1.2: Video

[amos_moses]

[The phone picture steadies on a face-and-shoulders shot, held slightly below the usual level for self-videos. Amos smiles but the cheer is thin and tired, and his dark eyes keep flicking from the screen to the doorway beyond, watchful and wary. He’s in Hope’s temple, back to a wall, watching the door.]

Hey, ya’ll!

Their magic door got me again I guess. Who all of ya’ll is still here?

[Despite his oriental features, his accent is solidly American, and of the New Orleans rhythm and snap, sharper than your typical Southern accent. His voice is a pleasant baritone, but weary. His shoulder-length hair is tucked under a plain black bandanna: he has multiple piercings in his ears, and a Monroe piercing on his left upper lip. He’s sporting a dark tan and the ends of his black hair are sunbleached orange.]

[He also has a hideous black eye on the left, in healing shades of blue and green with a line of stitches just above his left brow. The bruise trails down his cheek, too. For those who knew him before, he’s visibly lost weight, his cheeks a little hollowed now. There’s tension stringing his shoulders tight, foreign to Amos’s typical laid-back cheer. He’s wearing a tactical vest and desert camo fatigues.]

Don’t nobody come hug my neck jess yet, though. Been fightin’ plague-zombies, see, so I figure better let the gods here check me out so I don’t give none of ya’ll nothin’ nasty.

I mean I don’t think I’ve got anythin’ but I kinda wanna be real damn sure, yanno? Can’t be too careful when it comes to this voodoo shit.

Think you could do a fellow a favor, Hope, please?

[He smiles thinly again and waves (revealing scabbed knuckles and dusty hands) before cutting the feed, forgetting entirely to apologize for swearing, which is telling about his current state of mind.]

Comments

[knifecollecting]

[Jo had, admittedly, kind of lost track of time. She had no idea it was time for newbies, but the familiar face returning-]

Hey! Plague-zombies?

[amos_moses]

Jo! Hey baby!

[Amos's grin is full of tired delight. They hadn't spoken too much, but he remembers her fondly all the same.]

Yeah. Epidemic in Africa got weaponized by a voodoo cult trying to overthrow the Liberian government.

A friend of mine's merc group got drafted in, so that's how I wound up mixed up with all that.

[Actually the rampant corruption in the government had ties with the yakuza and so Amos had been gun-running over the borders, and Kat's mercenary group had been the one hired to help out.... But "organized crime" was really just not what Amos enjoyed confessing to. It made people not like him much.]

[knifecollecting]

Cults suck. [Zombies too, but damn. She shakes her head.]

You think you've been exposed? Where are you staying?

[amos_moses]

I ain't been bit, but we've been fighting the damn things off for a week now.

I figured I'd let Hope check me out, then I'll...I dunno, find a place nobody's staying an' settle there.

[Amos shrugs. As far as plans go, it's not the greatest, but he's been whittled down to 'immediate problem' and 'everything else' as far as mental capacity at this point. Which works well in a crisis situation, but this isn't a crisis anymore. He'll get to a better mindset but it's going to take longer than a few hours.]

[knifecollecting]

[She nods and flashes a smile before looking serious again.]

Do you need anything? I've got a stockpile of food. [She doesn't go out without coming back with at least one can of something, just in case.]

[amos_moses]

Ah. Actually...

[Amos gives her a sheepish grin.]

It'd be a nice break from beef jerky, MREs, and cornmeal gruel.

If it ain't too much trouble, sweetheart.

[knifecollecting]

Most of it's canned food, but I can bring some fresh stuff too. Where are you?

[amos_moses]

Hope's temple.

[Amos reaches up to rub at his face: his knuckles are scabbed but it's not fresh.]

Just for a bit. 'Till I know I ain't infectious or nothin'.

[knifecollecting]

I'll be there soon. I can leave the stuff at the door.

[So he won't worry about her getting sick. That works, right?]

[amos_moses]

[Yes, that's good. That way if he is infected, he won't share germs. He smiles, tired and relieved and grateful.]

That'll work, doll. Thank you so much.

[knifecollecting]

[She nods and looks over her shoulder.]

I'll be there soon. Take care.