Who: Cecilia and Owen, and then Chase and Kiley Where: Town When: late morning
Getting out of the house was Owen's number one priority that morning. He had decided against taking Their "survey", and instead hit enter through each comment, leaving the answers blank. He didn't necessarily want to be punished, and he didn't blame anyone else for completing it, but it felt too specifically designed to create hurt feelings. People would feel bad, others would apologize... and in a few days, people would start talking again. Rinse and repeat.
Once he got off the network, Owen changed into his jogging shorts and t-shirt, and once his shoes were tied, he left his room and walked toward the front where he met Cecilia. There wasn't much talking on the way down into town. It took awhile, and he had gone three days without being able to run anywhere but on a treadmill in the gym. Being outside, in the fresh air, gave him new life.
Once they passed the sign into town, Owen slowed some, thankful to find that the town looked the same, like they hadn't changed much of anything. He hated to think of trying to re-learn the place.
"Wonder how many others came down here once the doors were open," he mused to Cecilia.