All My Luck [Dated Early March, open to all]

[noonelaughed]

Chris reckons he's mostly just lucky that he's got something to keep his mind off it.

Tony's not exactly his best mate, but he's still a mate, so finding out that he's disappeared like so many others is kind of fucked. Though, everything sort of works out for Tony back home, doesn't it? Yeah, so he's in the accident and it's really, really shit, but he gets through it. He's Tony, so of course he does, just like he said he would that day at the pool. He'll just go back to all that.

If that's even how it works when people leave. Maybe it'll be different for Tony and it won't even happen at all this time.

Either way, it mostly just reminds Chris of how he can't go back, and how he's not gonna see his mate again unless the island brings him back. It's fucked up that it works that way, that there's nothing he or anybody else can do about it.

But fuck it, sitting round, being sad about it's not gonna do anyone any good. It's not gonna bring Tony back and it's definitely not gonna make any of this make sense, or make him stop thinking about what'll happen if Maxxie or Cass wind up being next.

Or anyone, really.

The hut's been up for over a week now and the tanks are in place, but he's still got to get the stuff to go in them. Rocks and plants, fish and water. Over a month and he still hasn't got a fucking clue how he's gonna get all the water in it. Or exactly how he's gonna manage to get the massive rock he's found not only up the beach, but into the hut with the tanks, then into the actual tank.

He should have known he'd be shit at this.

Flopping down on the sand next to the rock, he sighs and leans against it, then closes his eyes for a second as he digs his fingers into the sand. When he brings his hand up again, there's something clasped in his palm, something that was there, just under the surface. It's not real gold, of course, but it reflects the light just like Chris reckons it might if it were real gold.

It's not like it matters that it's not real, though, mostly cause Chris know just where it's come from. Maybe the details are all fuzzy from when he first got it on account of the drugs they gave him in hospital, but he does remember bits. He remembers Jal's voice, for one.

Not that any of that really matters all that much, anymore, what with him stuck where he is, knowing that he's the only one he knows who won't ever get to go back home.

Chris wipes grains of sand off of the coin, then turns it over in his hand.

Luck. That's all this is.

Comments

[just_dance_it]

He takes a pull of his joint, letting it sit in his lungs for a moment before responding in an exhale. That Chris slips the coin away so quickly doesn't even register with him. It just is.

"And Captain Jack Sparrow," Maxxie points out. "Suppose that means empty rum bottles more than treasure though, yeah?" He cracks a thin, tired smile before offering Chris the joint.

[noonelaughed]

"Is that the guy with the boat?" Chris asks as he accepts the joint from Maxxie and takes a hit off of it before handing it back. "There's this woman, right? Delirium? She says she might be able to convince him to let us have a go on it."

It feels like it's been ages since they talked about it, so he should probably make sure the offer's still good sometime soon. He probably shouldn't even have mentioned it until he was sure.

[just_dance_it]

"It's--" Maxxie starts, but he's interrupting Chris as he does it and immediately shuts up when he hears what Chris is telling him.

His eyes slowly grow wide.

"On Johnny Depp's boat? She's gonna get us on Johnny Depp's boat?"

[noonelaughed]

"I thought you said his name was Captain Jack Sparrow," Chris replies, expression confused as he looks over at Maxxie.

[just_dance_it]

"Yeah," Maxxie confirms eagerly, and hesitates two seconds too long before explaining.

"Captain Jack Sparrow. From Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie starring Johnny Depp. And Orlando Bloom."

Another two beats.

"And Keira Knightley in a corset?"

[noonelaughed]

Chris considers that for a long moment, then shakes his head.

"Nope. Haven't seen it," Chris replies, though now he's beginning to think that maybe he ought to hunt it down, if there are women in corsets in it.

[just_dance_it]

He's not surprised, and he's not disappointed either. Whether or not Chris knows what he's talking about isn't the point.

"Fuck, mate," Maxxie says, a mingled sigh and laugh. "If you can get me near Johnny Depp, even with the nasty dreads and teeth, I'd be over the moon."

They're mostly empty words. He'd be happy, sure, but he wouldn't be able to enjoy it totally, not these days.

[noonelaughed]

"I didn't even remember 'til just now. Sorry, man." Chris says, and it's a fair bet that it'll go forgotten again until Chris manages to see Delirium again. Though, if he'd known Maxxie'd be so for it, maybe he would've made more of an effort.

"Though, if nothing else, I reckon Cassie'll like it."

[just_dance_it]

"We'd be the best pirates." He smiles easily, unperturbed by Chris' apology. If it happens: grand. If it doesn't: it still makes for a fun thought.

"Drink rum and sing shanties and r-- okay, no rape, but fun sex and pillaging. Cas could be in charge of making people walk the plank and have a monkey."

[noonelaughed]

"Monkeys don't eat toads though, do they?" Chris asks, the first thing that pops into his head being whether or not Anwar'd be alright with a monkey around. Though, if they've got an entire pirate ship, maybe Anwar'll be alright.

"The rum and the singing part, though, that'd be brilliant. And the sex. Jesus, mate, don't even fuckin' ask how long it's been."