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sadfreezingbrit_archive) wrote2011-08-21 02:52 am
sadfreezingbrit_archive) wrote2011-08-21 02:52 am
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One incredible feat of sleep-deprived bakery architecture. [23/??? artefacts collected]
[ It's the event's second night, around four o'clock in the morning.
The narration trusts that at this point everyone has found somebody to room with and is tucked into bed.
Fast asleep as opposed to completely deprived of the same ever since the event started.
And definitely not building a donut replica of Westminster Abbey in one of the conference rooms.
Nope.
Not happening anywhere at all. ]
[ ...For everyone who does not enjoy a little action at night, Philip will emerge from his building project in the morning and can subsequently be found
a.) making coffee in the coffee area
b.) drinking coffee in one of the cubicles and
c.) throwing coffee at the backstairs spiders
If you hear him humming a strange tune, well, that's just the melody his hot beverage gives off, because who needs a sense of smell when you can have a constant soundtrack instead? ]
The narration trusts that at this point everyone has found somebody to room with and is tucked into bed.
Fast asleep as opposed to completely deprived of the same ever since the event started.
And definitely not building a donut replica of Westminster Abbey in one of the conference rooms.
Nope.
Not happening anywhere at all. ]
[ ...For everyone who does not enjoy a little action at night, Philip will emerge from his building project in the morning and can subsequently be found
a.) making coffee in the coffee area
b.) drinking coffee in one of the cubicles and
c.) throwing coffee at the backstairs spiders
If you hear him humming a strange tune, well, that's just the melody his hot beverage gives off, because who needs a sense of smell when you can have a constant soundtrack instead? ]
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Swallowing swallowing swallowing SWALLOWED. That was a big bite he took of Philip's fat, delicious mouthful. ]
Ah... [ He clears his throat of spare crumbs. ] Oh.
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...I'll put up some coffee.
[ 'Or watery Veridian equivalent thereof'. The coffee machine he borrowed from one of the employee areas didn't do a very satisfactory job so far. ]
Uh, did you close the door? I'd rather not have another one of those cleaning robots in here.
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That sounds like rather a good idea, [ he says. Or would say, if the last word wasn't overtaken by a yawn (which he hurriedly covers with his non-donut-clutching hand.) ]
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Speaking of which, Philip only knows what Daniel told him, so his knowledge of the actual sleep issue is limited. Hence the suggestion: ]
...Did you try earplugs? I've seen some in one of the labs and if you've got a room... they might help with the sounds.
[ Not that Philip is entirely sure if the conversion works that way, but it's a suggestion at least. ]
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[ Blink. catch up with conversation, and we're there. ]
Oh, well. That... that is certainly possible. I may try it.
[ But he makes no move to go searching. Daniel really, really doesn't relish attempting to sleep without help again. The nightmares have never gone away, only been drowned. He feels a bit sick just thinking about it.
...Actually he feels a bit sick just on general principles. It's been a while since he last ate. Perhaps a donut wasn't the best way to get back on the wagon. ]
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When the coffee is done he pours himself a generous amount and hesitates at the second cup. ]
You should... really try to catch some sleep.
[ If Philip had to make an admission it would be that he's not entirely speaking out of concern for Daniel's well-being.
Fact remains that he isn't exactly thrilled about company right now. Talking, thinking, it all adds up to a terrible amount of tasks which his body no longer wants to execute.
Most of his system has been longing to shut down for hours now, but his brain refuses to do so without assistance- assistance which Philip can't provide without magical supply closets. ]
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He balances the remainder of the donut listlessly in one hand. ]
Do you think so.
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...Is there something else?
[ Something else keeping Daniel from going to sleep, some other reason why he wants to stay up, something to be done, something needing to be said, something something along those lines is probably what is being asked here, but Philip's train of thoughts is no longer as easily understandable as one (he himself included) would like.
He pours the second cup of coffee and puts it down on the table. ]
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And puts his sluggish mind to Philip's question. ]
Well...
[ He looks down at the surface of the coffee. Holding it sounds like a deep, loud hum that he has to raise his voice a little to speak over. The steam lightly touching his face is a whispering noise. He shivers.
Hey, he does actually have a sort-of excuse which is true in a way. This isn't the first time he's felt sick. He's been feeling off - a little nauseous, a little feverish - for the whole day. ]
I am a little out of sorts. Perhaps a cold. Sleep evades me.
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[ Wonderland may take their closets, but it will never take their trousers!
...On second thought, it could probably do that too. ]
Um...
[ No, you're right, that is not only not the point but also a terrible non sequitur.
The point is that Philip suddenly regrets having used the last of his pocketed pain pills in the afternoon. All it did for him was take some of the edge off (the sling may be gone, but the pain in his shoulder is doing just fine), but for Daniel (whose tolerance is undoubtedly not jacked up to ridiculous levels) it probably would have worked great.
Which finally brings us to his actual statement: ]
I've got...
[ He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bottle, 1/4 of it already empty. ]
Aspirin, if you need any.
[ Guess who's been raiding first aid kits ever since he realised the closets were gone. Go on, guess!
