End Of The Road [Micra :3 ]

[Murphy]

Semper Capone

"If you can't pay your property tax, then you land will be taken up by the District."

"Is there any way I can get more time?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Capone, but you've had two weeks extra."

"I know, I know, it jus' wa'n't enough time. I'm gettin' a new load o' cattle in four days--"

"With the money you currently owe me, and adding the new payment you've failed to give me, the total is $1,287. Now, I've been as lenient as I can with you, but if you don't bring it in three days, you'll be out on the street."

"....... yessir....."

Semper nodded towards the man, emitting a defeated sigh as he turned around and headed out of the building.

The boy was severely frustrated as he trudged down the front steps of the building, cursing under his breath. Most of his income came from slaughtering cows and butchering for their meat, but lately there had been a decline in cattle waiting for the slaughterhouse. He had already been behind on payments, so the addition of a new debt was maddening.

Approaching a large black and white draft horse grazing as it was tied to a nearby post away from the main road, Semper untied it, stroking the equine's neck.

"Hey, there, Ellie."

He said softly, calming down as the mare raised her head, turning so that her velvet nose brushed his cheek. The boy gave a light chuckle, placing his forehead against her own forehead.

"We're screwed, Ellie. We're really screwed this time."

Any trace of joy as a result of the mare's presence disappeared, leaving only frustration. Ellie gave a quiet, concerned nicker; even though she didn't understand the situation, all she could sense was that the boy was furious. Semper straightened back up, putting the reins back over Ellie's head and turning around, starting to walk slowly until she began to fallow beside him without a lead.




((It's a really short and icky post, but it's more of a venting post for me at the moment. Dx ))

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[Micra]

The guilt was back. Fabian considered that an improvement. He had gone what, five days without it preying on his every thought? Five days without the nightmares. A good part of five days not wanting to kill himself. Tara and the doctors would call that an improvement anyway. Technically, he shouldn't be alone right now. It was something the doctors suggested, of course. That he should never be left alone. Even now, ten months later, it wasn't safe. The doctors were, of course right, as doctors usually are.

Because the guilt was back. And Fabian Kordell had snuck out to kill himself. Again. Sure, sneaking out went against every fiber of his being. Rules were rules. Rules were followed. But at this point, he doubted it mattered. He'd soon be dead anyway.

He fiddled with the rope in his hands, creating knot after knot, noose after noose. Planning. Calculating.

How long do I want it to be before they find my body? I wonder who will find it. Is my noose strong enough? I guess. Not as if I haven't made them before.

He had too. But every time, he was stopped. But no way would they catch him now. They couldn't. Not again. Sure, maybe drugging Tara wasn't conventional, but she'd get over it. And his family were all working. There was nobody to stop him now. Were he more dramatic, he may have wished for thunder, lightning. But for Fabian, any weather would do.

It was as good a day as any to die.

In fact, it was better. Because today, it would be over. No more worries. Fabian's hunter's instincts caught the smell of the horse almost before the sound. There was nowhere to hide on the main road, and he was certain that whoever it was, they were coming in his direction.

Casually, he tossed his rope across his shoulders and forced something that wasn't grim determination onto his face. He continued on, and met with a stranger, a veritable giant of one, too. Stranger was always good. Strangers wouldn't care. But it would be rude not to speak.

"Hey," he said, nodding in acknowledgement. Fabian tilted his head a tick upwards, to face the stranger. He took in the young man's every detail. Something about seeing another human made him want to stay. But he banished it. Wrongdoings must be punished. It was better than living with guilt forever.

Right?

He shouldered his rope and made to move on, hoping the stranger didn't mean to talk for long. The window of opportunity was only so wide. Fabian didn't intend on missing it. Not this time.

[Murphy]

(( *commencing fail!rushed!spazzeh!frantic!semi-depressed!tired!post. xDD ))






The land his family had lived on for so many generations -- it was slipping from his grasp. Everything he and his sisters had worked so hard for ever since their parents had died would now be lost. Kicked out onto the street with nothing but the clothes on their back; the animals sent off to the slaughter house, the house sold to some other family, and where would he and his sisters be? In the market, turning into the beggars they had tried so hard to avoid.

Ellie trailed silently beside him, emitting the occasional snort or groan as she lazily dragged her hooves across the road. How easy the life of an animal would be right now; sure, they had to fight off predators, but not once did they have to lose sleep over whether or not the next night they would have a roof over their head or not. All day the cattle stood about the pasture, grazing to their heart's content. There was no worry or anxiety out there aside from the occasional coyote. Now frustrated to the point of boiling over, it was all Semper could do to keep himself together.

The mare's ears perked up, eyes becoming alert as they focused their gaze on the road ahead. Semper paused, picking up on the sudden attentiveness, turning his attention to where there was another boy coming towards them. There was nothing unusual about seeing people in District 10 wandering around with rope, especially long lengths, but something was off. The half-blind boy couldn't quite place his finger on what was bothering him, but as the stranger drew closer, he examined the face. Still, Semper couldn't place a pinpoint on the off-feeling of it.

"Hello,"

He said, his voice sounding a bit hesitant. It was bothering him a bit too much now, and Ellie, too, seemed a bit anxious. Diverting his gaze from the short -- or short compared to him -- stranger, he thought about it. Better to just ask and see if it was something he could get rid of.

"Ever'thin' awright? Som'in' jus' seems.... kinda off...."

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