[Friday, September 3, 2004.] [School's out for the day! Charlotte and Krista agreed to meet at a park near the school at 4:30. Why? Who knows, really. It is a mystery to us all.] [It's a pleasant day: very clear with a nice breeze. The park really is just a playground, with a swing set, a slide with one of those platform things and railings, some monkey bars, and an old tire swing. The ground is covered with wood chips, though there's grass leading up to it.] [Nobody else is around! Are Krista or Charlotte? Let's find out.] [Minisession Start.] * Charlotte is around! She walks into the playground promptly at 4:30, wearing the same clothes she was earlier. Chances are she came from after school anyhow, so that's why. * Charlotte has her bookbag slung over only one shoulder, like the cool kids. [Charlotte is hip. That's why she has friends.] * Krista is late! Oh nos! * Charlotte discovers this, and sits down in a swing while she waits. * Krista is only a little late. Maybe a minute or two. She's also in school clothes and has her bookbag, but her car isn't far! Not at all. She espys Charlotte and smiles a little, walking over. [There is more than one swing! This park is handy like that.] * Charlotte waves to Krista. "Hi Krista." * Charlotte doesn't use a comma. Muahaha! * Krista nods and says, "Hello..." She trails off before sitting uncertainly on the swing. "How ... are you?" * Charlotte smiles. "Good! Well, kind of. You know." * Krista nods slightly. "Of... course." A beat as she glances around, then, "So... ah." Another pause. * Charlotte nods. "Yeah." * Krista adjusts her glasses, then says, "So... what do you want to know? I mean, I do not know everything, but..." It really happened, didn't it? It's hard to believe. * Krista nods slightly. "Unfortunately, yes." Beat. "You... handled it well, I think." A weak smile as she looks away. "It is a blessing to be alive." * Charlotte shakes her head. "I just panicked. I didn't know what to do. Half of me wanted to hide inside the store and hope they weren't real." * Krista shakes her head and reaches across to her arm. "No, don't..." she trails off, then, "The first time, I.. I ran too. I could do nothing." She swallows and looks down to her legs. "Did you know Jerome Perry?" ( Did I? :o ) (Nope.) (You recognize the name, though.) * Charlotte shakes her head. "The name sounds familiar, but..." (He on the basketball team.) (Er. +was) (There's been a rumor going around that he's dead. At the very least, he hasn't been to school since the year started.) * Charlotte stares at Krista. "Don't tell me he's dead?!" * Krista flinches and looks away moreso, nodding. "He is. He... he tried to save me." Beat, then a quieter, "He had no chance, and it was just... he died... blood spraying all over from his neck..." * Charlotte stares down at the group. "I didn't know... I mean, there were rumors, but..." (Group?) * Krista nods slightly. "It was kept quiet. It was... ugly, and nobody knew what really happened. Except me." A pause, and she looks over to Charlotte. "And now you." ( Ground. TYPO ) ( OR group of dirt ) ( Which is what the ground is. It's a group of dirt. ) (A dirt collective, if you will.) Is that why you started fighting them? * Krista laughs weakly. "I didn't start... fighting them. I just never wanted to be unprepared... should another agent of evil show up." A beat, then, "All good men and women must stand up against such... things." But you were so calm. Not like me. * Krista shakes her head and reaches over to her arm again. "No, Charlotte, that... I had been steeling myself for weeks. Do not... do not think it is easy." Beat, then, "That is why I recommended church to you. God gives me strength like I would not know." (Wow. Krista could almost be convincing if she weren't a CHURCHIE.) * Charlotte frowns. "It's not... not the first time I've seen one. I could have been prepared, but I've been in denial, hoping I'd never see one again. " * Krista blinks... then squeezes her arm again. "If it were not for Father Bradley, I would have not known it were real." Beat. "I might not even have lived." 'Do not dwell on your mistakes, but be contrite and strive to do better.' Does Father Bradley fight them? (Father Bradley is BATMAN.) ( OMG! ) (!) * Krista nods slightly. "When he has to." She smiles a bit and looks up at the sky. "He is a good man, and a great priest." Oh. I guess it's lucky that you know someone like that. * Krista nods slightly, then smiles a little embarassedly. "I could introduce you if you liked." * Charlotte shakes her head. "That's okay." * Krista nods a little and is then silent for a moment. Then, "At least we are safe here. Sunlight, holy water, crosses, and stakes..." * Charlotte nods. "I guess I really just needed somebody to tell me that what happened was real. Even though I knew it was." She shakes her head. "I can't really explain it." * Krista pats her arm slightly. * Charlotte glances down to Krista's hand, and follows it back up to her face. * Krista is smiling comfortingly! Be comforted by the light of God! (Or maybe just my perfectly white teeth.) * Charlotte stares at Krista for a minute, then blinks awkwardly. "Uh, I guess I should go." She averts her eyes, for she cannot look upon the face of God! Or maybe she just needs to find her backpack. "I've got some things to do." * Krista nods slightly and says, "Of course... of course you do." Beat. "Friday nights... right?" "Hm? Oh, my scheduel is flexible, but yeah." Especially since my boss is still missing. * Krista nods a little and says, "If you ever..." she trails off, then, "You know how to find me, if you need to?" I could take your number? I-If you want to, I mean. * Krista nods slightly and smiles as she says, "No, of course you can." Okay. Thanks. You can have mine, too, if you want. I'm not usually home, though, and I don't have a cell phone. (Charlotte calls some guys in to beat Krista up.) * Krista shakes her head slightly and opens up her bookbag. "Neither do I." She rummages around and pulls out a piece of blank drawing paper which she writes a number on in easily readable text. ( Krista doesn't want my number D: ) * Krista hands her the number with the pen she used to wrote it availble as well. "Here you are..." * Charlotte takes it. "Thanks. Um, one sec." She rummages around in her bag and comes up with a scrap of paper, where she writes her own number. Her penmanship is good, at least. She holds it out. * Krista takes it and nods with a small smile, standing and reslinging her bookbag. "Well... then, have a good weekend." * Charlotte rises, herself, smiling. "Okay. You, too." * Krista smiles a bit wider and nods before waving and saying, "God bless." Then she walks towards the out and her car! * Charlotte also waves. "See you." She walks out, but not towards a car. [Charlotte and Krista: Friends Forever!] [Minisession End.]