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Post by Kelathi on Jan 21, 2015 17:29:57 GMT
She helped him gather up his things, and when It was cleared up, he spoke again... momentarily confusing her. Why would he offer this again, after last time? She had left for good reason- it was not clever for her to stay in the same place for too long... however, she had indeed suspected that Jesse would probably have been perplexed by her swift departure, perhaps even thinking her ungrateful.
Therefore, she was thoroughly sur prised when he offered such help again. But this time, her predicament was not the need for a warm bed, and food in her stomach. This time, her issue was relocation. She wanted to leave, needed, she suspected, to leave. But she had no money to do so... She needed to cover some distance, the next town was miles away, and she was afraid that on foot, she would not get there in time until... But, could she... Could she perhaps...?
"No... I don't think that's a good idea." she replied, just as lamely. "Thank you, anyway..." Would it be very wrong of her to ask? Well, he had offered help, maybe it was reasonable. She could only try, anyway.
"Although... there is.. something else you could do, if you really wanted to help me." She paused, resisting the strong urge to look about herself quickly. "Could you give me some money to board a train? I don't need much."
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 21, 2015 19:37:31 GMT
"Ah," was all Jesse knew to say in response to the polite refusal, She didn't want to go back, and he couldn't blame her. He knew the feeling, but he now at least understood the tiny little look of hurt he'd receive may have been genuine a few of those times. "No problem," he answered, letting it drop.
Surprisingly, however, she didn't let the offer of help drop entirely. "Oh... oh! Um, yeah, I can. I have cash at the house, it's change. Y'know, laundry money but, yeah," he spoke aloud as he thought, looking back at Amelia to see what her reaction would be.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 21, 2015 19:54:54 GMT
He said yes? A look of relief flooded her features of a moment, she couldn't have asked for more at this moment! "...Ok." she replied, with a smile. She let him lead the way, and they walked back in near silence, she wasn't quite sure what else to say. As they reached his house, as he twiddled with the key in the lock, she added. "Th... thanks."
*
In the house she felt just as out of place as before. As expected, Cyrus was the first one to greet them, and cannonballed into her with friendly jumps, trying to lick her hands, face, everything he could reach. She laughed, sur prising herself. He was just such a big dope, she simply could not be afraid of him, despite her bad past experiences.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 21, 2015 20:13:55 GMT
Jesse nodded at her response, although he needed a little help in getting going with his bags.
The bags barely survived the Dane's pounce towards a familiar friend, while Daphne retained her dignity by restraining from the jumping. She even offered one lick to Amelia's hand when Cyrus had her distracted. Jesse's hands were slobbered by the time he got into the kitchen to put the food away, glad at least most of it was cans. The cold items went into the fridge, leaving only one question at the moment.
"Okay, so the coin jar went..?"
A bit of a perplexed look, and Jesse began to paw through the cupboards, almost comically fumbling with what attempted or succeeded to fall out.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 22, 2015 0:20:21 GMT
Cyrus only left Amelia alone when he found his owner was moving away, and changed his tact by bounding after him. Amelia smiled as he went, and followed Jesse into the other room, where Daphne had already positioned herself, sitting and waiting patiently next to her owner. Casual observation led her gaze away from them to a small table at the other side of the room, despondently lit by a single, dull lamp. Curiously, she walked over, realising that there were photos strewn all over it. They were general pictures that you might find in any photo album, images of a beach, a diner. Some were of people, but she recognised none of them. Then... She paused, and gently turned one of the photos with her fingertips, until it was the right way up. The photos were dusty, she had to blow on it to better reveal the image. As she peered at it in the half-light, she realised her assumption had been correct.
Jesse was still digging in the presumably cluttered cupboard, his back was to her, but she could recognise the features without needing to look at him, even if it was a younger face. A small smile flitted onto her lips, although she soon noticed he didn't look happy in the photo. He was sat on a wall, and the people sitting with him looked about his age, but she didn't recognise them at all, not that she expected to. They all looked very grim and serious. "Jesse, is this you?" she asked, just to make certain her assumption was correct.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Feb 28, 2015 22:15:00 GMT
"Hm? Is what - OW!"
Just as he turned his attention towards Amelia, one box managed to slip and hit Jesse with its corner, him jumping back with a bit of an annoyed rub of his hand. "Geh... not up there. Is what..." Despite the situation he had just left of being attacked by a box - embarrassing, really - his question faded quickly seeing the photo Amelia had drawn out from amidst the pile. "Oh..." he barely breathed before swallowing, shaking off a momentary look of feeling haunted. "That, yeah... that was me, long time ago." His voice grew quiet again, looking down at the photo before he had to force himself away, quickly changing subjects as he walked away from the table. "Um. The... the coin jar. It might actually... it might be in the living room." He hadn't expected to see that photograph.
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Post by Kelathi on Mar 1, 2015 2:10:15 GMT
"Are you ok?" She asked, referring to his head. She had jumped at the thump, her heart was still beating a dozen to a minute. Damn these jumpy nerves... She didn't think Jesse noticed though, too lost in a faded memory as he stared at the picture in her hand. At his reaction, she placed it down swiftly, following him gingerly, but standing in the doorway awkwardly, sensing he needed some space, but equally feeling it would be strange is she stayed in the other room nosing through his photos. She immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to impose." She added, this time referring to the photo.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Mar 1, 2015 3:03:15 GMT
Jesse had all but put the photo out of his mind when Amelia apologized, pausing to look back at her. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Jesse turned to face her more directly, shaking his head. "No... no, you're fine. I... I had a pretty bad sense of who I was, several years ago. That photo... that was from then," he explained, uncertain of how he was setting up his framing of the situation without giving away any of the dark and grisly details. In a way, it actually proved a little therapeutic; he seemed a little more settled as he noted with a smile, "But! That's the past." Turning back to his... piles and boxes, Jesse kept digging around until he let out a noise that had to refer to success, mixed with the balancing act to manage to stand upright again. "Got it! It's... how much for a train ticket again?" As helpful as explaining his situation with the photo had been, he still seemed happy to at least verbally move past the topic. He did, after all, still own the photo of that time...
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Post by Kelathi on Mar 1, 2015 17:11:26 GMT
His eyes had looked haunted, seemingly taken over by a painful memory, his words slow and hesitant. Then the look was gone as swiftly as it had arrived, the smile returning. It looked like she wasn't the only one in this house with an unpleasant past. He finally found the coin jar, and she hid her surprise of the fact that it was so buried away, and so difficult for him to locate. Maybe he had been burgled previously?
"A fiver should be enough." She spoke, looking at the jar anxiously. She couldn't see any notes from here. Were they going to have to sit down and count out all the pennies? And would the money she had suggested be enough? A train ride from here to the next town... yes, that should be a fiver at the most. As long as she was away from here, she had to keep on the move.
((I'm sorry the only currency I know is British Pounds XD))
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Mar 1, 2015 17:42:35 GMT
(LOL! Well thanks to growing up on British tv I at least know what a fiver is hah hah)
"Okay, so..." Jesse fished into the jar, even while calculating in his mind how much his last train ticket had been. It was a little less than that, right? So... "Okay I know I had a few pounds in here..."
Finally, he managed to produce some larger coins, dropping a batch of them into Amelia's hands without counting. It was at least five pounds there... Not like he could focus that well on coins, given the conversation they had just had. And the memory as well of needing money and being given some freely like this... to repay karma felt good, as there had been some guilt in knowing he'd never be able to repay those who had helped him before. "So... do you want to bring any food with you? Could be a long trip," Jesse offered as a bit of an afterthought, even though he was aware of the fact that Amelia might be very happy simply bolting out of there.
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Post by Kelathi on Mar 1, 2015 19:38:41 GMT
((Haha good! XD))
"Thanks." She opened her hand eagerly, hardly believing her luck. What were the chances she'd meet someone who would help her like he had? She doubted she'd get such fortune again. However, now was the time to go. It felt as if she had spent way too much time in this house, not knowing her exits. She was eager to get going, now. Besides, there was no way she could repay Jesse for everything he had already done, even without the extra food.
"No thanks, I think I'll be fine now."
It was a gamble. Stay longer for food... and risk them coming for her, or miss the food and escape in the nick of time. The latter seemed to be the safest option, besides, she had gone without food before, and she'd always managed to get by. Whereas if they came for her here... It didn't bear thinking about.
"Thank you Jesse... for all your help. But I should be going now." A thankful smile, genuine.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Mar 1, 2015 23:56:37 GMT
Jesse nodded to her polite refusal. He understood, even if he didn't want her to know why. "You're welcome." He seemed to hesitate, glancing outside. "So... do you want a ride to the station? I have a truck out back..." he offered, half jumping when Cyrus barked at him. Looking at the Dane, Jesse worried for a moment that something had happened, but then remembered; he had used the R-I-D-E word. Cyrus's tail was starting to spin, and even Daphne's ears had pricked up. The dogs' interest got him to laugh for a moment, glancing back at Amelia. "Well... what do you say?"
---
The truck that Jesse had referred to was a beaten looking old thing with only the seats in the cab and a few blankets tossed in the back for the dogs. It took about five minutes before the engine was warm enough to put any heat into the cabin as they drove to the station, and at the same time a strange buzzing noise started from somewhere in the engine. The two dogs were content out in the back, curled up on the blankets and next to each other for warmth. Despite the truck, Jesse didn't take too long in driving to the station, pulling up into a parking spot near the tracks to let Amelia out.
"Well, here we are," Jesse noted, looking out the windshield at the station. Lots of people... fairly safe for someone on the run. "Do you have everything you need?"
