One Month Forward
It had been a long yet quick month. That first day in Newnan was one that no one would ever forget as long as they lived and some were more affected than others. Victor had a lot to deal with his first month within these walls. From the moment he left the truck that brought him here, Victor had been shifting from patient to patient and dilemma to dilemma. He had scarcely had any time to himself until Captain Ashton had brought him into the distillery work group. It was oddly relaxing working on something that's life was not depending on his skills.
Victor stretched out on his bed and rested his head in the palms of his hands, his fingers interlaced to make the most comfortable of cradles that cupped the crown of his head. His eyelids were heavy but that was always the case when he didn't wake at 5am for the infirmary shift. He only did the odd day when he was needed in the distillery but it was always nice when it was slightly pre-scheduled because he could manage to sleep in past sunrise. He felt himself humming slightly, a melody that he used to sing to his daughter when she was unable to rouse from her sleepy state in the mornings. He felt his chest tighten some and he let out a weary sigh as he thought about his baby girl and wondered if she were still alive like he was. He was sure she was, she was always strong and brave. His mind then wandered to thoughts of his son and he closed his eyes before they began to water.
He knew as soon as he thought about his son he would begin to think about his grandchildren and he couldn't bear the thought. Sitting upright on the edge of his cot, Victor rubbed his face between his hands and lightly slapped his cheeks. He switched his radio on and decided it was time to move. Shaking his head and standing upright, Victor jumped slightly at the sound of the radio sounding on his nightstand so soon. Ash's voice brought a sombre smile to Victor's face and he let out a sigh for an entirely different reason. He was definitely going to have his work cut out for him with that one. He'd yet to be able to pin Ashton down to sit and talk about what he had experienced the day that Victor and Zoie had arrived in Newnan but Victor couldn't exactly blame him.
Gathering his things together and splashing his face, Victor dried himself off and got dressed in his distillery garb; khaki cargo pants and a loose blue linen shirt. He slipped his boots on and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows before grabbing his satchel pack of first aid kit and left his quarters, locking the door behind him. He glanced around the courthouse and bid good morning and smiles to all those that he passed. He made his way towards the infirmary and peered inside to see Astrid and Bridgette inside. He was glad to see the now vacant bed that had been occupied by Sophia for the past month. He was glad she had pulled through and he hoped her rehabilitation worked well for her. He'd need to work on finding a replacement appendage type for her and see if he could make it work with the help from the textbooks they had managed to salvage.
Not wanting to disturb the sister Vikings, Froggy simply smiled and slipped his head back out of the room before heading outside to make his way towards the mess hall. The sun was beating down today and Victor lapped up the warmth on his face as he stood at the doorway of the Courthouse building. He took a deep breath and turned to make his way to the Mess hall before he noticed Zoie running at a full pelt towards the front gates. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at his radio and tuned it for Zoie's walkie then thought better of it. She would radio him if she needed him. Placing it back on the hip of his belt, Victor walked over to the mess hall and made his way inside. He spotted Ashton and then noticed two new faces.
"Bienvenue à Newnan! Welcome welcome, my name is Victor. I am the resident doctor. I do 'ope you are both comfortable 'ere?" He beamed at the young man and woman, his face lighting up as if he had never met anyone new in his entire life. His attention quickly turned towards Ashton as he gave a very light salute before chuckling to himself as he spoke.
"Capitaine, I am reporting for duty." Taking the vacant seat that Zoie had just left, Victor sat himself down and looked at the young couple before him again, their hands interlaced together.
"That is cute." He nodded to their hands and gave them both a warm smile before his attention turned to the tray of food that Miss Sally had brought over for him.
"Merci beaucoup, Mademoiselle Sally. 'Ow is your 'ip treating you? Is that ointment 'elping with the pain?" "Yes, thank you dear for asking. I may need some every week! These hips aren't what they used to be, doctor."
Victor chuckled and shooked his head before taking Miss Sally's hand in his own, patting the top of her hand lightly with his.
