One had to stay vigilant in this realm, a single mistake and next thing you know the entity had you in it's grasp. Nea wasn't new to this kind of concept, having to dodge and evade police enough prior to abduction. Change the cops to mass murder and all that's different is the punishment of capture. She had learned quickly, what the rules of this plain were. The pain of a meat hook penetrating the skin and the feeling of death embracing her. It never lasted sadly, soon she would be greeted by the somber glow of the campfire once more.
She had seen other's like her, some more knowledgeable of their predicament than others. When the screams rang out she found herself hesitant to help, wanting instead to work on generators to escape than get caught and hung herself in some sort of heroic sacrifice. It was a game of chance; would the killer be watching its victim struggle or simply moving on to find their next prey? Unluckily it was usually the former for Nea.
Patches of tall grass shifted as she crouched low to the ground, damp strands tickling her nose. She studied the location around her, becoming accustomed to this night's terror field. 'Know your surroundings' that was the first rule she made upon awakening. Landmarks, the terrain, there was always some sort of similarity in the locations. Like a dream, however, they were never exactly the same. Akin to a being trying to mimic reality but always missing that something. Just like her.
The familiar structure of an asylum loomed overhead, the pain and suffering of those it had held seemingly laced into the air. Nea felt a mixture of emotions every time she awoke here. The other locations had been foreign to her, had it not been for this nightmare she likely would never have seen them. Looking up at the asylum a thought crossed her mind, you have to stay smart, stupidity gets you dead or in her case it gets you an endless loop of torment.
Shivers ran down her spine as a shriek rang out from somewhere nearby. The heartbeat began pounding in her ear, even the weakest thump was a cause for concern. The hairs on her skin stood on end, muscles tensing. It would be just her luck to awaken near the killer. She knew just which one as it let out it's banshee scream, the Nurse.
The torn, withered uniform swayed as the deranged woman levitated close by. The heartbeat grew in volume as the killer drew closer. Nea was able to make out her form in the darkened moonlight, coming just past a group of nearby trees. The scent of blood that stained her weapon floated in the air around her, the sound of strained breathing accompanying it. Nea held her breath, blocking the smell as she tried everything to erase her presence.
Her own heart raced as the Nurse stopped. Close enough that Nea could reach out and touch her if desired. Her body readied for a quick getaway. She almost bolted as the Nurse moved, head snapping in another direction at some unheard noise. Her hand rose with a burning flame, holding it for a moment before disappearing with another shriek. The breath she held slowly released from her lips as her body softened.
She cautiously stood again and snuck into the structure. The broken entrance overhead as her footsteps echoed inside. There were two guaranteed generators to be found here. She could hopefully finish at least one before the Nurse made her rounds back, assuming no one leads her back here.
Nea made her way through the scorched walls of the Asylum. The building creaked and groaned as if it were alive. The atmosphere inside contained a stronger oppression, tightening one's chest in it's palm. She quickened her step, the faster she got this done the sooner she could get out of there.
The generator lay in it's usual place, surrounded by shattered windows at the tip of the building. She crouched and began her work, bracing herself for the inevitable backlash when she fails. With hindsight if she knew this was her fate she would have taken more engineering classes. Another survivor had tried to show her how to repair them during one of her early awakenings, at the time she refused to believe the events happening and refused their help. She regretted that decision immensely afterwards as she fumbled around trying to understand the wiring. She had made progress, knowing now how to get them activated. Though not without busting it a couple times.
Curses flew as another burst of electricity and smoke blew into her face. Her arms took the brunt of the heat and guarded her face as she coughed. The generator continued to hum and work as best it could, two of it's pumps going, signaling Nea was about half ways. She waved the smoke away from her face, gathering herself. The familiar beating began again, she had no time to try another attempt. Her instincts told her to get out, to move far away and try another generator somewhere else all together.
