5th Fight - Stage 5

[soulless_soldier]

[Barton hates the phone. But she doesn't know what else to do. There are some things that need to be said. Her voice is quiet, and as usual, monotone.]

I... don't know if I want to leave this place. I hate it, but back home I had nothing. All I had done for the last thirty-five years is look for the man who ruined my life, and I was running out of clues and options. I ran way from my family, I have no friends, no money, no home, no life, no emotions, no soul. Literally. Aries ripped it all right out of me.

And here in Mayfield I have all those things again, as weird as it is. Shit. This is so stupid. Oh. I guess it goes without sayin' that I'm a lot older than I look. I guess I'm fifty. Wait, fifty-one now.

[She almost leaves it at that. But before she hangs up:]

Right, forgot. One problem. I'm a Communist. I guess. If you want to arrest me, I guess I deserve it. But I won't go too willingly.

[If anyone does decide to come for her, Barton will be on her porch, sitting on the stairs, trusty hatchet sitting at her side.]

Comments

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

Oh my god.

Are you okay? What if they come for you?!

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I feel... pretty weird, I guess.

I'll deal with that if it happens.

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah. Spilling that kind of stuff out is pretty weird.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

I don't usually like talkin' so much. I can't tell if it's the town messin' with my head again, or... Or if was really time to get all that shit out there.

[brbgoing2russia.livejournal.com]

Maybe it was a little bit of both.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

Maybe. I wonder if I'll feel better or somethin' now.

[justdumbluck.livejournal.com]

...Barton?

What the hell are you doin'?

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

...I don't know. I'm not even completely sure what a communist is, other than I am one. I shouldn't be one, but I am.

(Stage 2) Sorry, I forgot to mention that

[justdumbluck.livejournal.com]

That doesn't even make sense.

And why would you say it over the phone? Don't they hate communists here?

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

It doesn't make sense to me either. But it's like... somewhere deep down I get it. I know it. I feel it. And that feeling made me tell everyone.

[She sounds confused by her own words.]

[justdumbluck.livejournal.com]

That's... really weird. Is it like what happened on the fourth? Where everybody's memories got all scrambled?

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

Fuck. I don't know. I don't know why I told everyone that shit either. Like people here care about what's wrong with my life when it sounds like theirs are just as screwed up, from the calls I've been hearin'.

[justdumbluck.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm sure there are people here who care about what happened ta' you.

It sounds like a lotta these people are screwed up, too.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I haven't even been here very long, after all.

Huh. Maybe that's why they bring us here.

[justdumbluck.livejournal.com]

I guess I haven't known you that long, but I still care.

You mean it's like a jail between worlds?

[Stage Threeeee]

[bitemescumbag.livejournal.com]

A'ight, I'm gonna feel like shit for asking, but I've gotta know. What... what's it like? Losing your soul.

[A pause, before he continues] I'm asking because mine was kinda dying off, back home. Came here before the curse finished, so I've got a bit more than just morbid curiosity about it.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

... It's like bein' alive but dead. Ya start losing your emotions, your memories, any drive to do anything. You don't need to eat, sleep, or even breathe after awhile. If you die, you get right back up, right as rain, a few minutes later. I guess that's the only perk. It all feels awful but after awhile ya stop carin' about anything to notice.

[bitemescumbag.livejournal.com]

...Shit. Sorry. Didn't mean to make ya remember it outta malice. Just... had to know, you know?

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

It's something I think about on a daily basis so I guess that don't matter much. Sucks that you got cursed. Any way to fix it?

[bitemescumbag.livejournal.com]

Nope. I'd say "dying seemed to work", but, uh. Yeah. Wouldn't really know if that worked, exactly. Next thing I know I'm here, anyway. Means I can't complain too much 'bout the town myself, I guess.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

Shit. That sucks.

Wait. So you died and then woke up here?

[bitemescumbag.livejournal.com]

Yep. Some afterlife, huh?

For the record? Try to keep from taking a spike of rock to the back if you can help it. It stings.

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

I keep it on my list of things to avoid.

I wonder if that makes Mayfield Hell.

[a-crazygirl.livejournal.com]

What are you doing? You aren't a communist, why does everyone keep saying tha- you don't have a soul?

[INTRIGUING.]

[nosoul-nomind.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I am. I don't know why or how or anything other than I am.

I do now, thanks to living here. But not back home.