"Mademoiselle, you wound this man's 'eart saying such things of yourself! You are as supple as the ash tree! Do not let anyone tell you any different." He then kissed the back of Miss Sally's hand and gave her a pleasant smile before turning his attention to his food.
"Aaah, the morning feast looks almost as amazing as you do! Amazing as usual, Miss Sally. Let me know if you need anything. I will be working distillery today with Monsieur Ash."
The sun had barely risen when Bryn made her way over the walls of Newnan. She was all too aware that she should be leaving through the gates but rather than bothering people to open them up for her, she just climbed up and over and let the guards know she was heading out and when she'd be back roughly. She knew better than to not tell someone where she was going for fear of Zoie chastising her for breaking rules. She had her crossbow and her whacker and that was all she needed right now, sure it would be nice to be able to use Grace for hunting but her girl was too loud for such subtle requirements.
Walking through the wooded area to the Eastern side of Newnan, Bryn made her way through the trees and found a good one to climb up near a clearing that she found was always pretty busy with woodland critters just ripe for the hunting. Bryn bit into the fresh peach she'd grabbed from the kitchen counter and bit into it, the juices dribbled down her chin and she smacked her lips together as she enjoyed the sweet nectar that filled her mouth. Damn she had missed fresh fruit so badly and she didn't even realise it. There were so many things that she missed from the world before...
But she missed nothing more than she missed Bobby. She rested her head against the trunk of the tree she had climbed and swung her legs over the edge of the tree branch. Her bat was strapped to her back and her crossbow was resting in her lap as she watched the clearing below. A few twangs of her crossbow later and Bryn had a good collection of squirrels all strung up and hanging from her branch. She wanted to try get some more so a nice big fresh stew could get made but she knew she might be pushing her luck as she had duties to attend to with Bridgette today. Her mind drifted between Bree, Astrid, Zoie, Dick, James, Harold and then circled back to Bobby. She was usually so good at knocking her attention back to the now rather than the then but something this morning made her mind stick.
Her eyes glazed over as she lost herself in the moment after she realised she didn't have Bobby in her arms anymore. She strained and struggled to recall anything of that moment when her life ended. She could feel her eyes crossing as she rested against the tree trunk and her chin began to droop down towards her chest before she caught herself with a small yelp of surprise and gripped onto the edge of the branch before she tumbled forward towards the ground. Shaking herself back to the present, the redness receded from her vision and she took a few deep, calming breaths.
That's when she heard the growling and shuffling of leaves from somewhere within the tree line. Bryn grabbed the squirrels and tied them up to her belt as she hiked her legs up and crouched on the tree branch, her crossbow in hand and ready to shoot. She figured it was just one but you could never be too careful, especially when you were alone. The noises grew louder and within a few minutes, she could see the beast shambling its way through the undergrowth. The thing was grey skin clinging to protuding bones with patches of decaying flesh stripping off at areas that had clearly rubbed against the bark of the trees along its route.
Bryn lowered her crossbow and considered the walking dead before her and let out a sigh before getting herself comfortable and whistling to grab the Snarlers attention. His head rose as he glanced up in the direction of the sound and Bryn stared down silently at him. His tattered jeans were held up by a dark brown belt that were barely keeping them in place. His torso was bare and exposed, something or someone had stolen the shirt from his back. Or maybe the poor sod had died topless? Anything could have happened, especially in this world. His arms rose and gripped and grabbed trying to get hold of Bryn's dangling legs that were just out of his reach.
A deep breath later and Bryn pursed her lips at him, her face thoughtful for a while before she finally spoke out.
"Must be lonely, walkin' 'round with no where to really go. At least when we wander, we can sometimes bring 'long a friend to keep us company. Well, I know you guys walk 'round with each other in herds or whatever, but it ain't the same though. Ya ain't peas in pods, more like lentils thrown in a pot. Sad really." Her fingers ran over the hard and smooth edges of her crossbow as she considered the monster below her.
"I get lonely though, even if I have people 'round me. Ain't the same when they ain't the ones ya want there most. Like, I love me some Zee, Bree and Tree but they ain't needin' me none more than a finger needs a ring. Might be nice t'have and look at but it ain't no essential bit o' life." Her shoulders rose and fell as she admitted her feelings. She had done well making friends in her time here in this settlement but a part of her still didn't feel right here. She had nothing truly holding her down and, for whatever reason, her heart was flitting in her chest looking for reasons to stray away despite what she had managed to help build here.
Her eyes found the empty windows of the Snarler beneath her and she gave him a small smile.
"I'll help ya, don't worry. Ya ain't gotta fret from lil' ol' me." Bryn got her crossbow ready and aimed her bolt at the poor man's head. She took a breath and fired the bolt right through his eye socket.
"Sorry pal." She climbed down the tree and crouched down beside the now lifeless body before her. She patted down his pockets and found his wallet. She opened it up and her hand rose up to cover her mouth. Robert Devon. Robert. Bobby. Her eyes welled up and she buried her face into the crook of her right arm as she held the wallet in her left hand.
A grunt from somewhere behind her caused her to drop the wallet and spin around, her eyes still stinging slightly from fighting back the tears. She said nothing, her eyes focusing on the location of where the sound came from and she opted to creep forward as quietly as she could. She prepped C-Whacker for quick withdrawal if the need arose. Her path took her through the trees and brought her out into another small clearing where she saw a hell of a sight and smelt a hell of a stench when the wind picked up. She had to cover her mouth to stop from gagging. Didn't matter how often you saw or smelt it, watching a body being torn into by one of the dead was never something you got used to.
A body was hunched over another, the blood and entrails of the fallen body strewn around it as the hunched one tore into the innards of the poor soul that had become nothing more than a meal for the undead. Setting another bolt into her crossbow, Bryn moved forward little by little and trained the sight on the hunched figure and waiting for it to rise its head. Her foot caught a particularly dry twig and she took in a sharp breath as she awaited the monster to turn around. Oh well, that was
one way to get a clear shot at the head...
"Whoa! Watch where you're pointin' that thing!" Bryn blinked rapidly as she looked at the sight before her. Richard was covered from head to toe in entrails, blood and gore. You couldn't even see an inch of his skin and he was wearing medical scrubs rather than his usual clothing. She didn't know why she didn't realise it sooner but Bryn just shrugged it off and crinkled her nose at him.
"You smell like absolute shit." "Well thanks pal, ya don't exactly smell like fuckin' rainbows and sunshine yourself." He crossed his arms with a squelch.
"The fuck are ya doin'?" "I got bored and wanted to go out lookin' for somethin'..." "Were ya lookin' for another way to make people want t'kill ya?" "Maybe..." "What are ya doin' out here Richie?" "I told ya. Lookin' for somethin'." "That ain't a fuckin' answer and ya know it. Spill, Dick." "I swear to fuckin' god I'm gonna stab Froggy for tha'..." Richard dropped his arms to his sides and they slapped with a wet splash as they hit his sides.
"Come with me." The two walked further into the forest area, Bryn making sure to stay upwind from Richard's stench. They made their way further West until they happened upon a dilapidated building that looked rather queer to Bryn.
"This is what you're lookin' for? Some rundown heap of shit building?" She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Richard.
He just shook his head and beckoned her forward some before pointing upwards at a particularly sturdy tree. Wrinkling her brow at Richard, Bryn did as he bid her after a few more seconds of his stench burning her nostrils and she climbed up and watched him from her new perch. Richard walked towards the building and opened the door with a loud screech of metal on concrete. A small group of about five Snarlers fell out of the door and surrounded Richard. Bryn knew this trick, she'd told him about it after all, and she watched him enter the building with no bother. However, the sudden noise had caused those still inside to begin banging around and snarling within the walls. She could just hear it and wondered what he was doing in this weird building in the middle of Georgia.
About ten minutes later, Richard came out carrying a large rucksack that looked really full and had weird lumps pointing out of it. He made his way past the meandering mini-herd and walked towards the tree he had left Bryn at.
