The streets of the business district, Friday afternoon

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

When it came right down to it, Priestly probably shouldn't have been out and about, today. He wasn't sure if he over starched his suit -- hearing the radio report about his lack of care in his clothing this morning had led to some mildly panicked laundry -- but the fabric seemed exceptionally heavy and itchy today. It took most of his focus to keep from ripping the thing off right there in the streets. But he knew he needed to keep moving, today especially. If he stopped somewhere and sat down, right now, he might just burst into tears.

The news had not been good.

The reports of people dying had never been easy on him, but he'd learned coping methods to deal with them. The report of Sookie dying in detention had been harder, but the reports, from both the radio and the Resistance paper, that Karla had been caught and cursed had made it almost hard to breathe.

If they made it to Saturday, they had a chance. But Priestly was no longer even remotely certain they'd make it that long. He was anxious and terrified and angry and inches from flying apart completely, but if he just kept moving, putting one foot in front of the other, then he thought maybe he might be okay.

[ooc: posted for a particular purpose, but open before that.
Content note: Character death]

Comments

[toomanyofme.livejournal.com]

Oh, look. Another group of Madri heading down the street.

And one of them has seen Priestly and with a friendly grin and wave is heading his way.

"Hello Priestly!" the Madri called out in a friendly manner. "Isn't it a beautiful day?"

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Fucking. Hell.

Priestly started walking faster. He probably couldn't pretend not to have seen the Madri, but he could at least look busy, right?

"Yeah," he called back. "Even greater than yesterday."

He didn't even remotely manage to sound like he meant that.

[toomanyofme.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was fine with the Madri. He just quickened his pace to match up with Priestly's!

"I guess you heard about that girl in detention," he said with a click of his tongue. "Can't believe she had the nerve to go after Raven like that. Well! We can't have that kind of attitude on this island, can we? That girl got what was coming to her."

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

"She was already locked away --" Priestly slammed his mouth shut on his protest, feeling sick. He tried to step up his pace again, going as fast as he could without actually running. "You'd think she'd know better by then," he managed.

Cover, cover, had to keep the cover.

[toomanyofme.livejournal.com]

"Poor, Marie," the Madri said with a shake of his head. "I guess she just wasn't bright enough to accept who's in charge around her."

He paused for a second to frown at himself. "I mean Sookie. Where the heck did that come from?"

He let out a loud laugh. "And then on top of that we got another resistance member back in the fold. Man, it's a great day for Umbridge. If we pick up a couple more of these little snots? It's game over, man."

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Priestly got as far as actually balling his fist and lifting it up before he remembered that he really shouldn't punch a Madri in the face. He managed to change it into a half-hearted fist pump instead.

In his head, his freezer-and-bleach plan was back firing and a giant army of Mardi were tackling him to the ground and making him admire pink kitten plates.

"That's a real victory for Umbridge, alright," he said. "Karla's damn powerful. She could be key in toppling the Resistance."

[toomanyofme.livejournal.com]

"I bet she's already given a list of the resistance members over to Umbridge," the Madri said with smug satisfaction. "If that's the case I bet we can round up all those pathetic fools before the weekend is out."

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.

In Priestly's head, more Madri were joining the fray. He was drowning in a sea of pink plates and smug faces. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

Get a hold of yourself!

He cleared his throat, picking up his pace again where it had started to falter. "You should, uh, you should go find out," Priestly suggested. "That way you guys could get started on rounding them up right away."

Go away go away go away go away go away go away.

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

The Madri just smirked. "Please. I'm everywhere and can do anything at any time," he replied. "I'm part of the Madri. By the way? Sharp looking suit."

[cursedtosmile.livejournal.com]

Momoko had tried a few places and finally just took to scanning the streets looking for Priestly. Finally spotting him, she quickly trotted to catch up to him.

And reached out to grab his arm. So he would stop.

And because she wanted to.

"Hey, found you!" And she had no idea what to say, now that she had.

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Having just we assume escaped from another excessively cheerful gossip session with one of the Madri, Priestly was wound tighter an E-string. He couldn't stop the massive flinch when Momoko grabbed his arm, but he at least managed to strangle back a shout.

"Momoko," he said, pulling at his collar. It seemed to have gotten tighter in the last few minutes. The air had gotten thicker, too. He was choking on it. "Y-you startled me."

[cursedtosmile.livejournal.com]

And with that reaction, she dropped his arm.

"Ah, sorry?" Momoko's smile dimmed with concern. She had a bad feeling that something was wrong, but she wasn't sure what. "I still have a headache so I left work early."

