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Kestra15

Rapture

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“Actually she is the people I au pair for dog. Nougat.” Emily spoke as she kneeled next to the dog allowing it to lick her hand and sniff her clothes. “She does sometimes get out but always return home. Where did you find her?”

 

Besides being good at babysitting and making dinner Emily was also good with animals. It came rather natural to her to bond with animals but then again if you grew up with loads of animals around you kind of learn a thing or two.

 

“On another note I wouldn’t mind if we get moving. It feels a bit too... out in the open from me and I don’t know about you guys...” Emily looked over her shoulder. “But it feels like something wrong might happen soon.”

 

((Hope you guys is okay with the name of the dog... It was all I could think of at the moment.))

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"Tied up outside of the superstore," Mak replied on Lydia's behalf, looking at the small band. More and more he wasn't sure about the evacuation theory, but a world-ending scenario was still too far-fetched to swallow at once. "And I think making a move to the hospital would be wise. While I may not have your premonition, I do think the sooner we start finding some answers the better." He swung his head to look towards the town's small local hospital. "It's not far to walk, and we're not going to quite fit in the car - but it might be worth you driving there anyway in case we need it," he said, looking back to Lydia.

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Wisperlee handed Nougat's leash to Emily, albeit somewhat reluctantly. She had taken a liking to the dog, but she figured that Emily was as close to an owner as the Labrador had now.

 

"To the hospital it is then," she agreed with Mak. "I'll be part of the group that walks." She wasn't comfortable enough yet with these people to get in a vehicle and be driven off. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to get her bearings, as there had been no time to explore Hawkingsthorne when she arrived yesternight. Before anyone could protest, she was already pulling the route to the hospital up on her phone.

Edited by Mistress of Whispers

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“Thanks.” Emily spoke as she took the leash. She could see Wisperlee was a bit down when she handed it to her but Emily didn’t worry to much. Someone would have to take care of the dog when she needs to go somewhere and Wisperlee would be a good decision. Looking at the leash Emily could tell quickly it wasn’t her’s which could mean someone must had found her and tied her up then. “My name is Emily by the way.”

 

Raising back to her feet she dug into her bag to see if she can find something for Nougat to eat. She usually had some dog treats but it seemed that the poor pooch was in no luck for something to nibble on. Hopefully she could maybe get something at the hospital’s cafeteria or something.

 

“Come on girl.” she spoke making soft clicking sounds with her tongue.

 

“So what happens if we don’t find anyone at the hospital?”

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((Sorry about not posting for a while guys, I was stuck in a place with no internet sleep.gif))

 

Ari shivered at the idea of walking to the hospital. Places like that gave her the creeps, all cold, and lonely feeling as they are. But she definitely agreed that it was the best route for them. As she was about to state that she was walking as well, she heard the new girl say her name and realized that she hadn't properly introduced herself.

 

"I vote for walking as well. Oh, and I forgot to mention my name. It's Ariella, but I prefer Ari," she said, nodding resolutely at the end of her sentence. She then noticed the question Emily had asked.

 

"If we find no one in the hospital," she mused to herself quietly, "then that means more evidence to support the end of the world hypothesis."

 

She frowned at the thought. She looked at her nails and bit her bottom lip harshly as she felt another wave of impending doom wash over her.

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It was eerie traversing the empty streets by herself. There was no traffic, no sounds of life except for the barking of a dog.

As she turned the corner, she could see a group of people standing in a close area, almost as if their subconscious's had reverted to pack mentality at the drastic change their daily lives had been interrupted by. It was strange but she knew she would be much more comfortable surrounded by others, if just for the idle chat that would fill the silence of this strange, new and empty world.

 

Linnaea arrived, hearing one of the women of the group mentioning something about the possible lack of patients in the hospital contributing to some apocalypse theory... The thought made her shiver, wrapping her jacket tighter around her chest and crossing her arms in self-comfort.

 

She could see a dog on a leash held by one of the women, a gold-furred pooch (What breed was the dog?) and wondered if that was the dog she heard as she had made her way here.

