First meeting...
Nicholas Meyers
Age: 20
Body: Medium build
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black with medium beard
Height: 5'8
The day was still young. The morning had been fairly uneventful due to the recent storms. The rain seemed to slow the infected down a little. It also allowed Nicholas to easily collect water, so it was alright with him. His partner and he had slit up earlier that morning around ten minutes after dawn. He figured she would fair just fine seeing as she was an extreme marksman with a bow. Nicholas preferred to have his hand on a rifle, but seeing as no one was making bullets, he tried to conserve ammunition. He drew his short sword out of the head of his most recent assailant and moved on down the street. The plan was to meet up around the south side square by mid day. It was a little further past rendezvous time than he was comfortable with so he figured it was time to start looking for his partner. As he was wiping off the blade, he noticed a young lady entering a house. Being nosy as usual, he tucked himself out of sight and proceeded to enter the back yard of the house. the back door was open and he could hear some voices inside. He chuckled at himself as he straightened up his beard and pushed down his shirt. He then took quiet steps and entered the home.
Vera Lockwood
Age: 17
Body: Athletic, yet hidden.
Eyes: Green-hazel.
Hair: Sandy brown, worn in a high ponytail at the top of her head, reaching the middle of her back.
Height: 5'6
Why did her mother have to keep doing such things to herself?! Everyone told her of how dangerous it was, but she never listened to anyone aside from her late husband who had died many years ago. She would have been declared the family's crazy grandma if only they had a pet cat and some grandchildren to give her. Unlikely, both. Vera pushed her way through the front doors of the house, shaking her head with disbelief once she passed the archway and was away from the eyes of any others. There had been a man beside one of those undead creatures not too far away. She would need to be careful not to raise her voice and bring attention to her family.
Vera shut the door firmly behind her, using a leg to kick it behind her in her frustration. She went straight through the hallways, sending away any younger brothers or sisters who tried to approach her. The older ones simply recognized the look on her face and hurried back up the stairs to their rooms. In the kitchen at the back of the house, the curtains were drawn shut despite the darkness that came with the blessing of the light rain, the light in the ceiling was on, and her mother sat calmly beside an infected male. He was quite immobilized; chains binding his wrists behind his neck, elbows tied together with rope on the opposite side of his neck in a choking hold; both legs were nonexistent, having been blown off in some kind of explosion; and he was her brother.
Vera's rage melted to dismay. "Mama, we can't keep him here," were her first words. They had been doing this for years: her brothers were sent off to war, while the girls stayed home and learnt how to defend themselves. The few eldest brothers who were still human had continuously managed to grant their mother's wish, and sent home their infected brethren. The worst part though was the way their mother treated her infected sons, like poor children who had come home from school with a scrape on their knee and tears in their eyes, the only cure being a kiss and a cuddle. It didn't ever
in that far. It was Vera's job to make sure of it.
"Nonsense," her widowed mother scoffed, stroking the greasy hair of the infected with the back of her hand in short, repetitive motions. "Laodo is sick and needs me to take care of him. We can't just get rid of him. That's not how family works." A pause and a shamefully whispered, "I though I raised you better than that, Vera."
She couldn't believe this, no matter how many times it had already happened with her other brothers. Every time, it ended the same way, with her demented Mama attempting to sacrifice herself in order to feed 'her poor, starving boy', and every time, she had been stopped at the last second by Vera's intuition for disaster. It had warned her to come now, but seeing her like this was killing Vera inside. "Mother, he's dead," she explained as gently as she could, voice quivering slightly as she spoke the words she was always forced to utter. The elder woman was upon her in a second, dealing a swift slap to her daughter. "Leave my house this instant," she hissed, sour spittle flecking the side of the younger woman's cheek. Clouded, gray eyes, bloodshot from her tears of weeping at the loss of her other children stared up at her in rage. "I have had enough of your impudence and unrighteous interference in my private affairs, girl. Leave."
