Vanja didn’t seem to have much of a choice. He could drive, he just didn’t have a vehicle — and aside from having heard the names, he also didn’t know the area too well. He’d likely have to see a map. At the very least, he knew he wasn’t far.
“Okay, okay,” he said. A shower wouldn’t hurt. If anything, it might help with the soreness.
Watching them leave, Vanja shuffled himself off the bed. His boots touched the ground, and he paused, giving himself one last look over.
No radio. And… “Jebati,” his gun’s gone. Likely got thrown into some shrubs. He recalled having been holding it in his last moments of being on his feet. Of course he hadn’t kept a firm grip on it. Who would?
But…Vanja carefully reached towards his boot, and he was at least content with the discovery that his boot knife was still tucked away, all safe. He likely wouldn’t need it, so he drew himself away from it.
Now to clean up.
Vanja was right — a warm shower did help. He observed some of the bruises on his body, but he didn’t seem to have many wounds that broke the skin at least. He washed up, wrapped a towel around himself once he was done. Then, he peered into the mirror, checking himself over. Some small cuts on his face, but nothing that wouldn’t be gone with a short time of proper care.
He closed his eyes, breathing in.
When he exhaled, and opened his eyes, it took him a moment to see it.
tall, gangly. sharp nails, a body covered in dark, bark like skin. and no eyes, yet he could feel its stare on the back of his neck.
Vanja yelped, jumping back - before realizing holy CRAP that’s where the thing is. As a last moment precaution, he leapt back towards the shower, and almost wished he had his boot knife with him.
And yet, when he calmed down, allowed his eyes to focus — there was nothing there. Nothing in the location where that thing would have been standing behind him, staring at him.
He stood there, motionless for a few seconds. What was that? He’d never struggled with hallucinations in his entire life. Maybe things when he was tired - like imagining a pile of clothes to be someone sitting in a chair, but never that vivid.
“Kvragu, had me jumping out of my skin there…” He muttered to himself. Maybe he hit his head a bit harder than he thought.
Vanja moved to drying himself off and getting changed into a fresh pair of clothes. He folded his own uniform items away - making a note to find a suitable bag for them later. Yet even as he preformed these tasks…he couldn’t help but shake the feeling of unease in his mind. Stress. Like..yesterday, almost.
Vanja picked up his gas mask, and inspected it. He was glad he waited a few seconds before placing it with the rest of his stuff.
the filter is broken. how long has it been broken?
Vanja stared at it - it was a small break, not much. Likely got broken in the fall, he told himself. Shaking his head, he put it with the rest of his things - briefly touching the flannel he had put on earlier. Onyx would likely be back soon. He had nothing left to do but wait.
