The Last Words Meme

[chasethecloudsaway]

The Last Words Meme
This is it. The final curtain. You're at the end of your life, and there's someone here you really, really need to say something to before you die.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Comment with your character. Using it random.org or a similar site, the first character to post rolls for their cause of death and how long they have left to live. Or you can leave it blank and let the person commenting choose for you!

2. Responding characters then roll for the relationship between the two of you. Optionally responding characters can also share your cause of death/time left to live or roll for their own, but that's not required. A living character caring for (or horribly mutilating) a dying one is fine, too.

3. Tell the person what you need to tell them before you bite it.

4. Have fun


CAUSE OF DEATH

1 - Accidental. Nobody meant for this to happen, but it doesn't matter now. Due to negligance, arrogance or just plain bad luck, you've become gravely ill or injured and are now in your last moments. This covers all kinds of accidental deaths--strangulation, drowning, car accidents, unintentional beheadings, whatever you can think of.

2 - Murder. Somebody really didn't like you. Enough to kill you, it seems. You're now dead by someone else's hand. (Maybe even the person replying to you?) As with accidental death, this covers all types of intentional, malicious murder, regardless of method--so poisoning, stabbing, shooting, etc., all work here. Same with all the below options: any possible variation you can think of on it will work!

3 - Suicide. There is no hope for you, and no way out. You've reached the absolute bottom pits of despair, and the only recourse you have is to take your own life. Someone shows up to stop you... but they're too late to help you now.

4- Terminal illness. You have cancer, or tuberculosis, or cholera back when people got cholera. The doctors have done everything they could and it wasn't enough. The only thing to do now is give your loved ones the bad news.

5 - Starvation. So thirsty. So hungry. Maybe you've been traveling in the desert for hours, or maybe you're just really poor. Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter, because you're slowly wasting away until you're nothing but skin and bones.

6 - Death in battle. You've died a hero's death, and gone out in a blaze of glory. Or maybe you were a coward who got shot for deserting? Either way, you're now a casualty of war. Will you be honored with a parade or scorned as a traitor to your country?

7 - Natural causes. You've lived a long, happy life, and now your story is at an end. In a warm bed, surrounded by your family and friends, you peacefully drift off. Just make sure that you've made a will somewhere, or at least use your deathbed to set the record straight. Otherwise, who knows what kind of squabbles might errupt after you leave this world?

TIME LEFT

1 - A few minutes. You're fading fast and you don't have much, well, any time left. Better tell the person with you that you love -- or despise-- them with your last breath, because you'll never have the chance otherwise.

2 - A few hours. You haven't got much time left. Is there someone you still need to kill? To kiss? Better do it quick. (Note: last kisses not recommended for people dying of highly contagious illnesses.)

3 - A few days. The doctors have given you the news, and it's not very good. You've only got a couple days left to live. You should start trying to make peace with people and saying your final goodbyes with the days you have left.

4 - A few weeks. Take that vacation you've always wanted to go on but never had the chance to. Go do that thing you've never thought you'd be any good at. You've got only weeks left to live. Don't waste them.

5 - A few months. While you aren't quite on death's doorstep yet, your lifespan has still dwindled considerably from what you probably thought it would be. How are you going to spend your last few months on Earth? Making the world a better place and telling your family you love them? Or raising as much hell as possible?

RELATIONSHIP

1 - Lovers. This is your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, mistress, whatever you call them they were the person you wanted to spend your life with. Too bad you don't have much of a life to spend with them anymore.

2 - Siblings. Your beloved little or older sibling is just standing there, watching you slowly waste away before their eyes. Can you say anything to comfort them? Note that it doesn't necessarily have to be interpreted literally; adopted siblings and friends so close they might as well be siblings work too.

3 - Parent and child. Nothing is worse than a parent having to bury their child... except, maybe, a young child now alone in the world after losing their parent. As with the sibling prompt, this can be expanded to include parental figures and people who are LIKE a father/mother to you as well as actual biological parents.

4 - Co-workers, teammates or classmates. You were fighting for the same side. Or you worked together in the same office for years. Or they sat behind you in biology all semester. However you met, how do your react when you find out someone who used to be a fixture in your life is going to die?

5 - Friends. You're the best of friends! You go everywhere together, know all each other's secrets, and are never seen apart. At least, you didn't use to be. Now one of you is dying and the other one is left alone in the world. Or maybe you're dying together. Wait, is that better or worse?

