|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:45 am
It had been a few days later and Al's bruises had already healed up. What hadn't healed up though was his insatiable appetite and desire for junk food. Unfortunately, the cafeteria seemed to be serving stale and recooked (for the millionth time) noodles covered in tasteless tomato puree with mystery chunks of meat floating in it.
Al decided to cash in.
He shuffled back out of the cafeteria double speed and took out his phone.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:21 am
Melvin was changing into a fresh pair of clothes in his room, his back to the packed boxes and fresh from a shower. He had just woken up a hour ago and had forgotten once again what time it was. He was catching sleep whenever his body decided it wanted to drop, and days and nights were just suggestive now.
The text startled him and he frantically shot across the room to pick it up, eyes wide and stumbling through the buttons to open his inbox.
What he saw instantly dropped his features.
It wasn't the person the expected.
Deflated, he sat down on his bed and glanced at the empty space beside him. He opened the message and read it.
He hadn't remembered how long since it had been since he had dinner...or lunch. Whatever the meal was that he had last.
It was a granola bar from the vending machine. You picked it up with another cup of coffee. You really need to eat something. She scolded, her voice sassier than normal. Saliva had been aggitated the moment he had the bracelet and since she never had been restricted before, had started to twist and turn in his head like a restless creature. He could feel her squirm inside of him.
She also was hissing when idle. A sort of low clittering that he hadn't expected her to do but felt was payment for getting the bracelet on. It made him uncomfortable, startling him at odd moments since it reminded him too much of a cockroach and a snake mixed together. Something alien - and not in the good amazing franchise way.
He wasn't sure if he was up for going anywhere.
Go. GO! Get off this stupid island for once. You haven't left in months.He texted back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:33 am
Al smirked at the response and started walking towards the portals as he typed his own reply.
Then he figured Melvin may have wanted just a bit more detail after that last stunt.Text to Melvin Also bring your wallet, I'm cashing in. >:}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:42 am
He checked his watch and read the message, standing up and picking out a normal jacket instead of his uniform and headed out. He probably could just pick up some other things maybe after eating or maybe some more plant books and food for the trouble plants that weren't doing well in his care.
He arrived shortly after, rubbing one eye and looking a little worn. "Hey."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:47 am
"Man, you look like s**t." Al waved a hand at Melvin in greeting. "Got anything specific in mind? I don't think I've ever had anything actually from America." Unless crappy island food counted...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:54 am
He was rather surprised by this. "I didn't know you weren't American. I just assumed you were."
He walked into the lighthouse and headed up the stairs with Al. If it was his call, he didn't want to go to someplace too expensive, but he was now more hungry now that someone had made him focus on it.
Then, suddenly, he thought of one place that called to him. A place that made his heart hurt slightly, but still felt needed at a time like this.
"Have you ever had clams before?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:06 am
"With an accent like this? ******** no man."
Al shook his head at Melvin. "Clams? Nah man, never tried them. Aren't they slimy?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:12 am
"Depends on how you have them." He said, and moved ot a tech to give their destination.
He waited and soon a portal came up, and he was informed by a tech that he would probably have to take a short taxi ride to where he wanted. Someplace that rural would not have many portals. It wasn't a major city after all.
"Follow me. I know a place."
He stepped into the portal.
On the other side was a street with trees behind them, lush with the changing colors of fall. A small town filtered out before them. The sky was a dismal gray and the wind was chill already.
Melvin took out his phone and then started to dial the number for a cab and walked over to a bench. There was that slight tinge of salt to the air that made him take a deep breath.
"Let me get us a taxi. We're not far from the place." He said, perking up when he got someone on the line. He gave their direction with very little trouble in pinpointing where he was, pausing to look around and check a few street signs before hanging up. He then stood there, a faint smile on his face and taking even, measured breathes as he looked out into the distance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:46 am
Al followed obediently though he was a bit uncertain now at the prospect of gooey snot being on the menu.
On the other side, he felt... excited. It was like back home, but different. He had come from a slightly higher-end but sleepy area. The weather though was spot on. All it needed was to start drizzling and stay that way for the next forever.
It was then Al noticed the way Melvin was acting. It was clear he'd been here before. Even knew the taxi number by heart apparently... Al raised a brow at him curiously. "An old haunt?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:56 am
He broke out of his trance to look at Al. "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Kinda. This is Maine. I grew up here. Not in this town. A few hours away. My family would stop in this town when we visited my grandmother to eat. It has a very nice restaurant and I just ....haven't been to this state since I left."
