|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 27, 2007 18:57:22 GMT -5
James Woodhouse's Shelter Location found in box G3 below: Each box is 3 miles by 3 miles. It takes an hour to walk 3 miles. But also keep in mind that hiking (like that really steep hill to get to higher ground) will take a heck of a lot longer and that if you're running (like from some jungle thing), that you'll get somewhere faster.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 27, 2007 20:16:23 GMT -5
James sat outside his shelter, staring out to the ocean, his notepad and pen beside him. He had gone out earlier to hear Sayid's speech and knew that he should be gathering food, but there were other things on his mind right now...or rather, one particular thing. Snapping himself out of his revere, he grabbed the notepad and pen and began making notes on the terrifying noises they had all heard coming from the forest three nights ago.
- Something in the forest... - Loud roaring/crashing noises...sounded big - Trees bent aside as it moved; loud stomp heard before this - Sounded for a moment like something was being pulled - Noises then faded; creature or thing not visible, but appeared to be moving away - Never heard anything like it...
James paused and frowned to himself. As an Investigative Reporter, he had always been fascinated by the need to solve pervading mysteries, but something...the crash, these sounds...something seemed to have shaken that conviction. Nevertheless, he was not the sort of person to sit around doing nothing, and although it seemed crazy, he couldn't help but think that it might be useful to have a record of anything that happened; it was such finite attention to detail that earned him his job, after all.
And to who is it going to be useful? The outside world? That's assuming you ever get off this place...
James shook his head slightly, trying to force these unwelcome thoughts from his mind. He was trying to stay optimistic, but it had been four days, the transceiver had not worked and right now, his realistic side seemed to be winning out.
Who knows what could happen? We could be here for days yet at best.
Tucking his pen into one pocket and forcing his notebook down into the other, James suddenly felt his fingers brush a large, folded piece of paper. He took it out of his pocket and unfolded it, affording it only a quick glance before stowing it back in place. He knew exactly what it said. He had written it. He smiled humorlessly to himself; one of his closest links to what now felt like a past life, an albatross of epic proportions hanging forever around his neck.
Cursing himself for being so morbid, James stood and looked around at his surroundings, wondering where to look for food first.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Mar 28, 2007 13:27:44 GMT -5
It didn't take long for the tropical rain to soak Ana to the bone. Seemed to be, if it rained here it definately poured. A little fed up, she stormed into the nearest shelter not even realising someone was in it. She stood for a moment shaking the water from her clothes and hair before looking up at quite a tall man in front of her.
"What?" She said, after a few moments of silence.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 28, 2007 14:02:47 GMT -5
"Pleased to meet you too!" James replied sarcastically, somewhat taken aback by this sudden intrusion. "Shame you can't make doorbells out of bamboo and sand...I'm James" he added, sensing that here was a woman not to be messed with.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Mar 28, 2007 17:49:56 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm sorry," Ana started, her apology clearly in a mocking tone, "I'll go back out into the tropical storm and knock shall I?" She wiped the rain from her forehead with the back of her hand and flicked the drips of water at the guy who's shelter she'd just invaded. As she did so, a twinge of pain shot across her shoulder where she'd impacted with Ethan not too long ago. It was only reflex to put her hand on the offending muscle and gently rub it, but she was annoyed that it might look like a sign of weakness in front of a guy she didn't know, so she quickly stopped.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 28, 2007 18:10:01 GMT -5
"You alright?" James asked, concern creeping into his voice. He'd met women of a nature similar to this before; they were usually the only ones to make it in his line of work, and he knew from experience that they always put on a brave front. But like everyone else, they were still human, and therefore still subject to such human feelings as pain and emotion, however hard they tried to disguise it.
"Come on, sit down if you want, of course I'm not going to throw you out in the rain" James finished, pulling his coat toward him and sitting down upon it.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Mar 28, 2007 18:38:33 GMT -5
A stranger's concern might have been touching to someone sappy like Gwen, but to Ana-Lucia it was simply emphasising a weakness she wasn't keen to even acknowledge herself. Still, it was good to know he wasn't another Sawyer, despite his sarcasm.
"I'm fine." She grunted at him over her shoulder as she looked outside to see if there was anywhere a little more empty to shelter from the downpour. Unfortunately, it seemed everywhere else was taken. Great, i'm was stuck here with Captain Concern for the forseeable. Might as well try and be a little more civil.
"James, huh?" She looked him up and down. "You look like a funeral director I know."
