savetheearth | Sixth Message [Text

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Sixth Message [Text | Cell Phone]

Something happened to me. I cant go jone rhg wau I am. Please. What do I do? - Anthony J.

[About fifteen seconds later, the three units of gibberish are corrected to "home the way".]

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[The gesture was steadying, although he wouldn't be transparent about it, as the gratitude and guilt crashed and snagged and pushed and pulled all over this scene he was making.

As such, he wouldn't openly accept the offer, either.] You don't have to -- ... [Hastily-said, abruptly-cut, and trailing off.]

[Aaron stands patiently, waiting for them to sort out who was going where. He doesn't rush them.]

I offered, didn't I? [[he glances up at Aaron]] You can stuff my bike in the back, right?

C'mon. [[he pats Anthony's shoulder before moving away to go grab his bike.]] I can help you come up with a good story for what happened you can tell your parents. We've got a doctor on our side, so we can come up with something creditable, right? Some rare blood disease or allergy or something.

-- What does this look like...?! [That was only a fraction doubtful rhetorical question. He watches Bakura move off and half-turns his head back to Dr. Strider for either of them to give even some part of a real answer.]

Death. It looks like death.

Fortunately for you, symptoms like that aren't necessarily fatal, not for people like us. You're not the first.

[Aaron offers Anthony the jacket, composed.]

Come with me. We'll see how far the effects go, then give you a story that won't fall apart under scrutiny.

[[Wheels his bike over]]You mean there's been other zombies already?

[At Dr. Strider's verdict the cold had risen in a silent, suspended, static flood.

Not "necessarily fatal", "for people like us". "Not the first" - to look like "death"?

On Bakura his thought is jarred back to such suddenly dazed, sick articulation.

He barely lifts an arm to let the coat fall onto it. His head doesn't change tilt; his eyes rise from the coat to Dr. Strider, wide.]

Is that -- ...?

["What you meant", "what you think", and "what I am" were all formed and resting just behind the point at which they could fill that trailed-off space. Any end to that sentence would be a waste of words.]

[Dr. Strider is nothing but business.]

"Zombie" is an extremely inaccurate term. Come on.

[He hands Anthony the coat.]

After a proper medical examination, I'll be able to tell you what's actually happening.

When you say he looks like death but is still walking... [[shakes his head before hefting his bike into the trunk before turning to Anthony.]]

You want to be squished in the middle or have the door?

[Looks back off at Bakura. In a beat, gives his head a small, erratic shake.] It -- ...it doesn't matter. [Takes the coat, drags his arm into a sleeve - and thinking the same. Looks like death and is still walking. He didn't know lore, of that exact nature, and in detail. "Zombie", by what he did, was surely exactly the most concise term.]

But you - have... something that you can call it.

There's too much disagreement about what being a zombie actually means. I always thought they died and then were brought back to life. It looks like Anthony here still has some vital signs.

So I'd rather find something more precise to call it.

[Aaron opens the passenger side door, then gets in himself and starts the engine.]

There's actually a lot of--

[[a pause. Hey, you know that thing called "tact" and "situationally appropriate conversation topics?" For once, Bakura has the thought that that sort of thing is really important.

...Cherish it, Anthony. It's a rare moment.]]

Yeah, I guess that's true enough. And it's not like anything so far's following the rules of mythology, so may as well come up with a new name for it.

[[He's waiting for Anthony to get in. Freshman gets to be squished. Just because.

...that and honestly, Anthony might do well being in the middle for a bit.]]

[In other words, it is too vague. "Zombie" is not inaccurate - it's just not quite diagnostic enough. It's vague. It's contentious...

But he will, indeed, appreciate the continuous pressure upon the fact being removed.

As he's still distracted it takes him a few moments for it to occur to him that he's being prompted to go on and get in. Once he does - true it's just as well.

He shuffles and slides in, pulling the coat on the rest of the way, and takes his place - looking through the door to confirm whether Bakura is coming.]

Edited 2013-06-13 03:54 (UTC)

[Once everyone's in, it won't be a long drive to the clinic -- only about ten minutes. Aaron seems in no hurry to make conversation.

Going to leave the awkward silence, or break it?]

[[Bakura is... oddly quiet. He has a death grip on the door handle and is doing his best to keep his car-induced panic in check by reminding himself over and over that it's a truck and thus, totally different. Somehow. And besides. If he had a panic attack right then, Anthony would fall to pieces.

...possibly literally.]]

[Bakura's nonetheless visible tension does nothing to thin what is there to leave what Anthony would judge as even snug room for comment.

Therefore, it would appear the awkward silence stays, and not without getting even more disconcertingly awkward.]

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