Participants:
| Scene Title | Bowling is a Riot |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | While hiding in the Bowling Alley, the riot survivors decide their next steps. |
| Date | November 8, 2010 |
The desk at the front accepts players' money and rents out the flat-bottomed shoes used in bowling alleys anywhere. Plaques from past tournaments held at Kingpin's line the posts on either side of the counter, along with an assortment of pictures and posters.
Thin red carpet covers the floor as far as the broad, shallow stairs leading down into the bowling pit. An assortment of vending and arcade game machines line the back wall; a counter and corresponding line of stools provide places for people to watch the games while they eat. Snacks are not, of course, allowed on the floor.
Below the stairs are the computers controlling the lanes and the games, with groups of chairs clustered about. Beyond them are the hardwood-paneled lanes, just waiting for pins to be set; behind, in the shadow of the counter, are shelves and shelves of bowling balls in all sizes and colors.
Whatever food was left in the kitchens — aside from the fountain soda and beer, of course — has already been looted. Having made sure that the building is secure, or as secure as it can be, Veronica is now on to another task to keep herself occupied and to do what little she can. She's made her way into the management office and is rummaging through the drawers there until she comes up with a key ring full of keys, looking for a certain style. House key, deadbolt key, padlock key…
There.
She makes her way out of the back hallway toward the wall lined with video games and vending machines. With a quick turn of the key, one of the vending machines is opened. Sun Chips, Rice Krispie treats, Pop Tarts and Snickers for the taking. She moves to the next machine and, voila, Dasani and sodas. She grabs one of the water bottles and opens it to take a long drink, before turning to peer for the others — whoever's not passed out curled up on the bowling lane benches.
"Anyone want some water?" she says, husky voice rough from smoke and soot.
The air around Anna is filled with cigarette smoke. She's on her third smoke for the evening, and her pack is almost running out. "Did you guys hear about the tank earlier today? Some bloody evo stole one and started running people over"
"I only got away because some nice dude got me to a safe building… though that collapsed when the tank ran in the building next to it." Okay, so Anna has to talk about that, she has to get it off of her chest.
"It was fucking scary, probably the scariest moment of my life." Pause… "Scarier than when I had to bury my parents…" Anna sighs, "Ten dollar says I'll be having nightmares over this for months."
"No."
The grumpier of the two voices calls out. Laying on one of the kitchen tables, Brian lifts up his neck to watch Anna. "Those bloody evos." Brian imitates with a vicious mutter. He falls silent for a long moment before tilting his head. "Your parents died today?" Aww. That sucks. He lets his head collapse back against the table. Pressing himselff up, he slides to the floor. "I'm,,, very sorry." He gives a somewhat confused glance to Veronica. Mouthing 'really?' Before looking back to Anna. "Are.. are you okay?"
"Brian." Veronica's voice is soft but reprimanding. "If she buried them, I hardly think they died today." She glances back to Anna and grabs two more water bottles from the columns inside the machine and brings one to the girl, setting it beside her.
"It's been a very frightening day. Are you staying with someone, some family, Anna? I can try and get a hold of them, and let them know where you are. I wouldn't suggest trying to go to them yourself, though. Stay put, and I'll get someone to you."
The brunette agent strides toward where Brian stands and hands him a bottle too, one hand lightly touching his, dark eyes looking up to his. "I need to head back out, see what I can do to help people," she says quietly. She looks exhausted; her face has been washed of soot and blood at least, but her cheek remains black from the bruise and cut on her cheekbone.
"They died about as close to four years ago as you'll get." Anna answers, inhaling and exhaling some more smoke from her cigarette. "I live with my foster parents… not that far from here."
As she finishes up her smoke, Anna grabs the offered bottle and opens it, taking a big gulp. "I'm mostly okay… my leg hurts, and I'm scratched all over, but nothing serious." She shrugs faintly, the wound on her arm is cleaned by now, "Thanks for asking, though…"
Anna looks at the clock, "Damn.. it's getting late…" And almost instinctively, she yawns. But more importantly, her stomach growls… "Haven't had anything to eat since breakfast either." She gets out her registration card, "At least I have this one with me… in case some officers needs to see it… it's after curfew, after all."
