Play With Me

[Parker hasn’t talked to many people in the group yet, but she has been enjoying her time with them so far. She’s gotten more sleep in the last few days than she has in the last month. At least, that’s what it feels like. To be with a group again is a blessing her her because she knows she’s protected and cared for. She doesn’t mind helping them out, but she hasn’t talked to Kris yet, so she doesn’t even know if more than two or three people know that she’s even staying with the group.

[Kaitlyn really liked where the group was now. The mall gave her a lot of space to explore and if she ever got lost there were maps that would tell her exactly where she was. For the first time since she joined the group her personal belongings aren’t with Alex and instead they’re in the kids play area she found in an open section of the mall. She had gotten enough furniture to build a bed sheet fort surrounded by a tall, fake tree. Since setting up ‘camp’ in the area she’s been playing house, having gotten any stuffed animals she could find and giving them the spots she thinks her family would take in her little home. 

[He’s not sure what to think of this girl. She’s young and intelligent but seems a bit off. He’s curious about her but doesn’t say anything and decides not to ask any questions. He begins to follow her back to the building.] My name is Vincent Cobbs.

Oh, he’s one of the guys here. He’s tall, got brown hair, sometimes he wears eyeliner. He’s really into magic and all that. He even let me help him with some of his rituals. [She hasn’t helped him for a while, not since he had forgotten her, but it had been a lot of fun. Hopefully he’ll let her help again someday soon]

[Kaitlyn gently sways side to side to the rhythm of a tune in her head as she listens to Evie describe the man. The man’s interest in magic and the fact that Evie’s helped him with rituals intrigues her. She’s always interested in what she and others can’t explain.] Here’s your cans, unless you want me to carry them for you. [She says, gesturing to the book in Evie’s hand.] What were the rituals more? Did you guys summon stuff?

[With confirmation she’s thinking of the right game, Rory makes a mental note to keep a look out for that game. She doesn’t know what place would ever have it, but there’d have to be a set somewhere. Seeing the girl smile over the bubbles, she puts the wand back in the bottle and hands it over to her, smile still wide on her own face.] They are all yours. And if you ever run out, a little soap and a teeny bit of water can make more. [She raises her brow and tries to be enthusiastic about them, and it isn’t really that hard. They were fun as a child.] Just be sure not to get them in anyone’s eyes. They’d probably get grumpy.

[Kaitlyn is bouncing on her toes the moment Rory tells her the bubbles are hers.] Really? Yes yes yes yes. [She says quietly, excitedly as the other tells her what she can do if they run out. After getting the cap on tight and making sure none of the liquid can leak out she nods her head quickly.]  Okay--! [She calls as she makes her way to the door. The bubbles had to be safely placed in her bag right now.] I'll make sure to protect the bubbles from any eyes! Thank you! [Her voice is high and almost has a tune to it as she practically skips out the door, everything negative she was feeling before this forgotten.]

[Vincent can’t help but smile a little at the girl’s questions. She seemed confused by but also interested in this whole ordeal.] Oh, she tried, but she didn’t succeed. It’s hard to beat people like us, [he adds. Kaitlyn has the same markings as him, and even though his are covered up, he hopes the child can understand what he’s referring to.]

[When he tells her the woman did try to hurt him that puts her at ease again, and after he continues she lets out a small gasp. He said 'people like us'. People with the black marks are who he's talking about, she knows that, but what she's caught on to even more is that they're hard to beat. That meant they were strong, and that makes her smile.] Yeah.

[Evie shrugs, eyes still stuck on the words that make no sense. She’s by no means dumb, reading was always something that came easily to her, something she’s passionate about, but it’s complete gobbledygook to her] Maybe it’s Kip’s. He likes this kind of thing.

Huh. [Kaitlyn looks off to the side, mulling that over as she keeps an eye out for the other can. When she finds it she jumps and scurries over to it.] Maybe we should return it then ...and tell him not to leave books lying around. [She says, picking up the can and tossing it in her hand.] ...Who's Kip?

