Mysterious Circumstances (pm to discuss joining)

[Othermoose]

Austin heard a loud knock on his door. "Fuck off cheerleader!" He shouted hoping that it was April and not Kate knocking. Austin wanted to leave his bed and talk to Kate but he didn't want to be around David or April. He sighed and laid back on his bed, changing the song playing over the speakers to "Dirt". Austin gave a low groan. "I wish this thing was louder" he muttered to himself.

 

[slippedhalo]

Yuet found a bra and panties in soft pink which were a little racier in style than she'd normally have chosen for herself, but she liked them. She put them on, then found a short, red, dress with shiny black leggings that had two red hearts at each ankle, red socks, and a pair of black ankle boots in her size. Once dressed, she found a new hairbrush and a pack of black and white hair elastics. She brushed her long, glossy hair and plaited it, securing it with a black elastic and leaving a long braid down her back almost to her waist.

Yuet felt more human now and left the room to join the others in what she could only guess was a waiting area of hell.

April waited for her and smiled a friendly smile when she came out to join her. "You feeling hungry? We're having breakfast."

Yuet smiled back and shrugged as she followed April. "We eat here too? How long you being have here?" She asked those assembled at the table.

 

[Othermoose]

David tried to slow his answer down a bit. It was clear that Yuet had trouble with English. "I'm not sure how long we've been here, but we all woke up yesterday. The MeRPs told us that we're light years away from Earth. We all died and now, somehow, they've brought us back. I don't think that we know that much more than you do." David looked at Kate and April. "Did I leave anything out?"

 

[slippedhalo]

Kate asked, "Yuet, where are you from?"

Yuet replied, "Outside Beijing first. Then, San Bernardino California. Seven month, I there. Uncle go first. Move to America when wife pregnant child number three. One child policy..***** not wonderfully with two already, Chinese gov make worse with three. They have many good time in America, tell my parents it nice for me and my mother want but father not. Father lose job four year later. Father ask Uncle help. Uncle say, "You want help? You want job? I tell you again, come America also." So, we go. California. I go San Bernardino Uni. I top student in class." Yuet said, hoping it was mostly understandable.

Kate had learned a few phrases in Mandarin Chinese during her stay there while visiting a Buddhist Monestary. She tried them on Yuet and they shared a laugh at some of Kate's mispronounciations. "I'd love to learn more. I only learned enough for my trip. I'll help you with your English if you teach me some Chinese, Yuet." Offered Kate.

Yuet nodded, "I like that."

 

[Othermoose]

Austin was bored. He was tired of sitting in his room with only his thoughts for company. "Maybe cheerleader is up for another round." He thought standing, ignoring the thought that it would upset Kate. Why the fuck did he care what she thought? Austin still wasn't sure what was wrong with him. He'd never been able to connect to someone before except for... "How the fuck am I this stupid!?" He thought, his eyes blurring with tears. "She's just like Angie." He took a moment to clear his eyes and thoughts before putting on his customary scowl, and heading for the door.

Austin left his room and heard an unfamiliar voice. "Guess we have a new zombie he thought." Heading for the dining area. He arrived in time to listen to the Asian woman struggle to convey her story to the group. Austin said nothing until the woman finished her story.

"I was from L.A." Austin said walking towards the seat next to Kate. No one had noticed him until he had spoke. Austin ignored the dirty looks from April and David as he sat next to Kate. "So Panda, how'd you die?"

 

[slippedhalo]

"Panda? I no panda, moon. Yuet mean moon, no panda. But, panda cute." Yuet corrected the boy. This got an amused snicker from the other three.

Yuet' s forehead wrinkled in honest confusion mixed with slight annoyance and she went on, "Wha you say me before? I looking clothing and you yell no nice? Why? We both California people, man. We stick together in hell, no?"

