Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 12:41:16 GMT -5
After successfully constructing and igniting another of the nightly bonfires, Gwen sat back in the sand, elbows resting on her bent knees. Sayid would be proud, she thought to herself as she stared at the dancing flames. With each passing night, she was getting better and more efficient at creating the signal fires. But maybe that wasn't such a good thing. Sure, the fires could catch the attention of rescue but they could also alert whomever seemed to be sharing this island with them. And the latter seemed far more likely after a week with no sign of anyone on the horizon.
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Post by Locke on Sept 27, 2007 13:22:13 GMT -5
***Locke enters***
The search for water had proven fruitless, not that he was concerned. Jack would find water, after all. He knew it.
The jungle had been good for exploring, however. A truly beautiful location, alive with noises. All but the sound of running water, anyway.
And there was Gwen, sitting alone before a crackling signal fire. It was a slightly sad sight, to know that she and others thought of them as signal fires. Not sources of heat. Signals. Useless signals.
He walked over to Gwen, deciding she looked like she needed company. "Hello." he greeted with his usual warm smile. "Mind if I sit?"
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 13:40:38 GMT -5
"Hello. Mind if I sit?"
"Oh, John, hi," she smiled up at him in return. "So the mighty hunter returns? Funny how you mentioned the boar to me days ago and conveniently left out the bit about knowing how to hunt them. But we're all very grateful to you."
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Post by Locke on Sept 27, 2007 13:55:49 GMT -5
"So the mighty hunter returns? Funny how you mentioned the boar to me days ago and conveniently left out the bit about knowing how to hunt them. But we're all very grateful to you."
He smiled at her, and sat. "Well, everyone needs to help out at a time like this." he noted. "After all, you've been doing plenty since you got here. You put up these fires, don't you?"
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 14:11:09 GMT -5
"You put up these fires, don't you?"
She nodded. "And I'm getting better at it with all this practice. Adding to my marketable skills. The higher-ups at Oceanic are going to be so impressed at my annual review," she commented.
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Post by Locke on Sept 27, 2007 14:15:25 GMT -5
"I bet they will be." he chuckled. "How have things been for you, Gwen? Since we last spoke?"
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 14:36:03 GMT -5
"I won't lie to you, John. Things have been fairly...overwhelming," she exhaled. "Everything is so uncertain, everyone is so tense. And I don't really see how I can be expected to keep them calm. Barbecue dinners aside."
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Post by Locke on Sept 27, 2007 14:44:31 GMT -5
"Who's expecting you to keep calm?" he inquired.
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Gwen Havers
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 15:49:29 GMT -5
"Well, it sort of comes with the uniform, doesn't it?" she replied. "Being knowledgeable and responsible and in control. But the reality is I'm far from it. I couldn't protect them, John. Not Jake, not Severin, not Joanna. I can't even sleep because every time I close my eyes, I see...I see things that I shouldn't be seeing," she confessed in a wavering voice. "I even made a deal with Sawyer, which I swore I would never do. So I really must be going crazy."
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Post by Locke on Sept 27, 2007 16:29:55 GMT -5
"Well, it sort of comes with the uniform, doesn't it?"
"A police uniform, maybe..." he commented.
"Being knowledgeable and responsible and in control. But the reality is I'm far from it. I couldn't protect them, John. Not Jake, not Severin, not Joanna. I can't even sleep because every time I close my eyes, I see...I see things that I shouldn't be seeing, I even made a deal with Sawyer, which I swore I would never do. So I really must be going crazy."
His expression and demeanor softened to sympathy and concern, as he started to speak slowly. "Gwendolyn...this morning, two people attempted to save Joanna. Both powerful swimmers, athletic...just because you weren't there to dive in yourself doesn't mean you're responsible. Nor are you anymore responsible for anyone else on this island, because...well..." He needed to choose his words carefully. He needed to be frank, but not overwhelmingly harsh. "The plane is gone. These people are no longer passengers, they're just...people. It might be time to start thinking more about yourself, Gwen."
