RECORDING.

It's  not  easy,  being  constantly  on  the  road  when  everyone  could  potentially  be  looking  for  them.  They  are  getting  creative;  he's  torn  down  various  posters  that  declare  her  as  missing  (always  with  different  names  and  phone  numbers)  down,  and  more  than  once  was  a  quick  break  interrupted  by  the  lingering  feel  of  someone  having  their  eyes  on  them  just  a  little  bit  too  long,  just  a  little  bit  too  intense.

But  they  make  do;  even  if  he  hates  that  she  doesn't  get  to  be  young  and  free.  He  hates  that  he  isn't  able  to  give  her  something  more  than  fleeting  moments  that  pass  too  quickly,  but  still  -  they  manage.  The  car  has  long  been  ditched  for  a  proper  built  out  van  (less  suspicious  than  a  camper  but  allowing  for  some  small  resemblance  of  a  living  space)  and  on  the  rare  occasions  it's  been  possible  he's  been  working  on  improving  it  for  whatever  square  inch  of  comfort  there's  still  to  gain.

And  some  nights  -  well,  some  nights  just  taking  the  blankets  up  on  the  roof  and  sitting  under  the  night  sky  is  alright,  too.

          starlit  skies  are  always  a  quiet  and  constant  comfort  despite  nothing  in  her  life  remaining  ‘normal’  for  very  long  as  of  late.   thousands  of  years  away,   the  lifespan  of  a  human  must  be  just  a  breath  to  the  ancient  stars;   she  wonders  about  how  long  they  have  shone  just  the  same,   since  the  dawn  of  time.   how  many  have  died  in  a  brilliant  splendor  too  far  away  for  their  eyes  to  register,   seeming  like  mere  blinking,   hesitant  lights  from  so  far  away?   it  was  a  pity  they  should  never  know.

          miles  seems  to  know  on  instinct  that  the  respite  of  shared  silence  brings  her  comfort;   just  as  well,   she  hopes  that  he  is  able  to  truly  breathe  in  the  night  air  just  as  she  does  with  the  comfort  of  his  presence  assuring  her  that  at  least  for  the  time  being,   all  is  well.   perhaps  she  has  become  attuned  with  her  companion,   but  the  pain  he  experiences  is  simple  to  discern  on  even  the  best  days   —   not  that  she  will  let  him  know  as  much.   though  alice  is  adverse  to  telling  lies,   she  thinks  she  can  slip  by  without  comment  in  good  conscience:   while  they  share  their  burdens  just  the  same,   she  believes  wholeheartedly  that  he  would  be  loathe  to  any  such  observation.

          while  he  has  taken  on  the  role  of  protector  to  his  wisp  of  a  charge  and  keeps  them  on  the  move,   alice  has  used  the  little  spare  time  she  is  afforded  otherwise,   collecting  odds  and  ends  that  make  their  lives  as  wanted  persons  a  little  simpler.   the  blankets  they  have  now  nested  in,   purchased  in  a  small  town  for  a  fractional  sum  after  she’d  thrown  out  the  rags  they’d  been  traveling  with  previously,  are  proof  of  that  forethought.   alice  draws  her  colorful  afghan  closer  around  thin  shoulders  to  shield  herself  from  the  chill  night  air;   it  lends  a  weight  which  makes  her  feel  quite  secure.   

          glancing  from  the  stars  to  the  former  reporter  with  the  same  sort  of  curiosity,   she  wonders  at  how  ordinary  he  seems  despite  knowing  the  assumption  is  far  from  the  truth;   how  the  very  night  seems  quite  peaceful  even  with  the  knowledge  that  tomorrow  would  be  a  rinse  and  repeat  of  challenges  old  and  expected,   unfamiliar  faces  commonplace  and  the  intent  to  do  harm  a  constant  danger.   briefly,   she  remembers  the  first  night  she  had  left  her  home,   how  strange  and  frightening  things  had  seemed  to  her  then…   it  was  grim  company  she  seemed  to  be  keeping  as  of  late.   miles  is  different  from  her  previous  host,   however,   and  not  just  having  all  his  skin  aside  from  that:   he  sees  her  as  living.   alive.   intuitively,   alice  knows  that  she  is  safe.

play outlast

if yall have played outlast:

That’s not even slightly possible.

I thought I was done with bugs.

You can’t fight your own demons. You need someone’s help to do it.

So this is the afterlife? 

Don’t ask me. It’s all symbolic.

You used ‘liminal’ in a sentence!

It clearly makes you loud and me quiet.

I get to make the decisions.

You’re not a sparkling conservationist. 

I guess everyone’s coming back from the dead these days.

In the next five minutes it’s going to suck being you.

Now shut up and kiss me.

You killed us! You killed us, you lunatic!

Did I mention I’m allergic to cosmic stuff?

What do you mean “she gets on the other bus”?

I’m certainly not going to take orders from you.

Exactly. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.

And do try not to come back dead.

I’m not enjoying this already!

There are more spears around than I’m generally comfortable with.

I like Plan B….

Sorry, Miss Bad Hair Day, we’re already waaaaay past that.

When this is done, you and I are going to have a little chat about your new attitude.

None of that sounds like good news.

Just stay still and die.

I want him found! I want him dead! I want his head on a spike!

This isn’t how I wanted this to go at all.

Aren’t you going to ask me what happened? 

Including his Royal Pain-In-The-Butt-Ness. 

Could you kick her too while she’s down there?

No one likes harming! Harming’s bad!

Hey, as an alternative to “get shot an unhealthy number of times”, this is golden!

Talk right now, or I go high explosives on your ass!

Somebody call a time out and tell me what the hell is going on here.

This is a whole new level of suck.

I’ve been in some last stands before, but this takes the prize.

That’s not a sentence I want to play any part in!

You can’t say this job doesn’t keep you on your toes.

Hey, if this works, you and me are going to be really embarrassed.

How often does a guy get the bragging rights to that?

There’s always a price to pay. For everything.

Well, you’re old and cranky. Trust me on this. I’m young and cute.

You can’t drop a bombshell like that and just leave!

Do they look like they want us to surrender?! 

You two have a history?

You will do whatever it takes.

You couldn’t kill me if you tried.

That thing’s actually cutting me!

You know there are some things you just can’t stop.

Look what you made me do.

We have lost so much.

It took his damn head off!

I’ll cheerfully stab it.

She’s got all the people skills of rabies.

I got some family issues I need to work through.

This afternoon may see all sorts of breakthroughs in etiquette. 

What could possibly go wrong? 

I’d flash you my business card, but my hands are too full of guns.

Who’s the residential tactical genius? 

Too bad you’ll miss the birth.

I remember the moment of my death.

God, I suck.

Could there be any more tragically heroic? 

There’s no fun torturing someone if they just black out.

Story of your life, huh? Never popular, never got it right.

You want to learn about pain?

There will be tears before bedtime.

I don’t like to hit women.

Love what they’ve done with the place.