Dead USA (DrTrollinski and Elwin)

[Elwin]

Beth poured the liquid into her mouth and squinted as it ran hot down her throat. She hadn't had a strong drink in time. "Yeah..I feel like everything is almost..I dunno'..normal." She took the drink to her lips against, thirsting for the similar hot feel. It felt good, made her loosen up a little.


~~


Coden jumped as his door opened and he looked over the comic he was reading. "Daniel??" He said, as he put the comic on the side. He had been up pretty late reading, as he had managed to get quite a pile from his outing with Greg earlier on. "You okay, little buddy?" He stood up off his mattress and hurried to the boy, bending down to him. He was still a lot taller, even bent. "Hey now, don't cry..you'll make a big boy like me cry!" Coden pulled out his arms and took them under the boy's own and sweeped him up into a carry.

 

[DrTrollinski]

".. It does." He smiled and sipped a little more of his drink. ".. There is one thing I haven't quite decided yet... And that's what I'm going to get you for Christmas." He chuckled a little as he looked over her, giving a relaxed sigh as he did so. This was nice. Things really did feel better in the world now, even though they weren't, this was a moment Phil had been waiting for for his whole life since he got away from his father. "You thought of what you're going to get me, yet? Something nice, I hope." He joked as he winked at her and smirked.


--


Daniel didn't say anything and kept giving off muted cries as he reached out and hugged Coden tight. Coden could feel that his whole body was shaking, and the poor kid could barely stand on his own two feet. He was perfectly warm, and had had a nice bit of sleep, and there didn't appear to be any reason why he woke up so abruptly. He clung to Coden like there was no tomorrow, hoping for some form of reassurance or support.

 

[Elwin]

Beth finished off her drink in one mouthful and placed the cup on the side, inhaling inwards. "Now why would I even tell you that?" She replied, teasingly. She hadn't actually managed to think of anything but she wasn't going to tell him that. Beth reached for the whiskey bottle and refilled her glass. "Another?" She asked, leaning over to his glass, that still had a bit left in it.


~~


Coden held him for a moment, cuddling him close. It was no problem really, Coden was quite strong despite looking rather skinny, but the kid wasn't exactly heavy either. "What do you need, little man? You hungry, thirsty, wanna hang out for a bit? Give me some signals?" He leaned backwards a bit so he could note Daniel's expressions.


~~


Keeva continued her hum, delicately. Her eyes were closed, the weather was blissful. It was nice to kick back and relax a little. A little time went by and the wind seemed to have been interrupted. She opened one eye, but could see nothing but mists. Keeva continued to hum, ignoring distant sound in the background. Her mind was probably playing tricks.

 

[DrTrollinski]

He quickly drank down the rest of it and pushed the glass forward towards her a little more, grinning as he nodded in approval. "Sweetheart, you're talkin' to a man that could go all night." He laughed and waited for his drink to be poured, once it was, he rose the glass up a little and nodded to her once again. "To good health, eh, Beth?" He said, smirking. He could feel the first glass of whiskey already taking affect, but he didn't care. He was enjoying himself for the first time in forever.


--


He kept sniffling and sobbing like crazy, and he only lifted his head away for a moment to look around the room. He saw the comics sitting there on the mattress, and then rose once shaky finger into the air and pointed down to them. Looked like Daniel was a comic book fan, and maybe he wanted to hang out a bit. He hated having no voice. It sucked. He was praying it would clear up soon, but his throat really hurt if he tried to talk, so he stayed quiet.


--


Jacob was actually standing outside the front of the station and catching a breather. He didn't really know if he could hear anything in particular, but he had his bow and his revolver with him in case anything went wrong. He wasn't really too concerned about attacks, seeing as they had fortified the place pretty well, and anything that tried to get by was stopped by a dozen filled up dumpsters.

 

[Elwin]

Beth pushed the glass against his, once again and more of the drink toppled over and onto the table. She brought the glass back and took a large drink, feeling reckless. She felt extremely loosened up and definitely in the mood for a dance. "God, I wish we had some music or something, don't you?" She started doing a little silent jig on her chair.


~~


Coden grinned. "That's my boy!" He chuckled and sat Daniel down on the mattress. He sat beside him and grabbed a couple of new ones. "So who do you like better, Batman or Superman?" He laid both out on his lap so Daniel could point and choose. "Personally, I prefer Batman, he is a lot cooler."


