#bartonstart

As early as it was though, there was always a drunk or two milling about, and just as he was finishing his pint, he casually watched one get booted from the bar. On his way out, the man stumbled as he walked, and crashed —quite cartoonishly — headlong into a telephone post. “Oof. He’ll feel that in the morning.” 

Nyx had spent the day trying to decide where to bunker down for the night, the clinic or home. Both had numerous locks and she knew them well so wouldn’t panic in an emergency (at least she hoped so). She’d opted for the clinic this month, last time she’d gone home and the animals left in the clinic were so distressed that it had broken her heart.

The sirens had started up about 2 minutes ago, so she’d begun going through room by room securing all the animals and bolting the back door with the 3 different locks. That was when an eerie silence settled over everything in the clinic, it was like they knew what the night would bring. As if by some cruel trick of fate, the chimes on the front door sounded, making her jump out of her skin. Cursing to herself she thought she’d locked that already. 

“We're closed.”

She’d woken up earlier than normal after a night of running around like a wild animal, but thankfully there was no sign of blood or injury, so all round another successful night. Talia had quickly change into her running gear to get rid of the excess energy she had in reserve, it was just getting light so she’d plugged her headphones in and run laps of the main town, finally stopping at her favourite little bakery to get some breakfast and coffee to take back home.

Bumping into someone as she stepped to the side to wait she chuckled, “Sorry takes a while to adjust in the morning.”

“whoa there easy kid. How about you stick with me until I find your babysitter huh? Would you like that?” Erik asked the child, asmile on his face. He noticed someone walking by and stood up. “You don’t happen to know who this kid belongs to do you?” he asked. “hasn’t said a word since i found him.”

"I asked it if I was getting a burrito for lunch, and it said no.” She pouted at the fact, “Now I’m sad.” Then she perked up almost immediately “Anyway, what kind of flowers or plants can I get you? It is for someone special or to liven up your place?”

“Unless you’re planning on getting drunk, you must know that pumpkin drink is spiked.” Hyacinth said standing next to the dispenser. “And since I am planning on getting drunk, here I am.”