Day 42: Pearl's Beauty Salon
Definitely chillier than last time, Phoenix affirmed with a brief shiver, re-wrapping his scarf as he stepped off the bus and onto the street. All of the patients looked to be drifting their separate ways, down towards parks and side-streets, and as he took off he wondered what the point of this exercise was. 'Test' seemed like the popular theory for everything the institute did, but Doyleton especially reeked of some bad reality show setup. Four coupons, a bag of food, and a full day in a town full of everything but some meaningful connection to the outside world. He mentally cataloged the most glaring missing pieces. No banks, no churches, no post offices, no newspapers or ads. He made a note to look for televisions - maybe the bar would have one - though he doubted already any one would be turned to a channel with current events, or even so much as a news ticker. And there wasn't even a police station, at least not one he'd seen during the full lap of the place last time - just a building that he'd really wanted to believe he'd misread the fist time his eyes darted past the words 'sheriff's office'.
An entire town with no infrastructure. Phoenix felt almost embarrassed by how awful a sham it was. He knew that most of the patients would probably assume it was a fake anyway, but whoever had made the place could have at least tried.
Walking down the street, Phoenix took stock of his resources and did his best to formulate a plan of action. Since he didn't imagine that whoever ran the hair salon would be falling all over her- or himself to trade for a muffin and some fruit, what he was left with was coupons. What was more, it looked like basically the same coupon book as last time. He cursed at himself for having gotten rid of last week's extras. That would be two massages and two manicures to bargain with (along with maybe today's lunch, if he got especially desperate). Two of both the luxury goods he could probably do something with, but only one of each? That was trickier.
He stopped outside the door to the salon, ruffling through the booklet one last time, distractedly sipping at his juice.
[reserved for Apollo]
An entire town with no infrastructure. Phoenix felt almost embarrassed by how awful a sham it was. He knew that most of the patients would probably assume it was a fake anyway, but whoever had made the place could have at least tried.
Walking down the street, Phoenix took stock of his resources and did his best to formulate a plan of action. Since he didn't imagine that whoever ran the hair salon would be falling all over her- or himself to trade for a muffin and some fruit, what he was left with was coupons. What was more, it looked like basically the same coupon book as last time. He cursed at himself for having gotten rid of last week's extras. That would be two massages and two manicures to bargain with (along with maybe today's lunch, if he got especially desperate). Two of both the luxury goods he could probably do something with, but only one of each? That was trickier.
He stopped outside the door to the salon, ruffling through the booklet one last time, distractedly sipping at his juice.
[reserved for Apollo]