Me: 'Do you remember what floor mom was on ?'
Cheren: '3 or 4. Why?'
Hilbert closed the text message conversation, locking his phone screen. With his phone screen dark, he held the phone for several long seconds, contemplating it, holding the glossy plastic device in the grip of his hand, blankly staring past it and into the steps ahead of him. He then looked up, looking up over the rising steps.
The tall, white edifice of the hospital building faced him, standing out against a pure blue sky. Several trees had clustered around the base of the building, hugging close to the base. A white staircase snaked through a rising hill, leading up to the sliding glass doors at the entrance. The red letters reading 'Hospital' at the front glowed weakly in the sunlight.
Slipping his phone into his pocket, Hilbert made the trek up the stairs.
The elevator doors slid open, opening up to the barren hall. The hospital lights glowed weakly, wide arcs of sunlight coming from glowing windows bathing the halls in an unusual glow.
In the unusual silence, Hilbert took a few steps forward. His sneakers squeaked on the linoleum floors, the elevator doors behind him rattling and closing. Only the sounds of his sneakers filled the empty halls, echoing through. As he looked down the hall, seeing the lights were fully on in the hall across from him, a few nurses and other assistants passing between doorways and chatting, he gained the sensation in the hall on his side that he was truly alone. He walked, his brow furrowing in confusion, something seeming off about the halls.
As he came around the corner to the short hall, the familiar scene of where he had been the night before appeared, seeing the doors line the left and right. The small, boxy windows set in the doors were dark, the lights off inside. He kept walking, carefully, almost hesitating as he reached him mom's door.
The door to the hospital room was open. All the lights were off. Light poured in from the window at the far end of the room, the white curtains billowing silently in the air. All of the green dividing curtains had been pulled back, exposing the bare floors free of any beds, including the one for Hilbert's mom. All of the monitors were still in their place, surrounding where the large mechanical bed had been the night before, the cables snaking towards the invisible place on the floor. The bed was nowhere to be found.
Hilbert's breathing had become tense. A look of worry filled him. By his side, both of his fists balled up, his fingers squeezing out of stress.
As he turned, he nearly collided with someone who was standing directly behind him. He let out a shout of surprise, suddenly stepping backwards and tripping over his other foot, sending himself stumbling backwards. His arms flew to his sides, grabbing at the air in a desperate bid for support, moments before landing on his rear and then immediately flopping back. His shoulders hit seconds before his head clapped against the floor, his hat falling off. A loud groan came from him, his eyes shut as he slowly pulled himself up and rubbed his temples with the heel of his hand. As he pulled himself up, sitting up, he keeled over onto his side, lying there with his arm propped between him and the floor.
Blinking steadily, Hilbert forced his eyes open from beneath his throbbing, pained brow. He looked over and across, seeing who was standing there. His eyes met with the familiar sight of pink shoelaces, knotting up a pair of black combat boots. He followed her shapely, naked legs up to her jean shorts, then the same white tanktop and black vest, until he met eyes with Hilda.
"What... You again...?" Hilbert asked incredulously, groaning as he sat himself up.
Hilda sighed, offering a smile, then offering her hand down to Hilbert once he had grabbed his hat. Her arms flexed, gripping Hilbert's outstretched hand as she yanked back and pulled Hilbert up to his feet with a clatter, his feet scuttling loudly beneath him.
"Sorry about that," she said.
Dusting himself off, straightening the blue overcoat he wore, Hilbert took a breath to recover. He gave a passing examination of the hospital room again, returning his gaze to Hilda.
"Do you live here now or something?" asked Hilbert.
"Just had a feeling you'd come back. Come here," said Hilda. She took a few steps back out of the hospital room, heading back into the wing of the hallway that the hospital rooms were in. Giving a passing glance to Hilbert, she looked down the hall, seeing that the hall across from them was clear.
"So you know what's going on? I mean, where they moved my mom?" asked Hilbert.
Hilda was still looking down the hall across from them. When she looked back, she paused, having been focused on something else entirely in her mind. She nodded, gesturing for Hilbert to follow, heading to the hall.
"Yeah, I know," she said.
In the dimly lit room, a gigantic, cylindrical, capsule-like piece of machinery occupied the entire left side of the room, a glowing aperature in the center of the flat side facing out into the room; an MRI. Several buttons and displays lined the donut-shaped panel around the aperature, glowing bright. A long platform was suspended at the lower lip, supporting a bed where Hilbert's mother lay. Nurses and doctors all stood around her, checking her vitals on computer systems mounted in stations around the room.