Tears filled her eyes at the harsh words, but she refused to give her mother the pleasure of seeing her weep. "I will," she snapped. She turned her body sharply away and marched up the stairs that had the youthful bodies of her siblings lining across the steps. They had heard everything and knew that it was what was best, now they would follow their 16 year old brother. Vera made it to her quarters in one piece, and still so as she stuffed a backpack with her meagre belongings, a longsword in her free hand that had been a gift on her last birthday in reward for her obtaining such a high level of skill at such a young age.
She was back downstairs in less than a minute. "You'll regret this," she warned her mother sharply.
"Not if I'm already dead, I won't." A sick grin broke out from the old lady. It was a hint at the fact that she was going to be killing herself soon anyway, so what did it matter to her if one more child learned tunnel have her? With a sharp flick of heh hair, Vera turned on her heels towards the back door, only just now seeing the same man as earlier. Inside her house. Not her invidious anymore, but, still... "What are you doing?" she asked the man incredulously, surprise freezing her previously confident stride. "Out of my house!!" her mother suddenly screamed at the top of her decaying lungs, shoving the two outside.
Nicholas listened to the family arguing inside. He could tell that their was likely a mother keeping the undead reminets of her undead children and a few other family members. He wasn't sure if he should go inside or not, but decided it would be entertaining at the very least to see their reaction. As he took his first few steps into the back door, the young lady that he saw enter the house appeared. She asked him what he was doing and he just stood there..
"ughh" he let out.
Before he could even start to justify his presence, he was pushed out into the back yard again with the young lady. He almost fell over the first step but regained his balance and turned back to the girl.
When the older women shut the door behind them, Nicholas turned to the girl and said in an apologetic tone: "Hello, I'm Nicholas.." He felt kind of awkward due to his invasion of this intense situation. He stood there straight as a board prepared for one of two probable reactions.... one, she slap him.... two, she slap him....
Or three, she slap him twice. Which was exactly what she did. Half being done with the outside of her hand, and with the inside she slapped his other cheek.
"One," she explained hotly, pink marks burning her own cheeks with embarrassment, "is for entering my home. Two," she showed Nicholas two of her fingers for emphasis, "is for listening in on my conversation, and I would have hit you a third time for touching me if it had been anyone other than my own mother who pushed me."
Her only other hand was clutching her sword so tightly that it had made her knuckles go white. She bit down harshly on her bottom lip to keep from saying more while she tied the sword belt across her chest and around her back where there would be less a chance of the adjustments being wrong and leaving the tip of her blade dragging on the ground. That much done, she folded her arms across her front and stared at the young man for several moments...choosing...
She abruptly offered her hand to the boy, letting the other fall onto her graciously curved hip, something that would normally remain unseen beneath the loose layers of fabric she wore. "I wish it were more of a pleasure to meet you, Nicholas," she said, evidently more calm, "My name is Vera."
Nicholas stepped back as he was slapped knowing he deserved it. He knew the feeling of a women's slap much too well. Before the infection he was consistently in trouble with women, this was proving quickly to be no different.
He regained his feet acting unfazed by the slap. Extending his hand as well he said "Nice to meet you Vera" with a smile.
He stood there kind of awkwardly holding his rifle. "Im meeting my partner on the south side if your going that way?" he said as a question.
Vera managed a half smile of her own at the male's offer, deciding that he wasn't so bad as she had first labeled him as being. Still, it would take time for her to learn how he really was and that was something she didn't know how much of which she had left. No one did anymore. She looked over her shoulder at the house she had come from, knowing that she wouldn't be wanting back in, or granted entry for some time yet. Her leave was permanent and she accepted that.
Looking at Nicholas again, she gave him an innocent, one sided shrug. "I know I'm not staying here." South side was at least somewhere and a destination that could be reached with fair ease. She gave him the quick 'one-over', summing up his physical appearance from the shoes he wore, the gun he held, the sword he carried, the blue of his eyes and the darkness of his hair. Not necessarily her type, but she wouldn't mind being seen with him, and he also seemed quite able bodied.
