why are you my remedy?

Nell sat around the large table, usually reserved for group therapy sessions. As Nell watched the others take their seats, all nearly completely rehabilitated, she toyed with her lower lip anxiously, folding her hands in her lap as the government worker, known only as J, set up the microphone recorder. Looking to Alana, on her left, Nell raised her eyebrows, feeling the most human she had done over the past six months.

J cleared his throat, making sure the microphone was recording as he sat down at the head of the table. "Well first off, we'd like to congratulate Nell and Alana on their rehabilitation, who are heading to their new home this afternoon."

Nell cringed slightly as the others applauded, wanting nothing more than the ground to swallow her up.

Luke watched from his living room window as real estate agents pulled down the FOR SALE sign two houses down from his, looking over his shoulder to Michael, who was lazily playing the X Box. "Looks like someone's moving in."

Alana chewed on her lip anxiously, shifting uncomfortably with the attention. As great as it was that they were finally getting to start their lives, having it announced and applauded just made her nervous and uncertain. At this point, she just wanted the meeting over so they could leave.

Michael kept his attention on the game he was playing, tapping away excessively at the buttons. “Really? Wonder who,” he mentioned with curiosity, though he scoffed out a “Shit” when he was killed. Setting the controlled down, he looked over towards the window. “I'm surprised that place got sold at all. Who'd want to move in next to you?” He grinned jokingly at his friend.

J nodded as the others applauded. "Girls, we have contacted your families and both are keen to see you once more." He told them with an empty smile, disgusted by the fact he had to work in a place like this, a place that rehabilitated the dead back to levels of life which allowed them to mingle with society. "How do you feel?"

Nell looked to Alana anxiously, clearing her throat. "Uh, good, I guess." She ducked her head at that. She didn't feel good, she felt empty, completely devoid of any feeling. Although she was looking forward to getting out of the rehabilitation center and beginning a life once more, Nell shrugged her shoulders and played with her hair to distract herself.

"Alana?" J prompted. "How do you feel?"

Luke smirked as Michael was killed. "I dunno, man." He shrugged at Michael's question. "They must be crazy." Hearing a letter come through the letterbox, Luke frowned and looked to Michael, going to fetch the piece of paper with the government stamp at the top. Frowning, Luke gave it a read and raised his eyebrows. "Someone from the rehabilitation facility, two girls." He looked to Michael, suddenly uncertain about his new neighbours. Luke had heard so much about the rehabilitation center, uncomfortable at the whole idea.

Alana shifted a bit when she realized the attention fell on her suddenly, and she couldn’t bring herself to lift her gaze for a few long moments, not all that eager to talk. Eventually, though, she cleared her throat and lifted her gaze. “Good,” she murmured eventually, “Nervous but good, I guess.” But not at all excited about it, too nervous to feel excited about it.

Michael blinked with surprise before he shifted to stand up, heading over to get a look at the letter. “Really?” he asked with mild shock, his brows furrowing slightly as he leaned over his friend’s shoulder to examine it for a few moments. “That was definitely not what I was expecting.” He looked to his friend, curious, but uncertain about how this would go.

Nell nodded in agreement with Alana, knowing the anxiety and turmoil. Going out into the world once more was a daunting idea, especially when the last time Nell had been in the outside world was when she was a monster. Still, staying silent, Nell frowned with the thought and looked to J as he spoke again.

J nodded. "Your transport is going to pick you up in an hour, so don't forget to pack anything - your contact lenses especially." He reminded. Without the contact lenses, the girls' eyes would be a dull grey, truly looking like an extra from the set of The Walking Dead.

Luke groaned. "I'm gonna have dead people living next door." He sat on the sofa, scrubbing a hand over his face. He didn't know what to expect, and that's what Luke was most nervous about - how were you meant to greet people that had died and come back to life? Luke frowned at the idea, looking to Michael. "Great."

Alana nodded weakly in response to J's words. “Of course, we'll make sure,” she promised quietly, dropping her gaze as she relaxed a bit, as much as she could in the situation. At this point, though, she was just ready to get away from the group.