She glances over the card, and instinctively frowns as she comes across one part of it… it doesn't last long for that frown to clear up and her to put the card back into her pocket where it belongs.
Giving a somewhat irritated glance to Veronica at first, his hand instinctively shies away when she brings him the bottle. He just stares at it for a ffew minutes before looking up. "I think curfew is the least of anyone's worries tonight." He is then looking to Veronica again. "You have someone particular in mind or are you just going to run around, guiding people into bowling alleys?" Trying at least a little bit to keep the venom out of his voice.
"Well I'm sorry your parents died. Mine died too." Settling his elbows on his knees, he leans forward. Tilting his head down, he lets out a long sigh.
Bringing her hand away, Veronica's face clouds over, and she brings her hand up to her neck. Her coat undone, there is a telltale bump beneath her sweater right below the collarbone. A necklace's chain glints above the collar; whatever hangs on the necklace is beneath the fabric.
"If I leave, will it put you in a better mood, and you can maybe look after her?" she says in a low voice, a jerk of her head back toward Anna.
Looking over her shoulder at Anna, Vee nods to the vending machine that is now open. "Help yourself. It's not the most healthy food, but there's some things with some nutrition in there," she points out. Not that she thinks the girl is really all that worried about healthy snacks when she smokes like a chimney.
Anna heads over to at least grab a bite, a bag of chips is opened up and she starts to munch. "I don't normally smoke this much.." Anna feels obliged to mention, "Normally it's just one or two smokes a day…" She's been under a lot of stress today… with good reason.
"Anyway… I'll need to get in touch with my foster parents, somehow… but I lost my phone in the chaos." Anna sighs, "And I suck with phone numbers… so I don't recall theirs." An apologetic smile is given.
After finishing that bag of chips, Anna drinks another gulp of water from the bottle. "Thanks for looking after me, by the way… I wish this all was over…"
Looking up at Veronica, Brian purses his lips. The bump in the shirt does not escape his attention which has Brian inadvertently staring at Veronica's chest for a while. Looking back up, "No." He grunts. "I can't stay here. I have to go do something specific, with like an actual objective. Not, 'I have to go help the world'!" His last few words are said in a somehow husky falsetto, apparently Veronica's voice.
Looking back down at Anna, he folds hisarms over at his chest. "Where do you live? Bronx? If it's Queens, I'm afraid you're shit out of luck."
"Funny, help the world seems like a pretty fucking good objective to me," Veronica says, moving away from Brian and wrapping her arms around herself. She moves closer to Anna and glances around for the other people in hiding with them. She doesn't think they seem like the type to take advantage of a young girl, but then no one every says, 'Oh, right, that serial killer, I saw it coming. He was creepy.' They always say, 'He seemed like a nice man!'
"Where do you live? I'd try to get you there, but if it's far… we're on foot, and I can't keep you safe if someone's shooting at us from where I can't see them," she says quietly.
"I live a few streets down from here… I know the way. I've gone bowling here on my foster brother's birthday party before." Anna answers the question of where she lives. "Not too far… about ten minutes on foot I'd guess."
Anyway, Anna finishes the water bottle and looks around, "I guess I'll need a new phone…" Focusing on the mundane to keep sane, "My contract lasts for a few more months, though… waste of money." She sighs, then shrugs, "I guess it can't be helped."
"If you're ready to go, Vee… so am I." Then the evo-girl in denial mutters… "I just want everything to be normal again…"
"Well. I've got to go see someone who see's dead people."
And with that enigmatic statement, Brian is picking up his water bottle and heading on the other side of the kitchen table. Watching Vee's back for a long moment he unscrews the bottle cap, taking a deep swallow. Tightening the bottle back up, he turns his back on the two. "Good luck Vee."
"How very M. Night Shyamalan of you," Veronica mutters, glancing back at Brian. "Good luck. Stay safe. Hopefully at least one of you is somewhere safe."
"All right. A few blocks we can do. Do what I tell you and don't ask questions on the way — if I say duck, duck, don't look for the reason why, all right?" she says, moving to the door, pulling the table that blocks it away and pushing it open. She waits for Anna to head out, glances once more at Brian, and follows suit, gun already coming out of her holster.