Secret Fic Exchange - for Sean
Sept 1, 2014 12:19:44 GMT -5
Post by Odion Martins on Sept 1, 2014 12:19:44 GMT -5
Sean and Josh arrived back at the camp just as the sun was about to set.
“You two had me worried to death!”
Leila was a fiery redhead and not to be scorned. Though her talents were hardly of use in the state the world was in, she was the undeclared leader of those who had survived the raids.
The couple remained silent, Josh shrugging in response, the shotgun in his hands moving with his shoulders.
Leila had her hands on her hips. “And where’s Greg?”
Sean frowned. “He was just,” he glanced over his shoulder, “behind me…”
Lately all of the man’s brain power had been focused on stepping into the minds of those who had been taken over. Nearly everyone in Pilot Ridge had a Host, you tell by the faint blue light in their eyes.
Josh pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a panicked look on his face. “He’s gone.”
Soft laughter came from behind the two, the tension dissipating.
“I enjoy your humor as much as anyone else Greg,” it was Leila speaking, “but you are officially on kitchen duty for the rest of the week.”
Greg appeared from behind the wall.
The blond was being paraded to the kitchen, Leila’s hand on his arms, as though he might try and get away. And he just might, most people would try when they had to be in a small room with Cobalt.
Josh and Sean walked into their shared room, happy for some privacy. There wasn’t much these days. They had all collectively decided that they were not too fond of their memories and bodies being invaded, so if that meant giving up their privacy, so be it.
Sean pulled something from his pocket that he hadn’t put into the basement living room, which was now where general goods for everyone who had survived were being stored.
Josh’s eyes went soft, like they did when he was especially pleased about something.
“What is it this time?”
Sean chuckled and placed the trinket into Josh’s hand.
“You said you wanted this, but then hosts were invading our friends’ bodies and I left it at home.”
Josh’s eyes went wide. Just when had Sean ventured back so deep into town? Looking at his hand, Josh could hardly stand to keep them cupped any longer.
--
“What is it we’re getting this time?” Greg asked.
“Food mostly,” Josh replied, getting into the back of the SUV, “but anything we can find that’s useful would be good.”
There was not much left to gather around Pilot Ridge. The small group of survivors had started somewhat of a hidden garden on Greg’s property. His house had been nominated as the small group’s hideout. He had built it himself, and with so many hidden rooms, the aliens were bound to find it abandoned. At least they were peaceful creatures, if you could say that about brain invasion. But with Vermont’s winters, the supply wouldn't last forever.
“Is there enough gas for the trip?” Came Sean’s voice beside Greg.
After checking the gauge, Greg gave a nod. “Enough for this trip, after that, we’ll have to start walking.”
“Or find a different vehicle.”
More and more of those were being abandoned, or found after someone had been taken.
Greg smirked and gave a laugh. “So much for retirement.”
--
The main highways were perfectly usable, but the trio would be spotted instantly. Their car was old, their clothes were shabby, and their eyes did not glow. So they would take a longer, safer route towards the homes of those they had once known.
Greg turned off the vehicle, and the three of them scouted Danny Silverman’s residence.
“I’ll stay here so we can leave immediately,” Greg offered.
Josh was looking intently at Sean. “Are you getting anything?”
Sean was concentrating on an open window in the house. It took a few moments, but he wasn’t getting any thoughts as his mind scoured the building.
“No. He’s not home.”
It was probably for the best. Running into a friend, knowing that his mind had been placed on the back burner to make room for a new host would not sit well. Sean’s training on how to resist and fight back while trying to be taken over had come too late for some of them. If any of them were caught now, their safehouse would be invaded.
Moving as quickly as they could, Sean and Josh entered their friend’s home. Houses were mostly left unlocked, as the invaders believed themselves to be unstoppable. Now that they were inhabiting meta humans, perhaps they were.
Quietly, Sean and Josh snaked their way to the kitchen, filling up both backpacks with perishables and non-perishables alike until both packs were full.
Since Danny wasn’t home, they chanced a peek into his bedroom. Both were in need of some new clothes and they might not fit perfectly, but at least they wouldn’t be thread bare. A coat or sweater would be especially helpful in the months to come, assuming they were still alive.
Heading back to the car, Sean and Josh looked at one another – Greg was gone.
Or so it appeared to be until Sean made a mental sweep of the vehicle.
“Get in the back,” Sean said. Josh nodded before they both climbed in.
Opening up the back of the SUV, Josh gasped, a hand rushing to his mouth. Sean on the other hand, aside from a flicker in his eyes, did not react.
“What happened?” Sean asked Greg.
The blond man was sitting in the back on the SUV, slumped against the side of it. No harm had been done to him, but he was clearly shaken up. Beside him, Danny had been knocked unconscious.
