Random Encounters: Home

Veggitales

AJ scrolls on his phone as Gwen tinkers with the machine. He looks over a random article on his phone, but the words don't register. They look like small squiggling lines crawling on his screen. He knows they're words, he knows it's something about some natural disaster in Japan, but he can't read the words. He blinks some, his head pounding.

"AJ, did you hear me?" Gwen asks, tilting her head.

AJ looks up, his head is pounding so loudly, but he can still hear her.

"I'm sorry, baby, I didn't hear you the first time, what did you say?" AJ asks.

His mouth feels weird, as though his tongue is too large for it.

"I asked you to hand me the hex wrench," Gwen motions towards the tool.

AJ looks down at it. He nods his head and grabs it, handing it to her.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale," Gwen points out.

AJ blinks, comprehending the question, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, haven't slept well.

His head stops pounding and he returns to feeling normal, but he still can't read. He turns off his phone, giving up on the article. He watches her as she works. She blows a hair out of her face, and continues to work on the machine. She looks at the notebook that lays open off to the side, the numbers and formulas telling her which wires to connect, what screws to tighten.

"Are you going to be done soon?" AJ asks, quietly.

"Yeah, just need to connect a couple more of these wires, uh, calibrate the machine, download the contents on this USB drive," she holds up a USB, "Insert the disc, calibrate the machine again, input the code, 1984, and then calibrate the machine yet again, and ta-da, we're done."

Gwen tosses the USB back in the box and looks over her shoulder.

"You can always help me, you know," Gwen mentions, turning back to her work.

"How would I do that? Get you another hex wrench?" AJ teases, standing up, slowly.

The room spins a bit as he stands, but he shakes it off. Probably just vertigo or fatigue, he reasons with himself. Gwen looks back at him, rolls her eyes, then continues connecting wires.

"No, goofball, you can bring me something to eat," she half jokes.

"Oh, wow, I'm so honored," AJ chaffs, "What do you want?"

"A sandwich, or something, I dunno." Gwen shrugs her shoulders.

"Alright, I will bring you my world famous something." AJ begins to leave.

"I await it."

AJ leaves the garage, closing the door slowly behind him. He walks through their laundry room, into the kitchen, making a b-line for the fridge. There's whispers in his head and he realizes that there's this growing pressure sitting there as well. He pulls the fridge door open.

"What do you want?" He hisses quietly.

Ralsei blinks, looking up, "Nothing- I was just talking to Stanley."

"Well, you were talking about Gwen and the device and Nate, so?"

Ralsei coughs, adjusting the scarf tied loosely around his neck. Stanley looks up, loosening the white and yellow striped tie he's wearing. Stanley motions towards Ralsei, then himself.

"So it's just a coincidence I heard, 'This is probably a failure, Gwen doesn't know what she's doing', right?" AJ asks.

Stanley nods, pointing to his feet.

"You... were talking about Death of a Sim Gwen..." AJ says, faintly.

Stanley nods, a smile forming on his face.

"I... I'm sorry, I just thought-"

"It's fine, we think Gwen's plan will work, but you need to calm down a bit," Ralsei says softly.

"I know, I know. I just," he pauses, "I'm scared to lose her too."

Ralsei nods, "I know, but I don't think that will happen."

Stanley looks at Ralsei, then at his feet, shrugging his shoulders.

"Stanley's right," Ralsei says, "Paranoia will get you nowhere."

AJ chuckles a bit, "Yeah, I'm going to get this stuff for Gwen."

Ralsei and Stanley nod, disbanding, while AJ grabs some chicken salad from the fridge. He grabs a couple cans of Coke and a couple forks from the counter, before closing everything and heading back out to the garage.

"I brought chicken salad," he calls in a sing-songy voice.

He looks around, slightly confused. Gwen sits on the floor, rocking back and forth. She's running her fingers through her hair, staring intently at the floor, humming an unidentified tune. AJ sets the drinks and food on her work space. He looks at Gwen, debating what to do.

"Gwen?" AJ calls her name, beginning to set his hand on her shoulder cautiously.

"No, no, no, no," she mumbles, "No voices, no more."

She continues to rock, shaking her head violently. AJ crouches next to her, brushing back her hair, trying to meet her eyes with his.

"Mary had a little lamb," she sings, "Lamb, lamb, goat, lamb. I'm the goat, the scapegoat."

AJ tries to pull her into him but she bolts across the room, away from him. AJ stands up slowly as does Gwen.

"Vegetable," she yelps, scratching her nails against her scalp, "Broccoli."

AJ takes a step closer to her.

"Awake, awake, awake, awake," she repeats the word over and over.

AJ watches her, concern covering his face.