Eighth Message [Video | Sheet of Paper] -> [Text | Handwritten]

[scramasax]

[When visual connection is established, breathing is heard with a trace of voice that is Anthony's - ragged and weak, even for him.

Anthony himself appears leaning over the page he's written on. He looks as taxed as he sounds, if no obviously worse for whatever wear - bar, to anyone who might notice, what looks like a tiny sore on the side of his forehead, but who's to say if that's anything.

His eyes are wide as he stares down into it for only a second, then angles his head up to fix his attention on some area ahead of him. There's a tremble in his voice, muffled and hasty.] Have a look at this... -- please.

[He takes up the paper and flips it to face a wall, at the side of a bedroom closet door - it is a normal wall.

The perspective slowly starts to move. He begins bringing it in closer - and has just barely begun to speak again when he gasps out a startled "Hnnh -- !" and the paper jerks - it lowers and he lets out another gasp, inward, harsh, and wheezing - and then he does speak again, muttering - the paper goes swinging around to the other walls, all of them just walls as he heaves himself up, half-staggers in circles, bringing it flapping back and forth, once or twice at the ceiling which is likewise just a ceiling.

His voice is compressed and wavering with something, some sense that any clue as to the identification of still completely fails to appear in the unstable view of a by all senses over the transmission ordinary room.]

Help... -- I don't know what's -- ...! What this means... -- I'm not -- ...I --

-- Had another pulse but it can't -- ...! It can't -- be doing - this...!

[Breathing also pressurized, quickening and pulling taut here and then there in traces of a squeak.

Anthony has been consistently reeling roughly backwards past two seconds - it ends with fabric-on-wood scraping, and the click of a door being pushed in its frame. He doesn't even grab for the doorknob, or so the view and sound indicates as he can't be seen - just braces and slumps, and squeezes out a trapped, whimpering groan -

And then he pauses. All sound stops. Abrupt stillness.

He reels in an inhale, and huffs half of it out into either a sigh or a moan. Maybe both.]

This can't -- ...be - HAPPENIIIIIING...!!

[The sort of cry to force something released.

As it peters out, clothing scrapes the door again. It clicks faintly.

The paper is all the while left facing wall. Still, nothing looks any different.]



[There's a message in Anthony's writing approximately two hours after that last transmission.]

Hello.

I am sorry to be trouble, but I am going to need help finding a place to settle out of the sight of any person who is not one of us. If possible, it would be better if it can be soon. I do not want anyone to see me turn the next time that it happens.

I am grateful for anything that you can tell me.

I also apologize for panicking earlier, and if I disturbed anyone with it. There was nothing to be afraid of.

That is everything that I would like to say. Thank you.

- Anthony J.

Comments

Voice, between the video part and the text part

[not_good_not_wicked]

Something wrong with the wall?

...you alright?

[Video]

[scramasax]

[He is momentarily confused - memory of having connected had as good as vanished with the cause. He's still strangely comforted to hear someone.

He looks back to the sheet of paper, though doesn't appear on it.]

...Yes -- I am - I'm all right... -- [Tailing a short moan:] -- Thank you, Marisa... -- for asking -- It's nothing. I was - only... -- seeing things...

[Voice still muffled, steadying itself.]

[not_good_not_wicked]

Sure didn't sound like nothing.

[scramasax]

I was only seeing things. [This time not halting and with marginally greater volume - still however rattled.] ...That's all that it was. -- It's over now.

Action right after that first part

[shiromadoushi]

[[Oh shi--

There's a very insistent knocking at the door minutes later]]

Anthony? It's me.

[scramasax]

[Knocking at the door still right against his back, that is. He seizes and it's painful, in the muscles involved, he's startled to feel - less that than acutely achy, perhaps - and something in his insides goes sinking deep like a stone - as if he hasn't put enough on Bakura -

Anthony heaves himself off the door, sucks in another breath, opens the door - as much as he can while still keeping a hand on the knob, leaning on it a bit. He still looks spent - he's still gathering himself too much to look worse off than that. He avoids eye contact.]

-- ...It's passed... if - you - ...heard that... [He knows he looks distant - he pushes to sound as rueful as he should. God, what a scene that must have been!]

Nothing happened.

[shiromadoushi]

What do you mean "nothing happened?" [[a frown of concern as he goes to step into the room]] You were freaking out, pretty clearly something just did. What was it?

[[a pause]] ... You look like hell. Go, sit down, I'll get you a glass of water.

[unwakingwaters]

As I've said, my house is open. The... animals may not like you, but you can take one of the basement rooms.

[Text | Handwritten]

[scramasax]

[The circumstances under which she posed it still make this feel like a very inappropriate offer to accept, and that's a furthermore good and slightly unnerving point.]

Ma'am,

Thank you for your generosity, but I do not want to upset your animals. One of the things that you asked of guests is to help by lending a hand with them.

