Brianna & Ronald

[trixie]

Brianna quizzically feels up the stalk, to the top of the plant, exploring the leaves with her hands.

"Um.....Ronald??" She's not sure if she's found anything of interest, but considering it's pitch black, she wouldn't want to get separated from him either.

She breathes into the plant, wondering what in heaven's name it is. The sweet smell of flowers is still in her nose, and she loves the feel of the gentle breeze on her face.

[O.C. Sanity failed..lost 1, now 65]

edit: forgot sanity check

[DSIGFUSS]

Ronald bends down to see what Brianna has found.

What you got there kiddo?

The welcome smell of plant is heaven to his battered psyche.

sanity check : passed (barely)

[trixie]

Brianna begins to feel along the floor in the close vicinity of the plant, to see what else is there. She crawls on her hands and knees now, not wanting to be surprised by any more stairs and such. She crawls past the plant, feeling along with both hands.

The ceramic tile is cold on her hands and she shivers again. Why didn't I grab the blanket from the storeroom? She mentally scolds herself for having forgotten it. And we had waterbottles too....darn!

[O.C. Sanity passed...holy shit best roll ever!!!! do I earn some back??? ]

[Laraqua]

Brianna's energetic search takes her minds off the darkness enough as she comes to feel more assured of herself. The darkness no longer frightens her. She finds a series of bouquets across the floor before finally reaching the walls.

[trixie]

Brianna begins to feel up the wall to see what else is there. She feels the bumps and grooves as she goes, until she can't reach and has to stand up. Then she continues to feel along the wall, walking slowly along and stretching hands up and down the wall. "Please....just get me out of here" she whispers.

Brianna tries desperately to think of the last time she was happy...a very difficult task at this point. Her family had been ripped apart, leaving her alone with a hideous experience, burnt skin, and a terrible sinking feeling that Auntie Penelope wouldn't return to visit after the initial shock wore off. Now this....this madness...this hell of a hospital with rude nurses, freezing cold temperatures and weird doctors trying to put people to sleep. She bites her lip and tries not to cry at the terrible reality surrounding them. A formidable knot forms in her throat, and she swallows hard and blinks, trying desperately to ignore it.

[DSIGFUSS]

Ronald follows Brianna and whispers

It will be Ok. We'll find a way out!

[O.C. Sanity check : Passed]

[trixie]

Brianna continues to walk along the wall, feeling with her hands up and down. She continues until she detects something interesting by feel with her hands.

[Laraqua]

She reaches a gap in the wall, curved edges lead to where the cool wind blows. Her foot treads upon a wooden plank - loose and sticking out an inch higher than the rest of the floor. Bells tingle gently. If she bends down to feel around the wood, she will find that a series of wooden planks are balanced on top of metal rods that seem much like railway lines.

[trixie]

"What the...?" Brianna's foot hits the wooden plank, and she grits her teeth when the bells jingle. "Oh no!" she whispers. What if there's someone else down here besides her and Ronald, and they just heard that???

Brianna feels around the hole, then sticks her hands inside the small opening to find out what it is. A cold air vent? Or an escape door? Ugh....I just want OUT of here!!!

"Ronald? Where are you? Do you feel that wind? It's coming from this hole...what do you think it is?"

[DSIGFUSS]

I think it's fresh air Brianna. These rails might just lead us out of here. C'mon, saty close.

Ronald feels out where the railway ties lie and then follows them, moving against the cold wind.

Careful of the bells.

sanity : passed

[Laraqua]

The tunnel is about seven feet high and five feet across. The bells make a mournful jingling sound as the boards are trodden on. Unfortunately, the boards stretch almost right across the tunnel, making it difficult to step around them.

[trixie]

"Oh my God! Ronald! Why are you going through there???"

Brianna is terrified of where this tunnel may lead. Perhaps it's the way out. Or knowing Louie....perhaps it's a trap to someplace worse. Fudge!

She steps onto the platform and holds on tight, gritting her teeth as it wiggles everytime Ronald moves. "Ohhh...." She grips the edge tightly and feels like she's going to barf again. Perhaps this time she can aim for Ronald's trousers....Brianna starts to snicker then. Thinking of the 'goosh, goosh' sounds of Ronald's sneakers temporarily cheers her up.

She makes her way slowly along the plank.

[DSIGFUSS]

[O.C. Are there planks with bells on them all down the tunnel, covering the tracks? If so, is there any space between the tunnel wall and the tracks Brianna and Ronald could walk (no bells?) ]

[trixie]

[O.C. No D, she posted there's nowhere to walk without jingling them. Besides it's pitch black. Even if there were could we really tell the difference?]

[DSIGFUSS]

[O.C.- I say we charge along the boards and hope that whoever put the bells there can't beat us to the end before we get there.]

You in for a run in the dark kiddo?

Ronald psyches himself up and gets ready for a good run.

You want me to carry you luv?

[trixie]

"Um.....ok" Brianna says with a sigh of resignation, and takes Ronald's hand. I'm so sick of this place...the dark...and the weird places in this big room...yuck!

"I can run, but if you carry me we probably won't make as much noise right?" She looks up at the black shadowed figure that she's come to know as Ronald and tries hard to squelch her mistrust. Ronald would never do anything strange like Louie did would he? He wouldn't turn out to be a bad friend......would he???

She pushes the thought from her mind, and grips Edgar's cage tightly. "Hold on Edgar. We're gonna go for a run! Doesn't that sound like fun? It might be kinda bumpy but you'll be ok. I'll keep you safe." Somehow the tiny little flutters of his wings and Edgar's gentle cooing keeps her sane.

[DSIGFUSS]

Ronald picks up Brianna and holds her tight to his chest. He walks for a few steps on the boards and tries to get a feeling for their placement. When he thinks he has it, Ronald makes a run for it, ignoring the bells, relying on speed and surprise to get him out of the tunnel.

What the hell am I doing?

As he runs Ronald finds himself humming the Ramones

"Hey!... Ho!... Let's Go! Hey!..... Ho!..... Let's Go!"

[O.C. If Ronald trips or tumbles over, he will do everything he can to shield Brianna from crashing into the railway ties.]

[Laraqua]

The two thunder along the boards. The corridor seems to stretch on forever. The wooden boards, loosely kept over the two railway tracks, shake but don't slide as they run along. Time passes. Surely a minute, at least a minute had to have passed by now.

[trixie]

"Uuuuu....yuuuu....uuuu...." Brianna can't help but see what her voice sounds like as they plunder along. The jiggling of Ronald running makes her voice go up and down comically.

Her teeth clatter together as they go, and she clutches Edgar's cage tightly. Edgars' little wings flap like mad though. He doesn't care for the clattering at all.

"Wow....it just goes on and on forever!" Brianna knows Ronald likely doesn't want to hear this...after all she's no little toddler anymore. Brianna is nine after all, and she must be getting heavy by now.

[O.C. How long do the bells jingle for as Ronald runs? Are they still jingling away?]

[DSIGFUSS]

Ronald stops for a rest and sets Brianna down.

Whew! C'mon let's keep going. This air must be coming from somewhere.

Ronald leads Brianna down the tracks hoping this tunnel has an end and soon.