear. There wasn't distress in his mind as much. He still was hiding from the thing (with perhaps limited success) and he was still scared but Zack tried to reassure himself. Sure he was scared, but not like an unmanly scared. He hadn't wet his pants or defecated like the woman's voice suggested.


Mimi though was curious now. She was frightened, thrown off guard, but not enough to stop herself from forcing Zack to look around the tree. That's when he saw the monster again and a woman who was looking in his direction. The woman didn't seem worried or scared. In fact she seemed cheerful if not enjoying herself on this little walk she was having with a blood creature. This triggered some thing in Mimi.


"You should go shout back to her," Mimi said to Zack.


"Are you crazy?" Zack said. "I don't want to be found by that thing."


"They already know you are here. Your hiding is futile. If you don't speak up, she will think you are a little boy. A weakling," Mimi said. She wanted Zack to speak up for himself, after all facing things like this would only be the beginning if Zack meant what he promised to Mimi.


"I can he-hear you-you know?" Zack said with a stuttering voice. "What-what is that thing you are talking with?"

 

[Kagura]

The boy peaked his head around the tree, calling back to Monroe in a stuttering voice that made her grin. "I bet you can" her tone is bemused, but the boy was more curious than scared, finally asking about Hannah. "Oh, just a blood golem" Monroe's honesty sounded more like a joke, but she moved to touch Hannah for emphasis. Except her memento prevented the blood from actually touching her, rendering the demonstration useless. Penny still took momentary control to push the blood around her extended hand.


Rolling her eyes, she looked at the kid behind the tree and then back at Hannah "Should we keep going? I don't think he'll come any closer" she gestured them forward.

 

[Miz]

The girl casually explained the creature next to her. She stated that it was a 'blood golem'. Zack knew of Golems from myth and, of course, fantasy games. Yet, why was one made of blood and how could a girl so casually interact with such a mythical/fantastical monster so calmly. Did she make it? How did she make it then? The idea of a memento creeped into his mind. However there was another consideration in Zack's head: where did she get the blood to make a golem. Golems were always made of something but, blood isn't just something you find the ground. At least not normally...


Shaken slightly he spoke up again, "Hey wait!" he yelled at the girl who talked to the Golem. "How did you make that thing? Why are you talking to it?" Zack was asking questions almost without waiting for an answer. He began to reveal himself more and come out from behind the tree. Standing over the two of them from the hill, he tried to get a better look.


Mimi though felt he wasn't asking the right question. Purely if this was anyone else, just a regular person, they would be blown off for seeing things in the forest or something else. The woman acted too casual about things. "Do you have a memento?" Mimi asked them, filling in the question Zack left out.

 

[Pineapple]

Hannah looked on in some amusement, the kid was scared it seemed. "He's totally terrified. He probably did." Hannah whispers back at Monroe's remark about the boy shitting himself. The boy asked what Hannah was, she was going to yell back out, but decided it would be more fun just to be silent. Besides, she couldn't really explain it to him even if she did speak out. When Monroe asked if they should go approach the boy, instead Hannah shook her head. "No, we should just wait for him to run off a leave, people will just think he's making something up."


Yet the boy grew questioning. How did Monroe make the blood golem? Why talk to it? Hannah groaned inwards. Did this kid actually believe in golems? in magic or alchemy? The idea was something Hannah found a little ridiculous. Yet he then began to question f they had a memento. That was the question that had Hannah's attention, and got her to raise back up to her feet.


"Of course! How dense are you to think golems exist when you yourself have a memento?" Hannah replied loudly to the boy as she approached the tree he was using as cover. "What, have you never met Helen? Who are you anyway?" Hannah asked as she slowly closed the gap between them.

 

[Miz]

Zack almost wanted to retreat back up the hill instead of approach the woman and the monster. Yet he felt his legs start to walk without his command when the monster replied to him. Of course they had mementos. How stupid was he to think he saw a monster, when it was clearly in front of him. You know, just taking a hike. Monster stuff...


Mimi though cared little for the back and forth between Zack and the woman. She expected the woman to have some form of creation powers except the Golem also talked. Was it a memento too? There was just so many more questions to ask.


"Have I met Helen?" Zack asked confused, but his legs still walking closer towards them. The monster's voice made him want to run. However he stayed composed, especially since he wanted to show these girls how brave he actually. But he worried more and more about the woman's declaration: he didn't want to piss himself.


"No, I haven't met her. Neither of us have," Mimi replied back more sternly. The nervousness gone from Zack's voice. The tone-shift was obvious. "I am Mimi," she said. "This is Zack. He might not look like much, but he is my body."


Zack was now in conversation distance with the girls. He had walked down the entire hill and now was next to them. "So, you didn't create this monster?" Zack asked again to Monroe. "My power-" he realized that he should introduce it. "Is vibrations. I can make like Earthquakes and stuff... Who are you two?"

