Evasion

Aftermath

Night had fallen, and the two friends had taken refuge inside one of the only little cute houses that wasn't completely torn apart, destroyed or littered messily with human guts and blood. It was smaller then their last accommodation, and there was no running water or electricity. Though luckily they had managed to scavenge torch lamps, alcohol and matches to light them from the hunters small refuge campsite. they made sure to scattered the lamps around the house to make it bright and less gloomy.

They used old pieces of wood to barricade the back door, not knowing whether there were anymore hunters or Carriers around town. The small hallway led into a staircase which was impossible to get through to because of the clutter of dressers and wardrobes the previous owners had used to protect themselves from the creatures that slithered and crept outside. On the left was a small living room with a sofa bed and a fireplace. It held a grey ceiling with spider webs splayed across the corners of the room, as if the insects had taken comfort in living in the ramshackle home. Not to mention greyish brown flooring that creaked and shook whenever you treaded on it. But no matter how much you looked at it everything in the house was grey. And that Jodie felt trapped. Very trapped. Like four grey walls of a tower closing In on her. She hadn't stopped trembling since the incident. And even then, her mind flickered back to the occurrence and sent her into a shivering mess. She had been silent the entire way, and hadn't bothered to check anywhere else in the house. All she knew was; the kitchen was across from them. And the bathroom down the hall. That was it. Her mind refused to accept anymore information that day. She had enough on her mind, enough to contemplate and think about. She didn't want to take in any more.

Lucas sighed as he watched her, pacing through the small house, throwing worried glances at Jodie and running a nervous hand through his hair. He had scrubbed his hands clean of the hunters blood in hopes of trying to remove the mere memory of it, though a small fleck of blood had dried to a dark brown on his forehead. Plastered onto him, the same as the lathered sweat on his skin, like a second layer.

With careful and slow steps he walked towards Jodie. He didn't want to scare her, he felt ashamed she had seen him so violent. So ruthless in killing them. He never wanted her to see him like that again. He didn't want to ruin the image she had of him. "J-jodie?" he said quietly, his voice shaking slightly with his worry for her.

She continued trembling, curled into herself on the couch as she stared into the space where the TV would be, her clothes were still ruffled and her hair was covered in mud and blood. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out except from a silent sob. She shook her head and snuggled her chin into her knees. Her eyes glancing everywhere but Lucas in a dazed yet frantic fashion, as if she didn't know what to do with herself. She wasn't afraid of him. She told herself shamefully. She wasn't afraid of him. She loved him, he was her best friend and she cared for him like family. Nothing he could ever do would put her at discomfort. And she knew that without having to think for longer than a second. He was her everything and he was important to her. That, would never change in her mind.

Though It may have been a stereotype, to say, that she felt dirty. She felt used. She felt unclean and tainted. The world she lived in was cruel enough, but she didn't want to have to worry about her stupid insecurities. What happened to getting stronger? She asked herself silently, what happened to protecting him? She was glad he was there. Coming in, stopping them. Like a knight in shining armour, one that would never leave her. But there she was still. Trembling like a leaf, like a little child scared after going into a daunting haunted mansion. Like an adult watching their child get killed. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to think, talk, eat, or do anything of the sort. She felt so sick. She could feel the bile crawling up her throat. She could feel the horror and the guilt, the shame, pulling her soul in different directions to the point of where she though her heart was bleeding from the memories. From the pain.

Lucas frowned, his eyes soft and they held a wet shine to those bottomless forestry green. He changed his direction and strode over to her bag. Opening it he fished out her comb. Before turning around and offering her a small smile as he walked back towards her. He sat down by her quietly and slowly, careful not to seem to abrupt in his movements. "I won't hurt you I promise" he said softly. He turned the comb in his hands before slowly running it through her hair. The dried blood and bits of hardened mud fell to the dirty floor with every stroke, like dirty rusted snow flakes. He was careful to not pull any knots, running his hands through lightly to untangle her hair as to not hurt her. He seemed to be taking his utmost best to be careful.

