d-day + 52 ✯ video

[withtheoldbreed]

[It's relatively early in the morning when Sledge clicks on his video feed, and he looks tired, maybe even exhausted. It's also obvious he's not in his own cabin - the room behind him looks more like a shack, and although it might not be as clear, he's sitting on the floor, half leaning against the legs of a cot. One of Snafu's arms is visible, hanging limply off the side of the cot like he's just asleep.]

... Snafu's in a coma. [The word sits uncomfortably in his mouth, and it kind of shows in his face. He's read about barge comas obviously, thanks to Chromie's welcome packet, but it's one thing to read about it, another to try shaking your buddy awake and not be able to, no matter how hard you try.

He takes a breath and steels himself, trying to push it back and get what needs to get done, done.

(Except his eyes still look pretty dead, but that's not really anything new.)]

I'm gonna need a hand getting him to the infirmary.

[Private to Kieren]

I thought it'd be better than just leavin' him here. [It's what the pamphlet suggested, anyway, and he sort of feels more comfortable leaving his friend with people who can monitor him and make sure he doesn't get worse (if that's even possible?), but he still sounds uncertain. Like maybe this - making decisions about his friend's well being - is overstepping.

Which is weird to think about someone you've pretty much been physically stuck with for over a month, but here we are.]

Comments

[withtheoldbreed]

I don't know. [He doesn't. None of this makes any sense, and he's too tired to try figuring it out right now, if he even can. All he knows is that his buddy's unresponsive and apparently this is normal, not a big deal.] I guess it just happens, sometimes.

We're alright, ma'am.

[He still sounds a little too hollow to really believe that, though.]

[leavetreadmarks]

What? That's such bullshit.

[It just falls out of her mouth, thoughtless and sincere, but she doesn't believe for a moment what his words are telling her when she can clearly see that he's not. The bullshit is for the coma, for how it just happens.

Her follow up is for how alright he isn't.]

What happens next? I thought the hospital was free in this place. That's what they keep telling me.

[withtheoldbreed]

It is, ma'am. And I don't know. [He doesn't. Hurry up and wait isn't exactly an unfamiliar concept - not by a long shot - but it's different when it's something like this. Something weird, and unexpected, and pretty shitty even if everyone seems pretty confident that there's not really much to worry about, here.]

Wait for him to wake up, I guess.

[leavetreadmarks]

Letty.

How long is he gonna be down?

[withtheoldbreed]

[It's mostly training - thanks to his mother and the Marines - that keeps him from huffing out a frustrated breath at the correction (or introduction, or both). He's just trying to be polite.]

I don't know. Could be a day, could be a couple. Might be longer.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[leavetreadmarks]

Welcome to the Barge.

[That's what everyone else keeps telling her, anyway, when she says something is impossible. She repeats it now with dry sarcasm, doesn't wait for a response.]

So what do we do? What do we - I mean, it can't just be like surprise! Man down, but sit on your hands and wait for it!

[withtheoldbreed]

To the best of my understanding, ma'am, that's exactly what it's like. He's not in pain, he's just... sleeping.

Might sound better if they didn't call it a coma. [That's a joke, but it's also... not. At all, really.]