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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 13, 2010 5:06:00 GMT -5
After he first tasted blood, he had panicked and started running, bent low, to where he'd been told the infirmary was. "He-hello?" There was concern coming from the beep-beep machines in here and the smaller whispers from the things he couldn't yet identify. "I, I um, need some plasters, some bandages or something." He'd chewed his nails so much he'd started to bite his fingers at the quick, hence the blood.
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Post by Ame Robinson on Jul 14, 2010 15:35:08 GMT -5
The machines, in fact, were mostly not plugged in and mostly covered and stashed safely against a wall in the back of the infirmary. There wasn't generally much call for the more complex electronics in a school, but then, in a place like this, who knew? The most active was probably Ame's computer in the office, or possibly the air filtering devices.
In any case, Ame appeared in the door to one of the exam rooms, where she'd been completing her supply inventory. "Hello," she said with a smile. "You can come right in, I'm not busy. What's the trouble?"
She could see the blood, so she indicated the sink against one wall of the room. She also picked up a pair of latex gloves.
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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 14, 2010 23:40:50 GMT -5
That would certainly explain the quietness of tje whispers then, just remnants. Pieter held up his hands and looks apologetically at the nurse. I chewed too hard." He wandered over to the sink but was a little lost as to how to turn it on without covering the whole sink with blood. It did make a nice nolwn to catch the drops in though. "I'm sorry, could you turn the taps on for me, I'll make a mess otherwise."
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Post by Ame Robinson on Jul 15, 2010 10:59:59 GMT -5
"Of course." Gloves in place, she flipped the cold water on and, being a firm believer that physical contact helped everything and that there was a sore lack of it in most people, started to help with the washing.
"Why did you bite so hard... and what's your name?" she asked, not judging, simply requiring information. In point of fact, she felt bad for the kid, recognizing the signs of anxiety on his face. Perhaps by talking she could help him.
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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 16, 2010 7:26:33 GMT -5
"Thank you, ma'am." The cold water was exteremly refreshing on his fingertips although it stung a bit where the actual wounds were. "I'm Tomski, ma'am." Then, he realised that she probably wanter more than a nickname, "Pieter Tomachowski - I'm a first year here, ma'am." He had to think about the biting, he didn't really know why, well, that wasn't true but was he going to be able to explain to her his agoraphobia. "Sir wants me to attend his class but it's outside, I don't think I can because it's so quiet and large and unnatural and I can't stand it." It didn't help that he could till count the number of times he'd been outside, more than just briefly passing through, on one of those torn and bloody hands. They had not been fun times. "I want to go but I don't know how I can, ma'am. I don't know if I'm strong enough - I chewed too hard while thinking about it and that's why I'm here, ma'am. I'm sorry to be a bother, ma'am."
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Post by Ame Robinson on Jul 16, 2010 11:43:05 GMT -5
Ame smiled. "It's no bother at all, Tomski. That's why I'm here. And, you don't have to call me 'ma'am' all the time. Just Ame is fine." She gave his fingers a thorough washing with non-stinging soap, then turned the water off and got them both some paper towels to dry with.
She understood what he was saying perfectly and thought about what to do as she got some iodine, gauze pads, and tough medical tape from the cupboards. She wasn't about to use regular bandages, which seemed slightly inadequate and could too easily come off if disturbed, and she hoped the odd mineral smell of the disinfectant iodine would be an additional deterrent to more chewing.
"Outside is really full of sounds," she mused aloud as she went to work. "Just different kinds of sounds: wind in the trees, birds, insects. And of course your classmates and professor. Which one is he?"
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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 16, 2010 12:27:06 GMT -5
"Yes ma'- Ame." He caught himself as she dried his fingers off. "It's just that my parents told me the Professors here with as much respect as possible. They," not immediately obvious that this is a different 'they' to his parents "they informed me of the proper forms of address."
As she treated his fingers with a horrible smelling and stinigng chemical he pondered on what she said. "Yes, but They aren't there, They can't talk to me out there. I don't want to disappoint Professor Tzu Mei but I'm not sure I can cope without Them - there's only so many of them I can bring with me after all. What should I do, Ma-Ame?"
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Post by Ame Robinson on Jul 18, 2010 12:11:45 GMT -5
"Well, I'm not a professor, so no one will mind," she assured him.
The news that Tzu Mei was the professor in question gave her pause--it seemed an interesting coincidence--but her hands stopped only for a moment before resuming. "Who are 'they'?" she asked. "I don't know what you mean by that."
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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 19, 2010 1:15:41 GMT -5
"If you're sure, Ame." He nods.
"They're the machines, Ame. I hear all of them and can talk back and work with them. They whisper to me all the time, try and help me, even the lightbulbs. It's why going outside is so hard - bcause there's no electricity, no machines out there." He shrugs, it's the nearest explaination he has to what actually happens and it's near enough to make no difference really.
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Post by Ame Robinson on Jul 19, 2010 12:20:47 GMT -5
Ame had to think hard about that one. They'd told her this place was strange, but the extent of the strangeness multiplied exponentially with each new person she met. Now, for a boy who bit his nails to the quick because he couldn't be away from electronics, which talked to him...?
"I know it can be hard to go away from your friends, or anyone you love," she started slowly, choosing each word. "But it's okay to be by yourself sometimes, or to do things with other friends. Do you think they would understand that?" Jealousy may not exactly have been the source of his anxiety--could appliances be jealous?--but asking the question would make him think about it, and hopefully he'd decide for himself that yes, it was okay, enabling him to beat the nerves in time. Which was the ultimate point.
At about this time she finished the bandages, so she started tidying up the supplies. The pads were a little thicker than normal Band-aids, but it wasn't as though he would be able to do dexterous work with his fingers either way.
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Post by Pieter 'Tomski' Tomachowski on Jul 21, 2010 3:08:28 GMT -5
"It's, it's not that. I've always had them talking to me ever since I was born. There's only been one or two times when they've not be there." He wiggled his fingers, thinking that this would make his work a lot more difficult but it was his own fault he supposed. Next time he'd have to be more careful. "It's too quiet when they're not there. Like part of my hearing's gone..." And there, he had an idea about how he might be able to hear them whilst being outside. He'd have to work quickly, difficult with the bandages but maybe doable for now. "Thank you, Ame, you've given me something to think about." He nodded to and waved at her "I'm afraid I've got to get going as soon as I can if I'm going to fix this before the class. Goodbye, Ame, and thank you again." He ducked out of the room and was gone, running back towards the dormatories.
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