She felt him combing her hair and sighed gently, it felt good and was a slight distraction but- why was he doing this? He didn't have to do this for her, she could have combed her own hair. Not that she was in any mood too. She wanted to be the one to tell him that she was fine. And she had to because...for so long, she had been this girl that always depended on him, but now she had to be strong. She had to act like it was nothing. She had to hide it. She had to tell herself 'what happened wasn't that big of a deal' or 'The event was nothing more than another memory that deserved to get lost in the past'. So with a croak, a slight tremble to her voice she said. "I'm fine" the words were low and just above a whisper, but it came out hoarsely nonetheless.

Lucas smiled slightly. "sorry hun, but you look a mess" he joked lightly. He pulled her hair back, running the brush through her straight hair. "Are you alright Jodie? Honestly" Lucas asked, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder as he sat beside her. He wanted so badly to comfort her properly but, he didn't want to seem like he was going too far. From what had happened. She would most likely not want to be touched by anybody any time soon. So he would take it in slow steps. Processes.

"Yeah" she whispered half heartedly, trying to clear the dryness and croaking nature from her voice. Her eyes shifted to him, before flashing with a slight shame and looking back down at the ground. She couldn't look him in the eye. She just couldn't. "I'm fine. I- I promise" she said, slowly reaching a hand out to stop him from combing her hair. "Y-you don't need to" she gulps. "To do this. Lucas."

Lucas frowned, "you only call me Lucas when you are upset," he said softly. "And I am determined to tame this bird nest you call hair" he smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He set the brush down and stood. Stepping around her, Lucas lowered hinself to the ground. He reached out, gently tipping her head up to look him in the eyes. "I apologize that you had to see me like that...." he paused nervously, rubbing his hands together as a habit. "Jodie, I couldn't bear to be without you."

She looks at him fiercely her eyes shining with hidden tears but they refused to fall, they refused to be released, and instead, they were kept behind a fierce cage of fiery determination to withhold the terrible emotions that made her feel such a way. She nodded at Luke before reaching out gently to his hands and letting her lips tilt into a little tiny smile, almost invisible to the human eye. "I know Luke, I- i know. You were protecting me. I'm not scared of you. Your my teddy bear" she rubbed her thumb over his soft skin in a circular motion looking away as if to sooth him. "You shouldn't worry about me. Not anymore"

Taking her hands tighter he pulled her closer, leaning to her so their faces were separated by mere inches. "You don't understand Jodie. I'm....I'm in love with you" he said confidently, his eyes fierce forest green and his hands holding hers tightly, they were warm, and comforting.

Startled she looked at him in shock, searching his eyes and finding nothing more than love, honesty and warmth. She couldn't believe she had never seen it before. She felt so blind. So stupid. Was she really oblivious?

She bit her lip. She wasn't sure she felt the same way, she- she loved him. No one could deny that. But what Lucas was doing was pushing it to a level of which, She may not be ready for. She knew she wasn't ready for, Especially after what had just happened. What does she tell him? That she loved him back and see how it goes? It was true that they had limited time together. That sooner or later a runner or lurker was going to jump them and infect them. Or worse off, a Laster or hunter would get them first.

The bile rose further up Into her throat because of the nervousness she felt, her heart pounding against her chest and her breathing was shallow. She could feel the room tilting slightly, flickering in and out of darkness as time seemed to pause and move of its own accord. She stood up abruptly and shook her head. "I feel sick" without another thought, she ran out of the room and down the hall, footsteps heavy as they thudded on the floor boards. She skidded to a turn, into the bathroom, and began spewing her contents, which was barely anything, into the toilet bowl.

Lucas' eyes widened, and were filled with hurt. A pain occurred deep within his chest that he tried to brush off. "I'm sorry..." he whispered as she left the room. He shouldn't have done that, no not at all. It was wrong, he was just a friend. In addition to all the stress she was going through he had picked the worst time to admit his feelings to her. "Dammit Lucas. You ruined it. You scared her" he scolded himself. Standing up Lucas paced, slowly at first, seemingly sad though as soon as he truly thought about it, he picked up the pace and was muttering angrily under his breath of how he had been a fool. "Not ready. To early!" he whispered furiously, his anger at himself. Tempted to go outside to cool down, he lingered by the window for a moment, but a wail in the distance of a Carrier, an infected supernatural, covinced him to stay in the small house.

