[IC] The Few and The Far (Dizzy & Crim)

[Master Crim]

We were able to get some form of civilized life going eventually, but because of that we were a major target for raiders. They came a lot, sometimes twice or more a day, they would try to get past the wall we made around out town. It wasn't until recently that i started to question our survivability here with them coming so often. Just last spring the Raiders hit hard and took out half of the wall guard, and now I am not so sure that it is wise to stay here.

^V^V^V^V-----The Few and The Far-----V^V^V^V^

Joshua was in his 'home' packing up some provisions for his journey out of town when Caleb, one of his friends, came bursting into his his house.

"What are you-!" he yelled but stopped short as Josh had his 1911 Colt 9mm drawn in an instant aiming at Caleb. Caleb slowly raised his hands into the air. "Hey, man." he paused. his voice breaking in nervousness. "it's me Caleb."

Josh lowered the gun and set it back on the couch with an aggravated sigh. "Caleb, your going to get yourself shot doing that. you know that right?" he went back to packing his bag.

"Well, I heard that you were leaving town... Is that true?" Caleb asked. Josh looked up at him with that look you give a friend when they ask a stupid question.

"No, I am packing a bag so I can go camping in my back yard for a week. Yes!" He said zipping up his pack and holstering his pistol. "This place isn't safe anymore, and from what i have heard Huston has an actual government system going and they are just five years away from being back to a semi-normal city." Josh strapped on his quiver and picked up his bow.

"But how do you know these are true? what if you go out there and-"

"What, I die?" Josh interrupted. He was standing staring hard at Caleb who wouldn't move out of his way. "Well here is how I see it, and i have told you this many times. I can either stay here in a sheep's pen waiting for the wolves to come and kill me OR I can make a break for Huston where there is a fifty-fifty chance of me finding what I am looking for." Josh then nudged him out of the way and stepped out the door. Caleb followed shortly after saying.

"What about us, here. You are part of the wall patrol and we are already short handed. If you leave do you know what the others are going to do?" This was the rhetoric question that had kept him here all year, but no more. Josh turned to Caleb and said in a hushed tone.

"I know what message this will send to them, and either way this town will die or become another thieves den for full of marauders. Now I want no part in that so here and now i am leaving." At that he turned and started heading towards the East gate where hia journey would begin.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Tonight was the night. Jinny checked her hidden bag one more time, making sure she had everything she could think of. All the rations she could get her hands on, one fairly sharp meat knife she'd stolen, the little bit of clothing she had, and a very worn picture of her mother and father, from... before. They looked happy, on the day of their wedding. Someone had found her mother a white dress, and her father was wearing his best clothes. They were holding hands, tight, and smiling broadly into the camera. A pang of pain welled up in her chest. She missed her father desperately, his voice and his warm hugs, and most of all his strength. He'd want her to be strong. He'd want her to live. That's what she kept telling herself.

She knew she could easily die, going out into the wastes the way she planned to. But she would rather die on her own then live, constantly hungry and hated and useless. No one liked the orphans. They were extra mouths to feed without anything to contribute, or at least that's what she'd overheard. That's why she was glad no one would care if she left. The people who loved her were gone, and she had to go on, by herself.

Jinny rose up from the corner of the bedroom that she shared with the other orphan girls. All of the others were at their small recreation area, some playing games, the older ones talking to boys. She'd slipped out, unnoticed. It helped that she was small for her age. She was ten, and a lot of people thought she was eight. It was sometimes really annoying, but the other times it was good. She set the bag on her slim shoulders, and made sure it was secure before she moved to the window.

She'd figured out how to pick the lock well over a month ago. It had been easier to pick the lock than to find the tools to do it with. The window slid down easily, and she hoisted herself up and over, one leg at a time. Once she was out, she pushed it back up to close it. Then she headed toward the East Gate, not even looking back.

