The intercom clicked on with its usual jingle, the Head Doctor's voice carrying with a bit more authoritative ease than it had earlier.

"Good evening, patients, and I'm pleased to announce that we've finally finished organizing when our new batch of patients will be introduced, and unfortunately, it'll have to be tonight while you're all in bed. Truly sad, that, as I'm sure all of you are eager to see our new faces as soon as possible!

"In any case, the dinner that will be brought to you tonight will be herb-marinated pork roast with buttery corn-on-the-cob and fluffy mashed potatoes. Of course, we have our usual vegetarian salad available to those who request it, along with our regular assortment of drinks."

He paused and sighed. After all, it had been a long day.

"Oh, of course--Some of you may be unhappy to hear that Dr. Crane and Dr. Jiyani will no longer be serving us here at Landel's Institute. For those of you who were scheduled to have sessions with them, we'll be providing a substitute group therapy session in upcoming days. More details on that tomorrow.

"I believe that's all for now. Enjoy your dinner!"

The intercom clicked off.

[ As always, post to this entry with separate threads for each set of roommates. Thanks! ]

A man outside the chapel adjusted his tie.

His composure was serene and his hangover was long gone thanks to practical medical advances in his world that patients could only wish they'd heard of. His brown hair was neat, his suit crisp and pressed, and his blue eyes surveyed with satisfaction a line of orderlies prepared to guard his entrance. At his side, his assistant peered down at a list, flipping through several papers.

"Fair enough turnout?" He asked with a small smirk. His assistant nodded, looking up from her clipboard.

"The larger portion, sir. Your comment must have intrigued them."

"Good, good..." He said, motioning for two of the larger male nurses to go into the chapel. He pocketed a pair of glasses with one hand and checked his wristwatch with the other. It was nearly time.

"Let them speak, but don't let them move," he said to the small throng of orderlies as he made his way towards the chapel's double-doors. He shrugged with a smug smile. "After all, you know how volatile the poor fools can be."

He was about to step into the place when he turned on his heel, arching a brow at his assistant in thought.

"Oh, and... have them close the doors behind us, Lydia. Don't want anyone coming in late, now, do we?"

"Of course not, sir."

The doors opened and the man strode in, gait confident even as wary eyes peered at him with some foreboding and even more pronounced curiosity. He walked down the center aisle, rounded the podium, and as two orderlies took their places on either side of his stage, he flashed a cool smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes and he pulled the microphone towards him.

"Good morning, patients," said a voice so familiar that it rattled cages and sent chills down spines. "My name is Dr. Martin Landel, and I'm your Head Doctor."

( The Head Doctor )

[ OOC: Please refer to the posting guidelines for this particular scene that will be posted in the damned_lounge before responding. ]

The flow of pleasantly warm water from the showers cut off with a hiss, until all was left was the residual sound of droplets and the trickling of liquid down the drain.

The door to the showers opened with a thud, and in came one of the higher-ranking male nurses.

"Gentlemen," he began in a friendly tone, showing some pleasant amusement on his features as he scanned the group of unclothed patients, "showers are gonna end early today as the Head Doc ordered, so if you guys would throw on some clean clothes we have for you here and get dressed as quickly as possible... that'd be grand, thanks."

A couple more orderlies came in the room and stood at each side of the entrance to the dressing area, dry towels ready in their arms. Patients began to exit into the next room, grabbing the stuff either thankfully or begrudgingly.

"Remember to dry up as much as possible!" The leader of the nurses said in a mix of sternness and amiability, as one might do to a group of children. "We're going to be having some bad lightning, most likely, and water conducts electricity!"

The logic of his statement was a strange thing to contemplate. After all, why would the nurses need to worry about such a thing if the patients were expected to stay in their rooms?

"Don't worry." The head nurse smiled. "You're all going to be just fine."

An unbearably cheery voice broke the silence following the announcement.

"All right, girls! Sorry to stop your fun for today, but we've got to move all of you back to your rooms." The tone of empathy in her voice was grossly overplayed, though not to the point of insincerity. A few orderlies came into the room, making hand signals as well as implying some amount of intimidation with their large frames as the female nurses started getting people to move.

"There, there." The alpha nurse of the group somehow managed to coo in an overbearingly loud voice. "I know how disappointed you all are, but soon, you'll all be safe in bed, getting a good night's rest..."

Her ignorance was laughable, but her truthfulness was worrisome.