InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "The hero has arrived!"

Isabelle 'Izzy' Shaw (izzyshaw) wrote in spinningcompass,
@ 2018-02-04 18:45:00

Entry tags:

!closed, ~izzy shaw, ~tom sully

Who: Izzy and Tom Sully
Where: The factory dorms, on a planet far far away from the Station.
What: Talking
When: A month after this, five years in the past from current game time.
Rating: TBD
Open: No
Status: In progress

Izzy stirred and opened her eyes as Tom sat down on the bed.

They'd managed to take over a niche in one corner of the dormitory, mainly because not many others wanted it and it provided a way for the family to stay together in one spot. The first few days in the dorms Izzy had kept the kids with her in one bed while Tom and Sookie had to find spaces elsewhere as there hadn't been a group of open bunks large enough. Some blatant appeals to pity and judicious trading of food rations in return for changing bunk assignments had opened up this space. This way she could put the children in the bottom bunks against the wall and take the one perpendicular so anyone coming into the niche would have to pass by her first. Even as exhausted as she was it didn't take much to wake her, which was good and bad as people came along the passageway in front of her bunk often.

Tom and Sookie had been put to work the very day they'd come into the building, it being made clear that this was not a charity house and bunks were only open to employees and their dependents. The being (she honestly wasn't sure if it was a male or female) that was clearly assigning work details that day had taken one look at her and waived her off after Tom and Sookie had been put in a group. Izzy supposed she'd looked quite a sight if it was familiar with humans. Even at not quite five months gone she'd already looked enormous, and all the little ones were clinging to her either strapped to her torso in the baby carriers or clinging to her legs.

Her husband and daughter worked long hours and when she did see them they often looked even more exhausted than she felt taking care of the four little ones mostly by herself. Little Izzy was required to go to the factory school more often than not, she didn't see her granddaughter much more than she did Tom or Sookie most days.

She blinked as she realized Tom had said something and she'd missed it, and with a grunt forced herself to sit up. Not an easy task and not getting any easier with the way her belly was taking over everything else. "I'm sorry babe, what was that? I must have fallen back asleep."

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notaskxawng
2018-02-10 06:01 pm UTC (link)

Seeing his family in a place like this was wrong. Just wrong. He had always pictured them living in their house until they were old and grey. All those kids that had arrived had given that hope substance and nourishment. Some might have been from different futures but they had all shared that house. But this was the hell they had now. This was the life they lived and if nothing was done, this would be where their children would grow up. Tom himself had not grown up rich. His parents had lived a humble life. His education had come through hard work. But here hard work only got you a roof and some food. Food that wasn't always enough for everyone. Tom ate little on those days. Izzy needed to eat. The kids needed to eat. If Jake could survive a war, Tom could deal with a bit of hunger. They were made out of the same material after all. God, he wished Jake would be here sometimes. He would have known how to deal with this.

Tom's first instinct was to tell her to go back to sleep. His wife needed to keep her strength. But there was something more important. "I think I found someone who understands us. At least, a bit. I'll try to catch him tomorrow." T

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izzyshaw
2018-02-13 08:51 pm UTC (link)

"Oh?" Izzy blinked again as she took in his news. They'd been learning to communicate with their fellow dormmates, mostly by sign, and picking up a word or phrase here and there. Nobody they'd come across understood English, or any of the other languages they spoke for that matter.

Finding someone who at least somewhat understood them was a big deal. "That's great! Who? Where?"

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notaskxawng
2018-02-19 08:49 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah, it's a big green fellow. Uh, Hrawng, Kanawng, something like that," Tom said. A tired and small smile appearing on his lips. His wife's excitement was the cause of it. He was too exhausted to drive any feeling of his own. "I'll try to catch him tomorrow. Didn't really have much time to, uh, communicate with him today."

He propped down next to her bed and kissed her gently. "How was your day? How were the kids?" A glance at them brought another smile to his face. Their sleeping forms were the most precious thing he had ever seen. He couldn't help but lean over and tuck them in a little more tightly. A little gesture to make up for all the things he couldn't do for them.

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izzyshaw
2018-02-19 11:18 pm UTC (link)

"That's great." Izzy's enthusiasm faded a little at the description, but it was still the best lead they'd had so far. With Tom and Sookie not knowing the languages used here they were getting the grunt work and the least pay. If they could get a little more language skills then maybe they could move up the ladder and they could start saving to figure a way out of here.

She wished she could help. Surely a trained engineer could help spot things and math had a language all its own. But her primary job these days was being 'Mommy'. Even then she was almost always exhausted and it wasn't going to get easier anytime soon.

Tom's kiss perked her back up and she smiled as he tucked the children in tighter. "They were as good as you can expect toddlers and crawlers to be." Her chuckle was tired as she leaned against him. "I had to keep chasing after Lily today, she wanted to explore and wouldn't take no for an answer."

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notaskxawng
2018-02-27 01:10 pm UTC (link)

Tom smiled at that description and wrapped his arm around her. Talking about the girls was easy. They were his pride and joy and they shed light where it was impossible to find it otherwise. "Yeah, did she? Learned any new words?" That was a question he asked every day now. He was gone so much that he missed most of their lives, often only returning home when they were already fast asleep. The question kept him in the loop. It formed a connection, even if it was just a one-sided one.

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izzyshaw
2018-03-05 02:09 am UTC (link)

"She did, and she wore me out." Izzy yawned and snuggled up against her husband. Everything else might be insane here, but he was something she could count on.

"She learned one but I think it's just 'no' in a different language. No matter the language that's her favorite phrase right now. Vi is being better behaved, but it's only a matter of time before she decides to join Lily." It wasn't safe to have them running around unsupervised. If they did it again she might resort to spanking, which was something she was loathe to do.

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