 

"Um excuse me? Do you guys know what's happening, cause half my karate class hasn't turned up and no-one is answering their phones...?" She trailed off slightly self-consciously under the gazes of the group.

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((GM's note: Hawkingsthorne Hospital is found just off the roundabout of Hospital Road and A543/Station Road. A simple lay-out of the hospital can be found on the GM's notepad, with the south end of the hospital at the top of the picture. -KM))

 

"Sensei, that is what we are trying to work out," Mak repliedwith a small bow to the latest member of the unusual band, recognising the young lady by reputation rather than by face. While not the most regular of students Mak was still a nidan himself and remained informed as to the local goings-on in martial art matters; he had heard of the red-haired instructor and had intended to requesting joining her for kyudo training, given he had had a flirtation with Western archery during his university years and was debating trying his hand at a different style. While there was every possibility the lady was more a senpai in comparative terms, she was still an independent recognised instructor and to greet her as anything less than that would have been bad form indeed.

 

"And one thing is for certain; this is not the end of the world," he continued firmly, offering Ari a small smile. "If it was, then we wouldn't be here talking. But if there's no-one at the hospital..." His voice trailed off into the silence of the near-abandoned town, and he simply shrugged. The decision to travel having been made, he sighed gently and resettled his bag, then started walking slowly down the street to their local hospital. It wouldn't take more than five minutes on foot, and he was eager to find the no-doubt sensible solution to this madness.

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Sensei? Lydia didn't know what he meant with that, or with the bow. Was she someone special? Of course she didn't know everybody in the town, even if it was small. But this was just a weird moment. Mak continued talking to the other people and started walking. Finally we are on the move. Why didn't I just go? I could have. Her toughts were distracting her, she shook her head and turned to the new girl. "I'm Lydia, you can introduce yourself while we are walking." She smiled at Ari who seemed nervous under everything and she tried to lessen her worries. "When we are at the hospital I will check on the patients. You all can go trough the main entrance and get something to drink in the cafeteria on your left hand." She started walking when she realized that her car was still running. As she saw no use to drive the five minutes she walked quickly to the car. Turned the key to shut of the engine and locked the doors. Even if there was no one to steal from her car she wouldn't risk it. "I will go trough another entrance." She said as she walked back to the group.

 

((I try to poke around with my writing style a bit. It's easier to do when writing long texts. Just don't be suprised when the text is completly different from how I normally write.))

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((I love writing experiments, Loviebeast. Go for it smile.gif.))

 

Determined (and accustomed) to find her own way, Wisperlee relied on her own wits (and mobile map) to find the hospital. As it was though, both the map and Mak must know their stuff, as her path coincided perfectly with his.

 

"Hi Emily and Ari," she acknowledged their introduction. That left only the new girl to introduce herself by name, but Wisperlee supposed they'd get to that later.

 

She looked up from her phone when she heard Lydia say "I will go trough another entrance."

 

"Do you think that's a good idea?" she asked in an almost conversational tone. "I mean, we're in a town where people mysteriously disappear. Might be wise to stick together until we know what's going on." There was no judgement in her tone. She'd prefer that no more people got lost, but if Lydia was insistent on exploring on her own and risking it, then that was the nurse's prerogative.

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((I've decided to make Ari a little more whimsical here. I'm not sure how I feel about the result. What do you guys think?))

 

"I agree with Wisperlee," Ari said quickly, "We don't know why everyone disappeared, so we should stick together so that we don't lose anyone else." As she finished her sentence, she noticed everyone had started walking toward the hospital, so she quickly started moving to catch up, her overly long blonde hair blowing behind her.

 

When she felt the wind she let her mind drift a bit. She thought of her students and how if they really were gone how she'd miss all of their smiling faces. Mainly she'd miss the pure joy they exuded once they finally learned how to do something right.

 

"I hope they're all happy wherever they are," she thought, "And mom and dad too."

 

She subconsciously started to move more gracefully as she walked, the feel of outside waking her body. The nervous feeling that she had slowly melted away as the dancer inside of her took in the feeling of moving. She still had that nagging doom feeling in the back of her mind, but she pushed it aside and focused on the wind.

