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Chas Kramer ([info]notlikethebooks) wrote in [info]thehauntedhouse,
@ 2007-10-21 03:46:00

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Entry tags:chas kramer, john constantine, rain ocampo

Day One, the never ending
Who: John Constantine, Rain Ocampo, Chas Kramer
Where: The forest and Hallway
When: Around 1 p.m.
Rating: R for language (...surprise, surprise!)
OOC: Posting order, please.


Now lined up in front of the main door, the freezing wind and grey sky didn’t make the view of the equally grey and dark forest an any more pleasant one. Still, even if the sky had decided to clear up just that very moment, Chas doubted things would have looked any more brighter. Actually, he doubted anything could make the view before them any less glum and uninviting.

“I’m not liking the looks of it.” Chas stated, needlessly. The eerie looks of the forest worked better than a keep out sign and spring guns, in his opinion. Had he mentioned already how really, really not keen he was on entering the forest? Yeah, he really wasn’t – at all. If not for the looks of it already, the complete and utter lack of sounds coming from it just put the cherry on it. “Nothing against the gardener, but this? Is horror movie material.” Which summed up the overall feeling of the place only all too well, in his opinion.

Glancing from John to Rain and back again, he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “After you.” No way he was going to be the first one to set foot into that forest. For some reason or other, he seemed to lack all his adventurous drive today. He suspected he’d left that in Los Angeles, somewhere with reality and common sense.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-21 07:48 am UTC (link)
John sucked down the very last, sweet, lungful of the tobacco, and flicked it away from him. His eyes swept over the forest around the house and, no, he didn't like it either. It looked...just about as menacing as a forest could look. The sky wasn't any better. Still, he was the John Constantine, after all--no matter what Midnite said. So there was a moment where hung back, stayed on the porch, glancing between Rain and Chas.

"After you."

And John set out. Righting the coat around his shoulders and checking his tie, John strode out away from the main doors toward the foreboding wood that stretched around the mansion grounds on all sides. He didn't even bother to announce anything. What was there to announce? They were going into the woods. No matter how long they dallied around the front door, they were going to go there. So why waste time talking about it anymore. That's all they'd really done this morning. Waste time talking.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-22 02:42 am UTC (link)
A smirk tugged at her lips as Rain set off outside as well, leaving Chas to close the door behind him. "Don't slam it." Rain laughed lightly. Lock the damn door Chas. Ah bliss or ordering a kid around. However her smile faded when the woman watched the forest. God she wished she had her gun. They had to see what was on the other side. Whether it be...demons...or vampires, or whatever other bull shit she could think of.

Just no zombies.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-22 02:58 am UTC (link)
Glancing at Rain once more before returning his gaze to the forest ahead, Chas fidgeted some with the collar of his jacket, buttoning it until the very last button. Somehow, he didn’t feel any warmer still – and he just couldn’t shake the feeling that the shiver running down his back had nothing to do with the cold breeze.

Closing the door behind him, without any questions, he set off to follow the other two. With each step he took in the direction of the forest, the atmosphere seemed eerier, and for a moment Chas pondered just turning around and heading in the opposite direction. All this? Didn’t look promising, and the clammy feeling the forest gave him didn’t help, either. And still it was better than the uncertainty sitting around doing nothing provided.

Busy with these thoughts again, a bird screeching in the distance nearly gave him a heart attack. “Damn birds…” He cursed under his breath, looking around cautiously.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-22 03:08 am UTC (link)
John, though he'd made his little stoic departure toward the forest fell back a bit so that he wasn't too far ahead of Rain or Chas. He told himself it was strictly for their protection. He righted the coat around himself, tugging it. It was a bit colder than he would have liked.

John made it a point to look everywhere, his eyes never stopped. There was no telling where something could pop up in forest like this monstrous...thing they were approaching. Preoccupied he glanced back at Chas and then Rain. Bad idea? You bet. But staying in that place was just as bad.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-22 03:37 am UTC (link)
Then out of no where a bird dove down in front of all of them and glided back into the air. Rain's eyes widened. She stood still for only those few seconds and then looked to John. And immediately snapped her gaze back to Chas. These birds were cannibals. She knew it, she could feel it. They would attack at any given moment.

"We can't be out here too long..." and then she started ahead of them both and to the forest. There was a shadow inside, but despite the pain and stinging of fear, Rain kept on going.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-22 12:09 pm UTC (link)
“No kidding…” Chas more or less agreed, half mumbled into his propped up collar, as soon as he found his voice again after the second almost heart-attack in what, three minutes? Things were just getting better with every step he took towards the forest.