It’s nice to meet you, Kaitlyn. [She smiles at the girl, this time trying to avoid the furrow of her brow. Rory puts it in her head that she doesn’t like puzzles, so if she ever finds them, she’ll be sure not to get overly enthusiastic about them. But board games, she’ll still keep an eye for them.] I think so. It’s the one with the colorful little pieces, right? They kind of look like Hershey kisses? [She can’t entirely remember; some games had the tendency to be repetitive. She does remember something after a moment, and she pulls the bag from her scavenge run with Thomas next to her. She pulls out a bottle, and it’s what she partially expected.] I don’t know how you feel about bubbles, but, [she twists the top off and pulls the wand out, blowing a few small ones.] I found some, if you ever get bored.

[She thinks about the pieces to the Sorry game and how they do look like colorful Hershey's kisses.] Mhm, that's the one! [When Rory pulls out the bottle of bubbles her eyes widen slightly as she smiles. It's hard not to be interested in bubbles and she can't remember what seeing them reminds her of, but whatever it is it's a good memory.] I love bubbles. [She can't help the giggle coming from her as she watches the bubbles float around.] Oh but don't blow anymore! You have to save them for when I'm really bored.

[Evie looks behind her and takes a moment to pick up the book she had tripped on. She flicks through the pages, it has something to do with magic, but there’s a lot of jargon there, words she can’t quite understand] This apparently.

A book? [Kaitlyn wonders who left that laying in the hallway and takes a long look at it, her search for the other can forgotten. She's trying to understand the words at the same time she attempts reading them out loud.] What the heck do you think that stuff means? [She asks, looking up from the book at Evie.]

[Vincent looks away from the little girl and narrows his eyes at the darkness. He doesn’t want to seem any more suspicious or guilty than he already does. He relaxes his features and turns his head to look back at the girl to answer her question.] She was a zombie and I killed her before she could hurt me.

[The man's answer has Kaitlyn looking confused and there's a lot of things she wants to know because she doesn't understand. He said he killed her before she could hurt him, and that made her wonder if the woman even saw him coming. The woman might have been a zombie, but she didn't know if they still had human feelings. To her it sounded like he killed someone who was minding their own business.] So you killed her but she didn't try to hurt you?

[Evie lets the younger girl help her, an awkward but genuine smile lighting up her face. She shakes her head when asked if she’s injured but then begins to look for her cans] No, I don’t think so. Thanks.

[Kaitlyn hums in response to Evie's thanks and she's happy the other girl isn't bleeding, but shes not sure why considering her usual interest in everyone else's injuries. After finding one of the cans and picking it up she takes it back to Evie and looks at the ground around her.] What did you even trip on?

Ow!

[Wandering was all Kaitlyn was really doing at the moment. Not to long ago she had been sure she walked through a spiderweb and that drove her to haphazardly wash her hair. Now it was messy and still damp but she just put it in a loose braid and went on with her day. She had been just around the corner when she heard the cans fall on the floor and a cry of pain. Moving to help Evie before picking up the cans, he first priority was to know if the other girl was badly hurt. She bends down to help Evie up as she speaks.] You aren't bleeding, right? 

[She nods, understanding the boredom. Some people were like that; they wanted to be out, be doing something. Even with the way everything was. Rory also knows it’s best for some people to stay in. Still, she gets it.] Hopefully one of these days, we can find games or puzzles or something. Might not help with the boredom, but it’ll give something to do. [It would probably still be boring to the girl, but still, she makes a note to keep a look out for anything potentially amusing to kids.] Rory.

Rory. [Kaitlyn repeats it and she likes it. She can't help but smile at the name she likes, making note to find something she can name later.]  I'm Kaitlyn. [It wasn't as interesting, but it wasn't like she could change her name.]

[Vincent nearly jumps at the little girl’s voice. He looks over at her, narrowing his eyes at her. She seems to be threatening him, and nobody likes to be threatened.] This wasn’t Rose. I can assure you that. Rose and I are colleagues. I wouldn’t hurt a colleague. [He takes a step back from the dumpster.] You can look in, if you’d like. The woman is blonde. 

[Though it wasn't the missing woman her interest still remains.] I can't look inside, I'm not tall enough. if I climb up there I might fall in. [The last thing she needed was falling on top of a dead body, one that could have been dead for a while now. Sure she could have assumed that he was just trying to clean up the area and moved a body, but this probably used to be a populated area. There had to be a number of bodies and even monsters if someone looked for them; so why move this one. That had her mind wandering and wondering if the monsters were just as lost in the fog as they were.] What did you do to her?