UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
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Fandom đđŁđđȘđ§đ & đđȘđ§đ«đđ«đ | tlou 1x1 w/social
- Thread starter UNDEADxDREAMS
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- 1x1 apocalypse the last of us tlou
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
The snow felt like pins and needles as it hit the flushed skin, seemingly refusing to melt due to how cold it was outside. Winter was no joke in Jackson, but it didnât seem to bother the woman that much, at least not outwardly. She had acclimated to Wyoming winters, probably because Montana wasnât too far behind it in terms of how cold it got. But the gusts of snow that pelted her and attempted to blind her werenât exactly something she was a fan of. Her hands were balled up at her sides, and despite the wind that ripped at her hood and gaiter, she continued to observe and listen as they walked the outskirts of their community.
Michaela was doing her best to bury herself in her work, and that meant she was trudging through the snow and not making light-hearted conversation with her patrol partner. She didnât necessarily have anything against Ellie, but she didnât really want to be stuck with her at that point in particular. Nothing even happened between them, but what had gone down at the danceâit had lodged itself in Michaelaâs brain, and she was desperate to push it away. She had been enjoying the dance herself and all that company it provided, but the moment between Ellie and Dina had derailed her night more than she cared to admit.
Not to mention that the mere existence of Seth pretty much threw the woman into her childhood and caused her to leave the dance rather abruptly. Things had beenâŠtense to say the least whenever she bumped into Ellie or Dina in Jackson. She did her best to throw on a friendly or at least polite smile, but she never stuck around long enough to converse. It made her skin crawl and her stomach gnaw at itself in uncomfortable ways. Michaela knew better than to try and dissect any of those emotions, so she slammed the doors on them and turned towards other things.
The snow seemed to deepen as they began to descend down the hill they were walking, the snow finally fighting against her layers of pants to get into her boots. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stopped to briefly scoop a large chunk of snow that fell into her boots, but ultimately kept walking. Her fingers ached as her body battled the numbness that was creeping into the digits. It was uncomfortable and burned in a way, but it wasn't nearly as terrible as defrosting. That was probably part of the reason why she kept walking, she didn't want to deal with the pain of her body warming back up in the tower.
Her shoulders stiffened, and the brunette brought her arms up to cross them across her body, hoping for warmth and a way to force the uncomfortable feelings back into their hiding place. She was doing a decent job at it until she heard the mumbled words of her partner, which caused her to stop and look at the auburn-haired girl, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Pulling down her gaiter so she wasnât muffled, Michaelaâsurprisingly enoughâspoke to Ellie. âWe can head back to the Watchtower. There isnât much to see when itâs like this.â Her blue gaze barely seemed to linger on Ellieâs before snapping to the snowy landscape that surrounded them.
âCould radio Jesse and ask what he wants us to do.â Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled the gaiter back up and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, her back facing the wind as she awkwardly avoided looking directly at Ellie. Michaela wasnât exactly equipped to navigate situations like the one she put herself in, and that was unfortunately obvious to those who took the time to notice. âUnless you wanna keep going.â
Michaela was doing her best to bury herself in her work, and that meant she was trudging through the snow and not making light-hearted conversation with her patrol partner. She didnât necessarily have anything against Ellie, but she didnât really want to be stuck with her at that point in particular. Nothing even happened between them, but what had gone down at the danceâit had lodged itself in Michaelaâs brain, and she was desperate to push it away. She had been enjoying the dance herself and all that company it provided, but the moment between Ellie and Dina had derailed her night more than she cared to admit.
Not to mention that the mere existence of Seth pretty much threw the woman into her childhood and caused her to leave the dance rather abruptly. Things had beenâŠtense to say the least whenever she bumped into Ellie or Dina in Jackson. She did her best to throw on a friendly or at least polite smile, but she never stuck around long enough to converse. It made her skin crawl and her stomach gnaw at itself in uncomfortable ways. Michaela knew better than to try and dissect any of those emotions, so she slammed the doors on them and turned towards other things.
The snow seemed to deepen as they began to descend down the hill they were walking, the snow finally fighting against her layers of pants to get into her boots. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stopped to briefly scoop a large chunk of snow that fell into her boots, but ultimately kept walking. Her fingers ached as her body battled the numbness that was creeping into the digits. It was uncomfortable and burned in a way, but it wasn't nearly as terrible as defrosting. That was probably part of the reason why she kept walking, she didn't want to deal with the pain of her body warming back up in the tower.
Her shoulders stiffened, and the brunette brought her arms up to cross them across her body, hoping for warmth and a way to force the uncomfortable feelings back into their hiding place. She was doing a decent job at it until she heard the mumbled words of her partner, which caused her to stop and look at the auburn-haired girl, an unreadable expression in her eyes. Pulling down her gaiter so she wasnât muffled, Michaelaâsurprisingly enoughâspoke to Ellie. âWe can head back to the Watchtower. There isnât much to see when itâs like this.â Her blue gaze barely seemed to linger on Ellieâs before snapping to the snowy landscape that surrounded them.
âCould radio Jesse and ask what he wants us to do.â Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled the gaiter back up and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, her back facing the wind as she awkwardly avoided looking directly at Ellie. Michaela wasnât exactly equipped to navigate situations like the one she put herself in, and that was unfortunately obvious to those who took the time to notice. âUnless you wanna keep going.â
coded by social
jesse park
Pushing a snow-covered branch out of the way, the young man looked back and forth, quietly observing the undisturbed snow on both sides of their trail. There was always a sense of relief when there wasnât evidence of anything coming through, animal or not, which ultimately made his job easier. The snow was thick and deep, the wind howling and ripping at the insulated clothes he wore. His hands rested comfortably at his sides as he guided the pair through the patrol route, knowing all of them like the back of his hand. He was a patrol leader, it was the most basic skill he should possess. His comfort and familiarity with the Jackson patrols meant that it was almost always easy to pair up with Jesse as long as you listened to him.
He was a bit of a stickler for the rules, but surviving the end of the world would do that to a guy. He was very by the book, and his loyalty to Jackson was admirable. The only thing that ever seemed to get him in trouble, at least in the court of public opinion, was his turbulent relationship with Dina. His mother, in particular, would lecture him about the lack of commitment that came from her son. He couldnât help it, it was the one area of his life that he didnât like to stick harsh rules on. The fluidity of their relationship meant that Jesse had very few expectations, and they never had difficult emotions. Love wasnât really a factor between the two. Companionship was the ultimate goal.
Thatâs why it didnât upset him to break up with Dina for good just a few weeks prior, and why he barely cared about Ellie and Dinaâs whole âscandalousâ kiss during the dance. In his opinion, it just opened Ellie up for some ribbing whenever her pride had recovered from Joel stepping in to help her out. He had planned on nagging the girl a little bit on patrol, but Tommy had swapped partners before they set out, and thatâs how he found himself with Giselle. She was new to Jackson, but she was capable and enthusiastic about gardening. That meant she was pretty cool in his eyes. Or thatâs what heâd like to say.
In reality, she was the kind of person who made Jesse want to rip his hair out. Yeah, she was somehow worse than Dina and Ellie when they went on patrol together, mostly because she acted like them while he was there to instruct her. It sort of gave him a headache when the girl wouldnât follow his orders and would essentially go rogue, regardless of the result. Jesse had wanted to protest the pairing simply due to his peace of mind, but he didn't utter a word. Instead, he just rounded her up and they set out.
The sound of snow crunching faster than before made Jesse turn to his side, greeted with the bundled-up figure of his partner as she did her best to match his pace, cracking a joke as soon as she got to his side. He laughed a bit, though it was greatly muffled by his jacket. Slowing his pace so she didnât have to walk too fast, he shrugged his shoulders casually. âI mean, I grew up in this, so itâs not that bad to me.â He was lying about it not being bad. He hated the wind and how it chilled anything to the bone within minutes. He had already forgotten the feeling of having toes and fingers, he just hoped the layers were enough to keep everything undamaged.
âYâknow I donât think youâll die. Iâm pretty much the posture boy when it comes to patrol partners surviving.â He matched her tone, reaching a hand up to pat himself on the back. âAnyways, you wouldnât be cold if you bundled up properly.â Moving to stand somewhat in front of Giselle, he reached out his hands and tied her scarf so it would stop slipping and actually keep her warm. Once he was satisfied, he dropped his gloved hands back to his side and looked around, his hands on his hips. âWe arenât that far from finishing up the route, but if youâre really too cold, we can head back. I can check in with the patrols and see if the storm is going to let up at any point.â Dusting off the snow that had accumulated on his body, he glanced at his watch, frowning at the time.
âMaybe we should finish this with the horses and then go straight to Jackson.â
He was a bit of a stickler for the rules, but surviving the end of the world would do that to a guy. He was very by the book, and his loyalty to Jackson was admirable. The only thing that ever seemed to get him in trouble, at least in the court of public opinion, was his turbulent relationship with Dina. His mother, in particular, would lecture him about the lack of commitment that came from her son. He couldnât help it, it was the one area of his life that he didnât like to stick harsh rules on. The fluidity of their relationship meant that Jesse had very few expectations, and they never had difficult emotions. Love wasnât really a factor between the two. Companionship was the ultimate goal.
Thatâs why it didnât upset him to break up with Dina for good just a few weeks prior, and why he barely cared about Ellie and Dinaâs whole âscandalousâ kiss during the dance. In his opinion, it just opened Ellie up for some ribbing whenever her pride had recovered from Joel stepping in to help her out. He had planned on nagging the girl a little bit on patrol, but Tommy had swapped partners before they set out, and thatâs how he found himself with Giselle. She was new to Jackson, but she was capable and enthusiastic about gardening. That meant she was pretty cool in his eyes. Or thatâs what heâd like to say.
In reality, she was the kind of person who made Jesse want to rip his hair out. Yeah, she was somehow worse than Dina and Ellie when they went on patrol together, mostly because she acted like them while he was there to instruct her. It sort of gave him a headache when the girl wouldnât follow his orders and would essentially go rogue, regardless of the result. Jesse had wanted to protest the pairing simply due to his peace of mind, but he didn't utter a word. Instead, he just rounded her up and they set out.
The sound of snow crunching faster than before made Jesse turn to his side, greeted with the bundled-up figure of his partner as she did her best to match his pace, cracking a joke as soon as she got to his side. He laughed a bit, though it was greatly muffled by his jacket. Slowing his pace so she didnât have to walk too fast, he shrugged his shoulders casually. âI mean, I grew up in this, so itâs not that bad to me.â He was lying about it not being bad. He hated the wind and how it chilled anything to the bone within minutes. He had already forgotten the feeling of having toes and fingers, he just hoped the layers were enough to keep everything undamaged.
âYâknow I donât think youâll die. Iâm pretty much the posture boy when it comes to patrol partners surviving.â He matched her tone, reaching a hand up to pat himself on the back. âAnyways, you wouldnât be cold if you bundled up properly.â Moving to stand somewhat in front of Giselle, he reached out his hands and tied her scarf so it would stop slipping and actually keep her warm. Once he was satisfied, he dropped his gloved hands back to his side and looked around, his hands on his hips. âWe arenât that far from finishing up the route, but if youâre really too cold, we can head back. I can check in with the patrols and see if the storm is going to let up at any point.â Dusting off the snow that had accumulated on his body, he glanced at his watch, frowning at the time.
âMaybe we should finish this with the horses and then go straight to Jackson.â
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie shifted her weight, boots grinding into the packed snow beneath her as she paused just behind Michaela. Ellie was honestly so thankful she had traded in her chucks for boots today, braving this weather in canvas shoes definitely would've ensure she came back with two less toes. The cold was relentless now, biting through her coat and settling into her joints like it had a personal grudge. Snow clung to her lashes, melted into her hood, and stung her cheeks rawâbut none of it was half as sharp as the awkward weight hanging between the two of them.She hadnât expected Michaela to actually speak up, not that she minded, honestly she's glad she did.
Ellieâs green eyes flicked toward her, taking in the stiff set of the girlâs shoulders, the way she kept her back to the wind like she was trying to disappear into her own coat. There was a tension in the air, something unspoken but heavy. Ellie wasnât great with⊠whatever this was. Guilt? Confusion? Resentment? Maybe all of it. Whatever had happened at the danceâbetween her and Dinaâclearly hadnât gone unnoticed with everyone in town and maybe that went the same for Michaela too. Ellie couldn't really get a good read on her ever, was she put-off by the kiss being between Ellie and another woman or. . .was her outburst on Joel equally as uncomfortable for her as it was Ellie?
Ellie rubbed a hand over her face, slow and tired. She didnât blame Michaela, not really. People were allowed to feel weird about things. Hell, Ellie had barely wanted to look Dina in the eye after that night and now she was here, stuck on a shift with someone who barely looked at her, and when she did, it was with a sort of detached politeness that made Ellie feel like a stranger in her own skin. Yeah, fuck this.
She sniffed hard, pulling her scarf down just enough to speak. Her voice was low and a little hoarse from the cold. âYeah. We can head back.â She glanced toward the whiteout ahead, pretending to consider it longer than she really needed to. âNot like weâre gonna see much if we keep pushing forward. Just more snow. More frozen fingers.â A beat passed before she added, softer, âYou can call Jesse. Let him know weâre heading in, doubt he'll want us out in this much longer anyway.â
Ellie looked at Michaela then, just for a second. Her expression didnât carry anything complicatedâjust a tired sort of neutrality. No push, no tension. She wasnât going to try and fix anything here. Maybe there wasnât anything to fix but if Michaela needed distance, Ellie could give her that. Lately, that's all Ellie had been any good at. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and started walking back the way they came, boots kicking up slow, reluctant steps through the deepening snow. Man, what she'd do to have Shimmer here.
For a moment the howling of the wind let up just long enough for Ellie's ears to catch something in the distance. . .before she could be sure the howling started up again with a vengeanceâher feet stuttered to a stop âDid you hear that?â
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle blinked up at him from beneath the rim of her tuque, lashes dusted with snowflakes that refused to melt. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, the skin tight and sore despite the scarf heâd just fixed around her neck. She let him do it without protestâmostly because her fingers were too stiff to fix it herself, and also because, deep down, it was kind of⊠nice. In a strictly survival, patrol-efficiency sort of way. Definitely not sentimental, she wasnât about to admit the gesture made her stomach flip weirdly because that was something she didn't even want to begin on packing. Nope.Her nose wrinkled at his jab about bundling up, and she let out a short laugh through chattering teeth. âYou try bundling up properly when your socks are swimming in snow and your boots turned into ice cube,â she muttered, pulling her coat tighter with a muted grunt. âAnd for the record, âpretty much the poster boyâ doesnât inspire as much confidence as you think it does.â But her voice lacked bite, the truth was, she didnât hate Jesse. Sure, he was a pain in the ass when he got all serious and bossy, like she hadnât survived worse things before arriving to Jackson but there was something grounding about him, something reliable. He wasnât trying to impress anyoneâjust trying to do his job, and maybe keep people alive along the way. She could appreciate that.
She exhaled slowly, watching the white puff drift into the air before the wind swept it away. âLetâs finish it, might as well get through the last stretch if weâre already out here freezing our asses off.â She cast a glance toward the tree line ahead, the sky was darkening faster than she liked, and the wind was beginning to howl with a deeper pitch.
âI vote we get through this quick, check in, and then head straight to the horses before I lose more than just my fingers, how does that sound poster boy?â she added, half-joking, though she flexed her fingers inside her gloves with growing concern; quickly she folded her arms, stuffing her hands under her armpits. Giselle would just have to trust Jesse if something happened to jump out. She started walking again, crunching through the deep snow, and shot Jesse a sideways glance. âYou really grew up in this, huh? Man, you people are built different. My family's from Macon.â A beat passed, the snow still falling, the world muffled and quiet around them and then softer, just loud enough for him to hear, she added, âThanks. For the scarf thing.â
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
She nodded her head when Ellie agreed, her jaw clenched in order to push away any chattering that mightâve occurred due to the cold. Of course, they had been stuck patrolling the open valley rather than the wooded area Jesse had snagged. Michaela preferred the covering of the woods as opposed to the valleys and fields, but she understood that Joel usually had a hand in where Ellie was put, so she didnât complain. It was probably nice, at least in some way, to have someone look out for you. She was able to acknowledge her envy regarding that. Joel was pretty cool and Michaela wasnât put off by the gruff exterior, so whenever she bumped into him or paired up with him on rare occasions, she was generally at ease.
It didnât make logical sense for the same feelings not to extend to Ellie, but due to her lack of interest in unpacking the years of complicated emotions regarding the woman, she had no way of figuring it out. Michaela looked at Ellie with a certain amount of concern at the mention of frozen fingers. She seemed about to say something, but it quickly died in her throat when a particularly heavy gust of wind hit her back and caused her to shrink back into herself, shivering slightly. âYeah, Iâll do that.â Sniffling behind her gaiter, the woman did her best to maintain some eye contact with Ellie, but it ultimately fizzled out due to the guilt that started to swim in her stomach.
She wasnât a fool; she could tell that her attitude was making things awkward for Ellie, and that made her want to apologize and try to put a band-aid over the situation. While she wrestled with her thoughts and words, she barely noticed that her patrol partner started heading back in the direction of the tower. It took her a few seconds before it registered, and she forced her stiffened body to move, the action causing pain to shoot through her legs and feet as she did her best to walk back in her own footprints.
Frozen, gloved fingers pulled her backpack off one shoulder so it could wrap around to her chest, where she grabbed the radio from inside the main compartment. Situating her bag back where it belonged, she turned the radio on and started flipping to the channel that Jesse assigned them for the day. Pulling down her gaiter again, she pressed the talk button and started her relay. âJesse, itâs Michaela. The weather is really bad. Weâre going back to the tower. Over.â Releasing the button, she tucked her chin into her jacket, a shaky exhale leaving her.
It didnât take too long before the cackling of the radio speakers cut through the wind, and Jesseâs voice came through. âSounds good. Weâre almost finished here. Watch out for infected. Over and out.â Michael let out a huff of air, trying to keep her lungs in working condition as she hastily pulled the gaiter back up over her face, her hands managing to turn off the radio and attach it back to the backpack. She figured everything would be good to go now that they had the okay to head back. They could grab the horses and hopefully head home once the storm let up.
As if on cue, the raging wind seemed to dull, giving respite to the pair of frozen bodies as they wandered through the drifts. But anyone who was a survivor knew that when it was quiet, you had to take advantage of it. Michaela could barely pick up on a low noise coming from the direction they were headed in, causing her to jerk her head to the side, opening her ears up to catch the noise properly. But all she got was a gust of wind to the right side of her face. Ellieâs question made her stiffen, now having confirmation that something was potentially out there. Her immediate response was to pull her rifle out, the butt of the gun resting against her body as she looked into the scope, tracing over the snowy landscape.
Her breath had paused in her chest, as if waiting for the worst-case scenario. For a couple of minutes, everything was quiet and normal. Michaela was about to put her gun back when her shoulders stiffened and she saw a slumped, dark figure in the distance. âThereâs an infected, I think. Itâs-â an annoyed noise left her as she pointed her gun at the ground, unable to see much through the wall of snow, âI canât tell. Thereâs too much snow. We could go the long way back to the tower.â It wasnât ideal, taking the longer route back to the watchtower, risking getting colder and having to spend even longer in the outpost to warm back up. But the alternative was risking fighting an infected when their own bodies were chilled.
She doubted that there would be that many; most of the time, they kept to themselves in winter, as there wasnât much to feed on due to the cold. The herds of them would thin to maybe a handful if they were lucky. The longer route to the tower took them down the hill and into a valley where it would wrap around to the backside of the hill where the tower was perched on. Seemed reasonable enough. âTry not to freeze before we get there. I only have room in this jacket for one person.â Maybe it was Michaelaâs attempt at breaking the ice between them, but unfortunately, it was unable to carry the same level of sarcasm her humor normally possessed due to the shaking of her voice as she spoke. The wind seemed to ramp up even more, which meant it was getting cold as Hell, which unfortunately made everything difficult to do. That included talking.
Her jaw felt stiff, and her joints seemed to scream in protest as she slung her rifle across her back and began the descent down the hill. It wasnât difficult, the trails were easy to access and locate due to how expansive their tower was, so Michaela wasnât worried. But with the thick snow, it made it a lot harder to look out for things that were underneath your feet. Like it had been rehearsed, she turned to make a comment, only for her foot to catch something beneath the snow, which sent her barreling forward, her shoulder hitting the ground only for a moment before she rolled. Snow hit her in the face and seemed to cram down every crevice that her clothes had to offer.
Once the brunette made it to the base of the hill, she lay still for a moment, her breathing shallow and labored as the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. She had no idea what she had tripped on, and frankly, whatever it was, she was planning on ripping it out of the hill just for good measure. But getting oxygen back into her lungs was the priority, and that was a task in itself. Her gaze was blurry and unsteady due to dizziness, but she managed to reach a hand up to yank the gaiter down, desperate for air to get into her body. But only a wheeze seemed to come out as her body panicked and tried to get her muscles to relax enough to allow her to breathe again.
It didnât make logical sense for the same feelings not to extend to Ellie, but due to her lack of interest in unpacking the years of complicated emotions regarding the woman, she had no way of figuring it out. Michaela looked at Ellie with a certain amount of concern at the mention of frozen fingers. She seemed about to say something, but it quickly died in her throat when a particularly heavy gust of wind hit her back and caused her to shrink back into herself, shivering slightly. âYeah, Iâll do that.â Sniffling behind her gaiter, the woman did her best to maintain some eye contact with Ellie, but it ultimately fizzled out due to the guilt that started to swim in her stomach.
She wasnât a fool; she could tell that her attitude was making things awkward for Ellie, and that made her want to apologize and try to put a band-aid over the situation. While she wrestled with her thoughts and words, she barely noticed that her patrol partner started heading back in the direction of the tower. It took her a few seconds before it registered, and she forced her stiffened body to move, the action causing pain to shoot through her legs and feet as she did her best to walk back in her own footprints.
Frozen, gloved fingers pulled her backpack off one shoulder so it could wrap around to her chest, where she grabbed the radio from inside the main compartment. Situating her bag back where it belonged, she turned the radio on and started flipping to the channel that Jesse assigned them for the day. Pulling down her gaiter again, she pressed the talk button and started her relay. âJesse, itâs Michaela. The weather is really bad. Weâre going back to the tower. Over.â Releasing the button, she tucked her chin into her jacket, a shaky exhale leaving her.
It didnât take too long before the cackling of the radio speakers cut through the wind, and Jesseâs voice came through. âSounds good. Weâre almost finished here. Watch out for infected. Over and out.â Michael let out a huff of air, trying to keep her lungs in working condition as she hastily pulled the gaiter back up over her face, her hands managing to turn off the radio and attach it back to the backpack. She figured everything would be good to go now that they had the okay to head back. They could grab the horses and hopefully head home once the storm let up.
As if on cue, the raging wind seemed to dull, giving respite to the pair of frozen bodies as they wandered through the drifts. But anyone who was a survivor knew that when it was quiet, you had to take advantage of it. Michaela could barely pick up on a low noise coming from the direction they were headed in, causing her to jerk her head to the side, opening her ears up to catch the noise properly. But all she got was a gust of wind to the right side of her face. Ellieâs question made her stiffen, now having confirmation that something was potentially out there. Her immediate response was to pull her rifle out, the butt of the gun resting against her body as she looked into the scope, tracing over the snowy landscape.
Her breath had paused in her chest, as if waiting for the worst-case scenario. For a couple of minutes, everything was quiet and normal. Michaela was about to put her gun back when her shoulders stiffened and she saw a slumped, dark figure in the distance. âThereâs an infected, I think. Itâs-â an annoyed noise left her as she pointed her gun at the ground, unable to see much through the wall of snow, âI canât tell. Thereâs too much snow. We could go the long way back to the tower.â It wasnât ideal, taking the longer route back to the watchtower, risking getting colder and having to spend even longer in the outpost to warm back up. But the alternative was risking fighting an infected when their own bodies were chilled.
She doubted that there would be that many; most of the time, they kept to themselves in winter, as there wasnât much to feed on due to the cold. The herds of them would thin to maybe a handful if they were lucky. The longer route to the tower took them down the hill and into a valley where it would wrap around to the backside of the hill where the tower was perched on. Seemed reasonable enough. âTry not to freeze before we get there. I only have room in this jacket for one person.â Maybe it was Michaelaâs attempt at breaking the ice between them, but unfortunately, it was unable to carry the same level of sarcasm her humor normally possessed due to the shaking of her voice as she spoke. The wind seemed to ramp up even more, which meant it was getting cold as Hell, which unfortunately made everything difficult to do. That included talking.
Her jaw felt stiff, and her joints seemed to scream in protest as she slung her rifle across her back and began the descent down the hill. It wasnât difficult, the trails were easy to access and locate due to how expansive their tower was, so Michaela wasnât worried. But with the thick snow, it made it a lot harder to look out for things that were underneath your feet. Like it had been rehearsed, she turned to make a comment, only for her foot to catch something beneath the snow, which sent her barreling forward, her shoulder hitting the ground only for a moment before she rolled. Snow hit her in the face and seemed to cram down every crevice that her clothes had to offer.
Once the brunette made it to the base of the hill, she lay still for a moment, her breathing shallow and labored as the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. She had no idea what she had tripped on, and frankly, whatever it was, she was planning on ripping it out of the hill just for good measure. But getting oxygen back into her lungs was the priority, and that was a task in itself. Her gaze was blurry and unsteady due to dizziness, but she managed to reach a hand up to yank the gaiter down, desperate for air to get into her body. But only a wheeze seemed to come out as her body panicked and tried to get her muscles to relax enough to allow her to breathe again.
coded by social
jesse park
Rolling his eyes, the man laughed a bit as his arms crossed, his weight shifting to one foot as he looked at Giselle. He knew she was cold, but at least she wasnât too cold to the point she couldnât crack any jokes. âYou donât have confidence in me? Well shit, guess I should give up being patrol leader.â His tone was sarcastic and light-hearted, clearly not taking any of her insults to heart. He had a thick skin, you had to when you lived like they did. You couldnât survive if everything was a personal attack or could debilitate you at a secondâs notice. âIâve got an extra scarf and gloves in my pack if you need them. Figured they might come in handy, given your track record.â
Reaching out a hand, he patted her back and rubbed it for a few moments, encouraging the blood to circulate in her body more effectively. He was pleased to say the least that Giselle was willing to finish off the patrol. Jesse was well aware of her usual antics, so he was taking the opportunity to take advantage of her willingness and get everything finished for the day. âWeâll make it fast. Just yell if you need me to carry you. Actually donât. Yell if you roll an ankle.â Smiling at her, he started walking again, rubbing his arms to get the blood pumping again. The woods had thinned out, and they had an open field to cross before hitting another treeline, which marked the end of their patrol route. It really wasnât too bad.
Jesse raised an eyebrow as Giselle brought up where she lived and how different it was from growing up in Wyoming. âCanât say Iâm not jealous. It was hell as a kid sometimes. I remember getting stuck in a tree when I was a kid because of infected. Letâs just say, I was worried Iâd actually lose a toe.â His tone was, as usual, laid-back and relaxed, similar to his body language as he kept pace with the woman, his gaze jumping between her and checking out the patrol area. âI canât imagine being warm all the time. That sounds crazy to me. I think itâs even crazier you found your way to a cold-ass place like this.â
He almost missed the quiet words that left Giselle, but he didnât, and he counted himself lucky for that. He smiled and tilted his head, not wanting to point out that maybe she was softening up to his nagging. âNo problem Giselle.â The radio on his hip began to make noise, and soon enough, a voice popped through. Unclipping it, Jesse brought it up to his face and listened to the crackling words. âWell, looks like you arenât the only one freezing.â He wasnât exactly filled with confidence over the fact that some of his patrols were unable to finish their routes due to weather, and his thoughts wandered to Dinaâs group. Heâd have to check on them, too.
Once he finished with Michaela, he changed to a different channel and pressed down the button. âDina, itâs Jesse. You guys holding up? Over.â There was silence for a minute as the pair walked through the field of snow, disrupting the snow for the first time.
âYou bet! Already done. Yup. Over.â The casual tone of Dina popped over the radio, a lot crisper than Michaela which indicated to Jesse that she was probably already back at the tower. Hell, she might not have even left it once the storm kicked up. Rolling his eyes, more to himself than anything, he reigned in the lectures. He would let it slide.
âOkay. Keep dry and wait out the storm. Iâll round everyone up once it lightens up. Over and out.â The radio quieted down, and he fastened it back to his hip, a small sigh escaping him. He didnât complain about the situation, but he was clearly somewhat disgruntled yet relieved that the duo was safe and sound. Above all else, Jesse was a bit of a mother hen when it came to his patrol teams, and he wanted them alive and in one piece. âHopefully Tommy doesnât fact-check anyone when we get back.â The wind seemed to pick up again, and Jesse braced against it, a hand moving out to grab onto Giselle and keep her close. âGod, this shit is ridiculous.â
The wind ramping up made it ten times more difficult for them to see anything, not only due to the wall of snow in the air, but because of the snowflakes that pelted them in the face. âStay close. I donât want anyone swept off into the snow.â Safety was a serious risk in such weather. Even if you strayed a few feet away, sometimes you could genuinely lose whoever you were with. Back when Jesse was younger, there was an incident like that and it had terrified him so much that for that entire winter, he made sure to hold his motherâs hand every time they stepped outside. He couldnât imagine losing someone while on patrol, and he wasnât going to start now.
It was hard to speak and hear as they crossed the clearing, Jesseâs arm wrapped tightly around Giselle, which seemed to tighten with any stumble or change in pace. It took them longer than it shouldâve, but eventually they made it into the treeline, which provided much-needed protection from the blizzard. He let go of his partner and began to clean snow off his face and out of his gear, sniffling slightly as he scooped snow away from the tops of his boots. âYou okay? Everything in one piece?â Jesse wasnât exactly looking forward to the trip back, but the promise of protection and warmth from the limited resources at the tower was an attractive prospect. âWe might have to hang out at the tower for longer than I would like.â
Luckily, the towers out on patrol were more fortified against the weather than the ones in the city. They had walls that could protect you from the wind and snow, along with small wood stoves in case anyone got stuck in them, or night patrols posted up there. There were supplies as well, which meant extra gear and food. Granted, it was Jackson so you had to replace what you used, but they could do that later.
Reaching out a hand, he patted her back and rubbed it for a few moments, encouraging the blood to circulate in her body more effectively. He was pleased to say the least that Giselle was willing to finish off the patrol. Jesse was well aware of her usual antics, so he was taking the opportunity to take advantage of her willingness and get everything finished for the day. âWeâll make it fast. Just yell if you need me to carry you. Actually donât. Yell if you roll an ankle.â Smiling at her, he started walking again, rubbing his arms to get the blood pumping again. The woods had thinned out, and they had an open field to cross before hitting another treeline, which marked the end of their patrol route. It really wasnât too bad.
Jesse raised an eyebrow as Giselle brought up where she lived and how different it was from growing up in Wyoming. âCanât say Iâm not jealous. It was hell as a kid sometimes. I remember getting stuck in a tree when I was a kid because of infected. Letâs just say, I was worried Iâd actually lose a toe.â His tone was, as usual, laid-back and relaxed, similar to his body language as he kept pace with the woman, his gaze jumping between her and checking out the patrol area. âI canât imagine being warm all the time. That sounds crazy to me. I think itâs even crazier you found your way to a cold-ass place like this.â
He almost missed the quiet words that left Giselle, but he didnât, and he counted himself lucky for that. He smiled and tilted his head, not wanting to point out that maybe she was softening up to his nagging. âNo problem Giselle.â The radio on his hip began to make noise, and soon enough, a voice popped through. Unclipping it, Jesse brought it up to his face and listened to the crackling words. âWell, looks like you arenât the only one freezing.â He wasnât exactly filled with confidence over the fact that some of his patrols were unable to finish their routes due to weather, and his thoughts wandered to Dinaâs group. Heâd have to check on them, too.
Once he finished with Michaela, he changed to a different channel and pressed down the button. âDina, itâs Jesse. You guys holding up? Over.â There was silence for a minute as the pair walked through the field of snow, disrupting the snow for the first time.
âYou bet! Already done. Yup. Over.â The casual tone of Dina popped over the radio, a lot crisper than Michaela which indicated to Jesse that she was probably already back at the tower. Hell, she might not have even left it once the storm kicked up. Rolling his eyes, more to himself than anything, he reigned in the lectures. He would let it slide.
âOkay. Keep dry and wait out the storm. Iâll round everyone up once it lightens up. Over and out.â The radio quieted down, and he fastened it back to his hip, a small sigh escaping him. He didnât complain about the situation, but he was clearly somewhat disgruntled yet relieved that the duo was safe and sound. Above all else, Jesse was a bit of a mother hen when it came to his patrol teams, and he wanted them alive and in one piece. âHopefully Tommy doesnât fact-check anyone when we get back.â The wind seemed to pick up again, and Jesse braced against it, a hand moving out to grab onto Giselle and keep her close. âGod, this shit is ridiculous.â
The wind ramping up made it ten times more difficult for them to see anything, not only due to the wall of snow in the air, but because of the snowflakes that pelted them in the face. âStay close. I donât want anyone swept off into the snow.â Safety was a serious risk in such weather. Even if you strayed a few feet away, sometimes you could genuinely lose whoever you were with. Back when Jesse was younger, there was an incident like that and it had terrified him so much that for that entire winter, he made sure to hold his motherâs hand every time they stepped outside. He couldnât imagine losing someone while on patrol, and he wasnât going to start now.