Noticing that he was being looked over, Nicholas jokingly pushed out his chest and straightened up. He kept his face serious though. His sense of humor was often not seen as funny anymore, but it entertained him. He then looked her over. Since she was going to evaluate him, why shouldn't he... Unable to see her body build, he relied on the thinness of her face and toned arms for proof of athleticism. He had noticed her hips as she'd moved the loose fitted clothing to rest her hand on it. It wasn't often you foundation looker out on a supply run.. Green hazel eyes... Check....
He smiled at her confidently and offered her toward the gate. "Shall we then madam?" He said as he checked his equipment.
A grin played over her lips at his attempt at comedy, using the back of her hand to cover it quickly. There wasn't much form of entertainment left in the world aside from general survival and training, and those were out of necessity, so it was nice to see a bit of lightheartedness, even if wasn't all that funny. Feeling herself then being looked over, she simply bore with it, a slight tilt of her head the only askance of if he was quite done yet.
After a smile that showed he was, he gestured towards the large gates that led to the square. With a small dip of her head in consent, she started off only slightly ahead of him. "Indeed, we shall, good sir," she teased lightly at his formal speech when she passed him, sandy ponytail moving in step with her pace.
'Well this is in company of only a few successes' he thought as he returned the smile and followed Vera.
He trotted slightly behind her to catch up. She obviously knew the town fairly well. Nicholas wondered if she knew the roads as well as he. He assumed she probably did due to his newness to the area.
"So you are from around here?" he asked in an attempt to learn more about the girl. The phrase was a bit foreign to his lips. He hadn't had an opportunity to ask a question like this to a women in a while. They always tried to kill him or take his food which he found funny because he didn't look like the type that you mess with. Although with things the way they were, anyone was a target. "Personally, I'm not from here. We came from further north. A militia group broke up a small colony that we were staying at and pushed us out of the area. We are tentatively headed for the Gulf coast" he said to the back of Vera's head.
Even with the loose clothing he could see her walk with a slight sway of the hips. Whether she was doing it on purpose or not he couldn't tell, but he wasn't going to complain. Snapping out of the momentary lapse, he caught up with her and walked on stride next to Vera. He adjusted the leather belt that held his sword and spare magazines for his rifle. The camouflaged overcoat he wore constantly pushed the belt down over his hips which aggravated him, but the coat was a necessity.
A soft hum of thought came from the girl as she thought of a way to explain her heritage that would be simple and easy to understand for the boy, "That would depend on how far we're going back," she mused, head tilting back so that she could gaze at the sky while half of her vision remained on the road and surrounding area. "My grandparents are from a tribe that belongs to the East, high in the mountains, away from most civilization." Not for the first time since the dead had started coming back to life, she wondered if there were any survivors. "They're kind of like the Omish people. They don't use electricity or most technology unless they have to, preferring to stick to human labour, but they are not weak or easy-going peace lovers like people believe the Quakers to be. They are strict and punishing, sending off their weakest to-" She cleared her throat hesitantly, realising how demonic the tribe must be starting to sound. "They're simple old fashioned in an unforgiving way. Women cover themselves regardless of the weather, boys have a passage of rights to manhood and both genders train vigorously in martial arts in order to decide ones rank and wealth status. My mother, she left that life for my father who came from the 'normal' world. Tradition is tradition though and he honoured my mother's ways. Meaning," she twirled on the spot, a mischievous glint in her eyes as a bright smile momentarily dawned her features, before once again hiding it with the back of her hand, "I can kick your butt in close combat." Maybe... she added to herself. She was quite confident in her practice, but it really depended on if Nicholas had training of any kind, and if so, what kind and how skilled he was. Many possibilities, though she didn't necessarily mind unless he was only a clever thief who was after her belongings. In which case, it still mattered little to her, so long as she could punch him in the face for lying to her.
She quickly returned to walking towards the gates that they were approaching at a rapid rate, listening as Nicholas gave his own share of story about how he came to the town, nodding occasionally to show her interest. Waiting patiently until he caught up to walk beside her, she asked curiously, "What's at the Gulf?"
