I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open)

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 16, 2016 18:23:31 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2016 18:23:31 GMT -5

Mia had been holed up in one of the abandoned buildings towards the heart of The City. Of all the stupid things she'd done in her short, unmeaningful life, this had to be the most stupid. First, she knew to stay away from the city. They were full of looters, vandals, rapists, and just about every imaginable horrible people in the world. Her parents had warned her and they taught her better. But Mia had become desperate, her rations running lower than ever. She'd underestimated the distances between cities, the emptiness of each town she crossed. Sure, it was great to not get robbed. But everywhere she went, she failed to find food and water. Then she saw the signs towards this city, it was supposed to be one of the big cities of the country. Though really, she didn't know. But from the distance, she could see the decaying buildings, still standing tall in their ruins. She had some things to barter with, maybe she could find someone there who was honest enough to give her some food and water for the items she had. Instead, she was met with a gang and barely escaped with her life. The only thing that saved her was running up the stairs of a collapsing building and falling through the floors until she crash landed on one of the floors where she proceeded to crawl her way into a hiding spot that looked as if it was some sort of panic room from the old days when civilization was still a civilization. She'd eaten the last of her food two days ago and the last drop of her water yesterday. Sooner or later, she'd have to leave her hiding spot and find something to fill her stomach. Not to mention something to help her bleeding leg where she had a piece of cloth tied around it.

She hadn't heard any noise since the day she fell through the floors. The gangsters probably thought she was dead anyways and had better things to do than look for a dead girl. Mia pulled herself out of the small panic room only big enough for her to stand in and take one step. She looked around and saw nothing and no one. Taking her bag and picking up a metal rod that had rusted off a stool, she began to walk down out the building.

It was the first time she'd seen anything beyond the four walls of the panic room and was glad it was night. It'd be easier for her to walk around without being noticed. Slowly, she shuffled down the empty alleyway between two tall buildings. A rat scurried as she hobbled past, surprising her and causing her to trip over something large on the ground. Mia scurried around the ground, hyperventilating, and trying to get away when she realized it wasn't someTHING she'd tripped over, it was someONE.

TAG: OPEN!

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 16, 2016 22:10:37 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2016 22:10:37 GMT -5

It had been a perfect place to doze, at least for a little while. Alright, truth be told it was far from perfect, it was safer, and by safer, it was out of the way. Maybe it wasn't a great place to doze but old Bradley had chosen it, nice little alley where things seemed quiet. Perhaps it was the lightness of the footsteps, half-starved young ladies didnt exactly make for heavy footfalls. Or maybe he'd dozed a little deeper than he should have allowed, either way he definitely didnt notice anything until something bumped right into the side of his legs.

He grunted awake at the same time that the girl scrambled for some semblance of distance, but her efforts seemed in vain. His eyes were blearily open as he stared at her before he sat up, a hand on his pack, hedding behind the dumpster, but the other rubbed hte back of his head as he stared at the girl, evaluating her quickly. She looked terrified, not to mention hungry, but even a starved little scarecrow could get a knife in the right way if scared easily, so he didnt make sudden movements, rather waiting until she noticed he wasn't striking out at her, he waited patiently for the moment, he could practically see it in a persons eyes when they were in the middle of that fight or flight response.

It was that instant that he chose to shift finally, staring at her still but smiling a little, he moved his hand away from his pack and lifted both calmly, palms open so she could see he had nothing in his hands, it wasn't a surrendering motion, more just to let her know there wasn't a tool of violence in hand,
"I would not recommend scurrying around on the floor like that, you might cut yourself on something," He quipped softly, "Calm down and take a deep breath, you have all the time in the world," He added mostly he wanted to see if she would calm down or get more scared, from her condition he could tell she wasn't doing too well, he spied the cloth-wrapped leg and she had the look of a hungry individual, a little bribe for her stomach, perhaps, could ease her mind.

Last Edit: May 17, 2016 8:16:24 GMT -5 by Deleted

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 19, 2016 9:21:23 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 9:21:23 GMT -5

The body had seemed like a corpse at first. Unmoving, lifeless. Then she heard sounds coming from him, not exactly human but not exactly inhuman either. How long had they been there? She moved backwards, her palms scraping against the dirty concrete as her body pushed back towards a wall. The body sat up and somewhere in between the panic and need to run, she realized the body was a man. Her eyes didn't move from his face, though darkness mostly covered it. It must be a full moon, but where the moon was exactly, she couldn't see it. Even with no light, the tall buildings still blocked out most of the night sky.