"Alright, got it, lets go." Bryn stared after him with and incredulous look on her face as she began to follow him.
"Got what? Ya still ain't answered my question!" He simply waved her comment off with his hand as they made their way back to Newnan.
When they made their way back towards the gates, Bryn had to walk up first and wave the guards down before pointing to Richard who was waving happily at them while dripping with rotten blood and innards. Bryn just shook her head and walked inside the gates as they opened just enough to let them both through. Once they were inside and safe, Bryn dropped her weapons and aimed a well placed boot to Dick's backside.
"Spill." She didn't want to talk much more in front of the others.
Chuckling away happily to himself, Richard led Bryn away from the others and stood down the back of the empty house by the distillery storage. He dug inside the backpack and showed Bryn the crosses, menorah, virgin marys, goblets and roasry beads he had acquired from the theological college he had just plundered.
"Tryin' to get in good with the bosses. Figure they'll like 'em?" Bryn knew all too well just which boss he was trying to impress. No doubt he'd just make her more mad than she already was but hey, Bryn wasn't getting any more involved than she already was.
"Maybe." She shrugged her shoulders and wandered off, her bat swinging up to rest across the back of her shoulders as she made her way further into Newnan. Richard stood there, his face fallen as he looked into his bag and sighed to himself as the memories flooded back of that night.
Zoick
Location: Newnan
Zoie yawned slightly in the back of the truck as it wheeled into Newnan's Inner Wall and the gate closed behind her. The last couple of days had been a long, a supply run with some people to replenish a lot of what they had lost during the Tornado and Eden invasion. It went off well enough though, no one died and they found a huge chunk of things they needed out in Whitesburg. She was glad about that, she could report it to Ash now to let him know what all had happened and then go curl up against Honky Tonk for the evening and get some sleep.
She had to admit, she was growing really fond of the man. He was rough around the edges that was for sure but underneath it all he seemed to have this softness to him. He was sweet around her, sometimes down right endearing. He'd been crashing with her while he was healing, so they got to actually spend some time together at night when she was done with her work. She had missed him over the last couple of days on the run and couldn't wait for a shower and maybe even a little rodeo time.
Richard stretched out as he yawned, his arms rising above his head as he eased the kinks in his back and muscles out. He'd been missing his Daisy Duke so badly that this was the first minute he could remember in about 24 hours. He'd been drinking the strong stuff that Captain Ash was prolific in Newnan for making, courtesy of Froggy since he'd been working in the distillery and was given permission for the stuff. His mouth was parched and his tongue felt like sandpaper as he took a few ragged breaths.
His eyes could barely focus, it was dimly lit where he was laying but darkness was heavy on his surroundings outside. He rolled his head to the right, looking for his usual bottle of water that he kept by the bedside in Daisy's quarters and then realised that the space he was in was much, much smaller than he was used to. That's when he heard the truck, clear as day, rolling up just a short distance away from where he was laying.
The truck pulled up near the court house and Zoie jumped out, about to tell Jim to wheel it around to supply while she checked in with Ash but all that went out the window real fast when she turned and spotted Dick and her face dropped.
Richard sat upright, the blanket falling off of his bare chest as he began to realise where he was laying. He looked down at his chest and frowned, his hands feeling across his skin as he realised there were scratch marks and... was that a fucking lovebite?!
Shit. He looked up, the noise of a truck door opening and boots hitting the ground. His eyes met hers and he knew that he was fucking doomed. Zoie's eyes narrowed as she stood there frozen, her chest rising and falling as she took several long breaths as she felt her teeth clenching.
"Daisy... It's not what it looks like, I swear!" He scrambled forward, the blanket causing him to stumble some as he tried to stand upright before he realised he was in a
fucking tent and thenfelt the breeze around his nethers as the blanket slipped down. He was stark bloody naked. He dropped to the floor, his tailbone smacking against the ground as he rushed to grab the blanket to wrap around himself. Where the fuck were his clothes?!