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 29, 2007 15:13:22 GMT -5
James tried not to smile, feeling that to do so may well infuriate her further. He had been called much worse and was now beginning to find the whole situation really rather amusing. Still, he wasn’t entirely sure what to make of this woman and so decided to reign his sarcasm for the time being.
“I wish. Shorter hours and better pay than what I do…better conversation too, now I think about it”. That last part was certainly true, especially of his last story…
“Don’t think I caught your name, by the way” he added.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Mar 29, 2007 18:41:30 GMT -5
The guy had a sense of humour about him that made Ana crack a smile. Some acheivement for a guy she didn't know.
"Ana-Lucia." She said, finally giving in and taking a seat on the sandy floor of his shelter.
"So just what is it you do, James?"
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 30, 2007 18:27:38 GMT -5
James paused for a moment, wondering whether to tell her. He was used to how people reacted to the news that he was a Reporter; caution, distrust...it wasn't unknown for people to stop talking to him altogether, but Ana didn't seem quite that superficial. And besides, for the time being, he was no more a reporter than the fabric comprising his shelter.
"I'm an Investigative Reporter...or was I suppose...broadsheet though, not the tabloid type" he added.
*Flashback*
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 30, 2007 18:41:57 GMT -5
"How about you?" James enquired, looking her over and combining her stance with what he had already seen of her persona. "Law enforcement? Military?" he added, waiting for her reaction to the news of his profession.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Mar 31, 2007 5:28:03 GMT -5
"I'm an Investigative Reporter...or was I suppose...broadsheet though, not the tabloid type"
"How about you?...Law enforcement? Military?"
Whenever anyone had asked Ana what she did for a living before life took a nose dive and she ended up stuck on the island, her natural reaction was always to say she was a cop. Despite the fact she'd quit that job some time ago, she still thought of herself as an officer of the law, whether she had the badge to go with it or not. Perhaps vigilante might have been a better term since her reason for quitting was so she could take the law into her own hands.
But now a reporter was asking her what she did and Ana had never really appreciated the press from her time on the force. They were devious and underhanded in their attempts to get the latest scoop. Many times she'd had run-ins with reporters who'd gained access to crime scene's that were supposed to be closed. His perception that she might have been law-enforcement made her want to prove him wrong. She didn't like being read so easily.
"Bamboo doorbell saleswoman." She answered, amusement in her eyes.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Mar 31, 2007 12:54:47 GMT -5
"Looks like you're in the right place then!" James laughed, amused by her quick wit. He had noticed something darken across her eyes at the news that he was a Reporter, but he decided to let it go for the time being. It was a common, even subconscious reaction; most people weren't even aware of their doing it. Nevertheless, it suggested that he may have been nearer the mark than he thought.
"You must be the only person whose trade's improved since the crash...don't suppose you've got a bamboo aeroplane we could use, have you?" he supplemented dryly.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Apr 1, 2007 5:35:40 GMT -5
Ana-Lucia was laughing despite herself, James' humour reminding her of the conversation she'd had with Jack at the airport bar. It seemed like months had passed since they'd talked.
"Sorry, fresh outta planes." She gave him a mock apologetic smile. "It'd be no good anyway. All the flight crew's dead. Plus we have no idea where the hell we really are anyway." The smile disappeared quickly.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Apr 1, 2007 17:28:54 GMT -5
James smiled, glad to finally see someone laughing; there had been precious few occasions for it since the crash. He himself hadn't done a great deal of socializing since setting up his shelter...not after what had happened to the last person he got close to...but it was only now that he remembered how engaging it could be. Nevertheless, her last point had brought the reality of their situation back to earth with a rather large thud.
"Yeah...especially since we somehow ended up going off course" he replied, frowning slightly to himself. "But something's bound to fly over eventually, or pass us by. There's still a chance they could find us, just as long as we keep some sort of signal fire going and don't burn the island down, Lord of the Flies style. Unless of course we've ended up in the Bermuda Triangle, in which case we could really be up shit creek..." he finished with a sarcastic grimace.
