second ➛ video

[backpacking]

Okay, short and sweet. I've got some questions. ... And one comment, which is fuck that last trip. You think you're home free from whatever crap you've got back home, and then... bam. It's in your face. What's that about?

[ huff ]

Name's Ellie. I spent a lot of time reading back home and now that we're not in the trenches anymore, I need some reading material. Suggestions? The library's huge here and I don't even know where to start!

Uh... [ What else... She scrunches up her nose, thinking. ] Anyone up to teaching a kid to swim? Because that's something long overdue that I haven't gotten around to. And -

[ She looks a little more meekly at the camera, then glances away, chewing on the inside of her cheek. ]

There any way to get in touch with someone back home? Like... I dunno, a magic mirror so we can see they're okay? It's important. Thanks.

Comments

[backpacking]

Wasn't where I came from, but... yeah. There're Infected; like zombies, I guess, but... not dead.

[ doesn't that just sound wonderful?? ]

[savedadance]

( That sounds absolutely horrifying, especially the fact that this has happened in more than one person's home )

But it wasn't the same? ( She said 'like zombies' and Peggy's really not familiar enough with zombies to know different types or really anything about the undead. Her questions are gentle, not wanting to probe too much but curious - and sympathetic - about it. About what could happen ) The not-dead. They're people still?

[backpacking]

I mean, that's getting into the philosophy of the whole thing. I don't think they're people anymore. It gets all in your brain and then you're just... sick. Really sick. And violent.

[ Riley hadn't been herself. Or Sam. ]

... But I don't know. They could still be trapped in there and not be able to control their bodies. It's - Yeah.

[savedadance]

An illness makes it a less frightening concept. In theory.

( But she'd also seen it close up - had an almost run in with some of the zombies herself. It was different to think of an idea when you'd seen the reality of it, and that reality wasn't as simple )

[backpacking]

Not if you saw it.

[ Or saw your friends progress into one. But she isn't about to talk about it. ]

[savedadance]

Then it's worse than what we just experienced?

[backpacking]

I mean, I think so. They've got that town and their friends and stuff, at least.

[savedadance]

You didn't have anywhere to stay?

[backpacking]

Not really. I lived in Boston for a while but I've been trying to get to the West Coast with-... some other people.

[savedadance]

Was the West Coast safer? A safe area or someone to go?

( Unless they had another reason to go there )

[backpacking]

Sort of? There's supposed to be this big group of people there working on a cure.

[ And because Ellie is immune, she'd been needed there. More than she knows, even. ]