We are fools to make war on our brothers in arms

[doesntlooktired]

It rarely snowed in London, not proper snow anyway, at least not snow like Harriet remembered from her childhood growing up in Yorkshire. But even so when she though about snow it was never her youth in Flydale North that came to mind but London streets on Christmas Day only three years ago. Despite appearances though, it hadn’t really been snow

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[imthegoodguy]

Benjamin, too, was wandering outside the compound, marveling as he supposed any newcomer would to the snow. How long had it been since he had last seen snow? Not as long as other people might expect, but still long enough to be amazed by it. He had never developed the working adult's apprehension to snow, having never been made to commute in it, and yet he had to suppress a childish urge to play in the snow for fear of being made to look a fool and standing out. This was more out of habit than necessity, though in the event that anyone came looking for him he certainly did not want to be ingrained in many people's memories as the middle aged man playing in the snow -- though concealing his identity on the same island as John Locke was a rather futile activity. Still, he persisted, hoping his affairs and Locke's would not intersect

[doesntlooktired]

"It isn't," Harriet replied. "I'm afraid to say, that on past record, it'd be painfully obvious if it was."

She knew that he was making a reference to the mask, of course, but she was in no real mood to talk about it with a stranger.

[imthegoodguy]

"I should have figured. Everyone's so young here. It's only natural that they'd celebrate."

He grinned, politely, but feeling a bit at odds with this woman's mood.

[doesntlooktired]

"You haven't been here long, is that right?" she asked, slightly surprised by that response. "The powers behind this Island apparently have a fondness for holidays. This year, people were only reduced to the age of children but last year things were far more serious. Numerous monsters and aliens from different worlds were brought here. Four people died and far more than that were injured. You'll hear stories about it before you've been here too long."

Harriet was generally good with people, though, and the man wasn't expecting to deal with her in such a melancholy mood so she changed the subject quickly by introducing herself with a show of her identification.

"Harriet Jones. Former Prime Minister."

[imthegoodguy]

That --

-- was quite a bit to take in. The children, the aliens, the deaths, the title. Ben was silenced for a moment, unsure which part to react to. Every human formerly of power ought to be treated with deference, though, reduced to yet another randomly selected member of a strange island, perhaps she would prefer not to be reminded, not to be treated as anything more than a castaway. And yet the title and the introduction had been a way to breeze past things that couldn't quite go without comment. Choosing which to comment on was almost as difficult as choosing whether he'd go by his real or his false identity on the island.

"...Dean Moriarty," he said, finally, still looking rather confused.

[doesntlooktired]

"I'm sorry, Dean," she replied sympathetically. "That was rather a lot to dump on you at once."

[imthegoodguy]

"Not much more to deal with than coming here." He shrugged and shook his head.

[doesntlooktired]

"That is true," she allowed with a smile. "If nothing else, this place does wonders for your suspension of disbelief."

[imthegoodguy]

He chuckled. "Yes, it does. Honestly, it's the only thing that keeps me calm. Mostly calm," he added with a smile.

[doesntlooktired]

"So, Dean, what did you do before you came here?" she asked warmly. It seemed as good a conversation opener as anything.

[imthegoodguy]

"I was a pharmacist," he replied, "which I can't imagine you need many of here. Heard you had something like 350 people on this island? And how many medical supplies?"

[doesntlooktired]

"I couldn't tell you exactly but yes I'm afraid that you won't be overflowing with business," she replied sympathetically. "It's the hardest thing about coming here, I think. Trying to work out what you're going to do with all the time you have on your hands now."

[imthegoodguy]

"As long as they have books, I'm all set."

But the previous subject called to mind something else: "But what sort of economy do you have here? Any need for money, for jobs?"

[doesntlooktired]

"There's no shortage of those at least," she replied with a slight smile. "But there's no real economy here. People do what they can to help other people and in return they know they can expect the same. It's the only real way a community like this can operate."

[imthegoodguy]

"That makes sense."

Depressing sense. Books could only preoccupy him so much. With no purpose beyond waiting to leave, Ben couldn't see himself being entertained at all on this island. He shuffles one foot in the snow, his head bowed to observe the idle movement, before he remarks, "Well, you've been very helpful. Everyone's been helpful, really, and I'm thankful for that. But I think it would behoove of me to stop pestering you with my questions."

He said it all with as charming a grin as he could muster.