NationStates Jolt Archive

John crept through the house. He shouldn't have had to, his parents weren't home. His parents were dead. But that mattered little, he'd gotten over it like his brother and sister had, because their parents had died over eight months ago. Before their parents left the house, they'd given Floyd, their Personal Android, explicit instructions to not let the children leave the house. They'd meant to come home soon from dinner, but the drunken truck driver disagreed. Floyd, never one to critically think about something, dutifully carried out their last orders. He dutifully fed them, provided all they needed. Except freedom to move.

But the children had a plan. After a month of planning, they had it down to a science. One of them would jump out the window, Robin, probably. Then Eric would run as fast as he could down the driveway, after exiting out the front door. And out the back door would sprint John. The trick wouldn't be accomplishing this. The trick would be simultaneity. After the cliché of synchronizing watches, they set a time for 11:30 pm. But they wanted to sound like commandos, not children breaking out of their own house. So they used military time. After they escaped, the plan was to steal a car and drive as far away as they could. Across the entire country if need be. Catamarca was the destination.

After dutifully asking for their allowance from Floyd over 80 times (Floyd had terrible pattern recognition), they decided tonight was the night. At 2330 military time, they would escape from their own house. Three adolescents with about Cr10,000 to spend to get across the nation of Imnsvale.

The plan was executed perfectly. Floyd was flummoxed and flaccid for long enough that they were already down the black driveway and onto the neighborhood street. Being that the street curved down and away, Floyd lost track of them rather quickly. His guilt was crushing and he was paralyzed under fear of retribution from the parents. He didn't have anything to worry about, but he didn't know that. If he knew that, we wouldn't have had this problem, now would we?

The merry trio trotted down the street and tried to find a suitable automobile to commandeer. The first one they found was rather strange. All three of them piled into the front bench seat meant for four people, oddly enough. Robin sat at the steering wheel, Eric in the middle, John at the pedals. John didn't notice this until Robin brought it to his attention.

"What kind of car is this?"

"Beats me."

Well, Floyd had snapped out of it by this point and was in pursuit. Wheeling down the street, lights flashing; The children noticed right away. After John noticed he had the pedals, he gave the engine some gas while Eric hot-wired the car. Robin unlocked the steering column like a professional. Professional what, she didn't know. They had more pressing matters, remember? John floored it and they sped off. Floyd, seeing this, paralyzed himself again with a dose of pity and froze up in the middle of the street.

After driving for about an hour, they were satisfied enough at their distance advantage to stop for some food and to stretch. They had learned how to work the car somewhat well, but it was still tricky. The convenience store they stopped at was rather strange; every product wasn't on a shelf, it was on circular racks. The clerk had purple eyes and was listless. When queried about his eyes, the clerk responded with a tale of woe and a wound so deep he lost a bunch of blood. The new synthetic blood, artificial hemoglobin, turns your eyes purple. (Really, no kidding.)

After purchasing some munchies, they set off again.

OOC: Hitchhiker?

OOC: You need an NPC? You got an NPC.

IC: Todd had been walking for hours now. His truck had ceased operating ten miles back (he had crashed it into a tree), and he had no phone. He spots the dust of an oncoming vehicle and begins waving his arms frantically. "Wait! Stop!"

They sped past the bystander until John braked the car with such a sudden reaction that Eric swallowed his Milky Way whole.

"What was that for?" Eric coughed up some nuts and caramel.

"Do we pick him up?"

"Pick who up?"

"That guy waving his arms about two minutes back."

"Why the hell not. Did he look dangerous?"

"I hope not."

Robin shifted into reverse, and they drove in reverse the whole way back.

"Where are you headed, stranger?"

Meanwhile, Floyd was frantic. After calling the police, Floyd paced around the house as best he could on his little wheels. The police came and Floyd gave them photos, hair samples, combs, toothbrushes, clothes, and most anything else they asked for, including a box of cereal. The police officers had missed breakfast. After rounding up the things they needed, the police sped off, leaving Floyd to stew in his failure. And did he ever stew. He swept and vacuumed the house so many times the carpet started to wear.

Todd looks at the driver incredulously. "Are you old enough to drive?" He shrugs. "Oh well, it doesn't matter." He hops in. "I was going to Delores, but I'm not sure it exists anymore. I guess I'll go where you go."

"Delores? Where is that?"

"We're headed for Catamarca. It's a small town across Imnsvale. The details aren't important to you, really."

