Preternatural Curses UC/Adult

[isabelle]

OOC - Okay, Storm did give me permission to use Isabel while she was gone. I've been waiting 'cause it was only going to be a couple days. Now that it's two weeks, I guess I'll do that. I'm hoping Storm will be back soon!
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*Max*

I'm settled into the sleeping bag, still dressed, but a few minutes into my 'sleeping' ruse when Dad comes creeping into the tent. I can hear him pause as he evaluates how 'out' I am and then he quietly removes his shoes and then his shirt.

Or rather, it would seem quiet if I weren't lying here awake wishing for him to hurry. Not just to finish undressing, but to actually sleep so Isabel and I can make our break so we can see what we can discover about this sighting.

I still have to tell Isabel about Liz, too...

"Isabel?" he asks as he hears her come into camp. "You coming to bed, honey?"

"Sure, dad. In a minute," she says, lightly, although she sounds just a bit distracted. "As soon as I've washed up."

"Okay, honey," he tells her as he continues to sort out his things. Isabel is probably hoping that by the time she gets back, Dad will be asleep. I hope so, too, although I'm not at all sure what the odds of that may be. I wonder if I could use my powers to 'make' him sleep once he's in bed, but I decide I'm not going to try. I certainly don't want to hurt him, or cause him suspicion or alarm if it doesn't work quickly enough...

After a seemingly endless time, Dad finally crawls into his sleeping bag. "G'night, Max," he says, unnecessarily and then he leans over and turns out the camplight.

I continue to breathe slowly and evenly, although I'd like to sigh. Now, all I have to do is wait... and that might be the hardest part.

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Maria*

“Sorry Ria, I guess the day’s taken a lot out of me…”

I examine my best friend who looks anything, but tired. Not one to hold back I tell her what's on my mind.

"Hey... You've got something face."

She looks at me like I have lost my mind. Maybe I have.

"No. Really. What's going on? You are keeping something from me. I can tell. You have the same expression you wore the day after the shooting when you was avoiding me. Is it czechoslovikian related?"

I hold my breath please don't let it be something involving Michael. A girl can take only so much.

[KatnotKath]

OOC: hope this works, sorry for the delay

~Liz~

As soon as I sneak a peak at Maria, I know that this isn’t working… She peers into my face, taking a good look and I can see her shaking her head inside.

“Hey…You’ve got something face…”

I try to keep a blank face, but inside I’m way past panicking… This isn’t the way it’s supposed to go… Maria is supposed to accept that I’m tired and go to sleep… So that I can then sneak out…

G** I suck at lying…

“No…really…what’s going on?” She looks at me. “You are keeping something from me, I can tell…”

She can tell, typical my luck… I know that this stuff about my little ‘surges’ is going to have to become group knowledge eventually, but I’m just about getting to grips with it myself… I mean it’s weird, yet at the same time, like I said to Max, it feels right…

It’s still going to take some time to get used to though… I mean Max has powers, Michael, and Isabel…but not me…well not in the past anyway…

I chew my lip, searching for something I can say without telling her everything… There just isn’t time right now…and I’m not ready…

“You have the same expression you wore the day after the shooting when you were avoiding me. Is it Czechoslovakian related…?”

How is it that she can read me like that… I didn’t realise I was so obvious then, and I was hoping I wasn’t now…

Watching Maria for a moment, I see her expectant look, but also notice that she’s holding her breath… She’s worried about this… About Michael maybe…? A voice inside my head suggests…

Taking a breath, I realise I’m going to have to tell her something…the thing is what…? Powers, alien powers…mine…and…Max…

Max…he’s going to be waiting for me with Isabel…I’m going to hold them up if I’m not careful… I mentally cross my fingers and look at her. “I-It’s nothing…nothing important…” I tell her, purposely making no attempt to hide my awkwardness.

The look on her face tells me she doesn’t believe me, and that’s hardly a surprise… The difference is, that this time that was what I wanted… I swallow, and run my fingers through my hair, playing up the image being close to breaking point.

[isabelle]

Still no Storm, so I'm continuing to borrow Isabel....
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*Max*

I want so much to roll over, but I'm supposed to be sleeping. It's not even like I want to roll over, I'm just bored, waiting for Dad to sleep and Isabel to get back.

