Cassandra (Cas) Brown's Story

"What's the last thing you remember?
Was it car screeching? Was it fire? Gun shot?
It's fine if you don't remember right away.
So tell me... Were you the bully? Or the bullied?
Any regrets? yeah... most people regret allot...
Listen... everyone deserves a second chance right?
Well here's yours."

Cas groaned with her eyes closed, light attacking her sleeping mind into awareness. This meant that her curtains had been opened, on purpose as she always closed them at night. She hated the sun in the mornings, especially before she has had any coffee. And judging by the angle and brightness she guessed it was just after sunrise. Someone was going to pay for her waking up this early on a Saturday. Today was her day off she wasn't mea-- wait. What?

Her eyes shot open and she bolted up in bed, her black wavy hair swishing around her shoulders. Her green eyes were wide with surprise and suspicion as she looked around the room she had woken up in. There was a desk and chair against the wall to her right, as well as a small bookshelf. A window sat in the wall inbetween the desk and bookshelf. The books ranged in size and thickness as well as colour. Interesting. She looked over the desk from the bed, finding nothing of interest except for a few drawers she would go through later. The wall directly across from her bed had a potted plant that looked plastic and a door. That was it. With a sigh she glanced at the wall on her left, noting a wardrobe open.

With a glance down at her body she realised she would look in the wardrobe first, her pants and shirt were in ruins, ripped and burnt and barely covering anything. Wait...burnt?!?!

"AAAARGH!!!"

Gasping and holding her head she remembered in a flash complete agony racing through her body when she fell to the ground, a beam from the roof pinning her legs. Opening eyes she hadn't realised she closed she looked at the skin on her legs that she could see. She could feel small tears start to form in her eyes as she looked at the blotchy burn marks scrawling across her skin. She could feel the heat rushing at her skin and into her pores, invisible and nonexistent at that time, yet lost in her memory she felt it as clearly as when she had been stuck in the fire.

Someone had set her yard and the back of her house on fire. She knew that much. How they had gotten away with setting something big enoug to envelop a house she didn't know. Cas had been out in the front yard cleaning up the bits of garbage that littered in front her house from the cans being emptied that morning. When she smelled something burning she ran back into that house and as the building was old and worn it caught fire quickly. Cas remembered grabbing her little sister and yanking her out to the yard, screaming at her to run to the house across the street and call the emergency number. When the little girl nodded Cas had run back into the house to find her mother. All the time the woman had spent "working" and she had to be home now, most likely in a coma-like alcohol indused sleep.

When she finally found her mother Cas had tried to wake her up, trying desperately to not feel the heat of the fire creeping up around her. By the time she had looked around the flames surrounded them and before she could move the roof fell down, pinning her legs beneath her.

Cas slapped herself out of her memories. First thing was first - she needed to get some clothes on. She pushed herself out of bed and nearly fell to the floor. Her legs were like jelly! How was she meant to walk with these useless things? She scowled and ignored the tingly wobble in her legs and stood, cringing as she felt the soreness and ache fill her limbs. It was slow walk, to the wardrobe, but she made it and when she did Cas leaned against it while she sifted through the hanging clothes. There were assorted dresses and shirts, with pants and skirts folded neatly off to the side. When she opened the drawers she found under garments and socks, as well as hair accesories, hats, scarves, gloves and a bunch of other accesories. In the very bottom drawer were a bunch of shoes. She had enough here that it didn't matter what she wanted to wear.

Cas sighed and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and a red spaghetti strap shirt. She grabbed the underwear and bra, as well some socks and shoes. As an after thought she also grabbed a hair tie and some fingerless gloves. When she changed her clothes she felt much better...well as good as she could feel with little jolts of phantom pain flowing through her legs. She laced up the black and blue tennis shoes she pulled out at random and walked over to the bookcase. There were different kinds of books lined up in no particular order she could see. Maybe she was meant to read them later? There were fiction and non-fiction, thesaurus and dictionary, as well as some language study books. Looked interesting but would have to wait until later. She walked over to the desk and started opening up the drawers. In them she found several art supplies and blank journals and sketchbooks. She blinked and went to look out the window.

