This Thing A Quiet Madness Made

Chapter 38

It was quiet as they made their way towards the stairwell, and she could already hear bits of chatter drifting up from the floor below. It seemed lively, mixed with occasional laughter and the sounds of friendly bickering. On any other occasion, she wouldn't have given it a second thought, but today, it made her shoulders tense and her arms stiff.

"Don't look so nervous. They don't bite," Aizawa stated plainly.

Unknown could tell he was trying to reassure her despite his ever-indifferent tone, although she wasn't necessarily sure if his statement was true.

"Hopefully not if you're here."

Landing on the first floor and stepping out of the stairwell, the two slowly made their way towards the front of the building. The chatter was more distinct now. Unknown could make out familiar voices and individual words emanating from the other side of the short hallway. She sucked in a shallow breath, briefly realizing how incredibly absurd it was for her to be so apprehensive. All she had to do was walk past a few high schoolers, all of whom she could almost certainly best in terms of power, some primal part of her thought. It would only take a few seconds; there was no real reason for her hands to jitter nor her palms to dampen, but people rarely seemed to listen to logic over emotion when it came down to it, and this time around, Unknown was certainly no exception.

As they turned the corner into the common area, the source of the lively chatter finally coming into view, she kept her eyes trained ahead, as if not looking at them would make them disappear. The pair crossed along the far wall, tracing the outline of the room, but ultimately, there was no option in which they could remain unnoticed for long. They were only a few steps in when the chatter around them rapidly lulled: a sudden, abrupt hush falling over the room. The familiar burning of dozens of eyes scorched her skin as she concentrated on the rhythmic padding of her own steps, though she couldn't tell if they were hot with malice or if that part was only in her imagination. Her eyes remained forward, yet against her will, she noticed a few things out of the corner of her vision.

Mina, Jirou, and Kaminari, the only faces she could clearly identify, seemed frozen in surprise as their wide stares trailed after her. They didn't seem angry or repulsed- a fact she was marginally thankful for, at the very least- merely surprised. A few other vaguely recognizable figures entered and left her field of vision as she crossed the length of the room, though she couldn't quite see their expressions. Ahead of her, Aizawa twisted the doorknob and pulled it open. She followed as he stepped outside, and just like that, she was safe once more.

The adrenaline she hadn't realized was coursing through her veins quickly dissipated as she absentmindedly followed the familiar path towards the main gate, not noticing the occasional glances Aizawa would cast her way as they ambled down the empty road.

The journey into the next city was no short ordeal, occupying some two hours before they finally arrived at the steps of an unfamiliar hospital. It was large and rather busy, she noticed as she stepped out of the car, careful to draw as little attention as possible. It had been a while since those events had been front-page news, and she was sure most people had all but moved on to some new controversy or another, but she was still wary of those who walked a bit too close or glanced her way a bit too long. She hoped to avoid any conflict today, if only for the sake of saving face for Aizawa.

The first thing she noticed upon stepping into the hospital was the smell- that sterile, stuffy, clean smell that almost instantly resurfaced some less-than-pleasant memories of her own time in containment, so sudden that it was almost disorientating as she tried to shake it off and continue forward. Step by step, the pair made their way past the major waiting rooms and patient areas, slipping further into the bright white halls of the building. Taking the elevator up two floors, it took a few minutes before they arrived at their destination: Psychiatric Ward 0. Aizawa exchanged a few words with the nurse at the front desk, handing over what she assumed to be his ID, before the woman quickly stood and slipped out from behind the counter, gesturing politely for them to follow. She led them down the hall and into a "patient only" corridor with a swipe of her keycard. Stepping into the hallway, Unknown noticed it was completely silent; the walls were painted a slightly different white than the outside areas, though it smelled of the same stinging disinfectant as always. She felt uneasy here, though she didn't quite know why. The nurse led them past a few doors before stopping in front of a room labeled "Isolation 0-9." Pushing open the door, she gestured for the two to enter before stepping in herself.