Something less than two years later, (or at least, it feels that way,) Isabel returns from the wash-house, quietly easing into the tent. Normally, Dad and I would leave the tent when she's changing, although if we were both really asleep, that would work too. Or I could just cover my head to give her the privacy she needs.

... But, since she's not really changing anyway, it really isn't a problem. Like me, she merely puts her toiletries in her bag, kicks off her shoes and slides into her sleeping bag fully clothed. I take advantage of the noises of her small movements to roll towards her, Opening my eyes to catch her gaze.

She looks at me, silently nodding as we agree to wait just a little longer. I wish I had a chance to talk to her before we got to this point. I need to warn her about Liz's powers and about how she's coming with us on this little expedition, but that'll have to wait.

I listen carefully to the sounds outside the tent, knowing that Dad is only part of the problem. And he's the easy part, truthfully. More important is making sure that the Sheriff thinks we're out for the night so he's not watching any more...

.

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Maria*

Realizing shes not gonna tell me whats obviously bugging her I cave.

"Whatever.. Look when your ready to talk. I'll listen."

I walk over to my sleeping bag and slide in. God, these aliens and their human butt monkeys. I swear, I have got to get out of this town. I mean don't get me wrong, I love Liz she's my Chica, but theres always drama when you put her in walking distance of Max Evans. Ugh, let's hope tommorow will be better. I close my eyes and try to ponder something other than Liz and her poor heart full of secrets when I hear something rustling in the bushes.

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

To my amazement, Maria doesn’t actually push me any further… I was expecting her to insist, to which I was going to ‘give in’ and tell her about Max and I…minus anything about powers or late night excursions…

Still, if she’s not insisting…

“Whatever…Look, when you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen…”

I nod a little awkwardly. “Thanks Maria…”

She walks over to her sleeping bag and slides in. I close my eyes partially, hopefully to give the impression of being asleep while I’m really watching carefully to see when she follows suit… I keep my breathing calm and easy, controlled, to keep up this picture, but as I then I freeze as I hear something, or someone, rustling outside…

What’s that…? Max said he’s meet me at the rock, not come by… My dad I thought had given in and gone to sleep himself…but maybe…? I give a loud yawn, hoping to give an impression of just having woken up. “Dad…is that you…?” I call softly, adding a dozy tone to my voice.

Hardly to my surprise, I get no response, confirming that whoever it was, it wasn’t my dad… So who was it…?

One name seems likely… Valenti… That could be a major problem… I feel my chest tighen, as I listen carefully for any sign of him still being there… I can’t hear him…but still… I guess I’m waiting a little longer to be sure…

[isabelle]

*Kyle*

I come back from the wash-house and I see that Dad is sitting on a log in front of the fire. Except, that it's not OUR fire. We'd spent the card game at the fire nearest to the Whitmans and when I left, he was poking around near Liz's tent. But now dad has moved closer to the Evanses.

"Whatcha doing here?" I ask him.

He taps the phone at his hip. "Reception," he says, repeating his excuse for vetoing my initial camping spot.

"You said it was fine where our tent is, too," I remind him. "Come-on. It's late. If anything comes up, they'll call you. You know that." Hanson and the other deputies have never been shy about calling at any hour of the night. Not even on his days off - like this is supposed to be.

"Yeah. Be right there," he says, but he doesn't make any move.

"Dad! Please," I say, feeling a bit exasperated. But then I turn without even waiting for his response.

Walking back to our tent, I see Alex and his dad sleeping in the open - they didn't seem like the outdoors type and they don't even have a tent. Or decent sleeping bags, just a number of blankets bundled together. I shrug, as it seems that they're both asleep, or nearly so. I wish we'd brought an extra bag for them, but I didn't even know Alex was coming.

I go into our tent and slide into my sleeping bag, feeling only slightly guilty about that. Mostly, I'm still pissed off at my dad.

Twenty minutes later, I'm staring at the polyester tent ceiling and I hear a noise at the flap. Immediately, I close my eyes and feign sleep. At last, it seems that my dad is coming to sleep.

