Ray left Isabel's room about an hour after he had nodded off when he had finished talking to her. He had left with an awkward "Sorry" and headed back to his own room. She needed her own rest, and he had been sure she didn't want to spend the night with his big-ass head on her leg.
The room was bare, like they all were. Devoid of anything that might have made it homely. There was a TV but Ray hadn't touched it. He couldn't for the life of him think of anything he wanted to watch. He settled for throwing himself up on the bed with a bounce, not even bothering to remove those shitty hospital slippers they had given him.
For whatever reason he didn't feel like he could get back to sleep. He knew he was hungry, but right now he didn't feel like his body would have been particularly accepting of a meal. So instead of doing anything, he just stared at his shoes, frowning, wondering why it was sleep wasn't forthcoming.
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Hospital-Ray and Felicia
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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"Objection!"
Yeah, if only she had her DS on her. Then maybe she wouldn't be so bored and lonely right now.
Being bored and lonely at a time like this was very bad, because it left Felicia's mind to think. Right now, the only thoughts her brain were capable of wandering with were negative. They were sad, frightening, gruesome, and unsettling... in short, they captured the very essence of the island. If she didn't force herself to think about hot Phoenix-on-Edgeworth action or something like that, then it all turned out the same: Samaya, dead beside her, Sebastian, dead on top of her, Kayla being murdered in front of her very eyes, Aislyn's horrible, floating body, the explosion of a firearm in her hands and Tiffany falling to the floor, and worst of all, Rosa dying in her arms.
Stop it... I don't want this. I don't want to remember this. I don't, I don't!
All of it was wishful thinking. Felicia knew just like any other pessimist would point out that she would never forget the island. Such a horrific perversion of humanity would remain in her mind for the rest of her life unless she somehow managed to magically repress it. Felicia wondered if she might end up like those Vietnam veterans who have PTSD or stuff like that. She was too afraid to turn on the television and use that to take her mind off of things for this reason. All it took was the wrong channel to come up, a gun firing or a character dying on screen, and it might trigger the vivid memories all over again. Felicia just wanted to forget about it all, even if she never could.
She removed herself from bed and began walking before she even know where she was going. She just needed to... go. Her legs had to move, the scenery needed to change. Felicia slipped past her door, not giving a care about the fact she was wearing nothing but one of those starched hospital gowns and a pair of slippers (the floor was probably freezing as hell without them). The halls were dimly lit, vaguely reminding her of Silent Hill 2. Not like that game would ever be scary to her anymore, not when she'd experienced things that were about as fucked up.
Felicia didn't have to walk very far before she came across a door that wasn't quite like the others. This one was propped open, letting the gentle glow of a lamp illuminate the inside edge. She peered inside the room with every intention of just walking by until she saw that it belonged to none other than...
"Ray?"
Yeah, if only she had her DS on her. Then maybe she wouldn't be so bored and lonely right now.
Being bored and lonely at a time like this was very bad, because it left Felicia's mind to think. Right now, the only thoughts her brain were capable of wandering with were negative. They were sad, frightening, gruesome, and unsettling... in short, they captured the very essence of the island. If she didn't force herself to think about hot Phoenix-on-Edgeworth action or something like that, then it all turned out the same: Samaya, dead beside her, Sebastian, dead on top of her, Kayla being murdered in front of her very eyes, Aislyn's horrible, floating body, the explosion of a firearm in her hands and Tiffany falling to the floor, and worst of all, Rosa dying in her arms.
Stop it... I don't want this. I don't want to remember this. I don't, I don't!
All of it was wishful thinking. Felicia knew just like any other pessimist would point out that she would never forget the island. Such a horrific perversion of humanity would remain in her mind for the rest of her life unless she somehow managed to magically repress it. Felicia wondered if she might end up like those Vietnam veterans who have PTSD or stuff like that. She was too afraid to turn on the television and use that to take her mind off of things for this reason. All it took was the wrong channel to come up, a gun firing or a character dying on screen, and it might trigger the vivid memories all over again. Felicia just wanted to forget about it all, even if she never could.
