you heard me.

you wanna fuck with me, arsehole? you better watch your back. nobody is watching it for you, not anymore.

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

Another Day, Another Grave || Daryl & Finn

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

"Strike one, don’t throw threats at me. Remember my warnin’ ‘bout bein’ able to pass through that fence." Daryl knew she was joking, but why not have some fun and pretend he was being serious? Besides, she was new and didn’t know how to decipher his dry humor. "Finn McCool, that’s a weird one, ain’t never heard it before. Somethin’ tells me it ain’t your real name." He looked her over, pausing for a moment. "But I don’t understand why you’d lie, since it’s not like I can do a background check or some shit. If you’re a criminal… Kinda ironic you came to a prison lookin’ for help."

He laughed, despite her warning, and mumbled the name under his breath. Really? That was the best she could do? God, if she really was a criminal, she wasn’t a good one. The girl could barely get out a decent lie. Daryl started walking up the steep hill slowly, hoping to get more out of her. It wasn’t every day a stranger walked up asking to be taken in - most people thought the prison was overrun and there was no use in coming anywhere near it.

"How’d you find the prison, and how’d you know there were gonna be people here? You been watchin’ us?" Daryl wasn’t stupid, he knew something was up. Either she’d been watching them, or she’d heard someone say something about this place. "Ever run into a guy who thinks he’s a governor?"

[gofinnyourself]

Finn was no criminal, except for being a terrible liar -- that, she plead guilty to. She didn't reveal her birth name because it was easier to distance herself from others. Finn McCool was easy to shed, like a snake's skin; shed the name, shed every attachment to it. It was simple.

He asked how she found the prison, and Finn swallowed. She stared at Aednat, rubbing her belly to bide the time before she was forced to answer. "I guess; I've been 'iding up in trees fer about two weeks now," she replied sheepishly. If he didn't believe that, well -- that was his loss. It was the truth. Tree climbing was a good skill to have. Tree sleeping, on the other hand, was an even better one. 

Daryl asked about a governor, and Finn looked up. She stared at him with narrow eyes, head tilted to the side. "Eh?" She had heard him, but had asked it more so to herself. "A governor? Nah, I never. Woulda told 'im to shove it, if I 'ad," she snorted. It was sort of ironic of her to say that she would mock the guy who called himself a governor, when she was claiming to be an Irish legend and hero. Regardless, at least she didn't go telling everyone that.

"So, ye got beds 'n stuff 'ere? A pillow, at least? I amn't gon' complain if ye don't," she huffed. Anywhere safe to sleep was better than sleeping out in the open. A cement floor with a blanket was better than that. 

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

Another Day, Another Grave || Daryl & Finn

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

"Don’t know what’s so funny, but I’m glad you’re amused." Each word was laced with annoyance and his eyebrows knit together as he grunted under his breath. By the look of confusion on her face, Daryl could tell she had no idea who Rick was.

As he edge closer, he noticed the cat and rolled his eyes. She had a damn pet. “Really? A cat… I guess I should’ve known.” He shrugged a shoulder before sighing and giving in. He wasn’t going to just leave her out there. “I’ll let you in, but one wrong move and I’ll put an arrow between your eyes - no hesitation.” Although he wished he wouldn’t have to do it, he meant every word. People’s lives could be affected by one wrong move, and he didn’t want to be the person responsible for it.

"I’ll let the cat in too, but only ‘cause you pulled me away from the worst job ‘round." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the makeshift graveyard before moving to the opening of the fence. "It’d be nice to know a name, too. Mine’s Daryl." He nodded in her direction.

[gofinnyourself]

Finn could tell the man was annoyed with her, and so the smirk on her lips was smeared away with the back of her hand. He seemed to consider his options about letting her into the prison. Finn prayed he would take pity on her and Aednat. 

When he allowed her entrance, but with a condition, Finn swallowed thickly and gave a quick nod in agreement. She picked up the fat, black cat and it snuggled nicely in her thin arms. She purred loudly and rubbed at Finn's chest. She absentmindedly stroked its fuzzy belly.

The man also gave admission to her cat, then moved towards the opening in the fence. Finn adjusted Aednat in her arms, then moved towards it as well. She swallowed again, not wanting to reveal her name. The cat looked up at her expectantly, as if wanting to hear her say it.

