Cass watches as the two girls interact with each other "that's alright." he says with a soft smile "i don't mind. You're guests after all" Cassius shrugs, handing her the bowls as she took them. "you're welcome. If you guys need anything else, let me know. And for you safety, i would appreciate it if im informed anytime you go out for any reason. Just so we know if you're missing or in danger" he says. He hoped they didn't take his words in any rude way.
"im going to go ahead and go downstairs. If you can't find Fia or me inside, we most likely will be in the backyard. You're welcome to join us anytime you girls would like" he offers, stepping back out of the doorway just in case they wanted to close the door
-
Jesse pressed her back against the wall, peeking out the window just a bit to see the figure once again. It looked like its small eyes had sunken into it's horse-like skull and it didn't have very good vision. Was this just very old? Jesse didn't think they aged but maybe they do. It was very different to the way humans, or any animal aged. This was something else…
Jesse had no idea where these things came from in the first place. All she knows it in some way or another, they always resemble a human being, how they communicate, and they are deadly. She only was out to survive, not to learn about where they come from and how they work. Unless it benefits her. And she couldn't see how that would be possible.
The creature stops, its legs shaking and its pale, translucent thin becoming paler by the minute. Were they also affected by temperature? It was freezing out where she was due to the weather and the fact that icy rain continued to pelt down onto the creatures skin.
It's veins protruded out from its skin, looking as if they were on the outside but not quite yet. It looked like it was a defect of some experiment but them being experiments had never crossed her mind. To her, they are monsters meant to kill and be killed. Nothing more.
It slinks into the dark alleyway once again, she watches as it burrows into a tipped over metal dumpster, shivering before its eyes close and its breath evens out and it falls asleep.
(Akdjksjd I had finals but now I'm finally done with school)
(Lol yes I should be able to reply to this soon ^^)
(Sorry it's short and all, I've been having a rough week and I'm currently looking for a new job so I'm pretty drained rn. I meant to reply like two days ago oof)
"Well now, if you're hungry then we can rustle somethin' up…." Something in Jasper's voice made Gus hesitate. He took her shoulders and held her out so he could get a good look at her. "What is it? You need something else?" To his careful eye, she almost seemed…. pained somehow. He frowned. "Kid, are you sure you're okay?"
Travis led the way along the edge of the street where the buildings partly sheltered them, going just slow enough that Tap could follow without losing her footing but fast enough that hopefully they would avoid being noticed by unfriendly creatures. So far they seemed to be alone, but Travis knew from experience that the rainstorm would bring the screamers into the open like worms from the dirt. They had to find a place to hunker down, and fast.
Up ahead, the apartments loomed. They seemed deserted from the outside, and there weren't many broken doors or windows on the ground floor, so they might be safe for the night. But Travis still approached cautiously, avoiding the open street and constantly scanning the area for movement. "This way," he hissed to Tap, making for a nearby fire escape. "We can find a way in upstairs and make sure this place isn't hiding any nasty surprises."
(idk if you want this to be Jesse's building, Write? Or maybe one nearby? This might be how they run into each other)
(It's okay! Hope you find a new job!)
(good luck with the job search Dusty! I hope it all works out for you ^3^ ~<3)
(Yeah you can have them come into Jesse's building!!)
Jesse relaxes just a little at the sight of the creature as it slept, seeking shelter just like any normal creature. She was temped to go out there and kill it, but she convinces herself not to, as it wasn't being a threat to her. And hey, maybe it would ward off others from coming in?
She shakes her head, knowing that wouldn't be affective one bit just by looking at it in the dark alley. Someone could pass it and not even see it there.
And plus, she had just changed into dry clothes. She wasn't about to get these wet to. And risk a cold? No way. Even if Jesse did have any sort of sickness, she would never admit it to herself or anyone else.
Turning around, she decides to go out into the hallway and look out one of the broken windows. Once she steps into the hallway, the temperature changes drastically and so did the lighting. It was darker in the halls and the doors rattled with every gush of wind coming in through the broken windows. Blood stained the tiles she stood on as well as the walls. She didn't mind that either.