It was hard to speak and hear as they crossed the clearing, Jesseâs arm wrapped tightly around Giselle, which seemed to tighten with any stumble or change in pace. It took them longer than it shouldâve, but eventually they made it into the treeline, which provided much-needed protection from the blizzard. He let go of his partner and began to clean snow off his face and out of his gear, sniffling slightly as he scooped snow away from the tops of his boots. âYou okay? Everything in one piece?â Jesse wasnât exactly looking forward to the trip back, but the promise of protection and warmth from the limited resources at the tower was an attractive prospect. âWe might have to hang out at the tower for longer than I would like.â
Luckily, the towers out on patrol were more fortified against the weather than the ones in the city. They had walls that could protect you from the wind and snow, along with small wood stoves in case anyone got stuck in them, or night patrols posted up there. There were supplies as well, which meant extra gear and food. Granted, it was Jackson so you had to replace what you used, but they could do that later.
coded by social
Last edited:
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie didnât even register the joke Michaela had made. One second she was trudging through the snow, half-watching her step, the nextâMichaela was gone.âShit!â
Her heart lodged itself in her throat as she tore down the slope after her, boots sliding more than running, snow kicking up around her legs with every frantic step. The white blur around them made it hard to track anything, but she caught sight of the dark shape tumbling through the drifts just ahead. Michaelaâs form crumpled at the base of the hill like a discarded ragdoll.
âMichaelaâ!â Her voice cracked as she skidded the last few feet, nearly falling herself before dropping to her knees beside the girl. âShit, shit, shitâhey, heyâfuck,â Ellie said in a rush, her gloved hands hovering awkwardly over Michaela before finally pressing gently against her shoulder. She didnât know if she should move her, didnât know what sheâd landed on, didnât know if it was her back, her ribs, her spineâbut she had to do something.
âMikaâcan you hear me?â Ellie leaned closer, yanking her own scarf down, ignoring the sting of cold air hitting her face as she tried to get a better look. âHey. Breathe, okay? Try to breathe. In through your noseâout your mouth.â But Michaela wasnât answering, not really âYouâre okay. Youâre okay. Youâre just winded,â Ellie muttered more to herself than to Michaela, pressing her palm against the girlâs jacket to try and steady her. âYouâre gonna breathe. You just fell, thatâs all, you just fell, itâs nothing, itâs gonna be okay.â
Ellie ripped off her gloves with her teeth and fumbled to pull Michaelaâs scarf lower, trying to make more room for her to breathe, trying to do something. âCome on, Mika. Come on. You're okay.â The wind kicked up again, throwing another wave of snow into their faces, but Ellie barely noticed. All she could hear was that strained, awful wheeze and the sound of her own blood roaring in her ears.
Her voice dropped, cracked with desperation. âDonât fucking pass out on me. Not here, okay? You wanna yell at me later? Fine. Justâjust breathe.â Suddenly the ground beneath them shifted. It was subtle at first, just a tremor, like the packed snow under her boots had exhaled. Then it cracked, her eyes snapped downward, heart dropping as the surface began to bulge just a few feet away. At first, she thought it was the snow driftingâbut then came the groan. Low. Rotten.
ââŠWhat the-â The mounds of white cracked wider. Something beneath it moved, clawed. âFuckâMika, get up!â Ellie scrambled to her feet, half-yanking Michaela by her jacket as another groan pierced through the howling windâthen another, farther off. A hand, blackened with frostbite. Fingers curled and stiff like crooked branches, clawing upward through the snow.
âShitshitshitââ Ellie stumbled back as the first infected crawled out. Its body half-frozen, skin pale and leathery, hair matted to its skull with frost. Its eyes had clouded over with a deathly glaze, but the snarl that tore from its throat was sharp. Behind it, more mounds shifted. The snow began to churn like something alive beneath itâone, two, four shapes beginning to claw their way out from a makeshift frozen nest. Ellie didnât wait, her pistol was out, shaking fingers fumbling the slide back.
âMika, MOVE!â she yelled again, voice cracking as she fired off a shot at the first one, the bullet striking the infectedâs neckâit didnât stop, it kept coming. Ellieâs breath hitched. Cold. Adrenaline. They needed to run, now. âCome on, come onâwe gotta get back to the tower now.â She grabbed under Michaelaâs arm, trying to hoist her up as the groaning chorus built behind themâsnow exploding upward as limbs, faces, teeth broke through the ground all around them.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle pulled her scarf up higher as the wind whipped violently around them again, squinting against the flurry of white that came at her face like a thousand tiny needles. She leaned into Jesseâs hold without protestânot because she needed it, she told herself, but because trying to walk through a whiteout solo was just asking to disappear. His arm around her was steady, firm, and goddamn warm compared to the hell that was her current body temperature. âGuess I should start keeping score. You nag me and keep me from blowing away,â she muttered, voice muffled behind the scarf heâd tied for her earlier. âMaybe there is some truth to what people around Jackson say.â Her legs burned from the effort of trudging across the open field, every muscle tight with cold but Jesse's steady presence beside her made it manageableâeven comforting, not that sheâd say it out loud to him just yet. âMy dad, he thought the colder it was the safer it'd be. . .Lotta luck that did us.â She mumbled, lips twitching downward briefly at the mention of her family; the topic of them didn't come up often, not that she had anyone to talk to lately âI used to complain about the bug bites butâI think I kind of miss them now.âOnce they hit the treeline, Jesse was already brushing snow out of his boots, and she followed suit, wincing at the numb sting in her ankles. âI think Iâve still got ten fingers and nine and a half toes, so yeahâIâm golden.â The sarcasm was light, familiar, but there was something a little easier in her voice now. His back-pats, his steady hands, the fact that he hadnât once complained about her falling behind or cracking jokesâheâd earned a few notches of respect she hadnât expected to give.
When the radio had crackled to life earlier and Jesse had called out to Dina, she hadnât said anything, but it had definitely pulled her attention. Dina had answered with that breezy, no-worries tone that made her sound like sheâd just strolled out of a summer festival instead of a snowstorm. Giselle liked Dina, at least on principle. She was competent, quick-witted, kind when she wasnât throwing knives with her eyes but when it came to Jesse, the weird push-and-pull they had going on made Giselle feel like she was watching a show with the volume muted. Something clearly had gone on between them, something clearly still was. The people of Jackson treated them like a sappy soap opera when they weren't looking. It didnât bother her, just. . .she noticed it.
She nudged Jesse with her shoulder as he sighed about Tommy. âIâll vouch for you if he starts fact-checking. âScoutâs honor,ââ she added, flashing a gloved salute with a half-smile. âThough technically, I was never a scout and I don't know how much honor Tommy would believe I have.â
âTower sounds like paradise right now,â she added, dragging a hand across her forehead to knock off the snow clinging to her tuque. âDonât care if we have to hang out all night. As long as thereâs a break from this wind and maybe something that doesnât taste like cardboard.â
The air had finally stilled. Trees stood around them, snow falling in lazy drifts now that they were sheltered beneath the branches. It shouldâve felt peacefulâearned, evenâbut then the sound cracked through the quiet.
A distant screech, infected. Giselle froze mid-step, breath catching in her throat as her head whipped toward the direction it came fromâsomewhere to their right, deeper in the woods, maybe a ridge over. Hard to tell. Sound bounced off the trees weird out here but it wasnât far enough. Another groan followed. A gurgling, wet scream, barely audibleâbut it was enough. Her stomach dropped, her limbs tensing automatically. She stepped in close to Jesse without thinking, her shoulder brushing his as she scanned the thinning treeline behind them. The wind had covered most of their trail, and while that could work in their favor, it also meant theyâd be hard to find out if they had to bolt.
Her voice dropped to a whisper, tight and clear. âYou heard that too, right?â She knew he had, Giselle shifted her weight anxiously, glancing back toward the field theyâd crossed. âThey sound like theyâre a ridge over, maybe? Windâs screwing everything up.â Her fingers flexed near her holster, but she didnât reach for the gun yet. Drawing too early out here just made noise. Her eyes flicked up to Jesseâs face. She trusted him to call the shots, even if she liked to pretend otherwise most days. She spoke, quieter now. âHorses are our best bet. Get there fast, ride straight to the tower or loop wide around if theyâre in our path.â A beat. She swallowed, nerves spiking but steady under pressure. âWhat do you think? Backtrack or try to push through the treeline?â Another howl echoedâcloser this time. Giselle edged even nearer to Jesse, brown eyes wide as her other hand curled around his jacket clad bicep.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
The snow fell steadily as she stared up into the sky, the grey clouds seemingly growing darker and more ominous. Everything seemed quiet, her ears ringing from the amount of layers of ice and frozen materials she had smacked into on her way down the hillside. Her body squeezed and fought against itself, everything moving in slow motion around her. Maybe it was from tumbling and hitting her head a few times, but she truly felt disoriented. It wasnât until the muffled voice of Ellie broke through and her panicked face was in Michaelaâs line of view that the girl started to register what had happened.
Her eyes were wide as she looked at the girl, trying her best to listen to what she was saying. It wasnât the first time that she had been winded, but it was jarring enough to the point her nervous system seemed to still be in disarray. Her lungs seemed to refuse to expand; the small amount of air getting through just didnât feel like enough. The thought of not being able to breathe seemed to jumpstart her body enough to the point she was able to move her arm, despite the protesting of her muscles. Her hand gripped the sleeve of Ellieâs jacket as tightly as she could, using it as an anchor as the woman tried to help her.
The bitterness of snow and wind hit her exposed skin as her gear was stripped away from her neck to allow her to at least feel like she was able to breathe. Michaela was doing her best to remain calm and simply relax in order to recover her breath, but all that work disappeared once she looked past Ellie. Back up the hill where she had tripped, she could see what had caused her to fall. A rotted arm protruded from the bank of snow, the fingers twitching and jerking around in abnormal ways, indicating that it was alive, so to speak. The horror of the fact that it was an infected, trying to crawl its way to the surface, made Michaela freeze as she stared at it, unable to speak as she wheezed and gasped.
Within seconds, the sounds of crackling and groans filled the air around them as more limbs and heads started to pop up through the snow, a gruesome sight for someone who was more or less immobilized. Ellieâs grip on her jacket effectively yanked the girl into a kneeling position, and in doing so, revealed the infected that Michaela had landed on. A terrified scream left the woman as the infected looked at her, the frosted eyes still seeming to track the movements of both humans. If either of them looked at her bag closely enough, they could easily see the small rips in the fabric from the infected slowly trying to get to her warm body without her even noticing. Michaela clumsily got to her feet with Ellieâs assistance, their legs moving as quickly as they could.
The snow was thick and difficult to run in, especially when a horde was starting to crawl out of the depths and scramble after you. But Michaela seemed to ignore that, even pushing aside the lack of air she was getting. One hand was locked around Ellieâs, and she ran, her hood flying back, exposing her neck and face fully to the wind. The echoes of gunshots bounced off of rocks, mountains, and surrounding ridges, only to be drowned out by the familiar grunting and shrieking of the infected. Her lungs burned, and she couldnât feel her legs as she ran, looking in every direction she could.
âFuck!â It didnât take long to realize that they were essentially boxed in and cut off from heading in the direction of the tower, which meant they werenât able to access their horses. Barely regaining the ability to speak, Michaela used her free hand to point to their right, a ridge which had trees and was more protected than the valley they were in. âThereâs a tower that way! Letâs just go!â The infected didnât care which way the pair went; they were hot on their heels, stumbling and crawling after them, the lack of food making them even more deranged than usual. She hadnât heard or seen infected in such numbers before. It mustâve been a horde that had traveled right before winter, which meant they were somehow attracted to Jackson. It was all a blur, and she could barely think straight. Her breathing was labored and shallow, the gasps apparent as she ran, doing her best not to trip again.
An arm swung at her, and it caused Michaela to instinctively raise her own to bat it out of the way. Fingers tried to grip her clothes, but only managed to leave light scrapes on the material, much to her relief. In that moment, she caught a glimpse of the radio on the side of her bag, and she did her best to unclip it as they moved. Easier said than done. She had to take off her glove, losing it in the sea of snow as they ran for their lives, her numb fingers ripping the radio off her backpack strap. It was difficult to adjust the channels while moving, but eventually she got to the right one.
âJESSE! Come in!â Her voice trembled, and the fear was evident in each word. âThereâs a horde! We are headed to the other ridge tower! Get your ass there! We donât have horses!â The radio hissed and crackled before a muffled voice broke through, far too quiet for Michaela to hear. âJUST GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!â She was louder than she intended, but she had to when they were having to climb up and over a ridge to get to the treeline. She did her best to clip the radio to her bag, but it was easily knocked out of her hand by an infected that tried to barrel into the pair. Oh well. There was an extra in the tower anyways. She was focused on Ellie and getting them both up to where they needed to go.
Muscles burned and protested as they climbed the small slope, luckily being able to use trees to pull themselves up as they went. She just hoped that they would be able to get somewhere in time. Hell, she didnât even know if a tower would save them from the rotting corpses that chased after them. Part of her hoped they would lose them in the woods, but a more rational part seemed concerned over the fact that there would be more infected, just waiting and watching.
Her eyes were wide as she looked at the girl, trying her best to listen to what she was saying. It wasnât the first time that she had been winded, but it was jarring enough to the point her nervous system seemed to still be in disarray. Her lungs seemed to refuse to expand; the small amount of air getting through just didnât feel like enough. The thought of not being able to breathe seemed to jumpstart her body enough to the point she was able to move her arm, despite the protesting of her muscles. Her hand gripped the sleeve of Ellieâs jacket as tightly as she could, using it as an anchor as the woman tried to help her.
The bitterness of snow and wind hit her exposed skin as her gear was stripped away from her neck to allow her to at least feel like she was able to breathe. Michaela was doing her best to remain calm and simply relax in order to recover her breath, but all that work disappeared once she looked past Ellie. Back up the hill where she had tripped, she could see what had caused her to fall. A rotted arm protruded from the bank of snow, the fingers twitching and jerking around in abnormal ways, indicating that it was alive, so to speak. The horror of the fact that it was an infected, trying to crawl its way to the surface, made Michaela freeze as she stared at it, unable to speak as she wheezed and gasped.
Within seconds, the sounds of crackling and groans filled the air around them as more limbs and heads started to pop up through the snow, a gruesome sight for someone who was more or less immobilized. Ellieâs grip on her jacket effectively yanked the girl into a kneeling position, and in doing so, revealed the infected that Michaela had landed on. A terrified scream left the woman as the infected looked at her, the frosted eyes still seeming to track the movements of both humans. If either of them looked at her bag closely enough, they could easily see the small rips in the fabric from the infected slowly trying to get to her warm body without her even noticing. Michaela clumsily got to her feet with Ellieâs assistance, their legs moving as quickly as they could.
The snow was thick and difficult to run in, especially when a horde was starting to crawl out of the depths and scramble after you. But Michaela seemed to ignore that, even pushing aside the lack of air she was getting. One hand was locked around Ellieâs, and she ran, her hood flying back, exposing her neck and face fully to the wind. The echoes of gunshots bounced off of rocks, mountains, and surrounding ridges, only to be drowned out by the familiar grunting and shrieking of the infected. Her lungs burned, and she couldnât feel her legs as she ran, looking in every direction she could.
âFuck!â It didnât take long to realize that they were essentially boxed in and cut off from heading in the direction of the tower, which meant they werenât able to access their horses. Barely regaining the ability to speak, Michaela used her free hand to point to their right, a ridge which had trees and was more protected than the valley they were in. âThereâs a tower that way! Letâs just go!â The infected didnât care which way the pair went; they were hot on their heels, stumbling and crawling after them, the lack of food making them even more deranged than usual. She hadnât heard or seen infected in such numbers before. It mustâve been a horde that had traveled right before winter, which meant they were somehow attracted to Jackson. It was all a blur, and she could barely think straight. Her breathing was labored and shallow, the gasps apparent as she ran, doing her best not to trip again.
An arm swung at her, and it caused Michaela to instinctively raise her own to bat it out of the way. Fingers tried to grip her clothes, but only managed to leave light scrapes on the material, much to her relief. In that moment, she caught a glimpse of the radio on the side of her bag, and she did her best to unclip it as they moved. Easier said than done. She had to take off her glove, losing it in the sea of snow as they ran for their lives, her numb fingers ripping the radio off her backpack strap. It was difficult to adjust the channels while moving, but eventually she got to the right one.
âJESSE! Come in!â Her voice trembled, and the fear was evident in each word. âThereâs a horde! We are headed to the other ridge tower! Get your ass there! We donât have horses!â The radio hissed and crackled before a muffled voice broke through, far too quiet for Michaela to hear. âJUST GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!â She was louder than she intended, but she had to when they were having to climb up and over a ridge to get to the treeline. She did her best to clip the radio to her bag, but it was easily knocked out of her hand by an infected that tried to barrel into the pair. Oh well. There was an extra in the tower anyways. She was focused on Ellie and getting them both up to where they needed to go.
Muscles burned and protested as they climbed the small slope, luckily being able to use trees to pull themselves up as they went. She just hoped that they would be able to get somewhere in time. Hell, she didnât even know if a tower would save them from the rotting corpses that chased after them. Part of her hoped they would lose them in the woods, but a more rational part seemed concerned over the fact that there would be more infected, just waiting and watching.
coded by social
jesse park
Jesse smiled as Giselle brought up the fact that she would vouch for him if Tommy asked questions. He appreciated the gesture, but he knew she was right about the fact that her word most likely wouldnât be viewed as seriously as others. âThanks. I need all the help I can get with those guys.â He jutted a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the other patrol groups. âBug bites, huh? Thatâs all you had to worry about? Damn, must be nice. Iâd prefer those over nine and a half toes any day.â Nudging her back, he laughed and leaned against a tree for a moment, allowing himself some form of relief from the wind. The tower did sound completely ideal, and he was looking forward to it, regardless of what rations were left up there by the previous team.
âEh, canât promise it wonât taste like cardboard, but itâll beat hunger.â Ever the optimist, he adjusted his bag and stepped towards Giselle, but words died on his lips as the wind came to a screeching halt. The silence was palpable, and Jesse tensed from the stillness alone. Then it came. A scream that sent a chill down anyone's spine and made their heart dropâbounced around them, echoing and traveling across the hills. A hand moved to rest over his pistol, the other finding Giselleâs forearm as she stepped into his side. It was hard to tell where it was coming from, and frankly, he didnât want to investigate. The weather was too shit to actually take care of any infected. He knew better than to risk either of their safety to clear out an infected or two. Theoretically there shouldn't be that many due to the season, but you never knew.
He could try and call it in, see if he could reach Tommy and ask him what to do, but there was a certain amount of pride that quickly pushed that thought aside. He was a patrol leader, he was trained to do this. He could handle it. But his confidence was quickly shattering as the wails and screeches seemed to bounce off the trees and circle them, making him feel as if they were caught in a trap. Giselleâs voice was quiet, and he nodded his head, his fingers lightly grabbing her forearm for reassurance. âStay quiet. We need to go back the way we came. Maybe we can beat the-â
Before he could finish his instructions, his radio burst to life as the panicked voice of Michaela poured from it. Fear seemed to fill every word as she did her best to explain their situation. Jesse paled noticeably as he grabbed the radio and brought it to his lips. âLock the tower. Close off the ladders.â His words were hushed, and he kept the radio pressed to his jacket, trying to muffle the noises it was making. The scream that came through, pure begging for him to get there, was enough to make him know they had to leave. It didnât take long for shrieks and clicks to start in from the right and from behind them, indicating that the infected were close enough to pick up on Michaelaâs voice.
âShit! Weâre running back.â He didnât waste time clipping the radio back to his bag and grabbing Giselleâs hand. Intertwining their fingers, he began following the faded tracks they had left earlier, careful not to drag her behind him. As they crossed the clearing, he turned his head to check over his shoulder, only to see shadows moving in the treeline. âDonât look back!â The instruction was mostly to Giselle but partly to him. He knew if he kept looking back that he would start to fall behind and possibly get them both caught. The wind was harsh and made his chest and lungs squeeze in uncomfortable ways as the pair darted between trees and followed their path to the outpost where their horses were.
It wouldnât take too long, but he didnât know if he could get them to Michaela and Ellie in time. Sweat ran down his flushed skin, and his grip tightened on Giselleâs hand as he jumped over a fallen tree, helping her over it out of concern that her numb legs would trip on it. Fear drove the man as they did their best to escape, the familiar trail just dangling safety and protection right in front of them. âWeâre almost there, just keep going!â His words were out of motivation and desire to help keep morale up. Out of the corner of his eye, Jesse was barely able to catch sight of the infected that barreled at them.
He didnât have a chance to say anything and simply grabbed Giselle and yanked them both down onto the ground. They landed next to a few fallen trees, causing the infected to trip and fling their body over them and into the snowbank on the other side of the trail. âFuck! Come on, letâs go!â Jesse scrambled to his feet and pulled Giselle up with him, pushing her in front of him. He reacted on instinct, unholstering his gun and aiming it at the head of the creature. It shrieked and snarled at him as it struggled to its feet, ready to lunge again. Pulling the trigger, his gun fired, and the bullet penetrated the frozen flesh of the infected.
It dropped to the ground, and that was good enough for him. Without holstering his gun, he started to run again, catching up with Giselle. It didnât take long before the metal shed outpost was visible, and the worried noises of their horses could be heard. âGo go! Get on and ride!â Once Giselle was close enough to the horses, Jesse turned and began to fire at some of the infected that were too close for comfort. Some he shot in the head, others he aimed for their knees in order to hopefully cause them to lose half their limb.
They struggled enough and caused enough traffic that he was able to turn back around and get to his own horse. He mounted Silver, the grey gelding he primarily rode, and immediately turned him in the direction he assumed Michaela and Ellie were heading. âCome on, we can still get there in time!â The shrieks and screams filled the air, and that was all the convincing both horses needed to get the hell out of there. Snow flew up in gusts behind the pair as they rode, Jesse leading the way as he was about their only chance of finding Ellie and Michaela in time.
âEh, canât promise it wonât taste like cardboard, but itâll beat hunger.â Ever the optimist, he adjusted his bag and stepped towards Giselle, but words died on his lips as the wind came to a screeching halt. The silence was palpable, and Jesse tensed from the stillness alone. Then it came. A scream that sent a chill down anyone's spine and made their heart dropâbounced around them, echoing and traveling across the hills. A hand moved to rest over his pistol, the other finding Giselleâs forearm as she stepped into his side. It was hard to tell where it was coming from, and frankly, he didnât want to investigate. The weather was too shit to actually take care of any infected. He knew better than to risk either of their safety to clear out an infected or two. Theoretically there shouldn't be that many due to the season, but you never knew.
He could try and call it in, see if he could reach Tommy and ask him what to do, but there was a certain amount of pride that quickly pushed that thought aside. He was a patrol leader, he was trained to do this. He could handle it. But his confidence was quickly shattering as the wails and screeches seemed to bounce off the trees and circle them, making him feel as if they were caught in a trap. Giselleâs voice was quiet, and he nodded his head, his fingers lightly grabbing her forearm for reassurance. âStay quiet. We need to go back the way we came. Maybe we can beat the-â
Before he could finish his instructions, his radio burst to life as the panicked voice of Michaela poured from it. Fear seemed to fill every word as she did her best to explain their situation. Jesse paled noticeably as he grabbed the radio and brought it to his lips. âLock the tower. Close off the ladders.â His words were hushed, and he kept the radio pressed to his jacket, trying to muffle the noises it was making. The scream that came through, pure begging for him to get there, was enough to make him know they had to leave. It didnât take long for shrieks and clicks to start in from the right and from behind them, indicating that the infected were close enough to pick up on Michaelaâs voice.
âShit! Weâre running back.â He didnât waste time clipping the radio back to his bag and grabbing Giselleâs hand. Intertwining their fingers, he began following the faded tracks they had left earlier, careful not to drag her behind him. As they crossed the clearing, he turned his head to check over his shoulder, only to see shadows moving in the treeline. âDonât look back!â The instruction was mostly to Giselle but partly to him. He knew if he kept looking back that he would start to fall behind and possibly get them both caught. The wind was harsh and made his chest and lungs squeeze in uncomfortable ways as the pair darted between trees and followed their path to the outpost where their horses were.
It wouldnât take too long, but he didnât know if he could get them to Michaela and Ellie in time. Sweat ran down his flushed skin, and his grip tightened on Giselleâs hand as he jumped over a fallen tree, helping her over it out of concern that her numb legs would trip on it. Fear drove the man as they did their best to escape, the familiar trail just dangling safety and protection right in front of them. âWeâre almost there, just keep going!â His words were out of motivation and desire to help keep morale up. Out of the corner of his eye, Jesse was barely able to catch sight of the infected that barreled at them.
He didnât have a chance to say anything and simply grabbed Giselle and yanked them both down onto the ground. They landed next to a few fallen trees, causing the infected to trip and fling their body over them and into the snowbank on the other side of the trail. âFuck! Come on, letâs go!â Jesse scrambled to his feet and pulled Giselle up with him, pushing her in front of him. He reacted on instinct, unholstering his gun and aiming it at the head of the creature. It shrieked and snarled at him as it struggled to its feet, ready to lunge again. Pulling the trigger, his gun fired, and the bullet penetrated the frozen flesh of the infected.
It dropped to the ground, and that was good enough for him. Without holstering his gun, he started to run again, catching up with Giselle. It didnât take long before the metal shed outpost was visible, and the worried noises of their horses could be heard. âGo go! Get on and ride!â Once Giselle was close enough to the horses, Jesse turned and began to fire at some of the infected that were too close for comfort. Some he shot in the head, others he aimed for their knees in order to hopefully cause them to lose half their limb.
They struggled enough and caused enough traffic that he was able to turn back around and get to his own horse. He mounted Silver, the grey gelding he primarily rode, and immediately turned him in the direction he assumed Michaela and Ellie were heading. âCome on, we can still get there in time!â The shrieks and screams filled the air, and that was all the convincing both horses needed to get the hell out of there. Snow flew up in gusts behind the pair as they rode, Jesse leading the way as he was about their only chance of finding Ellie and Michaela in time.
coded by social
Last edited:
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llieâs lungs were on fire. The cold was no longer just stingingâit was like glass with every inhale, every step through the snow that dragged like quicksand under her boots. She gripped Michaelaâs hand like it was the only thing tethering her to the world, keeping her upright and on her feet, her pistol still clutched in her other, the skin of her fingers stiff and raw. She didnât remember unholstering it, didnât remember pulling the trigger that many times. Just remembered the soundâthe snap of the slide, the roar of the gunfire muffled by the storm, and the horrible shriek that answered from every direction.âKeep going! Donât stop!â Ellie yelled, half-panicked, half-command. Her voice was hoarse, cracked and desperate as it nearly caught in her throat. The sight of Michaela fallingâscreamingâthe dead rising beneath her like some fucked-up nightmare out of the past, it had shook something in Ellie. She knew what this was. A horde, they were past running from a few stragglers. This was something else. Either way, they had no shot of making it to the horses without getting completely surrounded.
When Michaela pointed toward the ridge, Ellie didnât even hesitate. She tightened her grip and pivoted sharply with her, boots skidding in the deep snow as the infected barreled after themâsnarling, clawing like demons pulled from the ice. The last thing they needed was getting seperated, the trees came into view like a promise, cover. Her legs were burning, her vision blurring around the edges, but she kept pushing forward. âThere better be a damn tower,â Ellie gritted out, barely audible over the wind and screams. Her eyes darted to Michaela, who was fumbling with the radio, glove lost, skin exposed. âShit, Mikaâdonât stop!â
Ellie nearly stumbled at the terror in Michaelaâs voice; it sent a new wave of adrenaline ripping through her chest. When the infected lunged at them and knocked the radio loose, Ellie didnât even try to grab itâjust shoved her shoulder into the creatureâs chest, sending it flailing into a drift. âMOVE!â They climbed, Ellie nearly back sliding as her boot slipped on a patch of ice.
Ellie grabbed branches, bark, anything to pull herself upward, her breath wheezing now, white-hot in her lungs. Behind them, the groans turned to shrieks. The horde wasnât slowing down, the tower had to be close. It had to be, she wasn't sure how much longer they could keep blindly sprinting towards nothing.
She glanced at Michaelaâface scraped and pale, gasping for airâand Ellieâs heart clenched hard in her chest. She didnât care if she had to drag her, she wasnât letting someone die on a patrol. âWe get to the tower, we lock it down,â she said, voice sharp but shaking. âWe barricade, we reload, and if we gotta hold âem off all nightâwe do.â
Then softer, breathless, almost trying to convince herself âJesse's coming âhe'll be there.â Just then they crested the final rise with legs screaming and lungs clawing for airâand there it was. The tower, half-shrouded by the snow and trees, half-buried ski like loft jutting out from the whiteout. Metal and wood reinforced with salvaged planks and makeshift barriers, its frame rising a full story above the surrounding slope. It wasnât muchânothing about Jacksonâs patrol points ever wereâbut right now, it looked like a goddamn miracle to Ellie.
Ellieâs eyes locked onto it, relief flooding her so fast she nearly tripped over her own boots. âThere!â she choked out, her voice rasping from the cold. âWeâre almost there, câmon!â Behind them, the woods screamed. Wet gurgling howls, feet and claws and jaws dragging through the snowâEllie didnât look back. Michaela was still beside her, stumbling but moving. That was all that mattered. Branches clawed at their jackets as they tore through the final stretch of trees. The snow was deeper hereâdrifted high against the base of the tower, but the ladder was still visible, barely, its rungs caked in frost.
Ellie didnât stop running until her gloved hand hit the wooden beam at the base. She turned on instinct, grabbing Michaela and shoving her toward the ladder first. âGoâgo! Climb! Iâll coverâjust move!â Already her hand was going to her belt, fumbling for the last spare clip, breath coming in panicked puffs. The infected were breaking the treeline now, figures lurching through the swirling snow, shrieking as they charged through the storm.
Ellieâs jaw clenched as she raised her gun again. âCome on, motherfuckers.â
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle barely had time to process Jesseâs pale expression before the radio crackled with Michaelaâs voiceâpanicked, desperate. Every syllable made the hair on her arms stand up beneath the damp thermal lining of her jacket. She couldn't remember that last time fear like this had settled in her gut, then the screaming started from the radio, from the trees, from the fucking wind itself. Her gut twisted in horrible somersaults. Jesseâs hand found her arm and she didnât even flinch, stepping instinctively closer into his side as the noises surged around them, echoing through the clearing like some nightmare had finally woken up. When he grabbed her hand and took off, she didnât hesitate. Her fingers laced with his, squeezing tightânot out of fear, but to say Iâm still here and i don't intend on dying here.Snow blasted against her face as her boots pounded over the icy trail theyâd made earlier, her breaths coming fast and sharp. Her legs screamed in protest, but adrenaline shoved the pain to the back of her mind. She stumbled once, nearly face-planting, but Jesse yanked her up with a strength she didnât questionâjust kept running. His warning not to look back? Yeah, too lateâshe caught a flash of a shadow barreling through the trees, jerky and wrong about its movement. Giselleâs stomach lurched up her throat, she kept her eyes forward after that.
They hit the clearing again, she could practically smell the horses before she saw themâsweat, panic, movementâand then Jesse slammed into her, dragging her down just in time to see a frozen corpse launch itself through the air, barely missing them as it flew over the trail and crashed into a snowbank. âHoly shit,â she gasped nearly winded, spitting snow from her mouth as Jesse hauled her back to her feet and thank god he did, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand on her own. Gunfire cracked behind her as he turned and dropped the infected, the echo of the shot ringing in her ears. Then he was behind her again, yelling to go, and Giselle didnât need to be told twice, not this time. She sprinted to her horse, hands fumbling to grab the saddle horn as she hoisted herself up, boots slipping against the stirrups before finally locking in.
âCâmon, Novaâmove!â she shouted at the chestnut mare, whose ears were pinned and eyes wild. The second Jesse mounted safely, the two horses kicked off, charging into the snow like they knew exactly what was at stake. Giselleâs fingers clutched the reins hard, the cold biting into her knuckles, wind slicing across her face. They were flying now, cutting through the trees, hooves crashing through frozen drifts. Giselle's own horse just narrowly being missed by an infected that flung itself at them. âHold on.â she muttered under her breath, low enough that Jesse wouldnât hear but if Ellie was out there with her? Giselle was damn sure they were getting to them in time.
The world around them was a blur of white, the wind biting, the horses panting steam into the freezing air. Every breath Giselle took burned her throat, but she kept her eyes forward, crouched low over Novaâs neck to reduce the drag of the wind. Trees blurred past, snow kicked up in waves behind them, and every hoofbeat pounded like a war drum in her chest. They were close. So close.
She could see the change in the terrain aheadâthe ridge sloping upward, the dense trees thinning just slightlyâand beyond that, the faint silhouette of a patrol tower poking through the storm like a ghost. She blinked hard, snow clinging to her lashes, heart hammering in her chest as she shouted, âJesse! I see it!â God, what she would give to go back to joking about bug bites and frost bitten toes.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
Her bare hand was numb and her skin felt paper-thin as she grabbed at the branches, yanking herself further up the hill, doing her best not to look behind her. The searing pain in her lungs caused choked-out coughs to leave her body, not able to combat the harsh winds and snow that found their way inside of her. Her legs burned and threatened to give out as she dragged herself up the hill, nodding her head at Ellieâs words. She couldnât protestâshe couldnât have a smart remark to refute it. She had to believe that they would make it to the tower and Jesse would be there for them.
