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@julesbaker
About a Girl || Baker&Julia&Ray
âI feel like I should apologize at how vague I was the other day, Julia. This business ainât exactly legal, and if the wrong words get to the wrong places,â Ray just shrugs, not really wanting to think about it. He has enough military come in and out of the bar that Rayâs completely sure all of the higher-ups know that the bar exists. Obviously, itâs not a threat to them, but Ray knows better than to think heâs completely safe. No business is the black market is, really.
âOf course. His word is law, after all.â Ray can just sit back and smile at their antics. Most people he knew growing up that had siblings werenât particularly close, but watching Doug and Julia is just something else. Ray lets out a little laugh at Baker referring to the wall as Charlieâs baby. From the way she talks about it, he honestly believes it when he says how closely he watches over it.
âOh Iâm sorry, darlinâ, I havenât gotten my hands on tea,â Ray says with a small frown. He doesnât have anything to boil water with back in the bar, and cool brewed tea is disgusting. He wants to make a comment about the âlove you foreverâ bit, but it feels inappropriate with Douglas sitting right next to her. âI do have water, though, or I could get ya some juice if youâd like. And what about you Doug? Anything to drink?â
âThat would make me a bad friend if I did a poor job babysitting it,â Baker retorts and finally lifts his head off of Juliaâs shoulder. If it was Charlie he was talking to, he could tease her about him playing nanny for it so her and Daniel could have a Saturday date night. Give mommy some free time for other things. But she isnât, and heâs also silently vowed to stop teasing her. He had enough fun the night they watched the wall.
Julia asks for sweet tea, Ray tells her he has none, and Baker smiles at the both of them. âThatâs a good thing. Itâs better to have no tea than bad tea, right?â Sweet tea is one of Juliaâs favorite drinks, but that puts her standards high when it comes to it. Not to say Baker has no faith that Ray can whip up a batch of amazing homemade sweet tea if he had the ingredients.
âIâm good, thank you.â He turns down the offer with the wave of his hand. But he thinks itâs hot out with summer approaching fast. A water wonât hurt, and itâs not his birthday anymore. âI take that back, Iâll have a glass of water if you donât care.â
âI kinda had my suspicions when you wouldnât tell me where it was, but thatâs okay. My lips are sealed.â She makes the childish motion of locking up her lips and throwing away the key. She gets that people have to make a livelihood, and they canât always do it totally legally. It doesnât matter to her what people do, as long as no one is getting hurt. She doesnât really see how running a small bar could cause too much trouble, as long as Ray doesnât let anyone get blackout drunk and start punching everyone.Â
Julia hangs her head dramatically, her lower lip sticking out in a pout. If she missed anything about pre-infection life, it was sweet tea. That was a complete lie, she missed most things about pre-infection life, but sweet tea did happen to be one of them. âYeah, the only thing worse than no tea is bad tea.â She perks up slightly raising an eyebrow at Ray. âHowever, I imagine running a black market bar would give you access to  some things us poor law abiding citizens just donât have much access to. Tea bags, for instance, and lots of sugar.â The hint was not exactly subtle, but neither was her love of tea.
âHowever, in absence of the nectar of the gods, I will accept a glass of water. Please and thank you.â Â
Pity Party for One â Julia & Baker
No, he wouldnât want to be Captain Hook. Theyâre too far south, heâd have to worry about any alligators wanting to eat him. Nibs or Sly of the Lost Boys though? He can retire his childhood position as Peter Pan to be one the them. âLost Boy it is.â He gives her another once over to make sure sheâs okay, but it looks like itâs only her elbows that have suffered.
âI have a surprise for you, too. I canât wait for you to see it.â Bakerâs sure sheâll love the dress he found for her, sheâs always been a sundress kind of girl. Apocalypse or not. She shoves him, but he barely moves. Sheâs too tiny to really interrupt his steady gait. He wraps an arm around her shoulder instantly and squeezes her close. Like a half bear hug.
âNo pushing, with both turn 26 today but I was born first.â Baker only letâs her go to scoop her up and toss her over his shoulder, all light-hearted and playful. âNo more walking for you because you canât play nice,â he laughs, glances back but canât actually see her face still headed in the direction of her place.
Julia leans against her brother after she shoves him, being pulled into a tight hug. She relaxes against him. She can finally feel the stress of the day melting away, and sheâs so thankful. She shouldnât have been acting like a baby about it all anyways. Everyone has birthdays, and everyone grows up. Some years are worse than others, but that doesnât mean she shoudnât have been grateful to be a year older. Too many people would never see their next birthday, after all. She feels guilty for a moment, for the selfish way sheâd been acting, but then she pushes those thoughts away. Too late to change the past now, and she can only do better in the future.Â
âBetcha my surprise is better than yours.â She knew he would get her a gift, even though sheâd asked for him not to. They couldnât let a birthday pass without giving each other something, even if it was only a something small and handmade. It was a sign of love, and they couldnât let an important event pass by without celebrating it at least a little. And though she was trying not to be selfish about it, she was excited to see what her present may be.
