Nothing! I can't sleep.

“I can’t fucking sleep.” You mumble to yourself and get out of bed. You stumble around the room and find your boots. From there you get into the standard gray uniform you were given the morning before and take a walk.

As soon as you step outside, you feel a rush of anxiety for some reason. It was snowing. Hard. But without any wind or additional displeasures, you decide to stick to your walk.

Each step you do carries a distinctive crunch from the snow. You keep your hands buried deep in your pockets as you think. Something bad was happening, you just didn’t know what. Your mind nudges at you more, making you go further into Deadwood. A few blocks, maybe more, you reach the gate. You see a few bitter guards who approach you. You banter for a bit, but you soon gather the connection that whatever odd sensation you are feeling isn’t contacted by these gentlemen, so you end the conversation with them to part ways and start backtracking to the hotel.

The dim lights of the city reflected an awesome glow above. It almost looked like the whole place was on fire. You might’ve enjoyed it a touch more if it wasn’t for the increasing feel of dread in your stomach. You pause in the middle of the street while you were crossing it to look around. Everyone was gone. No one was outside aside from the gate guards. The silence was deafening and out of place as the snow continued to fall.

You exhale, a thick cloud of smoke follows your breath out. Might as well continue walking...

You had been avoiding the thought for some time, but you couldn’t help but wonder if what you were feeling was guilt. You knew you should not have left Kenji and Sachio alone with those two...Mikka and Ruprik. As these thoughts filtered into your mind, they soon became an unavoidable plague. You had subconsciously started to go in the direction of the bar you were at only a few hours ago. HOURS.

A curse slipped from your mouth as you broke into a jog. 4 blocks away...3 blocks away...next turn!

CRASH

You turned at the corner and ran into some idiot walking who was-!? “Sachio?”

Wide eyed. Sachio looked at you with a dazed glance, it looks like she's having a hard time focusing on you. You reach out and grab her. She felt warm, yet almost lifeless when your fingers gripped her shoulders. “What...are you doing out here?! Are you OK?”

She stared at you and then squinted, trying harder to focus on you. You repeated her name in confusion. Eventually, all she was reached out to hug you. She felt warmer in your arms... Hot even. You held her for a few seconds, not saying anything. Her scent filled your senses; she was slightly tainted by the smell of ****. You moved and looked around. She didn’t look hurt, but that feeling of panic was skyrocketing now. She then managed to say: “Take... me back...please...?”

“What?”

“Take me back to the hotel.” She looked down, her voice was shaky and uneven. She looked up at you slowly, you then noticed that her pupils were huge, but she didn’t seem to be high.

You nodded. “Yes, of course I can do that.”

She wrapped herself around you and didn’t let go. It prevented you from moving or guiding her back. She...felt like a little sister or some kind of fragile animal in your arms. You didn’t want to let her go. Feeling that your heart was about to burst from your chest, you half-reluctantly asked what was wrong with her. She didn’t reply though.

Her heart was racing too. You grabbed her hand and gripped it tightly as you led her back. You didn’t feel watched or followed. It was just a blur, even after you got to the hotel. Once inside she thanked you and parted ways, not even quickly it was just said and done. You watched her go up the stairs and then disappear. You hold your hand to your chest and look around.

Alone. You rubbed your wrists and whispered to yourself. “What happened to you, Sachio?”

You waited an hour longer for Kenji. But he was a no show. Mikka came in, looked pleased with himself however. You stopped him before he could get far. You asked a few questions, but he told you he’d explain it all later. Ruprik came in last, looking more pleased. You attacked him with the same questions, but he said the same thing as Mikka, but less sober.

Feeling burned out and irritated, you go to your room and crash there. You’ll have to wait for tomorrow for answers you guess.