Dr. Ellison hands you a damp cloth, then sits on a folding chair. You press it against your aching head and lean back against the wall, the concrete floor cold beneath you. Darcy slumps next to you, staring off into the distance.
The placement testing room is empty except for the three of you. Manish is nowhere to be seen.
You're detached from what's going on even as you relive it, as if observing yourself in a dream. You're experiencing temporal double vision.
Your head hurts in both times.
Dr. Ellison lets a stream of ash and bright blue flecks run through her hand. "Painter's tape." Her tone is mild. "Very clever. Saves on cleanup." She brushes her hands together to get rid of the ash. "A quick sweep of the broom and it will be as if this never happened."