She leans her head out of the window to keep a look out, rain immediately reaching her damp hair once again, the air frigid and every gust of wind was stronger than the last. Looking up to the sky for any signs of a tornado, she didn't see any. She didn't figure but just in case she didn't want to be caught in one of the higher stories of an apartment building. Worse comes to worse, she goes down to the breaker room in the basement of the building.
Her eyes scan the streets and lock onto two figures in the rain. The fog makes it harder to make out, but she knew they were human. She quickly looks to the creature in the alley a few buildings over, then slips her head back into the building, hoping they didn't see her.
"Scheisse" She mumbles to herself in German, rushing into her room and pulling her pistol out, leaving any other weapons in her bag and hiding it in the bathroom ceiling tile.
She slides the tile back into place, patting it a few times to make sure her bags were up there safely and the tile was going to hold before stepping down and loading her pistol, her machete still on her side.
Josephine nodded firmly. “Well, we probably won’t go out for a while,” she chuckled. “Thanks again.” She shut the door with her foot, then went over to the small table set between the beds. Setting the bowls down, she said, “You might want to eat this before it gets cold.”
Lyn grunted, and sat up. “Smells good,” she murmured.
“Mhm,” Sef agreed. “I’m starving.” She handed a bowl to her friend.
She chucked softly. “Same,” she said, moving to the edge of the bed and taking the bowl. Sef did the same, on her own bed. It seemed that Cassius didn’t give them spoons, but instead of going to ask for some, they just sipped the soup straight from the bowl. They both regretted it though, when it scorched their tongues. They had to take a moment for it to cool down, at least a bit, before they could keep sipping.
(Sorry it's short and all, I've been having a rough week and I'm currently looking for a new job so I'm pretty drained rn. I meant to reply like two days ago oof)
"Well now, if you're hungry then we can rustle somethin' up…." Something in Jasper's voice made Gus hesitate. He took her shoulders and held her out so he could get a good look at her. "What is it? You need something else?" To his careful eye, she almost seemed…. pained somehow. He frowned. "Kid, are you sure you're okay?"
She tenses up a bit as he asked if she was okay, and she nodded to him almost immediately.
"Y-yeah! I'm- I'm o-okay." She didn't make eye contact through out saying that. She glanced at her wrists before looking away again.
She pulled against her sleeves, and they made a sticking noise before just clinging on a again.
Her wrist seemed..a bit red.
"Can we just g-go eat..?"
Travis led the way along the edge of the street where the buildings partly sheltered them, going just slow enough that Tap could follow without losing her footing but fast enough that hopefully they would avoid being noticed by unfriendly creatures. So far they seemed to be alone, but Travis knew from experience that the rainstorm would bring the screamers into the open like worms from the dirt. They had to find a place to hunker down, and fast.
Up ahead, the apartments loomed. They seemed deserted from the outside, and there weren't many broken doors or windows on the ground floor, so they might be safe for the night. But Travis still approached cautiously, avoiding the open street and constantly scanning the area for movement. "This way," he hissed to Tap, making for a nearby fire escape. "We can find a way in upstairs and make sure this place isn't hiding any nasty surprises."
She nodded in understanding, not that she thought he could see her nod but it was better then talking and something hearing them.
She moved to get a grip on the fire escape and moved to start climbing it as she had a good feel for it.
She made sure she was sticking on the fire escape and didn't go off of it in anyway.
Cass steps out and heads down the stairs, catching Fia in the kitchen, trying to drop a dandelion in the soup. "Ophelia" he says, crossing his arms.
She jumps, turning around to look at her father with wide eyes. "It'd taste better if i put them in there. And till look pretty too" She explains to him. He takes in a deep breath, glad he wasn't heating it up anymore. Though it wasn't hot enough to burn her, he was still worried.
"baby, you need to listen to me okay" he says, pinching the bridge of his nose before stepping over to her. "what did i say Fia?" he asks her, kneeling down to her. She nods to him "you don't want me going near the stove." she says with a heavy, dramatic sigh
Cassius nods slowly "yeah that's part of it. Why don't i want you going near the stove?" he asks
"because i could get hurt" she says
He smiles "exactly. I don't want you getting hurt and you don't want to get hurt either. So unless im around, don't go near the stove"
She furrows her brows 'but-"
"Do you want to help in the garden?" he asks her. She nods "yeah!" she says excited now.