As she gave her explanation of her family, Nicholas found himself caring about what Vera said. It had been a while since he'd listened to the words of another person. His facial expressions varied with her story, starting out disgusted by the evil sounding people and then relieved when 'simple' and 'old fashion' was mentioned.
"Is that a challenge?" he said playfully as he lifted his brow. He tensed the muscles in his body to prepare for any quick attack... but none came so he relaxed a bit. He was extremely confident in his fighting skills. Not particularly good with a knife, but more than proficient with his jujitsu. If he could get an enemy on the ground, it was usually game over. His brute strength was fair, but it was practice of using it that made him lethal.
"The Gulf? You haven't heard? They have made those Oil rigs into small cities. Not really sure how they've done it, but It is a hell of alot warmer there than here... So its worth a shot." he said matter of factly. "We are hanging around here for a few days to rest and get some supplies. How settled is this town?" Now he was playing a bit dumb, but wasn't trying to deceive Vera. He was actually just trying to let her talk.
A cool breeze that carried the scent of earth and rust blew through the air as the two spoke with one another, a blend between the healthy heat from the ground and the sickening stench that seemed to follow the undead like a swarm of flies that they could not be ridden of, regardless of the attempts of the sky. The distant crackle of charged energy in the air held the promise of a storm that would still be yet to come for some time. By tomorrow evening perhaps but surely no later.
A small shiver ran up Vera's back when the slight breeze brushed over her face and bare arms, causing some dozen goosebumps to rise up without her noticing. "Some warm weather would be nice," she agreed, raising her hazel-green orbs to the auspiciously cloudless blue of the skies. When the topic of the town was brought up, it was a simple matter of relaying her day's findings from earlier that morning. "South Side is relatively safe, with East and West acting more as buffers that keep us safe from the North and Central regions. Only the occasional creature gets through the gates or over the walls, but it does happen. Some families live here, while their eldest children or parents salvage around the infected areas for supplies and items of value that can be traded for food or warm clothes with the soldiers. Such as myself. South Side Square is probably as safe as you can get." Vera looked over at Nicholas with a hint of suspicion, pouting her lips out as she watched him, unrelenting in her pace. "Although, you already knew that, didn't you?" She allowed his playful offer at a fight to slide under the carpet for the time being, making a mental note to herself to take him up on it the next chance she got, if for nothing else than amusement's sake, then to learn more about him.
Nicholas laughed at her suspicion.. "yea... I did" he laughed..
The south side square was not far from where they were now. only a mile or so up the road. They both walked the same path due to their knowledge of the route. Nicholas knew the area, but surely not as well as Vera did, so he offered up no new routes. They continued walking until they were within sight of the square. Nicholas stopped short of a barbed wire bundle in the street. "My partner is supposed to be here. She is never late, but she does sometimes make interesting appearances...."
Nicholas told the story as they finished the quarter mile walk to the center of the square where the statue of a horse and man stood.
(back story)He had just found out that the school was on lock down. His dorm mate John had his things packed by the time Nicholas had made it back to the room. Michelle, his roommates girlfriend, was crying quietly as John packed. Nicholas walked up to her and said sternly, 'Where is Avery.' it was much less a question than it was a demand. Michelle said she was at the library. Before the last part of her sentence was out Nicholas was at full sprint, knocking people out of the way and taking three steps at a time. By the time he made it to the front doors of the library, it was deserted.
The single story labyrinth of shelves and books had been scattered and destroyed by the panic. He ran in and stopped in the center of the huge room. 'Avery....' he whispered.... Then he heard the same sobs that rang in his head now. Someone all bloodied up was tearing books from an over turned shelf. The crying was coming from under the shelf. Nicholas went closer to the deranged professor that was digging at the shelf. It turned on him and let out a nasty growl. Nicholas didn't flinch... He stood there and stared it in the eye. 'No." he muttered as he tore a lamp from the table. once he had taken care of the deranged man, he quickly dug Avery out from under the books and shelves.
