000 ₪ ａｒｒｉｖａｌ

[savors]

[ She arrived earlier that day but it was only after the sun set that she ventured out of her room to take in the surroundings. First? She makes a trip up and down the halls, then through the towers to read the name plates. The book, though surprising, was the first thing she took the time to study -- so she isn't as surprised as she might have been.

From there, it's down to the lobby. She's a little on the hesitant side when she sees people, but she ventures on nonetheless. Once she secures a seat in a relatively secluded part of the lobby, she opens up her journal and begins to write something down. Preteen's rocking some interesting penmanship. ]

The journal answered a lot of my questions but not all of them.

If someone wouldn't mind humoring the new person, I would appreciate it. Two questions.

[ooc; Over the journal or action, if anyone is up for it.]

Comments

[protosshaze]

Your handwriting is beautiful.

[savors]

Thank you.

[protosshaze]

What's your name?

[savors]

Abby.

What's yours?

[protosshaze]

Sophie! [a pause] Was that one of your questions?

[savors]

Hello, Sophie.

[there's a noise that might have been a laugh she tried. and failed, to stifle. back to writing!]

No, it wasn't. The longer that I think about it, the more I think those questions are better left unanswered.

[protosshaze]

I can ask them for you. I ask lots of questions.

[savors]

I wouldn't ask you to do that.

But thank you.

[protosshaze]

You're welcome.

[speaking of questions] Do you like it here so far?

written

[inafadingcrown]

[And an elegant, rather old fashioned handwriting answers her back.]

Ask what you will.

written from this point on-

[savors]

How long we're kept here seems to vary.

Is there an average amount of time someone can expect to stay here?

[inafadingcrown]

I do not have precise numbers, alas. Yet I may say that I have been here well over a year- longer than most, yet not so long as some.

[savors]

I thought that might be the case, but I had to be sure.

Thank you.

[inafadingcrown]

It is no trouble. You said there were two questions, did you not?

[savors]

The other was more of an extension of the first.

Judging by your answer, everything varies here. So you have answered them both.

[ and neither answer makes her very happy, so excuse that sigh the journal picks up ]

[inafadingcrown]

Few things are simple here. It is not a pleasant truth, but it is truth nonetheless.

[savors]

Most of the time, the truth itself is not pleasant.

[ she's decided to give her pen a rest, so now everything from her is dictated. and this kid sounds very tired ]

I can handle that.

dictated;

[fantasies]

[He'd write, too, except his handwriting isn't nearly as nice as hers. So he dictates.]

Questions like what?

[savors]

How often..

[ she starts to write, then switches to dictating: ]

How often do people show up here? Does it always vary, or.. ?

[fantasies]

Uh, I'm not sure. I think we get a few people every week.

[savors]

Every week..

Thank you. [Short, sweet and to the point. But she'll open up a little more eventually.]

[fantasies]

You're welcome.

[A beat, and then hastily, like he's just remembering:]

Oh, uh, and my name's Henry. In case you have any other questions.

[savors]

Mine is Abby.

Thank you, Henry. [a beat, then she decides another question is in order] How long have you been here?

[fantasies]

Almost six months. But there are a lot of people who've been here longer than me. A lot longer, too.

[savors]

For years. I've read.

Are you here with anyone else from your home?