Maybe it was only now that the reality of the situation was hitting her. Jen struggled to maintain the lucidity of the world as her body continued to engulf her with pain. She continued to cry, her whimpering the only sound to fill the room. The catharsis helped numb the pain, to a degree. As seconds dragged on, she started trying to come to terms with her death. Who was going to look after her brother and sisters?
Before she could go further down that path, his voice came again. Though her feelings were threatening to bubble over again, Jen tried her best to rein them in again. He was friendly, for now. Finally, something good. Jen took occasional sniffs, wincing at the pain in her chest, in an effort to hear what else he had to say.
Her consciousness drifted between the top of the stairs and her mind. She had to concentrate on the zipping just to make sure she was still awake. Any notion of a possible betrayal was far from her mind. Somewhere, deep inside, she recognised that she was being foolish. All that Jen really had was hope. Hope that her fortunes were finally changing.
Maybe she would've laughed if it didn't make the agony worse. Jen could've appreciated his humour more had her circumstances been different. There was no time to linger. This was her chance at salvation and she wasn't going to let the opportunity pass.
Jen took a few seconds, making sure she had her things. She was thankful the stairs had railings. She took a deep breath, her chest protesting, and forcefully pushed herself up. A cry of pain escaped her lips, but at least she was up. Jen flung her body at the railing, clumsily stumbling towards the stairs. The blood had dried by this point. Slumping on the railing, she slowly dragged herself up. Though Jen's body was suffering, she kept on moving. Her eyes kept focused on the flashlight. She was being pulled to the light, her hope for an escape from her captivity. Everything melted away as all she could think about was the light. Get to the light. Stay alive.
At the top of the stairs, Jen felt the strength leave her body as her knees buckled. Kneeling on the floor, her gun fell out of her hands and rested between her and the flashlight. Feelings of accomplishment washed over her body, but she realised that she couldn't enjoy the success for long. Taking short breaths to lessen the strain on her chest, she turned towards the boy that saved her.
"T-thank you."
That was all she could muster for now.
Welcome to the Outside World
Thanks, Leander!
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jimmydalad
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MurderWeasel
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Leander's eyebrows bunched as he looked back at the girl. If there had been any lingering doubt that this all would really happen, any suggestion that the boy who had shot himself—the boy whose name he'd decided to remember when he heard it broadcast and had almost immediately forgotten anyways—was some anomaly, it dissipated when he took in the blood caked all over the right side of her face and the evident bruising. All of that even managed to nearly catch his attention more than the assault rifle, just like the girl seemed to be more focused on having completed her ascent than on the shotgun pointed in her direction.
Maybe it was just that Leander was standing off to the side, pressed casually against the wall, in a good tactical position just in case this was a trap, rather than getting up in her face about it. He was fairly sure it wasn't a deception by now, though. Way too complicated, lots of moving pieces and she'd set the gun down like he asked. That was the first step to establishing trust, at least.
Leander let the shotgun's snout dip down too, the better to give a more welcoming reception. He wasn't planning on shooting her, at least at this point, so it was just a deterrent, and he was sure he could snap it up and pull the trigger before she could get her own weapon back in hand and aimed.
"Some guy just threw you down the stairs, huh?" He pressed his lips together, glanced at the door. "How come?"
The rain continued to beat down on the roof, a constant drumbeat that might have been relaxing if not for the potential to mask the sound of other unexpected guests.
"You need anything?" Leander continued. "Maybe we can go find a chair, talk when you're sitting down."
Maybe it was just that Leander was standing off to the side, pressed casually against the wall, in a good tactical position just in case this was a trap, rather than getting up in her face about it. He was fairly sure it wasn't a deception by now, though. Way too complicated, lots of moving pieces and she'd set the gun down like he asked. That was the first step to establishing trust, at least.
Leander let the shotgun's snout dip down too, the better to give a more welcoming reception. He wasn't planning on shooting her, at least at this point, so it was just a deterrent, and he was sure he could snap it up and pull the trigger before she could get her own weapon back in hand and aimed.
"Some guy just threw you down the stairs, huh?" He pressed his lips together, glanced at the door. "How come?"
The rain continued to beat down on the roof, a constant drumbeat that might have been relaxing if not for the potential to mask the sound of other unexpected guests.
"You need anything?" Leander continued. "Maybe we can go find a chair, talk when you're sitting down."
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jimmydalad
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It took Jen a few moments to recognise the existence of the shotgun pointed in her direction. If she wasn't so preoccupied with gaining her strength back and enjoying her freedom from the prison below, she probably would've felt some level of fear. However, with the state she was in, she could only register mild surprise. Jen could understand the reason for the boy's behavior and wasn't surprised to see him point the gun down to the floor. As she shifted slowly to a seating position, she only now became cognisant of the night sky and the rain that hammered against the roof.
