SPIDERS: It's not a game.

[Eater of Clowns]

Sticking with my suspicion.

Cudgel - 1

[Phox]

Still abstaining. If people vote the same way they did before, my vote won't make a difference anyway.

[LMNO]

Vote remains:

Fred - 1
Dok Howl - 2
Iptuous - 3
Cudgel - 9

[LMNO]

THE VOTING HAS ENDED.

[LMNO]

"Can we vote now?"
"Yeah, I've got things to do back home!"
"Hey, can we talk about this first?"
"Fuck no!  Why do you want to talk?  You one of them intellectuals?"
"No, it's just that, we don't really know—"
"Maybe it's you!"
"I'm just trying to help..."
"Help, nothing!"
"Yeah!"
"Yeah!"
"Let's do this."

Cudgel felt a hand on his shoulder.  A large man, with an impassive face, leaned in close.  "Look, son.  You're acting strangely, and as you can tell, we don't really cotton to that.  You might want to take your act elsewhere."

"You don't understand!  I'm the one person who can make a difference!"

"No, you don't understand.  We don't want you here.  Now go, before people get unpleasant ideas in their head, and you wind up with a few fresh bruises."

Cudgel backed out the front doors with a wary, hurt look on his face.  "This is such a mistake," he muttered.  "Fuck it.  You guys get what you deserve.  I'm moving to Seattle."  Turning his back on the crowd, he headed for the bus station.  As Cudgel turned the corner, something fell out of his pocket.  One of the citizens picked it up.  In Arial, it read:


"THERE IS NO ENEMY ANYWHERE."





The Citizens have put a Discordian On A Bus. Cudgel is out of the game.

________________________________________________________________________

"Yeah, I'm going to have to ask you to work late tonight."

My heart sank at the words.  It's not that I had anything special to do... let's be honest, my life consists of alarm clocks, computer screens, coffee, take-out pizza, and a six pack of beer while staring at whatever sports ball game is on the TV before passing out just as the alarm clock goes off again.  Still, the eyestrain, fluorescence, and added boredom of work seem to multiply every minute past the allotted eight hours.

"Am I gonna get overtime for this?"

"Sorry, no can do.  But you can keep your job."

I shook my head slowly, and turned back to the screen.  Names, dates, and figures flashed before me as I compared, analyzed, double-checked, and verified.  Around me, the insistent din of the office faded as various co-workers packed up and went home. 

At 7:00, the motion detectors kicked in, and started shutting off the lights in the sectors where there was no movement.  The setting sun made a final attempt at beauty, and then gave up and sank below the horizon.  A lone tube of florescence glowed above me, doing a poor job of offsetting the glare from my monitor.  I yawned, and reached for my mug.  The coffee was room temperature, weak, and bitter.  I grimaced, and swatted an itch at the back of my neck.  James, Nancy.  $78,002.98 My eyes were burning from the strain, and my neck was cramping up.  Subsidized towards Edward Collins, Inc. 7.18.03. I tried to stretch, and my shoulder muscle seized.  It felt like someone was jabbing me with an ice pick. Cf: Policy 7836580-M726. 

Things went soft.  I put the coffee down.  There was work to do.  I had to please the company.  Things would get better if I do this well.  My eyes half closed, and I knew I would be able to do this as long as it took.  Even if it was for the rest of my life.  That would be nice.  Something that bristled with hair brushed gently against my cheek.  The overhead bulb abruptly went out, and the only light that remained was the comforting glow of the computer screen as it illuminated my face with a cold blue wash. 

In the dark, something scuttled away.


Sigmatic has been subsumed by the Spider.  He is out of the game.


_________________________________________________________________

Chuck knocked on the door.  It opened.  A woman looked back at him.  "Yes?"

"Um... Hi.  Did you know that God is a woman, and her name is Eris?"

"Excuse me?"

"That is... I mean..."  Chuck started to turn away.

"No, no.  Wait.  Is this some sort of, well, I don't know what.  Some sort of initiation prank?"

"Not really.  Sort of.  I just wanted to see if you would be interested in doing something, uh, interesting."

"Now that's intriguing.  Come inside.  Drink?"

"...OK." 

Chuck walked through the door, and into a one-bedroom apartment that was decorated in some sort of 'Bohemian Bordello' design.  Red velvet hung from the ceiling and walls, draped and billowing, with gold trim accenting various aspects of the room.  She sat down on a black leather couch, reached over to a small table, and poured what looked like high-quality scotch into a glass.  She held it out.  "Please.  Drink."  She patted her hand on the cushion next to her.  "Sit."

Chuck took the glass and sat down.  The alcohol smelled rich, and smooth.  He sipped, and it slid down his throat like fiery candy.  He took another sip.  Immediately, his head began to swim, and he closed his eyes.  He heard her ask, "Are you all right?"  He felt her hand.  "Here, let me help you.  Let me help you... Forever."

His eyes snapped open.  He stared straight in her face, and saw.  Solid black eyes, tight and hard.  Teeth like needles.  A hungry, feral set to her face.  She hunched her back, and grabbed his arm with a grip powerful enough to make him gasp.  "Come on... Give me a taste.  I'll make it all better."  A thin, wiry tongue slipped from between her teeth, and lashed the air lewdly.

Chuck wrenched his arm from her grip and leapt for the front door, kicking over the table in his struggle.  The woman pounced, but caught her foot on the corner of the upturned leg, and tumbled to the ground.  Chuck yanked the door open, and fled into the street. 

The woman slowly closed the door, and sat in the center of the room.  She curled her four lower legs around herself.  "Shit."




A Discordian tried to convert a Spider.  They were able to escape.  The Spider does not know who the Discordian is.


___________________________________________________________________

[LMNO]

Round 3 has begun.  The round will not end until all remaining citizens have made a post and voted.

Votes needed to put someone On a Bus: 8 [14/2 = 7(+1) = 8]

[bds]

Oooooops.

[Doktor Howl]

Sorry, Cudgel.  We did it for the Perfect State™ and the Holy Peoples' Will™.

[Freeky]

Dammit. >:/

Sorry Cudgel. 

[Doktor Howl]

Dammit. >:/

Sorry Cudgel. 

There's no time for "sorry".

The Spiders are coming.

[Eater of Clowns]

FUUUUUUUUUCK.

[Remington]

I have received a PM containing the names of two Spiders, and asking me if I am the third. It's possible that it is an attempt at fishing from one of the citizens.

Should I post screenshots?

[Doktor Howl]

I have received a PM containing the names of two Spiders, and asking me if I am the third. It's possible that it is an attempt at fishing from one of the citizens.

Should I post screenshots?

I got a similar PM.

[bds]

I think sharing would be good, considering we don't really have a whole lot to go on at the moment.

[Doktor Howl]

I think sharing would be good, considering we don't really have a whole lot to go on at the moment.

Johnny pm'd me saying that he was a spider, and knew I was, too.

I think he was trying to draw me out, not offer an alliance, though.

But we should stick him on the bus anyway, to show the Spiders we mean business.