"Er, me name's...Finn. Finn McCool, 'n if ye laugh, I'll slice ye silly," she threatened, but she hoped the man could tell it was just a joke. Finn really hated giving out her name, but knew if she wanted a safe place to sleep and eat and shit, then she would be forced to give it out. Even if that wasn't even her real name, at least it was something.

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

Another Day, Another Grave || Daryl & Finn

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

Daryl snapped to attention, hearing an unfamiliar voice outside the fence. He quickly jumped out of the grave, snatching up his crossbow as his eyes squinted against the glare of the sun, staring at the girl. He looked around, wondering where she’d come from. Was she with The Governor, or just a truly lost survivor? Either way, if he let her in and someone got hurt, their blood would be on his hands.

"You lost or somethin’?" He pulled the bandana from his mouth as he spoke, the muffled sound of his voice becoming clearer. "Have you talked to Rick?" He kept his weapon low, noticing how she didn’t seem to be a serious threat with only a knife. Daryl edged closer to the fence, looking her over. She didn’t look like much of a threat close up, either, and her accent suggested that she wasn’t from around here.

He knew he couldn’t just let her into the prison without talking to Rick and the rest of the council, but she seemed harmless enough. Besides, he couldn’t just leave her out there, could he? Doing one last look-over, Daryl concluded that she didn’t look menacing. “Might got some spots open… You alone?”

[gofinnyourself]

The man looked startled to hear the girl's voice, which caused her to smirk slightly. He got out of the grave and aimed his crossbow at her. The December sun was working in her favour, which could mean a better chance of escaping one of those arrows if he ended up shooting at her. Finn straightened her back, squaring her shoulders.

He asked her if she was lost, and a defiant laugh sputtered out of her. He mentioned a man named Rick, but Finn had no idea who that was. The leader of their group, perhaps? She narrowed her eyes, watching him lower his weapon cautiously.

The man was closer now, and she could smell the sweat he had worked up. Finn wrinkled her nose in disgust. He asked her if she was alone. Finn swallowed a thick lump that was forming in her throat, giving a hard nod. "Been alone for a while now; well," she paused. Finn threw a glance behind her, and lo and behold there was Aednat -- a cat that had taken a liking to her. "Ye mind if I share space wit' a fat cat? She won't take up much room, promise," Finn kissed her tongue in order to draw the cat closer.

Aednat meowed quietly, rubbing against a few trees before snaking through her legs. Finn looked up sheepishly, offering him a shrug. 

[crossbow-bearing-daryl-deactiva]

Another Day, Another Grave || Daryl & Finn

Daryl didn’t know why he volunteered to dig the graves, it always put a dark cloud over him. Maybe it was because no one else wanted this job. He understood why, though. People didn’t want to be depressed or feel unsafe, even if just outside the fence, walkers were desperately trying to get inside.

He took a break from shoveling and wiped sweat from his forehead before any more dripped into his eyes and made them sting. A pain was making itself known in his back and he grunted, leaning against the side of the grave, the smell of fresh dirt seeping through the bandana he wore over his nose. The flu had killed yet another person, and this one wasn’t just a quiet death. It seemed she was very well known around the prison, helping take care of the kids and, as Daryl was informed, helped Carol whenever she used to prepare meals.

"Ain’t much we can do ‘bout it." He mumbled uder his breath to himself, looking at the body which was wrapped in a blood-stained sheet. "Sorry ‘bout what happened to you, though. Ain’t the right way to die." Great. I’m talkin’ to dead people now? What’s next? He shook his head and continued with his job, cursing to himself when he felt a splinter enter the palm of his hand.

[gofinnyourself]

Finn had been creeping around an occupied prison for the past few days. Her curiosity had taken a hold on her, and she couldn't leave this place. The girl had watched people come and go daily, and a few even worked in a makeshift garden. She felt her heart harden every time she saw the man and boy work together. Finn assumed they were father and son, the way they interacted. 

The fourth day she had watched from high within a tree, she saw a man digging a grave. He wore a bandana around his mouth, as if he was protecting his lungs from bad air. Well, Finn assumed it was because the body smelt terrible -- they all did. She watched him dig for a while before crawling down the tree.

Finn figured this was a good a time as any to approach the people living there. She wanted to live there, or at least, for a while. The boy who worked in the garden was around Cillian's age, and perhaps she could befriend him. Nobody would ever be able to replace her younger brother, but anything was better than not having him around.

