The Field

Who: Adnan
When: early afternoon
Where: by the wood pile
Rating: PG-13ish for violent memories

Today was a day to throw himself into work. After talking with Coop, and telling her everything he had about his past ... it stayed stirred up. Adnan hadn't broken down, per se, but he'd been on the edge of it all evening and night and then again in the morning. It was a yawning pain in his chest, a hole that he was sure everyone was feeling in varying degrees. But his was laced with fire, and the memory of the stench of burning bodies was strong. So he'd gotten up early and set to work immediately, shaping the tree-trunks they had collected, lopping off branches and chopping some of them in half. Keeping a mental tally of what he needed in what size filled his head with enough noise to keep the memories at bay.

( Even ourselves. )

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: early afternoon
Where: The beach near camp
Rating: PG 13

Even after talking with Bazzer, Adnan had spent most of the day away from camp. He'd decided that work could wait another day, even after losing one. And if any of the other guys felt like cutting some wood, he'd marked out the lengths he needed anyway. He just needed some space, so he walked, hung out with Tripper until the dog had presumably headed back to his mistress, took a swim, watched the grazers ... just spent time in contemplation. He was well-aware that he might've impregnated this -- wonderful so far -- woman he hardly knew the day before. It was something that weighed heavy on his mind. Despite the very careful flings he'd had on the road, for a roof or a ride, Adnan took the possibility of fatherhood seriously. Starting a family was something he'd always wanted to do, he just didn't know if this had been the best way to do it. Unintentional, passionate, heat of the moment, with someone he wasn't one-hundred-percent sure on.

So he needed to talk to her. That was a given. It was just how. When he felt like he had what he wanted to say in mind, he walked back to camp to look for her. It was better to get it out of the way, get things laid out in the open, where they could discuss them. Adnan followed the path back to camp, still only clad in jeans and his boots.

Coop wasn't in camp but she wasn't far. She'd woken that morning to find Adnan was gone (but his jacket was tucked under her head as a pillow) and that wasn't strange. However, she'd quickly learned that the lumberjacks hadn't gone off to find trees at all that day. None of this phased Coop, as much as she was eager to see her new lover again. She was thinking much more clearly today and wanted to clear the air. Not that she thought it needed much clearing. In Coop's world, well, she'd already made her decision about Adnan before the pollen, hadn't she? She'd even told him - though not in so many words - that she couldn't spend the night with him without having sex of some sort with him. In blew the pollen and too away the possibility, replaced it with a definitely, and now she was...content. Well, sore, but still rather zen about their decision.

( Tell Me True )

Who: Adnan and Bazzer
When: early morning
Where: away from camp

Adnan woke up with the desire -- no, need -- to go for a walk. A long one, before the day heated up, and alone. The day before was vivid in his mind, though it felt more like a dream than anything else. It wasn't; Coop's bare limbs tangled with his when he'd woke up had been evidence enough to that. Not to mention the dull soreness in most every muscle he had. But what he remembered ... he wasn't unhappy with what had happened, he was just ... surprised at himself. After he'd lost count of how many times they'd made love, he knew there was something else at work -- the pollen was pretty obvious when one thought about it for a minute or two -- but hadn't cared.

Now, he wondered. Had the impulses been genuine? What did it all mean now? It was all so fast, and he needed some time to clear his head. Or make the attempt, anyway. He'd disentangled himself from his newfound lover, put his jeans and boots on, and headed out for a shirtless walk, hoping the cooler air would do him some good. Tripper had accompanied him, the hound making sure his mistress was soundly asleep before bounding after Adnan.

With a soft grunt, the man lobbed a stick for the dog, legs swishing through the purple grass, his mind all over the place.

