Mad, Mad World

I must have totally missed the whole point of the H2O movies, but why is Michael intent on killing his sister? And I thought Jaime got sick of the H2O series and didn’t want to anymore. And though I loved those serious, I am not going to watch this one because enough is enough. And why isn’t he aging?

I’ve forgotten about H2O. I never watched it because it looked stupid.

I”m still getting use to this. I’m used to busy streets and loud noises. It’s so quiet here at nights. How are you adjusting? I mean even though you have lived here, for most of your life, and left and lived in the city for a bit, did your have to adjust to being back in the small town fully?

Stability. My parents always told me that I had to have a job that was guaranteed work. And there is always a need for nurses. Plus, I love helping people. What do you do for a living?

Not well. When I was a kid it was one thing to have the quiet of this town surround you. When you’ve been out in the world and come back to this it feels all sorts of wrong. I keep one of those white noise machines by my bed. It plays city ambiance which helps. 

Oh gosh, just one episode? I can do a few, but narrowing it down to one is too much. It’d be like asking me to choose a favorite cello piece. Too difficult. So Twilight Zone, I’d go with Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, which is a quintessential ep… It’s one of those ones that makes all the lists of best episode. Plus it has William Shatner in it… pre-Star Trek. Also Time Enough At Last. That one is super sad, but it’s also sort of the perfect Twilight Zone episode. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, Eye of the Beholder, It’s A Good Life. Those are all really good ones.

I could ask about the cello piece, too. You could sprout off any title and I’ll take your word for it because when it comes to most instrumental music I don’t know jack. 

20,000 feet sounds like it involve a plane. Is that the one with the creature on the plane wing? The others I might know though have a blank with A Good Life. Which is that one?

Whoops. Sorry about that, man. My name is Ryder. Though, Guy is kind of a cool name. 

Gonna keep with Guy. 

Liam: Because your reaction gives me life.

Liam: That's what I was thinking. They got bored and packed up their shit. Who wants to live here willingly?

Henry: What type of reactive would you have if I said I decided to give it a go finally?

She cocked a brow at him and pursed her lips. If her laptop wasn’t currently pressed against her chest she would have crossed her arms at him. “It sounds like you already are, despite knowing absolutely nothing about me beyond the fact that I have made a life here.” she challenged. Who was he to judge, that was a good question, but it was clear he still chose to do it. He didn’t know a damn thing about her, yet there he was, judging her for slipping away to a town that was a bit more simple. 

“Flagstaff,” she told him honestly. Flagstaff wasn’t honestly that far away from Havenoaks, but in terms of lifestyle, they were miles apart. Her foster father would never look for her here, though she doubted he would come looking for her. 

There was an air of defensiveness from her and Henry knew he must’ve struck a nerve. Was it intentional? Perhaps. He didn’t like to needle people too much but sometimes what he said or did came across as insensitive or selfish. Oh well. “It’s what I’ve noticed. But if you want to add more or prove me wrong, by all means.” He slowly lowered his head in a slight nod and gave the floor a gentle wave as if telling her to take the floor. “Tell me about Flagstaff and why you moved here. I don’t know anything about that city other than I used to think it was a place were flags were made when I was a kid.”

Henry doubted she’d share anything with him but he didn’t have anything else going on right now and the work they lined up for him could be done in half an hour. Tops. Besides, there’s a chance she could be someone fun for him to have around during his stay in this city.

Now I’m trying to decide which episode that’d be. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Drive, maybe? Aliens isolating one street at a time? Sorry… geeking out a little. That’s my favorite TV show. I used to watch it as a kid.

I know of some episodes but only to the level that it is more along the lines of what the fuckery than anything. What episode would you recommend for someone who hasn’t seen a full one?

I left because I wanted to. It was the best decision for me at the time. I’m from New York and I sure do miss it. But it seems like you have lived an exciting life. Moving from big city to big city. So I guess a small paced town would eventually make your list. At least so you can just relax a bit.

I’m a nurse at Havenoaks Memorial.

This small-paced town is one I’m familiar with. There are new buildings and people but it’s still the same town underneath. I moved away when I was in high school and come back periodically for holidays. I moved back recently to help my parents out. 

Why did you go down that path?

She knew exactly what he was about to ask and it didn’t bother her one bit. She wasn’t one for small talk so polite and fake answers were rarely the kind that slipped from her lips. He’d asked when she picked Havenoaks and she’d told him. It was a simple answer, really. There was no need to dance around it or keep quiet for fear of hurting delicate sensibilities. It wasn’t like they lived her life. It wasn’t like they’d walked through fire or lived through abusive foster home after abusive foster home. “I imagine it’s similar to why it was you didn’t want to come home.” She told him honestly. “Though, that is an assumption on my part. It was just not a very positive place and growing up sucked. So why stay? Finding a new place and reinventing oneself is easier when you’re willing to leave.” 