6 - Bitter enemies. You hate, hate, HATE this person. In fact, maybe you killed them. Or they killed you. Or maybe nobody killed anybody and they're just bitter that Mother Nature got to you before they did. Regardless, they want to confront you one last time before you bite it, if only to rub your nose in your imminent demise and their ability to outlive you.

Comments

Spring Eddings | 4 | 1

[notaloneinthis]

[Spring is curled up in her bed. She's too weak to go anywhere or even move. She had really hoped life would last longer than this, that she'd do more and get further, but she's not bitter. She's had a beautiful life. She's not afraid of death, she can't be.

And maybe, just maybe, she'll see her mother again somewhere.]

[allgrieftorefrain]

[Lore saw this coming a week ago, and she's stayed nearby since then. She's done her best to help the rest of the family as they hovered around, and she's kept coming back to Spring's side, waiting, wondering if it was time yet. Until now, she's always had time to walk away again.

She just has to walk in the room this time, and she knows that it's different.

She moves to sit at the edge of Spring's bed, reaching a hand out and laying it on her cousin's. She's very calm, even in her sadness to see Spring go. It's the Calling, of course. She's no use as an angel when panicking, so she won't panic, and she won't cry. Not until Spring is gone and Lore's job is done.]

Hey, sweetie. [She squeezes Spring's hand lightly, letting her know she's not alone. She doesn't have to say what she's doing here -- she knows the other angel will understand.]

[notaloneinthis]

[Spring does understand, and she's okay with it. She long ago found the balance of her Calling, and she knows she can't control hers or anyone else's. She knows that this is just how it is.

Her face tilts up to Lore and she smiles softly to her.]

Never been on this end of it before.

[allgrieftorefrain]

Well, you do only get one chance for that. [She smiles back sadly, moving a little farther up so that she can stroke her cousin's hair.] How do you feel?

Matilda Eddings | 5 | 2

[notaloneinthis]

[Til is hungry. She's never been so hungry in her life, and it hurts. Of all the ways she's ever imagined her death, this was not one of them. She doesn't even know how she got here, but she is here, and she knows she doesn't have long to last. She just feels too weak.

She's not ready to go and leave her world behind. She loves it too much, she loves what she has too much. She's not ready to go.]

Excuse me as I take liberties to try and make the scenario plausible? >>

[allgrieftorefrain]

[Til disappeared and lost contact with everyone more than a week ago, and nobody's stopped looking since then. Family doesn't get left behind, and they especially don't get left to disappear without a trace.

Connor has been worried half out of his mind about her, has been doing his best to help in the search and try to figure out what might has happened.

He never expected to nearly trip over her in an alleyway.

He's already bending down to see if the too-thin girl wrapped in a lump of blankets is okay after nearly stepping on her leg when he actually takes a good look at her, and then he drops quickly to his knees and stares.]

Til? [He sounds uncertain, completely shocked, and he reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder gently.]

this works for me. in theory I could have re-rolled her.

[notaloneinthis]

[She hears the voice like it's far far away, and she wants to reach out to it. She wants to pull that voice close. She can't even tell if she's actually moving.

But that's Conner. She would know that voice anywhere.

She opens her mouth to form words, but they come out in a croaked whisper.]

Colin.

[She wants to just curl up in him and stay there, because that could fix everything. Couldn't it?]

This is true, but working with the dice is so much more fun. Or something. >>

[allgrieftorefrain]

[It will, because he is determined to make it better. Make her better. Whatever happened, whatever's wrong, he'll fix it. He's not going to let her hurt, not now that he's found her, now that she's here.

He wraps his arms around her, pulling her in close to him, careful in case she's hurt.]

I've got you. You're okay now.

Colin Eddings | 1 | 4

[notaloneinthis]

[allgrieftorefrain]

[Since the wreck, Connor has only left Colin's hospital room when bodily dragged away. He's barely been eating or sleeping or changing, and he hasn't managed to go back to the apartment yet. He can't step foot in there, knowing that Colin isn't going to be following.

All he can bring himself to do anymore is sit by Colin's bedside, and listen to the machines beep, and pray for good news that doesn't seem to be close to coming. He'll put on a brave face for Colin -- when his brother is even awake and coherent enough to notice, thanks to the drugs coursing through his system. But even with the rest of the family, he can't hide the toll it's taking on him.

