✘DR. ANDERSON

“Oh my apologies.” He slipped his hands in his pockets before he craned his neck to see the book. He was not interested in Quantum Mechanics, but he needed something to read. “I will give it a shot.”

“No sweat...” He mumbles, retrieving the large hardcover to hand over to Easton. “Y-You won’t regret it. It’s fascinating.”

Still, there are things that may be out of her control happening. Anyone can be an organized person but still feel the effects of outside conditions.

“Would you suppose that those outside conditions are a crazed maniac?” He says quite curtly.

We’re in a messed up situation and there are people we know that aren’t here yet. It’s a worry and you have every right to feel that way. All I can say is dwelling on it isn’t going to change anything right now.

“Okay... y-yeah, you’re right. I’ve just been so on edge from the moment we got here.” 

Ha! Okay. Yeah, I still can’t believe she’ll be starting pre-k in the fall. She’s like a sponge, though, I’m sure she remembers you. I’m just glad that we have another one on the way so that I can keep getting away with playing with kid toys.

“Oh, that’s right-- congratulations. Y-Yeah, I guess I know what you mean, though. Kids toys are kinda’ fun. I’m more of a stuffed animal kinda’ guy, though. I-I uh, I’ve only been at the hospital for a little over seven months and I’ve already managed to stock the children’s ward full of them.”

Hey, hey, maybe she’s just coming a little later. If I’m correct, there were a couple of people who were planning to do that. Scheduling the ride over may just be something last minute for her. I’m sure she’ll be here in no time.

“You don’t understand, Lola’s not an unorganized person. We talked about this before I left, I-I-I mean, she was supposed to call and schedule on Monday and she didn’t. She’s supposed to be here by now.”

Maybe the police have other plans. We don’t exactly know what’s going on out there.

“Y-Yeah, that’s... that’s totally what’s going on.” He nods, a nervous laugh escaping him. He wants to believe Bayoa, but it’s clear that he’s having a hard time doing so. “No need to freak out, right? I-I mean I’m NOT freaking out, I just--”

How will they know if the murderers been caught if we’re all stuck here…. unless the killer is here with us and things start going horribly wrong? That’s not a crazy assumption, right? If we’re all here and they’re out there… agh. Do you know who you’re staying with yet?

“I, uh… I think that perhaps it’d be best to keep our minds off of this subject as best we can.” His voice wavers uncontrollably. “It’s just… I-I-I mean, dwelling on the worst possible outcomes when presented with anxiety isn’t exactly a useful coping mechanism.” Theodore tugs at his collar, clearly unnerved.

That’s my poor attempt at staying lighthearted. Poor Zephyr’s already a nervous mess. 

I don’t like this, Theo. I get that they’re trying to keep us safe, but doesn’t this seem a bit, I don’t know, extreme? I’ve dealt with threats before. I mean, not to the point where people have actually been murdered… but I can handle myself! Why did they have to bring us to the middle of nowhere? If nobody can get in, that also means nobody can escape…

“I mean, I don’t think it’s unusual to feel nervous in a situation like this.” A shrug. “I don’t like it, either. I-I just... I hate to admit that it does feel less safe. There’s a-a, uh... a part of me that wants to believe that this whole thing will blow over by the time we get back. I mean, I highly doubt it, though.”

Open to: everyone

I mean, I’m for a free vacation just as much as anyone else, but doesn’t it just seem like they’re rounding us up like cattle? They should just let me pull the big guns out and deal with it.

Is Lola much for the outdoors or is she likely to drag you to a scenic spot where she can write? Well, Aless wants to take a stroll tomorrow, so if you want to swing by some time after lunch you’ll get Brianna a la post-lunch hyperness and the inevitable post-lunch nap. It’s probably prime-Aubrianna good mood time of the day… though she is a generally happy little lady.

“I’m almost one hundred percent certain that it’s gonna’ be the latter. Sounds good to me. Gosh-- haven’t seen her in, uh-- what is it, two years? Time flies.” 

“Anymore? You’ve only been at it—” Zosia pauses for contemplation. “Like five minutes.” She wasn’t even in the correct stance, blatantly making her own since she couldn’t work out what the instructor was trying to impart on them. “Just, I don’t know, hmm, fake it until you make it.”

“For five minutes too long.” He interjects. “H-How am I supposed to fake it when it feels like I-I-I’m going to have a splenic rupture?” With ragged breaths, he sits on his mat. “I’m gonna’ have to sit this one out.” 

I don’t find that hard to believe at all. Warning you now, if you leave an impression she’ll probably bug you for your company the rest of your holiday.

“Trust me, looking after Aubrianna is probably the most fun I’ll have here. B-Besides, I mean... I’m not obligated to do anything ‘til Lola eventually forces me to. So it’s no biggie. You and your wife deserve a break every now and then.” 

Hearing his voice crack at the end had Zosia’s eyes averting from him, looking at the ground, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked such a thing. Your theories seem just as close as anything else I’ve heard.” Gaze lifting and looking upon him once again, she decided against asking if he had recently lost anyone, it seemed to inappropriate even if her reasoning was to see if there was anything she could to help comfort in a time of loss. “Should we check the map and see where we’re heading?”

“No, it’s... it’s fine.” A beat. “Morbid curiosity’s a natural thing.” Gesturing towards her, a shoulder rises and falls in a nonchalant manner. “Uh, you’ve got the map-- so.” 

Looks like we were all placed in the ‘single guy’ house. Man, the ferry ride was a little longer than I expected. I already finished the book I brought. I wonder if there are any lying around somewhere.