The girl inched towards the fence, a side of the prison that wasn't clogged with rotters. She gripped her switchblade carefully in one hand, the other fiddling with a paperclip in her pocket. The man was mumbling something to himself as he dug. Finn cleared her throat.

"Oi!" she hissed, hopefully loud enough for him to hear. "You got any vacancies?" Her tone of voice was lilting and a little bit playful, hopeful he wouldn't just tell her to fuck off.

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Alaska felt an internal frustration bubbling from inside her stomach as her fingers rumbled through all the junk the previous owners left in the closets. She held her face straight, not wanting to worry the girl, while cursing her own forgetfulness. Starting to retrace her steps she almost didn’t hear her asking for water. ‘Yeah, sure…’ She absently muttered. ‘Water.’

She slid her backpack off her shoulders onto the counter and got out the small bottle filled with the transparent liquid. She tightened her grip, knowing it was all that’s left. The water sloshed against the plastic when she placed it on the small dresser next to the bed. The girl seemed to be dozing off and Alaska carefully placed her hand on her forehead. 

She quickly pulled back when feeling how warm it was. She found it rather unnerving to know how little time this person might have left. Where could those damn pills be? Alaska closed her eyes and let her fingers go through her hair while trying to remember. Her eyes opened again and she bit her bottom lip while kneeling down in front of the dresser and opening it. And yes, all the way in the back she found the jar. She took a few of the tiny pills out and put them in the bottle, before giving it to the girl. ‘Here, drink up.’ She said, lips curled up into a lopsided smile.

[gofinnyourself]

The other blonde managed to find her a bottle of water, and she had just enough of it to swallow the handful of pills. Finn held out a shaky hand, the bottle not completely empty. She wasn't going to take the rest. Though Finn was a selfish brat, she knew well enough that you had to share your stuff if there was not a lot left -- and in this case, it wasn't even Finn's stuff. 

When the girl touched her forehead, Finn recoiled at her cold fingers. After a second, though, she tried to press her forehead into it; cold was good. Cold was nice and it was soothing. She hadn't realized how damn hot she was until that moment. 

She eventually found the medicine, dropping the pills into the rest of the water bottle. Finn wanted to protest, and she did! -- but all that came out of her mouth was a tiny crackling groan. She offered the bottle to Finn, and she didn't want to accept it. But it was already dissolving the medicine, so it was no use to the other.

Finn downed the rest of the water, hoping and praying to God that it would make her better. That she wouldn't be in this achey pain anymore. That the hallucinations of Cillian would disappear. Speaking of which...His scrawny, pale body was sitting on the edge of the bed, big eyes seeming even bigger. "Maddy, are you okay?" he asked, his voice sounding far away. If she looked directly at him, his face got all distorted and fuzzy.

"Go away, you're dead, you're dead, I killed you..." Finn whined. Her voice was barely a whisper, and a raspy one at that. If the other girl managed to hear her, she would probably not understand her. "I need to -- sleep, I need sleep," she continued, louder this time. 

Cillian wouldn't let up. He started nudging her now, hands touching and grabbing at her, needy and premature. Finn tried to swat them away, yanking off his little, sticky fingers from her skin.

"I just...sleep..." Finn's eyes eventually closed, and she tumbled down into a deep, dreamless sleep. Not even a fever dream could break through the dark abyss.

[gofinnyourself]

PRETEND HEROES — a phinn mix [ listen ]

breezeblocks ; alt-j // do i wanna know ; arctic monkeys // courtship dating ; crystal castles // lolita ; lana del ray // some boys ; death cab for cutie // if i had a heart ; fever ray // thirteen thirtyfive ; dillon // stand up ; hindi zahra // two weeks ; grizzly bear // putting the dog to sleep ; the antlers // benjamin and daisy ; alexandre desplat

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Alaska realized they moved faster, and actually started to believe they would make it. They were approximately halfway there and the girl asked if the trailer was hers. Well, of course it was. ‘Yeah, that’s mine.’ She muttered. She looked around in an attempt to count the walkers. It was pretty hopeless, it was nearly impossible to see, they had the advantage of being covered by darkness.

Once they finally reached the old vehicle she opened the door and turned on the oil lamp next to it. The weak light cleared the small room up and Alaska let go of the girl and paced towards one of the kitchen counters, getting out a gun silencer and montaging it to hers. ‘You can take a seat if you want.’ She said.

