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DancesWMonstersA quiet moment of reassurance passed between Noelle and Heath. They could hear other resort-goers collecting themselves nearby, and once a few more seconds passed they withdrew from their embrace. “Okay,” Heath said, breaking the silence with rationale. “Let's try to figure out what happened. Once we know what's going on, we can try to figure it out.”
Someone else drew near, the portly, bearded fellow who'd been minding one of the beachfront stands. Noelle's first instinct, borne from stress, was to urge him to get away, but she got herself under control People got together in times of uncertainty, of course. Two became three, and then a moment later three became four. The fourth, a muscular man in nothing but swimming trunks, Noelle remembered as the guy who'd bumped into some girl by the stairs. The bearded man wasted no time in striking up conversation.
“So, uh, hey there. Interesting turn of events, huh? I mean, talk about crazy. What in the world was that? Where are we? No signs of civilization, but I can see bits and pieces of Otterholt Point scattered about. It's like that storm picked up the whole resort and scattered it around, maybe across this whole island. At least, I think it's an island. Like a deserted island, the type you'd see in a movie. Like that one with Tom Hanks? Anyway, it sounded like your kids are gone. I saw the whole thing go down on the beach. We should band together to make sure everyone's okay. We also have to make plans in case this place really is deserted. First things first, in a survival situation...”
Noelle wasn't facing him. She took a look around to see if anyone else was about, but saw nobody except another small cluster of people a couple hundred feet away and then two of the Texan frat boys down by the water, trying to wash the sand out of their faces, a man closer to the jungle, and an older woman sitting against some driftwood. In that first group Noelle recognized the sword girl, the bratty girl, and the very same notebook-bearing girl who accidentally ran afoul of Mr. Muscles. There were two boys too, but Noelle didn't recall seeing them before.
At the moment, one of the boys watched as Jessica tried to downplay her crying, unimpressed a little saddened. Haywood had been sitting and watching her the whole time, and if that wasn't full-blown, from-the-heart bawling, he didn't know what was. Maybe panic got to her or something. Come to think of it, why wasn't he panicking? Haywood thought about it. Remote island, opportunity for adventure, nobody that he was worried about getting hurt -if he was fine, surely his buds were too-, and no authority to get in his way. There didn't seem to be any way off this island, but he felt pretty sure that rescue would come eventually. It was a big place, probably full of resources that he could use to get by, and the coast guard or something could track the storm's path to find our where all the missing people were. But maybe Jessica hadn't reached the same conclusion he did.
“Easy, Mad Dog,” Haywood assured her, helping to get her to her feet. Given her size he didn't need to struggle to support her weight. He glanced between Aurora, Penny, and Jude. “She's fine, just a little excited. In no time at all we'll be running rampant over this paradise...” he suddenly pivoted, trying to turn off the 'blaster' persona. “Or something. Hey, any of you know what the hell happened?”
Noelle wondered that herself. She turned her attention back to the group as the beardman's own hypothesis got cut off by the strongman. “Yeah, it was an epithet for sure,” he confirmed. “I was in the water when the storm kicked off, and it came out from the spot where you saw the glow. Could've been an epitome.”
Heath frowned. “Epitome? Like...a super-epithet?”
“Kind of. In a life-or-death situation, someone can manifest an epitome, the absolute use of their epithet. Only something like that could dump a whole resort on an island somewhere.“ He glanced around to see if anyone else could offer a better idea. Nobody could. “Given the circumstances, if we're gonna work together, we should get on a first-name basis. I'll start.” Crossing his arms, he held his head up high. “Roscoe Lafayette. Former wrestler, current boxer. My epithet's Oceanic.”
Heath spoke up next, going into more detail to be of more help. “Heath Pieler. My epithet's Jingle. I can repeat sounds and keep things from being forgotten.”
“I'm Noelle. Noelle Pieler” Noelle said, adjusting her glasses. Honestly, it was a miracle she still had them, having found them lying just a little twisted under her when she awoke. “My epithet's Train. I'm able to boost forward, carry people, and heat up from eating fuel.”
The last man looked excited. “Well hey, aren't we a regular bunch of inscribed?” he remarked. “The name's Harry Hedlon, I work at Diversion. The epithet I've got is Sect. I can bring out these little clerics that can cast miracles, like in Dungeons and Dragons. Healing, banishing other inscribed's summons, de-eviling...you name it, we got it.”
“What about them?” Heath said, pointing down the beach.
The group of adults looked at the group kids. “Plan first,” Noelle said, thinking of the pigtailed blonde girl. “It's hard enough to get kids to listen anyways, especially teens. If we don't have a solid plan, they'll brush us off and do their own thing. Might anyway.”
Roscoe nodded, finding that sensible. As it happened, he'd already been thinking. “'Cause of my epithet, I've got a lot of experience with oceans, and I'm a real good swimmer. I could swim out to try and find help, but I need to know I'm going in the right direction. So if you see any seabirds, check which direction they come from. That'll be the direction of land, close enough for me to reach.”
Simultaneously Heath and Noelle objected, but Noelle let Heath go ahead. “We've gotta find Tuck and Lucy. That comes first for us,” he insisted.
“Oh, that's okay. Very understandable. I can keep watch for birds,” Harry offered. “We should find a spot to set up camp, like I was saying earlier. Try and make some tools from sticks and rocks, and set up something to catch rainwater or try to find a spring. That's the stuff they do on TV shows. If you don't get a supply of fresh water, you're first off the island, every time!”
One of the Texans walked up. His friend had gone to talk to the old lady. “Howdy folks,” he said. “Sounds like y'all're keepin' your heads and makin' plans over here. Name's Mike Carmichael. Anything I can do to help?”