The sight took her breath away. Miles and miles of green dotted with red. A rose bush hedge? And it appeared as if it was formed into a maze.... did this mean she wasn't allowed to leave? She frowned and decided she had had enough with this room. She strode to the door and yanked it open, glaring outside the room and into the hall. So many doors....She didn't care and walked down the hall, leaving her door wide open.

"Hello?"

No answer what a surprise... She ignored everything she walked past, all the clean walls and the tidy paint, until she came to a very bright and nicely furnished room. There were couches and chairs all sitting to face each other and she frowned when she saw one other person across the room with a yellow scarf. She pretended she hadn't seen him and adopted a defensive stance, looking into "living room" with more curiousity.

"What's the last thing you remember?
Was it car screeching? Was it fire? Gun shot?
It's fine if you don't remember right away.
So tell me... Were you the bully? Or the bullied?
Any regrets? yeah... most people regret allot...
Listen... everyone deserves a second chance right?
Well here's yours."

"What? What are you talking about mom?" Jesse slowly opened her eyes to a pitch black room. She finally realized the voice she had just heard wasn't her mothers. She quickly sat up and tried to get out of bed on the right side as always. Her legs quickly hit a wall. Confused she felt the right side of her bed with her hand, yep, that was definitely a wall. She tried the left side and managed to stand up. She tried to adjust her eyes to the dark and managed to see a small white rectangle on the opposite side of the room from her. Deciding it was a light switch she slowly walked over to it. She got to the switch and turned on the lights. She quickly closed her eyes and when she felt the lights would no longer burn she opened them shocked.

To her right there was a wall not like her room, of course the wall was the first thing she would notice, how odd of her. She looked toward her left seeing a window with purple curtains a dark brown dresser and a mirror. She walked over to the mirror and saw she was wearing the ugliest pajamas she owned. "Ewww, why would I wear these when I killed myself?" Noticing what she said she slightly jumped remembering that night. She took her laptop and recorded a suicide video. She wasn't going to write a note, to much work. Besides she would want her last words to be on her favorite thing ever. She remembered exactly what she said on her video. "I'm sorry everyone, I have been a terrible person. Maybe this will help some of you out. Me no longer attending school might make some of your lives better. I know this is what I need to do." Jesse looked towards the dresser and opened it up. She took off her pajamas throwing them on the floor. She put on her underwear and bra and then picked out an outfit that consisted of black skinny jeans, a long sleeve neon green shirt to hide her wrist scars, a tight black bracelet so her sleeve wouldn't accidentally be pushed up to reveal her scars, and black hat with cute cat ears, and knee-high black combat boots.

She looked out the window to see a bunch of ugly rose bushes lined in a maze. "What the f*ck is this place?" She walked towards the door and opened it seeing her room was the last one at the end of a hallway full of other rooms. Feeling adventurous she walked threw the hallway and reached the top of some stairs that looked endless. She couldn't even see the bottom of them. She slowly but surely started her walk down them. At the bottom a small girl was laying on the floor. She looked very confused. Jesse walked past her and into a room with some guy sitting on a couch with an ugly yellow scarf. She saw a girl trying to hide by the doorway apparently not wanting to go inside. Jesse walked passed her to and sat on the other side of the couch the yellow scarf guy was sitting on. She looked towards him. "So, do you know where the f*ck we are?"

Jesse looks over to the boy who had walked in covered in blood. "Well, i'm Jesse. You also should try on o new shirt. I don't think red suits you." She turned around to face the wall not wanting anymore people around her. She already hated everyone.

Cas sighed again as she watched everyone pour into the room with the same questions. Where an I? Who are you? This was something everyone was scared over and suspicious. She yawned. So far waiting in the room was bored and she tied her black hair up to give her hands something to do. While it was up the tip of the ponytail just brushed the base of her neck. She pushed herself up off the chair she'd sat down in and paced with her hands in her back pockets. Surely there couldn't be that many more people to show up.

Deciding to ignore everyone there she just sat back down and leaned back to look at the ceiling. Second chance huh? So far it was pretty shitty.

Miho wakes kicking and flailing in the dark, gasping for every breath she can muster, the fear of death consuming her as she struggles to dislodge the hands of the man who is trying to choke her. Finally she ceases struggling, she ceases fighting against... Nothing! Her eyes open wide, her mouth hangs open, she's not choking, not being assaulted. "Where am I?" she wonders staring into the darkness,

What's the last thing you remember?
"It was...it was someone... someone... I think... Oh, I don't remember for sure." She mutters to herself staring blankly, her hands around her neck.

