[Wednesday, July 14, 2004.] [It's about 9:30 (give or take a few), and Krista's just leaving the church. She was called to stand in for a choir girl who got sick at the last minute. (Who doesn't get sick at the last minute?) She could have gotten out of there sooner, but she decided to stick around for the entire mass and chat with the priest a little afterwards.] [It's a fairly hot summer evening, and as Krista walks down the church's steps, she can see the sun setting behind the buildings, casting long shadows around her. The street before her is deserted and silent, as everyone's gone home like sensible people. Like you should, Krista!] [Intro Session Start.] * Krista is walking home! Her head is held high and she's standing up straight, and tall, because she's 5'8". She's wearing a soft and red dress and, when visible in the light, can be seen to have brown hair and glasses. She's also wearing a tan backpack. * Krista hums in a cheery manner as she walks along. It's probably a song she was singing not too long ago, in fact. [Krista walks! As she goes, she sees a basketball court on her left; some guys are hanging out there, not really playing. Just chatting. Or dealing drugs. It's hard to tell sometimes.] * Krista glances over at the guys briefly before looking back forward. This doesn't stop her humming, though. Hum hum humity hum. [Krista hums! She has a pretty voice. The guys at the court get a little louder - someone's saying bye to them - and as she reaches the end of the block, she can hear the chain gate to the court open and close.] (Gate is behind me, then?) (Yes.) (And it's gonna EAT YOU.) (Oh. Well. I'd better ignore it.) (This block have a light/crosswalk?) (Yes. It's green for you.) (The Holy power of God commands you to STOP at red lights!) (Boy, does he.) * Krista quickly looks both ways before crossing the street. Just in case of people who don't stop at red lights, unlike God says. (How fast is she going?) (A quick walk.) [Krista moves at a nice brisk pace along the crosswalk. Behind her, she can hear someone walking. Walking! Towards her, even, and whoever it is is probably gaining.] * Krista 's hum gets a little quieter as she glances back towards the quickly moving person. [He's a little hard to make out, thanks to the dying light. But the guy is *tall* - a good four or five inches or so taller than you. Second, he's black. Third, he's wearing what's probably a Lakeview school jacket. He notices you looking and waves, walking a little faster to catch up. "Hey!"] (Any recognition?) (Not yet. He's not at the crosswalk, so he's not under a light post yet.) * Krista looks a little more carefully at him but isn't stupid enough to stop in the middle of the street. However, when she reaches the other side she does slow down to a very slow walk. [Krista walks into someone! Not really; the street's deserted at the moment, aside from the two of you. And he heads right across the street just as the light turns to yellow. Krista recognizes him - not by name, but she's seen him about once a month at mass since she started attending that church. He sorta sticks out, given he's tall and black at a predominantly white church.] [He's on the school basketball team. She knows because she was stuck behind him before and got to read that jacket.] * Krista gets a look of recognition and smiles and waves at him, stopping on the corner so as to not have him catch up too much. [The kid grins, jogging the rest of the way to catch up. It's a pretty nice grin. He also has heavy eyelids, giving him a kind of sleepy look, and his hair's cut short. Other than the jacket, he's got a tank top, slightly torn jeans, and sneakers on. His jacket says '05.] (Ah. So he's a senior.) * Krista says in a cheery tone once he's caught up, "Hello." ["Hey," he says again, slowing down when he reaches her. He sounds friendly enough. "I recognize you from somewhere. You sing for the choir, right?"] * Krista nods. "Yes I do! I'm Krista Larson." [He grins. "Cool. Knew I saw you somewhere before. Uh, Jerome Perry." He holds his hand out to her.] * Krista reaches out to shake his hand. "I've seen you at mass a few times myself." She smiles extra at that then adds, "And I go to Lakeview too." [Jerome shakes Krista's hand. He has a pretty firm grip. After, he shoves his hands in his pockets and walks the direction she was going. "Yeah? Cool."] * Krista turns and walks with him a little. "So how do you like Father Bradley?" ["Uh, the priest? He seems like a good guy." Pause. "But he's a priest, so I guess he really should be, right?"] * Krista giggles a little and says, "That's true. And he really is." [Jerome laughs. "Sounds like you got some proof."] I've known him for a fairly long time. He's a very godly man. [The sun's fully set as the pair of you walk. Jerome glances a touch oddly down at Krista. "I hope so," he says. "How 'bout you?"] * Krista blinks and then says warmly, "I do my best to be godly, like anyone." [He rubs at the back of his head. "Uh, yeah."] * Krista looks at him funny herself, "Well, you go to church, although you could go more, right? Everyone can improve how they worship the Lord." ["I don't think everyone's out to improve how they worship 'im."] * Krista sighs slightly and looks forward. "Maybe not. But they should." ["Yeah, probably." Awkward pause. "So, uh... what else do you like to do? Besides sing in church."] * Krista blinks. "Me? Oh, help out around the church. I