Borrowed Strength (CA - Matthew & Zander)
Quote from Deleted user on June 4, 2020, 3:17 pmMatthew appeared to be so focused on the selection of junk food before him that it looked like he had missed what Zander had said entirely. He finally wiped his brow, face still red and exhausted, as he set his backpack down on the floor. He then looked at Zander warily, the awkward childishness from before completely gone now from his gaze. His hazel eyes stared directly into Zanders as if he was trying to read his intentions. Time seemed to slow down as his gaze became more intense, before finally breaking away as he knelt down to grab some water from his bag, his movement becoming casual all of a sudden.
" You're right- It's way too hot to go back outside now." He said with a chuckle as he located his water bottle from before. He took a few large gulps before getting settled on the floor, sitting down with his leg crossed.
" I guess we're gunna be stuck here for a while." He said as he tossed his bottle in his bag and turned back to Zander, a childlike curiosity shimmering in his eye now. " Sooo... Where are you headed?"
Matthew appeared to be so focused on the selection of junk food before him that it looked like he had missed what Zander had said entirely. He finally wiped his brow, face still red and exhausted, as he set his backpack down on the floor. He then looked at Zander warily, the awkward childishness from before completely gone now from his gaze. His hazel eyes stared directly into Zanders as if he was trying to read his intentions. Time seemed to slow down as his gaze became more intense, before finally breaking away as he knelt down to grab some water from his bag, his movement becoming casual all of a sudden.
" You're right- It's way too hot to go back outside now." He said with a chuckle as he located his water bottle from before. He took a few large gulps before getting settled on the floor, sitting down with his leg crossed.
" I guess we're gunna be stuck here for a while." He said as he tossed his bottle in his bag and turned back to Zander, a childlike curiosity shimmering in his eye now. " Sooo... Where are you headed?"
Quote from Indy on June 7, 2020, 8:44 pmTeenagers always had a shifty look about them. Had he been like that? He didn't think so, and yet he had rarely encountered a teenager without it. When Matthew caught his eyes, as if sizing him up, Zander's first impulse was that the kid was debating whether or not he could take him for his lunch money. Zander held the gaze, if only to maintain his steadfast exterior, then watched as the kid's previous suspicion melted away to gulp down the water.
His stolen water. Until he paid for it... not that he was keeping track of such things.
"Guess so," he observed with a nod, and considered the kid's next question like a bizarre logic puzzle.
He laughed a little awkwardly, "Well... it wasn't here. It was..."
He shrugged, "I guess not anywhere exactly. I heard the town at the end of the highway had some interesting little pieces of folklore. I was going to check it out. I'm something of a... traveling anthropologist".
He laughed again, although it wasn't terribly funny. 'Traveling anthropologist' also meant homeless and lived out of a motorcycle most nights.
Teenagers always had a shifty look about them. Had he been like that? He didn't think so, and yet he had rarely encountered a teenager without it. When Matthew caught his eyes, as if sizing him up, Zander's first impulse was that the kid was debating whether or not he could take him for his lunch money. Zander held the gaze, if only to maintain his steadfast exterior, then watched as the kid's previous suspicion melted away to gulp down the water.
His stolen water. Until he paid for it... not that he was keeping track of such things.
"Guess so," he observed with a nod, and considered the kid's next question like a bizarre logic puzzle.
He laughed a little awkwardly, "Well... it wasn't here. It was..."
He shrugged, "I guess not anywhere exactly. I heard the town at the end of the highway had some interesting little pieces of folklore. I was going to check it out. I'm something of a... traveling anthropologist".
He laughed again, although it wasn't terribly funny. 'Traveling anthropologist' also meant homeless and lived out of a motorcycle most nights.
Quote from Deleted user on June 9, 2020, 7:16 pm" Folklore huh.." Matthew repeated, now distracted rummaging through his bag. " What kind of folklore do you like?"
" Folklore huh.." Matthew repeated, now distracted rummaging through his bag. " What kind of folklore do you like?"
Quote from Indy on June 10, 2020, 11:44 pmZander shrugged, "The usual. Wayward Scottish faeries that give you the best party of your life, except 50 years have gone by and all your relatives are gone. Baba Yaga the old woman who lives in a hut that spins on chicken's feet. The Mongolian Death worm, a creature that allegedly kills using acid and electric discharges".
