video; day 46; 003

[facilitated]

[ So here's someone who will be familiar to anyone paying attention to the networks recently - except at least this time there's no screaming. Instead she switches on the video after composing herself, and she's maybe not as calm as she'd like, but it's close enough. ]

The people we found, is anyone- [ she hesitates a moment, she's not good at public speaking at the best of times, let alone with the topic at hand. She presses on though, after a moment to suck in a sharp breath of air. ] Is anyone arranging a funeral for them? I just...wanted to know, that's all.

[ Another hesitation. She looks tired, and in the moment that she sweeps the stray hair out of her face it's kind of obvious that she's not looking a hundred per cent. ]

I'll do it, if there isn't something already.

[ And...that'll do apparently, because with that she cuts the feed. ]

Comments

[magnets]

[ Oh, does he get it. ]

[ There was something about dealing with the dead that made all your other problems seem a bit smaller, falling by the wayside for a while, for really very obvious reasons. Digging some graves, that's all he was focused on, digging graves. He didn't give a shit about what Laura had said to him, didn't even rub at the bruise on his jaw. He just nods his approval and picks his jacket off the coat rack when they cross by it. ]

Can't hurt. What else you need done before today's over anyway?

[facilitated]

[ They can deal with their own issues another day. It's not like Laura even knows what she would say to him at the moment, so it's better just to leave it. There's more time sensitive matters at hand, and they're not the easiest things to handle either. Surely it's better for everyone involved if they just focus right now? It's certainly easier to deal with the guilt framing it that way, anyway. ]

Someone else is going to give us a hand with the- the digging. [ Something about the word graves is a little too blunt right now. ] And then I guess I need to find out who their friends were, see who will speak. I was like, thinking maybe of doing something in that building, the town hall thing? Just grabbing some booze and stuff, nothing big but like...that's what people do right? After funerals and stuff?

[magnets]

[ He's somewhat grateful for the fact that the shit isn't being dredged up as is right now. It's not that he doesn't necessarily want to address it - he does, and definitely will in future - but there's enough shit circling the drain right now as is. The funerals, the digging, the planning. He guesses he never really appreciated how much work went into something like this. ]

All right, cool. We could use all hands on deck that we can get. [ He pauses a moment, running his fingers lightly over his chin as he thinks, follows her around like a lost dog. ] Like the wake, yeah. I ain't no expert; I only been ta one of these things before, but, uh. There was plenty'a booze around. Good for people minglin'. Good for bein' sad too, I figger.

[facilitated]

[ There's always a moment when she leaves the house where she turns to lock the door before she remembers there are no keys, the door was busted down. Today's no different, she still stops and turns, pauses and then just tugs the door shut. Routines though, routines are important. Laura just needs to find one that doesn't involve reminding herself of how far from normal their lives are every time she walks out and in. ]

Yeah, it uh, a guy called Wallie. You know him? He's legit like, seven feet tall, it's crazy. Probably a bit more useful with manual labour than me. [ She's pretty sure the store is in this direction, so she's just going to...start walking. ] Wake, yeah, that's what I mean. Everyone wants booze around when they're sad. We've not really got food around, but the bar's nearby and I can just cart some in there, that'll be okay, right?

[magnets]

[ The pause gives Jesse pause in turn, a beat where he watches Laura and raises his eyebrow curiously. Without an explanation, he just dives right back into talking. ]

Haven't met 'im. [ But his eyes do bug out a bit, impressed. ] Like, literally? Seven feet. [ He follows right after her, hands starting to remove from his pockets as he trudges by her side towards the way he remembers the store being, sniffs and rubs at the underside of his nose. ] Sounds like a plan. Bar's still pretty stocked, ain't it? Should be more'n enough for everyone who's comin'.

[facilitated]

Totally seven feet. Saw it with my own eyes and everything. Swear I got neck problems from hanging out with that guy. [ She gives him a weak grin, balling her hands up in the sleeves of her jumper and folding her arms over her chest. Laura probably won't ever get used to the cold, but she's going to grit her teeth and bear it, save a little face where she can. ]

Pretty sure, I mean I don't exactly frequent it or anything but people mention it enough, it's got to have a decent amount in there, right? [ Glancing over quickly, Laura gives a half shrug as she keeps walking, picking the pace up a little. She wants to get this over with, honestly. ] People won't go nuts over taking some for this or anything, right? Like, it's for a good reason and stuff.

[magnets]

Not that you ain't used to that. [ The neck craning. Ha ha, he pokes that little bit of fun, immediately looking a bit nervous afterward like he's not allowed to be doing so. His hand rakes across the back of his neck. ]

[ She's not the only one not used to the cold. Everything that comes out of Jesse's mouth is starting to be through clenched teeth, an effort to keep them from chattering that's really not working so well. Then again, a leather jacket isn't really very much for cutting the wind. He was starting to miss his sweatshirts from back home. A lot. ]

Yo, it won't even be a problem. [ Jesse matches her pace for pace, easily enough. ] Anybody that raises a stink about ya takin' some booze for a fuckin' funeral? Is an asshole. And they're prob'ly gonna get themselves trashed anyway.

[facilitated]

You're so funny! [ She's got a dry look and an amused eye roll for him, sure, but she stops just short of the shove or nudge that would usually come with gestures like that. The boundaries feel different now, and that part is completely and utterly on her. So she just drops her arm back to her side quickly before it makes contact, shove her hands in her pockets and keep walking. ]

Yeah, okay. Yeah that's a good point. Like, no one is that much of a jerk here, right? [ Not that she'd know, but that's beside the point. She's had a lot of luck in falling in with the right people here - yes, Jesse, that includes you - and hasn't yet encountered anyone who would even give her cause to believe that they'd cause a fuss about something like that. Good for her overall belief in the human race, but bad for a bordering on naively optimistic view of the world.

At any rate, she's taken them in the right direction it seems, because she sees the store and walks a little faster. Inside is warm, and inside means they're a step closer to being done with the grim job she's given herself. ] Here, look. There's got to be a gardening section of some kind, all stores have one. Even the tiny shops, cause old people do that stuff and they go to tiny shops more than anyone and they've got to keep them happy and stuff-

[ She's nervous rambling and she knows it, so she just shuts her mouth very abruptly before shaking her head. Once that's over with, she continues much more abruptly. ]

You take one side, I'll do the other. Shouldn't take long.