POST-TRIAL LOOSE ENDS & SHARING

[trashmouthtozier]

[that night, after a KO'd Eddie has been brought back to Cabin 3 to recuperate and everyone has scattered, Richie returns to the campfire with a book tucked under his arm, and a flashlight. he's not thinking about bringing supplies for s'mores, or hot dogs, or burgers, or any of that, not this week. so if anyone wants to show up with food, they're welcome. if anyone has appetites.

this week, he's focused on the remnants of a word he scribbled in the dirt earlier, flipping through the book he found on Thursday. he exhales, slowly, looking like he might just be sick all over again, no matter how tired he is. the makeshift scarf Cielo made him is draped over his shoulders to keep away any evening chill]

Oh, God. I ... I know what they said, you guys.

Comments

[velocirainbow]

[ His smile is... unguarded, admittedly. Raw. ]

Dat's right. Can't be a comrade alone.

[ He nudges Lenka a bit with his foot, as if to illustrate some point. Hey, they're still on earth, they're still grounded. ]

... I'm here for you.

[soylentprotag]

[They're still on Earth, but the Earth he's a part of has never had signs that really tell you where to go. It's a stretch of wasteland, going on and on into the distance -- and that's just Japan, a small island nation that could still take you weeks and months to walk across. The point is, the campfire is keeping him more grounded than anything. The people here.

He lets himself be nudged, turning his head a little to look at him, at least.]

Thanks. I know.

[And he does know, some part of him is aware that even with the losses they've sustained there's enough people left that they can still carry each other. For now. He can't look at the rest of it yet, the way he is now. He can't stay this way: this week, Red, have reminded him forcibly of that much.

He lets the reminder sink a little into the tangle of everything. It'll be back later. It always is. Sighs a little.]

... I don't know what would have happened. If I picked someone else.

[That's a question that refuses to go away, even now. It blinks like a broken neon light in the back of his head. What if. What if. What if. What if.]