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#Post#: 72--------------------------------------------------
Grace & Enzo & Elijah (14)
By: winterssmary Date: December 20, 2018, 6:43 am
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Was Eli entirely on board with this new plan to leave the only
shelter he'd found and venture into a city infested with the
cannibalistic husks of its former residents? No, not entirely.
But he didn't have much of a choice. Logically, it made sense. A
precinct was a good place to invade. Grocery stores were
important. There was really no reason for him to oppose this
operation. But he was scared. Not terrified to the point that he
refused or even put up a fight, but he was nervous to be beyond
the safety of his traps and snares. He was starving here, sure,
but at least he didn't have to be constantly looking over his
shoulder. This new plan would force him to adapt to a new world.
And to sleep outside again. And he wasn't about that.
Despite being conflicted, he still found himself packing his
things. Not all of them, but his taser and what little food he
had left, a jacket, a blanket, and few other simple essentials.
He just wasn't going to voice his concerns. He didn't need to.
And he didn't want his new friends to think he was a coward. He
also didn't want to argue the logic with people, because he knew
that they were right and he was wrong. "So we're expecting to be
gone for how many days total? Three? That doesn't seem so bad,"
he rambled, mostly to himself, as he threw everything he could
into a backpack and filled a few bottles with boiled water.
"But, you know, we'll have to be on our guard because I can't
set any traps while we're on the move," he said, not sure who
was listening. And silently hoping no one was.
***
"Do you guys think we should stop for the night? I didn't pack
an umbrella," Eli said, the group of six trekking behind Blake
and Enzo as rain started to fall from the sky. It was a light
drizzle, but it would pick up soon. "If we want to have fire for
even a few minutes, we need to get started before all the
kindling is soaked," he said. He wasn't prepared to deal with
the cold tonight. Or any night, really. He was a skinny dude
with only a jacket, blanket, and sleeping bag to deal with April
temperatures. Maybe that wasn't a big deal to other people, but
Eli stayed cold most of the time when he tried to sleep. "Also,
it might be a good time for a snack break. I'm hungry. And
tired," he added, rambling. He didn't realize he was
complaining. He didn't want to complain. "I'm sorry. I don't
mean to whine. You guys can ignore me if you want."[/center]
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Enzo was glad that everyone so willingly went along with his
plan. He was glad they were able to get this show on the road in
the same day. He needed the adventure. Of course, he liked
having a place to settle, but he also liked being on the move
and having goals. That's not something you get while being super
domestic. Probably. He wouldn't know. He'd never been domestic.
But that was beside the point. The point was, he was already
mapping out the route in his head, the one with the fewest
infected, the one of the shortest distance to the outskirts of
the city, and the one where they would most likely run into a
vehicle that Blake could hot-wire. Luckily, all the criteria
seemed to fit this one path he'd traveled before. Easy peasy.
So he packed everything he brought with him, which took him no
time, since he hadn't really unpacked the day before. All his
stuff was still in his bag. Though he did take one of Eli's
ex-friend's extra blankets and stuff it in there, meaning his
bag didn't close all the way. But who cares? He didn't. Enzo
doubled checked his gun and saw that he had about four shots
left. Blake said that she had about three, meaning they needed
to conserve as much fire power as possible. So, how were they
going to take out infected with almost no bullets, a pocket
knife, and a taser? Maybe this wasn't the best plan, but they
didn't have a choice. So he'd deal.
***
It started to drizzle and Enzo chuckled, quietly. Very quietly.
Eli wanted to stop. Figures. Eli had been obvious tired since
before they left the cabin. He'd take any excuse to rest. Enzo
could go either way. It didn't matter. "I don't think we should
waste the time right now," he said with a shrug. "But if you
really need the rest, we can go ahead and camp for the night. I
leave it up to you guys though," he said. He thought that, if
the rain picked up, any time they spent resting now would be
wasted. The should only stop when they absolutely have to, but
he wanted to make sure the group was content with any and all
decisions made anymore. He wasn't operating with an
always-disgruntled Blake anymore. He had people. Kinda.
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Grace was surprised that Sam had such a strong reaction to her
offering her rations. She thought he'd be hungry enough to take
anything. It was nice that he was still thinking about her well
being, even when he was in such a bad mood. He tried to shift
the mood of the conversation pretty drastically by the end,
which was kinda good. It meant that he was putting forth effort
again. Did it work? Did Grace actually cheer him up? Or did he
feel bad for her because of how miserably she failed? She didn't
know, but she didn't care. She did however, care about the fact
that Sam, much like Eli did the night before, did just
accidentally imply that they'd be sleeping together. She raised
an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. She knew he didn't mean
anything by it. He probably just meant that she just wanted to
sleep on a bed because of his back. And he wanted to make her
feel included. What a dork.
But, to Grace's displeasure, it turned out that no one would be
sleeping on the bed that night. They'd be sleeping on the dirt
again, which she was dreading. She was dreading another trip
into the city. She was dreading seeing her old friends and
acquaintances with death in their eyes. But Chris was right.
They needed to make a move on the precinct before someone else
took any of the weapons. She needed a gun of her own if they
were going to make it out there. They also needed rifles for
hunting and Grace could really use the medical supplies in case
someone got hurt. It would be good to have all of this stuff.
She also perked up at the idea of going by a grocery store,
since she knew getting something to eat would cheer Sam up.
"Told you everything was going to be fine," she said to him as
she finished packing her stuff back into her bag, making sure to
include a scarf for the cold nights.
***
Grace hated walking. She hated it more than she hated most
things. She especially hated it after having less than a full
twenty-four hours rest from a three-day journey from the best
home she'd ever known, to the middle of the fucking woods. She
was tired. Her feet hurt. She was hungry. And, to make matters
worse, Sam was still unhappy. Chris was so focused on his
surroundings -- for good reason -- that he barely paid attention
to her. Once again, she felt completely alone. Then it started
drizzling. "Because why the fuck not," she muttered,
disappointed. Why would this not happen to day? When Eli
suggested they stop, she silently agreed, but she didn't need to
contribute to the conversation. Instead, she just sighed and
hoped they could get a fire going before she got too cold.
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#Post#: 73--------------------------------------------------
Blake│Christian│Samuel
By: Zellaphone Date: December 20, 2018, 3:34 pm
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Everyone had thankfully been in agreement, even if they had been
a bit reluctant, to venture into the city, deciding to leave as
soon as possible. Eli and Sam had been the most vocal about not
really wanting to go on their little excursion, Sam being
adamant about it while Eli just sounded like he was trying to
convince himself that this was truly a good idea. She could
understand his hesitation, but only to an extent. They would
have been idiots to not have gone into the city. Dead idiots.
So, they ventured forward, Blake clinging onto the strap of her
mostly-empty backpack. She figured it was important to leave
plenty of room to pack more things. She wasn't sure if she'd be
able to find another bag to carry things, or if she'd be able to
talk more than one bag. It was still a possibility that they
wouldn't be able to find a car, or find one that she could
easily hot-wire. Enzo, however, didn't seem to think about the
things he'd have to pack, not even able to zip his backpack up
all the way. Well, she wasn't sticking around him if he started
to complain about his lack of space, and she definitely wasn't
helping him carry things.
It wasn't too long into their journey that it started to rain a
little, a drop hitting her nose, alerting her momentarily. It
sprinkled for awhile before anyone really said anything, Eli
suggested they stop for the night, talking about making a fire
and how hungry and tired he was. She bit her tongue to keep her
from snapping at him, telling him that they were all tired and
hungry. At least he apologized for wining though, so that was
something. Still, it annoyed her that they had barely begun and
already Eli was asking to stop. Sure, the sun was getting ready
to set, but the less time they wasted, the faster they could get
in and out of the city and back to Eli's precious cabin. She was
determined not to stop now, and it sounded like Enzo was
somewhat on the same boat.
"I agree, if we stop now, it'll just take us longer. We should
still have some time before the rain really picks up," she said,
still moving forward. "If you want to eat something, go ahead
and be my guest, but I'd rather not waste too much time," she
added. Really, she hoped everyone else agreed, but the kids
looked tried and Sam looked like he was about to collapse, and
knowing Chris, he'd probably suggest stopping as well for their
sake. God, having kids around was such a drag.[/center]
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Chris let Enzo and Blake lead as the traversed through the
forest, staying close to the kids, but not too far from Eli. He
liked to be able to keep an eye on everyone, and felt safer when
the kids weren't last in the group. He kept an eye out for any
sort of movement around them, ready to strike if things were to
get nasty. He was extremely grateful that Blake and Enzo knew a
short route back into the city. The less time they spent out in
the open, the better. Plus, he knew the closer they got to the
city, the greater the chances of running into the infected.
