literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Apr 6, 2007 23:21:23 GMT -5
"Hmm. Maybe I'll jump from the top of a palm tree," Grace mused in mock seriousness. "Finding something stupid is always better with company. Do you have any suggestions?"
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Apr 6, 2007 23:02:59 GMT -5
"I don't know, I was considering jumping off a cliff. Know of any nearby?" A wry look crossed her face. Maybe now just wasn't the time to think about what was happening. She'd just enjoy the company and leave her potential sanity -- or lack thereof -- for later. "You done anything stupid yet?"
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Apr 6, 2007 22:50:47 GMT -5
"You haven't found any sunscreen or aloe in the luggage? Give it a few days and it'll fade to a nice golden tan; just think how the ladies will be all over you when we get off this island," Grace teased. At his question, her smile faded a little and she nibbled on the cap of her pen before writing her reply. "Well, I haven't done anything stupid yet... but I think I'm going crazy."
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Apr 6, 2007 19:41:14 GMT -5
Partway through her stroll --during which, of course, Grace had stayed close to the camp and the safety of the fires-- Grace was pleased to see what she considered a friendly face. Sure, so she'd been avoiding social interaction, but this was a special case. She just wanted to avoid social interaction with people that would ask strange questions and make assumptions. She altered her course and wound up next to Willo, a little smile on her face.
"Hey, haven't seen you today. Were you hiding or something?" she wrote in her handy-dandy notebook (yes, Grace had loved Blue's Clues even in her late childhood).
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Feb 5, 2007 20:29:01 GMT -5
*Grace enters from somewhere that isn't here*
Well, the beach was certainly the happening place to be, wasn't it? Grace must not have been a happening person, then, because she'd spent all day in her shelter figuring out how to use the palm-pilot type thing Sarah had given her. Now, with the little device tucked securely in her pocket, Grace set out on a leisurely sojurn down the beach. She hooked her thumbs through the belt loops of her jeans and wondered idly about the freakish, fatal twist of fate that had landed such a diverse group of people on what could otherwise have been a tropical paradise.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Apr 3, 2007 20:12:17 GMT -5
It was evening at last -- the end of another long day. Another day without rescue. Grace sat near one of the larger fires, arms wrapped around her knees. She was avoiding social interaction on purpose. Why? She was still trying to puzzle out what had been happening to her. The intervals of hearing, if that was indeed what it was, were growing more frequent. She'd had six today, and one had lasted for nearly three minutes. Maybe she could talk to the doctor later and see what was going on. Surely it was just some crazy aftereffect of the crash, right?
After a time, Grace rose and headed down the beach, intending to take a brief walk before turning in for the night.
*Grace exits to G4 Beach and Shore*
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 30, 2006 14:51:51 GMT -5
Grace followed the movement of his mouth closely, trying to determine what he was saying. Oh. That question. She shook her head, writing something else on the notepad. "I can't hear."
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 30, 2006 14:38:35 GMT -5
Great, he couldn't read, either? Grace was running out of ideas. She wanted to find Gwen and ask her to interpret, but she knew the flight attendant was probably busy. No, Grace would do this by herself if it killed her. With her free hand, she reached out to wipe away the blood beneath his nose, then held that hand up so he could see what exactly she'd been trying to say.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 30, 2006 14:18:02 GMT -5
Grace sighed exasperatedly. So not only did he not understand her, but he was going to mock her? Snatching up the notepad and pen, she flipped to the next page and scrawling something quickly before holding it out to show him. If it was rudeness he wanted, it was rudeness he'd get. "I said your damn nose is bleeding, stupid."
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 30, 2006 14:00:40 GMT -5
Grace hadn't known there was anyone else around... that is, until a tree branch, and a person who she assumed had been sitting on the branch, crashed to the ground in front of her. She pushed herself into a standing position and pressed herself back against the tree trunk, looking at the other with wide eyes. Was he another crash survivor? Well, whoever he was, he couldn't possibly have escaped that fall unscathed.
