NIGHT 54: West Wing, South Hall 1-A

[prodigalson]

[From here.]

It was probably a good time to declare everyone legally dead, because this was the fourth hallway in a row. This was what being proactive felt like. Yes. He was going to roll with that. Proactive and paranoid as hell, that was him.

Paranoid enough to take out the pathetic little knife from the pillow case and clutch it around the handful of cloth. Maybe one day, Edward thought derisively, I'll be lucky enough to find night-vision goggles so I can stop wasting my time with the light. As soon as he thought it the flashlight flickered, the round yellow beam turning black before popping back on again.

What little blood he had in him drained from his face. "That was terrible of me, I'm sorry. You're a fine flashlight. Possibly the best."

[To here.]

Comments

[lighthearted]

[From here.]

The quietness of the hall wasn't enough to set Sora on edge the way it once had. At one point he'd worried that maybe everyone was gone, that maybe people had left and he hadn't heard about it -- but those concerns had fallen away a while back. He had just gotten to a point where more often than not, he was out in the halls before the rest of the patients.

That was all right, though. It was only if one of his friends didn't show up to the meeting spot after some time had passed that he'd allow himself to fret. Even now, that was a possibility that he couldn't forget about. Both Kairi and Riku had disappeared on him, after all.

Even with that warning that had been given, the night seemed normal enough so far. Sora was aware of how quickly that could change, though. Sighing to himself, the boy took a right and continued down the hall toward the stairs.

[lighthearted]

[To here.]

[prodigalson]

[From here.]

The hallway on the return trip wasn't so quiet; Edward was surprised to see Sora's darkened form in the corridor somehow, but he didn't stop to talk to the boy. With the way he felt now, he couldn't pretend to be pleasant. He didn't want to hear his kind thoughts. He wanted to burn, just for a while. Besides, he wouldn't be able to stand the direct scent of a human, and he never wanted to think of someone like Sora as prey.

He stuck to the wall, creeping through the door into the correct male block.

[To here.]

[swornandbroken.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043978.html?thread=75824138#t75824138)]

Whatever the new regime had planned for the Institute, Mello didn't intend to be around for it. He may have been forced to concede the bugs had a point earlier, but that was all the more reason to move out as fast and far as they could. Then the goons could flip switches and turns this place into a nightmare to their hearts' content. He thought briefly of L, with a pang of something like worry. No, it would take too long to find him, and he could take care of himself. They could come back for him, if they had to.

Mello passed one other prisoner, Emmett's friend from home, whom he'd met on that first night. It felt so long ago. Too fucking long. It'll be longer, came the unwelcome commentary. This time, Mello scowled, and ignored it.

Matt wasn't in their usual meeting place yet, so Mello paced. Come on, come on.

[gamingsostfu.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1041335.html?thread=75819959#t75819959), skipping north hall 1-a]

Matt found it moderately disturbing, how few people there were out and about the halls; maybe he'd just gotten a head start? A really early head start? he thought, checking over his shoulder as he approached Mello, grinning when he saw the blond in the leather he remembered him wearing last he saw - before all the mess at Landel's funhouse began, that is.

"Hey," he greeted his friend. "Weird, isn't it? There's almost no one out here. It's like a ghost town."

Or a ghost hospital... All it needs is to start snowing ash and force some creepy nurse monsters out of the shadows.

[its-the-mileage.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1041810.html?thread=75825298#t75825298)]

There was a blonde girl in a leather jacket and a younger guy up ahead, but no one else. Good. That probably meant he was early. He wished Pilgrim had picked a meeting point farther along the way to save them some time, but he understood the logic: none of them would have to get through the Sun Room or Cafeteria alone.

Well, they'd give Pilgrim's "run like hell" strategy a shot and see where it got them. It couldn't result in any less progress than the last week.

[its-the-mileage.livejournal.com]

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?view=75826222#t75826222)]

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

[Skipping one hall from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043978.html?thread=75827466#t75827466).]