The first one of the things almost got inside the trailer when a bullet went through his skull. The blonde smashed the door and locked it tight. She cracked a window open and started to shoot the others.

There must’ve been about ten or so and when they were all down pretty quickly. Alaska got the silencer off and put it back in the drawer, opening the one next to it. ‘Here, catch.’ She got out a small jar of pain killers and threw it at the girl. ‘If you wanna fall down again, the bed’s right there.’ She said mockingly, while opening all drawers, looking for the antibiotics. 

[gofinnyourself]

They made it into the trailer, followed by a posse of rotters. The other girl managed to dispose of them rather quickly, but Finn had blanked. She didn't need to run, or walk, or do anything but breathe right now. So that is what she did. 

When the girl tossed her a bottle of pain killers, Finn hadn't even realized it had hit her square in the chest until the bottle hit the floor with a loud smack. Finn bent down slowly to pick it up, holding it in her two hands like it was a miracle. She was starting to come back, her thoughts filling up every crack and crevice in her skull. Finn opened the bottle and deposited four tablets into her palm. 

"Water," she croaked, "please." The other mentioned there was a bed nearby, a real fucking bed, and Finn rose to her feet. She was wobbly and weak-kneed, but she managed to make her way towards it. 

Finn crawled onto the mattress and laid on top of all the blankets, her body hot enough to cook an egg. Her head felt like it was on fire, and she wanted the pain to stop. All the aching, all the shivering despite being over a hundred degrees, all the racing thoughts of death and pain and suffering and Cillian. 

She waited for the other girl to find whatever she was looking for, eyes fluttering closed. Finn could fall asleep right now, and drift off into the afterlife with no problem. But Hell was the only place she would be going to, she was sure of it. God had no mercy on people like her. 

[purifiedhero]

+ like a horror film ; mason & finn

[purifiedhero]

Mason shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Nope, I just thought I’d seen a couple of squirrels in the road, so I stopped. They must’ve walked back to the woods,” he lied. No way he was telling her the car was broken, in the middle of a dark road, with supplies inside there and nothing but more road and woods ahead. Luckily, he had years of experience in lying, and he could proudly say it was something he did very well.

He sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “What’s your name, blondie?” He arched his eyebrows sarcastically. “Happy?” 

As she raised her hands, he allowed his muscles to relax a little, but he didn’t put the knife back into his belt. It wasn’t easy for him to trust people, and he definitely wouldn’t risk putting it down completely. The girl was a lot smaller than him, but he didn’t know how fast or skilled she was. In a world like that, Mason had learned to never underestimate a person.

"Yeah, but there’s a town not far from here," Mason answered. Well, it wasn’t far if he had a car working. If he didn’t get to fix the Mustang, he’d have to go walking, and it would be a long walk. “Are you, uh, staying in the woods or something?” It was the only reason he could think of about why the girl would be in a place like that in the middle of night. Unless she was also heading somewhere.

[gofinnyourself]

Finn rolled her eyes at his comment about squirrels. If he was going 40, 50 kilometres per hour, he would never have seen the squirrels "walking about" unless they were in the middle of the road. And maybe even then, since it was pitch black outside. What did he think she was, an imbecile? 

He asked for her name, albeit a bit sarcastically (and he called her blondie! Mother fucker), but Finn answered his request. "Finn. 'N no, I amn't happy till ye put t'at knife down, boyo," she spat. 

The guy didn't seem to convincing, not even to himself -- about the town. If he was talking about the one closest to this area, she had already been there. It was overrun with rotters and the stench of dead corpse had infected her nostrils. She still couldn't get rid of it, not even after smelling a patch of strong smelling wild flowers. 

Finn heaved a sigh and leaned up against a tree, arms folded. "I don't stay anywhere. I sorta, hm -- I float. If t'is was before ta outbreak, ye'd call me a drifter, I t'ink. Yeah, a drifter. T'at's what I am."

The girl eyed him cautiously, not wanting to be on the receiving end of that blade he held. She wanted him to put it down already, so they could talk a little bit more civilized. 

[nova-williams]

Bumping into Strangers [Nova/Finn]

[nova-williams]

Nova felt tense the entire trip down the stairs - her eyes picking out which areas not to step down on. She was a bit irritated at how Finn treated her a bit like a child but she kept it to herself - for now. Nova knew that she wasn’t very experienced with living on her own but she also knew how to be with other people. Finn didn’t seem to know how to do that part. 

