Fourteen failed shots

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

[Muffled scuffing.]

Ow!

[Quiet, angry muttering; the mocking cries of Paradisan parrots not too far off.

Abruptly there's a loud, discordant twanggg. The sound hovers in the air for several seconds, and above it there rises the voice of a young man cursing in heartfelt tones.] -- stupid -- sonova -- low-down dirty -- piece a'JUNK!!

[A clatter of wood on rock. When his voice comes again, it's sullen.]

Prob'ly broken anyway. What good's a shootin' gallery with nothin' good that shoots?



[At the archery range, Roy is rediscovering his permaloss. Which means right now he's nursing a long gash across his thumb, where the bowstring got him. 8( There's an unstrung bow thrown against the flagstones, and a dozen arrows or so sort of pathetically flopped into the dirt between him and the nearest target.

Closer to him, really.

He's hunched over and avoiding anyone's eyes, his whole bearing full of shame and undirected malice. Approach at risk.]

Comments

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

And that's just what I mean. A bow backfires on you, nothing hap-- [Pause.]

[Resumes, angrier] Maybe you get a little cut up. Maybe. You screw up with a gun, somebody else can die. Just not the poor sap you're aiming for.

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

Oh...kay. [chill out, man, chill out] What's the problem here? The real problem.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

[A beat. 

That he shipped off more than one neighbor to the hospital with a bullet in 'em that punched through their living room wall?

That he's parroting Ollie?

That he's failing Ollie every time he misses a draw, and he can't make a difference anyhow?

How 'bout that he's failing, period?]

... Forget it. I'm over this kinda dumbassed Robin Hood crap anyhow. 

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

That's not an answer. [first 'Trud, then 'Marie, she's seen enough of attitudes like that to recognize the indicators]

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

There's lots of real problems here, arright??

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

[a sigh. Vaguely wondering what 'Marie would think of this]

Yeah, yeah. I'm going to tell you from personal experience: carrying that much weight on your own isn't good for you.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

[Chills a little.] Yeah, well let me tell YOU from personal experience: Nobody else is gonna.

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

Not at home for you, maybe. [what does this imply? What do you think it implies?]

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

Not anywhere, 'cuz I don't ask anyone to. Everybody's got their own problems.

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

It's okay to let others know what you're thinking. Keep stuff all bottled up, and it'd eat you up from the inside.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

Better me than them.

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

[...thunk. That? That's the sound of her head hitting the journal. And it's going to stay there]

Just out of curiosity: how many friends have you got?

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

Dunno, haven't checked lately. How 'bout you, do a regular headcount?

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

To check on how many are still here? Yeah.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

Sounds depressing.

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

It's depressing when a friend is being a stubborn prat, too.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

... Hh. At least then you know he's around without having to double-check?

[lilblackdevil.livejournal.com]

I get plenty of that at home already.

Seriously, though, even if you don't like the idea of sharing your deep trauma, think about the friends who have to see you at it.

[eatshootsnleves.livejournal.com]

... Don't much like the idea of bein' seen at it either.

Some vacation.