Dead USA (DrTrollinski and Elwin)

[Elwin]

Luna frowned a little, nuzzling her face into his little shoulder. "What? Don't say that about yourself, Clay." Luna paused and put her head up. She pulled him away from her so that she could face him, but still held on to his shoulders. "What makes you say that?" Luna didn't want Clayton to feel down but she couldn't blame him in the circumstances.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. I--.. I miss my mom, but--.. But--.. Before she died, I was--.. I was always with my dad, 'cause I--.. I liked spending--.. spending more time with him 'cause, he knew what--.. what I liked to do and, and... I-I-I didn't--.. spend a lot of time with her and I should have but I didn't!" He sobbed to her, his head fully bowed.

 

[Elwin]

"What?" Luna pulled him closer so he could rest his head on her shoulder. "That doesn't make you a bad person! You loved her regardless, she was your Mother but you couldn't predict what was going to happen before it did. None of this is your fault!" Luna felt a tear streaming down her cheek. She wasn't sure why she felt so emotional but he was breaking her heart.

 

[DrTrollinski]

He didn't really know what to say. He just hugged her tight again and continued bawling onto her shoulder. ".. I--.. She--.. She helped a man that was hurt, and--.. and I didn't like the look of it, because--.. because he was bleeding a lot and she went away for a long time, and--.. I should have got dad to go and check her but I didn't, and--.. and now she's dead..." He whimpered to her, allowing himself to just be sheltered by her arms. As upset as he was, it was nice to have Luna there.

 

[Elwin]

"None of this was your fault! How could you have predicted anything? What has happened to us has been extremely unfortunate but there is nothing we can do to prevent it, not one of us. All we can do now is stick together, survive and make eachother happy." She squeezed him tighter. "And you guys get me through the day" She pulled him back and lifted up his chin so she could wipe his tears. "Stop blaming yourself. Nothing is your fault, nothing at all."

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. You make us happy." He whimpered, and then he lowered his head and pushed himself against her to hug her again. ".. You make us laugh, and smile, and you make my dad happy, too..." He forced a weak and shaky smile. ".. On the night everything happened, this is kinda' a secret, but--.. Dad couldn't make us smile, but the next day when we met you, you made us feel kinda' better and made us smile while we were driving... It was nice." He said, snuggling up to her a little more with a deep breath.

 

[Elwin]

She squeezed him and smiled. "I'm glad I can make you smile!" Luna really did feel pleased that she could make someone smile. She hadn't had much practice socially, but it seemed she was actually okay at it and not as awkward as she originally thought. "Unless you're tired, we can go get some food if you want? And see Jackson? If he isn't busy with Jacob. Or we could just stay here and cuddle up. Up to you?" She ruffled his dark hair, playfully. He looked an awful lot like his Dad. The same dark eyes and chocolate hair.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. Well--.. We could go and get something to eat and then come back up here." He suggested, wiping his eyes a little whilst shrugging. He couldn't deny that he was hungry and a little thirsty as well - the hunger most likely contributed quite a lot towards how much of a state he got into. He loosened up his hug and then resorted to simply leaning against her side.

 

[Elwin]

"Sounds like a plan to me. Let's go see what packets of mush are on offer tonight." Luna chuckled slightly, rubbing her sore nose. She gently stood up and held out a hand for him to take. "I do hope Beth and Coden are feeling tired.." Luna muttered, smirking.


Downstairs in the lounge, Beth was spread across the sofa fast asleep. Coden on the other hand had been wandering around for a while, through the different rooms. He was currently in the room with the body, looking through boxes and other personal possessions. "There has to be something cool in this house.." He mumbled to himself, going through a box of documents.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Yeah, apparently you ain't meant to eat too many of those things, so we should try and find some canned vegetables in the cupboards, or something." He said.


".. Something cool, eh?" Greg muttered as he leaned against the door-frame, smiling a little. ".. Trust me, there wasn't much cool about my sister in-law. Any guns they had would have been taken with 'em." He said, looking around the room and trying to avoid the body.

 

[Elwin]

"Oh aren't you?" Luna smiled. "I didn't know that. You're probably right anyway, I'm not sure how much more I can eat of those things." Luna lead him downstairs through the lounge, where Beth snored and into the kitchen. It was probably quite wise to look for food in other than what they had, especially since the rest of the house members probably rushed to leave . She bent down and started opening the wooden cupboards, which were surprisingly full of cans. "That was a good shout, Clay." She said, whilst picking up cans and scanning them. "Maybe we could cook something."


Coden shrugged, flicking through paper and stuff. "I don't really know what I'm looking for." He said, facing Greg. Coden ran a hand through his short mouse brown hair. He sat back from the box and sighed. "I'm so bored. Does Clayton like to hang out? I wanna' go do something fun."

