Borrowed Strength (CA - Matthew & Zander)
Quote from Deleted user on September 1, 2020, 8:20 pmMatthew had now put back the warm water bottle into his bag and was just squinting at the ceiling. Turns out even hearing everything, the stranger still didn't make much sense. Probably was the heat- Or he was just clunky at talking. Either way, Matthew didn't see how he was going to be much help after all.
Slowly Matthew pushed himself up, all the dizziness and fog seeming to return to his head in a massive wave. His head was pounding now, his face still very red. He took a moment for the feeling to subside before he grabbed his bag and slowly stood up. Another wave hit, but he tried to focus his mind on the one thing he needed right now: To cool down.
After feeling a little more steady, he carefully put his backpack on as he looked over at Zander.
" Welp, I'm going to go find somewhere with AC." He said in his dry pubescent voice. " Nobody can survive in this heat, so somebody has to have some somewhere."
With that, he began slow steps towards the front door again, pacing himself knowing he couldn't afford haphazardly wasting anymore of his energy. Davey was right- the desert could drive a person mad and it could kill them just as easily. Matthew decided he wasn't sticking around to discover first hand what either one of those looked or felt like.
Matthew had now put back the warm water bottle into his bag and was just squinting at the ceiling. Turns out even hearing everything, the stranger still didn't make much sense. Probably was the heat- Or he was just clunky at talking. Either way, Matthew didn't see how he was going to be much help after all.
Slowly Matthew pushed himself up, all the dizziness and fog seeming to return to his head in a massive wave. His head was pounding now, his face still very red. He took a moment for the feeling to subside before he grabbed his bag and slowly stood up. Another wave hit, but he tried to focus his mind on the one thing he needed right now: To cool down.
After feeling a little more steady, he carefully put his backpack on as he looked over at Zander.
" Welp, I'm going to go find somewhere with AC." He said in his dry pubescent voice. " Nobody can survive in this heat, so somebody has to have some somewhere."
With that, he began slow steps towards the front door again, pacing himself knowing he couldn't afford haphazardly wasting anymore of his energy. Davey was right- the desert could drive a person mad and it could kill them just as easily. Matthew decided he wasn't sticking around to discover first hand what either one of those looked or felt like.
Quote from Indy on September 1, 2020, 10:02 pm"Oy, get some fluids in first!" Zander jolted to alertness, noting as the kid moved to stand.
He shook his head, beyond frazzled and tired. Hadn't they just done this?
"It's the hottest part of the day," he repeated wearily, "And the next-nearest public place with AC would be the local store - and that's way too far to walk. I don't recommend barging down the doors of residential homes - you're a vagrant and they're more likely to shoot you. If you hydrate and stay out of the sun, heat stroke won't be a worry".
"Oy, get some fluids in first!" Zander jolted to alertness, noting as the kid moved to stand.
He shook his head, beyond frazzled and tired. Hadn't they just done this?
"It's the hottest part of the day," he repeated wearily, "And the next-nearest public place with AC would be the local store - and that's way too far to walk. I don't recommend barging down the doors of residential homes - you're a vagrant and they're more likely to shoot you. If you hydrate and stay out of the sun, heat stroke won't be a worry".
Quote from Deleted user on September 2, 2020, 12:18 amMatthew paused at the door once more, his brain far too foggy to understand exactly what Zander was trying to say. He glanced over at the frantic man as he felt the weight of his body feeling like it was trying to drag him down. He then looked back outside to a building on the other side of the street, the quaint little post office of East Well. He pointed towards it.
" I'm going over there to get help."
With that he pushed open the door and tried to exit, but by the grimace that suddenly grew on his face it was clear something was wrong. He managed to shove the door out of his way as he stumbled a few steps forward, grabbing his sides clearly still in pain.
" Ouch, ouch, ouch.." He muttered to himself out of habit.
Matthew paused at the door once more, his brain far too foggy to understand exactly what Zander was trying to say. He glanced over at the frantic man as he felt the weight of his body feeling like it was trying to drag him down. He then looked back outside to a building on the other side of the street, the quaint little post office of East Well. He pointed towards it.
" I'm going over there to get help."
With that he pushed open the door and tried to exit, but by the grimace that suddenly grew on his face it was clear something was wrong. He managed to shove the door out of his way as he stumbled a few steps forward, grabbing his sides clearly still in pain.
" Ouch, ouch, ouch.." He muttered to himself out of habit.
Quote from Indy on September 2, 2020, 1:23 pmZander stood up abruptly as the kid made a move to leave. The heat stuck in his joints, making the very motion a prickly protest of sweat, but he ignored it as he retrieved a towel from his bag. He splashed some of the water from his waterbottle until it was drenched, and grabbed a warmed gatorade as well from the sack.
