[Yellow #4 - Marcus Walker. Continued from Tainted Love]
They'd been walking for a while. They'd been doing that a lot lately. There wasn't much else to do but keep moving. They didn't seek people out, and while Marcus didn't try to actively avoid people, he wasn't looking to run into anyone either. He was content to just walk and wander with Anna in tow. They started out at the lake, and wandered around there. Then, they went back out into the plains. No real destination and no real reason for walking, just walking for the sake of walking.
They heard the announcements. Marcus only paid enough attention to hear that Skyler was dead. Fuck. Marcus wanted to be the one to kill that fuck. Marcus wanted to strangle the life out of that pissant little bastard, and make him pay for Devonte. But someone else beat him to it. He hoped it was painful. He really did. But now that Sky was gone, Marcus really had nothing to do. No goals at all, no destination, no purpose. His only reason for staying alive was to do just that, stay alive. Survival... and protection. That's right. He did still have a purpose. He had to protect Anna. Protect her from what, he didn't know, but he would protect her.
When they came upon the woods, Marcus had to laugh. He'd been back and forth between the woods the entire time he'd been on the island. Back and forth, back and forth. He never really left his little triangle. But here he was, back again, and he had a place in mind to stop at. Someone he had to see. But finding his way and leading Anna through the winding paths would take a while, and until he found a proper landmark, he was left to wander. Wander, and wonder, and search. Until he found something.
Something that stopped him dead in his tracks.
"...Oh, god."
Why did it have to be that?
Why did it have to be him?
Somehow Precious
Somewhere in the woods
Somehow Precious
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Dr. Nic. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
(Blue#2 -Anna Hitchins continued from Tainted Love)
Anna had tried to make conversation with Marcus as they left, but he didn't seem to be much for words with her. She knew he did talk; she had seen him laughing, talking with the rest of the group. She wondered if he'd ever talk again, considering that they were all...
She grunted, having run into Marcus's back as he had stopped abruptly. She was about to protest and ask why he had decided to take sudden root, but something about the way he was rigid made her quiet.
She reached out, pulled him gently to the side, and when she saw what he had been looking at, her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth, as if trying to say something, but nothing but a slight gasp was issued from her throat.
Oh, God.
Anna had tried to make conversation with Marcus as they left, but he didn't seem to be much for words with her. She knew he did talk; she had seen him laughing, talking with the rest of the group. She wondered if he'd ever talk again, considering that they were all...
She grunted, having run into Marcus's back as he had stopped abruptly. She was about to protest and ask why he had decided to take sudden root, but something about the way he was rigid made her quiet.
She reached out, pulled him gently to the side, and when she saw what he had been looking at, her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth, as if trying to say something, but nothing but a slight gasp was issued from her throat.
Oh, God.
They didn't need to see that.
They didn't need to find him.
It took Marcus a moment to realize, but Anna was standing next to him. He didn't know how long she'd been there, or exactly how much she saw. But he couldn't let her just keep looking at him. He couldn't let her see that. So he stepped in front of her, and turned his back on the horrid sight, and pulled Anna close. Shielded her from that.
She didn't need to see that.
"I'm sorry, Anna."
He held her, and shielded her, and kept her from looking on that.
"I'm so sorry."
He didn't move. He didn't say anything besides that. He just held Anna, and stood there. Between her and Anthony. Between the living and the dead.
They didn't need to find him.
It took Marcus a moment to realize, but Anna was standing next to him. He didn't know how long she'd been there, or exactly how much she saw. But he couldn't let her just keep looking at him. He couldn't let her see that. So he stepped in front of her, and turned his back on the horrid sight, and pulled Anna close. Shielded her from that.
She didn't need to see that.
"I'm sorry, Anna."
He held her, and shielded her, and kept her from looking on that.
"I'm so sorry."
He didn't move. He didn't say anything besides that. He just held Anna, and stood there. Between her and Anthony. Between the living and the dead.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Dr. Nic. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
It didn't take Anna long to break free of Marcus's grip. A grim cast had set on her eyes. She wasn't talking. She didn't need to.
