Clearing Your History

I kept following the path of open doors. Funny...that was exactly what I'd been doing in order to know where I was going. So maybe this person was doing the same thing...? If there were a person at all, that is.

This door was ajar... The others hadn't been ajar. Cautiously, I approached. Though I wasn't about to simply reach for the doorknob quite yet...

Alex

They were behind the door...
I press against the wall, squatting down to be small and unnoticeable. So they wont pay any attention to me, since ill be so small... But they stop, hesitate, feeling very cautious about going through. Why? Cant know I'm here, certainly. They wouldn't notice me.

I didn't spend too long deliberating; I didn't really have the time for that.

"Hello...?" I asked. "Is anyone there?"

I almost felt silly for asking, considering just how empty the rest of the place was. There could've been plenty of reasons for that door being merely ajar rather than fully open or shut like the rest.

Alex

Maybe she suspected me. Maybe it was someone to take me back, and slightly, I feel a prick of fear creep up, and I never had control of my power. She, I determined from her voice, would feel it too. She'd know it was me, bring me back. I'm silent though, like a child. I hug my knees to my chest and fidget my toes to distract myself.

"Hello...?" I asked again.

Okay, so there probably wasn't anyone here unless they were hiding for whatever reason. But there probably wasn't anyone at all if the rest of the place were an indicator. I was too curious to pass this up now, though... I reached for the door and started to pull it open.

Alex

My eyes widen but I stay silent, staring up at the girl there. My knuckles white I hugged my knees to me so tight, just a whimper of relief that it wasn't someone in white to take me back. I didn't want to go back. Don't take me back.

I froze the instant I saw her. There...really was someone here...! So this place wasn't as empty as it appeared... I had a brief thought that she might be able to explain this place to me, but it vanished as soon as I saw how scared she looked. I figured she was probably just as lost as I was.

"Hello...?" I asked for a third time.

Alex

My toes still fidget in my flats, which were barely being held together, as I press my lips together to a thin line. Nervousness and fear still silenced me and I didn't know what exactly to do. She would feel what I felt...? Or was I just feeling what she was feeling? I couldn't be sure of my own emotions anymore.
"Y - You're not gonna take me back, are you?" I ask hushed.

"Take you back where...?" I asked. Was she hiding from someone? She must've thought I was associated with them, whoever they were. "I'm not here to hurt you or anything... I'm just trying to figure this place out. So you don't have to worry."

Alex

There wasn't any malice or hidden amusement from her. So no lies? I sit a minute, sorting this out in my head. Just a minute...sort of staring up at her. "....Hello," I pip up suddenly, in response to her three past attempts at greeting, though I still sit on the floor, my knees to me, but at least my hands don't hurt so much with gripping my arms. She was still wary, yet so was I...or maybe it was just one of us...

So she finally returned the greeting. Maybe that meant she believed me...? I briefly wondered whether it would be good or bad to gain favor with her. She was apparently hiding from someone, after all. And while she looked timid and innocent enough, looks could always be deceiving... But I'd give her the benefit of the doubt until I had enough reason not to.

"By any chance," I started, "do you know anything about this place?"

Sort of a longshot from what I could tell, but it didn't hurt to ask.

Alex

My eyes give a quick sweep around the room before my yellow eyes return to her. It's white, too white. Like the doctors and rooms and my scratchy cotton jacket with straps and buckles... "...It's long," I say quietly. "I left all the doors open, and its like being a vampire when you stand between two mirrors..." I glance around again before unraveling, using my hands to walk up along the wall to stand, though I stay pressed with my wall against the wall in my corner made by the door.

Interesting analogy...though it was pretty accurate.

"So you don't know any more than I do," I commented. "That's unfortunate..."

I really should've started on again if I had any hope of reaching the others. In fact, I was thinking about just turning around and heading back the way I came. Hopefully, I'd end up in the right place... That whole idea of a neverending series of rooms still made me uneasy, however irrational it was.

Alex

I sway to my feet, not leaning on the wall any longer, the buckles making little tinkling noises against one another that I always loved. Such a little sound, but it had me smiling. "You're uneasy," I say lightly. Maybe this was odd... I didn't know anymore. I wasn't uneasy, because the little chimes of metal had me smiling. So it had to be her, obviously. At least I was...mostly...sure of that.

"I could imagine lots of people would be around here," I said. "I mean, look at the place."

I found it a little strange that she commented on that, though. I found her outfit a little strange, too, but strange outfits were just a feature of this line of work.

Alex

I stare at her another minute, my yellow eyes wide to take all of her in at once. Well, what else to say? My thoughts are jumbled and hidden behind emotions that I couldn't take my attention off of. "The name's Asylum," I mumble, though in regards to what... This place? Wasn't my name, but the people could find me with my name. They owned me then, put me in my own labeled room like a collectable... which....we were, weren't we? Then why was I the only one on display...? ...No, no... my name. It was my name. The insane Asylum.

Nike

"My name's Nike," I said. "Um, nice to meet you." I paused. "Is Asylum some kind of pseudonym?"

I figured there could've easily been planes where that was an actual name...taking into account the "safe haven" meaning rather than the "place for crazy people" meaning...but I was curious.

Although, considering her outfit...

Alex

"My name," I mumble, tapping my bottom lip thoughtfully. She couldn't know my real name. The people would find me then. "Nike... do you feel stuff that's not your feelings yet?" I lean in slightly, still staring her down.

Nike

"Huh?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"

...Okay, so...maybe she was the insane kind of Asylum after all. ...No, that wasn't very fair of me to say. But still...I couldn't help feeling that there was something strange about her...and maybe a little off...

Cricket

Well, this odd situation had me partially amused. The part that wasn't partially amused was partly particularily flustered with being unintentionally stuck right in the middle of a small bicker session about who didn't tell who likes music. The Part that wasn't partially amused or partly particularily flustered was annoyed that they were bickering about who didn't tell who in the first place.

"Oi my my, why's it matter? Glad t' see you two are getting t' know each other more and more through me, but honestly."

Alex

I lean back again, my eyes wandering away slightly. "Nothing..." An experiment wouldn't hurt hm? Though after that it would be suspicious... Later.

A large step to the side, I walk forward to the middle of the room. One door already open, three more closed. "Nike's feeling lost like me," I say, still tapping my lip. I give a little hum of discontent, sitting down cross legged like I suddenly lost my legs.

Sarah

"I'm wondering that, too, honestly," Peter said.

"Because...! It's..." And then I realized I didn't have an answer. Or rather...I didn't have an answer I felt like sharing. "Nevermind," I grumbled. Peter slightly arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.


Nike

"Um, any particular reason you just switched to third person...?" I asked. Admittedly, I was feeling really uneasy now... Part of me would've been perfectly content to turn tail and run in the other direction.

Alex

I wasn't listening. "Should we wait? They say if your lost you should stay put, so those looking can come find you..." I mumble, though mostly to myself. I already did that, and I didn't want to be found by the people looking for me. Most of them, anyway. There were those from the trial, but that was seven out of bajillions...

Nike

"Actually," I started, still uneasy, "I was just going to go back the way I came. There are some people I need to rejoin. I came in here with them."

I was almost certain they were doing the same, unless they actually found something...which I doubted. This whole mission turned out frustratingly pointless.

Alex

A group. She was with a group. There was a slight disappointment, most likely me. She wouldn't be sad to meet up with her party. I glance back. "Can I come?" I ask louder.