She watched his scowl, wondering if he understood her and was waiting for an answer to his question or not. She added, "I do bad thing. Cousin Bo tell me she arrange surf lesson but it during study time. We skip school and go to beach with her friends. Friend brother surf in-in...in...surf teacher. But, he rather teach Bo kissing and we all surf on our own. I don't do so well. I crash and hit hard under water, head bashed between board and rock on floor."

 

[Othermoose]

Austin looked at Yuet in confusion. "How the hell do I respond to that? She didn't even get the insult." He thought. He pondered Yuet for a moment the he finally said: "yea, surfers are dicks..." Austin hesitated for a moment before ending his sentence with: "Moon." He got up and grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge before returning to his seat next to Kate, choosing not to say anything more.

 

[slippedhalo]

Kate winced at the description of Yuet' s death. "That sounds pretty gruesome. I hope you didn't suffer much."

Yuet shrugged, "Blessing, I remember nothing. Nothing after hit on head."

Chef bot asked Yuet what she wanted to eat while bringing her a mug of tea. "Is porridge in hell? Or cereal?"

Chef bot showed her a menu of cereal options and she ended up choosing Kix with almond milk.

Kate had finished her breakfast and chef bot loaded her dishes into a hovering cart and carted it off. April put her hand on Kate's asking, "You need that help now?"

Kate nodded, "Yes, please." The two rose to head toward the bathroom for the strangest shower of Kate's existence, she imagined.

Yuet sipped her tea and regarded the goth boy. "You name is like Texas city, yes? Born there?"

 

[Othermoose]

"I don't know how shit works in china, but in America people aren't named after cities. Like I said before I was from L.A." Austin said. He didn't want to be here now that Kate was gone but he didn't really want to go back to his room. After a moment of debate Austin left the room, ignoring Yuet's look of confusion. "Was a boring conversation anyways." Austin muttered grabbing a tablet from the shelf before heading back to his room.

"I'm sorry about him, Yuet, he doesn't have any people skills." David said after Austin left mid conversation. "You should probably steer clear of him, he's already attacked me." David said. "So now that it's just the two of us, what would you like to do?"

 

[slippedhalo]

"I wait to find Ch'eng Huan. The one who judges...I wait to be judged. I get my punishment and serve it. Then, I may born again, re...reincarnate." replied Yuet. "I want punishment begin and end quickly so I may be forgiven my sins." She was quite serious as she recalled the childhood teachings of hell, punishment and reincarnation. For being foolish would she be turned into a baboon, she wondered.

 

[Othermoose]

"Um honey..." David rubbed his neck at the uncomfortable situation he was in. "I don't think this is the afterlife. We've been brought back to life somehow. Reanimated. Do you understand what I'm saying? You died but somehow you're not dead anymore." David tried his best to explain the situation to the confused girl, wishing that there was no language or cultural barrier. "I'm not great at the whole religious thing, I was raised Christian. Maybe Kate could explain this, she probably has a better understanding of your belief system."

 

[slippedhalo]

April tried very hard to be helpful and present without infringing on the almost nun' s privacy. She helped set the shower on at a temperature not freezing or hot, then she helped Kate to undress, all the while, trying very hard not to peek (she did, just a bit, though...not bad at all...) and Kate assured April she'd be alright showering herself once April had shown her which bottle was shampoo and which was shower gel.

So, April went to the sink and sat on the countertop, just waiting to be Kate's personal dresser. She had an idea, then. Ran to the door and opened it a crack to call out, "Can someone go into Kate's closet to get her a change of clothes, please? I'm on slip-and-fall watch. Afraid to leave the room!"

 

[Othermoose]

Austin could feel himself growing more and more agitated the longer he went without smoking. The first thing he did after waking up was ask for a cigarette. Now he felt like he was losing his mind. He had tried to focus on reading, but he had given up and was now pacing the hallway outside the bedrooms. When he heard April call for someone to get clothing for Kate, he jumped on the chance. He wanted to win Kate's approval despite himself, and he figured these odd jobs would help.