She only hoped that he would enjoy the cake sheâd carefully made. Sheâd been fretting over what to buy him for weeks. Sheâd had enough rations to pick something up if she wanted to, but nothing at the market had caught her eye. The black market would be dangerous, and Baker wouldâve been upset if sheâd ventured there for his sake. In the end she decided to appeal to what she knew he would enjoy. A homemade cake, the same recipe their mom had used. It was lucky sheâd made the cake enough to memorize the recipe, and it looked just as good as it had all those years ago. Hopefully it would taste as good too.
Julia is still relaxing into his hold when he lets go, only to pick her up and sling her over his shoulder. She laughs as she beats a fist half heartedly against his back. âNo fair! Youâre bigger than me, you cheated!âÂ
About a Girl || Baker&Julia&Ray
Rayâs ears catch Bakerâs voice instantly. He hasnât seen Doug since he dropped by on his birthday. Although it was only a couple of days ago, thereâs a smile on his face. Heâs always glad to see one of his favorite soldiers stopping by
âOh, right, well.â Ray stumbles over his initial greeting, feeling awkward about the fact that he technically flirted with both Baker twins without realizing theyâre related. Itâs a silly thing to get embarrassed about, but Ray hasnât lived in the fishbowl of a town that he grew up in in years. Heâs not used to everyone knowing everyone, or everyone being related. The Atlanta QZ is even smaller than Moultrie was when Ray was growing up. The likelihood of someone knowing someone else, especially if that person has been around for a long time, is huge
âItâs nice to meet you, officially.â Ray says after a slight beat, smiling at both of the Baker twins. Now that he sees them side by side, he feels like a complete fool for not noticing that they were related.
âPlease, sit yâall. I havenât seen you in awhile Doug. Howâs the Captainâs wall doing?â
âCocaine is better than meth, so I can let that slide. But weâre going to have to work on the prostitution, that falls out of line in regards to the rules and guidelines of being Douglas Bakerâs sister.â He juts his elbow into her side, not too rough, but all with a playful mischief to it. He pats his hands on the counter top and smiles at Julia. Any day spent with her is going to be a good one, how lucky is he that he still has her even in a world like this? They could have been separated very easily.
His teeth show as his smile reaches his eyes when Ray notices and acknowledges them. âI know, you told me you met her, but I did say I was going to bring her in.â Sheâs at the top of his best friendâs list, always has been and always will be. Anyone he thinks sheâd like or get along with heâd introduce her to. Ray is one of the rare one outside of the military family.
Baker does as requested and sits down, does so and leans his head on Juliaâs shoulder like an annoying little kid and sing-songs her name for no reason. âJuuulllless.â Once again Baker is in there with no intent in drinking. Itâs not his birthday so he doesnât have to worry about anything free being put in front of him. Rayâs generous nature conflicted with Bakerâs need to pay for anything he took. âThe wall is still a wall, but I keep good watch over it for Miss Charlie. Itâs her wall, her pride and joy, so I have to be a good friend and watch over it like itâs my own baby."Â
Juliaâs elbow immediately returns the attack to Bakerâs side. When they sit down, his head comes to rest on her shoulder and she pets his hair absentmindedly. âOfficial meetings are important. First impressions donât even count when there are official brother-sanctioned meetings to be made.â Julia teases. Itâs not necessarily true, but Baker had insisted that they needed to be properly introduced all the same. Even after they had already met.
âCharlie can take care of her own wall, you know. Sheâs a big girl.â Julia herself is not too concerned with the well-being of the wall. In fact, she could care less. As long as there was a wall, and it was keeping her in and the zombies out.Â
She cares much more about how hot it is. Cooler inside the bar, but she still feels like sheâs roasting. But luckily she has a few rations in her pockets, enough to splurge just a tiny bit, even though she probably shouldnât. But sheâd rather spend it now, in good company, than doing something stupid on impulse later on. âThink I can get a sweet tea, please, Ray?â She smiles sweetly, even though her brotherâs head on her shoulder is throwing her game off.  âIâll love you forever and ever.â
About a Girl || Baker&Julia&Ray
Itâs about time that Rayâs bar is opening, and Baker is in route. In tote he has his little sister who he intends to proudly introduce. He did say he was going to bring her in one day, and even if Ray has mentioned possibly meeting her before he insists. He always will, itâs the polite thing to do. Besides, heâll be with some of his favorite people, minus Charlie who he last was with on look-out duty. If he could have dragged her along, Baker would have, but there will be no drinking today so sheâs not missing out.