Vera smiled at Nicholas's laughter, an even more uncommon sound than that of people trying to make a joke. As they walked, Vera listened, eyes never leaving the young male's face if she could help it except for to blink or look around them in case one of those creatures was near, going undetected by their wandering minds. As soon as she had dubbed it safe though, she would immediately return her gaze to the man, head dipping and tilting, eyes widening or frowning in key to the story until he came to an end.
She found herself sitting at the base of the stone monument, between one of the horse's standing legs and the other that was curled into the air high above her, by the time his tale was finished. He must not have many who he can talk to, she noted sadly to herself. Her case was the opposite, she had too many with all of her brothers and sisters getting on her back over the slightest of things. Not anymore though... Part of her was glad though that Nicholas trusted her in even the slightest of ways, enough that it entitled her to a story. "So she's always where she's supposed to be, but not always where you would expect to find her," Vera commented thoughtfully, looking around her and only now noticing the emptiness of the court. There were usually more people than this, at least some people, but there was no one aside from Nicholas and her.
Nicholas stood In front of the girl as she sat under the stone horses raised hoof. He reached up to scratch his head in thought as to where Avery was. It was long after she was expected. Nicholas knew not to go looking for her. Following Avery's rules, he knew he'd have to go home. They always waited 2 days before going out looking for the other. Each could hold their own in most all situations so Nicholas wasn't yet worried.
"Well Vera, I'm supposed to go home if she doesn't show... Your welcome to stay at our place tonight if you want. We are staying there" he said as he pointed to the old drug store. The second floor was a small apartment.
Nicholas was a bit nervous that Avery had been infected, or worse, taken by militia......
He put on a smile however and attempted to be a good potential host.
Vera looked up at Nicholas in confusion of his offer but when it clicked in her mind, a small pang of embarrassment tightened her stomach that made her look away. She hadn't even thought about where she was going to sleep for the night, part of her assuming that she would have to rough it out in an abandoned building after checking the shadows for the dead. It had happened several times before when she had been kicked out of the house for a day or two at a time, being too stubborn to apologize, she would wait it out until someone was sent to find and tell her that she could come back.
She wasn't just ready to admit her forgetfulness yet, so merely gave the male a nod of acceptance to his offer, as well as in gratitude. "Th-thank you," she remembered to say hurriedly, before she forgot even that small courtesy. Vera stood from her cross-legged position as easily as if she had been crouching, not using the aid of her arms to assist herself. Standing, it was easier to make out the small windows and balcony that came off of the living quarters above the drug store, the stone horse's rump no longer limiting her vision. "It's cute," she noted aloud. Cute, as in small, but saying cosy could be a major miswording, seeing as how that was usually based on the interior of a home. She hopped down the one step to the road, dusting off her ruffled dress that reached down to her mid-calves, where it met the brown leather of her knee high boots. "Would you rather we stay here for a little longer?" she asked, spotting the fleeting look of worry cross his face before he smiled.
Nicholas straightened up his face and regained his wits. "No, No.... She can handle her self..." he picked up his pack and led Vera toward the drug store. "Its not much, but its safe."
The most important thing was safety. With the walls around the town, it was relatively safe but Nicholas didn't really trust it. The guards were just people... he knew what he could do, but not anything about their abilities. He always took greater precautions when protecting those he cared about.
As they climbed the stairs, Nicholas said over his shoulder, "We have some food if your hungry."
They walked into the small apartment. Nicholas dropped his bag and sword belt by the door and hung his rifle on a rack next to an entry table. He then took off his boots and hung up his coat on a hall tree. The tiny entry way had three doors, two on the right and one on the left. through the first one he went leaving Vera to lighten her load. The living room was decorated in a very 1900's way. There were kerosene lamps on oak end tables, and the couch was circa 1920's. Everything matched nicely. In the kitchen, there was a wood stove with a large pile of logs next to it. The cabinets all had the doors off so that the room could easily be emptied if needed. He put a few logs in the already burning stove. "Looks like Avery has been home" he called from the kitchen. "The fire is somewhat fresh. I figure she will be home later."
"Make yourself comfortable.. If you want a change of clothes, Avery is about your size. Ill get you something if you want it." he said trying to be friendly.
