For Fear of Nightmares

[notrosesshadow]

Who: Martha and Open
When: Day 104
Where: Around the Island
What: Martha is not sleeping much at all. It's going to catch up.
Note: None for now...

Martha took a sip of water to sooth her throat, and crawled out her window yet again. She doubted her roommate would notice, but still, it was easier to just leave.

The latest nightmare had been really difficult. She had relived Japan again, but this time she saw it from The Valiant. A last look before her own execution. Her screams woke her before he could kill her, but she was shaken.

The sleepless nights were starting to catch up to her. She was trying to eat, but she was too exhausted to even feel hungry. And all possible exertion had to be saved for clinic duties. And helping people from the sea monster attack. So a few nibbles of crackers here and some canned something or other there was how she nourished herself. Ned would not be pleased.

If she were honest with herself, Martha knew she had to sleep. Had to deal with it. But the nightmares... she couldn't keep facing them. She'd rather die than be forced to watch Japan burn again. Or any of the other things she kept reliving. And so Martha walked through the night, hoping to find distraction until morning.

Comments

[burnburnburn]

A little way out on the edge of town, Dilandau's lying on the grass in the dark, looking up at the bare moon and the alien constellations. Sometimes he thinks he sees star clusters he recognises, but that's probably wishful thinking. He still looks for signs, hoping that as the year slowly turns the new stars coming into view will show him where he is in the universe. It's peaceful, as long as he's not hoping too hard.

When he hears her steps he rolls up quickly, coming to crouch on the balls of his feet, sword drawn and in his hand. When he makes out who it is in the dark he relaxes and rises to his feet, resheathing his sword in a fluid motion.

"Don't tell me you're chasing patients this late at night, Doctor?" He calls out to her.

[notrosesshadow]

Martha wearily looks up at him and shakes her head, forming her features into a hard mask to try and keep from looking like she was about to fall over from exhaustion.

"Felt like a night walk is all," she commented shortly.

[burnburnburn]

He's seen that look enough times to know what a mask it is. He's also worn it enough times to know how irritating pointing it out is. That wouldn't necessarily stop him, but he's not feeling particularly combative tonight.

"So you want to be a patient instead of a doctor? There's enough rabbit holes down the path you're walking to earn you a nice cast around your ankle."

He sweeps his gaze over her briefly, looking for signs that she's armed enough in case something comes out of the woods. It's unlikely, but not as unlikely as it was before the power went out.

[notrosesshadow]

"I'm rather good at walking in the dark," she replies just a tad indignantly. Then she realizes that perhaps that was more information than she needed to share.

"Enjoying the stars?" she asked. Martha's not above changing the subject to turn it away from herself.

[burnburnburn]

He makes a mental note about how she reacts to having her competence questioned, at least when tired, but only shrugs in reply.

"They're different. I haven't seen one I recognise yet." But, like her and her problems, he's in no mood to discuss the sense of isolation with a stranger. "But they're better than staring at a ceiling. Are these the stars that hang over your world? I've been deciding my own constellations, but if there's a way to use them for navigation I'd want to know."

I'm writing this as though they are Earth's stars since I couldn't find anything that said different

[notrosesshadow]

Martha looked up. "See that one there? That's Ursa Major. The part that looks like a bowl," she points out the four stars, "form the Big Dipper. You can follow those two.."

Here she points at the two on the end and traces an imaginary line across the sky, "all the way there. The constellation is the Little Dipper, but more importantly, the star those two point to is Polaris, or the North star."

[burnburnburn]

He follows her fingers, picking out the shapes she shows him. He'd already picked out the bowl of Ursa Major and had decided it was a shield, so he manages to track her finger easily enough.

He points at Polaris, marking it in his mind for future reference. He'll keep a close eye on it in future nights.

"How north do I have to go until that star's overhead?"

[wolfofmidgard]

Valkyrie didn't need to sleep at all, though they could slip into a meditative state that was very similar — but it lacked dreams. It had been a very long time since Meja had had one, now. She hadn't felt mentally weary enough to meditate since her arrival. Instead, she chose to wander and familiarize herself with her surroundings. She had hopes that, eventually, Muninn would show his scraggly feathered face.

