└ 1x1 ─ Pyra Ilver & peppersdots ┘

[Pyra Ilver]

тнeodore 'тнeo' parĸer - 22 - tagged: ophelia, joeseph, viviane

"Yeah," Theo swung the bag onto his back. "We should get going before it gets dark." In truth he would have liked more time to plan, to think. But this was a rare opportunity to form a group. He was a stray. A stray many would be unwilling to take because he was the only survivor. He had heard it before. Traitor, murderer. It was easy to turn against other now.

Seeing as everyone was readying their weapons, he put his hand on the top of his gun. He wasn't the best of shots but in an emergency it would do just fine.

Vɪᴠɪᴀɴᴇ 'V' Tᴀʏʟᴏʀ ~ 19 ~ tagged: ophelia, joeseph, theo

Viviane let a knife drop into her hand, slipping it into her waist band. She had learned to throw them in empty building, aiming for the cracks in their walls. It had become apparent very quickly she would have to learn to defend herself. After all, it was all very well being able to do a somersault, but in the end it wouldn't be able to stop an attacker. The first time she had tried it on an attacker it was a corpse. She cried for hours. But then she started hardening her heart to such things, and now she knew if it came to it she would kill a survivor. She was largely unbothered though. When she did go onto the ground, people saw a slip of a girl who probably wouldn't hurt a fly and certainly was carrying enough to warrant the trouble. Her lithe build was both blessing and curse. It was only a matter of time before her perceived frailty cost her.

"No point hanging around waiting for someone to find us," she took a deliberate step in the direction of the door, hoping the others would get the hint. She didn't want to be moving after night fall.

[peppersdots]

✿ ophelia 'kitty' winters
22 years ⋗ exhausted ⋗ talking ⋗ tagged; all

ophelia shook her head a little at thoedore's comment. "day or night won't matter once we get inside," she said with a little shrug. "actually, it might be better to be inside at night. less eyes on us." she had never liked the feeling of being watched very much, but now she hated it. now she knew what it could do. it could take everything from you.

her sneakers soles were silent against the cracking tile floor as she followed viviane's lead, joeseph just behind her, mumbling a little something to himself that she was sure he imagined to be silent.

♞ joeseph 'joey' dane
19 years ⋗ alert ⋗ following ⋗ tagged; all

joeseph grumbled a little inwardly as he was overruled by the rest of the group. he stepped towards the door, following viviane's lead as he swung his rifle's strap off his body and held the gun in his hands tightly.

this whole plan made him nervous. everything makes you nervous, he scolded himself, rolling his eyes a little at his cowardice. he was scared, this world scared him. but he kept going. there was only two options now, give up or survive. he had to believe that there was still good somewhere, that there was still a reason to keep going. so he followed viviane out of the store.

[Pyra Ilver]

тнeodore 'тнeo' parĸer - 22 - tagged: ophelia, joeseph, viviane

Theo tried not to display his frustration too openly as they walked off. He hated not being in control. At least alone he had been in charge of his actions, at least in his old group he had been top of the pecking order. Out of everyone here he was certainly the biggest, strongest, most intimidating. He was enough of a deterrent for most. Yet they refused to listen. Still, he kept following. He knew less of the city than he would be willing to admit, and though he could last longer up here, he would need to move on eventually. This would be a good chance to see the rest of the city before making a final decision about this odd group.

Vɪᴠɪᴀɴᴇ 'V' Tᴀʏʟᴏʀ ~ 19 ~ tagged: ophelia, joeseph, theo

V was pleased to hear footsteps behind her. She preferred being alone, but splitting the spoils of a place like that could be her ticket to a much more comfortable existence.

She pushed out onto the empty street, out of the eerie stillness of the supermarket. The wind was something she paid a lot of attention to now a days. Not only to make sure she wasn't pushed off any of her perches, but to remind her she had survived and was still surviving.

V took a left turn and by instinct went to the drain pipe of the nearest building, it was a route she knew well. One of the easiest to navigate once you knew the way over the rooftops and could actually get up in the first place. It was only when she was a metre off the ground she realised her mistake, and dropped, bending her knees to absorb the impact as she hit the floor. She turned to face the others. "Sorry, I usually get around on the rooftops, we can keep walking," she glanced at Theo. "Somehow I doubt some of you will be able to get up there."