She could hear screams and moans behind them, thick with rage and hunger, given new life from chasing the pair. It felt surreal, being hunted by such a large number of infected. Their limbs did not mind the cold, and they moved despite losing chunks of their bodies along the way. Their desperation for a warm meal seemed to outweigh any of the fungiâs discomfort with the cold. The trees scratched and whipped their faces as the women pushed over the ridge and through the treeline. Michaela forced herself to keep moving, catching up to Ellieâs side as soon as she could.
The lack of feeling was evident in her body as she couldnât even tell that she was once again holding onto her as they ran towards the half-buried lookout tower. As the snow deepened, Michaela felt panic fill her chest, a heavy cough and gasp leaving her. âEllie, donât be stupid. Now isnât the time!â She didnât know if Ellie would do anything drastic, but the idea of her sacrificing herself seemed to briefly cross the brunetteâs mind. Her theory seemed almost confirmed as she was shoved towards the icy ladder and instructed to climb. She didnât argue and began to climb, slipping on a rung, which caused her leg to collide with the old metal. There was an immense feeling of warmth that bloomed in her leg, maybe from the metal scraping her shin, or just from the impact.
A noise of pain left her, but she refused to slow down. The ladder shook and rattled as she climbed it, desperate to get to the top. As soon as she reached the top, she pulled herself up and her thoughts turned to one thing, help Ellie. She crawled to the railing and immediately yanked off her backpack to access her rifle. There was no hesitation from her as she aimed at the infected and shot at them, providing cover for Ellie to climb the ladder. She didnât know what else they could do. From up on top of the tower, she could see the expanse of the horde, the frozen bodies jumbling together like an ocean rocking against a beach. It made her body shake with a fear that seemed to make her bones ache. âEllie! Look out!â Michaelaâs cry broke through the symphony of snarls and guttural screams as she scrambled over to the ladder entrance and reached a hand down towards her patrol partner, trying to pull her out of harmâs way.
Seeing the infected behind her, hot on her heels, using the bodies of the others to get up higher in order to catch her, Michaela could feel her chest tighten as she realized that Ellie was just out of reach. Would it end right then and there? Would she lose another person without ever getting a chance to get close to them? Would she have to watch someone die another gruesome death? But as chance would have it, the infected was knocked clear off the ladder. She didnât hesitate to grab onto Ellie as soon as she could reach her, pulling her up to the platform and off the ladder.
Pulling herself onto her feet using the railing, Michaela looked over and saw the figures of Jesse and Giselle on their horses, guns drawn and steadily putting down the infected. That was good enough for her. The brunette moved to open the tower door and entered the small enclosed space, grabbing whatever she could find and stuffing it in her bag. Ammo, rations, gear, it was all good enough for her. Once she was satisfied, she zipped up her bag and swung it onto her back, ignoring the sharp pain in her leg as she moved back outside. There wasnât really a chance to escape using the ladder; the only way down would be to jump off the side where the snow had piled up the most. âWe have to jump! Itâs deeper over here!â Michaela fastened her rifle to her body and moved to the railing, wasting no time in climbing over it.
The drop wasnât bad, they would just have to be quick enough on their feet to get moving and get to the horses in time. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Ellie and the horde of infected racing towards the four of them. Now or never. Jumping off the tower, Michaela landed in the snow, immediately rolling upon impact. Her body groaned in protest, but she didnât care. Scrambling to her feet, she reached out for Ellie, grabbing any part of her that she could, and tried to pull her with her. The pair raced against fate, Jesse and Giselle being beacons of life and safety. She could barely process getting yanked onto the back of Jesseâs horse, his grip like iron on her arm. Relief didnât set inâno, not when she could hear the screams and moans right behind them.
Michaela wrapped her arms around Jesseâs waist and held on, her body trembling in shock and pain. It was all a blur. Trees and snow went by too fast for her to process where they were, words being exchanged despite the howling wind and snapping of infected jaws hot on their trail. Michaela closed her eyes and forced herself to ignore her labored breathing, the bitter fatigue, and the sharp bolts of pain that shot through her body. It would be over soon enough, and they would be okay. She just hoped that nobody got bit and that Jesse knew where he was going. Michaela didnât know when they were going to get back to Jackson but she sure as hell was going to request a break in patrols at least for a week.
For a few moments, she turned her head and opened her eyes, looking across at Ellie. She wanted to apologize for making their escape ten times more difficult and to thank her for saving her ass. Michaela wasnât some super effective foot soldier or anything like thatâshe was support. She could provide cover and was an effective medic, thatâs about it. Her uses were few but she was happy with them. It only just became glaringly obvious that she was potentially holding people back by not being better. Michaela needed to apologize. She just didnât know how.
She could hear screams and moans behind them, thick with rage and hunger, given new life from chasing the pair. It felt surreal, being hunted by such a large number of infected. Their limbs did not mind the cold, and they moved despite losing chunks of their bodies along the way. Their desperation for a warm meal seemed to outweigh any of the fungiâs discomfort with the cold. The trees scratched and whipped their faces as the women pushed over the ridge and through the treeline. Michaela forced herself to keep moving, catching up to Ellieâs side as soon as she could.
The lack of feeling was evident in her body as she couldnât even tell that she was once again holding onto her as they ran towards the half-buried lookout tower. As the snow deepened, Michaela felt panic fill her chest, a heavy cough and gasp leaving her. âEllie, donât be stupid. Now isnât the time!â She didnât know if Ellie would do anything drastic, but the idea of her sacrificing herself seemed to briefly cross the brunetteâs mind. Her theory seemed almost confirmed as she was shoved towards the icy ladder and instructed to climb. She didnât argue and began to climb, slipping on a rung, which caused her leg to collide with the old metal. There was an immense feeling of warmth that bloomed in her leg, maybe from the metal scraping her shin, or just from the impact.
A noise of pain left her, but she refused to slow down. The ladder shook and rattled as she climbed it, desperate to get to the top. As soon as she reached the top, she pulled herself up and her thoughts turned to one thing, help Ellie. She crawled to the railing and immediately yanked off her backpack to access her rifle. There was no hesitation from her as she aimed at the infected and shot at them, providing cover for Ellie to climb the ladder. She didnât know what else they could do. From up on top of the tower, she could see the expanse of the horde, the frozen bodies jumbling together like an ocean rocking against a beach. It made her body shake with a fear that seemed to make her bones ache. âEllie! Look out!â Michaelaâs cry broke through the symphony of snarls and guttural screams as she scrambled over to the ladder entrance and reached a hand down towards her patrol partner, trying to pull her out of harmâs way.
Seeing the infected behind her, hot on her heels, using the bodies of the others to get up higher in order to catch her, Michaela could feel her chest tighten as she realized that Ellie was just out of reach. Would it end right then and there? Would she lose another person without ever getting a chance to get close to them? Would she have to watch someone die another gruesome death? But as chance would have it, the infected was knocked clear off the ladder. She didnât hesitate to grab onto Ellie as soon as she could reach her, pulling her up to the platform and off the ladder.
Pulling herself onto her feet using the railing, Michaela looked over and saw the figures of Jesse and Giselle on their horses, guns drawn and steadily putting down the infected. That was good enough for her. The brunette moved to open the tower door and entered the small enclosed space, grabbing whatever she could find and stuffing it in her bag. Ammo, rations, gear, it was all good enough for her. Once she was satisfied, she zipped up her bag and swung it onto her back, ignoring the sharp pain in her leg as she moved back outside. There wasnât really a chance to escape using the ladder; the only way down would be to jump off the side where the snow had piled up the most. âWe have to jump! Itâs deeper over here!â Michaela fastened her rifle to her body and moved to the railing, wasting no time in climbing over it.
The drop wasnât bad, they would just have to be quick enough on their feet to get moving and get to the horses in time. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Ellie and the horde of infected racing towards the four of them. Now or never. Jumping off the tower, Michaela landed in the snow, immediately rolling upon impact. Her body groaned in protest, but she didnât care. Scrambling to her feet, she reached out for Ellie, grabbing any part of her that she could, and tried to pull her with her. The pair raced against fate, Jesse and Giselle being beacons of life and safety. She could barely process getting yanked onto the back of Jesseâs horse, his grip like iron on her arm. Relief didnât set inâno, not when she could hear the screams and moans right behind them.
Michaela wrapped her arms around Jesseâs waist and held on, her body trembling in shock and pain. It was all a blur. Trees and snow went by too fast for her to process where they were, words being exchanged despite the howling wind and snapping of infected jaws hot on their trail. Michaela closed her eyes and forced herself to ignore her labored breathing, the bitter fatigue, and the sharp bolts of pain that shot through her body. It would be over soon enough, and they would be okay. She just hoped that nobody got bit and that Jesse knew where he was going. Michaela didnât know when they were going to get back to Jackson but she sure as hell was going to request a break in patrols at least for a week.
For a few moments, she turned her head and opened her eyes, looking across at Ellie. She wanted to apologize for making their escape ten times more difficult and to thank her for saving her ass. Michaela wasnât some super effective foot soldier or anything like thatâshe was support. She could provide cover and was an effective medic, thatâs about it. Her uses were few but she was happy with them. It only just became glaringly obvious that she was potentially holding people back by not being better. Michaela needed to apologize. She just didnât know how.
coded by social
jesse park
His heels dug into the dappled horse, and his hands clutched the reins so tightly that his knuckles were surely turning white. The scenery passed in a blur, his dark eyes tracing over everything he could see. Orienting himself on where they were was a completely different animal when they were going as fast as they could on the back of horses. The snow was thick and tried to choke everything in its path, covering up usual landmarks and things that helped Jesse keep track of where they had been. He stayed close to Giselle, the pair weaving in and out between trees as they approached the ridge that the other patrol was hopefully at.
Jesse didnât know what he would do if they werenât there. The thought crossed his mind and had settled heavily in the pit of his stomach as if it were a stone. The whispered words of Jesse failing his patrol teamsâof failing Jacksonâdanced around him as if riding the wind. Infected lunged out of the tree lines at the pair, but they were luckily able to dodge and outrun them. Both animals were determined to escape, and they did just that. Giselleâs voice broke through the tormenting thoughts as she pointed out the silhouette of the tower, and Jesse could feel his mouth go dry.
His body was heavy with fear and dread as they approached, his verbal cues and nudges into Silver propelled the horse forward even faster, hoping to get there before it was too late. As they got closer to the tower, Jesse immediately pulled Silver to a halt and held an arm up for Giselle to do the same. The horde was almost surrounding the tower, although they were the most concentrated at the ladder, piling on top of each other in order to try and grab the ankles of the women. âShoot whatever you can hit.â Pulling his gun out, Jesse rested it against his body to stabilize himself. The bullet flew and hit the infected, the sounds echoing around them. Some infected turned their attention to the riders, but most seemed focused on whoever was still on the ladder.
Between Giselle and Jesse, it didnât take long before a bullet lodged itself in the skull of the creature trying to grab onto Ellieâs leg. It fell into the sea of infected, and they all wailed and cried, some jolting and recoiling from the loud gunshots. It was everyoneâs worst nightmare, but Jesse didnât want to give in to the fear he felt. Its cold claws raced through his veins, reaching to his fingertips as if trying to make him miss his shots. He couldnât miss because if he did, then he would be responsible for the deaths of his friends.
Maybe it was pure determination on everyoneâs end, but somehow, Ellie and Michaela were racing towards them, faces full of fear and panic. Jesse rode towards Michaela, his hand reaching down to grab her bicep as he hauled her onto the back of Silver. âWe have to move! We canât lead them any closer to Jackson! We gotta go deeper into the mountains!â His voice boomed as he spun the grey around and spurred his sides, his reins hitting the horseâs shoulders to encourage him into a gallop. The snow was trampled down by the horses as he led them through the usual patrol areas and then beyond.
They passed by the outskirts of Jackson, the small signs of the boundaries getting lost behind them as they rode. âDid anyone get bitten or scratched?â As the horde began to fade behind them, Jesse slowed enough to talk to Ellie, concerned about a possible infection. âWhat the fuck happened? I mean, since when are there hordes that close to Jackson?â The question wasnât necessarily directed at anyone in particular, but more so because he was utterly confused by the situation. Michaelaâs weight on his back kept him from fully relaxing, only noticing her bare hand once they were at a decent distance away from the horde. Without a word, he shoved her hand into his pocket, his hand moving to hold and rub it in order to warm her back up.
He looked at Giselle with a visibly worried expression, as if he was unsure of what to do. His attention turned to Ellie, a knot of worry forming as he looked at her. âYou guys look like hell! Iâll kick your ass if youâre actually injured!â Time passed, and as the snow started to deepen, the further in the mountains they went, Jesse spotted a packed-down trail of horse prints. Maybe it was desperation at that point, but he followed them. The winding path led them through woods, only to pop out into a large clearing where a huge building sat among the snow. It was a ski lodge.
They were quiet as they approached, Jesse motioning for everyone to shut up. The hoofprints led to what looked like a garage area, and the sight of the horses made Jesse almost tear up. âHoly shit, itâs Dina and Wendy.â He wasted little time and pulled up to where Japan and Kirk were hitched, some feed and water already provided for the animals. Jesse slid off Silver and turned to help Michaela down, her body a bit sluggish and stiff as she accepted the help. Once on her feet, he went to Nova and offered his assistance to Ellie and Giselle. âOkay, letâs go find those two.â
Jesseâs words echoed in the concrete garage, and luckily, it didnât take long to find the stairs. The door groaned as they pushed through, their footsteps quiet as they walked down a carpeted hallway. The whole building looked as if it had been closed for the season rather than being abandoned because of the end of the world. Jesse could hear laughter and feel a change in temperature as they reached the main area of the building, the voices of Dina and Wendy apparent as they chatted about the weather and general town gossip. They sat on a sheet-covered couch near a fire, seemingly content with the world. âYâknow, I normally would be annoyed and grill you on why on Earth youâre here, but Iâm just glad youâre alive.â His voice broke through the lively atmosphere and caused both women to jump and instinctively reach for their guns, their expressions only softening once they noticed who it was.
âWhat the fuck Jesse! I couldâve shot you- What the hell happened?!â Dinaâs voice was thick with concern as she and Wendy both scrambled to their feet and rushed over to the group of four, trying to assess any injuries.
âWell, Ellie and Michaela found a horde. So that was cool. Nothing like almost dying.â He tried to stay positive and casual, but it didnât take much more than a look from Dina before he hugged her. âIâm glad you guys are safe.â His arms wrapped around her for a few moments and he allowed himself to somewhat process what had happened. He didnât even think about Dina and Wendy running into the infected. He shouldâve radioed and checked in. Dina patted his back in a comforting fashion, a few mumbled words leaving her but Jesse barely processed them. There was nothing romantic about the hug, but you could see that Jesse was genuinely glad that she was safe and sound. Jesse pulled away and Dina wasted no time in leaving to fret over someone else.
Pulling off his hat, Jesse began to take off his gear, dropping it unceremoniously onto the floor. His hair was soaked, as was a decent bit of his other layers. Soon enough he was down to his base layer, his boots discarded to the side. He knew the drill. The man walked over to Giselle at that point, his eyebrows furrowed in concern as he seemed to check her over for injuries. âSorry about thatâthe whole tackling thing. Are you okay? I didnât hurt you or anything right?â He was genuinely worried about everyoneâs wellbeing and maybe focusing on the person least likely to have severe injuries was his way of coping. He was scared to hear if Ellie or Michaela had been bitten or scratched. The thought nagged at him as soon as he noticed tears in their gear and slashes on their faces.
âEveryone okay? Need any immediate medical attention?â Wendy brought over some dry blankets or possibly curtains and offered them to the soaked group. They needed to dry out before they even attempted to go back to Jackson. âThe storm isnât going to let up anytime soon, so you might as well get your clothes dried.â
Jesse didnât know what he would do if they werenât there. The thought crossed his mind and had settled heavily in the pit of his stomach as if it were a stone. The whispered words of Jesse failing his patrol teamsâof failing Jacksonâdanced around him as if riding the wind. Infected lunged out of the tree lines at the pair, but they were luckily able to dodge and outrun them. Both animals were determined to escape, and they did just that. Giselleâs voice broke through the tormenting thoughts as she pointed out the silhouette of the tower, and Jesse could feel his mouth go dry.
His body was heavy with fear and dread as they approached, his verbal cues and nudges into Silver propelled the horse forward even faster, hoping to get there before it was too late. As they got closer to the tower, Jesse immediately pulled Silver to a halt and held an arm up for Giselle to do the same. The horde was almost surrounding the tower, although they were the most concentrated at the ladder, piling on top of each other in order to try and grab the ankles of the women. âShoot whatever you can hit.â Pulling his gun out, Jesse rested it against his body to stabilize himself. The bullet flew and hit the infected, the sounds echoing around them. Some infected turned their attention to the riders, but most seemed focused on whoever was still on the ladder.
Between Giselle and Jesse, it didnât take long before a bullet lodged itself in the skull of the creature trying to grab onto Ellieâs leg. It fell into the sea of infected, and they all wailed and cried, some jolting and recoiling from the loud gunshots. It was everyoneâs worst nightmare, but Jesse didnât want to give in to the fear he felt. Its cold claws raced through his veins, reaching to his fingertips as if trying to make him miss his shots. He couldnât miss because if he did, then he would be responsible for the deaths of his friends.
Maybe it was pure determination on everyoneâs end, but somehow, Ellie and Michaela were racing towards them, faces full of fear and panic. Jesse rode towards Michaela, his hand reaching down to grab her bicep as he hauled her onto the back of Silver. âWe have to move! We canât lead them any closer to Jackson! We gotta go deeper into the mountains!â His voice boomed as he spun the grey around and spurred his sides, his reins hitting the horseâs shoulders to encourage him into a gallop. The snow was trampled down by the horses as he led them through the usual patrol areas and then beyond.
They passed by the outskirts of Jackson, the small signs of the boundaries getting lost behind them as they rode. âDid anyone get bitten or scratched?â As the horde began to fade behind them, Jesse slowed enough to talk to Ellie, concerned about a possible infection. âWhat the fuck happened? I mean, since when are there hordes that close to Jackson?â The question wasnât necessarily directed at anyone in particular, but more so because he was utterly confused by the situation. Michaelaâs weight on his back kept him from fully relaxing, only noticing her bare hand once they were at a decent distance away from the horde. Without a word, he shoved her hand into his pocket, his hand moving to hold and rub it in order to warm her back up.
He looked at Giselle with a visibly worried expression, as if he was unsure of what to do. His attention turned to Ellie, a knot of worry forming as he looked at her. âYou guys look like hell! Iâll kick your ass if youâre actually injured!â Time passed, and as the snow started to deepen, the further in the mountains they went, Jesse spotted a packed-down trail of horse prints. Maybe it was desperation at that point, but he followed them. The winding path led them through woods, only to pop out into a large clearing where a huge building sat among the snow. It was a ski lodge.
They were quiet as they approached, Jesse motioning for everyone to shut up. The hoofprints led to what looked like a garage area, and the sight of the horses made Jesse almost tear up. âHoly shit, itâs Dina and Wendy.â He wasted little time and pulled up to where Japan and Kirk were hitched, some feed and water already provided for the animals. Jesse slid off Silver and turned to help Michaela down, her body a bit sluggish and stiff as she accepted the help. Once on her feet, he went to Nova and offered his assistance to Ellie and Giselle. âOkay, letâs go find those two.â
Jesseâs words echoed in the concrete garage, and luckily, it didnât take long to find the stairs. The door groaned as they pushed through, their footsteps quiet as they walked down a carpeted hallway. The whole building looked as if it had been closed for the season rather than being abandoned because of the end of the world. Jesse could hear laughter and feel a change in temperature as they reached the main area of the building, the voices of Dina and Wendy apparent as they chatted about the weather and general town gossip. They sat on a sheet-covered couch near a fire, seemingly content with the world. âYâknow, I normally would be annoyed and grill you on why on Earth youâre here, but Iâm just glad youâre alive.â His voice broke through the lively atmosphere and caused both women to jump and instinctively reach for their guns, their expressions only softening once they noticed who it was.
âWhat the fuck Jesse! I couldâve shot you- What the hell happened?!â Dinaâs voice was thick with concern as she and Wendy both scrambled to their feet and rushed over to the group of four, trying to assess any injuries.
âWell, Ellie and Michaela found a horde. So that was cool. Nothing like almost dying.â He tried to stay positive and casual, but it didnât take much more than a look from Dina before he hugged her. âIâm glad you guys are safe.â His arms wrapped around her for a few moments and he allowed himself to somewhat process what had happened. He didnât even think about Dina and Wendy running into the infected. He shouldâve radioed and checked in. Dina patted his back in a comforting fashion, a few mumbled words leaving her but Jesse barely processed them. There was nothing romantic about the hug, but you could see that Jesse was genuinely glad that she was safe and sound. Jesse pulled away and Dina wasted no time in leaving to fret over someone else.
Pulling off his hat, Jesse began to take off his gear, dropping it unceremoniously onto the floor. His hair was soaked, as was a decent bit of his other layers. Soon enough he was down to his base layer, his boots discarded to the side. He knew the drill. The man walked over to Giselle at that point, his eyebrows furrowed in concern as he seemed to check her over for injuries. âSorry about thatâthe whole tackling thing. Are you okay? I didnât hurt you or anything right?â He was genuinely worried about everyoneâs wellbeing and maybe focusing on the person least likely to have severe injuries was his way of coping. He was scared to hear if Ellie or Michaela had been bitten or scratched. The thought nagged at him as soon as he noticed tears in their gear and slashes on their faces.
âEveryone okay? Need any immediate medical attention?â Wendy brought over some dry blankets or possibly curtains and offered them to the soaked group. They needed to dry out before they even attempted to go back to Jackson. âThe storm isnât going to let up anytime soon, so you might as well get your clothes dried.â
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Last edited:
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
Ellieâs knees slammed into the frozen platform as Michaela yanked her up, the ladder still rattling behind her with the weight of the infected just seconds too late. She didnât thinkâjust moved, boots slipping on the icy planks, body screaming from the sprint, the climb, and the sheer fucking terror riding her spine like a parasite. The second her weight settled inside the tower, she twisted to slam the hatch closed, breath ragged and white as it curled from her mouth.
Michaela was already moving, her bag open, snatching up supplies without a word. Ellie didnât blame her. That glimpseâthat hordeâwas going to haunt both of them. It had been a long while since Ellie had come into contact with more than a handful at a time, she forgot what this felt like.
She turned, gripping the edge of the railing with one hand, pistol still tight in the other, scanning the snowfield below.
Thenâmovement.
âJesse! Giselleâtheyâre here!â she shouted, voice hoarse but alive. Two figures cutting through the snow on horseback, guns barking in controlled bursts. Ellie couldâve kissed the goddamn sky.
Her relief was short-lived. Michaela was suddenly beside her again, fast as ever despite her limp. âWe have to jump!â she yelled, already climbing the railing. âWaitâwhat?â Ellieâs eyes widened. She turned just in time to see Michaela launch herself into the snow below.
Ellie ran to the edge, eyes following the crumpled figure that immediately scrambled to her feet and reached back up. No time, none at all.
Ellie shoved her gun in her pack, slung it over her shoulders, and climbed the rail. âGoddamn it,â she muttered, and leapt. The landing nearly took her outâan explosion of cold and weightless sinking as she rolled hard into the snowbank. It stung, but it didnât kill her and that must count for something.
Before she could fully find her footing, Michaelaâs hand was on her, dragging her. Ellie didnât argue, her body was on autopilot now.
The next few seconds were chaosâgunfire, shrieks, the distant thundering of hoovesâand then Jesseâs grip clamped around Michaelaâs arm, hauling her up onto his horse. Ellie barely had time to blink before Giselle was reaching down to grasp her forearm to help swing her onto hers, the two horses kicking into a sprint across the clearing.
Ellieâs arms locked around Giselleâs waist as the world blurred past them. Wind, snow, snarls. A storm of noise and colour that made her head spin, barely giving her a moment to catch her breath but they were moving, they were alive. For now at least.
Somewhere between breaths, Ellie turned her head. Michaelaâs face was pale, drawn tight with exhaustion and something deeperâguilt maybe. Her eyes flicked to Ellie for just a second andEllie held the gaze.
She didnât say anythingâjust gave a short, small nod. The kind that meant you made it, one that said we did good. She didnât need Michaela to be anything more than alive. She just needed her breathing, still standing. Maybe she hadnât realized how much she mightâve regretted not getting to know her more, sheâd like to fix that.
Ellie was so focused on keeping her grip on Giselle that Jesseâs voice beside her startled her but despite everything, Ellie let out a snort âYouâre gonna have to get in line if you think Iâm the one who needs an ass-kicking after this.â she muttered, her voice rough with windburn and fatigue.
When they finally entered the garage the warmth hit Ellie like a slap to the face. She stepped through the lodge doors behind the others, snow dripping from her clothes in chunks, boots soaked, scarf stiff with ice. The quiet hum of indoor heat felt unnatural after what theyâd just been throughâlike sheâd slipped into some alternate universe where people were safe and laughing over gossip while the rest of the world burned.
Then she saw Dina, standing in the middle of the room, hair pulled back, cheeks flushed from the warmth, voice still echoing faintly from whatever sheâd been talking about with Wendy before they walked in. Her eyes lit up for just a second when she turnedâand then her whole body stiffened when she saw Ellie.
Ellieâs jaw tensed. Her heart did that annoying lurch thing in her chest like it had no sense of timing, it didnât turn the way it used to. She hadnât seen Dina properly since the dance, since the kiss, since Joel and now here they were, a whole storm of guilt and frostbite crashing through the door behind a group of survivors who barely made it out in one piece. Ellie said nothing, she just gave a tight nod, before turning her attention elsewhere. She crossed the room towards Michaela, who had settled down awkwardly, her leg stiff and movements rigid with fatigue.
Ellie crouched down in front of her, hands still trembling as she peeled off her gloves. âHey,â she said quietly. âYou good?â Ellie softened a little, her voice staying low. âYou scared the shit outta me back there.â
Ellieâs eyes flicked to the slashes in Michaelaâs jacket, to the her shin where it had slammed into the metal ladder. âYou need to get that looked at. Could be deeper than it feels. You need me to help?â
Ellie let herself glance over at Dina one more timeâstill surrounded by Wendy and Jesse, still listening intently to whatever recap Jesse was giving. That was where Dina belonged; and Ellie hoped whatever had occurred between them that night wouldnât ruin this easy friendship they all had.
Wendy moved with quiet precision, her medic instincts kicking in the moment she saw the state the others were in. While Dina kept peppering Jesse with questionsâhalf-concerned, half-scoldingâWendy grabbed the nearest first aid kit and a stack of dry towels from a supply bin theyâd organized earlier in the day. She tossed one of the blankets at Jesseâs chest on her way past, not even looking.
âYou,â she said firmly, stopping in front of Michaela. âDown. Leg out.â There was no room for argument as she tossed a comment over her shoulder at Dina, fingers pulling a worn looking med kit towards herself âDina, check on your man,â Wendy muttered, already digging for bandages.
âNot my man!â Dina chirped back automaticallyâthen paused, giving him a quick look over.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle hadnât even realized how tight she was holding the reins until Jesseâs voice broke through the chaos. Shoot whatever you can hit. She had nodded silently, pushing down her fear and locking into the rhythm of pulling the trigger, steady; sheâd never been the greatest shot. The horde below had become a single mass of screaming hungerâan overwhelming force of rageâand for a moment, she thought they werenât going to make it.But then Ellie and Michaela had burst from the tower, bodies moving like fire through snow, and Giselle hadnât hesitated. She reached down, hauled Ellie up onto Nova with gritted teeth, and they were gone.
Now, the wind bit through the damp fabric of her clothes as Nova galloped behind Jesse and Silver, Giselleâs fingers trembling with cold and adrenaline. Snow whipped across her face, and still, she didnât let go. Not of the reins, not of Ellie, not of the part of herself that refused to crack. She heard Jesse shout and her chest ached at the truth in it. So they rode, deeper into the mountains, into the unfamiliar, with only hope keeping them upright.
When the ski lodge came into view, half buried in snow and tucked into the tree line like a secret, she blinked hard, thinking for a moment that it mightâve been a hallucination. But Jesseâs reaction confirmed itâhis voice cracked, and she followed his lead straight into the garage.
The moment her boots hit the concrete, Giselle nearly collapsed. Her muscles trembled with the leftover adrenaline, and her hands were slow to unclench from the reins. She dismounted stiffly, and by the time Jesse came to help, she was already sliding off, landing on shaky legs. She gave him a tired smile, snow clinging to her lashes.
Almost immediately she began peeling her wet gloves off, flexing her fingers to try and gain some feeling back into them. Her eyes drifted towards Dina and Jesseâs reunion, her lips lifting slightly at the sweetnessâshe could understand now why Jackson seemed to enjoy peeking in on their relationship. She began focusing on pulling off any clothing items she could go without in hopes of getting some warmth into her body.
Then he came his apology. Giselle paused, looking at him for a long second, Jesse was snow soaked and bruised, his eyes still with worry. She could see the weight of everything theyâd just made it through clinging to him like an extra layer of snow and somehow, he still had time to be worried about her.
Softening, she nudged his shoulder gently with her own. âHey⊠Jesse. Iâm fine. You didnât hurt me.â Her voice was quiet now, just for him. âYou saved me.â
A beat passed, her expression easing, more honest. âI mean⊠you tackled me like a linebacker, but Iâm pretty sure thatâs what got us out alive. So, thank you.â She offered her gratitude, a chilled palm resting on his arm for a moment.
Wendy offered the makeshift blankets, and Giselle took one gratefully, offering it out to Ellie before grabbing a second for herself. She rubbed her arms, exhaling through her nose, finally feeling the full weight of what had just happened start to sink in.
As Jesse asked if anyone needed immediate attention, she looked at Ellie, then Michaelaâboth scraped up, pale, running on fumes.
âNo bites,â she confirmed quietly, mostly for Jesse. âSome bruises. Scared outta our damn minds but weâre okay.â
She looked around at the warm glow of the lodge, the quiet hum of safety humming between the four of them, and her voice dropped lower. âFor what itâs worth⊠we wouldnât have made it without you.â Giselle smiled before struggling out of the last damp sweater she wore and tossing it onto a surface to dry. Her skin was blotchy from the cold, flushed red in patches where the frost had been kissing too long. Goosebumps rose instantly as she shivered, grabbing one of the thick wool blankets Wendy had tossed them earlier.
She wrapped it tight across her chest, tucking the corners beneath her arms and drawing it low over her legs like a makeshift robe. The heat from the lodge hit her skin in slow, agonizing waves, the kind that made her ache.
Her curls, once pulled up and tidy beneath her tuque, had since collapsed into a mess of damp spiralsâsome stuck to her forehead, others clinging to her neck and shoulders in chaotic tendrils. She gave it a rough shake with her hands, raking her fingers through them as best she could to keep them from matting. âI think Iâm about three seconds from turning into a raisin.â
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
The first thing that registered in her brain was the sheer warmth of the building. The soft crackling of a fire seemed to be the only noise outside of the panicked and concerned voices that bounced around her. Michaela looked around, her gaze dull as she took in the warm wash of light that the flames provided. It seemed stupid how cozy Wendy and Dina were while the rest of them almost died nine times over. There was a feeling of frustration, but it quickly gave way to exhaustion. She didnât bother to have any emotional reunions with anyone, she just found a place to sit and rest her aching body.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she took off her one remaining glove, silently running over her medical checklist as she inspected herself for injuries. Shrugging off her gun and bag, she let both find a home on the floor as she struggled to untie her boots. She didnât have to look up to know who the owner was of the body that came into her view, those familiar scuffed-up boots being engraved in her memory over the years. Her fingers stilled on her laces as Ellie crouched down, forcing Michaela to look at her. A few rapid blinks and the brunette swallowed, unsure of what to say. Luckily, Ellie spoke first. âI-Iâm good. Yeah, just uh, fine.â
The words came out quiet and jumbled up, reflecting the tremors that existed in her hands. The sense of guilt and regret coiled in her stomach and made her tense up, her body protesting the action. âIâm sorry. I- I fucked up. Thank you for saving my ass.â Her eyebrows knitted together in a series of complex emotions as she stared into Ellie for what seemed like the first time since they had met years ago. There were so many things she was feeling in that moment, and they battled each other for space in her head. Michaela wasnât exactly good at voicing her honest feelings, so there were a lot of conflicting words buzzing around her aching skull.
âNo, Iâm okay, I can do it. Are you okay?â The question and conversation seemed to die as soon as the words left her lips, her gaze immediately clocking Ellieâs attention drifting over to Dina. There it was again, that stupid tightening in her chest and pathetic drop in her stomach. She hated it, and they were always the cause of it. Michaela turned her head away and focused on taking her boots off, tossing them to the side along with her socks and jacket. Sheâd hang them up later. As she started to work on the buttons of her jeans, Wendy came over with a rather serious expression. âI can do it myself, you knowâŠâ
Her small complaint was met with a sharp gaze, and she didnât try to fight against her. Wendy was older, and therefore, Michaela knew her place. Taking off her outer layer of pants, she rolled up the pant leg of her base layer up and over her knee, her fingers shaking as she did so. Sucking a sharp breath between her clenched teeth, she did her best to calm the trembling of her body. Despite being a medic and literally working on injuries, her body still reacted to any personal injury. Shaking and uneven breaths were common, as was a general clamminess depending on the severity.