With a sigh --it would be too much to hope that another person here knew sign language-- Grace raised her hands in an attempt to communicate. The notebook and pen lay forgotten on the ground, fallen from her lap in the scramble to get up. "Your nose is bleeding," she signed in a mixture of sign language and pidgin.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 30, 2006 13:29:30 GMT -5
**Grace enters from G3 -- The Fuselage and Surrounding Area**
Once she was out of sight of the wreckage and all the poor dead bodies, Grace wearily dropped into a sitting position and leaned against a tree for support. She pulled a small notepad and pen out of the back pocket of her jeans and began to make a list, just a list of random things. Sure, it was strange, but writing lists had always had a very soothing effect on the girl.
-RIP Ruth Coll, 1971-2004. Beloved aunt and friend. -Gwen, flight attendant, knows sign language. Go to her for anything. -Food, water, shelter. See other survivors about these? -Find luggage, if possible -- clean clothes and other necessities. -Gash on shoulder and possible sprained ankle. Find someone to look at them.
When she ran out of items to put on her list, Grace let the writing implements fall to her lap and began fiddling with the silver locket around her neck. She knew she ought to get back to the fires where the other survivors were, but God, couldn't a girl have some time alone to mourn the one person in all the world that cared about her?
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 27, 2006 14:06:38 GMT -5
Grace gave up on trying to read Crime and Punishment when the turbulence began, instead turning to Ruth with a worried look. "It's just some turbulence, sweetheart, nothing to worry about," the older woman signed comfortingly, though it didn't escape Grace's notice that she checked to make sure both their seatbelts were securely fastened.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 26, 2006 21:53:30 GMT -5
Grace was settled comfortably in her seat, between her aunt and a tweed-suited businessman reading the Wall Street Journal. She pulled out Wuthering Heights, which she had to read for a summer assignment, and immersed herself in the tragic story of Heathcliff and Cathy. The only time she looked up was when Ruth tapped her shoulder and indicated the flight attendant making the safety announcement. Alternately glancing between the safety attendant's demonstrations and Ruth's interpreting, Grace worried her lower lip between her teeth. She was fine with flying, but hated long flights over open water. Drowning was one of her biggest fears.
The second Ruth stopped signing, Grace signed a curt "Thanks" and turned back to her book. When she finished this, she had Crime and Punishment in her carry-on. Reading was one of the best ways for Grace to remain calm on flights such as this.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Aug 24, 2006 14:29:45 GMT -5
Sitting cross-legged on the floor near a window, a teenage girl leaned back against the legs of an older woman sitting in a chair. Both were reading, though Grace's sort of literature (Wuthering Heights) was considerably different than that of her aunt Ruth's (People). Setting down her magazine, Ruth stood up and stepped around the girl. "I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?" she signed, her hands forming the signs quickly.
Grace smiled. "No thanks. I'm fine," she signed with one hand, picking up her Coke and taking a sip as if to reassure Ruth that she was fine. "I'll watch your stuff." When Ruth had gone, Grace clambered up into her vacated seat and settled in, observing the other people around her avidly.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 13, 2006 17:59:36 GMT -5
Good answer, she signed to Grace. If only it were that easy...
She seems the type who would be satisfied with that answer, Grace replied with a careless shrug. As the other man joined their group and seemed to get into some sort of disagreement with Sarah, Grace rolled her eyes and sighed. So much drama already! This is getting boring, so I'm going to pull the poor left out Deaf kid act and slip away unnoticed, she signed to Gwen before gathering up her notebook and mango and walking back towards her shelter.
*Grace exits to her shelter*
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 13, 2006 17:19:17 GMT -5
"And Grace just said that you surprised us," Gwen explained, signing as she made introductions. "Sarah, this is Grace. Grace, this is Sarah."
"Ahem." he said. "I'm Billy Ondrasik."
"Nice to meet you ... Grace."
