Mysterious Circumstances (pm to discuss joining)

[Aussie_Wolf]

Natalia got up onto the dark brown mare who'd offered her snout to her for petting. She had a sweet way about her, like a kind old lady. She rode up alongside Jason, smiling confidently. This was nothing new to her. Natalia was a farmer at heart.

Caleb had only ridden a horse one time and it had been a guided thing with a boy he'd had a crush on in high school, before he'd come out. They were fourteen and goofy and Caleb was so focused on the boy he hardly remembered a thing about the horseback ride. So, he followed Natalia in her lead and got lucky because this dappled grey mare was being extremely patient with his awkwardness. He got the hang of it after a few minutes.

Jocelyn had absolutely no horse experience. She fumbled, irritated the light brown horse left for her, worried about catching up with the others, she hustled, soon had caught up but followed behind the other three because her horse didn't seem to like her or want to move much at her behest.

Jason saw how the others rode and was a bit surprised. it seemed that they had not even been taught the basics of horse riding in their fancy machines. He was going to have to see if that could be rectified or they were really going to have a hard time out here.

He kept the pace easy as he led them down the hill and decided to talk to them. He found that beginners learned a lot faster if they just let their bodies adjust naturally instead of thinking about it and if he took their minds off riding it should help.

"Okay we are heading towards my place which is that house there at the bottom of the hill," he said pointing towards the large house that could be just seen. "As you can probably make out there are a few barns there as well. One is for my horses and any animals that need treatment, One is a milking shed and the other is a general purpose shed where I keep all my tools, tack and my wagon normally. There is a smaller house out the back for my ranch hands, but you can't see that at the moment and large gardens full of fruit trees and vegetables."

He smiled at the group as they plodded along. "Most farms try to make themselves pretty self sufficient and I am more than most. The gardens originally were made to support four adults plus two ranch hands and a house keeper. Now there's just me, the ranch hands and the housekeeper so I sell a lot of my produce," he said sadly.

Brightening up he pointed out his crops. "Okay I have corn over in those paddocks where you see all that green, Wheat and over there were it is all red is a product called Soyga. It is like an Earth potatoe I have been told but was given to us by the Cousins. it is one of the reasons people survived the plague. I also have pastures for my horses and cattle. That's all the greenery you see out there and you might see my milk herd just down there," he said pointing. "They are normally kept close to the house and milked twice a day. I also have a large production herd and well I think they are some of the best animals around. You had some tonight so you tell me if you think they are any good?"

 

[SlySparrow0003]

May was annoyed quickly. Even she wasn't this self centered. Or maybe she was. She saw him fall asleep and trudged on. She saw one of Aprils shoes as she trudged through the forest. She caught a glimpse of a cabin, and headed towards it in curiosity.

 

[slippedhalo]

Ooc: No May! I want t write my posts. Give it at least 24 hours of her missing, guys. I want the colony to have to work together. I am aiming toward a dose of humility from Alec's side and the newcomers to close ranks and actually have time to worry and start searching. Let April be missing for one or two nights. I have a few scenes planned with her and Sully.

May, take note of the cabin but keep on walking away, please.

 

[slippedhalo]

The sight of several hunters traps of various sorts, some loaded and hidden well, others obvious, were all around the area of the cabin. It gave May pause. This was an odd and dangerous looking place to walk. Apparently, this cabin owner wanted to be left alone and trapped lots of meat.

 

[slippedhalo]

Jason saw how the others rode and was a bit surprised. it seemed that they had not even been taught the basics of horse riding in their fancy machines. He was going to have to see if that could be rectified or they were really going to have a hard time out here.

He kept the pace easy as he led them down the hill and decided to talk to them. He found that beginners learned a lot faster if they just let their bodies adjust naturally instead of thinking about it and if he took their minds off riding it should help.

"Okay we are heading towards my place which is that house there at the bottom of the hill," he said pointing towards the large house that could be just seen. "As you can probably make out there are a few barns there as well. One is for my horses and any animals that need treatment, One is a milking shed and the other is a general purpose shed where I keep all my tools, tack and my wagon normally. There is a smaller house out the back for my ranch hands, but you can't see that at the moment and large gardens full of fruit trees and vegetables."