~~


Keeva laid down on the roof, still dangling her legs. She began to whistle this time, a habit she had picked off her Father. They would whistle when they picked grapes in the sun. That was one of her favorite memories. It wasn't particular, but that general setting was perfect.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Well, I wouldn't say we need music to dance, would you?" He laughed a little and swooped down half of his whiskey, smiling brightly at her. He was fully up for a dance, even if there was no music, a mock-up ballroom dance would be pretty fine. "Seeing as we're the only ones down here, you want to give it a shot?" He asked.


--


He snuggled up to Coden, one arm wrapped around his body while his other pointed down at Batman whilst he nodded in agreement. Batman was just plain awesome - he wasn't good at reading, so it'd be good if Coden could read it to him, too. There weren't going to be that many words, but he liked it when people read out the sound effects, and the dialogue in them, too.


--


Jacob could hear a faint whistling. He walked inside and then slowly made his way up to the roof, taking a deep breath as he looked over at Keeva. ".. I'm not interrupting something, am I?" He asked, his head merely being poked out of the door with the upper section of his body.

 

[Elwin]

Beth smiled, enthusiastically and got up, stumbling a little as she did. "Oops.." She giggled, steadying herself. "I think we could give it a shot.." She said, her smile big and beaming. "I could do a little hum if you want, I'll hum one of my favorite songs.."


~~


Coden smiled and opened the first page. The comic started with the villain, planning something that would take down batman. Coden read through this, putting on the voice of the villain. He tried to sound evil, but not scary. He read through the sound effects, flying his arms around and tickling Daniel. He actually got very excited himself, sharing his passion with someone else, even a four year old boy made it a whole lot more exciting.


~~


Keeva jumped a little, sitting up. She turned around, pushing her hair from her face with one hand. "Oh, um no..sorry.." She mumbled and put her hood up. She laid back down, keeping quiet this time and hoped he'd leave her in peace. She'd had an okay conversation with him earlier but it always felt forced talking with people similar to her age, like they didn't want to talk to her. It was easier to keep chatter professional with most people and keep to herself.

 

[DrTrollinski]

He stood up and walked over to her, grinning as he put one hand on her hip and one on her shoulder. ".. A ballroom dance? I don't think anything fast would look good, do you?" He chuckled a little and looked into her eyes for a moment. "Lead the way, Cinderella." He joked.


--


Daniel loved it; he was giving what sounded like breathless giggles right the way through, and his sobbing quickly ceased and he became happy as ever once again. If only he could talk, he could tell Coden how funny he was, and how he liked it when he was nice to him. He stayed snuggled up to Coden while he read, and eventually, Daniel weakly pulled the blanket of his bed around them both and finally began to settle down. He occasionally pointed at some of the villains and gave a questioning look, with Coden hopefully telling him who they were.


--


He smiled a little as he stared off into the night sky and gave a happy sigh through his nose. "Looks like young Jackson's taken a shine to you, doesn't it?" He gave a warm and friendly laugh as he went and sat on the edge of the roof. He didn't sit beside her, just a few feet away to ensure she wasn't too uncomfortable.

 

[Elwin]

Beth blushed slightly, but not much. She felt confident after the whiskey had taken effect. She began to hum and some slow jazz music that she used to listen to on nights that she had to herself back when she lived south. They began to dance, calmly and slightly clumsily. Beth accidentally stepped on Phil's foot after one step and spluttered with laughter. "Gosh, I'm so sorry.."


~~


Coden answered all of Daniel's questions with as much clear detail as he could. He did calm down the movement and sound effects as they snuggled, sensing that Daniel could probably fall asleep soon. The comic was almost over and Coden used his passions to make the last few pages as satisfying as possible for young Daniel.


~~


Keeva shrugged a little, not taking her gaze from the sky. "I guess so.." She replied. She kind of wish he hadn't, as she really quite liked him too. "He is a good kid." She mumbled.

 

[DrTrollinski]

They stumbled a little, and the first thing Phil did was reach out to catch her, just in case. He laughed along with her, but as a result, they were both closer to each other. "Don't worry about it..." He smiled and slowly repositioned his arms, going back off into a slow dance. "We're having fun. And what life is a life if you don't have fun, eh?" He grinned at her.


