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[Fniff]

Don't... take any pills?

But my head hurts, and when I don't take the medicine it feels like it's being squeezed and I don't want that, I don't...

...
I'm sorry. You know best. I'll try and keep the medicine off my mind. I'm okay for memories. I know what happened today and yesterday and most of last month. But I'll stop my brain from wanting the pills.

The nearest nurse is Nurse Samssen. She's wearing her blue cap today. I ask her where the nearest emergency medicin-- exit, I ask her where the nearest emergency exit is. She looks up from her magazine with narrowed eyes.

"It's on the right," she says. "As you should know."

She looks back. That wasn't helpful. I don't like her.

Next step... I need to start a fire. Patients aren't allowed to do that, even in the winter. And as far as I know, it's June, so I can't say I'm cold. The only things I could light on fire would be the curtains and the things in the art room. I don't have any automatic lighters or matchboxes. Maybe I could grab one from the nurses, but I don't know... That seems wrong.

I can get things to light on fire. But there has to be a way to make a fire without using a lighter, isn't there?

[tntey]

Recall memories

[Nunzillor]

Ask the nurse under what conditions patients are permitted to leave.

[Fniff]

Memories? Well, yesterday I had a glass of water and listened to the radio and took some pills. The day before that I had a glass of water and listened to the radio and took some pills... Ditto for the last week or so. Jessica told me something about the pills, I forget. That was on Sunday because the radio asked us to pray.

"Nurse?" I ask. "When can a patient leave?"

"When they're healthy," she says. She has a smirk on her face.

Oh dear. Oleg is coming at me from the end of the hall. You know, the old soldier? He's wearing grey too and he's bald, head covered in burn scars. He can't stop scratching them.

"Private, the Commander's making an advance," he whispers to me. "Strategic retreat, this position cannot be held. Are you in or out?"

Commander. That's his name for you. What are you planning? You're not usually this... I don't know, my head really hurts.

"Any spare pills?" I ask.

"Didn't take them," he says. "Scrambles the frequencies and makes Commander go AWOL. They say it's meant to increase signal-to-noise but in reality, you're sabotaged! Relieve me of them if you need to but I'm not responsible... Commander's talking about a fire and I know I need utmost attention, no order ignored."

Nurse is looking at us funny, eyes over her magazine. The pills are in his hand. I need two servings a day, everyone says so. It'll give me a boost, can I please?

[Tomasque]

No pills. Throw them away so I won't be tempted.

[StrawBarrel]

No pills. Throw them away so I won't be tempted.

+1
Try to look for a clock. If we can't find one, then ask Nurse Samssen what time it is.

[crazyabe]

No pills. Throw them away so I won't be tempted.

+1
Try to look for a clock. If we can't find one, then ask Nurse Samssen what time it is.

+1

[Arcvasti]

PTW

[Fniff]

{Apologies for the delay.}
I push his hand away. He shakes his head and drops the pills away. I look away at the walls to find the time.

A clock on the wall missing the hour hand, keeping things safe, confirms it's quarter to. I ask Nurse Samssen what the time is anyway.

She leans back in her chair and looks up at the skylight. She bites her lip. "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight," she says. "Red sky at dawn, shepherd's warning."

The magazine is like a scarf around her face, she's holding it too close. She says to it "I suppose, since you aren't a shepherd, you'll be fine either way."

I wish it was night. The nurses get much better at night when they stop talking.

[tntey]

Look at our room.

[Fniff]

I walk to my room. Oleg looks at me funny and tells me he'll reconvene with me at some point. I don't say anything back to him.

My room is second to the right with the picture of the house on it. Inside, I like to think I keep things simple. Just a bed and a window. The bed has a two blankets on it, the standard institutional duvet and a handsewn shawl on top. There's a few pillows I found the place, too, so my head is properly supported. They let me take the bars off the window to let the sunlight through, I'm such a good patient.

... Well, you know all this anyway, but... Will I see it again, do you think?

[tntey]

I don't know danger. Are you crushin on any of the nurses? Any crushen on you?

[StrawBarrel]

Can you look out of the window or is it only one way? Look out of the window if you can.

[Megggas]

Do you truly want to listen to us, Danger?  Like the man said, we are only a crutch.  You can make choices without us.  What do you want to do, Danger?

[Nunzillor]

What do you like more, sunlight or being a good patient?  Check the thickness of the glass.  It's time for that strategic retreat.