[peppersdots]

✿ ophelia 'kitty' winters
22 years ⋗ exhausted ⋗ talking ⋗ tagged; all

they followed viviane. the streets were quiet, but that offered no comfort. it could happen fast. it always happened fast. so ophelia's grip on her machete never lessened, her handgun pressed into her back and reminding her it was there, just in case. her eyes roved over the streets as they were led down the alley beside the building, watching viviane start to climb up the drainpipe.

ophelia laughed a little. "you're not wrong," she said with a little smile, as she watched her come back down. "there might be stairs inside."

♞ joeseph 'joey' dane
19 years ⋗ alert ⋗ following ⋗ tagged; all

"we don't know what we'll find inside," joeseph argued as ophelia suggested pushing in to the building. "there's only four of us, and if i'm being honest, i'm not that great of a shot." his grip on his rifle shifted. maybe he shouldn't have told them that.

people measure your worth by what you can give them or what they can take from you, he thought, his eyes darting between the others as he waited for a reaction of some kind, even nothing that much. if they knew he couldn't shoot, and he was this nervous, maybe they would leave him behind. maybe he was a liability. maybe he was supposed to be alone.

[Pyra Ilver]

тнeodore 'тнeo' parĸer - 22 - tagged: ophelia, joeseph, viviane

Theo couldn't help the flutter of alarm as Viviane started up the pipe. Someone of his size would probably break it. At the same time though, that little glance she gave him lit a little ember of anger in his chest. She probably had meant no harm by it, but he hated being seen as lesser. Plus, he had never liked heights.

"Joey here is right, we don't know what it in that building, and is it really worth the risk?" he said. Joey looked like he needed some support anyhow.

Vɪᴠɪᴀɴᴇ 'V' Tᴀʏʟᴏʀ ~ 19 ~ tagged: ophelia, joeseph, theo

"There might be stairs, I've never really been in," she said. She never had a reason to. "But there is a skylight up there. I mean once your actually up there, the roof tops are easy to cross, close together, quite flat."

She didn't like the idea of going inside. The exact reason she avoided the streets was to prevent any confrontation or risk. Up there she was invisible to most, apart from the occasional crosser like her. Most were up there for the same reasons as herself and posed no personal risk to her. They would have formed a group, but the way they moved would make that impossible. To cross some of the more dangerous ways you needed to be light and quick, no room for heavy supply bags or waiting for slower people.

[peppersdots]

✿ ophelia 'kitty' winters
22 years ⋗ exhausted ⋗ talking ⋗ tagged; all

ophelia let out a little frustrated sigh as both men voiced their concerns about going inside. they weren't wrong. they didn't know what was inside the building. it could be nothing, or incredibly dangerous.

"well unless there's a fire escape that viviane didn't see, then i'm guessing going inside is the only way up," she said, gesturing with the big knife, then letting it fall down against her leg. "look, we either go up or we stay out on the streets. i don't care either way, like i said, i don't have any problem with confrontation." it was a little white lie, but it still slipped out. she wasn't crazy about being out in the open, but if it had to happen, it had to happen.

♞ joeseph 'joey' dane
19 years ⋗ alert ⋗ following ⋗ tagged; all

"thank you," joeseph said pointedly, looking up at theodore with a little thankful smile. for a moment, he felt triumphant, then ophelia spoke again. he felt a growl starting in his throat, frustration building in his chest. she was all too blase about this. all too comfortable with the idea of going in the building and exposing them to the dangers inside.

"what about the other buildings?" he suggested, looking over at viviane. "then we don't have to go the whole way out on the streets, but we don't have to go inside."

[Pyra Ilver]

Vɪᴠɪᴀɴᴇ 'V' Tᴀʏʟᴏʀ ~ 19 ~ tagged: ophelia, joeseph, theo

"Yeah, there are buildings with fire stairs on the side. But then to get back on route the leaps are much harder," she answered in response to Joey. "And just V will do." she tagged on.

Then Theo stared speaking. It was hard not to smirk, he spoke like he was giving a speech to the UN.

"I say we go into this one. I doubt all of you could make the harder route," she voted after a moment. "I struggled with it at first, and I'm a trained gymnast." She couldn't help the little bit of pride that came into her voice. That was what she had to offer these people, not some run of the mill runner or fighter. But it was also to warn them. Going up was dangerous no matter how good you were. Any mistake could be the last.