The normally pale skin was painted shades of red and purple, small speckles of blood present from the scraped flesh. There was general swelling and a welt from the initial impact, which looked worse than it was. Michaela kept her hands at her sides as Wendy went to work disinfecting her injury and applying medicine to it. The stinging sensation made her hiss somewhat, trying not to move her leg as the alcohol swiped across the raw skin. âFuck. That never gets better.â There was nothing to do outside of watching the snow fall or looking at the mess that was the rest of the patrol team. Dina and Jesse quietly disagreed about him needing medical attention, which seemed to result in him literally pushing her in Ellieâs direction. Great.
Michaela frowned, the displeasure painfully noticeable, but it would easily be chalked up to being a reaction to her medical care. There was a certain amount of envy and jealousy as Dina casually touched Ellieâs face to inspect the scratches that were there. âAll done. Just keep your leg up while we wait out the storm. Unless you've got something else I need to see?â Wendyâs dark gaze looked over Michaelaâs form, seeing the scratches and bruises forming on her pale complexion. But the brunette simply shook her head and began the process of pulling her pant leg back down.
âThanks. I got it. Iâm just gonnaâŠyeah.â Her movements were awkward and stiff as she got up from her spot to gather her clothes off the floor. Michaela did anything to keep her back to Ellie and Dina, not wanting to dive into whatever she was feeling in that moment. Realistically, there was no reason to get so bothered by their interactions, but it stung and made her question why she even hung around either of them. Any logical person would be able to see the root of the issue, but Michaela had been stomping those thoughts and feelings into the dirt since she was 15 years old.
Tossing her clothes onto the back of chairs, she wrapped a towel around herself and sat down, trying to dry her hair in the process. Her leg was propped up, and she became painfully aware of the stinging of her entire body as she warmed up. Her skin was sensitive to the touch and made drying off a genuinely painful experience, especially if she touched certain parts of her head. She just wanted to go home, crawl into bed with her dog, and never go back outside. Michaelaâs gaze drifted to her dark backpack, staring at the bite marks that were left on it. The realization that an infected was quite literally trying to chew through her bag made her sick. âGuess Iâll be burning that.â Mumbled words left her as she leaned back, keeping her head away from the group so that hopefully, she could keep herself from seeing everything that she wished she could have.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she took off her one remaining glove, silently running over her medical checklist as she inspected herself for injuries. Shrugging off her gun and bag, she let both find a home on the floor as she struggled to untie her boots. She didnât have to look up to know who the owner was of the body that came into her view, those familiar scuffed-up boots being engraved in her memory over the years. Her fingers stilled on her laces as Ellie crouched down, forcing Michaela to look at her. A few rapid blinks and the brunette swallowed, unsure of what to say. Luckily, Ellie spoke first. âI-Iâm good. Yeah, just uh, fine.â
The words came out quiet and jumbled up, reflecting the tremors that existed in her hands. The sense of guilt and regret coiled in her stomach and made her tense up, her body protesting the action. âIâm sorry. I- I fucked up. Thank you for saving my ass.â Her eyebrows knitted together in a series of complex emotions as she stared into Ellie for what seemed like the first time since they had met years ago. There were so many things she was feeling in that moment, and they battled each other for space in her head. Michaela wasnât exactly good at voicing her honest feelings, so there were a lot of conflicting words buzzing around her aching skull.
âNo, Iâm okay, I can do it. Are you okay?â The question and conversation seemed to die as soon as the words left her lips, her gaze immediately clocking Ellieâs attention drifting over to Dina. There it was again, that stupid tightening in her chest and pathetic drop in her stomach. She hated it, and they were always the cause of it. Michaela turned her head away and focused on taking her boots off, tossing them to the side along with her socks and jacket. Sheâd hang them up later. As she started to work on the buttons of her jeans, Wendy came over with a rather serious expression. âI can do it myself, you knowâŠâ
Her small complaint was met with a sharp gaze, and she didnât try to fight against her. Wendy was older, and therefore, Michaela knew her place. Taking off her outer layer of pants, she rolled up the pant leg of her base layer up and over her knee, her fingers shaking as she did so. Sucking a sharp breath between her clenched teeth, she did her best to calm the trembling of her body. Despite being a medic and literally working on injuries, her body still reacted to any personal injury. Shaking and uneven breaths were common, as was a general clamminess depending on the severity.
The normally pale skin was painted shades of red and purple, small speckles of blood present from the scraped flesh. There was general swelling and a welt from the initial impact, which looked worse than it was. Michaela kept her hands at her sides as Wendy went to work disinfecting her injury and applying medicine to it. The stinging sensation made her hiss somewhat, trying not to move her leg as the alcohol swiped across the raw skin. âFuck. That never gets better.â There was nothing to do outside of watching the snow fall or looking at the mess that was the rest of the patrol team. Dina and Jesse quietly disagreed about him needing medical attention, which seemed to result in him literally pushing her in Ellieâs direction. Great.
Michaela frowned, the displeasure painfully noticeable, but it would easily be chalked up to being a reaction to her medical care. There was a certain amount of envy and jealousy as Dina casually touched Ellieâs face to inspect the scratches that were there. âAll done. Just keep your leg up while we wait out the storm. Unless you've got something else I need to see?â Wendyâs dark gaze looked over Michaelaâs form, seeing the scratches and bruises forming on her pale complexion. But the brunette simply shook her head and began the process of pulling her pant leg back down.
âThanks. I got it. Iâm just gonnaâŠyeah.â Her movements were awkward and stiff as she got up from her spot to gather her clothes off the floor. Michaela did anything to keep her back to Ellie and Dina, not wanting to dive into whatever she was feeling in that moment. Realistically, there was no reason to get so bothered by their interactions, but it stung and made her question why she even hung around either of them. Any logical person would be able to see the root of the issue, but Michaela had been stomping those thoughts and feelings into the dirt since she was 15 years old.
Tossing her clothes onto the back of chairs, she wrapped a towel around herself and sat down, trying to dry her hair in the process. Her leg was propped up, and she became painfully aware of the stinging of her entire body as she warmed up. Her skin was sensitive to the touch and made drying off a genuinely painful experience, especially if she touched certain parts of her head. She just wanted to go home, crawl into bed with her dog, and never go back outside. Michaelaâs gaze drifted to her dark backpack, staring at the bite marks that were left on it. The realization that an infected was quite literally trying to chew through her bag made her sick. âGuess Iâll be burning that.â Mumbled words left her as she leaned back, keeping her head away from the group so that hopefully, she could keep herself from seeing everything that she wished she could have.
coded by social
jesse park
Water ran down the sides of his face and his neck as he looked at Giselle, trying to observe any immediate injuries. He could see the deep purple and deep red bruises that peppered her skin, mostly in the areas where she had hit the ground. His eyebrows furrowed at the one that seemed to be forming on her jawline, and without thinking, he raised his hand to brush his chilled fingers across it as if to confirm that it wasnât a trick of the light. Her gratitude was unneeded, he was just glad she was safe. Jesseâs hand dropped back to his side, and he shook his head, a small laugh leaving him. âItâs a new technique Iâm trying out. Maybe the tackle of safety will catch on.â He shrugged his shoulders and smiled as Wendy busied herself with handing out blankets and towels.
A small âoofâ left him as the woman tossed a blanket into his chest, mock offense on his features. âJust say you wish I died, why donât ya?â His teasing words fell on deaf ears as Wendy got to work treating Michaela. Raising the towel to his head, he began to furiously dry his soaked hair, smiling as Giselle proudly stated that there were no bites or scratches to be found. For the first time in the last hour or two, he felt genuine relief. The towel fell to his shoulders, and he sighed contentedly, only to have his attention captured by Giselleâs quiet words. He was about to say something when Dina came over, listening to Wendy's instructions.
âIâm here to check you over.â Her hands were placed on her hips as she looked at him, somewhat disgruntled about the general situation. Who wouldnât be pissed off? They all almost died.
âSure you arenât checking me out?â Jesseâs reply was second nature and earned a swift punch to the arm. âOuch, okay okay, no more jokes. Iâm good. I think I rang Giselleâs bells with a tackle, but thatâs about it.â The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes and forced Jesse to roll up his sleeves and pant legs to double-check he was all in one piece.
âYou know, you can be a real idiot, Jesse. You couldâve called if you needed help. No need to go all superhero on us like in those comics.â The snide remark seemed to be directed at both Jesse and Ellie, and he couldnât blame her. They were her closest friends in Jackson, despite the weird space that had occurred due to the breakup and the dance. He was glad things were getting back to normal. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned Dina around to face Ellie, hoping to get some relief from the pestering questions and blows to his ego.
âAlright, I get it. Iâm sorry, Dina. Just go, yâknow, fuss over Ellie. She almost got her leg bit so-â He barely could finish the sentence before she stomped over to the auburn-haired girl, almost angry that she hadnât been informed sooner. Well, that got her out of his hair, and thatâs all he cared about. Rocking back on his heels, he thought about saying something to Ellie to help her out, but all he could manage was a smile and a wave, as if she was doing him a favor. Jesse spun on his heels and headed in the direction of Giselle, seeing her bundled up in the blanket Wendy had provided.
Dropping his only slightly damp towel on top of her head, he smiled and began to dry her dripping curls for a moment. âAnd to think, people used to pay for stuff like this.â He didnât dwell long on drying her hair, mostly because he knew she was capable of it. âCome on, letâs sit down.â He walked past her to sit down on one of the various couches, grabbing his bag as he passed it. Unzipping it, he grabbed a bottle of water and some food from it, something that he had promised to give to Giselle once they were done patrolling. âHere, eat something. Probably will taste more frozen than cardboard, but hey, thatâs patrol food for ya.â He handed the food and bottle to her before grabbing the radio off his bag, switching to the channel that Tommy usually used.
For a couple of minutes, he tried to get in touch with him, but was met with only static. They were well out of Jackson's boundaries, which meant that they couldnât get in touch with those in town. It made him nervous, but he knew that they would be able to put two and two together that the team was holding out due to the storm. He just hoped that nobody tried looking for them and that the horde dispersed somewhere else. A hand raised to run over his face as he leaned back, trying to keep himself from worrying. There was nothing he could do other than wait, so he did his best to just keep his thoughts on the present.
He looked at everyone in the lodge and took in how they behaved. It seemed that Dina had been satisfied with checking every inch of Ellie to make sure she didnât get infected, and Michaela, well, she looked like she had been tossed through the ringer, so he didnât read into her much. âSo, you want to keep going on patrol with me? Itâs exciting, right?â Turning his head to look at Giselle, there was a hint of sarcasm to his words as he spoke, clearly trying to keep the mood light-hearted enough so they didnât have to address the boat-load of trauma they just experienced. âAnd to think, you made me sound like I had boring patrols.â Jesse knew that Giselle was almost always put on patrols with patrol leaders due to her reputation for not following the rules, and frankly, it had frustrated him, too, when they had started off the day.
But he was proved wrong, as was Tommy, and she did listen when she needed to. He appreciated her hard work and the fact that she was a reliable member of Jackson made him feel happy. âYou did really good today. You listened and performed under pressure. You saved people today. Thank you, Giselle.â Bumping her leg with his, he smiled and relaxed into the couch, content with the idea of simply melting into it for the night. That didnât sound like a bad idea actually.
A small âoofâ left him as the woman tossed a blanket into his chest, mock offense on his features. âJust say you wish I died, why donât ya?â His teasing words fell on deaf ears as Wendy got to work treating Michaela. Raising the towel to his head, he began to furiously dry his soaked hair, smiling as Giselle proudly stated that there were no bites or scratches to be found. For the first time in the last hour or two, he felt genuine relief. The towel fell to his shoulders, and he sighed contentedly, only to have his attention captured by Giselleâs quiet words. He was about to say something when Dina came over, listening to Wendy's instructions.
âIâm here to check you over.â Her hands were placed on her hips as she looked at him, somewhat disgruntled about the general situation. Who wouldnât be pissed off? They all almost died.
âSure you arenât checking me out?â Jesseâs reply was second nature and earned a swift punch to the arm. âOuch, okay okay, no more jokes. Iâm good. I think I rang Giselleâs bells with a tackle, but thatâs about it.â The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes and forced Jesse to roll up his sleeves and pant legs to double-check he was all in one piece.
âYou know, you can be a real idiot, Jesse. You couldâve called if you needed help. No need to go all superhero on us like in those comics.â The snide remark seemed to be directed at both Jesse and Ellie, and he couldnât blame her. They were her closest friends in Jackson, despite the weird space that had occurred due to the breakup and the dance. He was glad things were getting back to normal. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned Dina around to face Ellie, hoping to get some relief from the pestering questions and blows to his ego.
âAlright, I get it. Iâm sorry, Dina. Just go, yâknow, fuss over Ellie. She almost got her leg bit so-â He barely could finish the sentence before she stomped over to the auburn-haired girl, almost angry that she hadnât been informed sooner. Well, that got her out of his hair, and thatâs all he cared about. Rocking back on his heels, he thought about saying something to Ellie to help her out, but all he could manage was a smile and a wave, as if she was doing him a favor. Jesse spun on his heels and headed in the direction of Giselle, seeing her bundled up in the blanket Wendy had provided.
Dropping his only slightly damp towel on top of her head, he smiled and began to dry her dripping curls for a moment. âAnd to think, people used to pay for stuff like this.â He didnât dwell long on drying her hair, mostly because he knew she was capable of it. âCome on, letâs sit down.â He walked past her to sit down on one of the various couches, grabbing his bag as he passed it. Unzipping it, he grabbed a bottle of water and some food from it, something that he had promised to give to Giselle once they were done patrolling. âHere, eat something. Probably will taste more frozen than cardboard, but hey, thatâs patrol food for ya.â He handed the food and bottle to her before grabbing the radio off his bag, switching to the channel that Tommy usually used.
For a couple of minutes, he tried to get in touch with him, but was met with only static. They were well out of Jackson's boundaries, which meant that they couldnât get in touch with those in town. It made him nervous, but he knew that they would be able to put two and two together that the team was holding out due to the storm. He just hoped that nobody tried looking for them and that the horde dispersed somewhere else. A hand raised to run over his face as he leaned back, trying to keep himself from worrying. There was nothing he could do other than wait, so he did his best to just keep his thoughts on the present.
He looked at everyone in the lodge and took in how they behaved. It seemed that Dina had been satisfied with checking every inch of Ellie to make sure she didnât get infected, and Michaela, well, she looked like she had been tossed through the ringer, so he didnât read into her much. âSo, you want to keep going on patrol with me? Itâs exciting, right?â Turning his head to look at Giselle, there was a hint of sarcasm to his words as he spoke, clearly trying to keep the mood light-hearted enough so they didnât have to address the boat-load of trauma they just experienced. âAnd to think, you made me sound like I had boring patrols.â Jesse knew that Giselle was almost always put on patrols with patrol leaders due to her reputation for not following the rules, and frankly, it had frustrated him, too, when they had started off the day.
But he was proved wrong, as was Tommy, and she did listen when she needed to. He appreciated her hard work and the fact that she was a reliable member of Jackson made him feel happy. âYou did really good today. You listened and performed under pressure. You saved people today. Thank you, Giselle.â Bumping her leg with his, he smiled and relaxed into the couch, content with the idea of simply melting into it for the night. That didnât sound like a bad idea actually.
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie stood near the fireplace, the heat blooming over her stiff joints and frozen skin beginning to melt. Dina was in front of her now, hands hovering, inspecting the scratches along her cheekbone like she was trying to memorize each one. Yet, Ellie was still caught up in the way Michaela had tried to brush her concern off. She wanted to tell her not to apologise for what happened out there, Ellie knew what it was like to fuck up and what Michaela did was not that but before she could figure out a way to let those words crawl up her throat; Jesse had pawned Dina off on her like the sly bastard he was just so he could mom over Giselle.âYou couldâve said something,â Dina muttered. âYou didnât even radio. I wouldâveââ
âIâm fine, Dina,â Ellie interrupted, shifting back just slightly, enough that Dinaâs fingers fell away from her face. There was nothing cold about itâjust tired. Her voice wasnât sharp, just quiet in that way that meant not now. Her eyes flicked over Dinaâs shoulder, past Jesse and Wendy, to the corner of the lodge where Michaela had disappeared to and there it was againâthat ache in her gut. Not from the injuries or the fight or the cold. From her. Michaela was sitting alone, again. Half-wrapped in a towel, drying her hair with awkward, stiff motions, her back angled just enough to avoid everyone else. It wasnât hard to see she was hurtingânot just the bruises or the leg or the exhaustion but the kind of hurt Ellie knew all too well. Distance. Withdrawal. That creeping edge of shame that made you think you were in everyoneâs way.
âIâll talk to you later, okay?â Ellie said, already stepping around Dina before she could object. âJustâgive me a sec.â
She crossed the room slowly, towel draped over one shoulder, her steps quiet against the old hardwood floor. She didn't expect her to look up, even when Ellie crouched in front of her againâmirroring the same position from earlier. She didn't seem to want to look at her then either. Ellie didnât force a smile, she didnât say hey again, just let the quiet settle for a second before murmuring, âI get it, yâknow.â
âIâve been the one sitting alone. Pretending I wasnât⊠thinking about everything I didnât do right.â Ellieâs voice was low, steady, like she was talking to a skittish animal she didnât want to spook. âBut you didnât fuck up. You reacted. You survived. You saved my ass more than once.â
Her eyes dropped for a secondâto the bite marks on the backpack. Her throat tightened. âThat couldâve been a hell of a lot worse.â Ellie gently reached for Michaelaâs wrist, not pulling, just grounding her. âYou didnât slow anyone down. You didnât screw anything up.â Then, quieterâso quiet Michaela mightâve missed it if she wasnât listening âIâm glad it was me out there with you.â
She paused, let the words breathe âYou donât have to say anything. Just. . . donât shut down on me, okay?â Ellie gave her wrist the faintest squeeze, then sat back on her heels. âWeâre still here. Thatâs gotta count for something.â
Dina watched from the other room, her lips pulling into a soft smileâshe hadn't ever really gotten the chance to see Ellie like that. Softened around the edges. Dina wasn't blind she knew that Ellie had eyes for her when they'd first met. . .but she was wrapped up in Jesse, what she thought would just work if she tried hard enough and then at some point her and Jesse were able to be realistic about how they felt about each other; she loved him but she wasn't in love with him, she didn't think he was in love with her either and now looking at Ellie with Michaela. Dina didn't think Ellie was ever in love with her either because she never extended her hand out the way she just did to Michaela. With a new found softness, Dina retreated towards Wendy leaning in with a self-satisfied look plastered to her face âI think I might be Jackson's cupid. Expect less diaper. . .or is cupid naked? I never really understood the concept of cupid; a baby with arrows. . .that shoots people. Oddly terrifying.â
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle blinked as the towel dropped onto her head, landing with a damp thwap against her curls. She didnât move for a secondâjust sat there wrapped in her blanketâand then tilted her head slightly as Jesse ruffled the towel over her hair. His fingers were gentle, almost oddly comforting in the wake of what theyâd just lived through, she hadn't expected him to do something like this. She let out a breath that wasnât quite a laugh, lifting a hand to tug the towel down so she could peek at him through the mess of her curls.âAnd to think,â she said dryly, âI didnât even tip you.â The moment was fleeting, like most quiet things in their world, but it made something inside her chest settle; admittedly being near Jesse made her feel safe. She stood when he told her to, grumbling under her breath like an old woman as she padded barefoot over to the couch and sat down beside him. The blanket clung to her damp skin, the ends tucked around her legs like she was trying to cocoon herself from the lingering cold. Her curls were frizzy at the ends, strands trailing down her neck and shoulders, but she didnât bother fixing them.
When Jesse handed her the food and water, she took it with a small nod of thanks, unwrapping it like it was a gift. âCardboard with a hint of ice,â she said, taking a bite. âI don't think life could possibly get any better than this.â Then he asked her about patrolling again, her lips quirked and she looked at him sideways, one brow arched. âOh yeah, super exciting. Almost dying? Getting body-checked by my patrol leader? I guess I wouldn't mind if it's you again.â but her tone was lightâteasing, even and beneath it was something a little more real and warmer than she'd spoken to him before.
She chewed thoughtfully as he kept talking, expecting the sarcasm to keep flowing. But then, she glanced at him, the flicker of sincerity in his voice cutting through the fog in her brain. It caught her off guard, how earnest he sounded. No teasing, no lecture. Just. . . acknowledgment, real and undeservedly kind. For a moment, she didnât know what to say. âYeah, well. . .â she muttered, brushing a stray curl out of her face. âGuess I owe it to my amazing patrol leader for keeping me in check. So, thank you too.â
Jesse bumped her leg with his, and she glanced down at the contact, a slow smile tugging at the corner of her lips. âIâll admit,â she said, quieter now, âyouâre not the worst patrol partner Iâve had. Even if you did almost crack a rib.â She leaned back into the couch, finally allowing herself to relax, the adrenaline drain settling deep in her bones. âY'know I used to be paired up with Owen a lot, he spent most of the route trying to talk his way into my pants. . . I'd take you a million times over.â Her tone softening ever slightly before she glanced away, looking at the others that lingered in the room; a part of her wondered why Jesse was here with her instead of his own friends but she âDonât get used to it, though,â she added, eyes closing for a beat as a grin tugged at her mouth âI still like doing things my way.â
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
Tossing the towel onto the couch next to her, she raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, just trying to beat the exhaustion that settled behind her eyes. There was a lot to process, and without anything to help with the pain, her body was struggling to even handle all the aches and jolts that bounced through each limb. It was annoying. Leaning forward to rest her forearms on her thighs, she sighed, and her head hung, damp hair falling forward and providing a natural curtain so she could ignore everything that was going on behind her. She wasnât trying to be antisocial or weird, but she genuinely thought that she might say something stupid if she watched more of Dina and Ellie being around each other.
She would join in the conversation once she was able to gather up her thoughts and neatly put them in a box where they wouldnât risk slipping out. Michaela knew better than to be a dick for no reason, especially when she knew everyone for years. Drifting away more recently than before had made things awkward to say the least, and she didnât want to create an environment where they started to press her on her reasons. Unfortunately, it seemed her attempt at privacy failed miserably as Ellie appeared in front of her again. Her presence was heavy, and Michaela was unsure if she wanted to raise her head.
Michaela was able to see the bruising and small cuts on her hands, along with the unmistakable tattoo she sported on her forearm. She took a few moments to look at the inked fern, and just like when Ellie got it back then, she had the urge to ask about it. There was a part of her that wanted to hear the story behind it, or if Cat had just given it to her because it popped into her head one day. But just like back then, she didnât say a damn thing. Her shoulders slumped as Ellie started to speak, the understanding words hitting her more than she cared to admit. Her fingers threaded together as she nodded slightly, still feeling as if she couldâve done more to help while they were out there.
She hadnât noticed that she tripped on a damn infected, let alone landed on a field of them. Part of her wondered why she was even put out on patrols in the first place, maybe it was because she was a medic. The touch to her wrist was light and warm, making her finally lift her head to look at Ellie. Blue met green, and she found herself searching for anything that would make her doubt what she was saying. But she didnât see anything. Ellie seemed genuine, despite the fact that Michaela had severely distanced herself from her over the last few weeks. âIâm not gonna shut downâŠMaybe my head got hit a little harder than I thought.â It was a weak attempt at lightening up to atmosphere, but she could tell that it wasnât the appropriate thing to do.
âThanks, Ellie, I appreciate it. Genuinely. I don't think I would be in one piece without you.â She sat up more and turned to look over at Dina, only to see the girl chatting with Wendy and sporting a rather satisfied smile. Looking back at Ellie, she felt the prickling of unease and confusion creep in, and she cleared her throat. âYou donât have to get all mushy on my account. Or are you using me as an excuse to avoid her?â Michaelaâs tone was lighter than before, and her posture got more comfortable as she scooted over on the couch in case Ellie wanted to sit down. It was a bit awkward because of her leg, but she was doing her best not to disturb it. Adjusting her position meant she could avoid looking at Ellie and frankly she didn't want to risk seeing any lovesick look from the auburn-haired girl as she looked at Dina. That would probably send her spiraling.
Her face felt warmer than before and she quickly grabbed her towel to wrap it around her neck, using it to hide the flush to her features. She did not need to get made fun of for getting embarrassed over a girl and certainly not Ellie. She was pretty sure she wouldnât hear the end of it and somehow, if people caught wind of it, she knew that it would turn into a whole thing. Dina and Ellie were already the talk of the town with the younger crowd; Michaela didnât need to get roped into that. âYou sure youâre good? Didnât get hurt or anything? âCause I got a med kit if you need anything.â Gesturing to the marks on Ellieâs face, she did her best to try and act normal, especially since Ellie was working hard to bridge the gap between them.
Still, she would lie if she said she wasnât taking advantage of the close proximity to look at Ellie. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands, and she kept them cemented in her lap, but her careful gaze wandered over Ellieâs features for a few seconds, just taking it in. But as soon as she felt that familiar dread and weird fluttering in her stomach, she looked at her lap, mentally counting down until it went away. It was annoying, and she made a mental note to just start dating someone when they got back to Jackson so she would stay occupied. Why dating was the solution to her issue, she refused to answer. She didnât want to think about it.
She would join in the conversation once she was able to gather up her thoughts and neatly put them in a box where they wouldnât risk slipping out. Michaela knew better than to be a dick for no reason, especially when she knew everyone for years. Drifting away more recently than before had made things awkward to say the least, and she didnât want to create an environment where they started to press her on her reasons. Unfortunately, it seemed her attempt at privacy failed miserably as Ellie appeared in front of her again. Her presence was heavy, and Michaela was unsure if she wanted to raise her head.
Michaela was able to see the bruising and small cuts on her hands, along with the unmistakable tattoo she sported on her forearm. She took a few moments to look at the inked fern, and just like when Ellie got it back then, she had the urge to ask about it. There was a part of her that wanted to hear the story behind it, or if Cat had just given it to her because it popped into her head one day. But just like back then, she didnât say a damn thing. Her shoulders slumped as Ellie started to speak, the understanding words hitting her more than she cared to admit. Her fingers threaded together as she nodded slightly, still feeling as if she couldâve done more to help while they were out there.
She hadnât noticed that she tripped on a damn infected, let alone landed on a field of them. Part of her wondered why she was even put out on patrols in the first place, maybe it was because she was a medic. The touch to her wrist was light and warm, making her finally lift her head to look at Ellie. Blue met green, and she found herself searching for anything that would make her doubt what she was saying. But she didnât see anything. Ellie seemed genuine, despite the fact that Michaela had severely distanced herself from her over the last few weeks. âIâm not gonna shut downâŠMaybe my head got hit a little harder than I thought.â It was a weak attempt at lightening up to atmosphere, but she could tell that it wasnât the appropriate thing to do.
âThanks, Ellie, I appreciate it. Genuinely. I don't think I would be in one piece without you.â She sat up more and turned to look over at Dina, only to see the girl chatting with Wendy and sporting a rather satisfied smile. Looking back at Ellie, she felt the prickling of unease and confusion creep in, and she cleared her throat. âYou donât have to get all mushy on my account. Or are you using me as an excuse to avoid her?â Michaelaâs tone was lighter than before, and her posture got more comfortable as she scooted over on the couch in case Ellie wanted to sit down. It was a bit awkward because of her leg, but she was doing her best not to disturb it. Adjusting her position meant she could avoid looking at Ellie and frankly she didn't want to risk seeing any lovesick look from the auburn-haired girl as she looked at Dina. That would probably send her spiraling.
Her face felt warmer than before and she quickly grabbed her towel to wrap it around her neck, using it to hide the flush to her features. She did not need to get made fun of for getting embarrassed over a girl and certainly not Ellie. She was pretty sure she wouldnât hear the end of it and somehow, if people caught wind of it, she knew that it would turn into a whole thing. Dina and Ellie were already the talk of the town with the younger crowd; Michaela didnât need to get roped into that. âYou sure youâre good? Didnât get hurt or anything? âCause I got a med kit if you need anything.â Gesturing to the marks on Ellieâs face, she did her best to try and act normal, especially since Ellie was working hard to bridge the gap between them.
Still, she would lie if she said she wasnât taking advantage of the close proximity to look at Ellie. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands, and she kept them cemented in her lap, but her careful gaze wandered over Ellieâs features for a few seconds, just taking it in. But as soon as she felt that familiar dread and weird fluttering in her stomach, she looked at her lap, mentally counting down until it went away. It was annoying, and she made a mental note to just start dating someone when they got back to Jackson so she would stay occupied. Why dating was the solution to her issue, she refused to answer. She didnât want to think about it.
coded by social
jesse park
Jesse could see that his genuine words had thrown Giselle off balance, but he didnât mind her sarcastic remark. âIâm glad you can admit that Iâm amazing. Looks like youâll probably be stuck with me again then.â He smiled and crossed his arms across his chest, getting comfortable on the couch, his gaze drifting between the girl and the large windows in front of them. The storm continued to rage, but they couldnât hear the howling or feel the bitter snow that had pelted them just earlier. He could appreciate the terrifying beauty of the weather from the safety of indoors, and he hoped to keep it that way from that moment on. No more blizzard patrols. Heâd have to talk to Tommy about it when he got back. He doubted Maria would like any complaints he had about the patrols.
His attention was pulled back to Giselle and he cracked a smile, clearly entertained that she said he wasnât the worst patrol partner. The joke about the cracked rib made him laugh, but he quickly covered it up with his hand, not wanting to interrupt her. His smile faltered slightly at the mention of Owen, and he ran his hand down his face. âOh God, yeah, that sounds about right. He doesnât really understand that 90% of the existing population isnât into that. Well, at least not sober.â He had heard plenty of stories from the guy over patrols and frankly, he hated that some of them were true. Jesse liked keeping his cards close to his chest, including the people he was interested in.
Even his relationship with Dina was something he prefered to keep between them which was why he didnât enjoy the poking and proding from everyone after their official break up. It wasnât anything that deep, they just werenât in love like that. Their affection and love were clearly platonic, and he wasnât going to lose sleep over it. âIâm starting to understand why Tommy paired you up with me. Maybe we can find a way to make you at least stick within five feet of me.â The joke was light-hearted enough that he found himself smiling as he lightly elbowed her, fully believing that she would do things her way if the situation allowed it.
As they chatted, Wendy found herself smiling alongside Dina, amused by the whole situation. âYou are Cupid, but I wouldnât brag about setting up your ex-boyfriend or yourâŠkissing friend?â Her tone was thick was sarcasm as she patted Dinaâs back, receiving an eye roll from the woman.
âListen, they would be lost without me. Iâm just helping them out! Look, I can make it even better.â As if to prove her theory correct, the black-haired girl marched over to where Jesse and Giselle were and sat down in the chair next to them. âOkay, now that you guys arenât dying, we should do something fun.â Wendy followed suit, a knowing smile on her face despite the shake of her head as she sat down. Things with Dina trying to prove herself right rarely went normally.
Jesse sighed dramatically and turned his attention to Dina, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. âDina, what on Earth could you have up your sleeve to make things fun?â He was egging her on; he knew that, but he didnât mind. He was friends with her and Ellie for a reason. They were always fun to be around, despite how annoying they could be. âThere arenât kids to bully with snowballs so you gotta get creative.â
âOh ha ha ha Jesse. Youâre so funny.â Her deadpan response made him hold up his hands in an innocent manner. âAnyways, I thought we could play Truth or Dare like over summer. Thatâs if Ellie and Michaela stop being weird in the corner!â Her smile was playful as she raised a hand to wave at the two who were tucked away from the rest. Wendy elbowed her in the side lightly, but didnât say anything in protest. âIâll go first!â She quickly got comfortable in her chair, propping her legs up and hugging a pillow to her chest. âHmmm, Giselle, truth or dare?â
His attention was pulled back to Giselle and he cracked a smile, clearly entertained that she said he wasnât the worst patrol partner. The joke about the cracked rib made him laugh, but he quickly covered it up with his hand, not wanting to interrupt her. His smile faltered slightly at the mention of Owen, and he ran his hand down his face. âOh God, yeah, that sounds about right. He doesnât really understand that 90% of the existing population isnât into that. Well, at least not sober.â He had heard plenty of stories from the guy over patrols and frankly, he hated that some of them were true. Jesse liked keeping his cards close to his chest, including the people he was interested in.
Even his relationship with Dina was something he prefered to keep between them which was why he didnât enjoy the poking and proding from everyone after their official break up. It wasnât anything that deep, they just werenât in love like that. Their affection and love were clearly platonic, and he wasnât going to lose sleep over it. âIâm starting to understand why Tommy paired you up with me. Maybe we can find a way to make you at least stick within five feet of me.â The joke was light-hearted enough that he found himself smiling as he lightly elbowed her, fully believing that she would do things her way if the situation allowed it.
As they chatted, Wendy found herself smiling alongside Dina, amused by the whole situation. âYou are Cupid, but I wouldnât brag about setting up your ex-boyfriend or yourâŠkissing friend?â Her tone was thick was sarcasm as she patted Dinaâs back, receiving an eye roll from the woman.
âListen, they would be lost without me. Iâm just helping them out! Look, I can make it even better.â As if to prove her theory correct, the black-haired girl marched over to where Jesse and Giselle were and sat down in the chair next to them. âOkay, now that you guys arenât dying, we should do something fun.â Wendy followed suit, a knowing smile on her face despite the shake of her head as she sat down. Things with Dina trying to prove herself right rarely went normally.
