Cole's Journey: Lock & Key

[Laraqua]

"Don't leave me," she says in a soft voice as the door shuts between them.

As Cole heads to the landing he can clearly hear the sound of glass breaking downstairs near the front door. It doesn't sound like a lot. Perhaps a glass or a small window?

[Garrett]

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4136527/ Sneak success.
I drop into a crouch and slowly make my way down the stairs towards the door, looking around carefully for what might have made the noise.

[Laraqua]

The broken glass came from the glass window inset into the door and as he creeps down he sees a creature reach in through the gap with a clawed hand and grabbing the handle from the inside, almost breaking off the handle, and then slid the door open. The creature, for it is most assuredly not human and likely was, falls forward through the doorway, unable to hold itself upright now that it's no longer got a door to lean upon. It turns its blind head about the corridor and let's loose a terrible wail that sounds almost childlike from its masculine throat.

[Garrett]

I stay put and try to observe what the beast does next.

[Laraqua]

The beast blindly sniffs the air, tossing its head one way than the other, as its nails scrabble across the linoleum floor. It should be easy enough to avoid it by going another way or dropping from a first floor window. It licks its lips, and part of its face, with a long and whiplike tongue. It doesn't seem to have noticed him just yet.

[Garrett]

I make my way back to the stoner's apartment. As I shut the door I look at the man. "Turn the fucking music off somethings out there!" I say staying near the door and trying to listen for any movement from the beast.

[Laraqua]

"But the music means we don't got to hear it," says the stoner guy, grumpily heading over to switch off the stereo.

"You came back!" gasped the the little girl, giving him a big and hopeful smile. "You came back ... for me?"

[Garrett]

"Shut the hell up!" I whisper harshly, holding a finger up in the shushing motion. "And get away from the door!" I whisper as an afterthought, keeping an ear to the door while standing a bit to the side of it. At least this one looks alive, I think with a morbid relief as I grip my tazer, if I can just zap it maybe I could slit it's throat real fast. A detailed picture of the creature shoots through my mind..... but lets not try to fight it unless I have to.
Listen check, fail

[Laraqua]

The room falls in silent but, try as he might, he can't really make anything out. There was a noise ... but how far away? What was it exactly? He can't quite make it out. Hopefully the creature can't hear where they are either.

[Garrett]

Letting out a groan I slowly and silently open the door and peer down the hallway.

[Laraqua]

The hallway is thus far still empty though he can hear movement coming from the floor below.

[Garrett]

ooc-Is it coming this way?

[Laraqua]

It doesn't appear to be coming up the stairs, no, though it certainly is moving around down there. Perhaps there is another way out. A fire escape or something similar? Wasn't basic fire code to have at least two exits to every apartment building?

Not that this town seemed very up to code.

[Garrett]

I stay by the door for the better part of half an hour, waiting to see if the beast comes up here, before finally conceding. "Oy, you stay quiet and duck into the bedroom or something, that thing out there doesn't look like it's coming up. I gotta go." I say before leaving the room, telling myself that the kid and my 'friends' will be fine as I try to find a window or something that I can escape from.

[Laraqua]

"Be back soon, okay?" asks the little girl as Cole heads out down the corridor and stealthily makes his way to the nearby window. It doesn't appear that the creature will be coming up those stairs anytime soon.

Show,Cole will need to climb (die roll please) to get down without hurting himself but it doesn't seem that far a drop.

[Garrett]

"No promises." I reply to the little girl as I leave once again, heading for one of the windows I saw earlier. Seeing that it's a small drop I figure there wouldn't be any harm in simply jumping, I'd certainly done so from higher places.
Climb check fail

[Laraqua]

Cole slips and falls, bruising his ankle but otherwise landing okay beside a dumpster. A quick glance up revealed the little girl at the window, waving at him with a hopeful smile, as he headed away. But to where?

[Garrett]

"HIDE" I whisper staring at the little girl before turning around and heading in the direction of the amusement park.

[Laraqua]

Cole makes it a few more streets before there's the sudden crash of shattering glass behind him. Hopefully that had nothing to do with the apartment he had left behind...

Before him he can make out the bridge that crosses one of the rivers that lets out into Lake Toluca. Streetlights flicker in the fog, running along each side of the bridge, and ashen footprints seem charred into the asphalt, heading this way and away from the bridge.

[Garrett]

I take a deep breath and ignore the noise, I mean, with all the crap in this town what are the odds that it came from the apartment? Putting this thought firmly in my mind I continue towards the carnival.