Losing Balance

*Posted by : Nim on Mar 23, 2018, 3:54am*

- Highholm. August 18th, Late Evening -

Emily had left with the crowd when the party was concluded. She had managed to avoid Rachel for the rest of the event, and had even had a productive conversation with one of Councilman Bernard's sons, Eric about some of the things he had overheard his father talk about leading up to the announcement. Apparently the Council had been deliberating on the Expansion Plan for quite some time before Spink finally got permission to share it.

Emily breathed in the fresh air and sighed contentedly as she felt the mild, evening breeze in the dark, Higholm streets. The air was so much cleaner in Higholm. Although she liked being closer to Hansons and her friends in the Rising Star, there were times when she wished she could afford to live in Higholm. Her current living conditions were certainly acceptable, but she could always dream.

She had decided to take the long, scenic route toward the gate, as she didn't really want to catch anyone's attention as she left toward her apartment. Emily wanted to keep her living arrangements something of a secret as best she could, for there were quite a few member's of the arisocracy that would be upset if they realized that someone who didn't live in Higholm was invited to their parties. As such, she didn't want the wrong person to take note of her going through the gate into the rest of the city.

She spotted the guardsman that had admitted her, Phil, as she approached the gate out of Higholm. Unsurprisingly, he looked rather bored as he scanned the streets. She waved to him as she went up to the gate.

"Good night, Miss Emily. Be careful, as always," Phil said as he opened up the gate. "Although curfew is in effect, there are still plenty of ruffians that prowl the streets during these hours."

"Of course, Phil. Good-"

Suddenly, the earth shifted violently beneath her feet. Emily was good at walking in heels, but she she was utterly unprepared for this kind of situation. She unconsciously shrieked as she lost her balance and fell forward. She landed on her left hand, which she had extended instinctively, spraining her wrist and scuffing her hand. The ground continued to shake, adding more strain to her now injured wrist, causing her to collapse into a fetal position.

Emily groaned in agony, clutching her wrist as the world finally returned to normal. She saw Phil let go of the gate that he had been clinging to for dear life and then approach her as she continued to lie on the ground.

"E-Emily, are you alright?" the guard asked shakily, forgetting his usual formality.

"Uhhh," she moaned, still struggling to get her bearings as a wave of pain came over her.

Phil staggered toward her, knelt next to her, and helped her sit up. She hissed in pain as her left hand bumped into her knee. "Do you think you can stand up?" he asked.

"Yeah... maybe, with some help," Emily conceded. "Can you get my shoe and purse?" Apparently one of her shoes had come off, she had dropped her purse, and both had started to move away during the tremor.

"Sure," Phil grunted, walking to her purse and putting some of the contents that had rolled out back in, thankfully without taking a hard look at any of them. He handed the purse back to Emily, and after she gingerly took it from him with her good hand, he went and retrieved her shoe.

Emily sighed as she stuck out her foot for Phil, who hesitantly put her shoe on for her. "I-I, can't believe- what just happened?" Emily mumbled.

"I have no idea," Phil replied walking over to Emily's right side before reaching behind her under her left arm and carefully hoisting her to her feet. Without letting go, he asked, "Do you think you'll be able to walk home from here?"

"I-I hope so," she answered balancing herself on his shoulder after he let go of her. Once she steadied herself, Emily said, "Thank you. I, I best be going. I'll see you around."

"...Okay, good luck," Phil said, clearly quite concerned.

Emily nodded, turned, and walked off toward her apartment, moving slowly and a little unsteadily...