âI know he says he met you in the Black Market, which, by the way, isnât a safe place.â He gives Julia a look but this is no time for him to lecture her. He almost forgot about that, though. He didnât bring it up on there birthday because Baker didnât want to ruin the fun, and he definitely wonât fall into that bad habit right now. âBuuuutt, as your big brother, I would like to officially introduce you both.â
And he will, because Baker likes to present his sister like sheâs the best damned thing they could ever meet. Only look, though. No touching.
He bounces in his steps when they enter the familiar space of the bar, he leads Julia in and asks her curiously, âHave you been here before?â If she says yes, heâs going to ask with who and when and if any boys were involved. He pulls his hands from his jean pockets and walks up to the bar counter where he can see Ray is setting up for the day. âHey, bartender,â he calls, grinning something fierce. âI brought a special someone with me.â
Julia follows her brother along dutifully, with a smile on her face because everyone could see how happy he is. Baker has a bounce in his step, a sparkle of light in his eyes. She knows heâs excited about introducing her to his friend. They are both social creatures, and making new friends and bringing people together has always made them inexplicably happy. Julia imagines it probably has something to do with their motherâs tendency to create a hundred play dates for them as children, but it has done well for them as adults.
She rolls her eyes a bit as he mentions where she originally met Ray. It hasnât even technically been the black market, really. It was mostly legal selling, no drugs and guns or any of that shit. Or at least, as much as she knew. But her brother would be protective about that, always trying to shield her from anything that could bring her harm, though for the most part she could take care of herself. âI know, I know. I wont go back, Iâll be careful.â She promises compliantly, knowing it will please him.
The bar doesnât seem dangerous at all, anyways. She trails behind her brother, looking around at the interior. Not quite as bad as she expected; it was actually quite cozy. When they reach the bar, Julia takes a seat beside Baker and shakes her head slightly. âSure, I come by after I finish doing cocaine and prostituting myself to arms dealers,â she teases. Sheâs already told her brother that she barely knows Ray, and how would she have been to his bar? She spends the majority of her time on the complete other side of the quarantine zone. Sheâs not brave or stupid enough to go wandering the black market by herself or with some strangers.
Julia follows Bakerâs eyes to the back of the room, seeing Ray setting up stock. She waves as her brother calls out and turns on her sparkling grin. âHi, Ray. I believe weâve already met, but weâre now being officially introduced. My brother likes to do things the old fashioned way.â
Pity Party for One â Julia & Baker
No, he does have to. Itâs how Baker rolls. It could be another ten years from now and theyâd be approaching 40 years old in less than half a decade, and heâll still fuss over her.
âDoes that make me a Lost Boy, now?â He asks her as he presses the antiseptic clothes to her shallow scrapes. Itâs nothing serious, she doesnât have a dangerous injury. She could have a paper cut and heâd still want to pull a band-aid out to wrap around her finger. Surely when his father said to watch out for her he didnât demand it to this extent, but itâs what he does best.
Baker laughs out loud when she whines, feigns being too hurt from him patching her up, and puts her hand in his face. He turns and ducks away from her, grinning up to her face with mirth in his eyes. âHey, youâre a big girl. No whining, Ms. Peter Pan. You can pretend youâre in Neverland right now, but that doesnât make it so youâre not twenty-six.â He hoists her to her feet and hears her invite. Oh, right! He has the dress to give to her, which heâs suddenly excited about.
âYeah, I was headed over to your place, anyway. Of course I wanna spend my birthday with you.â He mentions nothing of a surprise on his end at all because itâs going to remain just that- a surprise. Sheâll love it. Or hate it. Whichever. He tried, and heâll try again if his efforts werenât useful.
âYou can be a lost boy, or you can be princess Tiger Lily. But you canât be Captain Hook, because then Iâll have to kill you.â Julia canât resist another grin, because even stupid games they played as children still make her smile.Â
He finishes patching her up quickly, as she knew he would. Heâs always taken care of her. Whether it was because he was technically older, or because of worn out customs of male chivalry, she didnât really mind. Some people might think he was babying her too much, but it was just how they were. They took care of each other, physically and emotionally, and they always would.Â
Which was why their birthday had to be spent together. Since their very first hour, they were inseparable. The nurses at the hospital theyâd been born at claimed theyâd never seen twins more clingy. Â Of course they had their own interests, friends outside of each other, and throughout their school years they would drift apart. But in the end, they were always drawn back to each other like magnets.
