St. Peter's Asylum discussion

[Sure! She's confused now, so of course, Raven will make her feel all the more better. XD]

((Haha, where, and your turn to post.))

[Okay.]

Lena stepped down the many aisles of beckoning books, each with a unique spine, scent and aura, Lena's skirt billowing slightly with each light placement of boot clad feet. Her fingers stroked the worn edges of the bindings, along works of Shakespear, Dickens, Austen...more than she could imagine was possible. Actually, more than she had considered. Her imagination was quite rabid. Blue eyes flickering down the embellished names, searching for anything that would comfort her soul at that moment.

Jason had never thought much of the library. He was insane. Most of the others here ere insane. What mind such as his had time for books? He'd thought the answer to be none, but apparently the girl he'd been watching from the back of the room was the exception. He'd had his eyes on her for some time now, just watching, and all she had done in that time was browse the shelves. Boring, but intriguing at the same time, some paradox. Jason had never met many bookworms. And now, sitting and watching from a back table, he wondered about this one.

Lena allowed her finger to slide along the spines, over ridges of hard words and bumps that age had given these books. She usually browsed for many days, as if studying the shelves, soaking in the words before she read then, before actually choosing a book. Today was her day to pluck a book, though she wouldn't read it here. She would continue searching, for a seemingly obvious end to the words. With light grace, she drew a novel, a worn Dickens novel by the name of Great Expectations. That was quite odd, she hadn't read this one. She had read all his others, but this one. Surprise and joy fluttered in her heart.

Jason watched the girl pick up a book; watched her smile. He smiled too, but his was a cold parting of the lips as he imagined what it would be like to beat someone to death with a book. A thick book, like that one. He thought it would make him laugh. Violence of most sorts made him laugh, these days. It had been like that for a while. A long while. Even now as he thought of bloodshed, a slight, malevolent chuckle escaped him.

A slight prickle, so faint most would not feel it, except the most critically insane, worked up her spine. Without hesitation, she turned, searching for the one. That feeling had always meant one would ruin the books. Last time someone did that she broke their legs...

She stared, unmoving, eyes blazing at the boy, perhaps at the end of the library aisle, one could say. "Harm the books and I kill you." It was a whispered murmur, one that none could hear except herself. Yes, you could say she was a wee bit insane.

"Oh, God!" That was all Jason managed before he threw his head back and howled with laughter. The spell was short, maybe ten seconds or so, but by the time he was done the grin on his face was huge and his eyes glittered. Just the thought...just the thought of someone killing him was hilarious, but over a book? That made it so much more amusing. "Your safety for the book's, then," he offered, smirking. "Eh? I've got to hurt something today."

Lena however did not seem amused, though her facial expression remained quite calm, only the flickering of fire in her eyes to show any anger at all. She stepped down the aisle, stopping a few yards away from the boy. That stupid, foolish boy. He didn't realize how magnificent books were, how simply amazing they were, how soul-breaking they were. How comforting. "Harm the books and I kill you." She repeated, gaze piercing.

"It's you or the book," Jason repeated casually. "I'll even be kind and let you make the choice." He crossed his legs, tilting his head, expectant. Not at all serious really, but then, what did it matter? It was still fun to play; and who knew--maybe the girl would offer herself up to him. Sometimes they did, when he pushed. Even when acting, playing mind games, he was powerfully intimidating. Or so he had heard. And if she did volunteer herself, well...he couldn't say he would refuse. Even if he wasn't serious now, he could become so in a flash. Such was the way of his mind.

Lena cocked a brow, a dry laugh bursting from her pale lips. "Neither." Lena replied with equal nerve, her thin frame leaning against the bookcases casually, though her thoughts were anything but casual. "You don't even appreciate literature, do you? I can see it in your eyes. It is harm, harm, harm for you. Pity."

"Is it?" Jason just shook his head. "Not really. Avoiding books leaves my mind clear; or at least clearer than it would be otherwise. You know, so I can dwell on other things. More important things." He cocked his head. "Some things are more important than Dickens, girl."

