030: VIDEO

[intheblanks]

[Chase is in one of the hospital pathology labs, a centrifuge whirring away on the desk in front of him. He's flicking through a messy looking sheaf of paper.]

I'm starting to understand why the City Guide has an entire section on zombie handling strategy. Someone told me they used to be a regular problem, here. Anyone long-term enough to be able to tell me about that?

[He's about to ask another question, but a second voice, deep and rolling, curiously accented, interrupts.]

What is an enemy to you, Doctor?

[Chase's head snaps up. He takes a gasp as though the breath has been punched out of him.]

You're not here. You're never really h—

[But the voice comes again, and as Chase moves, the picture on his device swings to show a man in a tattered, bloodied surgical gown, the flesh rotting away from his face.]

Men make choices.

[The zombie sweeps a rack of equipment to the floor, and the screen goes black.]



[ooc: Chase's ghoul is Darth Vader Mufasa James Earl Jones Dibala, the genocidal dictator of a small African nation, who he murdered shortly before arriving in the city. Dibala will be/have been around for a little bit to bother anyone at the hospital.]

Comments

audio;

[anunluckypenny]

Okay, if you're sure.

Most of it? Chase, if you're hurt, I can find my way there.

audio;

[intheblanks]

[Penny, you're in bed with a fever and there are zombies on the loose. He's not asking for an escort.]

You have no idea where I am.

[And that's probably the trump card right there.]

I'm fine.

audio;

[anunluckypenny]

Okay, point.

[She has no idea where Chase is, or even where she should be going. Darn logic.]

Since you're okay, I'll just... wait for you.

audio;

[intheblanks]

[If he's a little brusque it's because the thought of someone else wandering into harm's way on his account doesn't bear thinking about. The nerves he's lying about are there in the too-deep breath he takes at the end of each statement. It's a steadying effort.]

I'm on my way right now. [and he is, there are footsteps to prove it.] Still sure it's the good kind of worry?

audio > action

[anunluckypenny]

[Chase is not okay. There are a lot of things that Penny isn't good at, but picking up on less-than-okay isn't one of them (at least where people who aren't her are concerned).]

I'm not going anywhere. [That only lasts until she can get a visual on Chase and look him over for zombie bites.] Still sure.

audio > action

[intheblanks]

[Not a bite on him, but a bloodied sleeve and a fine collection of bruises. Most of his muscles have been twisted in directions they'd rather not go. But he's come out of it better than he'd expected.]

Coming up to your door any minute.

[Because he doesn't want to try the handle unannounced.]

audio > action

[anunluckypenny]

Okay. I won't freak out and attack you or anything.

[Not that she's really up to that kind of thing.]

audio > action

[intheblanks]

Good. Twice in one day would be pushing it.

[He knocks anyway, before opening the door. Good manners just won't be drummed out of him in those sneaky little habits.

He looks... okay. Alive, which is good. He's wearing a leather jacket, and holding one arm in a way that careful attention might note is strange.]

action

[anunluckypenny]

[Zombies don't have the good graces to knock before entering. A blanket-wrapped Penny is up and ready to assess whether or not Chase is actually fine before he comes in.

Blood, bruises, an awkward-looking arm... not exactly fine, but definitely not as bad as Penny might have expected.]

What hurts?

Re: action

[intheblanks]

[And most of the colour washed from his face, but that's normal. Anyone would be in shock.]

Quicker to start with what doesn't. [And tch, Penny.] You should be in bed.

action

[anunluckypenny]

[Yes, being in shock after being attacked by a zombie is forgivable. Chase's pallor is still worrying.]

And you shouldn't be getting attacked by dead people. [But she does go to perch on her bed.] Come sit down?

action

[intheblanks]

[It's funny how easily words bring up pictures. Just a flash, but a flash of a face that was already written indelibly on his memory. There's so much blood he doesn't know if he's remembering the real Dibala or the city's illusion of him.]

Next time I'll tell him I have a note.

[He sits beside her on the edge of the hard hospital mattress, something in him rebelling against relaxing and making him catch a quick, sharp breath.]

action

[anunluckypenny]

Let me know how that works.

[That doesn't sound good. She frees a hand to give Chase's shoulder a hesitant pat.]

Do you want to talk about it?