Cole's Journey: Lock & Key

[Laraqua]

The mattress is on the other side of the door, but by pushing the door open, he pushes the mattress out of the way. It hits the ground with a thunk. The walls in here are covered in white chalk drawings of horses and unicorns and photo frames of a girl with a boy that seem to be in sequence of age. It starts off with them very young in a family, mere babies, then works its way up to the two alone, then shows ones where the boy and girl aren't facing each other and the boy is crying, then one where the girl is reaching for the boy but he faces away, still crying, then one where the boy is holding someone by the collar and the girl is watching and then the boy is at least a man and there's someone lying at his feet with crosses for eyes and the girl is watching, and then the boy is taking something through the window of the house and the girl is watching.

There's a postcard on the floor showing the Amusement Park's ferris wheel ride. On the back it states, "1 of 4 post cards taken on our outing. First, I went on the ferris wheel."

Perhaps there's a postcard with where she is at the moment? That would fit in with this crazy place.

The little girl whose with him leans up against the doorway. "Whoever lived here must've really needed a hug," she says softly.

[Garrett]

OOC- is the little girl in the photo Mary?
I let out a scoff at the kids remark before looking around for more postcards, maybe I should just head straight to the Ferris wheel and try to find a clue there, naw while I'm here I'll go ahead and search the building. I think to myself before continuing my sweep.

[Laraqua]

Show,the pictures are all chalk drawings so it's hard to be sure.

The handwriting looks like Mary's. If that's the case then maybe this was her cell once upon a time. Or the cell of a friend. If he heads down to the document room, he could probably find out more by linking the room to the patient.

[Garrett]

I should probably check to make sure this was all Mary's before I head to the amusement park, I'm beginning to doubt I'll find anything but more monsters if I keep searching this place. I think to myself as I head off to the document room.

[Laraqua]

The Nurse's Station is the first port of call but it states that Wendy Parker lived in Ward M6. There isn't much information in the file on Wendy herself but it does reference a number of drugs (Medicine roll to interpret), suggest a variety of symptoms using big and fancy words as short hand (Psychology roll) and it does have 'Wendy's' approximate age which would put her at about the same age as Mary. Apparently she spoke a lot about a girl in S6 and seemed to want to spend all of her spare time gazing at mirrors in the shower room on the M Ward Floor. As he reads, Cole feels a shiver through the stones of this building and the sensation of being watched slowly builds though there is no sign of anyone around.

"Can we go someplace safe now?" asks the little girl, hugging herself.

[Garrett]

Medicine, fail 72
Psychology, fail 46
"Fine you little brat we'll leave!" I yelled, mostly out of frustration. In truth I wanted to get out of here also. Besides I can't understand any of this shit, even if I found Mary's notes they probably wouldn't help, and the tapes wouldn't help me find out where she is now. Screw it I'll just head to the fair and look for another postcard. "As I began walking out of the facility with her I speak again. "Do you even know anyplace safe I can take you?" I guess I could take her to those stoners, not that she'd really be safe their if a monster showed up. Oh well, I don't have any better options. An afterthought shot through my head. I might as well stop by that pharmacy on the way back then, get the girl her pain killers.

[Laraqua]

The girl quails a bit at his sudden outburst of anger. "I-I'm sorry. I-I don't know. I just...." Tears prick at her eyes. "I just want to go home."

Cole takes the girl to the stairs and starts heading down the stairwell as he hears her breath hitching in that annoying way little kids' did before they started crying.

[Garrett]

I let out a mental groan hearing her, I knew of course that me snapping at her was uncalled for but fuck I didn't ask to be watching a kid.
"Well where is 'home'?" I ask a little softer, "Is it close, is there somebody there who can take care of you? Cause I can't watch you, I got places to be." I mutter out. I need to find out where Mary is, is she even looking for me? Is she in on this game God's playing with me?
I forgot to make note that Cole stops in the directors room on his way out, he's looking for that painting.

