Keira smiled thankfully at Anna. "I don't think I want anyone else carrying me. Maybe I could just lean on you?" She really didn't want to lean on anyone either, but Keira couldn't walk on her own. Weakness was not something she liked to show, but it hadn't been her fault . . . "Thanks," she whispered to Anna. "I don't know what I would have done if one of those two idiots had decided to help me." "Get off of me!" she added when Vic wrapped an arm around her. He was almost as bad as Reese himself.
"Dude, what the Hell is wrong with you?" The more he interacted with Reese, the more he saw the chief scientist for the weirdo he truly was. M was gonna need a bonus after this, and that matter was non-negotiable. Between him and a batty woman who denied help though obviously needing it, this was shaping up to be quite the calamity. "Okay, so are we ready to go now? Ain't no tellin' what else is loose. You guys have like, at least 10 species you do studies on, right?"
"Get off of me!" Keira yelled, throwing Vic off of her. Without saying anything, he backed away. He knew when he wasn't wanted. Still... there was something odd about the way she refused everyone's help except Anna's... Vic suddenly reached a horrifying conclusion. Keira is a lesbian!! There were already too few chicks to go around and now one had succumbed to the dark side. Vic shook his head, trying to clear out that thought. He really wanted a smoke, but was trying to save his stash for later.
"Edgar is f@#king responsible for what happened, he should do something to help out the f@#king idiot always running and hiding behind people," Reese said, "Fine helping Keira was the better of the choices..." Reese grabbed Edgar's shoulder. "Edgar go in front of the group it's more dangerous that way, but hell if we know that there are aliens nearby they'll attack you first," Reese said. * * * Stewart had remained quiet the whole entire time. He didn't want to get into any of the situations. He also felt like throwing up, maybe it was because he felt disgusted with what his life was going to be like. Stewart had lost some of his spark. Their morale needed to be boosted up somehow or Stewart was just going to stop walking. * * * While walking the halls Lex had been looking for a vending machine, a lot of them were not functioning or working. But he found one standing like a brave little soldier and it had lights. "Oh my god thee lights of the heavens you sees here....and they gots the most delicious salt and vinegar crisp ever," Lex said. Lex got hungry faster then the others because his life consisted of snacks and nothing feeling. He was always snacking and he needed a snack. He wondered if they would wait for him as he began to crisp his facility bills.
Reese slipped into another dimension of dementia. He wasn't sure how possible it was, seeing as how he never really sat down and spoke with him. Reese was a very weird little guy, and honestly, he did nothing to help matters. Plus, he was extremely hard on Edgar. Perhaps it was deserved, but Reese's statements gave M a couple questions that needed answers soon. "Uhhh... if Edgar is such an idiot, why would you hire him in the first place? And more importantly, when you saw he kept making mistakes, why didn't you fire him?"
Reese stared at Marcellus. "He makes a terrible Cellular scientist especially with that generator, but he is good with people and that is all you need know," Reese said. Reese left his gaze at Marcellus. * * * "They got Cheez Its in here, oh holy lord I won't be able to make a decisions you sees this is dangerous," Lex said. Began humming a rather odd tune as he took out a dollar and fifty cents. "Salt and Vinegar crisp or Cheez Its...maybe some cookies," Lex paused, "Anyone willing to help to gets somethings for the groups?"
Anna noticed Stewart hesitate, and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him over as she hoisted Keira's arm around her shoulders. "No problem," she told the other woman, sliding her arm around her back to help support her as she threw her free arm around Stewart. "It'll be okay," she told him. "Don't give up hope on me yet--I will carry you if I have to, but I'd rather not."
Stewart pushed away. "I don't need help I'm fine," Stewart said, "And I don't think Keira wants to be supported by someone who is use to carrying papers and not human beings." This was the only time in his whole life were he felt nearly excluded cold. It was if being diagnosed with cancer or something. Stewart noticed Lex over at the vending machines. "Are we going to leave Lex wondering about the next great snack and then he dies?" Stewart asked.
