It wasn't rotting, but it felt like it. Kinda close. Like, the skin opening up and the flesh bloating and sliding off of bone, and everything was being either taken away or falling down or becoming or liquid. That was rot. Its body felt a little like rot, soft and malleable and odorous and wet. It carried itself, and the clothes with it, to this yonic dark cave with mineral and wood beneath its boots. Sweat practically lubricated the layer between its feet and its socks. The body heat and the weather combined felt hot and cold at once, and some inexplicable third thing, where the sensation was so intense and extreme that all it could do was feel, and it couldn't decipher if it belonged to any extreme or was just regular pain wearing down on a body not used to being used. Years of a sedimentary lifestyle, of the privileges of civilization, had given it the luxury of being lazy.
The lactic acid fementation and the rapid churning of ATP and the frazzled neurons and the muscle cells all worked in tantem in this odd new breed of human as it tried not to scream. Since when have they become domesticated by their fantasies, by their social machines? Of roads and workers and factories far away? Softened, like pigs in their crates?
Slowly, a primordial hindbrain begins to sigh, and the body attached with it sagged. It tried its best to keep itself alive, robbed of the skills of its ancestors. It shook some tinder out of the box, and tried to strike a fire. The first few tries did nothing. It used a match, and the flame almost died down onto the soggy ground. It opened a meal with tremoring hands and ate noodles and spilled sauce onto its coat.
She threw the remains of the largest bag deeper into the cave. It tasted like shit. It tasted like shit and it didn't help.
She screamed. She screamed for Misha, for people she loved for herself. For some future in her head that never existed and for the grief she could feel as a dead woman walking. She screamed, and she stomped on another empty bag, and she suddenly knew how the older woman felt. Like some dead whale too bloated to be taken away. Something had to be punctured eventually. A dam had to open.
Tess hyperventilated and sobbed over the snow, next to the coldest fire she's ever felt in her life.
Like a bird perched on a live wire.
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
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((Julia Raymond continued from Something New))
Julia had wandered around listlessly for a few hours after her encounter with the Chimera before taking refuge in one of the first floor dormitories in the hopes of getting some sleep. She’d managed a few hours, but they were fitful and not very restful and she eventually decided to give up and keep wandering. One of her worst fears was being trapped with no way to escape, and she was terrified that someone would come kill her in her sleep. However, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep outside, either. She was running on fumes and she knew it, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. At eight in the morning, her pocket device alerted her to the first announcement.
She sat down on a boulder outside to look at it, and since she was alone, she listened to the recording. Hearing that psycho describe the horrible events that had taken place over the previous day in such a cheerful voice disgusted her, but she listened all the same. She realized with an unpleasant drop in her stomach that one of the people who had been killed by another student was that guy from the ship’s bar that had talked to her and Charlie, the guy who had spilled her drink. She also shuddered when she heard about the two students who had been killed by the monsters. She hadn’t encountered Vermiculus yet, but it sounded like some kind of worm that ate your brain and she had no desire to see it for herself. She noted the places where Sycamore said that the monsters were, and resolved to stay as far away from them as possible.
She stood up and continued to wander, until she came across a cave that she belatedly realized was actually an entrance to a mine. As she approached it, she heard crying and screaming coming from inside. She hesitated. She’d been trying to avoid other people for as long as possible, and she’d so far managed it. However, she was also cold and exhausted and she didn’t have anywhere good to go. She remembered Sycamore’s sarcastic comment about how freezing to death was an ignoble way to die. Fuck him, she thought vehemently. She had a moment of wanting to prove him wrong just to spite him, but it quickly turned nonsensical. Would she stay outside and die and prove him right, or go inside and do what he says because it was really fucking cold outside and she didn’t have any other options? The thought brought with it the depressing reality of just how powerless she was, and she let out a discouraged sigh.