"You wont be able to if you do something like that again." he says.
(ty for the support guys, you're the best :) )
"Well now hold on," Gus said, becoming slightly alarmed again as he noticed Jasper was trying to hide something. "Jasper, what's wrong with your wrists? They don' look too good." He reached out a hand and beckoned, not in a stern way, but firmly. "C'mon, lemme see. It's alright, I won't get mad or nothin'."
Once he was sure Tap could follow him, Travis crept up the stairs to the upper landing and began trying to quietly jimmy open the door. It was locked, of course, and he lacked the patience or visibility to try and pick it, so after a moment he hopped over the fire escape railing and clambered to a window sitting beside them. This was much easier to force open, even one-handed, and soon the darkness beyond stared invitingly back at him.
Before climbing through, he glanced over at Tap. "Stay here and don't make a peep," he instructed, speaking as loudly as he dared over the rain. "I'm gonna go in and try to open that door from the other side. It'll just take me a second, don't worry." Then he slunk into the empty apartment room, blinking to adjust to the dim light as he began hunting for a way into the main hall.
(Of course dusty!)
She immediately moved her wrists towards herself when gus asked to see them. She couldn't let him see what she did…even if he said he wouldn't get mad.
She was sure he would.
"My w-wrists are f-fine!" She nervously spoke, moving to look around for exits though she didn't want to run.
She held onto her wrists but winced when she held on too hard.
Once he was sure Tap could follow him, Travis crept up the stairs to the upper landing and began trying to quietly jimmy open the door. It was locked, of course, and he lacked the patience or visibility to try and pick it, so after a moment he hopped over the fire escape railing and clambered to a window sitting beside them. This was much easier to force open, even one-handed, and soon the darkness beyond stared invitingly back at him.
Before climbing through, he glanced over at Tap. "Stay here and don't make a peep," he instructed, speaking as loudly as he dared over the rain. "I'm gonna go in and try to open that door from the other side. It'll just take me a second, don't worry." Then he slunk into the empty apartment room, blinking to adjust to the dim light as he began hunting for a way into the main hall.
She stood there in the rain and the wind, already most likely getting soaked as she stood there and tried to lean against the door for more shelter. She hoped nothing came around this area or on the fire escape, as she wouldn't be able to defend herself if she couldn't see what was attacking her.
She wished she had at least a little better vision but she doubted that woukd have helped in the first place.
After hopping down from the small counter in the bathroom, she heads out the door and into the hallway of the apartment once again. She knew she didn't have much cover, but in her eyes, it was always best to play offensive in situations like these. Though Jesse was a severely impatient person and never liked it if she had to act like a sitting duck while on the defense. Just waiting for someone to come in guns a blazing.
She looks down to her pistol, double checking to see if it's loaded. Seeing as it was, she continues down the hall, careful not to make much noise. She kept her footsteps as light as possible and she listened to every sound in the building. Well, all that she could anyway.
She wasn't at the top floor by any means, but the broken windows around her let her hear a distant voice from above. Or below? It was hard to tell as the rain beat down on the large building.
Frustrated, Jesse curses once again under her breath. She wasn't used to her senses being messed with by things she couldn't help. Nonetheless, she sticks to the sides of the hall, her side running up against the wall.
She stays silent still, though not worried too much about it. As far as she knew, the only reaper in a mile radius was that sickly looking one that looks like its on its last straw. And if it wanted to come to her, she had no doubts she could easily take it out. Though with how fast it snatched up that creature before it hid, it made her a little paranoid that she didn't know for sure what it was capable of. Either way, she didn't want to find out.
So she resists the urge to call out to whoever was there and instead she sneaks around the building. The cold breeze insists on blowing in through the windows and cracks, making her shiver in the slightest.
Gus knew Jasper was getting more skittish by the second, but he couldn't just let the matter drop. "Jasper," he said gently. "Listen here. I know you don't wanna tell me what's wrong. But we're part of a group now. And when you're part of a group, you gotta talk to each other and let somebody know when you're in trouble, otherwise we can't make smart choices about how t' survive. What if I hurt my leg but didn't tell you, and we had to run from a monster an' I couldn't keep up because I was limping? If we both knew I was injured, we might've taken a different path." He smiled encouragingly. "Besides, it's like I was jus' sayin'. You shouldn't have t' handle this on your own. Sometimes, our problems look a lot smaller when we share 'em with somebody else."