"Oh Hell Naw! Don't cha even try playin' this shit off like it ain't be nothin'!" the southern belle growled through her locked jaw. Her voice was not raised in the slightest, which made it that much worse. If looks could kill, Richard would have pushing up daisys right then.
He winced from the look and the tone to her words. ShitshitshitshitshitshitshiiiiiitSHIT! He grabbed the blanket and tied it right around his waist before ducking down and looking for his clothing. He quickly shoved his legs into his jeans and rammed his feet into his boots as he fumbled over his words to his Daisy.
"Honest to fuckin' god, Daisy! I ain't got not fuckin' clue how I got to be here or how the fuck my clothes came off! I ain't even messin' none! Last I 'member was downing a bottle of the paint stripper that Cap'n Ash makes! Froggy gave me it since I was missin' ya! Just ask 'im!" "Don't you be givin' me non of that horseshit! You gonna tell me that yer clothes just jumped off ya and some coon done bit yer chest?" she said in a flat but very angry voice as she pointed to his chest. Astrid peeked her head out from behind the tent and cocked a silent brow for a moment as she watched the scene unfold before her. Zoie's eyes darted from Richards to Astrid's and back again.
"Tell me, what happen be what I knowin' what happened?" Astrid just nodded silently before un-leaning and ducking behind the tent. She wasn't about to be in the cross fire for this one.
Richard glanced down at Astrid and practically fucking growled at her. He didn't remember shit! How the fuck was he to know what had happened?! His balls still felt fucking tight so how was he to know he's just tunnelled for gold down another woman's mine the instant he woke up? He grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head before firing his arms through his shirt. The blanket was unceremoniously whipped off and thrown in the direction of Astrid in the tent as Richard stumbled out and practically sprinted towards Zoie even if she was only ten feet in front of him.
"I swears I didn't know what was happenin'! I was out of my face fuckin' drunk. I've been drinkin' since sundown yesterday at least! I was missin' ya and wanted the time to go by faster. Honest to fuckin' God almighty, baby Jesus and the wannabe virgin Mary and that there holy ghostin' too, I didn't plan this!" He was practically begging now and it was, honestly, pretty fucking pathetic to watch.
Zoie lifted her hands up, palms in the air as she took a step back and looked away from him for a minute. He stopped when he saw the raised hands, he knew that sign already. She didn't want him getting close enough to touch her right then and sure as hell didn't want him within arms reach because the only urge she had right now was to drive her fist right into his jaw and go all Marine on his ass.
"I don'ts give a good gosh damn if you didn't plan it. You went plowin' the wrong field Honky Tonk. If yous can't be keepin' from yer dick falling into another belle's flower patch when yousa be drinkin' then don't fuckin' drink," she growled towards him as she crossed her arms over her chest. Jim just stood there slack jawed before turning on his heels and darting off into the court house.
His face looked like she'd spat in it, the disgust in his eyes as she suggested he actually
not fucking drink made him mad. Madder than it rightfully should have, but he was pissed off right now. And don't all us boys and girls know that Richard can't handle his temper very well.
"Yer fuckin' jokin' right? Stop drinkin'? Fuck that shit for a carry on, Daisy. Ya know it ain't the fuckin' way to deal with this shit. I know I dun goofed but fuck me, darlin', yer talkin' fuckin' crazy speak if ya think I won't drink another drop o' the throat burner." He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest and squared his jaw, awaiting the inevitable blow back. His plan was dumb as horse shit but maybe if he could divert the conversation she'd get mad at his stubbornness rather than his wandering lil Dick.
Zoie stood there unable to move from her spot but her fists balled up as she stood there, knuckles going white as she started to tremble a bit. How dare he. After the shit he just pulled he was going to try to move the blame from himself to the drink, and then getting mad with her? That shit wasn't going to fly with her.
"I thoughts there be somethin' in ya, underneath all that shit, that you know be worth my time; maybes even worth lovin'. Seems don't matter how olds I get, my taste in men ain't be improving none," she said in a voice that was far to calm for what was going on but the look in her eyes showed that she was beyond angry. Daisy Duke was actually hurting right then and bad.