"Climb in."

With the addition of Todd, the front seat of the car was full. Robin, on the far left, had the steering wheel. Eric was in the middle with the munchies. John had the car pedals and now Todd was on the far right of the baby blue automobile.

"We have to move."

"We're far enough away."

"Says you. Remember the last time you said that?"

Todd produces a can of soda from his pocket and opens it, beginning to drink.

Nice story!... tag

OOC: Basic RP-ing 101. If someone has a moderately sized post, respond with about the same or longer. One line responses are never appreciated.

OOC: Bah. I'm not going to force an RP of something. Besides, since you're in charge here you have control of most detail. I can only control Todd.

OOC: You can make it far more interesting. Make us care about Todd. Where has he come from? What makes him special? What is he wearing? Is what he is wearing torn, stained, ripped? What caused that tear, stain or rip? Is he tired? Does he have facial blemishes? Sheesh, don't pull this "I can't control this".

Kevin Smirto drives down the highway in his big truck. This is no ordinary truck, but a ZIL lorry. Painted in psychadelic colors, it is quite a sight.

Kevin sits n the driver's seat, his collection of CDs on the passenger's seat. He listens to Sympathy For The Devil by the Rolling Stones at maximum volume. He wears a <climate-appropriate clothing item> and a pair of faded jeans. He wears no shoes, which are held in a file cabinet behind the cab until he needs them. His one white and one black sock cover his big feet on the pedals. In the back of his lorry, he carries a load of mattresses, bound for Catamarca. Little did he know it, he was going the wrong way. Suddenly, a small car comes into view. It approaches fast, too fast for the ZIL to properly avoid it. He slams on the breaks and hits the horn, sending out a loud honk that can be heard for miles. The truck slides off the road, but the ZIL has excellent off-road capability. Unfortunately, he had lost a hubcap....

OOC: Sorry I'm not pleasing you. It's still your turn. If you do not reply, I'll assume you don't want to deal with Todd and leave. That's okay though. I hope you won't give up on me because of one short post though.

OOC: I'm sorry, but four one-line posts isn't my style. It isn't "bad", just not what I enjoy. But there in a handy way IC for Todd to leave. And I thought I mentioned that this car was a convertible earlier. Sorry, this is a rather warm area, a t-shirt is appropriate.
IC:

Robin swerved away from the truck while yelling at John to brake. John braked, Eric choked on his Raisinettes, Robin was off-road driving.

Cue Slow Motion Disaster-Cam™

The wheels of the blue convertible dug into the dirt. The hubcap from the truck rolled toward the car. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. The hubcap makes it up to the hood of the car. Bounce. Crash. The hubcap puts a crack in the windshield. Thwack. The hubcap puts a deep gash into Todd's head. He falls over. Bounce. The hubcap goes off the trunk. John brings the car to a halt.

End Disaster Cam™

"Holy shit."

"Is he dead?"

"I don't think so."

John, repulsed by blood, opens the door from the dashboard handle. Yes, the dashboard handle. Built for exactly this sort of situation. Todd is shoved out. Eric reaches into his bag of munchies and pulls out some Saran Wrap and bandages Todd's wound. They prop his head against a rock, cover him up, pull a U-turn and drive towards the truck driver.

Todd awakens some minutes later and rubs his wound. Standing and dusting himself off, he looks about. Seeing no trace of the truck nor any other noticable landmark he shrugs and sets off back down the road.

Kevin steps out of the truck, and examines his ZIL. He turns to see the blue car driving towards him......

Eric coughed up a Raisinette. They drive up to the truck and stop just short of the front bumper of the truck.

"Where are you headed?"

"Why were you on the wrong side of the road?"

"Thanks for getting him out of the car."

They all slide out of the car on John's side; Robin's side had no door.

"Who are you?"

"Milky Way? Raisinette? Goober?"

"Thanks for getting him out of the car."


OOC: If you didn't know, when there is a set of three people speaking, it goes Robin, Eric, John, like they sat in the car.

Kevin is thoroughy confused at the onslaught of questions.

"I'm going to Catamarca with some stuff in me truck. And how is that the wrong side?"

"Catamarca is the other way."

"Don't pay attention to his 'other side' stuff. He can't drive."

"Yeah, Catamarca is that-a-way."

[Bump, for any other new people...]

Anyone? This thread is still alive. Hopefully.