Evasion

Leaving

Lucas sighed, sitting on the couch as it creaked beneath him and Jodie’s weight. Damien glanced over at the sudden noise, standing by the window. He was paranoid as all hell, his leg jittering as his fingers fidgeted. “We need to leave” Lucas said softly, “we’ve been here too long.”

Damien nodded his agreement, but Lucas wasn’t watching him, instead focusing on Jodie.

After the past few days he had been unsure about her, she seemed off. And with Damien around it didn't help. He was always interrupting just as he was about to say something. He was worried that mentioning leaving would upset her or frighten her with the possibilities of hunters.

Jodie kept her eyes to the ground, she knew she had been distant and in deep thought for a long time. But it was almost as if she couldn’t bring herself out of it. At Lucas’s words she could barely handle a nod of certainty. They had been there for too long, for way too long. She felt uncomfortable about being on the move again. she felt like she was more likely to die this time around, she had no idea what had changed but, she knew she had to get over it before they left. The fear that wracked her mind into a crippling mess was prohibiting her from moving forward, and she didn’t want to hold them back.

"You guys....make a head start" she said softly, "I want to...I want to check something out...If you don’t mind." She refused to look at them, her eyes scanning the dirty, blood smeared floorboards.

Lucas' lips curved downwards in a worrisome frown, "Jodie..." he started unsure, and he didn't know what to say. He struggled to find words, finding himself just repeating a muttered "uhm."

From his place at the window, Damien coughed to bring the attention to him. "Survivors stick together right? That's what you told me. I don't think leaving you behind in this God forsaken town is including that."

Jodie looked up at Damien and smiled a little weakly "using my words against me?" she laughed a little though it didn’t have the same happiness it used to "I guess... I just...never mind. Let’s get moving" she shook her head and mentioned pointedly.

She stood up and took out her gun. She took the safety off and making sure she had enough bullets locked and loaded for any confrontations they were going to face. She then brushed off the remaining dust and dirt from her clothes and picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

Damien grinned, "I couldn't help, but quote such a wise woman."

Sighing from confusion, Lucas stood as well. "What was it you wanted to check out?" he asked carefully, desperately trying not to upset her further. His rucksack was already prepared, sliding his gun into the makeshift leather holster he had constructed.

                She blushed a little and shook her head "you're just saying that...and nowhere of importance... just something I saw..." she ran a hand through her hair and shook it out, letting it fall past her shoulders before scooping it up into a ponytail.  ”Let’s just forget it okay? Let’s just leave. It’s what you guys wanted right?"

Lucas huffed, wishing he could thump Damien over the head right now. “I want you to be happy, and we can go check it out if you want to. Just splitting up in this town doesn't feel wise to me," Lucas explained gently, holding back all the rest he wanted to say. How he wished he could just lock her away in a cellar for safety or how he was worried he was going to lose her now.