( open log ) who's that creepin in the shadows

[worstpire]

WHO: Conrad Achenleck and YOU!
WHAT: Scoping out the town, now that it's dark outside.
WHEN: Day 46, nighttime.
WHERE: ERRYWHERE
WARNINGS: Conrad's mouth, will be updated if necessary.

It's been a really, really long day-slash-night-slash-day. Between Hanna's crazy "let's just walk straight into danger" plan, getting attacked by Robocop the Vampire Slayer, waking up in somebody's attic and getting cornered into telling strangers about his condition, Conrad feels like he's going to drop. Not that he can physically feel tired, but mentally, it's a lot to take in at such a nonstop pace. On top of all that, waiting in that unfurnished, dusty attic for the sun to go down without anything to do to occupy himself has been torture.

The sun does go down eventually, though, and as soon as it does, Conrad's headache seems to lessen. He creeps downstairs - not investigating the house too fully, lest he run into his broom-zealous buddy again - and quickly checks out the kitchen and living room - ugh, so not a fan of the basic decor - before heading outside and getting hit with the smell of sea air. Yyyyikes.

He'll be spending the evening like this: hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched up even though he's not cold, wandering the streets and investigating public buildings, maybe talking to himself a little. It distracts from his hunger, anyway; as usual, his sense of smell has amped up - as if he needs help finding food, ugh - but he's saving that last bit of blood until he's found a replacement. Logical action, Conrad.

He's also looking for any sign of a way out, but, well. That's a given.

Comments

[enchangement]

It might be awfully early, but then again River learns people a lot faster than most, so she has a completely different meter on the subject than others tend to. Not to mention that her own moral compass is set to it's very own true North, so...making friends with a vampire? Not so strange, to her, if there are vampires about to make friends with.

Her handshake is a great deal more firm than his, but other than a slight lift to her lips she doesn't comment on it. "Do you sleep during the day or are you awake whenever the mind wakes you?"

[worstpire]

When she lets go, he pulls his hand away, and they tuck into his pockets. He rocks a bit on his feet, eyes darting around the area once.

"Er, I try to sleep, but the attic needs some serious redecorating. Or more like furnishing. Normally I'd try to work, but I don't think there's any use for graphic design in the ass-end of nowhere."

[enchangement]

"Stealing beds from extra rooms just means more beds when you're done." Since they keep reappearing and such. "There's no currency." Well. Tilting her head. "Food, eventually, might be it. But not for now."

She leans a bit west and smiles in a way that somehow seems completely unrelated to the conversation, blinking and shaking her head to come back to the present.

"What does your room need? She'll take a look around."

[worstpire]

Well, at least he won't have to worry about food. Blood, though, is a different story. He'll just... have to contact that doctor as soon as possible, nerves allowing. Thinking about it makes his shoulders hunch a little, though, so he shakes that thought out.

"Really? I think there's a spare room in Laura's place I can swipe from for now. I'm keeping an eye out for -- you know, paper. Pencils." Things to keep him from going insane, locked in an attic all day.

[enchangement]

"Oh, Laura." River hums her appreciation of Conrad's housemate. "She's good. A survivor too. Make her eat a sandwich." Or all the sandwiches.

At least River has the grace not to ask about the blood issue; she can't help him with that herself can she? "There are books." Pointing out the library.

[worstpire]

Laura had looked kind of skinny. His only response to that is a slightly bemused look -- and then she mentions books. That's like, the second best thing in the world, next to art. Or maybe they're tied. Either way, Conrad seems to brighten a tiny bit, and he looks around for a bookstore or a library or something that might be in viewing distance.

"Somebody's stocking up for morning, in that case," he says, rubbing a little at his arm. "Um, shall we head that way, then?"

[enchangement]

The library is essentially a small-town school house repurposed, but he may be able to spot it's tiny spire near the center of town in the direction she pointed. Either way it's good, in River's opinion, to see Conrad's face manage smiling. He should do that more often.

"What kinds? True stories or truer ones?" A smile. Onward to investigate the library.

[worstpire]

Conrad starts walking alongside her, and though it might look like he's biting at a fingernail, he's actually sort of biting at his finger a bit. It curbs the hunger a little.

"Ah, I've always been a fan of fantasy, I guess." Truer ones. Stories that were always a way to escape from the noise of real life. "Pratchett is my favourite. Wh-what -- um, what about you?"

[enchangement]

"Fantasy. Old and new from Erath that was and everywhere since. The new frontiers are amongst the stars and her heart resides there but her imagination swells with the stories of powers unseen, flight without thrust, invisibility without forgetting."

River glances at him. "She's from space." In case he didn't catch that bit.

[worstpire]

"Earth that... was?" Even when she says it plainly, it's hard to believe. Shit, maybe she's so strange because she's some kind of humanoid alien. That would be nuts.

Conrad peers at her. "I get the feeling that that wasn't a metaphor, this time."

[enchangement]

"Nope. She's an alien, officially, if alien means not born to Terra Firma, a mutant, somewhat unofficially, but still human."

She wags her eyebrows at him and laughs. "She is not the model, popular theory being the girl ain't quite right."

[worstpire]

That's for sure. He gathers the facts in his head: she was born... in space, alright, and she's different, probably with the mind reading thing. This kidnapping thing is bigger than he thought.

"You were born in space? Are you saying you're from the future?"

[enchangement]

"Someone's future. Someone's past. Yours? Uncertain and untestable. For every reality there are numberless alternatives." River gives a slight shrug.