She climbed out of a nearby window, careful to not cut herself on the glass shards outlining it. The Nurse screeched nearby, heartbeat becoming louder. Nearby rubble provided cover until Nea could pin point the creature's location. Unlike the cops, running provided an easy trail for them to follow. She wasn't sure how it helped them but she wasn't going to experiment with it anytime soon. She heard someone else, gasping and exertion heard nearby. They slammed a palette down, the clear sign of a pursuit. One that was getting closer to her position.
Just as Nea feared she heard another survivor jumping out of the same window she had before. A figure ran just past her, she tried to get a good look at them but her attention was stolen before she could. Another shriek rang out, Heartbeat completely overtaking all other sounds besides those of the killer. There she manifested, a few feet from Nea's position. Her bone saw swinging dangerously close, blade just grazing her skin as she turned to flee. A few seconds were all she had to get a head start, the Nurse recovering from her brief stun gave her a chance. She sprinted to the nearest maze of walls, hoping to lose her.
The rough texture of bricks scratched against her exposed arm. Her breathing began evening out as her body rested the best it could. She stood still, head turning constantly as she tried to find the Nurse again. Adrenaline ran through her trembling body, hand gripping the wound on her side. Blood soaked her clothing, hand now stained red as she desperately tried to slow the bleeding. She bit her tongue, trying to soften her moans of pain. The heartbeat pounded like a hammer, she was not safe yet. Nea heard the strained breathing of her pursuer, she was coming closer.
She gulped, finding her mouth dry. She stayed crouched to the ground, her body curled up to avoid detection. She began moving as silently as she could, her eyes watching for movement. Shifting grass caught her attention, she turned to stare at the spot. It had only been for a split second but something was there. She could make out the shape of another, grass silently making way as they inched closer.
Nea let out a scream as the bone saw came down upon her, taking the last of her strength as she collided with the ground. The Nurse towered over her, looking down at her state. Nea watched the other survivor, cursing everything around her. She felt a supernatural power hoist her onto the Nurse's shoulder, keeping her locked in place. A mental stream of insults towards her actions came, degrading herself for becoming distracted at such a crucial time. She direct anger towards the mystery person as well, believing they should have just left instead of watching the show like a sadist.
She pushed against the force holding her, trying to wiggle out of it's grasp. She saw pink out of the corner of her eye, recognizing the blond woman running towards them. Her heart began beating faster at the sight. She disappeared out of Nea's vision just as fast, running to the front of her capture. She heard a click followed by a swing, the Nurse's body moving under her as she attacked the other survivor. She wondered what the idiot was planning. The last thing she was expecting was for the Nurse to drop her. Thankfully she reacted quickly, landing on her feet.
"Come on!"
Before Nea could decide what action to take next her arm was yanked into a sprint. She fumbled over herself, barely being able to keep up with her rescuer. Her mind tried to register what had happened, unable to determine why the killer had dropped her. Her thoughts were cut short as the other suddenly shoved her. She landed in a patch of grass surrounded by trees, the terrain softening her fall. Nea grinded her teeth, anger flowing through her as she turned to look at the woman.
"Stay here, I'll be back" The woman whispered as loud as a whisper could be. Before Nea could respond in any form the woman had dashed off into another direction. The heartbeat followed not too far behind, the Nurse raising her burning palm as she glided past, blinking into the distance where the woman had gone. She hadn't noticed her thankfully.
Silence followed, only the distorted ambience left to keep Nea company. She crawled over to one of the trees, leaning against it as she let herself rest for a moment. Her exhaustion taking its toll, limps aching with a slight shiver from everything that had happened. She continued to whine in pain, hands barely keeping blood inside of her. The noise of activation rang out in the distance, another generator up and running. She hadn't been counting during her chase but she knew that was not the first this waking.