Jodie held her hair back and made sure her mouth was empty of the disgusting vile substance that just emptied itself out of her body. She looked into the cracked mirror and saw her pale and dirty reflection of a weak girl, chocolate brown eyes were dull and her blonde hair was still matted with crusted blood and dirt, melding in with the hair to the point of where its colour could have been mistaken for just that.

Love? She asked herself distantly in her own thoughts. How could he love someone so dirty and so weak? She thought to herself. He must be lying. Or saying it to make her feel better. To get her hopes up. She wasn't sure, but there was a vibration from her chest that spread a warm feeling around her body every time she thought about it. They could be rushing, he could be rushing. If she wasn't the only girl he hung around he would go for someone else, she convinced herself. She had to admit he was good looking, not to mention smart. He was kind and protective. But, she felt bad, it must have taken a lot of confidence for him to do that, and she had only said 'I feel sick' before running out. That was weak behaviour. And she couldn't allow that to progress.

She walked back into the living room slowly, watching him observing the foggy window. She cleared her throat, though it still cracked from nervousness. "How long?" She looked down, unable to look at him because of the guilt.

Lucas turned to face her, his eyes filled with hurt and a hint of anger for his foolishness. "I always knew you were special to me..." he trailed off, his hands shaking slightly, "but when they-" he broke off taking an angry breath before continuing, his body trembling with fury. "when they took you. I realized I couldn't live without you."

Jodie looked at him hopelessly, a choke coming out of her lips as a small sorry smile played there, she wiped away a fallen tear and nodded. "I- I'm sorry Luke, but I don't deserve you, not to mention right now" she tenses slightly. " right now my mind and my heart are in the wrong place" she sighs, as if giving up on everything. "I'm a mess Luke. I'm a fucking mess" she bit her lip. "And- and I don't want to be one of those girls who uses a guy because they feel lonely or because they feel like this is the only guy they'd get. Or even because we might die! I don't want those reasons to be the thing that pulls me towards you that way. I want- I want to know for certain Lucas. I want to know for certain that I love you too" she whispers. "Otherwise it's not fair on you... Ok?"

Lucas sucked in a harsh breath. He walked towards her, his strides long. Stopping in front of Jodie he looked down at her. leaned down, then striaghtened and walked back to the window. He was going to do something, but, he couldn't. Not now. She deserved a choice. "I-I can wait. Not like I have competition" he said his laugh dry and forced.

Jodie clutched herself tighter at the forced laugh and shook her head. "I'm sorry. L-look I'm going to just sit outside of the house and- I just need some air" she mumbled, her eyes downcast and her body closed off. She felt so stupid but at the same time, she knew that this might be for the best.

She walked to the door, opening it and feeling the cold chilly winds pushing against her as she closed the door gently and sat on the front porch, picking an arched wooden stick and looking at if curiously, before taking out her small knife. She began whittling it down. Carving it to perfection. She needed something to do, something to keep her mind off of everything.

Once finished she then began to make thin arrows. Though she knew she would need arrow heads but a sharpened end was an alternative.

Lucas walked to the door, resting his head against it and sighing in frustration. Swiping his Glock from the floor he then perched himself by the window, watching carefully. He kept his eyes off of her to focus on anything that could be approaching her.

She was unknowing to his gaze, concentrating so hard on trying to make the perfect home made bow and arrows. The arrows or sharp sticks for an alternative were done. And she was finishing off the curve and style of the bow. She pulled a piece of elastic string from her top that was stretchy and tied to the ends. She made sure it balanced right, that notching it back wouldn't be hard. Or too soft. It had to have the right amount of recoil and bounce in order to work effectively. In order to hit its target on mark.

Just as she was adjusting it a deer went passed, trotting down the road and towards a small plain of fields by the road intercrossing. She stood up, remembering briskly that Luke may have wanted it for dinner. Or was that the hawk? She thought to herself before She picked up her arrows and her bow. crouching and moving fast and swiftly towards the deer. It was in the eye sight of where Luke could still see her and keep an eye on her. though in that moment she was concentrating on hunting. Her eyes filled with determination.

She was ready to fend for herself. She was ready to push back the rape. Everything was fine. She lied to herself. Forcing the tears in, the trembling and shaking disappearing.

Lucas watched with sad eyes, he nudged the window open sliently. Watching out for Carrier's while keeping a proud eye on her. Fresh meat wandering would bring Lurkers and Runners quickly, if they could get inside before it's blood was smelt the diminishing intelligence of the virus-infected supernaturals would not be aware of them.

