mmidnight

Miles Traveled [Closed to TaintedKiss]

It was true what Elissa said, they had been waiting quite a long time for this trip. Cara still remembered planning it with the other three in their group the summer before, talking about saving money from their odd jobs; babysitting, yard work, and of course, graduation money. Cara had gotten some from her mom, and a lot from her dad in an attempt to make up for his absence. The blonde girl supposed that it did, just a little, because now she could afford to stay somewhere nice when a break from the RV was needed, and of course, there were souvenirs to get, plus food and helping with gas. Cara really was looking forward to everything, even if the weight of her lie was still making her a bit nervous. Surely the close confines of their trip would bring everyone closer together.

As Elissa and Norris distracted themselves with one another, Cara returned Caleb's hug. He was warm and the way he held her always made her feel so safe. "I missed you too," she whispered back, giving his shoulder a soft kiss before pulling away. "Don't expect me to do your laundry on the road," she teased, bringing back the friendly air between them with a small grin. "You two really should pack better." She and Elissa were going to have clean clothes for pretty much the whole trip, and Cara suspected that Caleb and Norris would run out a quarter of the way through. It was funny to see the differences between the boys and the girls.

While Caleb and Elissa took their things out to the RV, Cara and Norris went back to his car to get their things. Norris made a big show of lifting her luggage, acting as if it was the heaviest thing he had ever carried. She helped too, of course, managing to hold three bags in one hand and lock the trunk to Norris's car on the way back to where the behemoth-like RV was parked. It didn't take long to get everything loaded, thankfully, as the RV was more than spacious. "This is where my grad money went," Cara chuckled, looking around the kitchen and stocking the cabinets with a few snacks she had brought.

"I'll sit up there with you if you're driving," Cara offered lightly to Caleb, reaching into her back pocket for a map. She had purchased it the night before at a convenience store when she had gotten some food for the road, thinking it would come in handy. She moved around a lot, and knew at least some of the places that they would be driving through.

Norris raised an eyebrow at his two friends, thinking they had become a little more close recently. He wasn't going to say anything, mostly because he had been spending more time with Elissa since they got together, so maybe it was only natural that Caleb and Cara gravitate toward one another. "Tell me when you're tired of it," he said to Caleb, "I'll take over." Caleb taking the first driving shift would give Norris some time with Elissa anyway.

"You feeling okay?" Norris asked Elissa, unpacking the rest of the snacks that Cara had brought. She looked a little pale, and he hoped that she wasn't getting sick just when all of the fun was about to begin. It was a little ironic to Norris that he was questioning Elissa's health when his was clearly failing. He had already hidden away his medication, disguised as an anti-histamine in case anyone found it. He had a little bit of a headache, but that was nothing new to him these days. He would rather focus on Elissa while he was able and had the time.

After Life [Closed to Pascal]

You didn't get hit too bad, did you? I saw North Carolina on the news and I didn't know if it was the same way up the whole east coast.

Devils Never Cry

There was something very unsettling to know that this demon wasn't going to kill her. In a way, Sonny would have preferred a quick end to being tortured and possibly stuck with this creature following her around. Never one to practice in the occult, despite her appearance, all of this was new to her and unbelievable as it was, she needed to accept it and the danger that came with it. Her main concern for the moment was Vee and if she would actually wake up, or if her soul was somehow being sucked out of her through Gadra's powers. Every few seconds she found herself looking toward the blonde, straining her eyes to see if she was still breathing, needing to see the rise and fall of her chest.

"I don't know what I intend to do," Sonny replied, voice still a shaking mess as she wiped away the last of her tears. At least with her life somewhat secure for the moment, she could calm some. Looking at the dark-haired woman, she did her best to think of something precious that she could want. Surely their definition of the word differed greatly and she highly doubted that a demon wanted money, or clothes; that was about all she could give. "Reverse the binding?" she asked, still trying to wrap her mind around things. "What is that? How do I do that?"

Truly, she wanted to send Gadra back to where she had come from and forget that this has ever happened and if there was a sure way to do it, she would. Sonny looked over at Vee again, wishing that she would wake up from her magically induced coma and help her somehow. "I really don't know what you want," she explained, although not defeated yet. "I'm just a human..."

After Life [Closed to Pascal]

A soft frown creased Erin's forehead and he broke the news that he didn't remember his own name. She assumed that he would be staying around, probably to insist that the apartment was still his, and if he was going to become a regular pain, she did want something to call him. Perhaps if Erin was feeling generous and curious later, she could try and look up who had lived in the apartment before her and help him out with his identity. Until then, she was in somewhat of a bind with him, and of course, how to go about this very odd situation. "Ew," she frowned, tuning back into the conversation now that he was done talking about how expensive his clothes were. "I didn't need to know that." Erin was never going to look at that woman the same way again.

Folding her arms over herself, Erin continued on her walk, suddenly stricken by the man's question. It wasn't that it was invasive or completely far-fetched, but she didn't think that she was ready to discuss her accident with a ghost that she hardly knew. "No, you're the first," she shook her head. "So...be proud of yourself, I guess." He didn't need to know about her dreams, or that she had been more sensitive since nearly dying on the highway.

"You really don't remember anything else besides how much your ugly belt costs?" she asked, cocking a brow in his direction.

After Life [Closed to Pascal]

No, it's fine :) I didn't expect you to post, so it was a nice surprise.