The sun slowly started to set, and Chris could smell the rain
before it had even begun, the skies greying overhead. It didn't
bother him that much, really, but he knew that it would
eventually pick up, no doubt inconveniencing them. It would be
best if they stopped for the night in an area that had plenty of
coverage. No matter what, though, they were more thank likely
going to get soaked. The could always bury themselves under
blankets and their sleeping bags, but those could get drenched
as well. Maybe they should have waited at least a day before
going to the city. Still, even then they would have had to have
slept on the wet ground, and there was no guarantee that it
wouldn't rain tomorrow as well.
Eli suggested that they stop, this whole journey obviously
making him feel uncomfortable. It was apparent that the man
didn't enjoy leaving the confines of his cabin, which made
sense, but he also couldn't stay cooped up there forever.
Honestly, it probably wouldn't be terribly long before they'd
have to seek a different shelter anyways. The cabin was much too
small to keep them there for a long period of time. He
complained about how tired and hungry he was, saying that if
things got too wet they wouldn't be able to make a fire.
Truthfully, Chris didn't even see a point to making a fire now,
but he understood that Eli was getting a little frustrated, and
the man did apologize for it.
Enzo and Blake voiced their desire to travel on, and Chris
agreed, but he also didn't want anyone passing out from
exhaustion or hunger, which Sam looked like he was about to do,
occasionally dragging behind the group more than Chris would
have liked. They could rest for awhile, but he knew that once
they stopped, it would probably be hard for some of them to get
started again. They needed to weight their options, but it was
starting to look like if they didn't stop now, they'd still have
to stop soon for Sam's sake.
"Maybe we should bunker down now," he said, slowing down. "We
can always make up for lost time in the morning, and this area
is covered well enough," he went on, looking up at the bit of
sky peaking through the trees, raindrops hitting his skin.
"Plus, after some food and rest, we should be able to go a bit
faster."[/center]
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Sam was pretty sure that he was dying. His stomach kept making
loud noises that made him thankful that he was towards the back
of the group and further away from Blake, who'd no doubt snap at
him if she heard his sounds too much. He also was staggering a
bit now and then, shoulders slumped from being so tired. He was
starving, but he had bit of chips left in his bag that he could
eat if they stopped for a bit. Unfortunately, their leaders Enzo
and Blake seemed determined to keep going for as long as
possible. He wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to travel
through a good hunk of the night. He wasn't sure how much longer
he could do this.
Thankfully, Eli spoke up, expressing his desire to stop soon.
Sam perked up a little, hopeful that everyone else would be in
agreement. He knew that his opinion didn't really matter as much
as the older folks, so he kept quite, eyes on Enzo and Blake
who'd probably be the most likely to deny Eli's request. Of
course, he was right, the two of them urging the rest of them to
continue. Sam wanted to let out a groan, but managed not to do
so, his feet practically dragging against the ground. It was
only when Mr. Smith spoke up that he became hopeful again, he
man voicing some good reasoning. Sam didn't mind waking up early
if it meant stopping and eating now.
"Um, I too would like to stop," he spoke up, really not wanting
to have to walk anymore on an empty stomach in the rain. "But,
uh, it'll up to you all, I guess," he added, hiking his backpack
straps back up onto his shoulders after they had slid down a
bit. [/center]
#Post#: 74--------------------------------------------------
Grace & Enzo & Elijah (15)
By: winterssmary Date: December 21, 2018, 11:24 pm
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Eli felt a wave of relief hit him when both Chris and Sam took
his side, agreeing that they'd need to stop for the night. But
he felt guilty for going against Blake's wishes. She was just
starting to be nice to him after how rude she was the night
before. She felt like he needed to keep going and keep earning
her favor, since everyone else seemed to tolerate him enough.
And now he was going against her. He was worried that she was
going to end up hating him again. "I understand your position,"
he said to Blake, as it made logical sense. "But Chris makes a
good point. We can travel much faster and for much longer if
we're rested and fed," he said. "And think of the children," he
whispered to Blake, trying to be humorous. He was bad at being
humorous. He laughed awkwardly, trying to relieve some of the
tension. It wasn't working. "Sorry," he said, ducking his head.
His glasses started to fog up and he had to stop for a moment to
clean them. Of course, his eyesight wasn't much better with how
muggy and dark everything was getting. He'd just hoped that no
one hated him for making the suggestion, especially since the
majority ruled that he was right. He looked over at Blake again
once he'd cleared his glasses. She didn't seem happy. Of course,
she had yet to seem happy since he'd met her, so he assumed that
he didn't make anything worse. Or maybe he did. Yeah, he
probably did. He had a knack for doing that. Oops.
Eli was hungry and Eli wanted a fire so he could get warm, so he
broke formation and started looking for kindling. There wasn't
much, but he got what he could -- mostly small sticks. He then
started digging into his bag, pulling out one of his many
notebooks. Eli took notes on day-to-day life, because it's not
science if you don't write it down. So, while he didn't
particularly want to leave his cabin, he knew it would be a good
opportunity to him to gather information about the land and the
infected. That being said, he packed three notebooks, just in
case. He figured he could use one tonight as kindling for the
fire. However, given the light rain, he'd have to hold something
over it in order to get everything to burn. "So, does anyone
want to hold a jacket over this spot while I light a fire?" he
asked. [/center]
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Enzo nodded in agreement when Blake added onto his idea that
they should keep going. They shouldn't waste any time. They
needed to cover ground so that they could get into the city and
get back to the cabin before anything worse happened. But
everyone else seemed to disagree. He sighed at Chris's ideas,
though they made a lot of sense. "Fair point. Besides, I think
the boy back there might be about to pass out," he said quietly.
Sam spoke up, wanting to stop too. Figures. The kid had been in
a crummy mood all day. Enzo understood, of course. It took him a
little while to get used to living with so little food and sleep
too. Maybe Sam just hadn't grown accustomed to it yet.
And Enzo didn't want these people to suffer any more. So what if
the trip took an extra few hours? It was better than everyone
hurting only to wake up and do it all over again. "Okay. Since
everyone wants to stop for the night, let's stop for the night.
But we do need to get up early and keep moving. We should also
go ahead and assign people to keep watch over night," he said.
"I'm willing to take first watch," he added, plopping his
over-stuffed bag onto the ground and declaring his own little
spot in the sheltered clearing that they had found.
Eli was getting to work on the fire, which didn't seem like a
great idea to Enzo. He understood where the man was coming from,
but he didn't know if it was worth all the trouble it was going
to cause. They'd need to shelter it until their food was cooked
and it couldn't keep them warm, since the rain was about to take
it out anyway. He just hated that all of this happened when they
needed good weather the most. [/center]
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Grace was thankful that everyone seemed so on board with
stopping. Her feet hurt and she could hear Sam's stomach
growling since they left the cabin. No one had said much of
anything until then either, which meant that it was oddly
lonely, even when she was surrounded by five other people. She
hated that her need for social interaction was starting to
outweigh her need for rest and food, but Grace didn't fair well
in the silence. Or in isolation. It was something that she
wasn't particularly proud of, but didn't exactly hide either. No
matter though, because she couldn't figure out if it would even
matter if they stopped. It seemed like people were just keeping
to themselves, which was was not about. Blake seemed to most
reclusive of them all, but Grace didn't care much about her.
After all, that woman would have worked them to death if given
the opportunity.
She nodded in agreement when Chris, Eli, and Sam all talked
about wanting to stop, silently agreeing with them. She didn't
want to contribute more white noise to the conversation,
especially since all she could think of would be something along
the lines of I am also hungry or, more importantly, Sam's going
to actually faint if we don't feed him. She didn't want to
reiterate everyone's points and she certainly didn't want to
call a bunch of unnecessary attention to Sam, who already wasn't
acting like himself. Blake seemed angry, but Enzo eventually
agreed with everyone, which meant she was severely outnumbered
and that they were officially making camp. Good she was
shivering.
