♥ [ audio: voice recorder ]

[knight_of_heart]

[ Audio cuts in to a man speaking into a personal voice recorder just as he finishes reciting the number that's been bothering him since earlier today, the latest part of a ramble he's been doing for several minutes now. His is a mid-range voice, easygoing in tone and brand new to the network. He's going to need the guide, though he doesn't know it yet. ]

–and I have no idea what it goes to! Hmm... it must be important or else it wouldn't have come back to me all of a sudden, right? It's too short to be a phone number, so maybe it's the new combination to the gun safe? Sure would be bad if someone got into all the rifles when they weren't supposed to, right? Haha!

[ The little spurt of laughter settles quickly into another thoughtful hum. ] But I really can't remember what it's for and it's not written on any of my notes. I'll have to ask Raymond, I guess. It's like he keeps saying, I'd lose my head if it weren't screwed on! And then sometimes I still lose it anyway. Hopefully it's not super important and he won't be too mad. Wouldn't it be worse if I remembered what it was for, but not the number itself? At least this way if I remember what it's for on my own, I'll have the number already handy!

Better write it down again in case I forget again and forget I said it on here, too. Let's see... [ Here there's some paper shuffling sounds, the scribbling of a pen, and... silence, as his previously-blank notepad suddenly fills up with network posts that his in-use recorder couldn't recite back to him. Horace's reaction? Nothing more than a short, puzzled: ]

...huh.

Comments

Voice; Cellphone

[vetala]

Whoever Raymond is, asking him might be a bad idea. Were I you, I probably wouldn't.

[knight_of_heart]

Huh? But I ask him things all the— [ Mouth answers automatically. Three seconds later, brain catches up. Idiot, you're talking to your voice recorder. ] —time? Uh... huh, I don't remember recording that.... Who was that? Man, bad day for remembering things or what....

[vetala]

My name is Kanti. You said the numbers into whatever you're using. You are patched into a network. Welcome to Numbers Club.

[knight_of_heart]

[ Okay he's a little more caught up on things now. ]

Well uh, thank you, Miss Kanti, but I don't think this is quite the club for me.

[voice; iphone]

[amberhearted]

... Is this Horace from Knight's Outdoor?

[ actually, the name is knight's outdoors sporting goods, alex. B for effort. ]

[knight_of_heart]

[ But Horace is an easy grader. A-minus! And that sounds like a customer! ]

Oh! Thank you for calling Knight's Outdoors, for all your nights outdoors! Yes, this is Horace, how can I....

[ But then he just trails off because wait, why is his recorder doing this all of a sudden. ]

[amberhearted]

... help you?

[ ha ha. ]

This is Alex. I bought a rifle from you, little over a month ago.

[ he figures he should introduce himself for the familiarity factor (if horace remembers him) before jumping into the crazy talk. ]

[knight_of_heart]

[ ...welp. Horace's voice gets louder as he holds said recorder to his ear like a phone. Even though it isn't. The familiar little niggle gets his attention. ]

Last month, last month... ah! I remember! You were really into that Remington but the Savage fit your needs [ and price range ] better! Right? What'd I tell you!

...you didn't sabotage my recorder because you didn't like it after all, did you?

[ Hey, it works in Horace logic. ]

text;

[counterclock]

surpriiiiiise

[knight_of_heart]

[ ...maybe he hit his head when he dropped that clock? Experimentally, he writes 'surprise' next to the new purple words, and then tries to erase them both.

Why does the purple one not go away. ]

[counterclock]

are you having a problem sir
oh yeah btw i could see that
until you deleted it
erased it?
idk

[knight_of_heart]

I don't know if it's a problem but my paper writing on itself sure is weird.

...I know two of you already but I don't think I know anyone that likes purple pens. Do I? [ Half asking himself, half 'feel free to identify yourself and make me further question the crazy of it all'. ]

voice; smartphone

[eras]

[ Well she was just going backwards to familiarize herself with things, but... ]

Mr. Knight?

[ She's pretty sure she knows that voice, from trips to the store. And, more importantly, babysitting Montgomery. ]

[knight_of_heart]

[ And Horace is really using up his quota of dumbstruck silences for the night. Of course he knows that voice. She's one of Mery's favorite babysitters! Why is Mery's babysitter on the tinfoil hat network? ]

...Aria? Why are you on here too?

[eras]

[ She shrugs even as she responds, although that's not going to translate over a voice response. ]

No idea! I mean, no more idea than anyone else. Mar and I just figured out how to open it today, you know? I've been poking around - there's and FAQ, I guess! - but I don't think it's entirely sunk in yet!

[knight_of_heart]

I'm talking to a pad of paper and my voice recorder is talking back. Raymond's gonna walk in and think I'm crazy...er. Than usual. Not to mention if I start wearing a tinfoil hat....

Wait, are you okay? With what one of these other guys is saying I don't think I like the idea that they're putting kids on here....

text - written

[ex_purity762]

I'd imagine you've received replies by now.

You're not the only one who suddenly "recalled" a number, not knowing what it was for.

audio still

[knight_of_heart]

[ Nothing the least bit awkward about talking to your notepad, right? Besides, he writes slowly. ]

So I'm seeing! Just how big is this tinfoil hat... group... thingie?

written

[ex_purity762]

[In his case, he opts to maintain his privacy, if only because he finds the circumstances rather unsettling]

My access has only been recent, but having perused back posts, I'd say at least a hundred people.

It all seems strange, but I wouldn't call anyone here deluded. None I have conversed with, at least.

text {iphone}

[ursoreckless]

has anyone given you the newbie guide to what we know about the secret numbers club?

[knight_of_heart]

[ This is Horace, talking to a pad of paper. ]

Uh, no, but I don't think I'm supposed to be in this club. How do I cancel the subscription?

video

[ursoreckless]

[well, now you're looking at a bleach blond Japanese guy that is chewing on a kebob which makes his accent a little thicker than normal.]

You don't. The numbers come to you as part of something - a dream, a weird memory, an item, whatever that's a little out of sync with your life. And once you get those numbers, you're in the club.

[Audio]

[chalicejoker]

Better be careful with this. It doesn't always have the most pleasant of consequences.

[There is a very good reason he's only using audio...]

[knight_of_heart]

...okay that sounded a little like a threat and if that was a threat then this club and me are going to have problems.

[ Only a little like a threat, when everything else has mostly been weird and slightly concerning, but you don't mess with a guy that has a kid, man. ]

[chalicejoker]

No! It's not a threat!

[There's a long-suffering monster sigh. He'd been using audio just so he wouldn't come off as being threatening, now this guy thinks he's being threatened. Awesome.]

I'm just saying, just being involved in this really sucks, and stuff can happen to you no matter what you do. Powers and...changes and things like that on top of not being able to trust the police or anyone.