UPRISE

005

Jasmine is the first to help lift the girl off the ground. Reagan moves in as well. They carry the limp girl, their feet scuffing against the pavement. Wren imagines that he has more experience moving unconscious people than the others. He holds her head to keep it from jolting up and down. The group leads her into the bakery. Corbin holds the door open for everyone, pulling it shut as the last of the stragglers enters.

It's warm inside. At least, compared to the rest of the world. No one is sure exactly how the supplies can transport in day after day, but some of the bread is baked fresh on location. Within these walls, it is practically a furnace.

The bakery, like all of the other buildings, is a square. At the front of the room is a panel, and a shoot for the food to drop. Leading up to it is a metal chain that creates a line for others to wait in. Viola has had enough of the metal confines, so the first thing she does is shove it against the back wall. This time, she won't be able to knock it down in her shock.

While the others struggle to drag the girl towards the warmest part of the room, Viola goes up to the panel. Tapping it reveals the time. There are six minutes until blue curfew. Perhaps enough time to sprint home, but only barely.

Viola heads towards the door.

Struggling under the weight of the girl, Jasmine leads the others to the back wall. There, they lie her down against the cold linoleum floor. Her mouth is open slightly, but her eyes shut. Jasmine kneels over her, pressing her head up against the girl's chest. She waits for a heartbeat.

"Does anyone know first-aid?" Corbin asks, scanning the group.

"I was an RA in college," Harper offers. He keeps his distance from the others, hanging out near the door. After all, he can't imagine her waking up to being crowded by a group of strangers. "But that was more about dealing with drunk teens, you know? Not hypothermia."

Pluto rubs her temples. She tries to force herself to recall the late band nights where they would find drunk people passed out in the road. What would they do? "Water. She needs water."

"She's not fucking conscious, we definitely shouldn't give her water," Corbin snaps back. Just the sound of Pluto's voice, though surprisingly soft and light, is beginning to grate at Corbin. He tries to remind himself that it is not her fault.

Unlike last time, he needs to stay cool.

Thunk. Finally, Jasmine pulls back. "Her pulse is slow. Like, almost impossible to hear."

Noah exhales. He puts one hand up to the back of his neck and begins to scratch. His fingers move delicately, mocking the movements of a guitar string. God, he wants his guitar back. He wants back peace and quiet.

From the back of the crowd, Aeryn can't see. She taps on Corbin's shoulder. When he turns, she holds up the blanket. Corbin peers into her wide, bright eyes before he notices her offering.

Quickly, he pulls off his own coat. "We need to give her any extra clothing."

It takes a second for others to react. Jasmine pulls off her sweater and leans over. Wren cradles the girl's head as Jasmine struggles to pull it over the girl. With Reagan's help, they manage to pull it on, as well as Corbin's coat. Corbin also pulls his socks on over the girl's feet. Finally, Aeryn drapes the blanket over her.

Pluto watches the others, then spots Viola. The brunette stares out the windows to the front of the building. Though she offers Corbin her coat, she doesn't blink away. Maybe Viola is higher than Pluto thinks, but Pluto doubts it. She knows weed like the back of her hand, and weed doesn't do whatever is happening to Viola.