He smiled at the group as they plodded along. "Most farms try to make themselves pretty self sufficient and I am more than most. The gardens originally were made to support four adults plus two ranch hands and a house keeper. Now there's just me, the ranch hands and the housekeeper so I sell a lot of my produce," he said sadly.

Brightening up he pointed out his crops. "Okay I have corn over in those paddocks where you see all that green, Wheat and over there were it is all red is a product called Soyga. It is like an Earth potatoe I have been told but was given to us by the Cousins. it is one of the reasons people survived the plague. I also have pastures for my horses and cattle. That's all the greenery you see out there and you might see my milk herd just down there," he said pointing. "They are normally kept close to the house and milked twice a day. I also have a large production herd and well I think they are some of the best animals around. You had some tonight so you tell me if you think they are any good?"

Natalia nodded, "Very! My specialty is dairy production but I agree, these are gorgeous cattle. I've got to admit, I can hardly wait to show you ours."

 

[slippedhalo]

April awoke in a cold, metal room with a drain in the floor. She remembered the drain because it looked black, no, red, but it was upon closer inspection that she saw the color was actually gunmetal grey covered in old blood...blood...She felt her heart racing at the memory of the hulking figure announcing she was his wife, then whacking her on the head with a hunting rifle...She wanted to sit up but was unable to move. Her hands were tied behind her to a hook above her head, a meathook, she realized, her legs dangling. Across the room, similarly hung, were two deer carcasses, skinless, the smell of their blood still potent. Bile rose in April's throat but she swallowed it back.

She screamed at the sound of fabric being sliced and rent away in strips, her clothes falling to the floor like the animal skins. A brawny hand held her throat while he held her from behind and sliced her last remnants if protection from her shivering, dangling, form. She couldn't scream. No sound escaped as he squeezed her throat, just enough to silence her as he mumbled, "...but they took me out of the lottery. I deserve love too. Why can't I have a wife and kids? Everybody else can. I can, I'm a good husband. I'll take care if you, Woman. I'll keep you clean and safe and you'll have good meat and we'll grow veggies so our kids will be healthy and strong. They'll learn hunting from me and you can make them smart. Don't look at me...Don't look at me like I'm stupid. I'm no dummy. I'm DIFFERENT!" Then he punched her twice in the gut and slapped her, hard across the face. "You think you're better than me!?! I'll show you!"

April was reeling, trying to find a way to diffuse the man's temper. She was still gagged, tears making the fabric salty and more loose. She was able to say a muffled apology and beg to be released...But, he had other plans...He wasn't hearing her entreaties while he spread her open and took her forcefully, from behind, coming loudly with a yell of triumph and hot breath against her ear. He then, wiped himself off on a scrap of her shirt from the floor, shut off the lights, and left. It was very dark and very cold.

April sobbed and screamed in the darkness. She kicked wildly, but to no avail, this just made her painfully dangling body swing nauseatingly on that meathook she was hanging from. After a few hours of this, darkness and silence, his seed dripping down her thighs, disgusting her, April wept and prayed, crying herself to sleep.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

OOC: Got it, sorry about that.

***
IC: May trudged away from the cabin, nothing really looked worth seeing, so she trudged back to there new home, coming inside, she didn't see April or Austin, but assumed that April was sleeping and Austin was still outside. She went up to her and the other threes room and plopped into her bed, falling asleep quickly.

 

[slippedhalo]

Yuet and Aziz had a quiet evening together, awakening from a long nap they'd not intended, they had enjoyed dinner's left overs outside with a couple of night shift officers they'd invited to join them.

....Five Hours Later....(close to 1am)

The night air was filled with music from the local radio station, the mood was relaxed and joval. Wine and Ligtning in a Bottle were being shared along with anecdotes and jokes.

A toast to Aziz and Yuet's engagement had occurred which Kate shared in with a glass of Falle juice, a Cousin fruit similar to fresh cherries and mango in taste with a heady, cinnimon and rosehip, aftertaste. Alcohol free, tasty, and very healthy, of course.

David and Kate had been enjoying learning about the politics of their new world with Will when they saw May return looking glum. Not one bit unusual today. She mumbled a greeting in return to theirs and trudged into the house.