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Post by Kelathi on Apr 19, 2015 2:38:51 GMT
She didn’t reply straight away. She was scanning their surroundings. To herself, she was being discreet. But there were telltale signs that Jesse would probably recognise. The clenched fists, her knuckles white with the pressure. The way she sat in her seat, her rigid back... all despite the effort she had put in to appear calm and collective. At his words she broke her concentration for a moment, and half turned to him, a small smile melting away the uneasy look. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” I’ll be fine... Those words she had been telling herself ever since she’d left. A vision, whitewashed walls, clouded glass, pain... She blinked, the fear disappearing almost as soon as it had arrived. Without another word, she left, anxious to get away, to be on the move again... She didn’t look back as she bought the ticket, and she didn’t look back as she walked onto the platform, disappearing from view. She paused now, and exhaled slowly, her breath misting in the air. She scanned the platform. There was no-one suspicious- looking, there were only about a handful of people at most. This helped her relax slightly, and the sight and sound of the approaching train lifted her spirits. They had arrived in the nick of time! As the vehicle slowed to a shuddering halt, and people began pouring out... She didn’t know what it was. Perhaps she had sensed the eyes on her, pricking into the back of her neck. Perhaps she had just known it was all too good to be true. She went very rigid, staring straight ahead. Her face must have blanched, because a woman appeared at her right, looking at her in concern. She touched Amelia’s arm, her voice floating into her ear... “Are you alright dear?” She couldn’t reply, the words dying in her throat, closing around the vowels and consonants... Someone grabbed her arm to the left, and something pressed into her ribs. She did not wait for an invitation to stay calm, those inevitable words. She whipped round, yanking herself out of his grip. A bang. A scream. Briefly, she glimpsed the woman’s horrified face, but now she was running. Gasps, shouting, frenzy. And a voice, above all, ringing in her ear. “Amelia!” Ahead of her. No... the blue eyes. The calm, collected face. She skidded to a halt. Wires. A flash of light. The barely retrained look of contempt, the frown. Her legs were lead, she could not move. Cold fear leaked into her limbs, holding them in place. He began to walk towards her. I’m not going back! Suddenly, she found her legs. She reclaimed movement, and she was pounding away. “Don’t do this, Amelia!” I must get away. Her only thought. Whatever the cost. ((Let me know if it's hard to reply to! ))
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Apr 20, 2015 17:16:55 GMT
It was strange to watch Amelia tensely surveying the area, having at least a sense of what she was feeling. Being hunted, being afraid. Being afraid of showing that fear. He knew that feeling all too well. Even so, she was hiding it much better than Jesse felt he had hidden it at that point. It was through recognition that he was able to sense more than just stiffness.
The smile she offered calmed him a little, feeling himself growing tense with the memories. It showed she was strong enough to overcome her fears, even if only a little. She’d be fine. Jesse returned the smile, managing to make it more settled than he felt. It faltered a little as she got out of the truck, suddenly aware of how very empty it was. Despite the dogs’ interest, Jesse had left them at home. Now he was almost wishing he’d brought them along, even if only to have warm bodies fill in the void he was feeling now. Jesse watched Amelia’s back as long as he could, his gaze dropping to the steering wheel before him, lost in thought. All of the fighting, the running… so familiar. And yet it was so hard to be on the other side, the side that was trying to be supportive yet not overbearing. He hadn’t known it would be so hard to see someone you had tried to help simply… walk away. Jesse knew it had to happen, he’d been on the other side, but now… it was hard.
He didn’t know how long he sat in the truck mulling over these conflicting feelings, but he was brought sharply back to the present at the sound of a gunshot. It seemed he was instantly out of the cab, racing towards where he had seen Amelia. Jesse wasn’t bothering to locate the gunshot. All he could think of was that Amelia was out in that crowd.
“Amelia! Amelia!” Jesse’s own calls meshed with others, not realizing that he wasn’t the only one actively seeking her. The crowd was difficult to navigate in all the confusion, but finally Jesse saw the blonde hair and oversized coat. He pushed forward to catch up with her, continuing to call out. “Amelia! Amelia, are you ok?!”
(all of the excitements :o lol...)
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Post by Kelathi on May 15, 2015 17:24:57 GMT
((Haha, indeed!))
Voices calling to her from everywhere, their precise origin distorted as they echoed off the walls. People dispersed like ants running from a burning hill, spurred by infectious panic. She just kept running. But she couldn’t go back... and she couldn’t go forward. Where could she go?
“Amelia!”
Wait... that voice...
Jesse?
Just as the thought entered her mind, she skidded to a halt, and turned.
“Jesse!” her heart somersaulted with hope, and she barrelled into him, pushing them both temporarily out of sight. Immediately she began babbling on almost unintelligibly, her entire frame on the verge of shaking. “Please, help me! They’re going to kill me!” She grabbed his arms, her eyes wide, desperately pouring out her soul to him in her urgency. Then she was pulling him away with her. “Quick!” They would turn the corner soon. They would see here. They would take her away...
No!
She would fight to the end! But she knew that once she was in that man’s clutches... she would never be able to escape again. No more fresh air, and no more city. Just a cage, and everything clipped wings entailed...
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