[ Mel can't tell if asking Hannah these questions makes it better or worse. Like, remembering these things about her kid, does it make Hannah happy at all, determined to get home, or is it just depressing and makes her hate them for trapping her here? She doesn't want Hannah to hate them, or at least not to hate her. She wants Hannah to keep fighting to stay alive because maybe she can help them get out of here.
So maybe Melissa will just have to poke at the kid thing every so often and remind Hannah that there's someone out there waiting for her. Besides, she's not bullshitting when she asks this stuff, she's really curious. But she'll drop it for now. ]
Uh—not really... I've been moving my fingers. [ Mostly just to remind herself that she still can. She closes her right hand into a loose fist, experimenting. It doesn't hurt. ]
[ It does, in fact, remind Hannah why she's done all she's done to stay alive. She will get back home, or she will die trying. It's just that there comes a point when poking the bruise becomes too painful and she has to make it stop. At least when she's acting like a bootleg physical therapist, there's real, more immediate progress to be made. ]
[ She's honestly afraid to. Scared that once she starts moving her arm again, it'll hurt and never really stop hurting, just become some chronic problem for her out here that never goes away. With winter looming, the thought has been giving her a lot of anxiety. But Melissa does what Hannah says, tightening her fist with a frown.
It doesn't hurt, thank god. And she can do it easy, so there must not be any nerve damage, either. Melissa releases a breath in a rush. ]
Okay. That's... not bad. [ She's not using the muscles that actually got hit yet, which is what's really going to suck, but it's making her feel a little less freaked out anyway. ]
I was mostly worried the arrow had got you in the lung. [ Nobody could've helped her there. ] This is good. I'll help you stretch your arm out later. Just a little.
[ It's just so good to have something go right. ]
I think I would've passed out if I'd been the one who got shot by a crossbow.
[ Hannah's comment actually makes her laugh. Like she thinks Mel was so stoic about getting shot when that was not how it went down at all. By morning she'd just been way too exhausted to cry anymore. ]
Oh my god. I think I did a couple times. Then Mari would start pulling on it again and I'd wake up screaming. [ God, it was... a really, really long night. ] Thank god Gen was there and then you showed up with an actual first aid kit. [ It would have been pretty bad, otherwise. ]
[ The least she could do after watching her boyfriend's murder and being chased through the woods by almost a dozen screaming teenagers with torches? Oh, Hannah. Melissa sputters a laugh. ]
Actually you would have been well within your rights to let me bleed out, but I'm glad you didn't do that. And, yeah, we did awesome today. Everyone will be happy.
[ Maybe Shauna will even chill out for the evening, instead of sitting and giving them that cagey look she wears almost constantly now. Mel holds up her other hand for a high five. ]
[ No, see, you guys are all just kids, and you've been through hell, and Hannah gets that, in her own way, so really, she can't blame anyone for what happened to Edwin, except herself for not listening to him. ]
Do you want to head back now? The sun's starting to get low.
[ They're not far enough from camp that they can't spare another hour out here, but Hannah would rather rejoin the group when there's enough light to see if anyone's holding a weapon with imminent murderous intent. ]
[ Melissa casts a glance over her shoulder. It's hard to see the sun's position through the tree cover, but the light has definitely changed while they've been out here. Similar to what Hannah's thinking, though she doesn't know it, Melissa wants to be back at camp before it gets too dark.
She doesn't really, like, believe in It or anything, but the woods are fucking creepy when it starts getting dark even when the trees aren't screaming. ]
Yeah, we should. [ She gets to her feet and dusts herself off with one hand before slinging the bag of berries over her good shoulder again. Ready to go. ]
Thanks again... for... offering to help with my arm, [ Mel says quietly as they head off. ]
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So maybe Melissa will just have to poke at the kid thing every so often and remind Hannah that there's someone out there waiting for her. Besides, she's not bullshitting when she asks this stuff, she's really curious. But she'll drop it for now. ]
Uh—not really... I've been moving my fingers. [ Mostly just to remind herself that she still can. She closes her right hand into a loose fist, experimenting. It doesn't hurt. ]
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Tighten it a little and see how it feels.
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It doesn't hurt, thank god. And she can do it easy, so there must not be any nerve damage, either. Melissa releases a breath in a rush. ]
Okay. That's... not bad. [ She's not using the muscles that actually got hit yet, which is what's really going to suck, but it's making her feel a little less freaked out anyway. ]
no subject
[ It's just so good to have something go right. ]
I think I would've passed out if I'd been the one who got shot by a crossbow.
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[ Hannah's comment actually makes her laugh. Like she thinks Mel was so stoic about getting shot when that was not how it went down at all. By morning she'd just been way too exhausted to cry anymore. ]
Oh my god. I think I did a couple times. Then Mari would start pulling on it again and I'd wake up screaming. [ God, it was... a really, really long night. ] Thank god Gen was there and then you showed up with an actual first aid kit. [ It would have been pretty bad, otherwise. ]
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It was the least I could do. And so is doing PT with you.
[ Especially since she's playing along with Shauna, acting as an enforcer until it's safe to go off on her own and find help. ]
We got a pretty good haul today. Things aren't looking too bad.
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Actually you would have been well within your rights to let me bleed out, but I'm glad you didn't do that. And, yeah, we did awesome today. Everyone will be happy.
[ Maybe Shauna will even chill out for the evening, instead of sitting and giving them that cagey look she wears almost constantly now. Mel holds up her other hand for a high five. ]
no subject
Do you want to head back now? The sun's starting to get low.
[ They're not far enough from camp that they can't spare another hour out here, but Hannah would rather rejoin the group when there's enough light to see if anyone's holding a weapon with imminent murderous intent. ]
🎀?
She doesn't really, like, believe in It or anything, but the woods are fucking creepy when it starts getting dark even when the trees aren't screaming. ]
Yeah, we should. [ She gets to her feet and dusts herself off with one hand before slinging the bag of berries over her good shoulder again. Ready to go. ]
Thanks again... for... offering to help with my arm, [ Mel says quietly as they head off. ]