At least she didn't have to move again. For the time being. Jen slightly raised her head towards the boy as he rattled off questions. Her wounds ached as she tried to put together the events that led to her forced tumble down the stairs. Owing to how sudden the events were and the pain that followed them, she realised she never really thought about why it all happened to begin with. As snapshots of moments came back to her, it was almost like her wounds started to reopen. She gritted her teeth as she forced herself to relive the past. Soraya blowing up the Zorb and then running after it. Adrian LastName discussing his plans and inviting her to tag along. Jen mentioning the gun.
A flash of realisation hit Jen and she had to stop herself from recoiling to prevent the pain from being exacerbated further. Her hands clenched tightly as she put the pieces together.
Adrian wanted the gun.
She looked lost in thought for a second before she remembered that there was someone else in the room with her.
"I... need a moment to rest..." Jen started, loud enough to be heard over the rain but not too much as to strain her chest any further. "I can sit against the wall. Is it ok for me to bring my gun with me? I don't need to pick it up, I just want it close."
It was the gun that got her into this mess, to begin with. Part of her wished she never had it at all. At the same time, she recognised it was only because of the gun that Adrian didn't finish the job. It was her lifeline, whether she wanted it to be or not. She didn't move yet, waiting for the boy's approval. She didn't want to give him a reason to kill her.
"As for why..." Jen winced as the words came out of her mouth. Not having spoken until now, she didn't recognise how much it hurt to do so. She couldn't stop, even if her body screamed otherwise. "I told him about the gun. He was going to find the beach and circle the island and invited me. He asked me to show him where my stuff was. I moved to the door and next thing I know...."
Now that she was saying it out loud, Jen couldn't help but feel like an idiot. She should've seen it coming. The thought of betrayal didn't cross her mind at the time, but in retrospect, it should've. A sad grimace stretched across her face as she mentally lambasted herself for her shortsightedness.
"The only reason he didn't follow was that I accidentally pulled the trigger on my gun. I didn't even know the gun was in my hand, but then bullets came out and Adrian slammed the door shut."
She found it difficult to find more words to follow. The mental discomfort squirmed and intermingled with the pain in her chest. Grunts of pain escaped her body as she tried to push herself into an upright position. She didn't want to linger on this topic.
"Mind if I get your name? You know mine."
At least she didn't have to move again. For the time being. Jen slightly raised her head towards the boy as he rattled off questions. Her wounds ached as she tried to put together the events that led to her forced tumble down the stairs. Owing to how sudden the events were and the pain that followed them, she realised she never really thought about why it all happened to begin with. As snapshots of moments came back to her, it was almost like her wounds started to reopen. She gritted her teeth as she forced herself to relive the past. Soraya blowing up the Zorb and then running after it. Adrian LastName discussing his plans and inviting her to tag along. Jen mentioning the gun.
A flash of realisation hit Jen and she had to stop herself from recoiling to prevent the pain from being exacerbated further. Her hands clenched tightly as she put the pieces together.
Adrian wanted the gun.
She looked lost in thought for a second before she remembered that there was someone else in the room with her.
"I... need a moment to rest..." Jen started, loud enough to be heard over the rain but not too much as to strain her chest any further. "I can sit against the wall. Is it ok for me to bring my gun with me? I don't need to pick it up, I just want it close."
It was the gun that got her into this mess, to begin with. Part of her wished she never had it at all. At the same time, she recognised it was only because of the gun that Adrian didn't finish the job. It was her lifeline, whether she wanted it to be or not. She didn't move yet, waiting for the boy's approval. She didn't want to give him a reason to kill her.
"As for why..." Jen winced as the words came out of her mouth. Not having spoken until now, she didn't recognise how much it hurt to do so. She couldn't stop, even if her body screamed otherwise. "I told him about the gun. He was going to find the beach and circle the island and invited me. He asked me to show him where my stuff was. I moved to the door and next thing I know...."
Now that she was saying it out loud, Jen couldn't help but feel like an idiot. She should've seen it coming. The thought of betrayal didn't cross her mind at the time, but in retrospect, it should've. A sad grimace stretched across her face as she mentally lambasted herself for her shortsightedness.
"The only reason he didn't follow was that I accidentally pulled the trigger on my gun. I didn't even know the gun was in my hand, but then bullets came out and Adrian slammed the door shut."
She found it difficult to find more words to follow. The mental discomfort squirmed and intermingled with the pain in her chest. Grunts of pain escaped her body as she tried to push herself into an upright position. She didn't want to linger on this topic.
"Mind if I get your name? You know mine."
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MurderWeasel
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Leander kept an eye on the girl as she took her sweet time replying, but he also kept an ear on the rest of the world. He'd shut the door behind him, and it was heavy and old enough he did not think it would whisper open for anybody. Stealth was hard enough that he'd been unable to pull it off himself, and he was pretty sure he was more careful and aware than a badly injured girl in a dark basement. But still, it was important to stay on guard. That was just common sense. The downpour that had chased him inside was unfortunate for how much harder it made that, as well as for the dampness of his blazer and the way his hair stuck to his forehead. It could've been worse, yes, but he'd do well to find a place to dry his things out.