“..you know how I said I don’t like the looks of this?” The boy folded his arms across his chest, rubbing his arms for warmth, his suspicions that the cold had nothing to do with the autumn-like weather pretty much confirmed when those two birds had appeared almost out of nowhere. “That was an understatement.” The fact that he thought keeping quiet to be not the most comfortable approach to that issue quite obvious, although maybe not the best idea when headed for a forest that might bear so far unknown horrors. Melodramatic? Maybe. But silence just preserved the spooky atmosphere, and Chas certainly wasn’t keen on that, either.

With that thought -- and a couple dozen others, admittedly - in mind, he made it a point to keep as close to John and Rain as possible.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-22 05:57 pm UTC (link)
The cold tickled John's throat, but he forced it down and ignored it. He couldn't have another coughing fit. The chill pressed him to cross his arms over his chest, squeeze the coat closed tightly, but he couldn't keep his arms like that. He couldn't even keep his hands in his pockets. He needed them ready.

When the birds swooped down, he started back half a pace, and stopped a moment. His eyes fixed on Rain, and he fixed her with a glance for about two seconds before starting forward again. The woman was crazy--even if he would have pressed on himself. Even if he started after again, making sure to keep up, and keep close to both of them.

"We know, Chas." It was quiet, but at least John was answering him. "But that drink's not coming to you." And maybe the exorcist shifted a little, to keep Chas between him and Rain. No, this didn't feel right, and the kid had a point. And hell if he was going to let this forest hurt any of them.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-22 06:50 pm UTC (link)
Crazy? Or just accepting of her fate? It was clear that they were the two leading Chas. Her eyes watched for a moment as Rain held up her hand to tell him to shut up. There was a shadow in the bushes, it looked like two hands but... were those antlers? It was probably a deer or something. But something told her this wasn't Bambie. The birds were clustering around the tops of the trees in the air and Rain shivered.

"They're watching us..." she said calmly.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-22 08:40 pm UTC (link)
Even to Chas it was plain obvious that he was not part of the leading 2/3 of this troupe and, honestly, he wasn’t looking to be. And having entered the forest only to be confronted with shadows and a dozen other misleading things didn’t help that.

“Well, that’s an argument, John,” Chas gave back, cautiously glancing around. Or maybe a bottle or two, either would be so very fine with him right now. “Better make it a double.” Just then Rain raised her hand, and he shut up, eyebrows furrowed and glancing in the direction of, well, whatever the hell was … waiting in the bushes. If at all, this was Bambi’s mom, risen from the dead and ready to make dinner.

“They?” Now that he wasn’t liking the sound of. Or the rustling of the leaves above … if that even were the leaves.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-22 08:54 pm UTC (link)
John had stopped when Rain put her hand up, now staring after the shape of the deer. Well, if there were deer wandering around, didn't that mean the birds were harmless? Or maybe picky with their company.

"Let's not give them a show, shall we," John muttered to his companions, pulling in two steps closer to them. They shouldn't be there. But then, John was quite frequently found in places he shouldn't be. That was what he specialized in. And to hell if a bunch of birds were going to intimidate him into skittering off back to the mansion. There were things he had to do. He didn't even have a choice. Angela was in danger, and the entire plane was teetering on the brink of a much fouler fate than Armageddon.

So, John took a step forward. And another. And then he was walking again. "Fuck the stupid birds." The comment was derisive and harsher than made sense. His shoulders were hunched up in agitation. Not fear, he told himself as he marched forward. Somehow, he managed not to flinch at every twitter and fidget of the birds.

John even reached into his pocket to retrieve a cigarette out of the pack Rain had given him. He had beaten things far worse than this.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-22 09:10 pm UTC (link)
"John..." Rain said wearily, looking at him and then to Chas. But then he took a few steps forward and before you knew it he was walking again. Her eyes widened when she heard a small Skree and in that instant all the birds began to flock from their posts high up in the trees and swooped down, attempting to peck at the three. One had gotten rather aggressive with Chas' hat and practically took it off of him.

They wanted her bloodied hand. "What do you want to do, AH! now?!" Rain yelled angrily as she tried to fend off the birds that tried to peck at her skin and gauze. Finally one succeeded and got her at the side of her face with a claw.

The brunette screamed a raspy cry and instantly batted it away, leaning down to pick up a large stick, and began using it like a baseball bat.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-22 09:39 pm UTC (link)
“Fuck.” Was all Chas managed at that instant, staring wide-eyed as the whole flock of birds decided to get real friendly with them. Needless to say, none of the three were necessarily keen on making their acquaintance, and he hastily stumbled back a step or two, as one bird dove straight for his hat.

…not on. Totally not on.

