InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I've got to change Miss Edith."

Brian Jenkins | Dr. Jekyll (tooth_fairy) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-07-30 21:49:00

Entry tags:

dr. jekyll, scheherazade

Who: Sherri and Brian
What: A sort-of conversation
Where: Right inside and outside the locked door of 302
When: August 6, early evening
Warnings: Alcohol use and abuse, angst, and Brian being a pill

Once upon a time, Brian knew what day it was. As an important dentist, he was always on top of the calendar. He had a nice one in his kitchen with pictures of plants from around the world. July was the pitcher plant, though it was more specific than that. The picture had been of three little ones right in a row, their swollen bladders tinged a deep red-violet that looked almost too perfect to be natural. He had liked that picture. Though he wanted to know what would be up for August, he restrained himself from peeking ahead so as to not spoil the surprise. It was the little things like that, little surprises that you were expecting, that kept life interesting.

Now, Brian didn't know what day it was. Hell, he wasn't even entirely sure what year it was. One of his bottles of whiskey read "1997," but he knew that was wrong. It couldn't be 1997. His TV was way too slim and nice to be a 1997 TV. It was from the future, he knew, but what point in the future still eluded him. The only thing that really counted his passage of time were the notes and visits by his door. And even they started to blend into one another after a while.

At first, he hoped that his notes would send her away. The only time he left his apartment was to buy more booze - he was a large man and went through it fairly easily - and slip Sherri new notes. He thought they would work. But she was so stubborn. She was like gum on his shoe, and she just needed to let him peel her away so he couldn't crush her later. He didn't see why she couldn't understand this.

After sending his last note, he knew that he would have to do something else. Her little speech almost stirred him from his drunken stupor long enough to process thoughts. The feeling faded on by, but something about it stuck with him. Something about it kept him from lumbering back to bed to plunge into an inky sleep that would summon the monster he knew lurked within him.

The next day found him slumped in the doorway with a half-full bottle of whiskey cradled in his lap and a pad of paper by his side. Sherri would be there, he knew it. He didn't know when - he had lost his watch and all the clocks in his apartment were hiding - but he knew it would happen. And he was going to be ready, damnit.

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tooth_fairy
2010-08-02 02:51 am UTC (link)

Her concern made him laugh even harder, and for several moments, there were no words. Finally, he simmered down just enough to try and sit up, wiping his eyes fee of the tears of mirth that stuck in them. "I-I'm sorry, I just..." He chuckled, sitting back up properly and leaning against the door. "I was just thinking...if the building...can do this to me...of course it can make us all go to some...some little party."

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withinastory
2010-08-02 03:28 am UTC (link)

"I don't want to go," Sherri admitted. "The only reason I am is that I'm afraid that it will drag us all anyway, and to keep an eye on Joss. Except that I won't know exactly who she is, either. But, let's not talk about it, I just... wanted to make sure you knew about it."

Of course, she wasn't sure what else there was left to talk about. She didn't want to leave yet, though, wanted to keep talking to Brian for just a little longer.

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tooth_fairy
2010-08-02 09:37 am UTC (link)

Did anyone want to go? A big building party sounded annoying, not fun. And at Bellum, annoying was always amped up to twelve and sprinkled with cocaine. Sighing, Brian nodded against the door. "Yeah, okay," he replied, draining the rest of his little whiskey bottle and frowning when it emptied.

"Why do bottles have to-to go empty?" he asked, holding it up. "It's really, it's really inconvenient."

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	withinastory 2010-08-02 06:41 pm UTC (link)
	"Maybe it's to tell you that you should stop before you get alcohol poisoning." Sherri blinked, then asked, "Didn't you just get a new bottle? Was there not much in it?" She really hoped he hadn't finished a whole bottle since his disappearance to go hunt it down. "Maybe you really should stop, and go to bed, and sleep it off a little." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

tooth_fairy
2010-08-02 07:25 pm UTC (link)

"It was little," he said with a frown. "One of those...little...ones..." He paused, leaning his left cheek against the door and tapping it with his fingers. "Small size." As she suggested sleeping, he reacted violently. Kicking at the wall, he scooted back, clawing at the door. "No!" he shouted. "No, I can't sleep! I can't- I can't. He comes out when I sleep." He choked, ramming his head into the door. "He comes out and he hurts people when I sleep, I-I can't sleep."

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	withinastory 2010-08-03 08:13 pm UTC (link)
	"Okay, okay, calm down..." Sherri winced, not sure exactly what he was hitting the door with but knowing at least that it sounded painful. "You don't have to sleep, then." Except she didn't see how he could stay awake, with as much alcohol as he'd consumed. Nervous and trying to think quickly, she chewed on her thumbnail. "Do you have coffee?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

tooth_fairy
2010-08-03 08:29 pm UTC (link)

How the hell was he supposed to calm down? There was a dangerous man inside his head that kept him from sleeping! He should not calm down! In fact, he should wind up! He should be more upset! But he managed to calm down slightly anyway, if only to appease her.

"Yeah, I do," he muttered. "I'll have some of that..." His sleep schedule was really taking a toll on him, but he had to press on. He had to keep going.

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	withinastory 2010-08-03 09:11 pm UTC (link)
	"Maybe..." Sherri hated suggesting it, especially when Brian was already so upset, but it was the only thing that would help. "Maybe you should go to a doctor. A psychologist. They'll know what to do. They can help you keep him from hurting anyone." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	tooth_fairy 2010-08-03 09:29 pm UTC (link)
	At her suggestion, he frowned. "Doctors missed him," he grumbled. "I've been to so many doctors. I can't even count how many drugs they put me on. For anxiety. For sleep disorders. For acute panic whatever." Bumping his head against the door, he sighed. "They said I was a sleepwalker. He must've tricked them somehow. What can they do now?" (Reply to this) (Parent)

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