When Jen asked about keeping the gun close, Leander both nodded and shrugged. He almost specifically told her not to point it at him, but if she couldn't figure that out on her own she'd have nobody else to blame for what followed. And it wasn't like Leander had any reason to want to separate her from it in any permanent fashion—he was, after all, holding a shotgun, and the AWP was nestled between his back and his pack, protruding visibly over his left shoulder at a cheerful jaunty angle, catching the occasional faint glimmer of moonlight but mostly just a silhouette. Really, so long as she wasn't going to cause problems for him, the assault rifle was better off in her hands, giving her a versatile match to his shorter and longer range specialties. If she knew how to use it, of course, which Leander very much doubted even before she regaled him with the tale of her poor trigger discipline.
As she painfully adjusted her position, Leander shifted to make himself more comfortable, leaning against the wall and adjusting his left hand's position on the shotgun to better balance the weight. The walls and floor of the house groaned now and then with the swell of wood as humidity set in. He was tempted to pull out his other flashlight so he could get a better view of the immediate surroundings, but that would mean a lot of moving around and fiddling with his stuff. Later, maybe.
"I'm Leander," he said, instead giving her the answer she wanted before segueing right into the next topic of importance. "I came from the beach. Saw three guys. One shot himself. What did this guy look like?"
He could of course discount the third boy, the one whose name he'd found and lost, as the suspect. There was no reason to shove someone down stairs in an effort to steal a gun if he had one of his own, and the timeline didn't add up besides. Leander had walked the same general path as him, and there wasn't enough dead space in there for this sort of misadventure. That left skirt boy and sweater boy as possible suspects, and Leander was pretty sure both of them had distinct enough features—specifically the articles of clothing he mentally identified them with—to stick in Jen's mind if she'd had an actual interaction with one of them.
Not that it really mattered if he'd seen the culprit before. No Adrian had been announced, so either the two from the shore hadn't killed each other, neither one was Adrian, or there was some further dishonesty going around. Really, it was just good to find out what Adrian did look like so that, if he turned up later, he could be greeted appropriately.
"You need a drink or something?" Leander continued.
When Jen asked about keeping the gun close, Leander both nodded and shrugged. He almost specifically told her not to point it at him, but if she couldn't figure that out on her own she'd have nobody else to blame for what followed. And it wasn't like Leander had any reason to want to separate her from it in any permanent fashion—he was, after all, holding a shotgun, and the AWP was nestled between his back and his pack, protruding visibly over his left shoulder at a cheerful jaunty angle, catching the occasional faint glimmer of moonlight but mostly just a silhouette. Really, so long as she wasn't going to cause problems for him, the assault rifle was better off in her hands, giving her a versatile match to his shorter and longer range specialties. If she knew how to use it, of course, which Leander very much doubted even before she regaled him with the tale of her poor trigger discipline.
As she painfully adjusted her position, Leander shifted to make himself more comfortable, leaning against the wall and adjusting his left hand's position on the shotgun to better balance the weight. The walls and floor of the house groaned now and then with the swell of wood as humidity set in. He was tempted to pull out his other flashlight so he could get a better view of the immediate surroundings, but that would mean a lot of moving around and fiddling with his stuff. Later, maybe.
"I'm Leander," he said, instead giving her the answer she wanted before segueing right into the next topic of importance. "I came from the beach. Saw three guys. One shot himself. What did this guy look like?"
He could of course discount the third boy, the one whose name he'd found and lost, as the suspect. There was no reason to shove someone down stairs in an effort to steal a gun if he had one of his own, and the timeline didn't add up besides. Leander had walked the same general path as him, and there wasn't enough dead space in there for this sort of misadventure. That left skirt boy and sweater boy as possible suspects, and Leander was pretty sure both of them had distinct enough features—specifically the articles of clothing he mentally identified them with—to stick in Jen's mind if she'd had an actual interaction with one of them.
Not that it really mattered if he'd seen the culprit before. No Adrian had been announced, so either the two from the shore hadn't killed each other, neither one was Adrian, or there was some further dishonesty going around. Really, it was just good to find out what Adrian did look like so that, if he turned up later, he could be greeted appropriately.
"You need a drink or something?" Leander continued.
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jimmydalad
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Happy to be given the go-ahead, Jen started the laborious process of moving to the wall. She didn't see much point in trying to stand and aggravate her injuries more. The wall wasn't too far away, in any case. Swivelling around to have her back to the wall, she clasped her gun in between her feet. From there, she began to push herself backwards. Every push caused a hiss to escape her lips as she did her best to manage the pain. At least the wall wasn't too far away. Her knees bent and straightened, her gun clutched between them as she eventually laid herself against the farmhouse.
Leander, that was an odd name. She couldn't pick up where his accent came from. It was something she didn't really register until she was able to rest. It was funny how much she missed when she was so centred on herself. It was becoming a bad habit.
"Oh..."
He saw the boy who killed himself. Jen obviously knew from the announcement, but she couldn't imagine watching someone do the deed. She couldn't help but be perturbed by how unaffected Leander seemed. Maybe it was because no one knew each other here or how everyone was fighting for their lives. Oh, she was letting her mind wander again.
