[They'd been walking for days. Meals were scarce, but they managed. Mostly, they didn't talk; it was all they could do to keep warm without uncovering their faces
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[Once Al finished the drive and Kara had finished tidying up and packing (two of her least favorite chores, thanks!), they headed out. It was below freezing and the wind sliced through their clothes, but both were in good spirits thanks to the food and good night's sleep. Kara's cough had even abated by the evening, though she was still moving a little more slowly than usual.
That night, they weren't taking any chances, so they didn't stop until they'd found an entirely abandoned house on the edge of the dense wood. Clouds were gathering, and the temperature held steady. They scouted around for anything usable, but finding nothing, they headed for the attic. Together, they prepared their meager supper and went to sleep.
The following morning, they woke to gusting winds and deep drifts of slow. It was still falling heavily outside when Kara checked, and she hurriedly retreated to her nest of blankets, looking in the direction of Al's sleeping form.] You awake?
[Al was not awake. Or, more accurately, he was not awake until he heard her voice. Pulled to the waking world, he shifted underneath his blankets and left out a long groan. Guess the shoveling had added its share of aches and pains.] Yeah, 'm awake. [He didn't want to be.] Something wrong?
[Well, if there was something to be fixed, he figured there was something broken, and that was enough to keep him out of reach of the sleepiness that threatened. The lean young man slowly sat up, rolling his shoulders in hopes of loosening the joints some.] S'okay, 'm up now. ['Course, he didn't much look it, just sitting there half-covered in blankets and nowhere near cognitive enough to hold a full conversation.] What's the matter?
[She gives him a small smile accompanied by a shrug.] Blizzard. For now at least. [She pauses, then addends.] It's looking brighter to the west. [Damn she hoped that was west.]
[Calavicci nodded, reaching a hand up to rub at his eyes. It took him a moment, but he moved to the window, the blankets wrapped loosely around his shoulders.] We'll have trouble moving through that. Looks a bit wet, too -- cuff-soaker.
[But that really didn't matter to Al. They'd be out of it eventually, no matter how badly nature seemed to be fight against it.] It's a good thing we're nicely tucked in here.
[Al peered at the clouds and then the area that was clear and shrugged.] Hard to tell. Looks like it'll clear before tomorrow, but the way things go around here, we could be looking at two hours or two weeks.
That gives us a whole day, huh? A day off? [She laughs. A day off from being homeless and adrift? Hardly. The place sounded as though it might blow down around their ears any moment, and Kara shivered.]
Yeah, imagine that. Don't know how we'll survive without the money, honey. We may have to borrow against the mortgage. [Al chuckled and shook his head. Better they stick around than try to push themselves -- that hadn't worked out so well the last time.]
When you ain't got nothin' to lose... [Kara trails off with a shrug. The wind blows sleet against the windows and rattles the glass panes, so she drags a comforter into her lap.]
If you've got robbin' that needs done, you can go right ahead without me. I'm already on the skids when it comes to police around here. [Well, maybe not there particularly, but he certainly had a name for himself thanks to that probation stint (and everything leading up to it.)]
That night, they weren't taking any chances, so they didn't stop until they'd found an entirely abandoned house on the edge of the dense wood. Clouds were gathering, and the temperature held steady. They scouted around for anything usable, but finding nothing, they headed for the attic.
Together, they prepared their meager supper and went to sleep.
The following morning, they woke to gusting winds and deep drifts of slow. It was still falling heavily outside when Kara checked, and she hurriedly retreated to her nest of blankets, looking in the direction of Al's sleeping form.] You awake?
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[But that really didn't matter to Al. They'd be out of it eventually, no matter how badly nature seemed to be fight against it.] It's a good thing we're nicely tucked in here.
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[He paused.] Let's just assume tomorrow, yeah?
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