ii.

Image: Kay Lin steps forward. Joce backs away, grabbing a piece of shrapnel, but it’s chained tight to the chandelier’s remains.

Pros and Cons of Biting Joce

Pro: I’m fucking starving.

Con: Sequitur.

Pro: That’s only because they resisted. If Joce cooperates it won’t happen again.

Con: She doesn’t even want to hear you speak.

Image: Kay Lin reaches out, speaking (perhaps asking a favor); Joce isn’t listening, pointing the shrapnel her way in aggravted defense.

Pro: But I’ve been holding back so long. I deserve it.

Con: You haven’t earned it.

Pro: It doesn’t have to be much. Little nip, world’s smallest bite. If I can hold out ’til morning maybe I won’t want to devour her anymore.

Con: You’ll have to watch her wither away.

Pro: Then wouldn’t I be doing her a favor? I didn’t make her come this far, she knew it was risky. She’s already suffered enough. It’s only a matter of time…

Con: Christ, you sound like Caleb.

Pro: If I satisfy myself my judgment won’t be so impaired.

Con: You knew it was a bad idea to come out tonight, full stop.

Pro: Then it’s too late for me anyway.

Image: Flashback: Kay Lin meets Joce on a balcony. Shown in silhouette; she offers a handshake.

-: You like her.

+: We only just met. It can’t be a huge betrayal.

-: You just met and you’re attached enough to be having this conflict at all.

+: Okay, so, it’s a me problem. I’m sorry I’m miserable and lonely and wanted one night out? How was I supposed to know, when I panicked and deliberately removed myself from the party before I lost it, that she’d also be out there like a fucking loser? Hell, the fact we hit it up so well is a point towards turning her, because then we could keep, y’know, getting along together, and not being stuck on the sidelines, like we apparently always are—

-: She wouldn’t want that.

+: I almost don’t care.

Image: Where Joce goes, Kay Lin isn’t far behind, and she’s still talking. Speech bubbles becoming more shaky. (No acknowledgment from Joce.)

What are you, some kind of psychopath? Leave her alone.

I’m hungry. I’m so, so hungry. Even if I walk away I’m going to hear her running around in here, like she has any chance of escaping like this, and then what? At least this way, everything we’ve been through will actually amount to something.

You’re going to get staked.

Wouldn’t that be something? She finally turns around and shuts me up for good; I mean, she didn’t grab that metal shard for nothing. I don’t know what’s stopping her. Maybe she’ll pretend to go along, but as soon as I let my guard down—!

Hah. Just take me behind the shed, already.

You’re depraved.

And wicked, too.

But… ahh, see, that’s just selfish. I’d come back, and she’d be gone, and it’d all be sad and futile.

Image: Kay Lin holds out her hands, shaky; speech faltering.

I wish she would just listen to me. I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want to watch her slowly die. I don’t know how she’s lasted as long as she has, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.

I’m so close. She’s right there. I—

Image: Kay Lin grins; crooked, engulfed and swarming in her own frenetic words.

Listen I’ve tried to be good if I’d spent one more second locked in here tonight I would’ve gone insane I’ve been trying so hard it’s not my fault the others died it’s not if I hadn’t been out you’d all have been rabbit bait I did you a favor I don’t want to take advantage of you I didn’t want it to come to this I’m offering help while I still can but I can only control myself so much please just take it please just do this for me what do you mean you’ve heard it all before—

Image: Joce turns, infuriated, interrupting: “Shut. Up.” Grabs at her scarf—
Image: —yanks it off (Kay Lin stays back)—
Image: —and reveals a scar, two dark dots, on her neck.
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