Nico has discovered that their bodies are susceptible to all sorts of human conditions. They can experience a cocktail of problems, including despair, angst, exhaustion, and existential dread (in fact, sometimes more existential dread than the living), but also, they can feel immeasurable physical pain. At least, that would explain why Nico is doubled over, clutching their stomach only an hour after eating a bowl of Kraft Dinner.

Lactose intolerance bothers Nico more than their allergy to nuts sometimes. They probably wouldn't even know about the allergy if their father hadn't had the same one.

The others in the room have a more difficult time sitting still. It is past 7:00 PM by the time everyone has eaten, and all the dishes are washed, and so the sun won't be up much longer. Their schedules are entirely out of place, but so are they. The food is almost as bad as the basement, which is almost as bad as being dead, which is almost as bad as being alive. None of that compares to the cold season which is coming.

While many of the others are used to the barren winters of Chelster, Kaia is not. New Zealand had most recently gotten snow eight years ago. At least, eight years before Kaia died. Perhaps it has snowed since. Regardless, living out in Vancouver for several years where it is mostly rainy and cold, rather than snowy and cold had made Kaia forget the Canadian chill. At least it gets dark this early out in BC too. She'd rather be up when the sun is up, both to prevent her brain from fogging and to keep her limbs from freezing.

The basement doesn't seem to be properly insulated.

Eva is not bothered by the cold. The ramen sauce was very spicy. Actually, she wonders how it can be legally classified as edible. Mixing in some kraft dinner powder helped, even if Barry announced to everyone that her taste was disgusting, and no one stood up for her. All she did was roll her eyes. Now, she can feel her arms jittering. She can walk to the town border. She can walk there now.

"Okay, who is tagging along?" Ava asks. Her lips are puffy from the spice, and her cheeks are flushed. The gloss in her eyes makes it look like she's been crying. "I'm going to the edge of town."

Nico only groans.

"Are you going for the world record of most consecutive deaths?" Audrey nearly snorts. "Or are you trying to be a connoisseur of death? I don't know how you died the first time, but I imagine if it was hypothermia or murder, you are banking on the other happening tonight. On a highway out here in the dark and the cold? I think it's fifty-fifty."

Eva crosses her arms over her chest and forces a laugh, "I don't know what the fuck I'm doing but I'd rather do it then do nothing in this basement."

Clare does not want to get involved. They would rather listen to directives by the police. They look over at Leo, who looks back at them. The pair shrug at each other, with movements so small the others don't notice. Clare sees Eva's side. They try not to judge others like Eva, which may take practice but has ultimately been worth it.

Leo doesn't intervene, and not because he thinks it would make him unlikeable. Leo has never been likeable. In fact, being an intimidating force can sometimes be a benefit in his line of work, but less frequently than one might expect. RCMP work with victims as well as offenders. Regardless, Leo's mind is running through guitar chords. He practices with his fingers as discreetly as possible. Thinking about music keeps him from thinking about all the ways he could find out about this resurrection.

"Well?" Eva asks. If there are no takers, she intends to go alone.

Fallon forces herself out of the bed. It takes everything in her not to stop and to prevent herself from lying down, but she needs to move. Exercise is therapy, or nature is therapy, or whatever bullshit her mother would tell her when Fallon would say she needed help. Her mother is wrong about a lot of things, very nearly everything. At least being out there will be a different dreary than being down here.

"I suppose idiots always come in pairs," Audrey rolls her eyes.

"Or threes," Lydia says, getting up.

Lydia goes through the various sorted items from the donation bin, unhappy that she is touching someone else's clothes. They don't smell the same, so she imagines the Church didn't wash them before giving them to them. Lydia swears that the clothes in here are from when she was alive. There is a scarf or two that she could use to protect her vocal cords. At least there is double the number of winter coats necessary for the group, even if the coats are worse for where.

Lydia pulls out the two scarves. One is a deep, crimson red. Before she can wrap it around her neck, Este stands up.

"The blue looks better on you," she points to the other scarf.

Lydia cannot help but grimace at the other one in her hand. It is navy blue and beige, but she thinks it used to be white. The fabric is scratchy, "I'm good."

"I'd like the red one," Este tries to force herself to smile, but can't. "I'd appreciate it if I could have it."

Este recognizes the fury that must flicker through Lydia's eyes because surely it is in Este's as well. However, Lydia smiles and holds out the red scarf, "of course."

"If there is a coat in my size I will come too," Kaia walks over to Lydia. The two begin to bundle up in their gear. Eva watches and shrugs. She doesn't need the layers.

As Lydia struggles with the old and worn Velcro at the top of her coat, she makes eye contact with Barry. She smiles at him, her face poised to keep her lips soft and her eyes wide and doe-like. Lydia is used to wrapping men around her finger.