"Get yer shit and get outs of my bunk." Shit. It didn't work. He'd made shit worse. Fuck.
What was the next best move? Should he grovel and apologise for what he done did or, an even better idea, act like a fucking child and get angrier? Of course he should grovel and apologise, but no, the testosterone kicked in and he felt his nostrils flaring as he stood there with his hands on his hips. His eyes looked away from her as he glanced in the direction of Zoie's digs and he dropped his hands to his sides, his fingers curling up into fists as he did so.
"Fuckin' fine." He wandered over and made his way into her accommodations. He had no fucking clue where he'd be going, but he wasn't going to take her shit or let her throw his shit out the window or some other dumb ass, cosmo reading bullhonkey like it. Zoie closed her eyes and sighed deeply, her hand coming to her chest as she felt the sharp pain of heart ache setting in.
As he entered inside, he slammed the door open and began to grab his pack, shoving his shit inside as fast as he could. Zoie opened her eyes and just watched him go before turning her head away from the direction he was headed and placed her palm against her forehead as she tried to breath. She started pacing a bit, initially she had been angry, now she was just hurt. She knew she cared about Richard, but it didn't exactly hit her how much until right then as she heard the door slam.
Squatting down there on the curb she bit her bottom lip as she felt her hands shaking. Swallowing the dry lump in her throat Zoie felt the well of emotions climbing in her as her eyes watered a bit. A few more deep breaths to try to calm herself did nothing, and she broke. Her hands coming up to cover her face as she fell back onto the side walk on her rear, pulling her knees to her chest and sobbing.
After grabbing all his crap from her place, he yanked the door open and slammed it shut closed behind him again. He didn't go near Zoie, he just yelled towards her, not giving two craps who heard or listened in from around.
"My shit is gone. Let me know when ya stop actin' like I fuckin' murdered someone. I'll be in an alleyway some-fuckin'-place probably." He stormed off then and kicked a steel barrel that was being used as a firepit as he walked by. The cinders and ash rose up faster and swirled in the movement and wind swirling around it. Richard's jaw was set in such a straight line it was amazing that someone wasn't trying to fucking tight rope walk across it while it was this taut.
Zoie turned her back to Dick as he yelled and pitched a temper tantrum fitting of a two year old going through menopause. She didn't want him to see her cry or give him the satisfaction of knowing he had hurt her as much as he did; that each word that seethed out of his mouth made her feel like she meant that much less to him.
As the noise levels grew with the shouting on Richard's part, Victor glanced up from his book and saw Richard walking down the street with his bags in his hands. Perking a brow, he snapped his book shut and placed it in his satchel before walking in the direction from where Richard had come. He saw the steel drum that had caused the bang and then saw that trucks had returned and he wondered if Zoie and Richard had had a falling out. He made his way down towards where the people had gathered to watch the spectacle and couldn't see immediately where Zoie was.
"'as Miss Zoie returned with you all?" Victor asked someone that was standing at the back of the truck.
Only thing the man could do was point over to Zoie sitting with her back to everyone; hunched over as she wrapped her arms around herself and rested her forehead on her knees. Victor started towards her, uncertain why she was hunched over. She closed her eyes tight and let the tears roll of her cheeks; she wasn't a crier, she never cried, she barely flinched no matter how much pain she was in. Shaking her head slightly she looked over as she heard Froggy's voice, she looked broken.
Stopping in his tracks, Victor stared at Zoie, his mouth agape with shock. Quickly catching himself, Victor shook it off. Within a few long strides of his large frame, Victor was crouched down beside Zoie with his arms wrapped around her shoulders as he just held her. No words were needed. Zoie curled up in Victor's arms and broke down again in full force.
"Seems... any hole... will do in a storm... for Dick..." she said, stuttering over her words between the sobs.
"Non." A single, simple word was all he said as his hands stroked her hair and he moved to scoop her up. He walked them over towards the Courthouse and had someone hold the door open for him as he took Zoie into the building and moved her into his personal area that was used as an office of sorts nearby to the infirmary.