 

[DrTrollinski]

"That'd be pretty cool." Clayton smiles at her and nodded; Jackson was with Jacob and they were simply playing a game of cards. He'd been teaching him blackjack, which was simple enough to play but needed more players. Jacob liked Jackson, he was a good kid.


"You're the only person here that's closest to his age. There was a bit of a drama just now, though. I think he and Luna went downstairs to find something to eat, so if you wanted to sit with him and talk over some food I'm sure he'd be fine with that." Greg said, sporting a half smile alongside a nod.

 

[Elwin]

Luna crossed her legs and started pulling out cans and placing them on the floor. "Um..pork and beans..canned veg..spam.." Luna stuck out her tongue, pulling a 'gross' face at Clayton. "There's some fish too. Like tuna. Has your Dad ever taken you hunting or anything?"


Coden shrugged. "I guess so. He seems a bit quiet. I don't think he likes me.." Coden stood up and walked closer to Greg. "What drama?"

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. Pork and Beans and some canned vegetables would be alright... A bit of a strange combination, but... Y'know." He laughed a little and shrugged. He thought about her question for a moment and then smiled. ".. Dad promised me he'd take me hunting when I was a little older. He took me and Jackson fishing when we were younger, though." He said.


"Clayton's like that with every new person he runs into. He's not meaning to be personal, he just takes a while to warm up to people, that's all." Greg said. He sighed and patted his shoulder while leaning back against the wall. "The drama was just something to do with his mother, that's all... He just let out the emotion now - He didn't really get the chance to do that when he first found out that she was dead." He explained, quietly. ".. When you go down, tell Phil that I want him to come up here, could you?" He asked.

 

[Elwin]

Luna laughed. "Yeah a bit weird, but what can you do. Oh awesome, well I was thinking now or never would be a good time to start hunting if you were gonna'. I could talk to your Dad about it if you want? Or you could." She smiled picking up the cans and putting them back in the cupboard. She left the chosen cans out and started rummaging for bowls. "I thought if we have to eat this cold, we might as-well eat it like its an actual meal." Luna said, lightly, putting two bowls onto the side.


Coden sighed a little when Greg told him about Clayton's mum. He felt kinda' bad for the kid but didn't know what to say. "Right, okay.." He said in reply to Greg's favor. Coden ran past him and ran down the stairs as fast as he could. On his way through the lounge, he batted Beth on the head who was snoring. She woke up with a fright but Coden was in the kitchen by then. He stormed in on Clayton and Luna. "Hey can I have some dinner too?" He flashed a smile at Clayton, trying really hard to get his attention.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Cold's fine." He chuckled a little but then turned to the entrance of the kitchen when Coden suddenly charged in - he was taken aback a little, and at first he was unsure, but when he saw Coden's smile he realized that maybe he could be quite a friendly guy compared to how he was earlier on in the day - Clayton gave a soft smile back as he reached into the cupboard and pulled out another bowl, setting it opposite his own on the table. ".. Sure." He said to him, smiling.


Phil sighed and slowly rose up to wander upstairs. He was pissed off that Greg wanted him to do it - him of all people, but he couldn't help but give a little sympathy when he heard that it was his sister in-law. He did what he had to do, but the deal he and Greg came up with was that Greg was mopping up the blood.

 

[Elwin]

(Sorry, I forgot to add Coden telling Phil to go upstairs.)


Luna started dishing the food out into the three bowls. "So Coden, how are you and your Mom doing?" Coden shrugged, picking at some of the food with his fingers. "I dunno', we're okay." He replied, tapping his foot. He was a taller than Luna, by a few inches despite being only fifteen. He looked at Clayton and pushed his shoulder playfully. "You're pretty short. How old are you?" He was trying to be friendly and hoped it didn't come off the wrong way.

 

[DrTrollinski]

Clayton smirked a little and ate some of his own food, looking up at him. ".. Only twelve. I'll be thirteen in February, though." He said with a shrug. He looked over at Luna and smiled, waiting for her to sit down. ".. How old are you?" He asked in response. He was definitely older than himself, but he wasn't sure how old exactly.

 

[Elwin]

Luna sat down opposite both boys and stayed silent so they could talk. She had a few bites of food, but had pretty much no appetite as a consequence of being on drugs not long ago. The vegetables were vile but the pork and beans wasn't so bad. Coden sat down and started shoveling food into his mouth. "I'm fifteen, but almost sixteen." He said proudly, with his mouth wide open. "I wanna' go hunting on my birthday I think. I'll be old enough to go alone then since Mom won't go with me." Luna perked up a little and smiled. It seemed like a good opportunity for them but she didn't say anything in-case Clayton didn't want to go with Coden.