[Master Crim]

Joshua walked past many houses and people that knew him who, in a futile effort, like Caled tried to get him to stay, but he just didn't have any confidence in this small town anymore. He wanted to leave and nothing could convince him otherwise. It was about 7 O'clock when he reached the gate and the daily scavenging group was coming back im their U-Haul trucks that were hopefully carrying supplies. As they made their way in he made his way out of town passing the 8 trucks.

He walked for a while without looking back, the thin forest on either side barren of wildlife that it once contained. After a little while down the road he finally turned looking at the welcom sign laying in the ditch riddled with holes then at the gate in the distance. He had only walked 2 or 3 miles but the town could be barely seen through the trees. "Goodbye, and good luck." He whispered as he stood there.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jin darted from hiding spot to hiding spot, getting nearer to the gate with every burst of movement. It was getting darker now, and she knew there was a very small window of time for her to get out the gate. Daylight, and it would be too bright for her to sneak around. Full dark, and everyone would have lights on, lighting up the shadows she needed. But the in-between of sunset was the perfect balance. It was dim, but no one had their lights on just yet.

She made it near to the gate, only one last burst of distance to go. The trucks were coming in, and the guards' attention immediately went to them. Supplies were vital. With that bit of luck, and the guards' heads turned the other way, she headed out the gate, and then broke out into a careful jog. She was scrawny, yes, but sometimes that meant her lack of weight gave her extra endurance. It was a few miles from town before she dared stop, leaning against a tree. She'd done it! She'd made it out! A smile lit her face and she moved from her hiding spot- only to dart back to it immediately. Someone was out there! It was too far away to tell if he was nice or not, but she could only assume not. Unzipping the pocket on her supply pouch, she grabbed the meat knife and gripped it tight in her small fist.

"I worked too hard to die now." Her black eyes narrowed as she waited for the stranger to move.

[Master Crim]

Josh looked at the town a little while more before it hit him; he was alone now, with no one to watch his back anymore he would have to be extra careful. He knew that traveling at night through these parts was safe enough, but once he reached new places he would have to travel by day and keep his wits about him. As he turned to leave he noticed a bit of movement in the trees, and decided to let it be for now. Walking further from town he drew his bow and readied an arrow keeping his ears open to his surroundings as he went.

[Mistress Dizzy]

As the stranger headed away, Jinny relaxed and breathed out. She started to move as well. Her low weight and small frame made her steps quiet, but her practice at sneaking around in places she wasn't supposed to be in made her motions approach complete silence. The jostling of the bag on her back made more noise than she did, and she wasn't sure how to mask that yet.

Apparently she and this stranger were headed in the same direction. Jinny realized this after it had been another two miles and he hadn't changed course. She was running out of cover, though, soon she'd be almost completely out in the open. But she didn't dare reveal herself. It was too close to town. Even if this man didn't kill her, he could easily take her back to where she'd come from. Which was just as good as being dead, in her eyes.

[Master Crim]

Josh continued waslking for a few miles watching the moon rise from the east ahead of him. It's soft glow was enough to light his way, but not ideal for seeing long distances. Which bothered him cuz every now and again he would here something faint off in the woods. It wasn't anything big he could tell that much, but it seemed to be almost following him. As he walked down the road the forest began to thin even more giving this thing less to hide behind. As a cloud passed infront of the moon making things significantly darker he disappeared into some cover, and once the cloud passed the road was empty.

"I know your there." Josh's voice echoed through the woods. "It's foolish to try and jump someone alone, walk out to the road and I wont kill you." Who ever this was didn't really have much of a choice. With the thinning cover they would be seen moving around, and his offer was as nice as they come.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny frowned, stopping behind a thin tree. One second the stranger had been there. Then it had got dark- and then he was gone. She looked around, entirely puzzled. But then she heard his voice, from all around. "Oh crap." She murmured under her breath. He'd spotted her- and he was calling her out. What to do? Hide and hope for the best? Follow his orders and hope he wasn't lying about not killing her? After several long seconds of debate, she put away the knife, but not so far that she couldn't reach it quickly.