Hurriedly, he pressed one hand onto his hat - bad idea, the cannibalistic animal went for his hand instead, never mind his attempts at ducking below it, eliciting another “Fuck!” and some more colourful language from the boy. This wasn’t any good at all, and unlike Rain, he was less lucky when it came to finding a fitting ‘weapon’, so to speak.

For the time being Chas ended up swatting at the birds with his hat or barehanded instead, trying to keep them away from the parts of him that weren’t covered – mainly his face, for he’d decided he’d like to keep both his eyes, even though the birds seemed to disagree. And not up for negotiations, either.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-22 10:50 pm UTC (link)
John was an idiot. That was all there was to it. Of course the birds attack. Their cries and the beat of their wings immediately disorienting, John narrowly ducked one flying straight for his face. He twisted awkwardly around, yanking his hand from his pocket and tugging at his coat. Talons scraped across his scalp once, but John could only grit his teeth.

"Of course they do," he muttered, ripping the coat off his shoulders and fighting the catch under his arm. All the while he kept his eyes closed and turned his head into his shoulder, stumbling as he struggled. Moving, lurching target. Better than staying still. Probably demon birds for all he knew. Once he succeeded in peeling the coat from himself he whipped it up around his head and spared a glance to what he could see of Rain and Chas.

Rain had gotten herself a stick, and all the kid had was his hat. First priority: cover Chas. And John was moving toward the boy, flailing the coat up into the air.

"Back to the mansion!" Stupid, stupid, John. Going to get everyone killed. Talons caught across his hand, and he lost his grip on one side of the coat with a grunt, curling the injured hand in against his stomach.

But he wasn't going first. He'd walked right into them. It was his fault, and now he had to get them out.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-22 11:12 pm UTC (link)
The kid! Rain immediately moved toward Chas and grabbed onto his shirt, yanking him away from the birds, swinging the stick to smack a bird in the face, earning the stick a peck. How stupid. The birds were trying to peck the stick. Rain nudged him, or rather shoved Chas forward, and took off towards the mansion, still behind him to give him cover. "Move!" her voice yelled as one of the birds knocked the stick out of her hands, trying to peck her knuckle. Frustrated and angry, she reeled back a fist and punched one of the birds as it went flying into the air. Damn.

Chas was moving, but those damn birds... she grabbed onto his arm and yanked him, until they were safe inside the mansion, she had yanked open the door.

"Come on John!" couldn't hold the door forever.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-22 11:48 pm UTC (link)
Busy trying to dodge all birds attacking him, Chas would have looked even more perplexed than before as Rain grabbed his arm - if that would have even been possible, considering the current situation. Without any objection, he let Rain drag him along, he wasn’t as much complaining as just stumbling along, because even he had caught up so far that they needed to get the hell out of there, and nothing else.

The birds were relentless and followed them, attacking ever so vicious even as they’d left the confines of the forest. Rather helplessly he was trying to keep his face covered, not seeing much but blindly letting himself be guided by the Latina. Just then, however, halfway to the mansion a realization hit - John’s condition.

He stopped dead in his tracks – which honestly didn’t do much, seeing how Rain had mostly dragged or shoved him so far anyway – looking back over his shoulder now. He knew full well that John could take care of himself, but from how he’d looked that morning … not good. Running looked like it was out of the picture, and that thought had just scored number one when it came to unpleasant thoughts.

“Damn, stop, John-“ He didn’t get much farther, seeing how the screeching of the birds drowned out his voice, until they’d already reached the mansion. “He-he can’t run!”

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-22 11:56 pm UTC (link)
Good. Rain had grabbed Chas, was yanking him toward the door. Good. Wonderful. Great. Time to go. John flailed the jacket again with the one hand. They had a head start on him, but it was fine. He could make it up.

One of the birds thunked into the back of his head and John flailed again, already taking the first stumbling steps after the two of them. And he ran, warding off the birds even with the bleeding hand. He ran after them across the grounds while his chest got tighter.

And tighter. His legs burned from lack of oxygen, and he was coughing now, head dipped low and swatting away the birds as best he could. But he was out of the forest, running through the grass when his stride slowed abruptly, legs becoming rubbery and refusing to work.

John felt talons catch the skin behind his ear as the cough caught him up and he nearly doubled over. But he still moved, in jerks, as he hacked on the thick poison in his lungs. And he made it at least halfway, by the time Rain and Chas would have reached the door.