Two Audino, dressed in nurse costumes, stood around Hilbert's mother; one holding a tray of medical equipment and various drugs as a nurse cleaned an injection wound on her arm, and another standing up by the head, humming as his paws glowed bright blue and sensed the aura of Hilbert's unconscious mother.
Beneath tinted glass, Hilbert and Hilda watched the scene unfolding from an elevated waiting room. Both remained silent, trying to listen to the muffled chatter.
Hilbert's stoic gaze faltered. As he stared at his mother, he switched his gaze from her to the scene in their hidden area on the hallway, seeing Hilda's reflection in the tinted glass. He swallowed quietly, gathering his thoughts.
"I don't understand why now," said Hilbert, quietly.
"What do you mean?" asked Hilda. Her arms remained folded as she stared, watching as they prepped the last few systems, Dr. Hendricks entering to preside over the examination.
"Well..." Hilbert found himself stopping. He paused, thinking it over.
Down below, the motors whirred to life, the bed Hilbert's mother rested in slowly moving along its track as she entered the MRI, entering the darkened opening of the large machine. A nurse reached for the controls on the wall, punching in the startup code, prepping for the scan. The lights inside kicked on, covering his mother in unusual, bluish light as she passed inside. Once the bed had stopped, completely slid into the opening, only the soles of her bare feet sticking out.
"I'm... It just seems so strange that all of this is happening now," said Hilbert.
"Are you implying that the fates are messing with you?" Hilda cracked a smile, giving him a passing glance. "You don't seem the pious type."
"It's definitely not that," said Hilbert.
A deep hum exited the chamber of the MRI. The lights inside the opening where Darlene was flashed, spinning gently. A red LED raced around the track of lights on the outside panel, in time with the spinning internals, picking up speed. A frantic mood fell over the nurses and assistants as they all worked to capture all the data. A nurse consorted with the Audino, through hand gestures trying to work out the state that Darlene was in as Audino kept track of her aura.
"Okay, let me try this then," said Hilda, continuing to watch, loose flashes of light from the internal chamber washing over her face. "You're trying to be your own man, make your own decisions and really, truly navigate for the first time in your life. You've settled on a decision and you're trying to do your best on it, but you keep hearing something else: disagreement. People don't necessarily agree with the decisions that you've made. You're facing serious opposition from the people you care about."
"Opposition is fine. I get it," said Hilbert. "That's... That's not the issue."
"You're right, opposition isn't the issue," said Hilda. "It's that it's happening so suddenly. It's like a tidal wave, and you're suddenly faced with all this opposition, all these struggles and these things to reconcile."
"I... I don't understand... Why do you even care anyway?" asked Hilbert.
Hilda chuckled. "Always the same questions."
"I'm serious. I've always meant that. Literally, why do you care?" asked Hilbert. "Why do you keep following me around? Why do you keep popping into my life?"
"Let me ask you this: why does playing in a band mean so much to you?"
"Yeah, that's one of the questions they keep asking. Still not sure why they—literally everyone—keeps asking the same thing."
"Well, let's try something different then. Genuinely try to answer the question," said Hilda.
Hilbert gave a frustrated sigh. His feet shuffled on the floor, adjusting his stance. Giving a passing glance to where Hilda had crossed her arms, he too crossed his arms, tightening his defensive posture.
"I have a commitment to my good friend Roxie. Besides, it's something I enjoy. I don't have some kind of existential, greater purpose in participating in Roxie's band. It's not something that hinges on life and death for me at all. It's just something meaningful. It's a hobby. What's wrong with keeping a hobby?"
"A hobby can be a fine thing to have," said Hilda. "But it's like anything, where if you let it grow out of control it can be very dangerous."
"Do you think I've let it grow out of control? I've hardly begun."
"There are other more important things going on right now. The natural course of life is getting in the way of everything and it's asking you to slow down, take a break."
"Take a break and become a Pokemon Trainer? That seems just as irresponsible," said Hilbert.
"Hilbert," Hilda said, the impatience rising in her tone. "I'm asking you to take a moment to just look around. I'm asking you to look at opportunities—yes, like being a Pokemon Trainer—before those opportunities pass you by. That's not a huge ask. That's a sane ask."
"That's—Uhhh..." Hilbert went to protest, cutting himself off. He folded his arms, leaning himself against the railing, facing away from the dark of the MRI chamber, looking into the plain, sterile waiting room they were in.
