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Entry tags:

the dark tower: jake chambers

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Featuring: Max Mayfield + Open
What's Happening? Meeting people, exploring things, etc.
When: Feb. 19 - ?
Content Warnings: None so far.

[House 11 Spam]

[Staying in a house that is mostly completely silent around the clock is strange in a lot of ways. The silence itself is eerie and takes her a few days to get used to, considering she's used to living with Billy and Neil who are anything but quiet unless they're unconscious or not at home. She keeps expecting to wake up from a dead sleep to the sound of screaming down the hall, or something getting broken. Instead she lies awake at night, staring at the ceiling, hoping that no monster hears one of them breathing and Godzilla's the house and eats all of them.

The other thing that's strange is staying in a house full of boys and...a centaur. She feels an odd sense of belonging among them that's both a relief and also troubling. One thing that life's taught her over and over is not to get too attached to anyone. She doesn't want to get attached to anyone and yet she also wants the easy camaraderie that she sees with Bill and Eddie and Richie. The same kind she'd witnessed back in Hawkins with Lucas, Dustin, Will and Mike. She so desperately craves it, but she doesn't know how to make it happen, either.

After a mostly restless night of sleep, Max makes her way quietly through the house toward the kitchen, her stomach twisting with hunger. If any of the others are there, she'll lift a hand to wave at them.

She also sends the following message to everyone else who lives there, via the device:]

I think we should start soundproofing the house.

[Out and About]

[Max finishes her full time quiet maintenance work for the day and decides to check out the rest of the town. She carefully makes her way over the sandpaths, barefoot, and when she closes her eyes for a moment she can almost pretend she's at the beach. Almost. But not quiet.

She'll trek to as many places as possible, including the hospital, outside Town Hall, and finally to sit beside the fountain, wishing she had a pen and a notebook to write in.

Later she'll end up going through abandoned houses, looking for anything that might be useful to have at the house. Like a hairbrush since her hair is a mess, and while she's not a fussy person when it comes to her looks, it's driving her crazy.

She's also on a mission to find the library. The whole time she's out, she's keeping her eyes and ears peeled for monsters or people who look sketchy.]

[Open to People in House 9]

[Her last stop of the day is to swing by the house where Will and Mike live. She's there to see Will, so she shoots him a quick message (I'm outside on the porch of your house) but remains on said porch because she's not about to barge into someone else's house without an invite, and it's not like she can knock.]

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_{[That something could descend on the house at any time is a fear shared by Max's other housemates. At least one for sure.

For a brief time Jake thought he was finally getting a grip on the menagerie of terrors that have made homes in his mind, but as it turns out, his imagination shares the same open-door policy as Reims: there's always room for more. The Sound Eaters are just the latest addition to the collection. In those early hours when his pulse is pounding in his ears and the fear is pounding in his head and he realizes he's back to the cycle of not sleeping, Jake gets up once villagers with pre-dawn jobs start to stir.

He's been outside for almost an hour when he gets a text from MadMax. Mad Max. It's still funny. Her username is becoming a familiar sight and he's glad when he sees it, picturing the redheaded girl on the other end.]}

I was just thinking that, you read my mind. _[HA.] You got a minute? I could use another set of hands to carry something that might help with that.

[She's just gotten herself a glass of water when her device lights up with a message. She recognizes Jake's username immediately and she carefully sets the glass down on the counter before returning a quick message.]

Sure. Where are you?

_{[He was going to have to ask someone for help anyway, so Max's agreement comes at the perfect time.]}

Cool, I owe you. I'll be here.

_{[He sends her the location, a house in the residential area about a five minute walk from their house. If she follows the directions, there she'll find Jake waiting outside the house in his blue jumpsuit--it's been seeing a lot of action these last two weeks. Resting on the ground beside him is a long, rectangular object identifiable as a step ladder, wrapped in canvas to keep it from clanging.]}

Morning. Get any sleep?

_{[The minute he sees her coming Jake is waving and sending a quick greeting, followed by an explanation for why he's unceremoniously dragged her out to observe him standing around like a lost tourist.]}

I traded some stuff for this. _{[A gesture at the ladder.]} I thought it would help us reach the ceiling and around the windows for the sound proofing. But I can't carry it alone without dragging it.

_{[Sometimes being eleven sucks.]}

[Max isn't used to anyone asking for her help for much of anything, really, but she has no problem helping out when it's needed. She's curious to see what he needs her help for, though. She reads the address and the directions, heading out the door and following the sand paths to his location. She eyes the canvas-wrapped ladder and immediately understands the dilemma.]

