03. (Week One)

[tequila_sunset]

“Hey, new guys especially! Hi, I'm Harry. I've got clothes and stuff, come get them.”

Then he thinks of something.

“And if you’ve got anything you’d like to give away, dump it here. Let’s make the most of out this moment of peace while we have it.”

He gives his location: an old garage brightly decorated with chalks and paints. It sticks out as a swirl of wild color on the grey street. Outside cardboard boxes of clothes annd accessories are loosely organized by function.

“If there’s anything specific someone needs I can set them aside, but I’d really like to give priority to the new people who have the least.”

[TL link here.]

Comments

[tinflower]

There's no visual that comes along with this reply to Harry's message, but there is emotion: curiosity, uncertainty. A new connection that doesn't seem confident with the Murmur.

"Is it hard to find stuff? Do we have to look for-- clothes, I guess?"

They mentioned clothes. For some reason, it's not something Gorgug's thought about. ... for reasons.

[tequila_sunset]

On the other end of the connection Harry tilts his head. Sounds and feels like a teenager. Nervous energy, all that uncertainty. He’s a former high school gym teacher, he knows these things in the deep recesses of his damaged memory.

“It can be for some of us. Clothing can tear from everyday wear, from the way some of our bodies change or crazy shit like fighting with hosts. But a lot of people lived here before we did and they left their clothes behind. Some easy to reach storefronts are kind of picked over but apartments are can be a real jackpot if you find someone who was your size.”

He keeps his tone light but reassuring.

“Other guys here tend to specialize in food or medicine, but clothing that fits well and makes you feel comfortable can go a long way to making living here easier.”

[tinflower]

"Oh, yeah, I guess a, there's people here with still their normal bodies, or... that look normal. But-- clothes are good. If we're stuck here for a while, then-- yeah."

It makes sense. Gorgug knows it makes sense, and he's not convincing himself: it feels like someone recognising the logic presented to them over the Murmur, as if he's been reminded.

"Have we-- have people been coming here a long time? Or.. I guess," he starts again, "I-- I heard some of the other stuff people said with the maps and the hospital, but I'm... I'm still getting my head around...how things happen around here."

His speech, even through the Murmur, is awkward, second-guessing--not startled, but with words don't flow easily from brain to (murmur) mouth.

[deflagrate]

Oh, how lovely of you to offer! Do you have an umbrella? Even a baseball cap will do.

[merged]

Do you mind if I stop by? I've got some useful things that could go to a new home. [ It feels safer to ask than risk surprising him. ]

(you can decide if Harry’s inner voices are audible)

[tequila_sunset]

EMPATHY - (Poor kid. This would be a lot for anyone to take in.)

“It’s been several months of people showing up here. I'm not great at keeping track of time.”

He gives him a moment to process that.

“Have you found a place to sleep?”

That’s a good place to start.

[tequila_sunset]

“I have so many hats and umbrellas. Raincoats too.”

He does like how bright and colorful some of these umbrellas are, some have ears and cartoon animal faces.

[vixenish]

... I don't have anything to give away, exactly ... but I do have clothing in stock, and plenty of it. Is there anything you'd like to be able to supply that you don't have?

[ as always, right now, her presence in the murmur is ... heavy. as if weighed down, her spirit taxed to the point of strain. ]

(i will just bc it will be funny to see when gorgug actually questions it)

[tinflower]

? There's another voice? Is this a mask-- uh, Murmur, thing? Gorgug doesn't get it, but he lets it go when the main voice continues speaking.

"A place-- yeah, I did," he quickly confirms. "A hotel. I don't know if it's, I don't know how good it is, but it's really nice looking, even with a lot of this city from what I've seen looking bad."

It makes him a little awkward to be in, honestly, but it's not the biggest of problems he's having to deal with from being here.

[deflagrate]

I'm happy to take some off your hands, then. You're sure you won't miss them, or want anything in exchange for them?

[tequila_sunset]

An uncomfortable tension, animal fears.

“…yeah, sure.”

HALF LIGHT - (But I'll be watching you.)

RHETORIC - (Think of it as testing your mettle! Prove how dedicated you are to community building.)

[tequila_sunset]

Harry thinks for a moment, his eyes darting around his boxes. He doesn’t see anything he could be missing, right? Thats the problem.

“Do you have underwear, bras? I didn’t really pick up anything for girls.”

Looting clothing where he can find it is one thing, but touching girls' clothes like that feels very wrong. He pushes away his residual discomfort.

“…how are you?”

This feeling he gets on the murmur, this frustration, awareness of distance. Like if he was talking to her in person he'd be able to understand everything that’s up with her immediately. And solve it.

[tequila_sunset]

“No way. The age of capital is past. We’re standing on the grave of the world that money bought. You’re my neighbor.”

[vixenish]

Sure. Should I just bring whatever I have by the garage?

[ a fairly understandable request... they're some of the harder items to find. and, for that specific reason, some of the ones she's gone out of her way to source. she'll be able to offer a decent supply.

the question produces a brief pause. she's been asked it quite a bit lately, as if she doesn't know why. she's couldn't keep the whole of her ache out of the murmur right now if she tried, and she hasn't even made the attempt. still, it's... ]

Tired, [ is her honest answer, brushed with her sincerity and a barely-there gratitude that he'd ask. ] Last month was long.

[deflagrate]

[ ah. he's an outspoken man with big ideas? ]

Then I hope to be as good a neighbor to you as you are to me. Is the trip from from the Columbia University a short one?

[blindserpent]

[Darkness and flashes of fear permeated Harang's thoughts as he hovered at the edge of the Murmur. He really hated letting anyone know how helpless he was on his own but he did need clothes. His frustration grew as he mentally paced back and forth.]

...do you have anything that's easy to put on, maybe a walking stick...sigh I'm blind.

[merged]

[ Every taste of his fear triggers a flutter of anger within her. She sees pieces of Dahlia in him. ]

Cool. I'll be there in a couple of hours. [ This way, they can both mentally prepare. ]

[tequila_sunset]

EMPATHY - (He’d appreciate it if you don’t make a big deal of his condition. Be helpful, but casual.)

“Yeah totally. Do you need help getting over here?”

[tequila_sunset]

“That’s good. Yeah. It’s a good place. Good people.”

A pause.

“People are pretty good here, you know. And we've all been new before. Don’t be afraid to ask if you need anything.”

And he can’t help but notice…

“You aren’t from this Earth, are you? Most people who are just call it Manhattan. But to you and me it’s the city.”