âUm, you better be.â Julia teased lightly, using most of her weight to shove against her brother. âYou only turn twenty six once, and I intend to do it with my favorite person in the world.â
Pity Party for One â Julia & Bobbie
The rain is still coming down hard and Bobbie brushes some wet hair of her face. Her head tilting to the side, she has seen this girl before but Bobbie isnât sure from where. She moves closer and sees just what kind of damage this girls fall has taken.
Sheâs filthy and her shoes are ruined, âA better kind of shoe would be smart.â
âMaybe next time you know not to run around in the rain.â She is close enough now and she actually offers her a hand to stand up. It would look odd being this close and not bothering to help someone up from the ground.
Julia stares at the girl suspiciously. She gets a weird vibe from her that she canât exactly explain. Or maybe it was just based on the rudeness. Most people would immediately help someone theyâd watched fall, or so she thought. It was instinctual to Julia. Apparently not to everyone.
She moves to one knee as the girl got closer and finally offered a hand. She considers turning it down, but it seems easier to just accept it at this point. âThanks.â
âUh... Yeah. I guess next time I wonât run in the rain.â That seemed a little obvious,  and she hadnât exactly been planning on running in the rain in the first place. But she let it slide this time. âI guess since these shoes are probably ruined, I at least have an excuse for new ones, right?â
Out and About // Ray & Julia
Once again, Rayâs left with a choice. Does he take this pure, innocent little lady into the belly of the black market, or does he spare her? Ray feels like the best thing to do is play it safe with someone like Julia. His room is neutral ground, far away from the black market. Ray grins down at the mason jars, feeling like the king of the world right now. Two lucky things in one day. Ray blesses his lucky stars.
âTheyâre going back up to my room. Third floor, if ya donât mind?â Ray grabs two of the boxes, leaving one for Julia. He could talk all three by himself, but he really doesnât mind the company. He really doesnât mind it. They walk side by side, with Ray enjoying her small talk and company. Itâs been fair too long since heâs just had a pleasant conversation. When they get to Rayâs room, Jesseâs thankfully not home. Ray gets the door open, and points at the generic table in the center of the room.
âI appreciate it, darlinâ,â Ray says after he carefully lowers the boxes onto the table. He realizes that he and Julia are alone in his room together, and some of his nervousness comes back.
Julia follows Ray with an agreeable smile, happy to assist him with the mason jars of a mysterious purpose. Sheâd rather get to know someone and help them out than spend her day wandering around the market without a purpose. She knows he probably doesnât really need her help, but she feels better for offering it all the same.
âThird floor is fine.â Sheâs so used to stairs now, sheâs pretty sure she could run up a football stadium without getting out of breath. It takes them no time to get the boxes to his room, and then Julia finds herself waiting awkwardly. Itâs definitely a bachelor pad, though itâs not as messy as it could have been.Â
Laughing a little, Julia starts backing towards the door. She feels its probably smarter to make an exit before things get even more awkward. âYouâre welcome. If you ever need anymore help, Iâm always around somewhere. Just ask someone for the little perky blonde, they know me. It was nice to meet you, Ray. Iâll see you around.â
Pity Party for One â Julia & Baker
Baker left Rayâs bar and is now in route to his sisterâs. He figures itâs late enough that sheâs no longer working at the kitchen. Heâs in a high-spirited mood and he has to thank Ray for that one. The guy always gives Baker a reason to leave his place smiling. The sun is gone now, a light drizzle is taking place, and Bakerâs thankful for that as well. He just hopes it doesnât downpour at all because he wouldnât want his bag getting soaked to the point that the dress ends up wet too.
Heâs thinking of all the birthdays they had growing up. Each their own cake because chocolate never did him any good. The parties they threw, and all the laughs they had. He remembers when his mother and father helped him buy a new car when he turned sixteen. He loved it even if it was old and the inside smelled of stale cigarettes. Although Baker didnât often partake, the cigarette smell was later masked with a very scant trace of pot from his buddies, but the old junkyard car had a fun feel to it. The dashboards had markers and tacks placed into them in the shape of a smilie face or peace sign or anything, and the roof of the car had a sharpie heart drawn in with two names.
Heâs busy remembering but not too much where he canât pay attention to the streets. Thereâs a flash of blonde running up ahead, long athletic limbs taking her fast and far with each stride. Baker recognizes her instantly, and he goes to call out Juliaâs name. Except she slips and tumbles and smacks the concrete hard. Baker watches the spill happen and stares wide-eyed. Oh, ouch.