"I'd rather not be carried at all," Keira said. When Stewart spoke, Keira immediately noticed that something was the matter with him. What was his problem? What had happened to him? Keira didn't know anything. She must have been unconscious for quite some time. "Actually, now that you mention snacks, I'm starving." They had been in the facility all day long without rest or food. "Maybe we should stop for a while.
"Salt and Vinegar crisp or Cheez Its...maybe some cookies," Lex said, "Anyone willing to help to gets somethings for the groups?" "We just left a f***** cafeteria and NOW you wanna talk food?" Vic snapped. "Bust that s*** and take it, man. This ain't rocket science, mutha f****." He shook his head again, thoroughly pissed off with these people. He would probably be out of here by now if he was alone. That fiasco in the cafeteria made it obvious the aliens were after large groups; they waited until everyone was there before they attacked. "A bunch of f***** retards, man. Dem aliens got more sense in they left nut than y'all got in this whole group."
Reese half-ass answered M's question, but that was more than he actually expected to begin with. "That's fine, if it's fine for you. You write the checks." He shrugged and looked at the girls wrapped up in each other. He shook his head and smirked. Their words sounded like they came fresh out of the cheesiest romance novel or pornographic cinema, whichever you're into. He wanted to laugh, but he wouldn't make light of Keira's injury. Like we established earlier, they get along without M having to convince himself to be nice on account of her being a co-worker. Talk of food circulated, which annoyed M. "We just left a f***** cafeteria and NOW you wanna talk food?" "I gotta go with Vic on that one."
Lex turned around with an expression people rarely see of him. A furious anger. "SHUT UP!" Lex said, "JUST SHUT UP...I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS, I DON'T WANT TO BE REMINDED OF WHAT KIND OF F@#KING SH!THOLE WE ARE IN...JUST LET ME BE ME IN MY F@#KING HAPPY PLACE!" Lex went back to the vending machine and stared at it for a moment. Then he went back to humming quietly to himself. He took out screw driver. He knew how to take these thing apart quietly. He knew a lot of things. He learned a lot of things when he was a a kid, reading, humming, making music, listening to music, and cracking jokes with his imaginary friends. It was how he coped with high stress situations like this. As a kid his fathers were all messed up, he had 6 fathers in total. They were always either the drunk ones or the ones who brought other woman to the house. They were the kind to always with his mother. But his mother was no better a drunk, skank, who had another job as a stripper. This was Lex and Lex couldn't take their bickering any last minute. They just needed him to forget the situation or he wouldn't be any help. "This will take a moment let me make this baby and opens it you'll see it has thees wonderful things," Lex said.
Anna watched Stewart with a blank expression. "Hey, Lex," she called, trying to get his attention. "Could that thing be screwing with his brain?" In all her years of service to Stewart she had never once seen him act this way, so that was really the only conclusion she could come to.
"SHUT UP!" Lex said, "JUST SHUT UP...I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS, I DON'T WANT TO BE REMINDED OF WHAT KIND OF F@#KING SH!THOLE WE ARE IN...JUST LET ME BE ME IN MY F@#KING HAPPY PLACE...! This will take a moment let me make this baby and opens it you'll see it has these wonderful things." "I got ya happy place right here, mutha f****," Vic said. "Watch ya tone, ya dig. You don't need to be eatin' that s*** anyway, homie. I got a pocketful of 'wonderful things' if you having trouble dealin' wit tha real. Ya feel me?"
"Thing? What thing?" Keira questioned. She must have been out of it at an important time, or she would have known what they were talking about. "Screwing with his brain? What are you talking about?" Keira was now thoroughly confused, and Lex talking like a nut wasn't helping anything.
"Oh, I guess you missed that," Anna muttered. She shrugged. "Stewart got infected by a Diver. Lex says he'll live, though. But I have a feeling it might be wreaking havoc with his head just a bit."
"Gummies are in the shapes of animals you sees," Lex said, "You got any gummies with zoo animals...especially the really delicious cherry hippo...very hard to find delicious cherry hippo, they say it's part of their five flavors, but I never see the cherry hippo only twice you see?" Lex was unscrewing the vending machine swaying his head back and forth. "Do do doahaaha doo do adaahd," he was humming. Lex was happy once again. "No no, it ain't messing with his head, he's messing with his you see," * * * Stewart just watched the whole situation. People were acting weird, even himself. "Now that you think about it....I'm kinda thirsty," Stewart said.