Raising her hands in a gesture of surrender, she stepped out into the open road. "Why would I try to jump you? I don't even know you!"

[Master Crim]

Joshua was shocked when he saw that the peraon following him was just a girl. He didn't know what to do or say about it either. Putting his bow and arrow away he stepped out on to thw road with her only about 10 feet away. what is this, a trick? he asked himself. He brought his hans to the sides of his hips where his knife was fasistened and asked.
"What are you doing out here?"

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny kept her hands where they could be seen, staring up at the man with her dark eyes. He asked her what she felt was a really dumb question, and she treated it as such. "I'm walking. What else would I be doing out here? You're walking too." That was a weird thing to say.

Sometimes she forgot she was a kid.

[Master Crim]

After the girls reply Joashua looked down the road to the town that could no longer be seen the back behind himself where again there was nothing. "So you just decided that a walk four, five miles from town was something you wanted to do?"Josh asked. He waitied just long enough for her to think about the statement she made then asked his real question. "Why are you running? There is nothing out here for you but death." As they stood there a cool breeze came through the warm night air and another cloud pasted by but Josh did not lose site of the girl.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny narrowed her eyes at the man. She honestly didn't feel like explaining, but what choice did she have? "Nothing back in town but death, too. One's just a lot quicker." She folded her arms across her slim chest. "I got a weapon, anyway, so I at least I got a chance of living." Her eyes flicked off, the first sign of how upset her buried feelings were. "Back home, it'll be slow but it'll be death, for sure."

[Master Crim]

Josh looked at her for a moment then shrugged and started to walk away. It seemed she had the same feelings he did, and wanted to get away. He didn't see her as a threat so he just continued on his way. "Good luck!" He called back. "Hope you can fight."

[Mistress Dizzy]

"Of course I can! I'm small, not stupid." She let out a tiny huff, and looked on as the man kept moving. Fine by her. Pulling her knife from her pack again, she settled on a somewhat more relaxed grip and started walking again. They were still going in the same direction, and while Jinny barely made any noise as she walked, the clinking and clanking from her pack was enough to be heard in the silence of the growing night.

[Master Crim]

Josh stopped abruptly, and waited a moment. He kept hearing the rattling of the girl's pack as she followed him, and it made it quite difficult to listen for any approaching dangers. "If your going to follow me your going to have to stop that racket." He said turning and kneeling down. "Come here and I'll take a look." He knew that he was still a stranger and she probably doesn't trust him but that noise would alert anyone for 15 yards down wind.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jinny stopped just after he turned, the grip on the knife tightening. She frowned at him, giving him a steady look with narrowed black eyes. Finally she seemed to decide, shrugging the pack from her slim shoulders and approaching him with it. "Okay. But if you try and steal anything I'll stab you in the hand."

[Master Crim]

Josh chuckled as he grabbed the bag. "Why would do that?" He asked as the tightened the straps. He then opened the pack and sorted the items inside so the wouldn't rattle so much. Took out his knife and cut off the useless buckles on the back of it then handed it back.

[Mistress Dizzy]

Jin visibly flinched when his knife came out, but relaxed when it wasn't pointed at her. She watched him sort things, and noted the way he made them fit in tight so they wouldn't move. She took it back, slung it around her shoulders, then smiled faintly. "Thank you." She bounced slightly on her feet and the bag barely jostled. "It feels lighter."

[Master Crim]

"That's because it is not so loose, and doesn't bounce on your shoulders as much." Josh replied putting his knife back. "This doesn't mean we are partners. I just don't want you to cuase my death." He then drew his bow, readied and arrow and continued walking down the road.
"What's your plan anyway?" He asked knowing she would be following him.

[Mistress Dizzy]

"Partners? Tch. Again, small, not stupid." She knew she'd be useless to him. Orphans were useless. She waited several seconds before starting to walk in the same direction. "Actually, I don't have a plan. I guess... camp out and not have people hate me." She shrugged a bit.