A Broken Woman

8.3.5 SW
Late Afternoon SW-CP-Local Time
Crowning Point > Residential Hex > Nila and Maryam's Flat

The hatchery was a ruin of disaster. The Marshal had exited the lab, demanding "flammable or explosive chemicals" to "torch the place stat!" giving her ten minutes to try and back up data from outside the lab. It wasn't enough time. The remainder of her afternoon was spent in quarantine where she underwent several scans to detect some kind of viral contamination. She was clean.

Nila had returned home. She took a seat on the sofa and let out a series of heavy breaths. Her clothes felt dirty - still breathing heavily she threw them off one by one until she was sat in her underwear. She unclipped her hair, it swayed dramatically to her shoulders. A sight that few had seen.

All she could think about was Osman and Erikson, how could something like this happen? She didn't have the answers.

Suddenly Maryam arrived home, she removed her coat. She was a little surprised to see Nila in such a state. "Are you okay?" Maryam asked their was audible concern in her voice. She sat beside Nila gently placing her hand on Nila's bare shoulder. Nila flinched instantly at the sensation.

"Don't touch me please Maryam -- not today."
"Okay- I'm sorry, what's the matter?"
"It's just been a long day at work. I've seen some shit today that's all," Nila said staring to the other end of the room.
"I've never seen you like this," Maryam commented, she slowly went to put her hand on Palmer's shoulder again. Nila Palmer looked at her roommate; she appeared shellshocked if not broken.

After both sitting in silence for a short while Nila threw her hair towards Maryam, crying within the comfort of Maryam's arms. "What happened?"
"The hatchery was sabotaged, Erikson was attacked by some creature. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. It was horrible."
"That really does sound like a long day," said Maryam semi-sarcastically trying as best as she could to comfort her dear Nila. "Everything's going to be okay."
"If only you could just say that and it'd actually make a difference. It's gone all of it," Nila untucked herself from Maryam's hold.

The damaged Nila stood up, gathered her clothes and went to her room. "I'm going to lie down, I'm done." The door slid shut quickly behind Nila, Maryam watched that twisted version of her friend dissapear. She leant back on the sofa and closed her eyes, today was strange.