Transitions (CA - Uno, Mark, & the Shepherds)
Quote from Adriana on May 17, 2023, 5:47 pmA nod of acknowledgement on Bob's part. From the sounds of it, he would have liked to meet Mark's dad.
"Free will, Mark. We get to choose. A wolf doesn't get to choose to be a wolf, even if his temperament is more akin to a sheep. A sheep doesn't get to choose to be a wolf, no matter how bold she is." Bob leaned over the back of the tall wooden chair, his arms crossed on it.
"We're born with a temperament, which is our nature. That feeds into our disposition, how we carry ourselves and treat others. Circumstance - how we're raised - feeds into our personality traits, the way our brain develops. Yet people - people decide to do others harm. A wolf doesn't decide that. He doesn't torture, maim and kill for greed or selfishness. He does it to survive. Yet we call them beasts. Why is that?"
A nod of acknowledgement on Bob's part. From the sounds of it, he would have liked to meet Mark's dad.
"Free will, Mark. We get to choose. A wolf doesn't get to choose to be a wolf, even if his temperament is more akin to a sheep. A sheep doesn't get to choose to be a wolf, no matter how bold she is." Bob leaned over the back of the tall wooden chair, his arms crossed on it.
"We're born with a temperament, which is our nature. That feeds into our disposition, how we carry ourselves and treat others. Circumstance - how we're raised - feeds into our personality traits, the way our brain develops. Yet people - people decide to do others harm. A wolf doesn't decide that. He doesn't torture, maim and kill for greed or selfishness. He does it to survive. Yet we call them beasts. Why is that?"
Quote from Kaqurei on May 17, 2023, 6:56 pmThere it was. Right there, just below the surface of Bob's words. Something genuine. Lurking like the proverbial crocodile he'd used earlier. Mark wondered, briefly, if it was hungry. But it didn't matter. This zebra had no sense of self-preservation.
"Lack of understanding, I suppose," he said. "Monsters aren't monsters anymore when we understand them."
There it was. Right there, just below the surface of Bob's words. Something genuine. Lurking like the proverbial crocodile he'd used earlier. Mark wondered, briefly, if it was hungry. But it didn't matter. This zebra had no sense of self-preservation.
"Lack of understanding, I suppose," he said. "Monsters aren't monsters anymore when we understand them."
Quote from Adriana on May 17, 2023, 7:55 pm"Right."
Bob seemed pleased with the conclusion of the conversation. He perked up and the intensity in the room seemed to tangibly dissipate.
It was already nine AM.
"Good." he grabbed the trash out of the canister and moved to take it outside. "I'm going outside to make a couple of phone calls."
"Right."
Bob seemed pleased with the conclusion of the conversation. He perked up and the intensity in the room seemed to tangibly dissipate.
It was already nine AM.
"Good." he grabbed the trash out of the canister and moved to take it outside. "I'm going outside to make a couple of phone calls."
Quote from Indy on May 17, 2023, 8:13 pmI started the day groggy, confused, and what year it was. I emerged like a time traveler from a bygone era and stumbled (and cursed) over my own sock.
I wasn’t used to waking up like this. Usually it was breathless in the middle of the night with my tangled sheets stuck to my forehead, or a restlessness that wouldn’t satiate no matter how many miles I ran. Today I felt… rested. Also possibly ready for more sleep.
”Figures a full nights rest might actually kill me,” I grumbled to no one at all then went to go revive my brain cells with a fresh pot of coffee.
I hadn’t even taken the first sip when my cell phone rang. I sighed. Not unexpected- sleep or no I hadn’t expected to get away with no consequences.
I picked it up.
I started the day groggy, confused, and what year it was. I emerged like a time traveler from a bygone era and stumbled (and cursed) over my own sock.
I wasn’t used to waking up like this. Usually it was breathless in the middle of the night with my tangled sheets stuck to my forehead, or a restlessness that wouldn’t satiate no matter how many miles I ran. Today I felt… rested. Also possibly ready for more sleep.
