((Sophie McDowell continued from Mischief Managed))
Sophie continued to hike through the woods, wiping tears away from her eyes. She had to slip by quietly in order to get away from the others. That meant being quieter than she normally was, even keeping her breathing to a much slower pace then recommended. Once she was far from the group, she was able to breathe normally, although it also meant letting out some other emotions in the process.
She thought she was safe by finding Gavin and the others. She put a lot of faith in his escape plan. She hoped that he would figure out how to save them all and get everyone off. She was willing to go along, but when she saw that they were testing explosives, she got scared.
His plan was going to involve chaos. They were going to cause destruction, and people were probably going to die in the process. She was going to be asked to kill people, all so they could get off. She realized that she should have known that from the start, but she didn't want to accept it. She wanted to believe they could get off without any trouble, but they weren't. She knew that know, and she couldn't stay there.
She slipped away quietly. She had grabbed her issued bag and left a note behind explaining that she couldn't stay. She didn't take any of their supplies; they'd probably need that stuff more than she did. She had the lead pipe Gavin gave her, and she still had some of the issued food in her bag. She'd find a way to lie low and pray for their success.
Sophie continued to stumble through the woods. The slippers were holding up well, but her feet were starting to get a little sore. But she needed to keep going, just so that she got enough distance from the others.
It's for the best. You'd probably weigh them down anyways. They can take care of themselves, and you can just stay out of their way. It's for the best.
By the Time I Get to Phoenix
(Open, Early Morning, Before Third Announcement)
((Alexander de Gaulle continued from Mischief Managed))
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Alex berated himself as he chased after Sophie. The black forest was much darker than he had expected, but he couldn't get his flashlight out. There wasn't time to dig through his bag for his flashlight; he had to catch up to her, and fast.
He should have noticed the signs, how bizarre Sophie had been acting that day. Ever since that morning when the two of them heard the announcement that the girl they found at the mall had been a killer and when that Gavin fool talked about using bombs and explosives in whatever harebrained scheme he was planning, Sophie wasn't acting like herself. She didn't talk much the whole day - in fact, as Alex recalled, she barely said more than three words even to him. If he had just said something...
It wasn't too late, though. She couldn't have gone far, not unless she was running. Alex thought he even saw her once or twice, but every time he tried to get her attention with a loud whisper of "Sophie!" it failed. He didn't dare shout her name for fear of other people in the woods; he didn't want to be prey.
He kept trudging on the path he assumed she was on as well. She was probably heading straight, unless she had a specific destination in mind. But in that case, where was she going to go?
Alex clutched the side of his stomach as he kept pacing forward, every breath stabbing like daggers in his side. The heavy duffel bag wasn't helping, but he wasn't going to drop his lifeline.
His body couldn't take the pain anymore, though; he stopped in place and let the duffle bag fall down onto the rugged forest floor. He coughed onto the sleeve of his hoodie and struggled to catch his breath. This was it - he had to do something now, before Sophie was for sure out of his reach. He ran several strategies through his head, but only one was going to work. It was dangerous, but...
In a break during his coughing fit, Alex faced straight ahead and cupped his hands around his mouth. In one big breath Alex shouted at the top of his overworked lungs:
"Sophie! Arrête !"
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Alex berated himself as he chased after Sophie. The black forest was much darker than he had expected, but he couldn't get his flashlight out. There wasn't time to dig through his bag for his flashlight; he had to catch up to her, and fast.
He should have noticed the signs, how bizarre Sophie had been acting that day. Ever since that morning when the two of them heard the announcement that the girl they found at the mall had been a killer and when that Gavin fool talked about using bombs and explosives in whatever harebrained scheme he was planning, Sophie wasn't acting like herself. She didn't talk much the whole day - in fact, as Alex recalled, she barely said more than three words even to him. If he had just said something...
It wasn't too late, though. She couldn't have gone far, not unless she was running. Alex thought he even saw her once or twice, but every time he tried to get her attention with a loud whisper of "Sophie!" it failed. He didn't dare shout her name for fear of other people in the woods; he didn't want to be prey.
He kept trudging on the path he assumed she was on as well. She was probably heading straight, unless she had a specific destination in mind. But in that case, where was she going to go?
Alex clutched the side of his stomach as he kept pacing forward, every breath stabbing like daggers in his side. The heavy duffel bag wasn't helping, but he wasn't going to drop his lifeline.
His body couldn't take the pain anymore, though; he stopped in place and let the duffle bag fall down onto the rugged forest floor. He coughed onto the sleeve of his hoodie and struggled to catch his breath. This was it - he had to do something now, before Sophie was for sure out of his reach. He ran several strategies through his head, but only one was going to work. It was dangerous, but...
In a break during his coughing fit, Alex faced straight ahead and cupped his hands around his mouth. In one big breath Alex shouted at the top of his overworked lungs:
"Sophie! Arrête !"
