savetheearth | 02

[Mort has not had a very pleasant time of things with the water being like it is. He's a psychiatrist. He is not supposed to be showing outward signs of being obviously off his rocker. Uncontrollable laughter does not help.

But what's almost worse for him beyond the laughter and the traumatic memory flashbacks is that the water seems to be drawing previous items he's regained back to him like a magnet. This goes for the creepy doll he got back for his very first item and promptly locked in a desk drawer. It's been appearing anywhere and everywhere he's come into contact with the water, much to his creeped out dismay. What's worse, now it seems to be coming with accessories, a bed and a set of devil hoodie pajamas. He's locked everything away in a drawer...so he thinks. He's making this transmission after accidentally drinking some infected tea, and the doll, dressed in the little suit he first found it in, is sitting on a shelf behind him. He has no idea it's there, and he looks a little worn out as he opens the video feed using the little grasshopper robot that appeared in his bag after the mine incident.]

I hope that whoever or whatever is infecting the water decides to stop very soon. I wasn't thinking earlier and got myself some tea...it's only just worn off.

Ah, well, to get to the point, I've had enough episodes with the water here at the office to the point I had to tell my assistant I've been experimenting with laughter-based therapy. If you're out and about in the area when you've been exposed, I can offer you a place to ride it out without it being too suspicious.

The same goes if your family or friends think there's something wrong with you after one of these incidents--if they want you to seek professional help, I'm a professional and I'm aware of the situation. I can help you with their concerns.

[He leans forward a little and looks into the grasshopper robot's camera.]

And I do have a question...has anyone had issues with the water making items appear in addition to the fits of laughter? I've been locking something in my desk drawer, and it keeps appearing wherever I am when I've been exposed to the water. It's starting to feel as though it's following me. Silly, I know, but when one locks something away, one doesn't expect to turn around and see it sitting there.

[Mort doesn't seem to realize that's the case now, and ignorance is bliss, right? At least it's not surprising him in the shower again.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Jewelry is easier to hide, at the very least.

Unless the ring's other properties make that difficult?

Haha, no. It's not a flashy glowing magic ring or anything so absurd. It's just a ring. Completely plain and ordinary, except that there's a tiny catch on it.
Flicking the catch causes a tiny thorn of metal to pop up. Like a small barb?
It seems supremely useless unless the wearer is a low-level masochist interested in cutting their own hands to ribbons.
(That said, I'd rather be slashed at by a ring than a creepy doll. I hope you're not keeping it near any sharp objects.)

The thorn pops up on the inside or outside of the ring?

And I'm keeping the doll locked in my desk, once I return it there. Don't worry, it's not near the scissors.

The outside. Though now I'm thankful it isn't on the inside, so I suppose I should count my blessings. It doesn't make the current state of affairs any less odd, but at least I know they could be worse.

You might also want to ensure your desk is clear of sharp pencils.
Or thumbtacks.
Or paper. A series of doll-inflicted papercuts would smart like hell.

Sounds like it could be a particularly subtle way of giving someone an unpleasant handshake. Not unlike a more serious joy buzzer.

Even if it were ambulatory, it shouldn't be able to get at much of anything if I'm keeping it in an empty drawer.

[Not that he would put it past outright moving on its own...creepy little thing.]

So my "other" was a slightly sadistic prankster. Sounds like me, alright.

And it shouldn't be able to get out at all, I'd assume. You can't really rely on shoulds and shouldn'ts where "death by creepy doll" is concerned.I'd start sleeping with a sledgehammer under my pillow if I were you. :p

Could be more than a prank if there were something on that barb.

[He's a doctor. It's not hard for his mind to make that leap.]

Given the way things have been going, I'm fairly certain "death by creepy doll" is not anything I have to worry about. It's just appearing, that's all.

[Just trying not to think of that memory he has, of killing someone in a fire while the doll was there...]

[ Well that's an unpleasant thought. And one that's setting off all sorts of OH SHIT GURL YOU'RE LOOKING SUSPICIOUS NOW BE COOL BE COOL alarms in her head.

Erm. ]

From prankster to assassin in one minute? I hope the promotion comes with a payrise.
But in all seriousness, I've scratched myself on the barb too many times for it to have been safe as some kind of poisoned weapon, surely? If that's where you were going with your idea.

And alright, haha. You know your creepy doll best. Disturbing as that sounds.
(I'm going to have to advise against giving it a name. Tell me it doesn't already have one...)

That, or it could be somewhat of a tetanus risk regardless of intention. Dangerous either way. Have you been vaccinated recently?

It doesn't have a name, and it's not going to get one. It's just going to remain locked in this drawer as much as possible.

I'm pretty sure all my shots are up to date. It can't hurt to check, though.

Have you tried destroying the doll? I'm awarethat trying to throw items away doesn't work, but what if you burned it to ashes?

It's a routine enough shot to be up to date on. Getting that checked shouldn't raise any suspicions, at least.

[He is not about to mention that the only reason he hasn't tried to destroy the doll is the same reason he didn't immediately try throwing it away and only locked it in a drawer. He just can't bring himself to do it, as though the action would cause undue distress.]

Frankly, I'd be more disturbed if it were to show up again after I saw it destroyed. I'd rather spare myself that possibility.

That's an excellent point. "Creepy appearing doll" is bad enough. "Creepy appearing doll from beyond the dollgrave" is classic horror novel material.
Though I suppose in a horror novel, the protagonist would burn the doll against his misgivings. And either end up with it reconstituting, or have the spirit of the doll follow him around now that it has been freed from its creepy toy prison.

I think I should stop talking about this.

[ CONGRATS this scenario has actually managed to creep Annabel out. This is quite the achievement. ]

Agreed.

The important thing now is that none of this has happened and will not happen.

[Okay, so denial isn't healthy, and he knows that, but in this case? HE WILL MAKE AN EXCEPTION. Annabel is not the only freaked out one here.]

02 | Video

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