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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 12, 2011 16:56:08 GMT
He wasn’t sure how he got here. It was like he had been dreaming. It had been a warm day, he’d worn shorts for the first time in months. Like a good boy Raivis had gone out to buy the groceries his mum had asked from him and Raivis was happy to be out of the house when the weather was so good. That seemed like a long time ago.
Now the air seemed harsher and he found himself with a rifle in one hand and a bag of supplies in the other. Before he could even recompose himself the sound of gunfire made him drop his supplies in shock as he jolted for cover. Anxiously glancing around he couldn’t see what was shooting at them. There was a lot of yelling and a lot of noise, he remembered that. It all just seemed too much for him, he shouldn’t even be there. He was just a boy, a frightened one at that. He couldn’t be a soldier but he still found himself on the battle field. Maybe it was a sense of obligation. Raivis didn’t know the people he was fighting with, he couldn’t name them if he tried, couldn’t recognise their faces but he knew he couldn’t desert them. It wasn’t because they were working together or fighting on the same side. It was something more than that. Something like family. Not like the family you got along with but the family you knew you couldn’t give up on.
No matter how scared he was he had to keep going. There was far more at stake, he could tell. Even if they were fighting for someone else there still felt like there was a personal victory to be won. With his legs heavy Raivis lifted himself up, the rifle clutched tightly in his hands. Scanning the field he finally spotted the enemy on foot.
Take a deep breath and go.
Charging from his hiding spot he couldn’t help but wonder if he had been too headstrong as he felt something tear through his side. Collapsing to the ground he dropped his weapon and clung to his wound for dear life, as if terrified his organs could spill out any second. The hard ground scratched his face as he cried and writhed. This couldn’t possibly be the end, it didn’t feel right but the sounds around him became hushed and his vision began to fail him.
Flittering in and out of consciousness he was jostled awake by the feeling of being shaken gently. Raivis clung once again to his side and let out a small whine, far too afraid to open his eyes.
[[OOC: I’m sorry. I’ve been really behind on the memories. I’ve wanted to incorporate them more into the RP rather than just writing one shots but I’ve not been very good with ideas and mostly I’ve just been really really shy.
If you find Raivis, he isn’t really hurt, he just still thinks he’s dreaming.]]
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 12, 2011 18:26:32 GMT
((Hope you don't mind if I come in?))
As Atawhai was walking home from her volunteer work at the school, she saw a young boy leisurely taking a nap. Atawhai slung her guitar over and walked towards him. From afar, he just looked like he was just taking a nice nap. Up close, he looked upset, but determined. Atawhai crouched in front of him and poked him with no avail.
"Kid..." Atawhai mumbled, shaking Raivis as gentlely as she could. She should be walking back to her farm, but when she saw the boy laying down, she knew she couldn't just ignore him, Hoa didn't ignore her. As a little whine slipped out of the boy's mouth, Atawhai sighed and said "Someone's going to kidnap you, kid." and gave him one more little shake. Why could someone nap here, of all places? There was so many people, noise, and dust everywhere. Atawhai looked up at the sky then back at the boy. The weather was nice today, though. Nice enough for a nap... but here, of all places? Even the school yard was a better choice.
Nevertheless, if he needed a place to stay, Atawhai would lend him her guest bedroom for as long as he liked. She decided that as soon as she saw him.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 12, 2011 20:41:33 GMT
As he stirred he could hear someone's voice. It sounded so far away, barely a whisper in his ear. He couldn't make out what they said but he could feel their presence and the gentle touches on his body. They shook him once more and he rolled onto his back, still clutching his side in pain.
"P-please... send help," Raivis managed to whimper. His body was heavy and his head ached. The ground began to grow warm and he feared he was losing too much blood. He still kept his eyes firmly shut, he didn't want to see the gruesome scene. It would only make the grating sounds of cries and gunfire start again. Raivis weakly reached towards the soul that was kind enough to show him concern, gripping onto any piece of clothing that he could catch in his slim fingers. The plain was dusty and his body shook with a wracking cough as it irritated his lungs, kicked up by the surrounding battle. Falling still he clung tighter onto the fabric.
