Waiting to Die

R"So they best not be spotted."
==========================
*Lilith looks at Astarte like she wants to slit her throat, which she should be growing used to by now.*

Schreiber<You should all listen to Ms. Cyprus. I did not force any of you to come with me, and I am not forcing you to stay.>

V"Well, I think it means a lot!"

*Vanessa shoots to her feet & approaches Schreiber.*

V"You're telling me that you might have known what happened to my parents this entire time? And you didn't think you should tell me?"

Schreiber<But I don't know. And even if I did, excuse my bluntness, but they clearly wanted nothing to do with you. You are better off without them, and I doubt you would have benefited from speaking to them.>

L"Even if that IS true, there's still the matter that you have us out-armed significantly! If you are really as trustworthy as you say you are, why not give that nailgun to someone else?"

Schreiber<And whom would I give it to that all of you could agree to trust?>

"...Eve, I trust Eve," Astarte shrugged. "But maybe not to use a nail gun on something."

Grimm nodded.

*Eve blinks in surprise*

<I'm so flattered that you'd think of me.>

Tirea:<I'd be alright with that as well.>

L"...I trust Eve more than you, anyway. Let's go with that."

*Schreiber sits back & crosses her arm.*

Schreiber<I refuse. As I said, you are welcome to leave if you wish. To take your chances in the forest.>
============================
R"Right. Good luck with that. I'm taking this."

*He starts dragging away the piece of furniture he menaced.*

Eve:<I'm...I'm glad to hear that, thank you.>

Tirea:<You know you're making yourself look more suspicious, right?>

Astarte sighs and rests her head on her fists.

"Okay," Grimm makes for the kitchen to get tea.

*Ira points the shotgun at him while dragging the thing out.*

R"You go nowhere until I'm done."
===========================
*Lilith pointedly looks away from Eve, scowling.*

Schreiber<I would much rather be suspicious than dead. If someone--or something--somehow managed to break into this cabin, what do you expect me to do? Fight it off with my karate & dazzling smile?>

"Okay," Grimm stood.

"Works for us."

*Eve looks away, eyes downcast*

Tirea:<Unless you're not really on our side. Then we're screwed either way.>

*So Grimm has to stand there awkwardly as Ira drags furniture away & down the stairs if necessary.*
============================
L"That's why we should just take it from her!"

"Let's force the only armed woman to give us her weapon, it's so crazy it just might work," Astarte risked a smile. "But then we really couldn't trust her."

Grimm waited for him to leave, and made tea.

Eve:<Professor, I'm sure all of us would like to trust you, however it has become very difficult to do so. Maybe if we could come to some kind of compromise...>

Schreiber<What do you have in mind?>

L"I just told you: We all tackle you, force the weapon away from you, maybe knock a few teeth out. It's easy."

*She folds her arms.

Astarte stifled a laugh and stood up, walking to one of the rooms with a bed.

Eve:<Well...we have the same main objective, right? To stay alive. We have the best chance of doing that if we work together instead of fighting all the time. Maybe...maybe if you were more forthright with us...>

*Her voice trails off as she watches Astarte leave the room*

*Lilith twitches like she's considering clotheslining Astarte, but doesn't do so.*

Schreiber<Enough. I have made it clear that you can leave if you don't like my decision. But quit whining about it.>

L"Eve, when are you going to fucking learn!? You were just as cowardly the 1st time I brought this up at the lab, & how well did that work, huh!?"

*Meanwhile, the cans on the stove start bubbling & overflowing. Searing noises ensue as the food hits the burners. Vanessa just looks between each of them, conflicted.*

*Eve crosses her arms and looks away*

Eve:<Maybe I am a coward then. And, fine, go back to threatening each other then.>

*Tirea goes over to turn down the stove*

Astarte checked thoroughly over a "bed" for smaller undesirable creatures and lay down, intending to sleep.

*After coldly glaring at Eve for a while, Lilith slings her backpack over her shoulder & makes for the door.*

V"Wh--where are you going?"

L"Leaving. I'm not spending another second with any of you traitors. I'll find another hideout. Oh, & I'm taking my food with me. The only reason I'm leaving the cooked stuff behind is it's too hot to pick up."

*Eve stands up, looking worried*

Eve:<No, Lilith, wait! Don't go off by yourself. Please...>

*She heads out & slams the door without a second glance backwards. The door creaks ominously as if it's considering breaking.*

V"...I have some food too, if you're worried about that."

*Eve chases after Lilith, opening the door and taking a few steps out the door*

Eve:<Please, I'm begging you! You're right, I should have listened to you. I'm just...I'm just...a coward.>

*Lilith keeps going, stopping only briefly to comment over her shoulder, barely audible over the whipping wind.*

L"Oh well. It's too late for regrets."

*Meanwhile, Schreiber gets up & walks over to close the door, so it stops blowing snow drifts in.*

*Eve stays where she is, head in her hands*

Lilith...Thiera...Senthose...I'm not going to let anyone else die because I'm too much of a coward to do anything myself.

*She rises and walks back towards the door, pulling the door open*

I know what has to be done.

*Eve enters and heads over to where the food is cooking. Tirea looks at her*

Astarte curled up and compressed herself into as small a ball as possible on the bed.