 

[Kagura]

Hannah had agreed to continue in their original direction before the boy called out after Monroe. Of all things to ask her, the boy started asking her how she made Hannah and why she was talking to her. It was ironic timing, all things considered, they were now explaining mementos to a human who probably thought himself crazy. Except then he asked about mementos and Monroe turned around, and Hannah to go on the attack.


The blood golem called him dense for thinking she existed when he had a memento, asking incredulously if he had met Helen while approaching him. She had asked for the boy's name but he was momentarily confused, allowing the soul to take over and admit that neither of them have. They were Mimi and Zack and could cause vibrations like earthquakes.


It was odd for Monroe to talk shop like this, approaching easily behind Hannah but quirking a brow at the boy. "Monroe" she introduces herself but turns inward to Penny for the moment after "Mimi?" she wonders.


"I've never met her before! Can I?" Penny's question is simple enough, but she tries to explain herself anyway "I wanna show her what we can do!" Monroe figured Zack was just a kid, and allowed Penny to do her thing "I'm Penny!" she grins and waves enthusiastically. "We can duplicate anything! everything! three whole times!" her hand extends out, signalling Zack to give her something.

 

[Pineapple]

It seemed that this soul, Mimi, had never met Helen. He explained his power, vibrations. Hannah's eyebrow perked when he said that, her mind going somewhere other then earthquakes at first. "Who are you two?" The boy asked them.


Monroe introduced herself before Penny jumped into the conversation and introduced herself before explaining her power enthusiastically. She reached out to shake hands with Zack. Hannah however just crossed her arms and looked at the kid.


"I'm Hannah. This is Helen's power." Hannah said as her body collapsed to the ground, all the blood falling in a splash into a puddle. Yet the puddle moved on its own, around the leafs, around the twigs and it moved around to be behind Zack before it piled back up into her figure. She brought her hands out wide and wiggled her fingers towards Zack. "Scared yet?" Hannah said putting on her best spooky voice.


Yet Helen spoke up at this point. "Oh don't worry, you're perfectly safe here. Hannah can just a bit theatrical, like some others I know of. Mimi was it? You must be new. I'm Helen, if you ever need help or advice you can come to me. Welcome to eternity sweetie."

 

[Miz]

Zack wasn't scared of the giant as much as it talked. However the more time he spent in the conversation, the more he wanted to just retreat from the whole situation. The monster turned into a puddle before appearing behind him. Hannah, the body, really wanted Zack to feel scared. Her efforts were working. However the other person in the monster, a woman named Helen, seemed far kinder. She apologized for the theatrics.


Still Zack didn't make eye contact with the blood golem as it gestured and waved its hands towards him. He wasn't scared of Hannah, not anymore, but the form she took was still disturbing.


Monroe on the other hand seemed nice, her soul seemed even nicer. Extending her hand out to duplicate something, Zack hesitantly reached into his pockets and pulled out a key that opened to his family's cabin. It was probably a bad decision if Penny wanted to rob him, but Zack doubted that was the case. Plus he didn't have any other objects in reach that he really wanted duplicated. He didn't bring his cellphone out here, there was no bars. He didn't bring his wallet, there was no place for money. All he had was this key and a water bottle.


Mimi though was more confident. "Eternity, huh?" she said softly. "Well its nice to meet both of you." She was well aware that Zack was feeling awkward in the situation. To address it she did her usual tactic, "Zach is just a bit awkward around girls, so don't mind him... Are you from New City, or elsewhere?"

 

[Kagura]

With the key in her hand, Penny closed her fist like it was a magic show, slowing opening it to reveal the second key sitting next to it. With some fervor, the girl picked one of the key up from her palm, leaving in its place a new copy. Despite the fact she could do it one more time, she simply held out the three keys to Zack. Hannah had theatrics covered when she sank and moved underneath the boy.


Classic Helen apologized for her body's behavior before exchanging a welcome with the new soul in the afterlife. Penny wondered how new she was - if Zack was her first experience or if she gained any sense of closure since. Except Mimi had her own question, "Yes siree! Monroe is from New City, New State-" Monroe's hair bounced a little with Penny's animation. " Me on the other hand..." she shrugged in a much more overt way than Monroe would. "What about you, how new are you?" the girl couldn't help but be curious, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Helen asked her the same. It was always worthwhile to know each others' story in case you got a particularly cooperative body to help them all get a little closure.

 

[Miz]

Zack looked down with wonderment as the girl opened her palms to reveal three identical keys in her hand. It was amazing, something that could only be labeled at magic. Immediately though Mimi wondered what tragedy must have fallen the girl named Penny to possess such a power. Likewise her voice spoke with youth. How old was she when she died?


