[color=00aeef]FRIEDA RICHTER[/color] -- Salem Clinic - mid-morning

The sun appeared to become brighter and brighter as time went on.  She saw a piece of dead grass off in the distance break from its root and fly into the breeze.  The breeze seemed to coo between the nearby buildings in rhythmic intervals.

Frieda reached up and rubbed her eyes vigorously, trying to shake herself of the fixation on small details she couldn't stop noticing.  She didn't feel tired, that was certain -- and she certainly didn't feel like her body was humming artificially, like it would on the boosters in the Enclave.  It was a different kind of alertness, much more comfortable, even if a little...disorienting.  She wondered how she'd put up with the body buzz all those years.

[i]Occasional use only, Richter.  The doc gave you one as a favour so you could do your damn job...so, do it![/i]

She reached into her back pocket for her smokes and pulled out her last one.  "Son of a bitch," she grumbled.  She rolled it between her fingers, considering just saving it until she desperately needed it, when movement in her peripheral vision caused her to look up and down the street.  Approaching the clinic, dragging a body, was Ace.

Frieda swallowed and stuffed the cigarette into her pocket.  No, it wasn't a body, but a ghoul, and it was in horrific condition.  She paled completely, hoping beyond hope she wouldn't have to touch it, herself.  She tilted her head back, so as not to lose sight of their approach.  "Doc?" she called into the clinic.  "You should come down here."  Frieda paused.  "Uh, bring some extra gloves."

"This way," Frieda directed Ace, keeping a very polite distance away from him.  She swallowed her sudden nausea.  "There's an empty cot over there," she pointed.  Her eyes snapped to the trail of blood, imagining that that couldn't be a good sign.  Mind you, she didn't really know anything about ghoul anatomy or physiology, other than how to shoot them dead.

She bit her tongue to remind herself of her place.  Frieda cleared her throat and turned to Ace.  "Situation under control, out there?  What happened?"