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 Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:27 am
"What? Really? Who'd have thought a river had wet stuff in it," he retorted with sharp British wit that he could only master occasionally.
He bumped his bottom a little bit on the river bed, but was none the worse for wear, already flailing around in attempts at getting back his swimming rhythm.
"Jesus, I haven't been swimming in ages!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:40 am
Aislinn laughed, splashing him again,
"I haven't been properly swimming in years. But, I have been visiting the beach regularly since I got here."
She let her hands float in the water, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness the stuff gave her,
"This place...I feel a lot different now," she smiled, "Like..I don't know. Like I've learned a lot more about myself."
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:12 am
"I should tell Sayuri about this river. I doubt Billy comes this far up very often," he said, mostly as thinking aloud.
He was still eager to take Sayuri swimming for real, since it seemed a shame to waste that tail of hers. Actually, Oz had noticed he had stopped recoiling in horror at some of the Islander's features, often thinking of them with envy and 'what-ifs.' He'd pondered his fate, and now that he thought about it, a rhino or elephant were big and strong. Not many predators would wanna mess with an angry ele-man.
"Meh, the only thing I've learned is that I can't keep my promises," he said with only the merest afterthought of its double meaning.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:11 am
She shrugged,
"I guess it mostly seems like it gives you more time to think. Like...I dunno, I sort've wish I'd given Erik more of a chance, y'know? He wanted to be there for me. Though, I did have my family to help me through everything."
The woman pushed painfully off the bottom of the river, lying on her back in the water and staring up at the sky,
"But, y'know, it would've been nice to have a real family of my own sometime. Y'know?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:24 am
"Everybody has done something they regret at some point in their life, usually in the heat of a moment or an argument," he said, speaking with a little more honesty than one might expect.
Oz paddled around a little bit, more into exploring this river rather than swim for exercise. His eyes kept drifting back to Aislinn but he wasn't sure why. Yeah, she looked great in that bikini, but it was more to make sure she was alright. He was only aware of Alec and Billy as aquatic inhabitants, there could be something worse lurking.
"Kids are great. I love kids. The best time of your life is childhood," he said, slooshing past her gently as he continued on his rounds of the river.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:28 am
She grinned, her hair floating on the water's surface,
"I wasn't mad. I liked him. Eh."
She let herself fall and watched as Oz paddled around,
"Just...was thinking about what Brian said. Mentioned that I'd had my whole life ahead of me, and now that I"m here...I can't help thinking that it wouldn't have mattered anyhow, y'know? I would've spent another eighty years sticking my hands in cats and dogs for a living and then died eventually, but...I was so bitter. I kinda...-wanted- to be alone, y'know? Even Liam said I was a lot more distant after the accident."
It was getting a lot easier to talk about it, now that some of the pain was lessening and she had more difficult things on her mind.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:35 am
Oz chewed his tongue and wriggled his toes in the water as he thought. The water always brought out a more childish side to him.
"Well, no offence, but thats a bit of a morbid outlook. Either way, we're all screwed now," he answered rather bluntly.
It was quite obvious Oz was uncomfortable talking about his time on this Island. He'd already done things that made him feel like some kind of pervert, and he was constantly living in fear of being eaten or what he might become.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:37 am
She blinked,
"Oh. Right. Well, then."
She started to climb out of the water,
"Hey, I'm going to go ahead and start making my way back. I'm pretty slow, and I don't want to be out after dark.."
She -never- left the Village after dark, and tended to be pretty careful even there when it was.
"So, I guess I'll catch you another time, huh?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:47 am
Well done genius!
Oz looked shocked that Aislinn climbed out of the river. Then he looked reproachful, a little unsure about what he'd said to get a frosty reception from Aislinn. He continued to paddle about in silence, looking at Aislinn guiltily.
"Umm yeah...it was nice catching up with you Aislinn," he said, trying to make up for things with a more cheerful tone.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:49 am
She smiled,
"Yeah. Anytime you need me, you know where to find me."
She draped her clothing over her shoulder, taking up the cane again and starting to hobble off. If he didn't want to talk, neither did she. He obviously had other things on his mind right now, anyhow. She'd just go home and relax.
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:55 am
Still struggling with his typically male blunder, he watched Aislinn hobble away. Concentration and thought tensed his whole face as he paddled about a bit more, before deciding that swimming alone was no fun at all. Like Aislinn, he clambered out of the river and carried his clothing over his shoulder, his camcorder bag over the other shoulder.
Maybe he'd figure it out later and apologise to Aislinn, whatever it was he'd done.
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