She considered her options. She could keep moving until she fell over from exhaustion, or she could try to deal with whoever was in there. She knew that she would have to deal with other people eventually, and the advantage of it being here and now was that she didn’t think the other person had seen her yet, and she was the one closest to the entrance. If the other person tried to attack her, she had a better chance of outrunning them or fighting back than she’d have if their positions were reversed. Plus, it sounded like the person inside was having a mental breakdown more than anything else, and they didn’t sound particularly aggressive at the moment.
Hesitantly, Julia walked inside the cave.
“Hello? I’m not here to hurt you, I just need a place to rest.”
Julia thought about hiding the poisoned spine away to show that she wasn’t a threat, but couldn’t bring herself to let go of it. Instead, she held it limply by her side and hoped that the other person wouldn’t assume the worst about her.
Julia had wandered around listlessly for a few hours after her encounter with the Chimera before taking refuge in one of the first floor dormitories in the hopes of getting some sleep. She’d managed a few hours, but they were fitful and not very restful and she eventually decided to give up and keep wandering. One of her worst fears was being trapped with no way to escape, and she was terrified that someone would come kill her in her sleep. However, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep outside, either. She was running on fumes and she knew it, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. At eight in the morning, her pocket device alerted her to the first announcement.
She sat down on a boulder outside to look at it, and since she was alone, she listened to the recording. Hearing that psycho describe the horrible events that had taken place over the previous day in such a cheerful voice disgusted her, but she listened all the same. She realized with an unpleasant drop in her stomach that one of the people who had been killed by another student was that guy from the ship’s bar that had talked to her and Charlie, the guy who had spilled her drink. She also shuddered when she heard about the two students who had been killed by the monsters. She hadn’t encountered Vermiculus yet, but it sounded like some kind of worm that ate your brain and she had no desire to see it for herself. She noted the places where Sycamore said that the monsters were, and resolved to stay as far away from them as possible.
She stood up and continued to wander, until she came across a cave that she belatedly realized was actually an entrance to a mine. As she approached it, she heard crying and screaming coming from inside. She hesitated. She’d been trying to avoid other people for as long as possible, and she’d so far managed it. However, she was also cold and exhausted and she didn’t have anywhere good to go. She remembered Sycamore’s sarcastic comment about how freezing to death was an ignoble way to die. Fuck him, she thought vehemently. She had a moment of wanting to prove him wrong just to spite him, but it quickly turned nonsensical. Would she stay outside and die and prove him right, or go inside and do what he says because it was really fucking cold outside and she didn’t have any other options? The thought brought with it the depressing reality of just how powerless she was, and she let out a discouraged sigh.
She considered her options. She could keep moving until she fell over from exhaustion, or she could try to deal with whoever was in there. She knew that she would have to deal with other people eventually, and the advantage of it being here and now was that she didn’t think the other person had seen her yet, and she was the one closest to the entrance. If the other person tried to attack her, she had a better chance of outrunning them or fighting back than she’d have if their positions were reversed. Plus, it sounded like the person inside was having a mental breakdown more than anything else, and they didn’t sound particularly aggressive at the moment.
Hesitantly, Julia walked inside the cave.
“Hello? I’m not here to hurt you, I just need a place to rest.”
Julia thought about hiding the poisoned spine away to show that she wasn’t a threat, but couldn’t bring herself to let go of it. Instead, she held it limply by her side and hoped that the other person wouldn’t assume the worst about her.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
PJ was silent in the darkness.
Hearing Tess' screams and sobs made him flinch slightly.
Gripping onto the gun tightly.
He heard Julia's voice, but didn't call out himself.
He didn't care. He wanted to wallow in his own grief and pain.
So he was just staying quiet for now.
Hearing Tess' screams and sobs made him flinch slightly.
Gripping onto the gun tightly.
He heard Julia's voice, but didn't call out himself.
He didn't care. He wanted to wallow in his own grief and pain.
So he was just staying quiet for now.
...
"Co-come on in," she said. Her throat dancing in hiccups and contractions, body shaking from more than the cold.
What was more miserable? Her, or the situation?
He didn't see anything. It's hard to, with his hands in front of his eyes.
