People Don't You Understand / The Child Needs a Helping Hand

[bingobangobongo]

[It was warm -- that's why he chose it. Someone had told him it was all right. No one lived there, and sure, lots of squatters had claimed many of the rooms of the closely guarded secret, but the attic still had some space. He might find room to rest for the night there, assuming the secret hadn't gotten to many other ears in the time it had gotten to his.]

[It was a treacherous climb up the rickety ladder, especially with a heavy bag in hand, but the warmth and being out of the blistering wind made it all worth it.]

[There was a candle in the middle of the attic, burning low to the ground. Everything else was pitch to his eyes, dark and oily and mysteriously black. Good. He could get some sleep.]

Comments

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[As soon as Kara heard the ladder squeak, she tensed. She'd made it for three nights now without anyone coming up to the attic because it got so cold and damp thanks to its lack of windows. Cold and wet, sure, but it was a hell of a lot better than it was sleeping outside.

Burrowing into the nest of moldy blankets, she felt for the chipped handle of the handy Army knife she'd found, her fingers tightening around it. By the low light afforded by the candle, she could see the intruder was about medium-sized and she guessed she could take him if she had to. That was good news - Kara was damn tired of running.

He ventured in her direction as it was the driest and by the time he rounded the main support beam at a crouch, Kara was on her feet, her weapon tucked low in her sleeve but at the ready.]

This floor's occupied, pal, so if you wanna take all your parts outta here, you'd better just turn along and scram.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[Al stiffens, eyes still trying to adjust to the dark as he looks in the direction of the girl's voice. He narrows his eyes, though it's more for effect than anything else.] The whole floor? Seems t'me like there's room. [He even points out the emptiness around him, figuring her eyes are much better adjusted and won't lose his meaning.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Well, it seems to me you're mistaken. [She gestured toward the hole in the floor.] Don't make me tell ya twice.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He placed his bag down, slowly, deliberately.] Looks like you're going to have to. Don't see your name on the deed, anyway.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

You didn't look hard enough. [Have a scowl as she edges the dull blade of the knife past the sleeve of her ratty sweater.] You really seem to have a problem seein'. [Gestures with the knife, catching the low candlelight with the handle.] You see this well enough?

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I see it. You gonna use it?

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

If you don't get the hell out of here.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

Don't see myself leavin' very easily if I'm dead, either, so make a choice. [He crouched and started pulling a few small things from his bag. A tin of something, a hunk of bread, various tid-bits he'd saved.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Oh, hey, was that food? Her knife hand became suddenly uncertain, faltering.] You don't listen so good, you know that?

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

So I've heard. [He's rather bland about that. And business once he sees the change.] I'm a fair guy. I can share if you can.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[While she didn't want to be the girl bought for a crust of bread and a dented can of some mystery ration, she was damn hungry. And since he'd put himself at the disadvantage, crouching on the floor, she guessed he wasn't going to try to hurt her - yet, anyway.

With a small, resigned sigh, she withdrew her weapon, sliding it closed and into her pocket.] Guess it can't hurt to have one more person blowin' hot air up here.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[Ruefully.] Must not have, no.

[Al busied himself by tearing the bread in half, and then took out a pocketknife, opening the can with practiced precision.] Hope you like beans.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[She gives a noncommittal 'mmm' and moves to kneel on the floor, separating the blankets into two piles. If he's gonna provide dinner, she guesses she can at least try to offer some warmth - some decidedly far away from her.]

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[When he figured out what she was doing, Calavicci spoke up.] I've got a blanket. Keep 'em. [He deftly took the candle and repositioned it underneath a crude little camp stove he'd brought with him. Warm beans was a bonus.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Unlike him, she wasn't going to make him say it twice.] Your loss, kid. [Nods toward him.] Where'd you get that?

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[Al shifting himself into indian-style, sniffling against the cold.] Traded a guy some stuff for it. [He buried himself deeper into his thinning black wool coat and the layers hidden beneath. It was still cold, but being out of the wind helped considerably.]

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Kara nods, looking disappointed. If the kid had a bead on a shelter or something, he'd be useful. But he appeared to be just as bad off as she was.] Well, thanks. [Unabashedly takes up part of the bread, taking a bite, then offers her hand.] Kara.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

[He stared at her offer for a long moment, not wanting to expose his already-cold hands to the air again. When he finally did, he realized they were both cold, even when joined.] Al. And you don't gotta to thank me.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[Shrugs, trying to pace herself with the bread, make it last. No telling how long it'd be 'til she ate again anyway.] All right, I take it back.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

Good. [He was feeling so petulant all of a sudden, so he took up his half of the bread and fidgeted with it, just for something to do while their beans heated.] I'll be gone in the morning, so...

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. [Goes to take another bite, but stops, the bread hovering sort of comically near her chin.] Wait, you don't mean gone, gone, do ya? [Peers at him in the dark - other than being younger and smaller than she'd originally thought, he didn't look sick. Cold, certainly, but not ailing.]

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

What? No. [That gets an extra long headshake.] What good's that gonna do me?

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

Dyin'? [Shrugs and goes back to eating her bread, her hunger now all she can think of thanks to the smell of beans.] Just another thing t'do, y'know? We all gotta die some time. [Nods to the can heating.] Better not let those go too long, kid, or you'll have the whole damn house up here.

[bingo-faced.livejournal.com]

I'm not a kid. [Sure you are. You only protest because that's your thing.] Besides, it's not 'just another thing to do.' You can't come back. It's the last thing you do.

[But he was listening to her, because he took the beans off, moving them from one hand to another when it felt too warm to handle. In reality, the beans were lukewarm, they just felt searing to his cold skin.] There's a plate. In my bag, if you can get to it.

[anekanta.livejournal.com]

[He was a kid - just the fact he protested told her as much. She simply shook her head and went to his bag, poking gingerly through it until she came up with a chipped plate with a barely visible rose patten in the center.

She moves a little closer to the candle, offering the plate over.] How do you know? And that probably sounds apropos of nothing, but she guesses he'll figure out what she's asking about. Having been on Earth in this damn cold, despicable city for about two months, surrounded by the homeless, vagrants, and the sadly insane people cast out of doors, she'd heard all about this place's version of the Underworld, and it was damn unpleasant to think there could only be one heaven and one hell.]