Scenario Entitled: Visiting HourCharacters:
Tandem
Ash
Malleus
McGillicutty (NPC)
Location: Memphis-Hemingway Asylum
Date: Late Spring, 107 P.A.
The state of the main lobby is not very comforting, considering the building functions as a treatment facility for 'troubled minds'. Then again, when one is insane, one supposes that more pressing topics occupy their attention.. like why is everyone staring so at them. The walls are an extremely faded green, white stripe running along at shoulder height and bisecting the various doorways in the large, vaguely rectangular-shaped area. There are long corridors leading to both the right and left from the double entry doors. At the end of the lobby is a vertical shaft, closed off with an iron grating that can be compressed enough to allow passage; in fact, it is a rather archaic elevator system, the wall beside it bearing a call button of sorts. If one doesn't feel quite confident enough with the old lift, there's also the option of heading past a heavy metal door to the dim stairwell.
A reception area surrounded by an L-shaped counter is manned by several personnel in white uniforms and dull green jackets. Beside it is the entrance to a small waiting room, and across from there lies a door marked 'Security'.
Even from here, the odd laugh or random exclamation of something barely coherent, can be heard from either the corridors... or elsewhere.Ash steps into the lobby area, looking around a little nervously. Glancing across to the recpetion area, he takes several quick steps over to the counter, pausing in front of it as if searching for what to say. Finally he clears his throat and speaks up, "Excuse me? I'd like to visit a resident here, if I may." Yes, resident sounds so much nicer than patient.
The nurse looks up at Ash inquisitively, and inquires softly, "Name, please, sir?" in drawling, lethargic tones.
Ash quirks his lips slightly and asks, "Mine, or his?" Alright, so maybe this isn't the best place for humor, by the look on the face of the receptionist. In quiet tones he says, "The patient's name is William Townsend. I'm Ashley Benson, a friend of his."
A gutteral chuckle starts somewhere down the western corridor, much like a loud ceiling fan chopping repeatedly and regulary through air. And it doesn't stop.
The nurse/receptionist says nothing, but peers at an archaic-looking terminal to her side, clackety-clacking at the keys. After a while, she drawls, "Townsend.. yes, your name is here as an allowable visitor. If you'll just show some picture identification, you may proceed to the second floor."
Ash glances down in the direction of the chuckling and swallows, snapping his gaze back to the nurse. "Certaintly, just let me get my wallet," he croaks, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a black leather billfold. He flips it open and withdraws a Citizenship ID Card, which he places on the counter in front of the nurse. "There you are."
The nurse glances at the card, looks up at Ash briefly, then nods. "Thank you. Bear in mind that bathing on the second floor takes place after lunchtime." The lift appears to be on the first floor already, waiting for passengers.
Ash glances down at the monitor on his wrist and nods to the doctor, retrieving his card from the counter. He replaces it in his wallet and speaks quietly, "Thank you very much. Will I have any trouble finding him?"
The nurse shakes her head. "Mister Townsend should be in activities right now. Just take a right from the lobby.. it's the second set of doors down the west corridor."
Malleus comes in from the street. Visitor, or future patient?
Ash smiles gratefully and slides the wallet back into his pocket. He turns toward the elevator and then turns back to look at the nurse. "Ah, I'm sorry, I just remembered something. Do you have a telephone I might use?"
The nurse inclines her head towards the pay phones lined up near the drinking fountain. "Those are the only public telephones, sir."
Ash smiles again and nods gratefully to the nurse. "Thanks again. Have a nice day." Pleasantries completed, he turns and strides toward the aforementioned payphones, digging around in his hip pocket for change as he goes
Malleus walks in, removing his hat as per custom and glancing around the lobby with a faintly perplexed expression. He studies the antiseptic halls with a grimace and approaches the reception counter.
Ash steps up to the payphones, his back to the reception counter and lifts the reciever, placing it to his ear. Cradling it there with his shoulder, he inserts his credstick and quickly punches in a series of numbers.
The receptionist/nurse peers up at the new arrival, and nods slightly. "Yes, sir?"
Malleus returns the slight nod with a slighter one. "Good evening. I'm Corporal Malleus Brandt of the Militia PAD; I've come to check on a...patient." He briefly shows his ID.
The receptionist glances over the ID briefly, before inquiring, "And the name of the patient you're visiting, sir?"
Ash parts his lips and leans in toward the phone booth, speaking quietly. He mutters to himself, "Hello,... I..."
