teatime
Submitted by bedlams_belle on Mon, 03/22/2010 - 07:30.
who: mina, janey and alyson
where: near where the search parties are gathered
when: mid day
Mina had been going back and forth between her home and the area nearby where there were people milling about, searching, wandering here and there. As she made her way back once more, the wind biting against her back even if she was bundled nicely, she held tight to the thermoses she'd filled with tea. She was starting to be starving for some conversation, and hoped someone who was around might be inclined to sit and speak with her for a while. She headed into a little makeshift tent that had been set up--one of several, and she set the thermoses down.
"Hot tea over here!" she called.
Tagged:
.
After leaving the church, Janey was restless. The conversation with Dodge had gotten her incensed and left her wanting to take action. Then she'd remembered the search parties that were probably out. Sometimes when she couldn't sleep, she baked. It was always good to have something ready for funerals, the soup kitchen, donations, guests...the list went on and on. So she went home and gathered together some muffins she'd made recently, as well as a few loaves of bread, and headed over to see if any of the searchers needed some refreshments.
When she arrived, there was already a woman setting up a tent with some thermoses. It seemed someone else had the same idea in mind, so she walked over to join her. She didn't think she recognized the woman; but then again, events like this weren't her usual pastime. She tended to do her charity work and volunteering within the city, for the most part.
She set down her bag of goodies on the table. "I heard about the searchers, and thought I'd bring some refreshments," she said as way of introduction. "I'm Janey, by the way." It felt good to be out, at least, doing something worthwhile to someone other than herself.
.
Mina smiled, indicating a chair Janey could use, as she pulled up one for herself, getting cups out for people, and starting to set out more things. "Lovely idea, indeed." she said. "I'd had the same myself. It's quite cold, and people are doing something good. Therefore...they deserve a little comfort in general. My name is Mina, pleased very much to meet you, Janey." she said, nodding to the other woman.
"Have you been by before today? I've been here since the poor unfortunates were found. But then, I was alerted first when it happened. I live nearby." she added. Very nearby, even. Just a hop, skip and a jump away, as it were.
.
"Nice to meet you too, Mina," Janey said as she began unwrapping a loaf of bread. "I haven't really heard much of the details, actually--what, exactly, is...going on? Have they found anybody?" She asked. Danny had mentioned that search parties had been out every day since the bodies were found, but Janey wasn't sure she even knew what they were searching for. More bodies? Evidence? She shuddered as a gust of bitter wind blew through the tent.
.
"Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be anything that anyone's turned up. Not that I've been told, anyways, and I've been here every day. I think I would have noticed." she said warmly, smiling. "I think they're just still searching, though I despair that they'll not. Endeavoring to find anything in this weather isn't going to be an easy task. I'm partially surprised that they even found the bodies to begin with. They could have been here til spring with no one the wiser."
.
Alyson couldn't help but be intrigued. She'd been there since the bodies were originally found, and now that they were searching, she felt almost guilty putting the whole thing behind her. That and she was pretty sure that she smelled the subtle scent of tea as she approached. That was enough of a reason to not turn back.
Stepping into the tent, she greeted both women with warm smiles as she pulled off her gloves. "Are we all taking lunch?" There was food in addition to the tea -- it seemed like they were putting more emphasis on the party than the search (which of course they weren't, as these were only three people).
Of course, she'd come in in the middle of the conversation, a fact that only occured to her afterwards. "Ah, pardon me! I must be interrupting."
"It's all right," Janey
"It's all right," Janey said, smiling at the girl. "We just decided to bring something for the searchers, for all their hard work. Have you been helping out with the search?"
The girl didn't look familiar to Janey, but she seemed to recognize Mina. And Janey realized that maybe coming out this afternoon would be a good chance to meet some of the people of the city whom she didn't really know--and people who might have a clue about DG, if she listened hard enough and asked the right questions.
.
Mina smiled as Alyson appeared. "hello, dear." she said. "Janey, this is my niece, Alyson. Alyson, this is a nice, wonderful woman who's opted to help with feeding the searchers, as she's just said. Janey." she introduced them both. She moved to find a seat for Alyson as well. "She kept me company on the day of, as well, I'm afraid." she added to Janey.
.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Alyson responded, giving a small curtsy in Janey's direction. "I'm afraid I haven't been helping at all today. I overslept." It wasn't her fault, she would insist. She had slept well the previous night, too full of dreams to feel rested. "I suppose I'm just here to steal the food of the hardworking." She smiled thankfully and added, "It's so kind of you to bring everyone food. It's nice to see everyone coming out and working together."
It was nice to see something like this wasn't just being swept under the rug like it would have been if they were convinced that they really were patients from Bedlam, Alyson felt, only then to feel guilty for thinking it at all. She owed people more faith than that.
.
"You two were here the day the bodies were found?" Janey said in surprise. "I guess that means you've put in some time too, then. But why were you here then? Did you find the bodies?"
While speaking, Janey had unwrapped a tray of muffins, and began slicing the next loaf of banana nut bread.
.
Mina sighed, and looked over to where the corpses had been found. "I did not find them, no. But my house is the nearest one to here, so the woman who did came knocking on my door. I'm afraid she didn't have the stomach to sit with the departed, waiting for the police to arrive. So, I did it instead. I've held vigil for the dying before, holding it for the recently deceased didn't seem outside my capabilities." she said, sounding sad. "Alas, they still don't seem to have identified the people. Sad, that. I wish someone would at least come forward and say someone's missing. To not even be missed, and so many not to be missed, it's terrible."
.
Mina's story sent a chill down Janey's spine. "Doesn't anyone know where they're from? I mean, are they from the city?"
She also wondered, briefly, what Mina did that had her regularly "holding vigil for the dying", but that was a lesser question and probably not the appropriate time.
.
The story was precisely the reason Alyson had taken it upon herself to come visit. No one seemed to be missing whoever the bodies were, which to the young girl meant that someone had to come and care about them. For Alyson, she didn't necessarily need to know someone personally to care.
She looked to Mina and confessed, "I haven't been here all day. Have they come up with anything at all?"
.
Mina looked between both of them and shook her head. "Not that I have heard, no." she admitted. "We know they weren't from the hospital. Everyone's accounted for. And all I keep hearing is everyone is baffled." She sighed. "It's terrible. And, it really makes me wonder about this entire city if that many people can turn up dead, and no one even seems to be able to come up with a name. Perhaps it was a group of the homeless, but even then, someone should know something. however, it appears they do not." It bothered her, most certainly. However she took comfort in the fact that people were still looking, and she was happy her niece was there. And to have met Janey, now.
.
"I know...with everything that's been going on lately, it's hard to remain hopeful," Janey said, unsure what she was even referring to being hopeful about.
.
Alyson had infinitely less trouble in remaining hopeful, though her hope was fueled by delusions and an optimism that was considerably out of place given the circumstances. "Everyone is still looking," she pointed out. They hadn't turned up with anything, no, but they also hadn't given up. "They'll find something." She motioned to the food. "They just need energy, and what better way to raise morals than with food and drink?"
.
Mina smiled, giving her niece an affectionate look. "You're right." she told the girl. And personally, she didn't care where Alyson's optimism stemmed from, it was positive thinking, and she agreed with that. "People have not given up. They've continued on, despite the fact that they've found nothing to give them hope. So yes. I suppose in all of this, what we should take away is the idea that there isn't a reason to give up hope, or there's at the very least a reason to keep believing in people. This city tends to forget about things, and so far they have not, here. I can take something positive away from that knowledge alone."