"I quite agree. For example, breathing is necessary for the survival of a human. Food and water are also required if I may survive. I do believe your purpose is different than mine, for I do not hold anything else but what the humans require above reading." Lena replied simply, her voice strong but soft, a peculiar mixture. And a most intelligent one at that.

((I must depart now. The darkness calls.))

Jason just chuckled. "Different purposes indeed," was all he said. His voice, unlike hers, had a rather odd quality to it, something that seemed (for the moment) oddly detached, almost dreamlike. He was trailing off again, leaving his body behind to retreat into his mind, into the world of what was to others horror but to him unimaginable bliss; a world where the rivers ran red with blood and darkness reigned like a king.

((As in bed? Alrightm, enjoy the lovely darkness.))

Lena studied him for a long moment, the anger flickering across, dancing across her light features. Voice transforming to what she prefered, mystery and harsh truth. "I do not care if you dismiss books. Think of them as another device for your sadistic schemes." She lean forward now, her ebony hair shifting forward slightly, brushing against the chair. "I do. And I will make sure they stay in able condition." Before straightening.

A fleeting smile flitted across Jason's face as he gave Lena a look. "You do that," he said. "You do that."

"I will." She muttered firmly, shooting him another slightly curious look. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Many reasons," Jason replied. "Insanity. Sadism. Serial murder. The works." He laughed at that, as if he amused himself. "I'm a dangerous boy, the people here say. Dangerous to society. That's why I'm here."

Lena peered at him intently for a moment, her eyes flashing a brilliant green for a lone moment before flickering back to her pale blue. "Many reasons..." She mused, leaning against the bookshelf again.

Jason nodded and just watched her. What did she want?

Someone coughed, a low, throaty cough behind Lena. She twisted her head, scowling. "No! I want to stay here. I like the library." She argued with her large, burly, sturdy guard, who had materilized behind her, though it didn't faze her.
A gruff voice replied. "10 more minutes. Then your nurse wants to see you." Lena stepped away from him, glaring now.
"The nurse can burn in hell for all I care. And you best be going, for being here is quite a dare. For the one who stays will leak scarlet drops. Within moments, they will pop!" Lena firmly stated, in the poems she used when particularly angry, upset or irritated.

Jason gave an amused smile. "A poet!" he crowed. "That's sweet." A pause, a dramatic lowering of his voice. "Might want to watch what you say to the prison guards, though. They don't like back sass."

Lena refrained from saying someting rather nasty to him, instead reserving her annoyance for her guard. "Go away stupid guard. I don't want you here." She scowled. Her guard sighed. "Lena, we have been over this. I am your guard and I stay." He replied, tone louder. "Die in a fiery pit. Where the flames dance and you are alit." Rhyming couplets. She was becoming agitated now...

Jason just watched, amusement clear on his features. This was nice, this unintentional theater. He loved drama shows.

"Lena, time to come back. Now." Whatever happened to ten more minutes? Lena turned away from him, though from her pocket she slid her particularly sharp pen. "Stop grinning like an idiot." She reproached to Jason.

"Stop rhyming like a Shakespeare wannabe," Jason responded easily, grin unwavering. He made a 'go on' gesture with one hand as if shooing a dog. "Go with your guard," he said. "I'm getting rather tired of staring at you."

"I am getting rather weary of breathing the same air as you." Lena retorted in the same nerve, as her hand shot out, brandishing the pen. A small, slightly victorious smile flitted across her pale face as her pen entered the flesh of her guard, right in the muscle of his forearm. "I said I didn't want to go." She turned away from her guard, as he winced in pain, leaning forward.

Jason laughed, held out one hand. "Let me," he said. "I can do twice the damage you can in half the time." That was probably the truth, too. He was good with sharp instruments, even if they were as petty as pens.

"I wasn't aiming for severe damage, just enough to annoy the hell out of him." Lena smiled, a smile that only fellow asylum members could ever understand. Sure enough, the guard straightened, eyes blazing. If it was possible to breath fire, Lena would be a hunk of black flesh now.

Jason chuckled softly. "I don't know," he said. "He looks pretty upset now. Maybe you should aim for maximum damage."