Then, Austin arrived a little later on foot carrying a woman's size 6.5 copper toned ballet flat. Kate recognized the shoe as April's. "Where's April?" She asked, just as Will was met by a freaked out and angry Kendal with an empty carriage.

Yuet and Aziz had been dancing and laughing but the tension of the moment stopped everything quickly. "Austin...what happened to your face. Why you have April her shoe but not April?" Asked Yuet, her mind recalling how badly he'd once attacked April before they'd bonded. He'd hurt her badly once before. But, he'd been so much better...Had his violent streak returned?

Will addressed the obvious fuck up when he approached and tensely interviewed Kendal, "Why are you without your charges? This one comes back, bruised and cut up, on foot? Where's the woman, April?"

This fresh commotion awoke Erik who sat up looking quite confused at all he'd missed.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Kendal looked around panicked. "Austin freaked out and ran off, I don't know what happened to him, April ran off looking for him, I came to see if they made it here safely, but it's obvious they didn't." Kendal explained with panick in her voice.

****

May angrily awoke to here people yelling. She went downstairs after getting dressed, and saw Austin, Kendel and everyone else looking panicked. She heard Kendal explain her side of the story and she held up Aprils other shoe, she said quietly in the doorway, which caused all head to look at her. "Austin I have her other shoe.. It was in the woods." She turned to everyone else. "Austin ran off a cliff, and Adrianna and another mermaid saved him from drowning." She stood at the doorway her expression, worried now.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

Jason finally guided them down to his ranch and decided to take them through to his milk cows. He opened the gate to the pasture and waved them through then closed it behind them then started to ride towards where the normally liked to graze.

"Don't worry about this lot charging or anything, they are so docile it would take a pretty powerful predator to rile them up. They are so used to humans on horseback though that you can ride through them and they will barely acknowledge your presence."

He led them down to the back of the paddock and the large cows came into view. They were the size of a normal sized man when standing and very solidly built. In all other ways they resembled an earth cow. They just stood there munching grass looking around in the way of cows everywhere.

"They have already been milked this evening, but by tomorrow they will be ready to be milked again. I am very proud of them. It has taken me a lot of breeding to get them to this stage. No one else has a herd that gets so much milk and can milk them every day twice a day like I do."

 

[Othermoose]

Austin glared at Yuet, his eyes burning with rage. "I didn't do a god damn thing to her. I love her, more than any of you know." He said in a dangerously low voice. He stared at Yuet a moment longer before turning away. He walked to May and grabbed April's shoe from her hand. "Did you see anything, or were you too busy fucking up? That goes to you too pig." Austin growled at both May and Kendal.

David stepped in front of Austin before a fight could break out. "It's obvious that you didn't do your job, officer." David said to Kendal in an angry tone. "Go to the station and bring back someone competent. You're no longer needed here." David said before turning to Erik. "Sober up. We're searching the woods in five minutes. Anyone coming with us get ready now." David said before walking over to Will. "Any idea what happened to her?" He asked in a quiet voice.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Kendal was also disappointed with herself, "No. I'm going with, I don't give a damn what you say. May was angry with herself and Austin. Her fuck up? What about him when he was off throwing a hissy fit, and she went to look for HIM. She angrily nodded to herself before saying. "I'm going." She ran inside and grabbed a knife then tucked it in her back pocket. She ran back outside. "Ready". Her tone was serious and she had a determined expression on her face.

 

[Othermoose]

"You better give a damn what I say! I'm you're boss and I gave you an order! Get to the station and get some officers who can do their jobs! If it will make you feel better you can fill out a report about how you lost both of your charges and failed to do your job, but you better follow my orders!" David shouted at Kendal.

"And you're not going either, May. You've been sabotaging us from the moment you woke up. If anyone besides April was missing I wouldn't be taking Austin, but in this case I'm making an exception. I can't have your emotions putting April in jeopardy. And that goes for you too Austin. You follow my orders or you're back here. Got it?" David said in a stern voice. "Fine." Austin growled in begrudging agreement.

"Will, Erik! Get ready we're leaving! You take the lead Will." David said as the group began to form up. As they made their way away from the cabin turned back to May and Kendal. "If either of you disobey me. If either of you put April in anymore danger. I... I'll... There will be Hell to pay." David said before turning away and catching up with the group.