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: Late morning
Where: Well away from camp, east along the beach
What: The find each other
Rating: Most definitely NC-17

( Magentism )

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: after dark
Where: down by the water
Rating: PG for makeouts and dirty thoughts

As predicted, the day had been hot and still and sticky. Adnan was fairly certain he sweated off about ten pounds as he and the men worked on hauling felled trees back to the island. They'd quit a little earlier than previous days, so as not to completely exhaust themselves, and he'd taken on the task of cleaning himself up. He might not have bothered, but for one thing. He had a date tonight. Which was just strange to think about, but undeniable. After washing thoroughly with the soap pods, and again wishing desperately that he had another pair of jeans, he went about setting up.

Adnan dug a small pit in the sand and built a fire in it -- something he was actually pretty good at -- then went to fetch some food to cook over it, including some of the flat bread the girls had made that morning. What he would've given for his mother's advice. But one worked with what they had. There was no way to avoid being hot, and he considered just going shirtless, but decided against it. He chewed on a couple of the mint-brush pods for his teeth, splashed some more water on his face, and then went in search of Coop.

( Or something like that. )

Who: Adnan and Jasper
Where: At the nice rock outside her lean-to
When: Breakfast
Rating: G, prolly

Jasper was munching happily on her flatbread, since it was definitely a treat. You never knew how much you missed something until it was in your hand and you could feel it and taste it. And she was also keeping an eye out for that Adnan guy. The guy who had the map that Jasper wanted to see so badly. The kids, happily, were off harassing Kenneth or Helena or someone.

Of course, the moment she did see him and wanted to get his attention, her mouth was full. Brilliant. She chewed, swallowed, and quickly wiped her mouth so that she didn't look all crumby. "Oi! Ad... Adnan, right! Come 'ere!" And she gestured, hoping that would help.

( Coop: Please don't kill Jasper for that title... )

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: Early Evening
Where: 'Round the bend of the island at an ideal spot for washing and possible privacy.
What: Bathing and general clean-up
Rating: PG for a little nakedness and impure thoughts

Splashing out of the water, Coop picked her footing cautiously. The shore here was sandy but liberally peppered with clams and she'd already cut one toe on one of their serated shells. She had no intention of performing any accidental amputations, and definitely not where no one would hear her bellowed curses.

Not only were there thick reeds in this somewhat dune protected inlet, but there was a thicket of those strange bushes. She'd noticed when she hung her dress off of them to dry, along with the little scrap of a pair of black panties she'd arrived in, that the bushes were budding. Strange time of year to be blooming when everything else seemed to be reaching it's harvest time. Still, nothing in this place was normal or to be expected.

She'd carried the hulls of her soap pods with her, thinking to use them in a composting project she was beginning. She'd woven herself a basket from the long branches of the bushes and planned to fill it with as many food and leaf scraps as she could. Her hope was that after a season, she might have something better to garden with than the rough sand that seemed to make up the majority of the island. Egg shells, milk melon rinds, used soap pods and mint sticks she figured could all be put in. Animal bones as well, if she set the compost a ways away from camp. Composted vegetation plus a healthy shoveling of grazer poop just might do the trick. She knew Rowan had put aside plenty of seeds and planned to sit down with the woman one day soon and discuss a gardening plan of action.

( Cause I'm Coming In )

Who: Adnan and open to any of the lumber peeps!
When: most of the day
Where: forest across the lake, camp, points between
Rating: TBD

Adnan was grateful for the fair weather, even though the sun was beating down. At least it was better than horrible storms. He'd led the men who volunteered to go with him to the mast trees that he and Helena had spotted from their explorations. It was going to be a trek between there and camp, but it was what they had to do. The stone axes worked better than he could've hoped, but they were still small in comparison to what they were taking down, and things were slow-going. But with everyone willing to work hard, he knew they could accomplish what they had to.

Stopping for a moment to straighten out his spine and arm sweat off of his forehead, Adnan squinted at they sky and then around at the other toiling men. He scratched at the scruffy beard he was developing and stepped away to take a breather. There was no question they were all going to be unrecognizably tan by the time this was all over.

