Lost and Found [Ki + Naoki]
Aug 22, 2010 19:45:24 GMT -5
Post by Salem on Aug 22, 2010 19:45:24 GMT -5
"Why don't you just head home for the day?" Salem's mother had told him. As much as he wanted to protest, he knew it was a good idea; he had been working straight through the night before as well as the whole day, and his body was starting to slow down from the lack of sleep.
By the time Salem finally left his family's clinic the sun had begun to set, turning District 2 a pleasant shade of orange. People just getting off work had crowded the streets, and perhaps it was Salem's slight drowsiness, but seemed to him like there were more people around than usual. Still, he didn't let it bother him too much even as he pushed through the busy area and back towards his home.
It was when he had turned to apologize for bumping into one person (who ignored him and continued on their way) that he thought he saw someone familiar a short distance ahead. Salem paused and tried to focus on the pair, taking in the rather plain outfits as well as other features... and after a moment he figured that it must have been Hiroshi and Goro, the brothers he had run into on the streets some time ago.
Salem considered going over to chat--it wasn't often that he saw them around--but then the pair started walking off. Part of him wanted to chase them down to talk... they were almost like the friends he never really had, and he felt a bit saddened by the idea that he might not see them again for a while.
Just as he was about to try to forget seeing the two brothers, Salem noticed something fall off one of them and land on the ground. Neither boy seemed to notice since they kept walking away. For a moment he thought about calling out to them, but they probably wouldn't have heard him over the people flocking around. Instead, Salem dodged and nudged and weaved to the item on the other side of the street. Luckily nobody else had thought to take it before Salem got there.
It was a wallet, he noticed, and turned it over in his hands to see which of the brothers it belonged to... only to see that it didn't belong to either. Salem didn't recognize the name or the face on the ID inside of the wallet, and they certainly didn't look like they were related to Goro or Hiroshi. But he knew looks could be deceiving from past experiences with patients, and that perhaps they were actually related somehow... he had clearly seen one of the boys drop it, after all, and what other good reason would they have it for?
Salem looked up just in time to see Hiroshi and Goro walk around a corner a ways ahead. Deciding that returning the wallet was more important than getting back home to relax--his house wasn't that far away, and surely this wouldn't take long--he set off after the two.
It ended up taking a while to catch up with the two of them; between the people gathered the streets and his fatigue taking a bit of a toll on him, he remained just close enough to see them walk down another alley or turn another corner. It took longer than he expected, but finally the crowds began to thin until they almost completely disappeared, and at last Hiroshi and Goro seemed to arrive at their destination.
Salem approached the large warehouse, unsure as to why the brothers had gone inside. It looked a bit run-down, and not like the type of place anyone should really be around. 'Forbidding', he decided might be a good word. Needless to say, he felt a bit nervous as he turned the door handle and took a step inside of the building. He hoped Hiroshi and Goro were still nearby.
"Hello?" he said loud enough that he thought the two boys would hear. There was no response. "Is anyone here?"
When he still didn't get an answer, Salem took another couple of cautious steps forward. But he realized too late that he must have pushed the door open too far as he stepped into the building; it gave him a moment of resistance before the sound of metal clattering to the ground caused him to jump in surprise.
By the time Salem finally left his family's clinic the sun had begun to set, turning District 2 a pleasant shade of orange. People just getting off work had crowded the streets, and perhaps it was Salem's slight drowsiness, but seemed to him like there were more people around than usual. Still, he didn't let it bother him too much even as he pushed through the busy area and back towards his home.
It was when he had turned to apologize for bumping into one person (who ignored him and continued on their way) that he thought he saw someone familiar a short distance ahead. Salem paused and tried to focus on the pair, taking in the rather plain outfits as well as other features... and after a moment he figured that it must have been Hiroshi and Goro, the brothers he had run into on the streets some time ago.
Salem considered going over to chat--it wasn't often that he saw them around--but then the pair started walking off. Part of him wanted to chase them down to talk... they were almost like the friends he never really had, and he felt a bit saddened by the idea that he might not see them again for a while.
Just as he was about to try to forget seeing the two brothers, Salem noticed something fall off one of them and land on the ground. Neither boy seemed to notice since they kept walking away. For a moment he thought about calling out to them, but they probably wouldn't have heard him over the people flocking around. Instead, Salem dodged and nudged and weaved to the item on the other side of the street. Luckily nobody else had thought to take it before Salem got there.
It was a wallet, he noticed, and turned it over in his hands to see which of the brothers it belonged to... only to see that it didn't belong to either. Salem didn't recognize the name or the face on the ID inside of the wallet, and they certainly didn't look like they were related to Goro or Hiroshi. But he knew looks could be deceiving from past experiences with patients, and that perhaps they were actually related somehow... he had clearly seen one of the boys drop it, after all, and what other good reason would they have it for?
Salem looked up just in time to see Hiroshi and Goro walk around a corner a ways ahead. Deciding that returning the wallet was more important than getting back home to relax--his house wasn't that far away, and surely this wouldn't take long--he set off after the two.
It ended up taking a while to catch up with the two of them; between the people gathered the streets and his fatigue taking a bit of a toll on him, he remained just close enough to see them walk down another alley or turn another corner. It took longer than he expected, but finally the crowds began to thin until they almost completely disappeared, and at last Hiroshi and Goro seemed to arrive at their destination.
Salem approached the large warehouse, unsure as to why the brothers had gone inside. It looked a bit run-down, and not like the type of place anyone should really be around. 'Forbidding', he decided might be a good word. Needless to say, he felt a bit nervous as he turned the door handle and took a step inside of the building. He hoped Hiroshi and Goro were still nearby.
"Hello?" he said loud enough that he thought the two boys would hear. There was no response. "Is anyone here?"
When he still didn't get an answer, Salem took another couple of cautious steps forward. But he realized too late that he must have pushed the door open too far as he stepped into the building; it gave him a moment of resistance before the sound of metal clattering to the ground caused him to jump in surprise.