The scent of rotten meat was making her stomach twist in uncomfortable ways. Nova bit her lip, keeping quiet until they made it outside. As soon as the girls were outside Nova felt drastically better. “And that is why I don’t sleep in houses,” she hissed. Nova turned to Finn and scowled. Nova stopped once they got back onto the street - a few zombies heading down the street at a limping speed. 

Her shoulders straightened and she tilted her head up a notch. Oh she was about to go all alpha on this girl. “Now that your idea’s gone completely down the drain I’m going back to my camp.” Nova made sure to keep her voice quiet - only Finn would be able to hear her hard words. “If you’d like to share my tent for the night you can. I won’t stop you. But get something straight, kid. I know how to take care of myself. You might not see it but I do. I’ve been living in forests and tents for the last three years. It works for me.”

She took a step back from the younger woman. “Now, are you coming to camp or not?” Nova hissed.

[gofinnyourself]

Finn petted the fluffy cat in her arms, and scowled at the older woman. If she was going to act like a bitch, then Finn had better things to do. She rolled her shoulders back, and adjusted the animal in her arms. "I amn't a kid, old woman. You can keep yer tent; I don't need yer kind's company, any'ow." Finn spat at her feet, barely missing them. When her eyes met with Nova's once more, she sniffed harshly. 

"Come on, Aednat -- let's get away from t'e poison, 'fore it infects us, too," Finn hissed loud enough to the cat that Nova was sure to hear it. She noted the rotters shambling towards them down the road, and turned sharply on her heel the other way. 

Finn didn't look back. It wasn't meant to be, for Finn to have a friend. Perhaps the only friends she could make were ones that couldn't talk. Cillian's memory, this cat, the occasional helpless and immobile rotter. Finn sniffed back the threat of tears as she continued down the road.

[gofinnyourself]

❦; ooc. 

ANYWAY LOL frick. UM. I will reply on Tuesday to everything~~~~ I have to take the friggin bus tomorrow, so I'll probably get home at like... 4:40????? I don't know D: The bus runs every 30 minutes, and so it'd get there 20 minutes after I leave work, and it takes about 10 minutes to get to my house, aaaaand it's usually late by ten minutes LOL so yeah.

ANYWAY GOSH NOBODY CARES. Anyway yes so um I will hopefully be able to reply on Tuesday, and I can for sure TRY to reply to things I owe tomorrow, but I don't know ;; I'm so emotionally and physically drained after work. Everyone I work with is a racist, asshole bastard. I literally hate everyone but like two of my coworkers LOL I'm so fed up ;__;

SO, WITH THAT NOTE -- I bid you all adieu until Tuesday, I guess @3@ 

(And since I've been away for so long, here is a little special something: PLEASE WATCH "FIST OF JESUS" it's only 15 minutes or something and it's in Spanish so there are subtitles, but it is so frickin funny and I've only seen the first 5 minutes so far. IT'S A COMEDY ABOUT ZOMBIES ALL BECAUSE JESUS NEVER RESURRECTED ANYONE BEFORE. It is comedy gold and oh my gosh the makeup is sO TERRIBLE AND GREAT ALL AT ONCE PLEASE WATCH IT http://www.fistofjesus.com/the-short-film/ HERE IS A LINK SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK IT UP just watch it)

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

It seemed like the stranger changed her mind and she asked if Alaska could help her, who pulled her up in a sitting position at her shoulders and placed a hand on her back, carefully trying to lift her. She was never the strongest, but driving made her save up some energy, even though she tried to save up the little food she had left.

The girls’ arm around her shoulder felt hot and sweaty, and Alaska knew she came right on time. She could offer the girl rest, but ran a little short on supplies. There were some pain killers and antibiotics left in the trailer and Alaska prayed it would be enough, if they get there at least.

It took her a lot of power to lift the girl back to her feet, and even more to not fall herself. She shifted her weight from one foot to another and once they stood steady enough to move, she carefully took one step forward, not wanting to hurt the ill girl. The cracking of branches behind them made her panic. Walkers were coming and they weren’t moving very fast.

