She continued crying. She didn't care about anything around her, only the pain in her leg and the tears sliding down her face mattered. The cameras and her family didn't matter, she didn't care about it anymore. She only wanted one thing: to get out. She didn't want to be near him anymore. He probably lied about his weapon, he probably has a knife and he's about to stab her in the back. She felt the only thing she could do with her body was slowly crawl away.
She didn't see a knife though. She saw, instead, a surgical mask. She looked at him. She didn't know what she was supposed to do with it but she grabbed it anyways. She sniffed and wiped her nose without thinking with the mask. Oh, that's what he wanted her to do. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it. She was still on the verge of crying but it was stabilized. She struggled a bit at first but managed to sit down with her back resting against the pulpit. She stared at him for a few then look away because she realized it might be weird that she aimlessly gazed into his eyes without speaking.
"You too?"
She pat the floor next to her. She kinda hoped he would sit with her and wait until she wasn't crying and hurt anymore. However, another part of her was scared he might try to kill her so she vaguely considered shooting him right there but then she remembered he technically wasted quite a bit of supply on an easy kill so she decided to trust him for now.
Meet Cute
Phase 1 (0-12 Hours), Private
Roz took the mask to wipe her eyes, then rested against the pulpit, inviting Rodney to sit next to her. Rodney nodded and slowly scooted over until he was seated next to her. Rodney pulled his knees close to his chest, something that was a bit hard for him to do with his size. He looked over the girl, who had broken down over her near-death experience. He could start to pick out some light acne on her forehead he was that close.
He was suddenly starting to feel super nervous sitting this close to a cute girl. He had never been this close to a girl, nor had a girl really wanted to sit that close to him. Rodney breathed in a bit, then exhaled.
"Y-yeah..." he started. "I miss my mom..."
Rodney rubbed his hands on the carpet of the ground, trying to get any wet blood off of them.
"S-she died. A long time ago. Cancer."
Crap. His first real conversation with this girl, and Rodney was sure he just made things awkward by bringing up his dead mom and cancer. Those two things never went well together, so why would they here?
"I just..."
Rodney rubbed his hand through his hair.
"I just wonder if I'll be seeing her soon..."
He was suddenly starting to feel super nervous sitting this close to a cute girl. He had never been this close to a girl, nor had a girl really wanted to sit that close to him. Rodney breathed in a bit, then exhaled.
"Y-yeah..." he started. "I miss my mom..."
Rodney rubbed his hands on the carpet of the ground, trying to get any wet blood off of them.
"S-she died. A long time ago. Cancer."
Crap. His first real conversation with this girl, and Rodney was sure he just made things awkward by bringing up his dead mom and cancer. Those two things never went well together, so why would they here?
"I just..."
Rodney rubbed his hand through his hair.
"I just wonder if I'll be seeing her soon..."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
She didn't know what to say. His mom was dead from cancer and he was wondering if he was going to meet her in the afterlife. Roz didn't really believe in such things: she lowkey wanted to live once and then disappear. Living forever wasn't her goal and it sounded boring as hell but maybe some people found comfort in it.
It felt like she was speaking to her sister, in a way. It was an intimate conversation, a painful and emotional one. Both of them were going through shit they shouldn't go through but they still breathed the air and their blood still flowed in their veins. In a sense, this boy was the closest person she ever been to. He saw her candid self and a brutal honesty of her reality and he didn't run nor mock her. In a way, he wasn't her enemy or her foe or a competitor, but a comrade going through the exact same thing as her, trying to keep his head out of the water.
She touched his shoulder, she still sobbed and cried a bit but her eyes weren't as leaky anymore. Everything was still blurry and her body was on fire, but she felt serene. Maybe that's how death felt like, serenity despite the suffering around. If that was her passing, she was okay with it but she still wanted to live nonetheless. She sniffed sharply, wiped her eyes with the surgery mask and rubbed his shoulder. She wanted to comfort him while she was the one crying. She found it vaguely funny.
"I'm sorry 'bout your mom, I'm sure she's proud of you."
It felt like she was speaking to her sister, in a way. It was an intimate conversation, a painful and emotional one. Both of them were going through shit they shouldn't go through but they still breathed the air and their blood still flowed in their veins. In a sense, this boy was the closest person she ever been to. He saw her candid self and a brutal honesty of her reality and he didn't run nor mock her. In a way, he wasn't her enemy or her foe or a competitor, but a comrade going through the exact same thing as her, trying to keep his head out of the water.
