Alice Munroe (ex_barebones985) wrote in the_colony, @ 2010-08-21 19:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | ^ week 19, alice munroe, holland sharpe, | alice and holly, ~ series: raids |
Week 19: Saturday
Characters: Alice Munroe and Holly Sharpe.
Location: Outside the Farmhouse.
Summary: Holly pulls Alice aside to discuss Bridget. Fortunately, no guns are involved this time.
Rating: PG-13 for some adult language.
Holly stood beside the vehicle currently carrying a haul from the day’s raiding. He’d already come back once with Bridget, but circumstances had lead him to give Meg a ride out to where Tom and Alice had found two potentially new additions to their little group. Meg had gone with them, and Holly had been stuck hitching a ride back with Tom and Alice. On top of that, he’d have to help unload even more heavy stuff than he already had that day.
Before that happened, though, he needed to do something - something he wasn’t exactly looking forward to doing. He needed to talk to Alice.
“Alice.” Holly canted his head in the opposite direction of the way Tom was walking. “I need to talk to you for a second.”
Alice’s brows arched in response. Given the fact that the last time Holly wanted to talk to her alone there’d been a gun involved, she found her her hand sliding out of her pocket and hovering over her gun.
“Uh...yeah. Sure.”
The hesitation in Alice’s voice ground against Holly’s nerves a bit, but he had to admit if he wasn’t the one requesting they talk he’d be hesitant, too.
“It’s about Bridget. We came back early today because of her. I think she needs to slow down and she won’t listen to me.” He paused, eying Alice critically. “She ... might take your word more seriously than mine if you told her to take it easy.”
Alice frowned in response. “What happened?” she asked. He wasn’t giving her all the details.
“She’s slowing down.” Holly lifted a hand so he could count off his observations on his fingers. “Short of breath, practically falling asleep on the way back even after we left early, and being obstinate when I expressed my concerns. It’s not that I don’t think she can raid, but all day shit is just too much.”
Alice resisted the urge to snort at such a big word, knowing it was a replacement for ‘hormonal’ or possibly even ‘bitchy.’ It wasn’t too far-fetched, considering how far along Bridget was.
“Well it’d be pointless to do short trips,” Alice reasoned. “Working in a larger group means getting more and getting it faster.” She frowned in contemplation, not completely sure how she felt about Bridget being short of breath. All it would take is a little too much of that and she’d faint. The thought alone was horrifying; what if she fell? Any kind of fall would be life-threatening at that point, to her and the babies both.
“Bridge came home and pretty much passed out. If the raids can’t be shorter for her,” Holly folded his arms, “then she shouldn’t go on them. She won’t listen to me, and maybe she won’t listen to you, but I think coming from you ... it might mean more.” From the look on his face and the quality of his voice, it was obvious that last bit was difficult for him to say.
Alice’s frown turned into something a little darker as she looked at the young man in front of her. “So you’re tellin me’,” she started, “that I should tell her she can’t go. That I’ve got enough pull to do that, and that she respects what I say. That’s what you’re sayin’.”
“No, I’m saying you’re a woman and, for whatever reason, Bridget seems to trust - and even like - you.” Even though he really wanted to, Holly didn’t roll his eyes. “If she says ‘tough shit’ there’s nothing we can do. But, yeah, I think she respects what you say.”
Whatever, Alice thought in response, just barely managing not to snort at him. “She likes other people, too,” she answered, just a hint of irritation coloring her voice. “But I’ll talk to her. For her sake.” The ‘not yours’ was implied.
Holly nodded, glad it had been that simple. “Yeah,” he said in response, and then slipped past her to go help Tom unload the truck.
“You’re welcome,” Alice muttered, glaring after him before she also started to unpack. Once she was finished, she’d go find Bridget. Her head turned as she heard the other cars starting to pull up, giving a wave before moving to the bed of the truck.