"Uhhh he was white but slightly tanned. Orange cap, green t-shirt, worn jeans."
Stick with details that are concrete. Ignore the bruises. Adrian's face was a blur, but at least she could remember the clothing. Those were the details she mulled over while she was stuck in her basement prison.
"Probably not the most clear image, but I'm just focusing on things I'm certain of."
Her chest flared up in pain and she winced once more. Jen looked to the floor as Leander offered something to drink. It was certainly nice of him, but she couldn't shake that twinge of guilt. It's not like she was able to offer him much and she knew she should be the one making it up to him. However, her current condition wasn't going to be kind to her.
"That would be nice, thanks."
Jen couldn't help but bite her lip as she held back her discomfort. She was used to being the giving one and she was unused to being on the receiving end. She didn't want to linger in these feelings for long.
"What's your plan?"
Leander, that was an odd name. She couldn't pick up where his accent came from. It was something she didn't really register until she was able to rest. It was funny how much she missed when she was so centred on herself. It was becoming a bad habit.
"Oh..."
He saw the boy who killed himself. Jen obviously knew from the announcement, but she couldn't imagine watching someone do the deed. She couldn't help but be perturbed by how unaffected Leander seemed. Maybe it was because no one knew each other here or how everyone was fighting for their lives. Oh, she was letting her mind wander again.
"Uhhh he was white but slightly tanned. Orange cap, green t-shirt, worn jeans."
Stick with details that are concrete. Ignore the bruises. Adrian's face was a blur, but at least she could remember the clothing. Those were the details she mulled over while she was stuck in her basement prison.
"Probably not the most clear image, but I'm just focusing on things I'm certain of."
Her chest flared up in pain and she winced once more. Jen looked to the floor as Leander offered something to drink. It was certainly nice of him, but she couldn't shake that twinge of guilt. It's not like she was able to offer him much and she knew she should be the one making it up to him. However, her current condition wasn't going to be kind to her.
"That would be nice, thanks."
Jen couldn't help but bite her lip as she held back her discomfort. She was used to being the giving one and she was unused to being on the receiving end. She didn't want to linger in these feelings for long.
"What's your plan?"
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MurderWeasel
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"In this sort of situation, the smartest choice is to gather the resources you need and then take care of yourself," Leander said. "So pretty much that. Find somewhere defensible, keep out of trouble, let things shake out."
He shifted his stance, letting the shotgun dip even more as he started to bring the bag around, then pausing for a few heartbeats before he fully committed to the movement. Just in case. But Jen was either in no shape to take advantage, or disinclined to do so, and so Leander somewhat awkwardly withdrew a bottle from his pack and set it down on the ground within reach of her, but not so close it'd be easy for her to grab him before he straightened back up.
Holding all this suspicion was tiring, especially because the more time went on, the more clear it became that Jen wasn't cause for concern. Everyone else Leander had seen had set him on edge, and the information she had provided clearing all of them of being her assailant didn't really change his feelings there. But this was different, somehow.
"This place is okay for now, but when the rain slows down it's probably smarter to move. Not a lot of shelter, and other people will want it too. And I don't think it's worth fighting for right now."
People might well turn up before the rain cleared, but Leander's benevolence only went so far and he wasn't going to dip out just to avoid conflict when doing so would mean getting drenched. Anyone who knocked on the door could just keep on walking to the barn, stay there until he was done with the house, and then take possession after that. It sounded like a perfectly reasonable offer to Leander, especially when the alternative was negotiating with a shotgun.
"You can come too," he added, realizing that maybe that hadn't been as implicit as it had felt. "I know my way around a lot of this stuff. Can show you how to use that."
He nodded towards the assault rifle Jen was playing footsies with.
"Better not to be alone, and that means we can maybe take turns resting. If you can walk, I mean. In the morning, or when the rain stops."
Leander settled the backpack back into its place and adjusted his lean on the wall and his grip on the shotgun again, making sure it wasn't pointed anywhere near Jen. It was her choice, after all, and if she wanted to shoot herself in the foot metaphorically, that was her business; no need to make it literal.
He shifted his stance, letting the shotgun dip even more as he started to bring the bag around, then pausing for a few heartbeats before he fully committed to the movement. Just in case. But Jen was either in no shape to take advantage, or disinclined to do so, and so Leander somewhat awkwardly withdrew a bottle from his pack and set it down on the ground within reach of her, but not so close it'd be easy for her to grab him before he straightened back up.
Holding all this suspicion was tiring, especially because the more time went on, the more clear it became that Jen wasn't cause for concern. Everyone else Leander had seen had set him on edge, and the information she had provided clearing all of them of being her assailant didn't really change his feelings there. But this was different, somehow.
"This place is okay for now, but when the rain slows down it's probably smarter to move. Not a lot of shelter, and other people will want it too. And I don't think it's worth fighting for right now."
