Hearing Zak talk about babies you would have thought I’d been relived about not having my own. Instead it just brought back a hidden pant of guilt on account of Zandra. I would have made a lousy father, but she would have been an excellent mother.
I quickly snatch the bottle back. This stuff may be terrible but it’s good for taking away worry. I take deep pull and it’s enough to get my mind off of Zandra until Zak mentions looking for local girls.
I puff my cheeks in thought. I may be drunk but I’m not that drunk. Not even the thought of a girl could make me go into the woods. It actually sends a shiver down my spine thinking about it.
”Ghosts are in the woods. I ain’t going in there.”
Jack stumbles, knocking himself out cold on a rock.
“Jack!” I exclaim, leaning down to gently shake him by the shoulders. “Wake up! Can you hear me?”
I have a sudden moment of Panic as the reality of our situation hits home. We’re in the middle of nowhere on some godforsaken island without any hope of being rescued.
I turn to Trudy, saying “he’s out cold. Maybe if we splash some water on him? I don’t know…you stay here I’ll be right back.”
I don’t wait for her reply, I just take off at a sprint for the waters edge, not considering how I might be exposing myself on the beach. We need Jack…he’s our only scientist, and we’ll, I suddenly really don’t want him to be anywhere except with us…with me I admit privately as I come to the waters edge.
I unsling the empty milk container I’ve got for carrying water and hold it under the surf, filling it up with cold salt water. I look up and down the beach line, seeing a rocky outcropping jutting into the sea a few hundred meters away.
I make a mental note of it before returning to the place Jack and Trudy are…I’m just grateful that Brady isn’t crying right now…I don’t think I could deal with a squalling baby on top of my mounting sense of dread.
“Ok, I’ve got some water.” I turn the cap and dump a good amount on top of Jacks face, being sure to not choke him in the process.
Wiping sweat from her head with the back of her hand, Lottie continues constructing her shelter. It’s not particularly hot being so close to the water, but the exertion from the young teen’s activity has made her flushed and warm. Mentally she blamed it on Lex’s fire, ignoring the heat of her anger. She could smell it burning, knew the instant the smoke hit the air. It smelled different than City fire. This whole place smelled different and felt different to her, but one thing remained the same: determination to prove her independence.
She’d weaved leaves together, shredding the husks of coconuts into ties for covering but there was still a lot of work to be done. “I just need a few more sticks,” she thought aloud, mentally constructing the structure. She peered at the edge of the vegetation that grew only thicker and taller into forbidden forest. I won’t go far, she told herself as she slipped deeper from the beach into the trees.
Every sense was on heightened alert. She could hear the ocean lapping at the shore and her footsteps loud in the growth beneath her. She tried to lighten her steps and leave less of a trail, but she wasn’t exactly a Gaian and wasn’t kidding herself, anyone could track her. So she tried to be quick, picking over the falling sticks she saw. As she started to turn back towards the shore, she heard a rustling behind her, tall growth moving parallel to her with aggressive huffing . She thought it was making a turn towards her, and thought she saw horns or something and that was the only warning she needed.
She high tailed it out of there, suppressing the scream that threatened to escape her lungs. Heart pounding she dropped her sticks by her shelter supplies and dropped in the sand there trying to tell herself it was her imagination. After a few minutes when nothing appeared she began to laugh hysterically at her own foolishness.
“Well thats gross though I suppose not all ships have proper toilets anyway so yeah I don’t even want to think about behind that door” I said motioning to the door had just opened. I knew it was an abandoned old ship wreck but still didn’t expect it to be this bad.
I pointed to a hole in the side of the boat “There is another exit should we need it and I think there is only one other room and thats most likely the kitchen” I tell him taking another look around the room before heading out, there wasn’t likely going to be anything of interest in here.
“When were you taken?” I asked looking over my shoulder at him as I walked towards the room I presumed would be the kitchen.
I cant help but let out a rather loud laugh “Oh please tell me are joking Lex? Ghosts? If they were bloody real they would off been all over the city and everyone… Plenty of people have died” I tell him shaking my head not able to believe that he was scared of ghosts “Jeeze man unless we go looking for the girls we cant find the girls… Get me? And we are surrounded by the woods so you’re going to have to go in eventually” I point out.