She touched his shoulder, she still sobbed and cried a bit but her eyes weren't as leaky anymore. Everything was still blurry and her body was on fire, but she felt serene. Maybe that's how death felt like, serenity despite the suffering around. If that was her passing, she was okay with it but she still wanted to live nonetheless. She sniffed sharply, wiped her eyes with the surgery mask and rubbed his shoulder. She wanted to comfort him while she was the one crying. She found it vaguely funny.
"I'm sorry 'bout your mom, I'm sure she's proud of you."
Rodney tensed up a bit when the girl put her hand on his shoulder. He wasn't used to such affectionate touches. Sure, he got pats on the back and hair ruffling from his dads and brothers, but there wasn't anything too comforting or pleasant as a friendly pat on the shoulder. It felt nice, but at the same time, he was slightly terrified because of it.
Roz said she was sure his mom was proud of him. Rodney shrugged.
"I...I don't now what she'd be proud of. I barely remember her..."
Rodney rubbed the back of his head. That wasn't where he should be taking this conversation now, was it? He probably should say something else.
"But I'd hope she is proud of me. I mean...for something...maybe just for finding a use for her old romance novels..."
Rodney froze.
Crap, did I just say that?
Roz said she was sure his mom was proud of him. Rodney shrugged.
"I...I don't now what she'd be proud of. I barely remember her..."
Rodney rubbed the back of his head. That wasn't where he should be taking this conversation now, was it? He probably should say something else.
"But I'd hope she is proud of me. I mean...for something...maybe just for finding a use for her old romance novels..."
Rodney froze.
Crap, did I just say that?
G014: Mayumi Tendou
Romance novels.
They weren't her thing. At least, not totally. She still read them because she loved love stories. They were cute and enjoyable and made her heart beat quickly. However, if they were the center of the plot, the relationship between two characters that is, it made it pretty boring. She enjoyed when there was action or problems, not just two lovey-dovey couples hanging out and being cute and kissing.
She read a romance novel recently. She liked it, quite a bit. The premise was interesting, a girl wanted to be an astronaut then she met a sick boy and she didn't know what to do. It started as a tragedy really, where everything was wrong and painful but quickly shifted the mood toward humorous. She didn't finish though but she knew the ending. That was one of her regret before being abducted.
She twisted her head toward him. She squinted her eyes, she didn't know what to say. It wasn't like he would have known about her interest in book unless he stalked her and got informations on what she liked. If that wasn't the case, if he wasn't lying to her to make her safe just to backstab her, she liked that. He could have been a friend back home. She smiled softly, her tears were drying and her eyes were not watering anymore. She answered him, in the same hushed tone he spoked in. She didn't know why she copied him but she did it anyways.
"Katherine Peterson is my favorite author. I was reading Moon, sun and stars, I like when there's romance but also problems. So it's not just about a couple, you know, what about you?"
They weren't her thing. At least, not totally. She still read them because she loved love stories. They were cute and enjoyable and made her heart beat quickly. However, if they were the center of the plot, the relationship between two characters that is, it made it pretty boring. She enjoyed when there was action or problems, not just two lovey-dovey couples hanging out and being cute and kissing.
She read a romance novel recently. She liked it, quite a bit. The premise was interesting, a girl wanted to be an astronaut then she met a sick boy and she didn't know what to do. It started as a tragedy really, where everything was wrong and painful but quickly shifted the mood toward humorous. She didn't finish though but she knew the ending. That was one of her regret before being abducted.
She twisted her head toward him. She squinted her eyes, she didn't know what to say. It wasn't like he would have known about her interest in book unless he stalked her and got informations on what she liked. If that wasn't the case, if he wasn't lying to her to make her safe just to backstab her, she liked that. He could have been a friend back home. She smiled softly, her tears were drying and her eyes were not watering anymore. She answered him, in the same hushed tone he spoked in. She didn't know why she copied him but she did it anyways.
"Katherine Peterson is my favorite author. I was reading Moon, sun and stars, I like when there's romance but also problems. So it's not just about a couple, you know, what about you?"
To Rodney's complete bafflement, the girl didn't find anything weird about his statement, and even told him about a romance novel she liked. He had read a few Katherine Peterson books in the past, but he hadn't gotten around to the one she mentioned. Rodney nodded along when she mentioned her preferences.
"Y-yeah," he said. "I like that too. My favorite book was about a girl who befriended a troubled boy at her school when she saw him back out of a suicide attempt. It wasn't enough for them to just fall for him, but for her to understand all the dark parts of his life and how that'd make him how he was. Turns out he went through a lot of trauma in the last few years of his life and was still regularly abused by his guardian in really gross and shocking ways."