People might well turn up before the rain cleared, but Leander's benevolence only went so far and he wasn't going to dip out just to avoid conflict when doing so would mean getting drenched. Anyone who knocked on the door could just keep on walking to the barn, stay there until he was done with the house, and then take possession after that. It sounded like a perfectly reasonable offer to Leander, especially when the alternative was negotiating with a shotgun.
"You can come too," he added, realizing that maybe that hadn't been as implicit as it had felt. "I know my way around a lot of this stuff. Can show you how to use that."
He nodded towards the assault rifle Jen was playing footsies with.
"Better not to be alone, and that means we can maybe take turns resting. If you can walk, I mean. In the morning, or when the rain stops."
Leander settled the backpack back into its place and adjusted his lean on the wall and his grip on the shotgun again, making sure it wasn't pointed anywhere near Jen. It was her choice, after all, and if she wanted to shoot herself in the foot metaphorically, that was her business; no need to make it literal.
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jimmydalad
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Listening to Leander was helping Jen not get overwhelmed by the pain. It was omnipresent, never letting her forget his presence. Her eyes remained focused on Leander as she took in every word, distracting herself from the injuries that she was compelled to linger on in the basement. His approach was different from Adrian's and considering her situation, it seemed like a more realistic plan. She was certainly more comfortable letting things shake up than trying to be the aggressor.
Jen suppressed a smile as she watched Leander fumble with the water bottle. She knew the reason why he was being cautious. That didn't mean she couldn't find it humourous how careful he was being. Once he had set the water bottle down, she leaned forward, air escaping through her nose as she pushed away her constant companion. She took a swig from the bottle as she continued to look expectantly at her savior.
"That makes sense," Jen replied, making sure he was aware that she was listening.
Jen found herself loosening up. If Leander was truly a threat, he would've killed her by now or asked for compensation. While yes, he seemed to be taking things in his stride a little too well, Jen had a feeling she wasn't dealing with another Adrian. In fact, when he offered her to come along with him and even offering to teach her how to use her gun, Jen couldn't stop an eyebrow from raising.
"You sure?" Jen couldn't stop the words from escaping but she caught herself before things could get out of her control. "I mean, yeah, I'd happily come along with you. I'd rather not be alone and I see no issues with the plan you've told me."
She put the bottle down and rested her right hand above her bruised chest. Her injuries were rough, that much was certain. However, she refused to be defeated by them. Leander was giving her a chance to be more than a victim. She clenched her fist and wore a brave face.
"I'll work through the pain. We can take turns resting, look out for each other." Her eyes flitted to the gun between her legs. "I'm not normally one for violence, but my encounter with Adrian was a bit of a reality check. I'll make sure I'm not a liability."
Her words had a strength to them that had been missing previously. The presence of a goal, something to work towards helped spur her on. It was her own fault she had a pretty terrible start, but she was not going to let that deter her. Possibly in an effort to demonstrate her resolve, she began looking through her bag. It never had really occurred to her to do so before, but maybe there was something in here that they could use. She was almost immediately rewarded when she found the map.
"Where do you think we should go?" Jen asked as she unfurled the map in between them.
Jen suppressed a smile as she watched Leander fumble with the water bottle. She knew the reason why he was being cautious. That didn't mean she couldn't find it humourous how careful he was being. Once he had set the water bottle down, she leaned forward, air escaping through her nose as she pushed away her constant companion. She took a swig from the bottle as she continued to look expectantly at her savior.
"That makes sense," Jen replied, making sure he was aware that she was listening.
Jen found herself loosening up. If Leander was truly a threat, he would've killed her by now or asked for compensation. While yes, he seemed to be taking things in his stride a little too well, Jen had a feeling she wasn't dealing with another Adrian. In fact, when he offered her to come along with him and even offering to teach her how to use her gun, Jen couldn't stop an eyebrow from raising.
"You sure?" Jen couldn't stop the words from escaping but she caught herself before things could get out of her control. "I mean, yeah, I'd happily come along with you. I'd rather not be alone and I see no issues with the plan you've told me."
She put the bottle down and rested her right hand above her bruised chest. Her injuries were rough, that much was certain. However, she refused to be defeated by them. Leander was giving her a chance to be more than a victim. She clenched her fist and wore a brave face.
"I'll work through the pain. We can take turns resting, look out for each other." Her eyes flitted to the gun between her legs. "I'm not normally one for violence, but my encounter with Adrian was a bit of a reality check. I'll make sure I'm not a liability."
Her words had a strength to them that had been missing previously. The presence of a goal, something to work towards helped spur her on. It was her own fault she had a pretty terrible start, but she was not going to let that deter her. Possibly in an effort to demonstrate her resolve, she began looking through her bag. It never had really occurred to her to do so before, but maybe there was something in here that they could use. She was almost immediately rewarded when she found the map.
"Where do you think we should go?" Jen asked as she unfurled the map in between them.
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MurderWeasel
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"Positive." Leander smiled, and it wasn't even an affectation.
