cycleofspam | TEST DRIVE MEME

Whet your whistle, try out the setting, and see who you want to bring to the party!
IT'S A MINOR BLIP IN TIME
Maybe you were showering, or sleeping, having breakfast. You might have been participating in your morning commute or fighting off a horde of zombies.

Whatever you were in the middle of, a strange sensation of disconnection comes over you, as though you're watching your life on screen, a passive audience to the proceedings. It's almost like, well, being sucked down the drain like every adolescent nightmare, the feeling of disconnection replaced quickly with a pain so deep, it's as though every atom of your being is pressed too closely together, and your vision goes dark. Then, just as quickly as the pain came over it, it's gone, reality snapping back into place like a stretched rubber band.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK CITY

When your eyes adjust, you find yourself in a slightly spartan room, standing on a platform that seems to be made of glass or some sort of crystal. Energy currents in blues and greens swirl within it, dizzying and hypnotizing if stared at for too long. You're shocked from the vision by a cheery, bubbly voice that belongs to a petite brunette grinning at you from the base of the steps that lead down from the platform. She apologizes for any inconvenience you may have been caused, and hands you a small package, explaining that inside you'll find a phone, a directory of locations within the complex you've arrived in, a charge card with a balance of $500, and a key to a room in the dormitories which can be reached by following the green line on your directory.

She apologizes again for how confusing this must all be, but assures you that everything will make sense soon!

THOSE SEXY PROMPTS

01 ARRIVAL
After receiving your mysterious package from the happy girl who identifies herself as Airy, she suggests you head out and explore! You find out pretty quickly, or have a lot of trouble figuring out, that you're in a vast underground complex that consists of a lot of areas the directory says are "RESTRICTED". Places you can access are listed as "Forest", "Rec Room", "Cafeteria", and "Dormitories".

02 FOREST
Down a hallway across from a RESTRICTED area, a vast room filled with a living, breathing, underground forest can be found. Here, deep underground, the sun shines, a small creek flows, birds sing, and one could really believe they were outside. There's even a pleasant breeze! Weird, right?

03 REC ROOM
On the opposite side of the complex, near the dormitories, one will find another vast room labeled "REC ROOM". Inside, there is a seating area with basic refreshments (water, sports drinks), board games, a more relaxed seating area with sofas and places to read, a separate room that contains exercise equipment, another with an indoor pool, and a small basketball court. In a separate game room, there are arcade machines, an air hockey table, pool table, and ping pong table.

04 CAFETERIA
Across the main hall from the REC ROOM, one will find the double doors leading to the CAFETERIA. Outside, on a easel chalkboard, can be found the menu items available for the meal currently being served. Inside, several dozen tables and chairs take up most of the floor, and the din of conversation is comparable to a high school cafeteria. The older gentleman in the kitchen will come to the counter when approached to see which of the selection you'd like. We'd really recommend sticking to the offered selection.

05 DORMITORIES
Situated in a wing complex near the REC ROOM and the CAFETERIA is the DORMITORY wing. Rooms are solo and very small, ten to a hallway, and contain a single bed, a small dresser with mirror, and a small standing closet. Each hall has a common room at the end with seating and a five shelf bookcase, off of which are male and female bathrooms with showers, and a laundry room with four washers and four dryers.

06 WILDCARD
Start your own prompt! See what that phone can do, facilitate random encounters in any of the unrestricted areas! Go wild! Literally!

( DIRECTORY )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01 Arrival
[You know what's really overwhelming? Your senses being accosted by the feeling of vastly superior modern air conditioning and smells you haven't smelled in over 40 years, and solid ground beneath your feet when you can't even remember having feet. He stumbles when he comes to. Not his most graceful moment, but things are happening. And then there's some sweet little broad, kinda cute too, explaining some package to him that he doesn't really listen to and shuffling him off to God knows where. He doesn't leave immediately, though. Instead, he looks back over his shoulder after tucking the still unopened package under his arm.]

I don't think so, sister. How about you come clean about what's actually going on, 'cause if this is my white light, it's a real stinker.

04 Cafeteria
[It didn't take Joey long to identify the empty feeling in his gut, even though he hadn't felt it in over 70 years. He was hungry. As he plodded into the cafeteria, he was almost sort of coming to terms with the idea that he wasn't a dead guy anymore. Weird. Really weird. And where was the kid? He shrugged off that particular concern and went to the counter, where he was apparently just supposed to pick up his free food. Heaven has free food, huh? Not bad, not bad.