She thought back on previous events, knowing she had ditched and tried to get this girl to stop helping her many times before. Her actions were stupidly risky, this coming from the girl who broke the law for fun. She didn't understand why she had been so determined in helping her no matter how many times Nea insulted her and told her off. Everyone she had met prior in her life were never trustworthy, she had friends rat each other out and backstab each other for personal gain. Her parent's strict attitude, giving up on her when things got difficult. Nea knew you couldn't trust anyone, you had to look out for yourself. What was with that idiot?
Yet she still didn't move from the spot. She convinced herself she was just exhausted and needed a second to rest before she went for another generator. She ignored the pain in her chest, it didn't feel like a physical wound and she didn't want to think of what else it could be. What loneliness it could bring back. She brought her legs up to her chest, resting her forehead against her knees. Her soaked hands wrapped around her chest as she curled up.
Time was eternal here, each location frozen at a set date and hour in time. Nea couldn't gauge how long she had been sitting there, it felt like hours but in reality minutes were much more likely. Waiting anxiously did that to you. She wanted to move, but she wanted to stay. She didn't want to see that woman come back but part of her wanted her to return. Was she okay? Was Nea a hypocrite for worrying after ditching and leaving her so often before? Her cynical nature told her that girl was long gone but past experience said otherwise. Would she be left hanging again? Did she finally let herself hope only for it to be crushed once more?
"Hey"
Her downward trail of thought was broken, looking over to see the same tanned blond leaning against the tree. The woman's face covered in dirt just like the rest of her, a playful smile lighting up her features. Nea felt herself staring at the girl's eyes, large with a hopeful glint. She had come back like she said, still determined as ever. She pushed back the joyous feeling in her chest, the grin tugging on her lips. She coughed a moment, a cover-up as she collected herself.
"Thanks" her voice came out hoarse, quieter than she had wanted. A mental curse followed.
The girl squatted down, watching Nea intently. Her confusion evident on her features, like an open book. Nea squirmed slightly, adjusting her position well trying to keep her outer appearance calm and disinterested. She felt like she was failing that part as her face grew in warmth. She hated this.
"Did you just thank me?" The girl asked, her confused expression turning into one of self satisfaction and amusement. Nea felt herself growing both flustered and annoyed, wanting to remove that smirk off her face somehow.
"Yeah, so?" Nea's voice laced with distain as she spoke, challenging the girl silently.
Her eyes narrowed, darting around Nea's face. "You just never thank me, fucking excuse me for being taken aback" She spoke louder, emotion pushing each word.
Nea frowned, her fist clenched tighter at the remark. She felt foolish. Ignoring the tinge of delight laying in the back of her mind. She wanted to snap back another retort, something sarcastic and bitter but was cut short.
The girl sighed, irritation evident in her body language and facial features. "I'm Meg."
Nea stared at her like she was insane, "okay?" she spoke warily, contempt in her undertone.
Meg's face showed she was less than happy with her response, "What's your name?"
Nea shrugged, baffled at Meg's choice of introduction timing. "Why do you care?"
"Alright, shithead it is" Meg sang half-heartedly, turning to look around their surroundings.
Nea glared at the girl again, watching her as she debated the thoughts bouncing in her mind. Silence fell between the two. Soon greeted by the scream of the Nurse in the distance as another generator was activated. Their situation coming back into immediate reality for them. They could bicker back at the campfire if they needed to, now was the time for survival. Meg seemed to think like mindedly as she stood, holding a hand out to her. She tilted her head, signaling to the asylum.
Nea swatted the hand away, wanting to do things herself. Faint regret pulled at her, something about Meg put her at ease. She was frustrating, rude, and reckless, but she didn't abandon didn't want to let someone in but she felt her wall being chipped away.
A gasp escaped Nea's lips as she tried to stand, injuries screaming at her again, Meg was there instantly to keep her steady. They crouched back to the ground, Meg helped to support Nea's weight as she retrieved supplies from her belt packs. Meg whispered things Nea couldn't focus on, her mind drawn to the agony resurfacing.
