The Doom Generation

Log Info

Title: Doom And Gloom
Emitter: None
Characters: Claire & Diana
NPCs: None
Place: Outside Gordon Hall- North Grounds
Time: After Dark 5-25-2010
Summary: Claire the Goth meets Diana the Living Dead. Claire is Impressed.

_( Northern Grounds - Steranko Institute )

North of the Quad feels smaller than it actually is, due
to looming presence of the various academic buildings. Drake Hall
and Walker Hall are the closest to the Quad, a pair of traditional
multi-story red brick buildings covered with ivy flanking the main
path. Drake Hall is to the west, and is where Language Arts and
English classes are taught. Just to the left of the main entrance
to Drake Hall is a bronze statue of Ray Bradbury sitting on one of
the benches, peering thoughtfully up at the sky to the east, over
Walker Hall. Walker Hall is where the various 'Soft Sciences' are
taught; Social Science, History, and the like.
The path splits and encircles Gordon Hall directly to the
north, a modern looking building of concrete and glass. Gordon Hall
is where science and mathematics classes are taught. If one goes a
bit further, hidden directly behind Gordon Hall is an odd,
trapezoidal building. The roof is covered in grass, just above a
row of what appear to be first story windows, but are actually the
third floor. On getting close enough, you can see that most of the
building is built down in a concrete lined pit, with the lowest
level accessible by switchback ramps. This is Thar Hall, where the
more unusual subjects are taught such as basic spellcrafting,
neohuman biology, and creative mathematics. Freshmen are often told
that a class in advance time travel will be held there four years
before the school was founded, getting to the class being a
prerequisite for attending. It's mostly believed to be a joke.
The spaces in between these buildings are filled with
trees, with the occasional bench beneath them. But the students
hanging out here are usually getting in some last minute cramming
before class, rather than socializing.


Night has fallen, two days after the worst day in Claire's
life. The Worst. She will brook no arguement on this point. Finally
driven by hunger and a need to get some exercise, she's emerged
from relative seclusion to stalk the walkways after dark. The
lampposts cast little pools of orange light about the otherwise
dark campus grounds and Claire flits between them, doing her best
to keep to the shadows. She's dressed almost exactly as she usually
is, her halter and platform boots but today, she has eschewed the
wearing of her tattered black jeans for a knee-length blood-red
skirt decorated with little grinning skulls and a frill of black
lace around the hem. She's also wearing her black, horn-rimmed
glasses instead of her contacts.
Passing through the Quad and heading North, towards the
entrance to Gordon Hall so she can slip a late term paper under the
door. She missed the original deadline as she was feeling a bit too
anti-social to get out of bed the day after the Ian Nightmare so
she decided to take the hit on her grade and turn it in late.
Clomping towards the steps of the Hall, she pauses and takes a deep
breath of the crisp night air. Even in late May the nights have a
little edge to them this far North.

A rustle of branches comes from around the building. An aura almost
eminates. Unsettling. The darkness just seems to grow a little
darker, and the scent of dirt fills the air. There's another dark
clothed girl walking though the night, as she emerges from around
the side of the building. She looks around and tilts her head,
stands in a dim light, and stops moving. She stands still,
unmoving, unbreathing. Then her head turns and she spots Claire, a
faint smile on her black lips.

Most people would flee at such a feeling or such a meeting
this late at night. Claire is not most people. She feels the chill
of the grave, that thrill up her spine that makes her blood run
cold and thoughts of the grave and the embrace of final release
running through her head like Barbara before the opening credits of
Night of the Living Dead. She looks shocked for a moment, then lets
her own dark lips spread into a lopsided smile. She cocks her hips
to one side and rests her hands on her hips, a round 'Nightmare
Before Christmas' purse slung over her shoulder. "Nice entrance,"
she quips, just the slightest hint of a Southern accent sweetening
her voice. "You new here? I'd have remembered someone like you
'round here."

Diana walks forward and looks at Claire and says, "In a
way. They let me out now. They say I am ready to learn more." She
studies the girl and says, "You must get your clothing the same
place I do." She tilts her head, "There are never many student
around here this time of night. Are you alright?"

Claire hops down the steps a bit, her big shoes clumping
as she does so. She noticeably shudders the closer she gets and
nods. "Yeah, Hot Topic. The only place around here worth shopping
at. I like your style. If you ever want to borrow anything, I have
tons of stuff back in my room and you know, it's nice to see anyone
else with a sense of fashion around here." Of course, the strange
girl asks if she's ok and Claire shrugs. "That's the million dollar
question, I guess. I guess you could say I'm fine. I just like
wandering around at night, the sun's a bit bright y'know?" She
offers her mesh-covered right hand. "I'm Claire, Claire Hastings."

"Diana. No last name." Her hand touches Claire's and it is
cold, clammy. She studies Claire and says, "Why would I say you are
fine? It appears you are not if even you think it is doubtful." She
pauses a moment and says, "It's just easier for me to go shopping
there. My appearance doesn't allow for much else."