The trek to the stairs would be an easy one. The only problem after that would be the one upstairs. Ritsuka generally had bad luck when it came to the second floor so he hoped that this time, with two new people, his luck wouldn't come into play. He didn't want to think that his somewhat retarded ability (could it be called an ability?) to drag monsters out of wherever they were hiding could negatively effect Peter or Albedo.

His second set of ears flicked nervously as he entered the first of the larger hallways. This was where he'd been caught by that monster who took Yuiko's face last time. It was from here that danger could really set in and from here that he needed to be especially careful.

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?thread=75828270#t75828270)]

[dreadofthegrave]

[from hurr]

Though it had been lifeless before, coming into this new hallway, there was a noticeable amount of more traffic, and that fact in itself was enough to make him even more uneasy. It was one thing that he'd woken up in a place like this, but... how? Who were these people? Why was everyone dressed in the same way...?

In a normal situation, he might call out to someone, but nobody seemed to pay him much mind, and beyond that, there was some strange sense that he shouldn't, an instinct saying that not only should he not talk to anyone, he should probably just avoid them. It was a feeling he couldn't explain, and one that came without and justifiable reason. It was ... probably just the fear. After all, there was no real reason to feel that way about anyone he'd never even spoken to. But although he questioned the origin, he did listen to that instinct, or at least for now. It probably wasn't rational, but that didn't necessarily mean it held no meaning.

[to durr]

[heroesdontshave]

[from here]

Speaking of things he was just noticing... what the hell happened to all the soldier guys? He already knew he should be looking out for monsters or Cie'th or whatever it was wandering around here, but it probably made sense to keep a look out for them, too, right? But they were all just kinda... not around. The place had been crawling with the damn guys just before. You'd think they'd be wandering around now, too. Maybe he didn't have a light, but he figured he'd hear their boots clomp-clomping down the hall.

Huh. Maybe they vanished to wherever the nurse-guards disappear to at night?

[to here]

[dualistic]

[From here.]

It was a shame that right after he'd been thinking about Jones' potential burn wound, Harvey ended up running across another person who had one; it was the kid from the grocery store in Doyleton. It was a good thing that the other blond was already in the middle of a conversation, as it meant that Harvey could move right on past him without making any eye contact or even acknowledging the other patient in the slightest.

He felt foolish, that something like that would make him uncomfortable when he'd clearly learned to live with his own disfigurement, not to mention the pain. But part of him wondered if what he'd been doing since the accident really counted as living at all.

Still, he realized he was over-thinking, getting caught up in semantics and allowing the little things to get to him when he had bigger issues to worry about. He was almost to the meeting spot.

[To here.]

[autophoenix.livejournal.com]

[ from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042567.html?thread=75848327#t75848327) ]

When she got to the mouth of the long hallway that adjoined the patient blocks, she looped left towards the other row. They really needed to install doors on the opposite side so she didn't have to walk around every time, but she supposed patients probably weren't supposed to have that kind of convenience in their attempts to work together. She headed in the general direction of the sun room, waiting until she began to turn down into the men's adjoining hallway to flick on her flashlight finally. Up until that point, it really wasn't necessary, after all this time.

The doors passed on her left hand side and she mentally counted them off. Nurse's station first, then the appropriate door for Peter's hall. The doors had already been propped open to indicate that some of the guys who were assigned there were out and about. Hopefully none of them were going to pose a problem for her, because she didn't hesitate to walk inside.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1046147.html) ]

[thatdemonbitch.livejournal.com]

[ from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?thread=75849006#t75849006) ]

The considerations continued as she hung a left into an extended hallway that she suspected led about the same way that the one parallel to it on the ladies' side did -- right outside, if she walked far enough down it. Sure, she wanted to get some idea of what was going on in the place, but that didn't mean she was ready to throw herself under the bus to get a little information. She'd rather sit tight and milk Glenn and Harvey for information tomorrow. Maybe Senna'd take the time outta her day to lay it on them.