Instead, sitting on one of the benches in the park, she spotted Martha, walking. Very few faces were familiar around here. In time, she hoped to having a better grasp of her fellow 'captives'. Martha was coming very close, so she waved, smiling in a friendly manner. It would have been rude not to greet her.

"Good evening."

It was... well, it was closer to early morning. But still, 'good morning' didn't sound right. She hadn't bothered to magically glamour her armor into anything else, and so her white cloak was quite visibly over her attire of white leather, chain, and a few metal pieces that gleamed even in the dark.

[notrosesshadow]

Well, that was new. Martha hadn't expected hallucinations quite yet. She had slept last night. So hallucinations should actually be happening.

Was she supposed to talk to the hallucination? Or just ignore it. It talked though...

"Evening. Mornin' really I suppose."

She looked the hallucination up and down. "How are you tonight?"

[wolfofmidgard]

Meja considered the question. How was she? Other than a residual confused feeling, and a general weakness in her temple she was hoping would disappear soon... Being separated from Yggdrasil was taxing, but it appeared to be getting easier. Hopefully tomorrow would bring more progress.

"Oh... adjusting, but well, I suppose," she said. It could have been far worse, which she knew from a long and generally too-exciting life. "It's a nice night."

[notrosesshadow]

That wasn't exactly the answer Martha was expecting, but then she was talking to a figment of her imagination.

"The stars are particularly beautiful. Not the ones from home which is a bit disconcerting. But beautiful. Probably due to a lack of light pollution."

[wolfofmidgard]

The Valkyrie nodded, glancing upward. The stars reminded her a little of stargazing as a child, back when she would have been cold sitting out as she was. Now, she wore her cloak for different reasons. "Ja, the lack of power does help the view," she agreed dryly, smiling. "And you? How are you, aside from not being able to sleep?"

Though that last part was a guess, it seemed logical enough.

[notrosesshadow]

"Oh you know. Stuck on an island away from home and not sleeping. As decent as one could hope for," Martha replies, marveling at the fact this conversation has gone on so long. At some point, she should just ask the hallucination point blank why it's there. But she's curious how long this conversation will go on.

A quiet part of her brain nagged that this wasn't a typical hallucination, but she ignored it. Why else would she be looking at someone in armor and a cape. It didn't make sense.

[bluesrat]

When he wakes in the night, Rat's first inclination is to go out and have a smoke on the porch, but a certain doctor officially told him to quit. Instead he grabs some cold tea, and goes out to just sit and listen to the quiet. Which is occasionally disturbed by his own coughing, but that does seem to be improving gradually.

He's not expecting anybody else up, and tenses a little when he sees a figure up the street. "...Hello?"

[notrosesshadow]

Martha had thought she would be alone on this walk, but clearly the entire island has insomnia. She had heard Rat's cough already and was ready when he spoke.

"Good morning. It is morning I believe. How's your cough?"

[bluesrat]

Some people aren't used to keeping a regular schedule, anyway. He stops squinting once he recognizes who she is.

"Is it? I'm... getting better. Not quite there yet, but I don't feel like I've been run over by a truck anymore. Having a couch to crash on helps." Rat pats the porch step beside him, scooting over. "What're you up for? I could get you tea..."

[notrosesshadow]

Martha cocks her head at his answer. "Haven't you been assigned a room like everyone else? There's a bed there I believe. Anyway, is the bruising subsiding?"

She sits on the step next to him at his indication. "Don't trouble yourself. I'm just out enjoying the night air. I guess I sort of though most people would be asleep, but that seems to not be the case here."

[bluesrat]

His eyebrows go up a little. "I... wasn't assigned anything. And the streets seemed quiet enough... but then Balthazar insisted I come stay here a while, after I... well. just before I came to see you." His scruffy, dirty look was not by choice, and he probably does look- and smell better than he did the first time she met him. Rat is happy to use a shower, once he has access to one.

"It's healing like normal bruising. I'm trying not to think too hard about how it might've happened. I feel like I'm on the mend in general, I just wish I knew from what."