"Co-come on in," she said. Her throat dancing in hiccups and contractions, body shaking from more than the cold.
What was more miserable? Her, or the situation?
He didn't see anything. It's hard to, with his hands in front of his eyes.
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:34 pm
Hearing the other girl’s hiccuped invitation to come in, Julia stepped further into the cave. She thought she saw something--or someone--out of the corner of her eye, but it was so dark that she couldn’t quite tell. She raised the spike in her hand and pointed it in that general direction as she passed by.
However, once she got to where she could see the girl who had beckoned her in, she quickly let the spine fall by her side again. The other girl had started a fire, so it was a little warmer in there and she could see the other girl a little better. She looked miserable and Julia felt self-conscious around her, but didn't know whether she should bring up the other girl's obvious mental breakdown or pretend not to notice it for now. She opted for the latter.
Julia sort of recognized the girl from a couple of her psychology classes, but she couldn’t remember much about her besides that. To be honest, she hadn’t interacted with a lot of her classmates. Between being one of the oldest people in her classes and the pandemic and her weird friendship with Tanvir, she hadn’t really bothered to get to know any of the other students. They hadn’t really felt like peers to her, to be honest.
Well, look who’s laughing now, she thought bitterly to herself. Tanvir had betrayed her and now she was stuck with a bunch of other students on this island, where having a friend or two probably would have come in handy. Well, she was here now and so was this other girl, and she had to make the best of it.
Julia crouched down near the fire, keeping the spine limp by her side but not letting go of it. She tried to assume a friendly tone with her voice as she spoke to the other girl.
“Hi…I’m Julia.”
However, once she got to where she could see the girl who had beckoned her in, she quickly let the spine fall by her side again. The other girl had started a fire, so it was a little warmer in there and she could see the other girl a little better. She looked miserable and Julia felt self-conscious around her, but didn't know whether she should bring up the other girl's obvious mental breakdown or pretend not to notice it for now. She opted for the latter.
Julia sort of recognized the girl from a couple of her psychology classes, but she couldn’t remember much about her besides that. To be honest, she hadn’t interacted with a lot of her classmates. Between being one of the oldest people in her classes and the pandemic and her weird friendship with Tanvir, she hadn’t really bothered to get to know any of the other students. They hadn’t really felt like peers to her, to be honest.
Well, look who’s laughing now, she thought bitterly to herself. Tanvir had betrayed her and now she was stuck with a bunch of other students on this island, where having a friend or two probably would have come in handy. Well, she was here now and so was this other girl, and she had to make the best of it.
Julia crouched down near the fire, keeping the spine limp by her side but not letting go of it. She tried to assume a friendly tone with her voice as she spoke to the other girl.
“Hi…I’m Julia.”
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Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
PJ could just about see in the dark when an outline of a girl was aiming something at him and he didn't say anything at all. He didn't even move at all. He felt like he had almost forgot how to breathe. He felt like he was drowning in an icy grave of dirty water. So he was realized when the girl had moved onward.
He knew that he couldn't stay hidden forever. He needed to come out into the open. Even if he was still in a grieving state of mind. He needed to keep himself alive. He needed to not completely break into shattered pieces. He needed to live for himself. He wasn't sure how long he could do that, but well, he had to try. It was all that he could really do.
He slowly followed after where the girl had been heading and he could see that there was a fire and there was another person there. He heard the girl calling herself Julia and he wasn't sure if he knew her. The name felt like an air of mystery to him.
He stepped closer and he didn't sit down, making sure to keep the gun facing down at the ground. He wasn't going to use it unless he had no choice. "Hey- hi, um..." His voice was still a bit shaken up and he wished that he felt more confident with his words. "...Uh, is it okay if I can join you two? I'm PJ. Y...Yeah."
He knew that he couldn't stay hidden forever. He needed to come out into the open. Even if he was still in a grieving state of mind. He needed to keep himself alive. He needed to not completely break into shattered pieces. He needed to live for himself. He wasn't sure how long he could do that, but well, he had to try. It was all that he could really do.
