1st Stanza Audio UN:Marsh

[gristle]

[The voice you hear is a teenage girl, and she sounds a little disgusted. Whether or not this post was an accident is up for debate. But she'll respond either way.]

What the fuck kind of place is this? I thought the adults were supposed to care. Sure doesn't look like it.

I need a cigarette.

Comments

[redpumps]

Of course.

[gristle]

[Wait. This seems too good to be true.]

What's the catch?

[redpumps]

[ Angel laughs softly. ]

There's no catch, honey. Let's just say I'm not in a position to judge any kid's choices.

[gristle]

[Bev is still wary but:]

Why not?

[redpumps]

Because some things shouldn’t have catches.

[gristle]

Where do you live?

[She's hoping communal housing.]

[redpumps]

In the communal housing. I'm on floor 1.

[gristle]

Okay. I’m there too. I can meet you outside?

[redpumps]

Alright, honey.

[ Shortly after that, Angel heads outside, a cigarette lit immediately and dressed in shorts, fishnets and a bright pink and yellow long sleeve shirt that hung off one shoulder.

She glances around for the girl she’s supposed to meet, an extra pack of cigarettes in a back pocket. ]

[gristle]

[Angel was easy to find, because she was the only person who was smoking. Bev made a beeline towards her, wearing her eighties dress and key (though now it was the key to her own room) and with a bit of a smile on her face. Quickly she asked,]

Can I bum a smoke?

[redpumps]

[ Angel smiles at Beverly when she came up and she reaches into the back pocket and offers the unopened soft pack. She didn’t have to worry so much about money here... a way less exploitive job has been offered to her and she had more than enough to do something nice.

Nice isn’t her usual M.O. but she could see a bit of Bianca in Beverly and that had endeared her to Angel pretty quick. ]

These are yours.

[gristle]

[Taking the pack, Bev turned it over between her fingers before giving Angel a quick smile.]

Thanks! [Her voice is a soft chirp before she says:]

'M Beverly.

[redpumps]

You’re welcome. [ Angel shrugs, not making a big deal of it as she takes a drag off her lit cigarette. ]

I’m Angel.

[gristle]

[Bev has her own lighter, and she opens the pack quickly, lighting up one with a small sigh of relief.]

Thanks for not yelling at me, people keep yelling at me about it.

[redpumps]

If I yelled at you I’d just be hypocritical. There’s worse things you could do than smoke. [ she smiles a little. ]

Are you new here as well?

[gristle]

Yeah. I just got here like two days ago. I was almost out when I got here and they’ve been real dicks about selling them to me. Or getting someone to buy them.

When did you get here?

[redpumps]

Well, I don’t have any issues helping you out. [ Angel shrugs. Some rules and laws are stupid and arbitrary. ]

Just this month.

[gristle]

Oh. Thanks.

[A beat and Bev just shifts her weight a little subconsciously from foot to foot.]

Back home I'd just steal em. But now everything's like behind counters and stuff. No one has any trust nowadays.

[redpumps]

Well, sounds like they shouldn’t.

[ there’s amusement and not judgement in the statement. ]

Not sure that you seem like you have much trust either.

[gristle]

[Bev isn't unselfaware, so she just shrugs at the comment about them not having trust. Well, if they would have just sold em to her she wouldn't have needed to steal them now would she have?]

Why should I? I just got kidnapped.

[redpumps]

I don't think it's as simple as kidnapping, you know. Not that I don't understand your feelings, honey.

[ Angel takes another drag off her cigarette and smiles at Beverly. ]

It's a fair sentiment, though. I don't really trust a lot of people myself.

[gristle]

I guess. I mean this whole thing is just so damned weird. It sounded like a good idea when they were talking to me and then all this.

[Bev doesn’t ask Angel why she doesn’t trust people because she trusts that if someone doesn’t then they have good reasons for it.]

[redpumps]

Well, I think it’ll get better. There’s a lot here and I haven’t met anyone that seems too unhappy for the most part. Give it some time, maybe try to not think the worst of everything.

[ there’s a bit of a mischievous smile ]

And I know how much easier said than it is done. I can’t prove it but you can trust me and I’ll have your back for whatever you need.

[gristle]

[bev looked like she was gonna scoff at angel but then she remembered what Stan said.]

I guess. But it’s still not the best introduction to a place either!

[redpumps]

[ Angel sends another smile here way and continues smoking without much thought. ]

It isn't. But it's what we got.