Beth had woken in a terrible mood, since Coden had hit her on the head. She desperately needed a cigarette. Beth spotted Luna's backpack in the corner and quickly rummaged through it, producing a pack of cigarettes and some matches. She went outside and walked around the back of the house, lighting up. Beth took a few puffs and sighed with satisfaction. Much better. She needed some luxuries, especially if she was going to be living in a house full of people who had no interest in her or what she could do for them.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. I wanna' go hunting, too!" Clayton chirped. ".. I should ask my dad, he might be able to take us even sooner. That'd be pretty cool." He smiled at the thought and ate some more of the food. The vegetables weren't too good, but it was better than eating ration packs. Plus, they were going to need the nutrition from it no matter how bad it was.


Phil walked out of the front door and tossed the body out into the road after walking down the pathway that lead to it. He grimaced and brushed off his hands once he was done and then slowly turned on one foot, but then saw Beth standing by the door and smoking a cigarette. ".. Shouldn't be out here this late. Greg said there were a lot of those things not too far from here." He stated softly, walking up to the opposite side of the door and leaning against the wall as he also produced a pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter from his pocket; he lit one and stuck it in his mouth, puffing on it for a few moments. ".. Too much of a long fuckin' day to be puttin' up with carryin' bodies around, and shit." He said.

 

[Elwin]

Luna finished up her dinner and washed out the bowl in the sink. She noticed Clayton was occupied so she walked past him and squeeze his shoulder before walking out the door. It would give him a chance to hopefully make a friend. Coden seemed excited now. "Do you think your Dad would really take us? I'd be good at it I know I would, I always been my friends on the Xbox when we used to play first person shooters. Did you have an Xbox?" Luna made her way through the house, feeling slightly chilly. She didn't know what to do with herself as she couldn't sleep because of the drug effects.


Beth scoffed a little, taking a puff. "Count yourself lucky you're not one of them." She flicked the end of the cigarette onto the ground. "This whole situation is depressing. I don't know how much longer I can take. I don't care if one of them things walked right over to me now and ripped me apart." Beth dropped her cigarette to the ground and stood on it.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. I'm sure my dad would take us. We're gonna' have to hunt to get food at some point, right?" He said, finishing off his meal. He laughed a little and nodded. ".. Yeah, I had an Xbox One, and we had a PS4 but I didn't play that that much. Games are kinda' different to real guns, though. Real guns have serious recoil, and they're a bit heavier than a controller." He chuckled a little, but he meant no harm by it. It was obvious that he wasn't mocking him, or anything.


".. What about your son? Don't he spring to mind before you give yourself a death wish?" Phil said as he took a deep breath and then puffed out the smoke from between his lips, looking up into the night sky and then back down at Beth.

 

[Elwin]

"Oh I guess so.." Coden smiled. "I bet real guns are more fun though. I would love to hunt meat for everyone, I'd feel so proud." He grinned, stuffing the last forkful of food into his mouth, then burped loudly. "So what kinda' things do you like doing for fun?"


Beth looked away from him, leaning back against the wall. "Coden would be fine on his own. We don't really get along much anyway and I don't think he cares for me that much." She paused and sighed. "He is like his Father in many ways. Disobedient, too curious, short tempered. But I know he would never hurt me. I can't say the same about anyone else. He has lashed out many times at school."


Luna made her way upstairs and into an empty bedroom. It had a double bed in the middle that looked soft and welcoming. She took off her pants and climbed into it with the sweater still on. It wasn't long before she managed to fall asleep, despite feeling very awake not too long ago. It must have been a really exhausting day.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. Well... Before all this, I used to go out with friends and hang out quite a lot. Y'know, I'd walk down to... I dunno, Subway, or something. Or the arcades, stuff like that." He shrugged a little. ".. I used to go fishin' with my dad and my brother now and then, but he was always busy with work, so... we didn't do that all that much." He explained.


"Yeah, well, you givin' up on him and lettin' yourself die ain't gonna' help him get better, is it? I'm guessin' his father either ain't been in the picture, or somethin' happened when he was younger. It ain't easy growin' up and goin' through your teenage years without a dad." He puffed on his cigarette and looked away and across towards the highway. ".. I know that from experience." He said.

 

[Elwin]

"Yeah, I used to hang out with my friends. We used to steal cigarettes from my Mom and go smoke them at the skate-park." Coden sighed. "I guess I shouldn't have done that. But it was fun at the time." He picked up his bowl and dropped it in the sink, not bothering to give it a wash. "I wanna' do something." He moaned.


Beth laughed harshly. "I was never cut to be a Mother. I have my own problems you know. I'm in my forties and feel like I have done nothing with my life but sit in a crappy little house and raise my son to be a little troublemaker like his Dad." She bit her lip slightly. She felt harsh on Coden. "Did you have a bad home life?"