He slowly followed after where the girl had been heading and he could see that there was a fire and there was another person there. He heard the girl calling herself Julia and he wasn't sure if he knew her. The name felt like an air of mystery to him.
He stepped closer and he didn't sit down, making sure to keep the gun facing down at the ground. He wasn't going to use it unless he had no choice. "Hey- hi, um..." His voice was still a bit shaken up and he wished that he felt more confident with his words. "...Uh, is it okay if I can join you two? I'm PJ. Y...Yeah."
You hear a voice. "Alright. Alright."
You see a face. Half hidden, half blotchy, and mostly belonging to Tess Dahmir. You smell good in the air. You feel the earth beneath your feet and the cold against your skin and the chill in your bones. You are encased by the dark air and the lightless surfaces, sandwiched between the sky and the bedrock and thousands of layers of soil and water and material in between.
Your future movements are not anticipated yet.
The person wasn't sure if the look on its face was the right one. It always suffered from that. Somewhere in between the amygdala and the facial muscles, a connection in the body was bungled. It has been bungled ever since you were thirteen, or twelve, or maybe since it was born. There was a moment where it became aware of this particular fact, and then things were never the same. Every expression and every movement had to be internally scrutinized, so that it acted like a normal person. Look them in the eye. Give their hands a shake. Smile when you have to. Cry when you need to.
So when it turned to the voices and tried to make some sort of expression at them, it wasn't sure how well they turned out. Brows furrowed. Mouth curved downwards. Nose a bit flares, scrunching up the bridge. It wasn't sure what it conveyed. Some sort of I-need-comfort or dont-wanna-be-here or who-even-are-you and all that.
"H-hello," it said, to rectify that mistake while it's body recovered from that lapse of emotional control. "Welcome."
It never cried much, but that just meant it didn't know how to stop. How to hide it. It was a humiliating, degrading kind of lack of self regulation, that vulnerability that utterly terrified it during these late nights when its significant other/partner/lover was asleep first in another bed somewhere, when it was too stubborn to ever say anything after some mundane disagreement that it escalated. The words stuck in its mouth. "I didn't really mean that" or "please come back to me" or "I shouldn't have yelled at you." It takes some kind of courage to be willing to flay oneself in front of an audience that doesn't adore you. It's like putting a gun in someones hand and guiding it to your own temple. It doesn't matter if they fired it or not. The opportunity was there. It knew this as a deep, indisputable fact, though it does not know where and when within it's brain that concept was first developed.
She seized. Back straightened up a little bit. That person had a gun. It felt unfair before it started to feel scary. Why did he have a real gun and she couldn't?
You see a face. Half hidden, half blotchy, and mostly belonging to Tess Dahmir. You smell good in the air. You feel the earth beneath your feet and the cold against your skin and the chill in your bones. You are encased by the dark air and the lightless surfaces, sandwiched between the sky and the bedrock and thousands of layers of soil and water and material in between.
Your future movements are not anticipated yet.
The person wasn't sure if the look on its face was the right one. It always suffered from that. Somewhere in between the amygdala and the facial muscles, a connection in the body was bungled. It has been bungled ever since you were thirteen, or twelve, or maybe since it was born. There was a moment where it became aware of this particular fact, and then things were never the same. Every expression and every movement had to be internally scrutinized, so that it acted like a normal person. Look them in the eye. Give their hands a shake. Smile when you have to. Cry when you need to.
So when it turned to the voices and tried to make some sort of expression at them, it wasn't sure how well they turned out. Brows furrowed. Mouth curved downwards. Nose a bit flares, scrunching up the bridge. It wasn't sure what it conveyed. Some sort of I-need-comfort or dont-wanna-be-here or who-even-are-you and all that.
"H-hello," it said, to rectify that mistake while it's body recovered from that lapse of emotional control. "Welcome."