Connor leans forward in his chair, arms folded on the side of Colin's bed and his chin resting on his hands, watching as he sleeps. As if somehow, it can't get worse if he keeps watching. As if keeping vigil can keep Colin going, and if he just watches close enough, he'll wake up and be fine.]

[notaloneinthis]

[Cal hasn't been far away either. It's hard for him to even leave the room at all, but he knows he has to share the space. He will leave at times to let others sit with Colin, and the longest he's ever out of the room is when Conner is there.

He's been off getting some air and some food. Til dragged him out for the food, and he knows enough not to argue with Til.

When he comes back in he sees Conner and his fist balls even tighter in his hand. He wants to spare his son this pain. He wants to spare both of his sons the pain, but he knows that he can't.

He steps up beside Conner and sets a hand to his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze to let him know he's there.]

Have you eaten?

[allgrieftorefrain]

[He doesn't notice the door opening, wrapped up in his prayers and slightly dazed, and he jumps a little at the hand on his shoulder. Then he leans back in his chair, towards his father, drawing his knees up as he does.]

Yeah. [Someone had snuck him in a bagel and gotten him coffee, that morning. Food tastes like paper, everything seems off and wrong, but he'd gotten something in his stomach and that's the important part.

He looks up for a minute, studying Cal. There's worry there, but that's nothing strange, right now, it seems to be his default expression.

Asking if his father's okay seems pointless -- okay doesn't really apply right now, okay isn't going to happen for either for them -- so he leans his head against Cal's arm and turns his eyes back to Colin and he doesn't bother to ask. He knows the answer already.]

[andigavehertheworld]

[Cal doesn't really know what else to ask, or say. There aren't many words anymore. None that he can offer, none that he can find.

He watches Colin for awhile, then turns his attention back to Conner, leaning down to kiss the top of his head.]

Have you heard from your mother?

[allgrieftorefrain]

[He nods, closing his eyes just for a minute.] She's on her way; she said she should be here tomorrow.

[He stifles a yawn as he opens his eyes again, reaching a hand up to take hold of his father's. God he's tired, but he doesn't want to go somewhere so that he can sleep. He doesn't want to walk away, just in case....

Well, in case there's no reason to come back after. That's the closest he can come to even thinking about what might happen.]

Ira Eddings | 6 | 2

[notaloneinthis]

[Ira can still feel the electricity sparking through her, but instead of it's usual comfort it pains her. She meant to do better. She meant to be better. Be something her family could be proud of. She always thought she'd be okay no matter what, that her electricity would always save her and be her crutch, but she has learned the bad way that she was wrong.

She's sprawled on the ground and she can't move. She's sore, weak, and burned. She knows she should be scared, or accepting, but aside from the pain she doesn't feel anything.

Death. Dying. It's coming, and she can't stop it. She can't find the emotion to fit it.]

[allgrieftorefrain]

[When things started happening, Kitty had run.

She hadn't meant to, hadn't wanted to, not really, but she didn't know what else to do. Muses don't have any advantage in a fight. Inspiration can't do much to help a battle along.

Now, with guilt churning in her stomach and her hands shaking, she slinks back to the scene of her desertion, to see if she can at least help clean up after. And that's when she sees Ira, lying there, and even from a distance, clearly not all right.

Kitty crouches down besides her, biting her lip and reaching out to take hold of Ira's hand.] Ira. Come on, let's get you somewhere somebody can take a look at you. Can you get up, honey?

[notaloneinthis]

[She tries her best to grip onto Kitty's hand, happy to have something - someone - to hold onto. And it's family, and she really really doesn't want to let go.

She tries to move, but it's too painful. She curls into Kitty some.]

I wanna go home.

7(...ish) -- 2

[handswillwork]

[There was never any other way things could turn out, really. It was always bound to happen eventually. One job too big, one healing too many -- something was going to get into her system and pull her down, the Calling was going to take over and make her work till she collapsed and couldn't get up again -- it was always going to be because of what she was.

At least she's in her own bed. It was a struggle to get her there, but Abby is curled up in her own room, back to the window's light. She's shivering under the heavy quilt on top of her, but at least she's stopped coughing up blood for the time being.

There's not going to be any coming back from this one. The last week has only been a steady decline, and even without healing anyone else, her body just can't take any more.]

[onlywaytolive]

[Gabe has always seen this coming. he has always known it was coming, but he can't take it. He can't accept it. Abby isn't just his sister; she's his other half. He doesn't love anyone more than he loves her, and he doesn't know how he's going to exist without her.