Who: Adnan and Coop
Where: The beach near camp
What: Soothing sore feet
When: After dark
Rating: G

Coop had settled herself in the wet sand down by the water, hiked the skirt of her long dress up to her thighs where it frothed around her in hills of crimson cotton. She sighed with pleasure as her travel-weary and scuffed up feet sunk into the cool lake water. She felt reasonably sure nothing would lunge out of the water and bite her feet off, despite the strange gargling laugher that range over the rippling surface from the other side. She believed the others when they said those monsters couldn't swim. She'd been fortunate to never have seen one thus far. If she had, she might be more willing to share Tripper's mindset on the matter. The dog hung back, watching her from the circle of light cast by the fire pit. Every now and then he'd take a couple of steps toward her, remember his fear and circle back to where he started. For her part, Coop was reveling in the alone time. Near camp there just always seemed to be so much action. After such a long day she was glad for a little bit of peace.

Adnan had been rather grateful when the sun went down. He'd stripped his shirt at some point after talking to the council, while helping to secure a couple more lean-tos for people, then had gone to wash off as best he could in the lake a ways away from camp. The soap pods were ... curious. Odd that the land would have conveniences like that. It was the first real bath he'd had since arriving, and he felt ten times better afterward. He'd eaten dinner and found himself with the bizarre feeling of free time. He wasn't tired enough to sleep, it was dark, and there wasn't really any work to do. He'd checked his guitar after the storm to make sure it wasn't damaged, but he hadn't really played the thing since he'd gotten to this strange world. Picking up the case, he started to wander off somewhere a bit more private. He spotted Tripper, standing by the fire, his attention fully focused elsewhere. Following the dog's gaze, Adnan started to walk in that direction, able to make out the shape of ghostly shoulders down near the water.

The squelch of boots on damp sand was a rare enough sound around this place that Coop peered over her shoulder when the footsteps got close. Shadowy as he was, she could still make out the shape of her fellow cart-sleeper back lit by the fire. "Evening Adnan," she said, hoping he wouldn't ask her to get up just yet. Her blisters had blisters and what wasn't bubbled or burst was scratched and splintered. Basically, he feet were an ugly mess this evening. She never wanted to pull them back out of the cool surf for the rest of her life. "Is my cowardly dog still up there?" She hoped he wasn't bothering anyone. He was so spooked it was countering his natural curiosity and friendliness. Hopefully it was temporary. Hopefully he'd realize that the monsters on the prairie would never come across to get them.

( Play Me Something I Can Sing To )

Who: Adnan and open to Alex, Kenneth, and Helena
When: midday
Where: near camp, by the water
Rating: tbd, likely G

Adnan had gathered the council together. It was a little nerve-wracking, being in front of all three of them at once. He'd never really done public speaking or presentations or anything, living the life he had, so it had taken a moment for him to gather his wits when it was time. But once he'd gotten started, it had gotten far easier. He felt like he knew what he was talking about, after all. Mostly, anyway.

( Okay, so ... )

Who: Coop and Adnan
When: late afternoon
Where: the path between camp and the spring
What: Getting to know one another better
Rating: G!

Adnan had helped with the cleanup efforts once the storm had given them some mercy, re-setting lean-tos and picking up scattered supplies from everywhere. He supposed they were lucky they hadn't had an all-out stampede of grazers. The entire time, his eyes wandered, looking for the vision in the red dress. Coop. He'd catch sight of her every now and then, but was determined not to hover right away. Not to mention the fact that it was sort of ridiculous that he was looking for her anyway, he'd only pulled her away from the hail a handful of hours ago, and there was work to do.

It only worked for so long. Once things started to wind down and people felt that they'd put the camp back together enough, he was left with not much to do. The fire was being stubborn about lighting, and he had the feeling it was going to be a cold night. He told himself that he should sit for a while, play some guitar, but he didn't do either. Instead he started walking around the area around camp, looking for that red dress. He was attempting to think of a reason for doing so, to give if she asked, but wasn't coming up with much more than the truth. He wanted to check on her.