"A Diver? Great. Just great. That's exactly what we need . . ." Keira was still puzzled. She had never heard of anyone who could survive an encounter with a Diver. Things were turning out very strange indeed . . . She was so sick of the arguing, and she wanted to end it. "We're taking a break, Maris, if you don't mind. I'm sick of all the arguing, and most of us are hungry."
"Gummies are in the shapes of animals you sees," Lex said, "You got any gummies with zoo animals...especially the really delicious cherry hippo...very hard to find delicious cherry hippo, they say it's part of their five flavors, but I never see the cherry hippo only twice you see?" "Man, I don't f*** wit dem cherry hippos and purple elephants and s***," Vic said. "This one time, I was wit this girl an' she was all like 'try this, try this,' and I was like 'nah, man, I ain't down wit that s***,' but she was like 'do it, it'll be fun,' so I was like 'f*** it,' I did it. Man, like, like the TV was holdin' me down while the couch was trying to eat my legs and s***, yo. And green monkeys was climbin' in the windows and the table was laughin' at me an' the carpet was all like 'wassup V, why you trippin'?" Vic got really quiet for a few seconds. "I don't smoke s*** like that no mo,' man.... S*** was scary."
Reese stared at the group. "Fine, fine, fine take a break...we have ten minutes you here me ten nothing more or less," Reese said. Reese leaned on the wall of the hallway and slid down. He covered his face with his hand. This was not the day he wanted or in a way days. * * * Lex got the vending machine open and he smiled at them. "Who wants Zoo Gummies....crisp anyone, biscuits?" Lex called out like a street vendor. * * * Stewart stared he didn't have much of an appetite or maybe it was because he was so filled with anxiety and stressed that he couldn't think of food. "Lex is there anything to drink in there?" Stewart asked. Lex stared at him like this was a food machine and not a drink machine. Stewart just nodded.
Andrew had been watching the group, trying to figure out everyone's injuries and quirks. He had decided that he was the last sane person in the group. Though he lost his machete in a fight with himself and a chair, and all he had left was his ballpoint pen, Andrew was determined to stay alive . He walked towards the vending and peered at the assortment of packaged goods. "I want to eat something fruity, but not actual fruit. How about some apple rings?" Andrew opened his bag of candy and began to shove the apple flavored gummy rings on his fingers. Soon all ten fingers were green and sugar coated. Tastes lovely. He thought as he licked at the candy. "Can I interest anyone in a ring?" Andrew asked as he displayed his prize.
Lex stared at Andrew with a smile. "They have apple rings, I miss those apples rings you see...when Reese decided no one liked them, I was happies to see them comes back," Lex said, "I'd would like to celebrate the ritual of Apple Rings if you want thee to....also may I point to you the kiwi and strawberry ring pops."
Vic shouldn't smoke anything for at least 20 minutes. M actually snickered a little at his story, and shook it off. It sounded like he wasn't smoking weed, but they can split hairs later. Meanwhile, Andrew was offering the group apple rings. M wasn't hungry or in the mood for a snack, but it seemed as if they would stop for that break, so he chilled. Lex seemed happy again. Bi-polar? The more he was around these people, the more he realized he was glad to be assigned where he was where he wouldn't run into them too much. Small doses was the key.
Keira took her own food from the vending machine - a bag of chips. That's all she would need for a few hours. Content with her find, Keira settled down against the wall, eating and watching her companions. Reese was leaning against the wall, covering his face, Andrew was offering everyone apple rings, and everyone else was just standing around, doing nothing. After she had eaten all of her chips, Keira closed her eyes, hoping to rest them, and ended up falling asleep for a few moments.
Stewart walked over to the vending machine and grabbed himself some crackers. He was hungry, it was just he was still trying to stomach this giant idea. He began to eat the crackers slowly, but didn't even finish the full bag before wanting just to sleep. He pressed his back on the wall and rested his eyes. Through all the anxiety he couldn't sleep, but at least he make people's faces go away just for a few moments.