Baker decides to run up to her having learned nothing from watching Julia slip on the slickness of the water on the ground. He doesnât slide or have any close calls at all, and he slows when he crumbles down and lands on his own knees. Itâs not enough to hurt at all. He plops down on his butt and sits there in the rain with his sister, frowning and asking, âAre you alright, Jules? I have something that can help fix you up.â
Baker puts his back pack down and opens it, makes sure the dress isnât visible and digs for his med kit that he always has on hand. Once he has it out he flashes a smile up to Julia even if sheâs looking a littler miserable. âHappy birthday.â It feels like when they were kids sitting on the sidewalk drawing with chalk again. He gets out wipes and alcohol to clean out her scrapes. âThis is gonna burn, but I know you can handle it. Youâre a big girl, especially with today,â he teases and grabs one of her arms to start tending her.
Julia is still sitting on the ground getting rained on when her brother appears. He lands beside her with the gracefulness she had not exhibited, and she canât help but smile at him. His effect on her is always instantaneous, a personalized mood booster. She doesnât care that she looks like an idiot, that her hair and clothes are soaked, that itâs her birthday and thereâs no party. Sheâs just glad heâs there, and that even his frown is momentary and soon replaced with his signature grin.
âIâm okay, you donât have...â She only begins to protest by the time heâs got the med kit already pulled out of his backpack, and she gives up. Shell take careful mental note of what he uses and restock his kit from her own later on, but for now sheâll let him doctor her up to make him feel better.Â
âI am not a big girl. I am Peter Pan, and I refuse to grow up.â She wishes it were that easy. Wishes they could be living in Neverland like theyâd played when they were little. Of course Julia had always been Tinkerbell, waving her arms around like magical little fairy wings, and Baker had played Peter Pan with a sword made of cardboard. Those seem like much easier times now.
The scrapes are light, nothing to be worried about, except now theyâre always concerned about infection. The antiseptic stings for half a second, and Julia overreacts with a loud whine and pawing at her brotherâs face. âThat hurt, you big meanie!â But she lets him patch her up, and takes his hand when he offers to help her up. âCome back to my place with me? I have a surprise for you.â
Out and About // Ray & Julia
âI donât think you have, darlinâ,â Ray answers with a small shake of his head. The bar is named after Ray, and heâs the only one who works behind the counter. If Julia was going to recognize it, she would have by now, and Ray knows he wouldnât forget such a pretty face. He wonders for a moment if he should offer up the name or not, but decides against it. Thereâs always that doubt, tugging at the back of Rayâs mind. She seems nice and all, but you never know.
âI agree with your mother,â Ray answers, letting her drag him along. He should probably protest, but Julia smells mighty nice, and itâs been awhile since a pretty girl paid attention to Ray when alcohol wasnât involved. âBut these jars wonât be used for sweet tea.â
They pull up to a stern looking woman, and Ray just lets Julia do the talking. She pulls out a nice set, and then a chipped, more worn set. Jackpot. Ray easily pulls the three rations out of his pocket after looking over the twelve, matching jars. Heâs only got eyes for the shinier ones.
âHow does three rations sound to you, maâam?â Ray offers, knowing itâs above market price. He hopes she isnât one of those folk who tries to take advantage of the hungry look in his eyes. Ray wants them, bad, but he wonât be ripped off. She nods and Ray happily hands over the cards, a bright smile on his face.
âIt was a pleasure doinâ business with you.â
âNo? Well, maybe Iâll have to visit, then.â She couldnât think of any place she hadnât visited that wasnât somewhere deep in the black market. Unless she could talk her brother into it, she probably wouldnât be venturing down there anytime soon, either. But then again, she hadnât had a reason to before.Â
âWell, sweet tea, or whatever you wanna put in âem. They make everything taste better.â Some of the jars at the counter are nice, others more chipped and used. Julia examines them carefully herself, even though she doesnât know what Ray is looking for. She likes the newer ones, thinks they could be cleaned up real nice. She can imagine them on her table back home, tied up with a little yellow ribbon and filled with wildflowers.Â
The nostalgia hits hard, and Julia puts the glass down just as Ray exchanges some cards for them. She helps him stack the glasses into a couple of small boxes, taking one into her arms. âOkay, where are we taking these?â She hopes sheâs not imposing, but at the same time, itâs in her nature to offer to help. And she hasnât had a conversation with a nice southern boy that wasnât her brother in ages, and sheâs not eager to end it just yet.Â
Pity Party for One â Julia & Bobbie
Bobbie was bored, sheâd been wandering around the QZ for some time, searching for something to do or someone to bother but no one had been of any interest of her. Sheâs wondering if maybe she should go ahead and search out Aiden, see how heâs been doing since their last interaction. Sheâs been avoiding him and she feels bad about it but it was necessary.
She moves through the QZ as the rain begins to fall, and Bobbie moves quickly, working to search all the regular spots Aiden hangs out when she spots a woman on the run, and Bobbie gives he a once over. Sheâs in a hurry thatâs obvious but Bobbie thinks for a moment that the blonde should slow down, sheâs in a good move and sheâs about to mention it but it becomes too late.
