[OPEN]

[thecourier]

Who: The Courier/Dan Palmer & OPEN
Where: Various locations
When: July
Rating: PG
Summary: Open log for July
The Story:

Indoors; Library

[Even when he isn't spending time with Evelyn, it's never hard to track Dan down to the library. Since learning to read he's been all but devouring books of increasing difficulty (though the ending of Great Expectations is still yet to be reached) and spends at least an hour every other day picking through the shelves and scouting out the next thing to be attempted.

Regular patrons might see him occasionally teasing the librarian, tapping at the back of her skirt with a long ruler when she's up a ladder or picking up books to reach one shelf higher than she can from the ground. Anything to make her huff at him while he grins playfully at her.

He will take up one of the couches or a seat at a table to read, and tends towards sounding difficult words out aloud when he comes to them. It would not be unusual to hear a quiet voice muttering 'verisimilitude' or 'effluvium' from between the bookshelves. While he's present a dog can often be seen wandering around the library (though never leaving). Despite its startling appearance, it's friendly enough.

While in the library, he's always quiet, save for when he's whistling for his dog when he's about to leave. He tends towards encouraging others to do the same, reminding them of just where they are if they start to be too loud.]

Outdoors; Shooting Range

[A few times a week, Dan is at the shooting range near the beach. He's never laid his hand on a bow, but always seems to have a different gun in his hands as he sends of aggressive volleys towards the targets without even blinking. At least one day he has a gauss rifle, though no one will ever see him use it unless they press for a demonstration. Good thing, too, since the weapon is more than capable of outright destroying the targets.

There is something cathartic about firing a weapon, he finds, and he rarely stops until he can hear his ears ringing. In small breaks, he might pause to have a cup of coffee from a thermos brought out with him, and he's finished, he sits down for an hour or so to take his weapon apart and clean it. Most of them appear new - from the closets, no doubt - but there are two, a .44 Magnum revolver and a .308 hunting rifle, which show far more severe signs of wear. The revolver is scuffed and scratched, and the hunting rifle patched together with haphazard materials and duct tape. Yet, he cleans these with as much diligence as anything else.

He seems focused, but he'll acknowledge anyone close by and even offer some of his coffee if they pause for long enough. Want to know what he's doing with all those gun parts? He can tell you that, too.]

Outdoors; Beach

[Early each morning and late each evening, Dan jogs a length of the beach. Sometimes he has his dog with him and sometimes not, but when he does, he takes some time off the sand to make sure that all the grains and all the salt water is washed off his faithful pet's metal legs and paws. The very last thing he wants to happen is the poor animal starting to rust up when he isn't sure that there is anyone in this place who might be able to help.

When he's alone he takes longer, pausing when he's as far from the mansion as he can get without knowing he won't make it back (which can sometimes be miles, with the journey from the mansion included). He never expects to see anyone when he gets that far, even knowing that others have similar habits. There, he might sit and enjoy the sunrise, or walk through the surf with bare feet, or skim small pebbles into the waves. He might even pause to sit in one of the available deck chairs on his way back.

There's a certain kind of agitation in it, though. No matter how large a cage, or how safe it seems, it is still a cage.]