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[Glacies]

Floating. Suspended in midair, hovering, with no means of support. Surrounded by nothing so much as thin air, and scrabbling for something to hold on to. The most horrible part, however, is the realization that you aren't falling, just...drifting.

Consciousness returns like lightning. The underside of a bedspread, the springs spread out with mathematical precision. The floor feels sticky and unclean, even through your sweat-stained shirt, and you hastily crawl out from underneath the bed.

The apartment has been ransacked. The sheets have been thrown back and the two white pillows split open with their polyester contents strewn around the head of the bed. The curtain rod has been ripped from the window frame and the orange streetlight streams in, interrupted intermittently by red and blue flashes. The window itself has been smashed and broken glass is scattered on one side of the floor. A wooden dresser, drawers askew, an assortment of women's clothing strewn around the room. At one side, there is a desk with a flatscreen monitor and various computer peripherals, a shelf above it holding various CD cases.

After taking the scene in, you realize you are clutching a red scarf.

There are two doors here. One leads to a small bathroom of some sort, and the other to a kitchen space.

[lawastooshort]

> Turn on computer. While it boots, check external hard drive isn't missing and then check no one is in the bathroom or kitchen.

[Glacies]

You lurch over to the desk and flick the monitor on. A little grey box appears in the middle of the screen proudly declaring that it cannot find a signal, and a quick glance to the floor shows the forlorn little computer tower is on it's side, the innards pulled out. No hard drives here.

A quick glance through the bathroom door shows a medicine cabinet ajar over a large plain porcelain sink. Various lipstick and makeup cases line the edge. There is also a shower and bathtub stall here with a semi-transparent beige cover, and the ubiquitous toilet. Everything in the bathroom is spotless.

Then, threading through the debris in the bedroom, you head over to the kitchen. A large, glass-topped island with a little bowl of plastic fruit serves as the centerpiece, surrounded by a stove, refrigerator and various shelving units and counters. The shelves have been given the run-through too, and a box of wheaties is lying on the counter, its contents spread out like a starchy crime scene. The kitchen is reflected in a mirrored wall, a thousand fractal, compound images. A mirror that large is probably expensive to replace. To further make the room seem more open there is a large bay window here, through which the red and blue lights continue to flicker in sequence.

To round out the scene there is a little hallway leading to the apartment exit. A coat rack stands vigil, the sole occupant a tan raincoat.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Health: Fine

Inventory:
Clothing
Red Scarf

Clues:
Missing hard drive
Red Scarf

[lawastooshort]

> Search the raincoat's pockets.

[Glacies]

Familiarity is in this raincoat, because it belongs to you. There's a notebook in the pocket, which is blank. There are also two twenty dollar bills in the pockets, a cheap mechanical pencil and a slip of paper with an address on it. 1250 Motor drive. That's in the industrial park. You could take the coat too, but only when you're going to leave. Oh, and your shoes. They're at the foot of the rack. Well, that's handy.

You think you can hear someone moving around in the building. Echoing faintly, the sound of hard heels on a stairwell.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Health: Fine

Inventory:
Clothing, including shoes
Red Scarf
Forty Dollars
Notebook
Slip of paper
Familiarity?

Clues:
Missing hard drive
Red Scarf
1250 Motor drive address

[monk12]

> Check own gender, then cautiously look out the window. Try not to be seen.

[Glacies]

What? But you already know your own gender, why would you check it now of all...right, sorry. Yes, still male. Well, there's a twist.

Skulking over the window and peering out cautiously reveals a police car parked out in the street below, lights a-flashin'. There's police tape strewn around, blocking off an area just outside of your vantage point from the window. You can see someone in a police uniform inside the car. It is raining, ever so gently.

You hear someone walking inside the building, just outside the apartment.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Health: Fine

Inventory:
Clothing, including shoes
Red Scarf
Forty Dollars
Notebook
Slip of paper

Clues:
Missing hard drive
Red Scarf
1250 Motor drive address

[lawastooshort]

> Check for any alternative way out of the apartment, such as via the ceiling.

[Glacies]

A daring air-vent escape would be most excellent, save for the total lack of ventilation in this apartment. There are two fairly large windows leading outside, but you’re on the second floor. A quick glance outside of the bedroom window shows a drainpipe bolted to the side of the building, but that probably wouldn’t hold your weight. Whoever designed this building clearly had it in for you, and possibly the greater metropolitan fire department.

The footsteps stop just outside the apartment door.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Health: Fine

Inventory:
Clothing, including shoes
Red Scarf
Forty Dollars
Notebook
Slip of paper

Clues:
Missing hard drive
Red Scarf
1250 Motor drive address

[lawastooshort]

> Put on coat, calmly exit apartment through door and greet the footstep possessor politely. Leave building and walk to nearest food shop.

[Glacies]

You are feeling a bit peckish, after all. You shoulder on the raincoat, and open the door into the hall. It’s the standard apartment complex, which is a linear hallway with a stairwell at one end and various numbered apartment doors up and down it. The lighting is provided by florescent bulbs in tasteful wall sconces.

None of that really holds your attention, however, because you’ve come face to face with a police officer. The usual blue uniform, the silly hat, the badge on the shoulder and the various holsters and things under a dark blue raincoat made out of cheap tarpaulin material. The sort of world-weary expression and the unshaven face that beams out indifference.

“Good evening, sir. I’m sorry to disturb you. You didn’t happen to hear any commotion just outside, about an hour ago, did you?”

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Health: Fine

Inventory:
Clothing, including shoes
Red Scarf
Forty Dollars
Notebook
Slip of paper

Clues:
Missing hard drive
Red Scarf
1250 Motor drive address

[lawastooshort]

> "I don't think I did, but something certainly woke me up abruptly, officer."

[monk12]

> "I don't think I did, but something certainly woke me up abruptly, officer."

> "Why, has something happened?"

[Doomblade187]

"Well, my apartment was ransacked when I woke up, and several items stolen."

(Monk, love that avatar!)

[monk12]

(Thanks! As soon as I saw this, I knew it needed to be an avatar. I'm debating getting his face in the following strip done in one of those avatar rotatey thingies.)