For the life of her Nea wasn't able to completely grasp how the body worked in this realm. Fatal wounds in reality could be patched up in a matter of minutes here. She couldn't tell if she was thankful for that or if it was just another aspect of her prolonged suffering. Either way Meg had done her job well, helping Nea back to a bizarrely healthy state.
She could focus clearly now, feeling the heat radiating off Meg's body. Noticing just how close the two were. The feeling of Meg's hand lingering on her back. The fact her heart still raced and her hands had become clammy. She let out a shaky breath as she stood, looking in Meg's eyes once more. Nea was fully aware of the fact her hand was still against her, being a bigger distraction than Nea would like.
She began scratching her arm, a nervous tick she developed from her childhood. She turned her head to look around absentmindedly, avoiding looking directly at Meg as she began speaking. She tried to keep her voice neutral, cracking slightly as it came out.
"Nea"
"What?" Meg's puzzled look returned.
"That's my name" Nea shoved her hands into her pockets, slouching.
She glanced at Meg, feeling her heart skip at the sight of her smiling once again. No person should have the ability to be this radiant. She rubbed her nose, turning back to the asylum to avoid eye contact.
"So" Nea trailed off, "generator?"
"Aiming for the asylum?" Meg's playful expression coming out, "race ya"
Nea gave a weak laugh, "you idiot."
"What? We'll stop if we hear a heartbeat, she's probably on the other side of the area anyways" Meg reasoned, a lack of worry lacing her words. She leaned back, arms laying behind her head.
"Are you always this careless?" Nea's smile still laying upon her face despite the flat tone. She shifted her weight as she stood.
"No" Meg changed from a cheery to a teasing demeanor, "I just wanna see if you can keep up…"
Nea felt her throat lock for a moment, her body freezing up. Damn it, why did she have to do this?
"Cat got your tongue?" Nea's cheeks burned at her comment.
"Oh, shut up" Nea grumbled.
Meg simply giggled in response, Nea found herself amazed the girl could be such a ray of sunshine despite the horrific setting in which they had been placed. She wanted to be angry at her but it was oddly refreshing. The sense of normality grounding her.
"Last one there's a stale-ass potato chip!" Meg suddenly yelled, sprinting towards the distant structure.
"Wait! You dumbass!" Nea tried shouting after her, keeping her own volume just low enough for only Meg to hear.
They didn't know for sure where the Nurse may be laying in wait. No matter how cute Meg was, she wasn't going to let her foolishness get one of them killed. She quickened her pace, trying to keep up with the sprinter.
The familiar sound of an unfinished generator humming came into ear shot. The scent of decay and death assaulting her nose as they entered. As they passed through the hallways again Nea noticed the basement stairwell, the belly of the Entity. As if she needed more incentive to get this generator finished as soon as possible. The tense look that crossed Meg's face was all Nea needed to know she had seen it too. The crackling that emitted from it set her on edge, feeling it's presence lingering just below her feet.
"Ever been down in the basement?" Meg's voice sounded firm but held an unease.
Nea paused for a moment, memory of an early waking ending with her body hanging down below. A chill ran down her spine as she remembered the feeling of being watched. The Entity observing her death with sick satisfaction.
"I'd rather not talk about it" Nea's voice barely auditable. She pushed past Meg, completely focused on getting as far away as she could.
"I don't blame you" Meg seemed to speak more to herself, her voice soft and reflective. Nea didn't respond, letting the building's atmosphere take over. She felt her mind float back to an earlier question, what had that clicking noise been? what had dazed the Nurse enough to drop her?
"What did you use earlier?" Nea glanced over her shoulder, looking at Meg with a questioning gaze.
"Use?" Meg met her eyes, returning the look.
"On the killer, to, you know, help me? Awkwardness laced her question, unsure how to actually approach the subject.
"Oh, that was a flashlight" Meg's arrogant grin returned, less irritating this time.
"Seriously?" Nea was baffled by the notion, out of all the things for someone who wanted to hide in the darkness to have.