While there had never been any doubt about how this would turn out, bar the off chance that Jen was suicidally suspicious or incompetent, it was still oddly relieving to have that verbal confirmation, especially paired as it was with an implicit acceptance of Leander's role as strategist. There had been this haze over his actions up to this point, a distance not only between himself and the others he saw, but between himself and the entire situation, or maybe even between himself and himself. That was resolved now, though. It was time to plan.
"Our advantage," he explained, waving his free hand vaguely between their collected arsenal, "is range. You said this Adrian didn't have a gun. I've seen four other people, and only one of them did, and I have that one now."
Laying this out came naturally, and despite the continued patter of rain against roof and the scrape of branches against walls, Leander found his demeanor shifting to something like he might have worn when giving a class presentation. Oh, he didn't drop his guard—someone could pop through the door at a moment's notice and upend the situation completely—but he felt like he was in his element now, explaining the best way forward.
"That's less than half with guns. And the people who do have guns probably don't all have ones with good range. And the ones who do probably don't all know how to use them."
A smirk had developed as he spoke. This was a bad situation, no doubt, but set out like this, it wasn't unmanageable at all.
"We can rule out the forest and the caves, because those neutralize our advantage. I've been to the shore, and if we stay at the fringes it's okay, but we can do better. The village and the harbor will draw people, same as here—we can watch them I suppose, but it's low priority."
He hadn't memorized the map completely or anything, but he'd looked at it enough to have a rough idea of where he was and what the options were as far as future travel went. Jen would do well to do the same, and it would probably be a good idea to set meeting places in case they got separated. It was a very real possibility, given her poor condition.
"The best spot I've seen is near the bridges. Good visibility, places to go to ground, and we can keep an eye on the paths to all the developed areas without moving too much."
It went without saying that this would let them maximize their advantage while also dictating the terms of any engagement; if trouble was coming in too great a magnitude to challenge, they could fade into the background like Leander had done several times already, and let it pass right on by. But a smaller helping of trouble—an obvious killer out on their own, say, or someone with a weapon that could prove dangerous down the line—could be taken from ambush before they even realized what was going on.
While there had never been any doubt about how this would turn out, bar the off chance that Jen was suicidally suspicious or incompetent, it was still oddly relieving to have that verbal confirmation, especially paired as it was with an implicit acceptance of Leander's role as strategist. There had been this haze over his actions up to this point, a distance not only between himself and the others he saw, but between himself and the entire situation, or maybe even between himself and himself. That was resolved now, though. It was time to plan.
"Our advantage," he explained, waving his free hand vaguely between their collected arsenal, "is range. You said this Adrian didn't have a gun. I've seen four other people, and only one of them did, and I have that one now."
Laying this out came naturally, and despite the continued patter of rain against roof and the scrape of branches against walls, Leander found his demeanor shifting to something like he might have worn when giving a class presentation. Oh, he didn't drop his guard—someone could pop through the door at a moment's notice and upend the situation completely—but he felt like he was in his element now, explaining the best way forward.
"That's less than half with guns. And the people who do have guns probably don't all have ones with good range. And the ones who do probably don't all know how to use them."
A smirk had developed as he spoke. This was a bad situation, no doubt, but set out like this, it wasn't unmanageable at all.
"We can rule out the forest and the caves, because those neutralize our advantage. I've been to the shore, and if we stay at the fringes it's okay, but we can do better. The village and the harbor will draw people, same as here—we can watch them I suppose, but it's low priority."
He hadn't memorized the map completely or anything, but he'd looked at it enough to have a rough idea of where he was and what the options were as far as future travel went. Jen would do well to do the same, and it would probably be a good idea to set meeting places in case they got separated. It was a very real possibility, given her poor condition.
"The best spot I've seen is near the bridges. Good visibility, places to go to ground, and we can keep an eye on the paths to all the developed areas without moving too much."
It went without saying that this would let them maximize their advantage while also dictating the terms of any engagement; if trouble was coming in too great a magnitude to challenge, they could fade into the background like Leander had done several times already, and let it pass right on by. But a smaller helping of trouble—an obvious killer out on their own, say, or someone with a weapon that could prove dangerous down the line—could be taken from ambush before they even realized what was going on.
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
Jen hung on Leander's every word. She could acknowledge that putting this much faith into a person was dangerous but she couldn't help herself. This was the first positive interaction she had on the island and having someone she could trust helped alleviate the overwhelming stress that was piled onto her. Having someone else to share the emotional burden of the situation helped Jen overcome the physical burden her body was under.
Leander was a comforting force and she found herself getting lost in his words as he elegantly conveyed his plans. His command of the English language was natural and his confidence in his words helped Jen feel confident in him. Jen figured that stuff like this was right in his wheelhouse and she had no objection to letting him take the reins.
That didn't mean she could just do nothing though.
Her eyes flicked between Leander and the map. The logic he put forward was certainly strong. This was the first time Jen had realised there was a map, to begin with. She quickly started correlating locations on the map to what he was saying, racking her brains to try and contribute something to this dynamic.
