2019-09-27 - It's Ebola

Day nine of life in the most boring town in history, and Moses is still trying to turn lemons into lemonade. The weather isn't helping him at all.

Despite the occasional drizzle, the cool breeze and the dampness that clings to the coastal autumn air, the dark-haired man cuts his way down the beach. Hood up, free hand in his jacket pocket and a leash looped around his free wrist, the most recent transplant watches the water roll in and out in a gentle wash while his companion, the small, pudgy shar-pei waddles lazily along beside him.

Occasionally the puppy will stop, sniffing this or that before finally she merely lays down, stretching out and giving up the ghost entirely.

Penelope is done, and no amount of tugging on the leash by the slightly annoyed Moses is going to do a damn thing to change that.

There's this large flat rock just about even with the driveway of number 5 Bayside Road. It's the wealthy cottages lined up across the road from the beach. Coming from that direction without any sort of pets is a brunette with dark eyes. Dressed in a pair of pants that are olive green and rolled up to about her calf, she looks prepared for a walk on the beach. The sweater she's wearing with it is white and olive green in large wide stripes and falls off one shoulder exposing the olive green tank top beneath. Her feet are bare despite the weather.

As she approaches the rock she notices there's already someone present so she slows her steps slightly. "Hello," she greets once she's close enough and she notices man and beast, expression softening at the sight of the vicious dog laying down and protesting the leash. "Looks like the boss is done for the night." She sniffles a little. Maybe she has a cold or has been crying!

Moses mutters something beneath his breath as he too eyes the lazy, wrinkled beast at his feet. His expression edges along defeat when the puppy merely yawns and rolls on her side.

There are no fucks given on her end, and he is left to wait out the beast...or lift her, which he does a second later. "Yes well...I'm pretty sure she's defective, but you can't return mutts to amazon." Or buy them, all beside the point.

It only takes him a second to glance back at the woman, eyeing her condition with a blank gaze before, absently, he steps back. It's just an inch, but it's an inch, nonetheless. "You live around here? Am I trespassing?"

The wrinkled puppy is given a long look before the owner gets her attention and it's with an amused smile from his refund comment that she shares as she tilts her head back. "As long as he eats. drinks and makes messes I suppose that's all expected. If he gives you company that's just a bonus. Somehow he looks secure in his owner that I'm pretty sure you are both.." Pause to cough. Pardon, pardon.

The motion of him stepping back isn't missed, but she's mindful of not sharing her sickness. "It's a public beach, you're fine. It's accessed by anyone and everyone. Even the nearby residents." Totally unoffended by his distancing himself. "I'm Erin. Nearby resident."

Ack, coughing. Erin is lucky Moses was raised well, so he doesn't flee. Instead he steps back again, only to swear aloud as his shoe sinks into the ocean wash behind him. Ocean 1 : Moses 0.

"This is Penelope." So, a girl, but he doesn't spend any time on that. "I'm Moses. Thanks...I'm still feeling my way around, which is hysterical considering the size of those place." She gets a smile, faint as it is, before he turns to glance at the houses, as if noticing them for the first time. Huh.

"I don't think I'm contagious at this point, but you're right to stay back. I'll be careful. I apologize and won't take offense if you pull out masks and disinfectant." It's par for the course about now for Erin. The sweater is a bit big on her and she uses it to snuggle in the soft warmth.

"Penelope. Cute, I assume you really didn't get her from Amazon. You're new in town though. I've always lived here and never saw you around before. You've got nice ink. Your work?"

"Oh good." Mo will pull that disinfectant out of a pocket any time now! "I just have a thing with strange germs..I'll manage though." He chuckles, if only to lift the awkwardness. The puppy is shifted back and forth in his arms as she wiggles in faint, lazy protest, all of which he ignores. "I'm new, yeah. Like a week new. I'm still trying to figure out why I thought this move was a good idea." He chuckles again, more cover for more awkwardness, "Thank you," about the ink, "but no. A co-worker, I do work though. Or I did. I'm not sure if I'm going to pick it back up...here." Because can there really be room for many tattoo artists in which a dinky town? "So, you've lived here your whole life? What's that like?" It seems nicer than asking /why/.

"No, I get it you're fine. Self preservation looks good on anyone." Erin moves to have a seat on her rock. The one she always seats herself on. There's a log nearby but not so close to be within breathing space. "So, what did bring you here? I have to say that it's not a rare thing for new people to just be drawn here for some reason or other. But you're different than them." In other words she doesn't really see the glimmer in him. The shiny. "Welcome to the Hotel California. Everyone always comes back."

