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Post by Bear on Dec 14, 2015 17:02:46 GMT -5
If You're Walking Through Hell and High Water
#733 @alec @blue
Let’s get one thing straight. Cal was not a crier. She never was, nor would she ever allow herself to be, a crier. It wasn’t that she thought little of people who cried. Quite the opposite, really. In fact, she kind of admired them; in a “they are much more emotionally stable than I am” kind of way. And yet here she was; perched on top of a boulder, salty tears brimming her eyes. She tried telling herself that it was from the physical pain of it all. Her legs were being rubbed raw by the craggy rock surface, her body was covered in superficial scratches and bruises, and her nose never did set correctly after the accident. Yes. It was purely the physical pain of it all that had her in tears. Wouldn’t it be enough to make anybody cry? Yes she told herself. Yes it was.
Her thoughts weren’t really her own anymore. Three weeks ago she had been thinking about dolphins and water quality tests, how awesome it was that she was on an island that as far as she knew, was uncharted. New species to be discovered in the lagoon; strange bacteria growth at the water’s edge. Three weeks ago she was a marine biologist. Two weeks ago she was still optimistic about making it home. About building a raft and sailing out to sea on her own; flagging down a cargo ship, and getting the hell back to America. She thought about Neenah, and Cody, and her horses. Two weeks ago she was a mother. Last week she thought about Raion and food and scavenging a new shirt from the wreck scene. She thought about hunting monkeys and fishing. She thought about the little girl she had met on the beach. Last week, she was a survivor. Today she didn’t really think about much. She had given up on going home. Said goodbye to Neenah, and her strawberry blond curls that smelled of watermelon shampoo. She said goodbye to the smell of the barn at 5:00 in the morning; to the sound of machines running in her lab as she tested for ecoli and salmonella. Today she was a shell of the person she used to be.
The wind that was once comforting now felt cold against her bare skin. She was thin framed to begin with, but even with the food Raion was sneaking away for her she wasn’t healthy looking. Her pale skin seemed dull, almost grey. Cal was a fighter, but this was a hopeless situation. And so, the self-proclaimed ‘not- crier’ cried. And it was refreshing. Like she was allowing the tears that streaked down her face to take away all of the negativity that had been building up. She imagined the tears flowing all the way to the surf where they would be taken out to sea.
Were people still looking for them? Were there still boats floating around out there with pictured of the plane passengers tacked up in the captain’s quarters? Or had everyone given up on them? Cal shuttered at the thought of someone having to explain to Neenah where her mother went. Would Neenah feel abandoned? Would she grow up wondering why her mother decided to get on that plan in the first place? Who would curl her hair for prom? Help her pick out a wedding dress? Who would she call at 3am when she literally could not get her own child to stop crying and just needed a break?
Cal was beginning to think that maybe it would be best to join up with the other survivors. Maybe being alone all of the time wasn’t the best thing for her. After all… she wasn’t exactly doing well on her own. And it wasn’t fair for Raion to always have to bring food to her. The least she could do would be to help catch her fair share of the meal, right? She allowed her knees to be pulled up towards her chest and she wrapped her arms around them, holding herself tightly together. There was so much to do and yet the motivation to do any of it just wasn’t something she could conjure up. And so, instead, she stared out into the sea and imagined herself anywhere else. This is my life… now what the hell am I supposed to do with it?
Please Don't do it Alone
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2015 12:59:55 GMT -5
there's a storm you're starting now Ah, yes, the beach. Open wilderness and depressing thoughts of loved ones. How could this island get any better? This life? Okay, enough of the sarcasm overload, Alec told himself in his thoughts. What was the purpose of being in this place anyway? Enough of that as well. The worst thing that anyone could do in the current situation that all the survivors was in would to be having depressing thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Alec would walk along the coast line of the island where he now supposed he would now spend the rest of his days. He had started to make piece with this realization as the water left the bottom of what was left of his jeans wet around the ankle. Honestly, his shirt was overrated by now anyways, practically nothing but a piece of fragment that was holding together holes. His actual mission, however, well, what he had convinced himself what was his mission, was to scrounge for supplies. The bag over his shoulder was already filled with snack like items, but that was something that he had decided to keep to himself. Well, there was that little girl in the cave...
