>>5357204After what feels like a lifetime of watching the fun down below, the doors leading into the office swing open in unison revealing the two bodyguards who escorted you earlier.
… or are they just similarly-dressed?
“Sorry to <span class="mu-i">interrupt</span>.” Apologizes Bones in an all-business tone.
“Forgive the <span class="mu-i">intrusion</span>.” Adds Bones in an equally-businesslike manner.
“It’s <span class="mu-i">time.</span>”
“Time to <span class="mu-i">go.</span>”
“Gimme a sec, boys.” Cliff sighs, raising his hand at them before taking another drag from his miraculously still-lit cigarette, “An’ you too, Stan.”
Before you can ask, the greaser rummages around in his jacket pocket before finding something. Thanks, you mutter, but you really don’t wanna get addicted to smoking too-
Ignoring you, Cliff’s bony hand emerges from his jacket pocket with a familiar set of <span class="mu-g">WOODEN DICE–</span> their surfaces grubby from ages of being tossed on the pavement. Gently tossing them in his bony hand, your first skeleton pal deposits them into your mitts as if they belonged to you!
“Those got me through some hard times, even when I was still alive.” Muses Cliff as nostalgia slowly dips into his face. “Rocky gave me ‘em, ya’ know that? Goof whipped ‘em up in shop class for my eighteenth birthday.”
Closing your hand around the set of dice with his own hand, Cliff gives you one more reassuring pat on the back as he looks at you with pride in his eyes. “Take care of ‘em for me an’ the guys, will ya? Win yourself some pocket change.”
Thanks, Cliff, you repeat as the security goons usher you towards the door, you’re the best…
“I know, baby.” He replies in a soft, but joking voice as he turns to look out the window again. “I know.”
Closing the doors in perfect sync behind them, your escorts wordlessly take you back down the stairs and out the back door.
“Thank you for your <span class="mu-i">cooperation</span>.”
“Enjoy the <span class="mu-i">party</span>.”
Shutting the door on your face, you linger in the alley behind the <span class="mu-g">DRIVE-IN BUILDING</span> for a while with the dice still in your hand.
“You uh…” Ly begins in a cautious voice, “You okay, kiddo?”
You respond with a halfhearted shrug as you stick the dice into your pockets. You… you just need a change of scenery, is all.
“<span class="mu-r">Yea…</span>” Mutters Nats in a quiet, sympathetic tone, “<span class="mu-r">Let’s get a little air, sis…</span>”
Having met with Cliff, the party still rages around you as you choose another place to drift off to:
>THE CONCESSION STAND! YOU NEED A DRINK! (STRIPES, HAULIE-PAULIE)>THE GARAGE! WHAT’S HAPPENING OVER THERE? (WYATT T, GUS, RODHI, TEEVOR)>LET’S SECURE A TRAILER FOR TONIGHT!>THE ARENA! YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN THERE, BUT…>SHOOTING RANGE! AGAIN, BEEN THERE, BUT…>DANCE FLOOR! SEE ABOVE. ALREADY BEEN. YOU GET IT.>JUST FIND A QUIET HILL FOR A LITTLE BIT–YOU NEED TO AIR OUT YOUR HEAD A LITTLE.>WRITE-IN! 