Travis was in a tiny living room of some kind, cold and derelict and clearly empty. After listening to the building for a second, he decided to risk taking out a small penlight and switching it on, shielding the light with his hand as he stole over to the door. Beyond it was a corridor with torn carpeting and moldy walls. Travis listened again, then turned left, his inner compass telling him that the emergency exit was close by.
Sure enough, it appeared from the gloom ahead of him after a few steps, and he held the penlight in his teeth so he could undo the latches and rip away the alarm wires to make absolutely sure they wouldn't go off. Then, he opened the door with a few good tugs and waved for Tap to come through. "Okay, get inside quick. And keep it down, I dunno what else might be around here."
She whimpered softly, looking up at gus with extremely begging eyes. She desperately did not want to show him, she knew in the end that they would probably find out…but she didn't want them to know just yet.
Though, if gus wanted he could probably force her to show him what she did. She wasn't exactly doing a great job of keeping her wrists away from him or trying to hide anything.
_____
She almost fell inward when he opened the door, stumbling a bit.
"A-alright." She nodded, moving inside of the building and glad to be inside even if it didn't provide that much cover from the storm.
She moved to look around, squinting to try and see what she could. It didn't look good from what she saw, she let out a soft sigh. She hoped nothing else was in here.
Jesse stays on the same floor and makes her way down the hallway, only to see a small white light near the emergency exit. Quickly, she pulls her back towards the door of one of the rooms, the indentation in the wall hiding her just enough to not make her obvious. Though with how big she was, it definitely wasn't hiding her whole body. She slowly twists the doorknob until it softly clicks. Jesse knew whoever they were, probably heard that so she slips inside of the room and waits. She shuts the door a little louder to maybe draw them towards her.
She listens to the hushed voices, not able to make out any words though. She moves to the side of the doorway and keeps her eyes on the handle, ready to shoot anyone who walks inside. Though she wouldn't shoot on site unless they too, had a gun and was ready to shoot her. Or posed as any sort of threat to her.
When the girls had both eaten most of the soup, Lyn went back to resting and Sef once again went out of the room to take a shower, bringing the only change of clothes she had. Eventually, she found the upstairs bathroom, but since there was no shower in sight she had to go downstairs. She heard Cassius and Ophelia speaking in the kitchen, but did not bother to try and figure out what they were saying. Her sole focus was the bathroom, and getting herself clean.
Once she had closed the door, she tied her locs into a small bun and then started looking around for a towel. There certainly wasn’t an abundance of dry towels, but she did find one, and undressed after turning the shower handle, letting water stream from the head. Though the water was cold, Sef made it as quick as possible, maybe around five minutes. Then, after drying off and twisting the towel around her head, she put on her change of clothes.
Gus stared at Jasper worriedly, wishing he could just make her tell him what was wrong and fix it with a wave of his hand. But he was no miracle-worker. And he couldn't make himself put that much pressure on her, not when she already looked so upset.
"At least tell me why you don't want me to know," he pleaded. "Just so I can understand, okay? Then we can get you some food and I'll let you sleep fer a while, I promise."
Travis helped Tap inside and eased the door shut, giving her a slight grin. "I told you I wouldn't be long. C'mon, let's go find a nice cozy place to hunker down for the night. I've got some food too if you–"
He broke off, whipping around to look down the hall. He could've sworn he'd heard something moving nearby. But when he slowly pointed his light into the shadows, there was nothing.
Travis didn't trust the silence one bit. "Stick close to me," he breathed, pulling Tap with him as he crept along the wall, where the floor wouldn't creak quite as much. With his free hand, he pulled out his machete and held it at the ready, eyes locked on the first few closed doors that they passed.
One in particular sat right where Travis had heard the sound a moment ago. Pausing, he stood to the side of the doorway and carefully turned the knob, pushing the door open and waiting just around the corner in case a screamer came leaping out.