She looked around, making sure no one was around, no hunter or Carrier, before stringing the arrow back. Notching it and aiming for the deers head, preferably its eye. Taking out its senses would be best. But Jodie could only wish her aim stayed true.

The deer continued to eat the grass it's antlers worn high and proud as it glanced around before eating again. Jodie crept closely to it. Watching as it ate before shooting the arrow at it. It let out a small yelp, prancing around trying to shake the stick out of its eyes, blood gushing down the side of its face like a waterfall. It head butted a tree multiple times before running in her direction wildly and erratically. She braced her arms out and grabbed its antlers as it approached, swinging elegantly into its back before stabbing another into its throat repeatedly. She looked sad, she didn't like killing animals. Every time she stabbed she flinched and physically recoiled against the blood that splattered her. They were so innocent but, after all. "Those who endure, conquer" she said as the deer collapsed onto the floor. She took the arrow out and wiped off the blood on a tree before sliding it into her Into the back of her jacket were it belonged. She then grabbed its antlers and pulled it towards the house with a grunt, feeling slightly proud.

Lucas slid his gun into his waistband after clicking the safety on. He rushed out, to help her. Not wanting to attract any Carriers. "Good job" he murmured to her, smiling at her.

She blushed lightly and coughed, taking a deep breath to keep her emotions in check, she nudged him. Trying to be playful. "Maybe now you'll trust me to hunt for food instead of you hunting and me watching" she kicked open the door and continued to push whilst he pulled.

Lucas dragged the large buck in, lying it on the floor. "You'll have to learn how to clean it." he smirked, forcing his pain away.

She smiled weakly. "Teach me?" She was fiddling a lot, her hands couldn't keep still and neither could her legs. She felt nervous about whether he even wanted to be friends anymore.

Lucas laughed lightly, pulling his knife out. He started to cut into the hide when there was a creak. The quiet creak of a wooden step curving under a clumsy step. Lucas leaped to his feet, his Glock aimed at the door. He shifted his weight to block Jodie and his finger already pushing the trigger. The door slowly pushed open and there was a groan. "N-not in-nfected" a deep voice said shaking and filled with pain. Lucas' eyes widened, he walked forward and nudged the door open showing a man with dark brown hair, taller than Lucas but skinnier. The new man held his ribs tightly, a red thick liquid dripping through his fingers and splattering the floor. He staggered and fell forward onto Lucas.

Dropping his gun, Lucas caught him. Supporting him as he lead him to the couch. "We got to help him Jod."

Jodie nodded, looking at the man sadly before rushing to her bag and taking out bandages and the alcohol with some tissues. "Check if its a bullet wound Luke" she said, looking for scissors and the necessary tools to help heal him without jepeodising his health. Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest. How did this stranger make it here? The town was filled with a few hunters and some Carriers are here too. How did he get passed?

Lucas set the man on the couch and peeled the bloodstained shirt up to reveal a round hole just below the mans ribs. Lucas' nodded, his shoulders tensing "bullet wound" he said forcing his voice steady. Almost as if he was nervous. Nervous about something.

Jodie nods and stands up with all the things in her hands. "Take it out if its still in there Luke. Quick" she knew that depending on whether there was an exit wound from the bullet she knew that he would have lost a lot of blood also depending on how he feel to the ground as well. If he didn't fall, then it was also bad. Moving causes blood to pump around faster around the body which also speeds up the blood exiting from the wound. If the bullet was still lodged into him, as she found out it was, pressure on the open would cause a clot without taking it out, she had to be sure and, She knew that she would the. have to clean it and bandage him quickly.

She walks over to them and kneels down beside them, opening the bottle of alcohol and pouring a tiny bit onto a clean piece of tissue scrupled into a little ball. Once Luke took the bullet out painfully, she began dabbing the wound with the tissue. "This is going to hurt, I'm just disinfecting the wound. We don't want you getting sick now do we" she murmured softly, not looking the man in the eyes.

The man grunted in pain, holding still. "You're rather kind" he said through gritted teeth. He clenched his fists until his knuckles were a pale white from the lack of the blood flowing. Lucas though, had backed away slowly, watching emotionlessly with almost cold green eyes. Something was wrong. And Jodie was beginning to feel a certain air settle on all of them.

