Young Writers Society

Judd Snow- The Nursery:

Judd sucked in a breath as Aaron tightened the new bandage around his torso. Beside him Drustan sat on the kitchen counter with Vi treating his wounds. They were working out of the first aid kit because it was the only medicine they could be sure would work properly.

The kitchen was dark, they hadn't dared turn the lights on for fear of being caught. Xia and Leroy were shoving food from the pantries in some backpacks they had scavenged on the way there. Judd sighed with relief once Aaron finished bandaging the wound. He was just glad the bleeding had finally stopped.

Hopping off the countertop Judd strode over to a wall and crouched down beside it. He examined the scorched wall panel with a sad nostalgia.

"What are you looking at Judd?" The question came from Vi but the rest of them were watching him as well.

Judd shrugged as he gestured at the wall. A tiny handprint had been burned into it, it looked like it had been made by a three or four year old. "See this?" Judd spoke as he placed his own hand over the mark. "I made this when I was a child, and my abilities started manifesting. I couldn't control them all that well."

Smiling bitterly Judd shook his head. "It's hard to believe I was ever that small." Carefully Judd shoved the panel until it slid out of the way, revealing a crawl space just large enough for a small child to hide in. Coughing at the thick layers of dust Judd reached in and pulled out the one thing he'd always known he would have to come back for.

He grinned and lifted up the plastic tube to show the others. "This," Judd said triumphantly. "Was my treasure. When I was seven I went through a lot of trouble to pilfer this from one of the guard stations. And yes I have been plotting to escape for that long."

"Okay I'll bite." Leroy said with faint curiosity. "What's so important about that tube."

Judd tapped the plastic container as he answered. "Nothing much. It's just a complete blueprint of the facility." He told them smugly.

*I figure the blue print could show the old closed off sections of the facility.*

We all gathered around the blueprint. It was kind of confusing at first, since none of us (besides Judd) had ever seen a blueprint before. While they all talked strategy, I continued to bandage Drustan's wounds and listened.
"Hold still," I whispered. It was like working with a monkey. He smiled down at me. I felt my heart beating faster. I looked back down at his wrists and tried to concentrate on bandaging his wounds.

Storm:
The blueprint isn't all that confusing. I'll let the others look at it and try to puzzle it out. Let them feel all important about it.
I saw Vi bandaging Drustan's wrists. A stab of sharp emotion tears through my chest. What is this emotion? I don't recognize it. No reason to worry. It might be some delayed side effect.
"You're wrapping the bandages too tight," I say to Vi. Her head snaps up and she looks startled. "It'll cut off the circulation to his hands, and they'll get stiff and something will happen, basically meaning he can't use them anymore. I don't remember what the doctor's called it. Here, let me." I take the end of the bandage and start to unwrap it. Addressing Vi again, I say,"You were mainly weapon's testing, right?"
"Yeah," she replies uncertainly. I can see in her eyes anger and sorrow and something else, something similar to what I felt earlier.

Storm says I was wrapping them too tight. I wasn't. I know what she's talking about. I can't remember the name either, but that happened to me once with the handcuffs. They were way tighter than I'm bandaging Drustan. I watch over her like a hawk. She's bandaging the exact same way I was. I begin to bandage the other wrist.

Storm:
Vi starts to wrap his other wrist. Fine. Fine. I don't care. She wasn't even doing it wrong in the first place. She just...I wasn't even really thinking at the time. I actually like Vi, as compared to some of the others in our little group. Well, I don't really like her, but I don't hate her either. I can't turn her against me.
I'm not one who's ruled by emotion or instinct, I remind myself.

Xia
I closed the backpack and observed how most of the group was standing around some tube.
No need to bother when I don't even know what it is.
Drustan got taken care of by two girls who were each bandaging one of his wrists. I couldn't help but grin at him.
That doesn't happen everyday, now does it?
I sat down on the ground and opened the little notebook which I had stolen from the doctor on a blank page. While the others were whispering about the tube, I started to draw the winter palace like I had done a million times before.

LEEEERROOOOOOOOY JEEEEEEENKINNNNNNNSSSSSSSSS

I stuffed a few more MREs into my backpack and saw Judd reveal his map of the complex. I snatched it from his hands. He lunged forward to try and get it back from me, but doubled over in pain from the wound in his gut. I rolled it out across a table and scanned it quickly. Location: Noted.

I grabbed my rifle off a table and headed off from our darkened section of the nursery. A few of my fellow escapees looked up at me.

"Where're you going?"

"After my weapons."

And with that I strode out of the room.

