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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 15:36:02 GMT -8
The table, too, did something unexpected when she grabbed onto it - it spun on its post like a lazy susan, her momentum starting her around in the circle. The teaset clattered. but didn't fall, clearly secure in place. If she spun the table about, she could reach a statue of a snake closer to the door.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 15:52:47 GMT -8
Huh, so the table swung then. Using her currently momentum Ash tried to keep the table moving by swing back and forth, pumping her legs as if she was on a swing set. It wasn't exactly the fastest way to get around but it worked well enough and eventually, she made her way closer to the statue of a snake that was her next target. She would have to time this jump right though, the table's movements proving as an extra source of difficultly. Once she felt she was in the best position to make the jump she swung once more.
Except she miscalculated, and for one heart pounding second she was sure she would fall as her fingers seemed to slip from the statue, but then she reaching out desperately, and somehow managed to cling to the snake. Her heart was pounding in her ears and adrenaline rushed her body. Maybe this. . . wasn't quite as much fun as she thought, she decided taking a deep breath.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 17:05:53 GMT -8
Lucky for Ashlin, there was another potted plant and a sidetable quite near the door - but she had another choice to make. She could either try and use the potted plant, or try to swing right to the sidetable. The snake was stable and sturdy, and would hold while she made her choice.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 17:28:20 GMT -8
Ash waited a moment to catch her breath and let her heartrate calm. She couldn't wait to decide too long though, as her arms were starting to hurt a bit from hanging and she didn't want to run the risk of falling just because she'd stayed in one place for too long. Biting her lip she considered her options. She still didn't think a plant would make the most secure of perches (if it even managed to hold her weight once she grabbed onto it) but it was closer to her than the table. Normally she would have immediately chosen the table, but her near slip had shaken her just a bit and she wasn't quite as confident as she had been moments before.
Weighing her options carefully she finally decided to try for the table, thinking it the safer of the two choices. She swung herself forward, once, twice, three times, and then alley-oop! She grinned madly once she had a grip on the table, releaved and excited that she'd managed the jump.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 18:00:58 GMT -8
Ashlin was now close enough to the door that she could potentially reposition to reach the doorknob...the trick was that she had to turn it, open it, and climb out. There were no new objects nearby to help her with this one...it was all going to be a matter of ingenuity.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 19:15:46 GMT -8
Pulling herself up so that she could sit on the "underside" of the table Ash sighed in relief happy to no longer be hanging. It was a bit of tight fit but she was still small enough that it was awful.
So, now all that was left was finding a way to actually open the door from here. Hmmm if she could just reach enough to turn the doorknob, she to get it out of its groove that would be all she needed. Taking off her bag Ash held on to the table's leg with one hand and slowly scootched out trying to reach for the door knob. Oh her arm was just a little too short! Moving a little further off her platform Ash tried to reach just a little bit more. . . got it! Alright now to just turn the knob. . . Most of Ashlin's body was hanging out over the ledge now, and it was mostly her grip on the table leg that was keeping her from falling to the ceiling-floor that seemed very far down bellow and oh no she was most certainly not going to be looking down, no, no, no. After a good five minutes of concentration and fiddling she, finally, finally managed to turn the knob and pull it just a bit out. It certainly wasn't anywhere nearly enough to get through, barely even a crack, but it was all she needed for the moment.
Once she was back on the relatively safe ground of the table's underbelly she grabbed her bag. Grinning she dug through it until she found her ipod. The earbuds were exactly what she needed, and after tying the two branches into a respectable enough lasso she entered phase two of her plan. Moving to a different side of the table than the one she'd hung off of previously (this one at an adjacent angle to the door) she began to attempt to lasso the door knob. If she could do that, and then pull from this angle she should be able to open the door enough to dive through, or at least that was what she hoped anyway. It took a good couple tries before the loop finally ended up around the knob, and she cheered quietly once the feat had been managed. Now she just had to pull and hope it worked!
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 19:38:10 GMT -8
The doorknob rattled and jerked under her grip - she was close, SO close. The lasso hooked, she pulled, and...success! The door opened up wide, showing that the next hallway was very much so not upside-down. A staircase leading downward was just visible arcing out of sight -
All that was left was to leave.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 19:55:00 GMT -8
Ashlin cheered, it worked! Now she had to just make a dive through the door and hope that the stairway didn't lead to another room inspired by Escher. Sadly she would have to abandon her earbuds, but it was a small price to pay she felt (and she could just ask Michael about getting them back later.) Bag secured the blond arranged herself before launching herself through the doorway with a yell of "Geronimo!"
