Borrowed Strength (CA - Matthew & Zander)
Quote from Deleted user on October 6, 2020, 10:19 pmMatthew jumped, looking up as the old lady peered down at them- he finally looked like his mind was back in reality. When commanded however, Matthew was slow to get up. His face looked completely bewildered.
" ..What are you talking about?" He started slowly. " I'm... not with him," he said stumbling over his words, his voice cracking as he pointed at Zander, his whole manner seeming to reflect the panic that was growing on his young face.
" I'm just waiting for my parents, they should be coming back here once they realize I'm missing in the van. I'm not going to be here long..."
Matthew jumped, looking up as the old lady peered down at them- he finally looked like his mind was back in reality. When commanded however, Matthew was slow to get up. His face looked completely bewildered.
" ..What are you talking about?" He started slowly. " I'm... not with him," he said stumbling over his words, his voice cracking as he pointed at Zander, his whole manner seeming to reflect the panic that was growing on his young face.
" I'm just waiting for my parents, they should be coming back here once they realize I'm missing in the van. I'm not going to be here long..."
Quote from Indy on October 8, 2020, 10:57 pmThe old woman pursed her lips, squinting darkly at the young man. The stare lasted an uncomfortable span of time. Then she looked away, sniffling twice.
"Don't matter one bit," she decided after a moment, "I don't like you either - you and your lot, far as I care, can rot under the sun".
The woman left currency on the counter. Without another word, she ambled her way out out with mustard, bread, and mayo in hand.
The old woman pursed her lips, squinting darkly at the young man. The stare lasted an uncomfortable span of time. Then she looked away, sniffling twice.
"Don't matter one bit," she decided after a moment, "I don't like you either - you and your lot, far as I care, can rot under the sun".
The woman left currency on the counter. Without another word, she ambled her way out out with mustard, bread, and mayo in hand.
Quote from Deleted user on October 20, 2020, 9:11 pmMatthew watched the old woman hobble away as he casually put the last bite of jerky in his mouth. He then went straight for his backpack, the anxiety that seemed to have previously gripped his heart appearing to be gone now.
Matthew watched the old woman hobble away as he casually put the last bite of jerky in his mouth. He then went straight for his backpack, the anxiety that seemed to have previously gripped his heart appearing to be gone now.
Quote from Indy on October 22, 2020, 9:36 pmZander feigned interest in removing the flecks of dirt and grime off his pants. Of course, that'd been a lost cause. He doubted the staff cleaned beneath the register desk very often, if at all. His biggest priority was avoiding eye-contact with the old woman, and hoping very well she'd do him the kindness to continue ignoring him. If he could just fade off into the background, he'd be in a good place.
The woman hobbled off out the front door, the heat seeming not to slow her down at all. He supposed some things liked it hot. Like snakes. Demons.
"Well..." Zander cleared his throat awkwardly, "That was fun. Sorry about that... I'd offer you a ride out, but again, I have none to give".
His eyes gloomed over the glint of metal on the static motorcycle sitting just outside.
Zander feigned interest in removing the flecks of dirt and grime off his pants. Of course, that'd been a lost cause. He doubted the staff cleaned beneath the register desk very often, if at all. His biggest priority was avoiding eye-contact with the old woman, and hoping very well she'd do him the kindness to continue ignoring him. If he could just fade off into the background, he'd be in a good place.
The woman hobbled off out the front door, the heat seeming not to slow her down at all. He supposed some things liked it hot. Like snakes. Demons.
"Well..." Zander cleared his throat awkwardly, "That was fun. Sorry about that... I'd offer you a ride out, but again, I have none to give".
His eyes gloomed over the glint of metal on the static motorcycle sitting just outside.
Quote from Deleted user on October 23, 2020, 1:12 amAfter a bit of shuffling around in his backpack, Matthew stood, a paper now in his hand. He began to look around the tiny store, but with how his vision seemed blurred, he couldn't find what he was looking for. Giving up rather quickly, he eyed Zander awkwardly. " Um, do you know where a phone we can use is?" He asked quietly.
After a bit of shuffling around in his backpack, Matthew stood, a paper now in his hand. He began to look around the tiny store, but with how his vision seemed blurred, he couldn't find what he was looking for. Giving up rather quickly, he eyed Zander awkwardly. " Um, do you know where a phone we can use is?" He asked quietly.
Quote from Indy on October 25, 2020, 2:45 pmZander was peeling an old candy wrapper off his jeans as Matthew spoke. There was nothing to be done about the dust, but he could at least have the dignity of no candy wrappers.
"Hmm?" the young man glanced up, "I think there's one around the corner".
He was regretful to go back out to the heat, but with little else to do until an untimely demise, he could hardly deny the request. He strode out of the shop, taking Matthew's request as an invitation as well. Fortunately, the path around the store was in the shade of the building. Although the heat still clung to him like a musty breath, he found it didn't fog up his head too badly if he moved slowly and purposefully.
In a few moments, he found the sight of the payphone glinting against the low afternoon sun.
"Saw the shopkeeper use it earlier, so it should be alright".
Zander was peeling an old candy wrapper off his jeans as Matthew spoke. There was nothing to be done about the dust, but he could at least have the dignity of no candy wrappers.
"Hmm?" the young man glanced up, "I think there's one around the corner".