Ruby had bigger problems to worry about than what a few military suits were thinking in terms of experimentation. Her eyes watched the wall to her left and when a doorway entered her vision, she stopped short to run her flashlight over it. Looked like it matched the one on her end, which was too soon to be patient rooms.

Curiosity drove her to step forward and try the handle, but the lock was a tougher nut to crack than she expected. Thing didn't budge a bit, and after jiggling it a bit, she dropped her hand away. When she shone her flashlight back down the hall, Blondie was gone. 'Course, it didn't matter. Ruby knew where she was going, the map was pretty damn accurate and she'd checked it out long enough to have a good image of it in her head.

So, she headed a little further down the hall and found the open door to the men's hallway, heading left into it.

[ to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?thread=75849886#t75849886) ]

[human-sponge.livejournal.com]

Even now, Peter still wasn't quite sure what Ritsuka had meant by "cat-like." He probably should have asked for clarification over the bulletin board, but there was no easy way to question something like that. He was hoping that it would become clear soon. The only reason he'd missed the other patient last night was because Ritsuka had never shown up in the first place, after all.

Though as he continued down the hall, Peter couldn't help noticing that Mello was there, speaking to the friend that he almost always seemed to be with during the nights. It was good to see that he was continuing to go out and not letting what had happened to him keep him down, but the man's face just reminded Peter of how he'd failed the night before and how he needed to be better about it in the future. Which was why this pharmacy trip was so important.

Nodding to himself, he continued moving. He was almost at the stairs now.

[itneverwas.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?thread=75851934#t75851934)]

This hall was not as devoid of patients as the previous one, but even those who lingered were small in number. Nonetheless, their presence were of no importance. Xemnas continued through the corridor, having little reason to remain here.

[itneverwas.livejournal.com]

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?thread=75857710#t75857710)]

[zack-fair.livejournal.com]

Almost there -- and it was a good thing, too, since his flashlight had just shorted out completely. "Well, that didn't take long," Zack muttered to himself, wishing he'd left the thing behind. It was just one more thing to carry, but at least this way he knew that he could ditch the thing if he really had to.

Finally, though, he spotted a pair of patients who were talking in the hallway. That was good to see. Whether he was early or late was still a mystery, but he figured that he'd find out soon enough, and so he didn't slow in his trek down the hall.

[bigdamnzero.livejournal.com]

[ from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?thread=76127390#t76127390). ]

This hall wasn't as empty as the others; as Cloud went further along, the flashlight's beam landed near a couple of other people. There was someone up ahead of them, too, but he couldn't see who it was clearly right then. At first he tensed, not knowing if they were part of the place's staff or the military or something worse, but drawing nearer, he could see that they weren't. A quiet exhale and then he was moving past them, muttering an "excuse me" as he did so.

A few steps further, though, and Cloud froze almost as though someone had inflicted Stop on him. And then kicked him in the ribs for good measure. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened, thoughts that had been ambling along at a steady gait screeching to a halt because what he was seeing in front of him was-- it was--

Impossible.

The flashlight jerked to life in his stiff hand, aiming the light directly at the face of the man approaching. Cloud knew his eyes hadn't been as sharp as usual today, knew he was having to look closer at things that he normally wouldn't have to, but there was no need to look twice right now. There was no mistaking that face, those eyes with their tell-tale glow. Black hair in spikes.

We're friends, right?"

"...Zack?" His voice was a faint croak, just above a whisper. "Zack, is that-- is that really you?"

[thatdamnedninja.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1047383.html)]

Another perk of seemingly laser-guided amnesia was that Yuffie knew exactly where she was going. The hallways were comfortingly familiar, in a wholly creepy and horrifying kind of way. She felt confident and safe—which were two entirely different things—enough as she walked that she didn't regret leaving her flashlight back in the room.

[Skipping to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043623.html?thread=75861671#t75861671)]

[doctor-voodoo.livejournal.com]

Facilier found himself in another featureless hallway filled with flashlight-driven traffic. By then it was obvious to the doctor that nightly mass-breakout had happened before. Everyone appeared prepared, moving to their destinations or meeting in various spots in the darkness. Facilier began to recall some of the notes he had observed on the message board earlier and the pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place... a very awkward and bewildering place to say the least!

He still couldn't quite believe what he was going through, but Facilier moved onwards, his posture straightening slightly with growing confidence from the absence of soldiers and spirits. His Shadow kept close behind him, keeping an anxious watch for danger while slithering out of other people's sights. Facilier knew it would be unwise to let his guard down now.

[stlg13bomber.livejournal.com]

[From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043381.html?thread=75910069#t75910069)]

"The shepherd will tend his sheep...the valley will bloom again..." Now here was a thought. The corridors were as empty of guards as they usually were, but there was a new kommandant running the place. Shouldn't they have an extra round of guards to keep the prisoners from escaping? Oh, he really hoped this didn't count as more insubordination. He never meant to insubordinate, except for all the times when he did, it just slipped out.

Chin up, stay chipper. "And Andrew will go to sleep...in his own little room again..." Carter sang quietly, forcing himself to be enthusiastic about it. Go to sleep and wake up again naturally without a single guard or nurse in sight. And it would be fine. And he'd have five puppy dogs and a new motorcycle outside the door.

[toxicspiderman]

[from here]

S.T. led with his strengths. In this case, two feet of cast steel pipe, one end wound with duct tape for blister-free action. He hadn't had a chance to try it out. Blondie had been hopped up on energy like a...fuck. Like a freaky thing he wasn't thinking about because it was freaky, not because he couldn't remember why.

There'd been something in the shit they'd sprayed this morning. Or in the air. The water. The food. Toxic emotional overload, turning his brain into jelly as protective custody. Had to be it. Overworked, underpaid, needed a vacation from the torture chamber. Instead it was an all-expenses-paid shot at an underground horrorshow.

[to here]

[corvus-veritas.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043381.html?thread=75882933#t75882933).]

Woah. The population of patients in this hallway was double the amount that had been in the previous one. The hallway itself was almost symmetrical to the the last, though there was no door on the other end, only what appeared to be yet another hallway. He moved on, avoiding the people and focusing only on what was ahead of him.

Ahh, now that he got closer to the other end, things were starting to look a little more familiar. His nurse - Aileen, was that her name? - had led him through here and into the major hallways to visit other parts of the building. It was how...how he'd...he'd--yes, it was how he'd gone from the Recreational Field to the Sun Room. That was it. He vaguely remembered following this sort of two-hallway path then, though his head had been fuzzy from the gas at the time. So now, was it left from here, or right? He paused at the fork, blinking, trying so hard to remember.

Not like he could tell which way went to where, anyway. It was difficult to make out anything in the darkness ahead of him. His best bet was to move forward and see where he could go.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?thread=75883310#t75883310).]

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

[[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1041335.html?thread=75887799#t75887799)]]

The noise of the Institute at night seemed the same thus far, and Sasuke had to wonder whether anyone of the other patients -- and in the Institute, there was no way that something like this was isolated -- had the same symptoms as he did. Symptoms of the change, or of the project announced before and after the doors had unlocked?

Conversation in these halls was low as ever, atmosphere more given to the sound of shuffling feet than voices. He would have to listen more carefully in the main halls.

[sasuke-of-sound.livejournal.com]

[[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043381.html?thread=75888821#t75888821)]]

[flou-canadian.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?view=75887006#t75887006).]

Once Matthew had shut the door behind him, he spun around and checked his surroundings with his flashlight a second time. Nobody there. Isolated by himself in a dark area that was apparently haunted by killer monsters and who-knows-what-else, Matthew was suddenly beginning to realize how vulnerable he felt. And vulnerability tended to lend with it a certain level of paranoia.

Feeling like this wasn't fun at all. He really hoped he could find another person to travel with soon.

Gulping lightly, the Canadian glanced down at his flashlight. Even though the visibility made him feel safer, it also served to make his presense incredibly obvious to whatever might be passing by. When he was by himself and this vulnerable, it would probably be much smarter if he just turned it off.

Matthew's grip on his metal pipe tightened subconsciously at the same time that he flicked the light off. Suddenly hyper aware of every sound around him, Matthew stepped towards the side of the hallway as slowly as possible, waiting for his eyes to adjust. '...Maybe I should have met with some other patients before hand. Going out like this alone was a terrible idea, especially when I feel so out of it.' However, he really couldn't just turn back now. With the soldiers suddenly appearing like this, who knew what the next few days could be like. There might not even be a second chance to escape to the outside world.

But once he escaped...what was he going to do? He'd never been to America before...right?

....Oh well, he'd have to figure out what to do when he reached that point in time. There was no reason to worry about it now.

Fully unaware of how little he remembered of the outside world, Matthew carefully walked towards the Main Hallway.

[To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?view=75910702#t75910702")!]

[saviored]

[from here]

If Damon could've moved at his usual speed, he would've, but he was stuck actually walking, and not even that fast at that since yes, he was being careful with his leg. He didn't need it healing even slower than it already was.

He cast a glance around the corner before turning it. He didn't like having a beam of light bobbing behind him like that; might as well throw up a bat signal announcing come eat us, but it was either that or have Rick grope his way through the dark, the latter of which would inevitably end up with Rick tripping into him somehow. So, you know. Limited options.

He still couldn't shake the threat of the so-called project, either—less the threat, more the mystery, really. See, immediate retaliation, he got. This roundabout cryptic business was just annoying, not to mention the whole good behavior thing, too. Why not throw them all in a cage if they didn't want trouble? He had half a sense that this was something of a rat maze exercise, though it'd be naive to think the explanation that simple.

He looked over his shoulder. "So did your roommate play nice?"

[deathandgin]

Alaric had been prepared that night with a solid thought: Damon, a month ago, was still a dick. Like a 24/7 dick. (Apparently a month really did make a difference. Go figure.) And then he had to go and surprise Alaric with the light. Not that Damon needed it, and it wasn't like Alaric would be particularly useful without it - okay, he could see the point.

"Thanks." He was a little wary about clicking the light on, but the beam flicked boldly without a hitch. He was temporarily blinded by the sudden spotlight in the hallway, but his eyes adjusted relatively quickly even if everything beyond the little circle was still pitch black. At this point he wouldn't even mind being a target or whatever. Even at his age, he hadn't been particularly thrilled with the prospect of groping around in the dark to find Elena's room... and it would have taken a lot of groping.

Somehow he wasn't surprised they'd been thrown into the same hallway.

"I guess," he said to Damon's back, trying to follow relatively closely behind. The light was strong, but it wouldn't take much for him to get lost in here. "I ate dinner with Harrison Ford." Was it just him, or did he still sound a little starstruck about it? "He introduced himself as Indiana Jones. He also looked like he'd been stuck in a time capsule for about thirty years."

Following behind Damon, he noticed something that had probably been obvious earlier in the greenhouse, too. "What's up with your leg?"

[affictitious]

[From here.]

No big surprise there were a bunch of humans lurking around, but that wasn't it - there was a telltale screech echoing down the corridor, bouncing off the walls in the dark and echoing in the archangel's ears. Bats. Seriously? What the crap were they doing indoors? It's not like there were an convenient windows or chimneys to crawl through.

It was just so... B-movie. He wasn't sticking around to get tinted Karo thrown on him unless it was in the shape of pie or smothered on a busty blonde. Or brunette. Or redhead. Hey, he wasn't picky.

[To here.]

[dual-worlds.livejournal.com]

((From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?thread=75894174#t75894174).))

He was currently approaching the usual rendezvous point for himself and McCoy. A quick sweep with his flashlight told Spock that the immediate area was safe for the time being. Of course, he still remained on alert, and focused on his surroundings.

That was why his attention was soon drawn toward a pair of figures further north. While his compromised sense of hearing made it difficult to identify their voices, he recognized their shape and build. Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk were headed this way.

For the sake of saving time on both ends, Spock turned and began to make his way toward them.

((To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043381.html?thread=75896501#t75896501).))

[bloodtrophy.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043870.html?thread=75932318#t75932318), after the bat-attack]

Dark hallway after dark hallway. Nothing changing but the number of doors before one hallway stopped and another began. It might have been relaxing, almost tranquil if it weren't for the uncomfortable prickling at the back of his neck and the twisting rope of tension in his stomach. Dexter didn't like this, the not knowing where he was and who had brought him here. How much they knew about him and what he did. If this could be resolved somehow or if it was only a matter of time before he was finished.

But worse was that he couldn't remember if he'd killed his target or not, and his Dark Passenger was hungry for blood again. He needed a kill almost as much as he needed to find out why he was here.

The beam of his flashlight caught the edge of a plaque and Dexter stopped, directing the light back up again. Nurse's Station. A medical facility? Better than a prison, even if it didn't explain everything.

Checking the area again to make sure he was still alone, Dexter bent down to examine the door, trailing his fingers over the handle. Locked, and he didn't have his picks with him. But the station could have information he needed, computers, records. An idea of how he'd been brought here.

He'd have to risk it. Standing up again, Dexter double-checked there was still no one around before bringing the flashlight down on the door handle hard.

[deadlyjuliet.livejournal.com]

[teleporting from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1045234.html?thread=75941618#t75941618)]

The feeling was so familiar and yet so foreign that Grell almost felt ill as he touched down in the hallway with the lightest click of his heeled boots. The rush of moving so quickly that no one had seen him, that no one could see him was enough to make the death god exhale in excitement. How he'd missed that feeling! How he'd missed being able to see people flow past like blurs that only he could see! The wind that had rushed through his hair, ruffling the edges of the late Madam's jacket! It was a rush incomparable to anything in the mortal world and one Grell had missed so much!

But why? Why now of all times would his power (and only one of them at that) come back? Grell wasn't the sort of lady to refuse such a pretty gift, but he had to wonder why. Was it about that Project 2911 the new man on the intercom had mentioned? But a punishment? This could hardly be called a punishment. This was liberation of the best kind! It was--

A crash of metal resounded behind him and Grell pivoted on his heels, bringing the chainsaw down from his shoulder to kill whatever was thrashing about, when he realized the culprit wasn't aiming at him.

But a door. A rather dull looking door with a name plate on it that he couldn't read from here.

More important than the door, however, was the person at the door. Said culprit was a rather handsome man trying his hand at a bit of breaking and entering. With a smirk, Grell lowered the chainsaw and let the blade tap against his leg. "Well...aren't we a little criminal?"

[notachick.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1043381.html?thread=75940277#t75940277)]

The bats were distracted and that meant Okita and Hijikata had an easier time of getting around them. Three men against a few flying rodents would be an easy victory, but the swordsman didn't particularly feel like getting drawn into something that wasn't his business. Skirting the edge of the hall, Okita gave the fighters a wide berth and pressed onward.

[to here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/1042734.html?thread=75957294#t75957294)]

[madeinthehrl]

[from here]

There was already a fight going on here, but as far as Soma could tell, it wasn't anything unusual. And she supposed thinking of undead bats as "usual" was a mark of how long she'd been here.

She thought she caught a glimpse of Morgan among the bats and was tempted to stop and help, but two men were already running to his aid. She had a mission tonight, and she couldn't let anything stop her. Reluctantly, she kept moving.

[madeinthehrl]

[to here]