Zack though just smiled and took all three keys from the girls hand. He had copies now, something that he would have to try and explain to his relatives. But it was a useful power certainly, Zack could instantly see the purpose of having such abilities. It was different than vibrations which were certainly powerful but functionality was limited.


"I am from New City as well," Zack said. "I go to Kendall High School. I came up here with my cousin but he brought his girlfriend. So frankly, I am bored. My friend, Sam," he said letting it slip out on accident. "Uh, he was supposed to come up with me but he has girlfriend things too, apparently..." Zack laughed with a little bit of embarrassment. "What brings you two out here?"

 

[Kagura]

Penny listened attentively despite it not being the answer she wanted to hear - she was interested in the soul's origins after all. Except something Zack said brought Monroe back in control of the body, he had mentioned Sam. All this time she was comparing them, only to find out now that the two were actually friends. Apparently the two had meant to come together but Sam was busy with girlfriend things - Monroe wished she had her cell phone to interrupt date night.


"Samuel Clermont?" Monroe quirks her brow with a smile, "Unless there's another Sam in Kendall High School with a memento?" Monroe shakes her head at her luck, "We're here with my boyfriend Julian and his friend Webster - it was meant to be a double date but..." she glances at Hannah, "Webster's kind of an asshole" she summarizes it as best she can. "I'm sure you know the connections by now - Webster's friends with Julian, who's friends with Sam, who's dating Kim and everyone has mementos."


Monroe suddenly realizes something else he said and snickers, "I was just saying Hannah's destined to end up with a memento user - do you have a girlfriend?" Hannah was thirsty after all, and she wasn't quite sure on the age difference between the two.

 

[Miz]

Monroe apparently knew Sam. Zack was as surprised as her about their relationship when she said that. "Woah," he said as the woman listed all the different ways they were connection. "So wait, you are dating Julian?" he asked. "That's like incredible. How did we not meet earlier. We know so many of the same people." Zack stopped himself realizing he had to explain himself. "Sam and I hanged out with Webster and Julian before. We went bowling on Julian's guy night out." It was almost weird to basically already know these two women who were in reality strangers. It was like meeting someone for the first time at a family reunion. Technically you heard a lot about them, indirectly, maybe your actions even influenced one another but you had never come into personal contact. Until that moment. Now the connections between the two of them were being established.


Monroe asked about Zack, if he had a girl. "I was just saying Hannah's destined to end up with a memento user..." she remarked pointing to her bloody friend.


"Uh," he said with some hesitance. "I wouldn't say girlfriend. But I am going to the dance with a girl who has a memento. Her name is Xandra. Do you know her?" Zack asked trying to see how interconnected they were with one another. "She hangs out with Kim sometimes."


Mimi though interjected into the conversation. "They are trying to set up you with Webster?" Mimi asked in a tone that make it apparent it was her and not Zack. "You poor soul," she said. "He's a nice enough fellow, perhaps with friends. But his ways with women are pretty lousy if I am being generous. He's an ass. The poor man is probably going to die alone at this rate."

 

[Kagura]

"I am dating Julian" by now it was almost strange that people were surprised about their relationship, Monroe had figured it went through enough people. Then again, she could tell why he was surprised when the boy continued his train of thought. Apparently the boy's night out that Julian had a while back included Zack - which meant Sam, Zack, Webster and Julian had all met before.


As for his answer in regards to Hannah, the boy hesitated before admitting he didn't have a girlfriend BUT he asked a girl named Xandra to the dance. "What a strange name..." Monroe tries to remember if it was brought up in any context, but ultimately shakes her head. "Never heard of her" she replies with an easy shrug.


For once she is able to tell when the soul takes over, hearing Mimi's venom the moment she starts in about Webster. As she continued talking, Monroe's laughter spills out, amused at her honest opinion of his regard of women. "Julian likes him as a friend" she shrugs, "but I haven't met somebody Julian hasn't liked" she has to be honest in the situation.

 

[Miz]

Monroe laughed at Mimi's response. It was definitely a change in her tone because she basically brushed off comments about Xandra. She apparently didn't know her, which made sense to Zack. From any other situation, how else would they know one another? It was unrealistic for every person with a soul to know everyone else. Yet the amount of interconnections that existed were astounding to Zack.


Mimi though was far more interest in conversing with this female who seemed to sympathize and enjoy her company. She had been surrounded by high schools and dudes for several months solid. She missed having a good girl-to-girl talk. "Ah yes," Mimi said. "They did seem to have quite the friendship when we went bowling. Julian's a bit clingy but the man has a good character about him. I couldn't see him hurting a fly, so perhaps its only men as," Mimi wanted to say the word 'simple' but she changed her language, "friendly as him that can like Webster."