--


Daniel almost did fall asleep by the end of the comic. He really enjoyed it; he smiled up at Coden in a tired manner and then snuggled up to him a little more, but then also relaxed and lied down against him; he looked uncomfortable from first glance, but when Coden saw how relaxed he was, it was obvious he was fine. Within a few minutes, Daniel was fast asleep, his arms still loosely wrapped around Coden's body, and his head set on his thigh.


--


"He is indeed." He smiled. "He doesn't say anything, but he does appreciate it... It was sort of the same with me when I first joined up with the group. I think it's since the poor kid lost his mother. My bet is that he's just a little lonely." He gave a sad sigh. "I know he's not my son to look out for, but... Thank you. It's nice to see him enjoying himself." He smiled lightly.

 

[Elwin]

Beth beamed red, partly from the alcohol and partly from nerves. Her head was spinning now and her eyesight was slightly blurred. She pretty much couldn't take her drink too well mainly because she never actually drank and she was pretty small in height and weight. She didn't bother to keep humming, but they kept dancing slowly. Music wasn't really necessary at all, the moment was perfect.


~~


Coden smiled and repositioned himself to snuggle with Daniel without sitting up. He laid across his mattress and adjusted the little boy onto his chest, by his side. He was pretty sleepy himself, so this was a nice opportunity to drift off.


~~


Keeva thought about Jackson. He'd lost his Mother? She didn't really know the on-goings of the group and hadn't even met one or two of them. Keeva felt a pain in her head as she wondered about how their Mother had died. She hoped it hadn't had anything to do with the apocalypse. After a few seconds she let out a long winded sigh and pulled down her hood, looking at Jacob for a moment. "Don't worry about it. But I have him to thank. He has been my host since I got here.."

 

[DrTrollinski]

"If you're anything, you're a good dancer." He laughed softly under his breath. He was a little tipsy himself; his forehead was lightly leaned against her own, and his eyes were pretty much closed while they slowly danced around.


--


Daniel was warm and cozy and sleeping soundly now. What would he do without Coden? Coden had definitely scored some points with him. He was all snuggled up with the person that was the best and only brotherly figure he'd ever had. He always wanted a little brother, but being a little brother didn't seem so bad right now.


--


"He's a nice kid. He helped me feel welcome when I and Phil first joined up with everyone." He explained. "Don't take it to heart if people don't say much to you here. I think the only reason Greg's the way he is is because of how his wife died at the start of all this... I think we've all been through something." He sighed and yawned as he gave a long stretch. "People will warm up to you eventually." He smiled a little.

 

[Elwin]

Beth didn't say anything, but she mimicked his facial expression. She closed her own eyes, partly to steady her head and partly to savor the moment. She had never done anything like this before. All worries and thoughts had vanished from her mind and all she could think about was the silent music that swayed them gently from side to side.


~~


Keeva looked away. "I don't particularly care.." Her voice was slightly more stern. "I'm not going to be hanging around long, my stay is temporary. I'm grateful for the hospitality but I have things to do elsewhere.." Keeva watched the night sky as she spoke. "I don't think it is wise to build relationships during times like these, it is too risky." She pulled one of her guns from its holster and fiddled with it mindlessly as she spoke. "I say make the most of the world while you can, don't get tied down with emotions." Keeva's mind flashed back to the images of the woman getting raped and killed. Her hand clenched around her gun as she thought about the blood splatters from the heads of the men she had slaughtered.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Beth... I want you to know that I appreciate this more than you imagine. It's really, really nice that you're here with me."


He smiled warmly, his eyes still closed. This was something he hadn't experienced thus far. He pictures them being in a ballroom with a dozen other people, with gentle music playing; in his mind they were both in formal clothing.


--


"There ain't much left to make of this world. We die alone, but we spend our lives surrounded by people... I've lost a lot, people I cared for, but... There was always someone there, every day." He sighed. "Without emotion and relationships, I don't think we'd be anything more than robots that aimlessly wander the earth. I respect if you don't want to get tied down, but... You know, I think it does everyone good to have at least something other than themselves to rely on." He said. He didn't sound stern, but not happy either. He started to sound more sad when he spoke of those he'd lost.

 

[Elwin]

Beth nodded, but he couldn't see her. She had a big smile across her face. She was imagining herself at the age of seventeen, taking life differently. She hadn't bunked off the school prom to get drunk with the jocks, she made her dream dress that she had planned for years. It was baby yellow, like the sun and floated when she spun. When she wore the dress she had made, she was picked up by a mysterious face. One of the many quieter boys that admired her beautiful appearance and outgoing personality. They would take her to the prom and pour her punch and they would dance, goofily and then slowly towards the end of the night, they would share a kiss and she would mind what anyone thought, because she was doing what was right and what she really wanted deep down.


