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[sub][@Ruler Inc][@Ciaran][@Fernstone][/sub]
[code]Town Hall[/code]
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“Why does she get to choose where she goes, man?” protested Billy as Caelea put herself up front. He didn’t really want to be in the front—he didn’t want to be here at all—but he was growing sick of Penny calling all of the shots. 

“Because she can actually do something,” said Penny, nodding at Caelea. The girl had handled herself just fine in the hospital lobby. It was nice to have her along. She didn’t even bother to spit out her cigarette as she pushed open the doors. If she was gonna walk into a buncha knife-wielding goons pouncing open her to rip open her guts, she was at the very least gonna smoke while they murdered her. That didn’t happen. What did happen was she dropped the cigarette from her mouth as her jaw fell at the sight of the massacre at the staircase. 

“Jesus.”

No time to stare. They had a plan to go quick and they had to go to the basement. Just walk by a whole buncha dead guys. Normal day in Farmer Hill. Penny started for the stairs when Britney suggested she stay behind to serve as a lookout. [i]What? No way,[/i] Penny thought as she froze. People in their group didn’t do so hot when they were alone. Penny was about to speak up when Paige volunteered to stay with Britney, partially do to her crutch. [i]Shit![/i] There were ways to work around her stair problem—they weren’t elegant, and they might be somewhat embarrassing—but they would work. Plus, the two wouldn’t be able to have that talk if she died, and splitting up was an absolutely great way to die. 

“No,” said Penny to Britney, her voice firm and her hands balled. “This isn’t an option. I already told you that we are sticking together. I’m not going to get a fucking map just to come back upstairs and find the two of you dead.” She grimaced. As far as she could tell, two deaths could remove a sizable chunk from the town’s population. How many of her neighrbors were in here? How many had they passed by unnoticed while out in the storm?  She wasn’t going to take any chances.

“We either all go together or we all leave,” said Penny, taking one step towards Britney and not breaking her stare. “And I didn’t just walk through a fucking snowstorm just so I can hike back through it empty handed. Seal what doors you can and help Paige downstairs.”

It was a bluff. Penny knew that they needed that map if they were to beat the Glutton. If Britney refused to cooperate she’d just turn around and head down those stairs, but she wasn’t going to be happy about it. Penny had a strong feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was just the dead bodies, but maybe it wasn’t. She betted on the wasn’t. 

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[sub][@Ruler Inc][/sub]
 [code]Library[/code]
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“Maybe we shouldn’t find out,” said Rita, responding to Jordan’s rhetorical question.

She hadn’t seen what Justin had seen, because when he had stepped through the door her vision had been a mix of sleeves and fingers. Still, it had been enough to make the guy jump back and lose his breakfast. She peered through the entrance, trying to see what it was that Justin had seen. It was just darkness at first, but then a vague outline began to form on the ground. Was that a bone? Rita looked away. Her curiosity, for once, wasn’t piqued. 

“S-seriously, we really maybe definitely shouldn’t go in,” said Rita.