She removed herself from bed and began walking before she even know where she was going. She just needed to... go. Her legs had to move, the scenery needed to change. Felicia slipped past her door, not giving a care about the fact she was wearing nothing but one of those starched hospital gowns and a pair of slippers (the floor was probably freezing as hell without them). The halls were dimly lit, vaguely reminding her of Silent Hill 2. Not like that game would ever be scary to her anymore, not when she'd experienced things that were about as fucked up.
Felicia didn't have to walk very far before she came across a door that wasn't quite like the others. This one was propped open, letting the gentle glow of a lamp illuminate the inside edge. She peered inside the room with every intention of just walking by until she saw that it belonged to none other than...
"Ray?"
Ray didn't have to keep trying to sleep. Maybe it was a good thing, maybe it wasn't, but he heard a familiar voice trickle in from outside the hallway. He looked up toward the door, unable to see but already knowing who it was.
"Felicia. Come in, girl."
He hadn't seen her much since they'd gotten back. Half because he'd been keeping an eye on Isabel, half for whatever reason she had of her own. But she was welcome. She had shared a moment with him, and he was grateful.
Let the mourners have their reception, he figured.
"Felicia. Come in, girl."
He hadn't seen her much since they'd gotten back. Half because he'd been keeping an eye on Isabel, half for whatever reason she had of her own. But she was welcome. She had shared a moment with him, and he was grateful.
Let the mourners have their reception, he figured.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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Felicia couldn't help but smile, no matter how terrible the feeling in her heart was. When all was said and done, this still seemed like Ray. Good old Ray hadn't been changed by... no, that was a silly thing to think. Ray had been changed. They had all been changed. The question was, to what extent? Felicia looked to the boy who called her in the room. Maybe he was no longer the same person he once was, but... yes. That was still Ray. Good old Ray.
She stepped inside the room, the creak of her slippers audible above the humming of the hospital's medical equipment, which was the only other noise she was cued in on. Why was it so quiet in here? Could Ray not watch TV either, much like her? It made Felicia aware of the pain that he was also feeling with... with Annaliese. She wondered if those two were dating or just really, really good friends. No matter what it was, they had both lost something together, and they had suffered together. It made her feel some sort of connection that, while sad, put her at more ease than any silly therapy group session could.
"Hey there..." Felicia said, smiling again. It didn't come as natural to her this time, but it was there. "What are you doing? ... Dumb question, I know."
She stepped inside the room, the creak of her slippers audible above the humming of the hospital's medical equipment, which was the only other noise she was cued in on. Why was it so quiet in here? Could Ray not watch TV either, much like her? It made Felicia aware of the pain that he was also feeling with... with Annaliese. She wondered if those two were dating or just really, really good friends. No matter what it was, they had both lost something together, and they had suffered together. It made her feel some sort of connection that, while sad, put her at more ease than any silly therapy group session could.
"Hey there..." Felicia said, smiling again. It didn't come as natural to her this time, but it was there. "What are you doing? ... Dumb question, I know."
Ray looked around the room, at the silent TV and the bare walls. What WAS he doing? That was a good question.
He started with the obvious, the surface.
"Trying to go to sleep, you know. Just talked to Isabel-she woke up-. Think I passed out in her room a few minutes." It was an hour, but a few minutes sounded better. She didn't need to know he was so tired he went out like a light for an hour sitting draped over a railing.
Ray patted the bed, beckoning her to come sit down.
"Don't be a stranger." He stretched his arms out, rest then behind his head. "How...How are you holding up?"
He started with the obvious, the surface.
"Trying to go to sleep, you know. Just talked to Isabel-she woke up-. Think I passed out in her room a few minutes." It was an hour, but a few minutes sounded better. She didn't need to know he was so tired he went out like a light for an hour sitting draped over a railing.
Ray patted the bed, beckoning her to come sit down.
"Don't be a stranger." He stretched his arms out, rest then behind his head. "How...How are you holding up?"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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"I'm holding up pretty well."
Nice lie, bitch. Hope you rolled high on your bluff check. Somehow, she felt like she rolled a natural 3.