~~


Keeva suddenly felt tears well up in her eyes. "Yeah.." She thought for a moment. "But not everyone has that someone to rely on..so..y'know some people have to just deal with life themselves." She sniffed a little, wiping tears from her eyes before they could fall onto her cheeks.

 

[DrTrollinski]

Phil just danced her around very slowly, his head eventually tilted odd to the side, and he mindlessly came a little closer to her. He was picturing the moment when the two dancers came towards the end of the song and did something sweet, either a passionate hug that was close quarters, or a gentle kiss.


--


"I know the feeling." He sighed. "I thought I'd never come back, but... The people I lost are only memories now, they ain't people I can depend on and have a conversation with. I can only smile about them, but not at them. It's the people I have here that I have to rely on now..." He sighed. "It's just hard to move on, but I managed it. Holding onto things never did me any favors." He added as he stared off into the horizon.

 

[Elwin]

Beth imagined her kiss with the boy, he was a taller than her, skinny and goofy. He loved it and so did she. Her blonde curls flowed effortlessly down her back and all through the night he complimented her on her perfect lipstick and delicate yellow dress. When they kissed it wasn't perfect, it was actually quite clumsy. Teeth bashed together at first but eventually it was rhythmic and became in sync as it should. Beth felt herself moving closer to Phil, her mind was barely set on dancing. She had gone completely into her own thoughts, her own dreamworld.


~~


Keeva thought about herself. She thought about her Father and maybe it was ridiculous that she even thought he could be alive. Was it worth going to the prison? She frowned, shaking her head at herself. Of course it was worth it. If there was even a glimmer of chance that he was still there then she would take that chance to be with him. "Sometimes..sometimes you have to hold on.." She said turning to Jacob. She didn't bother to explain what she meant, but she felt determined.

 

[DrTrollinski]

It just seemed so... Perfect. He'd never been with a woman before, never been this close. Before he didn't care about love and romance, but now did. He was too intoxicated to think, and he slowly lowered his head and planted a kiss on her lips. He could still see the whole ballroom scene in his head - he never kissed someone like this before, so he didn't really know what he we doing; he gave some movement, but hoped that if it continued, Beth would kind of lead the way. Like said, his kiss was gentle and calm.


--


"It depends what you're holding onto. There's only some things that should be held onto, even if they're gone... Morals, friends, experiences..." There was a long silence before he sighed. "Children." He said finally, looking down at the roof below him. "You don't have to answer me, but... Is it what you're holding onto that's making your stay here temporary? If it is, I'd understand." He gave a sad sigh and ran his hand over some of the snow.

 

[Elwin]

Beth was too wound up in her fairytale to become shocked from the surprise lips that locked with hers. But her head slowly rose into reality and she realized where she was, how old she was and who she was with. It didn't make her want it any less. She blushed as he was clumsy like her imagination showed her. She lead the kiss, getting into a pattern. It wasn't forced, like her late husbands, it was slow and..new. She felt like a teenager.


~~


Keeva let go of her gun and breathed in gently. "When I was younger..a teenager..my Dad got sent down. But I was too driven by my own curiosity and I couldn't hang around to wait for him." She gripped a piece of her hair and twisted it, nervously. "I was homeless, so I had nothing but the clothes on my back and I took off, first hitchhiking and you know..just explored America and never came back. We never spoke again after that..I don't know why..I wasn't mad..just selfish." Her lip quivered a little, remembering herself as a little girl. She was the spitting image of her Father.

 

[DrTrollinski]

He kept going, going for a good few minutes, following every move and even picking up a few tricks as they went along. Towards the end of it, he kept the kiss going for ten seconds or so, and then he slowly pulled away, his lips coated in her lipstick. With a smile he leaned forward and put his head down on her shoulder and ran his hands slowly down her body.


"You just made the past forty years of my life worth every moment." He whispered into her ear with a quiet sniffle.


--


He shuffled up to her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked into the distance. Jacob was actually old enough to be her father, so it was obvious he wasn't coming into her.


"You shouldn't hold a grudge on yourself for that." He sighed sadly. "You were a teenager, you were young, and you didn't want to spend half your life doing nothing and living in the same place, doing the same thing... You weren't selfish for wanting something new." He paused for a moment.