Which had been over a year ago. He had been avoiding Maine all together, worried that he might be spotted or that he might not want to leave. Now, he just didn't feel like that was possible. He felt too different, and he didn't' feel as if he had much to loose anyways if he was spotted.
The taxi wasted no time, pulling up a few minutes later.
Inside, Melvin sat and adjusted his jacket. The driver had a divider between them to allow them privacy. Melvin opened the small window and gave the address before shutting the window and sitting back. He did not lean all the way back though, wary about the cab headrest and the many strangers who used the cab between cleanings.
"Have you been to many places in the states since coming here or do you visit back home a lot?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:01 am
"Not at all actually," Al answered as he took the seat next to Melvin, and unlike him just sprawled comfortably as soon as he had his seat belt on. "I don't think I've taken any proper leave since I got here. Maybe like, portals to random shops in the UK to get stuff I missed eating... or mission s**t... but that's about it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:07 am
"I think that's what a lot of us do. Trying to cram errands on the precious few days we have off the island. Eat what we can. Buy what we can. Enjoy whatever movies he can. I don't think we get much time to actually feel like what we used to do. I wish we had more time for that." He missed sitting in movie theaters. He missed the restaurants that made him feel warm and invited. He missed sitting on a curb with someone and just talking in the general space of others that went on with their days around him. These were all things you couldn't pack up and take home to the island with you. These were things that you could never have. They just used what little days they had to take pieces of it back if they could.
The taxi wound it's way through sleepy suburbs with no hitches. Traffic was nearly non-existent, and as the taxi drove, the woods would dwindle in and out showing a coast of dark blue waters under a gray sky.
Small boats dotted the water from time to time.
At last, they took a turn and then another, before the taxi slowed down and stopped in front of a brown building. It was small, one story, and had wooden siding. A sign called "Marel's" hang from a sign and a chalkboard sign sat on the sidewalk advertising fresh lobster.
Melvin stepped out, paying the taxi driver and stood on the sidewalk for Al to step out. "I'm not much into burgers if I have to take leave to eat. I hope this works for you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:54 am
Al looked around and breathed in the fresh non-tropical air. He looked at the chalkboard sign. You almost forget these sorts of things even exist when you reside in a world where they don't. Lobster. He looked thrilled at that suggestion. But didn't miss at all what Melvin was saying.
"Well, I haven't really seen movies either. I just sort of load a cart with everything I like and miss. Buy it, then go back to the island. Was I not supposed to do that?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:29 pm
"Yeah, you wasted your day by only using a few hours of it. You sould do something like eat out or watch a movie or something and then use the otehr half of the day to shop if you have to. That or just, shop and then crash at a hotel if you get two days straight and want to use them back to back. Sleeping in a nice hotel does wonders." Especially if you had someone with you.
He walked inside, watching that Al was folowing, and gestured with two held fingers at the young waitress in a apron that was walking by with a tray of mason jar cups. She made a motion that she would be a moment, and left before coming back shortly after, dusting her hands off on her apron, and picking up a clipboard and a pen from the counter.
"Two then? Booth or window?" She asked, and Melvin was glad that that meant the place wasn't packed. "Window."
She gestured for them to follow. The restaurant was homey, with a nautical theme, and various paintings of ships and lighthouses lined the walls spotted every so often with knick-nacks of anchors and small boat models. A few pictures were that of vintage sailors and fishermen.
At a booth by the windows, she set their silverware and cups down. "I'll give you two a moment." She said, and she walked off down the aisle.
Melvin opened the menu, even if he already knew what he was getting. "I don't know what you do for fun where you are from, but you should try a few things when you are on leave. You have a whole month to think about what you want to do so I suggest planning ahead so that you don't rush everything. Watching a movie is at least doable and nice. Keeps you from feeling like you are centuries behind everyone else when it comes to entertainment."
He then realized something when he looked at the menu. "Oh...I forgot to ask if you even like seafood."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:56 am
"I don't like doing that kind of s**t alone," Al admitted while eyeballing his surroundings as they followed the waitress. "I'm no like... dependent or anything but memories seem meaningless unless they're shared." This for instance was an entirely new memory for him. He'd never been here and had never been in a place decorated like it either. Had he been alone, he would have felt awkward and uncomfortable and probably wouldn't have had the balls to order anything in the end, especially anything new. With someone else present, especially one who knew this place, he had reason to try things - to impress and ultimately relax and have fun.
Al anxiously opened his menu after sitting down. He'd never tried most of the things he found inside its crisp pages. He looked up from it momentarily. "I don't know, unless you count fried fish as seafood. I havenae tried more than that." He lingered a bit too long on the page with the lobster on it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