Sophie continued to walk through the woods. The sun would be up soon, meaning she'd have a better view of where she was going. She didn't mind getting lost though. There wasn't any real place she could go, and maybe she'd find a good hideout somewhere.
That's when she heard a voice calling out for her. It was Alex. He must have followed her somehow. Was she not quiet enough when she left the group?
There was still a bigger issue. Should she respond? Alex might be with others from the group, and they could be trying to take her back. She wasn't sure if she'd want that. She might want to stay away if that's the case.
But then again, he was her friend. He found her after Dave died, and he helped her quite a bit. She couldn't just leave him behind.
Okay, let's do it.
Sophie turned towards where she heard the shout
"Alex!" she shouted. "Where are you?"
That's when she heard a voice calling out for her. It was Alex. He must have followed her somehow. Was she not quiet enough when she left the group?
There was still a bigger issue. Should she respond? Alex might be with others from the group, and they could be trying to take her back. She wasn't sure if she'd want that. She might want to stay away if that's the case.
But then again, he was her friend. He found her after Dave died, and he helped her quite a bit. She couldn't just leave him behind.
Okay, let's do it.
Sophie turned towards where she heard the shout
"Alex!" she shouted. "Where are you?"
Alex exhaled a heavy sigh of relief. Sophie was still nearby, somewhere in the pre-dawn darkness. Now all he had to do was find her; hopefully she wasn't that far away.
He drew his hood over and bent down to open the duffel bag. "Wait up for me," he shouted while digging through the bag of sundries for his flashlight. "I'm coming over!"
Eventually he found what he was looking for and turned it on, picked up his bag, and slowly made his way over to wherever Sophie sounded like she was. The side cramp still hurt, but Alex needed to find Sophie as soon as he could.
"Are you still here?"
He drew his hood over and bent down to open the duffel bag. "Wait up for me," he shouted while digging through the bag of sundries for his flashlight. "I'm coming over!"
Eventually he found what he was looking for and turned it on, picked up his bag, and slowly made his way over to wherever Sophie sounded like she was. The side cramp still hurt, but Alex needed to find Sophie as soon as he could.
"Are you still here?"
Sophie remained still as she heard Alex reply. She clasped her hands together and held them above her heart. Alex was close by, and he was desperately looking for her. She was scared to see him, but she also wanted him to be there.
That's when she saw a beam of light appear. Alex must have pulled out a flashlight.
"Hey! I see you!"
Sophie began to run over towards the beam of light, stumbling over the branches on the ground. She was close to her friend. Just hours after leaving him and the others behind, she was going back to him. The irony was not lost on Sophie, but she didn't care. She just wanted to see her friend.
That's when she saw a beam of light appear. Alex must have pulled out a flashlight.
"Hey! I see you!"
Sophie began to run over towards the beam of light, stumbling over the branches on the ground. She was close to her friend. Just hours after leaving him and the others behind, she was going back to him. The irony was not lost on Sophie, but she didn't care. She just wanted to see her friend.
Alex aimed the flashlight beam in the direction of the shout, and out popped Sophie. He set his bag down where he stood and waited for the girl to come running over to him. Thank God Sophie listened to him.
"...Hey," Alex said casually while catching his breath, "you... taking a walk... or something?"
"...Hey," Alex said casually while catching his breath, "you... taking a walk... or something?"
Sophie approached Alex, noticing that her friend was catching his breath. How long had he been pursuing her? It must have been a while, or he managed to follow her perfectly despite her wandering off in a somewhat random direction. It didn't matter, as she let him find her when she could have slipped away. He looked to be alone, so it was likely he was acting on his own and without the others in that group.
"Uh, yeah, I guess it's a walk," she said in response to his question.
Sophie looked down at her feet.
"I...just wanted to get away from it all. The game, the plotting, all the chaos. I needed to get away."
She kept her eyes down and away from Alex. She had no idea what he could be thinking right then, so she kept her gaze away from his.
"Uh, yeah, I guess it's a walk," she said in response to his question.
Sophie looked down at her feet.
"I...just wanted to get away from it all. The game, the plotting, all the chaos. I needed to get away."
She kept her eyes down and away from Alex. She had no idea what he could be thinking right then, so she kept her gaze away from his.
"...Oh. Okay."
Alex didn't know what to say. He was spending all of his energy on catching up to Sophie that he never had time to run through what he would say to her. Sure, he understood why she ran off, but Alex didn't really care. What upset him the most was that Sophie didn't trust him enough to tell him. That really stung.
But, at the same time, what good was it going to do to yell at her? The poor girl's already such a mess, what from actually witnessing someone dying and then having to stay with that Gavin freak for the last two days. Alex considered himself lucky that he hadn't actually seen a dead body yet... then again, there was that Stacey girl back at the hotel. She was in the announcements from yesterday. That was weird to think about, that someone they met was gone the next day... even if she was kind of a bitch.
In any case, it didn't really matter what he said. They found each other again, and that's all that really mattered now.
