[center][h2][color=96c8a2]Alexander A. Aster[/color][/h2] [img]https://68.media.tumblr.com/0bbd3d45abd89f27259b4d0a293665bd/tumblr_nzl107GQ6X1qc1wjwo1_400.gif[/img] Location: Coventry Horrors Interacting with: A strange Child in the Stairwell [hr][hr][/center] [i]“A magician is strong because he feels pain. He feels the difference between what the world is and what he would make of it. Or what did you think that stuff in your chest was? A magician is strong because he hurts more than others. His wound is his strength. ”[/i] Alex's fingers slowly folded over the page, marking his place in the book as he sighed softly, setting it on his nightstand. He'd read and reread that same line hundreds of time, and each time it gave him the same response. A strong twist in his chest and the ever-growing sense of longing, perhaps for the magical lands of Fillory to open their gates and welcome him, perhaps for the words to hold true, perhaps for him to forget the wounds that have festered for over a decade and a half. What if they had thrown the party Saturday? What if he had chosen Ihop of Denny's or any other fucking brunch restaurant in that massive hive of a city? What if they had gone to First Service like they always had? Would he still be an Orphan? Or is the Universe as cruel of a place that you can't escape it's decisions, and can at most merely postpone it's choices. With an audible groan, Alex sat up and finished off the glass of oaky liquid resting on his nightstand, rattling the ice against the cup's edges as he gave a soft cough at the burn trickling down his throat. [i][color=96c8a2]Stop wallowing asshole, this isn't your day to mourn.[/color][/i] He whispered softly to himself, checking his watch and turning on the T.V. to the local news station, tuning in just in time to see the Police Captain Norman Holder begin his speech. [hr][i] "Police will be doing door to door searches beginning at eighteen hundred hours. Please be advised that we are taking this very seriously."[/i] [color=96c8a2][i]Shit Captain, not the best way to start a day.[/i][/color] He chuckled to himself humorlessly as he pulled on his light blue jacket, checking his hoodie's pockets to make sure his cigarettes were present. After doing a quick once over to make sure he had everything he needed on him, he locked the door to his room and left, making his way towards the stairwell. As he opened the stairwell, a child ran past him causing him to jump for a moment, before a comforting sense of warmth came to him, as always did around children. With a wide, genuine smile he called up to the child, who seemed to be standing still and smiling down at him, although the sound of quick footsteps still echoed throughout the stairwell. [color=96c8a2]"Hey bud, where are you headed?"[/color] He called as he walked up the stairs towards him, his slight intoxication and general adoration for children distracting him from his original goal of destination. The child moved his mouth in response, however he seemed to be talking too quietly for Alex to hear him, before turning and continuing his quick path up the stairwell. With a gentle look of concern on his face, Alex continued to move faster up the stairs after the child. The boy seemed to stop and look down towards Alex at each floor, each time saying something Alex wasn't quite able to discern, and each time the look of Concern on Alex's face grew. He began to move a bit quicker, continuously looking upwards to spot the boy, and in his own rush he had stopped paying attention to the sounds around him, failing to notice that the footsteps had ceased two floors below him. With genuine fear for the Child's well being showing as fear across his face, Alex's climb faced him with a door to the roof, which he stopped in front of momentarily before pushing through slowly. With confusion he looked across the mostly empty platform, the child nowhere to be seen.