Jodie smiles a little and begins wrapping his wound when she's finished. She then tied it tightly and takes a sigh of relief. "there, your all patched up" she stands up and brushes herself off. looking between both of them she catches Luke's expression and frowns. Not entirely sure what was going on she ran a hand through her hair stressfully. "I'll just uh, go and find something to tidy up the blood" she says awkwardly, walking into the hallway to try and find a mop or clothes to use and clean the floor.

When jodie was out of hearing range Lucas glared at the man "who are you?" he said, but a tone of knowing in his voice. The man smiled in response, chuckling "c'mon little bro, don't remember me?" Lucas narrowed his green eyes. "how do I know you aren't a Carrier?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Damien, 18 years old, sent to Boot camp at 16 and disowned. Became a marine. If I was a Carrier I would have attacked and i wouldn't have been able to remember that" the man said gruffly. Lucas relaxed slightly, "this stays between us Damien." Damien frowned slightly tilting his head and wincing, his wound radiating pain.

"Why? Little miss doesn't know?" Lucas glared at him with such an intensity Damien put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, I'll keep it quiet. But she won't be happy" Damien then relaxed into the sofa, sighing as Jodie returned.


Jodie smiled when she came in dragging a mop and her bag. She took out her bow and arrows before strapping them to the back of the bag securely along with the weapon she made. "I'm guessing you two didn't rip each others heads off from your male egos?" She raises an eyebrow at them.

Damien tossed a glare at Lucas as if warning him that keeping it from her was a bad idea, before smiling at Jodie. "No ma'am, only an interrogation fit for a prisoner." Lucas rolled his eyes at the comment. "his name is Damien, he isn't infected," Lucas informed her.

Jodie smiles back and stands up shaking his hand. "The names Jodie. This is Lucas. Or Luke as I like to call him" she frowns. Eyes flickering back and forth from his injury to his eyes. "That was a nasty injury. Your lucky the Carriers didn't Smell you. They fucking love blood" she narrowed her eyes in
confusion. "So how did you get here? Or at least make it this far"

Damien looked around nervously and forced himself to sit up. "Well.....I may not be human?" he said tentatively, as if asking a question. There was a sharp intake of breath fron Lucas, who looked in suprise at Damien, speechless.

Jodie stared at him, her eyes wide before she started laughing, pulling out her gun instinctively and waving it around carelessly. The safety was on. "Your joking right? Because most supernaturals are either Lasters or Carriers now. So uh yeah good joke" she smiled with a fake smile and began to fiddle with her hands and fingers. Her legs couldn't keep still. She was nervous and a sense of unease filled her as her stomach seemed to plummet.

Damien held up his hands, watching the gun calmly. "I am one of the fortunate shape shifters, I take to the air when threatened." He took a deep breath, his eyes flicking between Jodie and Lucas nervously. Lucas looked murderous. He had lied all those years, he had never told him. His own brother had hid the fact he was a supernatural from his flesh and blood. The hate Lucas had for his brother grew as he glared at Damien silently wishing he could have an outlet at his brother but Jodie was there. And that wouldn't be good.

Jodie cursed under her breath and stared at him intensely, twirling her gun faster. "Your being fucking serious aren't you?" She paced and refused to look at him, keeping her gaze on the floor. She had only met a rare amount, one or two, of supernaturals that weren't infected. And they both tried to kill her and Lucas. Their the reasons a childhood friend of hers is dead. She bit her lip at the memory before shaking her head. "Who shot at you? I thought Lucas cleared out the h-hunters" she stumbled over the word, her voice trembling. Unconsciously she picked up the mop from the corner where she left it and began cleaning the blood to keep herself busy.

Drew: Damien glanced at Lucas quizzically, who respondes with a sharper glare. "On my way to Laketown, a Hunter mistook me for food and got a bullet in me" he answered steadily. Lucas, frowned watching Jodie his expressioning softening, "Jodie....they won't get you."

