Miss Vivien Gray

"As are mine, Miss Gray. I will keep that in mind if you will." Julian smiled, nose crinkling slightly as he watched the redheaded woman in front of him. "I don’t think it will be too hard for you to ‘grow’ to love me, as you so delicately put it. It’s already happening and it’s beyond your control. I command it when I walk into a room." He continued, half joking. "But you would be correct, Vivien, in your assessment. I will never love a single thing more than I love myself. And it’s not something I let very many people in on. I try to be like other people and love selflessly but I was simply not wired that way." He folded his arms across his chest, listening to her intently as she described how he easily garnered his ‘pets’. "Correct, correct, correct. All of the above. Perhaps if you were better at pretending, you’d have more than a couple pets. You might even find one here… if you peeled your eyes."

She laughed a high glittering laugh. "That bit about love, that sounds like something I would say to someone who was being difficult," the faded laugh left a grin on her face as she listened to him continue. "Selflessly? Why, I don't know the meaning of the word," her smile widened. "At least you can love. Selfishly, or no. And of course I'm correct. Were you expecting anything different? I'm surprised your self-obsessed little heart isn't more obvious to others. Maybe it takes one to know one, but it's more likely there's no one else as clever or observant as I," she gave a small shrug.  "I spent 26 long years pretending. It's the apocalypse. I seem to have misplaced my ability to care. I'd rather take the ones who like me as I am - in all of my shallow, rude, narcissistic glory," she gestured to her face and neck with a flourish of her hand and a smile.

"Well, if you consider having your throat slit fun… I feels orry for you." Julian answered with a weak little smile which was quickly replaced with a broad, genuine grin — his eyes crinkling in the corners. "You’re going to make me laugh when there’s serious business going on, here?" He chuckled. "Sure, if we can find some fresh grapes, I’ll feed them to you. Sound like a deal?" He shook his head, happy to have her there to make him feel at least slightly better.

"Oh no, getting my lovely throat slit is not my idea of fun. It's the..fear. The way your heart begins palpitating in your chest when you're walking alone at night and the breeze blows across the back of your neck, and you wonder, am I next? Is this it? The adrenaline rush...Anything to make the heart race. That's fun," Vivien replied with a smile. "Of course I'm going to make you laugh. One should never take themselves too seriously, especially if one finds oneself in a very serious situation. So, I can cross the grape-bearer off my list? Fantastic. I trust you'll begin working on my other demands. And Mr. Callaghan..." she took a step closer to him, folding her arms across her chest. "You shouldn't walk about this place feeling guilty. It does a great disservice to that striking face of yours."

"Well, be careful what you say… she’s always listening." He joked. He didn’t have anything against Ember and, in fact, rather liked what she was attempting to do. "You’re welcome. I’m concerned about everyone at this camp." Rafael sighed, trying to hide his injured wrist when he noticed her looking at it. It was too late, however, she’d already seen and she’d taken the bait. "I was bitten, actually. Turns out, if you cut off the affected appendage quickly enough, you survive to tell the tale." He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I know it isn't any comfort at all, but the alternative is worse," Vivien said, offering a small smile. "And now you can save others. The next person to get bit doesn't have to die or become a zombie - they can, as you said, survive to tell the tale. And isn't that something? Especially considering the kind of person you must be, judging by your chosen profession."

Alright, then... listen up.

"Oh, now you're taking all of the fun out of things," Vivien whined, standing and walking over to him. "If we're doing guards now, I have a list of demands. First, a proper throne - I'm thinking something ornate and made of solid gold? It's negotiable. Second, two guards positioned on either side of me 24/7 - very fit and scary looking, must be willing to sacrifice their lives for me. Third, someone pleasant to feed me fresh grapes whenever I call. Would you like to volunteer for that position?" she asked with a playful wink.

"It’s my motherfucking name." he said with a confused smile and playfully furrowed brows."I don’t know a fucking Jonah, but I’m not really someone to know people around here. Really fucking know them but, eh, you fucking got on my good side." he shrugged. He tilted his head slightly as Vivien spoke of, the other redhead."Damn straight I’m a lion. I know I’m a big guy, but it’s not like I’m on top of her, fucking around with her space or ever around her or some shit. So…she shouldn’t be fucking scared.”He shook his head.”Oh, yeah? Then you’re not scared of me, huh? Is that what you’re fucking saying?”

"Oh, on your good side already? I'm flattered," Vivien replied with a bow of her head and a smile. "I don't think you do anything to mess with her...but I can see how your presence could be intimidating." She gestured from his head to his feet with her hands in reference to his size. "As for me?" she chuckled lightly, turning to plant herself squarely in front of him and gazing hard into his eyes. Placing her hands on her hips she continued, "I'm not scared of you, Shane. Not even lions are at the top of the food chain."

"I’ll play for you whenever you want." Cori offered up her services with a bright smile. She loved to make people happy, and music seemed to be doing that better than her. "I guess you’re right, so good luck on finding someone."

"Thank you, Cori," Vivien smiled into the darkness. "Do you write any songs, or just play what you learned before?"

