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*Maya was staring at a chair. It's not like she was surprised to see one, shes seen one plenty at her desk, she was more using the chair as a way to.. "appreciate" implys she enjoys this. She loathed and resenting the idea of this being anything except a dream or an out of season april fools joke. But it wasn't, she was aware... She was so aware*
"No need?"
*She didn't respond*
"M.. Ma'am?"
*She did now, snapping up like she fell asleep at her desk at school* "Huh? Did you-..? Oh.. Ok.."
*She sat down, simultainiously rigid yet hunched, she was too obsessed with just,, her entire situation, to find the time to think about how two different types of uncomfort could even coexist*
"I know you sent it on our website, but just for the record, could you tell us your name?"
*She took a bit of time to process the question, silently cursing the idea of even speaking*
"m-mmayapie69.." *she stammered, barely audible enough to be heard*
"Your *actual* name, please?"
*She reclined into her seat a little more, those four words felt like a knife was stabbed into her stomach and twisted, her eye twitched slightly*
"Oh.. Maya."
*the man on the other side of the table flashed a sincere smile. it didnt feel like one to her, but she figured he wouldnt have a reason to lie yet*
"Nice to meet you, Maya!" *his voice exuded an easy, neighborly charm, one she only imagined from her online buddies until now*
"My names Mr. Jarred, but you could also call me Tim if youd like, Im the one running the show here, if you need anything you come to me, ok?" *maya read his lips, heard his tone, but didnt seem to process much of it.. she could feel things towards it but it all felt uneasy. what are they? guilt? uneasyness for sure, but.. is this sort of calm real? this sort of back-away-from-the-ledge type gentleness.. shes never felt this way towards something, let alone someone.. It was both intoxicating and sickening, he knows the exact kind of help she needs, and it is not this*
"Why did you sign up with me today?"
"I Dont Know." *maya blurted out, her voice sounding more intense and confrontational then she intended, and yet she did mean it. th-.. "Tim" noticed, he seemed to bounce back a little, like she just pulled out a gun*
"Umm.. Mmaybe we can skip this one for now." *he nervously giggled, a part of her wanted to apologize, but just as equally a part of her wanted him to revel in this, feel her pain too*
"Ahem...." *He looked back down at.. She thinks, assumes, its a book, or something like that.. Hes flipping through pages, looks worried*
"H-how about we just.. Do this later, that sound good to you?" *He smiled again, and now she knows hes lying when he speaks, he doesnt mean this kindness.. Hes scared*
"Please--" *She pleaded with a wavering voice, she wasnt ready to answer yet, but she guesses shes decided thats her reply*
"Yeah, yeah I think thats a great idea, I.." *He leaned in a little, staring directly at her like a cop in an interrogation, yet still plastering an obviously fake grin on his face* "I hope you have a good time."
*She didnt reply, just stared daggers back, not breaking eye contact as she left the room.*
*She was about to walk out of the building entirely before.. She smelt it before she saw it.. The poison. It was in bug-blood flavor today, rancid and repulsive. Usually she would just head back inside, but back inside hated her, it wasnt safe.. nowhere was anymore.She let her foot hang out of the doorway, the heat made her jump back.*
"D--.. Do you have a mask?" *She shyly asked, not looking back, to no one in particular. A voice behind her spoke* "Yeah, we have some left over!" *It was another man, she turned around to retrieve it and saw him behind a desk. He was smaller, wearing glasses. He had to reach up a little to hand her the mask, which she quickly snatched from her hand and put on before practically throwing herself out of the door*
*All of the senses assaulted her all at once. She heard the chatter of other people who had signed up, they all sounded like they were talking about her, even if they likely werent. She saw.. A blur, a vaguely green, brown, and blue blur which slowly aligned to tell her the rotton truth that she had walked face first into a nightmare. She smelt the bug blood still, she could barely take it, it made her want to puke. She felt like crying*