Coop was in a strange place, and not just physically. There was no doubting this place was not like anywhere she'd ever been. Not after she'd seen the pesks, and the grazers and the tiny little monkeys that lived in the rocks. She'd spent a good portion of the early afternoon sitting and staring at a spot in the rocks where such a little thing had disappeared. The bowl of water she'd been sent to fetch pretty much forgotten in her lap. She might have numbly sat there all day if it hadn't been for the singing.

( I Usually Set Up Over There )

Who: Aaron, Adnan, Coop and Delilah
Where: Camp
When: Just after dawn
What: Fleeing for their lives
Rating: G

Aaron was not sleeping. Of course not. The carts were not exactly water tight and there were no walls protecting himself and his squirming, hissing sleeping bag from getting soaked by the occassional gust of wind. Even the sound of the rain pelting the bed of the cart was loud enough to keep him blinking with gritty eyes. Hood up, jacket zipped, he was still cold and wet. The water was starting to run over the ground, seeking a way back to the body of water it had likely sprung from. Lightening flashed and thunder rolled but after a while he was sure that dawn that broken. It was just hard to tell under the shroud of the storm. The rain seemed to abate for a while and it was hard to miss the fact that Ken had escorted a new arrival into camp. She was clad in a bright red dress that seemed pristine and out of place here. He was sure the dress was probably billowy on a good day but today it was soaked and she was holding the strapless thing up with hands across her chest. The most amazing thing was that a soaked and scruffy looking brown dog seemed to be huffing and snuffling through the camp as well. He poked his head into every lean-to and it made Aaron inch a little closer to his sleeping bag. Rumor had it that cats and dogs didn't mix well.

The first place Delilah had run was the trees. She'd been sleeping, minding her own damn business under Quinn's old blanket -- something nobody had begrudged her, which she was grateful for -- and all of the sudden she was soaked and sputtering. She'd gotten up and dashed for cover somewhere, getting down to belly-crawl into the brush. It had worked for a little while, keeping her from getting pelted for the most part, though there was no way to stay dry. And it was cold. She was going to be sick again by morning if she didn't find some way to conserve body heat. But then the hail had started, and the brush wasn't doing much good at keeping that off of her. She sat up, arms over her head, and looked desperately around. There was someone under one of the carts, and she made a mad dash for it, scrambling underneath in the mud, just to have something solid over her head.

Coop was just stunned. When the very nice colonel lead her in to camp, she'd somehow expected military barracks. Tents, chairs, crates. Exactly what you usually see in the movies. She'd expected shiny faced, buttoned up young men barking commands and responses to one another or perhaps a bunch of lazy veterans oiling their guns in tipped-back folding chairs. Nothing like that presented itself. At it's absolute roughest, it was a survivalist camp. A go-into-the-bush-and-carve-out-an-existence type of place.

( Rush For Cover )

Who: Adnan and Analiese
When: evening
Where: near the campfire
What: returning a jacket and conversation

Analiese had just returned from the spring, where she'd gotten a cool, fresh drink of water and a handful of the mint brush plants Delilah had read to her about from the notebook she'd found. It was indeed in Russian, and an examination of the first few pages had given up this find. It might not be much, she thought as she chewed on the rough, bristly head of the one she had in her mouth and savored its minty taste, but somehow having a fresh mouth made this wretched day a tiny bit better. She'd spent the walk back using the plant to clean between her teeth the way the notebook had described-- that was what the Russians who'd been here had used them for-- and now she was using its mouthwash effect. She'd been handing them out to everyone she passed and telling them briefly what it was and how she'd found out about it. They grew in shady patches everywhere, and there were a bunch of them around the rock edges of the spring.

( Read more... )

Who: Alex and Adnan
When: Day 25, late morning
Where: around camp

Adnan had stayed a respectful distance away from the funeral. He'd been tempted to offer to play some music, but in the end had refrained. He hadn't even met the deceased gentleman, and didn't want to overstep any bounds for those who actually knew him. It was tragic that a man was dead, but Adnan had seen enough in his life that it didn't throw him into somber introspection. He was there often enough as it was. He'd kept the fire going and waited until it seemed like people had dispersed and settled down enough. Then he'd waited a bit longer.

