ArchivedLogs:Not Merry-Go-Round

Not Merry-Go-Round
Dramatis Personae Ellin and Jack
In Absentia	2015-11-07 < Thanks. Ur pretty easygoing. > (Part of Flu TP.)
Location <XS> Playground
Set on the still-expansive grounds around the side of the school, this area is to the outdoors rather what the rec room is to the indoors. There's a large basketball court out here; a fenced-off tennis court adjacent. Further distant there are setups for other sports -- a large track, a soccer field. Closer in to the school, though, in its own large enclosure adjacent to the basketball and tennis courts, is the playground, a huge expanse of equipment set up on alternating plots of slightly squishy flooring and mulch. Centrally there is a large sprinkler-fountain, not always /on/ but it can be turned on with a push of a button; spreading out around this is the actual playground equipment, sturdy and varied. A huge dome constructed in honeycombed interlocked poles and rope netting rises hiiiigh for climbing; a large swingset holds four pairs of swings. A large roundabout in bright colours stands in one corner near a long see-saw. The huge bridge-and-tunnel castle structure at one end has many routes of entry, from poles to climb up (or slide down) to a small climbing /wall/. Monkeybars. Four different slides of varying lengths and spiraling. For the adventurous, between things to climb on and jump between and bounce across it is probably possible to skirt one end of the playground and back without touching the ground, though it might take a particularly adept feat of balance and agility. Or possibly wings. This may literally be one of her most petty uses of one's mutant state Ellin could possibly conceive of. And yet, she's doing it! What is it? Well, Ellin number one is on her laptop, typing and playing on twitter or whatever it is she does, sitting on the edge of the merry-go-round and shoveling a bag of chips down her throat. For Ellens Two and Five, the swings have found occupation, whilst three and four are pushing them. And what else? They're all humming to themselves in unison. For someone used to speaking constantly, the whole 'don't speak English when it's your only language' thing has really begun to take its toll. On the up side? SWINGS! Bonus: The weather isn't all that bad and the evening sky is nice and clear and pretty. All in all, the evening is quite nice if it weren't for the fact that a plague was on in the world at large. A rising plague. A plague that made zombies. And she had it- Okay, it's not that great. Jack entered the playground thinking it was empty. Just a floating pair of jeans and a hoodie as well as old sneakers, the invisible teen's made his way up onto one of the climbing structures after entering from the far side of the playground. Once up there, he finally sees the Ellins and arches an invisible brow when he sees what they're up to. Eventually he decides to start climbing down so he can approach them. It's the one on the merry-go-round that addresses Jack, flipping the monitor around to face the boy while she continues to type. < Hello Jack. What r u up 2? Do u need 2 use teh playground? I hope I am not taking up 2 much space. Fiting last night was 2 much fun. How r u feeling? > The other four wave from their place at the swing. As usual, One seems to be the dedicated communicator. Jack's got to squint before he can get close enough to read the screen. He takes his phone from his pocket and begins typing as he walks. He holds the phone up once he's close enough. 'I'm not sick. And not up to anything. Just outside for awhile.' he glances at the others on the swings and then the chips and hums. 'Shouldn't you be eating something more...healthy?' < I feel fine!!! > Is... is that a huffy face she's making? Does she get huffy? That was a full three exclamation points right there! < Besides. I already drank a ton of orange joos and ate all my regular meals. Im just sofa king hungry. > Okay. Maybe she needs to work on the swearing. < What is ur number? I shood just text u directly. > < Hungry isn't a good thing. > Jack seems unmoved by the huffiness. Or maybe he's rolling his eyes. Hard to tell when dealing with an invisible guy. He types in his number a moment later and offers it. The girl flips her laptop screen back around even as Two and Three depart the swings to approach Jack and One. On the way, Two begins inputting the number and.... voila! Instant texting. < I just really need 2 snakc okay? Im active! Im not going 2 get fat. > She doesn't really gt that that could be a BAD thing. A symptom. Still... < U can have a seat. I dont bite. > Ill-timed zombie joke. That joke gets the flattest possible look an empty hood can give a person. Jack even lets the awkward silence linger for a few moments before typing a message. < I'm okay standing. Staying active myself. > He hums faintly as he texts, the phone looking like its floating above an empty sleeve. < What are you up to out here? > < That is sofa king cool teh way everything looks like it flies in ur hand. > Ellin offers a sort of grin at this point as she goes on. < I dunno. I was having trouble concentrating on my homework so I came out here 2 play on teh swings cause taht use 2 make me happy when I got worried or upset as a kid. > She seems to contemplate this for a moment, before she offers: < I can push you on teh swing. Its weird. I dont feel sick. > < Wouldn't know. I just see a hand. > Jack replies, shrugging. He nods faintly, glancing at the swings. Of course his shoulders are tense when he sees the mention of having trouble concentrating. < No thanks. I can push myself if I want to swing. > He gestures with his free sleeve at the swings and the two unoccupied ones start swinging back and forth on their own. Telekinesis. < Pretty sure you're still sick. > < Oh okay. Just wanted 2 be friendly. Im not really good at people-stuff Im founding. > One hunches over her own phone then, tap-tap-tapping along even as the other four of herselves begin turning the merry-go-round to spin her, albeit gently. < Tahts teh crazy