Michael offered an amused look to his friend and shrugged. “Maybe it won't be so bad?” he offered up, “I don't think it will go over well with the neighborhood, though.” Or with parents. A lot of people didn't trust those who'd come back, always sure they'd fall back into their previous habits.

Luke almost felt guilty for jumping to conclusions, but he sighed. "Maybe." He shrugged. "But uh, seeing as you don't think it'll be so bad, you can stay over tonight." Luke smirked. But he nodded in agreement. Once word got out in the neighbourhood, he knew the girls wouldn't be getting much of a welcome. "It's a little scary though, man."

Nell cleared her throat anxiously after the therapy session had ended, and she put in her contact lenses as she continued to pack her bag. Although she was excited to get out of the rehabilitation center, she certainly wasn't excited to step out into the world once more. Waiting for Alana, Nell smoothed out her t-shirt. "Ready to do this?"

Michael blinked as he peered over at Luke, making a face. “What? I didn’t say I wanted to stay,” he complained with a small pout, though he figured that it would probably be better, anyways, just in case Luke’s concerns came to fruition. “Fine, fine, I’ll stay, if only to make sure you don’t go and get yourself killed.” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, snorting quietly. “Scaredy cat.” He smirked teasingly at his friend, though he understood Luke’s concern completely.

Alana adjusted her contacts for a moment, shifting anxiously before she finished her packing and grabbed her bag. Hearing Nell, she peered over at her friend. “Not really,” she admitted, offering a weak smile before she shrugged, “I’m sure we’ll be fine, though.” She hoped so, anyways. She wasn’t sure how well they’d adjust to being out in the world again - and she certainly wasn’t looking forward to people being afraid of them or hateful towards them.

"If I'm such a scaredy cat, you wouldn't be so hesitant to stay." Luke shot back coolly, although the teasing grin he wore gave away his teasing attitude. Still, Luke frowned as he re-read the paper that came through his letter box. "Ugh..." He scrunched it up and threw it against the wall, leaning his head back onto the cushion of the sofa. "Great." He frowned. "How do they stop them from rotting?"

Nell nodded in understanding to Alana's words. "Well, uh," she cleared her throat. "The shuttle is outside." She stared at her feet. "Our neighbours have been notified." She explained, shifting foot to foot nervously as she studied her outfit - this was the outfit she had been buried in, and although she couldn't remember much of the day she came back as a blood thirsty monster, she could remember her white shirt and yellow cardigan. Frowning, Nell scrubbed a hand across her face.

Michael shook his head slightly in response to Luke’s words. “I’ve got no clue,” he said honestly, “I doubt they’ll ever explain it, what with all the top secret science shit they do.” And he couldn’t think of a single way to prevent rotting, especially when the people were essentially corpses, just capable of movement and speaking.

Alana looked over when she heard Nell’s words, and she nodded, breathing out. “Let’s go, then,” she murmured quietly, moving to grab her things before she led the way out, though she worried about how this whole experience would go.

Luke frowned, not completely comfortable with the idea. "Do you reckon that we could ask one of them? I mean, do they have emotions? Would they be insulted?" Luke asked, not ready to refer to them to human, because they're not human - they were once, but not anymore. "Do you think they'll smell?" Luke pulled a face then.

Nell followed Alana quietly, almost afraid to be out of the government facility, because it would be their first time out into normality. "Can't we just turn around?" Nell whispered. "Go back?" She squeezed her eyes shut. "No one is going to accept us like this. Half dead and made up."

Michael arched a brow, amused with his friend’s words. “I don’t know,” he admitted, “Should we research it? I mean, surely there’s stuff online about it all, right? So that normal people like us can make them feel welcomed?” He shook his head with the thought, making a face.

Alana looked over at Nell, her expression softening with sympathy, but she offered a weak smile and shook her head. “We have to do this,” she murmured quietly, trying to sound determined, but certain she was failing. “We can do this together. It’ll be okay.”