“He saw me, knew I wasn’t one of them.” Greg only spoke in point form when his sarcasm wasn’t functioning at full throttle. He looked down at Danny. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Sean pulled Josh aside for a second.
“What are we going to do?” Josh asked as soon as they were alone. There wouldn’t be much time to decide.
“We’ll have to take him with us.”
“But-”
“If we don’t, whoever is inside of him will report Greg’s description.”
Josh gulped. “But maybe it has a family, a family who will notice he’s missing.”
Sean put his hands on his hips, and Josh stifled a sad laugh.
“This isn’t only to help Greg is it?”
Sean hesitated. “I could feel him Josh. Danny’s mind. He’s still in there, maybe I could-”
“No!” Joshua took a deep breath, remembering that they could be being watched. “It didn’t work before, what makes you think you could reach him? You’ll be putting everyone’s lives at stake.”
Sean looked back at the vehicle.
“Don’t you do this Sean.”
--
They got back to camp the same way they left, through a series of long twists and turned and secrets exits, now entrances.
Sean lead the way, while Josh and Greg were pulling up the rear, Danny supported in between them.
“Every last one of you is late,” Stefan said, meeting them halfway through the entrance. “Where have you…” His eyes landed on Danny, his mouth hanging slightly open.
Greg and Josh set Danny down on the ground. He was still unconscious.
Stefan hesitated, then went to give Greg a hug. “I can’t let you go anywhere, can I?” He asked, making the other man laugh.
Sean and Josh were staring hard at one another.
Greg slipped his hand into Stefan’s, pulling him away. “It’s a long story. Mostly my fault. And I thought I had the easy job while they were…” His voice faded into the distance.
Josh rubbed a hand over his face. There was never a moments peace anymore, and everyone was suffering. Sean offered what little solace he could, but their situation was quite dire.
Josh finally stopped his pacing, pointing at Sean. “I am not going to let you do this again.”
Sean looked at Danny. He could hear the man screaming inside of his own head.
“I will not let you kill another one of our friends!”
“Josh, I’m doing the best I can by trying to give them another chance.” When Josh didn’t respond, Sean continued. “Believe me when I say that Damien would rather have died than continue living on the way he was.”
Josh shook his head. “So you would do the same to me if I was one of them?”
Sean paused, then nodded. “If I could still hear the pleas of your mind, then yes, I would try to get you back.”
Josh shook his head again, and Sean stepped in to comfort him, his hands cupping Josh’s face, thumbs wiping away the tears. “I know this is hard, but I need to try. I need you to believe in me.”
Josh nodded, his hands on Sean’s forearms.
“This is not a perfect world we live in.”
“You two had me worried to death!”
Leila was a fiery redhead and not to be scorned. Though her talents were hardly of use in the state the world was in, she was the undeclared leader of those who had survived the raids.
The couple remained silent, Josh shrugging in response, the shotgun in his hands moving with his shoulders.
Leila had her hands on her hips. “And where’s Greg?”
Sean frowned. “He was just,” he glanced over his shoulder, “behind me…”
Lately all of the man’s brain power had been focused on stepping into the minds of those who had been taken over. Nearly everyone in Pilot Ridge had a Host, you tell by the faint blue light in their eyes.
Josh pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a panicked look on his face. “He’s gone.”
Soft laughter came from behind the two, the tension dissipating.
“I enjoy your humor as much as anyone else Greg,” it was Leila speaking, “but you are officially on kitchen duty for the rest of the week.”
Greg appeared from behind the wall.
The blond was being paraded to the kitchen, Leila’s hand on his arms, as though he might try and get away. And he just might, most people would try when they had to be in a small room with Cobalt.
Josh and Sean walked into their shared room, happy for some privacy. There wasn’t much these days. They had all collectively decided that they were not too fond of their memories and bodies being invaded, so if that meant giving up their privacy, so be it.
Sean pulled something from his pocket that he hadn’t put into the basement living room, which was now where general goods for everyone who had survived were being stored.
Josh’s eyes went soft, like they did when he was especially pleased about something.
“What is it this time?”
Sean chuckled and placed the trinket into Josh’s hand.
“You said you wanted this, but then hosts were invading our friends’ bodies and I left it at home.”
Josh’s eyes went wide. Just when had Sean ventured back so deep into town? Looking at his hand, Josh could hardly stand to keep them cupped any longer.
--
“What is it we’re getting this time?” Greg asked.
“Food mostly,” Josh replied, getting into the back of the SUV, “but anything we can find that’s useful would be good.”
There was not much left to gather around Pilot Ridge. The small group of survivors had started somewhat of a hidden garden on Greg’s property. His house had been nominated as the small group’s hideout. He had built it himself, and with so many hidden rooms, the aliens were bound to find it abandoned. At least they were peaceful creatures, if you could say that about brain invasion. But with Vermont’s winters, the supply wouldn't last forever.
“Is there enough gas for the trip?” Came Sean’s voice beside Greg.
