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Tweak says, "all aboard the hotmess express"

Shannon Rutherford (ballerinadreams) wrote in vas_captio_rpg,
@ 2009-09-04 18:22:00

Entry tags:

!shelved, day 21, location: museum, open, sarah jane smith, shannon rutherford

Day Twenty-One, Late Evening
Who: Shannon Rutherford and OTA Museum Dwellers
What: Cowering from the zombie she's been told is loose in the museum
Where: The Museum
When: Day 21; around 7pm
Rating: PG-13 to R, depending on language and who else shows up in the thread
Status: Complete

Remy had said in the journals earlier in the day that there were zombies in the Glass Cage. Shannon, as cynical and grouchy as she was since coming back, had decided that he was full of shit until she'd seen elsewhere in the journal by a person she trusted more to tell the truth than say whatever came to mind to get a rise out of others. He had also said that there was a zombie in the museum. How nice of him, she'd thought, to lead it in there, if it was him and even nicer to leave it in there if it wasn't.

Either way, she hadn't seen Sam and hadn't heard back from him right away when she'd written in the journal asking whether he was all right. Part of her decided that she probably deserved to worry about him when he'd been worrying about her so much lately, but just because she deserved it, didn't mean she liked it.

Shannon sat in her room, staring down at the journal for news from him and occassionally got up to look out a window at the pitch darkness that hadn't lifted that morning for lack of a sun rise. A few times, she got up and pressed her ear against the small part of the door not covered by the shelf she'd moved in front of it to barricade it closed. She was trying, she supposed, to hear movement outside her room, but the wood of the door was too thick; Shannon couldn't tell if there was even anyone else in the museum at all besides her, much less if there was a zombie moving about anywhere inside.

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got2haveasmith
2009-09-29 10:31 pm UTC (link)

Sarah Jane listened to Shannon's explanation of what she wanted. It seemed to her that the other woman wanted an appearance of safety more than anything. And if partially barricading the windows would help her feel safe, then that was what they should do.

"Halfway up should work fine," she said, holding up the blanket she'd brought with her. "Do we have anything to tack a blanket up with?" They'd still get any light that tried to come through today, and be able to jump over a zombie if it tried the window. She felt along the walls, wondering if there were any curtain hooks or broken bits of shelf hardware sticking out they could drape the blanket over.

"I don't think this is something Remy would joke about," she remarked as she felt the walls. "At least, I hope not. Getting everyone scared for nothing is not the best way to get along in a place like this." Finding what felt like a bent nail sticking out about a foot from the window, Sarah hooked one corner of the blanket onto it. She actually pushed the nail head through the fabric, ripping a hole in it, to make it stick. "One side done," she said, glancing at Shannon.

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ballerinadreams
2009-09-30 11:36 pm UTC (link)

When Sarah Jane agreed to help Shannon build up the barricades at least halfway up the window, Shannon relaxed visibly. At least if Sarah Jane thought she was crazy and paranoid, the other woman had enough pity to keep it to herself. Shannon had enough going on in her head and she didn't want or need for someone to start an argument with her because she might or might not be going overboard with trying to stay safe from the living dead.

"Oh! Uh...shit. We had tacks in the front desk. I'm pretty sure they're still there but I know I don't have the balls to go out there looking for them," she admitted, frowning. "Maybe there's nails up there..." she thought aloud, looking up. "You know, like so we can just push the blanket hard enough that the nails pierce it and hold it up?" she asked more than stated, because she was feeling sheepish and unsure of herself still.

Shannon's brows raised at Sarah Jane's comment about Remy not joking about something like that. "Have you met Remy?" she joked feebly. The smile fell away almost instantly as Sarah Jane went on. "Again," she sighed, the joking tone all but completely gone, "have you met Remy...?" Remy, to Shannon, seemed like the type who liked to rile people up. He was enjoying himself here for whatever reason. "Oh cool thank you!" she squeaked excitedly when Sarah Jane had announced that one side was finished. "You're awesome," she added making her way over to actually help Sarah Jane this time, having been distracted by the conversation too much to put forth an effort this time.

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got2haveasmith
2009-10-02 10:44 pm UTC (link)

"We'll make do with what's in here," Sarah Jane said. Going back out into the Museum in the dark wasn't on her list of good ideas. She didn't want to run across anything potentially harmful. Nor did she think it was a good idea to leave Shannon alone. Being alone too long made one paranoid, she'd found in her experience. Especially in high-stress situations, which this definitely was. "I'm sure there's enough bits of things we can find to make it stick."

Sarah Jane grinned as Shannon made her little joke. Joking meant she was feeling all right, at least a little. "Actually, I have," she replied. "We were in an experiment together a few days back. He's quite a cook." Thinking about the omelet he'd made wasn't a good idea, though. It reminded her stomach of how empty it was. She'd not had much since that day, aside from water. There wasn't exactly a lot of food to be had. And the day there had been any sort of decent amount, there had been children about, and Sarah wouldn't have dreamed of taking food meant for children.