"Kid, hey, you don't look good," he moved swiftly to Matthew's side, "My name is Zander, okay? I want you to trust me a second here, please".
"You need to drink something," he said quietly, holding his gatorade to the kid's lips, "Something with electrolytes. Let's sit down again, the backpack looks heavy".
He offered the wet towel, "Just wrap this around your head a moment, okay? You'll feel better".
Zander stood up abruptly as the kid made a move to leave. The heat stuck in his joints, making the very motion a prickly protest of sweat, but he ignored it as he retrieved a towel from his bag. He splashed some of the water from his waterbottle until it was drenched, and grabbed a warmed gatorade as well from the sack.
"Kid, hey, you don't look good," he moved swiftly to Matthew's side, "My name is Zander, okay? I want you to trust me a second here, please".
"You need to drink something," he said quietly, holding his gatorade to the kid's lips, "Something with electrolytes. Let's sit down again, the backpack looks heavy".
He offered the wet towel, "Just wrap this around your head a moment, okay? You'll feel better".
Quote from Deleted user on September 2, 2020, 10:17 pmMatthew turned to look at Zander as he appeared beside him. His eyes then followed to the Gatorade held in front of him and then the towl offered to him. He looked confused. There was only one thing that appeared to register in his brain- He swerved his arms out of the straps and once more his backpack dropped to the ground.
" Your right, it is too heavy." He concluded. " Can you watch it for me?"
With that, he began to continue his trajectory towards the post office with one hand returning to his side that still ached. A sinking feeling followed him that he wasn't suppose to leave his bag behind, but he couldn't remember why. Didn't he have his most important possessions in his pocket? Matthew still felt uncertainty tickling the back of his mind on the matter.
Matthew turned to look at Zander as he appeared beside him. His eyes then followed to the Gatorade held in front of him and then the towl offered to him. He looked confused. There was only one thing that appeared to register in his brain- He swerved his arms out of the straps and once more his backpack dropped to the ground.
" Your right, it is too heavy." He concluded. " Can you watch it for me?"
With that, he began to continue his trajectory towards the post office with one hand returning to his side that still ached. A sinking feeling followed him that he wasn't suppose to leave his bag behind, but he couldn't remember why. Didn't he have his most important possessions in his pocket? Matthew still felt uncertainty tickling the back of his mind on the matter.
Quote from Indy on September 3, 2020, 1:48 pmZander grumbled darkly as the youth scooted past him, offloading his oversized backpack to go waltz out into the cracked, ashen desert. Loitering at the threshold of the doorway, he hesitated a moment besides the sack. The contents didn't concern him much, but he had to admit it would have been easier to stay behind with it.
It was a shame his nature wouldn't cooperate with him. Witholding a choice swear, he slipped on a pair of sunglasses from his sack instead. The boy's backpack remained behind; he was far more concerned that Matthew would pass out in the middle of the parking lot than if a non-existant thief would steal it. He kept his own side-bag, more for stubbornness than anything else. There wasn't anything inside the bag of any monetary value, but that didn't make the personal value any less.
Gritting his teeth, he walked out into the desert. He didn't run, but he walked quickly so as to catch the kid before he got too far.
Zander grumbled darkly as the youth scooted past him, offloading his oversized backpack to go waltz out into the cracked, ashen desert. Loitering at the threshold of the doorway, he hesitated a moment besides the sack. The contents didn't concern him much, but he had to admit it would have been easier to stay behind with it.
It was a shame his nature wouldn't cooperate with him. Witholding a choice swear, he slipped on a pair of sunglasses from his sack instead. The boy's backpack remained behind; he was far more concerned that Matthew would pass out in the middle of the parking lot than if a non-existant thief would steal it. He kept his own side-bag, more for stubbornness than anything else. There wasn't anything inside the bag of any monetary value, but that didn't make the personal value any less.
Gritting his teeth, he walked out into the desert. He didn't run, but he walked quickly so as to catch the kid before he got too far.
Quote from Deleted user on September 4, 2020, 4:38 amMatthew might've felt like a part of the walking dead, but how he strided quickly across the road to the other side could've easily fooled anyone- if it wasn't for how red he was and how much he was sweating. It was only when he slowed down on the other side that he noticed his head had begun to spin again. He paused as he looked at the building he stood in front of now.
It was tiny, with it's worn out sign indicating it's purpose on the side next to a large blue postal box. Matthew was far too tired to look over the sign, and took the iconic blue box as an indication of what the building's purpose was. Done with surveying the building, but still feeling a little dizzy, he took a few slow steps toward the door and placed his hand on the knob and turned- only to find it locked.
" Ohhhhhh, snickerdoodles.." He muttered in frustration, his head falling against the door as he sighed heavily. He felt like he could melt into a puddle. What was he going to do now?
