Survival Of The Fittest

((Theodore Fletcher's story continues from Memories of the City))

It was way to early to be awake, but Theo was already walking through the courtyard nervously. He was still in need of supplies badly, but he'd had Kat's diet coke to tide him over for a little bit, though solid food was still a wishful thought.

Theo was a wreck. His hair was never in the best condition, and now it was a filthy mess of dandruff and grease. He was getting acne on his nose and forehead again, and he probably stank horribly from not bathing or brushing his teeth. At least his bruises were less painful, though still sensitive to the touch.

He was starved, though. Food, even the crappy bars they'd been given, would be fucking awesome right now, but there was probably nothing to scavenge from around the island that hadn't gone bad years ago. So he'd have to suffer until he found someone.

He was in the middle of the courtyard when he stopped. If he found someone, what would he do? Well it depended. If they knew who he was they'd probably attack or run. He might have to kill them, but at this point it wasn't like it mattered anymore. 3 people were dead by his hand, what was one more?

He shook his head. That wasn't good if he was desensitized. Life wasn't something you forgot mattered. Hopefully it was just hunger, like saying you'd kill for a steak, talking, not him losing his admittedly already fragile mind after five days alone for most of his time.

Besides, if he met someone who didn't recognize him, he could probably get some food. Explain some people stole his bag, which was mostly true. That'd be nice to have someone who wasn't out for his blood on this rock.

Not like he didn't deserve it, but whatever. He could be mopey and self-depreciative when he got home. Now it was just a matter of doing whatever it took to get home. Like Kat said, one death a day kept his death away. Theo didn't want people to die, but at this rate he needed to be more concerned about his own life, so if he needed to keep doing what he'd been doing, at least it'd kept him alive so far.

Still, it'd be nice to see someone. He couldn't be alone, there were probably at least a hundred people left or more. Someone friendly or dumb must still be in this area, right?

"Anyone there?" He shouted.

((Bianca Howard continued from All Our Yesterdays))

Bianca jumped as a voice rang through the courtyard. She'd given up trying to chase after a group of conflicting ideas. She was tired of walking and here wasn't so bad. After doubling back, she'd explored the place a little further. Bianca had discovered a gift shop, who'd definitely gone overboard with the bird theme. She got that it was an aviary, but she was pretty sure that not everything had to have a bird theme.

That being said there was a couple items here that could prove useful. As the voice called out she made her way to the front of the store to peer out. The boy in front of her was badly in need of a comb and a shower. Yes, definitely a shower. Bianca recognized him as a classmate, but that was it. She couldn't place him beyond that.

"There's no need to shout," she said softly. "I'm the only one here."

Theo heard a voice respond and turned towards it's source, a blonde girl he vaguely recognized. Bianca...D-something, maybe?  Theo wasn't sure, she wasn't the type he hung out with or anything, though she'd seemed nice enough. Not a bitch or anything.

He smiled. She didn't seem hostile, which meant she might be willing to share supplies or something like that. But first, he needed a name that wasn't Theodore Fletcher. If he said that, bad things would happen. He paused for a moment, thinking, before opening his mouth.

"Sorry, got a little distracted. Hi, uh, Bianca or something is it? You're like a health nut or something?" He winced inwardly as he immediately regretted that particular choice of descriptor.. "Sorry, that's kind of mean. My name's Noah."

A moment after he said it he realized with a pang that Noah was his sister Nancy's friend. That hurt, but he couldn't focus on Nancy now. He'd explain himself to her when he got home.

"So, it rained a lot yesterday, huh. Did you get caught out?" He chuckled. "First time I've ever used, "How's the weather" in a real conversation."

Bianca did her best to hid the eye roll, Bianca or something. She really didn't think she was a health nut, just concerned. If he'd almost lost his mom, maybe he wouldn't be so callous. Bianca was in the middle of winding herself us when he apologized.

Bianca didn't recognize the name, but then he didn't really look like the people she hung around with. And she had been really into the athletes lately.

Noah seemed to have had enough of putting his foot in his mouth and changed the subject. She smiled at his joke. "Actually, it hadn't started when I found my way here. So I've been inside watching the rain come down. You however, don't look like you were that lucky. There's some towels in here if you want to dry off."

Theo did his best to not show it externally how glad she was. She didn't seem to recognize him, which was awesome because it avoided a bunch of issues he'd have to deal with otherwise. He didn't want to fight her, he didn't know what she was armed with, and he was armed with jack squat, which put him at a disadvantage. Especially given that she was probably pretty strong if she exercised a lot and ate healthy and whatever.

He nodded eagerly when she mentioned the towel. "Yeah, I'm soaked, and freezing too." He looked at her bag, which he assumed had the towels. He needed supplies badly, and it was frustrating that he had no actual means of obtaining them without other people's help. Especially given how few people were willing to help him at this point, most likely.

