Lala's body felt heavy and sluggish as she stepped out of the cramped airship onto American soil. The journey from the Ottoman Empire with a stopover in Paris had drained her, but the excitement of a new beginning kept her going. Toumas, on the other hand, seemed to have borne the brunt of the travel, his usually energetic demeanor overshadowed by a sense of weariness.
Navigating through the bustling airship station, Lala's eyes widened in surprise as she came across the segregated restrooms. The distinct signs for white men, white women, colored men, and colored women caused her to pause, a quizzical expression crossing her features. "Are there any for corpse-like skin color?" she mused aloud, a hint of gallows humor in her voice. "This one needs a restroom for the undead!"
As Toumas approached her, Lala's attention was drawn back to the present moment. She had been standing still in front of the restroom for longer than she realized. "Which shalt this one use?" she asked.
After a moment's contemplation, Toumas nodded hesitantly. "I guess, white women's restroom."
Entering the restroom stall, Lala's nerves were on edge. The air seemed charged with an otherworldly energy, and a shiver ran down her spine. As she tried to calm her racing heart, a strange sound echoed through the confined space, akin to nails scraping against glass. With a gasp, Lala covered her ears, seeking refuge from the unsettling noise.
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Suddenly, a sharp impact resonated through the stall door, causing Lala to jump in fright. The unexpected blow left her trembling, her heart pounding in her chest. In her panic, she stood abruptly, the overwhelming fear causing her to lose control. A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she fumbled for paper to clean herself, her hands shaking.
Another forceful strike against the door sent a jolt of terror through her, urging her to act. With a resolve born of survival instinct, Lala mustered the courage to peer over the door, only to find emptiness staring back at her. The absence of any visible threat only served to heighten her unease, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Stepping out of the stall, Lala splashed her face with cool water, the refreshing sensation grounding her in reality. The mirror reflected her wide-eyed expression, a mix of fear and confusion swirling in her gaze as her irises turned red. With trembling hands, she composed herself as best as she could, the lingering sense of dread tugging at her thoughts.
Emerging from the restroom, Lala found Toumas waiting for her, his presence a source of comfort. Together, they hailed a taxicab, the cold wind nipping at Lala's exposed skin. A chill ran down her spine, a stark reminder of the lingering fear from the restroom encounter. She tried to shake off the lingering unease, attributing it to fatigue from the long journey.
As the taxicab whisked them away through the bustling streets of New York City, Lala's mind whirled with unanswered questions and lingering apprehension. Despite her best efforts to push the unsettling encounter aside, she still sensed an eerie energy following her.