Hilda sighed, giving one last glance down to the MRI chamber, turning around and bringing herself closer to Hilbert, leaning against the railing. She gave a passing glance down him, eventually looking back into his eyes, biting her lip as she contemplated her words.
"A lot of buses are going to leave without you on them, Hilbert," Hilda said, quietly. "All I'm asking is that you know what's on them first."
"Yeah, well, I know plenty about Pokemon. What other bus am I missing?"
"Your mother," said Hilda coldly.
Hilbert scowled. He stepped off from leaning against the railing, taking a few steps into the open space of the waiting room, taking a few steps away from Hilda to give him some space, his arms swinging dejectedly by his side.
"Don't play that card. Especially to get me to be a trainer."
"I'm not kidding," said Hilda. "You ought to take the gravity of what the doctor is saying seriously. Your mother has never had a history of heart disease before last night and the doctors are only now just scratching the surface of what's really going on. Nobody knows how deep this goes. You really should take the possibility of her... The reality of her situation seriously."
Folding his arms, Hilbert wandered deeper into the waiting space, stepping around loosely stacked waiting chairs on the level area, just in front of several raised steps for setting chairs on rose to give a better view into the MRI room. He kicked his legs in front of him thoughtlessly, keeping his head hung low and dejected.
"Alright Hilda, I'll bite," said Hilbert. "What exactly does my mom have to do with being a Pokemon Trainer?"
"More than you know," said Hilda. "Your mom is a wealth of expertise in areas—"
"In areas like 'raising a kid on her own because her husband refuses to stop training', that kind of expertise?" Hilbert interrupted.
"—in areas you won't ever get to know if you don't ask," finished Hilda, looking more resolute than ever. "Your mom has far more to offer than the pain of being a single mother. Yes, that is tragic, but don't think she'd ever discourage you for a second."
As Hilbert turned, shaking his head and wandering through the scattered chairs, Hilda gave a sigh. She looked down through the window, seeing one of the nurse-dressed Audino waving to her. She offered a small smile, watching as Dr. Hendricks saw Hilda from the balcony view above, signaling to a nurse and waving her down.
"It looks like you'll get the chance to talk with her soon," said Hilda.
"Great," said Hilbert, the slow arc of his wandering steps bringing him back around towards Hilda. He watched the toes of his sneakers, keeping his head down and his arms folded.
"Hilbert, don't let the sour taste I put in your mouth come out on your mother. Enjoy her company."
"That sounds a hell of a lot more disgusting than I think you meant," said Hilbert.
Hilda chuckled, her pensive expression remaining as she slouched against the railing. As she saw Hilbert come closer, his shadow drawing over her in the low lights of the waiting room, her eyes darted up to Hilbert, a sliver of light from below making her eyes glow an incredible blue. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, looking up into Hilbert's stony expression.
"Just..." Hilda sighed. "Just please know I have your best interests in mind."
"Well, enlighten me for a second," said Hilbert. "Say I truly believe you... Say I genuinely think you... Well.. I think you mean what you say... What should I ask to unearth this 'treasure trove' of information...?"
Hilda's eyes locked onto Hilbert's becoming dead serious.
"You could ask her about the Pokedex."
A tall set of white doors stood at the end of the hallway. Beneath the tiny, square, porthole-like windows, a warning sign had been fastened to the door. 'Authorized Personnel Only: Radiation Danger'.
Before Hilbert could even get close to the doors, they opened. Hilbert looked up to the tiny window to see who had opened up the door, looking up through the opening of the door, but didn't see anyone come to the door. Confused, he looked down, seeing the pink, furry body of an Audino coming through the opening in the door. A pair of wide, marbled blue eyes stared out, blinking slowly beneath a nurse's hat. A tiny maw opened, letting out a chirp.
Just behind Audino, a tall figure approached. As he got closer, his appearance through the door's opening making it clear that he was Dr. Hendricks, he reached up and held the door above Audino, making Audino look up. Dr. Hendricks nodded, waving Audino out to the side, giving Audino the chance to let go of the door and head back into the room.
"I'm glad you came, son," said Dr. Hendricks, offering a light smile. He opened the door, stepping through and stepping aside. "Come inside," he said. "Your mother just regained consciousness."
Giving Dr. Hendricks a passing look, Hilbert walked ahead, entering the dimly-lit MRI lab. After taking a few steps in, he stopped.
