Job 005 :: The Q&A Job [Action/Written] {Morning of the 18th}
[Sometimes waking up feels like coming up for a breath of fresh air. Other times it feels more like drowning. Ginia's not sure which one it is this time as she jerks awake, fingers pawing away her bedsheets, heart thudding in her chest and each breath coming in fast, shaking away remnants of a nightmarish reality. Memories of scalpels and needles, masked faces looking down as they carry out their experiments with no remorse, locked up in dark grungy cells and the sounds of everyone else trapped down with her, the faint hell of what days she can remember clinging to her mind.
It's not the first time she's been tortured and she knows with her luck and lifestyle it'll hardly be the last, but it leaves her deeply shaken. The clinical nature, being slowly cut open to test her pain threshold, injecting drugs into her system to see how they affect her... she shudders and brushes all the thoughts away. For the first time since her arrival, she's afraid. Not just for herself, but for everyone here; the children, the non-combatants, her friends.
How can they stand it? How can anyone stand it? For the people that have lived here for years, seeing friends come and go, never knowing if they'll be back again while comforted with the idea at least they're away... how can anyone take that? She sits in her thoughts, knees coming up to her chest and arms wrapping around them, taking note of the bandage around her lower left arm with growing curiosity and equal parts dread.
What time is it? What day is it? Her journal is on the nightstand, a second notebook and a pile of notes on top - messages from Alice. She skims the first note for the date, August 12th, then skips to the last note, August 17th. It's morning. It's August 18th. It's August 18th. Dear God, a week of Alice out and about.
She doesn't doubt her alter personality's ability to behave, but she also knows it's the longest Alice has ever been out by herself. A few hours, maybe a day or two at the very most back home, but over a week? Here? Ginia's almost afraid to look at the substantial set of notes, but she dutifully pulls them close and begins to read all the written information from the top. With some relief she realizes Alice really did behave, made friends and became productive even. (Gardening and cooking, two things she would have never imagined her alter doing, but apparently it had been done. Thank you, Grune, thank you, Giles.) Several comments make her cringe inward and shake her head, knowing there will be apologies to come, but overall there are more thank yous owed.
It also comes as a comfort knowing most people were okay or didn't press too much. That even if Alice had been as delicate on the subject as a brick connecting with someone's head, there was understanding. A very strange idea to think on, but a comfort.
Ginia pulls her journal close and flips it open. There are are entries to read through, a myriad of details to catch on, and an update on her condition to be made, but the longer she stares at the blank page, pen poised, the more her mind grows blank. There are too many things to say and hardly enough words to express everything. Five, ten, fifteen, finally twenty minutes pass away before she slams the journal shut and gets out of bed, letting all the notes flutter to the ground.
Maybe some fresh air will be good.]
[Action]
[Her feet go as they will, the body following. Ginia walks through town, stopping briefly at the bakery to pick up a pastry for breakfast. The last bites are devoured as she reaches the bridge, stopping to lean on the railing. The quiet morning, the sound of running water, it's relaxing, just what she needs to clear her troubled mind. It's there she'll spend most of the morning, watching the water and thinking.
By the afternoon, she'll have moved back toward C7 to settle in a small clearing behind the building. With a week lost, she's eager to get back to her studies and forming a proper connection with Nala and gaining her knowledge.
It's evening by the time she opens up her journal to catch up on the latest news and make a small update. This time around, it's definitely her face and handwriting to those who might be familiar with it.]
[Written]
This is Ginia, I'm back. Again. I'm sorry for any confusion that may have occurred over the last few days and I'm sorry if I worried anyone. If you have any questions, I'll field them best I can.
To the healers that looked at my arm over the last week, thank you, it's greatly appreciated. It's doing better now, but I'll still be careful with it.
[Private to Livio]
Have a moment to talk?
[Private to Grune]
I hope you're doing better? I would have checked on you sooner, but a lot came up. Alice left me a note saying you were kind to her. I also heard you two did some gardening. It means a lot to me to know you were so kind to her. Thank you, with all my heart.
[Private to Smoker]
I'm sorry Alice dragged you off on a shopping trip, I hope she wasn't too difficult.
My next report will be a little late, but I'll have it out to you. I should also be able to resume lessons next week.