[KAISER ERIK MAINARD.]

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Sitting outside, looking after people were one of the task Kaiser found endearing as a volunteer. Contrary to popular belief, the patients that roamed around were quite ordinary, and he could just go and talk and make good acquaintances. It seemed that the absence of someone in a white coat allowed everyone to believe that everything was okay, and that they were merely enjoying a good day outside. Most patients he talked to were actually sweet and kind. The only thing he was cautious on was sudden movement. Anything that would move quickly might intimidate everyone, and all hell will break loose if it were so. Then he’d have to assume the role of security, and be a ‘monster’ to them to ensure order. He didn’t like being the ‘monster’. A particular friend, a volunteer from the same group as his, accidentally had to enforce strict rules on one occasion. Everyone present then despised him, and he lived miserably until he was reassigned to another task, one where he needn’t interact with the patients. As far as Kaiser was concerned, he didn't want to be deprived of interaction. Especially since that was his main purpose there. Besides, they weren’t really as bad as their files would report on them. And they still reminded him of Amelie.

He shook off the thought as he walked, weaving in and out of the provided benches where people sat and other groups of people who chose to stand, listening to bits of conversation transpiring among them. He was trying to spot for words that might seem threatening and break the crowd before anything could happen. As usual, he heard none. He continued for a bit more, hands in his pocket, until everything seemed dull, and his legs got tired, and he saw his superior, a male nurse every woman present seemed to want. Everyone he talked with, at least. “Hey Chuck.” He called and waved, standing beside the nurse. “How’s your lot?” He added, as he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back slightly, trying to fit himself in the shade of a seven-footer tree. Chuck acknowledged him with a nod and copied the arms across the chest bit. “Just grand, thanks.” He was, of course, referring to how smooth things were going. It was a good day. And there were no accidents since the wake-up call. Or so Kaiser was told. He drove a few miles from his dorm, and had arrived shortly after breakfast, missing one of the more adventurous parts of the day. Chuck looked around for anything off beam, true to his job, and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be bloody damned if something happens.” To which they both followed with a laugh.

Chuck moved away from him to go to the places where his eyes couldn’t reach when in his former position. Kaiser was forced to take another stroll. He looked and smiled at the people, who smiled back at him. Though most had genuine feelings, there were some whose expression was completely empty and robotic. Kaiser could tell they were the newer ones. He spent time with them a bit more, giving them silent company until they asked to be escorted back inside, or shifted in self-consciousness. Silence seemed to be the better in effect with the new ones. He met Chuck mid-way, and decided to change his course and tag along, until Chuck shooed him away or ordered him something. They walked around in a routinely pace, trying hard not to look nosy, but at the same time listening to the conversations around. “You should try talking with them a bit more.” Chuck finally suggested, after a few moments of silence. “It’s good for your heart.” Only he knew about Amelie and her death, and it should stay that way. Chuck knew what was restraining Kaiser from further mingling with them. He gave Chuck an ambiguous look because honestly, he didn’t know how to react to that. Part of him wanted to go and talk to people, but then it would be a crazy thing to do. Chuck returned the look until his eyes lit up and he went to a bench where he left his bag. “Here,” Chuck said, pulling out a plastic of colored paper. “Do origami and pass them around.” And Kaiser could only receive the piece of paper and randomly pick one, moving quickly with the task with a slight smile on his face. He loved origami. He was good with origami.

The act attracted people. Everyone wanted a piece of pastel colored animals, or specifically requested shapes such as ribbons. This way, Kaiser exchanged a few words with each and every one of them, and got to know a bit about them. The crowd thickened, and Kaiser’s work was growing inadequate. But as quickly as the crowd grew thick, it thinned, and by the looks of it, everyone was pleased. The tips of Kaiser’s fingers ached, and he suddenly felt the pain in his back. He sat down at a nearest bench, which occupied one more after him. He smiled at the patient, and judging by the looks of it she really was just avoiding the crowd. Earlier ago, Kaiser also noticed the patient in the same exact position. The patient obviously did not like people. He decided he would make the most special figure he could for the patient. “What’s your favorite color?” He asked, the first question he started asking the people who wanted origami.

TAGG'D NADA! OPEN!
GRAFIX P0STER OF CAUTION 2.0
LYRICS UNWELL BY MATCHBOX 20
STATUS FINITO.
NOTES BAHAHA. SHORT, BUT
I WANT A THREAD NAO. :3

[ELIJAH JASON COX.]

Taraxaxcum officinale. He remembered that was what they were called. Elijah cocked his head to the side, looking at the flower’s bulbous yellow top. He moved his foot forward, and nudged the flower. Its stem bent, and then bounced back to its previous position. He wished the flower’s yellow petals were white already. Elijah liked them when they were white. He liked running his fingers across it because it felt like fur, but do you know what was even better than feeling the flower fur? Blowing it. He liked to blow on the it and the white fur would drift into the air where it then would fall to the ground so that it could germinate. Germinate was what Mommy used to say, but he just liked to say that the plants were just growing up, and then Mommy would smile, nodding her head. Yes, they grow up, she’d say as she’d take his chin into her hand so that he’d look at her, you’re such a clever boy. She was looking into his eyes. He could see that from his peripheral vision, but his eyes were trained on the rhinestone daisy pin on her shirt collar.

Daisy. Bellis Perennis. Elijah looked up; there weren’t any Bellis Perennis’s near him. Not in the flowerbeds, not dotted in the grass like the taraxacum officinale. He looked back down at the taraxacum offcinale; dandelion is what people usually called it, but Elijah couldn’t bring himself to call it that. It sounded like dandy-lion. Dandy-lion like Aslan! Elijah liked Aslan; he read The Chronicles of Narnia. He’d read it to Sissy a number of times even though she knew the story by heart, just like he did. She always said she just liked to hear him read. He didn’t know why. Elijah didn’t think he read very good out loud.

He looked back down at the flower, and a bumble bee crawled across it, making the stem bend under its bubbly-butt. Elijah gasped as he took a step back, grabbing a snatch of his hair at the nape of his neck. He yanked his hair, holding his breath until the bee moseyed away toward the flowerbed. Letting his breath out, he glanced around, noticing a group of people forming. His lips down turned as he watched more people come. They were making a crowd, and Elijah didn’t like that.

With his eyes still on the crowd, Elijah walked away from the people, and sat down on a bench. He looked at his fingers as he opened and closed his hand. Elijah concentrated on the movement, going faster, and then sometimes slower. It kept his mind off the crowd, and he was glad of that because just thinking about crowds made him nervous.

His concentration was derailed when someone sat on the bench next to him. He sat up straighter, and scooted farther away so that he was leaning against the armrest. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the man beside him. Elijah open and closed his hand , and then grabbed a snatch of his hair again.

What’s your favourite colour?

Elijah turned his head a fraction as if he were about to look at the man dead on, but he continued to look at him from the corner of his eye. Was someone really talking to him?

“Green,” he said softly after he took a swallow. Elijah cocked his head a little more to see what the man was doing. He blinked a few times, and then turned to stare at the man’s hands.