Car tires screeching on the pavement?
"No. I don't re...mem...ber that..." her thoughts drifting, confused, trying to remember what had just happened. Before she can continue the voice continues.

Fire? Gunshot?
"No." she mutters in a voice barely audible even to her. "I was... OMG!" she screeches, "I was being choked."

It's fine if you don't remember. But you will.
"What?" she asks nervously, realizing for the first time that she can hear a voice. But, she doesn't think anyone else is in the room. The voice feels more like it's in her head. "Am I going crazy?" she wonders.

Before she can continue her thoughts the voice returns. Tell me, were you bullied? Maybe you were the bully."
"Bullied or bully? I... I guess I was bullied." she nods now certain of that. "You see, I was..." she starts to explain when the voice interrupts.

Regrets? Oh yeah, everyone regrets it.
Miho sits still, her hand massaging her throat while balancing her body with the other, "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I do. I regret I was always the weak girl instead of being stronger." she whispers.

Listen here. Apparently everyone deserves a second chance. Yeah, even you.
"Who are you?" she blurts out looking around the room. "Where are you?" She calls taking stock of the darkness, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from, if it's safe to get off the the bed she's sitting on.

Then the lights come on. Miho covers her eyes as her pupils contract trying to protect themselves from the painful light that is washing into them. When they finally adjust, she takes stock of the room she's in and more importantly, trying to find the person attached to that voice. Miho has never seen a room this grand before. The room is huge, with a large oak dresser, a beautiful mirror, lovely works of art that she has only ever seen in books. The bed she is sitting on appears to be very old, it's large canopy overhead with beautiful curtains hanging down, drawn open by gold spun ropes that give her a view of the dazzling room. The sheets are soft and sheer, the pillows fluffy and seemingly brand new and a white stuffed bear laying on the pillows, reclining against the headboard as if this is his room. She picks up the bear and stares at him, she squeezes the bear trying to find a microphone or something where the voice could have come from, but finds nothing. "You're cute." she says bouncing the bear. "Do you know where that voice came from?" she smiles at it. "Didn't think so. Oh, God! I'm talking to a stuffed animal. I knew I was going crazy." she laughs. "I'll call youuuuu... Gom-sa." she says laughing again. "You are cute." she says hugging her.

At the other end of the room, across from the bed is a large picture window. Miho slowly slides off the bed and, hugging the bear to her chest, walks over to the grand looking window. "Wahhhhh!" she gasps as she gazes at the large garden outside. The trees, the bushes, the lawn, everything is so beautiful and so well cared for. When she looks left and right she realizes just how big this house and estate must be. "Amazing!" she gasps, "This must belong to someone very rich." she decides, showing the outside to the bear as if it could really see, "It's beautiful. Don't you agree Gomsa?"
Miho looks down at her body and stares. noticing that she's wearing her full school uniform. She stands puzzling; she remembers...she thinks she remembers taking off the tie and her skirt, that she was unbuttoning shirt, "Maybe it was a dream?" she wonders aloud. "Or maybe who ever owns this house saved me?"

Miho returns toward the bed and sets Gomsa down on the bed against the pillows, "You should probably stay here. I'm gonna go check and see what's in the house." As Miho gets to the door she chuckles briefly, "I am crazy!" she shakes her head, "Talking to a stuffed animal.

Miho opens the door and slowly slides into the hall. She looks both ways and sees no one, "Hello!" she calls out softly. "Hello." Receiving no reply, she walks her way toward the stairs, her socks softly padding on the floor beneath. "This place is so huge." she whispers. When she reaches the stairs she stops and gazes in awe at the beautiful craftsmanship of the center area of the estate. The fine etching, the beautifully painted walls, the gorgeous paintings that hang on them, everything seems so carefully designed she could stand and gawk at the foyer all day. "If only I had a camera or a sketch pad." she muses.

