Day 48: Women's Showers [Second Shift]
As breakfast ended and the nurses started herding the younger "patients" toward the door, Ema thought she saw a familiar face in the gaggle of adults that was being herded in another direction. The preoccupation with her sister's trial must have been starting to screw with her mind, because Ema could have sworn that she had just seen Lana. It was just a brief glance, however, so maybe it was just her eyes (or this place) playing tricks on her. Still, Ema's gaze lingered on the crowd, searching for her sister's figure just to make sure.
The nurse next to Ema took notice and glanced down at her quizzically. "What has your attention, Marie...?" She followed the girl's line of vision, and the confused look gave way to sudden realization. "Ah, your sister. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to catch up with her later. You don't want to pass up your shower, do you?"
Ema froze, staring up at the woman stupidly. Her sister was here? Even if Ema felt a pang of guilt about it, the news hit her with overwhelming relief. For one, she wasn't alone in this hell; even with her sister's ever-increasing frost, Ema knew that her sister would protect her (and, hopefully, Agatha). Secondly... Lana couldn't be found guilty of murder if she was here, could she? Chekov's explanation of the fluidity of time in this place went out the window--Lana was here, and therefore safe from the legal system of Los Angeles.
As much as Ema wanted to break free from the nurse and run after her sister, she refrained. She had already been given one implicit threat today to stay cooperative, and she didn't want to invite trouble. Besides, Lana seemed to be headed toward that room with the bulletin board in it. That meant Ema could catch up with her after the shower, which was good.
After giving the nurse a nod to indicate that she was going to the showers after all, Ema hurried there as fast as her still-aching legs would take her. She never was the type to take very long cleaning herself, and today she really sped through the wash-down process. In a matter of maybe ten, fifteen minutes, Ema had undressed, washed her hair and body, rinsed, dressed, had her bandage changed, and was well on her way to the Sun Room, her hair dripping behind her as she went.
[And Ema's off to meet her sister here]
The nurse next to Ema took notice and glanced down at her quizzically. "What has your attention, Marie...?" She followed the girl's line of vision, and the confused look gave way to sudden realization. "Ah, your sister. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to catch up with her later. You don't want to pass up your shower, do you?"
Ema froze, staring up at the woman stupidly. Her sister was here? Even if Ema felt a pang of guilt about it, the news hit her with overwhelming relief. For one, she wasn't alone in this hell; even with her sister's ever-increasing frost, Ema knew that her sister would protect her (and, hopefully, Agatha). Secondly... Lana couldn't be found guilty of murder if she was here, could she? Chekov's explanation of the fluidity of time in this place went out the window--Lana was here, and therefore safe from the legal system of Los Angeles.
As much as Ema wanted to break free from the nurse and run after her sister, she refrained. She had already been given one implicit threat today to stay cooperative, and she didn't want to invite trouble. Besides, Lana seemed to be headed toward that room with the bulletin board in it. That meant Ema could catch up with her after the shower, which was good.
After giving the nurse a nod to indicate that she was going to the showers after all, Ema hurried there as fast as her still-aching legs would take her. She never was the type to take very long cleaning herself, and today she really sped through the wash-down process. In a matter of maybe ten, fifteen minutes, Ema had undressed, washed her hair and body, rinsed, dressed, had her bandage changed, and was well on her way to the Sun Room, her hair dripping behind her as she went.
[And Ema's off to meet her sister here]