Shannon came over to help, and Sarah was more than happy to let her. Give someone a task, and they held up better. How often had the Doctor used that trick on her, after all? Climb through that ventilation shaft, Sarah Jane. No, really, you can fit, and we're all depending on you.

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ballerinadreams
2009-10-03 04:48 pm UTC (link)

Shannon didn't bother hiding the relief in her smile when Sarah Jane suggested that they could just make do. Apparently Shannon wasn't the only one who didn't want to go back out into the museum and that was just fine with Shannon. "Probably, if we're resourceful enough. God knows I've learned resourcefulness, if nothing else, between here and Craphole Island," she replied, her smile fading slightly and falling away from her eyes as it did so.

When Sarah Jane said that Remy could cook, Shannon found her eyebrows being raised incredulously. Cooking was the last thing she'd thought Remy would ever want to do, much less be good at. "You mean in the bunker? That was him? I could smell it from the bedroom. I didn't eat any, but..." she said, looking simultaneously still surprised and yet impressed.

Shannon helped Sarah Jane finish putting up the blanket and then looked back at it appraisingly. "How long, d'y'think, before the Powers take these zombies away again? How long before they give us a day off from the madness...?" she asked quietly. It was mainly rhetorical, but if Sarah Jane had an answer or an opinion, Shannon would be happy to hear it.

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got2haveasmith
2009-10-03 07:11 pm UTC (link)

Craphole Island? Interesting choice of epithet. Sarah Jane caught the change in Shannon's face from the very dim light, and decided it was best not to ask about it right now. She didn't want to upset her friend further. "Same here, thanks to traveling with the Doctor," she said. "Never know where you'll end up, and you never have anything useful packed - mostly because I never got a chance to pack." She grinned.

She'd forgotten, or not realized, that Shannon had been in the bunker with them all. Now that she thought, she didn't recall seeing the other woman at breakfast that morning. She nodded. "That was Remy. He made a Cajun omelet, which was...unique. Good, don't get me wrong, but...I don't think it was to everyone's tastes." Remembering the various reactions to the young man's cooking brought an amused smile to her lips. Everyone here should end up in an experiment like that, she thought. Everyone should be able to have at least one decent night's rest and one day of proper meals and hot showers and clean clothes. Granted, Sarah thought they should all have every day like that, if they were to be stuck here, but she harbored no hope of their captors doing something that kind.

Sarah Jane sighed, thinking about the zombies and darkness. "With the way things have gone thus far? Probably when they get bored of watching our reactions. When it isn't fun for them anymore, they'll move on to something else." She smiled, but this time it was sarcastic. "We just have to be boring."

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ballerinadreams
2009-10-04 06:32 pm UTC (link)

Shannon smiled slightly at Sarah Jane's response. "When we get out of here, I want to. Travel with him, I mean," she revealed. "Even just one time, just to say I have. Just to see a once in a lifetime thing, you know? Something great," she finished quietly, looking down again.

"Cool," Shannon replied. "Cajun food isn't too bad. A little spicier than I personally prefer, but definitely has a nice kick." Nora had gone through a Cajun food phase while Shannon had been living with her, during which they'd spent practically every other night at Gumboz on Jefferson Avenue.

Sarah Jane's suggestion that they be boring in order to get the people running the show to move onto the next (probably horrible) thing wasn't a bad idea and Shannon knew it. But she also knew it was easier said than done. "Okay...so how do we be boring when I know I'm terrified and stressed and I know that's what they like to see?" she asked sincerely. She wanted an answer so she could take the correct steps. Shannon, at this point, would do anything to make this zombie crap stop.

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got2haveasmith
2009-10-05 10:29 pm UTC (link)

Sarah Jane smiled wistfully. "I know exactly what you mean," she said. "It's the best thing in the world, traveling with him. It isn't always nice, but there's always something to do, someone to help, something to see and explore and experience." She sighed, memories of fantastic planets and people drifting through her mind. "If he offers you the trip, take it, and don't look back."

"It was a bit spicy," Sarah agreed. "No worse than the Indian take-away my son and his friends seem to like. Different, of course, but very good." She leaned back against the wall. Thinking of food when one had none was never a good idea, but she'd done it, and now her stomach was expecting something. It would have to wait, of course. Leaving now would be a bad idea. Perhaps in the morning, when the sun came up. If it came up. Then she could brave the trip to the pharmacy or convenience store and see if there was anything to eat.

Shannon seemed to take Sarah's flippant remark to heart, and wanted to know how to make the idea work for them. Sarah sighed again, letting herself slide down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, and rested her hands on her knees, thinking. "Sleep?" she suggested. There was probably nothing more boring than watching someone sleep. Unless it was watching grass grow. And goodness knew she was tired. High stress for long periods of time was bad for the body and mind. Sleep would make them all think a little more clearly, more rationally.

