((Aracelis Fuentes continued from Myopia))
They'd decided to move. However, that wasn't really true. Leslie had decided to move and Aracelis had gone along with it. It wasn't as if she was in any position to argue against his decisions anyway. Especially after the previous evening had made clear she wasn't in a state to be left by herself. So as much as she chaffed against the idea, she was reliant on Leslie.
She was also adjusting to her new reality. The blow Bethany had landed with the pickaxe had destroyed her orbital bone, Aracelis didn't know exactly what had happened to her eyeball, buried as it was under all the bandages but she could only see out of one eye. Her depth perception was gone and simple tasks had become frustrating to complete, things such as picking up her bat or pack took multiple tries, while stairs proved nearly insurmountable. She'd also had to finally give up and take her contact lens out of her good eye. It had dried out to the point that it felt like she'd just put a plastic circle on her eyeball, so she'd had to put her glasses on.
She hated wearing her glasses, she always felt ugly in them.
As they walked she spat and pulled a wad of hair out of her mouth. Aracelis stared at the knotted ball with a look of disgust before tossing it aside. The movement of her face made her bandages rub again, the dried blood on them scratching against her skin causing it to itch. One of her hands went up to scratch at it but as soon as her fingers pressed down on her face a shock of pain coursed through her head making her quickly retract her hand with a hiss.
They’d reached the sheriffs office though and upon entering were greeted with the familiar interior and along with it a familiar body lying on the floor.
Aracelis couldn't help but smile and some laughter escaped her lips as they drew closer.
"Hey Leslie," She croaked. "Look who it is."
Depth
Open
((Leslie Romero continued from having a change of heart))
Leslie didn't get much sleep last night due to his adventures in babysitting. Probably managed like 2 or 3 hours, tops. He didn't need to see in a mirror to tell how shit he probably looked; the eyebags made themselves known.
This morning he also noticed he had to pull his belt tighter by a slot to keep his pants from slipping. Maybe he really wouldn't recognize himself in a mirror at all. Maybe Madeleine wouldn't either.
He didn't really notice the body or much anything else besides the sheriff station until Aracelis pointed it out.
"Huh?" he half-heartedly interjected like a stressed out parent being shown a bad drawing by their kid while they were trying to work. "Oh."
He got closer and kicked it in the shoulder a few times with the toe of his boot. It didn't answer back.
"Sucks to suck."
Leslie didn't get much sleep last night due to his adventures in babysitting. Probably managed like 2 or 3 hours, tops. He didn't need to see in a mirror to tell how shit he probably looked; the eyebags made themselves known.
This morning he also noticed he had to pull his belt tighter by a slot to keep his pants from slipping. Maybe he really wouldn't recognize himself in a mirror at all. Maybe Madeleine wouldn't either.
He didn't really notice the body or much anything else besides the sheriff station until Aracelis pointed it out.
"Huh?" he half-heartedly interjected like a stressed out parent being shown a bad drawing by their kid while they were trying to work. "Oh."
He got closer and kicked it in the shoulder a few times with the toe of his boot. It didn't answer back.
"Sucks to suck."
It felt good, knowing that Bethany had gone on to die. Whether it was payback or a divine punishment didn’t particularly matter to her. Aracelis would have laughed even more but the small amount of laughter she had enjoyed sent sharp stabbing pains throughout her skull, making her hiss in pain.
Drawing closer Aracelis analysed the body of her fallen foe. Another victim of overconfidence. Bethany had been so sure of herself, so sure of her victory, but there she was, a corpse on the floor. She’d believed she’d had the upper hand and sure she’d nearly got the job done. But she had failed, just like Ashlyn and Juanita had.
It was a small comfort but in her fragile and wounded state Aracelis clung to her latest perceived victory. Bethany had taken her shot and she’d missed.
Aracelis gave the body a kick as she moved past and deeper into the sheriffs office.
“Her bag should be somewhere.” She said idly, almost as a throwaway.
She winced again as the movement of her speaking once again caused a lightning strike across her face. With her free hand she reached up and with her index and middle finger gently pressed against her bandages. Once again the blood had dried and become crusted up. She felt and heard it crack and split like old bark as her fingers pushed against it.
“Hey, are you able…” She started before pausing.
“My bandages need changing.” She stated plainly, sitting herself down on one of the desks.