"I know you do not care, but I do not like people staring at you. You will 'ave peace 'ere." He moved away to the corner cabinet where he withdrew a blanket, one of many he had for his late nights, and placed it around Zoie's shoulders.
Zoie looked over to him as he wrapped the blanket over her shoulders and nodded a bit. Reaching over she grabbed the box of tissues by the chair and tried to clean up her face. Crumpling up the damp Kleenex in her fist she lowered her head and just stared at the floor blankly.
"Froggy... whys I gotta bes so bad at pickin' mens that be bad fer mes? Hubby who be thinkin' I a punchin' bag. Then Honky Tonk whos can't keep it in his pants fer two days when I be outs on a run." Victor considered her question before answering a calm, steady voice.
"I cannot answer about the first as I did not know the man. 'owever, Dick is just a rebellious child. One that 'as no self control nor ideas of boundries. 'e is testing the water and I do not think 'e even realises 'e is doing it." He leaned against the edge of the desk, beside Zoie and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he folded his other arm across his chest.
"'e will soon realise 'ow much of a connasse 'e is." Zoie would know that word, it was one Victor only used for her.
"Let him stew in 'is own filth. I know you are 'urting but you are strong. You will be okay. You 'ave me and Bryn to keep you afloat." He ducked down and pressed a light kiss to the crown of her head.
Zoie swallowed hard and sighed as she flopped back in the chair, looking up at Victor as she wiped her nose with the tissue in her hand. Clearing her throat she nodded, she knew she would be okay in time. It just hurt, a lot.
"I knows Froggy, Isa thank ya fer that. Just painful, real damn painful. Ain't cared about no one likes I do Ol' Honky Tonk in a long time. Hurt to be knowin' I wasn't nothin' to him." Shaking her hear she stood up and kissed Froggy on the cheek before grabbing the box of tissues.
"Gonna be needin' these," she said as she tightened the blanket around herself and headed out of the court house, her feet dragging across the ground as she made her way towards her little quarters.
Victor let out a light sigh and moved over towards the window and looked out into the night as Zoie left his office. A faint glimmer could be seen on top of one of the roofs of the building beside the Courthouse, Ash's place to be specific. A small dark form was sitting and the glimmer was then seen flying over the back of the building as a glass container was thrown by it. The telltale light from the end of a cigarette told Victor exactly who it was. He shook his head and drew the curtains over, hoping that those two would work out their issues sooner rather than later.
Richard took a long draw from his cigarette and sighed, grunted and complained under his breath. Not at Zoie, at himself. He was so mad at himself and he had no idea why. This fact just made him even angrier and the rage kept piling up on top of him until he had exploded and now, was sitting on Ashton's roof in hopes the man would find him, kick his ass and send him packing from Newnan. He could only be so lucky and unlucky. He leant back on the heel of one hand and held his smoke in the other. His mind wandered to Zoie and his eyes scanned the streets of Newnan below him. He froze when he saw her.
Zoie could barely find it in herself to lift her head to look where she was going. She drug her feet over the pavement, holding the blanket that Froggy had given her tightly around herself, the box of tissues in her hand as she walked. Fumbling with the box she dropped it and sighed as she sunk to her knees to pick it up. She just stayed there for a minute as her vision caught sight of the tent and it caused her to break down again, tilting her head back and staring blankly at the stars above as she cried. The tears rolling down her cheeks and onto the blanket, she felt like a fool. Crying over a man that didn't give two shits about her. She wished right then Newnan didn't have electricity, the street lights illuminating each tear and sob.
Hearing some one walking down the street she gathered the tissue box and stood up before trying to make a beeline for her house. As she rounded the corner to go up the sidewalk she caught the light from the cigarette and froze. She knew exactly who was sitting in the shadows up there. Biting her bottom lip she ran, tucking her head down, not wanting him to see her cry as she darted into her house and slammed the door. Looking around the empty place she collapsed to her knees and doubled over as she just let every last tear fall that was in her.