OOC: a bit confused about the group on the beach. (who is doing what and where?) no clue what to do with Salene. Can someone help me?
BIC:
KC
" You better not." i answer Zandra and shout the door completly. I walk back beside her as she points a at hole and nod. I take one last look arround before i follow her to leave again. We enter the next room and suddenly she asks somehting i was afraid about, the past….it’s not like, i wouldn’t have questions either, but now? I sign.
" They got me as the Technos came into the city. I was on my way back to the mall and suddenly someone graps me from behind. Then everything turned black. I woke up in cell as prisoner." i answer her, praying she wouldn’t want to hear the rest. It’s the first time someone has asked me this, except Alice, and i am not sure if i am ready to talk about this.
I shake my head lightly, I can hear the resistance in his voice in telling his story so I don’t pry any further “It’s unbelievable that that they felt they had the right to just take people” I said and thought about my conversation I had with Debian “I could kind of understand if it was murders they took which would keep everyone safe but they took so many people from everywhere regardless of who they were”
I start walking around the kitchen, this isn’t any better then the last room we went into, everything is just disgusting and ruined, no wonder no one actually stayed in here… That and all the bugs that gave me completely shivers.
“I wonder if there is anything useful in here” I said as I unlocked and opened the cupboard door and let out a scream as I spotted a skeleton inside. Realising I was screaming I clasped my hand over my mouth backing away from the cupboard, I hoped to god no one heard me “I’m sorry” I tell KC “We should make sure no one heard me and be ready to go incase someone comes” I said rushing out the kitchen and onto the deck looking around.
" Yeah… they took everyone they could, without hesiation." i mumble back, trying to hold back all the pic from the crying and screaming kids arround me as i was in the cell.
I breathe deep in relief, as Zandra doesn’t ask again and wa sbaout to ask her also About, what has happened with her, but in that moment she starts screaming. I took me just two steps to be beside her, i follow her look into the cupboard and swallo hard. No i know, why this boat was such a good place to hide. Which people would like to stay at a place like this ?
She apologize herself and run out of the room to check if some form outside might have heard her and comes to get us.
" Hey, hey, slowly. " i run after her and try to grap her arm. “Maybe someone has heard us, Maybe not. But if someone see you on deck… it’s clear that we are here. What about we first have a look througth a window?”
I look at Kc “The windows wont give us a good enough view, I can look and crouch down behind the side of the deck so I wont be seen” I tell him “Except that stupid moment of screaming in there I am pretty good at being invisiable on this island, I have been for a while now” I tell him with a small smile “You look through the hole in that bedroom, it will let you see the other side to make sure we are safe” I tell him before continuing onto the deck and crouching down looking around for any movement.
I cannot have them getting caught because of me after what I did to stop them from being caught in the first place. And either way I did know the woods ok, atleast better then them.
The radio stays strangely silent but I have a suspicion that the commander is holding most of the lieutenants attention currently. If she was injured he’d want to make sure she was ok and would just presume we’d get our jobs done, the problem was that Zandra had now infiltrated the job.
Running my hand through my hair I let out a growl of frustration, which had nothing to do with earlier. This woman was going to be the death of me, and yet I was drawn to her like a magnet. “Pursuing fugitives down north beach.” I radio through, although as Zandra had heard that message I knew she’d go in the opposite direction, in fact I had a feeling I knew where she’d go. The place I’d suggested earlier.
It’s hard to stay back, but they’ve not hidden their footprints very well. I knew Zandra knew how to hide her tracks, this almost felt like she was making it too easy for me, but it might also be that she’s distracted by who ever she’s found. I make sure to cover the tracks as I pass though, to ensure the other’s can’t follow as easily.
She’s taken them to the shipwreck, it felt strange as it had been the place i’d suggested to keep her safe but at the same time maybe it was the best option. Keeping her safe was my priority, keeping the others safe not so much.
The scream pierces through my thoughts and it takes all I have not to break in to a run and find out where it came from. Moving up towards the treeline I slow my approach, my heart racing in my chest. If something had happened to her… I’d never forgive myself.
