{ BACKSTORY PLOT THIIING - scientists' POV }
"Hollisland"
“I think I understand, Lolita.” Lolita looked up from where she was brushing Green’s long, black hair. Green had spoken very little since her little brother showed up one day, only to fall ill not long after and die. Now that Green was back on her medication, for the most part she’s been silent, keeping to herself. Regardless, Lolita made it a habit to bring her food and brush her hair daily.
“This pain… The feeling of wanting to die,” Green continued, without waiting for an answer. “My family is officially all dead now.” A bitter, self-deprecating laugh. “What’s the point anymore, Lolita?”
Lolita didn’t have an answer. She simply began braiding Green’s hair. Many questions still plagued her. Why did Green’s brother, Milo, die? And how did he manage to find them in the first place, without alerting other people of his presence first? It was suspicious. But Lolita did not have the heart to voice that suspicion to the broken-hearted sister.
And what right did she have to say otherwise, when she attempted suicide with the infamous troublemaker, John Summers almost a year ago with a slow-acting poison mixed in with her perfume, damaging her eyesight in the process. It was almost romantic, or so Holden had commented without sincerity.
It was still a little hard to see clearly sometimes. She doubted a full recovery would happen. Then again, she never intended to recover in the first place.
She realized at the end of the braid that she forgot to bring a hair tie.
“I’ll come back, Greenie,” she said, somewhat mechanically despite the affectionate nickname.
On the way back to her room, Lolita ran into Grendel, who insisted there was something of utmost importance that she must see.
“Hollisland? No one cares about Hollisland since they lost that war a long time ago. Focus on more relevant issues.”
“It is relevant, though.”
…
“…A volcano?”
“I think I understand, Lolita.” Lolita looked up from where she was brushing Green’s long, black hair. Green had spoken very little since her little brother showed up one day, only to fall ill not long after and die. Now that Green was back on her medication, for the most part she’s been silent, keeping to herself. Regardless, Lolita made it a habit to bring her food and brush her hair daily.
“This pain… The feeling of wanting to die,” Green continued, without waiting for an answer. “My family is officially all dead now.” A bitter, self-deprecating laugh. “What’s the point anymore, Lolita?”
Lolita didn’t have an answer. She simply began braiding Green’s hair. Many questions still plagued her. Why did Green’s brother, Milo, die? And how did he manage to find them in the first place, without alerting other people of his presence first? It was suspicious. But Lolita did not have the heart to voice that suspicion to the broken-hearted sister.
And what right did she have to say otherwise, when she attempted suicide with the infamous troublemaker, John Summers almost a year ago with a slow-acting poison mixed in with her perfume, damaging her eyesight in the process. It was almost romantic, or so Holden had commented without sincerity.
It was still a little hard to see clearly sometimes. She doubted a full recovery would happen. Then again, she never intended to recover in the first place.
She realized at the end of the braid that she forgot to bring a hair tie.
“I’ll come back, Greenie,” she said, somewhat mechanically despite the affectionate nickname.
On the way back to her room, Lolita ran into Grendel, who insisted there was something of utmost importance that she must see.
“Hollisland? No one cares about Hollisland since they lost that war a long time ago. Focus on more relevant issues.”
“It is relevant, though.”
…
“…A volcano?”