four; audio

[enrages]

[ It's a voice post because RYAN BROKE KARSON'S FUCKING IPHONE SCREEN YOU PUNK ]

Hey... Do you guys remember the girl who worked at the cupcake store? Candy. She was on the network with us. Have you seen her lately? I...

[ There's a long pause then a sigh. ]

I talked to her girlfriend; she's gone missing. Said the police were snooping around too. I... yeah. Just. Please tell me someone here has taken her in or is hiding her or---

Candy, please respond.

Comments

[counterclock]

dude you can totally get rid of the crunch i've eaten carrots that are just soft like potatoes
ok but seriously i'm just fucking with you do you even know what i eat to stay alive
cereal and poptarts and take-out
no judgment here brosis

[enrages]

That's pretty pathetic, damn.

[audio]

[amberhearted]

[ he understands karson's frustration. it's a shitty situation all around. there is no perfect answer. ]

Are you afraid of hurting her feelings?

[counterclock]

dude you do not get to judge me right after telling me not to judge you
so i live on poptarts you live on cupcakes and dog hair how is that any better

[enrages]

Poptarts.... [ eeehhhh ]

[lackinginfaith]

That's true. It's not a one-person job.

[counterclock]

what's wrong with poptarts

voice;

[schild]

[ Gonna let you vent, bro. That's a thing you gotta do. ]

I wish I knew, honestly. I wish there was more we could do.

[audio]

[acequeen]

Yeah, exactly! Either that, or she's visiting other places outside of Locke City. I don't know her much, but I'm guessing she wouldn't want you to worry.

[doomedtheworld]

[Good speech, Karson. Maybe some people here might actually be swayed by it.

But you picked the wrong audience here. She's quiet for a little while, but when she speaks up again it's in one of those blood-freezing tones.]

First, don't ever talk to me like you know anything about me ever again.

Second, that was a nice speech but none of it means shit if you can't back it up and unless you're holding out on us, I don't think you can. Things don't work out just because you want them to! Sometimes people just go away, they disappear, or leave and they don't come back! And the only thing we can do is--

[The Echo hits right in mid sentence. A memory. Waking up on a hard floor, and looking for... for someone. Her brother. Her only family. She spends days searching everywhere but there's nothing. He's gone, he's abandoned her. Anybody would abandon her, he'd said, even himself. He finally proved it to her.

When she comes back, she's still talking, but she's noticeably run out of steam.]

-- deal with it.

[Audio]

[chalicejoker]

Yeah. Pretty much. I'm pretty strong under normal circumstances too, but I'm bigger when I'm the bug.

[audio]

[enrages]

Her feelings are already hurt, man. They're pretty fucking destroyed, I'd think. I just...

I don't want her living with uncertainty? For the rest of her life?

text

[enrages]

cops haven't caught me driving yet.
and they never will.

[Audio]

[enrages]

...Do you have a picture of bug-you?

[enrages]

[ Usually, Karson would think something was up about that pathetic ending, but his blood is boiling and he is furious. ]

Fuck this situation, fuck this post, fuck the numbers, fuck the network, fuck weirdass memories, fuck deer, fuck your apathy, fuck my life, fuck my suddenly-developed responsibility complex, fuck the universe, fuck da police, and a big hardy fuck you that'll echo across time and space.

[ and with that, he... gets off the network for the night or hangs up or whatever. ]

[enrages]

They're pretty gross.

[audio]

[enrages]

... She's just... visiting someone, and didn't tell her girlfriend about it. Or her family. Or anyone, really. [ optimistic delusions... crumbling.... ]

voice;

[enrages]

[ silence. the longest silence in the world. the longest, most awkward silence ever conceived.

... ]







I wish I could just sleep. I could figure it all then-- if my mind wasn't so fucked up and tired.

[enrages]

Are you offering to help?

audio;

[eras]

I think as long as you're cautious about it, investigating won't be a bad thing. Or shouldn't be, at least. Just...don't go running in without a plan, you know? The police who are looking for people have to be looking for people acting out of the norm. So be careful.

But I don't think that means not looking, you know?

action;

[summit]

[ That's a pretty bad photo... He can't help but wonder if they'd even be able to pick her out if she wasn't potentially maimed or mauled. ]

Okay.

[audio]

[amberhearted]

[ exactly-- they're already hurt, and karson is just a high school student she knows through candy. alex doesn't think karson trying to spare her feelings is more important than her safety. ]

Living with uncertainty versus being murdered. She might, she might not be. Is that a risk you're willing to make?

[ for all the weight in those words, his tone is calm. ]

voice;

[schild]

I'd say not sleeping is probably up there on the list of 'worst echoes ever.'

[ Long sigh. IT'S SYMPATHY OK. ]

I'm really sorry. It's too bad we can't pick and choose these things...

[lackinginfaith]

It looks like other people are already working on it too, but I wouldn't stand and do nothing.

action;

[healspec]

[he glances at the picture but dismisses it. they won't be using that to ID anyone so it doesn't really matter.]

[he leads them inside, up to the information desk where the receptionist greets him by name. he has a brief exchange with her wherein he explains that Karson is trying to find a friend who's gone missing and wants to know if she might've been admitted as a patient. there is some skepticism on the receptionist's face but he clarifies that it's legitimately missing, like missing persons report missing, and don't we have a Jane Doe patient in right now? Could he see her for a possible ID?]

[receptionist does not seem to like the idea, Ravi says they'll be quick and he'll be with them the whole time, receptionist relents and gives him an ICU room number. Ravi thanks her, turns to Karson and Travis, and motions for them to follow him to the stai--]

[pause, glance at Travis]

[--to the elevators. cough. please nobody notice that just happened.]