Occams Razor

Lou was awake early a few days after the holiday party. Like most days he got up and looked around to see if there was any work to do. Cleaning where he could or clearing a walk way of ice or snow. He tried his best to keep to a daily routine, not wanting to let himself feel coped up in the quarantine zone. He was never one for travel himself, hardly ever having left New Hampshire, never mind the northeast and only ever leaving the country to Canada, which, even Lou would admit 'doesn't really count.' Even being used to staying in one place, the quarantine was wearing on him. Simply daily tasks like driving to work, putting gas in the car, going to the store for groceries, heading to the bar for a beer were all on hold while they waiting for the Quarantine to lift. The whole thing made him feel like a child again; being fed, having the basics provided, and dealing with a curfew.

The holiday party was a much needed break from things he had been dealing with since September. The night was rather low key, but still good for him. It sounded to him like a lot of folks had some what of a slummy holiday, but for Lou it was like most Christmas days. Hanging out with people, playing cards and drinking beers. It was a great night, he saw a lot of folks he hadn't gotten to talk with, had a decent meal and watched some people work on a crossword puzzle for a long time. Lou was still getting used to all the new types of folks around. He did his best not to jump to conclusions or judgement, but there were a lot of new types to get used to. Lou did manage to see a few 'regular Joe' locals who shared some jokes about the 'tourists' but it was mostly light comments.

Lou got his government provided breakfast and sat on the porch of the building they had the holiday party. He was enjoying the unseasonably weather, for locals like him, the fact that it was above freezing meant it was a nice day in January.

Too many people, far too little space.

Alice considered the room warily, visibly mentally counting the number of moving human bodies in it before stepping backwards involuntarily. She shrugged her bulky coat up over her bloodstained clothes before considering her options. She was pressed against the wall, seeming to try to take up as little space as possible while she processed whatever was running through her mind. He eyes darted left and right, sometimes focusing on the breakfast line, but mostly focused on the horde of people.

Finally she made a rush for the door, dodging between any people she needed to before coming up on the porch. A visible exhale and she slumped against a bare space of wall, slouching down to the floor. She didn't notice Lou right away, instead letting the fresh(er) air hit her face and exhaling. For a second she almost looked relaxed, the rigid lines of her shoulders and jaw softening for just a moment.

Lou was taking a bite and enjoying the weather when he heard the woman join him outside. He took note of her but took gave her a moment of peace. He swallowed the food he had in his mouth and thought for a moment as to what to say to her. The idea of just staying quiet and sharing the silence with her appealed to him for a moment but then thought it rude of him to not make sure she knew she wasn't alone. Last thing he wanted to do was startle her later on.

"Hello."

He said simply, but the poise of his statement seemingly carried more weight to it than he meant to. Lou was firm in his tone but friendly with his body language. He gave her a quick look over and motioned to the table he sat at.

"If they've run out of food, you're welcome to have some of mine."

Lou said and turned back to look out off the balcony, he didn't want to come off as staring. He had met so many weird folks, he was certain to have offended someone. Whether it was strange chains, symbols burnt into flesh or just a hipster in a scarf, they were all weird to him.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, her hand moving to her hip as her eyes snapped over. She looked over at him, studying him as her hand hovered over her hip. Her gaze lingered for a solid few minutes longer than would be considered socially acceptable, narrowed to slits. She studied his build, his eyes, his arms, his clothes, taking him in before meeting his gaze. When he looked forward, she relaxed somewhat, her hand falling away from her hip.

She shifted uncomfortably at the offer, looking back to the door and then to him. She was dressed in an oversized tan trenchcoat, the inside lining torn and frayed. Her jeans were riped and bloodstained, as was the tanktop she wore underneath. She wore a ragged scarf around her neck, which she adjusted selfconsciously.

Slowly, she approached the table, pulling out a chair and sitting uncomfortably.

"They weren't... out of food. There was just... a lot of people in line. A lot of people in there in general. I'm not... good at a lot of people..." she looked down into her lap and then up again. Her eyes fixed on him, before looking to the door, and then around the surroundings, back to him, and to the door.

vasily walked outside in his normal bloddy rag clothing, and spotted lou.

hay lou you get food yet or would ya like me to borrow some for you.
I could easily get some for you people just leave that stuff laying around.

vasily was still uneasy around people so was always in motion. but lou was a good guy not a crazy as the computer guy but still a good guy.

Lou kept looking out at the New Hampshire scenery and heard vasily arrive. He listened to the woman speak and took note of her loner demeanor. It was funny to think that he had somehow attracted both the loners at the same time. Maybe he just found a quiet place to eat breakfast. He motioned to his plate; showing vasily he had food and flexed his shoulders some. He had his jump suit on but had it only up to the waist and tied off around his mid section. His trade mark red shirt was dirty from work. His arms and hands were dirty too with grease from who knows what. He was worried for a moment that Vasily's appearance would scare off the woman but then he was worried that vasily was gonna get scared off by the woman. Lou gave a laugh at thought but didn't share the joke with them.

"I'm Louis, people call me Lou. This is Vasily. I don't think I got your name ma'am."

Lou said with a tilt of his head in his rural polite way.

Her chair moved backwards and her eyes darted as the strange approached. She studied him with the same intensity that she had studied Lou, her gaze lingering far longer than was deemed societally acceptable. Her hand once again drifted to her hip before relaxing. She swallowed once and shifted so she could see them both at once, plus the door. Her eyes also darted towards the rest of the New Hampshire scenery for time to time. She seemed uncomfortable out in the open, but it was obviously preferable to the bustle inside.

Lou's laugh seemed to alarm her again, her shoulders twitching some before they relaxed. She studied Vasily warily before looking back at Lou. She didn't ask after the laugh, but looked into her lap.

"Alice," she said quietly, reaching up to push some hair from her face before she looked up to Vasily and watched him.

Lou notices this time that Alice seemingly has a twitch to the hip. He thinks on it for only a moment but glosses over it. He also takes note of the discoloring to her clothing. It reminds Lou of the ragged clothing that Vasily wears. The blood was a little unsettling but he couldn't figure out a nice way to bring it up. He paused for a moment, trying to word it and motioned her over to sit with him.

"You feeling alright Alice?"

Lou asks in the most diplomatic tone he could muster.

She considers the question for a few minutes, her brow furrowing. She looks down at her hands and raises her fingers as if counting then looks back up at him. She hesitates, her brow still furrowed, before she nods.

"I am... not good at people..." she repeats quietly, shifting in her seat. And then an almost visible lightbulb goes off over her head and she looks between them rapidly before her vision fixes on Lou. "Do you want me to leave? I can leave. I do not want... to make you uncomfortable," she struggles to find the right words, speaking like a child who spent a lot of time memorizing something by rote and is now repeating it.

Lou shook his head and gave Vasily a look.

"I don't think either of us have a problem with you ma'am."

Lou said and remembered what she said about not being good with people. He knew the type from his days working at a high school. Some folks just want to be left alone. Some folks want to make friends and just don't know how. Considering the collection of weirdos on display in the quarantine zone, he couldn't blame her for being hesitant to talk to anyone.

"you're not bothering us; feel free to hang out."

He said with a smirk as he picked up a carton of state issued orange juice and took a sip with a grimace.