"I-I've been shot..." Even though his throat was dry he still choked out the words. If he wasn't in such pain he would have worried about being so pathetic.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 13, 2011 2:28:06 GMT
Atawhai heard his plea for help and her face softened a bit. His dream must've been so lucid, his whimper sounded so authentic. She noticed him holding on to his clothing and gently took his hand into hers. "Don't be afraid of your dreams... they can't hurt you." She mumbled and ran her hand through his hair soothingly. He was such a cute looking little boy, Atawhai didn't want to see him upset. She wanted to see him smile. Happiness.
Shot? Where? Atawhai looked around for blood, but found none. Was he playing some kind of joke? He was doing a pretty good job if he was. "Hun, wake up. You aren't bleeding. Come on now, you can wake up." She said just a bit louder, not letting go of his hand. He needed to wake up, his mother was probably worried about him. He needed to wake up so Atawhai could see him smile.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 13, 2011 12:45:51 GMT
Feeling his hand in theirs and the soft touches through his hair, Raivis couldn't help but wonder if he had been forsaken. Maybe they thought he was beyond saving after seeing his injury. Their voice grew louder and he could swear he started to make out words.
"...they can't hurt you."
Well, this was the end. Even if they were just going to leave him here to die he was happy he wasn't alone. Mustering what little strength he had he squeezed gently onto their hand, thanking them for staying. They kept talking, trying to comfort him.
"...up. You aren't bleeding."
The voice seemed to become less muffled. As if he was coming up from being underwater the voice suddenly became clear.
"Come on now, you can wake up."
Raivis jolted awake with a start and his eyes shot open. Bad idea. He'd been on his back and looked right into the bright sky. The sudden glare in his eyes made him feel ill and for a moment he had to sit with his hands covering his eyes. The sounds of the battlefield were gone, instead replaced with the soothing whispers of nature. Even though his head still hurt the intense pain in his side had completely vanished. When he finally mustered up the bravery he looked down. There wasn't a single fleck of blood on his tan coloured jumper, nor on the T-shirt or the pale skin underneath.
Dazed and confused he took a good long look at where he was. He was on the dirt path the cut down the side of the lower school on the way back home. That's right, he'd gone to the grocery store to pick up some things for his parents. The bag lay a little way away from him, contents spilling out as if it had been thrown to the ground. Noting he could still feel a presence he cautiously faced Atawhai.
A little startled by the unfamiliar face he couldn't help but look down, a little embarrassed.
"Sorry..." he muttered.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 13, 2011 14:47:39 GMT
Atawhai just didn't know what to do. He didn't come to, but he did squeeze her hand. Maybe he was waking up? Atawhai hoped so, she really did. When the boy opened his eyes all of a sudden, Atawhai let out a surprised squeal, and then covered her mouth. Atawhai never squealed. She watched him look around his clothing for wounds, or anything like that.
"You didn't get shot... I checked." Atawhai mumbled, now sitting on her bottom and taking an extreme interest in a little flower next to her. Man, Atawhai felt like a creep, that kid probably thought she was one too. She quietly hoped that the boy would forgive her and not tell his mother about the strange girl. As he muttered an apology, she looked at him again.
"Sorry? For what, hun? You didn't do anything wrong." Atawhai said, very happy he was okay. Finally, she didn't have to see the young boy suffer in a dream. "You didn't trouble me any. Are you okay?" Atawhai smiled and took her hands off of him in an unnoticeable fashion. There was no need to confort him like that anymore. Comforting him made Atawhai feel like a mother, so nuturing and calm. That's what being a mother felt like, right? Mothers felt happiness while taking care of their children, right?
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 13, 2011 16:09:30 GMT
Raivis didn't say anything, he rubbed the back of his head and checked his hand for blood. It was dusty but not stained. Even if he wasn't bleeding it still hurt and it made him feel a little woozy. He must have hit his head when he collapsed.
"My head hurts, but I think I'm okay," he mumbled, still not looking her in the eye. Raivis didn't really want her to worry, honestly he wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about it. He'd had dreams like this before, dreams so vivid he would have thought they were real. They'd only happened when he was asleep before though, this was the first time they'd caused him to pass out.
Or maybe it was the other way around, maybe he'd passed out first and then had the dream. Either way he knew he didn't want to go back to the doctors so he just kept quiet and told himself to take it easy for a while. Brushing the dirt from his clothes he got up and stumbled towards the shopping bag before falling to his knees again. His head was spinning. Did he have a concussion? He wasn't sure how to deal with it. Taking a few deep breaths he tried to stop himself from feeling sick.