"But how about Isabel? Is she okay?"
Felicia asked this as she reflexively accepted Ray's invitation and sat down on the bed beside him. Her knees seemed to grow so fascinating to her that she could do nothing more than stare at them. Strange... he held a similar pose before she got his attention. At any rate, she questioned why she had asked about Isabel. The two of them were never particularly close. Felicia was a very visceral person and Isabel... she had that thing about touching, didn't she? Yeah, Brook found out about that the hard way one time in history class when he tapped her on the shoulder.
Good times.
"And... how about you?"
Nice lie, bitch. Hope you rolled high on your bluff check. Somehow, she felt like she rolled a natural 3.
"But how about Isabel? Is she okay?"
Felicia asked this as she reflexively accepted Ray's invitation and sat down on the bed beside him. Her knees seemed to grow so fascinating to her that she could do nothing more than stare at them. Strange... he held a similar pose before she got his attention. At any rate, she questioned why she had asked about Isabel. The two of them were never particularly close. Felicia was a very visceral person and Isabel... she had that thing about touching, didn't she? Yeah, Brook found out about that the hard way one time in history class when he tapped her on the shoulder.
Good times.
"And... how about you?"
Ray nodded, looking out the door as Felicia left as if he could see Isabel from there and confirm.
"She's fine. Uh. Think I managed to talk her out of doing something she was gonna regret later."
Felicia asked him a question that dug underneath the surface. The question was innocuous, but it was still a spade that bit into the soil a little hard.
Soil. Uncomfortable, considering what they'd...
"I'm..." He almost followed the script, but decided against it. They'd gotten past social pleasantries. "Just. Fucking thinking about it."
And on the heels of that. "I'm tired, you know?"
"She's fine. Uh. Think I managed to talk her out of doing something she was gonna regret later."
Felicia asked him a question that dug underneath the surface. The question was innocuous, but it was still a spade that bit into the soil a little hard.
Soil. Uncomfortable, considering what they'd...
"I'm..." He almost followed the script, but decided against it. They'd gotten past social pleasantries. "Just. Fucking thinking about it."
And on the heels of that. "I'm tired, you know?"
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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Felicia turned her head away from Ray, and her left hand found comfort in rubbing her right arm which now supported much of her upper body. He had been honest about how he felt. Each of them knew... they just HAD to know... that the other one was thinking about everything that had happened. He fessed up to it, but she just gave the same slack-jawed response that any other person would give as though they were walking to a class. 'I'm okay.' 'Good, how about you?' 'Nothing much going on here.' It was bullshit, all of it. Her entire night was just a huge, steaming pile of -
"I was thinking about it too." Felicia practically blurted out. "I can't stop thinking about it. I want to forget-"
No, she was going to stop right there.
"If you're too tired, I could... I could... um..." Felicia was unsure if Ray wanted her to just leave so he could take another shot at getting sleep. Maybe it was just her own securities, but that's how it sounded. But if she left, she wasn't sure either one of them were going to get any sleep at all.
"I was thinking about it too." Felicia practically blurted out. "I can't stop thinking about it. I want to forget-"
No, she was going to stop right there.
"If you're too tired, I could... I could... um..." Felicia was unsure if Ray wanted her to just leave so he could take another shot at getting sleep. Maybe it was just her own securities, but that's how it sounded. But if she left, she wasn't sure either one of them were going to get any sleep at all.
Ray's nearest hand went out to Felicia's shoulder, grabbed it, squeezed. "We shouldn't forget. I don't think that I can."
A cold truth. He'd lost brothers, a sister on the island. He blamed himself, that much was certain. Maybe he even deserved the blame.
"Not sleepy. Just tired."
He was exhausted, but he needed to move. Something was holding back sleep, and he had to figure out what it was.
Suddenly, he swung his legs over the opposite side of the bed and pushed himself to his feet.
"You wanna go down to the cafe?" He asked, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. "I hear they got some soup can get grease spots off a driveway. Maybe letting it eat my stomach'll be good for me."
A cold truth. He'd lost brothers, a sister on the island. He blamed himself, that much was certain. Maybe he even deserved the blame.