[notrosesshadow]

"Hm... I was told they assigned rooms and I found mine with a bit of trouble. It's something to look into when you have the chance. Beds are always preferable when healing."

Martha was worried what might have happened to him too. The fact that it was his arms and torso that were bruised so effectively but not his head... it was almost as though he had his arms above his head to protect it from something. A beating maybe? But there were no lacerations.

[monticora]

Alec's pretty much healed since his time with the sea monster. When he came out of the water he was pretty bad, but a few days with Anita and Allison sorted him out. Plus the whole superior genetics did kind of help on that front. He's fine now. Just as obnoxious as ever. The only thing is that it's becoming difficult to live in a house with two very dominate female personalities. Alec almost always said something offensive and got a slap to the back of the head. Most of the time he retreated outside to give them time to fume quietly over something insulting that he said.

Allison tried to talk Alec into going to see one of the doctor's around here, but he refused. If he went to see a doctor then they'd no doubt discover his genetic thing. He didn't want the whole island knowing. It would probably make life with Dean and the others easier if they knew what they were dealing with, but it also made him a target. Back home Transgenics were killed for being among humans and he wasn't going to stumble into that. He would keep his mouth shut and stay under the radar. Not even Allison or Anita knew.

He's retreated outside for the evening. He's not like Max in the sense that he can survive on what she calls sleep, but he doesn't require a lot like the typical human. They were designed to be better and last longer. His night vision from the feline DNA comes in handy when skulking around as well. Probably explains why he's sidled up alongside Martha and started talking. "Brave lady." That sounded ominous. "Friend. Not foe."

[notrosesshadow]

Martha was very good at being aware of her surroundings. It's how she had made it through the whole not getting captured before she finished saving the world thing. Except for cats. Cats had always been able to sneak up on her. Unless they were knocking over trash cans or something, Martha wasn't aware a cat was in the area until it crossed her path. She'd bit her lip more than a few times when that had happened.

And so it was that Alec was able to sneak up on her. She gasped, and stepped away, immediately creating distance before he said anything. It took a moment for his words to actually register. Martha didn't exactly trust him, but she did allow her heart rate to calm down.

"Bloody hell! You don't just sneak up on people like that. And doesn't anyone sleep on this island?!" Nevermind the fact that she clearly wasn't sleeping...

[monticora]

Alec smiled when she reacted like that. It happened. He didn't relish the idea that he scared her, but it was mildly amusing to a certain degree. She was adopting the "protect yourself at all costs" stance it seemed. It was smart. He could be some psycho killer hanging around this place. She didn't know him or his past. He certainly didn't know her, but a conversation would hurt anything. Alec never misses an opportunity to discover new ways to benefit himself.

"I don't sleep much. Never needed to." If anything Alec is downright chipper. He does most of his best work at night. That does of course mainly include stealing, but he hasn't stolen anything since arriving here. Not much to really bother taking. He can't exactly hustle these people either. He'd have a lynch mob on his door. He's smart enough to know how to place himself.

His smile finally dropped and he extended a hand. He didn't do this often, but being friendlier might help calm her down a bit. "Name's Alec. What about you?"

[notrosesshadow]

Martha regards him quietly, looking for a sign that he's safe. She's been had before, she's not about to make the same mistake again. But he does look decent enough. She doesn't take his hand though. Instead she smiles warily.

"Martha.

"What brings you out tonight?"

[monticora]

There it is. A smile and a handshake. He's not looking to fleece her or do anything bad. If anything he just doesn't want her to think he's an enemy and try to attack him or something. It wouldn't be the first time a woman has tried to beat him up. Max does it on a semi regular basis. Martha doing it would not be that far off base.

"Like I said before--I don't sleep much. Though tonight is mostly because I pissed off my two roommates and I retreated out here to hide. It's hard living with two women who are under the opinion that I need a head smack when I say stupid things. Had to leave for a little while." He smiles. He likes Anita and Allison, but they are so damn touchy sometimes. "You?"

[notrosesshadow]

Martha visibly calms as he mentions his roommates. He sounds more like Leo now, and Leo is close to harmless.

She shrugged in answer to his question, and looked up at the sky. "I find night walks are best for clearing my head. We don't have stars like this in London."