Storm:
Everyone follows Leroy. Okay. I can follow too.
"Just escape," I repeat over and over. In my head, of course. "These people don't mean anything to me. I can escape this place with them, but I'll leave them behind when we get out."
I think of all of them. I reach Xia, and I feel a little doubt, a little regret. I met her first.
The feeling passes after a few moments. I continue down the list. Leroy. Nothing. Vi. I can't wait for her to be gone.
Drustan. A sharp knife of sorrow stabs through my heart. I wait for it to pass like it did with Xia. It doesn't.
What is with all these emotions? They're clouding my judgment.
Footsteps softly sound against the floor. Faint. Whoever it is probably won't be noticed by the others, as absorbed in themselves as they are. That, and I have good hearing.
I turn and walk in the opposite direction of the rest of the group. I look toward the sound and see the blurred shape of a child. A closer look reveals that it's a child with dark circles under her eyes. They contrast against her ghostly pale skin. She can only be five.
"We're going to save you," I promise. She reminds me of what I must have looked like to... the older girls.
I warn myself not to think of Sophi as I lift the small little girl in my arms and tell her to be silent.

(OOC: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!)

Drustan:

As I was following Leroy I thought about what just happened. I was grateful to Storm for helping to bandage me, but it was a little weird to be touched by her, she was just a kind of strange girl... I also loved that Vi had been bandaging me, every time she brushed against my skin a little tingle went up my hand. I kind of liked it.

I turn to make sure everyone is with us and see Storm pick up a small child, who's that?

I touch Vi's arm and lead her over to Storm and the child.

"Who are you?" I ask her gently.

Judd Snow:

He strode down the hall, the tube containing their map strapped over his back. Judd glanced back at the others and suppressed a groan as he saw Storm, Vi, and Drustan clustered around a small girl in Rain's arms. Closing his eyes in resignation Judd reached and tapped Leroy and Aaron on the shoulders. Stopping them from going on ahead.

Judd turned and jogged back down the corridor. As he neared the others he heard Drustan explaining to the little girl that they were taking her outside.

The little girl stared at him solemnly with haunted green eyes, and spoke in a voice hoarse from disuse. "There is no outside."

The others stared at each other in shock and puzzlement at that pronouncement. Sighing, Judd reached out and ruffled the childs dark brown curls as he explained. "You guys don't get it do you? To the children raised in this ward the 'Outside World' is the equivalent of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. They have no memory of it. It's a fairy tale that doesn't really exist. So how could they go there?"

"Small children always believe in fairy tales." Rain contested hotly.

It was Leroy not Judd who answered her, and his reply showed surprising insight. Judd had pegged him as more of a physical guy. "In this hellhole, innocence dies young."

"Yet you were raised in this ward and you believe in it." Vi pointed out with just a hint of smugness.

Judd shrugged and flashed a crooked grin. "Yeah, well... super powers aside. I was never what you'd call a normal child, even for this place."

Leroy Jenkins

Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit. We were getting sidetracked by this spooky little girl. Rain snapped at Judd. Ugh.

"In this hellohole, innocence dies young."

Judd looked at me for a split second, apparently not expecting me to have any emotion besides anger. He and Vi chatted about him. I shrugged and took my bag and the map's tube off by back and carried them under the arm that wasn't toting my gun. I strode over to the little girl and grabbed her by the hand and swung her up onto my back.

"Hold on tight, okay?"

I felt her chin rubbing up and down against my back. She'd nodded. Once more, I set off for my cache. I didn't really know what I was gonna do with her, but I'd figure something out.

(OOC umm isn't "Rain" supposed to be Storm? Rain is in Runaway Elements.)

(OOC: Thanks Tally. Sovvy everyone!!!)
Storm:
I was hesitant about letting Leroy get anywhere near the child, but he seemed okay. I watched him closely though. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt the little girl.
Drustan and Vi were walking close together again. They usually do. A pang of the now familiar emotion runs through me, and my face gets red.
I turn my face slightly away from the group as the tears start to well up in my eyes. I haven't cried in years, but I guess I can now. We're all sort of friends, even though I don't like some of these people.

(OOC: Yeah, I thought it was a little weird you were callin' her Rain...)

Drustan:

I looked closely at the child, was this what all the kids in here looked like? I saw Storm turn away with the child.

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I asked, "What's wrong?"

Storm:
Drustan's hand on my shoulder sends a shiver down my spine. I brace myself and try to keep my voice even. "Nothing," I whisper.
My voice breaks at the end. Tears continue to stream silently down my face. I learned to cry silently when I first got here. I didn't use the skill often, but it has been useful before.
I hope he won't ask me anything more, but at the same time, I want to talk to him.