She set her bag down and pulled out one of her blankets,
wrapping it around her shoulders like a cape as everyone
dispersed to set out their own little areas. Eli, on the other
hand, was already in a rush to get a fire going. It was going to
be difficult and probably weak, but Grace would do just about
anything to keep warm at this point, especially since the rain
was only going to make the night harder on her. [/center]
#Post#: 75--------------------------------------------------
Re: Blake│Christian│Samuel
By: Zellaphone Date: December 22, 2018, 12:39 am
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Blake held her tongue as both Chris and Sam voiced their desire
to stop, Chris making some good points in his argument. Damn
him. She knew it could still be equally as efficient if they
stopped now and started up early again tomorrow, but really, her
plan had been to walk late, start again early. Would they be
tired? Sure, but it would help them make better time and return
to their cabin faster. Then again, like Chris had mentioned,
they would preform better with more rest, and with all the
infected in the city, they'd have to be on high alert. Still,
the night was still young.
It didn't help that Blake felt eyes on her, knowing exactly
whose eyes they were. She didn't look back at Eli as he spoke,
not until he mentioned the children, head snapping back to raise
a brow at him. Had be been attempting to be funny? If so, she
didn't find it humorous. She was thinking about the children -
thinking about how whinny and useless they were. She was also
thinking about how Eli was now standing just a bit too close for
her comfort, and how he, admittedly, looked kind of cute with
his glasses all fogged up. Of course, that was all beside the
point. She knew it would be useless to argue with everyone, so
she slowed down, eventually coming to a halt.
Well, so much for making good time.
Enzo decided that they needed to take watch that night, and
Blake silently agreed, knowing that they were at greater risk
now that they weren't surrounded by walls. "God knows I'm not
going to sleep no matter what, so I guess I'll take second
watch," she volunteered with a sigh, running a hand through her
long hair that felt like it was beginning to knot. She'd have to
grab a brush in the city.
Eli almost immediately started to build a fire, asking if
someone could hold a jacket up over the spot he had chosen for
it. Blake rolled her eyes, but dropped her bag, starting to take
off her jacket. "Honestly, I don't see why you're bothering with
a fire anyway. The rain's going to pick up soon and there will
be no saving it," she warned him, but took her jacket off
anyway, trying her best to hold it over Eli's spot the best she
could. It wasn't going very well, though. So, she tossed her
jacket to the side, going back to her bag to fumble around
inside it until she found her blanket, pulling it out and
returning to Eli's side. "Anyone else willing to help?" she
asked grumpily, lifting up one side of her blanket. She figured
if she was going to stay with this group for awhile, she might
as well be a 'team player,' even if it killed her a bit
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Chris was grateful see that everyone else was on board with
stopping for the night, except Blake who just seemed to accept
it as her fate. Even though he could go on for probably all
night, he'd rather not, especially for the kid's sake. They'd
been through enough the past few nights, and he knew Sam was
bound to still be sore from the last night he kept watch.
Resting would benefit them more than hurt them. He was sure
Blake would come to that understanding eventually.
When they stopped, Enzo started to discuss watch arrangements,
electing himself to go first before Blake volunteered to go
second, still not looking too thrilled about their decision to
stop. Figuring since he was the last remaining person with a
firearm to not volunteer, and that he too probably wouldn't be
sleeping, Chris decided to go ahead and offer himself up as the
third watch. "I can go after Blake," he said with a bit of a
smile. "Three people should probably be enough anyway," he added
after glancing at Eli and the kids, assuming that none of them
probably knew how to properly fire a gun if any of them lent
them one. It was most certainly best to have people who knew how
to defend themselves take watch to avoid any risks.
Chris set his bag down along with the kids, Sam immediately
digging in his backpack to pull out a mostly-eaten bag on chips,
Grace throwing a blanket over herself. Eli, however, was busying
himself with a fire, the man always seeming to be quite
productive. Chris respected that. He did wonder how his plan of
making a fire would go in the rain though, but that's when Eli
brought up using a jacket, Blake practically rolling her eyes
when complaining, but pulling off her jacket nonetheless. That
made Chris grin. It seemed like she was finally starting to warm
up to them. Or maybe it was just Eli.
It didn't take long for Blake to realize that the jacket wasn't
the best idea, grabbing her blanket to use for coverage instead,
asking for help. Chris stepped over, taking the opposite sides
of the blanket, lifting the cloth as high over his head as her
could to avoid burning it, Blake doing the same, almost reaching
same heights due to her own height. She was quite tall, for a
woman. "It'll be nice to have some warm stew," he commented,
really just trying to help Blake see the benefits of having a
fire. "We could probably even cook that rabbit you brought
before it spoils," he added, offering her a smile that she did
not return, staring intently at the middle of the blanket
instead.
"Thank you for making a fire, Eli," said Chris, deciding to
direct his attentions to the other man instead, obviously not
going to be able to really get much out of Blake. Plus, he was
still determined to thank and praise Eli as much as he could and
as much was necessary after what had been revealed last
night.[/center]
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Sam sighed in relief when it was decided that they'd stop,
everyone doing just that and already finding their own little
thing to do, which for Sam, was to eat those chips he had been
thinking about. Really, he knew he should have probably saved
them for a snack or for breakfast in the morning, but he was
just too hungry to really care. Plus, he hated being so quiet
and kinda grumpy around Grace. He knew how easy it was to bring
down her mood, and he knew the silence must have been killing
her.
He watched as she wrapped her blanket around herself, the adults
discussing important matters behind them. He sat down beside
her, making sure he kept a comfortable distance between them.
The rain continued to drop steadily onto him, slowly starting to
dampen through his clothes and further mess up his hair. He
didn't really mind it, though. He just wanted to eat and talk to
Grace since he had failed to do so the past few hours. Plus, he
loved the smell of rain. It beat the smell of smoke and garbage
any day. No wonder people lived out in the woods. Everything
smelled so... natural.
"You cold?" he asked, even though he knew Grace was just
probably trying to stay dry. "You can use my blanket, if you'd
like. Oh, chip?" he offered as an afterthought, sticking the bag
of leftover Lays in her direction, already feeling better
himself after eating a few. Food was always the way to his
heart. Well, that and maybe Grace's smile, but that was
something else entirely.[/center]
#Post#: 76--------------------------------------------------
Grace & Enzo & Elijah (16)
By: winterssmary Date: December 22, 2018, 6:07 am
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Eli winced when Blake looked back at him. He hadn't expected her
to communicate such anger and disgust with just a look. He bit
the inside of his cheek before his shoulders dropped with a
sigh. She then just looked at her and shrugged. He wanted to
smile, but this was a waste of time. Eli had had many moments in
his life where he felt defeated and this was one of them. And,
no matter how many times he'd felt the sting of rejection among
peers, it always sucked. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to
it. This was just proof that he'd already lost his chance to
make her like him again. Not that she even really liked him to
begin with. But this probably meant that she was going to stop
trying to be nice to him. Shame.
He tilted his head and frowned when Blake said she wasn't going
to sleep no matter what. "Why is that?" he asked. If she'd never
slept on a comfortable mattress before, he didn't imagine the
ground was the problem. But maybe it was. Or maybe it was
something else. Eli himself had been suffering from insomnia
since he was thirteen years old, so he'd understand if it was
something like that. "If you don't mind me asking, that is," he
added quickly, realizing that this girl always made it clear
that he was overstepping his bounds all the fucking time.
Lucky for him, Blake was the first person to volunteer to help
with the fire. A silent volunteer, but a volunteer nonetheless.
He smiled at her when she offered her jacket. "Thank you,
Blake," he said, doing to work with his fire-starter. The Chris
joined him, helping Blake hold up the blanket she decided to use
in place of her jacket. "And thank you, Chris," he said with a
grin. He couldn't help but sigh when she started saying that his
efforts were useless. He bit back a great many comments that
would have made her hate him even more. Chris tried to help,
saying that they could use it to quickly heat up and cook their
little remaining food, which was the most valid of answers.
He refused to look at her, focusing intently on his task as he
spoke. "Chris is right. If we're going to eat tonight, we need
to make sure we get that rabbit cooked before it becomes a
wasted hunt, right?" he asked. He sighed again. "Seeing as your
heart seems to be overflowing with raging fire, I can understand
why getting warm, even for a few moments, wouldn't be important
to you," he added. His eyes went wide, and he finally made eye
contact with her. "I'm sorry. It occurred to me that that could
be misconstrued as something insulting. It's actually a
compliment. It means that you seem like you're able to keep
yourself warm entirely on your will to stay warm," he added with
a small smile. It was true. He hadn't learned much about Blake
-- well, that's not true; she thinks that burying her emotions
makes her hard to read, but it doesn't -- but he knew that she
was resilient and independent. "I, on the other hand, get cold
easy and need the fire, however temporary, for a morale boost,"
he explained. "And I doubt I'm the only one."
