Jack:In his Workshop

[_jack_]

Jack left Ellie's Room, his pace quickening, almost storming back to his room. Anger, sadness, fear, it all mixed inside of him and he didn't know what to think. He arrived first in his work shop, picking up this tool, that length of wire, this washer, that screw, but he couldn't concentrate. He was...was he heartbroken? It was the end, it felt

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[tribal_anna]

Anna left the safe confines of Willow and Flower's room. The room she found was tucked back into the corner of the mall, it seemed to be just an open space. Knocking lightly on the wall by the enterance, she stepped into the room. Looking around, she was amazed with what she saw. Bits and peices of broken machines was scattered over the entire table, tools hung on the wall, along with spools of wire. It reminded her of a tool store with all the bits scatted around.What is this place? Anna wondered to herself, stepping further in the room. Right in the center, sat who she thought was Jack. Anna had only talked to him a couple times, and she couldn't see his face, so she wasn't sure. Whoever it was, they were messing with something in front of them.
"Um..." She said softly, hoping not to startle the person, "...uh... hello?" It came out rather squeaky, and Anna felt foolish. "I was just looking around the mall... and I wasn't sure what was in here... I hope I'm not bothering you."

[_jack_]

Jack had just clipped and replaced some wire, soldering it back into place, when he heard a voice, "Hospital is down the other end," he snarked without turning around. He was, of course, thinking insulting things about the person, but he didn't say it outloud, "Yeah, well you are," he snapped back, pulling out a small length of wire and snipping it, glancing over his shoulder at the person. He didn't recognize her at first, but instead turned back and leaned over the appliance, beginning to work the burned wire out

[tribal_anna]

Anna was confused when Jack started mumbling about a hospital being down the otherway. Why do I need a hospital? She wondered but didn't say. Jack had dropped his tool on the floor, making her jump as it clattered on the ground. Anna hadn't meant to startle him, but when someone had their back to you, it was hard not to. He finally turned around and apologized for not recongizing her.
"Its ok, sorry to startle you." Anna muttered, gesturing at the fallen tool.

"Are you working on something?" She asked, when he said it wasn't a good time. Moving over to the table, she looked at whatever he had been fiddling on. It made no sense to her, just a bunch of parts on a table. "Sorry, I don't mean to be nosy. Its just that this place reminds me of my dad's old workshop. He liked to play with machines and such, but it was only a hobby, and he wasn't very good. He was an accountant. I remember him spending hours in the basement, working on things like these..." She trailed off and blushed, mentally chiding herself. He doesn't care Anna, just go

[_jack_]

Listening quietly as Anna talked about the workshop, Jack picked at the appliance, he would have begun soldering but he didn't want to seem rude, he knew Salene wouldn't approve, and he didn't want to cross Ryan. His mind relaxed as she talked more of her father, and he looked up and around the room. This had been his father's shop, electronics, and it all felt just that much more real suddenly. Swallowing the lump down in his throat, he cleared it and spoke, "Yeah you know, this was, my..my father's shop," he explained quietly, twirling the wire nervously in his fingers. "He, ah, he set me up to live here after...after the virus. I'm," he shrugged and shook his head a bit, "the original owner of the Mall, I guess...but everything's different now," he frowned at the appliance, an electric juicer

[_jack_]

Unflinching, Jack didn't look up, he figured she was mad, moving her stool and leaving, but instead she climbed back on it and put her hand on his back. He wanted to look at her, puzzled, but she began talking, and his red rimmed, tear filled eyes locked onto the workbench, what was she doing? Why was she apologizing? Anna hadn't done anything, she didn't even know Ellie or Luke or anything, and he began breathing heavily, eyebrows coming together, creasing his forehead in angered response. What did she have to say about this? Nothing, as far as Jack was concerned, she didn't know him or... Did she ... she understood how he felt

[tribal_anna]

It took a few moments, but Anna realized that no one had said anything for quite a few minutes. Using her free hand, she rubbed it across her face trying not to think of the past and things gone wrong. She was afraid Jack would tell her to go away again, because if he were to, she’d leave and be by herself once more. As he began to speak, Anna withdrew her hand and set it in her lap. She didn’t feel obligated to stay; it was just nice to talk to someone. “I don’t feel…obligated.” Anna murmured quietly, “The truth is, its just nice to talk to someone… no one in the mall seems to want to talk to us…” Or maybe its me… She thought cynically. “And, you are one of only a few who has really talked to me, aside from my siblings, since we came here…” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s just nice to talk to someone.” Embarrassed, she dropped her eyes to her lap

[_jack_]

Jack was nothing if he wasn't oblivious, he didn't understand why she looked so shocked and embarassed, it had been his family, his story, had he really said something to her that had earned that kind of reaction? Jack looked to his workbench, puzzled, and he decided that changing the subject was best

[tribal_anna]

Anna heard him ask her a question about her siblings, but his reaction to whistle put everything on hold. She watched it fall to the tiles, making a little noise as it rolled and then came to a rest by her feet, the note fluttering down next to it. She watched his reaction to the whistle. It was almost instant. He looked at her with sad eyes before leaving an attached room. Anna watched him go, confused. “Now what’d I do…?” She wondered to herself.

Looking down, she saw the whistle and the piece of paper next to her. Part of her warned that it wasn’t her business, but she was curious. Bending over, Anna picked up the whistle and looked at it. What about it caused him such pain? It was just a whistle. Her eyes strayed to the note on the floor. Picking it up, she read it quietly to herself. Pursing her lips, she shook her head. For a brief moment, she thought going to talk to him. But there was nothing left to say. Now what? She wondered