Things felt like they were falling apart; like everything Percy had held onto for some normalcy was slipping out from underneath and somewhere inside of him he felt like he was losing a grip on something. But what was he to do besides what he was doing then? Constantly forgoing sleep so that he could keep trying to unravel the mysteries of this world that he kept discovering? If he didn't then there wouldn't be enough time in the day for that and everything else and to make sure that someone was awake while Alice got some rest. She deserved that much.
Then there were the added pressures of needing to figure out whether or not they were going to need to scavenge soon. It was just one more thing they had to worry about without Chris around. They also had to worry about Chris when Chris wasn't around. Just what was he doing that he wasn't ever there?
Percy sighed and rubbed the heel of his palm into his aching eyes. He would likely need to sleep sometime soon, he had to concede. Thinking about things was only making the headache he had developed worse; there was no way he was going to figure anything out at the moment. His notes on the world were little more than frustrating blurs.
Suddenly sick of seeing them, he pulled away from what once must have been a very fine desk in an immaculately manicured home office. It wasn't in terrible shape now, but dust had already started to build up and it had clearly not been tended for. Stretching in some attempt to ease the tension he was feeling both inside and out, he left the office and headed back down stairs. Briefly, he paused by Alice's sleeping figure, watching her for a moment or two, just to make sure she was still breathing. He hadn't thought anything had happened to her while he had been upstairs - he hadn't heard anything - but increasingly he was becoming paranoid about losing her, too.
He continued his trudge into the kitchen. Truth be told, he had sometimes forgotten to eat. Never to the point that he was passing out of weakness, but perhaps to a somewhat unhealthy extent. He stiffened as he entered, however. The intruder wasn't immediately recognized as anything more than a threat. Pangs of panic set off in Percy's chest. What was there to use as a weapon around? He gave the area a hasty glance. He had left his crowbar in the other room. Stupid.
Another second passed before Percy realized that the shape was familiar. He squinted, before his eyes widened. "Chris?" his tone was incredulous and, to his surprise, sharper than he had intended.
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Then there were the added pressures of needing to figure out whether or not they were going to need to scavenge soon. It was just one more thing they had to worry about without Chris around. They also had to worry about Chris when Chris wasn't around. Just what was he doing that he wasn't ever there?
Percy sighed and rubbed the heel of his palm into his aching eyes. He would likely need to sleep sometime soon, he had to concede. Thinking about things was only making the headache he had developed worse; there was no way he was going to figure anything out at the moment. His notes on the world were little more than frustrating blurs.
Suddenly sick of seeing them, he pulled away from what once must have been a very fine desk in an immaculately manicured home office. It wasn't in terrible shape now, but dust had already started to build up and it had clearly not been tended for. Stretching in some attempt to ease the tension he was feeling both inside and out, he left the office and headed back down stairs. Briefly, he paused by Alice's sleeping figure, watching her for a moment or two, just to make sure she was still breathing. He hadn't thought anything had happened to her while he had been upstairs - he hadn't heard anything - but increasingly he was becoming paranoid about losing her, too.
He continued his trudge into the kitchen. Truth be told, he had sometimes forgotten to eat. Never to the point that he was passing out of weakness, but perhaps to a somewhat unhealthy extent. He stiffened as he entered, however. The intruder wasn't immediately recognized as anything more than a threat. Pangs of panic set off in Percy's chest. What was there to use as a weapon around? He gave the area a hasty glance. He had left his crowbar in the other room. Stupid.
Another second passed before Percy realized that the shape was familiar. He squinted, before his eyes widened. "Chris?" his tone was incredulous and, to his surprise, sharper than he had intended.