"Everything you've said works for me," Jen commented, drawing a line with her finger over the iron gate in between the two sides. "I think trying to be in a place that is central is going to be important. With the danger zones, it's important we have multiple options in case the location we end up in becomes one. The less movement we have to do, the better, especially with my current state."
As if on cue, her chest flared in pain and Jen winced as she instinctively rested her left hand over it. Her eyes continued to scan the map, focused in determination to prove her worth. It would be easy for Leander to leave her for dead so she was compelled to demonstrate the advantage of keeping her around.
"It looks like the southern side of the area is hilly, judging from the map. The movement's going to be rough around there. I'm going to assume that the iron fence in the middle has no random hole in the middle so maybe we shouldn't be too far away from the edge of it just in case they decide to declare an entire side of the island as a danger zone."
Jen leaned back against the wall. Bending her knees to clasp the bottle between her feet, she stretched them and let them go as to return the bottle to Leander. She recognised that keeping him on her side was going to be key to having even a chance to survive on this island. Her face was furrowed in thought as she continued to address Leander.
"The question is, do we stay here for the night or move on? The decision is yours at the end of the day and I'm happy to go along with whatever you want."
Jen passed the power to him. She knew what her place was at the moment. Her hand continued to nurse her injuries as she waited expectantly on an answer.
Leander was a comforting force and she found herself getting lost in his words as he elegantly conveyed his plans. His command of the English language was natural and his confidence in his words helped Jen feel confident in him. Jen figured that stuff like this was right in his wheelhouse and she had no objection to letting him take the reins.
That didn't mean she could just do nothing though.
Her eyes flicked between Leander and the map. The logic he put forward was certainly strong. This was the first time Jen had realised there was a map, to begin with. She quickly started correlating locations on the map to what he was saying, racking her brains to try and contribute something to this dynamic.
"Everything you've said works for me," Jen commented, drawing a line with her finger over the iron gate in between the two sides. "I think trying to be in a place that is central is going to be important. With the danger zones, it's important we have multiple options in case the location we end up in becomes one. The less movement we have to do, the better, especially with my current state."
As if on cue, her chest flared in pain and Jen winced as she instinctively rested her left hand over it. Her eyes continued to scan the map, focused in determination to prove her worth. It would be easy for Leander to leave her for dead so she was compelled to demonstrate the advantage of keeping her around.
"It looks like the southern side of the area is hilly, judging from the map. The movement's going to be rough around there. I'm going to assume that the iron fence in the middle has no random hole in the middle so maybe we shouldn't be too far away from the edge of it just in case they decide to declare an entire side of the island as a danger zone."
Jen leaned back against the wall. Bending her knees to clasp the bottle between her feet, she stretched them and let them go as to return the bottle to Leander. She recognised that keeping him on her side was going to be key to having even a chance to survive on this island. Her face was furrowed in thought as she continued to address Leander.
"The question is, do we stay here for the night or move on? The decision is yours at the end of the day and I'm happy to go along with whatever you want."
Jen passed the power to him. She knew what her place was at the moment. Her hand continued to nurse her injuries as she waited expectantly on an answer.
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3442
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
"Hm."
Leander thought for only a moment before responding, the pause more a show of consideration than actual involved thought.
"We stay for now. Darkness would give us cover to move, but also could hide other people, while in daylight longer range visibility plays to our strengths."
Jen wasn't thinking tactically yet, but he couldn't hold that against her. After all, her experience so far had apparently been trusting others too easily—an action she was repeating, he noted, though this time it would pay off for her, so he couldn't quite call it a universal mistake—and suffering the consequences. She'd probably spent all her time down in that basement crying for help and expecting to die, most likely horribly as she dehydrated or else abruptly as the farmhouse was declared forbidden.
"I don't want to get drenched, either," Leander added.
When she tried to pass the bottle back, he smiled, held up his free hand, and gently shook his head; she was welcome to keep it. He had plenty. It might have been wise try to capture some of the rainfall for later, but with his rations topped up and no obvious method to do so, it took lower priority. There were other sources of water here, though perhaps of dubious quality. The river would be an option, if nothing else, and with the high humidity there would potentially be places where the rain didn't evaporate quickly. And, of course, the rain might not let up at all. A torrential downpour lasting the entire duration of this experience would make it miserable, but might be to their advantage as long as they navigated it better than the others.
"We can rest, then set out at daybreak. Get a good head start when everyone who was too scared to sleep at night is starting to feel the fatigue."
It was neat and tidy and Leander hoped that Jen was feeling as confident as he was, if for no other reason than that it would make getting rest easier. He couldn't say just how her condition was, or how it would be in the morning, but tomorrow she'd certainly be doing a lot more moving than she had been today.
"Let's take a look around, see what we have here, maybe find somewhere to get you cleaned up," he added.
All the while, of course, keeping an ear out in case of trouble.
((Leander Van Vliet continued in Why didn't you do it for me? Why didn't you do it for us?))
Leander thought for only a moment before responding, the pause more a show of consideration than actual involved thought.
