Fadeaway

[Foxypockets]

((I threw this together a while back. Just a character I've had running around in my head for ages now. Um. Hope you like it. <3))

The room was green- a pale, inoffensive color. The floor was covered with slick, solid white linoleum. Apart from the lack of a window, and it's general emptiness, it had a similar atmosphere to that of a hospital bedroom. The light flickered ever so slightly, and, as a consequence, usually remained off. The only 'furnishings' were a pillow and blanket, and a portable wardrobe covered by a solid grey tarp that zipped up the front- each on opposite sides of the room from each other.

Normally, this room was perfectly clean. Normally, its occupant was much more composed. Normally, she didn't sit naked in the corner wrapped around herself and mumbling, a pair of clippers buzzing away in her hand. Pieces of black hair littered the floor, and Doctor Levoski hurried to the girl's side as soon as he realized what had happened.

"Fadeaway, Fadeaway. Calm down. Give me your arm." His voice was flat and monotonous, something the average person would find to be more of an annoyance than a comfort. The girl, however, peeked at him from between her elbows. Instead of completely removing her arms from around her head, though, she began to hurriedly speak to him, as though what she was telling him was of the greatest importance.

"Fadeaway. Fadeaway."

"Yes, that's ri-"

"Ninety nine thousand, nine hundred twenty four. Look at me, Fadeaway! Look at me!"

"Fadeaway, I need your arm."

"There too. All over. Look at me, Fadeaway! Look at me!"

"Fadeaway, I-"

"Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of thousands. All over. All over. Too many! Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!"

"Fadeaway!" Dr. Levoski cut her off, grabbing her by the elbow and jerking her arm away from her face. She stopped speaking and shut her eyes, her frantic speech quieting until it was just a low buzz. And it was a buzz. She had matched it exactly to the vibration of the clippers in her hand. With great care, Levoski took it from her and shut it off. Her buzzing faded away, and she just sat against the wall, eyes closed.

"Too many.."

He pricked a tiny scarred area on the inside of her elbow with a small needle, injecting her with an almost blood-like liquid. Fadeaway's eyes snapped open and she glared at him. "Levi. Doctor. Levi."

"That's right. You'll be fine. Just relax." He smiled at her, completely ignoring the glare.

Slowly, Fadeaway's posture did relax, and her expression became neutral. Eventually, she fell asleep, propped up against the wall, and Levoski took it upon himself to tuck her in. His methods lacked all the tenderness of any proper parent, but it still looked like a kind gesture.

As soon as he was sure she was settled, Levoski left the room, dropping his neutral expression and trading it for one of anger.

"Who was on the clock last night?" It was apparent that someone had neglected their task. Sure, an unmedicated Fadeaway could be very unnerving, but it only got worse after time. Even he was uncomfortable being around her. It had been years since she had lashed out, but everyone seemed to remember the worst part of it.

The man had died.