The guy at the counter was gruff, curt, and didn't take no nonsense from nobody, which mean Joey couldn't help but like him a little bit. The joint didn't have any hooch, but he wasn't going to complain. It was afternoon, anyway. Red'd have something to say about that.

After he has a seat with the meal he'd chosen (he had no idea whether he was going to like it or not. He was having trouble remembering what food tasted like, but it smelled amazing) he didn't make it a secret that he was watching people. 40 years of being invisible to everyone except other spooks and mediums really did a number on a fella's sense of propriety. Honestly, he didn't even realize he was staring.

While he's digging in, he'll be switching between watching and listening to people around him and sifting through that package the kid gave him. He lifts the phone, holding it like someone holding a wallet, and frowns at it.]

What the hell am I supposed to do with this thing?

[Airy blinks.]

White light? Oh! No...no, no, no, no. You aren't dead or anything.

[She doesn't want him to start freaking people out or something. Though she doesn't actually know for sure.]

And... um... what do you want to know?

Yeeeah, that's the weird part.

[He straightens his hat with one free hand.]

If this isn't the other side, where is it exactly?

This is HQ or more specifically New York. Very far below New York.

[She's happy and willing to explain as much as she knows.]

We're safe down here while we figure out what's going on exactly. Something... strange happened.

[Airy has no idea what it is.]

[That a narrow-eyed gaze from Joey.]

This is under New York? Some kind of bomb shelter or something?

[He lets out a breath, shaking his head.]

Yeah, you're tellin' me, kid. [And he scoffs.] I could use a drink.

Something like that... It's a safe place. It's why so many people live here.

[When he mentions a drink Airy lights up.]

I made kool-aid but I assume you mean something stronger?

That really makes a guy wonder what we're all hiding from.

[I don't like this, kid. Not one bit.]

...what the hell is kool-aid?

That's a complicated question but... I can tell you first hand that they aren't nice people.

[She has the burn around her neck to prove it too.]

Kool-aid! I can show you. Come on.

[Airy turns and leads the way towards the kitchens, which means by passing the cafeteria and going in through the kitchen doors.]

Gee, dollface. You don't say. I thought you guys took out real estate in a hole in the ground for the view.

[He narrows his eyes.]

That's...one way to set priorities.

[But he follows...because following is what he's used to doing.]

[Airy smiles at him.]

It isn't a bad view.

[She pushes the door open and holds it for him before slipping in afterwards. She then proceeds to pour him a cup of dark purple liquid.]

Grape kool-aid.

Yeah, I really like how all the walls look the same. Like a hospital.

[I friggin' hate hospitals. He raised an eyebrow at the glass, then looked back to her.]

Grape? That's the best you can do?

[You know, honestly, I don't remember what grapes taste like.]

What Grape is a great flavor! and I finished the fruit punch.

[Airy smiles.]

Just try it and down here really isn't so bad. Only the hallways are sorta like hospitals.

If you say so, kid.

[Really, I'm having trouble remembering what "grapes" taste like. It's a little disturbing, but I'm just going to mask it with sarcasm, okay? Okay.

He takes a sip from the offered cup and frowns at it.]

Jesus, if this is what grape tastes like, I'm glad I didn't remember.

[Airy's smile drops though only for a second.]

You don't like it? I can get you something else but if Gus sees you back here I might get in trouble.

[Since technically people weren't allowed in the kitchen just the cafeteria.]

[Joey smirks.]

Does this Gus have anything harder than grape kool-aid?

I don't think they have that here.

[That sounds expensive to be free.]

I've never asked. They're bars in New York.

[He frowns at that.] What sort of outfit is this anyway?

[Besides one without booze, which is lame.]

New York? [He glances around then back to the girl.] This is New York? [New York he knows.]

It's below New York.

[She shifts a little awkwardly.]

Until we know more about what's happened though... everyone who arrived here needs to stay put... not forever. [She hastily adds.]

At least a few days.

[Joey blinks for just a moment.]

You think you're gonna figure out how we all got here and everything it did to us in a few days? [And a scoff.] Good luck, sister.

Thank you!

[Airy smiles at him.]

Maybe not in a few days but soon.

TEST DRIVE MEME

Joey Mallone | Blackwell Series

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