Beyond a Fire's Embers

I'll dig out my copy and refresh myself on it :)

I agree with the bit about Snow having a change of heart, although I don't think it's going to be too drastic and I think that whatever is killing him, he would only agree to change if there was something in it for him, like medicine or maybe mercy? Coin would probably take the people that Katniss cared about, although she obviously didn't get Prim, Peeta and Gale. I can't remember what happened to her mother in canon, but maybe Coin took her too? And maybe Coin escaped the Capitol and the resistance with some wounds, just to put her at some sort of disadvantage. Like, maybe her injuries just make her extra nuts because she's in a weakened state and knows she can't keep hostages forever? I definitely think Coin should be our main antagonist and that she should come into play after one or two smaller conflicts, like rebuilding and recovering from everything. And starting them off in the Capitol is good with me.

After Life [Closed to Pascal]

If the situation were the other way around, Erin supposed that she would have been just as disgruntled and angry as this man, and currently, she was doing her best to empathize with him. Clearly he was a lost and confused soul and maybe ghosts didn't work the way they did on TV and in the movies, but she really did want to help him. It was strange the way she just accepted his presence there, thinking that even though it wasn't normal, it was happening and life had to go on. Sure, he was rude and probably deserved to be left alone to fend for himself, but Erin's heart was too big for something like that, so she stuck around.

She found herself nodding her head as he spoke and then asked to go outside. For the last ten minutes she had been trying to go on a walk anyway, and she supposed she didn't mind his company for the moment. Letting go of his shoulder and ceding to the fact that he wasn't just going to cross over because she politely suggested it, Erin lead the way back down the hallway toward the elevator. "I've lived here for a few months," she responded as she pressed the button to call the elevator. "The apartment was listed as vacant when I found it online and I was told no one had lived here for six months." She looked toward him, trying to gauge his reaction as the stainless steel elevator door parted.

Stepping inside, she waited for him, although she wasn't sure why since he could go where he pleased. Erin pressed the button for the ground floor and leaned against the railing inside of the elevator, side-eyeing the man beside her. "I don't mean to sound rude, but I still don't know your name," she prompted softly, biting on her lip. "If you're going to stick around, I need to know what to call you." She at least wanted to let him know that he was welcome until he came to terms with what had happened to him.

Miles Traveled [Closed to TaintedKiss]

thanks for starting c: I got off for a bit for dinner earlier.

Miles Traveled [Closed to TaintedKiss]

A lone duffle bag tumbled down the stairs and came to rest in a pile of bags, a few suitcases and supplies. Norris Wilde was all packed, and he followed his luggage down the stairs with a wide grin, excited as ever to head over to Cara's, and then to Elissa's together. He had been waiting all year for this trip, through the fall and winter and through an agonizingly long spring just to get the hell out of Florida for a while. It was more than just a vacation for the curly-haired young man, it was a chance to do something for the first and possibly the last time, to have fun with his friends and leave his worries at home for the time being. This was how he wanted to be remembered, fun and healthy, ready for anything that the wide open road could throw at him. All he had to do now was leave the house.

"Mom!" he called out, voice echoing through the house as he sauntered down the hallway. "Mom! I'm ready to go!" He looked around for her, popping his head into the kitchen and finding nothing but a bagel, which he picked up, before making his way out the back door. There, in the garden, sat his mother. Her dark hair had fallen over her face, but she looked up to meet his eyes and he saw a wrinkle of worry between her brows. He knew what she was thinking, and hell, he was thinking it too. He should be at the hospital, going to doctors appointments, actually dealing, but he'd already made up his mind. Regardless, he smiled at her. "Hey, are you gonna say goodbye to me?" he grinned.

The woman got up from her place on the patio chair and came over to hug him, and Norris wrapped his arms around her warmly. "Do you have your medication?" she asked, and Norris thought it was the hundredth time within the last day. It was just a small pill, something for his strange and unpredictable seizures, but he didn't exactly relish taking it. Sighing, he nodded, "yeah, I have it. Don't worry."

The two said their goodbye's and see-you-later's and Norris promised that he would call. After packing his things into the car, he was on his way to Cara's, half of his bagel already gone. The blonde girl didn't live far from him, a ten minute walk at best, but Norris still managed to speed his way there, his excitement having gotten the better of him as he peeled into her driveway and honked the horn. He saw her pop her head out of the door and then come out with her arms full of bags just seconds later. Norris, being the nice guy that he was, got out to help her with her things as Cara dashed into the house to get the rest and presumably say goodbye to her mom.

"Why do you need so much stuff?" he asked, laughing as backed out of her driveway.

Cara smiled back at Norris and replied with a shrug of her thin shoulders, hands moving to scoop her hair up into a ponytail. "I'm a girl. I have more necessities," she chuckled and rolled the window all the way down with a press of her finger. It was a warm day, humid but sunny and not a cloud in the sky; perfect.

Several minutes and the other half of a bagel later, the pair arrived at Elissa and Caleb's and Cara dashed out of the car before it was even parked. The small blonde knocked on the door with a noticeable glee, like a kid in a candy store because she was sure that she had seen Caleb through the window on her way up. As usual, her stomach was full of butterflies and her head was full of longing just to kiss him hello. One secret wasn't about to ruin a whole trip, though, and Cara did the best she could to push it from her mind and look normal as the door finally opened and she was greeted with the sight of Elissa.

"Hey!" she smiled, reaching out to her hug her friend. Norris appeared behind her, having had to park the car before he could come up. "Are you ready?"

Laughing, Norris leaned over and wrapped his arm around Elissa, giving her a quick kiss. "Jeez," he sighed, looking at the pile of bags by the door, "what is it with girls packing the whole house?" It was a joke, but the dark-haired young man looked to Caleb for some sort of agreement.

Miles Traveled [Closed to TaintedKiss]

That works for me :) An RV would enable some camping too if we wanted.

Would you like to start, or should I?