Taking a deep breath, he would run through what had been his life for the last few weeks. He had only made direct contact with a few of the survivors and his heart swelled with mourning. If he had only allowed his friend to not come on this trip, that meeting his mother could just wait until the next break that they had... But alas, he did not. And now here he was in tattered clothing looking like who done it and what for. Hearing what could only be described as a sobbing like sound, Alec would lift his head from the vast ocean that he was staring at to scan the beach.
And there she was, the source of the sound- a girl that he had never seen before. The kindness in his heart came through like a curveball to his current plans. Walking the few yards between him, the woman seemed as if she was falling apart. "Hey," he said in that weird comforting way people always did with their voices trailing off. "Hey, come on now, it's not that bad, is it?"
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Post by Bear on Dec 19, 2015 23:30:55 GMT -5
If You're Walking Through Hell and High Water
#471 @blue
Busted
Cal was jostled from her self pity party by the gentle words of a male who slowly approached. How did this always happen? Why was she constantly putting herself into “damsel in distress” situations? And why the hell was is so fricking impossible to get a moment of alone time on this God foresaken island? She quickly moved her fingers to her face in an effort to wipe away the evidence; but, it was clear that he had already seen it. There were two situations in which cal believed nobody should have to see another person. The first of which was puking. Followed by, you guessed it, crying. And in this particular moment, Calloway felt a bit like doing both.
Only after the liquid had been removed from her sunburnt cheeks did Cal turn her attention to the man. He looked young and surprisingly healthy. His voice was calm, reassuring, it reminded her a bit of Cody. He always had been good in disaster situations. She shook the thought of him from her mind to respond. Not that bad? it fell from her mouth as more of a scoff than she had originally intended, and yet, she couldn’t really be bothered to feel sorry for it. Her grey eyes fell to she sand just before the mans feet.
You’re trying to tell me that being stranded on an island, with no chance of being rescued, scavenging for bruised bananas that we have to fight with MOKEYS for, and watching people die isn’t that bad? Her voice broke, and again her eyelids brimmed with salty tears. She was breaking apart at the seams. It wasn’t really her fault. She hadn’t allowed herself to feel emotion since the crash, and now that the gates were open, it was almost impossible to close them again. get your shit together Calloway. Buck up you whimp. and stop being such a witch! You don’t even know this kid
She reached a thin hand towards her backpack and expelled one of her last three granola bars. She had been saving them for the day that Raion stopped bringing her food, but she figured now would be an appropriate use of one - besides, she needed the distraction. Using her teeth, she tore open the reflective wrapping and broke the bar in half, holding one part out to her new company. Look, she sighed deeply I’m sorry Her part of the treat was gone much faster than she had planned and she crossed her arms tightly across her chest. Her eyes closed for a second as she tried to regain composure. I’m Calloway - call me Cal. Are you one of Zach’s minions?
Please Don't do it Alone
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2016 11:02:30 GMT -5
there's a storm you're starting now Alec paitently waited for the woman to respond while she wiped her face of the tears. Judging from the sound that came from her mouth, he had tripped up and said the wrong thing at the wrong time yet again. Seeing her try and give him the granola bar, he politely waved it away. He had his own rations. Besides, she looked like she needed it and the young man was never one to take from others. Seeing the way she opened it with her teeth reminded him of how he scolded his little sister of how she would mess up her teeth. At least he did before all of.. well... this. He sighed, the look on his face sympathetic and pleading. "You're right Cal. It is bad. But the way things are going," he shrugged his shoulders, "You just have to do your best to keep it one-hundred as the teens say."
Assuming now was as good as time as any, he would walk forward and climb on the rock beside of hers and sit down, crossing his legs. Taking the bag off of his shoulder, he would hand it to her. "Here, you uh.. look like you could use this. It's full of some food I was saving for a rainy day or whatever." Watching her reluctantly before staring out towards the waves, the sun coming down on his shoulders as a light breeze came from the west, the boy couldn't help but think of what a peaceful day that it actually was. Well, peaceful enough to be stranded on a island and fighting for a survival. And then it hit him that he was sitting in one of those movie sences that every teenage girl dreamed of. Except it was a real live hell.
"Zack,'' he muttered. "No, I'm afraid I'm not in kahoots with him. Names Alec, by the way. I'm assuming by your tone you two don't exactly like each other?
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