He watched the boy curiously a moment as he rummaged, then continued.
"Every place has something different... it's not the folklore itself, it's the people. Who are the people that come up with the stories and who believes them? What truth do they have to offer? Even fiction will have a grain of reality to it".
Zander shrugged, "The usual. Wayward Scottish faeries that give you the best party of your life, except 50 years have gone by and all your relatives are gone. Baba Yaga the old woman who lives in a hut that spins on chicken's feet. The Mongolian Death worm, a creature that allegedly kills using acid and electric discharges".
He watched the boy curiously a moment as he rummaged, then continued.
"Every place has something different... it's not the folklore itself, it's the people. Who are the people that come up with the stories and who believes them? What truth do they have to offer? Even fiction will have a grain of reality to it".
Quote from Deleted user on June 16, 2020, 11:50 pm" Uh-huh.." Matthew replied intermittently, trying to sound like he actually knew what folklore Zander spoke of.
Seeming to have found what he was looking for in his backpack, he then paused as Zander said his final words.
" You don't say.." He mumbled to himself, as he closed his bag and got up. He then proceeded to appear as though he was browsing the aisles once more, stepping around the corner and out of Zanders sight now.
" And what has been.. Your favorite folklore so far, or most interesting person you've met who has believed in those stories you're looking for?" He asked, putting the words together slowly seeming distracted now.
" Uh-huh.." Matthew replied intermittently, trying to sound like he actually knew what folklore Zander spoke of.
Seeming to have found what he was looking for in his backpack, he then paused as Zander said his final words.
" You don't say.." He mumbled to himself, as he closed his bag and got up. He then proceeded to appear as though he was browsing the aisles once more, stepping around the corner and out of Zanders sight now.
" And what has been.. Your favorite folklore so far, or most interesting person you've met who has believed in those stories you're looking for?" He asked, putting the words together slowly seeming distracted now.
Quote from Indy on June 25, 2020, 9:51 pmZander was still watching Matthew from the corner of his eyes; the rest of his attention was out the far window, watching the unrelenting sunlight from outside.
"No favorites," he said after a moment. His attention shifted back from the sun and to Matthew, a strange intensity taking the otherwise easy-going young man, "Every person holds their own myths- secrets if you will. To the outsider they seem strange, but to the individual they're as true as anything. If reality is so subjective, it makes you wonder what's real at all".
"Some believe the world is flat, others that spirits dictate the turnings of the world. Some believe there are tiny men that live in the center of every dandelion, and others that we are those tiny men".
He hesitated, "An old woman at the gas pump told me a funny story while I was waiting. She said dogs and cats have been going missing. It evidently is known to happen her from time to time. Something about the desert moonlight, she said, can drive you mad".
He watched Matthew with a raise eyebrow, "I suspect it's a variation of the Chupacabra myth. What do you believe?"
Zander was still watching Matthew from the corner of his eyes; the rest of his attention was out the far window, watching the unrelenting sunlight from outside.
"No favorites," he said after a moment. His attention shifted back from the sun and to Matthew, a strange intensity taking the otherwise easy-going young man, "Every person holds their own myths- secrets if you will. To the outsider they seem strange, but to the individual they're as true as anything. If reality is so subjective, it makes you wonder what's real at all".
"Some believe the world is flat, others that spirits dictate the turnings of the world. Some believe there are tiny men that live in the center of every dandelion, and others that we are those tiny men".
He hesitated, "An old woman at the gas pump told me a funny story while I was waiting. She said dogs and cats have been going missing. It evidently is known to happen her from time to time. Something about the desert moonlight, she said, can drive you mad".
He watched Matthew with a raise eyebrow, "I suspect it's a variation of the Chupacabra myth. What do you believe?"
Quote from Deleted user on July 5, 2020, 2:37 amMatthew eyed Zander from just above the aisle, seeing him soon turning to watch him now. With a dubious look he turned his attention back to the selection of junk food in the small aisle, soon crouching down to look at the lower choices. Matthew said nothing as he remained out of Zanders sight as the stranger spoke. Once Zander asked his question however, it was clear he hadn't been listening.
" Hm? A chupawhat?" Matthew said, staring intensely now at the chip bags in front of him. " I… Was trying to decide which chips are the best. The triangle shaped ones or the weird squiggly ones. ...What do you think?"