Very followed him up the stairs once they left the square, a small nod her first answer to his offer of food, followed by the saying of, "I could eat." She wasn't necessarily hungry but nor was she full, a feeling that actually slowed down reflexes and most actions. Besides, she didn't want to take more of their rations than she had to, but if Nicholas insisted, then she could eat.
Once inside the small home, she followed his lead by removing her sheath and sword from across her shoulders, setting her back pack down neatly next to it. She momentarily contemplated taking off her shoes as well but went against it, deciding that it would be a pointless obstacle if she needed to leave the house quickly. Never feeling safe until a new area was explored, Vera walked down the tiny hallway, peeping tentatively through the archway Nicholas had gone through, seeing that the setting truly was quite cosy, in a sense, for a living room and led off further to where she assumed the kitchen to be. Looking over her shoulder showed her the other two doorways, which she assumed to be the bedrooms, deciding to stay clear of them unless given permission to do otherwise. Yes, she was going to be a good, little guest and ignore her curiosity for the sake of wanting it to be a change from slicing off the heads of those she met before they could gauge out her eyes. He wasn't one of the undead though, so that would very much help matters.
She sat down on the old fashion couch, crossing her dress over her knees as she began to memorize the room for safety purposes. It was beautifully decorated and she was a little surprised that so much had been unharmed in the initial breakout, though it was understandable that some simply stayed inside the safety of their homes like hermits until then either dying while on a supplies run, or merely up and leaving one day. As her host's voice called from the kitchen offering some new clothes, she looked down at her current outfit and remembered those that she had packed based on practicality, not cleanliness. "If you're sure she won't mind, then yes, please." It would be a simple matter of going out in the morning to wash her things and bathe in the river, but something new really would be helpful until then.
Nicholas came through the doorless passage from the kitchen into the living room. He had a mix matched set of tea cups and saucers. He set the tray down on the oak coffee table and gestured to the white cup with red zigzag trim. He picked up the other cup and took a sip of the hot tea. After returning it to its saucer, he crossed the room to the hallway and entered the closest bedroom. He returned with an ocean blue blouse, white undershirt and a pair of loose fit grey pants.
"There is a working shower in the bathroom, it runs off of the rain water if you want." He said as he set the outfit down. He then returned back to the bedroom and brought the girl clean under garments.
"You can have these" as he tossed a bra on top and picked up the pile of clothes. Holding them out to her, he smiled.
"I will start the food. Something small?"
The smell of steaming tea was carried into the living room as Nicholas emerged from the kitchen, a tray of the hot liquid in his hands. At the gesture of his hand, Vera gratefully took the white and red cup into her own hands, holding it beneath her nose to try and guess the type. Peppermint, perhaps, she thought, blowing on its surface to release another waft of white steam. She took a sip and smiled. Peppermint indeed.
She watched over the rim of her tea cup as Nicholas left the living room to reappear some moments later, an outfit in hand that he left on the couch before leaving and coming back, this time holding some undergarments. It was a good thing that the cup was covering a majority of her lower face and the heat from the drink could be easily blamed for the pink coloring that rose to her cheeks as she accepted the offered stack of clothing. Her eyes remained dutifully looking at her drink when he smiled, the blush deepening some. "Please," she answered quickly to his offer, a small bob of her head acting as a nod, while keeping her gaze downwards. Abruptly, Vera stood, clutching the clothes to her chest and setting her half finished cup of tea down on a lime green saucer. "Excuse me," she mumbled, head low as she maneuvered herself around the man and went to the hallway, opening the second door that must be to the bathroom and barricading herself inside, shutting the door softly behind her.