Harry was only too happy to fill him in. Noelle, meanwhile, volunteered to go over to the teen cluster while Heath went over to check out the beach hut. She approached with a concerned look on her face and tread familiar ground conversation-wise. “Hi, kids. Are you all alright?”
Someone else drew near, the portly, bearded fellow who'd been minding one of the beachfront stands. Noelle's first instinct, borne from stress, was to urge him to get away, but she got herself under control People got together in times of uncertainty, of course. Two became three, and then a moment later three became four. The fourth, a muscular man in nothing but swimming trunks, Noelle remembered as the guy who'd bumped into some girl by the stairs. The bearded man wasted no time in striking up conversation.
“So, uh, hey there. Interesting turn of events, huh? I mean, talk about crazy. What in the world was that? Where are we? No signs of civilization, but I can see bits and pieces of Otterholt Point scattered about. It's like that storm picked up the whole resort and scattered it around, maybe across this whole island. At least, I think it's an island. Like a deserted island, the type you'd see in a movie. Like that one with Tom Hanks? Anyway, it sounded like your kids are gone. I saw the whole thing go down on the beach. We should band together to make sure everyone's okay. We also have to make plans in case this place really is deserted. First things first, in a survival situation...”
Noelle wasn't facing him. She took a look around to see if anyone else was about, but saw nobody except another small cluster of people a couple hundred feet away and then two of the Texan frat boys down by the water, trying to wash the sand out of their faces, a man closer to the jungle, and an older woman sitting against some driftwood. In that first group Noelle recognized the sword girl, the bratty girl, and the very same notebook-bearing girl who accidentally ran afoul of Mr. Muscles. There were two boys too, but Noelle didn't recall seeing them before.
At the moment, one of the boys watched as Jessica tried to downplay her crying, unimpressed a little saddened. Haywood had been sitting and watching her the whole time, and if that wasn't full-blown, from-the-heart bawling, he didn't know what was. Maybe panic got to her or something. Come to think of it, why wasn't he panicking? Haywood thought about it. Remote island, opportunity for adventure, nobody that he was worried about getting hurt -if he was fine, surely his buds were too-, and no authority to get in his way. There didn't seem to be any way off this island, but he felt pretty sure that rescue would come eventually. It was a big place, probably full of resources that he could use to get by, and the coast guard or something could track the storm's path to find our where all the missing people were. But maybe Jessica hadn't reached the same conclusion he did.
“Easy, Mad Dog,” Haywood assured her, helping to get her to her feet. Given her size he didn't need to struggle to support her weight. He glanced between Aurora, Penny, and Jude. “She's fine, just a little excited. In no time at all we'll be running rampant over this paradise...” he suddenly pivoted, trying to turn off the 'blaster' persona. “Or something. Hey, any of you know what the hell happened?”
Noelle wondered that herself. She turned her attention back to the group as the beardman's own hypothesis got cut off by the strongman. “Yeah, it was an epithet for sure,” he confirmed. “I was in the water when the storm kicked off, and it came out from the spot where you saw the glow. Could've been an epitome.”
Heath frowned. “Epitome? Like...a super-epithet?”
“Kind of. In a life-or-death situation, someone can manifest an epitome, the absolute use of their epithet. Only something like that could dump a whole resort on an island somewhere.“ He glanced around to see if anyone else could offer a better idea. Nobody could. “Given the circumstances, if we're gonna work together, we should get on a first-name basis. I'll start.” Crossing his arms, he held his head up high. “Roscoe Lafayette. Former wrestler, current boxer. My epithet's Oceanic.”
Heath spoke up next, going into more detail to be of more help. “Heath Pieler. My epithet's Jingle. I can repeat sounds and keep things from being forgotten.”
“I'm Noelle. Noelle Pieler” Noelle said, adjusting her glasses. Honestly, it was a miracle she still had them, having found them lying just a little twisted under her when she awoke. “My epithet's Train. I'm able to boost forward, carry people, and heat up from eating fuel.”
The last man looked excited. “Well hey, aren't we a regular bunch of inscribed?” he remarked. “The name's Harry Hedlon, I work at Diversion. The epithet I've got is Sect. I can bring out these little clerics that can cast miracles, like in Dungeons and Dragons. Healing, banishing other inscribed's summons, de-eviling...you name it, we got it.”
“What about them?” Heath said, pointing down the beach.
The group of adults looked at the group kids. “Plan first,” Noelle said, thinking of the pigtailed blonde girl. “It's hard enough to get kids to listen anyways, especially teens. If we don't have a solid plan, they'll brush us off and do their own thing. Might anyway.”
Roscoe nodded, finding that sensible. As it happened, he'd already been thinking. “'Cause of my epithet, I've got a lot of experience with oceans, and I'm a real good swimmer. I could swim out to try and find help, but I need to know I'm going in the right direction. So if you see any seabirds, check which direction they come from. That'll be the direction of land, close enough for me to reach.”
Simultaneously Heath and Noelle objected, but Noelle let Heath go ahead. “We've gotta find Tuck and Lucy. That comes first for us,” he insisted.
“Oh, that's okay. Very understandable. I can keep watch for birds,” Harry offered. “We should find a spot to set up camp, like I was saying earlier. Try and make some tools from sticks and rocks, and set up something to catch rainwater or try to find a spring. That's the stuff they do on TV shows. If you don't get a supply of fresh water, you're first off the island, every time!”
One of the Texans walked up. His friend had gone to talk to the old lady. “Howdy folks,” he said. “Sounds like y'all're keepin' your heads and makin' plans over here. Name's Mike Carmichael. Anything I can do to help?”
Harry was only too happy to fill him in. Noelle, meanwhile, volunteered to go over to the teen cluster while Heath went over to check out the beach hut. She approached with a concerned look on her face and tread familiar ground conversation-wise. “Hi, kids. Are you all alright?”
