vivarium | CALHOUN HOUR

At the crack of dawn, presumably, Calhoun gathers everyone in the first floor warehouse to make an announcement.

"That's right, it's time for another of my special events!" He seems pretty pleased with himself. "I noticed you lazy, fat test subjects really let yourselves go last round! It's like I don't feed you here or something."

"Well, I'm worried about your health, always lazing about and not getting proper exercise. So, I decided to be the change I want to see in the world, and so we're going to do something a littttttttllllllle different this time."

"To stop you guys from getting soft from all the fun you're having here, it's time for a little workout."

From one of the doors Calhoun never lets anyone go through there's a loud, metallic banging sound repeating, as if something is trying to get out. Calhoun does not seem troubled at all by this. In fact, he seems pretty excited.

"The rules are simple, everyone's getting sixty coins to use as they see fit. You'll notice the vending machines on both warehouse floors. Anyone who isn't caught will even get a memory back." But what does that mean?

"So go on, survive for 23 hours, I'll even give you a five minute head start. Good luck!"

And with that he scurries off. Should people hang around they'll get to witness that same door open five minutes later. From the door comes several figures, human in shape but something is very, very wrong.

They seem to be robotic, skeletal humans. At one point they must have had some synthetic skin over them but most of it seems to be melting or ripped off. They don't move very fast, mostly they shamble about until they focus on a target. Better hope it's not you!

BASIC INFO ✖ FIRST TEN HOURS ✖ LAST HOURS ✖ POST EVENT MINGLE

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Have the most UNIMPRESSED look he can muster.]

I didn't mean to! I got startled by that noise and accidentally hit the machine and- [Oh my god he wouldn't just buy a toy Jake shut up you're dead to him. He just. let that trail off and slumped against the wall next to the vending machine.] Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, Hershel, almost as clever as the shovel.

[Just going to mutter that to himself before looking at Sleepy Cat.] Well, at least it's cute.

[ Your super UNIMPRESSED look is met with the most DISPLEASED look ]

Yeah, maybe those robots will stop chasing us to coo at the cute toy instead.

[ He is seriously not pleased because dude, not only did you get something completely useless, you wasted money. Why are we friends? But letting out a frustrated sigh and throwing up a hand. Great, well, Hershel is out of coins and they have a toy. Maybe it's time to go back to his original plan and break open the vending machine, hmmm... He looks around and tries to motion for Hershel to move. ]

Cover your face, and get ready to run.

[ That's the only warning Hershel is going to get before Jake just kicks the vending machine's glass, in an attempt to open it. Here's hoping that it works... ]

[Accident!! Shut up though you're clearly jealous.]

[He just gives Jake a Look for his comment before registering what he said and moving away.] Jake, what- oh no, you shouldn't-

[Yeah, like Jake ever listened. He covers his face immediately, but sorry Jake, the glass only cracks. More so it's a very loud crack, and already scraping and clanging was coming from the hallways, fast. Probably alerted a robot or two.]

Goddamn robots, come on....!

[ HE WAS SURE HE COULD HAVE BROKEN IT but Calhoun probably have thought of this, but they should probably get moving now. Jake makes a mental note to come back to this particular vending machine to try and break it open again, but grabbing Hershel's arm to pull him a bit to get him to start running. ]

[ Run run run run, he doesn't even know where he's heading, as long as they can lose the robots. Let's enter this random room, this looks safe (maybe). ]

R-right- [God damnit, Jake. Spend money for fuck's sake. Yes, that was absolutely two robots after them, so Hershel's just going to follow, occasionally gesturing for Jake to take a turn because it seemed like the robots could get turned around if you didn't just run in a straight line.

Hurray safe room. Hershel has to make a face when he realizes which room it is, though.] Ugh, the Gallery...

[He gives his best friend the white statue an unimpressed look before glancing around, voice quiet.] I think we lost them for now...

[ Jake closes the door behind him as they enter the room, just in relief that they might be away from the robots for now, but then he frowns when he sees that they're in the Gallery. He does not have pleasant memories. ]

Yeah, for now, but they'll probably find us. [ He says in a low voice, but he steps away from the door and looks around the room. ] So, let's take those robots down. I'm sick of this cat-and-mouse chase.

There should be something here to help with that.

I suppose it must be possible, in theory. [Admittedly Hershel hadn't considered it too much if only because he's pessimistic and Calhoun never made things easy.

He placed his hand at his chin, considering.] It'd be hard to say what exactly could destroy them or shut them down- water, maybe, taking off their head might. They clearly use sight and sound to find us, and assuming that's delegated to their heads it'd be a good way to at least make them helpless. [Aka headshot the zombie, you know how it is, Jake.]

Maybe we can use traps against them, assuming the traps are active right now.

[ Jake's in his field of element, he is totally good with headshooting zombies or decapitating them. ]

... You said a statue grabbed you, right? Let's see if it does the same.

[ He thinks Hershel said it grabbed him when he tried to take the sheet, so brb heading right over to it and taking the new moldy sheet that Calhoun has placed there. He will hopefully move fast enough when it swings to grab him. ]

Yes, the white one. [Hershel answered hesitantly, looking over to what Jake was doing and oh god-]

Jake, wait, no! [He actually sounded a little panicked at that because yeah, didn't handle that whole almost choking to death situation all that well. At least Jake is prepared for it, maybe he'll get away as the statue grinds to action, trying to lash out and grab him??]

[ Jake doesn't exactly know how the statue is going to grab him, as in the movements, so it's a bit harder, but mercenary reflexes kick in and he jumps back. He barely makes it, though, with how fast the arm reacts and with his slightly sluggish movements (he's not getting sick, he's totally fine). ]

[ He stands steps away from the statue and just stares at it, casually acting like he almost didn't get choked or anything. ]

Looks like we have our answer.

Jake... [Hershel's shoulders slumped even if he was still a bit tense. At least Jake didn't die what a piece of shit.] Honestly, do you ever listen? I swear...

[Ok, ok, ok, he could focus on something other than scolding.] It might be enough to hold one of them in place, and the weapons in the glass case- [He glanced over, putting his hand to his chin as he thought the logistics of it over.] ... we may be able to disable one.

[ Jake never listens. He would do poorly in school because he would never listen to the teacher and rather sleep (and bother Hershel in class, god this is boring why did you take archaeology). ]

Hey, we can't figure things out by standing around. [ But heading over to the glass case. Hmm, he vaguely remembers this puzzle. ] ... The stake and sword, we can probably rip its head off with those.

[ TALK ABOUT VIOLENT ]

CALHOUN HOUR - SURVIVOR

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