(Omg Travis and Jesse both carry machetes. ~twins~)
Jesse listens to the two through the thin walls as they walk down the hallway, knowing her tactic worked. She wouldn't call it a trap per say, but it was definitely working like one.
She could hear her own pulse in her ears the closer they got, then…they stop in front of her door. Perfect.
Once the door creaks open, she steps away from the door, though still near the wall to where they wouldn't see her unless they looked inside. She debates whether or not to shoot or to say something. What would she say anyway?
A threat obviously.
It sounded like a good plan to her, so with that she speaks up "take a step closer, i shoot. And i don't miss" Jesse says lowly, her voice scratchy still. The air around them cold so the breeze blowing through didn't help at all. Though what did help was that Jesse was in one of the apartment rooms instead of the hallway where all of the broken windows on either end were.
Her black boots left small imprints in the carpet underneath her as she moves farther away from the door. Jesse couldn't be too careful with them and she didn't even know if they had a gun. The second she steps into the view, she could be shot before she even knew it. She had to think, and fast. There seemed to only be two of them, so she was confident in her abilities to take two people out. But she didn't know them, what they looked like, and what they had. So for the mean time, best to play safe and out of view.
-
Cassius had realized one of the girls came downstairs to shower but paid little to no mind to it as they walk outside with Ophelia.
She holds onto just one of his fingers, her small hand wrapped around it so she wouldn't get distracted and run off. They step out into the fenced in backyard to look at the crops. "its going to storm soon" Fia says, looking down at the leaves of the potato plants they've grown.
"Yeah it looks like it is…." Cass says, looking around towards their shed "that's why we need to cover the crops up. To protect them" he says, standing now. Fia lets go of his hand and looks up to him "So they don't blow away in the storm!?" she asks, her eyes wide.
He nods his head "Yep! Or so they don't get hurt. They could use the water, but i don't want the storm tearing them up."
She runs towards the shed as he makes his way, opening the wooden doors. The shed was small and the wood was painted white but over the years the paint had chipped away to reveal it's natural brown color. Cass knew he should replace the doors, as the wood was close to rotting and it was already breaking down. But for now this would do.
The shed had a nice black roof, the same material as any normal roofing of a house. Cass was plenty grateful for this as it kept water out just fine.
Inside was a small cot him and Fia stayed in when they first found the house about a year and a half ago. They weren't able to go inside and set up "camp" until Cass was sure this was safe.
To the right was a small rack filled with gardening tools, some homemade, some not. It was a little dusty but he just hadnt gotten around to cleaning up this place. The whole shed was a bit musty, the air inside stuffy and thicker.
Gus stared at Jasper worriedly, wishing he could just make her tell him what was wrong and fix it with a wave of his hand. But he was no miracle-worker. And he couldn't make himself put that much pressure on her, not when she already looked so upset.
"At least tell me why you don't want me to know," he pleaded. "Just so I can understand, okay? Then we can get you some food and I'll let you sleep fer a while, I promise."
"I-I uhm…I know you'll get mad…e-even if you s-say you w-wont.." She fidgeted nervously with her hands before wincing as she realized she shouldn't do that.
A drop of blood fell to the floor from her wrist, trailing down her hand and onto the floor infront of both of them.
"C-can w-we e-eat now…?" She mumbled looking away.
(Cracks knuckles as I write a ton about being blind)
She stays close to Travis as he pulls her in and wraps his arm around her to keep her close. She stuck close to him, holding onto him as they walked slowly through the building, though they didn't get very far when Travis stopped, and moved to open..well it just so slightly sounded like the creaking of a door.
She stuck close to his side, making sure she could breathe softly so that it wouldn't be heard by whatever was on the other side. She hoped it wasn't a screamer, she really didn't feel like she could fight it and would hate for Travis to have to fight it on his own.
Then she would just feel like a burden once again.
Her eyes widened when she heard Jesse's threat, and heard her walk a few steps back. no…this was almost worse then a screamer..
She sighed and rubbed her face, trying to squint and see something.
She spoke softly.
"Travis..what do we do?" She had no clue where in the next room over this person was, but she wasn't coming out to face them that's for sure.
(scary painting i did of Jesse for you guys :) https://pin.it/2f2BWRt )
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