Gentle as a Summer's Day

“Not entirely true,” Ashley said, his voice verging on bored, “See, I’m the doctor here, and you lot have a tendency to rough people up without a reason. So yeah, I’d say it is my business. Let go of the woman.”

"I'm not--fucking listening to you," the guard growled. "You piss off and do whatever you were just doing." The guard shook Cassie again before forcing her forward and letting her go. Cassie stumbles, but doesn't fall, and stands, holding herself, refusing to look anywhere but her feet. "Freak," the guard said before turning away.

“Listen, mate,” Ashley said, knowing that the guard would most likely never listen to him, but not caring. “Something tells me she wouldn’t demand you give her your book without a good reason. You sure it was your book?”

Ashley glances at Cassie briefly, but then returns his attention to the guard. “And what exactly is it that she tried to steal, sir?” 

"My book," he said simply. "I was in the middle of reading it and she comes up and demands I give it to her. I--Look, I don't have to answer to you, go back to whatever you do."

[walks over, looks at Cassie and then at the guard] What’s going on?

The guard looks up from Cassie with a sneer. "She tried to steal from me, goddamn brat--"

Are you sure you’re alright?

Y-yeah, yeah. 'M fine.

Isn’t that what you people came to learn, to control your…mutations?

They don' hold classes 'r nothin'. 'Sides, they wouldn't want me anyway.

I would just…rather not have you pry…into my personal life. Thank you very much.

I din' mean to.

Just fine, thank you. And I would appreciate it if you didn’t… pry. Like that.

I can't control it. 'M sorry, I should, uh...

Right well, it would be hard to sleep in a place like this.

Well, you only waking up now is some clue. Waking up after dark at all is a good indication of an irregular sleeping pattern.

I, uh...I don' sleep well normally, 's no big deal.

Looking out the window would give you some clue. Haven’t been sleeping well?

Wull...'s dark out. Tha' means...any time o' the day it's dark...sorry. I, uh, no, not really, sir. I, um. Why?

Well, I think evening is generally reserved for a time… a little earlier than this. It might be closer to night.

Oh. 'M sorry. I don'...got a watch, so...