After it felt like enough time had passed, he got up and walked over to where the priest had gone. It was his intention to introduce himself to all three members of the council, and speak with them about his plans. He'd already talked to Helena, and this man was next. He cleared his throat faintly as he approached and offered a hand. "Hello," he said, his tone quietly respectful. He hadn't known many true priests in his time, and he wanted to get the measure of the man.

Alex had been sitting alone away from everyone else, rosary in hand and knees up by his chin. He wasn't praying though, not quite. He was thinking mostly. Thinky thoughts. The heavy kind that were dangerous. The kind he specialized in. Sighing, he turned towards the man who had spoken. He was new and Alex hadn't met him formally. "Hello," he replied, his voice hoarse. Alex's eyes were also red rimmed. He looked like crap, but he was long past caring. After a moment, he uncurled enough to reach up and take his hand in a brief shake. "Something I can do for you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level and his tone reasonable. He wasn't sure how much he could do for anyone right now.

( Future plans. )

Who: Helena and Adnan
When: Early afternoon
Where: The beach, grasslands side.
What: Taking it upon themselves to look for something the tribe can use for shelter or food.

Helena doubled over, hands resting on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath. Water streamed off of her in rivulets but she didn't pay them any mind as she sucked air hungrily. She'd crossed where the stretch was thinnest and was embarrassed to be the very last one to drag herself ashore. She took a minute to wring out her long hair and flip it back over her shoulder as she straightened. The day was...overwhelming, to say the least. The loss of Quinn was just stunning. Sophie was inconsolable and Thorne looked stricken. She'd given quiet permission for Quinn to be removed of his pajama pants before he was buried, the council agreeing that with the weather getting colder, they couldn't let a perfectly serviceable garment go in to the ground. Quinn Landry was well beyond chill and sunburn now. After bearing the scandalized looks from a few people to overhear her, she'd volunteered to swim across with the group going to explore, just to get away.

Adnan hardly slept, but when he'd gotten up that morning, he felt weirdly full of energy. There was no way he could sit still in this place, not having just ... woken up there. There had been murmurings about people swimming across the lake -- along with more alarmed vocalizations about a guy who'd died -- to do some exploring. That sounded just up his alley, and he was eager to go. He'd found a good out-of-the-way spot to stash his bag and his guitar case, and tagged along with a small group. He'd hesitated briefly, as wet boots were no fun, but then swam fully-clothed across the water and out on the other side. He stopped long enough to take his boots off, dump the water out of them, and wring the socks out before putting it all back on, and looked over as the last of them pulled themselves out of the water. He recognized the pretty Asian woman as one of their elected 'council', and walked over once his boots were tied, sticking his hand out. "Adnan Dosky, I don't believe we've officially met yet," he said, giving her a nod.

( Hidden in the grass. )

Who: Analiese and Adnan
When: morning
Where: near the rock waterfall, then camp
What: discovering a newcomer
Rating: PG

Analiese was mostly in a daze as she wandered over in the direction of the rock pool and waterfall near which she and Bazzer had swam the previous day. That had probably been a mistake, she'd realized as soon as she'd awakened bundled up in her sweater and her blankets still absolutely freezing. Her feet still hurt, sore from the long walk to get to this camp from the sweetgrind fields, and she was sniffly and her eyes kept watering. She had the bad feeling that she was getting sick. While she was cold, she still had an irresistible craving for cold, fresh water, and the little pool where the grazers drank was the best place she'd found to get that.

She rounded the stand of brush and the rock that surrounded the pool, pausing to peer at her reflection in its surface. She'd never imagined looking this horrible. Her hair was an unmanageable mess that she'd finally French-braided and tied with a tough piece of vine as soon as she'd gotten up, and of course she didn't have any makeup; her skin looked pale and blotchy. Well, nobody else had makeup either, she reminded herself, and something like that was the least of her worries. She drank deeply from her cupped hands and then turned around, uttering a little squeak when she saw a man lying on the purple grass a yard or so away.

( what the bloody hell...? )