Way of DRAFT

A Great Start to Grey, Ch2

The lantern shines down the hallway, just in front of the Auditorium's door. In the light, are two medics just talking. Getting to know each other in the otherwise pitch-black passage.

"I'll have to visit, that sounds amazing." Avery whispered enthusiastically, legs splayed in front of him with his fists on the ground.

"I'll bring you someday, you'd enjoy Britain... What's Australia like?" Arlo asks, a bit louder than his friend. He was sitting on his legs, resting his head on his palm. He's been having more fun just talking in half an hour than all his daily exploration in half a year.

"Surprisingly not full of wild animals, especially in the cities, no. It's quite beautiful, actually. Most towns are really welcoming, you feel safe there, nice locals... and oh, don't get me started on the rural drives! If you ever visit, drive through the farmlands during sunset. Prettiest thing I've ever seen." Despite the darkness, Ave's smile was brighter than it'd ever been.

"Hmm... What do you call "flip-flops" over there, in the Lucky Country?" Arlo squints. He already knows the answer, but he'll always find it funny.

Avery hangs his head, chuckling at Arlo's question. "Thongs. And despite the hospitality, you might get some weird looks asking for "Flip-Flops"."

They both try to supress their laughs. They start shushing one another, but you can't expect two sleep-deprived, jaded, middle-aged men not to find that hilarious. Arlo reaches for Avery's shoulder, his hand pressed to his nose. And as Arlo falls down right in front of Avery, neither can hold their laughter back. They let out a loud cackle, and immediately cup their mouths when they hear stirring.

* * * * * * * *

Morning lazily rolls over the barrelling hills, the dark ebbing in the sky making its way off the stage for the inevitable cries that will soon overflow it. It shows its colours off to those who will watch, and eventually lets the daytime come through.

It's seven in the morning, and everyone in Grey is waking their new and old colleagues up as the Engineers go over their lists. "We've got to scour for more hideouts... We've also got to look for food, water, scraps..." Linney, so sick of handling all of Green's woes, listed off to Shiraz. "What does your side need?" Shiraz rubbed his temple, and slumped over on the table. "Pfft, I dunno anymore. I think we need what y'all do and a couple guns. Gotta find where purple gets theirs." He looks around from under his hard hat, and sighed. Another day of hustle and bustle, another day of flying notes. "C'mon, we've made it this far dealing with our guys. All we have left is to put the men into groups, then stop overworking ourselves" Shiraz consoled. "Hmph", Linney grumbled.

Linney and Shiraz finalised their notes from their ragged book, tearing out damp and bent pieces of paper. On all eighteen of the little notes were the names of two to six people. Five groups, a few errands to run each. The Engies handed out the little notes to those who had their name on it. Everyone would leave at the same time. On top of that, just to be safe, if they're not back at the Yellow Auditorium by the time the sun sets, everyone else would come together and search for them.

Linney handed Avery his paper. "How're you holding up, Ave? Black not bothering you too much?" Avery took the paper, folding it to look at when Lin leaves. "I'm alright, I guess. I don't think I got much sleep last night, though." At this, Lin grinned. "I heard you two cackling at what, two in the mornin'?" He waves his hand at the distracted Medic in his black uniform to their left. "so I thought I'd put ya boys together. Biggest group." He chuckles, and walks off from Avery. You what?

He looked at the other five. A jovial Demoman, a fidgety Heavy, an ecstatic Medic, a pissed Scout, and a grumpy Pyro. Avery didn't want to acknowledge that he, the sixth, was a sheepish extra medic.