At least they'd be safe.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-23 12:14 am UTC (link)
Of course he couldn't run. The young woman didn't even look back, she was already out of the door, slamming it and yelled even as the crazy bitch ran. "Keep it shut!" meaning the door that was now in Chas' control. Rain couldn't help but wonder if she was supposed to die... considering the infection, wasn't her time then? And now... now with the birds. But still she proceeded forward. God, if only she had an inhaler or something on her persona. Maybe they had cough syrup inside. Her lungs burned from running, but not as bad as his. "John!" the birds were pecking at her hair, and at her hands as she had bloodied marks all over her bare arms from that of a short sleeve shirt.

She was petite, but she could do it. Give me your arm, swing it around my shoulder. She grabbed onto his arm when it appeared he was too weak to do so, slung it around her shoulder and began to move quickly. The crows still pecked effortlessly, but it was more or so to her. "Keep your face covered!" Rain remembered at one point in time when she had to carry one of her comrades... hoping she didn't have to do it again.

Finally when her arm was bruised and bloodied with peck marks, she managed to get up the steps and yelled at Chas. "Open the damn door!" shoving John in. But she was breathless and at that point, her energy was weak as the young girl passed out on the stairs.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-23 01:47 am UTC (link)
Only when the door was closed behind all three of them Chas let out a breath he hadn’t even been properly aware he’d been holding. The door slammed shut behind them, nearly blocking all sound of screeching birds, scratching talons and wild flutter of wings, leaving behind only their panting and coughing, respectively.

They looked terrible, scratches and bloodied marks all over. Thanks to long sleeves and cap Chas could say the most damage had luckily gone to his clothes, and with the scratches that had gone beneath and the holes in the fabric he could deal. The fact that his attempts at shielding his eyes had left the birds mere room to attack everything above only explained the warm, wet stickiness above his eye. He blocked out that thought.

There was no denying, though, that he felt completely and utterly useless, he’d been helpless in the forest and no use when Rain had gone out on a one man mission to first save his sorry ass, then the half asphyxiated John. Futility, with a bitter twinge of guilt because he’d been unable to do much alike.

Nevertheless, there were other tasks at hand, and he forced himself to focus on that now, for they most certainly had priority. While Rain would have been better of on a bed or couch at least, for now he’d have to be content with getting her off the stairs and that he did. The mansion was ever as strange and unknown to him, and, the worry still etched across his face, he glanced at John; he had his cough syrup still, right? Chas hoped so, then headed for the next best door in hopes of finding a bathroom and first aid kit – and in a welcome change, he actually did and returned with said first-aid kit. Now, just where to start?

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-23 02:09 am UTC (link)
John had done his best. He'd strangled out, "Go back!" just as loud as he could. But mostly it was lost in the coughing, and Rain would never have listened to that kind of a command anyway. When, in fact Rain had yanked his arm up over her shoulders, John did manage to support enough of his weight to let her momentum carry him on. Had he a moment for less useful thoughts he would have considered her quite a strong woman; she was. At the moment, however, most of his world consisted of the narrow point of space in his chest through which he had to keep sucking the air in and out.

He couldn't stop coughing.

Struggling near-vainly not to be a deadweight, the exorcist still managed to fling his coat up around the back of Rain and his neck as best as he possibly could. The deep gauge in his right hand didn't help matters, or the disoriented, dizzying lurches he managed in place of steps, but he did his best.

Were he another person entirely John might have mumbled a prayer when they at last jerked inside the mansion, the door slammed shut behind them and feathered, demonic little bodies thunked against the wood. Had he breath, even John Constantine--the John Constantine--still might have whispered that prayer. But he couldn't stop hacking, wheezing in air. Every time he breathed, the air was choked out of him, so it was no wonder that when Rain tumbled to the floor, John could only stagger a few steps farther before he fell to his knees, and then doubled on his hands. He coughed, forehead pressed to the cool floor beneath him.

He wasn't even aware of Chas until the kid came rushing back from wherever he'd disappeared to. Good kid. Smart. At least he was okay. He'd make sure Rain was okay. John's fuzzy, dim vision was easing back to normal, and he'd rolled over onto his back, arms spread as if to welcome the air in. His breathe still rasped in and out of his lungs, but it was slowly getting stronger, fuller. Shakily, he tried to lift his head, and his shoulder lifted, arm reaching over across his body for the cough syrup in the pocket of his coat--the coat that was lying about three feet away. Great. Just great.

John's head thunked back down onto the floor.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-23 03:03 am UTC (link)
Setting the kit down on the marble floor, Chas kneeled down between theequally worn out John and Rain, rummaging through the box in front of him for the antiseptic fluid first. When attacked by a flock of birds in the woods, getting the wounds clean was the first sensible conclusion he could come to.

Noticing John’s rather vain attempt at reaching for his coat, the boy could well count one and one together and went to get it first instead, or rather fished around in the pockets until he found the small familiar bottle. He figured asking John whether he needed help with that, but then merely opened the bottle of cough syrup before handing it to John – childproof closure and all, and although in a better condition than Rain and John, even he had to fidget with it quite some.

