Exclusion Zone 15

I Hear Thunder    Sayori had never been a morning person, and 6 AM felt far too early to even consider anything that didn't entail going back to sleep. However, Katie had been adamant, as always, and the young student found herself northbound, riding shotgun in that familiar old Corolla. The shower she'd taken in the morning, while nice and hot, had done little to perk her up – quite the opposite, in fact, and the residual heat had left her sweating a little afterwards. As far as breakfast went, a tall glass of water was the only thing on the menu. Along with some hopes and dreams. Still, she wasn't really a breakfast-y person anymore, and the post-shower warmth didn't annoy her much – the moment she stepped out of the door in her borrowed parka and boots she felt the chill of the wind, cutting into her bones through her jeans. The April morning was as chilly as ever, with tell-tale clouds on the horizon, dark and foreboding. So, the Ekron plan was in effect. Trut...

  Come Lie Is this really okay?   The bedroom was as cozy as she remembered, and the bed hadn't lost any of it's softness during the day – beds weren't supposed to, so that much was in order. There was a bookcase there as well, a dark wooden one, and while it was sparsely populated it did contribute to the ambiance quite nicely. And, of course, there was Katie, cross-legged on the striped gray duvet. It made sense – it was her bedroom, after all. Actually, it felt like everything she could lay her eyes on belonged there, for want of a better word – whether a bookcase, a rug or a nightstand, all of it belonged here. She was the only outsider. The only misplaced item. She didn't belong here. The bookcase was Katie's bookcase, the bed was Katie's bed, but she wasn't Katie's Sayori. Or Katie's girl, for that matter. Was adoption even a possibility? Maybe not now. She had more important things to worry about. Like figuring out how she was supposed ...

Earl Grey and Stale Cookies The couch, while strange in color and slightly threadbare, was still more than welcoming. Warm and soft. Cozy, even. As she sat there, melting into the cushions, eyes half-lidded and staring off into the crackling fireplace, Sayori finally found herself at peace. Katie was up to something in the kitchen, softly humming to herself while working. The only thing missing would have been the soft pitter-patter of rain on the roof, or perhaps howling winds – something that would justify her lazing around on the couch even further. Then again, it's not as if she was missing out on anything. While she didn't have any idea of how the place was with the entire family present, she still felt surprisingly at home. It was a far cry from what she was used to – her one-room, while fairly nice, was still quite plain. White walls, gray wood laminate floors, a black-and-white wall hanging emblazoned with a Tarot print, plushies and pillows scattered about the be...