Austin entered Kate's room and went to her wardrobe. His first thought was to pick her something sexy, but that would cause problems so he dismissed the thought. He grabbed a pair of simple purple panties, and a red bra that looked to be the right size. Next he choose a pair of faded blue jeans that would hug Kate's curves a little better than her current pair, but not be too tight or revealing. He debated on what top to choose but when he saw a black low cut top he couldn't resist. He'd always loved a woman in black. He looked at the top more closely and decided that it was probably a little bit more revealing than what Kate was used to, but reasonably so.

Austin did his best to fold the clothing and left Kate's bedroom, passing an angry looking David, as he headed towards the bathroom. He walked to April and handed her the pile of clothing, waiting to see if she'd approve them.

 

[slippedhalo]

April popped her head out of the door and saw, of all things, Austin, standing there holding out a neatly folded pile of clothes. She glanced at the stuff, at least he wasn't being a jerk and just handing over a pair of socks and nothing else, or something like that. This was an outfit. "Ok. Uh...thank you, Ludw...thanks Austin." She said, thinking the better of insulting him while he was doing something non assholeish.

Taking the whole pile required actually opening the door more than a crack. She had no idea how bad her timing was. At that exact moment her back was turned and door was partially opened, Kate had completed her shower and was carefully trying to step from the shower when her right foot slipped on the tile floor and she half fell, sliding down some with a loud crash of knocked over shower gel hit by her already bruised elbow, awkwardly situated against the edge of the shelf it sat upon, while both of Kate's arms desperately gripped at the sides of the glass and metal shower door-frame, her wet skin sliding on the glossy surface...She'd fall if she couldn't right herself soon. "Oh, crap...I need help!" Kate said despite feeling embarrassed at the need and situation.

 

[Othermoose]

Austin heard Kate's cry for help and before he had time to react he was at her side catching her before she tumbled to the ground. Once Kate was balanced Austin stepped back awkwardly realizing that the woman was completely naked before him. He couldn't help himself as his eyes roamed the woman's beautiful wet skin. Kate's body was beautifully pale and sprinkled with freckles. Her breasts weren't overly large but they were still amazing, her pink nipples contrasting wonderfully with her skin. Austin's eyes traveled down Kate's flat stomach to her mound which was covered in bright red hair. "Guess they didn't shave us while we were dead." Austin thought, his face coloring slightly as the term "fire crotch" popped into his head. His eyes continued their path downward over Kate's gorgeous thighs and down her perfect legs. From the angle he was standing Austin also caught a glimps of Kate's ass, which he longed to reach out and feel.

The moment studying Kate's amazing body felt like a wonderful eternity, but it really only lasted a few seconds. Austin quickly turned his back on Kate and stuttered out nervously: "um... You were falling and I was trying to catch you, I wasn't just trying to look. Not that I wouldn't want to! I mean... I didn't see anything..." Austin finished feeling like a total idiot. "What the fuck! Why am I so goddamn nervous around her!? It's not like she's the first girl I've seen naked!" Austin thought angrily. He really wanted to disappear back into his room, but his legs wouldn't budge. Austin realized that some stronger feeling wanted him to stay to make sure Kate was alright, and that she wasn't mad.

 

[slippedhalo]

April rushed over, shoving Austin aside as she took Kate's arm and helped her to stand on a bath mat. She unfurled a large towel and wrapped it around Kate, turning protectively to block any further sight of Kate's body from Austin. "Just go, Austin. This isn't a peep show."

Kate was blushing and speechless with embarrassment at the whole situation. "I'm fine now. Just give me my clothes and both of you, go. I can do the rest myself."

April tried not to feel hurt at being lumped in with Austin. "What about..."

Kate held her towel tight against her body, her only shield from the world..."Everybody out!" She insisted through clenched teeth.

As she heard two sets of feet moving toward the door, Kate added, "Thank you, really. Thanks for the help. I just...I have to. Ok?"