"But it meant to show that even love couldn't completely redeem someone and that it takes a lot of work to even get to the first stage of a relationship when someone is dealing with trauma, loss, child abuse, and so on. I mean, this guy dealt with a lot of stuff that wasn't going away so easily, so the book ends with him and the girl agreeing to have dinner later that week and their relationship status is in the air."
Rodney then paused. He didn't realize his voice picked up as he discussed this book with Roz, nor that he was dominating the whole conversation. He blushed a bit and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"But yeah, it's called Once I Noticed by Holly Neiman. I'd recommend it if you get the chance to read it."
"Y-yeah," he said. "I like that too. My favorite book was about a girl who befriended a troubled boy at her school when she saw him back out of a suicide attempt. It wasn't enough for them to just fall for him, but for her to understand all the dark parts of his life and how that'd make him how he was. Turns out he went through a lot of trauma in the last few years of his life and was still regularly abused by his guardian in really gross and shocking ways."
"But it meant to show that even love couldn't completely redeem someone and that it takes a lot of work to even get to the first stage of a relationship when someone is dealing with trauma, loss, child abuse, and so on. I mean, this guy dealt with a lot of stuff that wasn't going away so easily, so the book ends with him and the girl agreeing to have dinner later that week and their relationship status is in the air."
Rodney then paused. He didn't realize his voice picked up as he discussed this book with Roz, nor that he was dominating the whole conversation. He blushed a bit and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"But yeah, it's called Once I Noticed by Holly Neiman. I'd recommend it if you get the chance to read it."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
If you get the chance to read it.
That echoed in her head, bouncing in her thoughts. It consumed her, unable to think about anything else. She found it odd at first, she wanted to correct him but she understood what he meant. They were going to die. That's the sugarcoated way of saying it.
He didn't say, "Oh you would like it if you wouldn't be on the verge of dying", he twisted his words into nice ones. She hated it, and she grew to distrust him. She opened up to him and he tore her down, insinuating she wouldn't make it out alive. She didn't need luck to win, she needed herself and guts to kill again. She looked at him quickly then looked away, she could shoot him right there and be done.
Yet, she didn't make the first move. She wanted to speak to him more. She wanted to be close to him. She didn't want to be mean or evil or selfish. She just wanted a conversation she'd enjoy. A quiet conversation about books, a small opening, where nothing bad would happen unless she wanted it to happen. Full control, she liked that.
"Mmmmm, that falls in my chord, I'd like it I think. Do you like novels with dragons and stuff? I like stories that happens in fantastical worlds, I think they are fun because the world is... so different to ours. Does that make sense?"
That echoed in her head, bouncing in her thoughts. It consumed her, unable to think about anything else. She found it odd at first, she wanted to correct him but she understood what he meant. They were going to die. That's the sugarcoated way of saying it.
He didn't say, "Oh you would like it if you wouldn't be on the verge of dying", he twisted his words into nice ones. She hated it, and she grew to distrust him. She opened up to him and he tore her down, insinuating she wouldn't make it out alive. She didn't need luck to win, she needed herself and guts to kill again. She looked at him quickly then looked away, she could shoot him right there and be done.
Yet, she didn't make the first move. She wanted to speak to him more. She wanted to be close to him. She didn't want to be mean or evil or selfish. She just wanted a conversation she'd enjoy. A quiet conversation about books, a small opening, where nothing bad would happen unless she wanted it to happen. Full control, she liked that.
"Mmmmm, that falls in my chord, I'd like it I think. Do you like novels with dragons and stuff? I like stories that happens in fantastical worlds, I think they are fun because the world is... so different to ours. Does that make sense?"
As he stopped talking, Rodney suddenly realized how odd the last statement was. He knew that "if you get the chance to read it" was the sort of thing you say at a cocktail party. There was probably no way Roz or anyone here would get to read something like Once I Noticed. It was sad, not just because the book had a good twist, but it was another reminder that their lives were over and there was no going back to doing anything as normal as sitting in an armchair with a good book and a warm drink.
Roz mentioned fantasy literature and how she preferred their worlds to the one they were in.
"Y-yeah, I know what you mean..."
Rodney tapped a finger against his knee.
"I'd rather live in a place where you could have adventures and romance and magic. Anything's better than Denver..."
Rodney sighed.
