[CENTER][Img]https://i.imgur.com/8BJy5WD.png[/img]
[@Prosaic][@Surtr Inc]
[Sub]
[b][code]Camping Trail[/code][/b]
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"Ouh!" A grunt slipped forth from a hoodie-clad figure's mouth as a branch recoiled and whacked him over the back of the head, "Fuck you, tree."

Somehow, Nate had let himself get roped into this - not that he [i]really[/i] knew anyone here yet, but he'd heard from and spoken to enough people to know where to go. Maybe it was just him to blame - there hadn't been anyone tugging at his sleeve for him to come. It just beat doing nothing, sat on his ass whilst everyone else had a good time - and he wanted a good time, for a change. Which was why he was out here, stumbling through the woods on the trail to the camp - a very light knapsack clinging to his shoulders.

He felt a buzz from his pocket, prompting him to stop for a moment and reach down for his phone, sliding it out of his pocket - he swiped and checked his text messages.

[code]
-Viv-
Have fun with your friend, don't get into trouble[/code]

Trouble? He shot a quick message back,

[code]
Quent will bail me out if they catch me
[/code]

It didn't take long to get a response.

[code]
-Viv-
He can't shoot every witness.
Seriously though, have fun - and be safe[/code]

She made a good point.

[code]
Yes ma'am
[/code]

Of course, nobody back home knew he was out here here - as far as they were concerned, Nate was headed out and stopping with a 'friend' at Grand Ridge - not out here in the middle of the woods, ready to wipe his ass with poison ivy leaves.

His Aunt Viv probably wouldn't have appreciated the idea, whilst Quent probably would have had a few choice words for it - yes, [i]Uncle[/i] Quentin, who was in fact no biological relative of Nate's at all, in fact he wouldn't have even passed for a blood relative if the two were stood together because of one obvious factor - whilst Nate had the pale skin complexion of someone who'd spent their life in Washington state, Quent on the other hand was black, with an accent that suggested he'd grown up in Los Angeles or somewhere around it. 

Oh, and he was a beat cop - or, had been one back when he had lived in LA, though after his marriage to Vivian he'd retired from that, then taken up a local sheriff's department. It was a safer life, at least - you didn't get much in the way of drug busts or gangbangers around Farmer's Hill and Viv was grateful for that.

So, no need to compensate for her gratitude and relief by giving her more bullshit to to worry about. 

Pushing thoughts of the two [i]real[/i] parental figures (since the CEO of KW&Co Haulage was always preoccupied with other matters) in his life aside, Nate continued onwards up the trail - making out the glow of a campfire and rising smoke in the distance, with the backdrop of that mountain lurking just behind it. 

[i]Great, just think on that.[/i]

Seeing it at night, this time of night, no artificial lighting, was different to observing it in daylight - it almost reminded him of the monolithic behemoths that marked the skyline in his home state of Washington, except unlike Bellevue or Tacoma there was no great cityscape to challenge that imposition. Throw on top of that all this stuff about people disappearing?

[i]No wonder this place spooked some of the locals.[/i] Nate felt a chill running down his spine just from looking at it, nevermind going there. At least the camp was on the right side of the fence, else maybe he'd have given it some second thoughts. Too many hours running through Silent Hill, Raccoon City and hostile woods at night from the confines of his bedroom had given him instincts for those kind of places.

He stepped in closer, where the cabins were close up in sight and plenty of other figures were seen wandering around, one even brushing past him. On his way in, he couldn't help but notice a familiar face - though not one he particularly liked, staggering away, muttering something under bated breath. 

This guy, he recognised. 

He was Sheriff Reese's kid, an obnoxious prick that Nate had been graced to meet once before whilst Quent had first been taking him around town. No doubt someone had probably clocked him for acting like the shithead he was - it was even tempting to make a barbed remark about it too, but second thoughts crept up - Nate figured it was best if Reese didn't know he was here. Last thing he needed was the guy bitching to his old man, who in turn would bitch to Quent - and get him into shit from there. Instead, he stepped past, intentionally kicking up some of the dirt from his boots towards Reese's kid, prompting him to swear at him a few times. Not that it made a difference - he kept his hood pulled up enough that he could easily get past without being recognised and within seconds he'd slipped inside the camp, blending in with the half-dozen other party goers.

It was too crowded around the campfire for his tastes, though Nate recognised a few faces here and there - Claire Sullivan, Hagan something, Dex Quinto - plus others who's faces he couldn't put names to. 

Instead, Nate turned his gaze towards the lake - and the docks by them, where there were people - but less people. And with that, plenty of sitting and/or standing room - whichever he felt like. Closing in, he made out two dark-skinned girls with similarly messy mops of hair talking, neither of them ringing any 'local girl' alarms on his accent detector. If anything, they each gave him an East Coast vibe - though for different reasons. Letting off a grunt, he stepped closer towards them, setting a palm on the handrail by one of the walkways, "Someone forgot to bring their boat."