He smiled at Chris just as the flame caught up, a small fire
existing beneath Blake's blanket. "It's no trouble, Chris. Now,
where is that stew and rabbit that you mentioned?" he
asked.[/center]
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WIP (I don't think it matters because he isn't exactly
interacting with anyone anyway and I don't know what to do with
him)[/center]
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Logically, Grace knew why she'd been so lonely today. She knew
that it was because everyone was exhausted and starving and
focused on the right things. She, however, being emotional and
self-conscious, was focused on only the wrong and most illogical
of things. She knew that Chris was more intent on keeping
everyone physically safe than he was making sure that she was
emotionally fulfilled. This was too be expected. Staying alive
was more important than Grace's delicate feelings. She knew that
Sam would normally make up for it on any other day, but he was
in a particularly awful mood. Who could blame him? Grace would
be more worried if he acted like everything was just fine. The
point was, she knew, logically, that no one was responsible for
her own emotional well-being. No one was obligated to talk to
her just because she was lonely. She was being ridiculous for
being upset about it.
But there was another part of her, the part that constantly
defied all rationality and common sense, that said that no one
was talking to her because she was annoying and stupid and
bringing the group down. There was a part of her that had her
convinced that no one would try to save her because things would
be significantly better for everyone if she were out of the
picture. She obviously didn't have much to offer anyone and she
couldn't even make Sam smiled. Sam smiled all the time. She
needed constant validation to keep these subconscious ideas at
bay. And it was ridiculous and she hated herself for it. Even
when Sam sat down next to her, munching away at his chips, she
couldn't help but feel like he didn't want to be anywhere near
her.
She pulled her blanket tighter against her and pulled her hood
over her head, a gust of wind causing her to shudder. She always
got cold easy, but it got considerably worse after they had to
start rationing their food. She knew it was because she had much
less muscle mass than her companions, but the reason didn't
matter. The fact was, she was happy to finally sleep in a cabin,
because the wind never hit her. And now, it was going to be so
much worse because they were going to be damp. And cold. Water
started to dampen her blanket and her clothes. She also hated
that it weighed down her hair, but there were other things to
worry about. Like eating. And staying warm. Honestly, she could
go without eating if she had to, but she didn't know what to do
if she ended up shivering all night.
She perked up a little bit when Sam spoke to her. She hadn't
been expecting that. It was a pleasant surprise. "Freezing,
actually," she said, quietly. "I'm kinda always cold," she
added, just trying to fill the silence. She didn't expect the
conversation to last long, given the day that they'd had. But at
least he was being attentive. Not that he wasn't usually
attentive. She smiled when he offered her blanket. She wanted to
refuse him. It seemed like the polite thing to do. But,
honestly, she didn't think she was going to do well at all if
she didn't at least start warming up. "I may have to take you up
on that," she said, but she still felt bad about it, as if she'd
done something horrible. "But only until we go to sleep. You
might need your blanket then," she added. She smiled again,
nodding when he offered her a chip. "Maybe just one," she said.
"I think you need them more than I do," she commented. "Are you
feeling any better now?" she asked. [/center]
#Post#: 77--------------------------------------------------
Blake│Christian│Samuel
By: Zellaphone Date: December 22, 2018, 6:54 pm
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Blake had not been expecting anyone to ask about her sleeping
habits, but, of course, Eli never really did anything she
expected. He certainly hadn't so far. She debated about ignoring
his question altogether, but seemed genuinely concerned, and
even seemed concerned about her feelings, obviously not wanting
to cross any boundaries. She had to admit, she did appreciate
that.
"I never sleep well," she answered with a shrug. "Don't really
know why." And that was the truth. She had never been diagnosed
with insomnia or anything, so she just had no clue. Some nights
it was just hard to fall asleep, other nights she be thinking
too much, and then some night she'd just have too many crazy
nightmares. Her main problem in her apartment had been that
whoever lived above her worked weird hours, so he's be up and
stomping around and even fornicating at two in the morning.
These days it was probably just because she had too much to
worry about and the ground was harder than any mattress she had
slept on.
Blake nodded when Eli thanked her for holding the blanket, still
not looking anyone in the eye as she focused on not letting her
arms get too tired while Chris and Eli pointed out reasons that
having a fire was a good idea, mostly talking about food. She
got why a fire would be useful, but she just didn't see it
lasting all that long. Maybe it would burn long enough to cook
their rabbit though. The stew would have been fine cold. She
also didn't want to risk her blanket catching on fire, seeing as
how it was her only one.
Eli said something about her heart 'overflowing with raging
fire,' and she didn't even know how to respond to that, her eyes
going wide as she finally looked down at him. A raging fire?
What the hell? Was that an insult? Eli quickly explained
himself, saying that the comment had been more of a compliment,
talking about her body heat and her will. Well, she guessed he
wasn't wrong, but it had been the first and weirdest compliment
she had heard in a very long time, and that little smile of his
made it much more confusing to her. Was she suppose to thank
him? She still wasn't sure what she would be thanking him about.
However, before she could say anything, he was already talking
about how cold he would get, explaining that that was why he'd
really like a fire. She simply nodded in response, replaying
Eli's supposed compliment in her head again.
The fire suddenly caught up - just a small flame, but a flame
nonetheless, Eli asking about the stew and rabbit. "The rabbit
is tied to my backpack," she said, glancing back at her bag,
Enzo not too far from it, seemingly having a harder time
occupying himself. "Hey Enzo, grab the rabbit and bring it over
here!" she called to him, unable to release the blanket. "And
grab the stew too while you're at it!"[/center]
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Chris was thankful that he could easily keep a straight face in
some situations, and Eli's compliment to Blake was one of those
moments. Blake looked surprised, confused, and probably a bit
angry as well until Eli explained himself. After that, she just
looked confused, and Chris couldn't blame her - Eli did have a
strange way of wording things. However, she also looked maybe a
bit touched, Chris not failing to notice her cheeks tint pink
slightly as Eli smiled.
Hm, interesting.
Eli then asked about the rabbit and stew, Blake saying that the
rabbit was with her before ordering Enzo around. "Please," Chris
added to Blake's demands, almost like he was trying to better
manner is child. Blake glared at him in response, but he simply
smiled innocently. "I believe the stew is in my bag," he told
Enzo, wondering to himself if he and Blake would be able to keep
their arms up the whole time that the rabbit and stew cooked.
They'd probably have to switch off.
Chris glanced over at the kids who seemed to be engaged in a
quiet conversation, Grace wrapped up in her blanket, Sam sharing
his chips with her. As much as it worried him about how much
time those two spent together, he did appreciate Sam taking care
of Grace and how genuinely concerned he seemed to be about her.
"Grace," he called out softly. "We're going to need someone to
help cut up the rabbit," he told her, knowing that, for now, she
was the only one with a knife.[/center]
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Sam frowned when Grace admitted that she was freezing, but went
back to smiling when she agreed that she'd probably have to take
his blanket, at least until it was time to go to bed. He nodded,
already grabbing his blanket and offering it to her. He had to
admit, he was starting to get a little cold himself thanks to
all the rain, but he figured he'd manage. Besides, Eli was
making a fire. That could both warm him and maybe even dry him
off a little, so lending her his blanket was no big deal.
Grace accepted a single chip, telling Sam that he needed them
more, asking him if he felt better. Sam nodded eagerly, taking
another chip for himself, leaving the bag between them as a
silent way of giving Grace permission to take more. "Yeah, a
bit," he told her, sticking the hand that he wasn't using to
feed himself into his jacket after pulling up his hood. "I'm
sure I'll feel a lot better after eating and resting," he went
on, fumbling with some lint in his pocket. "I'm sure seeing the
city will help me feel better, too. I like the woods, but man,
there's nothing out here," he admitted, glancing around at all
the trees, the quietness almost deafening to him compared to all
the sounds he was used to like rushing traffic and dozens of
people. He missed all the lights too. It was way too dark in the
woods. [/center]
#Post#: 78--------------------------------------------------
Grace & Enzo & Elijah (17)
By: winterssmary Date: December 22, 2018, 11:47 pm
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Eli frowned when Blake answered him, saying that she had never
slept well. He assumed that it could have something to do with
her poor mattress quality or something. It could also have
something to do with all the psychological baggage that she
thinks she's hiding. Well, technically, she is hiding it in that
Eli has no idea what specifically she's keeping to herself. But
he knew there was something beneath that mean exterior. And that
enough, right? A step in the right direction? "That's a shame,"
he said softly, pursing his lips. "Sorry to hear it." he added.