Malleus leans close to the receptionist, muttering "Townsend." in a low tone, his expression showing his desire for relative secrecy.
Ash pauses a moment and speaks into the phone, He mutters to himself, "Yes, just... called, and... I'm visiting Will... I... she'd... I'm sure... and I,... mean." He clears his throat nervously and finishes, "That's all, thank you."
The receptionist raises her pencil-line thin eyebrows, and turns her gaze towards Ash. "Another one for Townsend..?" she also speaks relatively quietly. "Very well, he should be in activities this morning.. on the second floor. Take a right into the west corridor, and it's the second set of doors along that wall. There are orderlies to assist you if need be."
Ash pauses for a moment, and replaces the reciever gently upon its holder. Taking a deep breath, he turns away to head for the elevator and slows, noticing a familiar figure. Narrowing his eyes in thought, he sees him leaning in close to the nurse and speaking quietly, and decides to let him have his privacy. Poor fellow might be checking himself in, you never know. Ash continues toward the elevator.
Malleus mouths the word 'another one?' and then slowly assumes a passive glaze in his eyes once more, glancing towards the elevator.
The chuckle makes the slow, painful transition to a cackle, nattering on into echos along the corridor. An orderly walks quickly towards the corridor and rounds the corner, disappearing.
Malleus sees Ash on the same course as himself and smiles reflexively. "Ah. Hello." He leans over to press the up button and says "I was wondering who it was."
Ash glances to his side at the sound of the voice and smiles, nodding to the fellow beside him. Speaking quietly while waiting for the elevator he says, "Oh, hello Malleus. Nice to see you again. Here to see Will, I take it?"
The Old Lift waits quietly behind an iron grating that's half-pushed to the side. Beyond the grating is a slim figure who peers out impassively at the two standing there. He reaches out and pushes the door grating wider. The ride to the second floor is uneventful.
Malleus follows Ash down the lobby, regarding the layout of the place with a somewhat less than pleasantly impressed look on his face. "Charming..." he mutters.
Ash glances around the area and nods, a faintly sad look on his face. He murmers, "Yes, it is an unpleasant place. For the residents as well, I'd imagine. She said down the corridor to the west, didn't she?" Apparantly the question was rhetorical in nature, because he turns and starts to walk in that direction.This hallway is wide, one side lined with half a dozen white doors, the other interrupted by tall windows looking out over North Wallside Avenue. The dull green decor continues here, with a white stripe leading the way along the inner all at shoulder height, turning the corner at the wast side of the building, heading north. However, it seems to be blockaded off by a being on an ancient-looking waxing machine, droning continously over the tiles. Eventually however, the vehicle does move out of the way to permit passage.
Malleus glances in a few windows, studying the outside. He says "Any idea what sort of...ah...state we should expect Will to be in?"
Ash pauses along the hallway, to wait for the giant waxing machine to finish doing its duty. "He seemed somewhat coherent, last time I saw him. But that was the last time you saw him as well. I'm afraid I havn't been able to find a chance to see him since then." He swallows and glances away, as the machine slides slowly out of the way. Glancing over his shoulder he steps quickly toward the doors of the Activity Room. "Ah, here we are. The moment of truth."
Malleus nods and opens the doors, stepping in, jaw set.It is fairly easy to understand why insane asylums are thought to be one of the most unnerving places to visit, when one considers this large rectangular activity room. The walls are a soothing blend of blue and peach, a white line running along at shoulder-height and unifying the room with the outside corridor. The room is scattered with plastic chairs and a couple of worktables that have been bolted down, all sharp edges and corners sanded bluntly. Various modern-art pictures hang amongst crayon markings and other unidentifiable stains on the walls. This is not the unnerving part of it, however.
Inmates wander the room under supervision by green-clad nurses and orderlies; creative activities such as paints and jigsaw puzzles are set up, but most the the patients seem to prefer wandering. That, and mumbling to themselves. A few float a couple of inches off the ground, unaware, while one silver-haired humanoid actually partakes in a disturbing crawl along the ceiling, like a spider. Every now and again, there is a disruption that the staff must quell, using injected sedatives, and some questionable strong-arm techniques.McGillicutty hums very loudly for a second before suddenly dropping into a seat at the table he's been circling. A nearby patient claps loudly, shouting, "You win! You win!" then quickly silences himself as a few orderlies start to move closer. The nurse, for her part, seems relieved. She turns and heads back to the door, leaving McGillicutty to whatever monitors may be present.