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

It was only once she'd dropped his arm that it clicked in Priestly's head what grabbing it might mean. The curse didn't usually let Momoko initiate direct physical contact like that. He swallowed hard, turning to face her and searching her eyes for any other hints that its hold might finally be weakening enough for him to get through.

"No, no it's okay, I was just --" He wasn't even sure what he'd been doing. He tugged harder on his collar, yanking his tie loose. "Headache. That might --" Okay, let's try for a real complete sentence next, huh? "Tough day?"

There. He should get some kind of medal for that.

[cursedtosmile.livejournal.com]

He was looking for something, Momoko could see that in the way he was looking at her, and she kept her eyes on him hoping he'd find whatever it was. Hoping hard.

"Ah. There was, someone. A student, she passed away." Momoko headache flared a moment, but she pushed through. She didn't want him to think she was holding anything back. "So lots more reports, and with the new term, we were already busy."

"We had the same birthday."

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, yeah, I h-heard. It -- Momo --" God, it was so hot out here. He couldn't breathe. He yanked at his collar, not noticing when the action tore off a couple of buttons.

They were all going to fucking die here.

"If I leave," he said suddenly. "Would you come with me?"

[cursedtosmile.livejournal.com]

Ah! "Your shirt! Priestly? Are you okay? Someone will see..." Momoko's hands flittered up, not touching but... hovering, as she looked around to make sure no one was watching.

And then she looked back at him and her worry grew tenfold. "What are you asking?"

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

"This place is going to kill us," Priestly said. He couldn't keep it in anymore. "It's probably already doing it. We have to get out of here, and we have to go now and if you don't come with me, I don't -- I don't know what I'm going to do."

He wasn't actually sure what he was doing right now. He just knew he couldn't handle this any more. Any of it. And if he didn't start taking some kind of action, he was going to pass out or burst into tears or just start screaming like a lunatic.

He tugged at his shirt again, still feeling like it was pressing against his throat, even as he yanked off more buttons, revealing the edge of his Disregard the Constabulary (http://chzhistoriclols.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/funny-pictures-history-disregard-the-constabulary.jpg) t-shirt.

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

Before Momoko showed up, Priestly was visited by another old friend. This one was just as happy to see him, though for different reasons. "Kiss kiss," Karla breathed right next to his ear, having snuck up silently behind him. "Going somewhere?"

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Priestly froze. Out-right, deer in the headlights froze. He didn't even dare breathe while his brain went through a full cycle of fuckfuckfuckshitfuckshitI'mgoingtodiefuck before it turned back on. "J-just getting some exercise. Staying in shape?"

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

Karla gave him a cheerful once-over. "Look pretty good to me," she said, easily falling into step with him. "But I understand. It's important to remain at peak physical prowess, you know? Especially with what's coming so soon."

Her smile got downright bloodthirsty at that.

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Karla was imperio'd. Karla knew the Saturday plan.

They were all going to die.

"Oh?" It came out as barely a squeak. "What -- what's that?"

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

"Oh, hadn't you heard?" Karla laughed, as if she was in the process of telling the funniest joke she'd ever leaned. "The Resistance is up to something," she singsonged. "They've got themselves a little secret plan that they're brewing. Not that it's going to matter, considering I shared everything I knew with Lady Umbridge as soon as she convinced me hers was the right side."

Yep. Next week's little exodus through the newfound nexus point? Oh, they wouldn't know what hit them!

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Priestly was going to throw up. He was really, seriously going to throw up. Who'd she turned in, already? Who else had they already lost?

"O-oh," he stammered. "That's -- that's nice. That's really good for --" He couldn't say it. He'd had to spout out so many lines, play the role in every way, and he couldn't make himself say that monster's name one more time. "Yay?"

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

"It's just too sad," Karla said, shaking her head slowly. "They're going to go running into our trap like lambs to slaugher. And, who knows? Maybe the survivors will look around as they're standing ankle-deep in their friends' blood and realize that maybe the best thing to do is give themselves up. Finally."

Aww. Wasn't that just too bad? Karla could almost laugh in delight.

[hiddenkilt.livejournal.com]

Stop talking stop talking stop talking stop talking

Priestly stumbled a little as he walked, his arm pulling in to wrap around his chest. He could picture just what Karla was saying, the blood, the bodies, his friends and his students piled up like driftwood.

"Then what?" It came out as a whisper. "If she wins, what, is she going to go after all the other worlds too? Is the island even going to be enough for her?"