Private - Fish Sticks

Alpha stretched, setting the trinket down on her sleeping bag as she gave Terry's singed fur a tentative pat. The pup was breathing heavily but was out of critical condition and Alpha had decided it would be best that the dog took her sleeping bag. It was tough for all of them and Terry had been directly hit with that lightning bolt. He deserved a little tender, loving care. After a few minutes crouched down and petting the pup, she got up and brushed the dust that accumulated on her clothes. She hadn't had the time to clean up from the battle up until now and it showed by the smudges on her face and the general uncleanliness of her attire. As she stood up, she did a few arm circles and such. Her muscles had been aching a bit from exhaustion.

There was silence in the camp, with only the flickering flames of the bonfire being heard. She gave one last look at Terry, the pup's paw twitching and a smile forming on his lips in contentment at whatever dream he was having, before heading out to help with camp preparations. When Aaron was out of commission, Jack seemed to have taken the mantle of leader and had managed to get them all out alive. To that, Alpha was grateful. One thing, however, set her suspicions aflame. Terry had seen something, had gobbled something he caught in the air as he glided through the field and into the statue's range. She didn't notice at first but, when revisiting her memory, that detail irked her the most and nudged her the wrong way. She didn't want to bother Aaron or Nalani or anyone else with her thoughts, though, so she instead decided to go and chat up with Jack and see his view on the matter. Jack was a man who seemed to exude authority and confidence, so she was sure that he'd be able to get everything done, ready, and set regardless of whether or not she approached him.

"Hey!" she popped beside him, her stealth and agility once again giving her a vote of confidence and advantage in her endeavor. "Wanna talk?" she grinned stupidly, as if they were old friends who were just having a casual chat. Despite her cheery exterior, she felt a vicious sense of betrayal stinging her. If her suspicions were true, who would have done such a thing? She resisted the urge to bite her lip in anxiety and simply stared straight up into Jack's eyes.

@Jack Anders

 

Between helping to set up camp, arranging watches, and chatting individual with other persons, Jack found himself a bit too high in demand and more strung out than he’d like. With the day’s activities finally done and out of the way, he had found himself a quiet section of the chamber in order to simply relish in the silence. Though holding on steadfast with an unwavering resolve, it was clear that today had perhaps taken more of a toll on him than he would like to admit. The bags under his eyes indicated as such.

Caught off guard by the stealthy advance, he’d jolt slightly before letting out a sigh and calming back down. A forced smile was plastered across his face as he’d motion for the young girl to sit down and join him atop a nearby log that served as a makeshift bench. He had politely asked Ornson for earlier.

“Heeey, what’s up short stuff?” Upon hearing her second set of words however, the laughter quickly subsided as he’d raise an eyebrow and view her skeptically. A nod was given as he’d scoot aside on the log, making it clear that she ought to sit.

The man was well aware of what he had done. There was no point in mincing words or playing about that sole fact. His companion’s eyes perhaps showed a similar glint in them, indicating that perhaps she too was already on the same page. That said, of all the things he had already completed today, having this discussion with this particular girl was something that still remained on the to-do list unfortunately.

“Yeah sure. What’s on your mind?” He’d start out with a slow intro. At the very minimum he’d like to probe for her intentions before opening his own mouth and stumbling where unnecessary.

@Alphabet Chocolate

 

Alpha sighed and plopped onto the log, sitting beside him while burying her face in her hands for a moment. Not even a minute into the conversation and she already regretted bringing this up. On one hand, she was almost certain that Terry had been set up by someone but, on the other, she trusted her team and, despite their oddities and inclinations, she didn't know anyone in the group who'd have done such a thing in a malicious fashion. She took another deep breath and returned her eyes to once again face Jack directly.

"You're, like, one of the smartest guys here," she began. She knew that, inside, she was just stalling from the answer that she didn't want to hear. She ignored the nervous sweat and clammy skin that build up around her uneasiness. "Terry," she tried to start again after a moment's pause, but the silence stilled her voice and she couldn't rasp out another word from her dry throat. She took a bottle of water, unscrewed the top, and drank it down greedily like a man who'd not seen a drop of liquid in the scathing desert for days.

She slumped over, trying to still her jittering nerves (maybe it was just a side effect of getting electrocuted earlier?). After a while, her demeanor noticeably changed and she wasn't as jumpy on the log when she thought about the question. It was obvious that her thoughts disturbed her very much. "Someone threw something out there; food, I think. Terry got swept up and—well, I just know that none of us would've done it. But there's no trap or anything I saw that would've done that and..." she continued, going on and on about reasons and excuses of how no one in their party could've done such a deed. Every time she brought up her point about the remote possibility of someone intentionally getting Terry fried, she immediately barraged it with counterclaims and unlikely possibilities and explanations.