It never cried much, but that just meant it didn't know how to stop. How to hide it. It was a humiliating, degrading kind of lack of self regulation, that vulnerability that utterly terrified it during these late nights when its significant other/partner/lover was asleep first in another bed somewhere, when it was too stubborn to ever say anything after some mundane disagreement that it escalated. The words stuck in its mouth. "I didn't really mean that" or "please come back to me" or "I shouldn't have yelled at you." It takes some kind of courage to be willing to flay oneself in front of an audience that doesn't adore you. It's like putting a gun in someones hand and guiding it to your own temple. It doesn't matter if they fired it or not. The opportunity was there. It knew this as a deep, indisputable fact, though it does not know where and when within it's brain that concept was first developed.
She seized. Back straightened up a little bit. That person had a gun. It felt unfair before it started to feel scary. Why did he have a real gun and she couldn't?
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:34 pm
Julia jumped as she heard someone’s voice behind her and whipped around, holding the spine out in front of her instinctively. She knew there had been someone else there.
The voice belonged to a sort of gothy-looking boy. He spoke again and asked if he could join them. His tone wasn’t threatening, although Julia noticed with a chill that he was holding a gun. He was currently pointing it at the ground, though, so she lowered the spine back by her side, and after a moment, nodded at him.
“Hello,” she replied. “Um…sure. That’s fine, I guess.”
She needed to strike the right balance between friendly and suspicious. Too much of either one could get her killed. She didn’t want to start a fight, but there was also no way in hell that she was letting her guard down around these people.
The girl in front of her mumbled something. She looked like a mess, and to be honest, Julia was starting to wonder if the other girl was suffering from a serious mental episode. She didn’t seem delusional, but she was clearly out of it.
Julia tried to think of something to say. She couldn’t believe that here, in the middle of some twisted life-or-death social experiment she would actually have a moment of feeling socially awkward. She almost smiled to herself. Feeling awkward around new people who she was thrust into an uncomfortable situation with, even though it should have been the least of her worries. It was just such a randomly human thing to feel.
After a moment, Julia thought of something to say.
“Is anyone hungry?”
The voice belonged to a sort of gothy-looking boy. He spoke again and asked if he could join them. His tone wasn’t threatening, although Julia noticed with a chill that he was holding a gun. He was currently pointing it at the ground, though, so she lowered the spine back by her side, and after a moment, nodded at him.
“Hello,” she replied. “Um…sure. That’s fine, I guess.”
She needed to strike the right balance between friendly and suspicious. Too much of either one could get her killed. She didn’t want to start a fight, but there was also no way in hell that she was letting her guard down around these people.
The girl in front of her mumbled something. She looked like a mess, and to be honest, Julia was starting to wonder if the other girl was suffering from a serious mental episode. She didn’t seem delusional, but she was clearly out of it.
Julia tried to think of something to say. She couldn’t believe that here, in the middle of some twisted life-or-death social experiment she would actually have a moment of feeling socially awkward. She almost smiled to herself. Feeling awkward around new people who she was thrust into an uncomfortable situation with, even though it should have been the least of her worries. It was just such a randomly human thing to feel.
After a moment, Julia thought of something to say.
“Is anyone hungry?”
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Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
It seemed like the girls were not turning him away and he felt somewhat relieved. PJ really didn't want to remain in the darkness all by himself. He never liked being alone when he was in a depressive state of mind. Even if things were awkward as hell.... He would take that over staying with Elizabeth. He wished that he could forgive her for what happened with Daniella, but.... he couldn't. He didn't have it in him right now. He didn't think it was right for him to give Elizabeth a false forgiveness. He would just be lying to himself and to her. Maybe if he saw her again....
Could they talk without things getting messy between them? He didn't know and he wasn't sure if he did want to really know.
"Alright, thank you. I just couldn't stay in the darkness anymore. It feels so strange to be on my own for that long." He commented honestly as he slowly sat down with his legs closed and he had placed the gun down on his lap, making sure to focus his full attention on Julia and Tess. He definitely hadn't spoke to either of them before. "...Hungry? ...Oh, right. I haven't really eaten anything. Didn't really have the appetite for it."