Meg's smile faded, replaced with a more serious look. "Yeah, I got it from that basement actually."
"Why would you go down there?" Nea stiffened at the idea of going into it without reason.
"I heard there was always a chest there, wanted to see what I could get." Nea noticed Meg fiddling with her fingers as she spoke. Nea didn't respond, noticing the generator just ahead of them. Her body was still tense from the conversation topic.
Hope, it shot through her like a bullet as the buzz of the doors rang out. The generator at her fingertips vibrating with energy as it's bright light beamed down upon them. They took turns carefully climbing through the same window from earlier, checking their surroundings consistently as another scream echoed in the distance.
They traveled along the wall, a subtle skip to Meg's step. Nea could pick up on her eagerness to get out, not that anyone in their right mind could blame her. Nea held her own impatience to leave this slaughter ground, but you couldn't be too hasty. Survivors weren't the only ones heading to the doors. One was the most exposed when activating the gates, making for easy prey if you were too careless.
Turning the corner, they saw someone doing exactly that, red light shining as the gates gradually unlocked. A nearby patch of grass acted as cover for the pair as they waited, watching with anticipation. Nea vaguely recognized the lady standing there, her stained pink shirt laying against her dark skin.
A faint thump began, filling Nea with dread. The women must have been too far to hear it as she continued to pull the lever down. A shriek filled the air suddenly, she dropped her hold, turning to run from the door as a white streak dashed through the air towards her. She had been too late; bone saw colliding with her body. She let out a yelp of pain, grabbing her injury as she fled.
As the two disappeared from the scene Meg ran up to grab the lever, pulling it down another time. Nea crouched closer, staying hidden as best she could. She felt a ping of joy at the sight of escape, the door clanking as it opened. She patted Meg's back as the two ran into the open area, only stopping when a blood curdling wail sent a chill down their spin. The woman had not gotten away.
They stood frozen in their tracks, escape and safety just in front of them but at the expense of another. She could get out, escape and avoid the embrace of death even for a short time. She looked at Meg, her heart dropping at the distressed look upon her features.
"Claudette" Meg whispered, eyes wide as she stared into the distance. Her body lunging forward, her choice clear.
Nea reached forward, impulsively moving to grab Meg's arm. Fingers twitched as she stopped herself, the window of opportunity to halt Meg fading from her. If the idiot wanted to die with her hero complex let her, but she didn't want her to. The thought of Meg getting sacrificed knotted her stomach. Her hand stuck outstretched as she watched Meg's back disappear into the distance. Her fingers curled into a fist, slowly lowering to her side as she continued to stand there.
Her legs resisted movement, feeling weighed down by lead. Her chance had left her; separation could result in some very poor outcomes. Guilt haunted her as she walked further from the area. To say she had been heartless before would have been a lie. She wanted to help just, it never ended well, rarely anyways. The gut level fear that twisted her stomach, preventing her from helping. Meg didn't or at least she didn't let it stop her.
Nea had been fearless before the abduction, thriving off of the thrill and taunting of the police. This was different, the torment of the Entity clawing pieces of her soul away. She gripped her heart, every death she felt herself falling further into despair. Maybe Meg just never got caught, that thought brought peace. Meg felt akin to a candle in the night, a very energetic and brash candle.
Leaves crunched under her feet, the sanctuary fire burning as usual. It's melancholy glow illuminating the logs seated around it. It's crackling attempting to comfort the girl that slumped down in front of it. Her chin pressed against her knees as she blankly stared into the ever burning flame. Thoughts of what might be befalling Meg at that moment plagued her mind. Red marks formed on her arm, her nails digging the spot repeatedly.
She felt wrapped in a grey cloud smothering her, her mind attempting to push back the nagging guilt. She had always been able to shrug it off when she left them before, it was never this persistent or overwhelming. She should have hardened her heart, left before Meg had gotten back. The girl had worn her down and now her heart hurt again. Nea's parents always told her she didn't think things through enough, maybe she thought too much instead.