"Oonf." Her landings left something to be desired but she was back safe on solid ground in a correctly orientated hallway and that was all that mattered. She took one last look into the very interesting room (she really would have to ask how it had been done, though if she made one of her own all the doors would be staying on the "ceiling" thanks very much) before trotting down the hallway and stairs.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 20:56:10 GMT -8
The stairway led downward and into another short hallway...which opened into a large, open room, with a crackling fireplace on one side and rather sparse decoration throughout. Large windows gave a clear view of the rain pouring down outside...and sitting at the window watching it was none other than Mister Stewart. When Ashlin entered, he turned himself about to face her, wheeling his way over with the faint squeak-squeak of his wheelchair.
He bowed his head a little in greeting, then tilted it to one side - what was the girl doing here, anyhow? He didn't speak, of course...but his body language made two things clear.
The first was that he wasn't sure why Ashlin was at the mansion.
The second was that he looked as if he was anxious about something, shoulders drawn tight.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 21:05:50 GMT -8
Ashlin did her best to smile at the older man, though she was a bit concerned by the worry that seemed to exude from him. "Hi Mr.Stewart!" she greeted in the most cheery voice she could muster, and succeeded very well, thanks to her adrenaline high after getting through the Alice room as she was choosing to deem it. There was a bit of worry though, in her eyes when she looked at him. "I'm, ah, here to see Michael." Her cheeks grew just a bit rosier at the statement, as she remembered her own realization just the day before. Nothing has to change, she reminded herself firmly, even if she did like Michael as more than a friend. Besides she had more important things to worry about, like getting him the lotion for his burns. "I mentioned I might come over today, so he should be expecting me, I think?" The last part was added a bit uncertainly.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 21:31:45 GMT -8
Mister Stewart froze when she explained that she was here to see Michael - ordinarily, he would have been quite pleased that the young man had a friend here to visit with him, but...today? Today was...perhaps not the best day for this. The boy had returned yesterday in such a state that he himself had stayed up with him - and the e-mail he had received from Charlotte.... He seemed to sigh as he considered all of this...then began to type upon his console. He turned it around, letting her read the text on the screen. 'Thank you for coming, Miss Thomas. Michael has never had a visitor before - ordinarily, I would be very glad at this turn of events. However...he is not himself today. He had an incident yesterday, and he tends to be...agitated when it rains. Between the two, I am unsure if he would want to be seen....
...But perhaps you could convince him to relax. He will not listen to me, and I am worried.'
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 21:44:58 GMT -8
Ashlin felt her eyes widen as she read the message, and all her previous good cheer seemed to leave her. "Is he alright?" she asked worriedly, wondering what could have happened to poor Michael now. She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from letting her imagination run away with her to think up an number of increasingly horrendous scenarios that would only end up turning utterly bizarre and probably involve a sombrero, half a gallon of ice cream, and a fish. Yes, best not to go down that path she decided.
"I'll do whatever I can to help." she told him with a sincerity and conviction that was usually only found in small children. The idea that Michael was suffering, that something awful had him made her feel like she had a rather large rock sitting in the pit of her stomach, and she did not like it one bit.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 21:52:34 GMT -8
In response to the question whether he was all right, Mister Stewart slowly shook his head - it was clear from his demeanor that he was very troubled over his aide, and quite uncertain as to what to do. He was glad to know that she wanted to help...maybe, just maybe it would do the boy some good to see a friend. He had so few true friends...maybe that would outweigh what was troubling him, at least for a time.
Nodding once, he pointed to a doorway at the end of the room - it was a service room of some sort, likely for storage or the like.
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Post by Ashlin Thomas on May 16, 2011 21:59:31 GMT -8
Nodding her thanks, Ashlin quickly trotted over to the door Mr.Stewart had indicated. She did not like this. She did not like this one bit. Something had happened and now Michael was not okay, even more not okay than he had been before and Ashlin bit her lip suddenly wishing she's brought along more than just the lotion, the toy, and a extra bruise cream she'd had in her medicine cabinet. Maybe, she tried to reassure herself, it wasn't so bad, but then she thought of Mr.Stewart's demeanor just now oh it had to be absolutely awful whatever had happened to him.
"Michael?" she called cautiously as she opened the door.
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Post by Mister Stewart on May 16, 2011 22:15:04 GMT -8
...And there he was, on his hands and knees, wiping up something he had apparently knocked over onto the hard floor. His dark hair was messy, his face pale, too pale - it didn't seem as if he had slept at all the night prior, his gray eyes set currently in dark hollows. His hands both had bandages wound around the palms and backs, one of his fingers on his right hand wrapped up as well; one leg was stiff and he seemed to be heavily favoring it. It looked painful to be on the floor working - but there he was, body shaking as he struggled to hold himself up.
He didn't hear her come in - he was murmuring to himself, inaudible, a constant list of sorts he was making under his breath. The only indicator he noticed anything going on at all was the briefest jerk of his head to glance up towards one of the shelves - giving Ash a look at a burst blood vessel in his right eye and a thin cut marring the right side of his forehead.
He went back to working, going over the same spot on the floor over and over again.
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