Seeing your girlfriend's.... Well, seeing so much blood. Seeing it in real life was so different from a fictional world after all.
"I think you said that your name is Julia, right...?" He asked Julia to confirmed and then he glanced over at Tess with curious eyes. "And you are...?"
Could they talk without things getting messy between them? He didn't know and he wasn't sure if he did want to really know.
"Alright, thank you. I just couldn't stay in the darkness anymore. It feels so strange to be on my own for that long." He commented honestly as he slowly sat down with his legs closed and he had placed the gun down on his lap, making sure to focus his full attention on Julia and Tess. He definitely hadn't spoke to either of them before. "...Hungry? ...Oh, right. I haven't really eaten anything. Didn't really have the appetite for it."
Seeing your girlfriend's.... Well, seeing so much blood. Seeing it in real life was so different from a fictional world after all.
"I think you said that your name is Julia, right...?" He asked Julia to confirmed and then he glanced over at Tess with curious eyes. "And you are...?"
"Tahsin," he said, nodding his head. "Tess." He had bigger problems than the school lunch esque MRIs that they gave out, apparently, but it wouldn't hurt, right?
His lungs heaved in deep, shuddering breaths, stabilizing one exhale and inhale at a time. In and out. In and out. Getting less and less shaky.
Her throat hurts.
Some spiteful part of itself wanted to just... squeeze as much as it could out of these people. Their food. Their air right out of their breaths. Their clothes on their back. That gun. Something. Anything. Anything to make itself feel better.
"Feel free to stay," she said, hoarsely, genuinely. It felt good to have people.
His lungs heaved in deep, shuddering breaths, stabilizing one exhale and inhale at a time. In and out. In and out. Getting less and less shaky.
Her throat hurts.
Some spiteful part of itself wanted to just... squeeze as much as it could out of these people. Their food. Their air right out of their breaths. Their clothes on their back. That gun. Something. Anything. Anything to make itself feel better.
"Feel free to stay," she said, hoarsely, genuinely. It felt good to have people.
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:34 pm
Julia nodded as her companions spoke. It sounded like each of them had been through something tough, and were struggling to cope with it. She shouldn’t have been surprised. They were all in a horrible situation, so it made sense that the people she ran into would have experienced something traumatic and still be affected by it. She felt a flash of guilt as she realized that until now, she hadn’t really given any thought to what the rest of the people on the trip had been going through. She’d just been focused on her own survival.
"Nice to meet you," she mumbled as her companions finished their introductions.
She'd gotten a lukewarm response to her question about food, but she felt like it would be more awkward not to follow through, so she started digging through her bag. It also gave her something to do that didn't involve looking at the people around her, which was a small relief.
"Um…let's see. We have…" she picked up three MRE packets. "Uh…cheese tortellini in tomato sauce, chili and macaroni, and…chicken chunks." Julia’s face briefly crinkled in disgust as she read the last one out. "I don’t know who made that one up," she mumbled.
"Anyway," she said, addressing her two companions, "they're here if you want one."
She spread them out in the space between the three of them, though she didn't grab one for herself. She wasn’t actually very hungry at the moment, and she wouldn't be surprised if none of her companions were either. It was an olive branch more than anything else.
"Nice to meet you," she mumbled as her companions finished their introductions.
She'd gotten a lukewarm response to her question about food, but she felt like it would be more awkward not to follow through, so she started digging through her bag. It also gave her something to do that didn't involve looking at the people around her, which was a small relief.
"Um…let's see. We have…" she picked up three MRE packets. "Uh…cheese tortellini in tomato sauce, chili and macaroni, and…chicken chunks." Julia’s face briefly crinkled in disgust as she read the last one out. "I don’t know who made that one up," she mumbled.
"Anyway," she said, addressing her two companions, "they're here if you want one."
