(Kassandra Vaitaki continued from Catching Breath in Stale Air)
The salvage yard already had a place in Kassandra's memory. After all, it was where she had gotten the pipe that had led to Marion's freedom and served her well ever since. Now her path had led her back here for whatever reason. It wasn't something that she had planned for, considering that she and Marion had just decided to head wherever and see where it took them. Still, it was kind of nice to end up somewhere that she was at least somewhat familiar with thanks to her time digging around there earlier.
Even so, she was a bit hesitant about approaching the scrap mountain again. "Careful where you step. There's junk all over the place." She warned Marion as they entered the general area of the salvage yard. After all, they were both dealing with their own issues now, so the last thing either of them needed was a fresh wounds courtesy of a sharp, dirty piece of metal on the ground.
In fact, Kass wasn't going to take any chances. She didn't want to get into the main area surrounding the heap, since that was where the ground was the most treacherous. Rather, she hoped to stick to the outskirts, where things were quite a bit cleaner. Oh, there was still trash laying about, but in far smaller quantities than the veritable metal minefield that was the big pile. As long as they watched their step, then they would probably be all right. Plus, with all the old cars and trucks lying around, they had some decent cover.
She leaned against the side of one of said cars and felt her cheek. Another bruise was already forming, worse than the ones she had gotten from the beating Brittany gave her by a fair margin, if how much it hurt at just a touch was any indication. If only she had a mirror, then she could get a good look at it. But in lieu of that, she did have another option. She looked at Marion and removed her hand from her face, allowing her fresh injury to be seen fully.
"Okay, be honest. How bad is it?"
Twisted Steel in a Twisted World
Phase 1 (0-12 Hours)
(Marion Williams continued from Catching Breath in Stale Air)
Marion followed Kassandra to the scrapyard. And it was a scrapyard all right. There was metal junk everywhere. Kassandra decided to have them stay outside the scrapyard itself lest they accidentally hurt themselves on the scrap, which Marion couldn't disagree with. She looked at Kassandra's face as she removed her hand from it.
"Ouch, that's a helluva bruise," Marion grimaced. "But overall it doesn't seem to bad. Like you said, it'll probably heal in a couple of days. You didn't break any teeth or anything did you?"
Marion followed Kassandra to the scrapyard. And it was a scrapyard all right. There was metal junk everywhere. Kassandra decided to have them stay outside the scrapyard itself lest they accidentally hurt themselves on the scrap, which Marion couldn't disagree with. She looked at Kassandra's face as she removed her hand from it.
"Ouch, that's a helluva bruise," Marion grimaced. "But overall it doesn't seem to bad. Like you said, it'll probably heal in a couple of days. You didn't break any teeth or anything did you?"
Kassandra bit down a few times and ran her tongue around near the area of impact to try to get a handle on the damage to her mouth. "Don't feel any teeth missing, but it still hurts. Probably shouldn't eat anything too hard or chewy for a while." She stretched her jaw with her hand, further proving to herself that yes, she was indeed hurt.
Damn, why did she keep fucking with it when she already knew what would happen? One of the stupid eccentricities of the human mind, she presumed.
She looked past Marion at the empty path behind them. "I don't see anyone following us, so we're probably in the clear. Might as well try to get comfortable as long as we're here." Kass shrugged. It was a big of a tall order for a junkyard, but not impossible, or at least she hoped to think so.
Damn, why did she keep fucking with it when she already knew what would happen? One of the stupid eccentricities of the human mind, she presumed.
She looked past Marion at the empty path behind them. "I don't see anyone following us, so we're probably in the clear. Might as well try to get comfortable as long as we're here." Kass shrugged. It was a big of a tall order for a junkyard, but not impossible, or at least she hoped to think so.
... Yeah, Kass couldn't deny that she walked right into that one.
"You know, I thought maybe we might be able to find a car or a boat or something that hasn't been totally rusted-out and filled with sharp things that would inject us with twelve strains of tetanus." She spitballed a plan on the spot just by observing the collection of abandoned vehicles in the area. "Has to be better than just sitting on the ground, right?"
She looked down through the window of the car she was leaning on, or at least what remained of it. The passenger's side seat was clearly missing, as was a piece of the floorboard under where said seat should have been. In addition, the scrolling window had been cracked in half, leaving her to wonder how on earth it was still staying in place.
Yeah, there might have been a halfway decent car somewhere in the yard, but this definitely wasn't it.
"You know, I thought maybe we might be able to find a car or a boat or something that hasn't been totally rusted-out and filled with sharp things that would inject us with twelve strains of tetanus." She spitballed a plan on the spot just by observing the collection of abandoned vehicles in the area. "Has to be better than just sitting on the ground, right?"