Blake then went silent, just holding the blanket with Chris. Eli
considered that maybe their arms would get tired if they kept at
it for too long. "If either of you get tired of holding the
blanket, we can switch off if you're willing to roast the
rabbit," he commented, blowing into the fire to try and get the
flame to grow. It did. Slowly. But it was still getting bigger.
Not big enough to pose a threat -- or cook anything too quickly
without just shoving it into the flames -- but bigger. And that
was progress, right? He wished it wasn't raining. Though his
mind briefly drifted to his cabin, where he'd designed a few
contraptions meant to catch and purify rainwater. So, on the
bright side, they'd have more fresh water upon returning home.
She looked very, very confused by his comment. He didn't blame
her. He had a hard time making sense. The thoughts in his head
often jumped around, a jumbled mess of ideas and words that
almost never came out the way he intended them too. It was hard
enough for him to understand himself. Putting that
responsibility on another person was almost unfair. "You're
confused," he said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to confuse you or
insult you," he said, heart starting to race. He knew he was
explaining himself too much and probably starting to annoy
everyone, not just Blake. "You and I are just very different
people, I suppose," he said.
He turned around to look for Enzo when Blake yelled for him.
Very rudely, he might add. It reminded him of how his father
used to talk to him. And all his waitstaff. It was harsh and
demanding. It almost upset Eli. Almost. Perhaps, if he had a
stronger connection to Enzo, he would be upset. "Rude," he said,
quietly, hopefully so quiet that Blake couldn't hear him. But
then Chris cut in with a 'please,' making Eli smile. "Thank
you," he said to Chris. "I was just about to say that myself,"
he added. [/center]
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Enzo zipped up his jacket before he suddenly heard a familiar
voice call his name. And no, this wasn't a hauntingly beautiful
familiar voice or a comforting voice. This was Blake. Meaning it
was callous and angry and a little shrill toward the end of her
sentence. He groaned and rolled his eyes. "What's that, Blake? I
couldn't hear you over the sound of shrill anger," he called
back, his head snapping in her direction. Apparently, while Enzo
went about his business, Blake and Chris were holding a blanket
and Eli was setting a fire beneath it. And she wanted him to
bring the rabbit and the stew so that they could eat tonight.
But he'd be damned if he was going to give her the satisfaction
of thinking she had control over him.
But then Chris said please. He liked Chris. Chris was a nice
guy. He shot a sassy grin over to the man. "Of course, Chris,"
he said, dramatically spinning on his heel and approaching
Blake's bag. The rabbit was skinned and gutted, which was
pleasant. Thought it did mean that Enzo was getting cold blood
on his fingers now. He then walked to the other side of the camp
-- which wasn't that far away, really -- and grabbed Chris's
bag, in between the two weird little kids. There wasn't much
stew left, but it would work. He brought it over to the fire and
stopped next to Chris.
"Hey, buddy," he said. "Your arms look tired. Wanna switch off
so you can help Eli cook this shit?" he asked, purposefully
ignoring the fact that Blake had likely been holding her end
longer. She made him mad. So he was going to be a little shit.
And there was nothing anyone could do about it.[/center]
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The longer she sat still, the more she was shivering. And the
night hadn't even really set in yet. She probably looked like a
weakling like this and it worried her. These new people probably
thought she was pathetic. She wouldn't be surprised if Sam and
Chris thought the same thing. Chris had known her the longest,
but even he had never seen her in a situation where she was
scared eighty percent of the time. Maybe she really was a wimp.
She knew had skills to offer. She was a medic. She could easily
he useful for that alone. But she was also quick with a knife.
She knew a lot about animal behavior, though most of it was her
weird trivial knowledge about whales. She wasn't a complete
waste of space. Was she? Yeah, she probably was honestly. She
was a shivering mess and it was only going to get worse. So,
yeah, pretty pathetic.
Sam handed her his blanket and she smiled weakly, immediately
wrapping it around her, holding it as tight to her as possible.
"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it," she said. She
smiled and nodded when he said he was feeling better. Only a
little bit better, but that was still better than not better at
all. "That's good. I'm glad," she said. Then he pulled his hood
up. Her eyes went wide. She'd just taken his blanket and left
him there, exposed to the elements. And the cold. Grace knew
that Sam probably didn't get as cold as she did, but still. She
felt absolutely horrible.
So she panicked and unwrapped his blanket from around her. "I
didn't even think about you being cold too. I'm so sorry. Take
it back," she said, anxious, handing his blanket back to him.
She was instantly much, much colder, but she couldn't let him be
cold too. It wasn't fair. Though, logically speaking, they'd be
a lot warmer if they were willing to share body heat. Stop that.
She chastised herself inwardly for, again, wanting something as
simple as Sam putting his arm around her. He obviously wasn't
okay with that. And she shouldn't be either. She still didn't
know Sam super well. Plus, Chris would kill her. No, that's not
true. Chris would kill Sam.
She laughed when he made the comment about the woods having
nothing. She knew it was grew. Grace grew up just a few towns
over where camping trips were just a normal summer activity.
She'd always hated them for a number of reasons, but being out
in the nothingness of nature and total isolation of the North
Carolina forest was one of them. "Yeah, they make it look all
nice and peaceful on TV, but it's actually really boring. And
cold," she said with a smile. "It still amazes me that you left
an amazing place like New York for this place," she added,
snagging one more chip from the bag.
Then she heard Chris's voice and she sighed. She didn't want to
move. She didn't want to be separated from Sam just when he was
starting to feel better. It had only been a day, but she had
really, really missed him. "Got it," she called back to him. She
stood up, making her way over to Enzo and taking the rabbit from
him. "Do I need to be right here to cut it up or can I go back
to Sam?" she asked.[/center]
#Post#: 79--------------------------------------------------
Blake│Christian│Samuel
By: Zellaphone Date: December 23, 2018, 12:52 am
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Blake didn't really know what to do with herself. She was stuck
in this awkward position of holding a blanket of herself, Chris
opposite of her, while Eli complimented her and seemed to care
about her and even apologizing again, thinking that he had
insulted her. While he had confused her, it was only because she
couldn't understand why this guy was still being so nice to her
after everything she had said and done to him in a matter of
twenty-four hours. No one else was being that nice to her. Hell,
Enzo had been with her since the outbreak, and even he hadn't
been so nice to her. Really, Enzo had just been a bit facetious.
She guessed a bar tender needed a quality like that every now
and again, but sometimes it drove her into further irritation.
When she had called out to Enzo, she didn't mean to sound bossy
or rude, it just came out that way. She didn't usually talk to
people as much as she had been lately, and honestly, it was
taking her awhile to remember proper etiquette when talking to
people. It sounded silly, she knew, but when you spend years of
your life trying to push people away by becoming some sort of
stone and then you're suddenly thrust into a situation where you
have to be somewhat soft, it was rough, to say the least. She
still didn't want to let people in, but she didn't want to be a
complete bitch either. If she couldn't find a way to get along
with these people, then her life was just going to be that much
harder.
She didn't realized how snappy she had sounded until Chris added
a 'please' to her requests, causing her to glare at him before
catching herself, the man simply smiling back at her. She even
heard Eli murmur that she was being rude under his breath,
causing her to feel even more guilty. Shit, she was not doing
very well at the whole "teamwork" things, huh? Sometimes it was
just hard to remember. Maybe she had been so focused on treating
Eli better that she had forgotten to do the same for everyone
else? That made sense, right?
Enzo teased her, and continued to do so for awhile, offering to
switch out with Chris so his arms wouldn't get tired,
purposefully avoiding her. Normally, something like that would
make her angry or infuriate her to no end, but right now, all it
did was kind of sting. She really hadn't meant to be such a
bitch. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" she said, a bit louder than she
had meant. She inwardly cursed at herself. "I didn't mean to
boss you around, so you can stop that," she added, quieter this
time, thankfully, biting the inside of her cheek and looking
down at the fire.
She didn't want to be the person she was, but she didn't know
how to be anyone else at this point. She figured that maybe
someone could only drastically change once before they're stuck
that way. Really, she hadn't even made the decision to be this
way in the first place - it just sort of happened. Life shaped
her into the person she was, and before she could realize what
was happening, it was too late, so she just accepted it.
Accepted it was for the best.
You're hopeless, just like the rest of them.[/center]
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Chris didn't expect to see the look of guilt flash across
Blake's face after smiling at her, Enzo teasing her while
grabbing the things she had asked for, bringing them over to the
fire. The woman seemed at war with herself, but he couldn't
fully understand why. Was it really just that hard for her to be
nice? Had life screwed her over that badly? Life had been hard
for Grace, but she didn't turn out cold and harsh, thankfully.
