Up The Ladder

Tick-Tack

What happened of the forest never was of Toby's interest, always minding his own business. The guests from the nearby sections never really went in contact, the few he had met just because of convenience. Kate was like a hell hound, roaming the messed up place he ended up in. Nina was just a kid, constantly moving sections because of the inconvenience she brought on her presence, bubbly or annoying, he probably couldn't number the amount of guests she had been in care of. And Clockwork, she was just herself. He recalled her because of the favors she made for them, too difficult or out of their league.

He didn't count the guests he met while down; when his body wasn't of his own control and was constantly on a dark corner of his consciousness. Sometimes came the necessity to rip out his hand that carried that one symbol when it itched, placed as well on the back of his neck. Those that were on the presence of something that wasn't himself he didn't worry about; it didn't matter if he scared them away, they would still murmur about a guy pulled by strings, so called proxy.

A loud crash of dishes brought him back to the scene, everyone setting down around him for breakfast. "I'll be busy today," Jeff said "I'm out of supplements". Everyone looked at him with a raised eyebrows, suspicious. He frowned his own and reclaimed over a mouth full of food while shaking his head "Just gonna hunt and get some wood, jeez..".

This section was still unknown to Toby, so over a skip of curiousness he asked, "Can I go with him?". He avoided Jeff's gaze, he didn't know if out of embarrassment or resentment, probably just the ladder. He didn't have any problems with the guy, but that was just his head playing him.

"You know you shouldn't-" the yellow-hooded man was cut in by the scarred man, "I have no problem with it," He turned his eyes to Toby without moving his tilted head, pointing the dirty fork at his face. "It's better if he gets to know this place, we don't know what could happen to us and he's left alone, y'know, with all the 'being hunted' stuff" Jeff chuckled, the amusement that sparked at the end not being ignored by Toby. "It's n-not like you're the best to hang around". He cringed as he snarled, the awkward lie too obvious to him.

Tim actually gave it a thought, commenting; as nevertheless reasoning with Brian. "That's true, we do need Rogers to explore more, if he's being chased he wont know where to go and who else he will run into".

Toby only kept silent, knowing that his say wasn't really important. A part of who he was is the ignorance that surrounded him. It was as easy to explain like when a child spoke up and never received an answer back.

Jeff stood up and placed his now dirty dishes in the dishwasher, "Grab your stuff" he said, not looking back to verify for an answer. Toby did the same and only grabbed a hatchet that he found in the basement and decided was his new acquisition.

Jeff tossed a used cloth to the side as he passed Toby in the doorway, the small whiff of air brought the scent of wood and pine, a slight comfort to him.

The brunette could hear as a conversation started in the kitchen, but didn't sound interesting enough to pay attention, focusing more on the thud of Jeff's duffel bag resting on his shoulder.

When in the exit of the cabin he gazed one last time over his shoulder to the place that was now his home, a feeling of abandonment reaching in his core as he proceeded to finally force himself out the warm place.

When they stepped out into the old porch the cold breeze hit him straight in the face and pulled a shiver out of him, being comfortable in the heat of the cabin. The wind caused an effect on the long trees that made them seemed as if they swayed side to side. There was no view of the sun on the sky, thick clouds covering it.

The walk at the start was quite, no exchange of words between the two. It wasn't a comfortable silence, giving rise for the twitching sense in Toby, his neck beginning to tense and move slightly as well as the snapping of his fingers, some unconsciously failing because of the ones missing.