She looked down through the window of the car she was leaning on, or at least what remained of it. The passenger's side seat was clearly missing, as was a piece of the floorboard under where said seat should have been. In addition, the scrolling window had been cracked in half, leaving her to wonder how on earth it was still staying in place.
Yeah, there might have been a halfway decent car somewhere in the yard, but this definitely wasn't it.
"It's not really that I'd be worried. It's just, uh..." Kassandra needed a good explanation, fast. "You know, it would be easier if we stuck together in case one of us needed help is all."
She tapped her fingers on the hood of the car, pausing once she felt a spot that sounded far, far too hollow and seemed to buckle even under the small amount of pressure that she was putting out. She chose to retract her hand from the car and, not knowing what else to do with it, hold it together with her other hand.
"So... let's get started, I guess."
She tapped her fingers on the hood of the car, pausing once she felt a spot that sounded far, far too hollow and seemed to buckle even under the small amount of pressure that she was putting out. She chose to retract her hand from the car and, not knowing what else to do with it, hold it together with her other hand.
"So... let's get started, I guess."
"I guess anything that doesn't look too rough right away? Like this thing right here would be right out." Kass kicked the wheel of the car next to her, causing the hubcap to wobble for a moment before falling off. She gestured to the fallen chunk of metal as if to say 'See what I mean?' It provided a nice visual aid, she had to admit.
"So yeah, just be on the lookout for something that's not as crappy-looking as everything else. A car, a truck, a boat. Hell, I'm not picky."
She started her methodical search around the outskirts, taking a long glance at anything that could have provided a... well, not really shelter, but a decent place to rest at the very least. Their experiences in that department hadn't been the greatest as of late, but there was still time for that to turn around. All it took was some effort and a whole lot of luck. Unfortunately, if luck truly was on their side, then Kassandra probably wouldn't have a massive, swelling mark on the side of her face.
"So yeah, just be on the lookout for something that's not as crappy-looking as everything else. A car, a truck, a boat. Hell, I'm not picky."
She started her methodical search around the outskirts, taking a long glance at anything that could have provided a... well, not really shelter, but a decent place to rest at the very least. Their experiences in that department hadn't been the greatest as of late, but there was still time for that to turn around. All it took was some effort and a whole lot of luck. Unfortunately, if luck truly was on their side, then Kassandra probably wouldn't have a massive, swelling mark on the side of her face.
"All right," Marion said. She glanced around for something that fit that description. She could see a few vehicles that might work, but she was too far away to really be sure. She made sure to stay close to Kassandra, if only because she liked being around her. "Anything stand out to you yet, babe?"
When they started looking for a place, to rest, Kassandra had a bit of optimism, probably foolish and misplaced, that told her that they would be able to find something easily. She didn't expect anything outlandish like a conveniently placed limo in pristine condition, but at the very least, she thought that there would be a selection of vehicles that would be worthy of serving as places of respite.
However, when their search actually began in full, Kass was reminded that when someone left a car in a scrapyard, they did it for a reason. She saw cars with entire sides that were crumpled, cars with doors torn off and their insides raided, and trucks that were nothing but frames. And the first boat she saw... holy hell, she was almost positive that there was a cloud of rust floating around it. So by all early indications, things weren't going so well, and she shouldn't expect it to get much easier.
"Nothing good so far." She masked her disappointment by speaking as flatly as possible. "Got anything in mind?"
However, when their search actually began in full, Kass was reminded that when someone left a car in a scrapyard, they did it for a reason. She saw cars with entire sides that were crumpled, cars with doors torn off and their insides raided, and trucks that were nothing but frames. And the first boat she saw... holy hell, she was almost positive that there was a cloud of rust floating around it. So by all early indications, things weren't going so well, and she shouldn't expect it to get much easier.
"Nothing good so far." She masked her disappointment by speaking as flatly as possible. "Got anything in mind?"
Kassandra considered Marion's suggestion for a break, and relented without a fuss. Best to keep stress levels low however she could. "Yeah, a minute or two to rehydrate might do us some good. We'll probably have better luck when our tongues aren't dry."
She used her foot to sweep some debris to the side, creating enough space for both of them to sit down. She crouched and spread her arms to invite Marion to sit with her.
"Might be dirty, but at least it's clear."
She used her foot to sweep some debris to the side, creating enough space for both of them to sit down. She crouched and spread her arms to invite Marion to sit with her.
"Might be dirty, but at least it's clear."
Kassandra felt Marion against her right away, not commenting on it but appreciating the closeness. She leaned closer into her while she reached into her bag to withdraw a bottle of water. She set the bottle on the ground and opened it, preparing to take a drink before thinking it over and holding it towards Marion instead.
"First swig?"
"First swig?"