Support Group - Feb 2021

[tramitem]

Who: OPEN (Including to all the new characters who app throughout the month)
What: Bureau Run, Non-Mandatory Support Group
When: There are meetings at various times during the week, whatever works for your character between 8 am and 10 pm
Where: There are meetings at various locations around NYC, whatever works for your character
Rating/Warnings: We ask that players put appropriate warning labels in the subject lines of their threads as they become necessary


There’s a generic spread of food on a table off to one side of the room: donuts, muffins, bagels, and cookies; coffee, lemonade, water, and because one of the Different asked for it, hot chocolate. Maybe you’re hungry enough to try it—it’s free after all.

Or maybe you can’t stomach anything, given the event you’re attending.

The space is a local rec center. The beige-painted cinder block walls and the fluorescent lighting are a terrible combination. Maybe they are reminiscent of the public school you attended in your youth?

Why are you here? Curiosity? Maybe the Bureau official will say something that will help you make sense of things? The meeting was interesting—who knew there were so many people like you, receiving memories of a past life? The group was led by someone from The Bureau—the Department of Medical Services. Some people are staying in their chairs and chatting—they must know each other from previous meetings. Some of them are gravitating towards the food.

How do you feel about tonight? Has it helped you come to terms with the dream of memories you’re having? Maybe it’s time to talk to others, get an understanding of their experience.

Comments

[not_as_i_do]

"Believe me, I know what you mean." Never mind that that last memory had been a sort of nesting doll - he'd had a flash of being in solitary, too, screaming himself hoarse, and that had shaken him more than anything. He was ready for that drink, too.

"I don't go to those very often, anymore. I'm sure you can see why... but we're still working on that alternative I mentioned, and ... you know how it is. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results."

He flashed her a crooked smile, something bright and electric flashing in his eyes for just an instant before disappearing.

[phdmotherfucker]

That spark behind his eyes set off the echoes of electricity coursing through her and the way the strange pale man had looked at her. She had to shut her eyes for a moment and take a breath.

"I've been going because there's nothing else I can do about... any of this. But it doesn't help. Nobody talks about anything like. Well, you know."

[not_as_i_do]

He nodded, not wanting to share the minutiae of his agreement on the open street. "I know a bar not far from here with some pretty cozy little booths and some very strong offerings on the menu. We could talk about it there...?"

[phdmotherfucker]

She gave him a small relieved smile. "A strong drink sounds like just the thing."

[not_as_i_do]

"Perfect." He led her to the little bar, a cozy hole in the wall he'd found after his second group session, and usually retreated to afterwards for a finger or two of something to take the edge off of his frustration with the Bureau's ineffectiveness. The bartender recognized him and gave a tiny wave, and Martin gestured quizzically toward the farthest booth from the back.

"Sponsor?" The bartender asked him with an arch of an eyebrow.

"Just meeting a friend after," Martin said dismissively. As they slipped into the booth, he lowered his voice to Harleen. "He thinks I'm in group for grief counseling for my father. Man doesn't need to know he died twelve years ago."

[phdmotherfucker]

Harleen nodded hello at the bartender and let her be lead to booth in the far corner.

"Smart cover story," she said as she took off her coat and folded it on the seat beside her. She tipped her head back against the vinyl seat and let her eyes flutter closed.

"Do you want me to go first?"

[not_as_i_do]

"If you like," he said. "We can build up to it if you'd rather. Let me go up and get the first round, first. What would you like?"

[phdmotherfucker]

She breathed a sigh of relief that she could put off the conversation longer, even though they'd come here specifically to have this conversation.

"Bourbon, please. On the rocks."

She liked to crunch the ice.