ONCE BURNED was made by MEL. Copying, altering, or stealing any of the site's content is prohibited. All of ONCE BURNED's characters are the original work of their owners and may not be replicated or stolen. All images and graphics belong to their rightful owners and ONCE BURNED does not claim to own any of them.
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE; WHO AM I TO DISAGREE?
Gwin watched Adena turn into her room. She chuckled slightly, before standing and walking behind the couch in search of some pain killers. She looked into the cuboards, squinting slightly. Her eyes searched the dim cache, but she had trouble bringing her eyes to focus. Her lids closed for a moment. Maybe it was just because she had just woken up?
When she opened them again, everything had gone blurry. A pain, like a parasite, was worming its way up her spine, becoming more and more intense as it nestled into her brain. Gwin braced herself against the wall, groaning. No. This couldnt be happening. Not now.
Why could she hear beeping? Why did she feel so cold? Gwin didnt realise she had fallen, or the fact that she had hit her head on the corner on a table and that she was bleeding. The world around her had gone dark, but she could some distance sounds like the buzz of a light, the beep of a heart rate moniter, and the whispers of a sorrowful voice.
She lay on the floor, her body shaking and convulsing, breath struggling to escape her lungs as she gasped for air.
LAIKA OF THQ
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Well. At least she was getting sustinance out of this conversation. She saw his smile faulter, and she let her dark eyes connect with his. He didnt understand what she meant by ill. She wasnt afflicted any disease. Her power was her sickness, and she was sturggling in everyway to deal with it. She had never spoken about how it affected her, how the nosebleeds, headaches, seizures, visions and pain affected her. Drove her to drugs and anger and a life she didnt want.
"I suppose it is." It was more to fuel her drug habit, but Colby was fairly right. "Im Gwin." She mumbled.
Gwin looked up from the steam of her coffee to see adena. Wow. She was actually kind a pretty when Gwin could see her without the tired mist of pain which usually haunted her vision. Everything seemed clear. Shit this was nice. She brought the ceramic mug to her lips again, taking another sip before actually smiling at her. "Thanks!! The wonder of wishing upon a star" She dark haired girl joked.
Gwin went to rub the back of he neck. It felt a little stiff and sore. "Can you chuck me some pain killers?" She said, still chipper and clearly in good spirits. Her neck ache must have been just a result of sleeping in a funny position right?? She leaned back onto the sofa, sighing contently. Not feeling like death seemed to be a luxury these days for her
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Gwin had actually had a good night sleep. She had closed her eyes. And that was it. She woke up, in a bed not drenched in sweat. Her hair wasn't a tangled mess and she actually seemed to resemble a human being when she gazed into the mirror. She smiled. It felt good to sleep. No visions, so head aches. She felt energetic, ready for the day.
She wandered out of her room, noticing that adena hadn't risen yet. Gwin made herself up a coffee, and went to perch on the couch, gripping the warm cup with both hands and letting the heat penetrate her skin.
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Gwin wanted nothing more then for their conversation to be done. How desperate she was to crawl into her bed and bury herself beneath the covers, only comforted by cheap weed and the stirring thoughts of adventuring into more dangerous drug territory. Gwin lifted her gaze to meet his. She let his form shift out of focus, blurring into a vauge figure before her. Maybe it was a poor coping mechanism, but if she didnt want to listen, why would she make an effort to actually look at him?
The offer of more food or drink however did warrent her attention, and he shifted back into focus. Oh a cake. She looked down at her latte, before staring at him with a slightly less stormy gaze. "You can buy me one of those caramel slices and a cappucino. With chocolate sprinkles." She muttered lowly, sitting up a little and resting her elbows on the table.
He mentions that she looked ill. She lowered her head slightly. How did she reply? "I am ill." That seemed good enough
Gwin could feel his eyes on her. Or maybe it was paranoia? Who the fuck knew anymore. Cold fingers ran through her thick hair, letting heated air escape through her blocked nose. She hoped he wasnt scutinising her to much; she surely looked awful and gross at this point in time, and she was a rather self-conscience creature.
Silverlight?
Oh. Fuck. Yeah.
Thats where she knew him. Damn. Well, he couldnt exactly snitch could he? He had stuff to loose as well. Silently she put her cup down, though her long, thin fingers still wrapped around it. "Yeah." Was her simple reply, as she sank back into her chair
Gwin knew this meeting would end in a conversation; these types of things always did. It was like a shitty movie; two young people, in a cafe, one waiting to spill out his entire life story. Ugh. Gwin wasnt exactly excited about the whole senario which she had already played out several times in her head. She watched him sit though the steam of her coffee and through the weary haze. He really did seem familiar. Gwin tried to rake through her drug and pain distorted memories... WHERE THE FUCK DID SHE KNOW HIM FROM?
