Planning (Mage and Lou)

Louis Gray sat at one of the mahogany tables, his feet up, a cigarette in his mouth. He sighed, opening and closing his book over and over while he waited for Margret to show up. They had planning to do. Judgment day was coming up soon and they needed some new ideas on how to tell people they were dead. Because for some reason, people never got it. And to let the newer members know NOT to travel far into the woods, otherwise they would be trapped there for who knows how long.

Lou looked out the window, longing to go outside. When he was younger, he'd run around outside with only his trousers on. He missed the feeling of the wet grass and mud between his toes, the sun on his back. It was always overcast in Everafter. The thought made him miss his family. He hardly remember them anymore. It had been so very long. He could only just remember them. Allison, Who was only a year older, with her long curly red hair. But he couldn't get her face right. It frustrated him to no end.

He stood and sighed. Where was Maggie?

Margaret walked up the stairs, pulling her dress up so she wouldn't trip. Again. She was late, as usual. Her chesnut hair was tied up into a bun, pinned together. Although it didn't stay that way as she ran up the stairs. Maggie hoped Lou wouldn't be bad. He never was, but still, she felt bad about her lack of preciseness. It had been bad for as long as she could remember, which wasn't all that long anymore. Her memory was fading and it worried her. Did it mean she was going to leave soon? As frustrating as it was to be here, she didn't want to leave yet. Walking into the library, she smiled weakly at Lou. "Sorry I'm late," Margaret apologized, sitting across from them.

"So, what is it we need to talk about?" She asked, resting her elbows on the table.

Lou stood when Maggie walked in, a very old habit of his, standing when a lady entered the room. He bowed his head quickly in a greeting, his hands behind his back. "It's alright." He said with a grin. Maggie was his best friend. They'd both shown up around the same time, which was so so long ago. He guessed that was good, right? People hadn't forgotten him yet... But he too, could feel it. He was being slowly forgotten. The edges of his memory were growing fuzzy. It took him longer to remember names and face.

He sat back down, drumming his fingers on the table. "We need something new. Judgement day is in three suns....." He said and then looked up, deciding that it could wait "Mage? How long have we been here?"

Maggie chuckled when Lou stood up. "You don't need to stand up for me, or bow." She told him as she did almost every day. He would always do that, no matter what she said. But still, after all this time? He didn't need to.

Of course. Judgement day would be coming soon. Margaret had almost forgotten. Her memory fading made her feel like she was getting old. Even though she still looked nineteen, she felt about six-thousand years old. "You're right," She said to Lou. People weren't taking it well, the Katherine and Logan who'd arrived two fortnights ago had been startled to say the least. Maggie was surprised when Lou changed the subject. Normally, he was focused. She glanced up and sighed. "I don't remember anymore, Lou. Months, years, centuries?" She sighed. It'd been too long.

Lou grinned and tugged at his hair "Habit" He shruged, flushing slightly. It really was. He did it for everyone, and opened doors and offered his coat when he was outside. He was a gentalman. But it was how he was raised. He did have a bit of a wild streak. When he first got here, his first few (what felt like years) he just adventured the forest.

"Do you think we'll be here forever? I mean, I can hardly remember my old life, what it was like... What happens when we forget, but we aren't forgotten?" Lou asked her, his blue eyes wide with worry. It had been ages since he had been this scared. But, as a child, he'd always been afraid of death.

"I know." Margaret replied with a grin. What a true gentleman he was. Maybe he hadn't been at first, but once he'd grasped what this place was he returned to what she supposed had been his normal self.

"Lou, don't say that." Margaret said, looking at the ground. She couldn't imagine leaving. This was practically the only place she could remember. She met his worried blue eyes and sighed. "I don't know! I-I-I..." she stuttered, taking a deep breath. "Can we not talk about that right now?" She asked, feeling as if she was almost going to cry.

Lou returned the grin, and crossed his feet on top of the table, leaning back slightly. He watched Margret carefully, noticing how she seemed less... Margret-y. When they had first met she'd been so... there. So.. he didn't exactly know how to put it, but she was different now. Older. Tired.

He frowned then "I'm sorry, Mar. I didn't mean to upset you. I just think too much. Let's get talking." He said, letting his feet fall to the floor, and leaning forward, his arms resting on the table "We should try and explain it better, why they shouldn't go out into the woods. I could tell them what it's like... I mean, it's just loads and loads of woods.."

"No no, it's fine." Margaret said wearily. She just felt so tired, all the time. "I know what you mean. That why we need to work hard, in case we -" She stopped herself. She just couldn't say it yet. "You know."

"Yes, they certainly haven't been taking it well. We should also try to think of a better way to explain where they are...I mean , Will certainly didn't take it well. And we should create a method for time. And maybe -" Margaret stopped herself, laughing slightly. "I'm sorry Lou, I'm rambling." She said with a smile.

Lou nodded "Yeah. Prepare for the worst. Just in case" He stood, and turned, looking at the books on the shelf behind him. Picking one at random, he sighed. "I wish I knew where it all came from" He sighed and sat back down, flipping through the book.

"Right. We need to explain things in a more realist way, maybe. Instead of 'stay out of the forest, it's dangerous.'" He flipped the book shut "Maybe 'don't go to the forest, it's...' Oh I don't know. They should just listen. Make our lives easier"

"Right." Margaret said, nodding. Lou opened a book and became to murmur quietly to himself. She folded her hands on top of the table. "I know, I do too." She responded. Lou was probably more closer to knowing than she was. It was him, in fact, who'd taught her to read and write when she first came here. It was one thing Margaret could remember, considering that she was reminded of it almost every day.

Maggie laughed lightly. "How about, 'do not go into the forest, you will probably never come back'." She tried. It was the truth, and they needed to know it. She traced the scratches in the wood with her fingers, waiting for Lou to break the silence. When he didn't, she spoke again.

"I was thinking, maybe we could do something here. A gathering of sorts. It would be good for all of the newcomers, and even I don't feel like I know everyone."