[log] branches only grow on the north side of trees [closed]

[maskintape]

Characters: Tim Wright and Jay Merrick
Location Building 32, square M5
Date: Day 4, night
Summary: Jay finds a place to stay, while Tim discovers an intruder in his shelter for the night. SURELY THESE THINGS ARE UNRELATED
Warnings: Naaah.



[ The building that Tim has ended up in isn't exactly the most pleasant of places, even by Norfinbury's incredibly lax standards. It's horribly dark, thanks to the thick layers of black paint coating each of the windows, and Tim has to keep a hand on the walls as he fumbles around to make sure he doesn't trip over anything.

Not that there seems to be much here anyway. His hand comes to rest on a handle of some kind, and for a moment he dares to hope that it's something useful. A knife, maybe? Some sort of tool?

Nope.

It's a paint roller.

Score.

He brushes his fingertips along the roller, checking that there isn't any wet paint on it (because that would be spooky as balls), then freezes. Unless he's very mistaken, he just heard the door slam. And the last time he accidentally ended up sharing a house with someone, he kind of took a minor beatdown.

He's left his bag full of supplies in one of the other rooms, so he only has one option for a weapon. Staying as silent as he possibly can, hoping beyond hope that he doesn't start coughing, Tim hides behind the side of the kitchen doorway and grasps his paint roller in both hands.

He is so fucking ready. Come at him, bro. ]

Comments

[genreblindness]

[Well, that was kind of a close call.

Jay had kept finding nothing but snow and more snow after leaving the school, and for a while he'd been seriously worried that he'd be stuck outside for the night. Judging by the way the door slammed after he'd run inside the first intact building he found, he'd avoided that fate by roughly a second or two.

But hey, he made it! And this place is nicer than where he spent last night, so that's a bonus.

It's weirdly dark, even for night, but he can't be bothered to think about that for now as he starts to take a look around, completely unaware of anyone else's presence.]

[maskintape]

[ Tim can't see much of the intruder in this light, though he tries his hardest tp get an idea of what he's up against as he peers around the doorframe. The figure doesn't look especially intimidating - maybe a little taller than Tim, but not as bulky - but it's too difficult to make out any more than that.

They might not be a threat. But in his current paranoid, unmedicated state? Tim isn't taking any chances.

Thinking quickly about how best to get some kind of advantage, he decides against attempting to bludgeon the interloper with the roller. Instead, he tosses it into the other room, where it bounces harmlessly off one of the blacked-out windows with a sharp crack.

Perfect. He ducks back into the kitchen and readies himself. As soon as the guy either investigates or flees, he'll make his move. ]

[genreblindness]

[The sudden sound makes him jump. Shit, what was that? Someone hitting a window?

He puts down the backpack he found at the school, careful not to make a sound, and pulls out his knife. Who knows if it'll be any use, maybe he's just hallucinating again, but it's a lot better than nothing.

Then, still trying his hardest to sneak quietly (and failing, because Jay) he starts moving towards the direction the sound came from.]

[maskintape]

[ If he were in his right mind, the ~*~*SNEAKING*~*~ alone would be enough to make Tim pause. Because seriously, how many people make more noise when sneaking than they do normally? Only one. And his name is Jay "CRUNCH CRUNCH CRACK SNAP STOMP CRUNCH" Merrick.

Unfortunately, all hesitation leaves Tim the moment he thinks he sees the intruder take out a weapon. Nope. Hell nope. He waits for Trespasser McGee to get close enough, then darts through the doorway and bodychecks the figure with all his strength.

SURPRISE, MOTHERFUCKER. ]

[genreblindness]

[If Jay was smart, he would see this coming. Because seriously, how many times now has sneaking in abandoned buildings resulted in him getting tackled by Tim (or his alternate personality)? The answer is several times.

Because Jay is not smart, and also because he's still a little out of breath from running in here, he is completely unprepared and just falls like a total loser. So much like a loser, in fact, that he even drops his knife.

This is not a proud moment for him. Not that he has many of those.]

[maskintape]

[ BINGO. Tim neatly steps over the scrawny loser on the floor, scoops up the knife and points it at the figure. This is going swimmingly. ]

Get up. Don't try anything!

[ He coughs briefly, but he keeps a steadyish grip on the knife. Nothing is going to ruin his moment of triumph! Nothing. ]

Put your - [cough cough] - hands where I can s-[COUGH] see them!

[genreblindness]

[He's about to start yelling at the mystery assailant, but then he hears a weirdly familiar voice. Followed by an even more familiar cough.]

-Tim?

[WHAT ARE EVEN THE ODDS.]

[maskintape]

[ COUGHCOUGH COUGH COUGH what cough coUGH COUGH the coughcoUGH COUGH heckie COUGH??? ]

Jay?

[ He drops the knife - literally just lets it fall onto the floor - and leans down to help Jay up. What. WHAT? whaATAhWAH. WHAT. WHAHAHAAAT?? ]

[genreblindness]

Yeah! Yeah, it's me.

[holy hell what is even going on]

How did- did you know I was going to be here?