A moment later, I realize I'm wrong. Dad slides his sleeping bag out of the tent and leaves without a word. Rolling over, I peer through the tent flap and see that he's setting up his sleeping bag halfway between here and the Evanses, very near Liz's tent, actually. God! What is up with Evans that my Dad is so interested in him and doesn't give a crap that I'm here?

[FaithfulAngel24]

*Maria*

Feeling a little uneasy I scoot (Hey its the best you can do when your in a sleeping bag) towards Liz.

"What was that?"

I motion toward the bushing hoping that my brillant friend will give me a logical explanation. She always does. Reading the look on her face I'm guessing this time she's as clueless as I am. Wow, there's a first time for everything.

[StormWolfstone]

~Mista~


While everyone had been preparing for bed, I'd slipped away and instantly shifted fluidly into wolf form. I knew that I had to be careful in the bestial form but I also knew that it wouldn't seem as strange if I was in the wolf form observing things instead of in human form. For some unknown reason, I had come to realize that unlike other Lukoi or even Lycanthropes, that I was able to shift at will and have more control of my beast. I couldn't help but think that it had to be because of either my necromancer abilities or the outer space stuff.

Hopefully, this sighting would be real and when I saw whatever was there it would have answers to my many questions. I sighed as I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the night. My pack would keep an eye on the humans and keep the Sheriff from locating anything for a while, but I hoped that it wouldn't be necessary. Drawing a deep breath, I opened my eyes and began moving through the woods toward the energy that was easily felt by my senses and the slight light I was able to see in the distance.



~Michael~


After several minutes or for all I knew it could be hours, River Dog and I finally came upon a spot where not only could I see the symbol etched in the forest floor, but I wondered whether Max and Isabel had managed to get away in order to see it and whether they'd be there soon. "Rest." I said simply to River Dog, knowing that despite his even breathing he had to be tired because I certainly was and I'm younger then he is.

He shrugged and settled on a nearby rock while I moved around the symbol and simply began pacing, watching for the others. I was tempted to do something to remove the symbol but if Max and Izzy were coming, then they needed to see it as well.


~Isabel~


Resting, or seeming to be, I simply listened to the sounds outside of our tent and wondered why we couldn't get rid of the Sheriff who was skulking about far too much. Suddenly, I smiled despite the horror of the situation. I could hear the girl Moira screaming about something being out there in the woods. Her voice seemed tinged with pain.

Getting out of my sleeping bag, I stood and moved to peek outside and saw that the Sheriff was distracted by looking at Moira. The girl's arm seemed to have been bitten into and also twisted out of shape. As the girl spoke I was able to make out the words, "Walking dead..." and "Several of them."

Despite my curiousity, I turned to Max and gave him a nod. "Time." It had to be, it was either now or never. We had to get away and fast. As I glanced back out I saw Mista's father moving to assist Moira and speaking quietly with Valenti.

I felt badly for Kyle who seemed to be upset by the fact that his father was ignoring him, but I knew there was nothing I could do. Valenti moved off in the opposite direction from the one that we had to go in. It seemed coincidental and yet despite that fact, I had to say we couldn't not check this out.

[KatnotKath]

OOC: hope this works

~Liz~

Am I this bad at faking…? I have to wonder about it since Maria seems completely oblivious to the fact I’m supposed to be asleep…

Then again of course, she’s confirming I didn’t just imagine that, so maybe that’s a good thing, at least I know I’m not imagining it…although it does leave me with a slight problem of getting out without him seeing me…

Getting out without Maria realising too would be good, but somehow I’m doubting that is going to happen… Turning over to look at Maria, I shake my head, then sit up sharply as I hear a scream. Inching over to the flap, I tentatively stick my head out.

The sheriff is stood a little way off now, but I have no doubt he was the one that was creeping outside here a few minutes ago… For now, he’s got his back to me though, obviously occupied by whatever is happening. I can see Moira, and it’s obvious she’s upset, but we’re a little far away to hear what is being said…

Making a split second decision, I realise this might be my only chance, and back into the tent once more to turn and look at Maria. “Look…I’ll explain later, but I have to go somewhere…will you cover for me if Valenti or my dad asks…?” I ask softly as I ease myself out of my sleeping bag, revealing my still-clothed state. Discarding my pyjama top, under which I’m still wearing my top from earlier of course, I grab my shoes and shove my feet into them, while waiting for her answer.