I reckon two votes is as good a majority as I'll need at this stage*.
Day Five Before first light, the travellers, having taken stool guy at his word, navigated the Drive-Thru and began the walk southwest, around Cash Mountain, and on to whatever was to follow.
The party - Jenuall, DarkRula, Quantum Name, Clarkman, Ironhide, mic and Hulohot - were weary, and the sun, having risen, was unrelenting as they made their way along the open road that cut through the vast continent, evading the mountain as it swerved west.
A brief midmorning stop to shelter from the rays and eat something only made the mood sourer, as the group realised just how depleted their inventory was (save for a heavy stool, which they'd taken turns to carry). By early afternoon they were exhausted, having not slept in some time.
"I'm exhausted," confirmed Quantum Name. "I don't even have the energy to log on to the No Context thread and talk about our heavy stool."
"Look," said mic, "there's a village up ahead. We can restock there and find a bed for the night."
And so the party stopped in the tiny trading post of Pilalgevor. It wasn't long before they'd found an inn. It wasn't a huge building, but it had a tall chimney at its east side, and an even taller clock tower on its west.
Upon entering, the group were greeted by a friendly elderly lady at the reception desk.
"Welcome to the Pilalgevor Rest Stop. What can we do for you?"
"There are seven of us," explained Clarkman. "Do you have beds for us all? We can pay."
"Let me see..." the woman replied as she moved her spectacles further down her nose to better scrutinise her bookings list. "I have a couple of double rooms... one could fit three at a push. And then two singles which, it so happens, are the cheapest rooms we have!"
"Great!" mic replied cheerily, reaching for his wallet.
"Wait," interjected Jenuall. "Why are they the cheapest?"
"Well," explained the woman, "one is a small room atop the clock tower, and one is our basement room."
"In the clock tower?" said Hulohot. "Won't we be woken by the, well, clock?"
"Oh, no, dear," said the woman. "There's no danger of that. The clock hasn't worked for a little while now. It doesn't even tick, let alone chime."
"And what about the basement?" enquired DarkRula.
"Well, it's too cold for my old bones, I grant you," advised the receptionist. "But there are extra blankets and pillows to make it feel all cosy and safe for whichever of you draws the short straw."
The group looked at one another. Though it didn't sound pleasant, they were all shattered, and none the wiser as to whether they had any other options.
"We'll stay the night."
One of you must sleep in the clock tower room.
One of you must sleep in the basement.
You must make a decision before 9pm tonight.
*side note: where are all the audience peeps?
There were plenty of folk who said they would watch, if not take part, during sign ups.
Get involved, GR!
*deactivates jawa cheerleading mode*