"SORRY SORRY!" Nathan said again and again, louder because Madison yelled. He turned the bottle up and set it down on a nearby counter, nearly knocking it over when he pulled his hands back. He lurched to catch it, making sure it was completely steady before slowly letting go.
Madison did not seem too angry, because he heard her tell him that he did an awesome job, even though there wasn't much of the liquid left. So he turned to her and looked up with a smile, only to frown when he thought about her next question. He had a bag, and with a weapon? Nathan thought with tightly shut eyes about what bag Madison could be talking about.
When he woke up, there were two bags. He opened one, and saw his things. That was the bag he had with him. The other one had some numbers on it and was very big. It didn't look familiar. Nathan thought it belonged to somebody else.
"Outside!" Nathan said, finally. "I left it outside!"
The Robot With Human Hair
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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“Where outside,?”
Maybe it was a dumb question to an even dumber answer, but there was no telling where Nathan had woken up or how long he'd walked for before finding her. As far as Madison knew, that bag could've been on the other end of the island or in the bottom of the ocean. All she could do was breath, because otherwise she knew she'd blow up again and she didn't have that energy in her anymore.
In, out.
“Nathan, that has everything in it. Your weapon, all your first aid shit, like,” She couldn't hold in an exasperated groan, burying her face into her good hand as every worst case scenario rolled through her head all at once.
“Food, dude.”
She didn't expect Nathan, or herself, to last long enough to starve, but she'd at least have enough food to get her through til whenever and keep her going. If Nathan was anything like her sister, she very highly doubted he'd be handle being hungry well.
But, she told herself, she didn't have to be a pessimist. Other people would be optimistic.
Maybe it was a dumb question to an even dumber answer, but there was no telling where Nathan had woken up or how long he'd walked for before finding her. As far as Madison knew, that bag could've been on the other end of the island or in the bottom of the ocean. All she could do was breath, because otherwise she knew she'd blow up again and she didn't have that energy in her anymore.
In, out.
“Nathan, that has everything in it. Your weapon, all your first aid shit, like,” She couldn't hold in an exasperated groan, burying her face into her good hand as every worst case scenario rolled through her head all at once.
“Food, dude.”
She didn't expect Nathan, or herself, to last long enough to starve, but she'd at least have enough food to get her through til whenever and keep her going. If Nathan was anything like her sister, she very highly doubted he'd be handle being hungry well.
But, she told herself, she didn't have to be a pessimist. Other people would be optimistic.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"It wasn't mine!" Nathan protested. He only brought his backpack on the trip, and everything should have been in his backpack. His backpack was nowhere to be found, but all of his clothes had been moved to a plain bag that he accepted was his now. The other bag was strange.
"It wasn't mine," Nathan whined, repeating himself. "Wuh, how was... I don't know what it is."
This day was turning out to be so confusing. Madison scared him, then comforted him, then yelled at him, then questioned him. He understood that they were far from home and in danger, kidnapped by bad people. That was okay, because he trusted Madison to keep him safe. But Madison was not doing as good a job as his mom would have, Nathan decided. Mom would have known exactly what to do.
"I'm sorry," Nathan said one more time, scuffing the floor with his foot, pushing around pieces of glass and ceramic plate.
"It wasn't mine," Nathan whined, repeating himself. "Wuh, how was... I don't know what it is."
This day was turning out to be so confusing. Madison scared him, then comforted him, then yelled at him, then questioned him. He understood that they were far from home and in danger, kidnapped by bad people. That was okay, because he trusted Madison to keep him safe. But Madison was not doing as good a job as his mom would have, Nathan decided. Mom would have known exactly what to do.
"I'm sorry," Nathan said one more time, scuffing the floor with his foot, pushing around pieces of glass and ceramic plate.
It wouldn't be fair to say Madison was trying her best to understand Nathan and to be accepting, not to him nor to her, because she knew full well she wasn't capable of that right now or, more accurately even, unable to force herself to be. Nathan leaving his bag who-knows-where wasn't dissimilar to him misplacing a library book or likewise, but circumstances were wildly different. He'd lost a weapon, food, water, supplies, all in a game where people were expected to outlast one another by using any means necessary.
And while it was a fuck up or an accident, yeah, and while truly he probably just wasn't thinking, it was a big fuck up and a big accident. One that put not only him at a disadvantage, but her as well.
For a moment, she thought about just leaving and letting him figure everything out himself. His mistake, his problem. And she wanted to. Everything in her was screaming at her to cut him loose, told her that she'd warned him and gave him a dose of reality and that was all she could do for him.
And maybe it was, but she thought about Cassidy and thought about her in the same situation and thought about how... livid wasn't even a strong enough word. There was something beyond turning your back on someone like Nathan or Cassidy.
Slinging her duffel from the counter over her shoulder, she held out her uninjured hand in front of her, beckoning Nathan to take the lead in front of her.