Somewhere, deep down, she realized that she had went to Jack not for an explanation but for a word of confirmation that her fears were unfounded. That it was some kind of hidden trap or a glitch in the game or just a plain old coincidence. She wanted Jack to reassure her that everyone here could be trusted, that they were all friends. She believed Jack to be an authority figure; that he was a man experienced and intelligent enough to teach her right and wrong and, in this case, tell her something as simple as a father would tell his daughter: "There is no such thing as the boogey-man."

She stared up at Jack with desperation in her eyes.

@Jack Anders

 

The young girl was only met with a blank expression as the dark haired man continued to listen on to her rambling. Perhaps if Alphabet was insightful enough, she’d pick up on slight apologetic traces shimmering in his orbs, however nothing was verbally expressed as she continued to speak. Letting her finish fully and entirely, he’d continue to watch on with a seemingly comprehensive look.

Only after she had finished would he speak. Allowing a drawn out moment of silence to ensue, his lips would part, uncannily saying the exact words she had wished to hear. Was the man a psychic? No, but perhaps he was able to sympathize just enough to understand the girl’s emotional needs. “There’s no such thing as a boogie-man, Alpha.” Unfortunately for her, he had intended this line to have a different meaning. His following words were cold and direct however, most likely cutting into his companion’s flesh like a scalpel at an open wound. “There are fish sticks in the game however. Aaron and I both obtained one from a quest.”

He’d let these words sink in momentarily before speaking once more. The brief pause wasn’t too long as he wished to prevent any misunderstandings. After all, this was his burden to bear as both the man who threw it and the one who had made the decision to do so. “And he still has his...” Those hazel eyes of his would bore deeply into Alphabet as he calmly gauged her expression.The truth had come out. There really were no boogie-men in this game, no one to point a finger at for problems to disappear, only actions for folks to be held accountable for. Perhaps at this point the young girl had begun wishing that there really were mysterious phantoms lurking beneath her bed. It was a harsh reality to deal with, one that had slapped her in the face.

@Alphabet Chocolate

 

She continued on without fail until, finally, she stopped. It was silent for a moment after her outburst and Alpha felt her face redden in embarrassment at her little stint. Alpha concentrated solely on the older man's face, observant for any minute shifts that would indicate to her what he'd say next. Upon hearing his next words, however, she focused entirely on him with a marveled and amazed gaze. It was as if he read her mind and knew exactly what to say to calm her frayed nerves. Her thumbs stopped fiddling together as she listened aptly, as if she were taking notes in her brain of whatever this man was saying. Then, it felt like someone stabbed her straight into the heart with an ice pick at his next words.

"W-What?" she stuttered and shook her head. She never stuttered. She didn't understand what Jack was telling her. The words began to sink in her brain. She shook her head wildly, not willing to believe what Jack was telling her. She knew that Aaron would never do that and Jack had been the one to save them all—he had made sure everyone was safe and sound when no one else (not even Alpha herself) could've done so. What he said next was even worse. If before was like an ice pick stabbing into her heart, this could be considered a thousand spears wrenching her body apart. Her eyes widened and tears began to form at the corners of her eyes.

Maybe Jack was just an oddball and was talking about how hungry he was for fish sticks. Maybe beneath his cold exterior, he was just idly wondering about fish sticks and hadn't paid Alpha any attention whatsoever. Alpha had done that herself a few times (one of those times being when Aaron and Ortix were introducing her to a card game that one time). His face, however, shattered any impression Alpha could've had that it could've gone a different way.

She clenched her hand, forming a fist, and her nails dug into her skin to distract her from her confusion and fear. She managed to whisper a small, "Why?" before she stood up and left the man behind.

As she settled next to Terry on the sleeping bag, wrapping his paws over her body as she huddled into herself, she wondered why anyone would do that. And, unsurprisingly, she didn't know the answer.

@Jack Anders

 

Her expression was about what Jack had expected. It wasn’t as though he could blame the girl for reacting poorly, if anything perhaps it’d be a greater source of concern were she to simply brush it off or somehow find a way to deny the facts presented. At first it even seemed as though she would find some way of deluding herself… however it appeared that the last bit he had spoken had served as the final nail in the coffin as the harshness of reality closed in upon the girl.

A long drawn out silence ensued as Jack simply watched Alphabet resign for the night. Only after a solid few minutes of silence did he finally break it on his own accord, resuming his words once more. “I don’t regret the decision. Until we know the druid’s role in this all, it’s of utmost importance we protect him. For all we knew, another bolt of lightning would follow, striking him dead. Someone had to act as bait… but who’s going to just charge blindly as bait? Lucia? Merkaba? Ha. Keep dreaming. I know Aaron would on the drop of a dime, but then what? We’re stuck in a damned raid without a tank. Talk about a rock between a hard place.”

