where: treeline at the edge of town who: benjamin creed (@thirtecnth)

tw: ptsd, injuries, panic attack

"I am Avery Beck. I am Avery Beck." She murmured to herself as she stumbled through the trees. She didn't know how many days she'd been out here, wandering the forest. She'd lost track of time ages ago, but she was sure he was still following her. For the first few days she'd hidden from him, even catching sight of him a few times as she crouched in the brush. Every time he moved on, but she remained frozen, barely breathing, heart pounding in her ears, until she was sure he wasn't doubling back.

She found shelter in a few hollow trees, a hollow log, an overgrown bush. She ate what berries she could find, but it hadn't rained in days. She tried sucking morning dew off of leaves, but it wasn't enough. She could feel her energy waning. But she had to keep moving.

"I am Avery Beck," she muttered again. A reminder she'd repeated to herself every day for the past ten years. He'd called her something else. "Sarah." But that wasn't her. She wasn't Sarah. She was Avery Beck.

A tingle fell over her in a wave, like she'd touched an electric fence, but there was nothing there. She brushed it off. She knew she was dehydrated, possibly delirious, but she had to keep moving.

Stumbling out of the trees, the town seemed to appear out of nowhere. As the ground leveled out, she ran forward, but her legs gave out underneath her, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"H-help! Help me!" she called out weakly, reaching for the first person she saw.

where: ben & avery's place who: benjamin creed ( @thirtecnth )

tw: panic attack, ptsd

Avery hadn't had an attack since the geyser when she'd been stuck inside the dance hall. The paranoia was still there, and she still couldn't walk down main street without looking over her shoulder, but overall she thought she was adjusting well enough.

She was wrong.

It started with a nightmare. It had on her on edge the entire day. Then she got locked in the bathroom. She'd shut the door to take a shower, locking it as she usually did just to avoid accidental walk-ins. But after she got out and dried off, she pulled her bathrobe on and tried to leave.

The door wouldn't open.

She yanked on the handle multiple times, flipping the lock to no avail. The wood had swelled in the humidity of the day and the steam of the shower and was completely stuck.

Panic filled her, rising in her throat, and she banged on the door, really hoping Benjamin was home. "Help! Ben! Somebody! Help me!" she screamed, kicking and yanking at the handle with all her strength, which honestly wasn't much. "Stupid fucking lame-ass old as fuck fucking door!" She slammed her hand against it in frustration.

Her chest tightened, as her breaths came fast and hard. The walls were closing in, and she dropped to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees as she rocked back and forth, staring into the middle distance as she tried her hardest to not pass out. It was too small. The room was too small. It was going to crush her. She was dying, she just knew that she was. She was going to die in here.

"They don't give out keys to the commune. The door's unlocked until nighttime. I just didn't want no one to give me any trouble since I'm a townie now," Avery explained. "And I'm kinda stealing so." She bit her lip, glancing down at him below her. "If I let go, do you promise you'll catch me?" she asked, her heart pounding at the thought of him stepping away at the last minute, letting her fall to break her bones.