Jesse sighed dramatically and turned his attention to Dina, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. âDina, what on Earth could you have up your sleeve to make things fun?â He was egging her on; he knew that, but he didnât mind. He was friends with her and Ellie for a reason. They were always fun to be around, despite how annoying they could be. âThere arenât kids to bully with snowballs so you gotta get creative.â
âOh ha ha ha Jesse. Youâre so funny.â Her deadpan response made him hold up his hands in an innocent manner. âAnyways, I thought we could play Truth or Dare like over summer. Thatâs if Ellie and Michaela stop being weird in the corner!â Her smile was playful as she raised a hand to wave at the two who were tucked away from the rest. Wendy elbowed her in the side lightly, but didnât say anything in protest. âIâll go first!â She quickly got comfortable in her chair, propping her legs up and hugging a pillow to her chest. âHmmm, Giselle, truth or dare?â
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie let out a quiet breath as Michaela scooted over to make room on the couch. She hesitatedâjust for a secondâbefore sitting down beside her, the edge of her damp blanket dragging behind her like a cape made of cold regrets and unresolved tension.It was weird being this close again.
Not physically. That was easy but this kind of closeâsitting shoulder-to-shoulder with someone whoâd clearly been avoiding her for weeks. Ellie didnât push, she just leaned forward, forearms resting on her knees, the edge of her foot tapping slightly in rhythm to keep herself grounded.
Her hands stung like hell, tiny cuts blooming red across her knuckles and palms where sheâd scraped herself climbing, fighting, running, living. Normally, sheâd wave it offâsay she was fine, slap a dirty bandage on it later if it got too bad but when Michaela offered the med kit, her eyes flicked down to her hands. Yeah. They did look pretty fucked up.
ââŠYeah, alright,â Ellie murmured, exhaling through her nose. âYou caught me. I could use a little first aid.â
Her tone was laced with reluctant surrender, like it physically hurt her to admit it. She shifted, awkwardly holding out her hands, palms up, revealing the grime, blood, and faint tremble that hadnât fully left her since the tower.
âYou ate shit earlier and you're still asking me if i'm okay. . .â The corner of her mouth quirked slightly âKind of a shit trade if I donât at least let you patch me up, right?â She added, a sideways smirk barely tugging at her mouth. When Michaela glanced overâflushed and doing a half-decent job of hiding it by staring down at her lapâEllie caught it. Not the blush, not really but the shift. That flicker of something unspoken in her posture. The glances, the way she avoided looking at her for too long. Ellie didnât say anything; she never did when it came to that kind of thing. Not unless the other person wanted her to but she noticed and despite the ache in her body and the cuts burning like open nerve endings, something softer unfolded in her chest. Like maybe this was the first time in a while that someone actually saw herânot just the aftermath of what she'd survived, but her, the person underneath all the scars and walls and awkward silences.
ââŠAnd for the record,â She said after a beat, watching her hands as Michaela started to clean them. With a low, almost playful murmur âNo, Iâm not using you to avoid her.â She leaned back slightly, relaxed now, her tone easing even as she watched Michaela fidget with her towel, cheeks flushed and hands tense.
âIf I was trying to dodge Dina, I wouldnât be over here letting you hold my hand.â It was half a joke, half a truth and all the courage she had left in her tonight.
Ellie didn't look up as she said it. Didn't explain either, just let the words hang in the air between them, quiet and easy, before adding with a dry chuckle, âDonât let it go to your head though.â
Ellie, who had only just gotten Michaela to stop ghosting into the walls, looked up with a deadpan expression from where she now sat. She blinked once. Twice, then tilted her head with mock enthusiasm at the announcement from Dina. âOh no,â Ellie said dryly. âPlease. Anything but that. I was hoping for more frostbite and near-death experiences.â
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle let her head fall back against the couch dramatically with a muted thump, groaning just loud enough to let everyone know she hated being called outâbut not enough to suggest she was actually about to bail.âI knew I hated winter,â she mumbled, curling the blanket tighter around her like armor. âFirst a horde, now party games. I shouldâve just let the snow take me.â but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. Jesseâs joke about being 'stuck' with her had caught her off guard, yeahâbut the truth was, it didnât sound so bad. There was something⊠grounding about him. Even when he was being a nagging little shit. She peeked sideways at him, giving his rib a light, careful nudge with her elbow. âIf I have to stay within five feet of you, I better start working on my cardio. Your strides are no joke, pretty sure I almost lost you at one point out there.â Before Jesse could shoot back some smartass reply, Dina swooped in like chaos incarnate, plopping down next to them with that smug, matchmaking menace energy all over her face. Giselleâs eyes narrowed immediately, like prey recognizing it had been caught by a predator.
âOh god,â she muttered. âSheâs in a mood.â Then came the dreaded suggestion: Truth or Dare? Giselle sat up straighter, casting a quick glance at Wendy, who just offered her a not-so-subtle good luck smile. Typical. And Jesse? She didnât even look at himâshe could already feel the amused exasperation radiating off of him like a space heater. She exhaled through her nose and met Dinaâs eyes with the kind of grim determination usually reserved for taking down infected. Giselle had never actually play this game before, she'd heard of it of course through her older sister and other people her age and even she could tell nothing good was going to come from this.
ââŠTruth,â she said finally, pulling her legs underneath herself and leaning back like she wasnât already regretting itâ her shoulder accidentally leaning into Jesse, if she noticed, she didn't correct her position. âLetâs start slow. I already risked my life once todayâIâm not about to break my hand pulling off whatever you have plotted..â Wendy tsked her teeth at Giselle's choice, shaking her head in mock disappointment âTruth? Bold choice,â Wendy mused, lowering her chin onto the knuckles of a close fist âYou know thatâs just asking for trouble with Dina.â Giselle's mouth fell open, as an incoherent sound tumbled from her lips âAnd what? Dare isn't!â
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE PARK
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
Once Ellie admitted she could use some help getting cleaned up, Michaela leaned forward and grabbed her bag, unzipping it to find one of the med kits she always kept stashed in there. Setting down on the cushion to her right, she flipped it open and started searching for the alcohol swabs to clean Ellieâs wounds. It was easier to work on other people, and Michaela found it surprisingly easy to focus on wounds and fixing them than on eye contact and personal connection. Her left hand cupped Ellieâs, and she began to clean the palm of her hand, blowing softly on the raised and split flesh to help minimize the burning sensation. The slight tremors that the girl had mirrored her own, and it made her hold her hand just a little tighter.
She briefly looked up from her work to look at Ellie, a small amount of amusement evident on her features. âWhat can I say? Iâm a medic. Itâs literally my job to help you out.â Clearing her throat, her gaze dropped back to the cut palm, and she moved to put a small salve on it before wrapping it with cotton and gauze. Once one hand was finished being dressed, she moved to the other, repeating her steps, though it took a little longer than the other. She busied herself with picking out flecks of gravel or wood out of the wounds, not wanting them to get infected later. The silence wasnât as heavy, but it was noticeable. She had to assume thatâs why Ellie was trying to keep the conversation alive.
Of course, her words caused Michaelaâs brain to short-circuit. Her stomach lurched, and she clumsily yanked her hand back from Ellieâs, a wide-eyed look on her face. The embarrassment was evident, but she was choosing to ignore the heat that radiated off her face. âI-I, yeah okay. Um. Iâm just gonna get that thing.â She cleared her throat and turned to âlookâ for something in the kit, just to allow her a second to calm her racing heart down. It was beating at an uncomfortable rate, and she found herself back at age 16, watching Cat kiss Ellie in front of everyone and proudly announcing that they were dating. Michaela was pretty sure that she was going to have a panic attack from just the way Ellie was looking at Cat. She stayed locked in her house for the rest of that day.
She was yanked back into reality at the sly comment of not letting it get to her head, and Michaela let out a nervous laugh, her hands more unsteady than before as she began to wrap Ellieâs hand. âYeah, no, I wonât let it get to my head. Donât worry about it. Pretty sure your type isn't close to me so...â Once the gauze was cut and smoothed against the womanâs wrist, Michaela started to pack her kit back up, her ears burning as she did so. Dinaâs voice danced across the room and made the girlâs body jump in surprise, as if she had been caught doing something she wasnât supposed to. She half expected Ellie to get up right then and there to head over and join the rest, but she stayed put and lazily responded to the goading from the other.
Michaela set the med kit on the ground and rubbed her hands together in a nervous fashion, rubbing the scabs and scrapes on her knuckles and palms, using the sensation to keep her grounded. âUm, sorry if that was like a weird thing to bring up. I donât really know whatâs going on with that wholeâŠthing.â Cracking a knuckle or two and she worried at her bottom lip, not really knowing where she was going with what she was saying. The words kept dying in her throat, and she felt like she was getting looked at by everyone in the room, even though they were absorbed in their game. âYou guys looked nice together at the dance or whatever, so if you have something going on or- You suit each other. Thatâs all. Sorry, itâs none of my business, I just didnât want to complicate things.â
What. Was. She. Saying. Michaela genuinely wanted to slap herself in the face because of the things falling from her lips. Her blood felt as if it was on fire, and it raced so loudly in her ears that she felt deaf. The urge to run from her own words was apparent and weighed heavily inside of her, to the point her legs felt like they were made out of lead. âSorry, I definitely think Iâm just out of it from tripping down that hill. My head is like way jumbled, and I have my own thing going on at Jackson so I donât know why Iâm bugging you about yours. Uh, yeah. Sorry. Um, we can go play that game or whatever if you want.â Maybe it wouldâve been better if she had been bitten. Michaela didnât have anything going on at Jackson; her previous relationship had ended at the dance due to a stupid fight, and she didnât have anyone who remotely seemed interesting enough to date.
Not when Seth was weirdly everywhere she went in town. It seemed like the universe was forcing her to be around the one guy who could send her into a spiral with one insult. Ever since the dance incident, she kept running into him and just hearing him speaking to others or raising a voice at inconveniences made her freeze up. It wasnât normal, she understood that. She just had to find a way to make herself feel normal again. There was a lot of confusion inside of her, and whatever box she normally had it in had been kicked by Ellie, and the contents were clearly spilling out. It made her feel stupid and awkward for getting worked up over a joke about holding hands. God, she was actually ridiculous.
She briefly looked up from her work to look at Ellie, a small amount of amusement evident on her features. âWhat can I say? Iâm a medic. Itâs literally my job to help you out.â Clearing her throat, her gaze dropped back to the cut palm, and she moved to put a small salve on it before wrapping it with cotton and gauze. Once one hand was finished being dressed, she moved to the other, repeating her steps, though it took a little longer than the other. She busied herself with picking out flecks of gravel or wood out of the wounds, not wanting them to get infected later. The silence wasnât as heavy, but it was noticeable. She had to assume thatâs why Ellie was trying to keep the conversation alive.
Of course, her words caused Michaelaâs brain to short-circuit. Her stomach lurched, and she clumsily yanked her hand back from Ellieâs, a wide-eyed look on her face. The embarrassment was evident, but she was choosing to ignore the heat that radiated off her face. âI-I, yeah okay. Um. Iâm just gonna get that thing.â She cleared her throat and turned to âlookâ for something in the kit, just to allow her a second to calm her racing heart down. It was beating at an uncomfortable rate, and she found herself back at age 16, watching Cat kiss Ellie in front of everyone and proudly announcing that they were dating. Michaela was pretty sure that she was going to have a panic attack from just the way Ellie was looking at Cat. She stayed locked in her house for the rest of that day.
She was yanked back into reality at the sly comment of not letting it get to her head, and Michaela let out a nervous laugh, her hands more unsteady than before as she began to wrap Ellieâs hand. âYeah, no, I wonât let it get to my head. Donât worry about it. Pretty sure your type isn't close to me so...â Once the gauze was cut and smoothed against the womanâs wrist, Michaela started to pack her kit back up, her ears burning as she did so. Dinaâs voice danced across the room and made the girlâs body jump in surprise, as if she had been caught doing something she wasnât supposed to. She half expected Ellie to get up right then and there to head over and join the rest, but she stayed put and lazily responded to the goading from the other.
Michaela set the med kit on the ground and rubbed her hands together in a nervous fashion, rubbing the scabs and scrapes on her knuckles and palms, using the sensation to keep her grounded. âUm, sorry if that was like a weird thing to bring up. I donât really know whatâs going on with that wholeâŠthing.â Cracking a knuckle or two and she worried at her bottom lip, not really knowing where she was going with what she was saying. The words kept dying in her throat, and she felt like she was getting looked at by everyone in the room, even though they were absorbed in their game. âYou guys looked nice together at the dance or whatever, so if you have something going on or- You suit each other. Thatâs all. Sorry, itâs none of my business, I just didnât want to complicate things.â
What. Was. She. Saying. Michaela genuinely wanted to slap herself in the face because of the things falling from her lips. Her blood felt as if it was on fire, and it raced so loudly in her ears that she felt deaf. The urge to run from her own words was apparent and weighed heavily inside of her, to the point her legs felt like they were made out of lead. âSorry, I definitely think Iâm just out of it from tripping down that hill. My head is like way jumbled, and I have my own thing going on at Jackson so I donât know why Iâm bugging you about yours. Uh, yeah. Sorry. Um, we can go play that game or whatever if you want.â Maybe it wouldâve been better if she had been bitten. Michaela didnât have anything going on at Jackson; her previous relationship had ended at the dance due to a stupid fight, and she didnât have anyone who remotely seemed interesting enough to date.
Not when Seth was weirdly everywhere she went in town. It seemed like the universe was forcing her to be around the one guy who could send her into a spiral with one insult. Ever since the dance incident, she kept running into him and just hearing him speaking to others or raising a voice at inconveniences made her freeze up. It wasnât normal, she understood that. She just had to find a way to make herself feel normal again. There was a lot of confusion inside of her, and whatever box she normally had it in had been kicked by Ellie, and the contents were clearly spilling out. It made her feel stupid and awkward for getting worked up over a joke about holding hands. God, she was actually ridiculous.
coded by social
jesse park
Jesse didnât seem to mind the way Giselle leaned against him, and his arm naturally found the back of the couch as he eyed Dina. He could see that sparkle in her eyes as she pulled her pillow closer to her chest and leaned forward to look at her target. She pursed her lips, as if taking into consideration the plea from the girl. His own expression was an amused smile and a look that seemed to say, âbetter be honestâ. He would be lying if he said he didnât want to know more about her. He was curious about every newcomer, especially when they tried to avoid talking to people their age. Being friends with old ladies usually meant there was something interesting you didnât want someone finding out. Or at least that was his personal philosophy. âBe nice Dina. Sheâs still new yâknow.â
The warning was about as threatening as a butterfly, but it at least made everyone aware that Jesse would intervene if he felt someone overstepped boundaries. Dina just shook her head and refused to look at him. âHave you kissed anyone since getting to Jackson?â The question was about as tame as Dina could get and it caused a small snort to leave Jesse as he turned his head to try and disguise his laughter as a cough. âIgnore him. Alternatively, it could be phrased as is there someone in Jackson youâd like to kiss. Or someone in this room? I hear someone is kind of popular.â
âHey thatâs more than one question Dina.â
âJesse, grow up. She can pick. Iâm being nice! She asked for slow so Iâm giving plenty of options.â That usual Dina behavior was front and center as she leaned back in her chair, observing Giselle to see if she could pick up on any little cues or tells. She always went straight for the belly with games like Truth or Dare. They were a way for her to find out secrets, but mostly how people felt about each other. She had used it before in the past to get Jesse to kiss her so he didnât put anything past her. Still, he couldnât help but feel a little curious himself as he composed himself enough to look at Giselle. He knew that Owen had been hitting on her, but he wasnât aware of anyone else who seemed to catch her eye.
It wasnât like the guys didnât talk about her back at Jackson; in fact, they wouldnât shut up about her. Dina and Giselle were a hot topic among the guys as they liked the fun personalities they possessed. Jesse was constantly having to bring up the fact that he was dating Dina in order to get them to shut up. He had seen some guys go out with Michaela, but they were ones they kept to themselves and rarely seemed to share what they were doing. He didnât bother pressing them because he didnât want to know. Half the guys were stuck with stories for girlfriends, so he tried not to egg them on to pursue anyone in reality.
Maybe that was bad of him, but he had deliberately told some overzealous individuals to leave Giselle alone at gatherings, mostly because they seemed like they were trouble. Too much alcohol and a newcomer who was pretty and a total mystery? Yeah, that was an easy way to get into a fight. Jesse knew that she could probably tell them all to fuck off and handle herself, but he wanted to look out for her. She was new, and he didnât want some idiot to cause her to want to leave Jackson. She was better off just getting to know someone organically.
The dark-haired man leaned over to whisper in Giselleâs ear as soon as Dina turned to scold Ellie for her lack of enthusiasm. âDonât feel like you have to name names. Dina is a bit of a bloodhound with these sorts of things.â Pulling away before the culprit could catch him and accuse him of cheating, he relaxed back into his seat and looked expectantly at the girl against his side.
The warning was about as threatening as a butterfly, but it at least made everyone aware that Jesse would intervene if he felt someone overstepped boundaries. Dina just shook her head and refused to look at him. âHave you kissed anyone since getting to Jackson?â The question was about as tame as Dina could get and it caused a small snort to leave Jesse as he turned his head to try and disguise his laughter as a cough. âIgnore him. Alternatively, it could be phrased as is there someone in Jackson youâd like to kiss. Or someone in this room? I hear someone is kind of popular.â
âHey thatâs more than one question Dina.â
âJesse, grow up. She can pick. Iâm being nice! She asked for slow so Iâm giving plenty of options.â That usual Dina behavior was front and center as she leaned back in her chair, observing Giselle to see if she could pick up on any little cues or tells. She always went straight for the belly with games like Truth or Dare. They were a way for her to find out secrets, but mostly how people felt about each other. She had used it before in the past to get Jesse to kiss her so he didnât put anything past her. Still, he couldnât help but feel a little curious himself as he composed himself enough to look at Giselle. He knew that Owen had been hitting on her, but he wasnât aware of anyone else who seemed to catch her eye.
It wasnât like the guys didnât talk about her back at Jackson; in fact, they wouldnât shut up about her. Dina and Giselle were a hot topic among the guys as they liked the fun personalities they possessed. Jesse was constantly having to bring up the fact that he was dating Dina in order to get them to shut up. He had seen some guys go out with Michaela, but they were ones they kept to themselves and rarely seemed to share what they were doing. He didnât bother pressing them because he didnât want to know. Half the guys were stuck with stories for girlfriends, so he tried not to egg them on to pursue anyone in reality.
Maybe that was bad of him, but he had deliberately told some overzealous individuals to leave Giselle alone at gatherings, mostly because they seemed like they were trouble. Too much alcohol and a newcomer who was pretty and a total mystery? Yeah, that was an easy way to get into a fight. Jesse knew that she could probably tell them all to fuck off and handle herself, but he wanted to look out for her. She was new, and he didnât want some idiot to cause her to want to leave Jackson. She was better off just getting to know someone organically.
The dark-haired man leaned over to whisper in Giselleâs ear as soon as Dina turned to scold Ellie for her lack of enthusiasm. âDonât feel like you have to name names. Dina is a bit of a bloodhound with these sorts of things.â Pulling away before the culprit could catch him and accuse him of cheating, he relaxed back into his seat and looked expectantly at the girl against his side.
coded by social
Last edited:
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie watched her hands disappear beneath the steady care of Michaelaâs touch, that old sting from the disinfectant still grounding, still familiar. Sheâd taken care of worse wounds herself, and normally sheâd wave this kind of thing off with a quiet 'Iâm good.' But tonight⊠tonight she let someone else do it. Her knuckles were raw and her palms were worseâgravel embedded, nerves singingâand Michaelaâs hands, even if they trembled a little, were careful. Sure, she could let that happen.âYeah, well,â Ellie muttered as the salve went on, her lips twitching, âI guess Iâm lucky I have someone to look out for me, right?â She was trying to keep things light, teasing, just enough to let Michaela know that things were okay between them but that backfired almost immediately. She watched the exact moment it hitâa wide-eyed panic flashing across Michaelaâs face before she scrambled for the med kit like sheâd been electrocuted. Ellie blinked. Okay, definitely hit a nerve there.
âHey, stop,â Ellie finally cut in softly, reaching out and gently placing her now-bandaged hand on Michaelaâs wrist, lightly, carefully, not wanting to scare her off. âYouâre good. You donât have to apologize.â
She paused, choosing her next words slowly, quietly, so the others wouldnât overhear. Her thumb brushed softly against Michaelaâs pulse point, grounding them both; unsure if it was to comfort Michaela or herself. âThe thing with Dina isâitâs complicated. Weâre friends, yeah, maybe less now, who fucking knows right now. Itâs messy. . .And the dance. . .What I mean is, me and Dina tried but it's not like that. One of those things that. . . looked better from far away.â
Ellieâs voice softened further, her tone quietly sincere. âBut donât tell yourself youâre bugging me, okay? Because youâre not.â She squeezed Michaelaâs wrist gently, then withdrew her hand, placing it back at her side. Her eyes dropped, examining the fresh bandages. She didnât speak, just gave her a second, letting the silence stretch as she flexed the fingers of her wrapped hand. When Michaela finally returned and tried to laugh it offâassuming Ellie's type wasn't herâshe felt something shift in her chest. It was faint but there. That dull, echoing feeling sheâd pushed away in favor of easier things, clearer things. Cat. Then Dina. NowâŠ? She fucking hated it.
Her voice was quieter when she finally spoke. âI donât really have a type,â she said. âNot really into⊠boxes, or whatever.â She tried for a shrug, but it came out a little stiff. Her green eyes flicked down to her wrapped hand, thumb rubbing at the gauze edge. âI think people just kinda surprise me sometimes.â
Then Dinaâs voice cut in across the roomâsharp, playful, dragging Ellieâs name into the storm of Truth or Dare. Ellie groaned, rolling her eyes with a dramatic flair but didnât move from the loveseat. She could hear Jesseâs laughter and Wendyâs sarcastic commentary carrying through the lodge, warm and chaotic. It was normal. Comforting. A piece of Jackson that hadnât been swallowed up by snow or fear. She gave a lopsided smile towards Mack, but there was something real behind it. âAnd I donât think youâre out of it. Youâre just. . . honest. Which is cool. So donât sweat it. . . I donât need you to explain yourself,â she added, a little quieter. âYouâre allowed to say weird shit. I say weird shit all the time. Ask Jesse.â
She stood slowly, flexing her wrapped fingers with a small wince. âAlso? Youâve got nothing to prove. You didnât fuck anything up out there. You kept me alive just as much as I kept you alive.â A pause; she hesitated for a moment, then addedâmore cautiously now, like she wasnât sure if it was okay to keep saying what she needed to ââŠI wouldnât have rather been out there with anyone else.â Ellie rocked on her heels softly, testing her balance before stretching out a handâtoward Michaela. âCâmon. If Dinaâs gonna make us suffer through a game, we might as well suffer together. The whole safety in numbers thing, right?â
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselleâs breath caught the second Dina spoke, and her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. Her body stiffened slightly, and her grip on the blanket she had wrapped around herself tightened as if she could pull it up over her head and disappear entirely. She could feel the eyes on herâDinaâs playful but ruthless gaze, Wendyâs raised brow, and worst of all⊠Jesse. Warmth crawled up the back of her neck, blooming full force across her cheeks like wildfire under her skin. She didnât look up, all of the sudden painfully aware of his heat tucked into her side. . .maybe allowing herself to get so comfortable with him so quickly was a mistake on her part now look where it's landed her. Of course that would be the question, of course Dina would zero in with that sharp grin and tone that sounded casual but was anything but. The teasing felt light to the others, probably, but Giselle felt like her skin had gone translucent, like every moment sheâd caught herself looking at Jesse or leaning a little too long into his space was being broadcast on the side of the damn lodge. And Jesse laughing? That didnât help. It didnât hurt eitherâbut it sure as hell didnât help.Her curls, still damp from melted snow, fell a little into her face as she dipped her chin further, avoiding Jesseâs gaze like it burned. She ignored the fluttering in her stomach and the quickened beat of her heart, because no way in hell was she giving Dina or Jesse the satisfaction of seeing how much the question flustered her. She was sure her ears were glowing red; it was hard to tell if Dina was being purposely malicious or not, Jesse was her on again boyfriend more than he was off and Giselle would be lying to say she knew Dina well enough to tell the difference.
Her voice was quieter than normal when she finally spoke, pulling the blanket up higher over her collarbone like it could shield her from the attention. âNo. . . not since getting to Jackson.â
That part, at least, came out honest and steady. It was true, sheâd been too busy figuring out which way was north and which locals were nice to the newcomers and which ones only smiled when they wanted something. Jesse had been⊠safe. Kind and mostly infuriating but not like the others. Giselle wasn't blind, he was unfortunately easy on the eyes and it was easier to avoid her attraction when he was openly somebody else's but now they both seemed adamant on pushing the fact that they were done. Which was exactly why she didnât want to answer the second part of the question.
Her lips tugged upward, trying for dry humour even though her eyes stayed stubbornly fixed on the space just past Jesseâs knee. âAnd that's all your getting from me, Jesse's right, that's at least like, three questions right there. Save some for the rest of us. â There, that was enough but then Jesse leaned in and Giselle was pretty sure the light might've died from her eyes. She flinchedânot away from him, but like her body didnât know what to do. The warmth of his breath near her ear, the way his voice dipped just for her, the scent that was entirely him and boyish made the blood behind her ears pound harder. His reassurance was kind, soft in a way that made her throat tighten and it definitely shouldnât have invoked that kind of reaction. She needed to get laid immediately or at the very least put distance between her and Jesse soon.
As he pulled back, she risked a glance at him out of the corner of her eyeâand then immediately looked away again, her face visibly pink.
âIâm not naming names,â she muttered, half under her breath. âYouâre lucky I donât just walk back out in the storm and try my chances with the infected.â
Wendy stifled a laugh nearby, and Giselle shrunk deeper into her corner of the couch like a cat caught knocking something off a shelf. She didnât speak again, not yetâbut her shoulder remained against Jesseâs, her cheek half hidden behind the edge of her blanket.
Wendy chimed in from her seat beside Dina, brushing her hair back with a laugh. âIâd say that was a pretty tame truth. Now letâs see if someoneâs got the guts for a dare.â
Wendy, still hugging her pillow to her chest, looked around the room, eyes gleaming like a cat spotting mice. âAlright, Ellie,â she called out with a sing-song voice, âsince youâre too cool to sit with the rest of us, and definitely not avoiding eye contact with Michaela, I pick you. Truth or dare?â
Ellie, who had barely finished adjusting the fresh bandages on her hands and had very much not been expecting to be called on so soon, looked up with a small, dry smile. âUh, Iâm pretty sure thatâs not how the game works, itâs Giselleâs turn. Nice try though. . .â At the mention of her name, Giselle blinked â Wendy held her hands up as if to accept defeat. Her brown eyes fell on Michaela âWhat about you then? Truth or dare?â
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
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JESSE PARK
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social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
The sense of dread was imminent as Michaela listened to Ellie explain the rather complicated nature of her relationship with Dina. She could feel the heat of irritation and annoyance festering inside of her, a sign of her deep-rooted jealousy that always reared its head whenever Ellie was able to talk about people she liked or didnât like. It came as second nature to her, and it made Michaela irrationally wish that she was more like her and felt confused and unsure of what came next. It wasnât fair, but thatâs how she felt. Her wrist burned from the contact earlier, and she was positive that it had turned pink from how much she was fidgeting with it. Her thumb circled over where Ellieâs had rested, as if she were trying to memorize the feeling.
Fingertips ghosting over skin and unsteady eye contact were enough to make Michaelaâs chest feel uncomfortably tight and light a fire inside of her bones. It was all way too warm. âDamn, you think Iâm cool? Iâll have to tell Tara so she can lighten up my shifts at the clinic.â Her tone had that sarcastic edge to it as she offered a small smile, trying her best to act like she was feeling normal about everything. As Ellie got off the couch, the brunette mentally prepared for listening to the loud laughter and ridiculous games the rest would play. Maybe she could get some sleep. But she didnât expect to be hit with more words of reassurance from her patrol partner.
Her eyes snapped up to Ellieâs, and she held eye contact for a few beats, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she tried to understand why she would feel that way. She wasnât exactly a constant friend of Ellie, especially not with her whirlwind of complicated feelings. One minute she was fine, joking and laughing with her, and the other, she was wishing that Ellie would simply stay out of earshot for an entire day. But as the bandaged hand extended towards her, she found herself reaching out to grab it. Her grip was gentle as she didnât want to risk injuring her further. The gauze that wrapped her hand was a barrier that Michaela was truly grateful for. She was sure that if she blatantly held her hand without it, she probably would combust. Michaela wanted to say something, to thank Ellie or even just agree with her that she was glad they were on patrol together, but no words came out. Wendyâs voice bounced across the room, calling out to Ellie to play the game, ultimately interrupting the brunetteâs racing thoughts.
Her reply was casual and deflected the possible question, allowing her the chance to help Michaela to her feet. The taller girl winced as she stood up, putting weight on her banged-up leg for the first time since they had arrived. She had a noticeable limp as she walked over with Ellie, having let go of her hand as soon as she was on her feet. Catching Dinaâs gaze for a moment, she looked away and made her way to a seat, grabbing whatever she could to prop her leg up on. As she got situated, Giselleâs turn was directed towards her and made Michaela chuckle, feeling put on the spot. Ignoring the game or asking not to play would certainly cause more teasing and attention to be pushed her way, so she accepted her fate. She avoided looking at Ellie and kept her attention on Giselle, hoping that it would keep the watchful gazes of Dina and Wendy away.
âAs long as you promise I donât have to walk around for it, I guess dare?â A dare wasnât really what she wanted to do, but she knew it was a hell of a lot safer than choosing the truth. If she got asked about her weird attitude around Ellie and Dina, she would honestly go outside with Giselle and risk getting eaten by infected. It seemed a lot easier than dealing with emotional turmoil. âHopefully, youâre nicer than those guys. They are evil.â Michaela gestured to Ellie and Dina, knowing from experience that they had made kids eat worms and do ridiculous stunts all in the name of the game. Granted, that was a few years ago, but she doubted they had changed that much.
Her hands rested in her lap, her thumb rubbing across the palm of her hand that had been held by Ellie. She could feel the twisting of her stomach, the anxiety that danced throughout her body and threatened to show itself. Michaela didnât consider herself a romantic or anything like that, but she got wrapped up in people easily if she was interested in them. If Ellie was a guy, she wouldâve understood her nervousness and the fact that she was trying to burn their touches to memory. But she wasnâtâthat was the difficult part.
Fingertips ghosting over skin and unsteady eye contact were enough to make Michaelaâs chest feel uncomfortably tight and light a fire inside of her bones. It was all way too warm. âDamn, you think Iâm cool? Iâll have to tell Tara so she can lighten up my shifts at the clinic.â Her tone had that sarcastic edge to it as she offered a small smile, trying her best to act like she was feeling normal about everything. As Ellie got off the couch, the brunette mentally prepared for listening to the loud laughter and ridiculous games the rest would play. Maybe she could get some sleep. But she didnât expect to be hit with more words of reassurance from her patrol partner.
Her eyes snapped up to Ellieâs, and she held eye contact for a few beats, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she tried to understand why she would feel that way. She wasnât exactly a constant friend of Ellie, especially not with her whirlwind of complicated feelings. One minute she was fine, joking and laughing with her, and the other, she was wishing that Ellie would simply stay out of earshot for an entire day. But as the bandaged hand extended towards her, she found herself reaching out to grab it. Her grip was gentle as she didnât want to risk injuring her further. The gauze that wrapped her hand was a barrier that Michaela was truly grateful for. She was sure that if she blatantly held her hand without it, she probably would combust. Michaela wanted to say something, to thank Ellie or even just agree with her that she was glad they were on patrol together, but no words came out. Wendyâs voice bounced across the room, calling out to Ellie to play the game, ultimately interrupting the brunetteâs racing thoughts.
Her reply was casual and deflected the possible question, allowing her the chance to help Michaela to her feet. The taller girl winced as she stood up, putting weight on her banged-up leg for the first time since they had arrived. She had a noticeable limp as she walked over with Ellie, having let go of her hand as soon as she was on her feet. Catching Dinaâs gaze for a moment, she looked away and made her way to a seat, grabbing whatever she could to prop her leg up on. As she got situated, Giselleâs turn was directed towards her and made Michaela chuckle, feeling put on the spot. Ignoring the game or asking not to play would certainly cause more teasing and attention to be pushed her way, so she accepted her fate. She avoided looking at Ellie and kept her attention on Giselle, hoping that it would keep the watchful gazes of Dina and Wendy away.
âAs long as you promise I donât have to walk around for it, I guess dare?â A dare wasnât really what she wanted to do, but she knew it was a hell of a lot safer than choosing the truth. If she got asked about her weird attitude around Ellie and Dina, she would honestly go outside with Giselle and risk getting eaten by infected. It seemed a lot easier than dealing with emotional turmoil. âHopefully, youâre nicer than those guys. They are evil.â Michaela gestured to Ellie and Dina, knowing from experience that they had made kids eat worms and do ridiculous stunts all in the name of the game. Granted, that was a few years ago, but she doubted they had changed that much.
Her hands rested in her lap, her thumb rubbing across the palm of her hand that had been held by Ellie. She could feel the twisting of her stomach, the anxiety that danced throughout her body and threatened to show itself. Michaela didnât consider herself a romantic or anything like that, but she got wrapped up in people easily if she was interested in them. If Ellie was a guy, she wouldâve understood her nervousness and the fact that she was trying to burn their touches to memory. But she wasnâtâthat was the difficult part.