Malleus glances slowly around the room, lips set in a thin line as he maintains a neutral demeanor in spite of himself.
Tandem is currently engaged in creating a tiny friend out of busted radio components and sitting in one of the corners of the room. Other grimey components lie scattered around him in various states. Tandem looks over quickly towards the source of that clapping noise and scuttles up tighter into the corner.
Ash steps slowly through the faded green doors, and glances about the room cautiously. He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling to view the creature crawling about there and swallows nervously. Snapping his gaze back down to the room, he catches sight of a familiar face. He nudges Malleus and motions toward Tandem with his head, speaking quietly, "Ah, there he is." He presses his lips together in a tight line and begins to move toward Tandem.Tandem
Tandem looks like he's completely out of it. His mop of reddish hair has got a major case of bedhead. Either that or some ape has been swinging him around by it on weekends. The skin of his face appears very tight and his hazel-coloured eyes, set deep in their sunken sockets, have a dull glazed look about them. Underneath his bloodshot eyes are large black patches of skin indictating a severe lack of sleep. After a few moments of observation it is obvious that he is also not in full control of his motor skills. Overall he looks quite skinny and in desperate need of some decent nutrition. About a months worth of beard sprouts from his face. This, added to the already mussed up hair, stooped posture and unhealthy look of him, all combine to give him a kind of crazy hermit look. At the moment he's wearing a rather unimaginative set of soft blue pajamas.McGillicutty
An almost disturbingly slim young man with short brown hair. He is wearing a plain white patient uniform and gray and white socks (one of each color). His brown eyes appear a little dilated, assuming you can catch a good look at them as they dart to and fro.Malleus walks with Ash, assuming a slightly more friendly face in the hopes of not giving Tandem any more reason to act jittery. He raises a hand in a faint wave to him, saying "Hello. Will."
Malleus and Ash's shadow falls over him and Tandem slowly looks up at them both. He moves his little component buddy down to his side and tucks it behind him. He says uncertainly, "Hello?"
"..Mother.. Mom.. Ma.. Mommy.."
McGillicutty slides around a few puzzle pieces that lie on the table that he's seated at, which would be easier if his wrists weren't stuck together. Why his wrists are together is apparently a higher mystery.
Ash crouches down to half-kneel by Tandem, and flashes him a brief smile. He speaks in clear, solid tones. "Hey there Will. It's me, Ash. How are you doing?"
Malleus watches Ash crouch, looks at Tandem, then kneels also, keeping a little further back. He smiles blandly.
Tandem's eyes clear and a mote of recognition surfaces. He looks from Ash to Malleus again as if for the first time. "Yeah..." He pinches a transistor inbetween two fingers. "See this? It's giving me the silent treatment. Not a word since wednesday...since the -accident-."
Malleus looks at the gizmo, trying to figure out what his comrade is referring to. "Which accident is this, Will?"
Ash raises his eyebrows in a mild questioning expression and nods to Tandem. "Yes, what happened on Woden's Day?"
Tandem points to the pink colored radio housing a few feet away. "I tried to speak with it man to man. It's gone very quiet now. Won't give me the time of day or the temperature. Or...where the hocus-pocus types are hiding. I was really depending on a report any time now." He chews on his bottom lip.
Malleus rests a forearm across a bent knee, head lowered slightly. "Would you want a new one of those? I can get more parts for you if you want."
Ash smiles to Tandem and nods solemnly at the pink casing. "Well, don't worry. I'm sure they won't let them get you here, Will. How is the food here? Better than the hospital?" he inquires in a friendly, conversation voice.
Malleus leaves to speak to an attendant.
McGillicutty slides a few more puzzle pieces around, hmming softly as he suddenly speaks for the first time since entering the room, "Aha."
Tandem tosses the tiny component in his fingers against the wall. Malleus' idea strikes a chord and he gets very interested. "Yeah, I need components...lots." He begins to work into a more energetic state. "Power cells...I need lots of those. And if you can get some sort of accelerator?" His eyes dart up towards Ash. Perhaps he can get some equipment too. "But...those people who lock me up here tend to take away things like that. Instead they give me jigzaw puzzles of puppies." He scowls and then answers Ash's question in a beligerent fashion. "At least it doesn't knock you out. It's mostly mush, and mush isn't good for growing boys and girls is it?"