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ballerinadreams
2009-10-12 10:58 pm UTC (link)

The wistful smile on Sarah Jane's face piqued Shannon's curiosity. "What's it like? I mean, really. What sort of things do you see?" she asked. Sarah Jane said that if the Doctor offered Shannon a trip, she should take it and not look back. There was a sadness in the smile Shannon gave in response to those words. She had nothing to look back to. Except, maybe, Sam. Even then, maybe not...he was nowhere to be found right now.

A soft hum of appreciation at the very thought emitted from Shannon when Sarah Jane went on about the food that Remy had made in the bunker. She hadn't eaten anything decent in longer than she could remember, so thinking about how she'd had the chance and missed it made her stomach rumble.

She watched Sarah Jane slide down the wall and sit on the flor, sighing. The question Shannon had asked had been apparently one Sarah Jane hadn't expected. "Sleep?" Shannon asked incredulously. She gave a small smile and shook her head. "I can't sleep knowing those things are out there, can you?"

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got2haveasmith
2009-10-14 12:08 am UTC (link)

"The universe," Sarah Jane replied, her eyes losing focus on the darkened room. "You see the best and worst of humanity, of alien life, of the whole universe. You can go anywhere and any time when you travel with the Doctor, literally. Any planet, and any time in that planet's whole history." Her brow creased, and she focused on Shannon for a moment. "You see some of the most horrible, most evil people and things. It isn't always safe or nice, but the positives usually end up outweighing the drawbacks." She laughed, but the sound was hollow to her own ears. "After our time here, perhaps it won't seem as horrific."

Sarah Jane shook her head at Shannon's question about sleep. "No. I'm too wary to sleep properly. But if we don't at least try, we'll be rubbish if any show up." Being so tense and wound-up all the time was bad for one. The body had to relax. She knew this. She knew Shannon knew this as well. She'd collapse from exhaustion if she went too long without sleep, and that wouldn't be restful at all, and might leave her vulnerable. "At least with two of us, we can take turns at watch. We can afford to let our guards down just enough to try and rest."

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ballerinadreams
2009-10-14 06:52 pm UTC (link)

The idea of being able to see both the best and worse of the whole universe in potentially one trip with the Doctor was amazing and almost unfathomable to Shannon, even as Sarah Jane said that was exactly what it was. It seemed, too, like Sarah Jane was trying to warn her that it wasn't as pretty and glamorous as Shannon maybe thought it was. Or as she thought Shannon thought it was. "Yeah," she laughed equally as dryly and sounding as hollow. "Really, I don't think anything can top this place." She had to hold back from adding, 'if we ever get out, that is.'

Chewing her bottom lip, Shannon nodded. At least she wasn't alone in thinking that sleeping was kind of not an option. "Maybe we compromise and just...sit? Rest our eyes? Or take turns, yeah," she agreed, thinking that if Sam was there, maybe they'd be taking turns sleeping like they used to when they'd first arrived in this place weeks ago. Taking a deep breath, Shannon let it out in a frustrated and nerve-frayed huff. "You wanna go first?" she offered.

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got2haveasmith
2009-10-16 11:55 pm UTC (link)

"The longer I'm here, the more I'm inclined to agree with you," Sarah Jane said. Given the number of times she'd been kidnapped, forced into slavery, or used as bait for the Doctor by madmen and villains, that was saying something. Even the Daleks were starting to seem kind in comparison, and that thought chilled Sarah Jane.

Shannon seemed like she needed sleep more than Sarah Jane did at the moment, but the older woman wasn't sure Shannon could settle down to rest. She was too wound-up. "That's very kind of you," she said, stretching out on the floor, underneath the window. Perhaps if she acted like she wasn't as worried about the zombies getting in, it would help Shannon relax a bit. Really, though, this wasn't good for her. She wasn't as young as she used to be. "Just a quick kip, right? Few hours, then wake me up for your turn."

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ballerinadreams
2009-10-17 02:35 pm UTC (link)

Without saying a word in audible response, Shannon nodded when Sarah Jane said she was inclined to agree that nothing could top Vas Captio. She hoped that she'd never encounter anything that proved her wrong. Shannon gave the other woman a weak smile when she'd said it was kind of Shannon to give her a chance to get some sleep. With a nod, she shrugged. "We're all tired, but I'm kind of still in paranoia mode. I wouldn't sleep well, anyway," she admitted.

As Sarah Jane settled on the floor, Shannon tried to relax. If Sarah Jane felt safe enough in the room to sleep - underneath the window, no less - there was no reason why Shannon couldn't sleep when it was her turn. She wouldn't let anything happen to Sarah Jane and she was confident when the tables were turned, Sarah Jane wouldn't let anything happen to her. "Right, will do," Shannon agreed and settled down on the floor, picking up her journal. "Have a nice rest," she said quietly and then buried her nose in the journal to give Sarah Jane time to fall asleep.

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