[Of course he didn't Jay he just tackled you]

[maskintape]

You're real!

[ That is definitely Jay. Not a hallucination or wishful thinking or Tim's regrets made manifest. It's Jay. ACTUAL IRL JAY. IT JAY. ]

I mean, I - I didn't, I was looking for the school you were talking about, there are no signs, it's like they've all been uprooted - then I was heading back but wanted to check this place, it - [cough cough] - I - [COUGH] - y'know, because the windows...

[ It's actually Jay and he's alive and Tim isn't crazy. THIS IS GREAT. ]

Then I got the warning, so I stayed inside and. Why are you here?

[genreblindness]

I got out of the school, but there's nothing around it except snow, and then it started to get dark so I had to run, and this was the first building I saw, so.

[Wow this is really weird because it's like talking with Tim over the network except he's actually there and it's kind of awkward considering the last time they spoke in person except they can't see each other.

IT'S WEIRD.]

I- I guess it's just a really weird coincidence.

[maskintape]

I'll say.

[ Tim isn't really thinking about the last time they spoke. He's too busy thinking about how the last time he saw Jay in person, Jay was a corpse bleeding out all over the floor. And now he isn't.

That's goofed up. But in a good way. ]

Oh - wait! My bag.

[ He starts feeling his way towards a nearby couch. He definitely dumped his stuff near there. ]

Let me just find the camera.

[ And take out the tape with the aforementioned Jaycorpse on it. Cough cough cough. ]

[genreblindness]

Oh, right!

[And just like that, all other thoughts fly out of his head. He's getting his camera back.]

-By the way, why is it so dark in here?

[It would be a lot more convenient if it wasn't so dark and Tim could find the camera faster.]

[maskintape]

You didn't see the windows?

[ He flicks open the camera, removes the tape, and makes a split-second decision. He does not want Jay to see what's on this tape. Not only does it show Tim killing the hooded guy, but it has several shots featuring Jay's own bloodied corpse.

He can't watch that. And Tim doesn't want to be caught with it, either. So in one swift movement, he pushes the little cassette down in between the couch cushions.

There. Gone. He straightens up and holds out the now-useless camera towards Jay. ]

They're painted over. Both sides, I think.

[genreblindness]

Didn't really have time to look at them when I was running here.

[He takes the camera, feeling immensely relieved to have it back despite the lack of tapes. Just holding it makes him feel like the world makes just a little bit more sense.

Opening it in a practiced motion, he checks inside, sighing with disappointment at finding it empty.]

No tape, huh?

[maskintape]

Looks that way. There was a tape in it back home, but...

[ SHRUG. It's not exactly a lie, right? Time to change the subject asap to avoid any awkward follow-ups on that vague-ass answer. ]

Hey, uh, you hungry? I don't have much food left, but. Might as well share.

[genreblindness]

[He puts the camera away with a last little sigh of disappointment before perking up again.]

Actually, I've got a lot of food. I found it at that school.

[And he heads back to the kitchen to grab the backpack.]

[maskintape]

[ Oh, it's Tim's turn to perk up. He's been running so low on rations that the can of cat food was starting to look like a viable option for a meal.

Eurgrhrhrhh. ]

Yeah? You find anything else there?

[genreblindness]

No, I didn't look around much.

[Digging around the pack to pull out a couple of apples or something.]

Most of the food was frozen, but there were some fruits and stuff.

[maskintape]

Feel like heading back tomorrow? Since we should keep heading west anyway. Since I guess that's where people are going for, uh, the whole base camp thing...

[ Even if the thought of being around so many people is a little frightening. What if he lures the tall thing there and gets everyone all mixed up in everything?

Then again, everyone is here already. Whether they're dead or kidnapped or something different, they're all pretty fucking boned no matter what. ]

[genreblindness]

Sure, sounds fine.

[He's not sure he's comfortable with Tim calling the shots, or with going back to an abandoned school, or with the whole base camp idea.

But it's not like he's got anything better to suggest.]

[maskintape]

Great. You'll have to lead the way, obviously...

[ Wow. Sudden awkwards. He trails off, tries to offer a half-smile that comes out as a grimace, then quickly turns back to dig through his bag again. ]

Uh, I, uh, almost forgot. You still seeing things? I still have pills with me.

[genreblindness]

-I'm fine.

[Whoops, that came out a little blunt.]

I mean, I haven't had any, uh, issues, since that night. I don't know if it's because of the shot or something else, but I don't think I need any pills.

[maskintape]

[ He gives Jay a searching look before shrugging and popping the pills back in his bag. Fair enough. It's not like he's Jay's mom or anything, and the pills should be saved for emergencies. ]

If you're positive, I guess. The shot helped me too, so...

[ Man, this is uncomfortable. Maybe if he just sits on the couch and fiddles with the strap of his bag, the elephant in the room will get the fuck out? ]

[genreblindness]

[At least the darkness means Tim doesn't have to see the bloodstains on Jay's shirt. That's something.]

So, uh. How have you been doing. Aside from the obvious.

[It's not like they haven't been talking over the network, but he doesn't know what else to say. Awks.]