She was appreciative of Marcus's intent, but now wasn't the time. With surprising strength for her frame, she swept the big black kid out of her way. She walked over to what it was they had seen.
He was facedown. The navy of his button-down shirt had a few stains of red on it. She could see the exit wound where a round had punched through his organs. Unimportant. She just wanted to see his face.
She struggled at first, but managed to pull him to his back. Eyes that were formerly full of life when they weren't plastered to the lens of a camera were glassy, staring endless and incredulous at whatever it was that killed him. Strands of straightened black hair had fallen out of his ponytail and across his face, and Anna brushed them aside.
Her voice stuck in her throat, so she settled for folding over, resting her head on Anthony's chest. Her body shuddered with deep, inaudible sobs.
She was appreciative of Marcus's intent, but now wasn't the time. With surprising strength for her frame, she swept the big black kid out of her way. She walked over to what it was they had seen.
He was facedown. The navy of his button-down shirt had a few stains of red on it. She could see the exit wound where a round had punched through his organs. Unimportant. She just wanted to see his face.
She struggled at first, but managed to pull him to his back. Eyes that were formerly full of life when they weren't plastered to the lens of a camera were glassy, staring endless and incredulous at whatever it was that killed him. Strands of straightened black hair had fallen out of his ponytail and across his face, and Anna brushed them aside.
Her voice stuck in her throat, so she settled for folding over, resting her head on Anthony's chest. Her body shuddered with deep, inaudible sobs.
He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. So he just stood there, and watched Anna. He stood behind her and held back his voice and his own emotions as he watched her lean over the body and sob. There wasn't anything he could do, or say, that would make any of this better. Nothing would ever make this better. Their friend was dead. All of their friends were dead. And now they'd found the body, and Marcus didn't know what to do, and Anna needed him. Or didn't need him. He wasn't sure anymore.
"I..."
He struggled to find the words. He wanted to say something. He wanted to do something. Anything, everything, just something besides stand there and watch.
"I have an idea, if it's okay with you."
Yeah. An idea. Something nice to do for Anthony. Marcus couldn't protect him in life, but maybe he could do a little something to make up for that. He knelt down next to Anna, and tried not to look at Anthony.
"There is a place nearby, and I could take him there."
He wasn't exactly sure where they were, but he was sure he could find it. Yeah, he was sure.
"We could..."
Marcus trailed off, and scratched at the ground next to his knee. Pulled loose a handful of dirt and rocks... and let it fall into a small pile.
"I..."
He struggled to find the words. He wanted to say something. He wanted to do something. Anything, everything, just something besides stand there and watch.
"I have an idea, if it's okay with you."
Yeah. An idea. Something nice to do for Anthony. Marcus couldn't protect him in life, but maybe he could do a little something to make up for that. He knelt down next to Anna, and tried not to look at Anthony.
"There is a place nearby, and I could take him there."
He wasn't exactly sure where they were, but he was sure he could find it. Yeah, he was sure.
"We could..."
Marcus trailed off, and scratched at the ground next to his knee. Pulled loose a handful of dirt and rocks... and let it fall into a small pile.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Dr. Nic. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
She looked up at him with tearless eyes (she had gotten the crying done earlier, when she hadn't been sure why she was doing it). The unspoken idea was easy enough to comprehend, and simple enough to accept. They couldn't leave him here, for the animals to pick at.
She nodded.
She nodded.
Marcus nodded.
First things first, Marcus pulled his backpack off of his shoulders, and dug out the spare clothes he'd been given. They weren't going to do him any good any time soon, but he could put them to much better use right now. Taking his place a bit closer to Anthony, he draped the shirts over his dead friend and closed his eyes. Marcus didn't want to see Anthony's eyes so glassy.
"Shouldn't be too far, Anthony. But I'll have to carry you."
Once Anthony was covered, Marcus hauled him up and on to his shoulder. He was heavy. Heavier than he ever remembered Anthony being. This wasn't just Anthony. It was a load Marcus never wanted to carry. Carrying that weight on his shoulders was something Marcus never wanted to do. It was something Marcus never expected he would have to do. He always thought Anthony would be around forever. He thought that about Devonte and Jaszmine too. But not anymore.