draw and paint a little too." She turns towards him. "Go to school, too. Can't forget that." [He smiles a little. It's kinda lopsided. "Yeah. Not in the summer, though." He kicks a can, sending it sailing down the street. "I took summer classes once. Sucked."] * Krista nods slightly. "I can imagine it does, yes. I enjoy the free time during the summer too." ["Yeah, so I end up workin' instead. One more year and I'm out of here."] * Krista nods slightly and looks up and over at him. "What will you do then? College Basketball?" [Jerome grins. "Yeah. Hope I'm good enough. I'm not sure what I'm gonna major in yet." He shrugs. "But I've got time."] * Krista nods along and looks back forward. Don't wanna get ran over or anything! [Krista does not get run over!] [The pair continues in silence for a while before someone calls, just a touch behind them, "Hey, Jerome! Wanna share your girlfriend?" Jerome whirls at that.] * Krista gets a frown on her face and looks back herself. [It's hard to make out *who* it is, as the guy's standing in an alley of some sort, which makes it very shadowy. There's a burning cigarette in his hand, and he's also fairly tall. Jerome seems to recognize the voice, though. "Fuck off, Brian," he snaps.] * Krista scowls at this 'Brian'. Or maybe it's at Jerome's choice of language. Who can tell? She's a church lady. (She scowls at everything.) (Don't make me rap your knuckles with my ruler, young man!) (See if he walks *you* home again.) [Brian steps out of the alley and towards the pair of you. He's a pretty plain looking guy: light-colored hair, darker eyes. He's dressed in jeans and a t- shirt. "Nah. I'd rather fuck her," he says casually as he tosses the cigarette away, to the street. Jerome tenses and steps in front of Krista, blocking Brian's path to her.] [Brian looks at Krista. "How 'bout it? You're cute enough."] * Krista 's eyes widen and she says, forcefully, "No! That's... that's horrible!" How dare you say... that to me! ["Well, damn. Guess that just makes me a horrible person," Brian grins, and he moves to one side. Jerome moves with him, continuing to block his way. "I told you to fuck off," he says.] * Krista looks at him sternly as best she can with the vulgar yet nice young man in front of her. (There we go. "Vulgar yet nice.") (It's the truth.) [Brian laughs. "Like you can stop me." He starts to walk around Jerome, who reaches out and grabs the other guy by the left arm. Brian looks at the arm, then looks at him, then tears his own arm free and throws a punch at Jerome's face. There's a crack as Jerome takes it, literally flying backwards half a foot before tumbling to the ground, clutching his nose.] * Krista gasps and whirls her head to look at Jerome, then back at Brian. Her eyes are wide as she starts backing down the street. "What is wrong with you? Y- -you can't really want to..." [Brian keeps grinning widely as he takes another step, and his face starts to shift, his eyes going golden, his forehead becoming ridged and slanted, and his teeth growing and becoming more pointed. Jerome looks up at him with wide eyes from the ground. He might be saying, "Holy shit," but it's hard to tell. He scrambles to his feet just the same, one hand clutching his nose.] * Krista gasps and gapes, saying in the eternal mantra of Buffy Stupidity, "You- -your face! Wh--what are you?' [Brian just laughs, and he takes another step. "Maybe you'll find out. I could use a chick like you."] [Jerome stares, but he shakes it off well enough to stand a bit woozy-like in front of Krista. "Run!" he yells. Chivalry isn't dead; it's just stupid.] * Krista backs away! She's still giving 'Brian' a wide eyed look as she grips the straps of her backpack. [Brian loses the grin and practically springs forward, throwing another punch at the still-stunned Jerome, who just barely has the sense to try to dodge this time. But either he's slow or Brian's fast, because he takes it in the stomach, doubling over. "You've fucked with me for the last time," Brian growls. "Maybe I won't make you watch what I do to your girlfriend after all."] * Krista watches Jerome take the hit and says, "Stop it! Stop hitting him!" Her backing has begun to slow. [Brian's hand flashes out, and he grabs Jerome by the neck, yanking him up. The basketball player stares at him almost blankly, and he tries to speak, but Brian squeezes.] * Krista steps forward, now, and says louder, "Stop it! Stop it right now!" H-he barely even knows me! [Brian laughs. "So? Check this out." And he lifts Jerome - one handed - to his mouth, sinking his teeth in and tearing a large gash in the boy's neck, sending blood streaming. Jerome's mouth opens in a silent attempt to scream, and Brian grins at him before putting his own mouth to the wound.] ( ... ow. ) * Krista says, "I warned you to STOP!" as she grabs at her bookbag and gives it a MIGHTY swing! Well, okay, not so mighty, as she swings it at the Brian/Jerome pair. [Krista makes a MIGHTY swing and gets Brian right in the back with her bookbag! He doesn't exactly stumble, but he does drop Jerome and looks over at Krista. His mouth is dripping blood, and he doesn't bother to wipe it away. "So ya *do* wanna play."] [Jerome, for his part, crumples to the ground. He's more gurgling than screaming.] * Krista looks up at the bloody Brian, her bookbag hanging down as she holds the strap with both hands. It seems to slowly be sinking into her, though, that the blood-covered