Nicholas returned to the kitchen and started the beans on the wood stove. Just as he was about grab the used tea tray from the living room, the he heard the door open. As soon as he did, he ran to the entryway. Standing there by the two piles of gear was Avery... Her long dark hair was tied up with bailing twine and her jacket had blood on the left breast pocket. She looked mildly rough, but Nicholas had seen worse so he wasn't too surprised. What was surprising was the look on her face.. Normally she would be happy to see him, but she just stood there stairing at the second pile of gear... the gear that didn't belong. She finally looked up at him and dropped her bow on the floor along with a small bag that clunked a metallic sound. She kicked off her untied boots and pushed passed Nicholas to go clean up. "No.... Avery, wait..." Nicholas said knowing that when she saw the bathroom door closed and the water running what would happen. He didn't stop her in time though because like a rubber band, she shot right back through the hallway. She pushed Nicholas out of the way and picked up her bow. As she was putting her boots back on, she looked up and extended her middle finger to him. There was no pleading with her.... she wasn't going to stay... And before Nicholas could get a single sign off, she was slamming the door.
She would come back, he wasn't sure when, but she had done this before. Never because of another female in the house, but she had left because of his insensitivity. Nicholas thought it was odd that through all the death around them, that she still cared about things like jealousy... Even though she hadn't even seen who the other person was, it was too much for her. They had always swore it would be only them. She wasn't about to give him a chance to explain until she cooled off. He knew that she would accept it, but just needed time....
Nicholas went back to the couch and waited for Vera to finish in the bathroom. He figured she heard the slamming, hell, even the walkers would have heard her.
Vera had been through and seen many fights since he was a young child, ranging from the late night, heated whispers of harsh disagreement on a matter, to the smashing of plates on the floor and screams of bloody murder from an enraged aunt or second cousin as they would fight with their spouse over even the most trivial of topics. Back then, it had usually been about food, money or the state of their marriage and how having gotten together was the worst idea of their lives. Very commonly ending with the females demanding for a divorce from their passes husband. Ludacrisy. Now was no different, aside from being amongst strangers and presumably about her.
The familiar cramps of anxiety clutched her stomach muscles tight, fearful of turning off the water on the off chance that the newest person to enter would hear her breathing or hammer their fist on the door. Infuriated men were easy to take care of; beat them, or cry. Infuriated women were, ironically, terrifying, seeing as her own temper had a knack for flaring up at times. The general unpredictability of their actions and lack of shyness when enraged... She couldn't hear anybody out there however, aside from the occasional plea from Nicholas to the girl he had mentioned earlier was named Avery. Her lack of speaking reminded Vera painfully of her only sister in law. Suddenly, a loud boom that shook and rattled the very foundation of the small building was heard, leaving her clutching the bathroom sink to keep herself from ducking down defensively at the furiousity that the sound implied. She waited an extra ten minutes to be sure that nothing else would be slammed, and only being met with silence, she slowly open the bathroom door.
The hallway was empty, she noted, only her head peeping out from the crack but, seeing nothing else, she opened it a little wider until there was enough room for her entire body to slip through. Although her breathing was slow and regular, it was in sharp contrast to the rapid beating of her heart as she closed the bathroom door behind her, standing awkwardly in the hallway. She hadn't dared to put on the girl's clothes now and was still holding them in the neat pile that Nicholas had offered them to her in, her own dress now partially wet near her niece from where she had dried off her face, the only part of herself that she had decided to wash aside from her arms and legs. At first, she had planned I'm using the dirty outfit to drive herself with, but after hearing the girl, she decided that it would be best to stick to wearing what she had for now. Feeling eyes on her back she turned around to see the young man sitting on the couch, watching her timid exit from the bathroom.
She straightened under his gaze and stiffly approached him, offering the stack of clothes for him to take. " Here. I think she would rather have me dead then wearing her clothes..." she mumbled, quite serious in the statement. " I should probably leave, to. Get out of her house." She flinched slightly as she quoted the words her own mother had used against her, a helpful lock of sandy hair choosing that precise moment to come loose from her ponytail, shielding a good portion of her face from the boy.
Nicholas knew his guest would want to leave, and he would freely let her. He wasn't, however, about to just let her walk out though.
