DedonusGabby Dickerson
It was just a normal night when shit hit the fan. On the coastal city of Greenbriar, it was nearly nighttime, and things were just starting to settle down in the city. Up until the lights showed up again, for the first time in 18 years.
Gabby Dickerson, a tree-hugging metalworker and probably one of the very few black people that lived in this town (other than Kiera and her parents, of course), was working overtime tonight to earn some extra cash at the shop. The Shop, a small warehouse where a collection of mechanics and engineers worked on small projects for the town, is where Gabby worked at. One of the only welders and engravers in the town was getting too old, and the only one to apply for the job was Gabby. While her mentor was a little on the racist side and the "I hate all millenials" side, he has grown to really like Gabby, and appreciated her hard work and enthusiasm before handing his job to her. She's grown some great rapport amongst her coworkers, and they appreciate her effort (as well as her dog Kirk, whom she brings to work all of the time).
Gabby was welding together a broken joint for a steering shaft, a steering shaft that belonged to a 1996 Ford Taurus that Ms. Hopewell ended up breaking again. With her welding mask on, her hair tied back in a ponytail and her tool burning hot steel and aluminum together, she concentrated a little on this job. This was easy work for her, she's done this many times before. While not necessarily on a steering joint for a Ford Taurus, but welding in general. She was confident enough in her ability to get the job done.
"Hey, Gabs." Joe, the owner of the shop and Gabby's boss, said, approaching Gabby from behind. The man was filthy, wore overalls, and was quite crass and cursed like a sailor, but, he's an honest man who treats his workers well. "It's almost midnight, and I'm about to close up shop soon. You can pick up where you left off tomorrow, and after that you can take the rest of the day off."
Gabby stopped, lowered her arc welder and raised her mask, turning to Joe. "I'm almost finished with this one, I'll just be a few minutes."
"You said that an hour ago. C'mon, you don't wanna make your momma all too worried about you now, won't you?" Joe said with a soft smirk.
Gabby rolled her eyes. "Fine." She then turned off the power to the welder, and put her tools away. "C'mon Kirk." She tapped her thigh.
Kirk, who was sitting on a doggy bed beside Joe's desk, perked up at his name being called, and immediately ran from the bed to join Gabby at her side.
"Good boy." Gabby smiled, petting Kirk and scratching him behind the ears. She then walked towards the wall and punched out.
Gabby was just walking towards her car, a small white Pontiac Fiero that she got as her first car, and has kept it up with the mechanics ever since she got it. Unlocking the car with one of her keys, she then heard Kirk start barking. Gabby turned to Kirk, to see what direction he was facing. Instead of facing a certain direction along the ground, Kirk was looking up at the sky. "What the..." Gabby looked up... and then it happened.
The lights showed up over time. They were nearly blinding, and Kirk whimpered as Gabby shielded her eyes. "What the fuck!?" Gabby called out as the lights came... and after a bit... they were gone. Just like that. And at that moment... she felt something... different. She felt fear, uncertainty... but it wasn't hers... She looked to Kirk. Kirk was looking straight into her eyes. Both of them were staring at each other for the longest amount of time. Gabby felt this connection with Kirk... not anything like one would have to a family member or a loved one, but... a real connection... and Kirk looked just as weirdly confused as Gabby was. Kirk whimpered a little, and scratched a little at the Fiero's door.
Gabby looked to Kirk. "Just one moment..." She held up her finger. And that, Kirk obeyed, turning around and waiting. Kirk didn't normally do that. Did Kirk just... understand her? Gabby was confused as all hell. She needed answers, and she needed answers now. She immediately opened the door to the car, and allowed Kirk to climb in. She got in as well, closing the door and buckling her seat belt. She felt the strange sort of anxiety Kirk had, and felt his excitement... the same excitement he had every time he hopped into the passenger seat of the car. Gabby was way too confused to figure out what was going on, but she really needed to tell somebody, and find out if this was happening to other people too. "Hold on, buddy!" Gabby called out to Kirk before starting the car, and pulling out from behind the shop.