Rafael pursed his lips at her laughter and mocking tone. “Well, I probably would end up referring you to September. She’s the one who deals with all of the feelings and the head cases, you know? The stuff that we physical doctors don’t deal with.” He smiled at the redhead, trying to get back in the game. He really was too nice sometimes. Raf shrugged it off, “Don’t worry about it, I’m used to people being on edge. I was just worried about you. You’ve ammended that, though. I’m no longer concernd.” He flashed her a little smile which soon faded. “Oh…” The doctor’s brow crinkled. “I’m sorry to hear that… we’ve all lost someone we care about and it’s never easy.”

"I don't need a psychiatrist...well, an argument could be made that I do, but I've seen enough of them in my life. I'm not dangerous to myself or others, so, it's hardly necessary. Thank you, really, for your concern," she said, giving a small smile. Tentatively she continued, "It appears you've lost more than just someone you cared about..." She glanced briefly at his missing hand. "If you don't mind the inquiry, did that happen here?"

"It’s really nice to meet you Vivien. Your name is really pretty.." Oliver said as he reached out his hand for her to shake. "I’m 23…is that young to you?" He laughed a little bit before nodding. "Yeah…but I drove here. I don’t think I would have survived hiking. You?" 

"I’ve just been doing miscellaneous chores and things, playing guitar, keeping the night watch." Cori shrugged. "I’ve noticed the same thing, but whatever. I don’t think where you came from matters anymore. We’re all in the same place now."

"Guitar? That's lovely. I've grown to miss music, being stuck out here," Vivien said, sighing softly. "You are right. Though, it would be nice to know that someone else here was uprooted from their normal life in my hometown. I think it would be a small comfort."

"People have died, and it’s upsetting to those of us who knew them. Grieving is natural and healthy."

"So that's a no on the session? Unfortunate, that would've been fun," Vivien sighed dramatically.  "I'd hate to be insensitive, but in case you've forgotten, it's the apocalypse. People are dying, all the time, everywhere. If whatever killed the people of this camp hadn't got the others first I'm sure they would've died soon anyway. Walking alone at night, going on a supply run - we've all got expiration dates, and they jumped forward the day the virus broke." She said it as though these thoughts could be comforting.

Wylie snorted derisively, “I don’t think any of us intended to set foot in Virginia. Fucking hillbillies.” He mumbled again, so quietly it almost blended in with his heavy exhale. “You’re laughing at me… well, he kicked my ass really fucking good, if that’s what you’re thinking. And then… he doesn’t fight me anymore.” He shrugged. “Whatever… Charlie is okay. She’s growing on me. Like a fungus or a cancer or something. Fiona, though, she’s a bitch. You won’t like her, I can tell you that much already.” Wylie paused to look her over again. “Yeah, you don’t look like you can fight. And it’s better that way, to just not care.”

"I'm not surprised Luke kicked your ass. He's an unnaturally large man. I never needed to learn how to fight. I had other people chomping at the bit to fight my battles for me," she smiled, remembering her other life fondly for a moment.

Vivien approached the small crying woman wearily. "What's got you all upset? Or should I ask if maybe you need a session?"

"Mm… I thought you seemed like the type." Elias nodded toward her as if to acknowledge they might have something in common. "I believe MIT was too large for him. He doesn’t do well in social situations though he did say that he liked teaching because he didn’t have to talk to his students so much as he had to talk at them." The Dane shrugged his shoulders. "Mathematics. A couple of different classes, he had, you’d have to ask him to get specifics." He sighed, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle in his shirt. "I see. Well, a lot of people have suffered that fate, though many more have suffered from infection. Either way, he’s as good as dead. But he may have survived. You never know." He paused, looking at the girl for a long, calculated moment — he was pretty sure she cared more than she let on but he wasn’t one to pry.

Vivien watched him speak with a tilt of her head, and wondered if the older man had anything to teach her in the ways of persuasion. "Never could quite get the hang of high level Mathematics courses. He doesn't seem very social. Does he have other friends besides you here?" She listened as he spoke of how he was as good as dead, and that strangely didn't seem to bother he as much as the thought that he may have survived.

"You don’t look like you are okay.. " Oliver looked back at the girl who was obviously lying but he would have to if a stranger asked him also. "I’m new here…my name is Oliver." He reached out his hand for her to shake.

She took his hand as she set her shoulders back in an effort to convey her usual air of self importance. "Miss Vivien Gray. I'm fairly new here, too. You look young. You survived on your own until you got here?" she asked, hoping to skew the conversation away from her feelings and onto something else.

Cori sat next to her, unaware of the pain the nickname had caused. “Not too strange, I’ve been keeping pretty busy with stuff.” She reassured the other woman. “I’m actually from Boston.” She grinned. “What about you?”

"Busy with stuff? Like what?" she questioned, smiling. "I've lived many places, but I spent most of my time in New York. Seems that a lot of people from the North East ended up down here."

Blanco watched her flick his joint into the forrest. He turned his head back tot he red head,”WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU CRAZY?!” He yelled shaking his head his head, and he was so angry right now. That was almost the last of his marijuana and it was the first time he wanted to hit a girl so bad. “Fuck you, Ginny Weasly!” 

Vivien laughed - a high, piercing, honest laugh. The angrier he got the happier she felt. "That's what you get for referring to ladies as bitches." She rolled her eyes at him before continuing. "It's only a bit of weed. Tell me you aren't an addict as well as shockingly rude? Go on, hop to, run to the forest and collect your blunt like a good little boy."