"I was a father once. My daughters were only young. Twin girls, they were... You'll find that kids, no matter what their age, will always want something different, or something new. Whether it be going to the basement unsupervised, or running out down the streets... Parents don't hold grudges, and I highly doubt your father will, either." He cracked a sad smile as he looked at her for a moment, but then looked back into the distance.

 

[Elwin]

Beth laughed, pushing her hand against his mouth and rubbing the red. It only smudged more. She didn't reply, just planted another kiss on his mouth. It was quick and delicate. She pulled apart from him, so they could see each other and looked straight to his face. "Promise me this wasn't a drunken mistake and you meant every part.."


~~


Keeva looked at him and smiled. That did make her feel better. "I bet your daughters were beautiful.." She mumbled, pulling her knees up to her chest. She felt emotional, but their talk was making it easier to justify her own motives. She was curious as to what had happened to his twins, but she didn't want to pry unless he would rather not say anything. "I've never even thought to have kids. I always assumed myself to be to selfish to make a life, y'know. It probably is for the best, I'm thirty three and I don't feel a day over twenty one. There is still so much to see.."

 

[DrTrollinski]

He slowly kissed her once again. "I promise you I mean every word I say." He smiled at her and rested his hands on her hips. "Beth... I don't know what love feels like, but... I think this is it." He smiled warmly at her and pecked her lips.


--


"Eh, I thought the same of myself at first." He sighed, but then smiled. "They were beautiful. Long brown hair, blue eyes, and... God. They were perfect. The of them were only five... They were going to be starting kindergarten after the summer." He put on a sad frown and quickly rubbed his face. "I knew they were dead... Even before I got home. My wife called me, said something was happening... Then the line went down. I tried calling her over and over, but I was too.. I couldn't let go. I went home, found the girls in the kitchen... They were both shambling around and..." He cleared his throat as some tears ran down his cheeks. "I had to shoot them both. I didn't have time to bury them. I didn't want to... I shot my two little girls, and then two days later I met Phil. There were people outside burning bodies, but... I couldn't put them on that. I just left them there." He quickly wiped his eyes and shook his head. "Sometimes I wish I never went home that day." He mumbled, looking down.

 

[Elwin]

Beth looked at him, slightly bewildered. "Y-you.." She was slightly lost for words. She felt tears stream down her cheeks and she couldn't quite work out whether they were drunk tears or real tears. She leaned forward and through her arms around his waist, in typical Beth style.


~~


Keeva pushed her hand in front of her lips in shock. "Oh god.." She looked at him and then away. "I'm so sorry.." She had no idea what to say. "I..I mean that is tragic..are you alright though?" She shook her head. "No that is a stupid question..of course you're not..I mean.." She put her head between her hands, pushing her hair up as she did. She was talking nonsense now as she wasn't very good with handling extremely emotional situations..other than with violence of course.

 

[DrTrollinski]

"Hey, now." He hugged her tight and kissed her cheek, rocking her a little. "Don't go and make a tough guy like me cry, eh?" He chuckled lightheartedly and rubbed her back. "Remember what I said. We're together on this." He whispered, holding her close. He'd never been like this with a woman before. It felt strange, kind of.


--


"I'm fine..." He sniffled. "I went back expecting things to be the way they always were... They'd run to the door and greet me with hugs and kisses, but... When that didn't happen... I knew." He held back the tears and stayed silent for a moment. "I made a mistake by thinking that things would be alright. I knew fully that when I was on my way back there, they could have been dead, but it doesn't matter how much you tell yourself that you're ready for it... It still crushes you." He sighed and gently patted her shoulder. "There's no need to feel bad for me." He gave a broken smile and took a deep breath.

 

[Elwin]

"Yeah we are..." Beth mumbled, starting to feel tired. The whiskey was wearing off and she just felt sleepy. Beth remained in Phil's arms still as he eyes started to flutter, opening and closing. "Do you think we could call it a night soon?" She whispered, smiling up at him. "I've had a wonderful night..nothing like I expected.."


~~


"I don't..I mean..It is just tragic that is all.." Keeva sighed and turned to him, giving him a sympathetic smile. She held out her hand waiting for him to shake it. "My actual name is Blair. Nice to meet you, Jacob.." She thought this would be a nice turning topic as the mood was getting a little too intense for her liking and she didn't want to see this man upset.