 

"The wind is so gentle today," she said softly, to no one in particular as a smile formed on her face, "I've always loved windy days like this. What do you guys think?"

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((I don't mind people adapting their styles/charas, so long as it remains legible/believable biggrin.gif -KM))

 

Mak couldn't help chuckling softly at Ari's observation. "It's a good day for a walk," he agreed, almost unable to believe that he was having such a conversation with a total stranger in an empty town. "Just enough to keep cool, not going to get sunburn..." He looked over at the nurse. "But I have to agree with Wisperlee on this one. Whatever happened...if something sinister did occur, I wouldn't want to be alone in that hospital. But maybe you're just a braver person than me," he added with a slight smile, glancing back at the others to see if they were following.

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((ookay I just noticed that before my last post that there were more posts. my computer messed something up and left posts out apparently. so that probably explains the car thingy.))

 

Lydia gave a professional smile at him as she came to stand next to him. While waiting for the others to follow she anwsered. "I'm not a brave person, just someone who is used to some things." She glanced at Whisperlee to involve her in the conversation as she was the one who also had the most idea's out all of them. For some reason that qualified her in Lydia's mind as someone she could rely on. "I have had nightshifts in the hospital before and nothing is scarier as a hospital at night. If I can handle that, then I think I can handle an empty one." Just barely remembering an important point she motioned at Emily. "Emily, I don't know if it will be a smart idea to bring Nougat inside the hospital. But if you really want to, then no further than the cafeteria. Alright?" Not even knowing if the hospital would be empty or not, she didn't want to take risks either way. "Also," saying as she looked at the two she met first and Ari. "And I won't be far off, I will just take the entrance to the emergency rooms. It's next to the normal entrance, just a quick look and I will be back. You can drink some coffee." Being able to return to the place that she was used to gave her a lot more confidence. Wich in turn made Lydia take a bit more of a leading role. She had never been a really social person but as she was a nurse made it neccesary. Whenever she would take on the role of nurse she was never truly herself. But the confidence and social abilities had to come from somewhere, so she guessed she was actually more herself. "Shall we go?"

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It seemed that another person had joined in and with each moment more and more people seem to pop up. Thou they were mostly woman she felt a bit sorry for Mak being the only man in the group… so far.

 

“Ah thanks Lydia. I actually need to find something for her to eat as well and myself. I haven’t had anything to eat this morning. Been a bit too worried.” Emily stated as she thought about her family back home again. Walking along with the group she listened to all their theories and what they thought was happening but for some reason all this fear of maybe the world coming to some end didn’t hit Emily yet. She was sort of calm knowing at least there were still a few people who she could talk to but her worries were still for her family.

 

“So let’s say the worst case scenario and there is seriously no one at the hospital. And that it might be some end of the world thing. Is there a way we can find out which end of the world thing we are in? Like search the internet or something?” Emily spoke as she walked with the group.

 

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Wisperlee found herself smiling, though not participating, at Ari's light-hearted approach to the world. Never taking things too seriously herself, she could appreciate a similar attitude in others. Que sera, sera and meanwhile, the sun was shining and birds were singing.

 

She kept the same light-heartedness in response to Lydia's comment that she wasn't afraid to face an empty hospital. "Ah, but you assume it to be empty," she said with a half-shrug. "Given that we do not know what happened to the people, nor what or who caused them to disappear, that is not an assumption I would care to wager my life on." She offered no further comment though. Wisperlee was wildly individualistic and she felt everyone should make their own choices. She might not be willing to risk her life on the assumption that the hospital was empty of life, but that didn't mean the nurse should make the same considerations.

 

Wisperlee spoke again in reply to Emily. Not surprisingly, given that the girl had asked about Wisperlee's bread and butter: the internet. "If you mean, do the Four Horsemen have blogs that we can check? No. If you mean, can we narrow down where and when the disappearances began happening? Then yes. As a matter of fact, I have all the tools I need for that. I just need some time and more processing capacity. But I suspect we'll find the latter at the hospital."

