Aftermath || Closed
Response to this.
[ ♛ ] — Julia watches the mayor’s speech on TV from her hospital bed, a dark expression on her face. Since the nurses and doctors had gone off to treat the more critical fire victims, the former bathhouse owner had been left on her lonesome, deemed relatively fine aside from the after effects of some smoke inhalation.
“About time...” She mutters in a slightly raspy voice, glad to hear that the government would be finally getting off its lazy bum to set up a fire station. What sort of city didn’t have one? She never thought much on it before, but now that all this devastation has happened, she couldn’t help but be bitter about the lack of foresight.
If it wasn’t for Mayor Luke there, none of this would have happened. People wouldn’t have gotten hurt, lost their homes, and Julia wouldn’t have lost the bathhouse she worked so hard and long to establish. Now she would be having to start again, all the way from step one, and it took all of her self control not to throw something at the TV, or just scream right then and there.
But at least the thoughtful and valiant Mayor was making a heroic effort for Leuda, right? Please. This was the least he could do after all that’s happened, and any less wouldn’t have been acceptable. Not to her. Not to the people he owed and hurt. Honestly in Julia’s eyes? He and his cronies were just as bad as the dragon.
But when the nurse comes in to check on her, Julia quickly schools her scowl into a pleasant smile. “Oh, hi! Back already?”
“Yes, I came to check up on your vitals... ah, I see the Mayor’s speech is on. Can you believe he’s going to be building a fire station for the city? Amazing, isn’t it?”
Julia smiles, though her throat was already strained from talking. Still, that wouldn’t stop her from keeping up her cheery facade. “Yes, it is! He’s a pretty great guy, huh? I can tell Mayor Luke really cares about the city.” Or saving face. Maybe boosting that approval rating of his for the next election. She couldn’t blame him for looking out for his own interests--- who wouldn’t? That was certainly a philosophy Julia herself took to heart.
But, still... she couldn’t forgive his lack of experience for putting her in this hospital bed, letting her pride and joy get burnt to the ground, and causing so many people so much pain.