Drawing closer Aracelis analysed the body of her fallen foe. Another victim of overconfidence. Bethany had been so sure of herself, so sure of her victory, but there she was, a corpse on the floor. She’d believed she’d had the upper hand and sure she’d nearly got the job done. But she had failed, just like Ashlyn and Juanita had.
It was a small comfort but in her fragile and wounded state Aracelis clung to her latest perceived victory. Bethany had taken her shot and she’d missed.
Aracelis gave the body a kick as she moved past and deeper into the sheriffs office.
“Her bag should be somewhere.” She said idly, almost as a throwaway.
She winced again as the movement of her speaking once again caused a lightning strike across her face. With her free hand she reached up and with her index and middle finger gently pressed against her bandages. Once again the blood had dried and become crusted up. She felt and heard it crack and split like old bark as her fingers pushed against it.
“Hey, are you able…” She started before pausing.
“My bandages need changing.” She stated plainly, sitting herself down on one of the desks.
Leslie flashed a smirk at the nearby camera that disappeared as quick as it appeared, before Aracelis seated herself on the table and turned back towards him. It'd be nice if she said please for fucking once.
"Yeah, one sec," he huffed under his breath as he threw his bag down and placed the spare first aid kit he'd been using down on the table next to her. He grabbed the pack of antiseptic wipes and rubbed down his hands with enough effort for who it mattered to before he removed her glasses and started redressing her bloodied bandages.
"I'm sorry. The brain surgery failed. You're still stupid."
Leslie stifled a giggle at the intrusive thought, forcing a fake cough to try and hide it. He couldn't tell if Aracelis caught it or not but honestly he didn't care at this point either. He knew who now held the true power in this dynamic, events of last night be damned.
His head bobbed around as he looked at what was left of her eye before starting to put fresh bandages on. "It doesn't look like it's gone septic, so that's good. Tell me if you start feeling like the room's spinning and shit but like we shouldn't have to cut the rest of your head off for now."
"Yeah, one sec," he huffed under his breath as he threw his bag down and placed the spare first aid kit he'd been using down on the table next to her. He grabbed the pack of antiseptic wipes and rubbed down his hands with enough effort for who it mattered to before he removed her glasses and started redressing her bloodied bandages.
"I'm sorry. The brain surgery failed. You're still stupid."
Leslie stifled a giggle at the intrusive thought, forcing a fake cough to try and hide it. He couldn't tell if Aracelis caught it or not but honestly he didn't care at this point either. He knew who now held the true power in this dynamic, events of last night be damned.
His head bobbed around as he looked at what was left of her eye before starting to put fresh bandages on. "It doesn't look like it's gone septic, so that's good. Tell me if you start feeling like the room's spinning and shit but like we shouldn't have to cut the rest of your head off for now."
"Oh," Aracelis replied, not noticing Leslie's joke. "Good."
She was glad it hadn't become worse. It was already bad as it was. The discovery of Beth's body had taken the edge off somewhat, knowing that the person who had maimed her was herself dead, but she was still down an eye. As Leslie continued his work she reached out and pulled her pack back and behind her body. In case he decided to try and cut and run now she was wounded. He hadn't yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't.
Without her glasses on his face was blurry, even without the black void that now existed over half of her vision. She couldn't truly make out the details of his face, not precisely. Aracelis shivered as she continued to sit there.
There was also another stupid thought worming its way into her head. One that she knew didn't need to be vocalized but she had to know.
"How bad is it?" She asked softly, her good eye staring past Leslie and to the floor behind him. "Like, physically?"
She was glad it hadn't become worse. It was already bad as it was. The discovery of Beth's body had taken the edge off somewhat, knowing that the person who had maimed her was herself dead, but she was still down an eye. As Leslie continued his work she reached out and pulled her pack back and behind her body. In case he decided to try and cut and run now she was wounded. He hadn't yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't.
Without her glasses on his face was blurry, even without the black void that now existed over half of her vision. She couldn't truly make out the details of his face, not precisely. Aracelis shivered as she continued to sit there.
There was also another stupid thought worming its way into her head. One that she knew didn't need to be vocalized but she had to know.
"How bad is it?" She asked softly, her good eye staring past Leslie and to the floor behind him. "Like, physically?"
Flaps of skin protruded out of Leslie's neck as he stopped and grimaced at the question before slapping another bandage on. He tried to not look at her, into her eyes. Schadenfreude was awesome and it was great to watch people get taken down a peg, but something about her eyes... her eye and her expression... it really hurt to see. She was so obnoxious and loud, but something about how she looked like a kicked dog really just made him feel pity. He didn't like it.