She slips and falls and Bobbie would cringe if she hadnât seen it coming, slowly making her way towards the woman Bobbie wonders why she was in such a hurry, especially in this weather, and the closer Bobbie gets she knows those are not the kind of shoes youâd wear in this weather.
âYou should not run in the rain, especially in those shoes.â Bobbie doesnât move to help her up, just moves around from behind her to stand a few feet away from her.
Julia sits on the pavement in the quiet rain for a moment, getting wetter and more self-loathing with each second. She can feel water soaking through her jacket and jeans, through her shoes, which were already falling apart. She lifts her leg to examine her shoe, finding that the sole has ripped clear through.
Julia groans to herself until he hears someone approaching behind her, not drawing very close. Turning, she stares at the girl. She knows her vaguely, has seen her around. Sheâs definitely not Juliaâs biggest fan, and vice versa.Â
âWell, itâs not like I was planning to go for a run today. In the rain.â She has to keep herself from giving the girl a seething glare. Pretty is as pretty does, her mother always said. And she doesnât feel very pretty at all, wet and dirty. So she can at least try to act like it. âAnd I donât exactly have many pairs of running shoes at the moment, anyways. But... thank you for the advice.â The thanks is entirely insincere, but at least she said it.
Pity Party for One â Julia & Sam
Samâs patrol ended hours ago but she just couldnât get any kind of rest. She was still too wired to keep going, so she hoped a long walk would help her get a little more exhausted. Still in uniform, she made her way through the QZ, not really paying attention to where she was going, the rain started to fall and Sam was glad to have a little change in weather, rain was something she enjoyed and got very little of it when she was deployed.
The longer she walked the harder the rain fell and Sam stopped to lean against the wall to just enjoy it. Others around her moved quickly to get inside but for Sam she just wanted to let it soak into her for a while, she was going to wash this uniform later anyway so itâs not like she was wasting one.
She pulls out a well worn photo from her inside pocket, and unfolds it easily, sheâs still surprised it didnât fall apart by now and Sam is grateful for it. She doesnât know what sheâd do if she lost it. She may have the drawings but it was nice to have the picture.
Checking her watch Sam decided she should probably get going, when a woman ran by her and almost ran into her. Sam was about to call out to her, tell her to watch where she was going when she hit the ground. Sam cringed at the sound she made and jogged over to her.Â
Kneeling down in front of her Sam smiled, âYou okay?â
Sitting flat on her ass, Julia dropped her hands to her sides as she let the rain continue to drench her. She managed a heavy sigh before someone appeared beside her, making her jump. A curse formed in her mouth, until she saw who it was. âOh. Hey Sam. You scared me.âÂ
When the lieutenant knelt down beside her, Julia tried to smile back at her. It felt more like a cringe. âYeah, I just... lost my footing. I shouldnât have been running. Just trying to get home.â She moves to sit upright,  hands slimy on the wet pavement. âSorry, I probably about ran you over back there.âÂ
The rain starts splashing down even harder, and Julia wipes the wet hair out of her face. She can feel her cheeks turn warm as she glances up at the soldier, feeling embarrassed. Sheâs always liked Sam, the way she likes all her brotherâs friends. But now sheâs made herself look like an idiot, and she hopes Sam doesnât hold that against her, or worse, her brother.Â
âGod, Iâm sorry. That was a really fucking stupid thing to do.â
Out and About // Ray & Julia
âThatâs just a testament to the dark times we live in,â Ray says with a shake of his head. He knows exactly the type of girl she is. Cheerleader, with those long legs and that blonde hair. Probably a couple of states over, if his guess on her accent is right. Homecoming queen, as many boyfriends as she could want, and the eyes of the school always watching her. A small town girl with the beauty of a million Georgia suns. Ray used to be intimidated by her type, but he grew into his face and made a few alterations, and now heâs much too comfortable to really let it bother him.
âI guess you could say I own my own business.â Ray finds it curious someone non-military hasnât stumbled their way into his bar. She just might be too straight-laced to visit the black market, which is a very odd sight. Ray doesnât know anything about her or her motives, so he tries to keep her answers vague. He knows the military know about the bar, obviously, but his patrons never talk about shutting him down. Word to the wrong person could bring him a mess of trouble, though.
âI know itâs silly, but I was on the hunt for some mason jars to drink out of,â Ray says, scratching at the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. Itâs such a southern stereotype, but thatâs part of the charm, isnât it? His moonshine just tastes better in mason jars.