He shifted a little, turning so he faced her a good deal more directly. "If I may, when you close your eyes...what is it you see?"
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Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 27, 2007 16:48:15 GMT -5
She continued to stare into the fire, taking in his words. He was right about the plane being gone. Right about not being directly responsible for anyone's welfare. And it wasn't all that long ago she'd been given the same lecture by her father. Not that his words meant much of anything now.
"If I may, when you close your eyes...what is it you see?"
She looked over at him, fearing his reaction if she went on to quote The Sixth Sense but really that was the only way to describe it. "I see people," she answered. "The pilot, my brother, my...people that I've lost. Living, breathing, clear as day. It feels so real, John. Even though I know it can't be."
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Post by Locke on Sept 28, 2007 2:51:02 GMT -5
"The pilot, my brother, my...people that I've lost. Living, breathing, clear as day. It feels so real, John. Even though I know it can't be."
He listened carefully, and then said, "That's not so strange. Dreaming about people you've lost after a close brush with death."
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 28, 2007 5:36:06 GMT -5
She shook her head. "It doesn't feel like a dream. It doesn't even feel like something brought on by stress or dehydration or lack of food. It's just...it feels like something bad is coming," she said softly. She rubbed her eyes and then ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know what I'm saying. I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. It's completely ridiculous. I'm sorry, John."
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Post by Locke on Sept 28, 2007 10:04:15 GMT -5
"It doesn't feel like a dream. It doesn't even feel like something brought on by stress or dehydration or lack of food. It's just...it feels like something bad is coming, I don't know what I'm saying. I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. It's completely ridiculous. I'm sorry, John."
He gazed at her sympathetically. "Well, maybe these dreams...mean something. And not to worry you, but maybe your feeling isn't entirely off." He stroked his chin, and then looked back at Gwen. "This place is different, Gwen, after all."
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 28, 2007 12:29:00 GMT -5
She furrowed her brow. "How do you mean different?" she asked. "Apart from the obvious monstrous tree-shaking thing."
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Post by Locke on Sept 28, 2007 14:09:08 GMT -5
"It's just...different. Special." he said slowly. Then he waved his hand dismissively. It was maybe wrong to try and convince Gwen at this point. She was still in slight denial. "Never mind. Forget what I said. But the truth of the matter is, none of what's happened is your fault."
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Gwen Havers
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Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 28, 2007 15:09:29 GMT -5
"Right. Maybe if I just keep repeating that to myself..." she said, giving him a weak smile. She continued to ponder what he'd said about the island being different. Special. One certainly didn't find nets or spring-loaded arrows on most islands in the South Pacific, she assumed.
"Y'know, Arzt said something about there being different species of plants and animals that didn't really belong here," she offered. "He could probably explain it better, if he's in a good mood, but this place certainly feels...different."
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Post by Locke on Sept 28, 2007 15:32:57 GMT -5
"He could probably explain it better, if he's in a good mood, but this place certainly feels...different."
"It does." he said quietly, smiling to himself. "If you don't mind me asking, Gwen, you mentioned Severin. Was he hurt, or...?"
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Gwen Havers
Help Translate Rousseau's Maps
Ready to Fallplg%%Gwen, Shannon, Etana%%
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Post by Gwen Havers on Sept 28, 2007 16:03:26 GMT -5
"Oh, yes, sorry," she said quickly, realizing that John must have been elsewhere when they returned. "His leg was injured while we were out in the jungle. Sort of a salvage mission to see if we could find anything else in the wreckage. Vivian and Ruby both took a look at him, bandaged him up, told him to stay off his feet. So he's resting now. But I do hope Jack can help him, whenever he returns...."
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Post by Locke on Sept 28, 2007 16:33:13 GMT -5
"His leg was injured while we were out in the jungle. Sort of a salvage mission to see if we could find anything else in the wreckage. Vivian and Ruby both took a look at him, bandaged him up, told him to stay off his feet. So he's resting now. But I do hope Jack can help him, whenever he returns...."
"I'm sure he'll be fine. I believe Jack will be back shortly, he can take a look at him then." noted John. "How did he get injured?"
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