“Did you at least leave it around here? We're gonna need it.”
And while it was a fuck up or an accident, yeah, and while truly he probably just wasn't thinking, it was a big fuck up and a big accident. One that put not only him at a disadvantage, but her as well.
For a moment, she thought about just leaving and letting him figure everything out himself. His mistake, his problem. And she wanted to. Everything in her was screaming at her to cut him loose, told her that she'd warned him and gave him a dose of reality and that was all she could do for him.
And maybe it was, but she thought about Cassidy and thought about her in the same situation and thought about how... livid wasn't even a strong enough word. There was something beyond turning your back on someone like Nathan or Cassidy.
Slinging her duffel from the counter over her shoulder, she held out her uninjured hand in front of her, beckoning Nathan to take the lead in front of her.
“Did you at least leave it around here? We're gonna need it.”
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Nathan looked at Madison's hand.
"It was outside," Nathan said. He thought he already told Madison where it was, but maybe she forgot. He could understand that; he forgot things all the time, and needed reminders through the day. It was helpful to look at pictures in his binder to tell him what he needed to bring to each class. Nathan thought fondly for a moment about setting up his binder with Mrs. Bautista.
When Nathan came out of his brief daydream, Madison was still staring at him. He realized just what he had been doing and jumped up in surprise. "OH!" Nathan yelped. "The bag!" He turned and hurried out of the kitchen, and out of the strange house he had entered in order to find Madison.
"It was right here! It's right over here!" Nathan called, again and again, loudly from outside. There, in the dust, next to a tree, next to a patch of grass, next to a broken old fence...
Was nothing.
"It was outside," Nathan said. He thought he already told Madison where it was, but maybe she forgot. He could understand that; he forgot things all the time, and needed reminders through the day. It was helpful to look at pictures in his binder to tell him what he needed to bring to each class. Nathan thought fondly for a moment about setting up his binder with Mrs. Bautista.
When Nathan came out of his brief daydream, Madison was still staring at him. He realized just what he had been doing and jumped up in surprise. "OH!" Nathan yelped. "The bag!" He turned and hurried out of the kitchen, and out of the strange house he had entered in order to find Madison.
"It was right here! It's right over here!" Nathan called, again and again, loudly from outside. There, in the dust, next to a tree, next to a patch of grass, next to a broken old fence...
Was nothing.
Madison redistributed the weight of the heavy duffel on her shoulder and clicked her teeth, fighting the ever-growing urge to cross her arms in front of her so as to not disturb her already sore palm. She wasn't surprised, not in the least, and while part of her had been holding out hope that they'd find Nathan's bag in the same place he'd allegedly left it, she'd quickly made peace that it'd be unlikely. And as it was, she didn't have the energy left to prod him or make sure he was positive he'd left it where he brought her. It wasn't worth the effort and no matter how badly she wanted to berate him and tell him how badly he messed up, it'd just been them talking in circles. You suck, Nathan, you're gonna get us both killed. Wah, wah, Madison you're mean.
And she was tired. Mentally, mostly., although her body still ached from whatever they'd been administered.
The sun was high in the sky already and with it rose the heat outside. She didn't know what time it was or what the sun's position told, just that it had at least been awhile since she woke up and tore the kitchen apart. Maybe an hour or so? She'd never felt so naked and lost now that she was without her phone.Instead of reaching into a pocket she knew was empty, she absently rested the back of her good hand on her slick forehead; half because it was far too bright outside after dull lighting in the manor and half just because she needed something to do with her hands. It helped her think.
Watching as Nathan aimlessly checked behind the same overgrown bush for the third time, she couldn't help a bubble of resentment from rising in her chest. She was just as lost and clueless as he was, the little idiot on his hands and knees looking for a bag that was either long gone or never there to begin with, but somehow it was still her responsibility to take care of them both. To decide their next plan of action and keep them safe when she could barely take care of herself.
“It's not there, Nathan. It's gone.”
Connor would know what to do. He always knew what to do, had everything figured out long before she'd even begin to worry about anything. It was Connor who had ideas for dates or fun things to do, Connor who knew how to change the tire when his car got a flat, Connor who kept her from sleeping on her back when she was too drunk to even see straight.
And she was no better than Nathan, just as lost and just as dead a weight as he was.
And there he was, still on his hands and knees in the dirt and all she could see in him was herself.
“It's not fucking THERE, Nathan!” Her voice was an octave away from yelling, coming out more exasperated than the anger she was feeling.
She took a breath, averting her eyes from his and back at the manor behind them.
“Look,” She began, softening her voice as much as she could, “I just need, like, a second to figure something out, okay? We just need to stay here until I can think of something, but until then just don't be so annoying, alright?”
She didn't know how long it'd be until she came up with a plan or if she ever would. Part of her was banking on Connor finding them before then. Or before someone else did.
