(no subject)
milliways_bar
The old woman dozed off not long after they'd eaten. Kevin pondered waking her up, but decided against it. Instead, he tucked a blanket over her
and went to sit on the fire escape outside his window.
The usual feeling of his skin being too tight, as if something wanted to
scratch its way out, had been trying to interrupt his concentration all through dinner. Being pent up indoors made it slightly worse. He made himself
concentrate on the scene below, taking mental notes of the people walking by,
objects or images that he might use for metalworking or sketches later.
A flash of blue light caught his eye. He frowned as a police cruiser appeared
and parked across the street from their building. Cops only came here when
something majorly bad hit. Kevin hadn't heard about any fights, but then, he'd apparently been...somewhere else...all day.
Now the gap in his memory worried him even more. Forget where he'd gone, what
had he been doing was also a question.
If any of the Mutant Town indigents were telepathic or retrocogs, he might've thought of asking them for help, but something in the back of his mind said
"No."
The cops got out of the car, and walked to a smaller building nearby. Kevin let out a sigh of relief.
A cold splash of water on his cheek made him glance up. Rainclouds were gathering. He unfolded himself from his cross-legged position and ducked back inside, shutting the window behind him.
The old lady had awoken, watching him thoughtfully. "Was I asleep long?" she
asked, her tone apologetic as she sat up.
"Couple hours," he shrugged. "No big. Not like I had anything else on for tonight, and you must've needed the rest."
"Thank you, Kevin."
"Y'welcome." He paused, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember
your name, if you told me. My--Memory's kinda hazy for the past couple days, I don't know why."
Her expression turned to one of chagrin. "I'm Selene. I don't think I had introduced myself, now that you mention it. Someone told me your
name when I asked who had moved in." She held out a skinny, blue-veined hand.
Kevin tensed, but shook the offered hand briefly. Selene noted the reaction, and gave him a questioning look. "Does touch cause you pain? You needn't have," she added gently. "People here do understand, if you say something bothers you. We've all got our little quirks."
"More like a big one, but--I'll deal. I have to."
He sat, stifling a yawn.
Something warm and heavy settled over his shoulders. He looked up, to see
a blanket from his closet.
"Your turn to get some rest," Selene said, firmly. "I'll keep an eye out.
Do try to sleep, dear. You look done in."
He was tired, Kevin realized suddenly. Yes, that sounded like a good idea.
He curled up on his cot. Selene went to the spare, sitting up with a newspaper she'd scavenged from somewhere.
Just close his eyes for...a little while...
The old woman dozed off not long after they'd eaten. Kevin pondered waking her up, but decided against it. Instead, he tucked a blanket over her
and went to sit on the fire escape outside his window.
The usual feeling of his skin being too tight, as if something wanted to
scratch its way out, had been trying to interrupt his concentration all through dinner. Being pent up indoors made it slightly worse. He made himself
concentrate on the scene below, taking mental notes of the people walking by,
objects or images that he might use for metalworking or sketches later.
A flash of blue light caught his eye. He frowned as a police cruiser appeared
and parked across the street from their building. Cops only came here when
something majorly bad hit. Kevin hadn't heard about any fights, but then, he'd apparently been...somewhere else...all day.
Now the gap in his memory worried him even more. Forget where he'd gone, what
had he been doing was also a question.
If any of the Mutant Town indigents were telepathic or retrocogs, he might've thought of asking them for help, but something in the back of his mind said
"No."
The cops got out of the car, and walked to a smaller building nearby. Kevin let out a sigh of relief.
A cold splash of water on his cheek made him glance up. Rainclouds were gathering. He unfolded himself from his cross-legged position and ducked back inside, shutting the window behind him.
The old lady had awoken, watching him thoughtfully. "Was I asleep long?" she
asked, her tone apologetic as she sat up.
"Couple hours," he shrugged. "No big. Not like I had anything else on for tonight, and you must've needed the rest."
"Thank you, Kevin."
"Y'welcome." He paused, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember
your name, if you told me. My--Memory's kinda hazy for the past couple days, I don't know why."
Her expression turned to one of chagrin. "I'm Selene. I don't think I had introduced myself, now that you mention it. Someone told me your
name when I asked who had moved in." She held out a skinny, blue-veined hand.
Kevin tensed, but shook the offered hand briefly. Selene noted the reaction, and gave him a questioning look. "Does touch cause you pain? You needn't have," she added gently. "People here do understand, if you say something bothers you. We've all got our little quirks."
"More like a big one, but--I'll deal. I have to."
He sat, stifling a yawn.
Something warm and heavy settled over his shoulders. He looked up, to see
a blanket from his closet.
"Your turn to get some rest," Selene said, firmly. "I'll keep an eye out.
Do try to sleep, dear. You look done in."
He was tired, Kevin realized suddenly. Yes, that sounded like a good idea.
He curled up on his cot. Selene went to the spare, sitting up with a newspaper she'd scavenged from somewhere.
Just close his eyes for...a little while...