Who will tell your story?

[solomonjihad]

[Sometimes after the trial, Astarte decides to burn her anger off in the kitchen. That's a good idea, right? Right?? This trial really opened her eyes. Monsters - real monsters - they could be in any form.

The voice would be enjoying the anger, if it had not been so suppressed beforehand. If the anger hadn't been real, righteous anger like Astarte feels.

At some point, the small of cooked pumpkin wafts through the air, and soon enough in the first floor lobby, there's a little paper at the merchandising booth.

CAKE AND COFFEE IN THE TEA ROOM.

Its not a crazy recipe - its just pumpkin bread. Where did Astarte get the pumpkin to make it? Who knows? In any case, at least one loaf is a little burnt on the bottom. There's also a large thermos of coffee on the table. Feel free to help yourselves.

Astarte, for her part, is sitting in the tea room, staring at the fire as she drinks her cup of coffee. Staring, and thinking. Ruminating.

There are more question than answers that have come up, after all.]

Comments

[solomonjihad]

Thank you.

[She didn't say it sucked, so its a compliment!]

I at least hoped it might help. That...

[Her fists are clenching a little.]

...that man wasn't right. At all.

[robitussin]

Yeah. He deserved what he got. Worse than what he got, actually.

[It's the first time she's felt secure in that conviction. D-ne was her friend, and Gabe... Well.]

Thanks for, um, making this.

[solomonjihad]

You're welcome.

...

Ah, how are you...holding up?

[robitussin]

Doing great. Everything's been good.

You?

[solomonjihad]

...I've been better. I...we need to stop this.

[She looks up at Natalie.]

We need to keep searching. I...I found some more stuff, but I never got the chance to really say anything before...before the bodies were found, you know?

[robitussin]

[She nods.]

I'm thinking about... Patrols on Thursday nights or Friday mornings. Me, you, Raoul and Javert. It seems to me like us four would be able to handle it best.

[A frown.]

If the pattern holds, tomorrow they're going to open up new areas. If they do, we can look them over.

[solomonjihad]

Yeah. I would be fine with doing that. We can talk to Javert and Raoul about it, too, right? since Javert had that idea about the ropes.

[She folds her legs.]

...We definitely need to talk to Javert.

[I am reaching and I fall...not her. But...him...]

[robitussin]

Yeah. If I had known he'd be thinking it was his fault...

[She wants to say she might not have suggested the buddy system, but that's not true, even if it seems like it hasn't worked this week.]

I still think the rope is going too far, though.

[solomonjihad]

Raoul suggested we lock our doors and stay in on Thursday nights and Friday mornings...

[robitussin]

I would think that's common sense by this point.

[solomonjihad]

I hope so. Its why I stayed in my room.

I do like the idea of partners, though. Maybe people stay with their partner, too?

[robitussin]

Yeah. Anna and I stayed together on Thursday night, and it obviously worked out for both of us.

[solomonjihad]

I should ask Raoul, or Javert, then.

[Someone who would be strong enough to stop the other me.]

Maybe even Winslow...

[robitussin]

When I talked to Raoul last, he mentioned he'd be okay with pairing up with you. You should go for it.

[solomonjihad]

...I will.

[They had to do something, right?]

How about you? You're with Anna, right?

[robitussin]

Yep. Nobody here I trust more, so... I'm with her.

[a small pause.]

If there's anything else you think we could be doing in the meantime to help ourselves...

[solomonjihad]

Mm. Of course. Maybe...maybe a morning roll call? Knock on people's doors or look for them in the morning.

[robitussin]

Isn't the damage usually done by the morning?

[solomonjihad]

......

True.

[Mmngh this is impossible, isn't it.]

[robitussin]

[She sighs.]

This sucks.