 

[slippedhalo]

Aziz kissed Yuet goodbye and silently moved along with the group. As they drew closer to the treeline, he was noticed and he announced firmly, "I'm coming too. More fresh eyes can only make this easier." He said, bringing an emergency first aid kit, a bottle of water, and a swiss army knife. "I want to help. We're family. Families stick together." He said, patting May's shoulder as he said this and passed her to walk alongside the men.

 

[slippedhalo]

Will was rattling off a list of a handful of more worrying delinquents in the police records. But, no crimes had been worse than drunk and disorderly, or assault in years. "I mean, we've had no murders and there were only two attempted rapes in over thirty years. One was by a man who's been dead for two years, Jarred Alden. He was a piece of work...a real chauvinist asshole... The other one was...well, the charges were dropped. The family of the girl decided it was a misunderstanding and dropped the charges. This was between the colonys handicapped teens at the time. Miriam Smith was the colony's only case of Multiple Sclerosis and it was pretty severe. The other special needs child was a mentally handicapped boy named Brian Sullivan. It was maybe seven or eight months after his mom had drowned right in front of him. He'd been traumatised, stopped talking. He hadn't spoken to anyone but Miriam in all that time...Then, Miriam apparently told her mother he'd tried to force himself on her, sexually, but had had trouble...uh, shot his load on her before he ever got further, then ran off in frustration. He insisted he thought she wanted him to because they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Miriam was unable to tell if it was a misunderstanding or not...They dropped the charges but the family had a restraining order against him to be safe. Miriam died in her sleep last Autumn. Sully, that's the boy, Brian Sullivan, affectionately called Sully by everyone, he lives with his grandfather, Mike Sullivan, a former gamekeeper. They spend a lot of time...hunting in the woods. They sell meat to the butcher and products like venison and smoked jerky at the Saturday open air market every week. Mike lives at the elderly home now that he's alone. His wife Edna died last year. Ever since then, he's at the old folks home more. But, Simple Sully...sorry, that's rude, Sully, he still stays at the family hunting cabin in the woods."

 

[slippedhalo]

April wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like a lifetime before the darkness was broken by a light...It was her captor with a flashlight. "Forgot to clean up." He said before April felt a powerfully cold spray of water attack her flesh from a hose. She screamed and writhed on her hook as the cold water attacked every surface of her body, rinsing the sweat and semen off of her.

He laughed at her discomfort and made the shower last much longer than needed. "You scream kinda sexy, though. Betterdan a pig being bled and fucked...If I wasn't scared to kill you while I'm doin it I'd bleed you too while fucking. Sexy...mmmm..."Ok, I'll just fuck you, then. I will have to not forget to wash you off this time, though." He said, taking up the same position he'd used the first time, raping her while she dangled and he stood holding her prone body just how he wanted until he came violently inside her.

Shivering and sobbing, April winced as the hose attacked for the second time in ten minutes. Then, a broken shortbread biscuit was pulled from the man's jeans pocket and he pulled off her gag, shoved the cookie into her mouth, then replced the gag.

"Let it melt. Suck on it. I know you can't chew but I can't let you take that off. I don't want you talking, Woman." He said as he walked away taking the light with him and locking the door behind him.

 

[slippedhalo]

"Speaking of milking, my bunch of goats haven't been milked today. And, all the cattle ned feeding before getting them off tosleep. It is starting to get dark." Warned Natalia.

The group on horseback headed to the dome with haste so they could show it and its contents to Jason and Nat and her farm hands, Caleb and Jocelyn, could settle their animals in for the night.

After finishing up, they were showing Jason around the library when Police Officer Gerald Foley found them and told them about the debacle between Austin and Hilde, andbhow April Foster had gone missing and a search party of seven was off in the woods looking for her while others are asking for any possible information in Infinity and three officers have been left to guard the ladies still at the house.

"Holy fuck! I've got to get back to Kate and Yuet!" CriednNatalia, imagining how worried they must be.

Jocelyn and Caleb hurriednto mount their horses. "I hope April's alright." Fretted Caleb aloud.

Joce growled, "Anyone harms one of ours and they're fucking dead." She said seriously. The five took off back to the house.