Miho reluctantly returns to the issue at hand, finding the owner. "Hello?" she calls out a little more loudly than before. She waits briefly for an answer, receiving none, she heads downstairs. She slows briefly a time or two to marvel at the artwork on the walls and to stare at the fine sculptures and woodwork this place has. When she reaches the bottom she thinks she hears something, voices maybe. She stops and listens again, it's voices, "Oh, thank God!" she exhales. Normally the thought of meeting new people would intimidate her, but she is now sure she nearly died the other night, that someone was choking her. So, whoever lives here must have saved her and dressed her back in her uniform and laid her on the bed. "He or she must be a good person." she concludes.

As she gets closer top the room, she slows, there are several voices coming from inside the room and they don't sound friendly;
"Who are you people?"
"Well, i'm Jesse. You also should try on o new shirt. I don't think red suits you."

Miho stops, nervously debating whether to continue, "If they're having a family fight, I don't want to intrude. They might yell at me." she worries. "But, I'm already this far. They have to know I'm here. I mean, someone brought me here. It'll be okay." she tells herself, trying to get the courage to continue. Taking a deep-breath she continues walking, as she reaches the corner of the entrance she checks herself; She fixes the white shirt of her sailor top, pulls the wrinkles and adjusts the pleats of her navy blue skirt, pulls up her navy socks just above her knees and straightens her red tie. "Perfect." she mutters, "Or as perfect as I'm gonna get."

"Here we go." she sighs. Miho steps into the room, bows, then rises and waves with both hands, "Hi. I'm Miho Haragawi. I want to thank whoever saved me." She stops abruptly, looking around the room at the group assembled; not only do they not look like a happy family, they don't look like a family at all. A chill runs up her spine, "This was a mistake." she says to herself, her smile still planted on her face.

Thomas was unable to respond. Outside stimuli seemed to have no effect. All noises meshed into one noise, every single part becoming of equal volume to other parts. Or so his mind made it. He couldn't concentrate. There was too much noise. He eventually opened them to find a girl sitting across from him. He simply stared, and remained silent. The room was now filled with people. Thomas didn't particularly dislike people, but had a general aversion to them. He would much rather do other things, unless the other person was interesting enough. So far, no one was that interesting to Simon. He tried to see the light in someone's eyes before, and it was lost to him. He doubted he had any either.
"So, do you know where the f*ck we are?"
The girl across from him began to address someone else after a short while of Thomas sitting there without response. A loud, tall person covered in blood. Judging by the appearance of blood on his shirt and Thomas' own scarring, he assumed that this person may have simply looked like this in death. He didn't know if people were taken here in the form they were in at the time of their death, but healed. Thomas did not have any blood on him, despite being shot a lot. Whatever the case, he decided to reserve judgement. It was not needed. More information was needed, and the differences might be trivial all along. In the instant he thought this, the same girl had moved to face the wall. Woops. There went another chance to socialize. Welp, maybe there would be many more. It seems even more people were here, including a lop-sided girl in the hallway. Of the noise that bothered Thomas, half of it might have had to do with her, if she fell. Well, whatever the case, someone was tending to her. Hopefully she would be fine. Thomas stopped and watched, motionless except for his eyes and head. He watched everyone. The people who entered all appeared to be around his age, and some seemed to be a problematic bunch. Of course, he knew nothing about any of them, so they all seemed suspicious. He heard, from earlier, somewhere, people yelling sentences and questions after pauses. He counted the pauses and tried to remember the few sentences he could understand. It seemed that it was possible they were yelling responses to the same things Thomas had heard before, given where the noise seemed to come from. Maybe they were here under similar circumstances. Unfortunately, he was too spaced out to at the time to remember. He might as well have been dead at the time. Or almost dead. It didn't matter. Then he heard a girl's voice. He couldn't make out everything, or anything at all. She seemed to be in the living areas, like what he himself woke up in. He sat, deciding to be a bystander. He kept his thoughts to himself. Besides, they would probably figure it out, eventually. Until then, he observed without moving anything but his head and eyes. . .The deafening crowd was disgusting. He wanted to leave, but decided against it. Learning was dangerous, after all. It required being in situations one does not necessarily want to be in.

After about ten more minutes of being bored Cas decided that she might as well find out who everyone was. This is gonna suck... she thought with a groan. She stood up and looked around the room at everyone before rolling her eyes. Might as well say [i]something[/]... someone was bound to reply.

"Well...." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked at everyone in turn again. Such a variety of people. "I'm Cas and I don't know what the hell we are doing here...but I sure as hell remembering dying. So ... anyone else or am I the crazy one in this starburst packet bunch?" She crossed her arms over her front and waited.

