[holo] oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way

[verylittlesugar]

[Mattie feels the ground give way under her feet, panic closing off her throat as she begins to fall, scrabbling uselessly at dirt and brush-]

The holo feed shows a small figure dressed in too-large, old-fashioned clothes appear in mid-air, then fall to the ground with a hard thump that knocks the wind out of her for a moment. She lies still, gaping up at what should be a blue sky or at least the darkness of earth over her head, and then hesitantly brushes the fingers of one hand against the unyielding surface of the floor.

“Mr. LaBoeuf?” Her voice is embarrassingly weak, and she takes a deep breath and tries again, more loudly. “Mr. LaBoeuf!”

There’s no answer, of course, and common sense tells Mattie that although she doesn’t rightly know where she is, it’s obvious where she is not, and she shouldn’t expect any response. That realization urges her to sit up, the hat falling off her head as she slowly pushes herself to her feet and looks uncertainly around.

“Hello? Can anyone hear me?” She approaches the nearest wall and runs her hand along it, then turns her head to take in the others, just as blank as this one. Raising her arm, she pounds her fist against it, voice taking on a more forceful (but also more desperate) tone. “Whoever’s out there, open up this minute! You have no right to hold me against my will, I’ve embarked on no wrong-doing.. I have a good lawyer, and I will write him and you will hear how the law looks on the incarceration of innocent children!”

When the wall doesn’t give way and door doesn’t appear, Mattie steps back with a sigh. “Papa, I believe I have found some trouble for myself.”

Comments

[location: the sanctuary and its environs]

[verylittlesugar]

Mattie nods in agreement, and follows quietly, taking the time during their walk to collect herself (and to study her surroundings without too much obvious staring). She has a feeling this may be as much a challenge as her time on the trail with Rooster was.

The lit-up sign is fascinating, but her attention is pulled away immediately by the gust of cool air, and she steps slowly inside, almost expecting to see some kind of ice house or root cellar. Certainly not a cleany and...shiny is the only word she can come up...public house.

"Thank you, Mr. Draper. I very much appreciate your hospitality. It is a strange town, but I dare say it does treat strangers well."

[location: the sanctuary and its environs]

[selfmadman]

He's keeping an eye on her--discreetly, stealing the occasional glance to be sure her expression hasn't strayed into panic. Upon entering the shop he looks not to the long glass case with its bundles of meat and variety of almost garishly bright cheeses, nor to the offerings chalked on the menu board. His gaze snaps to the extra stationed behind the counter, its face blank, innocent of anything like thought.

(Its cheery "hello!" goes unanswered.)

"Maybe so," he grants, thinking of Smecker surprising him in the sanctuary with a coat. "We all arrive here strangers."

He grabs a bag of chips off a rack, turns back to her. "Decide what you want then find a table."

[location: the sanctuary and its environs]

[verylittlesugar]

Well at least the food is something familiar. Mattie casts a glare in Don's direction for his impoliteness and offers a small smile to the cheerful woman as she points out her sandwich selection. "And coffee, please, ma'am."

She knows well enough to take her hat off, too, and sets it on the table she picks, ignoring the fact that it (and she) isn't the cleanest thing in the world right now. "Then it behooves us to help one another."

[location: the sanctuary and its environs]

[selfmadman]

Don settles up with the extra (Mattie's glare goes unacknowledged--she has countless reasons to wear that scowl and he doesn't have the time to sift through all of them) and joins Mattie at the table.

"What about the people you spoke to?" He pulls open his chips (his sole concession, along with the bottle of beer on the table, to their surroundings), nods permission for her to begin eating. "They any help?"

His tone is neutral, inquisitive.