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime doesn't know what happened, but he is alarmed. And communicating via video at this point seems to be more of a show of solidarity. Hey, you're not alone, there are other weird monsters here.]

You're sure you're okay?

[He does not sound convinced of this.]

[Video]

[scramasax]

[The reasserting and re-intensifying of the fact that he is as good as a monster and becoming ever more so, no route back, he forced himself to bow and steel for and take when he felt it coming on - it was what happened shortly afterwards, a separate and by all he could tell completely unrelated pulse that still has him shaken.

His mind is still mostly in that one. It skips Hajime's intention in using video by assumption that there's no need for one. Pulls the paper over, gives Hajime's image an absent nod.] -- I'm fine - thank you - Hajime... -- ...It wasn't anything.

[He'll avoid saying he vividly hallucinated, if possible.]

[Video]

[chalicejoker]

It didn't look like nothing...

[Hajime does not sound at all convinced.]

You're sure you're all right? I know this stuff gets kind of bad sometimes...

[video]

[allinvein]

[John had missed the initial broadcast of the video, but he catches up with it later on, reading the note at the same time. His face swims into focus immediately after, and his brow is creased with worry, his lips pressed into a thin line.]

Hey, you all right? [Actually, no, that doesn't seem to be the right question. Anthony is clearly not all right, judging from that video, so maybe the better question would be:] Do you need help?

[Agitated, John scrubs a hand through his hair.]

If you need a place to stay, I've got a sofa bed you can use. It's not much, but you're more than welcome to it.

[video]

[scramasax]

[Anthony still looks tired - and feels weak at that, disconcertingly so - but he's put his brain fully back in order by this point, and to see John appear surprises him a bit. Not negatively.

Until the look of concern sets in and it creeps up on Anthony clawing and tugging that the first broadcast was out there for him to view and cement - and entirely unduly, as it had turned out! - a pitiful impression; as if he hadn't already bumbled through attempting to give a reliable one on the first time, and as if he hadn't already turned that around by being so very nice about it.]

-- Hi, John. [He uses his name with some consciousness, out of some un-aired embarrassment over the "sir" bit before.]

Erm -- I - appreciate that you'd offer, but I shouldn't. [Single restrained head-shake. Faintest shift of a very weary, apologetic smile. He does appreciate it but on the other hand it's certainly causing the guilt and embarrassment to stir further.] I'm - sorry to have - caused... concern. I am all right. And -- thank you, for asking.

...It's nice talking to you again - though... [Not said with full attention; partly an attempt at deflection, though it is also true. Again, not an unpleasant surprise.]

[Video] (from the next room)

[shiromadoushi]

Stop with the shouldn't crap. I'm not letting you move out until you have a new place set up, got it? You're not going to go crawl into a hole like you're the little match girl or something idiotic like that because you're too afraid of infringing on others and being a burden.

People want to help you, stop being an idiot and let them, would you?

[allinvein]

[John just sort of stares at Anthony for a moment over the network, brows furrowed in an intense stare. He doesn't say anything, and then, at long last, he sighs.]

It's nice talking to you again, too.

[He chews on his lower lip and shakes his head. Sure, Anthony might be saying that he's okay, John's hard pressed to believe it, given what he's just seen. For a moment, he considers letting it slide, but... he can't.]

Are you sure you don't need help or some place to stay? [He gives Anthony a tight-lipped smile.] I'm genuinely concerned.

[audio]

[moarnomsplz]

What is it? Are you okay, kay?

[video]

[scramasax]

I'm fine - Alex. ...Thanks. [There was a swallow someplace in there; he doesn't sound quite as shaky as he did earlier, though still somehow tired, and breathy - and he's heard but not seen, from where he's looking over at the paper he's connecting from.] I was seeing things... That's all -- it - wasn't anything.

[audio]

[moarnomsplz]

It didn't sound like nothing-ing.

[Anthony is his friend, his first on the secret network. Alex is going to call him on it when he seems to be b.s.ing.]

[hollowleg]

I live in the middle of town or else I'd offer you my couch. It... got worse, didn't it.

[Text | Handwritten]

[scramasax]

I appreciate the thought.

Yes. It is getting more severe.

text;

[hollowleg]

I figured. nothing copious amounts of makeup can't cover up?

look for what its worth i'm really sorry you're going all night of the living dead. it must suck.

text;

[eras]

[ She only comes across it after the last part comes up, having been busy, but... ]

??????????????
that doesn't sound like nothing to be afraid of!!!!!!!

text;

[scramasax]

[Another person who he's sorry had to see that - though the reproach he got earlier has him willing to be a bit less cagey about it.]

It was frightening... However, it was all a figment of my imagination. There really was no danger.

text;

[eras]

as long as you're okay that's fine, just...
take care, okay, tony?
i'd really hate to see anything happen to you.
if something DOES happen, you'll contact one of us on here, right?