DEFEATISM

07

Darlington has already done the math by the time everyone arrives for the staff meeting. The depths of the cupboard have provided enough pancake mix, granola bars, fruit gummies, and small bags of chips for a few days. Counting for those and the non-perishable snacks the teammates hadn't thrown out for winter, the group will have supplies that should last until Christmas. Not that it matters. Tomorrow is December twenty-second, and none of them expect to even still be in town on the twenty-third so only half the group even bothers to humour Darlington.

Elodie and Callie are in the kitchen, setting up the evening. While Elodie mixes drinks, Callie is finishing up cue cards from the supply closet to improve their drinking games for later.

"I feel like this is going to end up too complicated for our drunk asses," Elodie looks over at what Callie's doing. Elodie is no longer high. It's been the longest of days all the same. If she hadn't taken a nap before this and finished up her ramen, she wonders if she would feel somehow more depleted.

"Is it too much?" Callie asks, looking at the cards. She thought she had them done earlier when she had written 110 cards. There are eleven sets, each complete with ten names, on per card. They are supposed to vote, and you are supposed to take a number of drinks equal to the number of people who voted for you. It was only ten minutes ago that Elodie had suggested everyone have their own name too.

Mostly, Elodie suggested it because she knows that no one really knows each other that well. Hell, she's probably the most social of the bunch and she couldn't tell you more than two facts about any of the people on the staff team.

"It's great," Elodie barely looks over and then does a double take.

The sets of cards are in nice scripts, but each set is different from the others. Moonie's set, she assumes, has bubble letters. She thinks it might be Benedict's cards or Darlington's that look like they were written on a typewriter. One font can only be described as "anime-like", and another is clearly modeled after retro video games.

"Which ones are Maverick's?" she asks, poking her head over.

Callie picks up one of the sets, "I tried to do comic sans because it's supposed to be helpful for dyslexics. I also made sure the colours will contrast well for him."

"Impressive," Elodie's eyes scan all the pages. She finds which ones are hers. The letters are all made out of vines and flowers.

Callie notices her gaze, "you dress kind of like a hippie."

If she were braver, Callie would ask other questions. Usually, it is easy for Callie to notice things about others. Finding beauty in things is what Callie is best at doing. No one knows much about Elodie though.

She can feel her chest loosen when Elodie laughs. Elodie moves back over to the drinks, eyeing them up. Everyone accepted Elodie's offer to make drinks, so long as Elodie used her own liquor. She doesn't mind, since it got her out of listening to Darlington act high and mighty.

"Fuck Darlington," Elodie smiles because the words at least bring her some reprieve.

"He should be glad I'm not touching his cup," Callie forces her lips to move even though her heart is racing. "I'd poison him."

Elodie looks at the glass, a smile on her face. She was making vodka crans for everyone, but she decides to grab the black rum he bought, which has an oddly high proof and throw it into his drink instead of vodka. It's not enough to get even Darlington wasted, but it will gross him out for sure.

Since Elodie doesn't hide it, Callie notices. It makes her laugh.

~~~