"I'm okay, I'm okay..." he kept repeating under his breath, hoping that if he said it enough it would be true.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 14, 2011 4:08:06 GMT
Atawhai nodded and then watched him get up. He seemed 'okay', for about two seconds tops. Atawhai got up and walked towards him. He looked so helpless there., with a blank expression. "You don't seem okay, hun. Let me help you." Atawhai mumbled and took off her guitar. She then slung the guitar strap over the boy and placed him on her back. She did it with such ease, she wondered how she managed to do that, even though she looked so fragile.
If the boy was protesting, she certainly didn't hear any of it. He was not okay, and he needed help. Atawhai just picked up the bag of groceries and glanced at the boy on her back. "So, where am I taking you, hun?" Atawhai said with a harmless smile. Helping others who need it always made her smile. She grew up helping someone, her dearest Hoa. Everything reminded her of Hoa these days, even the frail boy on her back.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 14, 2011 12:43:17 GMT
Maybe he was just over reacting, he didn't feel like he could faint but he was feeling awfully weak. In a way he just wanted to be left alone and go back to sleep but this was no place to be taking a nap. He had to get home.
Maybe.
If he went home then surely his parents would be worried, they always fussed about if he was okay or not. If they found out that he'd just collapsed on the way home they'd be up in arms for sure. He didn't want to go back to any more doctors or psychiatrists. He was okay, he'd been okay for a while and it made him happy he was getting back to normal. Only vivid dreams about life and war in a far off country he didn't know weren't normal. Suddenly passing out on the street wasn't normal.
This sucked.
Biting back a sob he suddenly felt a weight on his back and before he knew it Raivis was being carried by the kind girl who had found him.
"So, where am I taking you, hun?" Her voice was soft and it made him feel a lot safer somehow. He knew he should go home but if he did he knew his parents would just worry endlessly about him. If he went anywhere else and got home late they'd still worry endlessly about him. It was pretty much a lose lose situation. Raivis tightened his grip around her shoulders, wondering where he should have her take him.
"Can I just have somewhere to lie down..." he murmured. If he was going to lose either way then it didn't matter. He just needed somewhere to rest a while and maybe a cold compress. Even if his parents were easily worried they still took good care of him. When he was feeling better, they could probably talk something out. "My house is near the park," he finished, burying his head in the crook of her neck, trying to block out the harsh daylight.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 15, 2011 15:15:09 GMT
Atawhai nodded and walked toward the park. "I'm just wondering... what were you dreaming of? You seemed so scared." Atawhai mumbled softly and looked straight ahead. She could see the small park with rusted swings, and a slide that looked almost ready to collapse. Atawhai made a mental note to fix the swings and slide soon.
Once she reached the park, she found the closest bench and sat the boy down, took her guitar off of him, and took a seat on the edge of the bench. "You can lay your head on my lap if you want. It's better than laying on this hard bench." Atawhai smiled slightly and put her guitar on the ground next to her.
She wasn't going to leave the boy alone just yet, she decided. She wanted to see him smile.
She always wanted to see people happy.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 15, 2011 17:41:38 GMT
Raivis wasn't sure if he should tell her or not. It seemed deeply personal somehow but at the same time he wanted to share. Sometimes insight came from the most unlikely people, she might know what was going on.
"It was... weird," was all he said as he was carried on her back. A familiar scent told him they were already back at the park. An odd mix of grass and tarmac. He didn't resist in the slightest as he was sat down on the bench.
"You can lay your head on my lap if you want. It's better than laying on this hard bench." Atawhai smiled as she sat next to him. Raivis felt his face warm as a slight pinkish tint spread across his face. That seemed far too personal for someone he'd only just met.
"N-no, the bench is fine," he stuttered, shifting over a little and taking off his jumper to use as a pillow he laid down next to her. His hair brushed against her leg as he curled up to accommodate himself on the worn wood.
For a while he said nothing, Raivis just lay there with his eyes closed and tried his best to relax in the warm sunlight. Even if she was a stranger there was something comforting about having someone with him. Before he knew it he'd begun to tell her about his dream.
"I was just on my way home from the store and... I don't even remember passing out. I was just suddenly in a war zone. There was something..." he paused for a moment, trying to find the right word. "I'd never been there before, it definitely wasn't on the island but there was something familiar about it. Not just the place but the people. Like they're really important to me but I have no idea who they are." Letting out a small yawn he subconsciously wriggled closer to her.