 

While she had had no plan other than 'tag along' when she set out to the hospital, Emily's question had sparked an idea in Wisperlee's mind. She had all the tools she needed to do a full analysis of internet activity, it would just take forever on her laptop. But if she could gain access to the hospital's server room, she might have a shot at it.

 

((Kestra, feel free to 'nix' that by having insufficient computing power at the hospital if that's too soon.))

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Nay recognised the brown-haired man as one of the intermittent trainees in the area, a nidan kuro'obi if she recalled correctly. She didn't remember his name but had seen him at the dojo hall a few times in the past. She bowed slightly to the man, whose name was escaping her though she was sure she knew it.

She didn't recognise any of the group until the strawberry-blonde woman introduced herself as Lydia and a young woman with a blue dyed fringed clued her in to the name of the others in the group, those being Emily and Ari.

As they walked, she listened intently to the conversations around her and upon hearing Wisperlee's comment on, smiled and turned to the group.

"The Four Horseman are the Christian apocalyptic symbols right? War, Famine, Pestilence and Death. I remember them from Sunday School as a kid, they followed the rapture in Revelations. I don't believe much of it anymore but some people lived by it. By the way, I'm Linnaea. Just call me Nay though!"

She was forcing her inner cheer out, trying to stave off the insidious guilt and worry in her stomach like a tonne weight. Why hadn't Hiro answered? She frowned as a thought occurred to her and she turned her head to talk to Wisperlee and Emily, as well as lifting her voice so the others could hear as well.

"Also, I don't think it's only here. My adopted father lives in Northern Sweden and he hasn't answered any of my calls today and last night, he said he was exhausted. This couldn't be such a widespread prank, could it? Did anyone else feel that last night, the kind of.. crushing exhaustion?"

 

 

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((Short post. Sorry I couldn't think of more))

 

As the new girl in the group, Nay, mentioned that her adoptive father felt exhausted the night before, she realized something. "I felt that too," Ari said, "I was in the studio working on my new dance solo when all of a sudden I felt like I could barely stand up. I chalked it up to me just overworking myself, but maybe there's something else going on." Her anxious feeling she had came back tenfold at this realization, maybe that was their warning that something was coming, their one chance to figure it out, and she didn't.

 

Her happiness about the nature and wind now gone, Ari felt herself becoming fidgety once again. She decided to let her new theory out and see what the others thought. "I don't know about the rest of you, but maybe, if we all experienced the exhaustion or knew someone who experienced it, maybe it was a kind of warning? Like a sign that something was happening." She felt crazy once again for even thinking this sort of stuff, but at this point she was simply grasping at any note of potential explanation.

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"God does have a Facebook page," Mak pointed out, that ghost of a smile once again touching his lips as he addressed Wisperlee. "As for accessing the server room, I should be able to help with that; chances are my staff card hasn't yet been deactivated so we should be able to gain access as required." He swung his backpack around to get at his wallet, pulling it out of the small front zipped pocket and checking. His years of bit-jobs meant he'd accrued a collection of ID cards, and he had always kept them to hand - just in case. It was rather naughty of him he knew, but like all students he had tried to find as many money-saving gimmicks as possible and the range of discounts available to staff from different companies had cut his costs through university life. It had never been the intentional reason for drifting from job to job, simply an unexpected consequence.

 

Pulling out the NHS identity card Mak slipped it into the pocket of his trousers and put the wallet back in his bag. "I was tired last night as well, but that wasn't entirely unusual," he added. "I'd...had a bit of wine after all, and if I had been more tired than usual I would have put it down simply to that."

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"Perfect," Wisperlee grinned in response to Mak. "So you and I will check the server room. Emily, Nougat, Nay and Ari will raid the cafeteria. And Lydia will on check the patients." She still didn't think the latter was a good idea, given that they had no idea if the force behind the disappearances was still around, but figured that it was the nurse's choice. "Everyone okay with that?"

 

"As for being tired last night," she shrugged. "I guess I was, but I did just arrive after a long trip." And a hasty flight after people had taken offence to some of her illegal activities. But she thought it might be best not to mention that now.

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"It's starting to feel a bit Hanna-Barbara," Mak said, unable to contain the absurd image in his mind as they came within site of the small local hospital.