Ash chuckles softly and shakes his head, "Well it may not be the tastiest, but at least it is food, right?" He glances down to the components in Will's hands. Gesturing toward them with a slight movement of his hand he asks, "Are you repairing your radio, Will?"
Tandem smirks and idly kicks at some of the afore mentioned parts with a slippered foot. "Uh...yeah. I'm repairing it. It will take no time." He grabs the circuit board in a harsh grip and with his other hand selects a piece at random. He jams the component into the board unsuccessfully, producing a faint scratching noise. He redoubles his efforts to make things square fit into triangle shaped slots. "See...all it takes is a little elbow grease." He squints and leans on the board, which cracks in half soon afterward. Still he struggles to make the piece fit. "Must be one of those models from Taiwan..ahehe..Urrrrrr!"
McGillicutty shakes his head disapprovingly, shuffling the puzzle pieces again and starting over. A few orderlies almost move in, but decide to let it go after reconsidering.
Ash smiles slightly and chuckles, shaking his head slightly. Shifting his weight to his other knee, he finally just sits on the ground indian-style and nods to Will. "Well, I certaintly don't know as much about that sort of thing as yourself, but I know a little. Perhaps I can bring in another radio sometime and we can work on it together. I'm pretty sure I could stand to learn a bit from you. Would that be alright?"
Tandem gives up, the smushed resistor crumpled against the circuit board. He nods to Ash and a small tick takes up residence in his cheek around the same time. "Can you...bring me some other things too? Wait...I'll check." He leans against the wall, placing his ear flat against it. His mouth begins working soundlessly and his eyelids close.
McGillicutty tilts his head to one side sharply, doing his darnedest to get a decent angle as he adjust a few pieces pensively.
Ash quirks an eyebrow and leans a little closer to Tandem, regarding him with a mildly concerned expression. "Hey bud, you talking to someone?"
Tandem opens his eyes and frowns. He turns back to Ash. "I need some real clothes too. Clothes with big pockets." He narrows his eyes at views Malleus' quiet demeanor for a moment before asking Ash, "Have you...killed any of -them- lately?"
Ash quirks an eyebrow and looks puzzled. "Ah, no Will, I havn't killed anyone. But I havn't seen any of /them/ around. I don't think they like it here in Tolkeen." He licks his lips with a mildly uncertain gaze.
Tandem lowers his voice. "They could be anywhere really. Those ley line things give them ever worse powers. I've got an idea though. Just between you and me of course..don't tell..her. She wouldn't understand like you and me. I'm going to make something...something that will get rid of all their powers."
McGillicutty's eyes glaze over as he utters a low ooh noise. He stops, sliding a few more pieces together as he chuckles to himself.
"..Mother.. Mom.. Ma.. Mommy.."
Ash raises his eyebrows slightly, and leans toward Tandem. He speaks in a low tone, "Oh yes? You think you can do that? How can you get rid of all their powers?" His face displays sincere interest, in Tandem at least, if not what he is saying specifically. A touch of sadness glitters in the back of his eyes, as well.
Tandem rubs his temples as some manner of migraine decides to trouble him. "Yeah. I'll bet I can...I've heard of a bunch of mechanics that can put magic into machines. I figure I can make a great big vacuum machine...but it takes magic -out- of people! It's sure to work, it can't fail, no sir." He lowers his hands from the sides of his head. "Just think! We can rid this whole town of them...it's that or I blow up the le.." He cuts off his sentence and places a finger up to his lips. "It's a secret really."
Ash makes a soft 'ahhh' sound and taps the side of his nose with the forefinger of his right hand. "Mums the word, I understand. Your secret is safe with me. In the meantime though, it wouldn't hurt to just take it easy and relax, right? Put together one of those puzzles they have here, or do some reading. I've found I enjoy doing reading when I have some free time, it helps me to relax and I learn a lot."
McGillicutty's wrists uncross suddenly. He stares down as it happens, eyeing his hands curiously for a few seconds before standing up, then standing on the chair that he was previously sitting on. He raises his hands above his head, shouting, "Now comes the inferno! Seething light! Peaceful bliss! Embrace the ancient powers that I call! The fading winds will terro...!" And with that he's all but tackled by one orderly, then another. The group scuffles on the floor, though McGillicutty for the most part is immobilized.
".....Mom?"