The words may seem spooky or mysterious, but Erin doesn't offer an apology for anything she says. "There's a place called Pens and Needles, I think Geoff may be hiring out a chair? I could get you his number if you're interested."

Wrapping her arms around herself, Erin watches him before giving a shrug. "My family was one of the founding members of the town. My grandmother is still here, she raised me, so here I am."

"The actual reason is just that I wanted a change. That said I'm starting to think I lost a bet in a past life and it's finally time for the universe to collect." No, Moses is not a fan. "But I finish what I start so..." his free hand waves toward the town, a small sigh parting his lips. "I'm being dramatic though. It's not that bad. I'm just used to larger cities. It's just a little bit of a shock, adjusting." He smiles again, but he also moves after her, lingering near the water's edge where the puppy is set down, now that she's got her second wind. Her reason also earns a small nod and a 'huh', but that's all he offers. "Well..I mean, it's not....awful?" God damnit he's trying okay!

"You're within an hour from Seattle and a short airplane ride to Rodeo Drive. If that's your thing." Obviously it's hers. Erin screams high maintenance. In fact, the driveway across the way holds a sexy convertible Maserati. Hers? You bet!

"It's not an awful place. Depends on who you ask. People always come back. That's why I reference Hotel California. Some leave, all return. You get to know the people and you'll like it better. I really could get you Geoff's number if you're looking for work. Have you already found a place to live?" Turning her head she coughs, covering it with her forearm. It's a rattling cough. Not sexy.

Not that any cough is sexy.

"You mean it's not bad other than the fact it's infested with the bubonic plague?" It's a joke, perhaps to both air his discomfort and hint toward the girl that the cough, well she's not the first. "Also, Hotel California ended /terribly/ for everyone so that's an awful way to sell this place." More laugher to cover his real thoughts and moving on! "I haven't found anything yet. I'm staying at the murder motel on the boardwalk till I figure stuff out. I moved on impulse so, not exactly the most thought out plan. I'll take that number though. I'm trying to decide if I want to put roots down or crawl back to LA and go back to business as usual." But obviously, he wants something else. Why else would be ne here?

For her part in things Penelope is very unconcerned with the coughing or the state of her human as she barks and growls at each new, lapping wave.

Ferocious, this one.

"Oh no. God, sorry. It's Ebola. It's in the water and everything. I thought you knew." Erin laughs and it turns into a cough she aims towards the same sleeve. When she finishes she looks at him with a crooked smile. "I think my head may explode all Scanners style. If that happens it'll be the second time this week someone's head exploded. Damn the luck. I didn't know the first time was contagious. I'd have been more careful and avoided the brain bath. I should at least let my friends know." Its the fever talking, surely. Or she's just weird. Or quirky. It's iffy.

Holding out her hand she smiles, then slowly withdraws it. "Actually, I'll tell you the number, you type it into your phone. I better not touch it. Then be sly and act like it was me doing it and type mine in there under Ebola. Like I would do if I wasn't sick. After all, you may need a tour guide at some point."

Moses just laughs, but there's the faintest hint of hesitation at the mention of brain explosions. "Yeah I think maybe I should add it. I'm not sure I want to invest in an ebola-ridden timebomb. It sounds like a bad investment." His brows arch, but he smirks all the same as he fishes his phone free, only to send a look of annoyance toward the yipping bag of wrinkles that has began bouncing her way back down the beach. Not far�she's also part chicken. "Assuming you survive you may give a tour. A chick named Sutton gave me some tips....which mostly consisted of a list of places not to go."

Reciting the number for Geoff from memory, Erin watches him, fairly sure she wasn't exactly making him feel welcome. "I guess you can tell I don't work for the chamber of commerce." Her sweater just feels so warm and welcome and she wraps her arms around herself, simply feeling awful. "It's really not bad living here. There's some good people. Sutton is one of them. She's a paramedic. If you want to work out, Kelly's Gym is the place to go. Boxing ring and all. Joey Kelly is a great trainer, or you can go off and do your own thing on the bags. Where all did Sutton say to avoid?" Curious about that.

Erin looks at the puppy and smiles. "Penny is getting restless?"

Moses chuckles as he offers a faint shake of his head. "No really, you're fine. I'm just shy. I'm not much of a people person. It's getting better but, I've just never been good at meeting people. You're fine." He repeats the last part before he adds a name to the contact. In True Moses form, the name he adds is 'Jeff'. Sorry Geoff, you can explain that later. "She seemed nice enough. She really liked Penny; I think I was tolerated out of necessity of playing with the mutt." Who has returned to her napping position now, "she just mentioned a lot of stuff about not going places alone or at night....I'm really not going to lie, I listened to half of it, I was exhausted." He chuckles, but he also seems to relax a little. His phone is tucked away, and his hands follow, sinking into his pockets to escape the chilly late afternoon air. "Are you sure you're okay? You look like dead warmed over. Shouldn't you be in bed or...driving yourself to the ER in your absurdly expensive car?" It's a joke!

