June 2021 - A New Arrival?

[staymods]

A New Arrival?

For the last two months, arrivals in the settlement have all been the same. First an Otherworlder is picked up by the Finnish government, then they are quarantined and questioned, and finally they are brought to the island. There has been no variance to the pattern, and the familiarity of it gives life in the settlement a kind of rhythm to live by.

Or at least, it did. Up until today.

Because at some point in the early afternoon, the air around the settlement shifts. For a few seconds, anyone outside will feel the hairs stand up on their skin, not unlike a static charge. Then there is a, audible snap, the feeling abruptly disappears, and all returns back to normal.

Except for one important detail: there is now another person in the settlement, standing on the sandy, treeless banks of Snake Island.

Comments

[suddenlybees]

Mmm... Sorta!

[ That seems like his go-to answer for the day, and there's the offer to show the man where the settlement is, but if he turns out to be bad news and Kano's the one who led him there? Ehh...

There's always the voice in the back of his mind telling him not to judge people by first appearances like what was always done to him, but a little stalling never hurt anybody. ]

Are you, like, super hungry or tired or something? Zapping must've taken a lot out of you! I'm sure some of this grass is edible... I pulled some out once and this guy said it's okay to eat as long as you don't eat too much, and then it'll kill you.

[ghoulserrand]

[He stares at the boy for a very, very long moment. Then, flatly;]

I'm not eating grass.

[He's eaten some terrible things, yes, but that's not happening. Besides, he'd have to take his gaiter off.]

I am fine... I don't need anything.

[suddenlybees]

It's edible grass...

[ Sort of. If Kano manages to pick the right ones, which is still a hit-or-miss even after so long foraging on the island. ]

Water, then? There's, like... water, everywhere, if you're thirsty. It's an island. Can you swim?

[ghoulserrand]

[He shakes his head.]

I'm not thirsty.

[Can he swim? He's actually not sure.]

Don't want to swim. Gets everything... soggy. [He gestures to his clothing.]

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano looks down at his clothes, and then up at his face— what little he can see of it, at least. ]

...Okay, so, like, do you want the good news first or the bad news?

[ghoulserrand]

[He groans unhappily.]

... Do I have to swim? ...is that... the bad news?

[suddenlybees]

I mean... It's not like you have to, if you're okay staying here forever until you're able to zap away.

[ But barring that? yeah ]

[ghoulserrand]

[He makes another unhappy noise and contemplates sinking down and hugging his knees.

...Not in front of the kid.]

What is the... good news?

[suddenlybees]

[ He wouldn't judge; he's not one for swimming either, evidenced by the fact that he's on this barren island himself. ]

If we scream and yell loud enough, somebody's gotta notice us sooner or later and send help. Bonus points if you know smoke signals.

[ghoulserrand]

...I can't shout... very loud.

[He says, in his still raspy voice. He looks at his hands.]

... I should've looked for matches...

[Shoulda, coulda.]

[suddenlybees]

Hm, well, I guess it's up to me, then! But you should pitch in what you can too! C'mon, what d'you got in your pockets? There's gotta be something useful in there we can use!

[ What does he have on him, Kano's nosy ]

[ghoulserrand]

[He reaches into the pocket of his hoodie. From there, he pulls out a rope.]

Just this... and a piece of paper. Important to me. But the rope... maybe?

[He doesn't know how a rope would help in this situation but he's willing to hear Kano out.]

[suddenlybees]

Ooh, a rope is probably the most useful thing we can have!

[ A rope is something he can definitely use; he holds both hands out for it. How long is it? how thick? ]

And I guess we can burn the paper for our smoke signal. Hope it's not anything important— our survival's important too, though, you know?

[ghoulserrand]

[The rope is tied up with itself to fit in the hoodie pocket but it's decently long when unraveled. Thinner than the rope for a boat but thick enough to be sturdy. It was useful for trapping. He hands it over.

The other suggests gets a shake of his head.]

Too important. Can't ruin it. Too small... anyway.

[suddenlybees]

[ He holds it out from end to end as much as he can, like a skipping rope, to see its length before winding it back around one hand to place inside his own hoodie pocket. Good. ]

Something written on it? You're better of just memorizing it, then, 'cause of all the water and sheep and whatever. I can help! What's it say...

[ghoulserrand]

No.

[He says it firmly, shaking his head. He tilts it then.]

What are you doing... with the rope?

[suddenlybees]

[ Fine... Plan B is to wait until the guy falls asleep and steal that piece of paper and rise getting his eye poked out with an arrowhead. ]

Hm? Safekeeping. In case you, like, zap away in the middle of our project or something. 'sides, you're going to need your pockets empty to gather up as many dry branches and twigs as possible— Meet you back here in ten!

[ghoulserrand]

What? [Hang on.] No... I need that...! For hunting...! I need it back home... I need it here...! It should be... kept safe with me.

[Double hang on. He steps back a moment with the realization, then gestures.]

You have pockets...!

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano laughs, and mirrors the gesture by taking a hop back. ]

They're occupied!

[ With Teo's rope and also now Kano's hands that he shoves inside of them, no room left for twigs. ]

We're gonna get off this island, and then onto another island, and then maybe another. Point is, we gotta leave here first, and you'll get it back before you go home. Nothing to hunt on this island, anyways— it's flat all the way around! No monsters!

[ghoulserrand]

You could... put the rope on the ground...!

[Un-occupy those pockets!!!]

Before I go home... that is.. a trick. Before.... we leave this... island. Please.

[suddenlybees]

[ Make him!! ]

You're waaaaaaayy too trusting! Somebody could come by and snatch it off the ground.

[ Somebody like Kano. Come on, it's not like he can run away with it? Look at him. ]

Have some more faith about getting home, okay? You'll get your rope back! Cross my heart!

[ghoulserrand]

There is... no one... but you...! And you're not... being trustworthy...!

[He's overcome with a fit of coughing. That's too much not-shouting. Okay. Fine.

With a huff, he starts to look around for sticks-- which are not going in his pocket.]

[suddenlybees]

[ That makes him laugh, because trustworthy or not, there is nobody else but him.

But also, please gather sticks properly... because Kano gives himself several paces' space and starts looking around the ground too, also not placing any sticks inside his pocket, like he's waiting for Teo to do it all instead. ]

[ghoulserrand]

[Unhappy as he is with the rope theft and what appears to be him doing all the gathering, he soon falls into a rhythm. Silence and monotonous tasks are part of his day to day. Fairness never factored into any of that, so with enough time, he can forget about the lack of it here.

Back and forth he goes, gathering sticks and then dropping them down by the shore, until he has what he hopes is a sizable pile. He waits for Kano to join him before asking--]

Now what?

[suddenlybees]

[ Kano wanders back empty handed, pockets laden with rope and other little knickknacks he'd picked up in the time he milled around while Teo was hard at work. He crouches down in front of the stack of wood, tilting his head this way and that, as if appraising them, although without touching them. ]

Hmmmmmmmmm... yep! These look good! Great job!

[ His prize iiiiiiiiiiiiiiss... two large rocks! one in either of Kano's hands that he pulls out of his pockets and holds out to Teo. ]

Here, take these. You gotta bang them together until they catch fire.

[ This is how you make fire. He saw it in a movie once. ]