Jess knew she'd never seen him before, which almost certainly meant he was new to the island. Especially since he was alone and staring at the water, looking lost. She was surprised when he turned to look in her direction, since she didn't think she'd been making that much noise as she crossed the sand. Once he turned, that was when she realized he wasn't looking in her direction at all.
"My name's Jess," she said before she got intrusively close. "Do you know where you are?"
Auggie finds some relief in at least the other person nearby sounding like she means no harm. He can't be sure about anything right now, though, and he still remains wary despite the fact she seems to be approaching in a way to help him.
"Do I look that lost?" he asks, a weak smile lifting up on his face. He doesn't think she has any part of this, but she does seem like she might know more than he does. "I've guessed I'm on a beach. Which beach and why I'm suddenly on it is something I'm hoping you might know something about."
"Was it the sand or the waves that gave it away?" said Jess, and if he couldn't see that she was smiling, she hoped that he could hear it. It wasn't exactly a cheerful moment, not for anyone, but she could at least make it as painless as possible. "You're on an island, and I'd tell you which island or where it is, but the truth is that I don't know. Nobody here knows."
"Those were pretty big hints," he agrees. And before he can ask anything else, she launches herself into an explanation he'd been wanting. One that also unfortunately gives him next to nothing to work with.
"How did we get here exactly, then?" he asks, since she hadn't mentioned that. Already all he can think about is how much he needs to collect more information. It's the first thing any agent is taught to do.
"Magic," said Jess, with a shrug that she belatedly realized that he couldn't see either. "And don't think I don't feel like a tool saying that, but it's the only explanation that we've got. Appearing here from a completely different reality isn't even the strangest thing to happen. Listen, do you want to get off this beach? Go sit down somewhere?"
"Magic," he repeats, sounding skeptical even before she mentions she feels dumb saying it. Something is going on and he knows it, but it's hard to believe that something would be magic. Because, well, magic doesn't exist.
"I think that'd be a good idea," he says at her offer. It's a little disconcerting all he has to rely on is someone who is seriously saying magic is what's going on here, but he's well aware he doesn't have too much a choice. Offering out his free hand in her general direction, he adds, "I'm Auggie. Is there - is there some kind of building we can go to, at least?"
"There's a pub not too far from here," said Jess as they shook, looking back over her shoulder towards the path off the beach. "There's a little town further inland, but it's a bit more of a hike."
If this were at all normal, a girl inviting him to a bar of any kind after the couple of days he's dealt with would be an immediate yes. But it's probably not the best place to gather information (well, usually - it depends on the time of day and how drunk people are), whereas the other spot -
"Would you be willing to walk me to this town?" he asks, putting on a sheepish smile. "I'd find it myself but it'd probably take a little longer."
"Well, I could leave you to wander in the jungle for a while, until you run into the waterfall or something," she says, "but it probably wouldn't kill me to take you all the way up there. I need a shower anyway, and showering in the rec center always makes me feel a little bit sketchy."
"My name's Jess," she said before she got intrusively close. "Do you know where you are?"
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"Do I look that lost?" he asks, a weak smile lifting up on his face. He doesn't think she has any part of this, but she does seem like she might know more than he does. "I've guessed I'm on a beach. Which beach and why I'm suddenly on it is something I'm hoping you might know something about."
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"How did we get here exactly, then?" he asks, since she hadn't mentioned that. Already all he can think about is how much he needs to collect more information. It's the first thing any agent is taught to do.
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"I think that'd be a good idea," he says at her offer. It's a little disconcerting all he has to rely on is someone who is seriously saying magic is what's going on here, but he's well aware he doesn't have too much a choice. Offering out his free hand in her general direction, he adds, "I'm Auggie. Is there - is there some kind of building we can go to, at least?"
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"Would you be willing to walk me to this town?" he asks, putting on a sheepish smile. "I'd find it myself but it'd probably take a little longer."
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