Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer

Heidi paused, before sighing. She didn't really want to see Eithne. It would hurt. It would hurt a lot. She found tears welling up in her eyes again, and despite the fact that she knew Tom wasn't big on touchy-feely stuff, she grabbed his arm tightly. "I-I'll come with," she replied softly, struggling to keep herself from crying again.

"Thanks," Tom replied quietly, not really one for big showings of wmotion even to his friends. He stiffened at the contact before he told himself that it was just Heidi and he relaxed. His nervousness about being touched had been a by-product of his blindness. He located the site of the his friend's body, very glad there was no one else there, and began to walk.

Paul shook his head, smiling grimly. Well, no amount of talking was gonna change this course, so he decided to keep his distance. Shouldering his rifle, Paul turned to look at the deserted tents. All he had left was his past, really. No future, no family, no clue what was going to happen. He had his reason to stick around and when that reason was finished he was getting out of there one way or another.

Heidi stayed quiet for the first few minutes that they walked, though that didn't last long, mainly because she couldn't stand it anymore. The quiet made her scared. Even though she knew Tom was right there, she was holding onto his arm after all, she still felt horribly alone, and needed some sort of noise to fill that silence, even if it was just her own voice. "...Wh-When we got close to Shima's, it...it was a long walk. I w-was carrying Simon, but I w-was wearing down, and I g-guess Eithne noticed, 'cuz when Simon wanted down, he started agreeing with h-him... H-He said that I d-didn't 'hafta worry about p-protecting Simon, 'cuz he'd k-keep the both o-of us safe, a-and I guess at the time I was kinda mad th-that he was underestimating m-me but...but...th-that was the first time, I guess. No one ever says they're gonna protect me, I'm always gonna keep them safe, o-or I'm in the way, or I'm t-too weak, but Eithne..." she trailed off, a small sob escaping her lips. "W-We were gonna go l-live by a lake and h-he was gonna teach S-Simon to fish, a-and now..."

Zackary arrived at the scene of the battle. ...Well, way too late apparently. No one was there anymore, and he was left scratching his head.

"Best waste of energy ever..." he muttered, shrugging before turning back around. "Fuck, I don't even know what to do anymore..."

"You don't know what to do?" Paul asked, walking up to Zackary, "Grab a shovel, I have two people to bury." Paul tossed the man a shovel, identical to one in his other hand.

"Well, guess that helps somewhat," Zackary said, shrugging as he leaned on the shovel. "Where we burying them?"

"He was like that, Eithne. I wouldn't be surprised if he died thinking of other people, more specifically you and Simon," Tom offered, not sure what to offer in response to a story like that. He felt isolated despite all of the people he could feel moving in the area, unsure where to go or what to do beyond a vague 'help out'. He came to a mental decision, opening his mouth to speak... bedew promptly closing it again, his usual silence backfiring on him as he found himself at a loss for the right words to say.

Heidi nodded slightly in response to Tom, trying not to make so much noise when she cried. She was a bit envious of Tom. This had turned her into a sobbing wreck, while, at least on the outside, Tom was still all collected. "H-He's...he was s-so stupid... Why'd he have to go and g-get himself killed?" she whimpered, before looking up at Tom. "You're not allowed t-to die."

"D-die? Heidi, I... I'll be around for a long time, don't you worry about it," Tom replied, smiling to try and assure her that it was all going to be alright, even as she began to cry in front of him. A voice in his head whispered to him, questioning whether he was truly doing better than her. His willingness to keep his feelings to himself had become an inability to let them out, and he lied and acted his way through conversations.

Eithne would have been able to handle the situation a lot better than Tom was, he was sure of it. Eithne had always managed to remain smart enough without cutting off everyone else like Tom had, and it had made him a good leader and a great person to have by your side when the chips were down. Tom swallowed sadness, he knew that the time to break down was not then, not there next to Heidi. He had to be a rock for the both of them, even if he had to lie for it.

"Follow me," Paul answered, motioning for Zackary to follow as he started off towards a vacant field he had decided earlier would be where they were to bury their dead, a graveyard.

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