City of IF

[PopeAlessandrosXVIII]

He looked down the street, still reeling from the last one, and he could feel another coming. He let his eyes wander here and there, trying to find from where it would come. It had been but a week since he'd come into the light of knowledge about what his life is to consist of, and now that knowledge haunted him his every waking hour. Even in his sleep, he still is not safe, as he learned two times past. The sound of his feet on the concrete seemed loud in his ears despite the din of life bustling around him. The tall steel and glass building on either side echoed the voices of the people walking below up to the ears of the office workers above. They resonated with the screeches and honks from the mid morning traffic of the big city.

His panic rose with each step, but he was unable to stop himself. He knew he had to keep going, he knew there was nothing for it, but that did not stop him from shaking on the inside at the prospect of it happening yet again. The eyes of those around him passed right trough him, all going about their daily lives, caught up in their own little worlds, oblivious to the man's internal turmoil. He licked his dry chapped lips, reveling in the small comfort. It is in that instant that it happened.

From above there was a cry, and the sound of snapping metal. He looked up just in time to see the window washing platform come crashing down upon him. He could hear his bones crack, feel the agony of his skull being crushed. He had just enough air in his lungs to give out a cry before those too were crushed. The pain was excruciating, but as the life left his eyes, he began to see through new ones. These eyes were looking at the scene from a few feet away.

He looked down, watching the blood seep out from beneath the rough metal plate that made up the floor of the platform. His stomach turned as the people around him cried out. It happened again. He had died, again. But, it wasn't really him. That's not how it worked. Reaching up he brushed the top of his head and turned. As he walked away from the corpse slowly draining of it's life giving essence, Death sighed, wondering just how long he would live, and die this way.


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Okay, as the Topic says, this, is One-Death-At-A-Time! I'll do my best to explain my idea here, but please don't hesitate to post questions here if you're confused.


Idea -

The idea here is simple. Like the other ***-***-At-A-Time activities, this is for everyone. This is here to give people a chance to write something I know we've all done here and there (Some more than most *Eyes Biz*) but something I think that most stories don't give enough chances to get a decent amount of practice in. Also, these don't have to be all dark and gloomy, or horrifying. I also see this as a way to blow off a little steam, or maybe have a little fun of the more macabre nature. You know, falling safes and random explosions and all *Grin* Anyways, I thought this would be fun.


Concept -


This guy has just come into being a week ago. In this story, Death is the gateway for souls into the afterlife, but for him to open the gateway, he must take the souls as they die. As he moves about the realms he will step into someone at the most 24 hours away from dieing and stay within them until they leave the world of the living. In that instant, the soul is transferred, and Death is free to roam again. When he is in a body, he has no real control over it, but he experiences life as the body does. This includes knowing what they are feeling, and understanding their lives. There are many Deaths out there, each one moving about as he does, each with their own unknown list of people to provide a gateway for.

However, our guy has no idea about any of this. Somehow he slipped through the cracks in his creation and is doing his job on pure instinct. We can maybe add plot later, but for now, he's just here to provide us with some death. *Giggles*

Uh, deaths, deaths can be anything from a safe squashing him flat, to a long drawn out torture session, escape, and inevitable death from blood loss. Also, eaten by zombies, torched by dragons, and being turned inside out from a transporter malfunction are all in the realm of possibilities. In other words, go wild! Have at it!!!


Rules -


This version is very liberal:

#1. There isn't any real word count limit per post, but I would say 4000 words is a little over the top. :P

#2. Only one death per post, but you can have as much lead up or post death written as you like.

#3. Try not to repeat deaths, but similar deaths are acceptable.

#4. Deaths can take place in any time/space/universe one wishes.

#5. He dies at the very least once a day, so any torture sessions need to conclude within 24 hours.

#6. Tense and point of view doesn't matter, but try to keep in mind, he is the “Main Character”.

#7. He can be in both Males and Females.

I think that's all of them. . . . .



Q&A -


Here I will be putting all the questions I've been asked, and their answers so that you guys get confused you can stop here first to see if your question/s has already got an answer.


Q: Death is the main character, and the reaper, and we're writing in his PoV?

A: He's not a Reaper, he just basically is a gateway. Each post can be written from his PoV, or the person he's inhabiting, or if there is a killer, their Pov, or the simple "Storyteller" PoV. However, he should be mentioned in each post, since he is the "Main Character" Like, him entering the body, or his reaction after the death, you know.


Q: Does he have any control over the person he inhabits?

A: No control what so ever. So while he can control his actions when he's himself, when he's inside a body, he's basically watching. Feeling what they feel, but having his own emotions along side theirs.


Q: So he can't change anyone's fate even if he wants to?

A: *Shifty eyes* Who knows. There may be a plot later. I think we'll all have to throw out ideas for it thought.


Q: Can he "see" the souls being taken by himself?

A: Think of it like being a werewolf. At first, you remember nothing, but eventually you get a handle on things. Right now, he simply moves from the dead body on towards his next. Eventually he'll be able to "See" the whole process. He can't talk to them, or really interact, seeing as he's a gate not a guide, but meh, I thought it would make things less complecated than normal "Reaper" Stuffs.

Comment: Since Death is your character, i don't wanna presume too much

Q: How much internal thoughts does he have? Only occasional, or does he have an active mind, or never at all when he possesses someone?

Q: While possessing someone, how aware of he of the distinction between himself and his possessee?

Q: Is he able to tell apart his own thoughts from his possessee? Or are they all mixed up, and he sometimes confuses himself for them?

A: As much or as little as you like for the sake of your post. Technically he is a separate being, just sharing the moments leading up to the death of another in the most intimate manner. And while I am grateful for the respect towards my creation, I would also love to see him grow and evolve with the help of the community. At the moment, he's never tried tapping the person he's inside, but I'm open for anyone to help him evolve in that way. He is separate, but he does have some confusion. He does think "I'm about to die" but he "Knows" it's really not "Him"

[Key]

Everything is big this time. No, that's not right - I'm small. Small, with tiny hands and tiny feet. Helpless.

And I can't quite breathe right. It's just a little catch at first, just a little bit I have to push where I shouldn't, as they laugh and smile and call me "Cindy" and "Pookie-bear". I try to tell them something's wrong, but I can't speak.

When it gets worse they notice, and then they're scared and they take me away, into the room with all the metal and plastic. And they stick things in me and use big words, but it doesn't help. It just gets harder and harder to breathe, until finally I'm not there anymore.

Is that it? Is that all I get?