Eleventh Message [Audio | Cell Phone]

[scramasax]

[Anthony's defaulting to his typical least-preferred method of communication for two reasons - text isn't quote-unquote enough for his peace of mind about now, and video is for another package of sub-reasons not ideal - at least to start with.

He doesn't have much of a voice for speaking on the phone. Still, the particular brand of apprehension he's got in it presently pulls it through to register relatively well - and he's loosely rehearsed this in his brain enough times for his tone to be evenly-cadenced and -pitched on the whole, if just a little hoarser than his usual natural, and restrained. All the same best to clear his mind on this, better sooner than later than never.]

Hello. -- This is Anthony. ...Janvier.

I -- spoke - about this before, but I -- ...thought I should - be clearer. About it. Now... -- I -- am - a zombie. So please -- ... [Trip here - second-guesses phrasing.] -- don't be alarmed - when I use the network. -- Anyone. -- It's... - unpleasant-looking -- I know. However -- I promise that it's safe.

-- I can, er -- [Also second-guesses and wrings and waffles over making this offer, but again, if wanted it'd be better sooner than later!] -- also show anyone, who'd like me to... if it may help.

... -- And if you're - one of the new ones - in this, er... - Transforming - hasn't been common... among pulses - or Echoes... -- It happens, but - it's -- normally in ways that aren't -- extreme -- like - hair and eyes changing color -- [Bumbles quickly and back to a higher pitch through this next as he has no idea if he's being presumptuous in saying it but it must be worth something - at least he'll not name names!] -- ...others are becoming "monster"-like but they're -- all - ..."safe", also.

Thank you. Uhm. -- And please excuse me.

[For any and every way in which that might have been a poor move - and alas what's done is done - he'll see if it'll have appeared to have at least been benign.]

Comments

[stavros]

A zombie?

[scramasax]

Uhm -- ...yes - a zombie. -- I could -- ...make visual connection - if you'd like.

[Ah, dear, someone he's unacquainted with. Making a point to deliver that as easily-articulately as possible, tone still reserved - nothing to fret over for himself or anyone else - but the consciousness of it affects. Not necessarily expecting a yes, but as a sort of in-case!]

[stavros]

--It's okay. I was just surprised, but I really shouldn't be. But you aren't mindless...

[scramasax]

-- I-I don't mind that - if you were surprised -- ...Since - people often are. With - ...things - here...

And er - I'm -- not. ...No -- and I don't think I will be. It's, um - actually - part of why I thought I was - definitely turning into a zombie after it - got past its, uhm -- ...earlier - parts. ...If I was just dying then -- I would - think... that my -- mind would've been getting weaker.

But it er - it hasn't been. It uhm -- [More even cadence, solid but unvarying tone.] -- don't think I've been thinking any differently. [Less than elegant, he realizes, "think" and "thinking" in the same phrase - probably a trace of irony in that but it's been said...]

[stavros]

A zombie who's still a person... I'm sorry, I've just never heard of it. I'll try not to be surprised.

[scramasax]

-- You can be surprised - it's -- ...Have you -- ...been using this network long - ? If I may ask...?

[stavros]

Not really. Is it that obvious?

[scramasax]

-- No - ! [Knee-jerk sort of answer in courtesy, but it's true it wasn't transparent.] -- I apologize... I uhm -- ...I think I ask because - you don't seem used - yet - to -- ...talking - like this.

[A clearly stumbling response, in reasonable likelihood, and given without much strength accordingly - has no idea whether that may have sounded a little discourteous as well even in a mild and friendly tone, clumsy and vague phrasing - even he isn't entirely, articulately sure what he'd meant by "like this."]

[stavros]

It's all right. You're right, I'm not used to any of this.

[scramasax]

Oh - ... [That, too, likely sounds like a daft response - she'd already admitted straightforwardly that she hasn't been in touch long - but it's more in relief that everything's being taken well enough.] -- How long have... -- you been using your number?

[stavros]

Less than a month. Maybe I should have tried it earlier.

[scramasax]

How -- how long have you had it...? [So-slightly pulling to trail off at the end on that one, in case he's going a tad too far in attempt to converse by question after question!]

[stavros]

The number? About a year, you?

[scramasax]

Only since -- [...Any certainty of specificity as to when is escaping him - the experience that it had come with hadn't exactly been forgettable but hadn't seemed momentous exactly; number itself had gone to slip his mind until April.] ... - January, I think. I -- have been using it since April... after the - ...first - instance -- of the pink light...

[stavros]

So like some of the others, then.

[scramasax]

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<I[Unseen nod again.]</I> -- Some of them -- ...that's right.

[stavros]

This may all be strange, but I'll work to get used to it.

[scramasax]

Others will -- help. -- When you need them to... [Also reservedly-said; he's making a somewhat vague statement of the entire network population, but it has been the essential case, as far as he's seen as a fact to have reasonable trust in. -- Try to -- at least. However they can.

-- It's good to meet you. [That last said hastily but with more of an ease and politeness that anything preceding - he's just finished an introduction of sorts to someone new to this - it seems fitting.]

[stavros]

Nice to meet you too. My name is Tessa Hart. I'm human... so far.

[scramasax]

-- You -- ...don't go to Locke City High School - do you? [Nothing but pure-intentioned curiosity - she sounds young, but he recognizes neither her name nor her voice...]

[stavros]

Nope. Do most people here? I've already met a few people from there. I thought we had way more schools than that.

[scramasax]

[Quality of a polite, dry laugh.] So -- did I. Er -- there are - a lot of us... from there. We - met under -- the guise of a club after school. On Mondays... -- At, uhm - least two trachers - there - are on here also.

You'd, uh -- probably be welcome there, if you'd like... -- One of us is in middle school and he goes. ...Another one goes to Locke City Academy.

[stavros]

I guess you can't go to school if you're a zombie, right?

[scramasax]

[His tone thins back out a bit again, but he doesn't stumble on proceeding - ] -- I can't -- ...no; I - would go to the meetings... after school. Still. ...That won't - be -- that easy to do now. However. -- I think.

[stavros]

Tell me you don't have the urge to chew on people.