Messengers of Mankind

A Comfortable Life (8)

Today's the day I'm supposed to go back for re-examination.

I've honestly been apprehensive all day - I mean, I did not have the greatest the last time I was in the medical bay. Not only did that nurse refuse to answer my questions, but she dismissed me with the doors slammed in the face!

I sulked about in my room, pacing back and forth within the perimeters of the moderately large space. Metallic and hospital-like as it is, it still brought a sense of comfort and provided somewhere for privacy. Privacy was something hard to come across in the complex, since The Council knows everything - which is why myself, if not everyone as well, values it so much. Quite frankly, I've always kind of disliked the complex's complete control over everyone - not one secret of just about anyone slipping through their fingertips. Although they had mentioned multiple times that it was for our own good, I had my suspicions that it was more than that; especially after my check-up last week.

Obviously, I've talked to Dr. Soot about much of my concerns - although he wasn't much help because he wasn't a part of the council. I told him anyway, since he's the safest person I feel like I could talk to currently; Tommy's gone off to god-knows-where again and Niki's always busy, so I didn't have anyone else to talk to either way. Despite the fact that I barely know about Dr. Soot still, I do enjoy chatting with him on occasions where we meet each other in the halls. I've come to know that Dr. Soot is not as cold and despicable as everyone depicts him to be. He's actually quite kind and humorous, always cracking jokes here and there. A small smile crept up to my features as I reminisced on our last conversation. T'was an enjoyable one, I'll have to admit. The best I've had in a long time.

A monotone voice abruptly rippled through my room through a miniscule speaker. Although I was expecting it, the sudden loud voice had still startled me slightly. "Agent Purpled, please proceed to the medical bay A in ten minutes for your re-examination."

My examination papers have already been stacked neatly atop my wooden desk last night, ready to go. I still shuffled through the pages, making sure that I hadn't missed any - and of course, I didn't. I draped my shawl around my shoulders and quickly rearranged the papers to its rightful order, clipping the immaculate and crisp sheets to my clipboard afterwards. Flicking off the light switch and gently shutting my bedroom door, I headed out into the hallways.

There's surprisingly little people in the main hallway today. Passing by the common room for the A Sector, I peeked in briefly. It was only occupied by one lonely figure on the far side of the room, where an entire wall of glass took up most of the adjacent space to the door. Their silhouette was dark against the blinding snow outdoors, contrasted by the stark illumination of the silhouette's outline. Pink, waist-length hair draped over the back of the rocking chair they were seating in, the owner of those silken locks turned towards the window. It seemed that they were zoning out.

I found myself stopping at the entrance of the common room.

"Hey, Dave." I called out softly. "How're you doing?"

Upon hearing my question, Dave craned his head towards me, stiffly moving his facial muscles to form a tight smile. However his underlying expression, in contradiction to his smile, was that of a bleak sadness. Those pink-violet gradient eyes were rather unfocused, gazing at a nonexistent point somewhere far in space.

"Heyo, Grayson. Where'r ya going?" Dave's voice bore no traces of his usual monotone and sarcastic self. It sounded distant, like he was talking to the faded wisps of a person forever locked in a solemn memory.

He's been like this ever since Tubbo went missing. Always would he be in a room of varying sort, his gaze unfocused and his expression a mixture of grief and blankness.