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jesse park
Giselleâs answer hadnât been unexpected and he found himself smiling, enjoying the flush to her face that trailed all the way down to her neck. He could see and practically feel the embarrassment radiating off of her and it was kind of endearing. She was so out of her element that it made him want to tease her a little bit more. The blanket seemed content with swallowing her whole, and as she curled up deeper inside of it, Jesse shook his head, a quiet laugh falling from his lips. âPrefering infected over naming names is pretty ballsy. Iâm impressed, Martin.â He couldnât help but take his chance at a light-hearted jab, the comment making Dina roll her eyes dramatically.
Luckily, the attention moved from Giselle to Michaela and Ellie as the two made their way over to join the group. âWell, you guys took your sweet time.â He cracked a smile and crossed his legs, eyeing Ellie with a look that seemed to spell trouble. âHope you werenât causing trouble over there, Ellie.â Ever since the kiss, Jesse had always made sure to throw a joke her way, entertained by the panicked reaction he would get. He really didnât care, and he knew it was between them so he really only ever brought it up to make fun of them. Would he joke about Ellie trying to get âhis womanâ a few weeks after the breakup? Yup, he would and without shame.
The pair got settled and Jesse leaned forward to try and catch a glimpse of Michaelaâs face. She looked like she had been tossed out into the snow more than once, just utterly out of her comfort zone. Maybe Ellie had done something. âNot letting up even when sheâs got an injury? Man, youâre strict.â His tone was casual and even, the jab directed in Ellieâs direction once more before he leaned back and got settled next to Giselle. He smiled as it was announced to be her turn and she immediately landed on Michaela. Damn, she wasnât catching a break. Moments like this were a chance to bond so he liked them and knew it would be good for the chemistry of the group as a whole.
He could see that Wendy was looking at him, a knowing smirk on her face as she locked on his arm that rested behind Giselle. Raising an eyebrow at her, she simply shrugged and leaned back in her seat, trying to act innocent about the whole thing. Jesse wasnât an idiot; he knew what it probably looked like to other people, but he wasnât hitting on Giselle. Sure, he wasnât going out of his way to keep to himself and not invade her personal space, but he wasnât throwing moves her direction. She was cute and a fun person to talk with so it seemed natural for him to lean into a bit more than usual.
Jesse wasnât the type to be overly flirtatious anyway, and he doubted that he could catch feelings that quickly for someone. Even with Dina, he liked her, but it wasâŠcomplicated to say the least. He liked people who got along with him, and he liked the physical companionship. Maybe it made him a bit of a douchebag, but he didnât know why. In his head, it just made sense. Labels like girlfriend or boyfriend just meant they were exclusive in his opinion. Sure, Dina had gone to his and his momâs house for dinners over the years, but it wasnât like they planned on getting married or anything. They were just family.
His gaze shifted to Giselle and he found himself mulling over the idea of what it would look like to sort of pursue her. He wasnât like Dina or Ellie, he didnât just outright hit on someone or kiss them. He found himself moving in a casual way and just ending up at the finish line without much effort. Jesse looked at his arm for a moment and he wondered if its presence, combined with the fact she was pressed against his side, meant more than just two people being comfortable on a couch. The whole thing was prompting a lot of thinking and he didnât like it. Raising his free hand to run back through his hair, he let his arm naturally slip down to rest on Giselleâs shoulders, more or less to see how it made him feel.
Granted he couldnât feel much because of the blanket, but he was curious. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, the wool material of the blanket underneath his fingertips. Her meekness was apparent and the fact she had stayed close to his side since they sat down had caught his attention, though he refused to acknowledge it. His gaze was locked on Michaela for her dare and he smiled casually, not caring that he was just providing ammunition for the others to prey upon.
Luckily, the attention moved from Giselle to Michaela and Ellie as the two made their way over to join the group. âWell, you guys took your sweet time.â He cracked a smile and crossed his legs, eyeing Ellie with a look that seemed to spell trouble. âHope you werenât causing trouble over there, Ellie.â Ever since the kiss, Jesse had always made sure to throw a joke her way, entertained by the panicked reaction he would get. He really didnât care, and he knew it was between them so he really only ever brought it up to make fun of them. Would he joke about Ellie trying to get âhis womanâ a few weeks after the breakup? Yup, he would and without shame.
The pair got settled and Jesse leaned forward to try and catch a glimpse of Michaelaâs face. She looked like she had been tossed out into the snow more than once, just utterly out of her comfort zone. Maybe Ellie had done something. âNot letting up even when sheâs got an injury? Man, youâre strict.â His tone was casual and even, the jab directed in Ellieâs direction once more before he leaned back and got settled next to Giselle. He smiled as it was announced to be her turn and she immediately landed on Michaela. Damn, she wasnât catching a break. Moments like this were a chance to bond so he liked them and knew it would be good for the chemistry of the group as a whole.
He could see that Wendy was looking at him, a knowing smirk on her face as she locked on his arm that rested behind Giselle. Raising an eyebrow at her, she simply shrugged and leaned back in her seat, trying to act innocent about the whole thing. Jesse wasnât an idiot; he knew what it probably looked like to other people, but he wasnât hitting on Giselle. Sure, he wasnât going out of his way to keep to himself and not invade her personal space, but he wasnât throwing moves her direction. She was cute and a fun person to talk with so it seemed natural for him to lean into a bit more than usual.
Jesse wasnât the type to be overly flirtatious anyway, and he doubted that he could catch feelings that quickly for someone. Even with Dina, he liked her, but it wasâŠcomplicated to say the least. He liked people who got along with him, and he liked the physical companionship. Maybe it made him a bit of a douchebag, but he didnât know why. In his head, it just made sense. Labels like girlfriend or boyfriend just meant they were exclusive in his opinion. Sure, Dina had gone to his and his momâs house for dinners over the years, but it wasnât like they planned on getting married or anything. They were just family.
His gaze shifted to Giselle and he found himself mulling over the idea of what it would look like to sort of pursue her. He wasnât like Dina or Ellie, he didnât just outright hit on someone or kiss them. He found himself moving in a casual way and just ending up at the finish line without much effort. Jesse looked at his arm for a moment and he wondered if its presence, combined with the fact she was pressed against his side, meant more than just two people being comfortable on a couch. The whole thing was prompting a lot of thinking and he didnât like it. Raising his free hand to run back through his hair, he let his arm naturally slip down to rest on Giselleâs shoulders, more or less to see how it made him feel.
Granted he couldnât feel much because of the blanket, but he was curious. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, the wool material of the blanket underneath his fingertips. Her meekness was apparent and the fact she had stayed close to his side since they sat down had caught his attention, though he refused to acknowledge it. His gaze was locked on Michaela for her dare and he smiled casually, not caring that he was just providing ammunition for the others to prey upon.
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UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie flinched a little at the way Wendyâs voice called across the room, not because it startled her, but because it broke that fleeting, fragile moment sheâd just shared with Michaela and damn if those moments werenât getting harder to come back from. As Michaela took her hand, even gently, Ellie felt a rush of warmth she didnât expectâcomforting and dangerous in equal measure. The gauze mightâve dulled the physical feeling, but it didnât stop the sudden little pull in her chest. She didnât say anything else, didnât need to. She just held onto Michaela for a moment longer than necessary before helping her up, steadying her when she winced.Ellie didnât miss the way Michaelaâs hand pulled away the second she was stable, didnât miss how her expression shuttered as she limped over to the others, how her shoulders tensed when she caught Dinaâs gaze. Ellie didnât blame her, she knew all about feeling like youâre being watchedâlike youâre being read a little too easily by people who might not know the whole story, but sure as hell think they do. Her throat tightened, God, why did it feel like she was 15 again.
Ellie took a breath and followed, sitting back down across from the others, careful with her bandaged hands, even more careful not to let her eyes linger on Michaela too long once they were both in the circle. She leaned back into the couch, spreading her legs out casually in front of her like she hadnât just had the emotional equivalent of getting punched in the ribs.
When Michaela responded to Giselle with 'dare' Ellie didnât show much of anythingâat least not on the outside. But inside, her stomach tightened. Of course she picked darem, that made sense. It was safer, truth was⊠risky; especially with this group, especially with Dina. She had an odd way of getting things out of someone they didn't even know they were willing to share, it was something Ellie admired and hated about her.
Ellie smirked faintly at the jab tossed at her and the small group of friends before she'd been able to throw a response out, Wendy piped up âYou don't even know the half of it! The shit that Ellie used to dare us to do was worse than stable duty.â Ellie's eyebrows furrowed in mock offence âHey,â she held her hands up, a shit eating grin suppressed âI was like⊠fourteen. Worm-eating builds character.â Wendy snorted before replying âIt builds trauma.â
âSame thing,â Ellie deadpanned, flashing a brief grin before glancing over at Michaela. Her voice dropped just enough, less teasing, more honest. âIâd go easy on you now. Swear.â It was true, she didnât want to freak Michaela out or see her shut off again. She just⊠wanted her there, talking, laughing. Something Dina and Jesse had done for her once too. Her gaze flicked to Giselle now, letting her carry the game forward. Ellie wasnât sure what was worseâthis part, or the way her chest still felt like it was echoing with the shape of Michaelaâs hand. She rubbed her thumb absently against the edge of her bandage and looked away.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
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OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
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MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle felt her face still burning faintly from Dinaâs earlier question, the tips of her ears hot but hidden by the damp curls that clung loosely to her cheeks. She tried not to fidget too much with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders or let her eyes flick to Jesse again, though the subtle warmth of his side had become something grounding. She hadnât even realized how much she was leaning into him until her shoulder was tucked snug under the crook of his arm, the blanket shifting slightly as her body relaxed. It wasnât consciousâit never was with Jesse. He just made her feel⊠steady, like whatever ugly outside couldnât find her here. She was warm nowâher bruised skin prickled in the heat of the fire and the charged tension circling the room. When Michaela chose dare, her eyes flicked up in mild surprise, she hadnât expected the other girl to go that route, especially with how weird everything had been just moments ago. Ellie. Dina. That glance between them.Giselle caught it, even if everyone else seemed to ignore it, she offered a slightly crooked grin, still refusing to look at Jesse next to her. She shifted in her seat stretching her legs out in front of her and tapping her fingers against the blanket like a slow drumroll. âDonât worry, no evil dares. no worms. no licking weird things or whatever these lunatics used to do.â Dina groaned dramatically âYouâre no fun.â Giselle couldn't help the soft snort that fell from her lips âShh. You had your turn.â
She tilted her head, thoughtful. Her eyes flicked between Ellie and Michaela briefly before landing firmly on the latter. She settled deeper into the warmth of Jesse, her thigh settling lightly beside his on the cushions. She didnât pull away this time as she felt the weight on him resting along her shoulder. If anything, her voice softened just a notch, as if the flickering firelight was warming more than just her skin.
âAlright, Michaela,â she said, eyes flicking over to where the brunette sat with her leg propped up and hands fidgeting in her lap. Giselle caught the way she looked at Ellie earlier; maybe she'd even noticed the way Michaela's eyes seemed to follow Ellie briefly whenever she entered a room, she caught the way she didnât look now and maybe she didnât know exactly what was going on there, but she knew how it felt to have something lingering under the surfaceâthe same way maybe something lingered under the surface with her when it came to Jesse. Giselle had never done whatever this was, crushes had come and gone as everything did nowadays. Sheâd been flirted with, sure, maybe kissed once or twice in the back of a truck but none of those people ever made her want to stay still; not like this.
Jesse didnât do muchâjust let his arm stay where it was, let her lean into him when she didnât even realize she was doing it. He didnât point it out or try to capitalize on it. He just was, like the couch was a natural habitat and she belonged there too, like it didnât have to mean anything. Like it could mean everything. She liked him, she knew that but she didnât know what to do with it.
âYour dare is,â Giselle said, grinning now. âYou have to give someone here a real compliment. Not a sarcastic one, not a joke either. Something genuine and it canât be about their aim or survival skills.â She pointed a playful finger around the room. âAnd no cop-outs like âyouâre a good friend.â I wanna hear something honest.â Ellie shot Giselle a look that was somewhere between why would you do that and thank you for doing that, green eyes pulling to Michaela immediately. Giselle herself couldn't help the way she peered up at Jesse, almost like asking did i do good or what? in regards to her dare.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
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OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSONoutfit:
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JESSE PARK [/nobr]
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
A smile formed on her cracked lips as she listened to Wendy complain and point out how truly evil the dares had been when they were younger. It had been exciting when Ellie arrived, and she had no concept of a filter or being respectful when playing games with others. It just caused mayhem, and everyone enjoyed it. Finding small things to keep kids happy during such a difficult time in life was difficult, but they made it work. She could hear the others laughing as they agreed with Wendyâs sentiments about the trauma that Ellieâs dares invoked. The heaviness in her chest had lightened up a little, allowing her to breathe properly for at least a few moments.
Laughter lingered in the air, and Michaela shook her head, the damp strands of hair catching her bruised face. Lifting a hand to brush them away, she caught the green gaze directed at her. She could feel her stomach flutter in a way that made her want to scream, and her smile seemed almost frozen on her face. She didnât want to react weirdly in front of everyone, so she fought her instincts to retreat. Ellieâs words lacked the usual bite of a joke and seemed more genuine, which made the brunette squirm in her seat. âIâll hold you to it then.â There wasnât much confidence in her voice, but she had managed to reply, and that was enough for her.
Michaela turned away from Ellie to look back at Giselle, waiting for whatever dare she would be saddled with. There were complaints from Dina as the curly-haired woman gave disclaimers about not giving any weird or evil dares. That was at least comforting. Her dare was a careful one and genuinely was tame compared to most. But the prospect of having to give genuine compliments to someone made Michaelaâs face flush slightly, and she leaned back into the couch, a small groan on her lips. âI gotta be mushy? Gross.â It was an open secret that she wasnât one to get sentimental for people, and so the dare was most certainly a challenge for her.
Her blue gaze bounced around the faces of everyone in the room, trying to think of a compliment that would be genuine. She could compliment Wendy on how she always did her best to stay calm in difficult situations and kept people alive, but that probably was against the rules. There was Dina, she could say she was envious and impressed by her ability to lead and keep morale up, but was that genuine enough? Jesse was easy to compliment, but they all related to how he was a good survivor and protected Jackson. She didnât know Giselle enough to compliment her, which meant she was left with Ellie.
A hand raised and rubbed the back of her neck, her damp hair feeling like ice against her warmed skin. Her brain ran through all the compliments she could give, and none of them felt like they would fall within the rules of the dare. It made her a little queasy. âUmm, do I have to say who it is?â Jesse leaned forward with an unimpressed look and nodded his head, clearly not accepting her compromise despite the fact that Giselle said the dare. Dina and Wendy shared a look that screamed âno shit you have to tell who it isâ. Well, that was about her only way to escape embarrassment.
Clearing her throat, Michaela fidgeted with fixing her hair, taking a hair tie from her wrist to pull the dark tresses back into a loose ponytail. Her gaze flickered between the floor and Ellieâs hands, trying to find a way not to make thingsâŠcomplicated. Worrying at her bottom lip, she sighed and accepted her fate, knowing that stalling would make things worse. âUh, I guess Iâll choose Ellie then.â Her stomach tightened, and her fingers threaded together in her lap, the tips immediately feeling numb from anxiety. Her mouth felt dry, and she became acutely aware of every bruise that decorated her skin, as well as how her heart seemed to skip a beat or two. She decided that she didnât like the game at all.
âI like how you donât really give a shit about what people think. You do what makes you happy, and I think itâs cool.â Michaela looked in the direction of the others, hoping that it was a good enough answer. Dina was the first to motion for her to say more, a smile on her face that showed she was eager to hear more. âUm, yeah, I think the way you care about people is really nice too. Like you always watch out for people and do things to help them out. Youâve helped me out a lot with the dogs in the past when it comes to training, and it saved me from losing my mind. I donât know, you just always seem to be there for Jackson, and itâs reallyâŠcool.â Clearing her throat, she stared down at the wood floor and the way the color of the fire danced across it.
She didnât want to say anymore and just took a deep breath. âYeah, so thatâs as mushy as Iâm getting. My turn, right?â The group nodded, with little smiles on their faces that made Michaela want to scream into a pillow. She hated feeling like an open book, especially when she preferred to be protected by lock and key. âUh, Dina, Truth or Dare?"
Dina perked up and leaned forward, clearly waiting to be called upon. âOh, absolutely dare.â Of course, she picked that.
âUm, I dare you toâŠdo a handstand walk?â It was about the only thing she could think of that would be challenging enough to be a dare, but safe enough for her to deal with anything awkward. Michaela looked away from Dina as the woman stood up and she risked looking at Ellie, quietly wondering if the compliment had been well received or not. She wasnât good at talking about things like that, so she felt a bit uneasy, not knowing if she had upset her or completely missed the mark.
Unfortunately for Michaela, most of the things she had noticed or memorized about Ellie were the small physical things. Like the dusting of freckles she got during the summers, the slight changes of how she styled her hair when she was tired, or the way she had callouses on her fingertips that mirrored the ones Joel had. But those werenât things she could share with the group, they were quiet things that she kept to herself and thought about on nights when the little light in Ellieâs garage was on.
Laughter lingered in the air, and Michaela shook her head, the damp strands of hair catching her bruised face. Lifting a hand to brush them away, she caught the green gaze directed at her. She could feel her stomach flutter in a way that made her want to scream, and her smile seemed almost frozen on her face. She didnât want to react weirdly in front of everyone, so she fought her instincts to retreat. Ellieâs words lacked the usual bite of a joke and seemed more genuine, which made the brunette squirm in her seat. âIâll hold you to it then.â There wasnât much confidence in her voice, but she had managed to reply, and that was enough for her.
Michaela turned away from Ellie to look back at Giselle, waiting for whatever dare she would be saddled with. There were complaints from Dina as the curly-haired woman gave disclaimers about not giving any weird or evil dares. That was at least comforting. Her dare was a careful one and genuinely was tame compared to most. But the prospect of having to give genuine compliments to someone made Michaelaâs face flush slightly, and she leaned back into the couch, a small groan on her lips. âI gotta be mushy? Gross.â It was an open secret that she wasnât one to get sentimental for people, and so the dare was most certainly a challenge for her.
Her blue gaze bounced around the faces of everyone in the room, trying to think of a compliment that would be genuine. She could compliment Wendy on how she always did her best to stay calm in difficult situations and kept people alive, but that probably was against the rules. There was Dina, she could say she was envious and impressed by her ability to lead and keep morale up, but was that genuine enough? Jesse was easy to compliment, but they all related to how he was a good survivor and protected Jackson. She didnât know Giselle enough to compliment her, which meant she was left with Ellie.
A hand raised and rubbed the back of her neck, her damp hair feeling like ice against her warmed skin. Her brain ran through all the compliments she could give, and none of them felt like they would fall within the rules of the dare. It made her a little queasy. âUmm, do I have to say who it is?â Jesse leaned forward with an unimpressed look and nodded his head, clearly not accepting her compromise despite the fact that Giselle said the dare. Dina and Wendy shared a look that screamed âno shit you have to tell who it isâ. Well, that was about her only way to escape embarrassment.
Clearing her throat, Michaela fidgeted with fixing her hair, taking a hair tie from her wrist to pull the dark tresses back into a loose ponytail. Her gaze flickered between the floor and Ellieâs hands, trying to find a way not to make thingsâŠcomplicated. Worrying at her bottom lip, she sighed and accepted her fate, knowing that stalling would make things worse. âUh, I guess Iâll choose Ellie then.â Her stomach tightened, and her fingers threaded together in her lap, the tips immediately feeling numb from anxiety. Her mouth felt dry, and she became acutely aware of every bruise that decorated her skin, as well as how her heart seemed to skip a beat or two. She decided that she didnât like the game at all.
âI like how you donât really give a shit about what people think. You do what makes you happy, and I think itâs cool.â Michaela looked in the direction of the others, hoping that it was a good enough answer. Dina was the first to motion for her to say more, a smile on her face that showed she was eager to hear more. âUm, yeah, I think the way you care about people is really nice too. Like you always watch out for people and do things to help them out. Youâve helped me out a lot with the dogs in the past when it comes to training, and it saved me from losing my mind. I donât know, you just always seem to be there for Jackson, and itâs reallyâŠcool.â Clearing her throat, she stared down at the wood floor and the way the color of the fire danced across it.
She didnât want to say anymore and just took a deep breath. âYeah, so thatâs as mushy as Iâm getting. My turn, right?â The group nodded, with little smiles on their faces that made Michaela want to scream into a pillow. She hated feeling like an open book, especially when she preferred to be protected by lock and key. âUh, Dina, Truth or Dare?"
Dina perked up and leaned forward, clearly waiting to be called upon. âOh, absolutely dare.â Of course, she picked that.
âUm, I dare you toâŠdo a handstand walk?â It was about the only thing she could think of that would be challenging enough to be a dare, but safe enough for her to deal with anything awkward. Michaela looked away from Dina as the woman stood up and she risked looking at Ellie, quietly wondering if the compliment had been well received or not. She wasnât good at talking about things like that, so she felt a bit uneasy, not knowing if she had upset her or completely missed the mark.
Unfortunately for Michaela, most of the things she had noticed or memorized about Ellie were the small physical things. Like the dusting of freckles she got during the summers, the slight changes of how she styled her hair when she was tired, or the way she had callouses on her fingertips that mirrored the ones Joel had. But those werenât things she could share with the group, they were quiet things that she kept to herself and thought about on nights when the little light in Ellieâs garage was on.
coded by social
jesse park
He couldnât fight back the amused smile that formed on his lips as Giselle made sure to explain that she wouldnât be evil and make anyone eat or lick anything weird. He found it sweet that she was making sure everyone was actually enjoying themselves instead of throwing up because of some un-Godly thing they had to consume. Jesse wasnât the type to go over the top with the game, and he usually preferred to be a spectator, unless he got a chance to show off. He usually was a little into it when that happened. So he was more than happy to watch the dynamics between everyone and just relax. He didnât have to be a leader while they were playing a game; he got to just be Jesse.
Glancing down at his side, he found himself observing the expressions of Giselle, catching the smile on her lips and the way her eyes crinkled up. It was cute. The fact that he found it cute made him raise a hand to rest against his mouth for a minute, mostly to fight back the urge to laugh. He had really only ever flirted with Dina, so it was new to him to find someone else intriguing enough to more or less flirt with. Her voice was playful and bright as she explained her dare, setting tough boundaries for Michaela. Jesse knew that the brunette would hate it, but thatâs what made it fun.
When she was finished laying out the rules and looked at him, he smiled and bumped his leg into hers. âGood job. Michaela hates getting emotional.â He pointed at the woman, who immediately started to complain and seemed like her world was surely going to end. The silence that filled the room as Michaela deliberated over her dare gave Jesse a chance to just take it all in, at least when it came to what he was doing. His fingers absentmindedly messed with the material of Giselleâs blanket, and he found that he was leaning into her as well, causing there to be far less of a gap than before.
Thinking about it too much would cause a headache, but he didnât think it was that big of a deal to entertain the idea of continuing whatever it was they had going on. It was occurring naturally, and if they didnât need to address it, then he was happy. Whatever boundaries she had, he would respect. Jesse wasnât one to be weirded out by physical contact or having a relationship that blurred the lines between platonic and romantic, so he felt like it would be comfortable for him. He could remember the times they had spent together since she had arrived and how much she had opened up since getting settled. It was nice.
As soon as Michaela finished her dare, she wasted no time in asking Dina, who happily called for a dare. âHandstands? Donât break anything, please.â He shook his head, already imagining the mess that could occur if she didnât keep her balance. Dina got up from her seat and boldly began to try and get into a handstand and then walk. It was difficult and resulted in fits of laughter as she kept throwing her legs back up into the air, swearing that she could do it. The distraction was enough to where he felt comfortable talking to Giselle a little more.
âHowâs the bruise?â Jesse leaned to look at her properly, looking for the injury on her jaw. âItâs probably from me, so thatâs my bad.â He smiled, although he was clearly apologetic for causing an injury, despite how minor it was. There was a sense of quiet closeness between them as he looked at her, taking note of the subtle flush of her skin and the way she was looking at him. Okay, maybe he was being a bit mean and pushing the envelope of what he could get away with, but it was difficult not to. He was the way he was, and that meant being in peopleâs space and fussing over them a little bit. But his hand remained respectfully on her shoulder, despite the close proximity of the two. He wasnât trying to creep her out or act like he was going to do something.
Jesse just wanted to pry into her a little bit, hear those quiet words that were reserved for him, and didnât hold the sarcasm and snippy words that usually came from her. âYou should hang out with everyone more often. You get along great, especially with those two. Itâll be good for you guys to hang. We have dinners at my place sometimes, so if you ever want to come to one, you can.â He knew they mingled at times, but he felt like he rarely hung out with Giselle outside of patrol detail. She was always tucked away doing her own thing or hanging around the gardens since there was always work to do. He wanted her to socialize more and get familiar with everyone.
Maybe there was a selfish part of him that wanted more of that secret attention she had given him earlier, the little moments of genuine words and honest emotions. He liked that sort of thing, and he wanted to see more of it. He wanted her to be comfortable talking to him above a whisper, and he wanted to be the one who discovered it first. Jesse normally took a backseat to everything and everyone. He never had complaints and certainly wasnât selfish. He knew that nothing ever seemed to belong to him, and he wanted to continue to give to the community, but this was different. Giselle was new and didnât seem to bend to the same rules, so it made him curious. He wanted to know more, and maybe he could be like the others and have something he could keep to himself, at least for a little bit.
Glancing down at his side, he found himself observing the expressions of Giselle, catching the smile on her lips and the way her eyes crinkled up. It was cute. The fact that he found it cute made him raise a hand to rest against his mouth for a minute, mostly to fight back the urge to laugh. He had really only ever flirted with Dina, so it was new to him to find someone else intriguing enough to more or less flirt with. Her voice was playful and bright as she explained her dare, setting tough boundaries for Michaela. Jesse knew that the brunette would hate it, but thatâs what made it fun.
When she was finished laying out the rules and looked at him, he smiled and bumped his leg into hers. âGood job. Michaela hates getting emotional.â He pointed at the woman, who immediately started to complain and seemed like her world was surely going to end. The silence that filled the room as Michaela deliberated over her dare gave Jesse a chance to just take it all in, at least when it came to what he was doing. His fingers absentmindedly messed with the material of Giselleâs blanket, and he found that he was leaning into her as well, causing there to be far less of a gap than before.
Thinking about it too much would cause a headache, but he didnât think it was that big of a deal to entertain the idea of continuing whatever it was they had going on. It was occurring naturally, and if they didnât need to address it, then he was happy. Whatever boundaries she had, he would respect. Jesse wasnât one to be weirded out by physical contact or having a relationship that blurred the lines between platonic and romantic, so he felt like it would be comfortable for him. He could remember the times they had spent together since she had arrived and how much she had opened up since getting settled. It was nice.
As soon as Michaela finished her dare, she wasted no time in asking Dina, who happily called for a dare. âHandstands? Donât break anything, please.â He shook his head, already imagining the mess that could occur if she didnât keep her balance. Dina got up from her seat and boldly began to try and get into a handstand and then walk. It was difficult and resulted in fits of laughter as she kept throwing her legs back up into the air, swearing that she could do it. The distraction was enough to where he felt comfortable talking to Giselle a little more.
âHowâs the bruise?â Jesse leaned to look at her properly, looking for the injury on her jaw. âItâs probably from me, so thatâs my bad.â He smiled, although he was clearly apologetic for causing an injury, despite how minor it was. There was a sense of quiet closeness between them as he looked at her, taking note of the subtle flush of her skin and the way she was looking at him. Okay, maybe he was being a bit mean and pushing the envelope of what he could get away with, but it was difficult not to. He was the way he was, and that meant being in peopleâs space and fussing over them a little bit. But his hand remained respectfully on her shoulder, despite the close proximity of the two. He wasnât trying to creep her out or act like he was going to do something.
Jesse just wanted to pry into her a little bit, hear those quiet words that were reserved for him, and didnât hold the sarcasm and snippy words that usually came from her. âYou should hang out with everyone more often. You get along great, especially with those two. Itâll be good for you guys to hang. We have dinners at my place sometimes, so if you ever want to come to one, you can.â He knew they mingled at times, but he felt like he rarely hung out with Giselle outside of patrol detail. She was always tucked away doing her own thing or hanging around the gardens since there was always work to do. He wanted her to socialize more and get familiar with everyone.
Maybe there was a selfish part of him that wanted more of that secret attention she had given him earlier, the little moments of genuine words and honest emotions. He liked that sort of thing, and he wanted to see more of it. He wanted her to be comfortable talking to him above a whisper, and he wanted to be the one who discovered it first. Jesse normally took a backseat to everything and everyone. He never had complaints and certainly wasnât selfish. He knew that nothing ever seemed to belong to him, and he wanted to continue to give to the community, but this was different. Giselle was new and didnât seem to bend to the same rules, so it made him curious. He wanted to know more, and maybe he could be like the others and have something he could keep to himself, at least for a little bit.
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie watched Michaela squirm through the compliment like it was the worst dare in the worldâwhich, given how red her ears were getting, maybe it was. She didnât interrupt, just leaned back on her hands with a lazy half-smirk tugging at the edge of her mouth, her green eyes fixed on the other girl.âShit,â she said once Michaela finally, finally stopped talking. âThatâs, uh. . .actually kinda sweet.â Her smirk softened into something a little more genuine, and she scratched behind her ear like she didnât know what to do with the warm flush spreading across her neck. âAnd a little terrifying. You noticing all that? God, I gotta be more careful.â
She laughed under her breath, low and sheepish, though her smile lingered. The words had landed, more than Michaela probably realized. She had a hard time hearing nice things about herselfâeven harder believing themâbut Michaelaâs compliment didnât feel like something someone just said to get it over with. It felt noticed; real.
Her gaze flicked away for a second, but then it found Michaelaâs again, a subtle gratitude in her expression that didnât need to be spoken aloud. âYou did good,â Ellie said, voice low. âAnd donât worry, Iâm holdinâ you to that mush quota next round.â
When Dina dramatically toppled forward trying to catch herself mid handstand attempt, Ellie snorted so loud she choked. âSee? Thatâs what happens when you get cocky. Karma doesn't mess around.â
Laughter buzzed around the room again, warm and golden like the firelight, and Ellie felt something settle in her chestâlighter than itâd been all day. Maybe it was the game, maybe it was Michaelaâs words, maybe it was just being surrounded by people who hadnât died today. Whatever it was, she leaned into it, stretching out one leg and slouching deeper into the couch.
Still, her eyes found Michaela again, just for a moment âThanks,â she said, softer this time. âFor real. It's nice to know you see me, I didn't really think anyone saw me like that.â
And though she meant the compliment, part of her also meant the hand earlier. The moment they shared when things had gone quiet, the nervous flush on Michaelaâs face now. The way they kept finding their way back to each other, even if it was just through a stupid dare. It felt good and as the laughter slowly faded and the game continued on, Ellie sat there with her bandaged hands resting on her thighs, the fire casting shadows that danced up the walls of the lodge. Everyone's attention drifted from Dina's disastrous attempt at a handstand to teasing Wendy about her next turn, but Ellieâs focus slipped, drawn quietly and inevitably back to Michaela.
She didnât even mean to watch her the way she didâit just happened sometimes. The way Michaelaâs shoulders always tensed just a second before she spoke, like she was bracing for something, even if it was just a joke. The soft click of her nails against her thumb when she was thinking, the way her nose crinkled when someone made her laugh too hard. Those werenât things most people noticedânot unless they were paying attention, Ellie did. She thought about how Michaela always smelled faintly like antiseptic and earthy, how her voice dropped when she was tired, like the edges got rounder. There were other things, too.
The quiet ways Michaela helped people without making a show of it. Like tying up an elderâs boot laces during supply distribution or patching a kidâs scraped knee with gentleness she never used on herself. The world hadnât been kind to girls like themâgirls who stayed guarded, who gave more than they tookâbut Michaela still found ways to give. Ellie thought that was admirable because it was so far from what she was like and, sure, she had noticed things about Dina too when they'd first met but this was different. Ellie knew this was different; the thought of allowing Dina to fuss over her didn't make her stomach turn like it did when she thought about Mika doing it instead.
So Ellie would tuck it all away for nowâinto the same quiet place where she stored old lyrics, half-finished drawings, and the way Michaelaâs hand had felt wrapped in hers.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle didnât realize how far sheâd leaned into Jesse until he spoke again, his breath warming the space between them. Her body tensedânot because she was uncomfortable, but because it hit her how natural it felt. How unguarded she was, she wasnât usually like this. Not with how she'd been trying to prevent herself from falling into the people of Jackson, assuming it too would crumble like everything else had. She shifted the blanket higher on her lap as if it would shield her from how exposed she suddenly felt. Her curls, still a little damp at the ends, clung to her jaw as she dropped her gaze, avoiding his eyes like they were too bright in the muted room.âThe bruise?â she repeated softly, brushing her fingers across the tender spot on her jaw. It didnât hurt all that much anymoreânot reallyâbut having him notice, ask about it, remember it, stirred something tight in her chest. âIâll live. Youâve got a heavy elbow, is all. I've had worse.â She tried to keep it light, but there was a falter in her voice, like the words had to push past something thick in her throat. Her palm pressed flat against the firmness of his chest before lifting to give him a few pats as a way to prove she really didn't hold the tackle against him but she'd be lying to say her brain didn't fritz out at how solid he felt.