By now the cramp at Alex's side subsided to a bearable level. He picked up the duffel and started walking in the direction Sophie arrived from. "Then let's get going. I don't know about you, but I'd like to get out of these woods as soon as possible."
Alex didn't know what to say. He was spending all of his energy on catching up to Sophie that he never had time to run through what he would say to her. Sure, he understood why she ran off, but Alex didn't really care. What upset him the most was that Sophie didn't trust him enough to tell him. That really stung.
But, at the same time, what good was it going to do to yell at her? The poor girl's already such a mess, what from actually witnessing someone dying and then having to stay with that Gavin freak for the last two days. Alex considered himself lucky that he hadn't actually seen a dead body yet... then again, there was that Stacey girl back at the hotel. She was in the announcements from yesterday. That was weird to think about, that someone they met was gone the next day... even if she was kind of a bitch.
In any case, it didn't really matter what he said. They found each other again, and that's all that really mattered now.
By now the cramp at Alex's side subsided to a bearable level. He picked up the duffel and started walking in the direction Sophie arrived from. "Then let's get going. I don't know about you, but I'd like to get out of these woods as soon as possible."
Sophie waited for Alex to speak. She was expecting a flurry of questions from him. Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me? Where were you planning to go? But he didn't say much. He responded to her earlier remark, then walked towards her. He told her it was time to go.
She didn't immediately respond. Wasn't he mad at her? Or at least concerned? She thought he'd be a little more vocal, but that was all. Maybe he was better at holding his emotions back than she thought. He was at least better at being rational then she was.
"Um, sure. But where are we going?" she asked.
She didn't immediately respond. Wasn't he mad at her? Or at least concerned? She thought he'd be a little more vocal, but that was all. Maybe he was better at holding his emotions back than she thought. He was at least better at being rational then she was.
"Um, sure. But where are we going?" she asked.
"...Well, I thought...never mind," Alex shook his head. Was Sophie just wandering around without knowing where she was going?
He looked down at Sophie's feet, which were barely holding out with those slippers they got back at the mall. "How are your feet doing? Since it's not a danger zone anymore, we could try to swing by the hotel and get your shoes. Or, I suppose we could go back to the mall and try finding shoes there again. We shouldn't be that far away from either place. Of course, we could also just... I dunno, wander around, see who we run into? It's your choice."
He looked down at Sophie's feet, which were barely holding out with those slippers they got back at the mall. "How are your feet doing? Since it's not a danger zone anymore, we could try to swing by the hotel and get your shoes. Or, I suppose we could go back to the mall and try finding shoes there again. We shouldn't be that far away from either place. Of course, we could also just... I dunno, wander around, see who we run into? It's your choice."
Alex was concerned about her feet. Well, yeah, he had a good point. She could get her sandals back if they went to the hotel. It was still dark, and so if anyone was there, they'd probably be asleep. There was a chance the hotel would be made a danger zone in a few hours, so they'd have to go as soon as possible.
"Yeah, hotel. Let's do that," Sophie said.
Sophie adjusted the bag around her shoulder. Since she went through the town and into the woods, she could just go back and hopefully find the hotel. There had to be landmarks that would help them find the hotel.
"It might be good to rest in the hotel for a bit," she added. "Let's go now."
Sophie walked past Alex and back towards the city, hoping he'd follow after her. Maybe after she got some time to rest, she'd feel a little better. At least her feet might feel better.
((Sophie McDowell continued in Falling Slowly))
"Yeah, hotel. Let's do that," Sophie said.
Sophie adjusted the bag around her shoulder. Since she went through the town and into the woods, she could just go back and hopefully find the hotel. There had to be landmarks that would help them find the hotel.
"It might be good to rest in the hotel for a bit," she added. "Let's go now."
Sophie walked past Alex and back towards the city, hoping he'd follow after her. Maybe after she got some time to rest, she'd feel a little better. At least her feet might feel better.
((Sophie McDowell continued in Falling Slowly))
"Yeah, sure. Don't walk too fast, though," Alex said as he followed behind Sophie, turning his head back one time to make sure no one had been following them.
No one was probably watching them, though. It wasn't like they cared enough about either Sophie or Alex enough to go out of their way to try and find the two of them. Oh well, it was their loss.
By the time Alex turned back around, Sophie had already made considerable ground ahead of him. "Hey, wait up!" he shouted as he picked up his pace to catch up to her.
Alex definitely didn't feel like playing that game again.
((Alexander de Gaulle continued in Falling Slowly))
No one was probably watching them, though. It wasn't like they cared enough about either Sophie or Alex enough to go out of their way to try and find the two of them. Oh well, it was their loss.
By the time Alex turned back around, Sophie had already made considerable ground ahead of him. "Hey, wait up!" he shouted as he picked up his pace to catch up to her.
Alex definitely didn't feel like playing that game again.
((Alexander de Gaulle continued in Falling Slowly))