Walking back up the stairs that were probably crazy opulent in their heyday, but were now just cracked and dusted remnants, she looked back at Nathan, her eyes demanding he follow her. It sucked that she was stuck with him.
He probably felt the same way.
“You can have one of my energy bars if you're hungry. One.”
** Madison Springer, girl no. 12, continued in... Son of Robot
And she was tired. Mentally, mostly., although her body still ached from whatever they'd been administered.
The sun was high in the sky already and with it rose the heat outside. She didn't know what time it was or what the sun's position told, just that it had at least been awhile since she woke up and tore the kitchen apart. Maybe an hour or so? She'd never felt so naked and lost now that she was without her phone.Instead of reaching into a pocket she knew was empty, she absently rested the back of her good hand on her slick forehead; half because it was far too bright outside after dull lighting in the manor and half just because she needed something to do with her hands. It helped her think.
Watching as Nathan aimlessly checked behind the same overgrown bush for the third time, she couldn't help a bubble of resentment from rising in her chest. She was just as lost and clueless as he was, the little idiot on his hands and knees looking for a bag that was either long gone or never there to begin with, but somehow it was still her responsibility to take care of them both. To decide their next plan of action and keep them safe when she could barely take care of herself.
“It's not there, Nathan. It's gone.”
Connor would know what to do. He always knew what to do, had everything figured out long before she'd even begin to worry about anything. It was Connor who had ideas for dates or fun things to do, Connor who knew how to change the tire when his car got a flat, Connor who kept her from sleeping on her back when she was too drunk to even see straight.
And she was no better than Nathan, just as lost and just as dead a weight as he was.
And there he was, still on his hands and knees in the dirt and all she could see in him was herself.
“It's not fucking THERE, Nathan!” Her voice was an octave away from yelling, coming out more exasperated than the anger she was feeling.
She took a breath, averting her eyes from his and back at the manor behind them.
“Look,” She began, softening her voice as much as she could, “I just need, like, a second to figure something out, okay? We just need to stay here until I can think of something, but until then just don't be so annoying, alright?”
She didn't know how long it'd be until she came up with a plan or if she ever would. Part of her was banking on Connor finding them before then. Or before someone else did.
Walking back up the stairs that were probably crazy opulent in their heyday, but were now just cracked and dusted remnants, she looked back at Nathan, her eyes demanding he follow her. It sucked that she was stuck with him.
He probably felt the same way.
“You can have one of my energy bars if you're hungry. One.”
** Madison Springer, girl no. 12, continued in... Son of Robot
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Nathan did not understand why his bag was gone. He could remember exactly where he left it, the very exact spot, and he checked all around. He checked behind the tree, and it was not there. He checked around the bush, and it was not there either. He paced and looked and pouted, and he felt himself become more frustrated. Madison told him it was gone, and he did not want to believe her.
Madison told him again, louder this time. But Nathan already knew it was gone. He had no choice but to believe her, no matter how much he did not want to. He started to whine, and the whine turned into a loud, high-pitched screech. Nathan felt so angry, so angry that he shook his fists and kicked his shoes into the dirt because it did not make sense why his bag would disappear, and now he felt stupid. He wanted to cry, and he very nearly did start crying until Madison spoke to him again.
"I'M NOT-"
Nathan choked on the last word. 'I am not annoying,' he wanted to say, but because he was so mad, he screamed the words instead. When he realized how loud he was getting, he stopped and instead thought about Mrs. Bautista. What was he supposed to do when he got mad?
Take a big, deep breath.
Count to ten.
Take another deep breath, nice and slow. Shut your eyes, and open them again. Un-ball your fists, though it is okay to shake them a little at first. Now they need to be safe hands.
Madison would think of something. Nathan trusted her to think of something because he knew she was smart. All he had to do was follow her, which he did, reluctantly.
((Nathan Coleman, continued elsewhere.))
Madison told him again, louder this time. But Nathan already knew it was gone. He had no choice but to believe her, no matter how much he did not want to. He started to whine, and the whine turned into a loud, high-pitched screech. Nathan felt so angry, so angry that he shook his fists and kicked his shoes into the dirt because it did not make sense why his bag would disappear, and now he felt stupid. He wanted to cry, and he very nearly did start crying until Madison spoke to him again.
"I'M NOT-"
Nathan choked on the last word. 'I am not annoying,' he wanted to say, but because he was so mad, he screamed the words instead. When he realized how loud he was getting, he stopped and instead thought about Mrs. Bautista. What was he supposed to do when he got mad?
Take a big, deep breath.
Count to ten.
Take another deep breath, nice and slow. Shut your eyes, and open them again. Un-ball your fists, though it is okay to shake them a little at first. Now they need to be safe hands.
Madison would think of something. Nathan trusted her to think of something because he knew she was smart. All he had to do was follow her, which he did, reluctantly.
((Nathan Coleman, continued elsewhere.))