Maybe there was just something he was missing, but it was hard
to know what that was when the woman was so closed off to the
world.
Enzo offered to switch out with him, obviously still trying to
aggravate Blake, who wasn't looking at any of them again. "Thank
you Enzo, but I'm fine for now," he replied with a grateful
smile right before Blake spat out an apology, quickly correcting
herself with the second half, managing to sound more defeated
than angry. He was certain that it was the first time he had
heard her apologize for anything.
Then, Grace came over, seeming reluctant to do so as she took
the rabbit. He could tell she was cold from how pale her skin
was and from how pink her cheeks and nose were. She always did
get cold more than anyone else he had really met. She asked if
she had to stay, or if she could return to Sam, and Chris tried
to keep himself from looking too disappointed, glancing over at
Sam who was ripping a fallen leaf apart in an attempt to
entertain himself. He sighed. "Go on back to Sam," he answered,
still watching the boy. "He's been quiet all day. You seem to be
cheering him up," he added with a thin smile, still glad that
Grace had a friend who seemed like a good kid, but just a little
irked that it had to be a kid who obviously had a high interest
in Grace. He was almost afraid to turn his back on them, even
though he trusted Grace. He figured that this is what actual
fathers went through. "Thank you," he told her, smiling more
genuinely now as he looked to her, dismissing her to go be with
her friend. "Oh!" he went on, thinking of something else. "And
take my blanket from my backpack. I don't want you to catch a
cold."[/center]
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Sam smiled as Grace took his blanket, happy that he could help
in any way. He felt like he hadn't done anything to contribute
to the group, so it felt nice to know that he could at least
help Grace so she wouldn't be as cold. After they loot the
precinct, he'd have to ask Mr. Smith to teach him how to shoot
so he could hunt. What kind of man was he if he couldn't hunt? A
normal man, a lot of men didn't know how to hunt, but still. He
thought he had all these useful skills after taking so many
classes in college, but all it took was the end of the world to
make him feel completely useless. Like tap dancing was going to
help him catch food or kill and infected.
Grace seemed to panic all of a sudden after he pulled his hood
off, telling him to take his blanket back. He laughed and shook
his head, pushing the blanket back in her direction. "No, no,
I'm fine, really," he insisted, chuckling. "I just wanted to
keep my hair from getting too wet," he explained, patting his
dampening hood as the rain seemed to pick up slightly.
Grace spoke of North Carolina, saying how boring and cold it
was. He chuckled again, but didn't miss how Grace seemed to
truly not care for where she was from, sounding like she longed
for something different, mentioning New York. "Yeah, New York's
pretty great," he agreed, leaning back and propping himself up
on his hands, starting out into the woods, hearing a small fire
crackle behind them. "It can get pretty boring though too, to
tell you the truth," he admitted. "It's like, after you see all
that there is to see, then you've seen it." He shrugged. "I
dunno how to really explain it. I guess everyone can get bored
of their home from time to time. I think this place is pretty
great though. It's different. It's more... I dunno, homey
feeling, I guess. Things like to stay the same here, while
nothing can stay the same in New York. I kinda dig it," he said
with another shrug. He really did miss home, but he wouldn't
have stayed so long in North Carolina if he didn't enjoy it too.
It wasn't home, but it was close.
Then, Mr. Smith called for Grace, saying that they needed
someone to chop the rabbit. Sam frowned, realizing that Grace
would have to get up and leave, which she did, reluctantly. He
sat up, grabbing a nearby leaf and carefully starting to shred
it, the bits of the leaf threatening to stick on him due to the
rain. He thought about how he wished he could take Grace to see
New York one day. Maybe he could, if everything worked out. He
could show her all the best sights, and maybe she could even
meet his family. She'd probably like them, and they'd love her.
Of course, doing something like that may feel too couple-y. But
who knows where they'd be at the end of all of this? The thought
alone made his cheeks feel warm. [/center]
#Post#: 80--------------------------------------------------
Grace & Enzo & Elijah (18)
By: winterssmary Date: December 23, 2018, 8:40 pm
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Eli didn't look back up at Blake, but he swore he could feel her
confusion. Was this girl just not used to people even pretending
to care about her? Of course, Eli wasn't pretending. He hated
seeing anyone suffer or hearing about anyone's suffering. He
hated the idea that people weren't happy or at least content
most of the time. It didn't matter who it was. But this was a
little different. He was trying harder with Blake since she
always seemed to be in a bad place. And she was always treating
everyone badly. So, maybe if someone just reached out to her and
treated her like a person things would work out better. Eli had
decided that he would be that person. Which was apparently very,
very scary and confusing and odd to Blake. Tragic.
He tried to stifle a laugh at Enzo's sassy remarks. He was just
teasing her and everyone knew it. Anyone with eyes could see
that Enzo cared for Blake, even if it were only just a little
bit. He didn't want to upset her. None of them did. But she did
need to know that her tone was upsetting to some people. He
understood how hard it could be to remember your manners when
you're fighting for survival, but this was ridiculous. He didn't
want to make Blake angry with him again, but Enzo was being
funny about it, so it was fine.
Then Blake snapped an angry apology, which baffled Eli
momentarily. So much so that he finally looked away from the
fire to try and catch a glimpse of her, just to see if she was
sincere or not. He wasn't sure if she meant it or if she was
just mad at Enzo for being a little shit. No, she seemed
sincere. She still looked confused. If she had just been trying
to get Enzo back on her side, she would have done so
deliberately and not looked as shaken by the whole thing as she
did. "He was just teasing, Blake. It's okay. Here, I'll hold
your end if you warm the stew," he offered, standing up and
walking over to her. [/center]
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Enzo shrugged his shoulders at Chris. "Suit yourself. But I'm
ready to take over for you whenever," he said nonchalantly,
completely ignoring Blake. He didn't mean this to be cruel or
anything. He just didn't like being treated like a second class
citizen. He worked as a bar tender. He was already used to
people treating him like he was a failure and like they had some
sort of right to boss him around. Of course, he could deal with
it then. They were his customers. And he wasn't under the same
stress as he was now. He wasn't starving and sleeping in the
dirt close to a woman who openly despised everything and never
stopped complaining when things didn't go her way. He knew that
Blake meant well. Really, he did. But if she was allowed to be
awful every now and then, why shouldn't Enzo get a free pass?
He blinked when Blake practically yelled an apology. Of course,
by normal people standards, it wasn't all that loud, but it was
a little much for how Blake usually spoke to people. Typically,
she was grumbly and angry. Not yelly. He put his hands up,
feigning surrender. "Dude, chill. I was just playing around," he
said. "I wouldn't normally care, but when people usually order
me around, they pay me afterwards," he said with a chuckle. "I
didn't mean to to bother you or anything," he added. "I just
wanted you to know that you can't talk to me that way and expect
things to go your way," he said quietly. He didn't mean to scold
her like a child. He guessed it was the almost-teacher in him
coming out. [/center]
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She tilted her head in confusion when Sam laughed at her,
pushing his blanket back in her direction. Was he really that
concerned about his hair? She didn't believe it, but she didn't
want to fight with him either. It was a shame that he was
protecting his hair though. She'd noticed that, when it got
kinda damp, it tended to curl. And she loved those curls. But
that was beside the point. He didn't need curly hair he needed
to be warm. But she also really liked the way he laughed, even
if it was at her. "Oh, okay. But only if you're absolutely,
one-hundred percent sure," she said, taking it back and wrapping
it around herself again. "But, Sammy, for the love of God, don't
be afraid to speak up if you get cold."
She nuzzled into the blankets, listening to Sam talk about how
much he loved it back home in New York. But it took a turn. She
understood. She supposed any place would get boring if you lived
there your whole life. "I have a hard time imagining being bored
in the city that never sleeps," she said dreamily. When he said
that it was homey here, she couldn't help but shudder. Grace
didn't think she was particularly scarred by her past, since her
foster parents never abused her or anything, but she hadn't felt
at home a day in her life. "I guess I just don't have as many
happy memories of my home," she said with a shrug. "But yeah, I
get what you mean. Kinda," she added. "I'd imagine too much
energy in one place is kinda draining, even if you've lived
there your whole life," she elaborated. "But, in my personal
experience, not much stays the same here either. Not until you
find your home, I guess." she said with a thin smile. She shook
her head quickly, as if trying to shake the negativity from her
head. It wasn't all bad here. This was where she met Chris.
Where she met Sam. "I really am glad you like it here though,"
she added with a grin. "It means maybe you won't stay away
long."