He’d shake his head wearily, clearly exhausted by this conversation. If it hadn’t been apparently before, cracks were beginning to show as he’d shrug once, as if convincing himself his actions were simply a matter of recourse. “Push comes to shove, we’ve gotta look out for our own. If any of us eat it, that’s it. Donezo. Gone. We’re down an arm and the body suffers. For now? We can’t sacrifice the druid. So that left me with one choice…”

A deep inhale was made as he’d glance over at the girl, not sure she was even listening anymore. “He’s expendable. Is that a harsh assessment? Yes. Cold? Yes. But would I do it again knowing only what I did? Absolutely. At the end of the day I’m looking out for us, not some pixelated fantasy character. The dog can be revived or replaced with enough time, but it’s going to take a hell of a lot longer to erase trauma from death – fabricated or not.” Another drawn out breath was made as he'd look back at the girl again, this time gauging her reaction.

@Alphabet Chocolate

 

Alpha buried her head into Terry's fur, trying to muffle out the sounds of the older man talking to her. The sound, however, came out crystal clear even through layers of burnt fur and smoky dog. Despite her whines in protest, the man began his little monologue despite her signs of her wanting the contrary. If she dashed away, even for a little while, it meant leaving Terry here and she couldn't stand the notion of leaving the pup to himself again. She remained rooted to the floor, forced to hear words come out of the very mouth of the man who nearly killed (and maybe intentionally tried to) her companion and friend.

Alpha gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she curled up, angered at Jack's words yet scared that, if she'd let the dingo go, the dog would go somewhere so far away she couldn't reach up and get him back. As the man went on, she realized her was trying to rationalize his attempt to murder her friend. Tears flitted yet again and she felt her cheeks grow puffy, red, and scratchy. Her fingernails dug into the skin of her palm and her teeth cut a bit into her tongue. Her body tensed up, as if the next sign would lead her to strike.

Jack's last words, however, brought only bitterness and melancholy to the girl. It was a choice between Terry and the rest of them. Nalani. Aaron. Dempsey. Lucia. Everyone who'd been her friend and everyone who'd been so kind. "Why couldn't we have just saved them all?" she turned to face him, tears still glittering fresh. And it frightened her, just a bit, that she felt a sort of acidic hate for the druid. The man had been kind but there was still that feeling of unfairness. The fact that a man who they barely knew was more important than her best friend. It was like choosing a random rock you found along the road over Nalani just because it would be more useful in a situation. She knew she shouldn't feel that way and, as she sat up, she tried to shake the feeling into the back of her mind.

"You're messed up," Alpha stated. She was never one to hide words and she was awfully blunt when it came down to it. But she could understand, logically, how he had felt it was the best course of action. Her eyes, however, softened despite her will and betrayed her as she gave Terry's prone body a scratch. She wouldn't trust the man after the stint and especially after he blatantly said that he'd do so again. Despite all the emotion she was feeling and the exhaustion that came with it, she gave a small laugh. "You're good at planning stuff but you suck at talking to people."

She stuck her tongue out at him halfheartedly and curled back up next to Terry. Even if this wasn't real, she felt it and that was all the really mattered right then. She closed her eyes, waiting to hear retreating footsteps as she wondered about the philosophy of it all. She didn't trust Jack with Terry but she knew he'd try to protect as much of the group as possible. As long as his motivations weren't going to hurt Nalani and the others then she'd tolerate him as much as she could.

Idly, she laid there nuzzling into Terry's fur sleeplessly. Her last words were addressed to Jack, but she questioned if he was even still around. So, seemingly to the empty air, she whispered her goodnight words.

"People don't always have values and points and scores in a video game, you know. Sometimes, every life matters..." the voice echoed and it seemed like she doubted the words herself. She didn't have anymore time to ponder as sleep began to overtake her and everything seemed like a passing dream. Speaking of dreams, she had oddly dreamed of dingoes, dragons, wolves, and a statue that seemed to resemble a figure she had seen in a book somewhere before.

@Jack Anders

 

The man simply sat there quietly listening to her grievances. He could easily understand her anger to a degree however he found it hard to sympathize. It wasn’t as though she had thought of a better solution; neither did she have any critiques to offer. But he understood that. She was simply finding solace and what little her hands could grasp at. And if that meant Jack would be painted as a villain then so be it.

He didn’t need to be glorified as some hero or illustrious leader that would pave the way to glory. At the end of the day, all he needed was to ensure that the task he saw to had been accomplished.


"You're good at planning stuff but you suck at talking to people."

A slow nod was given as he’d quietly whisper under his breath. “I know.”

"People don't always have values and points and scores in a video game, you know. Sometimes, every life matters..."

“I know.” He’d whisper again, this time even more so under his breath than before as his fist quivered slightly while rising up from the log. “That’s why I chose. Somebody had to… and it shouldn’t have to be you.” After whispering these last words, he’d let out a heavy sigh before returning back to the campfire. It was going to be a long night.

/EXIT
@Alphabet Chocolate​