His hands bloodied and dirty still, he reached for the nearest available tissue, dumped a good load of the sterilizer liquid on it and took superficial care of his own hands that way. No use trying to help when he couldn’t even tell whose blood he was getting on whose clothes, really. With his own hands more or less clean now, he could take care of the other two.

Preparing another tissue with the antiseptic, Chas turned to Rain first, seeing how John was likely well busy with the cough syrup for now. Applying the gauze right away made no sense, and he didn’t need to warn her that it might sting, though the thought did cross his mind for the flicker of a second. From what he could tell, the wounds were superficial at best, and he let out a relieved sigh. As soon as he’d cleaned those, Chas could just apply the gauze, and therefore devoted himself to said task, armed with swabs, gauze and tape.

Chas barely registered that his hands were shaking as he started bandaging Rain up, and even as he did, he didn’t allow himself to regress. He had been of absolutely no use outside, if at all, this was his chance to make it up. Having finished with the injuries he could see, he’d have to ask her about everything else he couldn’t make out now.

Turning to John again, he tilted his head to the side and sounded exhausted at best as he spoke. “John, can you sit up?” Because really, it would be easier than letting him lay there.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-23 03:22 am UTC (link)
John close his fingers around the open bottle of cough syrup, but that wasn't what he wanted. Even so, he took it wordlessly, and stayed there on the floor a while longer. Absently, he listened to Chas clean and dress Rain's wounds.

"John, can you sit up?"

Ultimately, it was Chas that broke John from the spell of his own silent attempts to regain his breath. When Chas spoke the exorcist blinked, and twisted his head up a little. Then, with a slow, rigid stiffness, he pushed himself up to a seat. It required both hands, however, and when he put weight on the right one, he nearly buckled. Hissing in air, John, shifted, compensating for the sharp change in weight and pushed himself the rest of the way up. He held the bloodied hand to his stomach.

"You--" John rasped. It sounded little better than the coughing had. He cleared his throat and repeated. "You okay?"

The bloody shirt clung to him, scratches on his neck and his arms and face bled, and the wound on his cheek had reopened. John was sure that they were quite a sight to see, the three of them.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-23 04:02 am UTC (link)
“Yeah, just spiffy.” Chas managed with a nod, barely anywhere near convincing but better than nothing at all and accompanied by a worn-out smile. “How bad did they get you?” His voice still barely above a whisper, and he uselessly cleared his throat. Not helping much. Without as much as another word – because really, he had no idea just what else to say in this situation – he reached for the first aid kit again, ready to repeat the procedure.

He didn’t ask any further questions either, instead cautiously applied the antiseptic to the first wound he could see – that being John’s hand sporting a big gash - hoping to keep his hands from shaking this time. Nevertheless, after bandaging that, he didn’t get much farther than the renewed wounds on John’s face, luckily managing not to spill anything into his eyes or anything alike.

“…I think you need to take your shirt off.” Before John could say anything or as much as quirk an eyebrow, though, he added: “Else you’ll end up with fabric tissue in the wounds, and you don’t want that having to be picked out.” He felt the need to add that; Chas had caused enough awkwardness that day already.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-23 04:28 am UTC (link)
"Just a few scratches." Except his hand wasn't a scratch. Granted, there was nothing serious, but the exorcists stoicism could be beyond frustrating. Looking up at Chas, though, he could tell the kid wasn't okay. There was just something so stilted about the way he went about doing the task at hand. Fear?

John was quiet while Chas wrapped up his hand and saw to his face. And when he spoke again, John nodded. The kid was right. The shirt was thin and he'd felt it being torn in places. He'd felt those birds catching the flesh underneath. So without protest, John shift further upright, took the weight off that one hand so he could pull the tie off.

"How's Rain look?" His voice was stronger, less like that of dying man. John glanced up at Chas again...guiltily? And then over to Rain. She'd come back to help him. Save him, probably. If he was honest with himself. Those birds would have pecked him to death after he passed out from being unable to breath. And then he'd be in hell. Granted, John would end up their anyway. He only had a year, maybe. But that didn't mean he could just let go.

But saving her had cost Rain. John tore his eyes away and looked back at the door. His next words were a lot quieter. "It's my fault." He was already on the last of the buttons, and shrugging out of the shirt. And sure enough there were quite a few bloody marks on him, especially just at the collar line on the back of his neck.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-23 05:07 am UTC (link)
Her eyelids shot open as she immediately moved her hand up, and nearly swatted the floor. Instinct. Pain. But... someone had dressed her wounds. Oh God, more pain. Rain looked up, and immediately sat up into a sitting position, only to moan once softly when she realized that her cheek had been cleaned up. Between the T-Virus and the antiserum, it hurt like a bitch.