Then her eyes flicked to his hand on her shoulderâlight, respectful, steady. He didnât try to take more than she gave, and that only made her stomach twist more. She didnât know how to do this. Whatever this was. She didnât know if she was supposed to lean in further, or pull back, or if Dina and Jesse were even really done. Maybe this is what they both did; break up, use others to make each other jealous only to get back together. Giselleâs mouth quirked into a faint, tired smile when he brought up dinners. It sounded nice, it sounded like something she'd want. Not just the companionship but Jesse. âCareful,â she said after a pause, voice barely above the fire crackling in the background of their fun âDon't go missing me already, you might get tired of me before this nights even over.â
She was quiet a moment, her eyes on the flickering shadows dancing across Dinaâs upside-down legs. âI donât always⊠know how to be around people like this. Yâknow? Laughing and gamesâinside jokes. Everyone hereâs got years between them, I got months, a couple bruises too.â She let out a quiet laugh, self-deprecating but not bitter. âDoesnât always feel like I fit in the same room as you all.â
Her shoulder shifted beneath his hand, but she didnât move away. âBut⊠I like hanging out with you. On patrol, here too.â She hesitated. âYou make it easier.â
It wasnât much but it was the most sheâd admitted to anyone in Jackson and when her eyes flicked up to meet his for just a second, there was no sarcasm or bite in her lookâjust quiet honesty, and the question she didnât know how to ask: Do you feel it too?
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSONoutfit:
interactions:
JESSE PARK [/nobr]
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
Blue found green, and it made her heart squeeze in her chest. Her fingers curled into her palms, fingernails lightly pressing into her skin as she forced herself to maintain eye contact. She watched the way Ellieâs lips formed a smile, and her words were uncharacteristically shy. Michaela bit her bottom lip, ignoring the light sting from the splits already there. She was doing her best to try and keep that connection between them, especially with the distraction of Dina throwing her legs up in the air, which made things a lot easier for the brunette to feel more confident. Bringing a hand up to tug at a loose strand of hair, she shrugged her shoulders and finally broke eye contact.
âIâve known you for a while, soâŠI guess itâs easy to notice.â Michaela didnât want to seem like she had been watching Ellie, even if that was exactly what she had been doing over the years. It probably felt like it came out of left field due to the hot and cold friendship they had since they were teenagers. Ellieâs attention was focused elsewhere, whether it was on Joel or those she was dating, but Michaela was always looking at that auburn-haired girl. She was always five steps behind, trying to keep up so she could watch her grow and change into whoever she chose to be. Maybe it was a little creepy.
The gap between their respective seats felt too close as she felt those damn green eyes looking over her, the lazy smile playing on her lips, it made Michaela want to hide underneath a blanket and never come back out. âIâm trusting you, Ellie. I canât handle doing that sort of thing a lot. I think Iâm allergic.â She laughed quietly and leaned forward, somehow fighting against her instincts to keep the distance between them. There was sincerity in her blue eyes, and she seemed genuinely happy that Ellie was so appreciative of her compliments. âI think there are a lot of people who feel that way about you. They just need a chance to say it. People notice you.â The moment was quiet and gentle, a chance for Michaela to just enjoy that look that she had been begging to be directed towards her. She didnât want to forget how it felt to receive it.
Wendyâs turn came and went, the woman choosing truth, which ultimately resulted in her revealing her worst hookup. The laughter was light and comfortable, something that even Michaela was finding herself enjoying. She hid her face and made a noise of disgust when Wendy had begun to explain why her partner had been particularly awful, the story truly making everyone crack up. It was so fun that she felt stupid for not trying to engage with everyone like that more often. There was a sense of brightness that people in Jackson didnât always get to experience, and for Michaela, she was determined to hold onto it.
Her memories and times within Jackson were beacons of light in the dark memories and lessons of her childhood, so she wanted to hold onto whatever she could. Thatâs why it wasnât surprising that she would steal glances at Ellie, managing to catch her looking her way as well. It felt like a bolt of electricity ran through her every time they locked onto each other, but the moments would end within seconds when Michaela would end it in favor of something else. She could see the thoughts turning in Ellieâs head, and part of her wondered if she had realized that Michaela had been looking at her for longer than she thought. There was excitement and fear at the thought of it, and she wondered if she would be better off trying to hide behind a casual smile and fling with someone back in Jackson. It would be easier, thatâs for sure.
Michaela raised a hand to rub it over her face, smearing the remnants of dirt and blood that lingered, but she didnât really care. She looked at Giselle and Jesse, a sense of surprise and envy coursing through her at how natural their physical contact was and their proximity as they talked in quiet voices, reserving their words for each other. Those soft and playful smiles seemed to be reflected between both of them and she was annoyed at how easy it was for them. It was easy for her to be like that if she had a guy next to her. She could flirt and talk it up, the crushing was so easy to her and she knew how to keep them interested. But she was at a loss when it came to navigating a simple friendship with Ellie. She wanted to run away, and at the same time, she wanted to sit next to her and be close like that.
The distance between them was both too far and too close. Everything was a contradiction and it made her frustrated beyond end. Maybe if she were braver, she would do something or just say something. It felt stupid that she was so worked up over trying to be close with a friend. But were they friends? Did she feel like that with her other friends? The easy answer was no. It was always different with Ellie. When they had first met and Michaela had that sour look on her face, and Ellieâs coarse language caused her to smile, it had changed things. She looked to Ellie for a lot of things, whether she asked for them or not. It was just difficult to label it or understand it.
Even at the dance, Michaela had been dragged into a fight by her then-boyfriend Chris, fueled by alcohol and hurt feelings. He brought up all the things Michaela was doing wrong, how she seemed interested in someone else and how he was fighting for genuine feelings and attention from her. She refused to say he was in the right but she knew he was. They were always band-aid solutions. Every time someone came over, her attention would always drift to her window, and she would look at that garage, catching the shadows of the girl inside. The whole thing was sick in a way. But she refused to voice any of it. It was too much for her so she knew it would be too much for anyone else.
âIâve known you for a while, soâŠI guess itâs easy to notice.â Michaela didnât want to seem like she had been watching Ellie, even if that was exactly what she had been doing over the years. It probably felt like it came out of left field due to the hot and cold friendship they had since they were teenagers. Ellieâs attention was focused elsewhere, whether it was on Joel or those she was dating, but Michaela was always looking at that auburn-haired girl. She was always five steps behind, trying to keep up so she could watch her grow and change into whoever she chose to be. Maybe it was a little creepy.
The gap between their respective seats felt too close as she felt those damn green eyes looking over her, the lazy smile playing on her lips, it made Michaela want to hide underneath a blanket and never come back out. âIâm trusting you, Ellie. I canât handle doing that sort of thing a lot. I think Iâm allergic.â She laughed quietly and leaned forward, somehow fighting against her instincts to keep the distance between them. There was sincerity in her blue eyes, and she seemed genuinely happy that Ellie was so appreciative of her compliments. âI think there are a lot of people who feel that way about you. They just need a chance to say it. People notice you.â The moment was quiet and gentle, a chance for Michaela to just enjoy that look that she had been begging to be directed towards her. She didnât want to forget how it felt to receive it.
Wendyâs turn came and went, the woman choosing truth, which ultimately resulted in her revealing her worst hookup. The laughter was light and comfortable, something that even Michaela was finding herself enjoying. She hid her face and made a noise of disgust when Wendy had begun to explain why her partner had been particularly awful, the story truly making everyone crack up. It was so fun that she felt stupid for not trying to engage with everyone like that more often. There was a sense of brightness that people in Jackson didnât always get to experience, and for Michaela, she was determined to hold onto it.
Her memories and times within Jackson were beacons of light in the dark memories and lessons of her childhood, so she wanted to hold onto whatever she could. Thatâs why it wasnât surprising that she would steal glances at Ellie, managing to catch her looking her way as well. It felt like a bolt of electricity ran through her every time they locked onto each other, but the moments would end within seconds when Michaela would end it in favor of something else. She could see the thoughts turning in Ellieâs head, and part of her wondered if she had realized that Michaela had been looking at her for longer than she thought. There was excitement and fear at the thought of it, and she wondered if she would be better off trying to hide behind a casual smile and fling with someone back in Jackson. It would be easier, thatâs for sure.
Michaela raised a hand to rub it over her face, smearing the remnants of dirt and blood that lingered, but she didnât really care. She looked at Giselle and Jesse, a sense of surprise and envy coursing through her at how natural their physical contact was and their proximity as they talked in quiet voices, reserving their words for each other. Those soft and playful smiles seemed to be reflected between both of them and she was annoyed at how easy it was for them. It was easy for her to be like that if she had a guy next to her. She could flirt and talk it up, the crushing was so easy to her and she knew how to keep them interested. But she was at a loss when it came to navigating a simple friendship with Ellie. She wanted to run away, and at the same time, she wanted to sit next to her and be close like that.
The distance between them was both too far and too close. Everything was a contradiction and it made her frustrated beyond end. Maybe if she were braver, she would do something or just say something. It felt stupid that she was so worked up over trying to be close with a friend. But were they friends? Did she feel like that with her other friends? The easy answer was no. It was always different with Ellie. When they had first met and Michaela had that sour look on her face, and Ellieâs coarse language caused her to smile, it had changed things. She looked to Ellie for a lot of things, whether she asked for them or not. It was just difficult to label it or understand it.
Even at the dance, Michaela had been dragged into a fight by her then-boyfriend Chris, fueled by alcohol and hurt feelings. He brought up all the things Michaela was doing wrong, how she seemed interested in someone else and how he was fighting for genuine feelings and attention from her. She refused to say he was in the right but she knew he was. They were always band-aid solutions. Every time someone came over, her attention would always drift to her window, and she would look at that garage, catching the shadows of the girl inside. The whole thing was sick in a way. But she refused to voice any of it. It was too much for her so she knew it would be too much for anyone else.
coded by social
jesse park
Jesse nodded his head as the girl repeated his question, clearly trying to remember which one he was talking about. When she remembered, her response made a smile tug at his lips, and his free hand rested on his thigh, his fingers drumming quietly to keep him behaving. The fact that she wasnât pushing back or retreating to a place he couldnât follow made him feel a little bolder. Maybe it was a delayed reaction to the adrenaline he had when they were out battling infected, but he was captured by the way she moved and how she didnât seem to want to put space between them. Her hand moved and rested on his chest, the action causing a wider smile to form on his face. There was a certain playfulness to his eyes as his hand moved from his leg to lightly catch her wrist for a moment before she pulled away.
He watched her process everything, her dark gaze flickering to each new thing, as if weighing her options before continuing. Giselleâs voice was quiet, and Jesse felt like the laughter had disappeared behind them, the chatter and noisiness easily fading away. He could smell the fire and the faint traces of shampoo that lingered in her dark curls, a combination that he had decided he liked. If he were in his right mind and within the walls of Jackson, maybe he would blame the atmosphere or alcohol if some had been readily available, but there was none of that there in the lodge. He didnât have anything to excuse his actions if she questioned them.
âIâm not gonna get tired of you. Iâve been trying to get close to you since you got here, so Iâm going to take the opportunity to hang on. Plus, you canât be worse than those idiots.â He spoke in a cheeky way, his expression warm and soft as he kept the gap between them subtle and maybe optional. Dark eyes traced over her features, admiring the softness they possessed and how she seemed somewhat unsure of everything, as if it was going to crumble right in front of her. That sadness and reservation werenât uncommon to find in people who lived in a cruel world, but it seemed almost poetic on her. He wanted to comfort those emotions and make her feel like the floor wouldnât fall out from beneath her feet.
Jesse was quiet as Giselle explained things, the vulnerable words tugging at his heart more than he cared to admit. The gentle fears she held and the insecurities she still had seemed to put a wall between her and the rest of the world, and he couldnât blame her. He didnât know her story but he knew it was painful, whatever she went through. He could see it in the way she navigated her relationships and with her new admission, the way she avoided the rest of them because she didnât âfit inâ. His grip on her shoulder tightened in a comforting way when she looked up at him, those eyes holding unspoken words that he wanted to hear. âYou fit in with us. You belong in Jackson, and Iâm glad youâre here.â
He leaned forward and lightly pressed their foreheads against each other, an act of comfort and acknowledgment. He wondered how long she had been alone and how long she had wanted a place to fit in. âI want to hang out with you more, off patrol. You donât need to be alone, you know.â Jesseâs words were honest and gentle, as if he were trying not to scare her off. He didnât want to say anything wrong or to come off too strong.
âHey Jesse! Youâre turn, lover boy!â A pillow smacked into his shoulder and caused the dark-haired man to pull his head away from Giselle to look at his assailant. Wendyâs expression was filled with playfulness and a sense of satisfaction from the fact that she had disrupted his flirting with Giselle. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the pillow and threw it back at the medic.
âYâknow, if you wanted attention, you couldâve asked like a normal person. You donât have to bully your crushes.â The casual and lazy tone had returned to Jesse as he got settled again, his arm remaining around Giselle as he relaxed against the couch, a thumb rubbing her shoulder in case she was feeling embarrassed. Wendy made a gagging noise and shook her head, clearly disgusted by the notion of her liking him. âIâll pick truth. Seems like the way to go with the way you guys are behaving.â
He spared a glance towards Giselle and took the chance to lean over to whisper to her, just to make sure she wasnât about to combust. âDonât feel like you gotta move away or anything. Wendy just likes to cause trouble.â It was true, Wendy was just as much of a troublemaker as the rest of them, but Jesse selfishly didnât want Giselle running away because they were caught being close to each other. There were worse things to be called out for and they hadnât done anything wrong.
He watched her process everything, her dark gaze flickering to each new thing, as if weighing her options before continuing. Giselleâs voice was quiet, and Jesse felt like the laughter had disappeared behind them, the chatter and noisiness easily fading away. He could smell the fire and the faint traces of shampoo that lingered in her dark curls, a combination that he had decided he liked. If he were in his right mind and within the walls of Jackson, maybe he would blame the atmosphere or alcohol if some had been readily available, but there was none of that there in the lodge. He didnât have anything to excuse his actions if she questioned them.
âIâm not gonna get tired of you. Iâve been trying to get close to you since you got here, so Iâm going to take the opportunity to hang on. Plus, you canât be worse than those idiots.â He spoke in a cheeky way, his expression warm and soft as he kept the gap between them subtle and maybe optional. Dark eyes traced over her features, admiring the softness they possessed and how she seemed somewhat unsure of everything, as if it was going to crumble right in front of her. That sadness and reservation werenât uncommon to find in people who lived in a cruel world, but it seemed almost poetic on her. He wanted to comfort those emotions and make her feel like the floor wouldnât fall out from beneath her feet.
Jesse was quiet as Giselle explained things, the vulnerable words tugging at his heart more than he cared to admit. The gentle fears she held and the insecurities she still had seemed to put a wall between her and the rest of the world, and he couldnât blame her. He didnât know her story but he knew it was painful, whatever she went through. He could see it in the way she navigated her relationships and with her new admission, the way she avoided the rest of them because she didnât âfit inâ. His grip on her shoulder tightened in a comforting way when she looked up at him, those eyes holding unspoken words that he wanted to hear. âYou fit in with us. You belong in Jackson, and Iâm glad youâre here.â
He leaned forward and lightly pressed their foreheads against each other, an act of comfort and acknowledgment. He wondered how long she had been alone and how long she had wanted a place to fit in. âI want to hang out with you more, off patrol. You donât need to be alone, you know.â Jesseâs words were honest and gentle, as if he were trying not to scare her off. He didnât want to say anything wrong or to come off too strong.
âHey Jesse! Youâre turn, lover boy!â A pillow smacked into his shoulder and caused the dark-haired man to pull his head away from Giselle to look at his assailant. Wendyâs expression was filled with playfulness and a sense of satisfaction from the fact that she had disrupted his flirting with Giselle. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the pillow and threw it back at the medic.
âYâknow, if you wanted attention, you couldâve asked like a normal person. You donât have to bully your crushes.â The casual and lazy tone had returned to Jesse as he got settled again, his arm remaining around Giselle as he relaxed against the couch, a thumb rubbing her shoulder in case she was feeling embarrassed. Wendy made a gagging noise and shook her head, clearly disgusted by the notion of her liking him. âIâll pick truth. Seems like the way to go with the way you guys are behaving.â
He spared a glance towards Giselle and took the chance to lean over to whisper to her, just to make sure she wasnât about to combust. âDonât feel like you gotta move away or anything. Wendy just likes to cause trouble.â It was true, Wendy was just as much of a troublemaker as the rest of them, but Jesse selfishly didnât want Giselle running away because they were caught being close to each other. There were worse things to be called out for and they hadnât done anything wrong.
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie had always been better with action than wordsâquieter, sharper in movement than meaningâbut as she sat there, catching the faint, nervous tremble in Michaelaâs voice and watching how her hands fiddled to keep from shaking, Ellie felt something shift deep in her chest. She didnât break the eye contact. Not at first. She wanted Michaela to see itâhow genuine her smile was, how real the softness behind her eyes had become. There werenât many people Ellie let get this close, and fewer still that she let see her without all the noise. Michaela wasnât just seeing herâshe was noticing her, and fuck, it made her stomach twist.âYeah?â Ellie said, low enough that the others couldnât hear. âI didnât think anyone was really watching.â
Her gaze flicked down toward the space between them. Michaela was leaning forward, close enough now that Ellie caught the faintest scent of soap and pine and smoke clinging to her shirt. The kind of scent that buried itself somewhere in your head and wouldnât leave no matter how hard you tried. She wanted to say somethingâanythingâbut it was like her throat sealed shut. So instead, Ellieâs hand slid slightly across the couch cushion, stopping just short of Michaelaâs. A silent offering. Not pressure. Not a move. Just⊠an echo of presence.
Ellie let the laughter wash around herâDinaâs cackling, Jesse groaning, Wendy throwing a pillow across the room. She sat back, hand resting casually on the cushion between her and Michaela, and let her gaze drift across the flickering firelight, though her thoughts were somewhere else entirely. It was a memory she hadnât thought about in a while. It was early springâEllie had cut across the back of the community after a patrol debrief, heading toward the stables when she heard the barking. Not frantic or warning. Focused. She followed the sound and found herself by the training yard, watching from behind the fence as Michaela crouched low to the ground, palm outstretched and voice firm but patient.
Ellie had leaned her forearms against the fence, watching longer than she probably shouldâve. Michaela had tied her brunette locks up that dayâmessy and wild at the crown of her head; some strands had come loose, sticking to the sweat on her cheeks. She looked focused, capable. When the dog circled back, Michaela gave her a treat and scratched behind her ears with a grin that crinkled her eyes. That smileâthat was the part Ellie remembered most. Not big or showy. Just real.
That was the first time she really saw her. Not just the girl who came into town a little too guarded, who always kept to herself near the clinic and avoided long conversations but someone Ellie might want to talk to. Someone who could handle blood and barked orders and tension in the airâand still laugh softly to a dog like it was the best thing sheâd done all day. She never really got around to being more present with Mika after that day, whether it was because of Cat, the looming weight of what could've happened with the Fireflies or Michaela never willing to meet her gaze, she wasn't sure.
Ellieâs thumb absently grazed the seam of the cushion. Yeah. That had been the start of it. Sheâd told herself she was just curious, wanted to ask how she got Daisy to listen so well but she never went up to her. Not then and now, sitting this close, Michaelaâs shoulder nearly brushing hers, Ellie wondered if maybe that moment had been waiting for them both to catch up to it.
âI know what you mean, about trust,â Ellie added, her voice soft, almost hesitant. âItâs. . .not easy. Not for me either.â her eyes flicked up, meeting Michaelaâs again ââIâm not gonna mess it up. If youâre giving me a shot. . . you don't have to obviously but,â The others laughed behind themâWendy saying something out of pocket, Dina pretending to be scandalized, Jesse groaning about how awful the story had been. The background faded into a haze, Ellie didnât really hear it. Her focus was narrowed in, tunneled on Michaela like there was no one else in the room.
She noticed the way Michaelaâs leg bounced slightly when she was anxious. How she played with the frayed ends of her shirt sleeve when she was thinking too hard. How she never met Ellieâs eyes for too longâunless she wanted to be seen and when she did, when she held Ellieâs gaze like that, Ellie felt like maybe, just maybe, someone understood her in a way that didnât need to be explained. Her voice dropped again, just for Michaela. âYouâre not like everyone else, yâknow. Thatâs. . . not a bad thing.â She gave a small nudge of her knee against Michaelaâs, casual enough to pretend it was accidental.
Then she leaned back, eyes on the fire for a second, trying to still the jittery thrum of her pulse. There was so much she didnât know how to sayâbut for once, it felt like she didnât need to say it all. Ellieâs hand rested on the cushion between them, the firelight casting soft gold across her bandaged knuckles, she could feel the heat of Michaelaâs arm just inches away. Her eyes flicked sideways, Michaela sat forward slightly biting down gently on her lower lip, that familiar furrow creasing her brow.
Her own fingers shifted where they rested, subtle. Barely even a movement but her pinkie twitchedâonce, twiceâlike the muscle couldnât decide what it wanted.
Reach out. Donât. It was stupid. They were sitting inches apart, had been talking and laughing and trading glances all night but even still; Ellie worried maybe she was reading into it wrong. Mika had always been a kind person, withdrawn sure, but maybe the time they've spent together tonight wasn't anything more to her than just being kind and that would be an embarrassment Ellie wasn't sure she'd be able to just brush off.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHF
or a moment, Giselle froze, her breath stilling the second Jesseâs forehead met hers. She hadnât expected thatânot the closeness, not the warmth behind it, not the way her whole body seemed to pause like her nervous system was rebooting in real time. Her lips parted like she might say something, but nothing came out. No one had ever done that with her before, definitely not in a way that felt so. . .sincere. It wasnât performative, it wasnât someone trying to act suave, or be charming, or make a move. It was soft. . .something real and for Giselle, that momentâtheir foreheads touching, the hush of his voice still lingering in her earsâcracked something open in her chest, not in a way that hurt. It just felt. . . new. Something she hadnât had before, something that felt like it could be safe, if she let it.A slow, growing grin broke out across her face. Not her usual lopsided smile or bashful twist of the lips, but a genuine smile that lifted all the tension from her brow and softened every line in her face. Her curls bounced slightly as she let out a breath of disbelief, like she couldnât quite believe he said the things he did. Like she was waiting for the catchâbut didnât want there to be one. She knew she should pull away, maybe even look to see if Dina had seen it and not taken it well but god, seeing his honeyed eyes this close made it hard to care about anything else.
âYouâve got a really annoying habit of saying the right thing,â she murmured, her voice low and warm and just for him. The grin lingered, and she didnât move away when their foreheads parted. If anything, she let herself lean into his side a little more now, her shoulder slotting comfortably against his chest like it was always meant to be there. âMmh, but I do like the sound of that. . .belonging with youâand Jackson, of course.â came her hummed reply, playing off her laced kind of confession. Giselle knew this could be dangerous, whatever this could become. She loved and lost too many people before, and even if it went against everything that was her. . .she tried not to let herself fall into this painful loop again. She wasn't sure how many more people she could survive losing and she really didn't want Jesse to ever be someone she lost even if this didn't go anywhere else after this night.
When Wendyâs pillow smacked into Jesse, Giselle startled with a soft laugh, lifting her head just enough to watch the chaos erupt but she didnât move far. She didnât want to, not yet maybe not even ever. Her hand idly found the edge of his sleeve, fingers brushing the fabric like she was grounding herselfâlike if she let go, she might lose the moment but with his warm thumb moving against her she didn't think this moment could ever truly be lost. When Jesse whispered to her, her eyes flicked to him, gaze still bright with that quiet smile, and she shook her head. âIâm good,â she said, softer this time, the smile settling into something more bashful. âIâm not going anywhere, not because i'm startin' to like you or anything, just still cold.â
Wendy, with that unmistakable gleam in her eyeâthe one she wore anytime she smelled blood in the waterâtilted her head dramatically and gave Jesse a long, deliberate look. The rest of the group went quiet in anticipation, everyone aware that Wendyâs questions had a habit of slicing through the room like a knife when she wanted them to.
She tapped her chin, pretended to ponder, then leaned forward, locking eyes with Jesse like she was about to deliver a formal interrogation âAlright, Romeo,â she said, voice playful but sharp around the edges, still smug after successfully interrupting Jesse and Giselleâs quiet little moment, leaned forward in her seat like a cat about to pounce, chin resting on her fist and a wicked glint sparking in her eyes. âWho was the last person you had a dream about? Like, an actual dream. Donât cop out with âoh I dreamt about patrolâ or whatever boring shit you think aboutâI mean someone. Name and all.â
The room immediately lit up with noise, a mixture of groans, laughter, and a few muttered oh shits. Dina tossed a cushion at Wendy âOoh, now that's playing dirty,â while Ellie let out a half-snort, half-laugh, already leaning forward like she wasnât about to miss this answer for anything.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE PARK
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
The voice to her left caused Michaela to pull her attention away from the commotion of the others in order to look at Ellie. There was a certain softness and uncertainty as she spoke, which made the brunette tense slightly as if she was expecting something to go wrong. She opened her mouth to say something, maybe crack a joke about how she had been teasing earlier when she mentioned trusting Ellie about not making her deal with mushy dares again, but the comments never left her as she observed the body language of the other. She was genuine and that made it difficult to joke about. She nodded her head slowly, her hands rubbing against each other as her uninjured leg lightly bounced, an anxious habit that she had yet to curb. âI do trust you, Ellie. I wouldnât rely on you out on patrol if I didnât. ButâŠthank you.â
It wasnât anything grand or emotional that came out of her, but maybe that was because she didnât know what to say. She couldnât think of anything that ever seemed to measure up to the casual openness of Ellie. She always knew how to say the right things and how to make sure she didnât mess up. That sincerity was something she admired and had viewed over time. She knew that it was difficult for her, but she did it anyway, and that was impressive in itself. The weight of unspoken things was apparent, and she just hoped that things could go back to normal once they returned to Jackson. She didnât know why everything felt so different at the lodge. Everyone was happy and didnât think twice about how they acted; it was weird.
Heat raced up the back of her neck and made her fingers curl around the fabric of her pants as Ellie spoke in a quiet way that seemed reserved only for Michaela. She turned her head to look at her, noticing the way their knees touched for a moment, though it couldâve easily been labeled an accident. The girl let out a breathless laugh as she leaned back against the couch, allowing her body to collide with the old cushions. âIs that your way of telling me Iâm weird? I thought I seemed pretty normal. Or is that what makes me weird?â Despite the unserious nature of her reply, the flushing of bruised skin betrayed the fact that she was feeling self-conscious.
Her hands pressed down against the couch as she got comfortable, trying to ignore the flipping and twisting in her stomach. She could see Ellieâs hand just lingering an inch or two from hers, the scars that decorated her fingers being noticeable in the firelight. Michaela swallowed and hung her head for a moment, her hand barely moving but still closing the gap to lightly bump their fingers together. They barely touched, just a ghost of warmth passed between the two small digits. âI am sorry for being weird lately. I had wanted to talk to you at the dance, but things just sort of came up, and I let it get to my head.â Her lips twitched, and she was sure that her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
The dance had been more than just an argument for her. Being accused of having feelings for someone outside of her partner had sent Michaela into a tailspin. With whiskey on her lips, she wandered through the crowd, hoping for something or someone that would say Chris had been wrong and just upset about their breakup. Or maybe she wanted to get back at him, to find someone else to get with, to bitterly prove him right. She just needed someone. It just turned out that Ellie had been the first person to pop into her head so she had started to look for her, moving around the dancing bodies with a small glimmer of hope that she could just let it all out for once. The pent-up words and frustrations bubbled inside of her, just waiting for an opportunity to be spoken.
But they werenât. They died inside of her throat as she broke through the crowd to see Ellie with someone else, causing reality to catch up with her. She was always five steps behind, she was always too late when it came to her. Michaela didnât even know what she had wanted from Ellie in that moment, but the haze of drunkenness had made her feel like the rug had been ripped out from under her. It wasnât fair. She found herself wanting to be in that spot, wanting to be able to laugh and talk without a care in the world. But instead, she was leaning against a table and forced to face the reality of her situation. Brutal words and insults were hurled at Ellie and Dina that night, and all Michaela could do was fall right back into her childhood. A bible, lines about what was right and wrong, a rulebook she had to live byâit was suffocating. She barely remembered making it home that night, but she remembered those feelings that plagued her.
There was a loud noise to her far left as Wendy and Jesse briefly bickered over throwing pillows and whatever his dare was, but she couldnât seem to understand what they were saying. Her ears were ringing and thumping, playing her pulse directly into her head as if her body was trying to warn her of how fast it was going. Michaelaâs eyes were locked on the wall in front of her, looking at the faded pictures and dust that covered the decorations, her hand so still that she was worried it had locked up. She didnât really know what she was doing or why. It felt unnatural and comforting at the same time. Just a simple act of allowing Ellie into her space wasâŠdifferent.
âIf you ever need a place to crash because things are, um, awkward, I have an extra room. Itâs surprisingly free of dog hair.â The offer was quiet and paired with a nervous twitch of her fingers as she briefly looked at Ellie, just enough to catch a glimpse of her expression. Everyone knew that things were tense between Ellie and Joel due to the dance, and she was sure that things could get awkward since they lived right next to each other, so she wanted to offer a chance for Ellie to escape if needed. While Michaela didnât understand the whole argument and she was hopeful they could patch up their relationship, she could partially understand why it could take a while. Things worked differently when people were close, so damaged feelings were often difficult to repair.
Michaela didnât really have anyone like that anymore, someone she could fight with about deep and personal things. Barb had more or less taken her in when she had arrived as a young teen with a pile of dogs in the back of an old pickup truck. The woman was strict and didnât like clutter, but she put up with the animals and Michaelaâs way of living. She was older and needed help so it was natural that she would pick someone young to take care of her. Unfortunately, she had moved out of the house and into more of a group home situation due to complications involving her health. She had gifted her home to Michaela, with the blessing of Maria of course. So she lived in the house by herself with her personal dog Zero. Her nights were quiet and predictable, regardless of who came and went through her front door. It was always just Michaela at the end of the day.
It wasnât anything grand or emotional that came out of her, but maybe that was because she didnât know what to say. She couldnât think of anything that ever seemed to measure up to the casual openness of Ellie. She always knew how to say the right things and how to make sure she didnât mess up. That sincerity was something she admired and had viewed over time. She knew that it was difficult for her, but she did it anyway, and that was impressive in itself. The weight of unspoken things was apparent, and she just hoped that things could go back to normal once they returned to Jackson. She didnât know why everything felt so different at the lodge. Everyone was happy and didnât think twice about how they acted; it was weird.
Heat raced up the back of her neck and made her fingers curl around the fabric of her pants as Ellie spoke in a quiet way that seemed reserved only for Michaela. She turned her head to look at her, noticing the way their knees touched for a moment, though it couldâve easily been labeled an accident. The girl let out a breathless laugh as she leaned back against the couch, allowing her body to collide with the old cushions. âIs that your way of telling me Iâm weird? I thought I seemed pretty normal. Or is that what makes me weird?â Despite the unserious nature of her reply, the flushing of bruised skin betrayed the fact that she was feeling self-conscious.
Her hands pressed down against the couch as she got comfortable, trying to ignore the flipping and twisting in her stomach. She could see Ellieâs hand just lingering an inch or two from hers, the scars that decorated her fingers being noticeable in the firelight. Michaela swallowed and hung her head for a moment, her hand barely moving but still closing the gap to lightly bump their fingers together. They barely touched, just a ghost of warmth passed between the two small digits. âI am sorry for being weird lately. I had wanted to talk to you at the dance, but things just sort of came up, and I let it get to my head.â Her lips twitched, and she was sure that her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
The dance had been more than just an argument for her. Being accused of having feelings for someone outside of her partner had sent Michaela into a tailspin. With whiskey on her lips, she wandered through the crowd, hoping for something or someone that would say Chris had been wrong and just upset about their breakup. Or maybe she wanted to get back at him, to find someone else to get with, to bitterly prove him right. She just needed someone. It just turned out that Ellie had been the first person to pop into her head so she had started to look for her, moving around the dancing bodies with a small glimmer of hope that she could just let it all out for once. The pent-up words and frustrations bubbled inside of her, just waiting for an opportunity to be spoken.
But they werenât. They died inside of her throat as she broke through the crowd to see Ellie with someone else, causing reality to catch up with her. She was always five steps behind, she was always too late when it came to her. Michaela didnât even know what she had wanted from Ellie in that moment, but the haze of drunkenness had made her feel like the rug had been ripped out from under her. It wasnât fair. She found herself wanting to be in that spot, wanting to be able to laugh and talk without a care in the world. But instead, she was leaning against a table and forced to face the reality of her situation. Brutal words and insults were hurled at Ellie and Dina that night, and all Michaela could do was fall right back into her childhood. A bible, lines about what was right and wrong, a rulebook she had to live byâit was suffocating. She barely remembered making it home that night, but she remembered those feelings that plagued her.
There was a loud noise to her far left as Wendy and Jesse briefly bickered over throwing pillows and whatever his dare was, but she couldnât seem to understand what they were saying. Her ears were ringing and thumping, playing her pulse directly into her head as if her body was trying to warn her of how fast it was going. Michaelaâs eyes were locked on the wall in front of her, looking at the faded pictures and dust that covered the decorations, her hand so still that she was worried it had locked up. She didnât really know what she was doing or why. It felt unnatural and comforting at the same time. Just a simple act of allowing Ellie into her space wasâŠdifferent.