She spread them out in the space between the three of them, though she didn't grab one for herself. She wasn’t actually very hungry at the moment, and she wouldn't be surprised if none of her companions were either. It was an olive branch more than anything else.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
PJ gave a nod towards Tess, feeling that he could let himself relax for a while. He knew that it wouldn't last forever, but he needed a bit of normalcy. "Tess. Okay, thank you for letting me stay. I appreciate it, really." He was being completely honest and genuine. "Oh, if we're sharing food, then I can offer you both some as well."
He shifted a little to get his bag off and he knew that Julia shouldn't be the only one to be offering some MRE packets. He would feel bad if he took one from her and not give her something in return. Even if he wasn't that hungry, they could have to keep up their energy and not starve themselves.
He got out three packets as well and he glanced at them with a thoughtful look. " Meatballs in marinara sauce, beef stew and.... lemon pepper tuna." He pulled a face at the last one and he put the packets down near Julia's ones. Just in case, she or Tess wanted any of them. Also, Julia was right about how made up some of the names were. Lemon pepper tuna honestly sounded very weird to him. "You're not wrong about the names. Some are very odd. Hah."
He was honestly a bit hesitant to reach out to take one of the packets that he had his eye on. So he waited to see what Tess wanted to do.
He shifted a little to get his bag off and he knew that Julia shouldn't be the only one to be offering some MRE packets. He would feel bad if he took one from her and not give her something in return. Even if he wasn't that hungry, they could have to keep up their energy and not starve themselves.
He got out three packets as well and he glanced at them with a thoughtful look. " Meatballs in marinara sauce, beef stew and.... lemon pepper tuna." He pulled a face at the last one and he put the packets down near Julia's ones. Just in case, she or Tess wanted any of them. Also, Julia was right about how made up some of the names were. Lemon pepper tuna honestly sounded very weird to him. "You're not wrong about the names. Some are very odd. Hah."
He was honestly a bit hesitant to reach out to take one of the packets that he had his eye on. So he waited to see what Tess wanted to do.
"Lemon pepper fish is great, actually. Dunno who made up chicken chunks, though."
She pulled out one of her's. "I've eaten some of mine already. But, uh, there's still a lot left." Tess glanced at the package. "It's stew."
Oh jesus christ these people are actually doing it. Like actually just pulling their supplies out of their bags. And sharing them. Like guillable idiots.
Tess didn't really mind, though. They kind of liked being here with people who seemed pretty nice and not, like, absolute assholes waiting to kill them. It kind of made them feel guilty, except not quite, because if they didn't see their inevitable betrayal coming then that's absolutely not Tess' fault.
She wished she could stay here forever, just the three of them. They seemed like nice people. They could be friends! Or at least not enemies. She thought about the worst-case scenarios, and really, really hoped that it wouldn't come down to that.
She pulled out one of her's. "I've eaten some of mine already. But, uh, there's still a lot left." Tess glanced at the package. "It's stew."
Oh jesus christ these people are actually doing it. Like actually just pulling their supplies out of their bags. And sharing them. Like guillable idiots.
Tess didn't really mind, though. They kind of liked being here with people who seemed pretty nice and not, like, absolute assholes waiting to kill them. It kind of made them feel guilty, except not quite, because if they didn't see their inevitable betrayal coming then that's absolutely not Tess' fault.
She wished she could stay here forever, just the three of them. They seemed like nice people. They could be friends! Or at least not enemies. She thought about the worst-case scenarios, and really, really hoped that it wouldn't come down to that.
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Spindarene
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:34 pm
Julia’s feeling of awkwardness increased as PJ pulled out three meals of his own to share. She appreciated that her gesture of generosity had been matched by someone else, but now she felt like she had to eat one. It would have been too awkward otherwise, especially since she was the one who had started pulling food out first. It would have been too weird to pull out a bunch of food to share, and then have no one take any of it. If no one ate anything, that meant that it wasn’t really about the food, and that thought would bring them right back to the reality that they were trying to avoid.