It was then that she noticed someone wrapped in a sheet and standing in the doorway looking terrified. She felt her heart twist just a little and waved smiled a little bit at the person, hoping that maybe they wouldn't be so scared. She stopped her thoughts in surprise. Since when did she care about people at all? She went back to examining the other people in the room.

What's the last thing you remember?
Was it car screeching? Was it fire? Gun shot?
It's fine if you don't remember right away.
So tell me... Were you the bully? Or the bullied?
Any regrets? yeah... most people regret allot...
Listen... everyone deserves a second chance right?
Well here's yours.

Wake up!

Light, it came unexpected to Vane as his eyes slowly opened. "So the trap of life is hard to escape after all.." Taking a few moments to even sit up, he slowly looked around the room. This was definitely not the hospital, as the surroundings were far too comforting. There were two bookshelves, one consisting of readable material, and the other seemed to hold various pendants as if on display. So even without getting up and looking into the wardrobe, he could tell the room was personalized for him. Greeting the pillow once more as he fell back, he chose to simply stare at the ceiling. Life had taken a cruel turn allowing him to live, and even more so, to be greeted with things of his taste.

To think, a car had managed to kill an entire family by such a simple impact. Yet, a twelve floor drop couldn't do the trick to end one boy's life. He could still remember the wind that rushed all around him. The peace of mind just before death, believing that it would set everything right. Not once did he regret making the choice to drop, so why was it that life forced him to live. Surely, if he was allowed to continue is was simply so he could be a tool. After all, everyone looks for a chance to gain money or power correct? So whoever had kept him within the cruel confines of the world was probably after his parents money. Was that it? Those with money are granted a long, painful, and lonesome life?

Finally allowing himself to get out of the bed, taking a few gentle steps before continuing across the room to the pendants. A coma, that is how he would explain it to himself. It would make sense to wake up in an unfamiliar area, yet a place decorated with his own personal things. Treatments must have been difficult to keep the muscles properly in his legs for the time. The fact that no machines sat beside his bed was the only thing missing from his theory. It would have to mean someone came in the room personally everyday to give him nutrients and other daily needs while he was asleep. His hands delicately ran over each of the pendants, there were some he knew, and others that seemed new. His collection apparently grew in the time of his absence. To think, the family that died must have collected a material item like this, but they will never get to see it expand.

Leaving the small display behind, he walked towards the far wall opposite of the door. The wardrobe, now opened even contained some of his clothes, as to be expected. Of course he was almost completely naked. It would be bothersome to cloth and undress an unconscious body everyday. "I wonder how long it has been.." His voice was muttered, knowing it was useless to ask the empty air, but wanting his voice to reach out. That's right, if he approached this calmly and logically, it was simply the curse of life. By the room, he could tell that it was well funded, meaning his family probably had something to do with this. He had to be in some location that was meant for higher society citizens.

Black slacks, a black t-shirt, and a deep blue corduroy tailored jacket. That is what Vane chose to put on, as it would be proper to dress at least half decently. He would not deserve any welcomes, or any cries of joy that may erupt from his family in greeting as he desired the death he attempted. However, what right did he have to shallow his greed on the only two in the world that even pretended to want him around.

Opening the door to the room, he looked out. No staff could be seen walking the halls, but distant voices could be heard. Turning back to the display bookshelf, he retrieved a small tribal pendant, hanging it on the outside door handle. This would make his room easier to find amongst the ones in this hall as he went in search of the voices. However, thinking about voices he had to wonder whose it was that spoke to him in his sleep. They sounded unfamiliar, like a complete stranger to him. Could it have possibly been the staff member that is taking care of him?

When he stood at the top of the stairs, the voices came much clearer. "....I don't know what the hell we are doing here...but I sure as hell remembering dying. So ... anyone else or am I.." The voice came from a room down below, a few words seemed to escape him as he could barely hear. His eyes fell on the pair at the bottom of the stairs, a taller guy with a rather short girl. The words had to register through his mind multiple times. That voice came from another room, meaning more had to be in there. It was probably the first of the bunch to break out based on the question asked, but the question itself was defying logic. The chances of one or two people waking from a coma within the same hour is a possibility. But the chances of four or more? The way that it was asked even, no one in that room could be an adult, let alone a staff member. That, or not only high class members of society come through here.