Claire feels the hand and her eyes go wide, though not
really with fear. "Holy shit, are you actually dead?" For some
reason, this seems more cool to her than a reason to run away. "And
yeah, I can understand but it is a good look for you. I mean for a
dead girl, you are pretty fine." She doesn't want to talk about
herself right now. Her status is still a bit fragile.

Diana hmms and says, "I am as fine as I can be," missing
the statement. "For a dead girl, yes. I died some time ago. I am
not sure when." She shrugs, the matter no longer important to her
and her life. "So what is it that brings you here? You are not
dead, I would believe. What gifts do you have?"

Seeming actually thrilled with the idea of talking with a
living dead girl, Claire sits down on the step, high up enough to
stay at eye level with Diana. "Nope, not dead and I won't bug you
with asking what it's like. You probably get that a lot." She folds
her hands in her lap. "What brings me to the school? Well, I see
things. Actually," she leans forward and does her wide-eyed spooky
thing that sometimes gets people, "I see -everything-." She leans
back again, grinning a bit more widely. "But seriously. I can see
anywhere between here and the Moon, I can see into the minds of
others, I can even see into the future. That's what I do. I see
things."

Diana doesn't blink, she just looks and nods. "I see." She
chuckles a little, an empty sound in her mouth. But it stops
suddenly. Her laugh was forced, part of existing as a nearly
emotionless creation. "And no, not many people ask me. Very few
people talk to me. I make them nervous." She shrugs again, "I
understand. Not many people can face death."

"Just between you and me," Claire says, leaning back a
bit, "Most people are kind of weak. They worry about death so much
they make up fairy stories about it, about it not really being the
end, about spending all the rest of time on some clouds playing
harps or burning in eternal fire. There's a secret to not fearing
death. Stop believing that shit. I don't. When I die. That's it,
it's over. What will I care, I'll be dead. It's very liberating.
Well, unless you come back, which I guess you did." She pauses.
"So, since not many ask. What is death like?"

Diana thinks a moment. As she thinks she's still, unmoving.
The corpse stands there quiet, before her lips finally move,
"Confusing." She looks at Claire and says, "You are correct, death
is nothing. Utter nothing, quiet stillness. Then…I was
reawakened. Damaged but alive in a way. Science and magic working
together." She smiles a little as she talks, as if that will make
it easier. "Do you want to die?"

"Do I have a choice?" Claire chuckles, "It's part of life.
You are born in blood and pain, forced into somewhere that may or
may not want you. Then you grow up and your realize it's all about
blood and pain oh and work, lots of work. Then you get old and if
disease, random violence or just dumb luck don't kill you, your
body gives up on you. I'm in no rush to die, but I know it's
inevitable. I can see the future, y'know."

Diana nods and says, "That is a very serious point of view.
You are not entirely wrong. But some people I've been told can live
forever." She looks at Claire, "Myself for example. I have been
this age for many years, and I have stopped getting older. Unless I
am rekilled. Which is not possible in the usual ways." She smiles.
"What does the future hold then for you?"

"I die." Claire states flatly. "It's going to happen. I
don't know when or how but I know I die. There's no escape beyond
supernatural means and I'm not sure I'm willing to go to that
extreme just to cheat nature. No offense. Death looks good on you."
She furrows her brow a bit. "Are you offering me immortality?"

Diana shakes her head, "I cannot offer that. It's not mine to give.
I was granted life like this by my father and he has died since
then. There was no one to carry on his work, and I am not capable
of learning such things." She smiles and chuckles a little, "But
thank you. I have been granted many different effects of death, so
I have yet to really understand all I can do."

"Well, a lot of people would probably find you completely
creepy and not want to be around you." Claire basically states the
obvious. "But those people probably don't have a subscription to
Fangoria magazine. To me, you're pretty awesome. We just met but I
have a good feeling about you, it's a creepy, weird feeling but
believe me, I've felt a lot worse than you make me feel. Besides,
being scared can be fun. Why else does anyone watch the news?" She
cracks a wide smile.

Diana smiles a little more and says, "Oh do you like to be
scared?" She looks at Claire and says, "Here, take my hand." She
throws her arm at Claire fast, and as she does so, her hand comes
off, landing in her lap.

Claire actually jumps at that, her eyes going wide. She
screams at first, a loud, piercing shriek and she backs up into the
step behind her. "Holy Shit!" She just stares at that arm, pushing
it off her lap. "Holy Shit! That's… disgusting…" she pauses and
then laughs, "And fucking Awesome!"

Diana nods and says, "It is a little of both, I will agree.
There is some advantages to being the living dead. This was one of
the more unexpected discoveries." She smiles a moment and looks at
Claire, even as the hand tugs at Claire's boots. "Of course, things
like this can be even more interesting."

Claire leans over to look at that hand, messing with her
boots. She chuckles. "Wow, that almost gave me a heart attack." She
looks up and suddenly gets an idea. "Hey, have you ever had anyone
try to read your mind? I'm just curious if I can. I've never met
one of the living dead before and I'm just curious if you have
brainwaves like the living or not. I totally understand if you
don't want to. It is a bit more intimate than most people like on a
first meeting but I am intensely curious."

