I Midday leaves the dormice to find one particular Numbered tagging along on a shopping trip in town with siblings taking advantage of the post-holiday sales. It’s usually the best time to stock up on wrapping paper or other goods for next year after all, and with such a large family, any savings adds up. Nel has barely gotten back enough energy to be on this trip after another plunge into a comatose state two weeks ago, but she had insisted on getting out of the house. She could only take so much resting.
Standing in an aisle looking at the leftover ornaments, she gets quite the surprise when a dormouse climbs over her boot onto her leg. Identifying the source of the pricks at her skin through her leggings immediately soothes her alarm, and she bends down to whisper after it returns to the floor, “You probably shouldn’t be in here...” Then she realizes it was not only one that had found her. Staring, she watches them run to and from her only a couple times before she realizes they want her to come. Nel stands and finds her siblings, telling them she is heading home early and reassuring them she can make the trip. Multiple times.
Leaving the store, Nel spots the dormice waiting. “You realize I can only get away with this once. If they get home before I do they’ll never let me go anywhere alone. ...I hope this is important.” The girl starts to follow the dormice as she sends a text to her mother at home to let her know she is changing location with a promise to update her soon, and that it must be something to do with the Numbers. Once she knows where she needs to go, she’ll text again.
III Shivering upon arrival from the chilly trip to the tunnels, Nel pauses to push her hands against her knees to catch her breath. She had hurried as well as she could, but even bundled as well as she had dressed for the shopping trip, the cold has seeped through the layers and left her more drained.
Staring after where they disappeared into the grate, she waits until she has recovered to approach the grate. “Hallo...? Come on, I can’t go that way...” Another pause, then she sighs. “...Guess I’ll find another way in then.”
Swinging her bag around, she digs inside the pockets. If she is going into the tunnels, she’ll need something to light her way. She has her cellphone, but she does not want to risk dropping it or draining the battery. If memory serves however, she has an unbroken glowstick in the bottom of her rucksack that might help.
no subject
Midday leaves the dormice to find one particular Numbered tagging along on a shopping trip in town with siblings taking advantage of the post-holiday sales. It’s usually the best time to stock up on wrapping paper or other goods for next year after all, and with such a large family, any savings adds up. Nel has barely gotten back enough energy to be on this trip after another plunge into a comatose state two weeks ago, but she had insisted on getting out of the house. She could only take so much resting.
Standing in an aisle looking at the leftover ornaments, she gets quite the surprise when a dormouse climbs over her boot onto her leg. Identifying the source of the pricks at her skin through her leggings immediately soothes her alarm, and she bends down to whisper after it returns to the floor, “You probably shouldn’t be in here...” Then she realizes it was not only one that had found her. Staring, she watches them run to and from her only a couple times before she realizes they want her to come. Nel stands and finds her siblings, telling them she is heading home early and reassuring them she can make the trip. Multiple times.
Leaving the store, Nel spots the dormice waiting. “You realize I can only get away with this once. If they get home before I do they’ll never let me go anywhere alone. ...I hope this is important.” The girl starts to follow the dormice as she sends a text to her mother at home to let her know she is changing location with a promise to update her soon, and that it must be something to do with the Numbers. Once she knows where she needs to go, she’ll text again.
III
Shivering upon arrival from the chilly trip to the tunnels, Nel pauses to push her hands against her knees to catch her breath. She had hurried as well as she could, but even bundled as well as she had dressed for the shopping trip, the cold has seeped through the layers and left her more drained.
Staring after where they disappeared into the grate, she waits until she has recovered to approach the grate. “Hallo...? Come on, I can’t go that way...” Another pause, then she sighs. “...Guess I’ll find another way in then.”
Swinging her bag around, she digs inside the pockets. If she is going into the tunnels, she’ll need something to light her way. She has her cellphone, but she does not want to risk dropping it or draining the battery. If memory serves however, she has an unbroken glowstick in the bottom of her rucksack that might help.