*An uneventful week or so after the picnic, Alison is studying in the public library, sitting by a window that faces the street. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the weather is beautiful in general; everyone who can make an excuse is outside, and Alison spends more time looking out the window than studying.* *Across the street is a Buddhist monastery; most of the monks and novitiates have arranged matters so that they are working in the garden at the front of the building, or are taking care of other outdoors business. Most are chatting and laughing casually as they work.* Alison: *glances out the window for the billionth time and sighs* It's such a wonderful day... Random Monk 1: *is raking the gravel paths* Mysterious Man: *Comes up to one of the monks, is wearing a long, black trenchcoat. Begins chatting with the monk about his religion.* Monk 2: *talks freely, always happy to explain* Alison: *Watches the monks going about the garden, wishes she could go and just hang out with them. Then wonders if monks actually "hang out."* Mysterious Man: *Nods, as if his questions were answered. Says goodbye and starts heading down the street.* Monk 2: *goes back to working* Alison: *watches the man idly, wondering if he's not a little hot under that trenchcoat* Mysterious Man: *Reaches into his coat, as if to pull out a pack of cigarettes or something... Pulls out, instead, a Glock, turns and starts shooting the monks, screaming something about them being the Anti-Christ.* Alison: *sits bolt upright in shock; someone at another window screams, bringing other people to swarm around Alison* Monks: *some are shot and fall at once; others run for the inside of the monastery* Alison: *Watches, completely still, as people around her cry or wail or become angry. It's almost like she's watching it from far away, and can barely hear any of it. She distantly notices someone is calling the police.* Mysterious Man: *is detained by the police rather quickly, and it's all over in less than five minutes* Alison: *Watches as ambulances start arriving to carry away the wounded and dead. Suddenly, she notices the monk who had been talking to the man before he started shooting. He has a bullet hole in his head, and is staring straight at her.* Alison: *stands up, and immediately blacks out* *Fade out.* *Fade in to Alison’s house, that evening.* Alison: *is sitting on the couch, completely silent; hasn't said a word since the incident* Shiko: *is sitting next to her, worried; has shed her tears over the incident already, is now more worried about Alison* Shalohim: *sits on Alison's other side* Kallahandra: *is trying very hard to contain her anger and try not to burst out with a plan to sneak into the local jail and kill the man responsible* San: *is extremely worried about Alison, also did some crying of his own earlier about it* Alison's Mother: *unfortunately has to work, isn't home* Shunpei: *watches everyone; is deeply affected by what happened, but much better at hiding it* Shunpei: *for once, however, doesn't know what to say* Shiko: *trying to get Alison to talk* Ali - please, say something... Alison: What is there to say? *her voice is quiet, taut with anger* Shiko: Good question... Shalohim: *leans on her quietly, just trying to be supportive* San: *has no words of comfort; doesn't know Alison as well as Shiko and Shal, after all* Shiko: Alison... *leans on her as well* I know how terrible it was... Alison: Terrible? Terrible?! *stands up abruptly, leaving Shal and Shiko leaning on air* It wasn't TERRIBLE! It was MUCH MORE than TERRIBLE!!! It was DISGUSTING! It was TERRIFYING! It was AWFUL! Shiko and Shal: *fall onto each other* @.@ Shalohim: *sits up, looking embarrassed* Shiko: *sits up also* Alison: *paces* How could a person DO such a thing?! WHY?! Shiko: 6.6 Shalohim: 6.6 Kallahandra: *quietly, almost timidly* Alison... Please, calm down... Alison: *turns and glares at Kal* Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! Do you realize that people were BRUTALLY KILLED?! Kallahandra: *her face hardens* Listen, missy, you don't know what the word massacre means compared to what I've - Shiko: Kallahandra: *after being interrupted by Shiko, sits back, but doesn't lose the hard look* Shiko: *to Alison* Alison: *almost suddenly, realizes who she's talking to, sits down again* I'm sorry, Kal... But... Shalohim: *leans on her again* San: *puts a comforting hand on her shoulder* It's okay. San: It's very distressing the first time you see so much death... Shunpei: *doesn't really know what to say, says nothing, but projects a calming aura* Kallahandra: *relaxes somewhat* Yeah, I have to agree... I mean, for most people. *looks away quickly* I never really knew a time without blood. Shalohim: *since San's hand is on the same shoulder he's leaning on, adjusts his position so he's leaning on San as well as Alison* San: *blushes slightly at the extra pressure, but does not remove his hand* Alison: *softer, sounding close to tears* I'm sorry, Kal... Shiko: *loses the scary voice, hugs Alison, but doesn't say anything yet* Alison: *pushes both Shiko and Shal away and stands up* I'm... really tired, you guys... I'm going to go take a nap. *her voice has that sound that means she's trying to hold back tears, and she heads upstairs* Kallahandra: *Opens her mouth, then closes it again as Shunpei shoots her a look. Looks sheepish.* San: *finds Shal leaning on him only, for some reason doesn't bother to push him away* Shalohim: *stays still for another moment, just savoring the contact* Shalohim: *then gets up, reluctantly* I'll go and talk with her... Shiko: *manages a little smile* Good idea. San: *as soon as Shal's gone* ;.;! San: *quickly recovers, hoping no one noticed* Shiko: *noticed as a matter of course, pokes him* You two drive me nuts. San: *looks innocent* What'd I do? Kallahandra: *can't help but giggle, very uncharacteristic for her* Shiko: 9.9 No, thanks, I'm not in the business of telling you what you already know perfectly well. Time's too precious to waste. Shalohim: *having gone upstairs and missed all of this, knocks on Alison's bedroom door* Miss Alison? Alison: *muffled sounds of wiping her nose, then - * Come in... Shalohim: *enters* Anouuuu... Alison: *is sitting on her bed, looking at her feet* Shalohim: 6.6 Miss Alison - I - I'm sorry if I'm bothering you... Alison: *sniffles* No... it's okay... Shalohim: *takes a big step for him, sits down next to her* I'm not very good at - at saying the right things, I know... Shalohim: But I don't want you to feel bad when there wasn't anything you could have done... Alison: *somehow, is incredibly touched by him saying this, leans on him and puts her head on his shoulder* I know... But it was so... so shocking... And so awful... Alison: They never did anything to him, and he... Shalohim: I know... But it will be all right. *sounds completely confident, stating a fact and not a wish* Alison: *puts her arms around Shal and buries her face in his neck, weeping* Shalohim: *holds her, a bit awkwardly* Sssh... it's all right... Shalohim: Ssssh... don't cry, Alison, it's all right... everything will be all right... *Fade out.*