Damage Per Second

CHAPTER IV: THE CHRONICLES OF FARRAH

Caroline was seated across from a Lion in spectacles, a glowing plant woman, whom she was about 90% sure was a witch, and an eight foot tall android that had a set of large doors and a series of drawers for an abdomen; she sincerely hoped that at some point someone used it as a wardrobe.

"So you're a freelancer huh?" queried the lion in spectacles with a light growl and a flash of ivory fangs. Caroline wasn't as surprised as she thought she would be when the lion spoke, though this was his first time speaking to her. He looked to be rather old, there were patches of grey in his mane that was mostly hues of brown and gold.

Caroline said, "seems like it", when she shrugged absently.

Artie the Android's head tilted listlessly, a porcelain skull, with empty sockets, that had roses with black stems painted deftly on it. "Your reaction to this is a little ... disconcerting," said the Android with a metallic ring in its surprisingly concerning voice.

"Believe me," said Caroline, "I'm concerned, but I'm also exhausted."

"We understand "started the Android. "Would you like some cocoa?" He rummaged through the draws that made up his abdomen, a faint light issued from them as he did so.

"Understand?" Caroline rebounded. "I'm the one responsible for Eduardo's death."

"You aren't." Noted Pandora, the Plant Witch. "You had no way of knowing what would happen." She said it mechanically and clearly. "You are not to blame.

"It doesn't feel like that" said Caroline bitterly. She was done with tears. She had her moment with Eduardo in that instance of time, and now he was gone. The calvary found her, Cindra and Adam in the hallway bathed in yellow fluorescent light. They came in the form of a varied assortment of people of many different ethnicities, all dressed in exceedingly normal clothing except for a breastplate here, or a pointed wizard's hat there. Caroline held the dagger that finally killed the reanimated corpse of the man she made love to in a dream. When Caroline thought about it, she could barely believe what had happened.

The plant woman asked, "Do you know what that means?" Her words were like a splash of cold water to Caroline's face. "Is she even paying attention?"

"Huh?" Asked Caroline startled. "I'm sorry, I drifted away for a moment."

"Maybe we should start this interview over", Artie the Android announced as he stood triumphantly with a steaming hot cup of cocoa. His mechanical form towered over all of the rooms occupants, and his movements made Caroline finally see the splendor of it. The walls were large slabs of grey stone, with white marble accents of a sword, a shield, a wand, and a cross in a diamond formation. Sometimes the figures moved ever so slightly, as if they were standing to attention while she looked at them and relaxed when she wasn't. This pattern was also etched on a twin set of flags that hung symmetrically on the wall behind her interrogators. In that moment she remembered a nagging question that had been pulling at the heels of her brain as soon as she the lion started talking "How did I get in here?"

Pandora smiled a green smile with lips of mossy bark that cracked. "Now that is an interesting question." she mused. "Usually takes a little while longer for your people to notice."

"My people..." said Caroline with a look of aggravation and disgust.

"Humans," she clarified. "They usually take longer to adjust to the transition, and the blockage of memories."

"I know what you meant," said Caroline. "Doesn't make it any less- what do you mean by blockage of memories"

"Oh," tittered Pandora, leaves fell from her person as she giggled, "it takes you a little while to catch up eh?"