The first one of the rotting corpses appeared between the bushes, stumbling towards them. With only one free hand Alaska struggeled getting out her gun, but once she had it, the walker was quickly down. ‘Come on now.’ That definitely wasn’t the last one, and Alaska could feel her heart pounding out of pure fear. She looked at the girl, ‘Make a run for it?

[gofinnyourself]

Finn completely shut her brain off. Everything that was unnecessary, everything that she didn't need to be thinking about -- you got sick because you only ate 340 calories in the past four days, you dumb fucking arse, Cillian would laugh at you, laugh! and Mam would smack you a good one, would rather die by my own hand, my own hand, put the gun in your mouth and pull the trigger -- Finn filed everything but her motor functions away in a neat little drawer, in the very, darkest corner of her mind. When the other girl suggested they run for it, she just processed the words and started to move.

The girl forgot all about her weak knees and aching lungs. Really, though, she just suppressed it well enough to be able to get away, away, away, from the rotters on their tail. 

If the other girl had spoken after her suggestion to run, Finn hadn't heard it. The raw survival instinct had completely taken over, dulling everything but the hard beating of her heart and the fire in her veins. 

They got to the roadside, and Finn started coming back down to earth. She tried not to think about it, to lie to herself so well that the pain vanished. "T'at t'ing is yers?" she croaked, weakly pointing towards the vehicle parked on the other side of the road.

[gofinnyourself]

❦; ooc. 

If you want to plot before I go, I'll still have Chrome/Finn's blog open, so please send me a message or reply to this post or anything.

I have only written with like three????? four???????????? people so I would really reAALLYY ReALYLylylyl love to write with the rest of youuuuu.

Don't be scared I promise I won't bite or snarl or scratch or pinch your cheeks because you're all so gosh darn cute D:

*lots of hugs and warm blankets fresh out of the dryer*

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Alaska saw the girl was trying to say something, and despite it coming out barely intelligible, it didn’t sound too friendly. The woman softly cursed to herself, walking around the car and opening the door to get in. Her stubbornness was stronger than her protective side, except when it came to her brother. But she fucked up. Maybe the urge to help this random stranger was the same urge she had for protecting Dan. She smirked, and shook her head at the memories of him as a little boy, pretending to be sick so he could dismiss school.

She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the stranger one more time, her breath getting stuck in her throat when she saw the girl collapsing, not being able to get up again. Alaska started running towards her, falling to her knees, wanting to help her up again. ‘Oh fuck…’ She snatched the girls’ shoulders, slowly turning her on her back. ‘Are you okay?’ She asked, not even trying to hide the worried tone in her voice.

[gofinnyourself]

The blonde then rushed to Finn's side, cursing under her breath. She grabbed the girl's shoulders and turned her onto her back. Finn wanted to scream, to thrash and kick and hit, but knew it was hopeless -- she was hopeless. If she even managed to get up on her own, it wouldn't be for another few hours. And there were rotters everywhere. Finn would be a sitting duck (an immobile one, at that!) for any chompers who came across her. 

When the girl asked if Finn was okay, a guttural laugh escaped her. Did she look okay? Of course not. But now was not the time for snark and sarcasm and spitting hate. Now was the time to accept the stranger's fucking help and thank her kindly when she was able to limp on her own.

Finn tried to resist the girl's grasp on her shoulders, turning onto her side to cough up phlegm. It was an odd pinkish colour, and Finn's eyes widened in horror. If she started coughing up blood, just like Cillian had, then she would be dead in less than two days. Tears stung the corners of her eyes.

"I need -- I need a doctor, or, eh, I need somet'in' -- " she choked, vision blurred and cheeks becoming wet. She felt hot all over, and knew it was the fever that had been rising within her head for the past few hours. She wasn't sure what temperature she was, but she figured it was something over a hundred.

"Lift me up, 'n I can walk if ye 'elp me," she tried desperately. Her voice was thin and gravelly, much like an old man's who had been smoking all his life. She felt ridiculous, though Finn tried not to let shame swell in her heart. 

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Alaska straightened her back and sized herself up to the girl. She smiled, not believing her words. ‘Yes, you might’ve done just fine by yourself. I agree.’ The wind started getting stronger and played with her hair. ‘But you’re not fine anymore.’ 

She looked the stranger in her eyes and a sigh escaped her lips. ‘And we both know you’re not gonna make it like this.’  She tried staying calm, taking a step back. How could she not want any help? She looked up at the sky between the trees. The stars were already visible and she smiled. For awhile she loved these sights, but that was before the groaning of the dead ruined it.