Her eyes went wide when she realized what she said, but she was
already walking over to Chris. Who may or may not have just been
yelled at by Blake. She raised an eyebrow and almost made a
comment about the lady yelling at her surrogate dad. Then she
realized that Blake was actually yelling at Enzo, which was much
more forgivable. No one yells at Chris and gets away with it in
Grace's eyes. But Enzo was just Enzo, so it was fine.
She smiled brightly when Chris gave her permission to go back to
Sam. Not that she really needed it. She was an adult. Sort of.
If he had told her not to, she would have obeyed, but she may
have pretended that she wouldn't? She didn't know. She giggled a
little bit when he said that Grace was cheering Sam up. "You
think so? I thought it had more to do with the chips," she said.
She nodded at his thank you and turned on her heel before Chris
called out to her again, offering her his blanket. She sighed in
relief. "Thank you so much," she said. "I'll give it back when
you're ready to go to sleep," she said, walking over to his bag
and taking out his blanket.
She walked back over to Sam, wrapping all three blankets around
he body and setting the rabbit on the ground. She sat down, a
little bit closer to him than she was when she got up, and
opened her switch blade and started cutting into the meat.
"Sorry about that. But we gotta eat, right?" she asked. "Sorry.
That was awkward," she added, cringing at her own words.
[/center]
#Post#: 81--------------------------------------------------
Blake│Christian│Samuel
By: Zellaphone Date: December 23, 2018, 11:38 pm
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Everyone had seemed so surprised by her apology, and whether it
was from the apology itself or the way she had said it, she
didn't know. All she knew is that now she felt a little awkward,
Enzo blinking, Eli's eyes wide, Chris, well, talking to a kid.
Shit, had she overreacted? She tended to do that from time to
time, but Enzo seemed genuinely a bit pissed with her so she had
apologized. Sure, she had been a bit loud at first, but she had
meant her apology. See? This is why she didn't talk to people.
She didn't know how. Even her apologies seemed wrong.
Eli insisted that Enzo had only been teasing, which she knew,
but even then she knew that there was a bit of truth hidden in
his teasing. He was tired of her attitude - she got it. Everyone
was tired of her attitude, she was sure, but Eli offered to
switch places with her so she could rest her arms and warm the
stew, and she looked away, not able to look him in the eye just
yet. She was certain Eli was sick of her attitude as well, but
all her did was apologize for himself and try to be helpful. The
constant apologizing was a bit annoying, but maybe if she were a
little bit more like him, more people would tolerate her, making
this whole group dynamic work better.
Enzo lifted his hands, telling her to 'chill' and explaining
himself, talking to her as if she were some sort of child. She
could hear Chris talking to Grace momentarily, and even he
didn't seem to talk to her like that. She grit her teeth,
desperately trying to keep herself form yelling some more or
groaning in frustration. She did want to say something though.
She just wasn't quite sure if she could say anything really nice
while her nerves were still on end. "I'm sorry," she found
herself saying again. "I wasn't trying to be rude, I'm just- I'm
just frustrated," she admitted, waving a hand around, like that
was helping her explain.
She sighed, handing over her side of the blanket to Eli even
though her arms hadn't exactly tired yet. "I'll just go heat up
the stew," she decided, plopping down in front of the fire and
moving the stew towards it. "Thanks," she said to Eli as a bit
of an afterthought, meeting his eyes again briefly. "Just, uh...
let me know if we need to switch out again," she said a little
awkwardly, beginning her task of warming the stew. Maybe she she
got a little food into her system, she'd feel better.
***
The next morning had been total hell getting up, all of them
shivering and damp from the downpour that had occurred almost
all night. Blake had managed to almost slide entirely into her
sleeping bag, covering up whatever was left exposed up with her
blanket that smelled like smoke from the fire. Needless to say,
it hadn't been a pleasant night, and all of them had looked a
bit worse for wear, but at least Blake had packed spare clothes,
making her feel a little less gross, even though her spare
clothes weren't necessarily clean. She figured everyone else was
in the same boat as her.
Thankfully, it didn't take them terribly long to reach the city,
especially since they had found an old pickup truck just outside
the city border, Blake managing to hot-wire it. It was always
the older models of vehicles that were the easiest to hot-wire,
and Chris, luckily, knew how to drive stick shift. She did too,
but it also made more sense for him to drive seeing as how he
was the only one that knew their way to the precinct. Plus, he
was a cop, so getting into the city would probably be easier
with him up front, if that kind of thing even mattered to the
people doing checks at the gates to the city.
Blake sat in the back of the truck along with Eli, Sam, and
Grace, meaning they had to babysit, Enzo sitting up front with
Chris. It was awkward, being stuck with a bunch of people she
didn't know, two of which were kids. It didn't help that Eli was
always so nice and weirdly kinda perky most of the time, his and
Sam's energy practically bouncing off one another. She also
caught Grace staring at her every now and again, making her feel
even more awkward. Maybe she could ask Chris if she could drive
on the way back, but she doubted it would make any difference -
Enzo would probably just switch out as well, leaving her with
Eli again, most likely, and then Enzo would be stuck with the
happy family. Really, it was a lose-lose situation.
The arrival to the city gates was also awkward, to say the
least, if not just infuriating and kind of unnerving. Waiting
for them were agents in bullet-proof vests and helmets,
communicating with one another through earpieces. Each one of
them was armed, and Blake had a hard time seeing any of their
faces. She knew that most of their armor was probably just for
protection from the infected, but she didn't like not being able
to see peoples faces. It kept her from getting a good read on
them, making them all untrustworthy to her, even if they were,
apparently, stationed there to "protect them."
They all unloaded out of the truck, each of them having to be
checked and scanned for any sign of infection, their truck and
belongings being searched as well. When it was Blake's turned to
be searched, she scowled, not liking to be touched in any way,
the man checking her handling her roughly as he turned her and
checked her pockets, scanning her with some device before
grabbing a light and having to check her eyes, his gloved hands
hard on her face. She wanted to snap at the man, but felt that
to be unwise, staring at the agents behind the man who had their
hands on their guns, ready to take action in case things got
nasty. She didn't want them to mistake her naturally bad
attitude for being infected.
"Clear," said the agent before moving along to Eli, handling him
just as roughly as he had her. She bit her tongue to keep
herself from saying anything, not wanting to cause trouble that
could possibly endanger them all. She just didn't understand why
they had to be so forceful. Maybe she was just thinking too
much. Eli would be fine.
Once they were all cleared to go into the city, they climbed
back onto the truck, heading towards the precinct, none of them
really saying much as they all felt eyes on them as they drove
by all the guards.
Driving through the city was a difficult task, looking at the
once fairly beautiful city she had lived in slowly starting to
decay and rot around her. There still seemed to be a fair amount
of electricity in the city, but many building that were once
lively were now dark, abandoned and trashed. She could smell ash
coming from somewhere, hinting that some buildings were likely
on fire. It had only been a few weeks since the outbreak, and
already everything seemed to be destroyed. She wondered how her
apartment looked, or even the bar. She wondered if people had
broken inside and taken what they had wanted before leaving the
places trashed. She wondered if bodies now laid across them
floor, Blake noticing ones here and there either in buildings or
on the streets as they passed by. All of them looked pretty
fresh, as if someone was clearing away old bodies. She was
certain that that wasn't the case everywhere.
Blake leaned forward, deciding to look away and block out the
world around her as best as she could. She didn't think it would
bother her as much as it did, but seeing a city you once called
home falling apart around you, the sounds of screams in the
distance, was not comforting or okay in the slightest.[/center]
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Chris wasn't really paying attention to the conversation between
Eli, Blake and Enzo next to him as he talked to Grace, chuckling
when she credited Sam's chips to being the thing that was
cheering him up. While he was sure that that was certainly
helping, he knew that it was Grace that was really making a
difference in his mood, the two of them finally being able to
talk.
Grace thanked him for his blanket before returning to her
friend, watching her go to him and sit closer than she had been,
causing his jaw to shift. He knew that Sam had a thing for
Grace, but the more he watched, the more it seemed apparent that
Grace also liked him, meaning Chris obviously had his work cut
out for him. Grace and Sam might be young, but they weren't that
young, and he knew that the end of the world probably still
wouldn't stop most people from chasing after their feelings. Of
course, Sam and Grace probably didn't even notice the other's
interest in them, which was... good, he supposed. It felt a bit
too early to Chris to have to deal with Grace seriously dating,
even if he had been with her for years. Perhaps he was just
being a little over-protective, but hey, that was his job,
right?