He's been sitting outside of Abby's room whenever he's not in it, and now he's letting himself back in. His palms rub again and again against his thighs in a nervous repetitive motion. He's trying to be even more careful around her than ever before, and he doesn't want to wake her up if she's sleeping.

He sits down on the edge of the bed and watches her, curled up under her blanket. He sees her shaking, and he's shaking too, but for completely different reasons. He wants to reach for her or say her name, but he doesn't want to disturb her. And yet he wants to grab hold and never let go.

he doesn't really know what to do.]

[handswillwork]

[She blinks her eyes open uncertainly as the bed dips under his weight. It takes her two tries to say his name; her voice falters, stuck in her dry throat.] Gabe?

[Her hand reaches out for his, her body shifting towards him a little bit. She wants him closer, wants him here. It's selfish, to make him watch, to make him stay, but she can't help it. She loves him, he's her brother and her best friend and she wants him near her while she feels this way.]

[onlywaytolive]

[At the sound of her voice calling out to him, he can't stop himself. He's moving over and stretching out beside her, curling himself against her and holding her close.

He's not sure he'll ever let go now.]

I'm here.

[astherainscome]

[She's been here before and she doesn't want to do it again. Death is something she knows. It's ingrained in her, it's a part of her, but it still terrifies her. The aftermath of death terrifies her. The breaking, the falling, the emptiness. Death is final, but there is so much after death for everyone else. Sophia hates death.

She's felt death, she's been face to face with it, but this is different. This she doesn't have to touch. She doesn't have to see. She can run away from it if she wants. Only...she'll feel it. And it might just hurt more than any death has since her mother died. No, it will. Because this is Abby, and she needs Abby, and she wants to be able to take care of Abby the way Abby's always taken care of her. She wants to make this entire thing go away.

Abby is better. Abby is lovely and better, and Sophia wants to trade. She wants to go and let Abby stay, because that's what Abby deserves. That's what Gabe deserves.

No, there will be too much pain here. Too much falling. And she doesn't want it.

She's standing in the corner of Abby's room, her arms hugging herself tight, and she's not sure what to do. She's scared. Scared of feeling, scared of getting too close and breaking Abby; breaking herself. She wants to curl up in Abby and hold her down to this life forever.

This day has always been coming, but Sophia still can't take it. She can't take a world that will take away the most lovely people in her life.

So she stands pressed to the corner, unable to move and unable to look away.]

[handswillwork]

[She knows Sophia is there, but for a long time she doesn't do much but look towards her now and then, send her a smile, a glance, an odd comment when the room goes quiet. She doesn't want to push Sophia, doesn't want to make her deal with more than she's ready to, doesn't want to make her come closer and see everything more sharply.

But Abby can feel herself fading, she knows she doesn't have much longer, and she wants to say goodbye. More than that, she wants Sophia to have a chance to say anything she needs to.

So with a quiet request to her sister to leave them alone for a little while, she waits for the door to close before turning to Sophia's corner. She's careful not to meet her eyes as she looks in that direction, just in case, but she gives the girl a tired smile and holds out an arm, calling out to her softly.] Come here?

[astherainscome]

[Sophia watches Abby's extended arm for a moment, debating it. She wants to go close, but getting closer would make this whole thing even more real, and she doesn't want that. She can't have that.

But she can't ignore the pull. her feet are slowly drawing her closer to Abby until she's at her side, and she gently picks up Abby's hand in both of hers. She closes the girl's hand tightly in both of hers, still unable to look up.

There are words, and she knows she should use them, but she doesn't know which ones to use. She's scared of the lump that's lodged in her throat.]

the Charger // 7/1

[makesureitlooksgood]

[Cars die eventually. Cars end up in the scrap heap, they get so broken they can't be fixed, or at least there's no point in trying to fix it. Cars don't last forever, and the Charger was already an old car before she was given to a man who ends up in high-speed chases and gets shot at on a regular basis.

So you'd think she'd have accepted that she was going to die, but does anyone ever really accept that?

The Charger is curled up on her other self, on top of the trunk. The car is gone, useless already. The girl won't be far behind it, she can already feel herself fading, and she chokes back a sob. She doesn't want to go. She likes being a girl, likes talking to people and hugs and how sunshine feels on skin instead of metal. She likes being a working machine, likes running smooth and going fast and belonging to somebody and getting them where they want to go.

She doesn't want to lose either one, but she doesn't have a choice.]