"Oh, uh, mind if I ask something? Yesterday, someone stole my bag, so I haven't had any food or anything. Mind sharing a food bar or whatever with me?"

"I honestly don't know what I have left," Bianca said. She stepped back into the gift shop and retrieved her bag.

She started going through it saying. "There's towels behind you. Why don't you go hunt up the bathroom and clean up, while I organize this mess? I'm pretty sure there's clothes in here, but I don't think they'll do you much good." Bianca laughed at the image. "Although, you are in a gift shop, maybe there's a shirt or something your size."

Bianca then turned her attention to her bag, pulling out the items and laying them across the counter.

Theo grinned. "Thanks." He turned and grabbed a towel, wrapping it enthusiastically around him. It was soft and dry, which was a huge relief since it just as easily could've been filthy and gross.

He started wandering around the gift shop, looking for clothes to replace his wet ones. He was so glad that this was working out so well; if it'd gone wrong, he'd be screwed. Still, he wasn't safe yet; he needed to be careful with his word choice, and he couldn't allude to his past actions, or she'd figure it out. Who knows what'd happen then, but it'd probably be bad.

It took a few minutes for him to find some clothes. He circled through the store a couple times. Theo had selected a white t-shirt with a parrot on it and jeans, and he began searching the store for a restroom.

It took another couple minutes, but he found it, and walked in to begin changing.

Bianca mostly tuned Noah's movements out as she searched through her bag. She had everything organized on the counter before he disappeared into the bathroom. Bianca reorganized the bag, leaving some but not all of her available food out. It seemed unkind to do, but she was trying to survive as well. And with the tendency people had to pull guns on her she might be able to use the food to bargain with later on. Besides she needed to keep up her strength if she had to keep running from gun-toting lunatics.

She smiled and shook her head as she gently placed the roman candles at the top of her bag. When Noah reappeared she offered him some pieces of bread and a ration bar. "Does the water work? I was thinking it might be better to save some of the water. Of course we could set some of these mugs and cups outside and collect rain water. I don't know, what do you think?"

Theo returned to a question. And food.

The food was a chunk of dry bread and a ration bar, but it was a godsend to the starving teen. He was so hungry and thirsty, probably more than ever before. It'd been drowned out by fear, but now that he had food in his stomach he was amazed by how quickly eating this little bit of food helped him feel so much better. It was like being alive again.

Theo regretted that thought immediately.

"No idea. I can check if you want." He answered through a mouthful of bread., tugging his shirt. It was a bit loose and baggy on him, but it was warm and dry and not filthy like his stained clothes, so that was much better in his eyes. Not perfect, but he shouldn't gripe about things when they go right for once.

He swallowed and took another bite. "I dunno about cups, they might get knocked over or, I dunno, someone might see them and find you."

((Kammy continued from Self Aid))

Makatala's skull pounded as she walked. She couldn't tell if it was because of her cut, a lack of sleep, dehydration, or some sickening combination of all three and pretty much didn't care. She just knew that it really, really sucked, little spikes of pain shooting across every time she turned her head or moved it too quickly.

She held the gun at her side, giving it occasional glances. A winner's weapon, and a killer's weapon. Twice over now. Kam recalled the three victims that had been written out onto the paper that even now was somewhere in her bag. She supposed that this particular pistol's body count had increased to five... and that was a dumb way of thinking of it. The - what was it called - Ballestair-Molina was a murder weapon, but it hadn't got up and started firing by itself. Adam Dodd had killed people using it, and now Kammy had too. Tools didn't carry responsibility for how people used them.

In any case, it was late, or rather, early. Kam had slept a good chunk of the day, walked for most of the rest of it. Trying to be thorough about the ground she covered in her search made progress slow, slower than Kammy was happy with. It was a tradeoff either way - moving faster and reaching more of the marked locations, or being methodical and missing nothing, but spending hours at a time to cross the distances. Her previous excitement about other-Cammy's information had more or less died away completely; Kam knew where Michelle HAD been, but by now... she could've made it halfway across the island.

Kam gave herself a mental slap as she drew up on the building which her map told her was an Aviary. Had to concentrate, pay attention, now moreso than ever. Cautiously, Kam opened the doors, stepping through and glancing this way and that. The place looked completely ruined, or at the very least, deserted for quite some time-

Murmured voices. Kammy looked around, saw blurred figures in one of the rooms off to the side - the sign denoted it as the gift shop - she wasn't alone here.

A moment's pause, and Kam hurried forward, putting a pillar between herself and the other room, peeking partially around to call out.

"I see you in there. Who is it?"