Then again, the guy at the bottom of the stairs, his clothing style was rather unique. 'What is this?', his thoughts echoed in his mind. Nevertheless, he chose to turn around and go back down the hall. He was afraid to confront anyone, afraid of them pushing away despite his now confused state. He had it together, this was a safe place, his family had to of put him here. But if members of mixed societies are here, and there is no coordination in what is happening. Not to mention, the one he heard mentioned dying. 'Purgatory? Is that what this is?' Leaning against the wall by his door, he sat. 'What the hell is this!?'

Bo was even more scared when people began yelling swearing and yelling some more she cringed. "I hate... w-when people are so rude... s-so loud." She pulled her hat lower and kept her gaze away. "I-I'm not scared... C-Cause I-I'm weak... I-I just h-have a p-phobia of t-tall people... Please... Don't judge me f-for it like most people do..." She bravely lifted her head to gaze up at the tall stranger. Her bright blue eye scanned his face. She could tell he was an interesting fellow already by his eyes... But she could also tell he wasn't like her... He was somebody that could hurt people... and would hurt them... and had. But she had just asked him not to judge her... So she would not judge him on mere theories. She would try and get to know him... People could always surprise you if you did.

Bo lowered her gave once more before her phobia kicked in and made her have a total panic attack. She listened as people began to question there location and why. Bo wanted to answer. Really she did. But she feared that it would draw attention to herself. Finally working up her courage she managed to speak up... Sorta. "M-Misses Cas... Your not... Crazy... I jumped in f-front of a car... To save a little boy... I-I Should be dead... But like you... I'm here...But for the record... I-It's nice to meet you... I-I guess...Ummm...Given... The c-circumstances" She closed her eye's keeping her head lowered so people would not see her face. Had they heard her? Would it even matter if they did? Probably not. Being small had the advantage that around new people she could easily disappear... But around people who new her and bullied her... No such luck.

This room full of people ..... they were all aimlessly swearing and being angry. Cas frowned when she noticed the girl wrapped in the blanket still. She could feel her heart soften at the sight of it though she had no reason for why. Two girls had already run out of the room upset and she raised an eyebrow at them as her only reaction. This one in the blankets though...she was intrigued. She stood up and walked over to crouch down to eye level to the girl. She was trembling Cas could see now. Poor thing.

"Hey...are you ok? I doubt anyone is really going to hurt you.. I'm Cas." Comforting someone was not something she knew how to do and so she was at a loss for what to say; she hoped that the girl in the blanket wouldn't become even more terrified.

Svalin was comfy wrapped in the blanket, but not comfortable around the rest. She noticed a girl walking to her and curled up as best she could to make herself small. She trembled as the girl crouched down and swallowed. Cas introduced herself, but Svalin had not spokencto anyone besides her brother. She hardly knew how to speak, but something made her want to try to actually make contact with this girl. Svalin swallowed.

"M... M... m.. me.. me.. S..v.. a.. l.. lin.." Svalin looked at Cas.

The girl was having trouble speaking and this worried Cas. Why was she so scared? Surely there couldn't be an actual reason for why... But watching her curl into the blanket even more was intriguing and adorable all at the same time. Wait....adorable?!?! Now lets get something straight right now. Cas did not like people. Cas did not show "feelings" even if may be mild affection. And yet this girl who couldn't be much younger than herself, was causing her to want to reach out and comfort her this...this...stranger. She frowned a little in confusion before smiling at the girl, hoping to appear friendly. She really did not know what she was doing.

"What a pretty name Svalin. Why don't you come out of the doorway and come sit on a chair where it's comfortable?" She poited to the small cluster of armchairs she had been sitting at earlier, one of them a bit farther away from the others and so providing a sizeable distance from the other people in the room. "I'll stand guard if you want so no one can get you," she said with a little wink and held her hand out. "Whattya say?"

All of this confused the blanket girl. She had been scared of everyone and everything, yet this girl, named Cas, was making her slightly comfortable. It all confused her, and made her even more scared. But, then again, maybe this would gain her a friend, one that respected her and would defend her. But after all, just a great friend.