 

[slippedhalo]

Yuet was confused. "This place not hell?" She looked all around. "Why no let me die? What must we do now?"

 

[Othermoose]

Once Austin and April were out of the bathroom he turned at her his face contorted in rage. "I was just trying to help her! And don't pretend you weren't in there staring, you dyke bitch!" Austin shouted his fists clenched at his sides. He stared at April his eyes burning in rage waiting for her response that would more than likely start a fist fight.

David shrugged his large shoulders. "I have no idea what they're planning for us. This is all very confusing for me too." He said, doing his best to sound comforting. He was about to say more to Yuet when he heard Austin's enraged shouting outside of the bathroom. David stood up quickly. Heading for the common room. "Stay here Yuet, I'm going to have to deal with him."

 

[slippedhalo]

April was livid. "Fuck you, you creepy dickhead! I don't like Kate like that. You're just pissed off because you're such a pathetic, little, asswipe who can't even hack it at life the first time around and one day into your second go and you're already a fuck up. She feels sorry for you, ya moron! And, nobody else gives two shits about you. I don't know why they bothered reviving you. You're a waste of oxygen!" She yelled in his face.

 

[slippedhalo]

Kate dressed herself, slowly. Her hands shook as she moved to do this mundane task turned challenging when necessary to have to do it only by feel. She could hear yelling outside the door and knew she'd probably have to have a talk with both April and Austin but at the moment she was still feeling too exposed and vulnerable to get up the nerve to even face them. So, she took her time getting dressed. It felt good to be clean, though. There was at least that positive side to the situation.

 

[Othermoose]

Austin saw red. April had just laid all of his fears out before him. He reared back and slammed his forehead into April's nose. As she doubled over in pain he kneed her in the face. Just as he was going for his third attack he fealt a huge weight hit him from behind. "The fucking caveman." Austin thought to himself as he felt David grab him by the hair and begin to slam his face into the floor repeatedly. Austin's vision began to blur and he was pretty sure his nose had been broken by now. "This asshole is going to kill me." Austin thought, feeling rather calm. "Whatever." He thought accepting his face as David continued to slam his face into the floor. "It's not like I wanted to be here anyways." Austin thought as he began to pass out.

 

[slippedhalo]

Yuet watched the arguing from afar. She wondered why Austin and April were so angry. Especially Austin...He seemed kind of dangerous. Why was he so full of venom? Yuet approached the group fighting in the hallway, forgetting all about her breakfast going soggy at the table. "Why you so mad?" She asked. "We far from home, maybe forevermore. Everyone loves to us thinking we dead and gone. We are now family. No robot can be replace human for friend and family. We each other family. No fight!" She moved to help Austin, telling him off in the process.

 

[slippedhalo]

April had never been beaten up before, ever. She was in so much pain, it was like her skull was split open. She lie still on the ground, trying to decide what to do when she saw Austin slump to the ground after David beat him down. He was losing consciousness and, of all things, Yuet was tending to him but in her way, she was chiding him, well all of them, as well.

 

[Othermoose]

"This little fuck just attacked April, and probably tried to rape Kate too!" David shouted getting off of Austin's back. "This motherfucker is psychotic!" David shouted giving a kick to the unconscious teen's ribs. He took several deep breaths before walking over to April. "Are you ok honey? Do you need me to get a MeRP?" His voice taking on the same tone he'd use on Molly if she'd skinned her knee. He began to gently rub April's back before he turned to Yuet his voice going cold. "We can't trust that fucker." David said pointing to Austin's unconscious form.

 

[slippedhalo]

Yuet shook her head, "No...No trust feral, wounded, animal. But, we help them. Every life helped, not just happy good lifeses." She commented, tending to wounds of both wounded. Her first aid training was proving helpful.

April just lay there, as still as possible. "My nose..."

Yuet looked and nodded, "Shh, be still. It broke. David, you stay. No more kick Austin. I get MeRP. Both need MeRP."