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[Ah. That's a familiar voice echoing through the tunnels. Katie blinks and takes a few uncertain steps in that direction, but she's having trouble placing the speaker at first. Something about school...

...oh! She quickens her pace, walking a little unsteadily and running her hand over the brickwork as she goes to keep oriented on the right direction.]

Professor Sage? Is that you?

[A voice - that at least confirms the direction she needs to walk in. And she brought a flashlight, for the areas that the floodlights don't cover.]

Yes, it's me. I'll be right there.

[Katie stops obediently where she is; at least until she sees light playing down the tunnel, and then she heads forward again towards it. It won't take long for Raine's flashlight to pick out her hopeful face at all.]

I think I'm lost.

I think so too. Why don't we find a place we can not rest up for a bit? You don't need your strength before heading up.

[Ironically, that throws her for a loop for the moment. Eventually she decides Raine must just be teasing, and so smiles uncertainly.]

Okay. Did I hit my head? I suppose I could have fallen out of bed or something, it's a bit high up.

[...possibly, this conversation is going to be confusing on both sides. |D]

You don't remember what happened? [Hmm. Either way, she'll offer an arm to guide her toward a place closer to the exit where they can sit, but not quite in view of anyone who might nosily poke down there. Or so she hopes, anyway.]

No. [She brightens.] I bet that means I have a concussion. It's amnesia. I feel all cottony, too.

[Katie takes the offered arm and follows along, sitting down. There's lots of gaps in her memory, which are somewhat disturbing, but if she has amnesia then that explains everything, doesn't it?]

[A pause. Was she telling the truth? There was something off about her behavior, but it might just have been the drugs in her system. She opens up her satchel once they're both seated.]

It could be something like that. I can check you over as well. [But first, she holds up the juice box.] Here, this might help.

Yes please. [Katie takes the juice gratefully. She feels rather thirsty.] Are you a doctor as well, then?

I have experience in the field, anyway. [Even with all her studies, it didn't feel right to claim that as a title.] There are some crackers for you, as well.

[Raine doesn't need to tell Katie twice. She'll set to eating all crackers offered, and this really does feel much better. More awake and less like she's missing something vital. Though she does remember to thank Raine. She even remembers not to thank her with her mouth full.]

You're welcome. Take all the time you need. [It's better for her to finish snacking down here, anyway. Less chances of being seen and accused of holding out on food, for one. So she'll smile quietly but do her best to remain alert for any other sounds in the tunnels.]

[She'll finish up before she asks her next question; by the time she's done, the vague fog of leftover drugs is well on the way out, though she gives a quick yawn.]

Did I miss any school?

[You'd think it's normal to sit around eating lunches in tunnels. Really, she's wondering about why a school teacher would come to collect her.]

No, not at all. We don't have class during summer, and it's still August yet. [Not to mention she needs to figure out if she has enough teachers to reopen properly, but that hardly concerns Katie right now.]

Oh. So-- [She frowns. What day was it when she left? Did she leave...? She's having trouble working this out, but Raine obviously wasn't surprised to find her here.]

What am I doing down here?

[Perhaps she just fell in. She vaguely remembers a ladder and a sprained ankle. And...something about skeletons and cursed treasure.]

It's... complicated. Can you tell me what you do remember? I'll try to fill in some of the blanks, if I can.

Um...

[Really. She's unsure about this. Katie's frown gets deeper as she goes back through bits and pieces of memory, and only vaguely recalls people she's seen recently.]

I'm pretty sure there was a bad storm...

I think I was painting before that. With Jilly! She invited me to come paint with her. [But that feels a long way off.] Oh, but I know I've seen people since then....

[There's something...

Hm. She wonders.]

I see... so when was the last time you remember seeing me?

[There's a longer pause. She's sure she has since the storm... why does it feel she's missing so much?]

The library...? [She sounds uncertain, but that feels right.] I think you had muffins.

That's right... we had a long talk, there. You had a reason for being in these tunnels, so I promised to meet you here.

Oh, did I? [She frowns, but by the sudden relaxing of her posture it's clear that this is reassuring. She just can't work out what on earth she'd promise. A school teacher is not the type of person you take to explore tunnels with, after all.]

I'm glad you came, then. I don't think I'd like to have been down here too long on my own.

I'm sorry I missed being here when you first woke up. The village is very busy and crowded right now.

[She shakes her head.] That's all right! Is there a festival or something?

No, nothing like that. Another enclosure was attacked, and they sent the survivors in here until further notice. It's... very tense, actually.

What do you mean, attacked? [She blinks.] Are we going to get attacked?

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