kismet_loop | [video]

Entry tags:

unknown armies | samantha patchowski (oc

[video]

[Standing in her apartment, Sam is smiling, if a little uncertainly, as she leans away from a silvery snout; there’s a robotic moose nosing at her shoulder, like a horse hoping for a treat. It’s friendly enough, having done no worse than nose, but it’s the last thing she expected to find in her previously moose-free living room.]

The moose is not, itself, a problem. The moose is alright. The moose being trapped in my apartment because it can’t quiiite fit through the door, though---that is a problem. It doesn’t seem antsy or anything, but this is still too small a space for something its size.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Hiro may or may not groan loudly and slump along after her, stomping his feet just a little. Because he's fourteen going on five, apparently.]

[Sam just ignores this as she pours herself some water, downs the glass, pours another, and seats herself on the counter.]

I hadn't even been nineteen an entire month. Actual birthday's December second, and it was the day of New Year's Eve. Super nice day right from the start, so I decided to go skidooing early on---before lunch. I figured I'd get back in time for lunch, hit the gym one last time before the annual rush of resolutionists, and then clean up for the year's party. When I went out, all was well... Until I had a stupid accident and got the skidoo stuck.

[Oh wait, cool, storytime, Hiro's gonna grab himself a soda (already opened, probably flat, and therefore untouched) and hop up next to her.]

Stuck skidoos sure suck. [Feel free to smack him, Sam.]

To an extent you cannot appreciate until you've had to walk back to town, summer child.

Hey, I've never been out of town, Canada lady. [Yes, Hiro, we know.]

Never? That seems so weird. Even for fourteen.

Well, when I was like three, we moved into the city but...I was three. I can't remember that.

If you ever get back to Earth, promise me you'll go to two places, okay? Banff and Yellowknife, and you've got to go to Yellowknife for Folk on the Rocks.

...I understand all those words separately, buuuuut not together.

Banff, Alberta. National park, amazing any time of the year. Yellowknife is home no matter where I move, and Folk on the Rocks is a festival I've never missed from my first attendance.

Except this year.

For obvious reasons.

...you don't really talk about your home a lot. But you really miss it, huh?

Yeah. [She looks to their feet, thumping her heels against a cupboard door.] Another three months and I'd've moved back to Alberta, making it a straight north-south run to visit. But about going back...

It was a long walk. You know how I move---had the limp since sixteen. It wasn't bad, temperature-wise; warm enough I was too hot with my helmet on and coat zipped, so most of the way I was just carrying both. Didn't think anything of it because for the first part of the walk I was swearing over getting stuck, and then for the rest of it I was moaning and groaning over going so far out before getting stuck.

[Hiro frowns a little, filing that away for later.]

There wasn't anyone around? Nobody? [City child is baffled by this idea.]

Well, no, we're talking out of town. It's not like I was out of sight of it or anything, but still field in all directions for a ways and going is slow on snow on foot. I eventually made it back in, got a lift out, recovered the skidoo, decided everything could hang; I'd have a nap.

[She pauses to drink some of her water, set the glass aside, and settle back, eyes wandering to the ceiling's plated panels.]

When I woke up, I freaked out. When I woke up, I couldn't see.

[Cue horrified expression.]

W-What? Why not?

You look almost exactly the way I felt. [Which is enough to warrant a small smile... and a shoulder-bumping lean, in assurance.] I was snowblind. It's... basically like a sunburn on your eyes from all the light reflected off the snow. It takes a while after ah, adequate exposure for the blindness to actually set in. Walking back, I took time enough---y'know, helmet off with it being a nice, sunny day---and while I was sleeping, that was the second window.

This, of course, occurred to me after I still don't know how long. [She shakes her head, huffing what can't quite qualify as a little laugh.] I came so close to throwing up on nerves, man. I might've, actually, if I didn't scream for my mom when I did.

[Hiro's quiet for a moment, taking this in, then, very gently, returning the shoulder-bump.]

Did...did it go away?

Oh, yeah. Just took two days to be clearing and made for a shitty New Year's Eve. We beat the rush to the ER cause it was only about supper time, but getting the professional prognosis wasn't as reassuring as it should've been. I've been on the receiving end of some... seriously unsatisfactory medical attention before, so the entire time I was being assessed I could only think 'Christ, what if this one's as bad as the last?'

...what happened the last time? [Hiro is starting to get indignant on your behalf, Sam.]

[She scowls---not at the question, but at the memory.]

They didn't set my leg quite right. Never needed a cast on anything before so I had no basis for comparison, or idea how long the ache ought've been, and somehow this "critical incident" was caught only after the cast came off. It had the option of having it reset, but same place? Same staff? Fuck that noise, they had their shot.

[Have some wide-eyed horror from future child who's used to robots doing most medical procedures.]

Did you sue them?

We were advised against trying to until or unless how fixable it was with resetting could be ascertained, so... no. Cause I was like 'well, that's not happening any time soon, cause it's not happening here, and I just got the cast off, and it's just now getting nice out.'

No time's a good time to bust a limb, but spring and summer would be the worst, and I really wasn't keen on round two. Kind of lost out consequently, but the settlement sum we did get is what let me get my beater---a surbuban---at sixteen, and all set up.

...hmph. [Hiro would suggest going back and suing again, but. They sort of can't.

And anyways:] So what happened? After you got all...blind and stuff?

[Sam starts to say something, but huffs and presses a hand to her face. It doesn't hide that she's sort-of smiling, though.]

I'm sorry. I'm not telling this very well. [She drops her hand, and gives Hiro a look that's all earnestness.] I haven't had a whole lot of practice.

I screamed for my mom, like I said. When she came in, I could see her---but only insofar as I could still see her aura.

I probably have a good deal of explaining to do now, don't I? Saying 'still.'

It's...sort of out of order, yeah. [Have a small grin, and another very gentle elbow-nudge.] It's cool. Like one of those really confusing old movies. [...he's probably talking about "Inception".]

...uh. Also "aura". Explain that part first, actually.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject