Day 67: Dinner

[damned_intercom]

"Goodness, is it really already time for dinner? Time certainly does fly! And such a lovely day, too. I certainly wouldn't mind having a nice cup of cocoa out on the patio or something..."

That was how the Head Doctor greeted them, although it apparently didn't take him long to realize he'd gotten a little off topic.

"Now then, it's time for the nurses to escort you all back to your rooms, where you'll have the opportunity to tuck into a scrumptious plate of turkey and gravy. And, of course, we always carry vegetarian options for those who don't eat meat. We also have our usual assortment of water, juice and milk.

"Also, some of you will be receiving some extra help in warding off whatever bug some of us have been catching. Please take care, everyone, and be sure to wash your hands! I'll talk to you all again later. Enjoy your dinner."

The intercom clicked off, leaving patients with the prospect of preparing for yet another grueling Nightshift.

((Respond to this post with your character's room number in the subject line. New room assignments are listed here. If you have any questions, let us know!))

Comments

[dividedby]

By the time his roommate arrived, Zero had retreated to the side of his bed momentarily, overwhelmed with concerned thoughts, angered protests, and anxious predictions. No 'medicine' here could be anything remotely helpful. It had to be something favorable for Landel. Were they going to brainwash him again? Was it sedation round two? Or was this the way Landel was spreading his disease? Perhaps because some had been cured, he was attempting to bring it back... Who knew? The effects of the injection were obviously not immediate, which made it all the more worrying.

What didn't help matters was what he'd found on his pillow when he had wandered over to the bed: a white stuffed animal cat with green Cyber-Elf wings on its back. The stuffed animal Alouette always carried around. Another reminder? Another thing to worry about? Another joke from Landel? Sick... Zero couldn't even look at it right now. The injection was bad enough, and Ciel's jacket had been enough salt to a wound. He didn't need a hint that a child he cared about might be in danger here, too.

It was all just...

Zero was so lost in thought about the whole thing that he ended up repeating the same mistake from just a few minutes ago. It wasn't until he heard a hissing sound that even noticed someone else had entered the room; then he looked up and saw Gabe at the door, his nurse taking a needle from his arm and leaving him the same way his own nurse had. What? Him, too? Tch... If Zero had noticed any earlier, he would have done something to stop it. Instead, he'd only been focused on himself. He let himself have a moment of internal self-chiding even though he was fully aware now that fighting the nurses would only lead to worse things. The injection would have happened anyway; it just would have made a bad situation worse by adding more consequences.

But he couldn't help but feel even more angry than before anyway. Even if Zero didn't particularly like Gabe, it wasn't like the man was a psychopathic killer. He didn't deserve that 'extra help' any more than himself or Leanne or most prisoners here did.

Still, Zero remained where he sat, keeping his eyes on his roommate. (Thanks to all of this stress? No longer had an appetite for dinner. No reason to move to his desk at any point.) "What do you think's gonna happen?" he asked suddenly. Concern and frustration were more obvious in face than voice, the latter more than the former - though that didn't mean much, considering how subtle his outward emotions tended to be at times anyway.

[impudentsongbird]

Zero's voice was both welcome and oddly not. Gabe looked up, holding his arm and clutching his banjo to his chest both. The posture made him look vulnerable. Young. The worry in his eyes only added to that. The keen awareness in them did the opposite--the awareness of someone who was taking this quite seriously.

"I don't know," he admitted, and despite his composure his tone was even enough. Worried and a bit uncertain, but not terrified. Just ... dreading. "Maybe it's something to make us turn too, but I don't think so. Landel seems like the kind of man who wants to surprise us. It'll probably be something different."

He bit his lip and glanced toward the door, wondering if the staff had had injections as well, and then turned to move to his bed to sit. "Have they done this before? I imagine they have. It's a good cover."

The Archangel almost sounded clinical. Almost.