we'll take it nice and easy

[colder_comfort]

There was only one room on the upper floors that could be properly adapted to suit Victor's special lights and the renovation made it even 'nicer', by his own standards, but even with a blackout curtain over his window, and safe, insulated and hidden access for the power cables, the orderlies seemed a little worried putting him in there. He'd

Comments

[glasgow_smile]

So, patient I-44-AKA Bill, ugh, the creativity of Arkham's staff is just astounding-has a new neighbour, does he?

He'd been at the viewing window when the move had occurred, leaning flat against the door and peering subtly, so the guards wouldn't fuss at him for watching. The angle wasn't ideal, so he hadn't seen much, but what he did catch was certainly unconventional. Those strange light fixtures. What for? If only he had been able to glimpse the patient himself-the wheels in his head would really be turning, then.

The humming wriggles its way into his ear and stays there, familiar, writhing, until his throat is thick with the compulsion to join in. He works his jaw from side to side, in silence. Stares at the vent, up there near the ceiling. Licks his teeth, pops his lips quietly.
Right, then.

He makes short work of it, yes, but still the legs of the lousy asylum bed grate against the floor as he shoves it from one side of the room to the other. If he gets in trouble for it, oh well.

[colder_comfort]

Victor has slowed down the tempo of the song, so it might not be as recognizable as the radio version, but it should ring a few bells. In any case, the noise of the bed is enough to rouse Victor from his studies and encourage him to sit up then move closer to the air vent.

Straining his hearing for sound, he tries to decide on a suitable course of action. Should he call out and end the waiting quickly? Or would it be better to politely introduce himself. He's still not comfortable in this new room and doesn't know how he'll react to his neighbour.

Not being a man of action, Victor decides that the best idea is to simply stand near his vent and wait to see what his new neighbour does.

[glasgow_smile]

What Victor should hear, after the initial scrape of metal on cement, is the shuffle and squeak of a bed being trod upon; a pause; the tap-tap-tap of fingernails on metal. Then, two quick puffs of breath, as if someone-like, say, the man next door-is blowing into the vent.

"Check, one, two."

[colder_comfort]

"...is this thing on?" Victor smiles, he can do this. It's so much easier to talk when you don't need to see the person. Maybe if he moves his chair over, he can stand and it will be easier to talk. Less of a strain.

[glasgow_smile]

"Aaand we're live." He flattens his palms against the painted bricks, leans in until his nose touches the cool grate. Yeah, he's close-talking a vent. So what? "Just a little Eff Why Eye from us little men who live in the walls: that song is a total earworm."

Whoever he is, the man on the other side sounds genial-casual, certainly, perhaps a bit sleepy.

[colder_comfort]

"I know. It's my petty revenge against the orderlies. I had them singing Bananaphone for a whole month this summer." You sick twisted bastard! How could you? OH THE HUMANITY! etc. etc. and so forth.

"I'm sorry you were caught in the crossfire." He takes requests? Although, if you ask for 'Freebird', he'll probably have to shank you, Bill.

[glasgow_smile]

Mr. Neighbourly utters a most half-assed chuckle-it's not even a snort, just a nasal sort of breath-and leans against the wall with his cheek pressed to the vent. He's been feeling so lazy since he moved in here, it's just ridiculous. This whole 'sedative' thing will have to be dealt with eventually...

"Just another saaad casualty in the war on tedium, that's me." Woe and alas. "So, what're you in for? If it's boring, I encourage you to make up something good."

[colder_comfort]

"Twenty years for something I either don't remember or something I didn't do. I don't know if that's either boring or good, but I think it's close enough to true." Victor's own laugh is usually a loud, BLATT of a sound, but he has a quieter one as well, a sort of almost-asthma sound. "I don't want to make up a reason, in case they hear and decide that I've confessed at last."

"And you?"

[glasgow_smile]

"I shook the ant farm."

It's as good an analogy as any. He's not going to use a proper monologue when it serves no purpose whatsoever-well, not today, anyway. Perhaps he will when they've become a little more acquainted, if such a time ever occurs. Oh, and eye contact is a must. Can't forget that.

"Twenty years, total? Or twenty years and counting?"

[colder_comfort]

"Almost twenty years in Arkham." There's a singsong to suggest a certain catchy tune from 'The Sound of Music'. Sixteen going on seventeen...

"I had Sea Monkeys for while, but they didn't do well in the dark and I couldn't have a light. I think one of the orderlies kept them for his kid." This connects with ant farms and other mail order pets. "I'm supposed to say that it's not bad and getting better since Crane left, but...."

[glasgow_smile]

"Hmmm, bummer." He does not sound even slightly sympathetic, but there's a hint of interest in his voice, at least. Of course, there is no way to tell whether that means he's actually interested in Victor's plight; he could be evaluating the integrity of this here grate. Like he could somehow squeeze his lanky ass through the ducts to freedom. Eugene Tooms he is not...

"Why no light for your monkeys?" This is possibly the best thing he has said all day. "Did they take it away because you were baaad?"

[colder_comfort]

"No, they turn the lights on when I'm bad. If I behave, they let me stay in the dark. I don't do well in the light and they're usually pretty good with it." He does have some lighting -- the sort of pale blue that you find in night habitats at the zoo.

"I've tried asking for nocturnal fish, but I think it's a step too far. At least they let me have my books and a laptop." There's a pause as he fusses with a bit of thread on his uniform, "I'm Victor."

[glasgow_smile]

Hence the fancy lights, then. Gotcha. He'll just file that away under T for Tidbits of Interest.

"Hi, Victor." He should give a name in return, now, shouldn't he? Probably, yes, but Victor has not earned his exemption from the twisty fun-house of being jerked around that is conversing with this man. "I'm willing to bet Isolation isn't any prettier than whatever glorified dog kennel they've been keeping you in for the last twenty years... so..." There is a pause, but it's not significant; he's only licking his lips, smacking his tongue on the roof of his mouth, swallowing. "Why today?"

[colder_comfort]

"It's actually quite a bit nicer up here. Warmer at least, and there are more people, too. More orderlies, more patients, it's less isolated." Remember kids, it's important to get your daily dose of irony to grow up bitter and strong. "But the basement has flooded -- they never did fix the pipes right after Crane -- so they need to keep me somewhere that my lights will hang and work. They took Harvey somewhere else, and let me stay here."

Disembodied voices are the greatest thing ever. It's so much easier to talk to people when you don't have to look at them.

[glasgow_smile]

The flooded basement is interesting, but its importance is emphatically snuffed by that final sentence.

"Harvey?" There's a sort of slow caution to his tone. Really, how many people in the city are named Harvey? Many. It couldn't possibly be that Harvey. Could it? It could, couldn't it? Oh, that would be utterly fabulous. Good ol' Harvey, still alive and kicking it crazy style on the funny farm. Oh boy, oh boy. Hey, wait- shut up, brain, don't get overexcited. You're listening for an answer, here.

[colder_comfort]

"Yes, they brought him in and he's another one hidden here. He's supposed to be Eric Dowd, but we're to call him Harvey, I think? I got some of the instructions a little muddled." This is why he writes everything down. It's important to keep track of these things, but all the moving and the new place have left him confused.

"He's a very nice man and likes papercrafts."