Theodore Wiggins lets down the last bag from the car with a grunt of finality. It's been a long drive, but they finally made it to Camp Weehawken.
"There we go! ....Okay--who's ready to start camping!?"
He squints a bit, then notices its really quite dark.
"Uhh..." Ted looks around and down at his things. "Ugh, I forgot my flashlight back at the car. I'll be right back!"
His partner Audrey Jones raises her eyebrows and Signs, "Just use your phone, silly!"
"And risk losing my immersion of camp?" He laughs a bit, joking as he Signs back at her. "But seriously, it's a good flashlight! And I don't want to be taking my phone out all the time. You and BP can start unpacking. I'll be right back!"
Ted's legs feel like jelly since having driven for so long to get here, but the adrenaline of being around potentially so many people and strangers has his blood pumping. It's been a long while since he's been around such company.
...and of course right after he says he's not going to use his phone at camp, he quickly remembers he has phone messages to catch up on--he asked a friendly Thneedville friend to watch after his baby so he wants every update possible. He didn't realize how nerve-wracking it would be to leave her behind, even with perfectly capable people.
After staring at his messages to load, he realizes they simply wont for now and he instead starts pulling up pictures of he and Audrey's baby--Rickie. He feels a little bit embarrassed that he's become one of those dads that he thought only existed on TV, but he can't help it.
Before he knows it, he's back at their car. He finds the forgotten flashlight and turns it on.
"There we go! Oh wow, this thing is strong--"
"Oh my god--"
He immediately goes over to the body on the ground, fearing the absolute worst.
"Hey! Are you alright??" Ted meets the figure on the ground, kneeling as he shakes their shoulder. It's a kid.....
He hears the kid groan, but he still doesn't move.
"Can you hear me? Are you hurt?" Ted looks around as if there's anyone near by that can help him. "I'm gonna move you, okay?"
He carefully rolls the kid onto his side.....
....and sees his own face.
Sort of. It's him when he was a kid. And not only that, but... that eye. That can only mean one thing--
The Truffula Flu.
A recurring nightmare he used to have for years. And something he's very much aware of existing as a result of crossing realities. He knows only a couple of people who actually come from there.
He quickly looks around as if expecting a horde of zombies to be just behind him, feeling his heartrate double as he realizes he has to cope with this realization. There's too many feelings and too many thoughts racing through his head. But he has to push all of that aside and focus on what this kid--what he needs.
"Okay-- I'm picking you up, alright?" He has no idea if he can hear him, but he says it anyway.
Carefully, he picks up the body from the ground and hurries back to camp to get this kid inside.
It had been days. Possibly a full week. It was hard to tell how long he'd been walking.
"If we ever get separated by a horde--find a safe place and stay there until I find you."
It wasn't the first time he'd been separated from 72 and Larue. It was rare... but not new to Ted. He had the basics memorized by now;
Get far away.
Find people who feel safe.
If you do, pay attention.
Leave if you're scared.
"Find people who feel safe....." thats about as likely as finding some food that's still in date these days. He was holding out for finding shelter at least.
He couldn't remember when he started seeing all of these trees around him. The scent was more odd than anything else--mint? Or more like.... air freshener. Weird. It was actually kind of familiar.
The more Ted walked forward, the more it felt like it was the "right" direction. Maybe if his gut instinct was right, 72 and Larue would be waiting either in this forest or on the other side of it.
....*Gurgle*......
Ted looked down at his stomach as his shoes stepped forward like slow pendulums over and over. He was starving. It's hard not to think about it when you're hungry.
Almost as if sensing his bodily pains, his eye began to itch. And ache. It felt better since receiving that cure, but also worse in other ways. Mostly, the very uneasy feeling that his eye was just going to tumble out of his head if he looked down for too long. It was a sickening feeling that made his stomach churn.
Another hour walking.
Then two.
Possibly a third.
Ted's legs started to slow to a drag, realizing that every ounce of energy was now completely wrung from him.
The thought of losing consciousness in the middle of a forest was horrifying enough to keep his legs moving. It was good he hadn't seen any Lost. Now that he was no longer infected though, he couldn't rely on the Lost simply passing him by anymore.
Finally, his vision started to darken. Missing a step, Ted collapsed on the dirt with an exhausted groan.
Tears welled in his eyes, not wanting it to end like this if he never wakes up. He hangs on to the last bits of memory. He practices doing this in case the worst ever happens. He knows which ones comfort him.