"We stay for now. Darkness would give us cover to move, but also could hide other people, while in daylight longer range visibility plays to our strengths."
Jen wasn't thinking tactically yet, but he couldn't hold that against her. After all, her experience so far had apparently been trusting others too easily—an action she was repeating, he noted, though this time it would pay off for her, so he couldn't quite call it a universal mistake—and suffering the consequences. She'd probably spent all her time down in that basement crying for help and expecting to die, most likely horribly as she dehydrated or else abruptly as the farmhouse was declared forbidden.
"I don't want to get drenched, either," Leander added.
When she tried to pass the bottle back, he smiled, held up his free hand, and gently shook his head; she was welcome to keep it. He had plenty. It might have been wise try to capture some of the rainfall for later, but with his rations topped up and no obvious method to do so, it took lower priority. There were other sources of water here, though perhaps of dubious quality. The river would be an option, if nothing else, and with the high humidity there would potentially be places where the rain didn't evaporate quickly. And, of course, the rain might not let up at all. A torrential downpour lasting the entire duration of this experience would make it miserable, but might be to their advantage as long as they navigated it better than the others.
"We can rest, then set out at daybreak. Get a good head start when everyone who was too scared to sleep at night is starting to feel the fatigue."
It was neat and tidy and Leander hoped that Jen was feeling as confident as he was, if for no other reason than that it would make getting rest easier. He couldn't say just how her condition was, or how it would be in the morning, but tomorrow she'd certainly be doing a lot more moving than she had been today.
"Let's take a look around, see what we have here, maybe find somewhere to get you cleaned up," he added.
All the while, of course, keeping an ear out in case of trouble.
((Leander Van Vliet continued in Why didn't you do it for me? Why didn't you do it for us?))
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jimmydalad
- Posts: 266
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:38 pm
Jen wasn't sure if Leander considered her an equal, but she was happy to pretend that he did for now. Her chest flared up in pain again as she kept her attention on Leander.
"I'm happy not to get wet either." She blithely commented, trying to fill the air so that it wasn't just Leander lecturing her about how to survive on the island.
At Leander's gesture to keep the bottle, she gave a faint smile and took it back. He didn't seem to be worried about water, another thing that Jen couldn't help but worry about. Was this dude a survival expert or something? Not that she was complaining, it just made it hard for her to find out how much he knew and what she would be able to glean from him. While she obviously had no plans for abandoning him, Jen was cognisant of the fact that she needed to pull her own weight at some point.
Jen continued to let Leander lead, finding comfort in his confidence. Her doubts lingered in the back of her mind. He seemed way too in his environment in a death game. Leander was an ally though, a friend. Or the closest thing to a friend on the island. Jen clung onto that faint glimmer of hope for something finally going her way. She was in no state to be picky or make demands. Her wounds continued to scream and try to overwhelm her. Having someone with her helped keep Jen grounded, in a relative sense. Hard to stay fully grounded in a completely foreign environment.
"Yeah, that seems like a good idea."
Jen didn't even think about cleaning her wounds. Another thing that slipped her mind. As long as this pairing was a thing, she intended to glean the most she could from it. Her start was horrendous, no one could argue that. Not many people would have a chance to rebound from there. She was lucky and she intended to make the most of that luck.
Giving a brave smile to Leander, she pushed herself up, wincing for a second to cope with the pain, and helped him search. There will be a tomorrow for her and she hoped there would be many more.
((Jen Mara Tuiqamea continued elsewhere...))
"I'm happy not to get wet either." She blithely commented, trying to fill the air so that it wasn't just Leander lecturing her about how to survive on the island.
At Leander's gesture to keep the bottle, she gave a faint smile and took it back. He didn't seem to be worried about water, another thing that Jen couldn't help but worry about. Was this dude a survival expert or something? Not that she was complaining, it just made it hard for her to find out how much he knew and what she would be able to glean from him. While she obviously had no plans for abandoning him, Jen was cognisant of the fact that she needed to pull her own weight at some point.
Jen continued to let Leander lead, finding comfort in his confidence. Her doubts lingered in the back of her mind. He seemed way too in his environment in a death game. Leander was an ally though, a friend. Or the closest thing to a friend on the island. Jen clung onto that faint glimmer of hope for something finally going her way. She was in no state to be picky or make demands. Her wounds continued to scream and try to overwhelm her. Having someone with her helped keep Jen grounded, in a relative sense. Hard to stay fully grounded in a completely foreign environment.
"Yeah, that seems like a good idea."
Jen didn't even think about cleaning her wounds. Another thing that slipped her mind. As long as this pairing was a thing, she intended to glean the most she could from it. Her start was horrendous, no one could argue that. Not many people would have a chance to rebound from there. She was lucky and she intended to make the most of that luck.
Giving a brave smile to Leander, she pushed herself up, wincing for a second to cope with the pain, and helped him search. There will be a tomorrow for her and she hoped there would be many more.
((Jen Mara Tuiqamea continued elsewhere...))