"Gonna be real with you, amiguita, it's not great. Really would advise against looking in a mirror for the time being."
He continued the rest of his work in silence, wiping the dry and not-so-dry mixture of oxidized blood and sweat off his hands with another antiseptic wipe. He grabbed her glasses, giving it a quick wipe-down and flipped it around a few times in his hands before extending them out towards her.
"I like your glasses. They look good on you."
"Gonna be real with you, amiguita, it's not great. Really would advise against looking in a mirror for the time being."
He continued the rest of his work in silence, wiping the dry and not-so-dry mixture of oxidized blood and sweat off his hands with another antiseptic wipe. He grabbed her glasses, giving it a quick wipe-down and flipped it around a few times in his hands before extending them out towards her.
"I like your glasses. They look good on you."
The response was what she'd expected but it still hurt. Beth had disfigured her and done it all in the name of someone who she herself hadn't cared about to look after. They'd left Przemyslaw behind to hunt them down and had failed. Bethany had died in the process and that left the blind boy all alone. Aracelis couldn't feel too bad for the situation, she hadn't meant to blind Przemek and then he'd been abandoned, plus Bethany had attacked her, which meant it was self-defense. She could justify it to herself that way.
But she still felt hatred and anger at Beth, and whoever her little bitch boy helper had been. Aracelis could make out Leslie wiping down her glasses, a thin beam of light illuminating him through one of the clouded windows of the office. Once he was satisfied they were clean enough he passed them back.
She nodded half-heartedly and the corners of her mouth briefly flicked up into a hint of a smile before falling back down.
Aracelis did appreciate his compliment though. It felt good to hear someone say something good about her again. They'd been on the island for nearly a week and all their conversations had revolved around planning their next moves. It was pleasant to receive something as simple as a generic compliment. Looking down she picked at the hem of her skirt, her outfit had been white and black but the color of the white on her skirt, socks, and shoes were covered in dark bloodstains, almost turning black as the blood dried out and congealed.
"Thanks," She mumbled, reaching out to take the glasses back. "I've never really liked them."
But she still felt hatred and anger at Beth, and whoever her little bitch boy helper had been. Aracelis could make out Leslie wiping down her glasses, a thin beam of light illuminating him through one of the clouded windows of the office. Once he was satisfied they were clean enough he passed them back.
She nodded half-heartedly and the corners of her mouth briefly flicked up into a hint of a smile before falling back down.
Aracelis did appreciate his compliment though. It felt good to hear someone say something good about her again. They'd been on the island for nearly a week and all their conversations had revolved around planning their next moves. It was pleasant to receive something as simple as a generic compliment. Looking down she picked at the hem of her skirt, her outfit had been white and black but the color of the white on her skirt, socks, and shoes were covered in dark bloodstains, almost turning black as the blood dried out and congealed.
"Thanks," She mumbled, reaching out to take the glasses back. "I've never really liked them."
"Oh. That's a shame," Leslie said, filling the rest of the silent void with the fumbling of medical supplies as he packed everything back up into the kit. He tapped his hand on the first aid kit a few times, biting the inside of his lips as he tried to think on what to say next.
But first he huffed under his breath, staring at the med kit on the table and under his hand as he tried his best to not look at Aracelis or the corpse still in the room.
"...You know there's gonna come a point where I can't help you anymore, right? Just... ya know. Making sure we both remember."
But first he huffed under his breath, staring at the med kit on the table and under his hand as he tried his best to not look at Aracelis or the corpse still in the room.
"...You know there's gonna come a point where I can't help you anymore, right? Just... ya know. Making sure we both remember."
Aracelis snorted at Leslie's comment then they settled into another silence before he opened his mouth again and ruined it.
She turned her gaze onto him and narrowed her eye, trying to assess his tone and expression.
"Of course, I know that Leslie," She spat, "I'm not fucking stupid."
She tried to imbue her wounds with some anger and venom but it was difficult.
Because despite everything it was the truth and it hurt to hear Leslie put it in such stark terms. They were an alliance of convenience but they had stuck together for so long Aracelis had taken it for granted that they would try to ride it out for as long as possible.
But that was before Bethany had maimed her. It made sense that Leslie would be looking for an exit after that. She had one working eye and a fucked up face. Meanwhile, Leslie, even though Aracelis was certain he had no stamina to speak of was still in good health.