"Not sleepy. Just tired."
He was exhausted, but he needed to move. Something was holding back sleep, and he had to figure out what it was.
Suddenly, he swung his legs over the opposite side of the bed and pushed himself to his feet.
"You wanna go down to the cafe?" He asked, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. "I hear they got some soup can get grease spots off a driveway. Maybe letting it eat my stomach'll be good for me."
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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Felicia snapped her chin up to look at Ray when the bed shifted, shaking her loose from the grip of morosity that the topic of discussion had obtained. It was certainly a... a random thing to want to go to the cafeteria at this time of night when things were settling down, but she had heard from somebody that it was open 24/7. Anything, even battery acid in the stomach, would be good if it kept her moving and her mind free.
"Heheh... uh, sounds like fun?" Felicia said in a manner that was about as sure as Chef Boyardee was classy. Actually, some Chef Boyardee sounded pretty kickass right about now. Her stomach rumbled in time with the thought. What she had sampled at the hospital thus far was pretty much nothing more special than Bayview (so, terrible), but it beat the bread and crackers from...
There she went, talking about it again.
"Yeah, let's go!" This time, it had more of the confidence she recognized as hers. The spot on her shoulder where Ray had grabbed her still glowed with his assurance. or so it felt. If there was somebody out there she could still talk to, she could regain her strength. How lucky for her that there was somebody like that standing right next to her. And so, Felicia took initiatve by leaving the room first.
"I'm freaking starving! ... ... Uh... which way is the cafe, again?"
"Heheh... uh, sounds like fun?" Felicia said in a manner that was about as sure as Chef Boyardee was classy. Actually, some Chef Boyardee sounded pretty kickass right about now. Her stomach rumbled in time with the thought. What she had sampled at the hospital thus far was pretty much nothing more special than Bayview (so, terrible), but it beat the bread and crackers from...
There she went, talking about it again.
"Yeah, let's go!" This time, it had more of the confidence she recognized as hers. The spot on her shoulder where Ray had grabbed her still glowed with his assurance. or so it felt. If there was somebody out there she could still talk to, she could regain her strength. How lucky for her that there was somebody like that standing right next to her. And so, Felicia took initiatve by leaving the room first.
"I'm freaking starving! ... ... Uh... which way is the cafe, again?"
He was glad she was looking happier. She had come in not exactly shining.
"Down the hall on the right, over by the elevators. Kinda in the center."
He had been in the cafe a grand total of one time since arriving here, and Ray had almost hoped it would have been his last. He had some stew (he thought it was stew) with these uniform cubes of sponge, pinkish meat floating around in it like little life preservers. Damn thing had made his stomach upset all day. He had stuck to vending machine lunches after that.
Maybe they'd have something edible this time.
Ray pulled the door open, took a semi-grand, sweeping bow.
"After you."
"Down the hall on the right, over by the elevators. Kinda in the center."
He had been in the cafe a grand total of one time since arriving here, and Ray had almost hoped it would have been his last. He had some stew (he thought it was stew) with these uniform cubes of sponge, pinkish meat floating around in it like little life preservers. Damn thing had made his stomach upset all day. He had stuck to vending machine lunches after that.
Maybe they'd have something edible this time.
Ray pulled the door open, took a semi-grand, sweeping bow.
"After you."
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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"Oh, you're too kind, my good man!" Felicia said in the most posh voice she could summon (straight from the depths of hell). She even managed some sort of imitation curtsy using the stupid hospital gown. Maybe she wasn't the most ladylike of girls, but it was nice to be treated like one every so often, even in a playful manner such as that.
Felicia walked into the cafeteria first, almost likening it to taking point in some situation. In Bayview, that would've been some sort of Metal Gear Solid or Tom Clancy joke. Now it was an echoing reminder of the past that she was trying desperately to shake. At this point, it felt like the only thing that might make her forget all of it entirely would be eating all the hospital food to put herself in some sort of malnutrition coma.
Or at least a bad taste coma. The food here was probably healthy to some extent... that's why it sucked so hard.