"I passed out..." a grumble. The woman wasn't so much in pain as she was embarrassed. "This is fucked. We can't get out of here." moving up onto her knees, she managed to grab onto some of the first aid kit things. Trying to protest with Chas and finally said. "I can do it." she had woken up...and damn right she was going back to work. The woman scooted over towards John and began to wet a cloth with the anti bacterial serum. "Ready?" it seemed his wounds weren't too bad, but his chest was oozing blood. It had to hurt.

Dabbing the material onto his chest, she moved the soaked cloth over the skin, pressing in gently, and wiped away any access blood or ...dirt from those nasty demon birds. A faint smile.

"You okay?" her tone was light.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-23 12:58 pm UTC (link)
Chas quirked an eyebrow at that comment, but wordlessly bandaged John’s hand before getting more of the gauze and antiseptic. If those were scratches, then he was fine and Rain was just taking a nap. Except for the part were none of that was true, and painfully obvious so.

“Rain will be alright.“ He then mumbled, nodding slowly, it was an empty phrase but for once true: she was a tough girl. Nevertheless, John’s look wasn’t lost on him, but instead of saying anything he just managed a meek smile in return and continued on with his task.

He suppressed another sigh. “It’s not, John.” Chas had moved on to John’s neck now, taking care of the flesh wounds there. “We wanted to go into the forest, we all decided on it.” His tone was equally low as John’s, but he meant it.

Looking at Rain as she got up, loudly and noticeably, Chas furrowed his eyebrows in concern. “No offence, but you should better lay low for now...” He’d seen the injuries, cleaned the wounds … and she just might tear something open again if she moved too much just yet. The help was appreciated, but he’d prefer it if she wouldn’t exhaust herself just yet again.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-23 05:38 pm UTC (link)
John didn't negate what Chas said. He didn't offer any protest to the kid's denial of his guilt. At the same time he knew it wasn't true. It was John that had pushed it too far. John that had made the birds attack. John, that was now squinting at Chas and the blood over his eyes. John that mumbled, "One of these days you're going to have to worry about yourself for a change." He was just reaching to touch the arch of Chas' eyebrow, to--perhaps cruelly--wipe away the blood with a thumb, when Rain started awake.

John snatched his hand back and stiffened, looking immediately to her as she scrambled up to her feet and started...trying to take over for Chas.

Chas worrying and doting on the exorcist was one thing. It was normal. He was used to it. Very used to it. It still made John painfully aware of himself and just how much the things he insisted were true were not always, but...he had grown accustomed to Chas' playing the mother hen. When Rain started it up, however, both of their behavior became suddenly unbearable.

John fidgeted, and directed his eyes off at one wall. His shoulders hunched up high around his neck and he mumbled. "I'm fine." And he didn't smile, just avoided looking at the both of them, and generally seemed about two seconds from squirming away. "You should talk. You ran back out like mad woman." A glance at Rain. Because really, she had had it worse than him, aside from the coughing up a lung part.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-24 08:27 am UTC (link)
Giving Chas a look, Rain nearly scolded him as she muttered. "I'm fine." the way she had always said it. The way the woman had said it to Alice continuously and the way she never needed anyone's help. "When I enlisted...they didn't say leave the civilians down, now did they? But between you and me... I fight the human wars, you fight the supernatural ones. So you can understand. You're no civilian." her tone was soft, but the emotion in her voice was powerful. Rain didn't think he would have made it. And no she wasn't stupid enough to tear something just from helping. The way her finger tips touched his chest, brushing the skin when she had worked on his wounds. She fought not to look at his eyes, and then noticed something.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this...but you need stitches, John." the woman muttered. "Stay." was all she said, and upnodded to Chas, moving toward the kitchen as quick as possible, as if nothing was going to stand in her way. And hurried back after scurrying around with her hands in the drawer of the cabinet, digging around for a sewing kit. The one she knew was there from grabbing onto a knife earlier, along with a bottle of tequila. There had been a long gash down from his chest to a little bit of an inch to his stomach. The Latina bit back any bitchiness and knelt before him after opening up the sewing box and took out the needle with some white thread and sterlizing both the needle with the antiserum.