 

[Othermoose]

Will was rattling off a list of a handful of more worrying delinquents in the police records. But, no crimes had been worse than drunk and disorderly, or assault in years. "I mean, we've had no murders and there were only two attempted rapes in over thirty years. One was by a man who's been dead for two years, Jarred Alden. He was a piece of work...a real chauvinist asshole... The other one was...well, the charges were dropped. The family of the girl decided it was a misunderstanding and dropped the charges. This was between the colonys handicapped teens at the time. Miriam Smith was the colony's only case of Multiple Sclerosis and it was pretty severe. The other special needs child was a mentally handicapped boy named Brian Sullivan. It was maybe seven or eight months after his mom had drowned right in front of him. He'd been traumatised, stopped talking. He hadn't spoken to anyone but Miriam in all that time...Then, Miriam apparently told her mother he'd tried to force himself on her, sexually, but had had trouble...uh, shot his load on her before he ever got further, then ran off in frustration. He insisted he thought she wanted him to because they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Miriam was unable to tell if it was a misunderstanding or not...They dropped the charges but the family had a restraining order against him to be safe. Miriam died in her sleep last Autumn. Sully, that's the boy, Brian Sullivan, affectionately called Sully by everyone, he lives with his grandfather, Mike Sullivan, a former gamekeeper. They spend a lot of time...hunting in the woods. They sell meat to the butcher and products like venison and smoked jerky at the Saturday open air market every week. Mike lives at the elderly home now that he's alone. His wife Edna died last year. Ever since then, he's at the old folks home more. But, Simple Sully...sorry, that's rude, Sully, he still stays at the family hunting cabin in the woods."

"Where the fuck does that retarded fuck live?" Austin growled to Will. Austin's stomach was in a knot. If he hadn't gone off on Hilde, if he hadn't run off... "Fuck fuck fuck... APRIL!!!!" He screamed. This was the first time he'd felt guilt in years. It hurt. And it hurt worse knowing that April was one of two people he'd ever loved in his entire life. "I got her killed. She trusted me and now some cripple is going to kill her." Austin said breaking down and sobbing. He fell to the ground holding himself as he sobbed. Then just as quickly as he began he stopped. He turned around and pounced on Will knocking him to the ground. "Where's the cripple!" He shouted in Will's face.

Erik quickly grabbed Austin and pulled him off of Will. Austin half chocked and half sobbed until he was vomiting blood and bile on the ground. Erik awkwardly held the teen's hair back as he threw up.

"I'm sorry about him. But I think he's right. We need to pay this Sully a visit." David said helping Will to his feet. "If he really does have April... Then I'm... I hope she's ok." David said as Will dusted himself off.

After Austin was done choking he stood up and looked at Will with dead bloodshot eyes. "Where?" He rasped, not bothering to wipe the blood from his lip.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

Kendal nodded and got into her wagon and went to the station. May wasn't angry or sad. She just simply said. "I saw a cabin in the woods too, Aprils show was near it, I'm sorry I should've checked it out." Then she went inside. She grabbed some food, her stolen pistol, and finally clothes, unpacking her stuff. And putting it all into her backpack again. She cared about April, she cared about all of them but everything she did was a mistake. While everyone was distracted with plans to leave, she went the other way they would be setting off if they took her advise on where to look. David was right. All she was, was a roller coaster. And besides she wouldn't be bringing attention to herself.

I mean if something happened to April, She didn't want to get in the way of her healing or being what David said. Nobody would care anyway, they hardly knew her, thought of her as nothing but a attention whore, it would be better if she just left for a while, or forever. She looked back, no security guards. She took off at a sprint, running for the hills literally. Going over and continuing to run through the grass.

 

[slippedhalo]

Ooc: How could she be running away when David told her and Kendal they could go along as long as they didn't do anything to make matters worse?

Sweetie, are you trying to make sure your character has nobody to interact with? You do this at every turn. I won't be able to help you much once things start moving faster. Next time May does something which doesn't add to her future in the story or meshing with the main cast at all, I'm leaving her. So, don't get her into any trouble for a while if you don't want her left to her own devices.

 

[SlySparrow0003]

OOC: I got the impression that David didn't want either to come along? However with May, I'm still working on her with character development. My plan was to get her to think on everything and eventually run and join the group when they get to the cabin, Kendal went back to the station as David had told her too.