"Anything's better than here, I guess."
Roz mentioned fantasy literature and how she preferred their worlds to the one they were in.
"Y-yeah, I know what you mean..."
Rodney tapped a finger against his knee.
"I'd rather live in a place where you could have adventures and romance and magic. Anything's better than Denver..."
Rodney sighed.
"Anything's better than here, I guess."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
She sighed. Anywhere would be better than here, she was at the worst place where her existence could have led her and her only fantasy was to go back somewhere safe. Her life was compromised for the identity of a nation she didn't like and she hated it. She would have been okay with dying if she was protecting her sister or family but instead she was fighting against an unseen enemy while her peers were turning on each other.
She wished she was a dragon in one of her book. She wanted to climb on top of a tower, breath fire on the knights running toward her and fly away when she was done. She hated the fact that her wings were clipped and she was stuck in this foreign soil in a church without any possibility of walking away.
She look at Rod. She moved her lips to speak but closed them before taking a breath. She raised her knees to her breasts and laid her head on them. She wasn't crying anymore, her face was still puffy and her vision was still blurry but she was calm in an angry fashion. She wanted to lash out and shoot people but she couldn't. She wanted Rod to stay near her and help her, she needed him alive for her own safety and sanity. She rubbed her thumb against her face, slowly breathing in and out. Her leg was still paining her but she was alive. She didn't know it mattered but she acted as if she did because if she acted as if she didn't care she would have shot herself in the head right there.
"This sucks."
She wished she was a dragon in one of her book. She wanted to climb on top of a tower, breath fire on the knights running toward her and fly away when she was done. She hated the fact that her wings were clipped and she was stuck in this foreign soil in a church without any possibility of walking away.
She look at Rod. She moved her lips to speak but closed them before taking a breath. She raised her knees to her breasts and laid her head on them. She wasn't crying anymore, her face was still puffy and her vision was still blurry but she was calm in an angry fashion. She wanted to lash out and shoot people but she couldn't. She wanted Rod to stay near her and help her, she needed him alive for her own safety and sanity. She rubbed her thumb against her face, slowly breathing in and out. Her leg was still paining her but she was alive. She didn't know it mattered but she acted as if she did because if she acted as if she didn't care she would have shot herself in the head right there.
"This sucks."
Roz's statement was the best summation of their situation, as Rodney saw it. Rodney lowered his head and scratched the back of his neck. Was there anything that could make this mess any better? Probably not. Any joy or pleasures was probably sparse at this point. Rodney sighed. There was one thing that came to mind.
"Well...I guess..."
Rodney cleared his throat.
"At the very least...I think I'd rather go through this with someone nice than go through it alone. I've already lost track of friend, and I don't think I want to lose another so soon."
Rodney looked to Roz and held out a hand.
"So...um...if it's okay with you...and you're free to say no. I'd understand. So...um..want to go through this helping each other?"
"Well...I guess..."
Rodney cleared his throat.
"At the very least...I think I'd rather go through this with someone nice than go through it alone. I've already lost track of friend, and I don't think I want to lose another so soon."
Rodney looked to Roz and held out a hand.
"So...um...if it's okay with you...and you're free to say no. I'd understand. So...um..want to go through this helping each other?"
G014: Mayumi Tendou
She reached out for the boy's hand and grabbed it. She rubbed her thumb against it. The callous skin, the scars, his fingers. Felt kinda good. She looked up to him and smiled softly. Perfect occasion to make an ally that would follow her around not matter what. He was, obviously, not the smartest person around to trust the bloody girl who revealed that she had killed somebody. But he wanted to be her friend and it made her happy.
"Mmmm..."
She wanted to seem uncertain. She hoped it worked. She wanted to appear vulnerable, scared, weak, not a threat. She smiled softly while looking up to him, caressing his hand.
"Yeah, I'll stick with you. We could even search your friend."
"Mmmm..."
She wanted to seem uncertain. She hoped it worked. She wanted to appear vulnerable, scared, weak, not a threat. She smiled softly while looking up to him, caressing his hand.
"Yeah, I'll stick with you. We could even search your friend."
Rodney tensed up a bit when Roz grabbed his hand. He prayed to god that he wasn't blushing like crazy. The last time he held hands with someone was when his dad pulled him out of a restaurant sometime when he was in early elementary school. Her hand felt small and delicate on top of his large ones. Granted, they had blood on their hands, so the romance of the action was mitigated a bit, but he still really, really, really liked holding hands with her.
