They're locking up the sun, the light of reason gone, and hope has been succesfully undone....

[teenaged_twin]

Over the past week, a memorial spot appeared near the Wabash Street Bridge. (Near, because if you leave something on a double leaf bascule bridge, it'll be lost and/or destroyed the next time the bridge is raised.) Nothing fancy, just a batch of frozen flowers, blown out votive candles and little soggy scraps of paper bearing prayers and

Comments

[changingtheodds]

Ruvin almost walks right past him. She almost misses the feeble offerings completely. She's just walking, really, until she tires herself out or gets too cold to think about anything but getting warm again.

The little, unlit candles hurt to look at.

Without speaking, Ruvin slips away, back to an alley, and wrestles some of the soggy material she's told is called 'cardboard' free from a pile of junk. She carries it back with her, crouches down next to the candles and fashions it into a little barrier against the wind and snow. She fumbles out a pack of matches she took from the Conrad's front desk on impulse and burns through half the book trying to light them before she's actually able to get it done. It might not hold for long, but it makes her feel better.

[teenaged_twin]

He doesn't say anything until the girl's finished.

"Friends of yours?" It's a cautious question, because Gabe? Never did find out who the other two guys were. No run ins with family in the waiting area, or names mentioned by doctors who didn't notice him or cops who gave him the brushoff.

[changingtheodds]

She rubs her arms as she straightens up. "No. But you knew them."

Ruvin glances at him and then away, feeling suddenly guilty for some reason. She has no business being here, stopping here, helping mourn these people she doesn't know anything about. There's been enough death in Chicago in the last few weeks that they could be wanderers or CLF, and if it's the latter...

If it's the latter, she should just blow the candles out and walk away.

[teenaged_twin]

"I knew one of them, yeah." He sighs. "And Jake? He could be an asshole now and again, but never like that. Not before all hell started breaking loose, and I don't know why he changed, but he did and it got him killed.

"I just want to know what the fuck he got himself into."

[changingtheodds]

She looks at the boy, then down at the candles again. Maybe it's foolish, but she has to say something. This is a chance, a chance to reach someone on the other side.

"I don't know... but." Ruvin pauses. "From what I've gathered, Chicago has been... strange. For a long time. It would be easy to get in trouble, if..."

What is she even trying to say. "I'm sorry. For your friend. This is... All of it is wrong."

[teenaged_twin]

He nods, silent for a moment.

"Yeah. Hell of a mess to wander into." And if he's wrong, hopefully it won't get him killed. "Not much better for a local, as far as I can tell."

[changingtheodds]

Ruvin freezes, staring at the candles. She feels a cold blade of panic at the base of her throat. The way he said that--the word choice--

She bites her lip, not sure what to say.

[teenaged_twin]

Ah, hell. He got it wrong, alright; just not the way he thought he would.

"Hey." Lowering his voice, trying not to be heard by any passers by. "Not everybody's swallowing that crap the Cursed Lunatic Fuckwads are selling, you know? Besides, local or not-"

He's slowly taking his right hand out of his coat pocket, empty and uncovered; offering it out in a handshake. If Ruvin's paying attention, she can probably see the steam rising the second any snowflake hits his skin.

"-Freaks of a feather ought to stick together."

[changingtheodds]

She's paying attention, all right. She's ready to run, almost does when he takes his hand out of his pocket, but then she catches sight of the little plumes and wisps from the dissolving snow.

"You..." Ruvin bites her lip. There's someone out there who has a journal and who isn't on their side, someone who knows where the wanderers gather and exploits that with deadly intent. Friendship, even acquaintance, is a risk.

But...

Ruvin takes his hand and gives it an awkward shake. She's not used to the greeting, and it still feels a bit odd. "...I'm Ruvin."

[teenaged_twin]

"Gabe."

Awkward on both sides, because he's trying to be firm enough to be respectful, but gentle enough that she could pull away any time she wanted to. Not to mention the temperature differences.

"I'd say I'm pleased to meet you, but under the circumstances...." He grins ruefully. "Well, there never really would have been ideal circumstances, would there."