"Just shut up" she snaps before pinching the bridge of her nose and sighs. "Just.. I don't want to talk about it ok?" She continues cleaning. Not looking any of them in the eye. "Ok so you got hit mistaken for food.. How do we know we can trust you? I should really shoot you. But" she pauses "your the first supernatural that hasn't tried to slaughter me yet"

Drew: Lucas crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. He had retreived his gun and was tapping it against his arm. Watching Damien with his green eyes. Damien, feeling their hostility towards him, sighed. "i'll prove it to you however you want." he offered.

"A safe zone" she looks towards Luke before staring back at Damien. "The best and largest one. One that's been around since the beginning. You should know of some" she stops cleaning and wipes the sweat from her brow. "If you could tell us and lead us there that would be helpful"

Damien looked between the two, running a blood-stained hand through his messy brown hair. "I've heard word of one...only problem is we have to cross the ocean. Every American Safe Zone has fallen," he told the two.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, pushing off the wall to stand straight. "it's worth a chance Jodie..." he said quietly.

Jodie sighed and pointed her gun towards Damian. "Every American safe zone? How can you be so sure? There's a lot of states, this isn't exactly the smallest country there is. Got any evidence?" She gave him a stern look, she couldn't believe they were all wiped out. Not all of them. That had to be impossible.

"I have inside information and I watched the one in New York, the supposed safest, fall. If the best fell, then the others did. I've seen the ruins of half" Damien said, standing up with his hands in the air. He grimaced, one hand going to the bullet wound as if it pained him.

Lucas frowned, his mind reeling. Every safe zone has fallen in America....that meant that there was nearly no survivors...

Jodie clasped a hand around her mouth and suddenly ran to the bathroom again. The sounds of her throwing up echoed through the house, as well as her coughing, a small whisper of "fuck" before she emptied her contents again.

Lucas sent a sharp look to Damien. "you don't tell her that!" he yelled in a whisper. Damien sat down slowly leaning against the couch, with an apologetic look. Lucas sighed angrily, walking after Jodie. He rapped the door softly, "y'all right Jod?"

She opened the door slowly, her hair was a mess and she looked incredibly pale. "I'm fine Luke, I just" she looks down, feeling uncomfortable as she shuffled awkwardly. "y'know" she said. "Some of my friends lived in New York. They had gone for some holiday before The Swarm happened. I thought there was a possibility that they could be alive somehow. And" she bit her lip shaking her head. "I hoped. They were still alive but" she sighs and smiles weakly "it's alright. Your right. We'll probably die in next week or so and all of this can be fucking over" she runs a hand through her hair and groans. "It's like living in fucking hell"

Lucas sighed, he opened his arms as if to hug her. "It's going to be okay, Damien's telling the truth about what he heard for the safe zone. They may have made it to a new safe zone too," he told her softly, enveloping her in his arms.

Jodie walked into his arms and laid her head on his chest, sighing as she wrapped her arms around him. "I doubt it Luke. I really do" she buried her face into the crook of his neck and took in a deep breath, inhaling his scent and humming softly. "I'm sorry I snapped earlier. I- I just don't want to talk about them. Or it."

"Shhhhh" Lucas said soothingly, "only when you are ready." He smiled sadly, "everything will be okay as long as we have eachothers backs. I'm sorry I snapped at you in the forest, I was angry, I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Jodie shook her head and smiled "it's fine Luke, I know you were just being honest. And you were trying to protect me. I was only being moody because I" she gulps "I feel like your always protecting me and, I'm always the reason you get hurt. I want to be able to help you but I'm practically useless with everything. I'm no help."

"Hey, don't think like that." Lucas scolded softly. "Look how you got that buck today. I protect you because I care, and I get hurt because I'm a bumbling idiot."

She blushed, her cheeks a rosy crimson red as she covered her face with her hands in embarrassment before pushing him gently. "Oh whatever Luke. Bumbling idiot my ass" she laughed lightly.

Lucas stepped back grinning, "well, i can't stare at you and run at the same time. What can I say, bumbling idiot number one."

Jodie laughed a little louder and punched him "you better hope you weren't staring at my ass cause I swear I'll kick you to next Wednesday" she begins walking slowly to the living room "come on, lets go back to the living room so we can sort this out"

Lucas laughed lightly, "you punch like a man." he teased rubbing the spot on his arm she had hit. "And not all the time" he smirked.