She thankfully agreed to travel with him. Now Rodney's poker face broke, and he was sure he just flashed a big, dopey grin to her.
"Y-yeah! Let's!" he said, his voice suddenly raising.
He quickly closed his mouth and cleared his throat.
"Y-yeah. Um, let's clean up a bit, and maybe we can go look around for Bishop and whoever else we can think about."
Rodney let out a bit of a sigh.
"Oh, and thanks, by the way."
She thankfully agreed to travel with him. Now Rodney's poker face broke, and he was sure he just flashed a big, dopey grin to her.
"Y-yeah! Let's!" he said, his voice suddenly raising.
He quickly closed his mouth and cleared his throat.
"Y-yeah. Um, let's clean up a bit, and maybe we can go look around for Bishop and whoever else we can think about."
Rodney let out a bit of a sigh.
"Oh, and thanks, by the way."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
"...oh, you are welcome."
She didn't know why he was thanking her. Maybe because she told him, without thinking, they could search for Bishop or maybe it was for holding his hand. He was also very red, his cheeks appeared to be burning up. Normally, she would have laughed out of nervousness if this was a book but this was reality and so she had to behave that way, to comply her role of damsel in distress.
He wanted her to get cleaned up. She looked at her hand, she saw the blood coating her fingers and arm and flinched. She forgot about it. She was covered in it. It was on her chest, on her pants, on her feet, everywhere she could see and possible even where she couldn't.
"Maybe there's a sink somewhere, where I could wipe off the blood I have on my hands and my face."
She didn't know why he was thanking her. Maybe because she told him, without thinking, they could search for Bishop or maybe it was for holding his hand. He was also very red, his cheeks appeared to be burning up. Normally, she would have laughed out of nervousness if this was a book but this was reality and so she had to behave that way, to comply her role of damsel in distress.
He wanted her to get cleaned up. She looked at her hand, she saw the blood coating her fingers and arm and flinched. She forgot about it. She was covered in it. It was on her chest, on her pants, on her feet, everywhere she could see and possible even where she couldn't.
"Maybe there's a sink somewhere, where I could wipe off the blood I have on my hands and my face."
"Um...yeah..." Rodney said, standing up. "I'd think a place like this would have a bathroom somewhere."
Rodney wiped his hands on his pant legs. That left a bit of blood on them. He must not have gotten all the blood off when he wiped his hands on the carpet, but it looked like it was mostly dry. He probably wouldn't be able to wash the blood off, so hopefully there was a change of clothes somewhere.
Rodney turned and held out a hand for Roz.
"Let's look around..."
Rodney wiped his hands on his pant legs. That left a bit of blood on them. He must not have gotten all the blood off when he wiped his hands on the carpet, but it looked like it was mostly dry. He probably wouldn't be able to wash the blood off, so hopefully there was a change of clothes somewhere.
Rodney turned and held out a hand for Roz.
"Let's look around..."
G014: Mayumi Tendou
"Thank you."
These words were right. That was the only think she can give to him, especially after thinking of making him suffer and shooting him despite giving his all to save her. Which succeeded, she was still alive and having a chance to win, which was her end goal, after all.
She smiled as she grabbed his hand. She liked his hand, it was enjoyable to touch. She didn't realized how touch-starved she was until she first touched it. She hated admitting it to herself, but wanted to keep holding his hand even after she was standing. She moved her fingers back, stroking his then setting her hand on a desk.
Her leg was in no shape for exploring. She hurt, and she was scared it was going to open up again. If it did, maybe Rod would think it was too much and he would leave her to be. She didn't like that. She put all of her weight on her good leg, her bad leg barely touching the ground. She saw a door at the back of the church, she raised her bloody finger and pointed it.
"Maybe there?"
These words were right. That was the only think she can give to him, especially after thinking of making him suffer and shooting him despite giving his all to save her. Which succeeded, she was still alive and having a chance to win, which was her end goal, after all.
She smiled as she grabbed his hand. She liked his hand, it was enjoyable to touch. She didn't realized how touch-starved she was until she first touched it. She hated admitting it to herself, but wanted to keep holding his hand even after she was standing. She moved her fingers back, stroking his then setting her hand on a desk.
Her leg was in no shape for exploring. She hurt, and she was scared it was going to open up again. If it did, maybe Rod would think it was too much and he would leave her to be. She didn't like that. She put all of her weight on her good leg, her bad leg barely touching the ground. She saw a door at the back of the church, she raised her bloody finger and pointed it.
"Maybe there?"