My head is looking each and everyway frantically and I know I need to calm down and actually think. I know how to look out properly, I was taught about what to look for but I have paniced myself too much.
Closing my eyes I take a deep breath “Come on Zan you can do this” I tell myself “Just forget about the creepy skeleton and focus”
Opening my eyes I calmly look around, paying attention to the wind and any movement in the tree’s and at first I spot nothing, it seems like no one had heard me but it was when I turned to take a final look I saw it, just for a second but I saw the movement “Fuck” I mutter to myself, with there being so many techno’s out on the search can I really be surprised that I have given away our location.
I cant let these guys be caught because I messed up and in all honesty I was alot quicker on my feet then either of them. Chewing my lip for a moment I make my decision, I know what I need to do, I need to lead whoever it is away from the ship wreck and far enough away that they think its just me, leaving Kc and ‘Ashes’ to stay safe.
There isn’t any time to say anything to them, each moment is going to count as I need to be able to get into the woods. climbing down the side of the sidewreck I set off running straight into the woods making enough movement that whoever was here would see me and change direction. I am fast enough to atleast make it into the woods before they would be able to get to me.
After we have walked a bit, I turn around to see if anyone else was joining us. At some point I thought Ram was on his way towards us, but then… nothing…
It was like he had vanished into thin air.
There isn’t much time to worry about him though, as Jack manages a spectacular fall and get’s himself knocked out. Zoot damnit, just what we needed…
Ebony rushes to get some water and throw it in his face, but with little effect.
I kneel besides him an try the only thing I can think of.
With a ferocity that’s far fr9m what Jack deserves, I smack him in the face with my flat hand.
Usually she’s better at hiding, unless she’s trying to attract attention. I watch as she moves, I couldn’t tear my eyes away even if I wanted. Reaching down I quickly flick my radio to the ‘off’ position, the last thing we needed right now was another interruption.
I wait a few moments longer, but she’s moved alone, dropped from the deck of the ship and moves towards the trees. She doesn’t know its me, but the way she’s moving she knows someone is here. Sighing quietly I move up the trees, following her movements. She’s fast, but not as fast as I can be. I don’t want to chase her and yet at the same time there’s something a little thrilling about it.
I’m intrigued what she will do if I catch her, whether she will fight or realise who it is. It’s an enticing thought, she’s a wildcat when she wants to be. The thought makes me chuckle quietly and I speed up after her, now I really did want to catch her.
The Guardian was not the solution to Brady returning back to her land. He had to be punished. Trudy the Lion with her new boost of courage traps him in his own cage. Ebony the tin woman now with a heart rustles up a lifetime supply of fruitcake and places it around the cage.
Jack the scarecrow is now unsure how Brady and Zoot Zoot will get home without the help of The Guardian. But now with his brain he thinks and thinks … and then BAM … (this is the moment Trudy wallops Jack around the face) “we can summon the good witch Ellinda (Ellie) who can grant wishes.”
The beautiful Ellinda (Ellie) is called upon and floats down to stand in front of these new found friends. “How can one be of assistance people and animals of NZ?” Little Brady replys with “There’s no place like home, I need to go back to my land.” And with a bish, a bash, and a bosh Brady starts to clip her Ruby red shoes together and repeats over and over, “There’s no place like home!”
The voice I can hear of Brady repeating “There’s no place like home" is becoming more faint. I am still, and start to feel a thrashing of water coming down on to my face. I then hear a piercing shriek of my name followed with “wake up".
Suddenly my eyes widen, and I cough and splutter. I notice Ebony who must of been the one who had drenched my face as she was rather close dangling the empty milk container. I even think the shrieking was her. Maybe Trudy has found some courage, and not panic?
Trudy looked rather calm knelt down by the other side of me.
I am still rather dazed and I mutter a sentence out loud, “Holy mother of laptops and consoles I really did a number on my brain.”
I cough up more water. “Jeez Ebony what were you trying to achieve? Finish me off by drowning me? Pardon me … thank you Ebony for saving ones life. Just goes to show you do have a heart. Seriously, thank you."