Bianca made a face as Noah confessed that he didn't know if the water worked. The whole reason she'd suggested the bathroom, was that he might like to clean up. She shrugged. "I figured you'd have already checked, given what you look like and smell like. Although the clean clothes has helped."

"I'm going to give it a try." Decision made, she gathered up the mugs and headed towards the door.

As she neared the door a voice called out demanding to know who they were. What was it with people and yelling in this building. "Really," Bianca shouted back. "Really? You can see us through the glass walls? So glad you have eyes. Any other insights there Captain Obvious?"

Bianca stepped out of the gift shop and turned to look back at Noah. "I'm going to go set these outside along the side of the building, do me a favor and check on the water while I'm gone."

She turned her attention back to the girl who was peering at them from behind a pillar, eyes widening in surprise as she recognized Kammy. She cursed, remembering Virgil and Michelle's earlier argument over Kammy's actions. Very much on edge, Bianca softened her voice and said, "Look, Kammy I'm really not going to hurt you. Not with my arms full of mugs. And you just missed Michelle. I don't know where they were going exactly, they were looking for warmth and people."

Theo sighed. He didn't do the thing she expected yeah, but it might've helped if she wasn't going to be so rude about him not getting it. Still, she had a point; he wasn't exactly clean and fresh at this point. Not that she was either but whatever. At least he was fed and dry now.

"Alright, I'll go check." He said. He heard a girl call out from outside that he vaguely recognized but couldn't be sure. Worry settled into his stomach. What if she recognized him and the whole fake identity thing totally fell through? It'd worked so far, and it was really helping him survive, so he didn't want it to fall through so quickly.

Theo hurried into the bathroom again, and started fiddling with the faucets. They were rusty and hard to turn, but eventually he got it to twist. A tiny trickle of brown liquid dribbled out, and Theo wrinkled his noser at the odor that formed. Definitely not for drinking.

He called out, "Nope!"

There was a near-immediate response, and it was sardonic as fuck. Kammy bit her tongue to stop herself from retorting; it wasn't like she'd been standing there and claiming to be amazingly awesome because she could see some silhouettes. It was a precaution, that was all, so they didn't think she was sneaking up on them or something.

The source of the voice stepped out into the open, and Kam was all set to breathe a sigh of relief until she realised that just because she recognised someone didn't mean that someone was safe. Fuck! What had happened to NOT thinking that kind of thing? Out the window round about the same time Alex had taken an iron bar to her head.

Regardless, Bianca was someone Kammy knew, at least. Sort of anyway, they weren't friends, just acquaintances. They didn't really run in the same circles so that was about all that she could-

She knew something about Michelle.

"Wait, you were with Michelle? How long since she left? Which way did she go? Who was with her?" it all came out in a flood of concern and anxiety, and she forced herself to stop, tripping over her own words. "I... crap. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go all- I just really want to find her, is all," another pause, and then Kammy held out her hand, palm flat. "And uh, I know what the announcements were saying it's... it's not what it sounded like."

Bianca opened the door and stuck a mug out. She'd realized on the short walk over that she wouldn't have to leave them for very long to get them full. She bent down and set the mugs down in front of the door, before turning back towards Kammy. Bianca wasn't sure how she should react to this girl. She had a point that the announcements didn't really give them any information. Still, she'd killed someone, regardless of the circumstances. And after all the gun waving, Bianca had experienced, she wasn't sure she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

She decided, with a sigh, that there wasn't much she could do about it now that Kammy was in the aviary with them. Bianca turned and faced her. "Like I said before I don't really know where they went. We settled down to sleep and when I woke up they were heading out looking for people. I'm not sure what that makes me, but that's all I know. Well that and they've decided not to play the game, except for Virgil who's bound and determined to protect them with his gun. I've had enough guns going off around I decided that maybe I didn't want to follow them."

Turning back to mugs, who were now full, she carefully picked them up by the handles and carried them back to the gift shop. "Well, we have some water now anyway."

As Theo stepped out of the room, he did vaguely recognize Kam So-whatever. This was a concern to Theo because she was holding a gun at her side. His first instinct was fear, obviously; she was armed, he wasn't, this was cause for significant concern. On the other hand...he wanted that gun. It was a lifeline, a safety net in case of danger. Having a gun, as well as having the food and water he was still desperately in need of, would make him feel a lot safer.

Not that he'd ever be safe again, unless he won.

But if he didn't get himself a weapon, he had no chance.

But was it worth it to try and steal or force her gun away?

He paused as he stepped into her view, and smiled, trying to make it look as normal as possible. "Hey, I'm, uh, Noah. What's up?" Casual was good, casual kept people off of him and hopefully made him more approachable.

He needed to be ready to fight or flee, depending on the situation. He glanced around the room, looking for possible exits if necessary and/or potential weapons.

Theo also tried to hold down the building pressure in his chest.