Diana hmms and says, "I do not think there would be much of a
problem. You may attempt it if you wish," she says as her arm
climbs back up her body. She stuffs it back in her sleeve and says,
"I am afraid you may not find much. I am not trying to be
difficult, but I know I have had problems with the brain itself."

Claire nods. "I understand. I usually can't read the minds
of things that don't have them in a traditional sense. Like robots
or insects." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath,
concentrating, drawning forth her consciousness. Her eyes fly open,
her gaze vacant and faraway. She speaks though as normally as she
usually would. "Ok, going into your head now. This might feel weird
or you might feel nothing at all, all depends on if you have any
psychic sensitivity or not."

Diana shakes her head, "I do not think I do." Inside
Diana's head, it's like a jumble of this that and the other thing,
gaps of huge amounts in her distant past. But from the look of
things, Diana has many framed pictures in her head that look like
the Wonder Years. Then there's a lot of a man, a scientist's lab,
but there's so much jumbled in there it's a mess. More recently,
things gel more and her schooling and education have been helping
since her recreator's death.

Claire focuses, looking around, studying the contours and
landscape inside. It's strangely easier than with most living
people, who tend to have all kinds of ego defenses and barriers to
their secrets. What's hard to do here is navigate. "Interesting. I
see memories. Some of them very old, some o them much, much more
recent. I see images of people, frozen in time and then others with
more movement and immediacy." She pulls out and blinks. "But that's
enough of that. I don't want to go too deep."

Diana nods and says as she watches Claire, "I am very old.
I understand though, it cannot be a very pleasant place. You did
not happen to see my death? I would imagine that event to be quite
horrible, but I am not quite sure how it came to be. I remember
very little of my past." She smiles a little, "And are you alright?
Is such an experience draining?"

Claire shakes her head. "No, didn't see your death but
that might not be something that sticks with you. You see, if it
was quick, the chemicals in your brain that form memories would not
have had a chance to record that event and even if it did, it would
not have been able to transfer it from short term to long term
memory. That's the key really. Long term storage is where the past
gets kept. And No, it's not draining for me. No more than you
walking across a room or turning the channel on the TV."

Diana nods and says, "Good." She tilts her head and smiles,
"I admire the students around here, they are more resiliant to my
presence than most. Perhaps it is your understanding of the way
things are that makes it easier." She remains calm for a moment,
quiet, then says, "So why are you unsure you are fine?" resuming a
conversation from the beginning.

"Stupid teenage drama bullshit," Calire admits. "I kind of
had a crush on this guy. He's cool and a musician and from New
Orleans. You know, perfect for a girl who likes things like that,
which I do. Anyway, we went out once, had a good time, talked a
lot. I thought we had a connection. Then, just jokingly I was
flirting with him and a bit and he went off on me. Just basically
told me, in front of our friends, how he's never date me and how
silly I am for thinking he would and… it was awful. I've kind of
been avoiding being around people. I don't want to run into him
right now. So, see, nothing serious, just drama.

Diana hmms, and says, "I suppose. I must admit I don't
really understand." She knits her brow, "So you thought it was a
date, and it wasn't. That is unpleasant I imagine." But she doesn't
seem to really understand it, "But…wouldn't being around other
people help you be comforted a bit more? I thought that was the
point of friends?"

"So did I." Claire sighs, her mood clearly sliding
downhill fast. "And one of them even said earlier that night that
she'd stick up for me in a bad situation. She didn't." She looks
down into her lap. "Yeah… sometimes I wonder if there are people
anyone can count on besides themselves. At least I've got Holly."

Diana hmms and seems to understand. "I do not know Holly.
But yes, at least you have her." She nods and says, "I am often
around here this time of night. My eating habits are not…suitable
for the dining hall. I often spend the night out here walking about
until curfew. Being alone with your thoughts is not always good. I
know this well." She smiles a little. "Feel free to talk to me if
there's no one else. I don't talk much to anyone else."

Claire looks up and nods, offering a bit of a weak smile.
"Sure thing. I'll drop by once in a while. We can chat, maybe just
hang out together. I'd like that. You know, you're a good listener
Diana as well as a snappy dresser. You ever need a shopping
partner, look me up. I've even got a discount card at the local
Topic, I can get you 10 percent off just about anything, 25 percent
off clearance."

Diana smiles, "I have little to talk about, I listen to
learn." She nods and says, "And that would be quite interesting.
I've rarely gone anyplace on my own." She nods and says, "I
distracted you from something when I arrived. You should continue
what you were doing. I enjoyed meeting you, Claire." She nods her
head, "Yes."

Suddenly remembering what she was doing, Claire hops up
onto her feet and nods. "Yeah, I have to get this paper under the
Teacher's door before morning. Thanks for reminding me Diana!" She
turns and runs into the building, making a point to schedule
another meeting with the Living Dead Girl later in the week.

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