"It's just really weird. I always have dreams that are like deja vu but not suddenly on the street like this."
Opening his eyes a little he dared to glance up at her.
"Please don't tell my parents. They worry about me enough as it is," Raivis pleaded.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 19, 2011 15:38:45 GMT
As the boy told her of his dream Atawhai let out a small gasp. She's had a dream like that before. In her dream she was on a coast, but it looked nothing like Solus island. It was so green, with animals she had never seen before. Atawhai too felt something for the people in the dream, even though she didn't know who they were.
"It... it felt real, didn't it?" Atawhai said softly with her hands on her lap.
"Please don't tell my parents. They worry about me enough as it is," the boy said, looking up at her. Atawhai looked at him "I won't tell them a thing, hun. I have no right to. It's you who has to tell them."
She looked at the boy again. She could do two things right now; she could pretend the kid's dream was something new to her and pretend to think he's going mad, or she could tell him the truth and possibly make a connection.
The truth won. It always wins.
"I've had a dream like that before. I usually don't dream, but I guess it was more like a memory. I was speaking in a language I've never heard before. I felt something in my heart when the people I was ordering around fell to their demise... it was so real..." Atawhai mumbled and began to rub the tattoo on her neck.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 19, 2011 18:31:21 GMT
He slowly sat up on the bench, looking at her curiously.
"Really?" he asked quietly. Raivis was pretty sure that those kinds of things didn't happen often. There was nothing to say that she wasn't just making it up for the sake of making him feel better but something made him believe her. The way she described it, like a memory, he hadn't been able to put it into words but that's exactly what it had felt like.
"That's really weird," he mused, wondering if it was just a freak coincidence. He vaguely recalled having a similar conversation before with someone about dreams and how they'd had similar experiences to him. Maybe everyone on the island had these kinds of dreams. No, surely not. There were far too many people and it definitely wasn't something that was normal.
Brushing the last of the dust off his trousers he slouched back on the bench. He was feeling a little less dizzy now but still pretty tired. He'd have to go home soon or he might just fall asleep on this stranger and that would surely be embarrassing.
"I just realised, I don't know you're name," Raivis said giving her a good look up and down. This was the first time he'd really seen who had helped him. Before he was far too dazed and all she had become was a disembodied voice.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 21, 2011 16:38:53 GMT
"Yes, really. I never dream, but now I get dreams like that every now and then." Atawhai sighed. She used to wonder what dreams were like, and now that she had them, she only wanted gone. Seeing that two strangers met and had the same sort of lucid dream happen to them was no mere coincidence. Atawhai wasn't too good with statistics, but she did know that there was a lot of people on Solus island. The chance to meet someone else who had the same strange memory-like dreams seemed minimal, to say the least.
There had to be more people like them.
Atawhai looked down at the boy "My name's Atawhai," she smiled "what's yours?" Atawhai then noticed what a cute kid he was. No way he was near her age. The oldest he could possibly be would be 16. He surely didn't look it, but is was plausible. Atawhai hoped she could one day have a cute little kid like him.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 22, 2011 10:18:34 GMT
"My name's Raivis," he smiled, rubbing the little bit of sleep from his eyes. He was still feeling a little dazed from where he hit his head but he was starting to feel like he had the strength to make it home. A good nap would definitely be in order, hopefully he wouldn't have any more of those kinds of dreams.
They were interesting but at the same time they were pretty scary. It had all been so real and Raivis just didn't think he was cut out for a war zone.
"Thank-you for helping me, I really appreciate it." He tried his bets to keep eye contact, still feeling a little shy. In the end he mostly just watched his fidgeting hands. "I should probably be going. My parents will be worried about me."
He stood to leave, wobbling on his feet a little only to have to sit back down. Still fairly disoriented he'd misjudged how much composure he actually had. Taking a few deep breaths until the nausea wore off he stood up again, more slowly this time and picked up the bag of groceries he still had to deliver. Standing there, fidgeting with the plastic handles he wondered what else he should say. Maybe it was his lust for company but whenever someone took the time to talk to him he always wanted to know them more, to develop some kind of friendship.
He always ended up unable to connect with them. Not this time, even if just from the dreams he still felt some kind of connection with her.
