catharsis [aurore]

[JOSEPHINE OLIVIA CAMPBELL]

There was something innately cathartic about ring toss.

Something that brought her back to her childhood – even though childhood hadn't really been easy – and made it possible for Joey to forget the stressful happenings in her day. Today had been... well, worse than other days, for sure, and that was because she was convinced that she'd done something to piss off the universe. Despite her convictions, the little human couldn't pinpoint what she could have possibly done to get such a strain of bad karma affixed to her ginger head. Still, it must have happened, right? Joey was a good person, but recently her luck had been... bad. And she barely even believed in luck! Fate, soulmates, whatever... they were all sort of non-scientific concepts that existed in an abstract world that even her love of fantasy, dragons, and magic couldn't comprehend. Even science-fiction was based partially on science, after all.

Before today, the bad luck had just been minor incidents that were annoying, but not catastrophic. Things like losing her dorm keys and freaking out before finding out that some 'good Samaritan' had turned them in to Student Services on campus. Like spilling coffee on six pages of her outlining sketches for the next issue of 'Bravo 18' and then finding out that she was already a week behind her self-imposed deadline. Like sending four-hundred dollars back home to Boston because her little brother, Rusty, had been sick with the flu for three weeks, and Eliza had to stay home with him, thusly missing work, and needing the extra for doctor's bills because they could never afford health insurance. Then, two days later, Joey's laptop broke and she found herself strapped for cash enough that she couldn't just replace it. Her girlfriend, Jamie, had offered to spot her the cash to get a new one, and even offered to just let the whole thing be a gift – her wonderful girlfriend was loaded, but Joey would never take advantage of her like that – but the redhead had declined the generous offer. The entire week reminded her of a book she always read to the kids when they were much younger, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. And she was Alexander, for sure.

So she went to the amusement park to play ring toss. It seemed cheesy and probably lame, but she was kind of lame by nature, and she was hoping that maybe a little bit of a winning streak might turn her luck around. Besides, she had always been pretty much of a boss at ring toss anyway. Joey slapped two dollars down on the counter and let the carnie hand her the rings before she tossed them, landing each one over the furthest post from where she was standing without even having to adjust. She'd won a prize, just like that, and since she hit the hardest shot, she got to pick from the good ones. Her eyes scanned the shelves, and then she saw it. A Green Lantern power ring replica. Sweet Marvel Comics, it was beautiful. ”Um, the Power Ring? Right there, next to the bucket of bouncy balls. That one's in the right point range, isn't it?” Joey knew that it was, but she had to be sure. The attendee agreed, then got the ring down from the shelf and placed it in her hand. Triumphantly – and not even caring that there were tons of people who would probably think she was an idiot – Joey raised the ring in pure, nerdy bliss and then took a few steps away from the game, hoping that it would fit her finger. If not, she'd just put it on a chain, but at least she had it. She'd won it, which was significantly better, since she was broke. Right when she was about to put it on, though, she stepped into a pot hole and tripped. Fell right to her knees, and the ring... well, it flew out of her hands and somewhere... somewhere that was way out of sight. Joey cursed under her breath, and knew that she'd end up stalking the grounds to try to find her prize again, even though it was likely lost forever. But first, she stood and dusted off her knees, noting that her jeans had ripped and there was a little spot of blood, but that didn't matter. She'd lost the Power Ring. Stupid bad luck.

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