He was regretful to go back out to the heat, but with little else to do until an untimely demise, he could hardly deny the request. He strode out of the shop, taking Matthew's request as an invitation as well. Fortunately, the path around the store was in the shade of the building. Although the heat still clung to him like a musty breath, he found it didn't fog up his head too badly if he moved slowly and purposefully.
In a few moments, he found the sight of the payphone glinting against the low afternoon sun.
"Saw the shopkeeper use it earlier, so it should be alright".
Quote from Deleted user on November 3, 2020, 12:21 pmMatthew warily followed Zander outside, his eyes watching out for the old lady that had threatened them moments earlier. In the shade of the backside of the little gas station, he stared at the payphone briefly before his wandering gaze gathered how to use it. He proceeded to insert the coins needed to operate it, and then slowly typed the numbers in, the length in time he stared at the numbers seeming unnatural. The exhaustion his body and mind was probably not helping, the boy still appearing red in the face from the heat. Finally ringing could be heard as he put the phone cautiously to his face. Soon a voice on the other side could be heard.
" Hey Davey, it's Matthew." Matthew answered back. "..Yeah, um, I'm kinda stuck with.. Um," He continued as he awkwardly glanced towards Zander. " Someone else. He's a traveler too. ...Where? Uhhh…" Matthew looked at Zander again, not bothering to muffle the phone. " Where are we again?"
Matthew warily followed Zander outside, his eyes watching out for the old lady that had threatened them moments earlier. In the shade of the backside of the little gas station, he stared at the payphone briefly before his wandering gaze gathered how to use it. He proceeded to insert the coins needed to operate it, and then slowly typed the numbers in, the length in time he stared at the numbers seeming unnatural. The exhaustion his body and mind was probably not helping, the boy still appearing red in the face from the heat. Finally ringing could be heard as he put the phone cautiously to his face. Soon a voice on the other side could be heard.
" Hey Davey, it's Matthew." Matthew answered back. "..Yeah, um, I'm kinda stuck with.. Um," He continued as he awkwardly glanced towards Zander. " Someone else. He's a traveler too. ...Where? Uhhh…" Matthew looked at Zander again, not bothering to muffle the phone. " Where are we again?"
Quote from Indy on November 11, 2020, 9:11 pm"East Well," Zander replied quietly.
He glanced upwards to the rolling waves of heat, adding helpfully, "Not that I've seen a well anywhere around".
"East Well," Zander replied quietly.
He glanced upwards to the rolling waves of heat, adding helpfully, "Not that I've seen a well anywhere around".
Quote from Deleted user on November 19, 2020, 1:46 am" East Well," Matthew relayed adding " It's a tiny place." The voice on the other line could be heard for a moment before Matthew shook his head responding quickly.
" What? No, there's.. Someone here in town that's threatened both of us. I think she can tell I'm…" Matthew paused as he swallowed before repeating the next word slow and careful. " Different. She says we need to leave before sundown. …
I don't know, I just know she sounded serious. Yeah." The muffled sounds continued through the speaker on the phone as Matthew glanced at Zander, still with some kind of awkward nervousness. " No, I think he just got.. uhh.. Dragged into it by association, though I only met him like a little while ago.
...Yeah, I guess.. Yeah, I can feel it. Okay.. ...Okay! Thank you Davey, I will."
Click!
With that Matthew quickly hung up the phone, as he tried to look at Zander but still seemed to feel too awkward to manage much more than a glance. " A friend of mine is heading over to pick us up," He said. And with that, he stood there awkwardly like his heat exhausted brain couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do next.
" East Well," Matthew relayed adding " It's a tiny place." The voice on the other line could be heard for a moment before Matthew shook his head responding quickly.
" What? No, there's.. Someone here in town that's threatened both of us. I think she can tell I'm…" Matthew paused as he swallowed before repeating the next word slow and careful. " Different. She says we need to leave before sundown. …
I don't know, I just know she sounded serious. Yeah." The muffled sounds continued through the speaker on the phone as Matthew glanced at Zander, still with some kind of awkward nervousness. " No, I think he just got.. uhh.. Dragged into it by association, though I only met him like a little while ago.
...Yeah, I guess.. Yeah, I can feel it. Okay.. ...Okay! Thank you Davey, I will."
Click!
With that Matthew quickly hung up the phone, as he tried to look at Zander but still seemed to feel too awkward to manage much more than a glance. " A friend of mine is heading over to pick us up," He said. And with that, he stood there awkwardly like his heat exhausted brain couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do next.
Quote from Indy on January 9, 2021, 10:35 pmThe hours passed. The young man and boy passed the worst of the heat inside the building with the door propped open so as to tempt a breeze. No one came.
Twilight began to fall...
Zander cleared his throat after some time. At least without the oppressive heat, his thoughts had begun to speed back up from molasses to water. The closer night fell, the more reasons he knew to be nervous.
"Is... your friend usually late?" Zander shifted uneasily to the growing twilight.
"I think we might want to make other plans... If you don't have any other ideas, I might..."
The hours passed. The young man and boy passed the worst of the heat inside the building with the door propped open so as to tempt a breeze. No one came.
Twilight began to fall...
Zander cleared his throat after some time. At least without the oppressive heat, his thoughts had begun to speed back up from molasses to water. The closer night fell, the more reasons he knew to be nervous.
"Is... your friend usually late?" Zander shifted uneasily to the growing twilight.
"I think we might want to make other plans... If you don't have any other ideas, I might..."