 

From above it was roughly square-shaped and single-story, originally meant to be nothing more than a local health centre but expanded in scope during construction as Hawkingsthorne developed into the local population centre - but even then it was never meant for much. Only a handful of multi-specialty wards allowed for long-term stay, and instead the majority was still outpatient clinics and a serviceable Emergency Care section, with a five-bed ICU for those too critical to be transferred to a larger complex. It also served as a convenient teaching environment for those students who lived too far out from Cambridge to attend the other hospitals on placement, and Anglia Ruskin students were a common sight around the hospital.

 

Reaching the roundabout Mak led the small group to the car park just branching off the main road, having ended up at the head of the group with Wisperlee simply by accident. The road led down a small incline, the hospital just a couple of metres lower than the road, and he paused to survey the scene. He had hoped to find a heaving car park with a queue of ambulances outside the small A&E entrance, a bus unloading a fresh set of walk-in patients for their regular diabetes, cardiology or respiratory check-ups, while a new mother and father strolled out with their latest family member wrapped up in a buggy.

 

Instead the building was as still as the Morrisons. A smattering of cars filled one side of the staff car-park, and a locked ambulance sat outside the doors to A&E as if a crew had parked up on break. This time the automated doors were still shut, but glass doors showed that both the main entrance and A&E were fully-lit. They were downwind of the building, and the soft breeze carried with them the normal hum of air conditioning, extractor fans and the cooling mechanism for the compressed gas stores running, but little else. Not so much as a child's shout or the murmur of adults in conversation.

 

"Roiks Scoob," Mak muttered under his breath, slowly making his way forward once more.

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René woke up sore and achy, almost as though he had been trampled by a herd of cows. That was an exaggeration, of course. The man had just slept at his desk without proper support for his spine, thus resulting in a certain, numb-ish pain. Obviously, the extra-strong coffee that was supposed to aid him in his quest to finish this paper was useless.

 

Oh well.

 

He yawned, and attempted to resumed writing, but any button-smashing and mouse-moving was futile. That was odd. Did his computer break? René sighed. At least he knew how to save himself from a buttload of trouble. Google Docs was a wonderful application in that as long as he had internet connection, he could easily access his files wherever he went. However, when his laptop turned on, René realized that the apartment's Wi-Fi network was offline. How odd. Maybe the landlady, who was a very sweet woman, forgot to turn on the service this morning? The man would've called her right now if it weren't for the fact that his cell phone was nowhere to be seen.

 

Guess he had just left it at the lab again.

 

The quietness of the outside world spoke of yet more mysteries and curiosity. The couple adjacent to him was awfully peaceful, and the fat man who routinely walked his loud and aggressive dog was nowhere in sight. It was at this point that René decided it was best if he went to actually ask someone what was wrong, but even in the streets traffic lights blinked at no one in particular. Just emptiness strewn about. René scratched his head and walked around his block, wondering if this was some April Fool's joke.

 

((I'm unsure what to post, and I wanted to wait for someone, but it's been a week and I figured I should post D8

edit; I edited bc I'm a derp orz ty Whispers ; w ; I'll wait for someone else to post before shoving my charrie at yours))

Edited by Utsuhi

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((Utsuhi, I like your post. Previous posts have already established that the information infrastructure is fine though. So we have wifi, internet and cell phone reception; there's just no one there to make calls or new content.

 

Does Rene live near the hospital? The characters have just arrived there, so if Rene lives nearby my character might see him wandering about. If you want to join the group at this point.))

Edited by Mistress of Whispers

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Lydia and the group had arrived at the hospital and it was strangely quiet. Not that strangely if you take the situation of the small town into account. It was unpleasant to say the least and Lydia was really having her doubts about going alone. It wasn't as she tought it was. She was used to an hospital at night, this was different and it unsettled her. A hospital at night always had some people and this was completly empty. She hoped that inside there would be people but she highly doubted that. She could here the sounds of machinery but no humans. Now facing the empty hospital she didn't want to go alone. This wasn't the place that she had been so comfortable with, this wasn't the place that she knew. Her only option now was to convince someone to go with her.

