Dearly Departed...

[notaustralian]

Who: Matthew and Roderich.
When: Wednesday, April 7. Evening.
Where: (Our Village's) People Cemetery
What: Roderich just wants to get home...

Comments

[mounties_rock]

"Oh sorry." mumbled Matt without a thought after running into the man. But then he saw the look on his face. He was terrified.

"Hey are you alright?" he asked suddenly concerned.

He took another look at the man. He was carrying grocery bags. Lots of them. Why was he so far out of town? "Do you live around here?"

[notaustralian]

Roderich froze in place. He could hear a voice; it was so faint and distant that he almost felt like he was imaging it. But he could feel the air moving as the words resonated in the empty neighborhood. Somewhere, something creaked, and Roderich's breath hitched in his throat.

He pretended to ignore it. He took a few steps forward, continuing on his journey of finding his way home. He stopped once again when he heard, loud and clear, the following words:

"Do you live around here?"

Roderich turned his head around and caught a glimpse of a figure. In his first instinct, he hoped it was a person. He took a sigh of relief, believing that someone was finally here to help. But as soon as he turned around, the figure was gone, replaced by dark shadows of the night.

He couldn't help himself, but beckoned out for help. A hope was all he could have.

"... Hello...?"

[mounties_rock]

Why had he started walking away right when Matthew had offered to help him? How rude was that? He jogged to catch up.

"Yeah, hello?" he said waving his hand in front of the other man's face. "I'm right here. Do you need help finding your way or something?" he asked, his voice conveying his increasing annoyance at the man in front of him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BB! <3

[notaustralian]

The still silence shook Roderich from the core of his being. He did not believe in such illogical ideas but the creak of the cemetery gate and the whispering wind were beginning to sway his conviction. His 'hello' was answered by an echo of his voice. The bags in his hands crinkled; the noise frightened him.

He best hurried then. He turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw a young man standing in front of him. How the man had gotten in front of him without his knowing was beyond all of his education and poise. He hitched in air, tongue licking his bottom lip.

He took a moment to realize that the young blond was speaking to him. He trusted his instincts that it was an actual and living human in front of him and something from the afterworld.

"G-gut... H-hel... Hello," he answered as calmly and as politely as he could. "Are you familiar with the streets here? I am afraid I have gotten lost on my way home. If you could point me in the right direction, I would much appreciate it."

Thanks <3

[mounties_rock]

There..... was something wrong with this person, was Matthews first thought. He stared at him for a while just in amazement in how he was acting so strange but was stirred into movement at his question. Oh, he was lost, maybe that's why he was so distracted, well he couldn't just leave someone standing there lost.

"Where is it your headed?" he asked with a smile, he didn't want to frighten this man anymore than he obviously was. "Oh, I'm Matt by the way."

[notaustralian]

Roderich was slightly embarrassed that he needed the help of someone who was younger than him. But beggars couldn't be choosers. He offered a gratuitous smile at the young man and answered, "St. Wilgefortis, if you know where it is."

When the man introduced himself, Roderich was a bit taken back. What a rare politeness that he didn't find in today's youth. Though he was hesitant to give out his name in such an awkward situation. But he was raised and taught well.

"Roderich," he said, extending a hand to shake Matt's. "I greatly appreciate your help."

Feeling the need to explain why he had gotten lost, Roderich said he followed Matt's lead. "I've only moved here a few months ago. I am afraid Liberty is still a mystery to me."

[mounties_rock]

"Ah I know what you mean..." said Matt even though he actually really didn't. He had pretty much gotten pretty good at navigating the parts of town he went to in about a month, but you really don't say those sorts of thing to someone who has trouble getting around. Especially when you've just met them. And well, one thing Matthew could sympathize with was being in dire need of assistance after particularly bad or unlucky situations, and getting lost was definitely kinda like one of those times!

"What made you decide to move to this fair city?" he asked absentmindedly making conversation with the gentleman as he lead him to St. Wilgefortis.

[notaustralian]

On the topic of why he was here in Liberty, Roderich was not able to disclose that he had been kicked out of the house and sent all the way across the ocean to run a failing business in order to prove his worth. It was, for one, too much information to reveal to a stranger; and two, it was embarrassing enough that he needed help to get home, he did not care for anyone knowing his back history.

Fair city? Roderich almost chuckled rudely at the term. Liberty had been everything but fair, and it didn't take the internet for him to know that something dark was always lurking around the corner.

"It's business mostly," Roderich answered evasively. "As soon as the business stabilizes, I should be leaving Liberty."

He looked over to his guide. Judging from the age, Matt must be an university student. Faintly, he thought Matt looked familiar. Somehow, the image of a barista at a coffee shop flashed in his mind.

"And you, if you don't mind me intruding?" he asked as the surrounding became more familiar. "Are you a native resident of this

[mounties_rock]

"So I'm guessing you don't like it here." supplied Matthew upon hearing that the man would be leaving as soon as his "business stabilized" whatever that meant. In either case he seemed eager to change the subject so he let it go and decided not to ask further into it.

"Huh, me? Oh no. I'm from Toronto, uh, Canada. I just go to the University here. Liberty U? You heard of it?" supplied Matthew in response to Roderich's other question. Looking around Matt noticed they were almost at St. Wilgefortis. Roderich might begin to get a sense of where he was soon. Or he wouldn't. he didn't seem to be that keen with directions.

[notaustralian]

Roderich practically loathed the existence of Liberty, but he refrained from explicitly describing just what was wrong with the city. He only nodded and reaffirmed that once his business was steady, he would be going home to Austria as soon as possible. He was not meant for the American lifestyle.

The neighborhood was looking more familiar to him now and he was certain he would be able to find his way home.

"Liberty U...? Ach, Liberty University? Yes, I've heard it. I read that it is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States," Roderich said politely as they stopped at the crosswalk. He was confident that he would be able to go home on his own now. "You must be quite the scholar to attend that university."

The little green man flashed on the traffic light, and Roderich turned to face Matthew. He took his hand out and shook it with Matthew's

"I appreciate your help, but I can get home from here. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."