The crew of nurses and assistants Hilbert had seen from the vantage point above had thinned dramatically. Only three or four of them were in the space, working at various workstations or taking notes. In the center of the scene was his mother, still resting in the MRI's bed platform, a blanket draped over her. In the darkness of everything that was going on, small personal lights on for workstations and the glow of the various interfaces and buttons providing light, a large column of light came from inside the MRI's inner chamber. The glow seemed heavenly, washing Hilbert's mother in a perfect glow.
Dr. Hendricks muttered something to one of the nurses. He then waved to several of the other assistants, the nurse signaling to her assistant as well as they headed towards the back of the room, entering a door opposite where Hilbert had entered. In moments, it was just Hilbert and his mom.
Hilbert approached the bedside, carefully and quietly. As his figure loomed over her, his steps slowing as he brought himself to her side, Hilbert entered the glow.
Stirring, Darlene forced her eyes open, her head tipping up to see Hilbert. A smile appeared on the half of her face that showed to Hilbert, her head turning fully to see him. Her good arm reached to the side of the bed, digging into the foam bed of the MRI platform and forcing herself up. She let out a groan of pain as she tried to sit herself up, wincing physically. Her other arm dragged beside her, limp and pale.
Hilbert reacted instantly, getting down towards her and helping adjust her as she tried to sit up. With her help, he carefully lifted her head and stacked the awkwardly warped pillows up beneath her, fluffing them and the gently guiding her head down. As he did, her good hand reached for his arm gently. He looked down to see where she held her sleeve, feeling how weak her grip was. When he reached down, putting his hand over hers, he could feel her trembling, her cold skin.
"Mom..." Hilbert said quietly.
"Hi son," Darlene smiled. Her voice croaked, weak and sleepy.
As Hilbert let his eyes wander, looking to the racks of medical equipment beside her, set up almost exactly like the hospital room of earlier, Hilbert felt his mom's hand grab blindly up his jacket. He gave her a look of quiet confusion, unsure what she was doing, when her hand reached her collar. She tugged gently, giving a half-smile as Hilbert slowly lowered. Hilbert then felt her arm slip over her neck, pulling him into a one-armed hug. His arm folded over her head, hugging her head in a moment together. She pulled him down, slow and jerkily, kissing just above his brow.
The two parted silently, two dark figures overlit by the bright column of light coming from the MRI behind them. Hilbert lingered over her, looking down at her, silent and stoic.
Overhead, in the observable area above the MRI lab, Hilda stood at the window, watching the scene beneath. Her arms were folded, her legs straight and stiff, making for an uncomfortable stance. Her gaze lingered, affixed past Hilbert and down to Darlene, staying on her with a numb look.
Behind her, in the glowing entrance to the hall, a dark figure entered. Hilda looked back, seeing through the dim room that the figure was Dr. Hendricks, standing just at the entrance of the room. As she watched, he lingered for just a moment, seeing it was Hilda and no one else. He then stepped back in, heading down the hall, leaving Hilda be. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering with a sense of worry at the area. She slowly returned to the window, stepping closer and looking down, seeing that Hilbert and Darlene were still there.
As Hilda came back the edge, her hand finding the railing that braced her from the tall glass windows. She took a rocking step, pulling herself closer, the jean material of her shorts brushing against the metal railing as her hips leaned against it.
She reached up, pressing her hand to the glass.
Hilbert had gotten on his knees, resting at her bedside. His arms folded, he leaned against the plastic railing of the MRI bed, his chin resting in his arms.
Darlene's head rested on its side, facing Hilbert. Deep shadows had been cast over the left half of her face, the glint of her eyes and the curl of a smile visible in the dim light. The right side glowed, bright in the MRI light, bringing every crooked detail into view. Her paralyzed eye had closed a little more, the bottom corner just peaking out. Most of the odd, misshapen smile she had the other night had faded, though her closed mouth curled up in a strange smile.
As Hilbert stared deep into her features, he felt something grab at his hand. Looking down, she had grabbed his hand, holding it gently.
At the far end of the hall, leaving the MRI room behind, Hilbert rounded the corner. He hesitated for a moment, catching a glimpse of Hilda at the end of the next hall, waiting at the beginning of the junction of four halls, hands in her vest, staring at the floor. He kept walking, pressing on, keeping himself together.
