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Post by Wanizame on Jun 5, 2008 13:41:37 GMT -5
It moved, sluggish, trying to struggle to consciousness, dragging one arm through the mud with a numb hand curled uncomfortably.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 5, 2008 16:37:42 GMT -5
Erik smiled, his heart beating faster. It needed to wake up, so they could get out. So Erik could take care of it. His lean hands flew over the creature, not knowing where to land, what to do. Finally, he took its hand (the other one) in both of his.
"It's me. Erik," he said, though he remembered he'd never told the creature his name. There hadn't seemed any reason to.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 5, 2008 16:43:55 GMT -5
Its eyelids fluttered open, the black orbs dull, but still holding their deep, green light.
It blinked a few times before its eyes remained open in their usual staring state and it worked its jaw clumsily, trying to sit up. It lifted the monkey skull up and knocked it against Erik's mask, lightly.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 5, 2008 16:52:44 GMT -5
"Shh," Erik said, placing a hand on its shoulder. He laughed at the skull, relieved enough at the creature's living to be unoffended at the comparison. "I brought you some chocolate," he said, digging it from his pocket and holding it out.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 5, 2008 16:57:58 GMT -5
It managed to push itself up into a sitting position--dropping the skull, it didn't need it now that Erik was actually here--but shied away from the chocolate.
Instead, it slipped clumisly into the water, washing the mud away and trying to wake itself up more, and then hopped back out--nearly falling backward again--onto the pebbly "beach" of the enclosure and waiting for Erik to come to it.
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Post by Professor Henry Jamison on Jun 5, 2008 17:00:46 GMT -5
Freshly washed (in a proper tub with soap, thank you very much) and attired in his dressing gown and slippers, Jamison descended the stairs to the basement to retrieve his journal so he might reread and supplement any notes from the day as he lay in bed.
He reached the end of the flight and paused to admire the newly-cleaned tank and started at what he saw.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 5, 2008 17:12:03 GMT -5
Erik watched before creeping back over to it. He tried to urge the creature to its feet, because he knew they'd have to go before the house woke.
"Come on," he whispered, "before someone comes..."
But the words had barely left his lips before he sensed the newcomer--and turned with the instinctive alarm of a wild animal. His yellow eyes fixed on the man as he froze.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 5, 2008 17:17:34 GMT -5
The merman didn't seem nearly as alarmed by Jamison's presence--it'd become used to it, after all.
It did stand though, as straight as it ever did, and, grinning, ran its hands over Erik's clothes and touched his hair and mask. It had missed him.
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Post by Professor Henry Jamison on Jun 5, 2008 20:15:11 GMT -5
Jamison was momentarily at a loss for both words and actions as he stared at the unusual pair in the tank. In fact, the first coherent thought through his head revolved around the fact that there was a living, apparently unharmed child standing beside his creature. In fact, he was even touching it--or being touched, at any rate.
It wasn't for a few moments that he recognized the mask; it was the same boy from the carnival the night he had made the deal with Marcello. Had he stayed behind in Paris? Surely no child could come all the way from Russia on his own. And how had he gotten into the house?
Realizing he'd been spotted, Jamison stepped out into the room, his hands held up peacefully in an effort not to frighten the child or spook the creature, which still appeared to be somewhat groggy.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 6, 2008 19:05:20 GMT -5
Erik was too concerned about the man in the room to become overly excited about the creature's being apparently unharmed. He attempted to still its roving hands, wishing to be ready for whatever the man might do. In the dim light, his eyes glowed like lamps, and he blinked only rarely. And though he had moved too quickly for most to notice, Erik now held a dagger in his left hand.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 6, 2008 19:09:44 GMT -5
The merman calmed itself a little, but the new object sparked curiosity and it grabbed at the blade, slicing the webbing between its fingers clean through.
It jumped back and gave a squeek, eyeing Erik with hurt and confusion.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 6, 2008 19:35:01 GMT -5
"Oh!" The involuntary exclamation was surprised out of Erik, and he turned to the creature, forgetting the man for a moment. He held the dagger away, his other hand reaching out for the creature.
"Oh, no, you can't do that," he said softly. "Haven't you seen a knife before?"
He felt really, really bad.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 6, 2008 19:38:17 GMT -5
The vessel-rich webbing bled well, but stopped soon enough, though the creature still looked a bit hurt, it wasn't afraid of Erik. It seemed to know that the wound was an accident.
It raised its cut hand to look at the damage, then looked to the knife, then turned to the side and stretched its arm up, showing off the three deep "gills" that had been carved into it on that side.
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Erik (age 8)
- Ingenious Pilot -
not yet a manwhore
Posts: 165
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Post by Erik (age 8) on Jun 6, 2008 19:47:08 GMT -5
Erik shook his head.
"No, I wouldn't do that," he said. "It was an accident. Here--"
He used the dagger to tear a strip of cloth from his shirt. Then he put the knife down, but well within reach--he had not forgotten the man entirely--and approached the creature.
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Post by Wanizame on Jun 6, 2008 19:50:42 GMT -5
It crouched down again to be on a level with the boy and held its hand out to him to be tended to, the other flicking over Erik's clothes and going into his pockets to see what else he had concealed.
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