 

To no one in particular she started talking. "Uuhm... It's really quiet, isn't it?" Mentally she faceslapped herself. Of course it's quiet, you idiot. She remembered something that could be helpfull and put it in her little plot to convince someone. "I just remembered something. In a hospital almost everything works on schedules. If some tasks aren't done than we know what time everyone left... dissapeared. If the plan of Whisperlee doesn't work out then maybe this is a solution? For the time at least." Lydia felt like she was missing a few steps in that one person conversation she said out loud. "But... Uhm... Maybe you are right and I shouldn't go alone. Can... someone go with me?" She was hestitating a lot, it should have been simple to admit that little mistake of insight. But to her suprise it was not, guess she did have some pride.

 

((Sorry for not anwsering for so long.))

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The group reached the threshold of the hospital, and obligingly the doors slide open to the main concourse. Mak always thought the doors were quiet, slipping open with barely a whisper, but in this empty world the sound seemed to fill their air as they groaned and reluctantly admitted the small band of strangers. Nougat seemed less than impressed and whined as they stood at the brink of the hospital, sitting down and looking up at the others as if imploring them not to continue inside. Mak took a deep breath, trying to contain his own anxiety; although not as strong as in the Morrisons he still couldn't shake the feeling that the place was...haunted. Fingering the ID card in his pocket, he looked to Lydia.

 

"I'll be with Wisperlee," he said almost apologetically, then looked to the others. "Whether some or all of you go, shall we say be back here in...twenty minutes?" He nodded to the Costa Coffee and small hospital shop; unlike Morrisons the hospital was brightly lit and appeared fully functional. If nothing else they'd be able to get a fresh hot drink. "Or at least one of us from each group come back to let the others know if we're still busy. I would recommend we don't poke too deeply around," he added.

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"Nay, how about you go with Lydia?" Wisperlee suggested. Since the nurse would be venturing out pretty far into the hospital, she'd probably be best off with the 'sensei'. At least, she hoped Mak's greeting of Nay was a testament to her martial prowess and not a joke of sorts.

 

"Emily, Nougat and Ari can check the cafeteria, and Mak and I will go to the server room. Back here in half an hour?" She wasn't sure if she'd be done by then, but she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. If nothing else, half an hour might be sufficient time to see if anything still lurked in the seemingly abandoned hospital, and if it was safe her her to remain in the server room alone.

 

Wisperlee swallowed once, took a deep breath and stepped through the hospital's doors inside. She was the first to do so and for a moment, she felt completely alone and cut off from the group even though there were right there. Keeping her breathing steady, she took another tentative step forward. She felt ill at ease, but nothing came forward to devour her. So far, so good.

 

"Which way to the server room?" she called to Mak behind her.

 

((Kestra, is Mak's fear inherent to his nature, or to the aura the hospital emanates? That way I'll know how Wisperlee is affected.))

Edited by Mistress of Whispers

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Ari was becoming more and more fidgety and nervous as they entered the hospital. As the doors opened she heard Nougat's whines and completely agreed with him. "I don't want to go in either," she whispers, looking down at him. She walked inside and immediately shivered. The place felt eerily cold to her as she looked towards the empty halls. When Wisperlee said that she, Emily, and Nougat should check the cafeteria, she felt even worse. Not that Emily and Nougat weren't good company, but Ari just hated hospitals. She nodded anyway though, not wanting to cause trouble with the only people left in the city.

 

She looked toward the hallway in front of her ((to the left of the group)) and thought about which way was the quickest to the cafeteria. Because at least if she was there, the place wouldn't feel so suffocating. "Um, I think the cafeteria is this way. Wanna go see?" she asked, looking at Emily. She hopped from foot to foot lightly as she waited for the girl's response, hugging herself to kind of shield herself from the cold. 'Maybe the others feel cold too?' she thought. "Just another question, do any of you guys feel really cold all of a sudden?" Ari asked. "Maybe it's just me," she says more thoughtfully. 'Or maybe you're just feeling things because of what happened before?' she thought again. Either way, she knew that there was no way she would be comfortable here, but she was going to grin and bear it for the sake of the group.

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