Barry is used to her tactics. They know that she likes to lay on the charm by moving slowly and delicately. Lydia used to talk about how every man either wants a Madonna or a whore and nothing in between, and since Lydia was better at playing the part of a Madonna, that is who she would be. The act is familiar to Barry, and even now, when she still has dirt from the forest floor in her hair, it works so well. They have the upper hand though because Lydia is not prepared for Barry's tactics.

"I'll join too," he says. When he stands, he stretches his arms up, knowing his shirt will lift and reveal the smallest sliver of skin. Lydia was always very physical. He sees her eyes catch the spot even though she looks away briefly. He cannot help but smile.

Ajay's smile is broken when he notices the glance. It might be beneficial to go with the group and gather intelligence on these people since the other law officers are staying back and they will be able to observe the others. He knows that going with them will make it seem like he is endorsing their behaviour, and if he offers to go for protection while vocalizing he disagrees, they will be more hesitant to open up.

He tries to catch Clare's gaze, but she is still looking at Leo.

"We'll stay back and explore the upstairs," Ajay finally offers. "Ambrose, you know the place well?"

"The pastor said to say downstairs," Ambrose's voice is quiet. He doesn't mind breaking the rules the pastor has set. After all, the pastor is breaking the trust of the congregation, and the congregation often breaks the rules of their God, so why should it matter if Ambrose sneaks around this place? The pastor will not be as forgiving of him as he is of the others. As such, Ambrose would hope the others would stay downstairs while he bothers with walking through the pews.

"The pastor also says homosexuality is a sin, so forgive me if I think he's full of horseshit," Audrey snaps. "At least trying to count our resources here makes more sense than wandering the streets."

"He officiates gay marriage," Ambrose's brow furrows. As far as he knows, gay marriage is still illegal in a lot of American states.

Audrey doesn't know that gay marriage is legal nationwide in the neighbours to the south.

"Can we just go?" Kaia is getting impatient. Being still has never been in her nature.

She looks around at the group which seems to be going. Barry is putting on a coat now. Kaia, Lydia, and Fallon are already ready, but Eva hasn't even looked at the coats yet. While Este has claimed the red scarf, she has made no moves to come along.

"Last call?" Eva asks.

She forces herself to grab a hoodie. She isn't cold now, but if they are going to the edge of town, they will be gone for the next four hours. She shoves her hands in her pockets, content to find a toonie inside. She is sure that she'll find a bar on the way that sells bootlegged cigarettes from a reserve farther north. If she can flirt with the guy behind the counter, she can probably get two even if they are supposed to come in packs. She smiles.

Este gets up too. She is not going along with them, but she is going. She hopes Jayce is still in the home they shared so that she can find him. If her math is right, she has been dead for seven years. There is a chance he's fucking someone else on the mattress she picked out for them. There's a chance he's doing it right now.

"Good," without a pause, Kaia heads up the stairs.

Ambrose wouldn't tell her the door was locked if it was. However, he didn't hear the pastor lock the door. They aren't trapped in the basement.

The others who are intending to leave begin to follow after her. It is Ajay last opportunity to leave. Finally, Clare looks over at him. When they shake their head, Ajay relaxes. Staying in the church is the right call. He will explore the upstairs with Ambrose and get a read on him while the others organize and plan. He will have to be filled in by Clare and Leo later.

Once the others get upstairs, they are faced with an empty church. It is dark inside, and they do not know where the light switches are and they have no phones or flashlights to ignite their way. At least the light from the stairs can act as a guide.

Kaia guides them to the front door, with Fallon in the back. The large church doors are locked, and Kaia opens them knowing that they will be left open behind them. What could she be afraid of happening to her? She is already dead, and she doesn't remember a second of the pain.

If things went down as Kaia imagines, did Rory feel the pain too?

Fallon is the last out the front door which she tugs shut. Since it was the summer yesterday, the weather is cold, and she is used to Chelster weather. It was a bad idea to come. All of this has been a bad idea.

At least it wasn't the worst idea that was made in the church basement that night. Nico is still doubled over in pain from the KD. Her situation could be worse.

Maybe she's making it worse as she goes.

~~~~~

This started nearly a year ago but I swear I haven't forgotten about it. I got caught up in another book, but I am committed to trying to update this once a week until it is done. Also, check out the chapter Defeatism in my miscellaneous book for something that is currently under my belt. Let me know if you are interested because I actually am incredibly tempted to pump out a new book. Whoops.

Anywho, since again, I haven't written for this in a hot minute, let me know if I screwed up your character. I'm excited to hear from you!