At the sound of Hilbert's footsteps, she raised her head, seeing him. She removed her fists from her pocket, letting her arms linger by her side as she stepped back, letting Hilbert pass. Her head panned around slowly as he walked in front of her, eventually realizing he wasn't going to stop. Her steps picked up with his, walking just shortly behind him.
"Did you ask her?" asked Hilda, trailing him.
"No," Hilbert answered, flatly. He reached the corner of the junction, pressing in on the down button for the elevator.
In the muddied, warped reflection of the steel elevator doors, Hilbert watched as Hilda approached. He looked just over his shoulder, seeing her get close, slowing in her steps as she reached him. A look of worry filled her, meeting with his cold, jaded gaze.
Hilda didn't say a thing, continuing to stare into his eyes.
"I... I believe you," said Hilbert, shuffling his feet and looking down. His gaze returned to her almost immediately. "About the Pokedex."
"Hilbert... I didn't mean to burden you," said Hilda.
"It's not that."
A ding resonated from the top panel of the elevator. Mechanically, the doors slid into their pockets on the elevator, opening up into the smoky, dim interior.
Looking past Hilda, Hilbert stepped into the elevator, turning and removing a hand from his jacket pocket just long enough to hit the starred '1'. Another ding sounded from the elevator, triggering the mechanical steel doors, the track rattling as they slid in.
Hilda seemed dumbstruck. As the doors slowly slid in front of her, she put an arm out, her shoulder guiding her in as she quickly entered, taking a few steps in on the thumping carpet. The doors opened for a moment, lingering open as she stepped in. After a beat of silence, she watched as Hilbert reached out of his jacket pockets again, hitting the 'close' button. Out of the corner of her eye, the doors slowly slid to a close, meeting together and sealing them in.
The floor lurched, the sound of hydraulics all around them humming at a near-silent level. A panel in the top corner counted down the floors, beeping silently with each ticking number.
Though Hilbert stared at the panel of glowing buttons ahead of him, looking solemn and distant, Hilda continued to stare at him. Beneath her patient eyes, thoughts raced through her, her eyes flitting from side to side as they searched for the next move. She chewed her lower lip silently.
As the lights on the top panel got closer and closer to '1', glowing red in the corner of Hilda's eye, she took a step forward. She took another step, getting close to Hilbert, continuing to watch him. Her arm reached over beside her, finding the panel of buttons on the elevator. A finger reached for the 'stop' button, pressing in and lighting up the button.
The sounds around the elevator car slowed to a halt. The sensation of lowering seemed to slow to a halt, making gravity feel normal again.
Hilbert saw her out of the corner of his eye, the sliver of her face visible. In the dim, small space of the elevator, she seemed that much closer. He gave a passing glance to her arm as it lowered from the elevator controls, resting by her side. Something seemed off about her, something in her body language hesitating. Looking down by her side, he saw her fingers curling uncomfortably, looking for all the world like she was struggling with something.
"Come on an adventure with me," said Hilda. "Let's get away from all this. Let's go explore. Let's go... Embrace destiny."
Hilbert didn't respond. He looked ahead, his gaze affixed to the glowing stop button down in the corner of the button panel. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Hilda got even closer.
Hilda didn't stop or hesitate any more. She moved in closer. She reached down to Hilbert's hand, gripping it softly. As Hilbert turned, looking down, seeing the grip she had on his hand, he then looked up to her and saw her face.
Taking a breath, taking a moment as she faced Hilbert, she leaned in, forcing her eyes shut as she leaned and pressed her lips to his.
Hilbert choked for a second, his eyes going wide as his view was suddenly filled with Hilda's shut eyes. He forced his eyes shut, tasting Hilda's hot, gentle breath as her gentle lips pressed to his. He silenced himself, unable to process anything. Her hands slipped over his shoulder, caressing his neck as she nearly held him to the elevator wall.
As Hilda pulled back, she let her eyes open gently, her gaze wandering over him, taking in everything she could see in the closeness of the two. Hilbert's cheeks had turned flush, his chest heaving with deep, confused breaths. Though her hand lingered on his shoulder, it passed down over his chest, then into the folds of his jacket, putting a hand over his chest, feeling the two of them panting together.
It took several moments before Hilbert could reopen his eyes. As he did, meeting with Hilda's gaze, he took a deep breath from his nostrils.
Hilbert's hand reached up, covering his chest. His hand slipped over Hilda's hand, his fingers brushing over her long, slender fingers. Holding it, he slowly removed it, lifting up from his chest and lowering it to down beside her until he let go. His gaze shifted past her, his other hand reaching down to the 'stop' button. He pressed it.