He asked and Xera was all too happy to answer. She didn’t feel the need to go into detail. He was more than welcome to ask if he felt the need but she’d already told him that she was from a place for leaving. This particular town might also be a place for leaving, but as it wasn’t the same as where she came from, she had no trouble staying. She rather liked the cute little town. 

“There are many places to choose to escape to but hey. You wanted to come to a place who only had basic cable up until fifteen years ago and is mom & pop central. Then who am I to judge?” He still would but that was more on him than anything else. Henry kept against the wall and looked away from her at someone in the distance. Familiar faces pepped this town and he never knew if he was seconds away from running into an ex or somebody he’d been dodging since he was last here. 

“Where was home?” With him this town was pockmarked with a lot of unpleasant memories. He wasn’t around all that much after his 10th grade year but leading to that he developed his abandonment issues, which turned into various cries for attention from his dear parents. He knew this wasn’t a bad place but when there was close to nothing by means of entertainment it made it easy to let those voices out to get the best of him.

Liam: ...but I look good in spandex and my underwear on the outside. At least I would if I wore underwear...

Liam: ANYWAY!

Liam: oh pssh. you love me

Liam: It's Havenoaks... Like nothing. I had a few missing person cases that dead-ended, but again... they probably just left this place. They aren't missing.

Henry: Why do you insist on the freeballing reminder? I get it. You like how it feels.

Liam: .... so you do need me to protect you

Liam: I see how it is.

Liam: Come running back to your best mate because he got a badge and a gun.

Henry: No, Ainsley. Put the cape away. I'm good.

Henry: You're such a jackass.

Liam: Awww don't be like that princess

Liam: Let me protect you. :*

Liam: No seriously... what the hell happened in LA?

When Xera had graduated from college, she had put her resume out to any and every college that was hiring. There wasn’t a single place in the country she wanted to be, but there also wasn’t a single place she didn’t want to be. With one notable exception. She had not applied for any school that was hiring in the state of Arizona. She refused to stay in a state in whose foster care she had barely survived. “Why not? They were hiring and they were about as far away from my birthplace as was possible.” She might, in a few years check out greener pastures but she was still so new to teaching. She was lucky this place gave her a chance. “Plus the cost of living is better than other places.” She still couldn’t afford an apartment on her own, but that was in part due to student loans not lack of pay. 

Henry expected a the type of answer that wouldn’t intrigue him. That was the thing with most conversations with people, they said the typical filler to be polite or not come across as too forthcoming. This woman went in a different direction and it actually caused him to look at her. Okay. This could be interesting he thought to himself.  “You know what I’m about to ask, don’t you?” he went with as he shifted from the doorway and went to a spot along the hallway where people wouldn’t keep brushing against him to get into the room. “Why do you want to be far from your birthplace?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer because it was obvious. 

The cost of living he got. It was how he planned to help his parents with their financial woes. He could easily write a check and be done with them until the next family holiday, but he was bored with life at the moment and needed to distance himself from his friends who he left back in LA. There was also the chance to drag things out for them as long as possible when it came to his parents. They expected immediate results and he intended to be a thorn in their sides as they’ve been to him his entire life.

Just too much I guess, and not well articulated either. That’s true, but most people don’t like hearing the truth, because when they do, they react poorly. 

At least it’s never a dull moment there, huh? 

Laura, sorry about that. 

haha Have to give it to you there, Laura. That’s how most people do act. Myself included. Even punched a guy for what he said but we hashed it out after and he’s one of my best friends to this day. 

It’s the type of excitement which people in small cities enjoy. I’m used to a different lifestyle, mostly the one where I could pack and go wherever I set my sights on. 

Nice to meet you, man. What were you doing in LA? 

Mostly having too good a time. Nice to meet you too but you didn’t give a name. Should I call you Guy?

Yeah, basically. 

That’s usually how I live my life, but I told myself that I would try and not scare people with how blunt I can be, so I’ve been trying to curb my ways. 

Working IT is still pretty good though, although I’m sure you deal with some really stupid people on a daily basis. 

What did you say to people to scare them off? The truth hurts, that’s for certain, but people rely more on the honesty than someone who says what they think they want to hear.

Hourly. 

Ohh, I know how that goes. I’m the opposite though. Family caused me to leave for somewhere less populated where I don’t know anyone but my cousin and uncle. What other cities have you lived? I just like the fact that it’s small and that my coworkers are great and that I was able to get a job pretty fast.

They told you to leave or you left because you wanted? I’ve lived in London, Chicago, New York, Milan, Austin, Orlando and the most recent LA. I don’t stay in one place too long. There’s far too much of the world to see to sit on your ass and keep to one spot.

Where do you work?