"Penny is pretty amazing. I'd pet her but I don't want to get either one of you sick. She's adorable though." Erin smiles, her voice is a little raspy from her coughing. "I've only recently gotten to know Sutton just a little. What's not to like?"

Tilting her head, she studies him a moment, the laughter or chuckling from him a pleasant sound. "It's nice to be around someone who laughs. Haven't heard that a lot around here lately. There's been little reason for it though, I guess." With a duck of her head, Erin shrugs lightly. "I feel like death warmed over. I've taken what medicine I can. DayQuil, theraflu. If I felt safe enough to drive my car right now, I'd drive it. It's really great to drive." Joke or not, she loves her car. "You really should listen about the going places alone warning. Safety in numbers and all."

"She was my moms. When she passed away it was I take her, or my little sister take her and considering Taylor managed to kill a pet rock," or lose it entirely, "I felt like I was the better, though still unfortunate, choice." So far, the mutts okay! Moses hasn't lost her yet.

When more warnings happen, he groans, "I'll be sure to tell my mommy when I go out to play." He's teasing, mostly, "You people take walks /way/ too seriously around here." Beat. "Seriously though maybe you should go to the ER....or quarantine? You got some real patient zero action goin on there." More over-dramatics for the village of the over dramatic.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mom. Was it very recent?" Erin scoots back on the rock and draws her legs up, bending her knees and wrapping her arms around her legs. Her feet are bare, the toenails painted a cheerful pink. "You and her suit each other." Him and the dog, they seem happy.

"Don't discount helpful advice from the locals. On Friday the 13th there were several murders. In the past several months a serial killer was on the loose." And part of him is inside me, I think. Wisely, she doesn't say that other part. "It's like any other flu, they've done all they can. As long as it doesn't turn into pneumonia then I'll eventually get better."

Moses snorts, but it's not for obvious reasons. Maybe. "Shes okay." The dog, but he moves on. "Ya know, you people don't sell this town very well. 'Stay, it's wonderful!' followed by 'oh by the way a serial killer killed thirty people and held a tea party in the room next door to yours'...I mean, I'm just saying maybe the town needs a new publicist." Again, he's teasing, and his expression says this much. As for her health, he cringes a click later. "Wow, that sucks. I had the flu last winter and I nearly died," he didn't. "I'm hoping to avoid it this year." He wont.

"I think people have a better chance at living if they know what they are up against. If you tell people everything is rainbows and sunshine, that's what they think. It's better to be armed. If you have a gun, carry it. Just be smart about things and protect yourself. Some go through life here unscathed by the darkness and shadows. Others fall to it. However serious you take it is up to you." Erin smiles, she's afraid to laugh and have a coughing fit. "I can imagine you almost died from it. I hope you had a flu shot. You better believe after this I'm getting one in case there's more than one strain."

"Or," Moses begins with a chuckle, "by warning them about all the murder motels, serial killers and evil man eating forest trails, you create a sense of paranoia that turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy that ends in maiming or death, which could have totally been avoidable." He arches a brow towards her, silent for a moment to allow his rather brilliant (in his opinion) suggestion to sink in before he shrugs, "regardless, shit happens to everyone. You can't avoid it." Yes, he's aware he avoided the parent question. Marching on! "Also yes, flu shots save lives. As so hazmat suits, which I will be ordering tonight."

"I have heard pink shirts are just as effective as hazmat suits." Erin allows herself a glance over him before she smiles. "I think that while you could pull off pink, that you look better in what you're wearing." A handwave towards his hood and all. "Maybe you're right. We should just place everyone in random places and say go forth. The only rule is to live through it." Her smile curves and she reaches for her phone to show him a meme. https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/003/466/pinkshirtbro.jpg

Moses eyes the image and laughs, again. See, he's remotely happy. No sad songs or lamenting sighs from this guy. He got that out of his system when he discovered Friend Fish. "okay well, I probably need to Penny inside and dry before I end up with a vet bill...and also, I'm cold and wet. I don't like it." He sends her a fain nod and a jerk of his chine toward her house. "Go home, sick lady. Feel better..and thanks for the number. I'll look into the place. I appreciate it."