"This might hurt." nudging the bottle over to him a little. Did she know what the fuck she was doing? Not likely but Liz had been a medic before she got her head sliced off. Stabbing him lightly with the needle after also cleaning the wound, had she begun to sew it up.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-24 08:34 pm UTC (link)
Just working on taping the gauze to the back of John’s neck, Chas couldn’t help but notice that the other was tensing up. It seemed to pass by Rain, however, or maybe she just ignored it. Chas, for his part, stopped in his doing for now and just held still. Though his touch lingered longer than needed, maybe. He felt the need to say something, he just had no idea what.

Furrowing his eyebrows as Rain claimed to be fine, Chas opted not to say anything - again. Though he sure didn’t need the scolding and could barely keep from frowning at that, but she did need the rest. It had nothing to do with stupidity whether or not she tore anything; for the time being either of the three would simply have been best doing anything but bouncing around like she did.

And yes, he was worrying and doting, pretty much whenever he saw fit, and right now? That was bordering overkill. Somebody who, as far as he knew, was no doctor or really could be just about anyone was going for John’s chest with a bottle of tequila and a sewing kit? Just didn’t seem right, at all, and the look on his face was definitely an all too obvious mixture of concerned and plain sceptical. Chas was by far no mistrusting person, but still … the whole set-up didn’t look all too promising.

Not that he was going to say anything, that would probably be crossing a border right to overprotective; John could speak for himself. Nevertheless, he didn’t take his hand from his shoulder.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-24 09:12 pm UTC (link)
"I don't need stitches." It was quiet, and not particularly forceful. Just blunt and very certain. The exorcist wasn't particularly comfortable, what with Rain just about in his lap and Chas breathing down his neck. He felt so crowded. He just needed to sit for a while, let all those many scratches stop stinging. John shook his head, even while Rain was up and moving toward the kitchen. He didn't need stitches. He just needed to sit there and rest for a while. His legs burned from their exertion and and his arms felt like lead weights. To say nothing of his lungs, the most abused portions of him. While Rain retreated into the kitchen, John bent his knees up and draped his arms over them, leaning forward and settling his head in his hands. Regardless of the cuts. He was so...useless. All he did was create problems or make them bigger.

He said nothing to Chas while Rain was in the kitchen. Even shirtless and curled around his knees, Constantine was too quiet and thoughtful. Always thinking. It wasn't until Rain got back, even knelt before him that John started out of it. Clumsily, he levered himself up onto his feet. Skirting to the side to be farther from the needle. Out of both of their reaches. His arms hung loose and tired at his sides. His legs so rubbery he had to keep shifting to catch his balance.

"I said I don't need stitches." This time it was forceful, and almost curt. He certainly didn't want stitches. Cleaning and bandaging cuts was one thing. Sewing skin together was another. He didn't fancy that any time soon. "Just...sit down. You need to rest." He even backed a step or two on rubbery legs, and scratched absently at the inked seal on his left arm. Rain seemed more determined than any demon he'd ever met. This had to stop. He cast a glance toward his mangled and blood stained shirt, and then his jacket. Oh, he could really go for a cigarette right now.

Chas hadn't gotten any attention. John glanced at the boy. He hadn't. There were cuts above his eyes, and as well as the face bled out dirt, he did need some bandaging. Rain just needed to calm down and realize that coming after John with a needle wasn't needed. Then they'd patch up Chas. ...And maybe take a nice long nap on the floor there. It was a damn comfortable floor. John had stretched out on a lot of floors, though most not because he wanted to, and he thought that this was one was probably the best he'd come across.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-25 03:40 am UTC (link)
Snapping the sewing box shut, Rain was too tired to fight. She arched both eyebrows and had placed the needle and thread back in the box, shoving it onto a nearby table. "All right." over protective had nothing to do with it. "But if that gash opens any wider than it is...you're going to bleed pretty bad. But if it's a risk you want to take, all right." she didn't really say much. To be honest, Rain was crap with kids. She couldn't do this. Couldn't do it anymore. So the only thing to do was run away.

Find Alice. Find Alice. That's all her head kept telling her. She'd be okay if she just found Alice. That woman seemed to make everything right. Her dark eyes looked down for a moment before muttering a silent. "Pussy." and immediately ripped the paper coating off of the bandages and looked over to Chas.

"Lets' clean you up." her eyes nearly pleading with him

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-25 04:08 am UTC (link)
Still kneeling on the floor, Chas watched the scene before him unfold with worried glances from Rain to John and back again. God, they all needed some rest: John sincerely looked like he’d collapse any minute now, and honestly, he couldn’t imagine that Rain felt any better than the exorcist looked, seeing what she’d just put herself through.

Blinking as she spoke, Chas turned to Rain. Although he’d so far forgotten about his own injuries, Chas didn’t even bother with a half-hearted ‘But I’m fine!’, he could leave such stubbornness to everyone else. At least when the nagging exhaustion that had been threatening to overcome him ever since they’d gotten the door shut and Rain and John had gotten all bandaged up refused to let itself be pushed out of his mind any longer. “Thanks.” He mumbled instead, merely nodding tiredly and mostly unaware of what the birds had done to him.