***
That night had not been easy on any of them. The rain had showed
them no mercy, picking up almost as soon as they had started
cooking the rabbit, causing them to have to get a bit drenched
before eating and going to bed. Chris seemed to have the same
idea as most, if not all, of them, burrowing as deep as he could
into his sleeping back before covering up his head with his
blanket that Grace had returned. It helped him from the rain,
but not entirely, still waking up cold and wet, all of them
having to change behind trees to get into drier clothes, Chris's
wet ones threatening to cling to him forever.
Once they were fairly dried and packed, they continued their
journey into the city, staying mostly quiet on the way there,
everyone more than likely exhausted after last night. Chris had,
admittedly, barely slept a wink.
Once the city was perfectly in view they found a truck, Blake
getting it started for them and Chris hopping into the driver's
seat, taking them to their destination. He knew the checkpoint
at the gates was going to be a strange, but he hadn't expected
to see so many armed agents waiting for them, all of them
staring as they approached, immediately ordering them around
once they had stopped, their hands and tones forceful as they
checked them. Chris was fairly used to routine checks on the
force, but he had never experienced scans quite like these
before, the agents holding out a strange device that scanned
their whole body before they checked their eyes. Chris couldn't
even pay attention to whoever was checking Grace, hoping that
they weren't being too intimidating and rough.
After being checked and cleared, they entered the city, Chris
gripping the steering wheel tightly as he saw what state the
city had fallen into since he had left. Dammit, this was exactly
what he had promised to not let the city become, but instead of
staying and trying to help, he had fled like many others. Maybe
if he hadn't of had to worry about Grace, he would have stayed.
Perhaps he would have even joined up with those armed agents at
the gates. Anything to try and help the city not become a total
wasteland.
He kept his feelings to himself as he drove, taking note of the
abandoned buildings, the empty streets, the bodies. He was glad
that their windows were rolled up, blocking out any smells or
possible sounds they might have heard. Chris wasn't sure if he'd
be able to keep driving away if he had heard a scream or cry for
help. It was just who he was, and in a situation like this, it
would more than likely get himself killed, which he couldn't
afford with two kids he had to look after.
Thankfully, they made it to the precinct in record time, not
having to worry about stoplights or traffic. He into an alley
next to the building, figuring that it was probably best to hide
their truck as much as possible in case anyone had the mind to
steal it. He planned on taking them through the back of the
building, his keys still in his backpack. He just figured it was
safer to go through the back rather than the front, especially
if they had some unwanted guests. Hopefully though, it would
just be empty, or if there was life inside, it would just be one
of his partners. He wasn't quite sure what to expect, but he
knew he had to expect the worst for everyone's safety.
He climbed out of the truck with Enzo, grabbing his bag and
digging out his keys as he circled the truck to pull down the
truck door to let everyone out. "We'll be going through the
staff entrance," he told everyone as he slung his backpack onto
his back, pulling out his gun and taking it out of safety.
"Break rooms and offices will be first on the right, and storage
and the Medical Examiners room will be on the left. It's not a
very large precinct, so I'm sure you'll be able to find
everything pretty easily," he explained, helping everyone who
accepted it out off the truck.
"We should split into groups of two before we enter though, just
so everyone has someone already armed with them in case things
go wrong," he continued, having already thought all of this
through. "I'll go with Grace," he stated first, getting the
obvious out of the way as he lead them to the back door. "Sam,
you will go with Enzo," he revealed, his reason being that he
trusted Enzo more than Blake to take care of Sam. "Eli, that
leaves you with Blake," he finished, feeling slightly guilty for
his thoughts as he unlocked the door. If Blake were to let
anyone die, he'd rather it be Eli or Enzo, and seeing as how
Enzo was also armed, that just left Eli to be in her care so
Chris could somewhat mostly guarantee Sam's safety. Hopefully
they wouldn't have to do too much splitting up anyway. However,
it would take them less time to get everything they needed if
they did, hence another reason that he had paired them up.
"Everyone ready?" he asked, already pushing the door
open.[/center]
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Sam thought about what Grace had said before getting up, still
peeling his leaf apart. The way she had talked, it sounded like
they might actually have a future to look forward to.
"I'm really am glad you like it here though. It means maybe you
won't stay away long."
That had really made him feel warm inside, and also a bit
surprised, but before he could say anything, she had already
left. He wanted to assure her that he'd definitely come back and
visit if he ever made it through college. Thanks to her and Mr.
Smith, he had more of a reason to travel back every now and
again. Plus, there were still his thoughts of letting Grace come
up and visit where he's from, knowing that she'd enjoy the
change of scenery, sounding wistful as she spoke about his home,
sounding a bit more bitter when she spoke of her own.
He thought about how she had talked like she hadn't really found
her home yet. Did she not consider Mr. Smith to be her home? Had
their apartment that he had briefly lived in still not feel
homey enough to her? He'd have to ask her later, probably. He
would have figured that Mr. Smith would have had no trouble
making Grace feel at home. He seemed to anticipate almost every
one of her needs, always doing the best he could to take care of
her. It was kinda cool and sweet, but Mr. Smith still scared him
a little.
When Grace returned, Sam laughed, shaking his head. "I don't
think you're awkward at all," he assured her, smiling brightly.
***
When night finally came around, the rain was merciless, pouring
down on them hard, the wind blowing fiercely. Sam had somehow
managed to convince Grace that he didn't want his blanket back,
lying and saying that he had felt like he was overheating a
little from all his layers. That meant that he had ended up with
less protection during the night, although he did managed to
mostly cover himself with his hood and sleeping bag, but it
still, admittedly, wasn't enough.
When Sam was forced to arise the next morning, the sun out once
again, he felt horrible. Not only was he exhausted, but he
really did feel unnaturally warm, his throat feeling sore and
his nose running slightly. He didn't think much of it, more
determined to eat a bit of rabbit he had saved before heading
off on the rest of their journey. Thankfully, he felt almost
back to his old self, his bounce back in his step as he walked
close to Grace, Mr. Smith not too far away.
To Sam's relief, they found a truck not too far from the city
itself, all of them clambering inside, Sam and Grace getting
stuck in the back with Eli and Blake. Sam didn't mind Eli so
much, still thinking the guy was pretty cool, but Blake was such
a sour-puss and a downer. He wasn't too thrilled about being
stuck with her, so he decided to mostly ignore her, talking
occasionally to Grace and Eli about things that didn't really
matter, possibly bringing up Batman once or twice.
However, his good mood didn't last too long once they reached
the edge of the city, all of them spotting the armed guards that
waited there for them. Sam instantly felt nervous, telling the
group in the back as much before they were all forced to exit
the truck, getting manhandled by the agents as they were checked
for any signs of infection. The way his agent held him made him
certain that he'd have bruises on his shoulders later. He just
hoped they wouldn't have to be checked again when leaving the
city.
The drive through the city only managed to make his mood darken
even more, finding himself having to look away and nonchalantly
cover his ears almost right upon entry. The city was almost in
total despair - buildings partially destroyed and abandoned,
smoke filling the air, only faint signs of life revealing
themselves through screams in the far distance. The only thing
that made it all a little better was Grace suddenly grabbing his
hand. He couldn't help but give it a short squeeze, feeling
comforted by the action. He had always wanted to hold Grace's
hand. He just wished the circumstances could have been a bit
better. The second his eyes landed on a body, however, he was
through.
He had never seen a body before, even as they had fled the city,
and such a sight filled him with dread. It made him realize the
total reality of dying, especially while in the city, and he
suddenly didn't feel so perky and confident about this mission
anymore. However, he didn't want to show that for Grace's sake.
He wanted to appear brave and prepared, like Mr. Smith no doubt
would. He knew it would make her feel better, so he straightened
himself back up, forcing himself to stare straight ahead as they
drove up to the precinct even though his heart was racing.
Mr. Smith helped them out of the truck once they had parked,
explaining the battle-plan and telling them where some of the
rooms were inside. He then started to pair them up, which was
smart, taking Grace for himself, pairing Sam with Enzo, which he
supposed was alright, leaving Eli with probably the worst option
of all. He shot the taller man a quick, sympathetic look, hoping
Blake wouldn't notice. He doubted Blake would let anything
happen to Eli though, if it came down to that. Or well, he
wanted to believe that she wouldn't. He didn't know enough about
the woman to be sure.
Then, a bit too fast for Sam's liking, Mr. Smith was asking if
they were ready, swinging the door open to a sunlit precinct,
the breeze from inside chilling him to the core. Or maybe that
was just the fear.[/center]
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