Rather than go right for the food, Felicia sat at one of the empty tables in the cafeteria. Granted, this late at night they were all empty, but that was good... she needed a place to talk, but also a place that felt more lively than a room where people died inside it all the time.
Flashes of the infirmary covered her mind, and she cringed for more than a noticeable amount of time.
"T-Talk about something... quick."
Felicia walked into the cafeteria first, almost likening it to taking point in some situation. In Bayview, that would've been some sort of Metal Gear Solid or Tom Clancy joke. Now it was an echoing reminder of the past that she was trying desperately to shake. At this point, it felt like the only thing that might make her forget all of it entirely would be eating all the hospital food to put herself in some sort of malnutrition coma.
Or at least a bad taste coma. The food here was probably healthy to some extent... that's why it sucked so hard.
Rather than go right for the food, Felicia sat at one of the empty tables in the cafeteria. Granted, this late at night they were all empty, but that was good... she needed a place to talk, but also a place that felt more lively than a room where people died inside it all the time.
Flashes of the infirmary covered her mind, and she cringed for more than a noticeable amount of time.
"T-Talk about something... quick."
Ray followed Felicia to the table, sitting down with her. He had to think about what he wanted to eat anyway. Had to think about what wouldn't destroy his stomach lining too hard. It didn't take long for something to unsettle Felicia, because she wanted him to start a conversation. About anything, he presumed. He wasn't going to try to prod her about what was bothering her. He was a friend, not a psychologist.
She wanted him to talk, so he talked.
"Been thinking about what I'm gonna do after high school."
He almost laughed at how normal it was coming out, like planning his future was really a priority.
"Not good at school, only good at wrestling. Don't think I have many options."
She wanted him to talk, so he talked.
"Been thinking about what I'm gonna do after high school."
He almost laughed at how normal it was coming out, like planning his future was really a priority.
"Not good at school, only good at wrestling. Don't think I have many options."
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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"Well, hey, at least that means..."
Felicia looked down at the table where, uncharacteristically for her, there was no plate of food yet. They'd have to get something to bite into eventually. Was that why they went here primarily, or was it mostly to talk? She didn't really care at this point as long as she could keep thinking about anything that wasn't what her mind wanted to naturally focus on. Which reminded her, funny enough: what were they talking about again?
Oh, right.
"At least you got your future lined up. You know, with few options and all!" Felicia tried to make it come off with a more jovial tone, but she realized she might've said something that could be interpreted as at least a tiny bit offensive. She bit her tongue, hoping Ray didn't think of it in that manner.
"Me... I just don't know. There's a lot of crap to sift through before I try and get back on track."
Felicia looked down at the table where, uncharacteristically for her, there was no plate of food yet. They'd have to get something to bite into eventually. Was that why they went here primarily, or was it mostly to talk? She didn't really care at this point as long as she could keep thinking about anything that wasn't what her mind wanted to naturally focus on. Which reminded her, funny enough: what were they talking about again?
Oh, right.
"At least you got your future lined up. You know, with few options and all!" Felicia tried to make it come off with a more jovial tone, but she realized she might've said something that could be interpreted as at least a tiny bit offensive. She bit her tongue, hoping Ray didn't think of it in that manner.
"Me... I just don't know. There's a lot of crap to sift through before I try and get back on track."
Ray only gave a grim smile in response to Felicia's less-than-stellar assessment. Hearing someone else kind of not have any ideas either seemed to serve as an affirmation. He really didn't give a fuck, so long as he got back home. That was the only future that really mattered right now.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." He said, probably lying. Felicia had a whole set of other shit to deal with. He at least knew how little he did know; even as he dug Rosa's grave, he never would have understood.
He tried to joke back. "Hey. Think they'll handle us with kid gloves when we get back to class? Maybe I can pull the guilt card and get an A in math."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." He said, probably lying. Felicia had a whole set of other shit to deal with. He at least knew how little he did know; even as he dug Rosa's grave, he never would have understood.
He tried to joke back. "Hey. Think they'll handle us with kid gloves when we get back to class? Maybe I can pull the guilt card and get an A in math."