Swamp Thing

Nobody had really explained to Alex what it was they were searching for, or why they were here. All he knew was that it was something to do with helping Jay, that there was a very slim chance of success, and that he was now wandering almost thigh-deep through a load of disgusting sludge.
On the plus side, Cass had temporarily lifted his restrictions to allow him into the swamp, and he already had a backpack so prepared (for the postponed Bedge rescue) that he’d had to empty some of it.

He’d been sent off with Jacky, Plisken and Jade. Plisken had taken it upon himself to command the little group which, for private reasons, Alex was relieved about.
Apparently enjoying himself, the bearded gent stealthily lead them through dense thickets of rubbery leaves which sprouted violently from the muddy depths of the swamp.
Spine a-prickle, Alex considered what else might be lurking beneath the surface. Probably some sort of mutated, malformed, supersized human-munching uber-alligator, knowing their luck.

“Wait here!” Plisken instructed abruptly and loudly, making the other three jump. Then, without explaining why, he dashed ahead to push and peer through a bouquet of the bouncy leaves.
Alex decided this meant break-time, and used the opportunity to spark up.
“You think that’s wise?” Asked Jacky “this swampy stuff could be highly flammable.”
Alex shrugged and continued to enjoy his fag. “Nah... It’ll be fine.”
Jacky sighed. Alex squinted after Plisken, wondering if the ole fella was getting doddery again.

Jade was bored, and still in need of conversation.
“You’re good at that” she told Solvay, trying to ignite more than a grunted syllable in response.
“Eh?” He replied, keeping a concerned eye on Plisk. “Good at what?”
“Sulking.” She said, breezily.
“What? I ain’t sulking.” He tore his gaze from Plisken to look at her. “Why’d you think that?”
“Yeah” Jacky agreed “that’s just his face. It's what he always looks like, hadn’t you noticed?”
Alex began to scowl a response, but realised that might just prove the young scientist's point. His face suddenly didn’t know what to do with itself and his features danced a confused Cha Cha. Jade laughed.
Mildly embarrassed he coughed. “You lot are as bad as Holly. I don’t know what you mean. I’m always smiling.”
Jade and Jacky exchanged a glance.
Alex’s brow creased in bewilderment. “What?”
“Heh... Yeh. Sometimes, I wonder if your nickname should be ‘Horse’” Jacky said, allegedly on a roll.
There was an uncomfortable pause.
Horse?
“Uh, what?”
“You know, that joke? ‘Why the long…”
Alex’s eyebrows raised. Was this really suitable in-front-of-lady conversation?
“… face…’”
“Ohh!” Alex and Jade breathed sighs of relief and comprehension. Then, realising Jacky meant he was a miserable bugger, Alex added "Hey!"
“... Why? What did you think I meant?” Asked the lad, innocently. “Nuthin’” said Solvay. Get on with it.” He shoved him through the mud towards Plisken, who was now beckoning for them to join him.
“Hey, stop prodding me.”
“Get a move on, then.”
“Dammit, Horse...”
“Don’t call me Horse.”
"... I’m a scientist, not an action hero.” He veered wobbily to the left and Alex steered him back towards Plisken.
“Stop whinging and take your goggles off so you can see where you're going.”

---

A dark and narrow passage between tall, suspicious looking reeds, meant they had to walk in single file for a while. Alex dropped to the back of the group, telling them it was so he could “bring up the rear” which he was… while also taking sneaky nips from his hip flask.
Since being accused of certain things by certain silly women, and having received a kind but humiliating (only due to his shame) offer of help from Jade, he decided he should keep his alcohol related activities on the down-low.
----

Three swamp-wanderin’ hours later.

“Plisken?”
“Yes, young man?”
A tired Alex cracked his back, beneath its pack. “We’re not getting anywhere. Let’s turn back and find the others.”
“Yeah,” Jacky joined in “I think I’m getting trench foot.”
“Don’t be ridiculous” Alex snapped, irritated after three hours of constant negativity “it doesn’t happen that quickly.”
“No” Jade agreed “you’d have to have damp, dirty feet all day, and even then it’s unlikely it’d happen tha-”
“It HAS been all day.”
“Bloody hell” mumbled Alex around the Rothman he was lighting “it’s like having a mini-Seymour on our hands.”
“… Rude.”
“Boys… come on.”

Jade sounded like a weary primary school teacher, and this was apt, as they were tired and cranky in the same way as children forced to stay awake too long.
“Well, he started it.” Jacky claimed.
“Pfftt. I don’t think so.”

“We’ll uh, we’ll have some food now, shall we?” Suggested Plisken, who wasn't particularly enjoying the little spat.
“Good idea” nodded Jade.

“Just button it, Solvay.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said button it. Zip it. Ferme ta gueule!” A swamp-miserable Jacky was clearly feeling brave.
Alex slowly exhaled smoke from the side of his mouth.
“Hm. Yeah. Don’t make me hang you from that tree by your lab coat.”
“Hey!” Jade stepped in front of Jacky. “You wouldn’t!?”
I bloody would.
“No” Alex smiled “’course not”.
“Good...” She stepped away from the baby-men and went to give Plisken a hand with the telescopic legged camping stove he was setting up. “... that’s okay then" she called back, her words floating over her shoulder "I… I don’t like violence.”
“Nor do I” agreed Alex, issuing Jacky an “I’m watching you” gesture, behind her back.

---
Beanz

The tired, damp Dwarfers sat on damper logs, eating beans.

“Beans don’t really agree with my stomach these days” Plisken informed them “but they’re good energy food.”
“They don’t always agree with me, either” said Jacky, and the two swiftly became involved in a conversation about gasses, bloating, and digestion. Alex grimaced and turned to Jade.
“The promenade” he said.
She smiled. “What about it?”
“I had a nice time. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, thank Max.”
He chuckled quietly, reflectively. “He’s a good boy, isn’t he?”
“Yeah,” she smiled “he is. Hey, what’s that?”
Something shimmery was floating by, on a leaf. They both reached for it at the same time, bonking into each other.
“Ow!"
“Heh heh, aw, sorry Jess.” He picked up the bright thing on the leaf, it was a little glow-wormesque creature with a shining butt.
“Hey Jacky” he called, under the impression that Jacky liked animals and hoping to cheer him up “look at this.” He threw the creature over and Jacky caught it with a squawk.
Alex turned back to Jade. She was smiling but in a curious, eyebrow quirking, way. “Who’s Jess?” She asked.
His face fell. “Why?”
“You called me Jess.”
“I did not.”
He played the scene back in his head. Shit, he had.
“Oh Gods, I’m really sorry.”
He ran a hand through his hair, and, losing his composure and cool completely, he turned a quite startling shade, which would probably best be described as 'electric crimson'.
“If - Um. If we’re asking questions, who’s Tony?” He said, remembering the arena, and trying desperately to deflect the attention from his horribly embarrassing slip of the tongue.
In the background Plisken scraped away at the bottom of his makeshift bowl and Jacky tutted as he accidentally dropped the creature and noticed how mud-soaked the hem of his coat was.
Jade squinted at Alex. “Maybe we should talk about... those people... another time?"
Relieved, he nodded.

They sat in welcome peace for a while.
Strange cricket things chirped, an obese frog wheezed, a gentle gassy emission escaped from Plisken and Jacky’s log. And then, without warning, the calm was shattered by a horribly urgent, hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck-ruffling, primal fear inducing, terror provoking, depths-of-your-animal-soul-disturbing scream.

And it sounded like it was only around 300 yards away.

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<I have no plans for who/what screamer is. Just thought it’d add a bit of excitement. So, anyone, make up what y’want :)>