тнeodore 'тнeo' parĸer - 22 - tagged: ophelia, joeseph, viviane

Theo couldn't help but raise his eyebrows as Ophelia started speaking about confrontation. Maybe they were all crazy. Or maybe he had finally cracked and was imagining things. "Not all of us are the best at defending themselves," he tried not to let his eyes flick to Joey, but they did so anyway. He hoped it wasn't too noticeable. "and clearly not all of us can climb, so unless someone has a ladder on hand there isn't a safe way. So, maybe the risk is worth it, maybe not. Viviane, V, may know the skyline, but we don't. If we fall we die, but if we stay on the streets we're much more visible. There's no safe option," he was in his element now, the speech coming naturally. "We should vote on it. Find another building and up, break into this one and up, or on the streets."

[peppersdots]

✿ ophelia 'kitty' winters
22 years ⋗ exhausted ⋗ talking ⋗ tagged; all

she rolled her eyes and stepped towards theodore. "it doesn't matter what you do now," she started, looking up at him with a half glare. "whatever you do, you risk your life." she paused, looking at the other two. joeseph was still pale as a sheet, concern creasing his face. she looked back at the tall man. "it's just what you chose to risk it for," she finished, letting out a breath.

theodore's rousing speech had done little to sway ophelia one way or the other. she backed away and shrugged a little, ambivalence writing itself in her expression. "like i said, i don't care either way," she said, looking over at viviane. "but whatever way you chose, we stick together. if we're together, we're together."

♞ joeseph 'joey' dane
19 years ⋗ alert ⋗ following ⋗ tagged; all

joeseph listened to theodore, then viviane, then ophelia speak, looking away when ophelia looked at him. she was right. he knew she was right. so he had to make the right choice.

"this building may be the answer," he said with a short nod. "who knows what could happen out on in the open, and like v says, the other buildings can be too far apart. she knows the route this way. if we have to take out a few corpses inside, then..." he said, letting his voice trail off. he was half expecting someone to call him on his sudden change of heart. but if they were together, then it wasn't about just what he wanted anymore. if we're together, we're together, he thought, repeating ophelia's words in his mind.

[Pyra Ilver]

тнeodore 'тнeo' parĸer - 22 - tagged: ophelia, joeseph, viviane

He was slightly taken aback by Ophelia's little outburst. She had fire in her belly, that was for sure. Joey brought him back to the present. "Looks like we're going up this building then." he said sharply. Ophelia had a death wish or something, he had never encountered someone who cared so little about the potential dangers to herself and others.

Vɪᴠɪᴀɴᴇ 'V' Tᴀʏʟᴏʀ ~ 19 ~ tagged: ophelia, joeseph, theo

"Fine by me," she said as everyone made their choice. She was surprised no one had pulled out, not everyone was so keen to get off the ground as she was. Especially Joey, he was so unsure of himself, she wouldn't have expected him to agree with her. "Once we're up there copy exactly what I do, because it is a long way to the ground. Does someone want to do the honours?" she asked, indicating to the door. It would be easy to get up and wait for them, but she wanted to see what the others could do.

[peppersdots]

✿ ophelia 'kitty' winters
22 years ⋗ alert ⋗ talking ⋗ tagged; all

ophelia let out a little snort of air as she watched joeseph agree with her, much to theodore's obvious chagrin. she wasn't overly fond of his tone, but she had known men like him before. he was big and strong-looking. she could guess that he was used to getting his way and being in charge.

"i'll take point if you want," ophelia said, looking over her shoulder briefly at theodore as she moved towards the door with viviane. she was going to let the other girl lead the way to the mall, but if ophelia had to lead the way in hand to hand then that wouldn't bother her. "stay tight," she said in a quieter voice. "don't get yourself pinned."

♞ joeseph 'joey' dane
19 years ⋗ wary ⋗ following ⋗ tagged; all

joeseph flicked his eyes around at the other three, watching them interact. he could almost see the tension building between ophelia and jackson. the two were almost vying for control, even though viviane was the one that knew the way they were going to take and was the expert on the area.

there was something else about ophelia that he couldn't put his finger on. he ignored it for now, slinging his rifle around his torso and taking out his knife. "we doing this?" he asked, nervousness in his voice. he tried to swallow it, tried to ignore the fear of death looming in the back of his mind. but this was what they had to do to survive.