"So... I guess I'll see you around then," was all he could force out.
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 29, 2011 19:48:21 GMT
Raivis, huh... Atawhai would remember that. She had already grown attached to him and his shy ways. "You're welcome, Raivis." Atawhai smiled and got up. She grabbed her trusty guitar and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll walk you home, in case you fall again," she said and grabbed one of the grocery bags.
She already considered him a friend. He was one of her younger friends, but nevertheless, a new friend. Hoa would be proud.
"It's what friends do, right?"
(Ugh, sorry it's so short. >.<)
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Post by Raivis Galante on Jul 30, 2011 16:44:37 GMT
When he heard Atawhai call him a friend he couldn’t help but smile. She had been so kind to him it. Raivis wanted to protest and tell her that she didn’t need to walk him home or carry his bags but he craved the company so badly. It was true, he did feel a little unstable on his feet and it was probably for the best. If he fell over again there’s no telling if anyone would find him again.
The two walked down the pavement towards his house in the warm evening air. In his head Raivis tried to think of how to explain what happened to his parents without them getting too worried but every time he tried his mind just drifted to Atawhai and how he could repay her. It was the decent thing to do after all. Maybe he could give her some books she might enjoy. Maybe not. He didn’t know her tastes and giving her something second-hand might seem a little ungrateful. He couldn’t invite her in for coffee or anything, mainly because he didn’t like coffee and it was a silly romance cliche. If he couldn’t think of anything he might as well ask. The silence was making him uncomfortable anyway.
“Thank-you so much for everything,” he smiled up at her “Is there anything I can do to repay you?”
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Jul 31, 2011 17:54:59 GMT
"You're welcome," Atawhai smiled back Raivis "Repay me...?" Atawhai said in a slow manner. She thought about it for a while. Why would he repay her, if all she did was do something any other human being could do? Kindness was something every human had inside, whether they imbraced it or not. Atawhai's name meant kindness, so it would be silly if she wasn't kind to everyone. After drifting off a bit, she remembered what they were talking about.
"Oh, I know how you can repay me." Atawhai said, looking up at the sky. "Do what I couldn't. Go to school as much as you can. I never had the chance to go." Sure, she knew how to read and knew a little maths, but Atawhai never went to school. She didn't know what it was like to get scolded by a teacher, or how great recess was. Instead, she knew what it was like to get scolded by a farmer and how great it was to work in the chicken coop instead of staying outside in the unrelenting sun.
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Post by Raivis Galante on Aug 1, 2011 9:45:18 GMT
Raivis hesitated a little. It was true that he hadn’t been to school in quite a while but he still didn’t know if he felt he had to confidence to face it again. It wasn’t so much the school itself but just knowing that everyone would be there jeering at him and talking behind his back. He didn’t know why but he just had so much trouble getting along with people his own age. His mother told him he was mature for his age, that was why he had a hard time but it didn’t make him feel any better. Maybe adults just had more patience, that’s why he felt more at ease with them.
In the end, he shook his head. He didn’t want to subject himself to that again.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know that I can,” he said looking at the floor. There was a certain sadness in his voice but when he looked back up at her his expression seemed somewhat bright. “But I’ll still study hard and learn as much as I can.”
A thought suddenly occurred to him. Excited by his idea he bounced on his heels and smiled widely.
“I know! We can do it together. You never went to school so we can be study partners or something. We can help each other, right?”
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Post by Atawhai Kirkland on Aug 3, 2011 15:19:16 GMT
Atawhai took that in for a minute... study partners. She never had a study partner before. She smiled and pet his head "I can't do that." She said plainly. Even though she was smiling, her tone was upset. It wasn't like she would feel dumb if she was studying with someone younger than her. No, she wanted to learn, the age didn't matter at all. It wasn't that his parents might think she was suspicious. She was odd, but not suspicious.
"I wake up at the crack of dawn to work in my farm. If I'm lucky and have no errands to run, I get done by five. Afterwards, I sort out the vegetables for the weekly farmer's market. By then it's seven thirty, or so. Then, I go put them in my special storage freezer. I take a shower and I go to sleep. On days off, I'm a volunteer music teacher at the lowland's school," Atawhai said looking into space, and then looked back to Raivis. "Basically, I'm only free after I'm done playing teacher."
Oh, the irony.
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