That would certainly explain a lot...particularly those strange sounds in the forest...
|
|
|
Post by ana on Apr 2, 2007 4:54:20 GMT -5
"We're pretty much screwed wherever we are. If we get rescued, then that's great, but right now I'm only interested in surviving another day." She flipped the tent flap back to check on the rain situation outside. Her mind wandered onto all the events that had happened to her since boarding the flight. Seemed like she hadn't gone a day without something or someone trying to kill her. She began to think about Ethan again. She'd caught him a few times now, just staring at her like he knew something she didn't. His temper had flared more than once and it seemed to be getting worse, most noticeably, the incident with Sawyer earlier had sparked her concerns about him.Was he just reacting badly to the situation, or was there more to it than that?
"You're a reporter, right." She stated, turning her attention back to James. "You'd notice anything out of the ordinary, wouldn't you? You seen anyone acting strangely around the camp?"
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Apr 2, 2007 7:42:39 GMT -5
“You mean besides whatever’s smashing around out there?” James asked, inclining his head in the direction of the darkened jungle. “No, not really…everyone seems to be completely on edge at the moment, but that’s hardly surprising, especially with all the noise Moaning Myrtle's been making...although, there is something strange about that guy…what’s his name…” James frowned and folded his arms as he tried to remember. “…The tall guy who’s always trailing around after the stewardess…Ethan, is it?”.
|
|
|
Post by ana on Apr 3, 2007 13:18:57 GMT -5
Yes, Ethan.
Clearly James wasn't as dumb as he looked. Of everyone who had been on the plane, it seemed only he and Ana suspected something was not quite right about Ethan. Everyone else was apparently buying into his helpful and sincere persona. His disarmingly simple smile fooling people into believing he really was a gentle giant. Though his tussle with Sawyer may have given those idiots cause to reconsider.
Most people weren't interested in the strangers on the beach, whether they were fighting with each other or not. Once the action was over, they all went back to whatever self absorbed problems they had. Grief, injury, personal loss, shock, fear. The world revolved around them. Why has this happened to me? was a natural reaction, but they were missing the point. It had happened to everyone and they were all in this together. If they didn't watch out for each other, then whatever was lurking in the jungle would find easy pickings among the wreckage.
"What makes you think there's something strange about Ethan?" She asked him, not giving her own opinions about the guy away. An honest reaction was one that wasn't lead or influenced. She'd found that out on the force.
|
|
supremeoutcast
Hiking to Higher Ground
Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.plg%%James Woodhouse%%
Posts: 209
|
Post by supremeoutcast on Apr 3, 2007 17:34:22 GMT -5
James thought for a second, wondering not only how much to say, but how to word it. He wasn't keen on the idea of saying too much or of blowing the few oddities he had noticed into full blown paranoia anymore than he wanted to start making enemies without sufficient reason. But Ana didn't seem the type to repeat anything he said and although he had encountered plenty of people who had tried to trick information out of him purely for the purposes of betrayal, she had seemed genuinely interested.
"It's the way he looks at people, more than anything...like he's studying them, trying to observe them from a distance, you know?".
|
|
|
Post by ana on Apr 4, 2007 16:56:35 GMT -5
"Yeah. I noticed that too." She said, staring out onto the beach again, her eyes unconciously searching for Ethan among the survivors.
Ana recalled something an old friend of hers had told her. He had been a senior officer on the force when she first started and had worked his way up into the FBI as a specialist profiler for VICAP , the Violent Criminal Apprehension Programme. In his work he spent a great deal of time with convicted psychopaths, serial killers and violent offenders of the worst crimes imaginable in order to try and breakdown what it was that caused these people to do what they had.
A common link between these psychopathic murderers, he had said, was a desire to watch. To observe their victims unseen before the crime was even commited. It also followed that they thrived on watching from the shadows as evidence of their crimes were uncovered. Often they'd confessed to standing in the crowd of curious onlookers while the police and forensic teams worked to solve the case. The very fact that they'd been so close to those who could stop them, yet had escaped undetected was what they loved most. Hiding in plain sight.
Was this why Ethan watched people? Was it why he appeared to have two seperate sides to his personality? One which was seemingly the perfect gentleman, the other capable of almost killing Sawyer. He would have succeeded if she had not intervened. Could he be a hidden killer? Perhaps. But perhaps not. He wasn't the only one that had been watching people while they waited to be rescued. Ana-Lucia herself had been a silent observer. Though while she had told herself it was just an old habit, part of her that still remained a cop, there was also a sliver of doubt that she was capable of so much more. She'd proved that in the alley behind a low-life bar in L.A. when she'd shot a man in cold blood.
Maybe her old friend was right about that common link after all.
"It stopped raining." She said abruptly, standing up as if she was about to leave.
|
|