Some. You?

[She smiles a little at that. It seems like they're all on the same page for soundproofing the house as quickly as possible. It's nice.]

Good thinking. I can help. It's no problem.

[Unfortunately being thirteen isn't that much better.]

_{[His smile, though set under alert eyes, is a bit sheepish at the corners. Anyone who's lived with Jake passed the age of ten eventually learns he and peaceful nights have a rocky relationship.]}

I had a hard time sleeping even before we ended up here.

_{[No rest for the wicked or the weary. They're united in looking a bit tired and haggard this morning, which makes him smile all the more in unspoken solidarity of being afraid of the monsters behind your eyelids.]}

Thanks. You grab one end, I grab the other?

_{[They have enough muscle power between them... right?]}

Edited 2018-03-05 08:57 (UTC)

[She's starting to think they should just open some kind of an all night coffee bar called Nightmares and Insomniacs. Except they don't have any coffee and she'd really rather not have strangers in and out of the house at all house of the night.]

Me too sometimes.

[She smiles back at him, almost involuntarily. She's sure that between the two of them they can get the ladder back without issue.]

Sounds like a plan.

[She moves to the far end of the ladder and then tucks her device away safely so she can pick it up.]

_{[Make it a haunted coffee bar and that sounds like the exact perfect crossroads for Stephen King and the Duffer brothers to meet halfway.

He's sorry to hear (if not surprised to find out) Max is already meeting him part of the way when it comes to sleepless nights, but there's understanding in it, too. One last joking response makes its way to her phone for Max to see next time before he's shoving his own into a pocket and stepping around to the other end.]}

Snoring's supposed to keep you up at night, but not like this.

_{[In position, he gives her a thumbs up. Good to go. Matching his movements to hers so they're lifting at the same time, he bends to take the ends in his hands, and silently they raise the ladder off the ground. Jake sends up a wordless thanks to the native who wrapped the thing so well.

It's an awkward, slow shuffle at times until they find a rhythm, but nothing a little teamwork can't fix. The only real obstacle emerges when they're almost to the house. One of them's going to have to open the door. Jake gestures to it and to the ladder, miming the question whether she wants to be the one who opens or holds.]}

[She smirks at that comment, shaking her head with amusement as they pick up the ladder together and make their way back toward the house. It's less heavy and more awkward, made more so by the fact they can't make any noise without risking death.

She glances from him to the door and signals that she'll grab the door, but it'll require them to set the ladder down. When it's quietly on the ground, Max makes her way up the porch steps and uses the oil can on the door hinges before opening it and propping it open before going to pick the ladder up once again.

Max helps him maneuver it inside the house and this time when it's set down, she quietly closes the door behind them and arches her eyebrows. Whew.]

_{[Team Chambers-Mayfield would crush loading furniture on Ikea trips, let it be known.

Only once they're inside and in semi-sound absorbing surroundings does Jake relax some, breaking out in a smile for Max. Mission accomplished. Every little victory adds a donation to his internal morale jar.]}

That felt like a way longer walk than just around the block. Thanks for your help, Max.

_{[With phone still in hand, he steps around the ladder, measuring it with his eyes and looking to the ceiling where several young adolescents would struggle to reach even on a good day. It looks like it'll reach. Smiling again, he offers a thumbs up.]}

This'll work.

[Hell yeah they would.

She looks up at the same time he does, eyeing the ceiling and then the ladder. Billy may have the best chance of reaching, out of all of them, since he's a little taller. But she'd try and help the best she could.]

Yeah, I think it will too. And no problem. That's what friends are for.

[She offers him a tiny smile, reaching out and patting his arm gently before heading toward the kitchen to get something to drink.]

_{[His smile lingers on at her comment. Friends. Right. Yeah. They're doing that friend thing, aren't they? Following along behind, he takes a break in one of the kitchen chairs.]}

For a bunch of kids living alone, I don't think we've been doing half bad.

_{[Granted, it's only been a week. But it's been a week of difficult transitioning for all of them.]}

Do you want to go back out exploring and try to find some stuff for soundproofing? The less we have to tip-toe around, the better I'll feel.

[They are definitely doing the friend thing, and she's pretty glad about it.]

I mean it makes sense, with all the weird things we've all dealt with. We're probably better off than kids who come here from totally normal places where nothing out of usual ever happens.]

[She glances at him as she grabs a glass and fills it with water.]

Yeah, me too. I want to get this place done as soon as possible.

