(no subject)

[ladyfirestarter]

"It doesn't seem to be related to what happened last winter," Charlie's saying as the two women make their way slowly along the lakeshore, "but I'm wondering if it could be something left over."

The sun's dipping low toward the horizon, but isn't down yet. Charlie is wearing a messenger bag, open at the top, and carrying (but not yet using) her cane.

Comments

[ladyfirestarter]

"True," she concedes. It's a little absent; she's looking at Olivia with some concern. "You sure you want to be out here?"

[flip_the_lights]

"I do."

Firm, and without hesitation.

[ladyfirestarter]

Another nod; she's not going to press.

"Okay. If it's just a patron who walked in through the front door, the question is whether or not it knows what it's doing."

[flip_the_lights]

"I wondered that, too. But considering the only form of communication it's shown are those marks..."

Another unfelt gesture toward the trees, and another sigh. They're almost to the line dividing grass from forest.

[ladyfirestarter]

"Yes. This is where they've been seen?"

The sun is still at least an hour from setting, but it's already deeply shadowy under the trees.

[flip_the_lights]

"One of the places," she says. "But they seem to be more...frequent..."

Olivia trails off.

Because now that her eyes are adjusting to the gloom, it's clear that they've become more frequent than she realized: scratched deep into the bark of every tree like sightless eyes, some trunks bearing two or even three circled X's.

[dont_turn_around]

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's own eyes widen.

Low: "There weren't this many before, were there."

[flip_the_lights]

"No." Just as quiet and flat as Charlie. "Not anywhere near."

She stretches out a hand to the closest one, then thinks better of it and draws back. Something in her head had switched from communication to evidence, like the marks delineate a dead body.

[ladyfirestarter]

Moving slowly, cautiously, as though trying not to frighten something off (or spur something to attack), Charlie dips one hand into her pocket. Lifts out a cellphone, without taking her eyes from the trees.

Her voice doesn't change, doesn't rise. "I'm gonna try to get a picture."

[flip_the_lights]

Olivia nods, silent, and pads back a step to stay out of frame.

"Worth it to take video, too?"

[ladyfirestarter]

"Might be. I'll try stills first."

A pause.

"You feel it, don't you?"

[flip_the_lights]

"Yeah." By now, it's barely a breath, as if they're on the verge of disturbing whatever left the symbols. Olivia checks her sight lines; after another moment's debate, she pulls off her gloves.

It'll be easier to handle her gun without knitwear getting in the way, no matter how cold it might be.

[dont_turn_around]

Curioser and curioser

[ladyfirestarter]

She doesn't have to say what it is they both feel. Something undeniably present; something undeniably inimical.

Something watching.

One still photo. Another.

Charlie spares a quick glance at her phone to see if the pictures are taking.

[flip_the_lights]

The cold wraps around her lungs like tendrils; Olivia's next breath threatens to turn into another cough. She presses her free hand to her mouth like she's trying to stifle something much worse.

Her other hand stays at her hip, every muscle tensed around the gun in preparation.

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie glances at her swiftly.

Then, with her eyes back on the trees: "Could you use a little warmth?"

[flip_the_lights]

A barely present smile.

"I wouldn't say no, if you're offering."

[ladyfirestarter]

Slowly, carefully -- oh so carefully -- Charlie pushes a little heat Olivia's way.

Not too close. She's very mindful of the fact that Olivia's holding a gun.

[flip_the_lights]

She exhales a long breath, taking care not to let it devolve into a cough. It starts out as a plume of mist; by the time her lungs are empty, it's no longer visible in the warming air.

"Thanks," she murmurs.

[ladyfirestarter]

"If you feel it start to get warmer suddenly," she says, low, "say something. Say something fast. I don't think this is messing with my fire, but ..."

Two more photos, and she lowers the phone to switch to video.

[flip_the_lights]

She nods, readjusting her grip on her gun. "I will."

Something rustles to their left; immediately, Olivia whips toward it with her weapon raised.

[dont_turn_around]

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie forces herself to keep her eyes where they are. "What is it?"

It's darker under those trees than it should be. She can't see as far into the woods as she could a moment ago.

[flip_the_lights]

After a long beat of tense silence, Olivia lowers her gun a few inches, trying to peer deeper into the forest. "I can't tell."

Like hell is she going to say anything like it's probably just the wind.

Low: "We should get out of here soon."