They're coming to take me away, ha-ha...

[Bjorn]

For a second, Bjorn is torn -- talking to the brute would be a chance to make another contact in the Workshop, another possible ally -- but decides against it.  He's tired, and stressed, and confused, and there's nothing for it but to go to bed and try to get some rest....

And so he finds himself walking towards the brute, because in the end, when people need help, you have to try to give it.  Goddamn Confucious.

[Brian]

If your ancient philosopher of choice has a snappy comeback, it doesn't occur to you before you reach the brute.  And really, looking at him, that's the best word for it.  Huddled as he is, his shoulder comes up higher than your waist, and he barely needs to look up at you when you approach.  This guy looks like he tops seven feet, easily, and from what you can see, has no fat anywhere on his body.  More impressive, of course, is the fact that he looks solidly built enough to tear small cars in half, and use them to beat up larger cars.

He's got somewhat unruly black hair, still bound in a torn-off strip of his own jumpsuit sleeve, and blue eyes that seem they'd be more in place on a child than someone of his stature.  "Are a doc'er?" he asks you with an equally childish lisp, some of his fear visibly dissapating as you approach.

[Bjorn]

I have a goddamn doctorate from Caltech. "No," Bjorn replies gravely, "I'm not."  Coming to a stop outside the mouth of the tunnel (and, worryingly, inside the reach of the brute -- but he wouldn't seem very comforting if he stayed that far away), he inquires, as gently as he can manage, "Are you alright?"

[Brian]

The brute relaxes somewhat at your admission of not being a doctor.  "Oh," he says quietly.  "I'm just ascared of the dark," he says, pointing at the darkened playroom, in case you hadn't noticed the dimming effect.  In a very loud whisper he adds, "There's scary stuff inna dark."  Looking around furitively, he adds in a much softer whisper, "Sometimes, the doc'ers, they put me inna dark.  I don' like th' dark."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn goes to reassure the brute, and then reconsiders.  For all he knows, the big guy's power is to make scary stuff appear in the dark.  Instead, he considers, staring off into the distance down the hallway.  "Well, what about your room?  Is that lit?"

[Brian]

He shrugs uncomfortably, and nods.  "But there's no-one there," he mumbles.  "And I don' sleep."

[Bjorn]

Okay.  That probably shouldn't have surprised me. "You don't sleep?" Bjorn echoes stupidly.

[Brian]

"Nuh, uh," he says, almost proudly.  "That's what makes me special, the doc'ers tell me.  Miss Megan says they're right, so it must be true."  He nods emphatically.  "Ol' man Zarus, he says that it's why I'm ascared of the dark.  'cause it's where you dream.  Only, I never had a dream, so I dunnu if it's true."  He becomes gloomy again, and slumps over.  "But, I'm too ascared of the dark to try and sleep."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn snorts quietly with amusement.  "You know, it's kind of strange.  I had a friend who was afraid of the dark, too.  But he was afraid because he had to sleep, and so he would never know if something scary was coming for him, or defend himself if it did."

Thank you, Dr. Christianson.   We're oh-so-glad that with a single observation you could cure a psychosis.  What will you do for your next trick, you stupid pompous git?

[Brian]

The brute blinks at you, then frowns slightly.  In the most quiet voice you've heard from him yet, he says, "I think the doc'ers want me to be ascared of the dark."

[Bjorn]

Hm.  Bjorn squats in place, which requires him to look up at the big man.  "Why do you think that?" he asks, just as quietly.

[Brian]

"I dunno," he says.  After a second he says, "Well, maybe I kinda know, but Miss Megan and 'ol man Zarus know better."  He shivers.  "If I stop being ascared of the dark ... it might make the doc'ers mad...."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods, slowly.  "Well, I do have to sleep, but I'm not very tired right now.  Is there anything I can do to help?"

[Brian]

Before he answers, you hear the man door open.  The brute looks over to see what's going on, as two guards (no visible doctors) haul Megan through the entrance.  She's almost entirely limp, but is muttering loudly (audible from where you are), "Get away!  Get away!  I can't think!  Stop it, get away!"  The other residents that are out in the 'night' back away, giving her a wide berth as the guards carry her into the vine-capped tunnel on the opposite end of the playroom.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn follows Megan's progress until she is lost to sight, and then turns back to the big man, cocking an eyebrow inquiringly.