In a weird sort of way, this reminded Julia of the early days of the pandemic. She still remembered going to the grocery store and seeing row upon row of empty shelves, because people were panic-buying and hoarding all the food and toilet paper they could get their hands on. Some people had gotten some pretty bizarre stuff too. A lot of people weren’t really even thinking about what they were buying. What mattered was that they could get something, because it wasn’t really about the food. When a deadly virus sweeps around the world and shuts down civilization, people hold onto the little bit of control that they have left.
Julia’s lips almost curled into a smile as she thought of the contrast. The way people reacted to the pandemic was by hoarding too much food, and the way that the three of them were reacting to being in a gladiatorial social experiment was by sharing too much. It made sense, in a way. You couldn’t exactly make a virus less deadly by sharing some of your beef stew with it, but with other people you had a chance. At least for a little while.
Julia nodded in a way that she hoped looked like appreciation as Tess offered up her half-eaten food. She could see that the other girl was trying, though privately there was no way that Julia was going to eat someone else’s half-eaten food unless she literally had no other options left. And who knows, it might come to that. Two days ago, she couldn’t imagine herself breaking her vegetarianism for any reason.
“Hmm…” Julia murmured, deciding. “You know what, I think I might actually try that lemon pepper fish, if you two don’t mind.”
She looked up at her two companions before reaching out for it, just to be sure. She really didn’t want to misread the social signals here.
In a weird sort of way, this reminded Julia of the early days of the pandemic. She still remembered going to the grocery store and seeing row upon row of empty shelves, because people were panic-buying and hoarding all the food and toilet paper they could get their hands on. Some people had gotten some pretty bizarre stuff too. A lot of people weren’t really even thinking about what they were buying. What mattered was that they could get something, because it wasn’t really about the food. When a deadly virus sweeps around the world and shuts down civilization, people hold onto the little bit of control that they have left.
Julia’s lips almost curled into a smile as she thought of the contrast. The way people reacted to the pandemic was by hoarding too much food, and the way that the three of them were reacting to being in a gladiatorial social experiment was by sharing too much. It made sense, in a way. You couldn’t exactly make a virus less deadly by sharing some of your beef stew with it, but with other people you had a chance. At least for a little while.
Julia nodded in a way that she hoped looked like appreciation as Tess offered up her half-eaten food. She could see that the other girl was trying, though privately there was no way that Julia was going to eat someone else’s half-eaten food unless she literally had no other options left. And who knows, it might come to that. Two days ago, she couldn’t imagine herself breaking her vegetarianism for any reason.
“Hmm…” Julia murmured, deciding. “You know what, I think I might actually try that lemon pepper fish, if you two don’t mind.”
She looked up at her two companions before reaching out for it, just to be sure. She really didn’t want to misread the social signals here.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 900
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
PJ found himself letting out a small chuckle. He was glad that he found some people were into lemon pepper tuna as he wasn't the biggest fan of tuna. It all felt so bizarre to be able to act all normal or as normal as can be. He knew that this wouldn't last for long. But he did feel like he was in a safe zone for the time being.
PJ gave Tess a sympathetic smile and a polite nod. "Thanks, Tess. I think you should keep the stew for yourself. Might need to have it for a later date?" He suggested politely and then he turned his attention to Juliet. "Yeah, sure. You can try it out. I'm not very fond of tuna so I really don't mind."
He then glanced over the meals that Juliet had offered and he was mulling over things in his mind thoughtfully.
"Then.... I think I would like to try out the cheese tortellini in tomato sauce." He said after a few moments and he gingerly reached out his hand for the packet, trying to not feel himself hesitate.
PJ gave Tess a sympathetic smile and a polite nod. "Thanks, Tess. I think you should keep the stew for yourself. Might need to have it for a later date?" He suggested politely and then he turned his attention to Juliet. "Yeah, sure. You can try it out. I'm not very fond of tuna so I really don't mind."
He then glanced over the meals that Juliet had offered and he was mulling over things in his mind thoughtfully.
"Then.... I think I would like to try out the cheese tortellini in tomato sauce." He said after a few moments and he gingerly reached out his hand for the packet, trying to not feel himself hesitate.