The slightest movement of his hand caused her to continue moving backwards and right as he spoke, her back hit a metal bin. She was about to pull herself up when he continued to speak, making her pause. Mia's breathing was quick and her eyes darted away from him and to the open alley behind her. She could just make a break for it, but her injured leg wasn't exactly healed all the way yet. The most she could do was a job-limp and that wouldn't do her any good if this man decided to chase after her.

"Wh-what do you want?" her voice creaked, unused to speaking. How long ago was it since she'd spoken a proper sentence? Most of the things that came out of her mouth were screams and grunts, it seemed.

TAG: @kuro

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 19, 2016 13:53:23 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 13:53:23 GMT -5

"Well, so there is a voice in there after all," The man replied with a soft chuckle, "Well.. For starters I'd like to sleep without some-one running over me. But the damage is done, I'm awake now." He replied, yawning calmly, he still made no sudden movements, instead lowering his hands to his knees and tilting his head to look up calmly at the moonlight,
"But never mind that, I guess what I want now is something to eat, perhaps a drink.." He added then, staring over at the other figure in the dark, it wasn't uncommon for food to be a good negotiating tool. The animal craving for a meal was easy to understand, tempering that desire wasn't exactly easy or expected of most people, "Of course, it would be a shame to eat alone," he added, "I caught some small game on my way back here and preserved it as well as I could. How about it? Would you like something to eat too? I'm usually the only one who tastes my cooking so I dont know if I'm making it good or not."

That had been one of the prime lessons he'd made sure to learn, properly cooking but also preserving meat was an important skill, it was something humanity had done for a long time, not exactly a lost art but when everything used to be so conveniently cooked and packaged for you, people didnt bother learning those skills en-massé anymore. Only skilled cooks or those who found books to teach such things could even manage that particular feat at this point.
Bradley pulled his back up on to hims lap, pulling out a canteen of boiled ater and a pair of wrapped packages. One of the things he actively did seek from old stores was clingfilm and other kinds of packaging material, it made all the differenc eint he world ot properly preserve some foods that way,
"You can have some water too, if you like, so long as you remember we're sharing here." The man picke dup the canteen by it shandle with a couple fingers, the others holding the wrapped package of dried, salted meat in hand, "Is that acceptable?"

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 25, 2016 9:29:38 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 9:29:38 GMT -5

Mia was surprised at first, but that surprise quickly faded into annoyance. She scoffed, "well maybe you shouldn't be sleeping in an alley. Ever heard of a room? Sometimes they have beds." Mia shook her head, "well, good for you." She bit her lip, thinking of her own need to eat and drink something. She stood up, finally able to find that her ability to move properly was back.

Sweeping the dirt and grime off her, whatever that could be swept off at least, she straightened herself. She was covered in dirt and whatever else she'd managed to attract and not shake off. Her parents and grandparents often talked of showers and baths, something she'd never really had the luxury to do except in ponds or streams. But, she never knew what it was like before the surge, so she didn't really lose anything. Unlike the people who came before her and knew what life was like before it all went to shit.

She leaned against her makeshift cane and turned to leave when he invited her to eat with him. For a moment, she hesitated. What if he was lying? What if this was exactly what he wanted? For her to let her guard down so he could hit her over the head with a rock and take her stuff?... Her stomach grumbled loudly that it actually echoed in the alley. She flushed, thankful that at least the night provided a shadow on her face.

"Is this a trick?" she limped closer to him.

TAG: @kuro

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 25, 2016 14:55:45 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 14:55:45 GMT -5

Bradley chuckled at the returend quip about him sleeping somewhere more sensible,
"I'm used to the hard ground. A bedroom, with an actual bed, does not feel the same." The old man responded, "I feel like I'll sink right through anything too soft," the man lazily explained through half a yawn. Her wary question made him laugh a little,
"Well yes, it is a trick, to make you sit down and fill that noisy stomach of yours." Bradley chuckled again, "Then we can talk about any injuries you may have, perhaps even open up a little dialogue," He wiggled the items in hand a moment, however he then shifted, getting up briefly and pulling off his jacket, setting it a few meters away from where he originally had been sitting and placed the items down on it whilst he then returned to his own back and sat down again,
"Like, for example; names. That's a good way to start a conversation. My name is Bradley. I travel and scavenge. When I'm at the university in this city I teach kids and adults alike to defend themselves with what you may or may not know as martial arts. As well as survival skills."