…besides the fact that his hat looked terrible, which annoyed him endlessly – there was something about setting his priorities straight that Chas seemed to have missed, somewhere in between keeping the hell alive and keeping his hat intact.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-25 04:36 am UTC (link)
John shuffled over to his jacket, and bent slowly to pick it up and slide it back on. He left the crumpled, white mass of his shirt where it had fallen. It wasn't incredibly bloody, but he didn't really feel like getting the coat dirty. He liked his coat.

His back slapped against the wall and he leaned there, fumbling in his pockets for the box of cigarettes Rain had given him, and the lighter. Half way through his task, his legs started to fail him, and he obligingly, slid down to a seat against the wall. His head rolled back and he stuck the cigarette in his mouth, tucked it down to light it.

He snapped the lighter closed with a harsh flick of his wrist and focused on the sweet smoke as it pulled into his lungs. God, that felt like heaven. A torturous kind of heaven nonetheless.

John contented himself to sit there, smoking, and let Rain patch Chas up. Show the concern that John Constantine couldn't.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-25 10:44 pm UTC (link)
When Chas was all taken care of, Rain shut the first aid kit. They had used most of the things, but not all. She'd carry it with her as soon as the woman found a backpack. There was that pain again. However, Rain resting? Was a joke. She couldn't rest, it wasn't in her actions or vocabulary.

"What would you like to do now John? Pet the animals?" giving him the idea that maybe his idea sucked.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-25 11:25 pm UTC (link)
A grateful nod after Rain had finished, and Chas prodded the band-aid somewhat curiously. The ‘ouch’ his brain signalled him made him take his hand away again, though. Still, couldn’t be too bad, he gathered.

Pet the animals? The boy suppressed a sigh. If they wanted to be acidic, they could preferably keep that for a time when none of them looked like dead warmed over. Or when he didn’t feel the part, at least.

Given half a chance, he’d opt for collapsing at the first opportunity – wherever and whenever it was safe to do so, that was. The exhaustion was just beginning to start nagging with an undeniable force, and even though he tried, he wasn’t sure how longer he could push it. John sunken on the floor with yet another cancer stick wasn’t the best sight, either. And he wondered just where Rain took all that energy from.

“If anyone has a couch to offer, I’ll go for that.” He then decided, raking a hand through his hair. Mhm, a couch would be heaven.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-25 11:39 pm UTC (link)
Constantine glanced up at Rain, and a stream of smoke issued out of his mouth. But he said nothing to that. She was right to be angry with him. It was his fault after all. His head rolled back down and he stared forward for a moment.

Another long inhale and exhale and he was pushing himself up again. Weakly. His legs just didn't want to obey him. His hand settled against the wall, and he managed at last.

"I need to lay down." And he started toward the shirt and tie, bending carefully to snatch them up. He'd go back upstairs, collapse on that bed he'd woken up on. Maybe find a shirt, but only after he'd slept a good, long time.

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[info]hivebitch
2007-10-26 06:56 am UTC (link)
"I think we all do." her energy was wearing down as the brunette had stood and tucked the medical box under her arm. "Do you need help or can you get up the stairs okay?" the woman joked silently to John, knowing very well that Chas could get up.

"I thought there was a couch in the parlor..." a mutter.

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[info]notlikethebooks
2007-10-26 07:18 am UTC (link)
“Sounds like a great plan,” Chas mumbled in agreement, more to himself than anyone else in particular. Couch, bed, marble floor … he’d go for any of that for the time being. That Rain even as much as admitted that they all did, however, would have nearly surprised him - if he hadn’t been busy trying not to just drop dead any second, that was.

Much the same question had been on his mind, judging from the all too unsteady way John stood on his feet. If that could even be as much as called ‘standing’. Not necessarily skilfully getting up himself, Chas pondered offering up his help, but at the same time, he was pretty sure John wouldn’t accept it. Instead he figured he’d just follow him up to his own room or something, and try to keep the exorcist from collapsing on the stairs. Or just collapse as well and get some rest that way. Either sounded just fine to him.

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[info]johnnyboy
2007-10-26 07:40 am UTC (link)
"I think I can manage," John remarked, looking up at Rain. He was tired. Very tired. They were all tired. Sleep was the only thing that made any sense.

"As long as I don't have to race anybody for a room." He twitched a smile--for about a second. And he turned back then, started for the staircase. He didn't really care that the bedrooms might not be safe. They had beds.

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