"Perhaps." She allowed, flickering her eyes to the guard almost wearily. "Deal with it. I have endured pain you have never even dreamed of, fool." THe guard was steaming now, clearly restraining himself from hitting her. Though he didn't. All he did was lift the walkie talkie that had been affixed to his hip and speak softly into it. Lena Paters has stabbed me with her pen. Call down the The last bit was too quite for her to detect.

A soft smile, the smallest of laughs. This was funny. Very funny.

Lena seemed aloof and uncaring. "Ah, you called the reinforcements? Can't handle a poor, mentally insane girl who can hardly lift 10 pounds?" Lena jeered.

((You're roleplaying with yourself now. Can we fade?))

((Sure. Back to chat?))

Lena shot a last glance at the boy, she had never really heard his name and darted away, into the grasps of the bookcases.

((Yepyep.))

Jason gave one more quiet laugh. Then he stood, stretched, gave the guard a crisp and mocking salute, and left the room. He had other things to think about.

Alexia was seated at a table in the quiet library, book perched in her hand. She was absorbed in the story of the boy Eragon and his dragon Saphira. Subconsciously, she was wondering if Eragon was Saphira's or if Saphira was Eragon's. She flipped the page, not really paying attention to the things around her.

Hadassah had taken a rather large encyclopedia down from the shelf, with the help of a librarian, and was now trying to take it over to a table so that she could research the word that had been plaguing her mind since her meeting with Margot: murder. However, the frail, tiny girl was struggling under the massive weight of the gigantic book, and as she teeter-tottered toward the nearest table, where a black-clad girl was absorbed in her book, the encyclopedia fell with a large boom and a small whimper from Hada.

Alexia jumped at the sudden sound, hair that was in her face now being flung back as she turned in that direction. "Oh." The word slipped out as she took in the scene. "Do you need help with that?" A smile took place on her face as she relaxed.

Hada jumped back, red-rimmed eyes peeking out from behind the ratty mess that was her hair. Slowly, she nodded, as it was true that she couldn't really lift the encyclopedia. "I..I'm looking to find the definition of murder." She piped up quietly, hoping that maybe the girl could help her find it. The more Hada could find, the better. Maybe that would finally stop the Man from coming for her...

Alexia grew confused for a moment, before realizing she was in an asylum. Her smile only wavered for a second, before it came back. "Sure, baby doll." She hesitantly reached out and grabbed the encyclopedia from across the table, opening to the letter m. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you looking up murder?" She flipped a few pages, gaze flickering between the girl and the book.

"Because my nurse said that my parents were murdered." Hada said matter-of-factly.

Alexia's whole being seemed to pang with sympathy. "Oh. I'm so sorry." She looked back at the book and flipped to the right page. She pointed at the right article and said, "Here you go, sweetheart. Tell me, what's your name?" She smiled curiously.

"It's OK." Monotone voice replied. "Hadassah. But most people call me Hada." She peered into the encyclopedia, silently sounding out the words.

"It's nice meeting you, Hada. My name's Alexia, though I should be going now. I'm a bit hungry, and I'm going to grab a bite to eat. Have fun with your book, now." A smile graced her face as she stood shakily. By 'hungry' she meant starved and about ready to pass out. She remembered her manners before she took off. "Would you like to join me?" She supported herself with the chair, her balance a bit shaky.

"OK. Do you...do you need help?" Hada tore her eyes away from the encyclopedia and stared quizzically at the nearly-fainted Alexia. Hada inched closer to the girl, ready to steady her if need be.

"I should be fine, just give me a moment." She waved the girl away, regaining her balance. She smiled, more confident now. "See? Fine now. I just need to eat something. I'll be going now. Are you coming with me?" She kindly grabbed the girl's shoulder, as a way of polite farewell.

Nodding slowly, she glanced at Alexia's hand on her shoulder. She wasn't used anymore to kind touches, and it frankly creeped her out.

Alexia grinned and she released Hada's shoulder. "Then we should be off." She began to walk towards the exit, glancing back to see if she would follow.

((Fade?))