capeandcowllogs | look at your life

WHO: Jay (

intothewoods) and OPEN
WHERE: your choice of an abandoned hospital, a subway tunnel, a playground/park, or a nature trail
WARNINGS: none; will update as needed
SUMMARY: Jay goes on a SCAVENGER HUNT because some CRYPTIC ASSHOLE TOLD HIM TO and he REGRETS EVERYTHING HE'S EVER DONE
FORMAT: paragraph to start, quick preferred

As Jay went through his shopping bag full of fresh tapes and flashlight batteries, it occurred to him, not for the first time, that this was, objectively, A Terrible Idea.

He should walk away. He should forget that whole exchange happened. He should stop checking his door locks and sleep, really sleep, get a prescription or something over the counter, or hell, just down some Nyquil, kill two birds with one stone -- anything other than getting ready to hit the city for some screwed up scavenger hunt. This was a mistake of the highest degree.

Would the answer to his question even be worth it?

Could Jay even stand not knowing?

(The answer was, of course, no.)

A USED BEDPAN

It had been over almost two months since heading to the abandoned hospital with Tim, and Jay still couldn't shake that feeling of paranoia as he walked through the halls. It was silly, he knew that, it's not here, but he still couldn't help but peek his camera around corners and walk on the edges of his shoes, quiet. For all of its crumbling walls and bad memories and the very real possibility of tetanus, however, it was peaceful here, the sounds of the city faded to so much background noise. There was no one else around, to the best of his knowledge, and for the first time since he left his apartment the feeling of being watched disappeared. It could have been nice, if Jay could ever bring himself to relax.

A PIECE OF TRASH

The heavy blackness of the subway tunnel was oppressive, almost suffocating. The tiny beam from his flashlight barely illuminated anything, swallowed up by the dark. The only upside was that it wasn't cramped and claustrophobic, like the maintenance tunnel he had yet to explore back home, and wow he was not looking forward to crawling around down there. At oeast here he could stand and run.

All he needed was a piece of trash. Simple enough. Easy to find. In and out, just like that, and he could be done with this place.

He really hoped this wasn't going to end with some hobo shanking him in the kidneys and stealing his camera.

CANDY YOU TOOK FROM A BABY

Jay could handle being alone in the dark. He wasn't a stranger to bad memories and associations. The tunnel and the hospital, while unpleasant, were doable. They were just cases of urban exploration, no big deal (mostly).

Jay had no goddamn idea how to go about taking candy from a baby.

He hung around awkwardly at one of the city parks, watching a gaggle of kids at play. He was acutely aware of the camera in his hands and of how much older he was than everyone else there and how that would look to anyone else passing by. He hunched down, also awkwardly, realized that might make him look even more suspicious, and then just gave up, taking a seat over there on one of the nearby benches.

Pigtailed girl, rainbow striped lollipop, straight ahead at twelve o'clock. He could see this going wrong in any myriad of horrible ways -- the cops somehow getting involved, her dad getting involved, her possibly bursting into tears (he was bad with crying girls), and none of this was even going into the part where he was stealing from a little kid, and what was his life even coming to?

Jay looked at his life, looked at his choices, and tried very, very hard not to look like some sort of pedophile.

A DEAD ANIMAL, MOSTLY WHOLE

The city wasn't exactly a desolate wasteland when it came to wildlife-- while the urban sprawl was distinctly and aggressively human, that didn't stop pigeons and mice and pets from running loose. He could have stayed within city limits, searching back alleys and rooftops or whereverfor whatever poor animal had died out there.

But because Jay's life was a loop of unhappiness, he was walking through the woods instead, summer sun beating down on him as he followed a nature trail. Jay knew he was fine here, that there was nothing to worry about, this isn't Rosswood, it's not here, but that didn't stop him from jumping at every noise, every step and footfall that wasn't his own. The sooner he was done here, the better.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ he doesn't stand out much from the other kids, but Alex isn't at the park to play--he just needed some space, to get away from his sister and their shared apartment for a little while. Alex is really, really glad that Katie's here with him in the City, but they don't always get along very well, and he'd really like to avoid losing control of his temper and starting another fight if he can help it.

for the moment, Alex sitting at a bench on the opposite side of the park, and it takes him a while to notice that one guy with the camera over there...who happens to be watching a group of playing kids. now if that isn't suspicious Alex doesn't know what is. ]

[ muttering to himself: ] Hey--is that guy some kind of creep? [ plenty of sick people out there in the world, after all. Alex slowly stands, making his way over while trying to be inconspicuous. he doesn't need to break out the costume and superpowers just yet, but he definitely wants to see what's up. ] Better check this out...

[Jay sat there debating with himself for a while. He knew he had done some pretty sketchy stuff before, breaking into people's homes, stealing from Alex Kralie, trespassing on private property. But that was different -- those were things (in his eyes) that needed to be done, to get him closer to the truth.

Stealing from this kid was just crossing straight into jerk territory.

(Also this was a park full of witnesses and the steady, prickling feeling of being watched wasn't helping things, either. He at least liked to make a pretense at stealth.)

((Also stealing is wrong I guess))

This wasn't going to get any easier the longer he just sat around. The quicker he got this over with, the quicker he could apologize to the girl, everyone around him, the girl again, and the spirits of all the ancestors he would undoubtedly shame.

Jay stood up, camera in hand, and began to make The Approach.

IT WAS TIME TO MEET HIS DESTINY oh god no this was such a dumb idea what was he doing]

[ Alex watches sharply as the guy on the bench gets up and starts heading toward a young girl, who's holding a sucker in one hand. his actions could be just a coincidence at this point, but then, giving people the benefit of the doubt has almost always backfired on Alex before. still, he can't just run over there and start shouting. he glances around for a moment, finding some tall-ish shrubs nearby to duck behind. it's not great cover in broad daylight, but it'll do. ]

[ hissed: ] Costume on!

[ instant costume summoning? oh yes. we are so prepared for superhero action. with another quick glance around, Alex focuses, using his gravity powers to kick lightly off the ground and land up in one of the taller trees nearby before anyone can see. if the guy decides to try anything dastardly, Alex will be watching and ready to stop him before it gets out of hand.

but, maybe the guy won't. they're in broad daylight, after all. for all he knows the dude could be her father. ]

look at your life

PLAYGROUND/PARK

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