Ward 15, Third Floor

[Laraqua]

The floor appears to be somewhat deserted. Handbags, coats and other refuse have been left behind. He didn't hear the panic, or whatever it was that caused everyone to move, though perhaps it occured while he had been occupied with the television screen. As he buys out the vending machine, he notices the floor has become slightly darker as less light is received through the windows. Of course, the fluorescent lights more then make up for that. Catching a glimpse through a nearby window, he sees that the black cloud has rolled inexorably closer.

The telephone at the nurse's station is ringing, as are many other telephones on this floor.

[jtull_84]

After securing the food and water in the Ward, Bernard takes a glimpse outside. If there is still time before the cloud hits, he answers the phone. "Hello, this is the third floor's nurse's station at Mercy Cross."

[Laraqua]

The cloud has completely annihilated the source of sunlight. He can see it in the distance, close enough to tell that it is some sort of dust cloud, though the dust is black. There seems to be enough time so he does go an answer the phone.

Dozens of voices scream for his help, beg for information, ask names of people, doctors, nurses, their names unknown to him. It is as though the entire switchboard has suddenly gone through this single telephone. The voices make his ears ache. They're so loud, so needy.

[jtull_84]

Bernard tries to speak, but the noise drowns out his consciousness. Reluctantly, he resigns himself to putting the phone back on its cradle. He can't help these poeple. It hurts him, but he knows he can do more if he survives the initial cloud. He goes back to Ward 15 and seals it off.

[Laraqua]

It doesn't take very long to entomb himself in the room. Now that the curtains are stripped from the windows, he has a wide view of the outside world. Many people are attempting to leave the car park. The roads beyond are clogged with vehicles, some attempting to barge their way through, some sitting and waiting. All seems hushed, though, he can't even hear the honking of horns.

[jtull_84]

Bernard sits and contemplates the cloud. It doesn't seem to be a chemical agent that he'd ever had experience with. From what he'd seen on the TV it could have been a corrosive or a blister agent, but it's vctor seemed odd. Where was it coming from? It seemed to be nigh inexhaustable. He wonders if the people is the cars would be ok.

[Laraqua]

The cloud stretched across the horizon. The sun was low enough to be obscured, but certain of the taller, nearby London buildings stood taller than the cloud. It seemed the cloud only reached up to the fifth floor, though perhaps that was merely a sign of the clouder spreading itself too thin. It's impossible to know if all of London above the fifth floor were free of it.

[jtull_84]

As the cloud approaches, Bernard thinks of Helen.

[Laraqua]

The cloud reaches the window and he can see grey particles floating, visible in the light from his own ward. Outside, he sees nothing but a random headlight of a stopped car. He can't see any movement outside, nor can he see the lights of the buildings on the other side of the car park. Voices call out in the hospital, the voices sounding strained and fearful, then the voices became screams, most terrified, some twisted beyond recognition, some almost alien. Someone pounds on the door, begging to be let in.

"Please, oh please, oh please, let me in, don't let me die out here, oh god, oh god, what was that, let me in!"

[jtull_84]

Bernard yanks the door open. "Get in here, hurry!" He tries to get the person inside as quickly as possible, the he will shut the door and barricade with his chair.

[Laraqua]

He manages to draw the person inside, slamming the door shut in the process, and still manages to keep the seal in place. A middle-aged pregnant woman blinks slowly at him, her blue eyes wide, her blue shirt stretched over a swollen tummy, her blonde hair hanging well down her back. She clutches her handbag in a fierce, white-knuckled grip.

[jtull_84]

As Bernard jams a chair under the door handle he introduces himself. "Afternoon, Ma'am. I'm Bernard Cromwell, US Army, retired. I'm not sure what's going on outside, but I'm sure its not good. Make yourself comfortable, I have some blakets left there. Tell me about yourself. What's your name, how far along are you?"

[Laraqua]

The woman goes to get one of the blankets and wraps it around herself. Her lips are blue, her skin very pale, her body trembling so hard he could hear her teeth chatter. Her eyes roved slowly around the room, finally settling on the body of his wife on the bed. She stared at the woman for awhile, then jumped a little, as though only now realising that she was in the same room as a dead person.

[jtull_84]

Bernard keeps an ear on the door and tries to kep the woman relaxed. "Dear, tell me about yourself. We're probably going to be holed up here for a bit. What did you see outside?"

[Laraqua]

The only response is her heavy breathing.

[jtull_84]

Bernard goes over to the woman, performing a standard evaluation of a casualty.

[Laraqua]

She backs away, eyeing him cautiously. She seems to be breathing all right and she certainly is alert. As far as he can see, there's no sign of injury.

She gestures at her right ear and shakes her head.

[jtull_84]

Bernard shakes his head and mutters "stupid old fool" to himself. He looks at the woman and points to his mouth. "Can you read lips?" He mouths slowly, no sense in making noise when none is needed and may indeed draw unwanted attention. He tries to remember where his pen and pad of paper are at.

[Laraqua]

She nods her head.

[jtull_84]

Bernard tries looking in the desk by his wife's bed for stationary, he uses her charts if he can't find any. It would be easier for her to communicate with him if he could find some. He mouths at her, "When in your child due? What is your name? Are you comfortable, is there anything I can do?" and various questions. He tells her his name and explains why he is here and about his wife. Once these questions are out of the way he asks about what happened outside, in the hospital.