Matthew was trying to stall, but what he was stalling for wasn't clear. The stranger was going to notice just like Matthew had noticed. They both had their secret, Matthew just wasn't used to noticing it first- Usually his nose was too stuffed up to notice, but it seemed the tables were turned in this scenario. Still, it wouldn't be long for the stranger to catch his scent eventually and notice. Matthew didn't know if chupa-whats-its were real, but he knew werewolves were; They both knew that.
Matthew eyed Zander from just above the aisle, seeing him soon turning to watch him now. With a dubious look he turned his attention back to the selection of junk food in the small aisle, soon crouching down to look at the lower choices. Matthew said nothing as he remained out of Zanders sight as the stranger spoke. Once Zander asked his question however, it was clear he hadn't been listening.
" Hm? A chupawhat?" Matthew said, staring intensely now at the chip bags in front of him. " I… Was trying to decide which chips are the best. The triangle shaped ones or the weird squiggly ones. ...What do you think?"
Matthew was trying to stall, but what he was stalling for wasn't clear. The stranger was going to notice just like Matthew had noticed. They both had their secret, Matthew just wasn't used to noticing it first- Usually his nose was too stuffed up to notice, but it seemed the tables were turned in this scenario. Still, it wouldn't be long for the stranger to catch his scent eventually and notice. Matthew didn't know if chupa-whats-its were real, but he knew werewolves were; They both knew that.
Quote from Indy on July 5, 2020, 9:36 pmZander watched the boy casually from his lifted gaze and sniffled slightly. He was curious to see how much the boy could shove in his arms or bag, and how much longer he was going to pretend he could pay for it all. At least, Zander would be deeply amused if the boy waved around a stack of cash; if he had that much, then he could've afforded better accommodations... what was it his father had said to him once? The youth was wasted on the young.
He considered the bags, "I'd say triangle-shaped ones".
Then with a simple shrug, he continued. If he was miffed, he didn't let on, but lectured as if he were a TA with a classroom full of disgruntled freshman.
"The Chupacabra. Common in South America, the myths say it to be some kind of monster that sucked the blood of the local livestock... goats mostly. Farmers claimed they'd find teethmarks on their goats throat, or sometimes dead goats drained of all blood. It's popular enough to catch on here, I suppose, and dogs and cats are close enough, no?"
Zander seemed earnest enough in his expression, certainly, to have no ulterior motive. And yet he watched the boy with a curious glance, and perhaps therein lay a clue. A "traveling anthropologist" made their life's work in observing others, but not in modifying their behavior with any bold statements. Presently Matthew would be presented a riddle that many had often wondered of the young man: was Zander playing some secret game, or was he truly just that dense?
The truth was that Matthew had just become his latest case study. Only his notebooks later that night would say to what end.
"Although," he mused, "There are plenty of mythological entities that might fit the bill of our mysterious nightly visitor. You've been in the area a little bit. Any ideas on what's inspiring the disappearances?"
Zander watched the boy casually from his lifted gaze and sniffled slightly. He was curious to see how much the boy could shove in his arms or bag, and how much longer he was going to pretend he could pay for it all. At least, Zander would be deeply amused if the boy waved around a stack of cash; if he had that much, then he could've afforded better accommodations... what was it his father had said to him once? The youth was wasted on the young.
He considered the bags, "I'd say triangle-shaped ones".
Then with a simple shrug, he continued. If he was miffed, he didn't let on, but lectured as if he were a TA with a classroom full of disgruntled freshman.
"The Chupacabra. Common in South America, the myths say it to be some kind of monster that sucked the blood of the local livestock... goats mostly. Farmers claimed they'd find teethmarks on their goats throat, or sometimes dead goats drained of all blood. It's popular enough to catch on here, I suppose, and dogs and cats are close enough, no?"
Zander seemed earnest enough in his expression, certainly, to have no ulterior motive. And yet he watched the boy with a curious glance, and perhaps therein lay a clue. A "traveling anthropologist" made their life's work in observing others, but not in modifying their behavior with any bold statements. Presently Matthew would be presented a riddle that many had often wondered of the young man: was Zander playing some secret game, or was he truly just that dense?