She leaned back in her chair, dark hair falling into her pale face, which was swiftly pushed back behind her ear. She gulped down a couple more mouthfuls of the hot coffee, and though it burned, it felt good. Like fire warming her cold insides. What a fucking stupid metaphore.
Gwin watched the boy take a breath, and she braced herself for the oncoming words.
"You come here often?"
Fuck it really was like a cheesy movie scene. But... he did give her coffee. Even she wasnt bitchy enough to deny him some brief words. "Not really. Cant afford it." She mumbled, swallowing some more coffee
Gwin had managed to push other seat seekers away with a simple stare with her blood shot eyes, which held within them a storm of weariness and rage. She was not in the mood to entertain anyone today, especially with the lack of coffee in her system; a drug habit and no job made for a very sparse bank account, and all Gwin could afford that morning was a luke warm tea. She didnt even like tea. But still she bared its bitter flavour, hoping to gain at least an bit of caffine to fuel her tired system.
The girl bowed her head, rubbed her eyes. If her visions got any worse, she wasnt sure what she would do. Weed had lost its use, and did nothing but dulled her headaches. She knew something strong had to work, but she was frightened; hard drugs werent a game, and she knew how fucked up she could be if she went down that path.
She let a stream of air escape her lips, before she was dragged out of her head and back to the real world. It took a moment for her to compute what the boy had said. A latte for a seat. She reckoned she could manage that. Silently she reached out and took the cup, pushed away her tea and gulped down the steaming hot coffee (though she did gasp a little due to its heat). It was only then that she regarded the boy and let her eyes explore his features. He looked familiar...
Gwin had had another bad night. Filled with nightmares,sweats, shivers, nausea. And all because of her visions. She had stopped trying to remember what they were about any more, they didn't matter to her. When she finally dragged her sorry ass put of bed, hair matted and slick with sweat, her shirt soaks from her perspiration. She didn't was the energy to deal with Adenas shit today.
Her only response to the girls words was to kick the kit out of the way, making her way over to the little counter so she could make herself a drink. Her blood shot eyes seemed to be struggling to focus, and a couple of times she had to stead herself against the work top
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Gwin had a icy feeling of dread about this. This was a bad idea. But then those thought were batted down by the mere idea of being able to afford more drugs. They had become her life line now, and been as weed seemed to decline in its ability to stop her visions, she'd need money for harder drugs. She chewed her lip, breathing heavily
Well. At least she'd have to fight someone her own weight. That made it a little less daunting. It was a shame her powers weren't that good. Not useful in this situation anyway. Just think of the money. Gwin. It's all about the money
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
She felt a lot of emotions as her, and a few others, were ushered in a conference room. She knew what she was signing up for and she was ready to take the risks if it meant money for her much needed drugs. That was the only reason she was here. Just fir drug money. But there was something exciting doing something this illegal.
She was slight, thin and petite compared to some if the others here. That was an unnerving concept, many of them could knock her out with one punch. Especially in her current state of self starving drug addict with a death wish. It would be easy for one if them to snap her. But oh well.
Silently she scribbled her name into the nondisclosure agreement, hand shaking a little. But there. It was done. She was part of this now. No backing out. Gwin shrank back, pulling her hood up.
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
If she had been undisturbed, it's likely Gwin would have spent most of the day there, in a daze, wet and smoking. And that would have been fine. But the voice of someone dragged her from her blank bliss, and it took her moment to focus. Shit. A cop. Great. Hopefully this was just a "ma'am please don't sit there" deal instead of the possibility of her actually getting arrested. Today alone she could get done for taking drugs, buying drugs, carrying drugs, stealing, running. All sorts.
Wide eyes, Gwin tried to flick away the blunt, a shot of smoke firing from her lips before she tried to blow it away. "Yeha... Sure officer" She mumbled, pulling her bag close to her chest. Praying to whatever fucked deities she believes in that he wouldn't search her.
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
Gwin was settled along an ally way on a damp box. It was raining, but the wet didn't seem to bother her. She wasnt sleeping again, and she was trying to tire herself out. And the best was to tire oneself out? Running from the persom you just stole a few dollars from. All she had gained was $5, but it was enough to put towards her drug habit.
She looked her the notes and coins within her pale palm, puffing a joint slowly, blinking as rain ran like tears down her dull and purple mottled cheeks. There was a pain in the back of her head, and even now, it seemed no amount weed was working to keep her visions and the side effects of them at bay. Her usual seller kept offering her more... Intense drugs to buy, and she had never considered it until now. Would it help?
Gwin Cooper
SOME OF THEM WANT TO USE YOU, SOME OF THEM WANT TO ABUSE YOU
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE; WHO AM I TO DISAGREE?
He was right. It was getting cold. And it was getting dark. She quietly pulled her jacket on, and dragged her damp hair up into a limp, salt crusted pony tail. She was silent as she went to follow after him, her hand going into her pocket as she followed his footsteps in the sand.