Jodie growls playfully "hey! I don't punch like a man" she punches him again in the chest gently. "Don't look at my ass pervert"


"I belive the term is man, not pervert." Lucas corrected, walking back into the living room with her. He turned his sharp gaze onto Damien who was currently sitting back in the couch with his eyes closed.

Jodie walked in and watched Damian before looking at Luke, sighing. "He's not a bad guy... Oh! Luke can you cook the buck? While I talk to Damien...plus I'm starving, look in my bag you'll see the tinned tomato soup. We can use it as sauce" she said walking over to Damian and sitting down on the floor beside the couch.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, "be careful Jodie," be said warningly. Glancing back, he walked to the buck, picking the animal up he carried it to the kitchen with some difficulty. Settling on the floor, he began to skin the buck.

Damien cracked open an eye, "quickly please" he said softly.

Jodie frowns "why?" Her hand rests on her gun and she looks him up and down. "Your staying in our refuge. I need to know that you won't pull a blind one and try to kill us" she shuffled and sat in the chair across from him. Looking at him intently, leaning forward with her arms resting on her knees.

"You aren't going to kill me?" Damien asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. He looked down at her, pain laced in his green eyes.

Jodie laughed lightly and shook her head, killing him would be harsh, he didn't do anything wrong. It would be cruel of her to do that. "No of course not. I'm not cruel. I'm just human. Plus" she gives him a gently smile "survivors should stick together. Not kill each other"

Damien let out a breath of relief, his tense muscles relaxing. "Thank you" he said with a small smile. "And you are right about sticking together."

"Yeah well it's one of our downfalls, not sticking together and all" she sighed and fiddled with her hands nervously. "Are you in pain? Hurt?"

He forced a smile, shaking his head "just fine thanks to you ma'am." Though his side hurt terribly.

Jodie shook her head and went to go and retrieve her bag. "Rule number one of staying with us. Don't lie. I've seen so many people lie in my lifetime its like second nature to detect them" she looks through her bag before pulling out a white packet of paracetamol. She tosses it towards him. "I hope these help. They still have their uses"

Damien sighed. "you've helped me enough, I won't need these. I swear." Though he caught the packet with practiced ease, and held it in front of him.

Jodie shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Your just like Luke. Fucking stubborn that's what. Anyway" she sighed. "What's your story? Where are you from?"

Drew: Damien throws the packet back to her, smiling slightly. "I came from a small town in Washington, but I was a delinquent. My parents sent me to boot camp to learn about responsibility and respect. I learned, I graduated camp and was a Marine the year the Swarm came. Killed everyone I know, escaped my base by flight and flew across the states, ended up here" Damien said stiffly.

Jodie nodded and frowned sadly at him catching the packet. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Didn't they notice you were a supernatural?" She tilted her head in confusion, her body slouched slightly. "Or were they oblivious to the fact that you could turn into an animal?"

Damien bit his lip, "as my shape...I have extreme control. I never shifed in eyes if the base." he said guilty.

She nodded and remained silent for a while. She shouldn't have intruded on his personal life but she just wanted to make sure that they weren't letting a lunatic into their survival group. "Well, anything you want to know about me fire away. I'm open to all questions"

Drew: Damien raised an eyebrow. "where were you headed?"

Jodie hums and smiles. "I think it was Luke's old marine base. He was wondering if they were still alive. I say we still go, and ransack the place. I mean come on, they'll be tons of supplies" she told him in a relaxed manner. "We have a bag as well that we found in Tacoma, filled with a bit of supplies but not enough to last more than three or four groups of hunters"

Damien nodded, "safer to avoid them rather than take them head on like your little boyfriend did earlier." He looked around, sitting forward. "This base...did Luke say if it had a chance of survival?"

"When your in a small town like this, it's a lot harder than it seems. They kidnapped me" she gulps. "The only reason why he faced them head on... But uh, he said he hoped they were alive. I think they might. Depending on the condition of the base. I trust Luke with my life. I trust his judgement. And he's not my boyfriend. He's my best friend. We've known each other for a long time"

Damien smirked, "sure he isn't." He leaned back, wringing his hands, hoping his fathers' base was still safe. "I have no questions" he smiled lightly.

Jodie rolled her eyes and sighed. This journey was going to be a trek. "Well if your done, lets go check on the buck. I'm sure Luke is ready" she stands up and helps Damian up as well, leading him into the kitchen.