The truth was that Matthew had just become his latest case study. Only his notebooks later that night would say to what end.
"Although," he mused, "There are plenty of mythological entities that might fit the bill of our mysterious nightly visitor. You've been in the area a little bit. Any ideas on what's inspiring the disappearances?"
Quote from Deleted user on July 6, 2020, 1:52 amAfter a short moment of deciding, Matthew took the "triangle shaped" chips and added it to his bag. Two more food items went in as well while Zander spoke. Unfortunately Matthew was still not actually listening.
He had finally realized his mistake. He could now see why Zander wasn't being confrontational for one reason and one reason alone- they were both loners. Matthew couldn't remember the last time he had run into one, but naturally they wouldn't be whispering threats for you to get out of their territory. Of course not. They didn't have territory.
Matthew stood up and swayed from the sudden dizziness that hit him. It was quick to fade in a few seconds as Matthew instinctively laughed lightly to himself over it. ...Now, where was that cash register box you pay for things at?
By some miracle he caught Zanders last question. " Nah, I just got here. I haven't heard anything about that.."
...Whatever "that" actually was. Matthew then slowly made his way to the counter as he pulled out his wallet and leafed through his money, placing down a twenty dollar bill.
" That should cover everything.."
And just like that, he was ready to leave. I mean, neither of them really had to say anything about the elephant- or more correctly, the werewolf in the room. Nope. No words needed. They were both travelers, and what was more normal than for fellow travelers to simply say hi before going their separate ways?
Matthew took one last glance at Zander before turning towards the door to leave.
After a short moment of deciding, Matthew took the "triangle shaped" chips and added it to his bag. Two more food items went in as well while Zander spoke. Unfortunately Matthew was still not actually listening.
He had finally realized his mistake. He could now see why Zander wasn't being confrontational for one reason and one reason alone- they were both loners. Matthew couldn't remember the last time he had run into one, but naturally they wouldn't be whispering threats for you to get out of their territory. Of course not. They didn't have territory.
Matthew stood up and swayed from the sudden dizziness that hit him. It was quick to fade in a few seconds as Matthew instinctively laughed lightly to himself over it. ...Now, where was that cash register box you pay for things at?
By some miracle he caught Zanders last question. " Nah, I just got here. I haven't heard anything about that.."
...Whatever "that" actually was. Matthew then slowly made his way to the counter as he pulled out his wallet and leafed through his money, placing down a twenty dollar bill.
" That should cover everything.."
And just like that, he was ready to leave. I mean, neither of them really had to say anything about the elephant- or more correctly, the werewolf in the room. Nope. No words needed. They were both travelers, and what was more normal than for fellow travelers to simply say hi before going their separate ways?
Matthew took one last glance at Zander before turning towards the door to leave.
Quote from Indy on July 11, 2020, 11:28 pm"I wouldn't do that, if I were you"
Zander raised an eyebrow, his words dangling a dangerous precipice. Sure, he'd seen the elephant in the room. He'd minded it, studied it, and carefully skirted around it - no need to inspire the beast to a rampage, after all. But even if he was a naturalist at heart, that didn't change certain facts of existence. Both their existences, actually.
"It's still too hot outside, you'd risk heat stroke to go out in that," he shrugged sheepishly, glancing to the floor.
He'd chickened out at the last moment, his voice growing slack. Where had the courage gone?
He shook his head, "Listen, just stay away from that old woman would you? I would say she has certain prejudices, if you catch my drift."
And some very strong-looking grandsons.
He hesitated again, "Just, keep away from the old wind turbine yeah?"
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you"
Zander raised an eyebrow, his words dangling a dangerous precipice. Sure, he'd seen the elephant in the room. He'd minded it, studied it, and carefully skirted around it - no need to inspire the beast to a rampage, after all. But even if he was a naturalist at heart, that didn't change certain facts of existence. Both their existences, actually.
"It's still too hot outside, you'd risk heat stroke to go out in that," he shrugged sheepishly, glancing to the floor.
He'd chickened out at the last moment, his voice growing slack. Where had the courage gone?
He shook his head, "Listen, just stay away from that old woman would you? I would say she has certain prejudices, if you catch my drift."
And some very strong-looking grandsons.
He hesitated again, "Just, keep away from the old wind turbine yeah?"