”Figures a full nights rest might actually kill me,” I grumbled to no one at all then went to go revive my brain cells with a fresh pot of coffee.
I hadn’t even taken the first sip when my cell phone rang. I sighed. Not unexpected- sleep or no I hadn’t expected to get away with no consequences.
I picked it up.
Quote from Adriana on May 17, 2023, 8:50 pm“Pack a bag. Be here by two o’clock. Consider it your first assignment.”
He hung up and made two more phone calls immediately following.
“Pack a bag. Be here by two o’clock. Consider it your first assignment.”
He hung up and made two more phone calls immediately following.
Quote from Indy on May 17, 2023, 9:11 pm“Wh—“
The dial tone rang in reply and I rubbed the sleep out of my life in disbelief. If I hadn’t known Chapman better, I would say he was mad at me for what I told Mark last night. Having known the man seven years, I had a sneaking suspicion the man was up to something and that was a far more dangerous thing.
Not like I was one to disobey a direct order - I was a loyal dog through and through. I did as instructed and started packing. Chapman had been vague regarding what I was packing for or how long. I took an educated guess I should pack a few days worth of clothes, toiletries, a phone charger, and a book in the event he left me with idle time. I called in sick for my security job for the third time this month and made a mental note to submit my resignation when I got back.
”Good grief, would it kill him not to be so dramatic ?” I grumbled to my disgruntled reflection as I washed my face in the sink.
Maybe this would be good. Without Robin here, I was getting into the troubling habit of talking to myself. And if I knew Chapman, he was nothing but talk.
A little after one I left, figuring it was probably better to be early than on time for Chapman’s assignment.
“Wh—“
The dial tone rang in reply and I rubbed the sleep out of my life in disbelief. If I hadn’t known Chapman better, I would say he was mad at me for what I told Mark last night. Having known the man seven years, I had a sneaking suspicion the man was up to something and that was a far more dangerous thing.
Not like I was one to disobey a direct order - I was a loyal dog through and through. I did as instructed and started packing. Chapman had been vague regarding what I was packing for or how long. I took an educated guess I should pack a few days worth of clothes, toiletries, a phone charger, and a book in the event he left me with idle time. I called in sick for my security job for the third time this month and made a mental note to submit my resignation when I got back.
”Good grief, would it kill him not to be so dramatic ?” I grumbled to my disgruntled reflection as I washed my face in the sink.
Maybe this would be good. Without Robin here, I was getting into the troubling habit of talking to myself. And if I knew Chapman, he was nothing but talk.
A little after one I left, figuring it was probably better to be early than on time for Chapman’s assignment.
Quote from Adriana on May 17, 2023, 9:16 pmChapman came back into the house; about fifteen minutes had passed.
“We’re going camping, Mark. Just for the weekend. Do you have any clothes? I have extra gear.”
Chapman came back into the house; about fifteen minutes had passed.
“We’re going camping, Mark. Just for the weekend. Do you have any clothes? I have extra gear.”
Quote from Kaqurei on May 17, 2023, 9:27 pmMark was still digesting their earlier conversation when Chapman returned and made his announcement.
What was he going to say? No?
"Uhm, yeah, no, sure," he said. "Right now?"
Mark was still digesting their earlier conversation when Chapman returned and made his announcement.
What was he going to say? No?
"Uhm, yeah, no, sure," he said. "Right now?"
Quote from Adriana on May 17, 2023, 9:33 pm“Sure, why not? It might be the last nice weekend we get. I’ll let Eleanor know.”
With that, he sat out gathering things together and loading up his truck.
“Sure, why not? It might be the last nice weekend we get. I’ll let Eleanor know.”
With that, he sat out gathering things together and loading up his truck.
Quote from Mae on May 18, 2023, 12:28 amContinued in "Into the Woods"
Continued in "Into the Woods"