He had a lot of weight to carry. And it was getting a little harder to carry it all everyday.
"Come on. It's over this way. Keep a look out for... well, for a pile of rocks. You'll know it when you see it."
First things first, Marcus pulled his backpack off of his shoulders, and dug out the spare clothes he'd been given. They weren't going to do him any good any time soon, but he could put them to much better use right now. Taking his place a bit closer to Anthony, he draped the shirts over his dead friend and closed his eyes. Marcus didn't want to see Anthony's eyes so glassy.
"Shouldn't be too far, Anthony. But I'll have to carry you."
Once Anthony was covered, Marcus hauled him up and on to his shoulder. He was heavy. Heavier than he ever remembered Anthony being. This wasn't just Anthony. It was a load Marcus never wanted to carry. Carrying that weight on his shoulders was something Marcus never wanted to do. It was something Marcus never expected he would have to do. He always thought Anthony would be around forever. He thought that about Devonte and Jaszmine too. But not anymore.
He had a lot of weight to carry. And it was getting a little harder to carry it all everyday.
"Come on. It's over this way. Keep a look out for... well, for a pile of rocks. You'll know it when you see it."
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Dr. Nic. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Anna stuck close to Marcus as they walked, kept looking at the bundle that he had thrown across his shoulder. It was nearly impossible to believe that underneath the clothes was the best friend she'd ever had. Dead. Bled out, or whatever it was that happened to him. Furtively, without Marcus knowing, she put a hand out, stroked the shirt that was covering Anthony's head.
Her breath caught in her throat for a second, and she almost choked.
G...God.
She saw the pile of rocks that Marcus told her to watch for, and she tapped him, pointing to it.
Her breath caught in her throat for a second, and she almost choked.
G...God.
She saw the pile of rocks that Marcus told her to watch for, and she tapped him, pointing to it.
"Yeah, that's it."
Marcus hated being back here. He hated knowing just what was underneath that pile of rocks. Who was underneath it. But he knew he would remember it, and he knew it was the best place for this. There wasn't much to say as he set Anthony down next to Devonte. He knew he should say something, anything, to Anna. But he failed to find anything that would make any of this okay. He just sat there, kneeling next to Anthony.
"Wait here."
It was all Marcus could say as he got up. He needed to get to work, and he didn't want to make Anna get her hands dirty. So he headed off alone. He wasn't gone long, and he never strayed far or let Anna out of his sight. But he needed to get to work.
Anthony's grave wasn't going to make itself.
Marcus hated being back here. He hated knowing just what was underneath that pile of rocks. Who was underneath it. But he knew he would remember it, and he knew it was the best place for this. There wasn't much to say as he set Anthony down next to Devonte. He knew he should say something, anything, to Anna. But he failed to find anything that would make any of this okay. He just sat there, kneeling next to Anthony.
"Wait here."
It was all Marcus could say as he got up. He needed to get to work, and he didn't want to make Anna get her hands dirty. So he headed off alone. He wasn't gone long, and he never strayed far or let Anna out of his sight. But he needed to get to work.
Anthony's grave wasn't going to make itself.
This is an archival account used by staff to port posts belonging to the handler Dr. Nic. While this handler hasn't been around in quite a while, should they return and wish to take custody of this account and/or its posts, they are welcome to do so by contacting staff.
Anna collapsed to her knees, settling in to watch as Marcus worked. At gravedigging. The concept still seemed foreign, even as Marcus gathered rocks for the cairn thing he had been building.
She wondered if they should have said a few words. She hoped not. She was certain she had none. She was certain as Marcus stacked the rocks. Was positive when he carried Anthony's limp form over to the cairn.
For the first time in her life the aspiring starlet was deathly silent.
((Blue #2: Anna Hitchins and Yellow #4: Marcus Walker continued in Reconstruction))
She wondered if they should have said a few words. She hoped not. She was certain she had none. She was certain as Marcus stacked the rocks. Was positive when he carried Anthony's limp form over to the cairn.
For the first time in her life the aspiring starlet was deathly silent.
((Blue #2: Anna Hitchins and Yellow #4: Marcus Walker continued in Reconstruction))