She yearned for a smoke, some sort of comfort to ease her mind. The safety of the campfire did nothing but let her thoughts run wild. She had grown to hate this flame, perfectly fine never seeing another in her life if it meant escaping this hellhole permanently. Her eyes felt heavy but sleep meant waking in another killer's playground. She didn't want to go yet no matter how much she resented the fire.
There was no day nor night at the sanctuary, just an ever present gloom. Once again Nea was left to guess how long she had been trapped with her thoughts.
Outlines shaped in the fog, figures walking closer just barely unrecognizable. Nea watched closely, her body tensed as she felt both excitement and anxiety. The possibility of Meg not coming back to campfire felt too real, that she may have run to some other identical campfire or had awoken in another location all together. She felt stupid for worrying over this, with the amount of times Meg had appeared to save her ass previously. They would surely meet another time, but she still feared that had been the last.
Relief washed over her as the familiar confident grin came into view. Meg's face seemed to light up as they locked eyes. The other woman, 'Claudette' if Nea remembered correctly, followed beside her. She stood hunched into herself, arms crossed against her chest. A faint smile on her features as she looked between Meg and Nea. Meg sat herself on another log, legs outstretched as if relaxing in her own home. Nea unfolded herself, the previous cloud grasping her evaporated.
"Uh, if you don't mind- I'm going to go look around for a bit" Claudette spoke up, her voice soft like her appearance.
"If you find any cool looking plants let me know" Meg turned to watch the fire as Claudette left, Silence settled for a moment before she turned back to yell over her shoulder, "Oh! Don't forget to show me what that- uh- arc-arhlea- mill, mill foam-"
"Achillea millefolium" Claudette corrected her, amusement in her tone.
"Yeah, that!"
"Just call it Yarrow, Meg."
"Make me."
Nea watched quietly, enjoying how the two interacted with each other. Meg turned back to the fire, Claudette only giving a feathery laugh in response nearby. Meg's expression as she looked at Nea again made her stiffen. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her features softened. Her smile still lingering on her lips.
"You know, you're cute when you smile" Meg said, her body rocking slightly.
Nea felt her cheeks flush, heat radiating off her face. She hadn't realized how big she had smiled well she had been watching them. She tried to force it away, finding it incredibly difficult as Meg chuckled at her response.
"Shut up."
"Is that the only response you know?"
"Now listen here you little shit-"
"I'm listening" Meg's arrogant demeanor showing, her tone obvious that she was trying to get under Nea's skin. It was working.
Rustling of leaves signaled Claudette's return, some stuck to her as she sat beside Meg on the log. She held out a group of white budded plants to her casually. Meg instantly took them, studying them closely as she fiddled with the leaves. Nea watched, a hint of jealousy coming out as she saw the two girl's closeness with each other. She looked back to the fire, annoyance clear across her face.
"Gonna try?" Claudette seemed the naturally quiet type, her voice pleasant to Nea. However, her irritation ignored that aspect as she spoke.
"Oh yeah" Nea didn't need to look over to know Meg was dead set on another mission of hers now.
Stillness sat between the two as Meg traveled away from the flame, Nea undesiring of speech at the moment. She had been admiring how the two seemed like close friends, she wanted to kick herself. She heard Claudette speak, obviously nervous by her voice alone. She didn't look at the girl, just letting her speak as she wanted.
"Nea, right?"
Silence.
"Um, so… where are you from?"
Nea felt irritation still bottled inside her, paying less and less attention to the girl's words.
"Uh, well, I'm from Canada myself- I- Do you like-"
"What's the deal with Meg?" Nea cut the girl off, spilling her aggravation out.
"What do you mean?" Claudette shifted her body to face her more, giving Nea her full attention.
"She constantly pulls such- moronic stunts, doesn't give any care for herself, is too cocky and selfless, does she even realize what danger she is in? Is she dense? What kind of idiot-"
Claudette took Nea's pause to think, looking around as she tried to word her thoughts. Opening her mouth to reply only to be interrupted by Nea continuing her rambling.
