[log] the monster bait squad [closed]

[devoutish]

Characters: Alfie Solomons, Claire Temple, Emily Kaldwin, Peter, Royce Melborn, Tifa Lockhart
Location building 162
Date: evening of 179 to morning of 181
Summary: LET'S SEE IF ANYONE DIES
Warnings: n/a; will edit if anything comes up

A hotel--the Norfinbury Inn. By hotel standards, it's not especially large, but it's the largest building in the downtown area. The lobby is mostly empty and seems a bit old-fashioned in design, with what appear to be wooden floors and fairly plain walls. There are a few cozy areas where people can sit, and a fireplace in the center that, while it has no wood, is in perfect working order. The front desk has nothing of note except for all the keycards to the various rooms of the hotel. It looks like there are a total of twenty rooms. There is no elevator--looks like you'll have to use the stairs the old-fashioned way.

There is a small dining room area, although there are no tables or chairs to be found. The room echoes uncomfortably due to its emptiness. It connects to a small industrial kitchen, although there is no longer any food or appliances to be found. It seems like the ovens and stoves were cut out of their places. The sinks still work, at least. There is also a door that unlocks with a management keycard that can be found in the lobby that leads downstairs.

The basement is very simple. It's colder down here than in the rest of the building, and utilitarian in style. There's a small break room, a laundry room that no longer has any of its machinery but does have large rolling baskets for moving clothes in bulk (that refuse to leave the hotel, unfortunately) and some cleaning carts devoid of cleaning supplies (that are just as stubborn as the clothes baskets). There's a small room with space for what must have once been a furnace--and an actual very old-fashioned incinerator. It's not on, of course, but if a fire were started manually, it would still function. There's nothing inside it.

The first floor of the hotel contains rooms 101 to 110. There are five single rooms and five double rooms. All of the plumbing works, though the water runs cold. The second floor, containing rooms 201 to 210, is identical to the first floor, except for one door that has no key. It's unlocked--going inside reveals an empty room covered in pictures of an eye, drawn in black paint. All of the eyes have been scribbled out with black pen.

Comments

[devoutish]

The others are safe.

[His voice sounds as weary as his body looks.]

If you're upset, you're safe, for now.

[He keeps moving to the bed, genuinely unsure how much longer he'll be able to stand.]

[nursetemple]

I was upset all night, but I knew it wasn't safe to be around you.

[She looks up at him as he determinedly walks closer, and closer. If she doesn't move, right now, she's still far away from him, she can still run away.]

I just - there was so many voices, in my head. [Taking a deep, slow breath, she tries to calm herself down. She prides herself in being a composed person, mentally stable, able to make decisions in a rational manner.]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I ran as far as I could, because I - a part of me wanted to hurt you. I couldn't let it happen.

[devoutish]

[He collapses on the bed heavily, onto his stomach, and doesn't move.]

Did you hear?

[It's a big place - it's possible that she didn't. But if she'd been close enough, she might have overheard the arguing with Emily and Tifa. The bargaining, the pleading, the yelling, and then the screaming. His screaming, as Emily had stabbed him over and over until blood and worse had spilled onto the floor.]

[nursetemple]

[Carefully, she rolls over to her knees, looking at him with her hands on the mattress.]

Hear what?

[When she ran away, she ran away from the hotel, left it entirely, and spent most of her night running from place to place whenever she heard any kind of noise. As the night went on, it got harder and harder, and she ended up rocking in a corner of some house somewhere, before waking up back in the hotel.

She starts to reach out to touch his hair, then stops herself, swallowing hard.]

Are you okay?

[devoutish]

[Well, there's his answer. He shakes his head.]

Heard nothing. Doesn't matter now.

[nursetemple]

[Then she won't ask.]

Okay. You look in pain.

[devoutish]

They got me, in the end. Wasn't pleasant.

[That's an understatement.]

[nursetemple]

Alfie...

[She doesn't think when she climbs on the bed and curls up next to him.]

[devoutish]

That's Norfinbury.

[It only gets worse from here. He lifts his arm, dropping it around her.]

[nursetemple]

[She shifts even closer, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.]

I don't want to hurt anyone. I can't understand - why they're making us do this.

[devoutish]

[He doesn't have an answer for her. He just exhales, long and heavy.]

[nursetemple]

At least everybody is alive. At least it wasn't permanent. At least you're okay. Is everybody else okay? Emily? John?

[Talking right now is helping her stay calm. Stay calm.]

[devoutish]

John's all right.

[nursetemple]

Does that mean Emily isn't? Or someone else?

[devoutish]

[He amends:]

Well - none of us are really all right, are we.

Emily's the one who got me.

[nursetemple]

[A shudder runs through her, and she pulls away enough to look at his face, her hand gently brushing the side of his face.]

I'm sorry, Alfie. Have you spoken to her?

[She's probably in a state.]

[devoutish]

I haven't found her yet. I need to rest a bit first - I don't want her to see me looking like death warmed over.

[nursetemple]

Okay. [She keeps her gentle touches, feeling much calmer now that she feels like she can take care of someone, even just a little.]

You can sleep here if you want. I can stay, or I can go.

[devoutish]

I don't know if I can sleep.

[nursetemple]

All right. Just rest your eyes. I'll keep an eye out.

[She leans in and kisses his forehead gently. The storm inside her head has subdued, leaving her feeling more in control than she has in hours. She managed not to hurt anyone. She was strong enough. She can do this.]

[devoutish]

[He brushes the back of his hand against her cheek in silent thanks, and closes his eyes. But he doesn't rest, and he doesn't relax. It's not long before his eyes pop open again, and he just lies there staring across the room.]

[nursetemple]

[As promised, she stays up and alert, and notices right away when he opens his eyes, looking lost in thought. She swallows hard, then asks, in a whisper:]

Do you want to talk about it?

[devoutish]

I don't think it would do any good.

[nursetemple]

Anything I can do?

[devoutish]

I wish there was.

[He closes his eyes again, but only for a moment.]

I'd like to forget this place. Everything about it.