He took the clothes from her and laid them on the couch. "You don't need to go..." he said simply. When it came to bad situations, he was one of few words. Often while in the field he would talk very little. Saying only important things in as few words as possible. "She would do this if i had so much as brought home a cat." When he heard this come out of his mouth he instantly wished he had said it in a different way. But it was out there. He hoped she took it the way he had meant it. Avery didn't adapt to change very well... Not well at all. Having someone or something in the house that wasn't usual made her antsy. She best dealt with it by leaving... Leaving to hunt... Her hunt was for the undead.
Avery was often reckless when she was enraged. The trouble with her leaving was that Nicholas had no idea what would happen to her. If Vera agreed to stay Nicholas would have to ask her to go out looking for Avery with him...
At his words, Vera's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, brows furrowing some as well as she felt an anger of her own start to simmer beneath the surface at what she took as an insult. "So, I'm worse than a cat?" she snapped in a tone of disbelief, feeling heat begin to rise to her face. A cat wasn't a horrible thing to be called, but saying it as if cats were a lesser burden than her, then it made to show that she was worse, being that she was a human and needed more to live off of. She folded her arms defensively over her chest and huffed in irritation at what had previously been a helpful fall of hair.
Vera's face turned to a bit of a disgusted look and Nicholas felt bad for having caused it. "Vera.... I didnt mean it like that... All I mean is that its not just you.." hearing how silly it sounded, he kind of chuckled. He then walked back to the kitchen to grab the food. He put it in small Tupperware containers and returned to the entryway where Vera still was.
"I have to go look for her. She gets rather reckless when she is like this." he said. "Shes my sister... I cant just leave her out there."
His line about it not only being her, reminded Vera very much of one of those old, romantic dramas where the lead character would cry out, 'It's not you, it's me!', always making her smirk and agree with the guy admitting his being a jerk. That was probably not what Nicholas had meant it to sound like, but hearing him laugh afterwards did help to ease her temper some. She pondered on what to make of the situation as he went into the kitchen, debating on if she should really leave, or maybe if she talked with Avery, just maybe, they could work something out perhaps, maybe. It would be difficult though and possibly not worth the fight, considering that she was only a new acquaintance and the other girl was-
Her mind hit a brick wall. All anger was lost in the sudden collision and left only a look of confusion on her face, eyes blinking twice in quick succession. 'Sister...? Oh...' She tried not to look too sheepish or surprised but she had just naturally assume that... He hadn't said and... "Oh," she repeated again, this time aloud, eyes widened slightly. Realizing her own silence, she quickly nodded in understanding of his viewpoint and the urgency that was required in finding his sister. "I'm coming too, then. It is partially my fault for her leaving in the first place." Hurriedly, she spun away from him and went to the front door to adjust her scabbard over her back and throw on her pack in such a way that it would not hinder the accessibility of her sword. She would rather be thrown into a pit of one hundred angry Averys before she would tell Nicholas that she had thought the other young woman to be his girlfriend or worse, his fiance.
Nicholas didn't argue with Vera about her coming. He was actually glad that she was willing to help. He looked her in the eyes for a long moment and said "Thank you.."
He picked up his ruck sack, rifle, and sword, and put them on. Out of the entry way closet he pulled a duffle bag that was half full of food and medical supplies. He put this over his shoulder and proceeded to the door. He waited for Vera to exit the house before he locked the apartment door.
Down the stairs they went, out into the south side square again. The air smelt a bit damp still and the ground was wet. The ground being wet meant that the walkers would still be slow from the rain and moister. Once they were in the street, Nicholas looked both ways pondering Avery's choice of direction. He knew she would be outside the gates... Likely in the forest outside the south gate. There have been other times he'd found her there, so that's what he chose.
"There is a small wooded area outside the south gate. I'm sure you are familiar with Baldwin woods. That trail less 120 acre park? Well, Avery goes there when she is upset. I figure she won't be too far into the bush." said Nicholas as he began walking toward the south gate at the end of main. The gate was about ten foot high and was covered in barbwire. There was a doorway at the far left along with a guard shack. When they approached, the guard came out to check their I.D's. Nicholas took out his town I.D that had been given to him upon arrival a month ago. Nicholas looked back to see Avery do the same and the guard let them out of the gate without a word.
The world outside the gates....