[Laraqua]

"I don't think anyone'll be home," mumbles the little girl as they head down the stairs to the ground floor. "I don't think they're around anymore. They said they were leaving and told me they'd be by to pick me up but they haven't come and it's been a really long time." She frowns petulantly. "I'm hungry."

[Garrett]

"There'll be food at the place I'm taking you." I say shortly as I make my way to the directors office, hoping to find the painting Mary's note mentioned.

[Laraqua]

"Are you taking me to your home?" she asks, as Cole makes his way over to the door to the Director's Office.

[Garrett]

"I don't live here, hell I haven't even checked into a hotel here." I say with a short laugh. "I'm taking you to a......friend's(?) house" He says with a small amount of uncertainty. "We're stopping somewhere first though, I need to do my 'friend' a favor before we go there." He says opening the door and looking around.

[Laraqua]

Cole puts his hand on the door handle then snatches it away briefly. It's hot. There's a slight draught and he noticeswhat looks like little tendrils of air, or smoke, being sucked through the gaps around the door. He's not sure what it means and opens the door as he considers it thoughtfully. Intuitively, however, he grasps the severity of the situationand steps back around the door frame, grabbing the girl and pulling her with him as the air enters the room and there's a sudden rush of flame and force that gouts out from the doorway, singing the hair off his face as he hides behind the doorframe. After a painfully long moment, the fire subsides to a dull crackle. The room inside is scorched to cinders but for a painting of his sister, now sixteen-years-old, clutching a film reel in her hands labeled: "My Brother."

Show,I assumed Cole would take the girl with him instinctively. Feel free to state otherwise.

[Garrett]

OOC-you assumed right.
"Good GOD! What the hell?" I say as the fire subsides, I'm hesitant to even poke my head in the door but when I do my eyes immediately go to the picture. Is that Mary? And what the hell is with the camera, she never came back and saw me, she wouldn't have photos of me. I shake my head away from these thoughts, I grab the picture(if it's not to big) and head for the pharmacy, double checking my map so that I know where I'm going.

[Laraqua]

The background in the painting looks familiar. Is that the City Hall building here? It looks like it. The painting's about as long as his forearm so it's not too hard for him to stuff it under one arm. The room is still rather warm yet the painting isn't so much as scorched. At least upon leaving the place there's no surprises, though the distant barking of dogs sets his nerves on edge. The little girl trails behind him as he sets out into the fog. The pharmacy doesn't look like it's too far away at least. They've barely made it a street when the little girl murmurs, "Ow, my leg hurts."

[Garrett]

"Suck it up." I say without sympathy or slowing my pace as I continue towards the pharmacy and, ultimately, the stoner's apartment. I know I shouldn't be so cross with her but I'm all ready going out of my way to help the kid; and I don't have much patience for her complaining.

[Laraqua]

"Are your friends nice?" she asks, drawing a deep breath and jogging to catch up with his much longer strides. She tries to take his hand, gazing up at him as though trying to find comfort in the expression on his face.

[Garrett]

Seeing the little girl running I slow down a little and allow her to take my hand while trying my best at a comforting smile. "....Yeah I guess so." I say in response to her question. "One of them's strung out and the other's sick though, so you're probably just gonna have to sit quietly and wait for things to get sorted out. But you'll be safe there" I hope.

[Laraqua]

Cole finds a large sinkhole in the middle of the road but the footpaths on other side are still intact, if a bit cracked and tilting downward - which is a bit disturbing when walking across it. The sinkhole seems almost entirely round and reminds him of a news article he saw in some third world country. Still no town would logically be riddled with them, especially not after being just fine only a few hours ago. It hits him that he's only been here for several hours. By now it doubtless feels like an eternity.

"How far do you think it goes?" she asks. "Is New York like this? London?"

[Garrett]

"I don't think so, I mean, the police I talked to said that this was earthquakes or some shit." Then again maybe this is happening everywhere, maybe it's the end of days, didn't Revelations say some shit about the dead coming back to life? Could that be what's going on?