Anabel looked around as they walked into town. It seemed different, like she was an outsider looking into a town that didn't belong to her. It seemed eerily quiet, too. She didn't like it very much.
When Gwyneth asked her to lead them, she nodded. "That would be the hospital. Nearly everyone infected is there, the only ones that aren't are those too old or too sick to leave their own bed." She began to lead them down a dirt street that led them to a wide building painted white. "This is it."
Gwyneth didn't seem to be bothered by the silent town, her eyes roaming over the buildings curiously. She noticed it of course, but she didn't think about it too much. It wouldn't have been the first time that the townsfolk were all held up in one place during something like this.
She was quick to follow Anabel, looking at the white building with a small hum. "Well then, let's get in there." She strode forward, the wind picking up a bit as they reached the doors to the building. The witch pushed the doors open and stepped inside, glancing around with a small hum.
As they stepped into the building, Anabel could smell the death in the air. Even in the standing area the front door opened to reeked of rotting flesh. She shriveled up her nose as she glanced around. There was no one at the front desk, but that was to be expected at this time of night and during a plague as bad as this one.
"Everyone should be down this hall." Anabel pointed to the only other opening in the room, a narrow hallway leading to a dark wooden door. She remembers the last time she went through those doors to check on her infected family. That was just a day ago but it feels like it's been much longer.
Ooc: SO sorry about being inactive for so long life has been busy lol
ooc: It's been the same for me too
ic: Gwyneth's face scrunched up as the stench hit her, a frown coming to her face. She almost forgot what death smelled like, but it never let her stay away from it for long. The witch followed Anabel's finger to the door and nodded. "Right, let's get this over with then, shall we?" The smell only got worse the closer that they got to the door, yet there wasn't any way to see past it without opening it. She looked back at Anabel, a small amount of pity in her eyes. "Prepare yourself, whoever or whatever you've lost, it doesn't matter now. Remember, you're mine." With that she turned the knob and stepped into the other room.
Anabel nodded at Gwyneth, ducking her head at her second comment. It would be difficult seeing her people but not being able to join them, but at least she'd be helping them.
As they stepped into the room, Anabel looked around frantically, and wasn't sure whether or not she was glad her family wasn't there. She did see a majority of her town, including a few people that were fine right before she had left in search of the witch. When her eyes landed on a set of beds in the corner with sheets over the habitants she let out a small gasp. No one had died before she left, either.
Gwyneth's gaze swept over the room, ignoring the stares that she received. It was certainly worse than she had thought, it was a good thing that she had planned for this.
The witch strode over to where the nurse station seemed to be, stepping around the various people as if she was just moving through a crowd. She didn't seem at all phased by the death that surrounded her. She set the jar of paste on the table, giving the nurses a stern look. "Only one small amount for each person or else you'll run out."
Anabel looked around as she followed Gwyneth to the nurse's desk. She could feel the gazes of her friends and neighbors on not only Gwyneth but her too. She noticed how they all seemed to shy away from the two as they walked by.
When they reached the nurse, Anabel noticed how shocked she was to see the two. She watched as the nurse picked up and examined the jar, looking between it and Gwyneth. Eventually, she seemed to realize they didn't have time to waste and she began separating the paste into small portions to hand out to everyone.
Gwyneth leaned against the nurse's desk as she watched the nurse work. She glanced over at Anabel and gestured to the people around the room. "If you wish to say any goodbyes then I suggest you do so now, we're leaving once that had is empty."
She didn't know how active a social life Anabel had, but she wasn't cruel enough to hide the girl away the moment that she had her. She was patient, and Anabel was already hers.
When Anabel registered in her mind what Gwyneth had said, she looked up and scanned the room quickly. It was a tad bit disappointing how most people turned away from her or somehow broke eye contact, but when she locked eyes with her neighbor, he didn't shy away. She quickly made her way to him and hugged him tightly. When she pulled back, she said, "Tell my family I am alright, and that I love them." Her neighbor nodded and when Anabel looked around again, she noticed that the nurse was almost done giving out the paste Gwyneth brought.
Anabel made her way back to the witch, looking around for anyone else to say goodbye to before they left. She ended up just stopping next to Gwyneth again.
A small frown formed on Gwyneth's face as she watched Anabel interact, we'll try to anyway, with the other town members. She brought them a cure for their plague, the least that they could do was pretend to be nice to her. The witch supposed that was partially her fault but it wasn't like she had done anything wrong.
Honestly, at this rate she was starting to consider asking for two people instead of one just to get back at them for being ungrateful. She shook those thoughts away though, that was for another day.
Before they left, Anabel made her way to the nurse, who was helping a sick boy, and asked her to bring some to her home. The nurse nodded and Anabel returned to Gwyneth.
"They'll be alright soon, right?" She worried about how much longer some of them could last in these conditions, many of them seemed to have gotten a lot worse since she left earlier that night.
Gwyneth glanced at the sick that had been given the treatment, seeing most of them asleep. She nodded as her gaze returned to Anabel. "They'll need a couple of days to recover, they will still be weak from the plague, but yes they'll be just fine."
Anabel nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. She really didn't care what was to become of her now, but at least her village was safe. She would admit she was curious about what Gwyneth had planned for her, but she wouldn't really call it worry.
After all of the patients in the room had been treated, turns out Gwyneth didn't have to make the extra after all, the witch began striding towards the door. She dodged anyone that didn't move out of her path, glancing back to see if Anabel was following her. She was eager to return home and relax with her new...housemate.
Anabel hurried after Gwyneth, keeping her gaze downwards until they made it to the door. Before she went through it, she stopped and turned around. It was hard to keep the disappointment off her face at how she was treated, but she wasn't sure what else she expected. She sighed before turning around and continuing to follow her new owner, she guessed. Honestly she was still a little confused at what will come of this from here on, but she won't question it yet.
If Gwyneth noticed Anabel stop then she didn't draw attention to it or just didn't care. The witch instead looked around the empty town, a light sprinkle beginning to fall as she sighed and started walking again. "Is there anything that you wish to bring with you? With any luck you shall never have to return."
Anabel glanced around the dark town as they exited the building. She put her hood up while she considered Gwyneth’s question. “Perhaps clothing? I don’t own much.” She never really thought about bringing anything when she left originally.
Gwyneth smirked and a small laugh left her as she nodded. "Indeed, clothing is rather important." She smiled for a moment as she spoke, before she recomposed herself and turned to look at Anabel. "Lead the way to your home then, or wherever you keep clothes."
Anabel nodded and led them down a dirt road leading towards her home. It was small, only one story, and surrounded by farmland on almost all sides. She stepped up to the front door and hesitated a moment before opening the front door. She walked to her room, opening the door and beginning to put a bag of clothes together. She was surprised she hadn’t seen her family, but maybe they were getting medicine. She hoped they were, at least.
Gwyneth followed Anabel as they headed to her house, taking a moment to glance over the whole place as she hesitated at the door. She noted the hesitation with a small hum, also noting how no one else seemed to be home. Did she live alone? She had seemed to be looking for someone back at the hospital, but the witch hadn't thought much of it at the time. Now though, she was a bit concerned for Anabel.