âIf you ever need a place to crash because things are, um, awkward, I have an extra room. Itâs surprisingly free of dog hair.â The offer was quiet and paired with a nervous twitch of her fingers as she briefly looked at Ellie, just enough to catch a glimpse of her expression. Everyone knew that things were tense between Ellie and Joel due to the dance, and she was sure that things could get awkward since they lived right next to each other, so she wanted to offer a chance for Ellie to escape if needed. While Michaela didnât understand the whole argument and she was hopeful they could patch up their relationship, she could partially understand why it could take a while. Things worked differently when people were close, so damaged feelings were often difficult to repair.
Michaela didnât really have anyone like that anymore, someone she could fight with about deep and personal things. Barb had more or less taken her in when she had arrived as a young teen with a pile of dogs in the back of an old pickup truck. The woman was strict and didnât like clutter, but she put up with the animals and Michaelaâs way of living. She was older and needed help so it was natural that she would pick someone young to take care of her. Unfortunately, she had moved out of the house and into more of a group home situation due to complications involving her health. She had gifted her home to Michaela, with the blessing of Maria of course. So she lived in the house by herself with her personal dog Zero. Her nights were quiet and predictable, regardless of who came and went through her front door. It was always just Michaela at the end of the day.
coded by social
jesse park
So she was cold. The excuse made him laugh as he nodded his head, buying into her explanation, though he doubted it was the full truth. "I'm happy to warm you up whenever you want. Can be a personal heater if you need." He could feel the chemistry between them; it came naturally and was comfortable. It reminded him of how he was with Dina. Things were justâŠeasy. There was a sense of understanding, and he could feel that she was getting more comfortable and confident with him. That made him genuinely happy. He just wanted to have Giselle be content and confident enough to speak her mind. Jesse didnât have expectations for where anything would go, he just wanted to be in the moment. It was easier that way. But he had little time to dwell on those bubbling emotions of joy, he had Wendy to deal with.
Her pleased expression read like a cat that had just cornered a mouse and was looking forward to eating it. He offered a lopsided grin and lifted his brow in a subtle inquiry about what she would be asking of him. Wendyâs words came out carefully, and Jesse felt the tips of his ears burn, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face as he hid behind his fear hand. âBut I did dream about patrol!â His complaint fell on deaf ears as everyone seemed intrigued by his potential answer, leaning closer as if that would make it come out faster. âOkay, for the record, I donât have those types of dreams. So you can quit being weird. Iâm talking about you, Dina.â He shot a pointed look at his ex, but the smile showed it wasnât that serious.
She tossed her hands in the air in mock innocence, but clearly seemed a little disappointed he wasnât going to go into any dirty details. Leaning back, he let his head drop against the top of the couch, the ceiling filling his point of view. His fingers drummed on Giselleâs shoulder as he mulled over the various dreams he had that didnât involve being on patrol. He hated to admit that most of his dreams were indeed about patrol and general Jackson-related subjects. It felt painfully embarrassing in the moment that he didnât have anything truly scandalous to dream of. âDamn, I gotta say it was Tommy. He was teaching me how to aim a-â Another pillow smacked him straight in the face when he lifted his head, the assailant being anyone at that point.
A small noise left him as it dropped into his lap, a light stinging sensation building in his nose. âWow, that was rude, man. Itâs perfectly reasonable to dream about him.â Jesse tossed the pillow to his side and rubbed his nose, an unimpressed expression on his features. âOkay, I had a dream about Giselle, more or less.â The admission caused almost everyone to make noises of excitement, as if the confession had been that he had a box of kittens to hand out. âNot like that, though. It was about the new patrolmen, and she was one of them. I had to sit down one-on-one and talk to them about how they worked and what to do. She just happened to take the longest.â He shrugged his shoulders, not exactly seeing it as something exciting or scandalous. Wendyâs smile turned into a pretend frown as she rolled her eyes dramatically. âListen, I donât dream a lot and when I do itâs because I have a bunch of shit to do. Training Giselle took a bit yâknow. She wouldnât even talk to me when I first told her she had to do patrol instead of gardening. So itâs not crazy she would be in my dream doing the same thing.â Jesse smiled and patted the girlâs shoulder, not minding the annoyed groans that came from Dina.
âYouâre being boring Jesse. You shouldâve come up with something more fun.â He shrugged his shoulders in response to her complaint and turned his attention towards Ellie. Pointing at her with the hand that rested on Giselle, he smirked.
âYouâve dodged it long enough, itâs your turn man. Truth or dare?â He relaxed against Giselle, the space no longer existing between them. Their legs pressed together, and she was tucked against his chest, her hand messing with the material of his shirt, his heartbeat on full display for her. It was steady and strong, unbothered by the teasing or embarrassed words. He was always solid, it seemed, and he was more than happy to be that for her. His hand absentmindedly moved from the womanâs shoulder to lightly mess with the ends of her curls, the small fidgeting being unintentional.
Maybe it was conditioning from years with Dina, but he was moving on autopilot. He had a lot of things he wanted to ask her, to bring up her comments about belonging with him and Jackson. The way she had phrased it made him beyond curious. She probably thought he was moving on too fast for Dina, or that he was looking for a rebound, so he knew heâd have to explain things to her once they got back to Jackson. He wanted to make it clear that he was interested in whatever connection they had found while out on patrol. Jesse wanted her to lean into it and not chalk it up as a fleeting moment when they were outside of the community. He wouldnât pester her about it, but he wanted to tell her he didnât mind itâhe wanted her to know that he liked it.
The storm outside seemed to lessen as time passed and Jesse knew that their moment would end before it could confirm the beginning of anything. So he was taking advantage of the last bit of snow that still raged outside the building. He could feel Dinaâs eyes on him and when he looked at her, there was a certain level of understanding and contentment in her warm gaze. All they wanted for each other was for them to be happy. It had been what they talked about during their breakup. She knew she wasnât the one for him, and he knew it was true. A quiet promise that they would find people to genuinely like and pursue was made. He knew that she would hold it to him as well. They were basically family, there was no escaping her watchful gaze. He already knew she would go and gossip to his mom about Giselle once they got back. But maybe that wasnât such a bad thing.
Her pleased expression read like a cat that had just cornered a mouse and was looking forward to eating it. He offered a lopsided grin and lifted his brow in a subtle inquiry about what she would be asking of him. Wendyâs words came out carefully, and Jesse felt the tips of his ears burn, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face as he hid behind his fear hand. âBut I did dream about patrol!â His complaint fell on deaf ears as everyone seemed intrigued by his potential answer, leaning closer as if that would make it come out faster. âOkay, for the record, I donât have those types of dreams. So you can quit being weird. Iâm talking about you, Dina.â He shot a pointed look at his ex, but the smile showed it wasnât that serious.
She tossed her hands in the air in mock innocence, but clearly seemed a little disappointed he wasnât going to go into any dirty details. Leaning back, he let his head drop against the top of the couch, the ceiling filling his point of view. His fingers drummed on Giselleâs shoulder as he mulled over the various dreams he had that didnât involve being on patrol. He hated to admit that most of his dreams were indeed about patrol and general Jackson-related subjects. It felt painfully embarrassing in the moment that he didnât have anything truly scandalous to dream of. âDamn, I gotta say it was Tommy. He was teaching me how to aim a-â Another pillow smacked him straight in the face when he lifted his head, the assailant being anyone at that point.
A small noise left him as it dropped into his lap, a light stinging sensation building in his nose. âWow, that was rude, man. Itâs perfectly reasonable to dream about him.â Jesse tossed the pillow to his side and rubbed his nose, an unimpressed expression on his features. âOkay, I had a dream about Giselle, more or less.â The admission caused almost everyone to make noises of excitement, as if the confession had been that he had a box of kittens to hand out. âNot like that, though. It was about the new patrolmen, and she was one of them. I had to sit down one-on-one and talk to them about how they worked and what to do. She just happened to take the longest.â He shrugged his shoulders, not exactly seeing it as something exciting or scandalous. Wendyâs smile turned into a pretend frown as she rolled her eyes dramatically. âListen, I donât dream a lot and when I do itâs because I have a bunch of shit to do. Training Giselle took a bit yâknow. She wouldnât even talk to me when I first told her she had to do patrol instead of gardening. So itâs not crazy she would be in my dream doing the same thing.â Jesse smiled and patted the girlâs shoulder, not minding the annoyed groans that came from Dina.
âYouâre being boring Jesse. You shouldâve come up with something more fun.â He shrugged his shoulders in response to her complaint and turned his attention towards Ellie. Pointing at her with the hand that rested on Giselle, he smirked.
âYouâve dodged it long enough, itâs your turn man. Truth or dare?â He relaxed against Giselle, the space no longer existing between them. Their legs pressed together, and she was tucked against his chest, her hand messing with the material of his shirt, his heartbeat on full display for her. It was steady and strong, unbothered by the teasing or embarrassed words. He was always solid, it seemed, and he was more than happy to be that for her. His hand absentmindedly moved from the womanâs shoulder to lightly mess with the ends of her curls, the small fidgeting being unintentional.
Maybe it was conditioning from years with Dina, but he was moving on autopilot. He had a lot of things he wanted to ask her, to bring up her comments about belonging with him and Jackson. The way she had phrased it made him beyond curious. She probably thought he was moving on too fast for Dina, or that he was looking for a rebound, so he knew heâd have to explain things to her once they got back to Jackson. He wanted to make it clear that he was interested in whatever connection they had found while out on patrol. Jesse wanted her to lean into it and not chalk it up as a fleeting moment when they were outside of the community. He wouldnât pester her about it, but he wanted to tell her he didnât mind itâhe wanted her to know that he liked it.
The storm outside seemed to lessen as time passed and Jesse knew that their moment would end before it could confirm the beginning of anything. So he was taking advantage of the last bit of snow that still raged outside the building. He could feel Dinaâs eyes on him and when he looked at her, there was a certain level of understanding and contentment in her warm gaze. All they wanted for each other was for them to be happy. It had been what they talked about during their breakup. She knew she wasnât the one for him, and he knew it was true. A quiet promise that they would find people to genuinely like and pursue was made. He knew that she would hold it to him as well. They were basically family, there was no escaping her watchful gaze. He already knew she would go and gossip to his mom about Giselle once they got back. But maybe that wasnât such a bad thing.
coded by social
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie didnât say anything at firstânot because she didnât want to, but because her throat felt weirdly tight, like something had settled there that she couldnât quite swallow down. Michaelaâs voice, that tentative, quiet offer of trust, landed heavier than it probably shouldâve. It meant something, something real and Ellie wasnât used to people meaning their words in the way Michaela just had.Their fingers barely brushed but even that tiny point of contact made Ellieâs chest tense up with something warm and restless, and her pinkie twitched slightly in responseâlike it wanted to move on instinct, to curl around Michaelaâs, to let the space close a little more. She didnât let it. Not yet but the urge buzzed in her bones.
Instead, she leaned in just a little, voice low so that it was meant only for her. âYou donât have to apologize. Iâve been weird too. Like⊠really weird.â A breath left her, a quiet huff of laughter. âThe dance messed a lot of stuff up, huh?â
She glanced over and caught the faint pink on Michaelaâs cheeks, the way her hand still hovered like she wasnât sure if sheâd done something wrong by reaching out. And EllieâGod, she wanted to make it easier. All of it, the distance, she second-guessing, the way they both seemed to orbit each other like two scared magnets too afraid to connect.
The words started to rise up in her throatâabout the dance, about seeing Michaela that night, about wishing she hadnât stayed with Dina so long just to save faceâbut Dina's loud âThat is not what happened, Wendy!â broke through the moment, and Ellieâs gaze dropped to their nearly-touching hands again.
âYour place sounds better than mine anyway,â she said quietly, like a confession more than a joke. âIf things get too. . .complicated, I might take you up on that.â She smiled again, smaller this time, but it reached her eyes and then, even though she hadnât meant to, her pinkie shifted just slightly, brushing against Michaelaâs againâdeliberate this time. It lingered there.
She didnât go into the thing with Joel. Michaela already knew enough and there were too many people in the room for that kind of honesty but the fact that Michaela had noticedâthat sheâd cared enough to offer, to make space for Ellie, meant more than she could say.
She didnât push for more, she didnât grab her hand or look away to pretend it hadnât happened. She just sat there, her shoulder relaxed next to Michaelaâs, letting that tiny touch say whatever she couldnât. Ellie blinked, head turning slowly in Jesseâs direction like she was just returning to her own body. The low flicker of the fire painted everyone in soft orange hues, shadows dancing across the lodge walls, but all she felt was the heat at her ears and the ghost of Michaelaâs touch against her pinky.
She forced a smirk, leaning back into the couch and throwing an arm lazily over the backrest, her fingers barely brushing Michaelaâs shoulder nowâsubtle, accidental, but not really. âMan, you guys are relentless,â she muttered, green eyes narrowing in playful accusation at Jesse. âThis is what I get for not being the loud one for once?â
Dina chuckled across the room. âWeâve been waiting for this moment, Williams. Donât screw it up.â Ellieâs gaze flicked toward her, then back to Jesse. âAlright,â she sighed, scratching the back of her neck, drawing out the answer like it was pulling teeth âTruth.â A few dramatic groans sound around the room, most of them originating from Dina and Wendy âCoward,â Wendy called out with a grin.
Ellie shrugged unapologetically. âYeah, yeah. Better a coward than walking around upside down like Dina.â She shifted again, subtly nudging her knee back against Michaelaâs in a quiet, grounding motion before she raised her brows at Jesse. âSo? Hit me. Make it good and remember, I know where you sleep.â
Despite the banter, something in Ellieâs chest was tight. Not in a bad wayâbut in the kind of way that made her suddenly hyper aware of every small moment, every brush of skin, every look that lingered too long. She could feel Michaelaâs presence beside her like it was a second gravity, and she wasnât sure what Jesse was going to askâbut she was aware, acutely, of who sheâd be thinking about when she answered.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle felt herself freeze up the moment Jesse admitted he had dreamed about herâat least until he clarified. Her muscles tensed under the blanket, and she was sure her face had gone five different shades of red in under three seconds but once she realized it hadnât been that kind of dream, the rush of panic was replaced by a flutter of something warmer, lighter. Still⊠her heart did a strange little skip.She bit the inside of her cheek to stop the smile, but it broke through anyway, curving across her lips as she lowered her head slightly, letting her curls fall into her face to shield just how obvious it was. Jesseâs hand still rested against her shoulder, his presence so warm, so steady it made her chest tighten. It wasnât just the physical contact, though that was newâsheâd never done this with anyone. Let alone a guy but with Jesse, it didnât feel foreign. Her body had relaxed against his gradually over the last half hour, but now? It was leaning into him without question, the curve of her side molded naturally against his chest like theyâd done it a hundred times before. That was the weirdest part.
She didnât have anything to compare it to, not really. The world didnât leave much room for things like softness or flirtation or lingering glances when sheâd been younger. Growing up had meant survival, and anything close to romance had always been complicated, or clumsy, or fleeting. If someone had liked her, theyâd either been scared off by her dad, or just not enough of a reason for her to let her guard down. But Jesse? He didnât try to fix her, he didnât push. He just stayedâclose and warm and solid, like he didnât need anything from her but what she could give.
The way he toyed with the ends of her curls now made her breath hitch quietly. She didnât think he even realized he was doing it and when he laughed about the dream again and tapped her shoulder, she glanced up at him, unable to hide her grin this time. âFor the record, I was being totally reasonable. Patrol sounded like a scam back then.â Her voice was low, teasing. âI thought you were just trying to trick me into spending more time with you.â
The words were barely out of her mouth before she realized how honest they sounded. She blinked, her expression faltering, suddenly self-consciousâbut Jesse didnât flinch; not like he ever seemed to anyways. His heartbeat under her hand was calm, even as hers felt like it was stuttering. She looked down at her hand, how it gently twisted the hem of his shirt between her fingers. âYou didnât dream anything weird,â she muttered, more to herself. âSo, that counts as a win but even if you didâdreams aren't anything to be ashamed of.â
When he turned his attention toward Ellie and asked her the dreaded 'Truth or Dare,' Giselle let herself breathe again. Her cheek pressed softly into Jesseâs shoulder as she peeked toward the rest of the group, hiding the stupid, lingering grin that wouldnât leave her face. She wasnât used to feeling wantedâlet alone comfortable.
But she did and she wasnât sure what was going to happen when they got back to Jackson, or if this would change anything. But right now, tucked up beside Jesse, a room full of laughter around them, and a storm still echoing beyond the old walls of the lodge, she didnât feel like she needed to worry about it. Not yet.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
JESSE
social
daydreamingâą
michaela finch
A flutter of nerves danced around in her stomach as Ellie admitted she would take up the offer to crash at Michaelaâs if things got too complicated. It made her painfully aware of the distance between the two and the way the heat radiated off of the woman. The subtle touch between their fingers became more apparent, the contact sending electricity racing through Michaelaâs hand as her pinky was pressed against Ellieâs. It was easily hidden by their shared shadows, keeping the small act of contact to stay a secret between the two. But it felt like a glaringly obvious thing to the brunette and she had to force her hand to stay still, ignoring the slight tremor that existed in her.
âJust give me a heads up before you climb through a window or something. I donât want you getting chased by Zero.â Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she bumped against Ellieâs for a moment, the brief contact enough to make her body feel as if it were on fire. There was still distance between them, but Michaela could still feel the touch of the shirt fabric that covered Ellieâs arm as they stayed just centimeters away from each other. Maybe if she was braver, sheâd lean into it, close the gap and feel the warmth that bloomed between them. But she didnât. She wasnât brave. She maintained the gap, an unsteady exhale leaving her as she fought the nerves that bounced around wildly in her body.
Jesseâs voice managed to bring Michaela back to reality and she found herself pulling her hand back into her lap as she looked at the man, raising a curious eyebrow at what he planned on asking Ellie. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands, catching the ends of her sleeves as she did so, as if hiding the evidence of any contact between her and Ellie. She logically knew that nobody had seen them, but it still felt somewhat exposing and raw to have that sort of contact around other people. Her nervousness made her hyper-aware of the auburn-haired woman next to her, every movement or word leaving her made Michaelaâs eyes flicker over, unable to look away.
Despite the barrier of her sleeve, the feather-light fingertips brushing against her shoulder caused her to stiffen against the couch, unsure of how to react. She did her best to keep her face neutral as she didnât plan on exposing herself but it was making her mind reel. The subtle nature of the contact meant it could easily be explained away with an apology, but Michaela wasnât able to point it out. Hell, she couldnât even move away from it. She felt as if she was a kid playing freeze-tag and sheâd only be able to move again once the game was over. Her blue eyes swept over Ellie for a moment, admiring how comfortable she was, the way she spoke with Dina and Jesse, clearly content.
Her gaze then drifted to Jesse and Giselle, the pair perfectly curled up against each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. A pang of insecurity and worry flipped around inside of her gut and she wondered if that was something that was normal or if maintaining a distance was a better idea. But the silent worry was interrupted by a gentle bump into her leg as Ellie mentioned the dare Dina had received earlier. âIt keeps her busy when sheâs doing that stuff. You should thank me.â Shrugging nonchalantly, Michaela smiled and shifted in her seat, subtly moving her leg so it was more or less resting against Ellieâs. It was a small action, and maybe it was to provide support, or it was because she felt the loveseat was too small, but she didnât move and thatâs what mattered.
âJust give me a heads up before you climb through a window or something. I donât want you getting chased by Zero.â Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she bumped against Ellieâs for a moment, the brief contact enough to make her body feel as if it were on fire. There was still distance between them, but Michaela could still feel the touch of the shirt fabric that covered Ellieâs arm as they stayed just centimeters away from each other. Maybe if she was braver, sheâd lean into it, close the gap and feel the warmth that bloomed between them. But she didnât. She wasnât brave. She maintained the gap, an unsteady exhale leaving her as she fought the nerves that bounced around wildly in her body.
Jesseâs voice managed to bring Michaela back to reality and she found herself pulling her hand back into her lap as she looked at the man, raising a curious eyebrow at what he planned on asking Ellie. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands, catching the ends of her sleeves as she did so, as if hiding the evidence of any contact between her and Ellie. She logically knew that nobody had seen them, but it still felt somewhat exposing and raw to have that sort of contact around other people. Her nervousness made her hyper-aware of the auburn-haired woman next to her, every movement or word leaving her made Michaelaâs eyes flicker over, unable to look away.
Despite the barrier of her sleeve, the feather-light fingertips brushing against her shoulder caused her to stiffen against the couch, unsure of how to react. She did her best to keep her face neutral as she didnât plan on exposing herself but it was making her mind reel. The subtle nature of the contact meant it could easily be explained away with an apology, but Michaela wasnât able to point it out. Hell, she couldnât even move away from it. She felt as if she was a kid playing freeze-tag and sheâd only be able to move again once the game was over. Her blue eyes swept over Ellie for a moment, admiring how comfortable she was, the way she spoke with Dina and Jesse, clearly content.
Her gaze then drifted to Jesse and Giselle, the pair perfectly curled up against each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. A pang of insecurity and worry flipped around inside of her gut and she wondered if that was something that was normal or if maintaining a distance was a better idea. But the silent worry was interrupted by a gentle bump into her leg as Ellie mentioned the dare Dina had received earlier. âIt keeps her busy when sheâs doing that stuff. You should thank me.â Shrugging nonchalantly, Michaela smiled and shifted in her seat, subtly moving her leg so it was more or less resting against Ellieâs. It was a small action, and maybe it was to provide support, or it was because she felt the loveseat was too small, but she didnât move and thatâs what mattered.
coded by social
jesse park
The teasing words that normally came from the girl seemed to fall apart into honest confessions and Jesse found himself trying to contain the smile that threatened to come out. He watched the flustered expression form on her soft features and it caused him to lightly rub her shoulder with his thumb, a silent way of reassuring her that he wasnât bothered by it. Her fingers twisted up the material of his shirt and he became painfully aware that there were other people in the room with them. He made a mental note to keep couch conversations with Giselle private from that moment on. âIâm going to take that as a confession that Iâve been in your dreams before.â Jesseâs words were hushed, a smirk tugging at his lips as he teased her.
He didnât press any further than that, simply content with the squirming next to him. He would bring it up when they were alone and he could properly talk to her about more personal things. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself with thinking that the atmosphere in the lodge would continue when they left. He knew that they wouldnât be able to talk much on the trek back to Jackson and he would most certainly be swamped with talking to Maria and Tommy about what happened, explaining the situation. He would probably have to lead another patrol back out there in order to see if they could thin it out or at least push it away from Jackson. There was always work to be done and that meant she could slip out of his grasp if he wasnât careful. But luckily, the game was still going and he could soak up the newfound moments with her.
Jesse rolled his eyes dramatically as Ellie chose truth, wanting to play it safe. They werenât his strong suit and he had a hard time figuring out ones that were juicy enough to entertain the group. So he turned his attention to Dina, as if trying to telepathically get suggestions from the woman, or maybe he was just trying to remember gossip she had told him over the years. She had been Ellieâs patrol partner more often than not, and she always seemed to have the inside scoop on what was going on with the woman. Dina, who seemed to understand him, gestured as subtly as possible at Michaela and Ellie, trying to get him to really look at them. Squinting slightly, he looked over the two, trying to find something to use.
There was a certain closeness that wasnât there at the start of the game, but it was normal enough to just be two friends sitting on a couch. Well, he could push his luck. Snapping a finger as if a question had finally popped into his head, he smiled cockily at Ellie. âWhat guys have you recently been jealous of for getting with girls you like or think are attractive?â Holding up his hand, he held up two fingers, indicating that there were rules that came along with it. âYou have to name what guys you were jealous of, and you canât say you were never jealous because youâve been single for a while, so I know youâve had crushes on chicks.â The small dig was harmless, referencing the infamous kiss, and was simply overdue. Jesse liked to make fun of his friends a bit, and it was easier when they did things he could bring up.
Leaning back into the couch, he smiled in a contented way as Dina and Wendy clapped their hands, clearly pleased with his choice in question. Michaela, on the other hand, seemed to stiffen up a little, fidgeting with her hair as if that would shield her from hearing the answers. While Jesse didnât know every girl the guys their age dated, he generally knew their types and so he could narrow it down. Maybe it was a bit rude to do, especially if Ellie actually had something going on with someone, but Jesse was curious and he had been embarrassed earlier, so it was only fair that he got to tease someone in return.
He didnât press any further than that, simply content with the squirming next to him. He would bring it up when they were alone and he could properly talk to her about more personal things. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself with thinking that the atmosphere in the lodge would continue when they left. He knew that they wouldnât be able to talk much on the trek back to Jackson and he would most certainly be swamped with talking to Maria and Tommy about what happened, explaining the situation. He would probably have to lead another patrol back out there in order to see if they could thin it out or at least push it away from Jackson. There was always work to be done and that meant she could slip out of his grasp if he wasnât careful. But luckily, the game was still going and he could soak up the newfound moments with her.
Jesse rolled his eyes dramatically as Ellie chose truth, wanting to play it safe. They werenât his strong suit and he had a hard time figuring out ones that were juicy enough to entertain the group. So he turned his attention to Dina, as if trying to telepathically get suggestions from the woman, or maybe he was just trying to remember gossip she had told him over the years. She had been Ellieâs patrol partner more often than not, and she always seemed to have the inside scoop on what was going on with the woman. Dina, who seemed to understand him, gestured as subtly as possible at Michaela and Ellie, trying to get him to really look at them. Squinting slightly, he looked over the two, trying to find something to use.
There was a certain closeness that wasnât there at the start of the game, but it was normal enough to just be two friends sitting on a couch. Well, he could push his luck. Snapping a finger as if a question had finally popped into his head, he smiled cockily at Ellie. âWhat guys have you recently been jealous of for getting with girls you like or think are attractive?â Holding up his hand, he held up two fingers, indicating that there were rules that came along with it. âYou have to name what guys you were jealous of, and you canât say you were never jealous because youâve been single for a while, so I know youâve had crushes on chicks.â The small dig was harmless, referencing the infamous kiss, and was simply overdue. Jesse liked to make fun of his friends a bit, and it was easier when they did things he could bring up.
Leaning back into the couch, he smiled in a contented way as Dina and Wendy clapped their hands, clearly pleased with his choice in question. Michaela, on the other hand, seemed to stiffen up a little, fidgeting with her hair as if that would shield her from hearing the answers. While Jesse didnât know every girl the guys their age dated, he generally knew their types and so he could narrow it down. Maybe it was a bit rude to do, especially if Ellie actually had something going on with someone, but Jesse was curious and he had been embarrassed earlier, so it was only fair that he got to tease someone in return.
coded by social
Last edited:
UNDEADxDREAMS
vengeful
E
llie felt itâfelt herâthe moment Michaelaâs leg pressed back against hers. It was a quiet shift, subtle and uncertain, but Ellie knew better than to believe it was accidental. Her chest tightened in a way that made her blood run hot, like her heart was trying to crawl up into her throat just to get closer. She didnât dare move her leg away. Instead, she leaned into it.There was something so ridiculously delicate about the whole exchangeâthe soft bump of their shoulders, the ghost of skin on skin, the quick flick of a blue gaze that barely settled before darting away. Ellie was used to things being loud, messy, obvious. Dina had kissed her in front of the whole town. Jesse had flirted with everyone like it was second nature. But Michaela? She moved like every brush of contact was a secret, like affection was something fragile she wasnât sure she was allowed to want and for some reason, Ellie couldnât stop wanting to be the person she trusted with it.
A quiet grin tugged at her lips as Michaela teased her about thanking her for Dinaâs chaos. âRight,â Ellie muttered, voice low enough that it wouldnât carry over the laughter filling the lodge. âIâll be sure to thank you when she flips over a table trying to do a cartwheel.â
She risked a glanceâMichaela was still pretending to focus on Jesseâs game, her fingers twitching once before stilling again, knuckles pale. But she didnât move away.
Ellieâs handâbrave in a way she wasnâtâdrifted just enough to brush against Michaelaâs again, knuckles knocking gently, intentionally this time. No excuses. No hiding. Just her way of saying yeah, I noticed too.
âYou donât have to be brave all at once,â she said quietly, a whisper tucked between them like a secret. âIâm right here, don't have anywhere else to be.â She didnât push, didnât press but she didnât back off either. It was easy, light, like her heart hadnât just kicked into overdrive for a girl sitting inches away. Maybe the storm outside was finally quieting downâbut the one in Ellie? That was just getting started.
Ellie leaned back against the couch, her brows lifting as Jesseâs question landed with all the grace of a brick through a window. âOh, come on, man,â she muttered, a hand dragging down her face as Dina and Wendy both leaned in like vultures. Jesseâs grin told her everything she needed to know.
The room quieted just enough for Ellie to feel the weight of every stare, but hers flicked instinctively to Michaela. The way she was fidgeting, that little flush on her cheeksâit made something flip in Ellieâs stomach. That was unfair. Jesse didnât know what he was digging into, not really. Ellie huffed out a breath and crossed one leg over the other, her arms folding in that familiar, guarded way.
âOkay. Fine. You want the truth? Iâll give you the truth.â Her tone was flat but not unfriendlyâclassic Ellie when cornered. âI got a little... annoyed, when Chris started going around saying he and Michaela were a thing.â Her words werenât loud, but they still hit in the stillness. âNot because I wantedâhe didnât get it. He didnât see her the way. . .â She trailed off, glancing briefly at Michaela âThe guy didnât even like dogs, Jesse. Thatâs gotta be a crime in Jackson. Hell, even everywhere.â
There was laughter from the groupâthank Godâand Ellie used it to gather herself before she continued. âAnd uh⊠there was this other guyâMarcus? One of the medics. He made this joke during dinner one time about how Dina had a âtypeâ when she picked patrol partners, and I didnât say anything, but I was real close to stabbing him with a fork. So yeah. I get jealous. Big surprise.â She shrugged scratching at her ear, eyes landing on Jesse again with mock seriousness. âYou happy now, or do I gotta tell you what brand of shampoo they use too?â Wendy was cackling. Dina looked like she was trying not to make it worse.
"endure and survive"
ELLIE WILLIAMS
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
outfit:
interactions:
MICHAELA FINCHG
iselle blinked once, then twice, her heart thudding loud in her ears as Jesseâs words sank in. Dreams. He was teasingâobviously he was teasingâbut there was a flicker of truth under his smirk, and it made her cheeks warm like she was sitting too close to the fire. Her fingers were still curled into his shirt, and it wasnât until she became painfully aware of it that she tried to smooth out the fabric like it would somehow erase her nerves. It didnât help.A sound left her, soft and somewhere between a scoff and a disbelieving laugh, and she shook her head, finally lifting her gaze to look at him. âYouâre impossible,â she muttered, voice pitched low enough that only he could hear. âThatâs not what I meant and you know it, asshole.â But she didnât move, didnât shift away or nudge him off the way she mightâve a few days ago. While the thought was now in her head, she shoved it away. Instead, her shoulder tucked a little more into his side, and her fingers brushed lightly over where her hand had been tangled in the material, smoothing it absently as if to replace the nervousness with something steadier. Something. . .more curious.
Giselle didnât let herself dream often. At least, not in ways that felt real or comforting. The ones that used to comeâof fire, of loss, of breathless running and the echo of her own name shouted across open woodsâthose she had grown used to. But Jesse had teased her and the truth of it? She had. Sometimes, they started simple. She was at the gardens, sleeves rolled to her elbows, sun dappling through leaves overhead. The scent of earth on her palms and sweat across the bridge of her nose. Jesse would walk by the gates, pause to say something dumbâsomething charming, if she was honestâand sheâd roll her eyes like she didnât want him there, but heâd always come in anyway.
Honestly, it had been one of the many leading factors to why Giselle seemed to go out of her way to avoid Jesse in the early days; he was kind and firm in a way that seemed impossible. Giselle had come across many men, many of them too angry, too controlling but Jesse was different.
She felt it, the way Jesseâs heartbeat thumped beneath her fingertips, steady and unshaken like he meant it when he said she belonged here. Giselle didnât know what to do with that kind of comfortâhadnât known what to do with it since before. Before Jackson, before Jesse. The comfort her dad smothered her sister and her with wasn't this. And then Jesse turned his attention to Ellie, throwing the question out like it wasnât about to detonate half the room. Giselle tensed slightlyânot from the question, but from the ripple it sent through Michaela, who suddenly looked like she wanted to be anywhere but on that couch. Her eyes flicked from the tension coiled in Michaelaâs fingers to the very not subtle shift of her leg against Ellieâs. Giselle let out a breath and muttered, âOh my god,â into the collar of Jesseâs shirt, though her smile betrayed more amusement than exasperation.
âYouâre stirring the pot,â she whispered, glancing up at him, the grin now tugging full force at her lips. âYouâre absolutely stirring the pot. You're just as bad as Dina, I'm startin' to see why you guys work.â And maybe it was because she felt his thumb moving along her shoulder again or the fact that their legs were still pressed together like gravity had decided for themâbut Giselle didnât even try to move away this time. She let the moment linger, her voice softening even more as she added, âYou better hope Ellie doesnât kill you for that one cause if she does, Iâm not vouching for you.â But the quiet laugh that followed said otherwise. Because maybe Jesse was impossible and maybe she liked that.
"look for the light"
GISELLE MARTIN
location:
OUTSKIRTS OF JACKSON
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