Matthew might've felt like a part of the walking dead, but how he strided quickly across the road to the other side could've easily fooled anyone- if it wasn't for how red he was and how much he was sweating. It was only when he slowed down on the other side that he noticed his head had begun to spin again. He paused as he looked at the building he stood in front of now.
It was tiny, with it's worn out sign indicating it's purpose on the side next to a large blue postal box. Matthew was far too tired to look over the sign, and took the iconic blue box as an indication of what the building's purpose was. Done with surveying the building, but still feeling a little dizzy, he took a few slow steps toward the door and placed his hand on the knob and turned- only to find it locked.
" Ohhhhhh, snickerdoodles.." He muttered in frustration, his head falling against the door as he sighed heavily. He felt like he could melt into a puddle. What was he going to do now?
Quote from Indy on September 4, 2020, 7:23 pmZander had learned his lesson: it was better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. As soon as he managed to catch up, noting with a grimace the post office was closed, he drenched the towel again from his head. He plopped the sopping rag abruptly on Matthew's face as he came up from behind. His eyes narrowed, studying the boy as he eyed him critically.
He wafted the gatorade under the kid's mouth.
"Drink this," he commanded briskly.
Zander had learned his lesson: it was better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. As soon as he managed to catch up, noting with a grimace the post office was closed, he drenched the towel again from his head. He plopped the sopping rag abruptly on Matthew's face as he came up from behind. His eyes narrowed, studying the boy as he eyed him critically.
He wafted the gatorade under the kid's mouth.
"Drink this," he commanded briskly.
Quote from Deleted user on September 4, 2020, 10:58 pmMatthew grumbled as the wet rag hit his face. He grabbed at the towel and removed it as he turned himself to lean his back against the door now for support.
" That's not cold, it's just gross." He said trying to hand the towel back to Zander. He however willingly took the Gatorade but still seemed grumpy about having to accept it. He took a few sips of it as his eyes wearily drifted around, his mind still struggling to be fully present. His vision was beginning to blur as he began to wonder if he even had the strength to walk back to the gas station. Something about the locked door had zapped the remaining energy he had, and now he found it hard to even think about moving. The world felt like it was growing dim. Having never experienced it before, his eyes closed with no realization the next few seconds of dropping the Gatorade in his hand as gravity pulled his limp body down would not be remembered at all.
Matthew grumbled as the wet rag hit his face. He grabbed at the towel and removed it as he turned himself to lean his back against the door now for support.
" That's not cold, it's just gross." He said trying to hand the towel back to Zander. He however willingly took the Gatorade but still seemed grumpy about having to accept it. He took a few sips of it as his eyes wearily drifted around, his mind still struggling to be fully present. His vision was beginning to blur as he began to wonder if he even had the strength to walk back to the gas station. Something about the locked door had zapped the remaining energy he had, and now he found it hard to even think about moving. The world felt like it was growing dim. Having never experienced it before, his eyes closed with no realization the next few seconds of dropping the Gatorade in his hand as gravity pulled his limp body down would not be remembered at all.
Quote from Indy on September 5, 2020, 5:02 pmJust as the he collapsed, Zander grumbled darkly under his breath. Out here in the sun, he had no doubt the kid would sizzle like a scrambled egg on a hot pan. He was flushed himself, even with the damp rag pressed over his head. Yet what was he to do? Wait until the kid went "over easy"?
He stooped, carefully securing his grip around the kid's torso and throwing him over his back. It was a good thing he didn't weigh much. He doubted he could have so easily fireman carried a full-grown adult so easily in the baking sun. His lungs screamed at the effort and his body trembled, yet he pressed onwards through the assault.
When he finally made it back to the gas station, he was pouring sweat and feeling light-headed himself. He managed to make it past the door and collapsed back on the floor - while glaring at the kid as he did so. At least he wouldn't actively fight against his own wellbeing when he was unconscious. He rewetted the rag and slopped it back on the kid's forehead, then starred off vacantly as he tried to recapture his breath.
Just as the he collapsed, Zander grumbled darkly under his breath. Out here in the sun, he had no doubt the kid would sizzle like a scrambled egg on a hot pan. He was flushed himself, even with the damp rag pressed over his head. Yet what was he to do? Wait until the kid went "over easy"?
He stooped, carefully securing his grip around the kid's torso and throwing him over his back. It was a good thing he didn't weigh much. He doubted he could have so easily fireman carried a full-grown adult so easily in the baking sun. His lungs screamed at the effort and his body trembled, yet he pressed onwards through the assault.
When he finally made it back to the gas station, he was pouring sweat and feeling light-headed himself. He managed to make it past the door and collapsed back on the floor - while glaring at the kid as he did so. At least he wouldn't actively fight against his own wellbeing when he was unconscious. He rewetted the rag and slopped it back on the kid's forehead, then starred off vacantly as he tried to recapture his breath.
