130 - video

[cautionarytale]

[Elle's wearing a nice blouse and has done something with her hair. There's a lit cigarette between her fingers. She's going for the glamorous look today.]

Who does a girl have to not kill to graduate around here? I haven't killed anybody in, like, forever. Some of you people have graduated, right? So what's the requirement to get off this boat?

[She pauses, takes a drag of the cigarette and blows out a cloud of smoke. She nearly starts coughing, but catches herself and flashes the most innocent of smiles at the camera.]

Call me curious, but I can't help wondering what's keeping you in a place like this. Not just the wardens who've graduated. Any of you. I keep hearing phrases like "the greater good" and "saving souls" tossed around, but that's so... [She waves the hand with the cigarette around. Look at her cigarette, barge. Doesn't it make her look mature?] ...nebulous. You know? What's really keeping you here?

[She frowns, for a split second looking like nothing so much as a sad, confused little kid. She raises the cigarette to her lips again, takes a deep breath, and VERY QUICKLY switches to written. The coughing fit that ensues will stay her own dark secret.]


[private to Adam]

Sorry if I was mean about Judas.


[surprise!spam for Howie]

[As usual, no knocking, just an attempt to open the door and walk into Howie's room like she owns the place.]

Comments

[cautionarystory.livejournal.com]

[Elle leaned against him, more grateful than she'd say for the hug, even if it was a short one.]

"Mary misses you," [she said, a small attempt to make him feel better, as she looked up at him hopefully.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

[He nodded, with a slight smile, because it was good to hear.] "Aye. Aye, she probably does. But she'll move on, eventually, and I have to too. I think I have... mostly, there's just moments where I hate it." [He reached behind her for the rest of that chocolate and broke off a piece, then offered her the rest of the bar. It was better than alcohol or smoking.]

"Thanks, Elle. I'm sure, where ever he is, Peter'll miss you too."

[cautionarystory.livejournal.com]

[Elle accepted the chocolate and took a bite. She wasn't fond of bitter tastes, but it was sugary enough that there was some sweetness to it, and it was better than the faint aftertaste of cigarette smoke that was still in her mouth.]

"He's probably forgotten. That's what happens when you leave the barge."

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

[Chocolate was kind of Howie's real guilty pleasure, if he was honest. Outside of drinking, but that was a different matter entirely, so after a moment of eating it, he replied,]

"Not always. I don't know. But even if he has, there's some part of him which'll remember you. Even subconsciously." [Howie was a little of the belief you couldn't just forget things.]

[cautionarystory.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," [Elle said softly. She didn't really believe Peter remembered her, but it was nice to imagine that he did.]

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

"It'll be alright, Elle. I'm not going anywhere, and... it'll be alright."