...And grab that bottle Philip just slid across the table, while you're at it. ]
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[ His heart isn't in great levels of enthusiasm. But his voice rises again, because his hands on the coffee mug keep getting louder and higher in pitch. He reaches over (not noticing his reddened palm) and picks up the bottle, which screams at him too. What the goddamn hell. ]
Relief from pain and fever, aches and pains, [ he reads from the label. Okay, it is sort of exciting to be using genuine future medicine, even if he's too tired and bleh-y to bubble with historian glee. ]
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+ This morning he yelled at Dean because his new sense made him hear an unpleasant smell
+ Daniel hears sensations as sounds
+ Daniel is raising his voice while holding a hot cup of coffee
and derived a fair warning from it.
Alas, no such luck. Moving on. ]
You can take it, I've got another one. [ And another, just in case. ]
He'd prefer leeches.
Thank-you. [ He stares at a couple of buzzing pills for a second, then swallows them. Delicious medicinal drugs, the answer to every ailment! ]
What keeps you awake?
[ Did he ask that already? Sleepy short-term memory, man. He peers at the bottle, wondering if it mentions how long the things take to start working. ]
LEECHES ARE NOT THE ANSWER. Although there's a lively swarm in lab #7
[ What follows now is a long pause. A long pause.
Readers who would like to use the restroom are encouraged to do so now. Go ahead, it will take quite a while. Perhaps get a drink while you're at it - or a sandwich.
Me? I'll use the time to provide you with the truthful answer to this question:
- What usually keeps Philip awake is Clarence. Clarence, the one who doesn't seem to need sleep and is free to converse with Philip all night... or mimic the sound of a foghorn, if he's feeling complacent.
- There is the pain too, but that one is only a recent addition. Almost negligible in the grand scheme of things, really.
- There is even an upside to the event, relating to the fact that Clarence seems unusually quiet in Philip's re-wired brain. Discomfort, exhaustion, who knows? Either way, if Philip were to go to bed he might just make it through the night without the Tuurngait's interference keeping him awake.
- Ah, but sadly there's still the actual reason why Philip can't keep his eye closed for more than a few minutes tops:
- The pills he constantly has to take to get through a Clarence-infested night aren't the sort of thing you just throw away one day. They are beautiful and special and if Philip's brain can't shut down with their help then it refuses to shut down at all.
Of course the insomnia is only one of many fun side effects, but we (read: Philip) will get to that in a few hours. In the meantime-- Is that you, dear reader?
Did you finish your business? Why, I sure hope you remembered to wash your hands after using the restroom, otherwise I would not recommend taking a bite out of that delicious sandwich.
But it seems you are back and so I believe we are just about ready for Philip's version of the truth now; an elaborate excuse the cleverness of which shall undoubtedly be without equal: ]
I haven't... got a room.
[ ...Well. That was anticlimactic. ]
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I do. It's not as fine as usual, but you are welcome there.
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Um...
[ Well, now he will just have to come up with a better and even more elaborate excuse.
...If our dear readers would like to see the Lord of the Rings trilogy while waiting then we understand. ]
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Philip?
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Hm? Why... why are you yelling?
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[ You know what's a great cure for drowsiness? Remembering that Philip can't actually hear what's now something like a high bellow. Also, spilling hot coffee all over your hand (because without ordinary touch it's hard to judge stuff like 'how upright the mug is') and getting screamed at for your trouble. And then dropping the cup.
The flinch and 'gyah!' would have been similar whether he'd heard or felt the scalding. ]
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...
...
...
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD: ]
Jesus!
[ On the plus side, the yelling suddenly makes a whole lot of sense. On every other side... the rest.
Philip hurriedly puts his coffee aside and rounds the table to survey the damage. ]
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...On reflection, having his hands over his ears probably doesn't mean that he's unhurt. ]
Oh dea-- dear God, that-- [ He recovers a little, takes his hands off his ears, though they're still ringing and chuckling. ] That was quite-- quite a racket. [ Also, additional cockroaches. His eye darts to the floor before he can second-guess it, but he looks back up immediately. ]
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Well. At least this isn't as long-term startling as jellyfish stings or deep cuts followed by gutting. Philip has learned how to take care of burns a few practical Leidenfrost effect demonstrations ago. ]
Let me see. [ Unconsciously swinging into damn-you-student-I-told-you-to-be-careful-with-that mode Philip takes Daniel's arm and surveys the damage. ] Does it still--
Can you still hear it?
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He allows Philip to take his arm, looking down guiltily at the floored coffee cup. It's smashed on the tiled floor. ] Well - yes, but - it does not need mothering, I am sure.
[ He'd sound less annoyed if he wasn't still startled, if Phil's tone hasn't changed in that direction, if he wasn't sleep deprived. ]
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And you know what else? Philip wassn't building donut!London because he's so content to relax. ]
I'll be right back.
[ And he's out the door and-- TO THE TASK MOBILE!
...the task mobile being a small research room a few doors down which featured one of his now-raided first aid kits, the remaining contents of which also featured burn gel, a very popular and often-used item in Veridian's laboratories.
...
...
...
- insert elevator music here -
...
...
...
Aaaaand he's back with the kit. Lala, opening, getting gel, opening bottle, turning to Daniel. ]
Your hand.
[ There will come a point (gradual or abrupt) when Philip realises that he's been startled into far more agitation than the circumstances warrant. That point is not right now. ]
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