[CENTER][h1][color=slategray]Ailsa Leisy[/color][/h1][/center]

Ailsa resisted a tempting roll of her eyes as Mabel told another joke. Rooming with the red-haired woman meant hearing such girls every moment Mabel got, but Ailsa didn’t mind it. Mabel could have her fun.

[color=slategray]”Beast blood with an immunity to sickness and anti-aging properties?”[/color] Ailsa said, eyes widening. [color=slategray]”Have you discovered the much-sought fountain of youth?”[/color] Joke aside, Ailsa really was interested, and she approached the microscope Mabel was currently working at. [color=slategray]”May I?”[/color]

Looking into the device, Ailsa caught a glimpse of the cells—completely stable with not a single one dead as of yet. [color=slategray]”Whoa. Usually live cells start dying off quickly, don’t they? What’s with them?”[/color]

Puzzled, Ailsa left Mabel to her devices and went up front to the clinic where she found Ranna waiting for her. [color=slategray]”Hello Ranna! It’s a bit late to be wandering about, isn’t it?”[/color]

Ailsa listened as Ranna spoke, a frown on her face. Tired and haunted by other matters, Zach’s injury had completely slipped her mind after the battle. [color=slategray]”Of course. I’ll get right on it,”[/color] Ailsa said, reaching for the bandages and ointment out of habit before drawing back, hesitating. The stab wound had been bandaged in the afternoon, and it was best not to disturb a healing wound more than necessary. Turning back to Ranna, Ailsa gave the girl a tired smile.[color=slategray]”I think the bandage-changing can wait until morning. Zach needs to sleep and heal, and you need sleep too,”[/color] Ailsa told Ranna. 

After exchanging a few more words, Ranna took her leave and Ailsa decided to retire to the back room where the bunks were. Filling a cup with water, Ailsa found her toothbrush—no toothpaste, which was considered a luxury in current times—and started brushing her teeth, her eyes flicking up to the old, scratched mirror where she found… a wild-haired woman with dark eyes like that of a demon.

Ailsa let out a little shriek, backing away from the frame so quickly she knocked over her cup. In the mirror—

[color=slategray][i]The mirror,[/i][/color] Ailsa realized with a groan. [color=slategray][i]It’s just my reflection, tired and miserable.[/i][/color]

Picking up the cup and throwing a rag down to mop up the spilt water, Ailsa was silent [color=slategray][i]I’d almost forgotten, huh,[/i][/color] she thought, straightening up and pitching the rag to a corner. [color=slategray][i]Forgotten what kind of monster I was. What kind of monster I am.[/i][/color]

Ailsa flicked off the lights, refusing to look into the mirror again. The shadows couldn’t haunt her as much as the light because, as many monsters there were in the dark, her worst fears always appeared during the light of day.

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[@wick][@dabombjk]