I smile like a cheshire cat, and lift my arm into the air. “To show my gratitude there is only one thing I can give you … high five?”
I knew within moment that they had spotted me and were coming after me now. I am pretty sure Debian would kill me if he realised what I was doing, he would probably tell me how my life is more important then theirs and that I am risking too much for them.
I sprint through the woods, keeping close to the tree even though I know they wont hide me because I’m running it does atleast provide obstacles between me and whoever it chasing me. Was this a stupid idea? Should I of just hidden myself and let them get caught? Its a silly thing to think because I know I wouldn’t of sacrificed them for myself.
I don’t even know where I am running but my legs just keep going.
It’s hard to work out where she’s going, but it almost feels like she’s just running in a blind panic, and then I realise, she is just running in a blind panic. Whatever happened at the shipwreck to set off that scream has set off a whole little course of actions. She thought it was a random techno that had spotted her, and now she’s running for her life.
I know she doesn’t know who I am; I know she’s trying to lead me away from the fugitives… I can’t help but wonder why their lives suddenly seem more important than her own. She’d never been one to put herself in danger but now here she was, running through the woods away from someone following her because she cared about someone else but herself.
Part of me wants to call out to her, to let her know it’s me but at the same time I can’t imagine that would reassure her. Growling in frustration I speed up, dodging a fallen tree as I take a slight turn. She’s trying to stick to the treeline, which makes sense; she’s trying to hide herself as much as possible.
I could call out, yell her name to get her to stop, but I don’t. Instead I just keep following her.
Whoever is following me is fast, I am pretty sure its just one person but I couldn’t be certain though one thing I did know was it wouldn’t be long until they caught up to me if I kept running, realistically I didn’t have enough energy to keep going for much longer.
I make the decision that I need to hide from view and hopefully they will keep running. Up ahead I can see some tree’s closer together then the rest, as I dart in between them rather then continuing on, I loop round and press myself against the side hoping whoever was following wouldn’t notice. It was a long shot but I couldn’t just keep running
She wasn’t a long distance runner my Zandra, in fact, she wasn’t really much of a runner at all. The fact she’s even managed to run this long tells me how scared she is of being caught, not that I’m really surprised by that point. She’d made it clear in the past that she wouldn’t be going back to the cages at any cost.
She turns slightly, and I slow my step to observe what she’s doing. It’s such a slight movement I’m not sure most would have noticed it but I’ve spent quite a while just observing her, which quite possibly sounded stalkerish but that wasn’t my intent.
Her tactics have changed, she’s trying to lose me rather than out run me which is smart but sadly not quite smart enough. After all, I wasn’t recruited just for my pretty face. Left or right, I’d imagine she’s hiding behind one of the trees hoping that I will just run straight past her but where is the fun in that?
I keep running, almost passing the trees but then doubling back, my eyes scanning for her against the shadow of the tree. It takes only seconds for me to spot her, to move towards her. I could pin her, but that might be a little cruel. Instead I let out a quiet cough as I slow my pace, “might need to work on your hiding skills love, you don’t blend in as much as you’d liked.” I know the running has made me sound slightly breathless but given our rigorous training I was relatively fit, and able to run quite long distances, even in the heat and uniform.
My eyes widden as I hear the cough though I relax when I hear the voice that follows so I move away from the tree “Jesus it’s you. I thought it was someone else from the Technos” I said looking at him “I thought you was going to head north?” I asked him curiously. That’s why I had never even thought it could be Debian, I had expected him to be far away from our location.
Not going to lie but I am definitely glad it was him, not that I was quite going to admit that just yet
"No, if you listened I said the fugitives were headed north. I comment watching her slightly, “I never said I was going to.” Surely she had realised that I was going to follow her, “the fugitives have been reported as dangerous, you think I’d do leave you in danger?”
Moving closer I tentatively reach out a hand and caress her cheek, “you may think me a monster, but this monster has fallen for you hook, line and sinker. So I’m going to do whatever I can to keep you safe, even if I don’t always agree with your decisions. I mean, couples don’t usually agree… so I guess for an abnormal situation, this is pretty normal.”