 

[Aussie_Wolf]

"Speaking of milking, my bunch of goats haven't been milked today. And, all the cattle ned feeding before getting them off tosleep. It is starting to get dark." Warned Natalia.

The group on horseback headed to the dome with haste so they could show it and its contents to Jason and Nat and her farm hands, Caleb and Jocelyn, could settle their animals in for the night.

After finishing up, they were showing Jason around the library when Police Officer Gerald Foley found them and told them about the debacle between Austin and Hilde, andbhow April Foster had gone missing and a search party of seven was off in the woods looking for her while others are asking for any possible information in Infinity and three officers have been left to guard the ladies still at the house.

"Holy fuck! I've got to get back to Kate and Yuet!" CriednNatalia, imagining how worried they must be.

Jocelyn and Caleb hurriednto mount their horses. "I hope April's alright." Fretted Caleb aloud.

Joce growled, "Anyone harms one of ours and they're fucking dead." She said seriously. The five took off back to the house.

Jason was having fun exploring the dome. He had been impressed by their animals and was already seeing the benefits of breeding them with a few select cattle of his own and some of his cattle breeding with theirs.

He was also mightily impressed with their library. He had always loved to read and study and they seemed to have an unlimited supply of books on board that they told him he was welcome to read any time he wanted. He was just starting to look through them when the officers turned up.

He immediately jumped back on his horse and started to guide them back a quicker way at a slightly quicker pace. "I don't know if we will be back in time to join the search but I will get you back as soon as I can," he told them.

 

[slippedhalo]

"I'll let you down if you promise not to do anything which will make me have to kill you. Understand?''

April nodded, flinching as she was blinded by his flashlight beam in her face. She wept as he pulled her down from the meathooks, April, not even caring that he laid her down on the cold, wet, filthy ground... What did that matter when she felt as disgusting and dirty as the wet, urine, semen, and blood stained floor?

She couldn't move her arms down. She tried and screamed in agony at the attempt. They were very painful and stiff from spending so long hanging like that. How long had it been? Days? Hours? She had no concept of time in this cold, dark, cell. She still wanted to live but not for long like this...

There was just one deer now. A pig had been bled and fucked, screaming and squealing like nothing she'd ever heard, before her eyes a while before...It now hung there, half skinned, in place of the other deer, chopped up for venison. He'd come there to finish skinning the pig. But, the man got distracted by his treasure... April lay there half dreaming and unsure of what was happening in her head or what was real. She knew he'd have no qualms about treating her as he'd treated the pig.

"I like the pigs but youre even better, my wife..."
She passed out long before he climbed atop her body, unzipping his blood stained cargos...

 

[Othermoose]

Will led the group through the woods to the clearing where Sully's cabin was located. Austin began to run towards the cabin, but Erik grabbed him before he could go more than a few steps. "Hold up! This place is covered in traps." Erik said noticing a variety of crude hunter's traps and a few more cleverly hidden ones. "This has to be the place. There's no reason to have all of these traps unless you're trying to keep people out. Give me a minute and I'll clear us a path." Erik said stepping forward carfully.

After a few minutes and too many close calls Erik returned to the group. "My grandfather was a hunter. He taught me a lot of that kind of thing. We're good to go..." Erik was cut off as Austin sprinted down the cleared path and onto the cabin's porch. He used his running momentum and slammed into the door, breaking it down with his body weight. "APRIL! April I'm here! Where are you!?" Austin shouted as he ran through the house searching for April.

"Austin! Get back here! We can't just go breaking into people's houses!" David shouted as he and Erik followed the teen into the cabin. "Dammit! Where'd he go?" Erik asked as he and David entered the cabin to see no sign of the teen.

 

[slippedhalo]

Sully was sitting at his kitchen table eating an early morning breakfast of pork sausages and eggs before setting off for another day of hunting. His new wife was safely stowed downstairs, below him. Luckily, the tablecloth and three other chairs obsured the trap door in the floor of his kitchen, leading to the cellar. He hardly used the outside doors to it unless his game was too big to fit in the house via the kitchen door. As he finished his tea he was startled to see an angry looking, scrawny kid bust through his front door yelling. "What? Hey! That's not nice. Most people knock!" He protested.