'You know what? Fine.' Alaska looked back at the girl, taking a deep breath. 'Stay here. Do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore.' She turned around and walked back towards her car. A tall walker doomed up behind it, but Alaska quickly pushed him down on the capot, holding his head down as she flicked out her knife. After stabbing it a few times, she dragged the limp body away from the old vehicle, to which she leaned against. Crossing her arms again, she stared at the sick girl, awaiting a reaction.

[gofinnyourself]

You're not fine anymore. Finn's eyes slid shut, her mind shutting off for a moment. She couldn't hear anything but the thready beat of her heart, loud in her ears. Her breathing was weak and shaky, though she tried to steady it. When her eyes opened again, all she could see was red. 

"You'll be f-fine, Maddy, I promise --" Cillian choked out, cut off by a stormy cough. The handkerchief he had brought to his pale, chapped lips was dotted with blood. Madailéin knew he would be dead in the next few hours, but she would deal with that when the time came. She didn't want to think of her brother as a rotter; she hoped that those who died of natural causes, and turned, were...more civil than the others. She hoped there was less hatred in their still hearts. But, really -- Madailéin knew Cillian would be erased, his essence replaced with a blood thirsty monster.

Finn coughed, mimicking her brother's memory. She stared up at the girl, her eyes dark and venomous. Finn was about to accept her help, but the other stormed off, muttering something. The girl watched as she kicked down a rotter, stabbed its skull, and turned her attention back on Finn.

She was as stubborn as a mule, so now that the girl had somewhat retracted her offer of help, Finn didn't want it anyway. What was she thinking in the first place? Accepting some stranger's help? She didn't care, neither. Finn was good at playing games, and survival was just another one she could win at.

"Leave, t'en! Get in yer noisy contraption, 'n get outta 'ere!" Finn tried to yell, but it came out strained. Her throat was raw, and her lungs ached. She would do better without the other girl dragging her down. Finn pushed off from the tree she leaned against, her knees wobbly and sore. If she had the arm strength, she'd heave her way up a tree and stay there until she was able to drag her sorry arse to the nearest town. 

Despite her efforts, Finn choked out a strangled sob, and collapsed to the earth below. The bed of leaves rushed towards her vision, and she landed face first. Finn turned her head, but the back of her neck ached. She prayed to God that she hadn't caught what Cillian had. The girl tried to push herself up from the ground, but her hands slipped in the slick of the wet leaves.

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Alaska raised her eyebrows, a little surprised by the sudden reaction. This person could deny it as much as she wanted, but it was obvious she needed help. The blonde stood up and leaned against a tree, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

'Do you really think you can make it like this? Like a sick animal in the woods?' She knew she could be just as stubborn as the girl if she really wanted to. 'If I wanted to hurt- or even kill you, I would've done it by now.'

Alaska got closer again and looked down at her. ‘Personally, I think the choice is easy, or you save yourself, what seems a little hard in your situation, or you let me help you.’

[gofinnyourself]

Finn bobbed her head back and forth, pulling a terribly sour face at the other girl. "Mock me all ye like, birdie; t'ough, even in t'is state, I could still probably take ye," she growled, the blue of her eyes boiling. "I can manage jus' fine on me own, t'anks!" 

The girl took a steady breath, pushing up off the ground and trying to stand. Her knees were wobbly, but she had managed. Finn flexed her left hand, stretching her fingers. If she pretended to be as weak as she looked, perhaps she'd gain the advantage -- and this tiny princess would be rotter feed. She tried to hide her smirk by tucking her chin and mouth behind her jacket's zip.

"I don't need yer 'elp; 'n even if I did, I wouldn't'a asked fer it," Finn snarled, hatred lacing her words. She really hated asking for help, especially from strangers. Finn had done fine -- fine! -- by herself for all this time, and had done fine looking after Cillian. She was fine. Just fine.

"Oh, 'n I suggest ye lose t'at beast out on ta road. Even coughin' up a lung, I could 'ear ye comin'." Finn hated help from strangers, but hated offering advice to strangers even more. She wasn't sure why she did it.