neck-eater is no good. "I-I do not." [He smiiiiles. "Sure ya do." And he rushes forward. Defense intents.] [Krista moves, but she's too slow as Brian jumps for her, forcing her to the ground and pinning her there. Her head hits the concrete hard, but she retains consciousness.] * Krista cries out a, "Tch!" when her head hits the ground and then is quickly pinned. She looks right up into his bloody face and, after a second, starts to murmur something. (She's praying?) (Yes.) [Brian starts to rip at Krista's collar, blood dripping from his chin and to her throat. He tears it half down, and then he actually hisses, recoiling and shielding his eyes. Behind him, Krista can make out a white haze of light.] (Brian's actually a saint!) (Can I try to struggle free/has his grip relaxed?) (Yes.) [Brian's grip relaxes as he recoils, and Krista manages to squirm free. He makes another grab for her and misses.] [The light's becoming more intense, now, and Krista can hear wheels screeching on pavement. "Get in!" a familiar, priestly voice yells.] (Is the bookbag nearby?) (Yes.) * Krista regains her footing as the car comes up... (Hooray! Time to try to grab it like a panicked idiot.) (Go for it!) * Krista then grabs her bookbag, barely, and runs towards the car! [Brian whirls to look towards the voice, and a glass... something flies through the air, hitting his face. He howls as he claws at it, shards everywhere and his skin starting to burn.] [Krista makes it to the passenger side!] * Krista opens the door frantically and cries out, even as she tries to look inside, "He--he's some sort of evil thing and he bit Jerome!" [It's Father Bradley! He reaches over even as Krista panics and *yanks* her inside, taking off as soon as he can, door open or not, and leaving Brian behind.] ( And Jerome! ) (And Jerome, yes.) * Krista looks back towards the fight and says, "Father, Jerome, he--he's..." she turns back towards him. "We have to call an ambulance!" ( Poor Jerome, all he ever did was fall in love. ;_; ) ["He's dead," the father says in a tight voice. "You might want to close your door."] (He didn't even do that!) * Krista flinches at his very blunt statement but, after a second or two, reaches out and grabs the door shut. "Father, I--he--what was he? What..." she trails off as she puts her hand to her chest and feels the blood that dripped there. [The priest swallows and says, as steadily as he can, "A vampire. I'm going- I'm going to take you home, Krista."] * Krista mouths to herself, "A vampire..." She also nods a little and clutches her hand around a cross-shaped pendant that was on her chest. [Bradley nods. He glances over, sees that cross, and starts to drive at a more sedate (read: sane) pace. "Yes. They can't enter a home uninvited, so be sure not to just let anyone in."] * Krista looks over at him. "They." She closes her eyes before saying quietly, "Jerome... God rest his soul. He was just... just walking me home..." ["He's gone to Heaven, Krista," Bradley says softly. "I have no doubt." The car slows as it pulls up to Krista's home; the church was within walking distance, after all.] * Krista looks over to Father Bradley and says quietly, "Thank you and god bless, Father. I will see you soon." She smiles a little. It's a weak smile. [Bradley just bows his head to Krista. "And may He also be with you."] * Krista's smile gets a little wider and she opens the door, stepping out with her bookbag in-hand. She's not shaky at... okay, maybe a little. [The house not-quite looms before her. The entrance lights are on, though the ones inside aren't, except for one of the second-floor windows: her little brother's.] * Krista waves at Father Bradley (and his car) and then walks up the walk towards the house. * Krista puts her bookbag up on one of her shoulder as she does said walking! [It's hard to tell if the father waves back, but the car doesn't move. No vampires jump out and eat Krista! Huzzah!] * Krista gets to the front door and reaches back into her backpack, pulls out a key, and unlocks the door before going in. She's walking in quietly as well. [Krista steps in. The house is quiet.] ( The house made its move silently roll? ) * Krista looks around for a second, then seems to decide changing is better than being particularly bloody and tore up and walks upstairs towards her room. [Krista makes it up to her room! From down the hall, she can hear her thirteen- year-old brother's voice: "Hi, Krista. Mom and Dad are out doing something."] * Krista jumps a little at her brother's voice. She then turns slightly and says, "Okay," before continuing to head to her room. [Luke continues doing whatever he's doing, and Krista is now in her room.] * Krista takes a deep breath and puts her bookbag down before looking into a mirror to assess the damage. Her hand goes to her chest again and she swallows before whispering, "God, please let Father Bradley be right about Jerome, please. He cursed and didn't go to church enough but..." [Krista looks okay. The back of her head is tender, but it's under her hair, and there's no blood there.] * Krista closes her eyes and finishes her whispers with, "And thank you for sending Father Bradley." She pauses for a second after that, then walks over to her dresser and pulls out an outfit of soft-looking blue things with her non- bloody right hand and heading towards the bathroom. [God might be listening. He might not. Either way, this is an intro session end.]