"Why did she have to keep- doing the thing? The stupid- cute thing- Why doesn't she just, not? She keeps, helping me like I'm some sort of helpless princess. I know how to take care of myself. Damn it, yet she keeps trying. No one ever goes to those lengths, sure parents are there sometimes but as soon as the baby came and I was too much of a "problem child" they gave up. What's stopping Meg from doing the same? Even my best friend fucking ditched me when the cops came too close to busting us."
A long winded sigh escaped her lips, her body relaxing as it felt like a weight lifting off her, "I just don't get it."
Claudette sat watching her for a moment, moving to fiddle with the bottom of her shirt before speaking. "She likes you."
Nea felt her heart leap at the phrase, her throat going dry as she sat there. Claudette stopped tampering with her shirt, moving her attention fully to Nea.
"She's reckless, sure, but she knows her limits." Claudette continued, unaware of Nea's pounding chest.
"Could have fooled me" She mumbled under her breath only to begin speaking up again, "Also what's with this chill attitude? Worried sick about her only to find she's A-Okay! Acting so upbeat and flirty without giving a damn how anxious she makes me? Asshole."
"Maybe, try, talking with her?" Claudette shrunk when Nea glared at her, obviously not taking to the suggestion.
"It helped her relationship with Jake before…" Claudette continued, words coming out quieter than she was already. Nea felt her heart sink deeper, the same jealousy creeping back.
"Jake?" More venom to her Nea's voice than she had originally intended, not that she really cared at the moment.
"Mmhmm." Claudette nodded, "He seems emotionless when you first meet him, they didn't quite get along at first but they sorted things out."
Nea continued to glare at her, seeing the smile playing at her lips. "So you're all one happy group, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess so" Claudette continue to grin, Nea's hostile tone going over her head. "I think Meg would love it if you, kinda, you know… joined the group per se."
Nea felt her stomach knotting again, her bitterness now mixed with some sort of hope. "Are you sure she's not content with this Jake?"
"Oh, nonono!" Claudette shook her hands as she straightened her back, furiously gesturing to back up her denial. "Trust me, they're just friends."
Nea turned her attention back to the fire, watching it wordlessly. Claudette waited a moment, seeing if Nea would speak again. When nothing came but the crackling of the fire she gave up. She crossed her arms again, slouching over.
The rustling of bushes caught their attention, seeing Meg swatting at the branches blocking her way. Various leaves stuck to her hair, similar to Claudette earlier. No Yarrow in hand as she insulted the forest. She stomped back to her spot, sitting down with puffed cheeks and fists clenched. Nea smiled slightly at the girl's childish actions.
"I couldn't find the stupid fucking plant, the rustyass bitchface is hiding from me" Meg continued to grumble. Nea could see Claudette trying not to laugh, failing slightly as she covered her mouth.
"It's okay, I'll come with you next time" Claudette spoke, barely composed.
"But I wanna find it myself" Meg whined, throwing herself onto her back dramatically.
"Meg, please" Claudette rested her chin in the palm of her hand.
"Yes I know I'm acting like a five-year-old shut up" Meg spoke quickly, overdramatic with everything in her speech.
Aside from the escaped giggles of Claudette another pause in conversation came. Meg continued to lay back, feet swinging in the air. It was official, Nea concluded, they were dorks. She pushed back the lingering spite in her chest. Claudette's words still played in her mind.
"So, what is this, Yarrow?" The girls' heads turned to look at Nea as she spoke. Claudette opened her mouth to speak until Meg effectively cut her off as she rose back up into another sitting position.
"It's an herb, it has many uses but we mostly use it to help stop bleeding," Meg explained with a calm tone, "Claudette showed me it and I swear she picked the last of them before I went out looking."
"There were a couple there when I left…" Claudette looked back over her shoulder, trailing off.