âYour own business? Have I heard of it?â She tried to keep a good handle on everyone in the QZ, but it seemed like new people were appearing every day now. She knows most of the legitimate businesses, anyway, which makes her think he may lean towards the dark side. Julia doesnât venture into the black market oftenâ on her brotherâs orders, mostly. He worries, and she doesnât like to give him more of a reason to. Usually Julia can keep busy enough without ever having to venture into the seedier side of town. Â She was wondering if she shouldnât have done that sooner.Â
âThatâs not silly at all! I love mason jars. Have a few myself. I know exactly where you can get them.â Without taking no for an answer, Julia loops her arm through his and starts dragging him deeper into the market. âMy mama used to say that sweet tea always tastes better from a mason jar, and I tend to agree. Of course, she made hers special anyways. Secret recipe. Iâd tell ya, but then Iâd have to kill ya.âÂ
Halfway through the crowded marketplace, she finds exactly what sheâs looking for. The lady at the cart seems somewhat older and worn down, but Julia knows that sheâs feisty. She definitely wonât be swindled. âHey there, Miss Harker. You got any more of those mason jars around?â
Pity Party for One â Open
Julia used to love birthdays. And by love, she really, really loved. Her sixteenth birthday party had been the best her town had ever seen. Not some streamers and confetti bullshit. She set up a stage and dance floor inside her familyâ huge barn, hired the best local band to play, and even managed to keep the alcohol flowing without her parents catching on. The Baker twins became legends at their high schools, and everyone was dying for an invite to their next blow out.
Ten years later, Julia wanted nothing more than to crawl under the covers of her bed and never come out again. Her parents were gone, possibly dead. She could hardly imagine celebrating without them. Theyâd been so good to her growing up, always treating her like a little princess, especially on her birthday. She could hardly wrap her head around it, how much things had changed in ten short years. All she had left now was her brother, and she adored him more than anything. But how had everything else fallen so far apart?
It took Julia much longer than normal to drag herself out of bed, and her usually bright and carefree smile was forced. She spent a few hours working in the kitchens, counting down the minutes until she could return to her room. She was planning for a shower, as hot as she could get it, and possibly drinking the rest of the tequila bottle until she fell asleep. Maybe then she could forget how fast er normally cheerful disposition had disappeared.
The hours passed by slowly, until Julia was finally relieved from her work to go home. Rain was just starting to sprinkle as she left the kitchens, and she tugged her tattered jacket up to cover her face. It was practically pouring by the time sheâd crossed half the QZ. The black pavement was getting slippery against the worn down treads of her shoes when she started running, but she didnât care. There were few people out in the rain, so she dodged between the few remaining pedestrians without bothering to apologize for being in the way. Only a few hundred more feet, and sheâd finally be home free...
SMACK.Â
Julia hit the ground hard as her feet slid out from under her, sliding across the wet concrete. She braced herself against the fall, and now her arms were scratched and bleeding. With a loud groan, she leaned off her sore elbows and sat upright as the rain soaked her. Feeling uncharacteristically miserable, Julia simply sat on the cool pavement and held a pity party for herself. âHappy birthday to me.â
Iâve Got Friends In Low Places || Baker & Julia
Baker never feels bitterness, but itâs nights like this he really yearns for the normalcy of home. Wishing wonât fix it, thinking about the days back working on the farm wonât bring it back, but he can always go back to think of days when everything was much lighter and happier. Life now is what you make it, and despite the horror-esq nature the world is now forced to deal with Baker always tries to keep a positive outlook. His number one reminder of keeping positive is always going to be miss sunshine Julia.
So, heâs sitting quietly now, pushing away sad thoughts of Mum and Dad to focus on his sister and the fact he at least has her. Aside from Julia, too, he does have the people heâs become good friends with during his career with the military. Men that fight together stay together, and Baker is grateful for all of the bonds heâs formed. Julia, though, is the one who really keeps him going. Twins are always said to have such strong connections like that, and Baker wouldnât doubt it. Not ever.
Heâs staring down into the cup Julia poured and starts to smile when she goes off on a memory he is fond of. Fifth grade camp⊠they must have been around ten or eleven years old. Even over a decade later Baker remembers that little punk trying to put hands on his sister. He was not having it, and Julia is not exaggerrating with how bad Baker made him bleed. He was always a sturdy boy growing up, and that little asshole learned first hand when Baker drove his fist into his face. âPunk deserved it! I have no regrets.â And heâs laughing now at the end of the story because they are such a dynamic duo that they canât be seperated.