[gofinnyourself]

[ ✝ ] cough it up; finn & alaska

[alaskaparker-deactivated2014020]

Finally, the old car started making noise again. Alaska shut the capot, drawing the attention from a few walkers to the other side of the road. ‘Hope you don’t mind, but there isn’t any dinner today.’ She slightly grinnend as she stepped in the car and locked the doors. She managed to get a actual working car so now she could drive around with the trailer. The whole thing made quite a lot of noise, so she drove faster than she was supposed to, it was just a matter of not getting surrounded.

After an hour of driving on the long road, which seemed endless, she slowed down a bit. One of the front lights stopped working and it was too dark to go without. She got out again and kicked the old thing. ‘Fucking piece of shit.’ She grumbled to herself. Walking towards the light she heard a soft noise coming from the woods.

Didn’t quite sound like a walker. It sounded more like a cough. Curious as she was, she couldn’t help herself and decided to check it out. She locked the car and walked towards the thing, already pulling out her gun. Getting closer, she noticed it was a person against a tree. Not wanting to scare her, the blonde held her hands above her head and kneeled in front of her. She really didn’t look to good. ‘Are you okay?’ Alaska asked. ‘How did you get here?’

[gofinnyourself]

Silence blanketed the girl and the surrounding area, but the crunching of leaves made Finn worry. Perhaps it would just be an animal that she could easily scare away with a few quick waves of her hands. 

Instead, it was a girl. In the dying light, Finn could see that much. As for an age, she wasn't sure -- but she was coming towards Finn with her hands raised in defence. Finn pulled a sour expression and heaved a sigh.

She knelt in front of Finn, and asked how she was. Finn grunted in response, not wanting to give this person the satisfaction; even though she was probably genuine, and actually wanting to help. Finn tried to shy away from the gesture.

"I've been -- " she was interrupted by a cough. "Walkin' fer a while, but I'm sick, as ye can probably tell," she managed. The coughing flared up again, but she tried to suppress them. Finn didn't want to appear weak, didn't want to be an easy kill. 

[nova-williams]

Bumping into Strangers [Nova/Finn]

[nova-williams]

She curled up within the blankets and pillows. The house creaked and Nova quickly stuffed her head in between the two pillows. There was nothing remotely comforting about sleeping in a house. Not after three years of camping out anyways. There was just something comforting about the dull glow of fireflies or the singing of crickets. Maybe she’d leave once she was sure Finn was asleep. But what about the zombies? She didn’t want to go out into the streets alone with those things crawling around outside! Nova took a deep breath through her nose to calm her racing heart.

During her mental debate she missed the soft creaking of the stairs. But when the creaking got closer and the hissing of a zombie became clear Nova bolted up from her spot on the floor. She knew the broken glass would mean trouble! “Finn,” Nova hissed. She tugged her knife from her boot and held it protectively in front of her. 

See? None of this would have happened if she’d just stayed at camp that day. As the old saying goes - curiosity killed the cat.

[gofinnyourself]

Finn slept like a hollowed rock. Meaning, the position she fell asleep in, she would remain for the entire night. But at the drop of a pin, she was wide awake and ready to spring up and away. When Nova hissed her name, Finn waved a hand to quiet her. She had heard the creaking of the stairs, too, and already had her switchblade open.

The rotter came closer to the bedroom they were in, but then continued down the hall. Finn's brow furrowed; what was it doing? They were in here, not down the hall -- mindless shites.

Finn tried to get up off the bed as quietly as she could, tugging on her leather jacket and slipping into her shoes. "We're going," she mouthed. The girl made sure not to step on the weak floor board near the door, pointing it out to Nova with a warning glance. She tiptoed towards it and opened it slightly.

The rotter was chewing on something -- and it was squeaking. Finn rose an eyebrow, shooting a glance to Nova. For a second, Finn thought she had seen a bushy, black tail from beyond the broken window. The rotter was preoccupied at the moment, so she grabbed the other female's hand and brought her down the stairs. She tried desperately to avoid the floorboards that creaked.

When they got to the first storey, she heaved a light sigh. Even in the darkness, she could see the form of a cat on the kitchen counter. Her tail was swishing from side to side, body stock still. Finn's expression brightened.

On her way out of the house (she didn't bother to check if Nova was still following now that she had dropped her hand), she picked up the cat in her arms and made her way towards the broken back door. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she nodded to Nova. "Come on, girlie; Aednat here must have given the dead beat a toy," she hushed, indicating with a nod of her head for the other to follow her.