That was quick thinking on Gwen's part, to purposefully misinterpret what Grace had said. After all, the last thing they wanted to do was insult the princess, eh? Grace continued with the poor-little-Deaf-girl act, pretending not to be able to lipread as the two others spoke. Instead she smiled again and signed "It's nice to meet you."
"The princess wants to know what we were looking for."
It was obvious Sarah was ill at ease, but Grace cheerfully continued her enthusiastic signing. "Tell her the truth; we're looking for a good-looking guy to keep us occupied in our tropic island paradise," she signed with a serious face so as not to give the joke away.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 13, 2006 16:39:09 GMT -5
"That may be," Gwen agreed, "but our Willo is an aspiring writer. So anything you do or say may be held against you in future scathing memoirs."
"Me, get badmouthed in scathing memoirs?" Grace flapped a hand dismissively. "Please. I've already taken the necessary precautions and worked my way into his good graces, if you'll pardon the horrible name pun."
"The man with the generous forehead and frustrated look--that's Erik. He's a Hollywood type. Could be good or bad. But the other one...that's Jake," she explained, turning back to Grace. "And he's a very good man. Has a thing for being a hero, and a stubborn streak a mile wide. But he means well."
Grace grinned at the drawings and explanations. "Duly noted, and thanks for the warnings. Sounds to me like you might just have a thing for this Jake guy... I have to admit, he's not too hard on the eyes."
"Nice drawing!" she implied meaningful looking at the two women with a faked smile.
Oh, speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. Grace closed her notebook pointedly and set it aside, looking up at the woman Gwen had identified as Sarah and returned the fake smile with a look of innocence. "I can't understand what you're saying; I'm Deaf," she signed in Signed English -- American Sign Language signs in English word order. "And it's terribly rude to interrupt peoples' conversations, you know."
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 12, 2006 17:18:18 GMT -5
"Willo?" she repeated, following the girl's gaze to where he sat off by himself. "Yeah, he seems nice. Bit too smart for his own good; I'd be careful there," she advised with a grin.
She pondered over her previous activities of the day, which had certainly been less eventful than the day before. And for that, she was grateful. "Nothing fantastic nor amazing, I'm afraid. Sorted luggage, worked on a crossword, gathered fruit, met some people I'd like to see again, met some people I'd rather not see again. Typical island activities..."
"No such thing as too smart. Too arrogant in one's intelligence, yes, but never too smart," Grace insisted. "If those are typical island activities, no offense, I'd rather be atypical. It sounds terribly boring. Which are the people you'd rather not see again, so I'll know to avoid them?" So what if she was looking for a little bit of gossip; she had to do something to fill up the time.
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 11, 2006 19:41:55 GMT -5
"Five-star dining, I see." Grace set the mango in her lap and continued to sign. "Thanks, by the way. I think I'm pretty hungry, but who can tell? Anyway, let's see. What fantastic and amazing things have happened? Um, I built a shelter, did some sleeping, ran into some crazy Tarzan-like dude out in the jungle --but I think I might have been hallucinating-- slept some more, and lately I've been talking to that guy over there, Willo. He seems really nice." When she finished listing off her activities, Grace picked up the fruit and found that she could cut into it with her fingernails if she didn't mind her hands getting slightly sticky. "So how about you; anything fantastic and amazing?"
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literaryfaery
Just Shot a Polar Bear
plg%%Grace Schaeffer%%
Posts: 263
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Post by literaryfaery on Dec 11, 2006 16:52:31 GMT -5
"Well, my job doesn't end just because we're off the plane," she signed in response. "Are you doing okay? How's the shoulder? Do you need anything--food, water? What about shelter?"
"Somehow, with all that you've been doing, I don't think anybody would kill you if you took a breather," Grace signed in amusement. "I'm fine-ish. My shoulder still hurts a little, but that's normal, right? Shelter -- check. Water -- check. Food --" Was it a bad sign that she had to stop and think when she had last eaten? "Whenever the last time was that someone went around handing out food. I've been kind of distracted."
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