Hilbert choked for a second, his eyes going wide as his view was suddenly filled with Hilda's shut eyes. He forced his eyes shut, tasting Hilda's hot, gentle breath as her gentle lips pressed to his. He silenced himself, enjoying the moment. Her hands slipped over his shoulder, caressing his neck as she nearly held him to the elevator wall.
As Hilda pulled back, she let her eyes open gently, her gaze wandering over him. Hilbert's cheeks had turned flush, his chest heaving with deep, confused breaths. Though her hand lingered on his shoulder, it passed down over his chest, then into the folds of his jacket, putting a hand over his chest.
It took several moments before Hilbert could reopen his eyes. As he did, meeting with Hilda's gaze, he took a deep breath from his nostrils.
Hilbert's hand reached up, covering his chest. His hand slipped over Hilda's hand, his fingers brushing over her long, slender fingers. Holding it, he slowly removed it, lifting up from his chest and lowering it to down beside her until he let go. His gaze shifted past her, his other hand reaching down to the 'stop' button. He pressed it.
Swallowing, Hilda turned her head down, staring down in disbelief. Her breaths were shuddering, her eyes blinking nervously. With her hands by her side, not quite sure what to do with them, she took a few small steps back, backpedaling. Her arms folded together, her body shifting and turning away as she faced the back wall, her head tipping towards the wall opposite where Hilbert was leaning. When she went to take another step towards the wall, she stopped herself, unable to bring herself to do it. She stood in the center of the elevator, halfway between getting away and staying.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." said Hilda, finally bringing herself to say something.
Hilbert had shifted his gaze, watching Hilda's shrinking body language. As she looked way, somewhat shamefully, her arms unfolded and she rubbed her arm, her foot crossing over the other nervously. Something moved in him again, something he had felt before, driving him to step off from where he leaned against the elevator wall, taking a few steps towards Hilda.
Hilda found herself looking up, feeling Hilbert's arms wrap around her. She looked up, breathing soft and paced, looking down to see Hilbert's fingers brush over her naked arms. With her arms in the space between their chests, she didn't know what to do with either of them, instead choosing to lean into the hug. Her arms wrapped around his torso, bringing them closer together. Her head rested against his shoulder, nestling in and resting in the cozy space. In turn, she felt the warmth of Hilbert's head resting over her head, held close together.
Hilda pulled her head above, holding his backside and meeting his eyes once again. She went to speak or say anything, but she was silenced. Hilbert leaned in, and their lips met again. The words that Hilda had bottled inside dissipated instantly, turning to a brief, muffled groan.
It wasn't just one kiss. Hilda took a breath, moving in and kissing more, getting all of her lips up against Hilbert's as he leaned in, his fingers finding the soft material of her vest.
Outside where Hilda and Hilbert were joined, the steel doors of the elevator slid open, slipping into the walls. The light of the hospital floor came through, sunlight washing in and casting light on their activities.
A single figure stood at the entrance of the elevator. It was Roxie.
As Hilda pulled away, she took a deep breath, resting her head in Hilbert's chest. She kept her eyes shut, running her hands over his blue jacket and his arms.
Hilbert raised his head, looking over to Roxie. His dreamy, pensive expression hung for a moment, then disappeared in an instant. His eyes went wide. The loving grip he had on Hilda's upper back suddenly turned to a deep, fearful grip, waking Hilda from her passion-induced haze. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Hilda raised her head, blinking sleepily, looking over and seeing Roxie.
Roxie's surprise faded in an instant. Her expression went blank. Deep beneath her eyes, the fires of hell exploded, her lips puckering in a soured face as she stared the two down. On both of her curled fists, her knuckles popped, loudly. The pale complexion of her face, normally the same shade as the white locks of hair surrounding her face, faded from a gothic white to a deep, tomato red.
"Planning the funeral, huh?" asked Roxie, her voice short and curt. Something like a voice crack came beneath the real tone of her voice.
Down by his side, Hilbert looked to Hilda. She didn't have the same look of concern. In fact, she seemed to have the same look of sadness plastered on her, completely unchanged.
Hilbert shifted his gaze down to where he held Hilda's arm, his thumb grazing the soft, toned skin. As he took a breath, he went to reply to Roxie, barely squeaking out the first syllable.
"Shut up," Roxie hissed. "Just... Shut up."