thing. Every1 says Im still sick but I feel fine. So what do u tihnk they r gonna do 2 us when we get 2 sick 2 be left out? > < I understand. Just...pushing someone on the swing seems like it would be better for elementary school. Or a cheesy rom-com date. > Jack replies, trying to joke a little even if his heart isn't in it. There's a long pause before Jack even starts typing again. His gaze turns towards the school building itself for a long few moments before Jack shrugs. < Confined to the infirmary. Dorms. Maybe they'll turn the great hall into some kind of mass hospital zone depending on how many people are sick. > < Ooooh. Yeah. I didnt think about that. Im not sure Iv ever felt taht way about any1 anyway. My friend Rose says tahts weird. Its fun 2 watch romance stuff but I dunno. Theres skool and projects and friends and I dont feel like I am missing anything I guess? > She suddenly bubbles with laughter. At least that's not quite in unison. The next bit is a little sobering for the Ellins, and they spend some time just spinning. < Tahts depressing. If I dont get better, I worry about my mom and dad. Tehy cant have more kids u no? > Jack shrugs a little. < I don't know if its weird. Some people say I'm weird so who knows. > He doesn't elaborate though. He leans against a piece of playground equipment, glancing up at the spinning before looking down at his phone. The leaves on the ground nearby all rattle and move as if blown by a breeze but there's no wind. Just Jack being unhappy about the idea of people not getting better. < They can't? > < Why wood u be weird? I got a million reasons 2 be weird. Im like left of center by a lil bit in a lot of ways. Ur a pretty calm nice guy who can carry a conversation and u also have an interest in athletics. Taht seems... not weird. A little awesome. > Well, also there's the invisible thing. Which is weird. < So u still see urself then? > The Ellins all hop onto the merry-go-round at the same time and let it spin for a moment. < Mom is 50-sumthin. Dad is like 60. No more kids. > Again, there's a flat look. Because one reason is obvious. < Because I'm an athletic football player who also happens to be gay. > His empty hood nods. < Yeah. I still see me. Everyone else gets perma-ghost. > He adds a little extra telekinetic push to the merry-go-round to adds some spin. < Oh. Could adopt. > < Oooooh. Sorry. Taht were 2 dumb 4 realsies. > Good thing she can't catch these flat looks. < Uuum... I'm not teh best person 2 judge this. I didnt go 2 a normal school b4 this. Like, half teh class had 2 daddies or mommies. Sorry. I get that its not really common but I kind of didnt grow up in a normal place. > Ya think? Ellin does offer a shrug that turns into a squeal of joy as the merry-go-round gets some extra spin. Its a while before she has the stability to respond. < Taht would make me happy if teh have the time left to raise kids at this age. I dont want them 2 be sad 4ever. < Sounds like an interesting place. > Jack texts. He stays quiet as Ellin spins, looking up at the sky for a few moments. When his phone chimes again, he looks at it and nods. < They could make the time if they wanted it. > The girl eventually begins to slow enough that all five stick their limbs out to stop them spinning and then they are back to texting. < I take it u dont have a boyfriend then? Or do u? U got ur eye on anyone? > She considers, though, as she goes on. Ellin's mind is flipping over. < I guess it was okay, but this is more interesting here. Not every1 is just nice all teh tiem. Its hard but better. > Still, she decides to clarify. < I mean my parents will be getting old soon. Tehr health might not stay long enough 2 raise a kid. I hope tehy try tho. > Again, the leaves get scattered and blown around by a little telekinetic pulse. < No. On both counts. > His grip on his phone gets tighter and he wonders how a certain someone at the Commons is fairing but he doesn't comment. Shaking his head, he types in a quick message. < Adopt an older kid? I don't know. Not the best judge of parenting things. > < Oh. Well someone will catch ur eye Im sure. > Ellin gives her head a moment longer to stop spinning before she decides to go back to texting. < Im glad my parents cant get onto me for texting some1 Im right next 2. Yeah. Taht wood be good. An older kid. Those have trouble getting adopted anyway. > Jack debates how to reply for a few moments before just going with a short reply. < Yeah. > And he leaves it at that. < Kind of your only option right now unless you want to break out a pad and pencil. Or learn another language. They may end up making ASL courses required again. > Ellin chuckles. < I can fingerspell a bit but Im not exactly 2 good at real signs. > They moves their feet, scooting the equipment in circles. < I try 2 write as little as possible. I have disgrafia. > Ellin makes a sort of face. < Pls keep taht 2 urself tho, okay? > < You can learn. > Jack texts back. The bitterness in his thoughts on the matter doesn't come across in text. He hums faintly and nods. < Alright. I won't tell anyone. > < Of course I can learn. Why wood u think I dont want 2? It wuz my language credit at my old school + some of my special teachers thot it wood help w/some of the other stuff I have trouble with. I just never got further than fingerspelling before I moved. > Ellin shrugs. < Thanks. Ur pretty easygoing. > Jack just waves his free hand as he sends another text. < Nevermind. > He ends up laughing a bit at the next message he reads. < You're welcome. > Jack looks up towards the school and takes a breath. < I should get going. Got to check on some people. See you later. > < Go check on people. U should be around family and friends when u have tehm during tiems like tihs. Tahnks for sitting around and talking with me. > She hops up off the merry-go-round. < Im gonna go text some friends from back home, then. Good night J. > There's another little laugh from Jack but he sends a quick message as he goes. < Night. > As soon as the phone chimes, he lifts a sleeve to wave and heads inside.