It wasn't fair.
"Was that reminder more for me or for you?" She asked, keeping her one good eye focused on him.
She turned her gaze onto him and narrowed her eye, trying to assess his tone and expression.
"Of course, I know that Leslie," She spat, "I'm not fucking stupid."
She tried to imbue her wounds with some anger and venom but it was difficult.
Because despite everything it was the truth and it hurt to hear Leslie put it in such stark terms. They were an alliance of convenience but they had stuck together for so long Aracelis had taken it for granted that they would try to ride it out for as long as possible.
But that was before Bethany had maimed her. It made sense that Leslie would be looking for an exit after that. She had one working eye and a fucked up face. Meanwhile, Leslie, even though Aracelis was certain he had no stamina to speak of was still in good health.
It wasn't fair.
"Was that reminder more for me or for you?" She asked, keeping her one good eye focused on him.
Leslie didn't look at her. His brain screamed at him to do damage control. Tell her he was saying it as a courtesy in case she thought he was fucking Florence Nightingale now. Tell her he was saying it because it was a numbers game and nothing has changed. Tell her it was insurance for both of them, like a marriage prenup.
His heart beat his brain as his face flipped like a switch, scrunching with scorn and rage with heavy snorts of air puffing from his nose like a warthog. He clenched his teeth, snatched the medikit, and threw it at the wall behind Aracelis. The latch broke as it collided with the drywall, spilling out all of its contents out like intestines and screaming as it heaped onto the floor.
Leslie still didn't look at her. He just stomped away towards the entrance, holding onto his own bag.
"Gonna go take a piss." He pulled on the door twice before pushing it, finally being let outside.
His heart beat his brain as his face flipped like a switch, scrunching with scorn and rage with heavy snorts of air puffing from his nose like a warthog. He clenched his teeth, snatched the medikit, and threw it at the wall behind Aracelis. The latch broke as it collided with the drywall, spilling out all of its contents out like intestines and screaming as it heaped onto the floor.
Leslie still didn't look at her. He just stomped away towards the entrance, holding onto his own bag.
"Gonna go take a piss." He pulled on the door twice before pushing it, finally being let outside.
Aracelis tried her hardest not to flinch as the first aid kit was rifled past her. Instead she kept her focus entirely on Leslie, watching him as he stomped around the room. Her expression never faltered as her gaze bore a hole in his back until he was outside and out of her sight.
Only then did her features soften as she let out a long sigh and fell backwards to lie on the desk. Her breathing began to hitch and she raised one arm up to cover her face. She could feel the electronic eye of the cameras focusing in on her and didn’t want anyone watching to see her emotions.
She felt weak, crying on camera, the whole world able to see. She tried as much as possible to stay quiet, she didn’t want to give Leslie any indication of how she felt or allow him any satisfaction from his outburst.
After a minute or so she regained her composure and took in a long breath. She reached up and took her glasses off then began to dab at her eye using her good hand and the sleeve of her turtleneck top. After that was done she sat up and pulled her legs up onto the desk, moving into a cross-legged sit as she focused on pulling knots out of her hair.
As she silently worked she thought about next steps. They were still doing fine on supplies as far as she knew. Scattered contents of the first aid notwithstanding. So she didn’t believe Leslie would be leaving right at that moment, despite his making a big show of his anger. He’d just spent his time dragging her around the island, so he was still committed to their partnership. Aracelis winced as she had to tug about a particularly troublesome knot, some curls coming away in her fingers. As she tossed them away, she made a note to thank Leslie for looking after her. Just not at that particular moment, not if he was going to act like a child. Still, Aracelis supposed he wasn’t the worst person she could have ended up working with.
Speaking of people working together, Aracelis wanted to know who the boy who had been helping Beth was. She hadn’t managed to get a good look at him, but Leslie had been fighting with him. So he would know who it had been.
As such she continued to work her hands through her, pulling and separating any knots or tangles she found, Occasionally sniffing or dabbing at her eye, as she waited for him to return.
At one point she turned to look at the first aid kit, it’s guts splayed out on the floor but made no move to deal with it. After all, it wasn’t her mess to clean up.
Only then did her features soften as she let out a long sigh and fell backwards to lie on the desk. Her breathing began to hitch and she raised one arm up to cover her face. She could feel the electronic eye of the cameras focusing in on her and didn’t want anyone watching to see her emotions.