After checking the gauge, Greg gave a nod. “Enough for this trip, after that, we’ll have to start walking.”
“Or find a different vehicle.”
More and more of those were being abandoned, or found after someone had been taken.
Greg smirked and gave a laugh. “So much for retirement.”
--
The main highways were perfectly usable, but the trio would be spotted instantly. Their car was old, their clothes were shabby, and their eyes did not glow. So they would take a longer, safer route towards the homes of those they had once known.
Greg turned off the vehicle, and the three of them scouted Danny Silverman’s residence.
“I’ll stay here so we can leave immediately,” Greg offered.
Josh was looking intently at Sean. “Are you getting anything?”
Sean was concentrating on an open window in the house. It took a few moments, but he wasn’t getting any thoughts as his mind scoured the building.
“No. He’s not home.”
It was probably for the best. Running into a friend, knowing that his mind had been placed on the back burner to make room for a new host would not sit well. Sean’s training on how to resist and fight back while trying to be taken over had come too late for some of them. If any of them were caught now, their safehouse would be invaded.
Moving as quickly as they could, Sean and Josh entered their friend’s home. Houses were mostly left unlocked, as the invaders believed themselves to be unstoppable. Now that they were inhabiting meta humans, perhaps they were.
Quietly, Sean and Josh snaked their way to the kitchen, filling up both backpacks with perishables and non-perishables alike until both packs were full.
Since Danny wasn’t home, they chanced a peek into his bedroom. Both were in need of some new clothes and they might not fit perfectly, but at least they wouldn’t be thread bare. A coat or sweater would be especially helpful in the months to come, assuming they were still alive.
Heading back to the car, Sean and Josh looked at one another – Greg was gone.
Or so it appeared to be until Sean made a mental sweep of the vehicle.
“Get in the back,” Sean said. Josh nodded before they both climbed in.
Opening up the back of the SUV, Josh gasped, a hand rushing to his mouth. Sean on the other hand, aside from a flicker in his eyes, did not react.
“What happened?” Sean asked Greg.
The blond man was sitting in the back on the SUV, slumped against the side of it. No harm had been done to him, but he was clearly shaken up. Beside him, Danny had been knocked unconscious.
“He saw me, knew I wasn’t one of them.” Greg only spoke in point form when his sarcasm wasn’t functioning at full throttle. He looked down at Danny. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Sean pulled Josh aside for a second.
“What are we going to do?” Josh asked as soon as they were alone. There wouldn’t be much time to decide.
“We’ll have to take him with us.”
“But-”
“If we don’t, whoever is inside of him will report Greg’s description.”
Josh gulped. “But maybe it has a family, a family who will notice he’s missing.”
Sean put his hands on his hips, and Josh stifled a sad laugh.
“This isn’t only to help Greg is it?”
Sean hesitated. “I could feel him Josh. Danny’s mind. He’s still in there, maybe I could-”
“No!” Joshua took a deep breath, remembering that they could be being watched. “It didn’t work before, what makes you think you could reach him? You’ll be putting everyone’s lives at stake.”
Sean looked back at the vehicle.
“Don’t you do this Sean.”
--
They got back to camp the same way they left, through a series of long twists and turned and secrets exits, now entrances.
Sean lead the way, while Josh and Greg were pulling up the rear, Danny supported in between them.
“Every last one of you is late,” Stefan said, meeting them halfway through the entrance. “Where have you…” His eyes landed on Danny, his mouth hanging slightly open.
Greg and Josh set Danny down on the ground. He was still unconscious.
Stefan hesitated, then went to give Greg a hug. “I can’t let you go anywhere, can I?” He asked, making the other man laugh.
Sean and Josh were staring hard at one another.
Greg slipped his hand into Stefan’s, pulling him away. “It’s a long story. Mostly my fault. And I thought I had the easy job while they were…” His voice faded into the distance.
Josh rubbed a hand over his face. There was never a moments peace anymore, and everyone was suffering. Sean offered what little solace he could, but their situation was quite dire.
Josh finally stopped his pacing, pointing at Sean. “I am not going to let you do this again.”
Sean looked at Danny. He could hear the man screaming inside of his own head.
“I will not let you kill another one of our friends!”
“Josh, I’m doing the best I can by trying to give them another chance.” When Josh didn’t respond, Sean continued. “Believe me when I say that Damien would rather have died than continue living on the way he was.”
Josh shook his head. “So you would do the same to me if I was one of them?”
Sean paused, then nodded. “If I could still hear the pleas of your mind, then yes, I would try to get you back.”
Josh shook his head again, and Sean stepped in to comfort him, his hands cupping Josh’s face, thumbs wiping away the tears. “I know this is hard, but I need to try. I need you to believe in me.”
Josh nodded, his hands on Sean’s forearms.
“This is not a perfect world we live in.”