Bradley figured that would be a decent start, at least if he gave her some distance away from himself she could probably feel more comfortable. Meanwhile he opened the wrapped package of dried meat he'd held on to for himself, pulling a few pieces out and chewing on them meditatively,
"How about you? What is your name?"

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 25, 2016 19:59:03 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 19:59:03 GMT -5

Mia raised her brows at him. A bed, too soft? She scoffed, "you're weird. I've never met someone who preferred cement over mattress." She shrugged at his notice of her injury. It wasn't exactly hidden. "It's nothing, just a scratch," Mia thought it best to downplay the wound in her leg, lest the guy think she was easy to overtake. She still didn't know what he was up to or what he really wanted. You couldn't trust anyone, her parents drilled that into her head the moment she was born.

She walked closer to sit, but paused only for a moment to say, "I swear if you try to grope me or anything, I'll stick this thing," she waved the broken metal pole, "in your eye socket. Got it?"

Bradley. She pursed her lips, trying to decide whether she should give him her real name or a fake one. Names were important. There weren't that many people in the world, and her parents had told her the world was vast. It went on for thousands and thousands and thousands of miles. She'd barely covered 800 miles based on the signs on the roads, whatever was left of them anyways. She also had a map, that helped, but only if she didn't get lost.

Scavenge. There was a red flag. Sure, everyone scavenged, but for him to actually point that out... Maybe he was going to kill her after all and scavenge through the little she had.

"University?" she asked, completely forgetting the question about her name. "What's that?"

She tried to get comfortable, but then stiffened again. She suppose there wasn't really any harm in giving him a name. Besides, she wasn't important enough for people to be looking for her. "Mia."

Tag: @kuro

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I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win (Open) May 25, 2016 23:46:45 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 23:46:45 GMT -5

"I've been in this life a lot longer thank you, young Mia. When I can smell that much blood I know it's more than a scratch." Bradley chuckled, shaking his head, "Even after the surge, young ones are can be so dishonest.." The man popped another piece of dried meat in his mouth, smirking calmly to himself at her threat, she had spirit at least. He didnt blame her not being very trusting though,
"A university, in the days before the Surge was a place many people would gather to learn, to study, to prepare themselves for life in the big world, with normal jobs, normal days passing by in the big cities, unsuspecting of how the world was going to end up."

He chewed methodically on another piece of the ground game before shrugging to himself "Although now it is more like a safe haven for people that have gathered and are trying to bring back some semblance of a normal life. Younglings are safe, they make use of what I find out on the road and simply try to do what they can for themselves and others who need help. They still try to teach what they can, but it is a little more difficult." Bradley explained, motioning to her shar eof the food ont he jacket he'd placed down for her,
"Go on, let me know what it's like, I think it turned out very good this time." He added before looking up at the sky, but after a brief pause he smiled, "Perhaps one of the biggest things I dont miss about life back then is the city lights and the noise.. When a city is full of lights and moving mahcinery and people running back and forth, it is so noisy, evne at night and the lights make it hard to see the sky, you almost never saw stars in the city unless you were in the suburban areas. And with no city noise, it can be so peaceful and qui-.."

The man stopped short, turning his head, he could have sworn he'd heard a noise, it prompted him to stand up and take a couple steps out into the light, further from Mia as he glanced around, or rather listened. He moved silently, walking in soft slow steps, head still turning as he listened before he turned on his heels and walked in the other direction quietly, aimed past Mia, though he stopped again, discerning eyes watching the shadows,
"I stopped by this particular area because I'd heard some boys were getting rather unruly with passers by.. It is the job of an adult to reign in children who stray too far from the path," He stated alittle more quietly, his cautious stance transforming into a more relaxed on again, maybe it had been his imagination, but with an injured girl here, he didnt want to take any chances. The old soldier returned to his back, though he still looked aorund the alley, determined ot catch any sounds,
"You wouldn't have happened to run into any foolish young men around this area, have you?"