She felt weak, crying on camera, the whole world able to see. She tried as much as possible to stay quiet, she didn’t want to give Leslie any indication of how she felt or allow him any satisfaction from his outburst.
After a minute or so she regained her composure and took in a long breath. She reached up and took her glasses off then began to dab at her eye using her good hand and the sleeve of her turtleneck top. After that was done she sat up and pulled her legs up onto the desk, moving into a cross-legged sit as she focused on pulling knots out of her hair.
As she silently worked she thought about next steps. They were still doing fine on supplies as far as she knew. Scattered contents of the first aid notwithstanding. So she didn’t believe Leslie would be leaving right at that moment, despite his making a big show of his anger. He’d just spent his time dragging her around the island, so he was still committed to their partnership. Aracelis winced as she had to tug about a particularly troublesome knot, some curls coming away in her fingers. As she tossed them away, she made a note to thank Leslie for looking after her. Just not at that particular moment, not if he was going to act like a child. Still, Aracelis supposed he wasn’t the worst person she could have ended up working with.
Speaking of people working together, Aracelis wanted to know who the boy who had been helping Beth was. She hadn’t managed to get a good look at him, but Leslie had been fighting with him. So he would know who it had been.
As such she continued to work her hands through her, pulling and separating any knots or tangles she found, Occasionally sniffing or dabbing at her eye, as she waited for him to return.
At one point she turned to look at the first aid kit, it’s guts splayed out on the floor but made no move to deal with it. After all, it wasn’t her mess to clean up.
A few knocks gently tapped on the door before it was pulled open with much less force than previously. Leslie slipped in and shut the door. His face was reset to its normal neutral dopeyness, though it was still flushed with red.
He greeted the tension in the room with a few sniffles and a cough and nothing else. Flakes of compacted snow caked off his boots and the bottom of his pants as he stepped around the desk Aracelis was still sitting on, still not looking at her. He knelt over the remains of the first aid kit and piece by piece stuffed its spilled contents back into the box.
He greeted the tension in the room with a few sniffles and a cough and nothing else. Flakes of compacted snow caked off his boots and the bottom of his pants as he stepped around the desk Aracelis was still sitting on, still not looking at her. He knelt over the remains of the first aid kit and piece by piece stuffed its spilled contents back into the box.
Leslie announced his return with a few sheepish knocks on the door, giving Aracelis enough time to give her eyes another quick wipe using her sleeves and get herself fully composed.
Her partner entered awkwardly and silently, not saying anything to her as he walked straight past. Her eyes bored into him the entire way. She watched as he made his way over to the violently discarded first aid kit and began packing away the contents.
At that moment he struck her as being like a shamed child, he'd had his outburst and then had to return to the scene of the crime to confront the embarrassment that had been his behavior. For a few moments, she silently looked down at him from her desktop perch, watching with disdain as he cleaned up the evidence of his anger as if it would make it so that it never happened.
Then she turned her attention back to her hair, giving him some privacy as he finished up his cleaning.
"Who was the boy with Bethany?" She asked her focus still on her hair.
Her partner entered awkwardly and silently, not saying anything to her as he walked straight past. Her eyes bored into him the entire way. She watched as he made his way over to the violently discarded first aid kit and began packing away the contents.
At that moment he struck her as being like a shamed child, he'd had his outburst and then had to return to the scene of the crime to confront the embarrassment that had been his behavior. For a few moments, she silently looked down at him from her desktop perch, watching with disdain as he cleaned up the evidence of his anger as if it would make it so that it never happened.
Then she turned her attention back to her hair, giving him some privacy as he finished up his cleaning.
"Who was the boy with Bethany?" She asked her focus still on her hair.
The rhythm of random medical supplies clinking against the first air kit's shell came to a sudden stop. Leslie's hand hovered in the air, griping a bottle of aspirin. He poked his head up and twisted it towards Aracelis's direction, his eyes meeting the wall of the desk.
"Can we not do this right now? Please?"
"Can we not do this right now? Please?"
"No, Leslie, I..." Aracelis sighed and dropped her head before looking up and gazing out at the rest of the room, or the rest of the room she could see through her one eye.
"I don't," Another pause as she considered how to continue and what she really wanted to say. As well as what she really wanted out of the question.
"I just want to know." She finished, sounding tired.
"I don't," Another pause as she considered how to continue and what she really wanted to say. As well as what she really wanted out of the question.
"I just want to know." She finished, sounding tired.