Tandem lifts his pajama clothed arm up towards Ash's arm, making grasping motions in the air. "I need books on magic! I need..Aieee!" He jumps back into his corner as McGIllicutty begins preaching loud words and is subsequently tackled to the ground. He wraps his head in his arms and turns away from the scene.
Ash glances over his shoulder at the shouting with some nervousness. He frowns slightly as the man is tackled to the ground and restrained, and he sighs deeply. He turns back to Tandem and murmurs soothingly, "It's alright Will, he's not going to hurt you. You're safe from them, here. Just relax."
The orderlies shift and fight with the squirmy patient, one taking special note to keep a hand securely over the raging man's mouth. After a few moments a few more nurses and ordelies scramble in, the majority of whom focus on keeping any upstartish patients calm during the minor crisis.
Tandem hisses at Ash from around a muffling arm. "Get me those books! See? They're in here too!" He peeks out from a shielding hand. "He's one of them alright. Did you hear what he was saying? Probably about to cast a spell before those thugs got him."
An older woman, her flaxen hair growing like wild brambles from her head, toddles up to Ash and slips her hand into the crook of his arm. "Jonesy? Jonesy hun," she smiles tremulously up at the young man.
"Mooooommm...?"
Ash glances to the woman clinging to his arm with a startled look, and speaks softly to her. "I'm sorry ma'am, you have me confused for someone else. My name is Ashley." He pats her hand gently and then attempts to extricate his arm from her grasp as diplomatically as he can.
McGillicutty starts to cry as a doctor sticks a needle into his arm, forcing out between weeps, "So close... so close... just eight... more... just... eight... more... verses..." With that, his body slumps off into unconsiousness.
Tandem looks absolutely terrified by the old womans appearance. "A witch! Watch out for her cat!" He twitches and scrambles for his small component friend.
The woman looks uncertain, and refuses to be budged for a moment as she says, "Jonesy... hun?" Her shiny blue eyes search Ash's face with a glazed sort of halfway recognition. She looks to Tandem for help. "Jonesy.."
Ash pats the woman's hand once more and shakes his head, "I'm sorry ma'am." He turns back to Tandem and tries to speak in comforting tones, "It's alright Will, she isn't going to hurt you, I promise. I don't think she's a witch, just a woman who is a little confused." He looks back at the woman hanging on his arm, "Isn't that right ma'am?"
McGillicutty gets dragged out of the room as a man with a clipboard shakes his head disapprovingly. He looks around at the staff as asks with just a hint of anger, "Who let him in here? He's only supposed to get one hour of free time a week. What was he even doing in this room?"
Tandem busies himself with procuring his small transistor humanoid...thing, holding it up towards the old woman like a mystical talisman. "Get away or I'll fry you and your pointy hat." His attention becomes diverted between her, Ash and the evil sorcerer being injected across the room. He whines. "Stop up your ears with cotton and don't look directly into her eyes. If they start pinwheeling you know your in trouble!"
The woman nods emphatically at Ash, agreeing with absolute certainty, if not comprehension. She releases Ash then, and looks towards the man with the clipboard. "Jonesy! Hun!" she bleats. Huh. Fickle.
Tandem moans and throws his component figure across the room. "I need to sleep...Get me those books so I can start!" He staggers to his feet clumsily, smacking his palms against the walls for some support. Standing upright he leans his ear against the wall again and closes his eyes.
Ash stands up from his sitting postion in one smooth motion, and takes a step toward Tandem, a concerned expression on his face. He starts to reach out a hand and then pulls it back. "Alright Will, I'm going to go now, and let you get some sleep. I'll see if I can find some books for you, so you just try and relax in the meantime. Get some rest, do a puzzle. You're safe here."
One of the orderlies claps his hands softly, and announces, "Okay, lunch time.. Mashed 'taters and leek soup, yummy yum," he encourages, and is echoed by several enthusiastic patients. "Mmmmee mmm..." "Yumma.." "Hoopla!"
Tandem bites his lower lip and continues to lean against the garishly colored wall. His breathing becomes more regular, his jaw relaxes and his body slumps against the wall, propped up oddly.
Ash nods to the semi-concious Tandem uncertaintly and says, "Alright Will, I'll come and visit you again soon. Take care." He turns and regards the rest of the room with a mixture of sadness, pity, and anxiousness. Finally he strides quickly through the room and out of the doors with nary a backward glance.
The 'inmates' get into a straggling line, at least those interested in some form of foodage.
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