"Well my supposed blindness aside," Meg began twirling a blade of grass in her hand, "I've been trying to memorize what it looks like so I could find some on the go."
"May I see it?" Nea asked, eyeing the handful Claudette had been holding. With a nod the young woman passed it over.
She studied the plant in her hands. The size of the tiny white petals extruding from it's stem, surrounding the middle collection of yellow bud like circles inside of it. She rubbed her fingers against the leaves, feeling it's texture. Memories of a field from her childhood came back to her, seeing rows of the flower.
"Vacker" Nea's voice barely audible as she continued to stare at the plant.
"What?" Meg's voice snapped her back into reality, she licked her lips as she collected herself again. Her eyes wondered around her location before resting on the Yarrow.
"It's uh, Swedish…" Nea looked back at Meg, a small smile breaking out as she saw Meg's expression of genuine curiosity. She looked to her feet, breaking eye contact. She began scratching her nails against each other as she waited for Meg to respond.
"What does it mean?" Meg leaned forward, her elbows against her knees as she rested her cheeks upon her palms.
"Uh- like, pretty?" Nea tensed up, unsure with herself despite knowing the translation.
"Can you teach me Swedish?" Meg asked again, at the edge of her makeshift seat. Any further and Nea was sure she'd land face first into the fire.
"I guess?" Nea shrugged, the atmosphere turning somber as she spoke again. "Not like you're really gonna need it here…"
"Well not here…" Meg trailed off, her tone keeping a hint of light hearted optimism. "But if, when, we escape… it would be nice to travel. I mean I'm constantly bugging Claudette here to teach me French. And there might also be another Swedish survivor that doesn't know English. That could be a possibility- wait, are you Swedish or do you just know Swedish?"
Nea sighed, deep routed grudges coming back to the surface as she thought about her childhood home. Meg's attempt at keeping the atmosphere light did little to sway her current mood. She continued to stare at her feet long enough for an unpleasant silence to settle between the group. Claudette seemed unfazed, gaze still focused on her. Meg continued to fiddle with things around her, her body visibly showing the girl's inability to relax well waiting.
"I'm from Sweden, near the Vättern lake" Nea brought one of her knees back up, resting her arm against it as the fire's light danced upon her face.
"That's like, the… third biggest lake in Sweden, right?" Meg turned back to Nea, her fidgeting halted.
Nea smirked, giving a lackluster chuckle. "It's the second."
"I was close."
"You know, for someone so reckless…" Nea hesitated for a moment, "...you're pretty attentive."
"Awe, thanks! You know, you're less of an asshat now th-" Meg began, a cheeky grin on her features.
"Don't push it."
Meg pouted again, giving a prolonged "Okay."
Aside from Claudette giggling again it grew quiet between them. Nea felt her eyes growing heavy, having difficulty keeping them open. She didn't want to go, not yet. She had finally obtained the peaceful rest she wanted, she didn't want to lose it. She fought as best she could until all she could see was darkness, feeling nothing as a void engulfing her once again.
Murky air stuck to her skin, not even having to open her eyes to know what lay around her. The smell of the swamp attacked her nostrils. The unpleasantness of everything made her face scrunch up in disgust. Disappointment overwhelmed her, yearning to be back with the others again. With a shake of her head she pushed it down, nothing could change this now. If she wanted to be in that peace once again she needed to get generators finished.
As she waved through the tall grass the dim flame within her soul felt kindled. The desire and determination easing it's way back into her.
She had something to fight for again, she was going to make it.
AN: Alright, this ended up longer than expected. I'm a bit passionate about these two if you hadn't noticed. I have a lot of plans for how they develop yet I'm torn on if I want to write more of this right now. Especially seeing Meg's POV next time if I do come back to this. I have a lot fanfiction and AU ideas I wish to explore before continuing but I'll leave it up as in-progress for now just in case. All constructive criticism is welcome and I thank you for the read!