Cas stuck her hand out. Svalin shivered slightly, but reached out her own hand and placed it in that of the other girl. She slowly stood up with Cas, though still as scared as before. She held the blankets and pillows around her.

Cas smiled a little before hearing a guy announce he was going outside. Quickly she assessed the situation. Rose bush maze...terrified girl....swarms of people... She glanced at her companion who was still clutching her hand and wrapping in the blanket. It made her giggle a little bit.

"What do you want to do? Do you still want to sit down, or do you want to head outside? We can always sit down for a little bit and then go outside. It's up to you." She stayed completely still, worried she might scare the girl more if she moved.

Bo had felt eye's on her for a fleeting moment. The glare of someone judging her. She frowned. Things never changed no matter where she went... People always judged... ALWAYS... She opened her eyes and sighed when at the corner of her eye she swore she'd spotted someone. A boy with long hair looking confused and probably just as terrified as herself and the others. But when she'd blinked... He was gone. Time passed and soon one of the people in the room announced he was going to go outside. Bo was going to follow when she'd remembered the terrified boy who'd been at the top of the stairs... Where had he gone. Bo turned and looked up at the stairs and pondered for awhile before she decided slowly but surely to make her way back up the stairs.

At the top and in the hall she spots the one girl... Cas the one who'd probably glared at her... She ignores her though. Instead she looks passed the two girls and down the hall's a longer way where indeed there is the strange boy with the long hair. He still looks scared... Bo walks into the hall and bows her head as she passes the girls. Wanting to disappear wanting to make herself part of the scenery. She moves all the way down the hall until she's standing in front of the boy. Bo stared down at the young man before sitting down in front of him putting on her bravest smile reaching out and touching the boy's shoulder. "I-It's o-o-ok to be... s-scared... Everyone... i-is... But p-please don't s-stay here..." She inhales and exhales rapidly refusing to let her phobia take over and make her panic and run. "W-Will... You come out into... t-the maze with m-me... Cause... I-im scared.. a-and unsure... to." She swallows and keeps her head raised so he can see her face. But despite how brave she was trying to be she could feel her whole frame shaking and her hand was frozen on the boy's shoulder. Too late she was having a panic attack stuck in place frozen trying not to thing of how tall and probably scary the boy was when he stood. She needed to be brave... She had to be brave... Had too...

Svalin was slowly looking around at the other people. She was not sure what she should do, run for her room, stay with Cas and do something with her... She was utterly confused how she even ended up in this place anyway. Her parents had not told her a thing about this, and her classmates or teachers had not either. She really did not know what to do without the comfort of her own home where she knew everything and where the situations never changed. Svalin would return home, and would see her mother cooking. She would go upstairs and make her homework, then come down when her father returned home. They would all eat dinner at the dining table, then move to the living room and watch television, probably a movie that would be on, and then it would be time for Svalin to go to bed. And the next morning the routine would be happening again. But here it was different.

Svalin looked at the girl before her and swallowed. She first wanted to sit down, and maybe go outside then. She did like the comforts of nature, the birds singing and such. ''M.. m.. m.. me... s.. s.. si.. si.. sit.. sit..'' Svalin was having difficulties talking. She had not talked in years, and now it all seemed so difficult.

Cas nodded and smiled before squeezzing her hand gently. She led her over to the chair and backed up a bit, in case Svalin needed some space.

"Take all the time you need."

With that she turned to gaze impassively at the others in the room.

Svalin followed after Cas with a faint, a very faint, smile as the girl lead Svalin over to the chair. Svalin sat down and looked around, unsure of what to do now. But she needed her time to calm down and get a bit comfortable in this situation, because there seemed no way to escape it.

Cas stood and watched as people were either conversing or walking out to the rose bushes...or both. While she had no desire to get lost or stuck in some unknown place, she was intrigued to see if she could get out. Get home. She sighed and looked at the girl in the blanket. What was her story? Why was she here? Why were any of the here?

"Svalin? What was the last thing you remember? If you don't mind me asking...."

Svalin looked at Cas as she asked a question about what she remembered. She thought for a moment, then looked at Cas again. "I... w.. wa.. was.. a.. attacked... b.. by.. b...bear.. and ... brought... t.. to t.. the hospital.." Svalin found it quite funny her way of talking. Cas just spoke while she herself had problems with the words and letters.