[ It's only been a couple hours at most, for Noelle, since she last saw Krouse. Before finding his profile, she hadn't been thinking about him much. Not because she didn't want to, or didn't care. She just hadn't gotten there yet.
She could have forced her way through the regenerating rock, given enough time. Mars could have helped. She was always so good at playing support classes, even though Krouse liked to cut down her skills. She always made sure Noelle ate.
Marissa always looked so pretty in the light of the sun.
Noelle hears the voice of the only person who still calls her by that name. Somewhere, in whatever is left of her mind, a dam breaks. Emotion rushes in, and this time, it's all hers.
When Noelle screams, it only comes from the mouth in her upper half. She lets out wordless howl after howl. Occasionally, it coalesces into something like syllables: no, help, why. She screams until her throat hurts, and then she rips a pillow off the bed, buries her face in it, and screams some more. When she pulls away, it's stained with spit.
Krouse is still on the line. Once she quiets down, Noelle switches to audio, not because she wants to, but because that's what you're supposed to do. Instinct guides her, like it always has. ]
Hey, Krouse.
[ Noelle's voice comes out hoarse and ragged, sandpaper scraping over a rock. She still can't bring herself to confirm or deny that it's her. Krouse will recognize the voice anyway. ]
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She could have forced her way through the regenerating rock, given enough time. Mars could have helped. She was always so good at playing support classes, even though Krouse liked to cut down her skills. She always made sure Noelle ate.
Marissa always looked so pretty in the light of the sun.
Noelle hears the voice of the only person who still calls her by that name. Somewhere, in whatever is left of her mind, a dam breaks. Emotion rushes in, and this time, it's all hers.
When Noelle screams, it only comes from the mouth in her upper half. She lets out wordless howl after howl. Occasionally, it coalesces into something like syllables: no, help, why. She screams until her throat hurts, and then she rips a pillow off the bed, buries her face in it, and screams some more. When she pulls away, it's stained with spit.
Krouse is still on the line. Once she quiets down, Noelle switches to audio, not because she wants to, but because that's what you're supposed to do. Instinct guides her, like it always has. ]
Hey, Krouse.
[ Noelle's voice comes out hoarse and ragged, sandpaper scraping over a rock. She still can't bring herself to confirm or deny that it's her. Krouse will recognize the voice anyway. ]