_{[She has a point about that.]}

I guess being weird helps. And not having bills to pay. Or child labor laws.

_{[The last comes with a wry curl of a smile. There's an unusual amount of freedom in the way they're living that a lot of kids their age might revel in... but it comes at a high, high cost.]}

Night time worries me the most. Making a noise when you sleep, you know? I can't control when I get a bad dream.

_{[Which is a nice way of saying he can't really turn his dreaming off.]}

[She gives a genuine, amused grin at the mention of child labor laws. At least they didn't have to deal with that. It's super weird having the amount of freedom that they have but for Max, it's not at all unwelcome. Not having her step brother breathing down her neck every second of her waking hours is more than a relief.

Max studies him for a moment.]

Eddie's room is fully soundproofed. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you crashed so you didn't have to worry about it.

_{[Like, sleep in his room...? He supposes that wouldn't be a problem if Jake didn't get dreams as frequently as he does. Eddie doesn't deserve nightly disturbances, or the prospect of trading for a smaller space.]}

I wouldn't want to take over his room. He, and Bill, and Richie could use it more since they know each other. I'll just work on muffling mine.

_{[He tries for a smile.]}

Don't worry, I won't bring the Sound Eaters down on us.

_{[... Probably.]}

[She sighs at the not-quite-a-smile he gives her.]

We can work on your room next so you can get some sleep without worrying.

_{[He notices her noticing him. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything about the night terrors--but he can't be the only one afraid to toss and turn in bed, right? It's habit, playing down his circumstances. It concerns people, and he wants the new friends he's making to have less, not more.

Still, he can't resist teasing her a bit, smile growing.]}

Are you worried about me?

_{[There's a softie underneath Max's tomboyish exterior. Don't even pretend there isn't, he can see it.]}

What about you? How are you making out in your room? We an always split the difference and work on the bedrooms a little at a time so at least they're all a little more sound-friendly.

[Sorry, Jake. She considers it one of her Big Sister duties to be worried about you. She narrows her eyes at the question, though, and gives him a look.]

Duh.

[Only her closest of friends are allowed to see that side of her. To know that about her. Everyone else needs to believe she's tough as nails.]

I'm okay. My problem is more insomnia than nightmares. If we all work on your room we'll have it done in no time, though.

_{[Well, too bad, he's not buying what you're selling, miss "invites an orphan home to live with her a hot minute after meeting."

He gives her a narrow-eyed look, the kind that says as much. Despite his best efforts to keep the line of his lips straight, the corners keep wanting to curl.]}

It takes a stubborn person to know a stubborn person. Then I'll make you the same offer: if you ever want an insomnia buddy, come and get me. You won't be interrupting much beauty rest. Then you won't have to worry, either.

Was the insomnia a thing for you back before this or did it just start?

[She returns that look with an arched eyebrow even if her mouth is twitching a little in its own effort not to smile.]

Okay. You've got a deal there.

[Plus then if she sees him having a nightmare, she can shake him out of it before it gets too bad. Hopefully.]

It's not new. It's just worse here. It's too quiet.

_{[Max and her tactical mind. If he knew the line of her thoughts, he'd have to commend her for sneakily finding a way to turn it to her advantage. His advantage, technically, but still.]}

I try singing songs as loudly as I can in my head. Sometimes that helps me here.

Was there some reason you had it at home, or is that a personal thing?

_{[No hard feelings if she doesn't want to share with him. He has secrets, too.]}

[Both of their advantages.]

What kind of music do you sing in your head? [Not that she's super likely to recognize any of it...

She considers for a moment before responding.]

My stepdad and stepbrother liked to have a lot of screaming fights at all hours of the day and night. It's weird not to get woke up by it here.

Bands I like and the Spider-Man theme song, stuff like that.

_{[He could leave it at that generic answer, but because it's Max and he likes Max enough not to mind embarrassing himself in front of her, with a sheepish smile he adds:]}

The Song That Never Ends, Wonderwall, and Queen's Another One Bites the Dust are the big three that get stuck in my head. When I was little and wouldn't go to bed on time, my mom would sing that stupid Lamb Chop song at me until I couldn't take it anymore and went to sleep.

_{[In a weird way, torturing his grey matter with it now is almost nostalgic.]}

I didn't know you had a step-family. _{[The confession is deserving of more seriousness, and he tilts his head.]} My step-dad and I didn't get along. Neither did him and my mom a lot of the time, honestly.

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ROLLS UP LATE WITH FRENCH STARBUCKS

Ooh Starbucks

alas, starbucks cannot save us from bad formatting

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