Survival Of The Fittest

Half an hour in, the safehouse honored its name. Even if it was only for the lack of inhabitants aside from herself.

((Daenerys "D" Todd continued from Year Zero))

Right now, she sat in the bathroom in front of a mirror barely working enough to be of any help in the endeavor of stitching up her face.

While D could count her experiences in first aid on one hand, she still knew a bit. Someone who regularly went camping and hiking without some basic knowledge in that would be better off choosing a saver hobby. Even the most careful friend of nature could slip one day and once that happened, knowing how to fix yourself good enough to at least hobble back to civilization could make the difference between life and death. Even more so when there was no way to return to civilization.

Sewing the rift runnign across her left cheek hurt, even with the painkillers she downed in advance. But leaving the wound open was no option. And butterfly closure strips might come loose if she moved too much, which she would most likely do on this island where safe places to rest were sparse.

Well, at least this house seemed save for now. When whoever created the writing on the door came back to find a killer resting, things might change, but for the moment, D focused on finishing her sewing work.

((Colm Forsyth continued from Continuo))

The pair had been able to survive outside thanks in part to Colm's knowledge, but a house would have really been easier. Less effort to set up, but more danger from people coming by. But Colm needed a rest from always setting up shelter and fire, and it would be a guilty bonus to finally sleep in a bed. On his own. Not crowded.

He walked up to the door, leaving Quinn a few paces behind him. She had a leg injury now, so she couldn't move as quickly if there was someone inside, and if they were unfriendly.

"I'll check if this one is occupied."

Colm took a moment, gripped the maul with one hand, and then knocked.

Betty nodded in assent.

It took everything in her not to assume that it was occupied, that the occupant wasn't going to be hostile. Pessimism was just as unhealthy as blind optimism. All she had to do was be prepared.

Prepared to speak on her own behalf again, to be her own salvation. Colm had proved a reliable ally twice over now, and she was as grateful for it as she was troubled.

Was she a corrupting influence on him? On everyone she met?

It would be nice to ponder that inside a place with no rats running around.

After a few seconds of silence, Colm's knocking received an answer in the form of a voice calling out from within the house, a clear cut away from the door but still audible.

"I'm in the middle of something. Can you come back in a bit?"

Colm was taken aback by the response and made a face like when the person behind the counter at Chipotle asked him if he knew guac was extra when he knew they knew he'd come to the Chipotle every Saturday after a hike. I know it's extra, why do you do this??

He took two steps back so as to confer with Betty.

"What the fuck kindda response is that?" he said quietly to her with his hand shielding his mouth away from the door. "It's the 'come back later' for me. This was a simple question with a binary answer: come in or don't. Pure mental to think we're waitin' out here. I think the fuck not. There's other houses."

He glanced sidelong at the door they'd just knocked on and though he was now pretty well settled on not entering, wished to annoy the inconsiderate occupant.

"Yeah, how come? You buffin' your muffin in there? Too busy jackin' it to answer the door? Too good to quit the hand-to-gland combat to come to the door?" he said, voice raised but not quite a yell.

Betty forced herself not to snort at Colm's outrageous commentary on the occupant's complete lack of... decorum? What would you even call telling someone to come back later in this circumstance?

In this moment, more than anything, she wanted to be just one of five Betties so she could tell them about this. She didn't let herself get caught up in it too strongly lest she get swept away, but it was there. They would have gotten such a kick out of this if the danger wasn't there, she'd be certain.

She projected her voice, in a stage whisper loud enough for both Colm and whoever was in this house to hear.

"They must think we're room service, or a telegram. Or that we're going to offer candy and cigarettes. Cigarettes for the house in the middle of nowhere?"

All considered, this wasn't a terrible outcome, but it was so annoying it grated more sharply than it would have. Was it too much to ask for her to be able to sit down?

"Now Colm, we shouldn't interupt them and Handgela. They've probably had an awful day."

Even with distance and wood muffling the voice, Daenerys still recognized the other girl.

Oh, a Betty.

D's relationship to the Betty Rangers could be summarized as a mix between pre-emptive dislike and background-related incompactibility issues. What did D and those squad of mean girls have in common? Not much. What did those squad of mean girls and D's bullies from middle school have in common? Too much.

The other voice wasn't too enticing towards socializing either.

"If you really wanna know, I am trying to stitch up my face after Abhi stabbed a hole in my cheek. Looks pretty disgusting and I am not in my best mood, if you catch my drift."

Shouting down the stairs was tiring, and opening her mouth too wide risked her half-stitched wound reopening, so she returned back to the mirror.

((Daenerys "D" Todd continued in the smell of dust and moonshine))

Colm covered his mouth and snickered at Betty's additional responses.

"Yeah, no. I don't think so."

He went back to Betty and offered her the crook of his arm for support given her injury.

"Let's keep house hunting."

((Colm Forsyth continued in Lullabies to Paralyze ))

"Good luck with your... thing."

No need to risk another conflict so soon. No need to go where you aren't wanted.

She smiled, took the offered support from Colm and stepped gingerly, carefully, to whatever came next.

((Betty Quinn continued in Lullabies to Paralyze))