âOur tent was better than their cabins, anyway, they kept us apart.â For understandable reasons, Baker knew coed camps seperated the boys and girls when it came to bed time. He gets why, but camping in the backyard under the Alabama night sky and telling ghost stories to Julia was so much better than rough housing with the boys in the camp cabins. âOur camp out was better, even if Dad was mad that we sorta wasted him money. But I donât care, I couldnât let that kid try to do that and get away with it! Ugh, Jules, you donât know how much stress your pretty face has caused me throughout all of high school, too.â Heâs smiling still as he doesnât pace himself and downs the generous amount Julia poured him.
Such is the problem with having a pretty sister is all the boys like to swarm her, Baker remembers plenty of times on the baseball team in which he heard some of the boys talking about his sister. Pretty, athletic blonde cheerleader⊠it came as no surprise, but when the guys started getting a little crude Baker shut them all down. They could talk about any of the other girls on the cheerleading team for all he cared, but not Julia. He became a pro at meddling in business that wasnât his own. âI almost got into so many fights at parties and in the locker room with the guys because of it. Dad always made it a big deal to keep an eye on you with the whole blood is thicker than water deal, but he never had to tell me.â Juliaâs been his best friend for life, and although he is probably overbearing with it, heâll do as their father said and keep her safe. From infected to horny guys in the QZ just itching to get laid, Baker will keep her safe.
Itâs odd just how vivid the momories are in her mind, almost like a video replay of everything that happened. She can see the tent, how theyâd shoved their sleeping bags through the opening so they could stare up at the stars while they slept. And the flashlights that her brother had used to shine through the trees while telling her ghost stories, guaranteeing to send her squealing into the night, though sheâd always held a steadfast belief that her brother would keep her safe.
And he had. The first days after the infection began to spread, when things were all speculation and panic, Julia had been almost calm. She knew with complete certainty that she would be okay, that her brother would show up and fix everything. Maybe she relied to heavily on him, but heâd always protected her so well before. When they were young, she thought their dad was superman, invincible. With him gone, she allowed her brother to slip easily into that role. Sometimes she worried it was too much pressure for him, but he actually seemed to find joy in it. Sheâd always depended on him, but heâd always considered her to be his responsibility.
And in the same way that he thought it was his job to take care of her, Julia took care of him. It was in a different way; making sure he ate and showered after long days, sometimes washing his clothes when he crashed on her couch after hours on the job. She mothered him somewhat, providing him with whatever she could to keep him comforted and safe. But more than that, she made it her goal to keep him happy. When he was stressed and worried, she made him play go fish with her for hours. And even after all those years, he still told the same ghost stories, and they both laughed together until the sun came up.
âOh, hush you. I could handle myself.â She could, when it came to guys. But sheâd never had to worry some guy might get too obnoxious when they knew her brother. Sheâd been the same way, always questioning him about his girlfriends. She let him date whoever he wanted, but her questions in his taste were always very clear. Julia had never been afraid to tell some girl off when she decided to play around with her brother. She could clearly remember the time rumors had spread through their high school that Bakerâs girlfriend at the time had hooked up with some college guy. The entire school saw the throw down when Julia smacked the hell out of the girl, and she never got back up. Two days of suspension, but it was worth it. âLike I didnât have to watch out for you, too.â
Out and About // Ray & Julia
âIt does seem llike theyâre practically handinâ it out for free,â Ray gives himself a single, petty moment to glare and the man with the glasses while his back is turned before he drops the subject completely. Ray came out for business, but Julia seems pretty enough and nice enough to talk to. Ray canât remember the last time a pretty woman talked to him about anything other than buying booze, selling booze, or trying to convince him into a discount. It never works. Julia, though, apparently doesnât know about his bar at all, or sheâs a master at playing the politics game. Ray assumes its the former. âThe pleasureâs all mine, maâam,â Ray answers back with a sweet smile. âI usually keep myself too busy to make it out here. If I had known such a pretty lady would be amongst the dogs and thieves, i surely wouldâve braved the adventure much sooner.â
She hasnt flirted in so long sheâs almost sure sheâs lost the art. Until she manages a perfectly beautiful hair flip, and remembers that itâs just like riding a bike. âGosh, thatâs sweet. Thank you. I havenât been called a pretty lady in quite a while.â
She takes a moment to look him up and down, trying to figure him out. Not military, and he doesnât seem like some of those hunters sheâs met. She doesnât trust those people much, but Ray seems trustworthy so far. âNow, what are you doing thatâs keeping you so busy you donât get out to the market?â She knows some people donât bother with it, but even in the Atlanta QZ people get bored, and the markets the most similar to a social function that theyâve got. Everyone comes out in swarms, especially when the weather is nice. It brings out the good and the bad, but at least itâs not as quiet as it usually is.Â
âIf youâre looking for something in particular, maybe I can help. I try to know most of the people around, by their faces at least. Some of them have even been known to give me a discount. So what are you looking for?â