Mission 1.3: Black Party Clean Up

The journey to the indoor park is a brisk one. The few people they passed seems busy with whatever they are doing or heading to. The usual technician or scientist can be seen, with one or two folks in office clothes passing by.

If Oddball wants to know the weather climate of the planet, it is the usual drab grey of clouds, but the sun seems to shine through better than usual, so the scenery of black and grey stones and dirt is visible out the windows with minimal shadows cast by the hills.

If its social climate, the people are quiet, with some looking even depressed. Collectively, everyone seems to have some level of fear and nervousness. A clear lack of friendly warmth is present in this place.

At the park, the glass roof shows the starry sky peeking through thick clouds. A variety of plants and trees are decorating the few patches of soil here, with benches running along the paths. Stalls selling "street" food and assorted equipment line the walls of this enclosed structure. The owners of the shops looking bored as no customers are presently queuing.

Here, 3 groups of people can be seen. A pair of players in casual clothes having a focused match of a classical board game on stone table and benches. A trio of workers maintaining the underground drainage system at a section of the park. And a group of four individuals sitting around a table talking with one another, with the topic of sleep and dreams.

The group of them seemed slightly surprised and offended that Oddball just comes in and interrupts their conversation. However, what the professors then says causes them to silently listen in with full attention.

The 30 year old man in a blue shirt and jeans listen with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth.
The 40 year old man in a red shirt with glasses and shorts furrows his eyes with a downturned mouth.
The 30 year old lady in a casual green dress, has a similar expression as the red man, but she taps her finger lightly on the table.
The 50 year old man in a grey jacket listens with an opened eyed look that might be amusement or surprise.

The red man speaks first. "That's it? You stopped having those dreams? Sounds like baloney. Yours is the worst sounding one, but doesn't seem like you're as badly affected as us."

The grey man counters. "Now, now, Damien, you know you shouldn't judge other's dreams. Let's all trust that each one that we shared is real and that we coped with it in our own ways."

The green woman now comments. "I think it is true. I mean, compared to some rumours I hear, the shadows and skulls imagery are a huge coincidence lately. I think there may be some connections..."

The blue man lastly comments too. "I... um... think I need to go now. I think your nightmares are going to be shared with me tonight. I better take my pills..."

The grey man gently puts his hand out. "Woah, calm down there, Barry. We haven't fully sought out your issues yet, so sit with us a little longer, please."

Barry was about leave his seat, but then reluctantly settles back down.

Damien remarks back, but in a way more as to talk to himself than directly to Oddball. "Newcomer, eh? Could have been faking his symptoms of suffering like that very early..."

The gray man hand waves Damien's comment before answering Oddball. "Yes sir, we have a belief that our dreams, or rather nightmares, have some similarities and may have a connection. Of course, our collected data is very limited, but I feel a few of us has made our theories on this. Linda, why don't you share yours first."

Then Linda, the green dressed woman, next speaks. "Thanks Gabrien. I have been gathering stories from my close co-workers and from chatter made by the maintainence folks. Their dreams always end the same. They see some scene that should be normal for them, but they feel like their surroundings gets uncomfortably darker and then either white eyes or faces or skulls can be seen or felt watching them in the darkness or shadows. Sounds like too much of a coincidence to me, so I went to ask around a little more. Turns out Gabrien is also well aware of the strange coincidences. So we decide we could have casual small gatherings like this to both understand this mystery better and give therapy to others.

For me, I believe there is nothing supernatural about this. We got to stop spreading the rumours that there was something spiritual about this, otherwise irrationality and further distress may grow and further multiply this effect. Which leads to my firm belief that all this is hysteria. And this hysteria is caused by two factors. One is that the supernatural interpretation of the "face" site photograph have made people grow paranoid, and theories about an alien god being present by some of our less rational employees have made it worse.

Another factor I believe is not well confirmed yet, but I think it should be the air that we are now breathing. We don't get a lot of details on the mechanics of how the filtration system works for our dome interiors, but I heard experimental cheap chemicals are used. Could be that a side effect of this method is causing slight brain poisoning to some of our staff. Mostly the maintainence crew and sanitary workers. They seem to experience the effects the worst. The researchers and department managers have either no such nightmares or its very minimal. Now, I will not make a complaint this, because as I said, its just a theory so far."

Gabrien, the grey clothed man, nods. "Yes, that sounds right. Our poor co-workers are suffering from nightmares of a watching darkness. But what I disagree with is the rejection of a spiritual perspective. You see, working and living here is honestly no joy. The sky is always black, and the ground is always grey. This can affect the mind of a man, and their soul too. I am no priest, but I feel that I need to do my part to step in to help with a wiser touch. The maintainence, the sanitary, and all other roles that requires one to work under the pyramidal leadership of an uncaring super organisation, to be faced with the hardest and dirtiest of labours. I believe the Face's discovery is now causing an awakening of the devils inside. Devils, that could be eased out with careful enlightenment..."

"Ah, no offense, but I am not the religious type. But that might work for some affected. Speaking of which, Lenny, which of us do you think sounds more right to you?" Linda asks to the blue man, Lenny. He simply looks back and forth from Linda and Gabrien and whimpers a "I-I don't really know..."

Ms Linda looks somewhat relieved that another person has agreed that the current air filter is a health risk. She collects herself before speaking again. "I am glad that you are also willing to help me in solving the air issue. Maybe with our numbers we can now press for the authorities to investigate this."

As Nikolai implies that he wish to speak with the new spiritual movement to join them, Gabrien, the man in grey shirt, answers amused.
"Oh?... You're interested in the Visage Conversation Club?"
He glances at his surroundings for a moment before continuing.
"Conveniently for you, I am actually a member of it. I only joined quite recently, but I am already allowed to look for new members. Why it is very secretive and hard to find is because the management views it as too much of a distraction from work. Plus, the discussions that goes on in their meetings are very unconventional, but if true, would undermine everything that we know. But you folks look open-minded enough and curious about our nightmares, so I will invite you to our next meeting. It will happen in about an hour, right at that sitting area over there."

As Gabrien shares this, Linda can be seen rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

Gabrien chuckles at Nikolai's comment. "Oh ho ho! The branding... You're quite right about that. I heard the Club used to keep changing its name, but right now, our Club works best as you say, 'pretentious and mundane'. Anyways, see you soon!"

---

As the group approach the three workers, one of them take notice and asks aloud in a gruff voice. "What do you guys want? We are busy repairing this drain. Apparently someone dumped damaged batteries in here and now we have to replace the pipes all day."