03 ✝ [video; laptop computer - morning]

[dancingonapin]

[Coming over the video feed is a rather concerned Dr. Francis Fell who, while not looking any worse for the wear in a physical way, seems considerably freaked out.]

I think all of this is starting to get to me. The talking animals, the physically morphing people, these weird pulses and all of the oddities that go with them, actual government conspiracies, and now weird lights appearing in the sky related to some mystical garbage I can't even begin to comprehend? On top of the stress built up from unrelated dangerous incidents that have happened to me these past few months.

Thanks to those damn lights, I had another pulse, a strong one, and now I can't sleep. Or rather, I don't want to sleep. Or rather, I've found that if I try to go to sleep I get this overwhelming feeling that I'm not allowed to sleep or shouldn't be sleeping caused undoubtedly by some odd paranoia and sense of duty to remain vigilant in these trying times.

The first two days I started feeling this, I managed to force about three hours of sleep each night. It is now seven in the morning and I have not slept for five days straight, and somehow I am able to function perfectly fine as though I have been getting my eight hours. I think this is actually scaring me more than if I was dead tired and turning into a zombie.

I think I need to see a doctor?

Comments

[Audio]

[scramasax]

[If things are getting to the man than perhaps returning video with video may not be the best course of action.]

- Perhaps -- uhm - you've lost the need for sleep - sir. [Funny inflection as the word "sleep" has been restated enough, but it occurs.] -- If you do feel fine, then it shouldn't -- be - something to be... - concerned about. Itself - I think...

[video]

[dancingonapin]

Just because I don't feel ill or tired doesn't necessarily mean there isn't some sort of damage being done. Damage I can't see, whether it's psychological or physical, could still be going on...

[He presses his hand to his forehead in exasperation.] Do you know of anyone else who's been suffering from this sort of... 'advanced' insomnia? Am I the only damn one?

[audio]

[scramasax]

-- I do know - that there is one. ... -- Person who can't sleep - sir. -- Without it having anything to do with something more extreme, as far as I know... -- His name is Karson Valenti...

-- And you, uhm - you don't look - like you've changed in any other way - ...so far, sir. [That was partly a question - have you changed in some unapparent way? - not phrased as one in case what he's seeing is indeed all he's getting and rendering any such question an obvious waste of words.] Some others can't sleep -- but it has to do -- with something else...

[video]

[dancingonapin]

Externally, perhaps not... Most of these pulses have been minor, irritating, and entirely mental. I haven't received any physical changes or any items like some others.

[He's dreading the day that those do occur, and secretly hoping that they never do.]

Internally, though, this sleep deprivation could be damaging my organs... And what do you mean about those who can't sleep? What exactly does it have to do with?

text - handwritten

[entertainaplanb]

[This is clearly a teacher's handwriting, someone who's used to making sure everyone can read it.]

That is unusual. But at least you're still functioning normally, for all that. I think it'd be a bigger problem if you couldn't sleep and had the usual physiological effects.

Don't take this to a non-numbers club doctor. They won't get it and may have to tip off someone who'd mean you harm.

video;

[dancingonapin]

[Francis furrows his brows. Yes, he recognized the clear looking handwriting... his used to look something like that until one of his pulses screwed up his handwriting into some incomprehensible cursive scrawl. It made grading papers a nightmare.]

The damage could still be there, just slowed; that's my main concern for right now. But really, I can't visit my doctor? Just because I can't sleep? ...Is whatever force that is apparently after us really so attentive to a single citizen of the city with insomnia?

text forever

[entertainaplanb]

All I know is the police have been told to keep an eye out for anything unusual. Who knows how far down the chain that's spread?

The numbers-club doctors are good, and they're probably better equipped to help you figure out what's going on, considering.

video forever!

[dancingonapin]

[Francis's heart skips a beat as he remembers his run-in with that one cop, the one who may or may not have seen him writing in his magic notebook. Oh... oh he so hopes he did not put himself in any serious danger there.

He swallows hard and nods slowly.]

...Right... No, you're right, I should lay low. I do know at least one doctor on this network, I'll talk to him about it.

...What kind of unusual behavior are the police cracking down on, exactly?

[part_time_overlord]

Catch up on your reading at night?

[dancingonapin]

That...

[He looked like he was about to retort with some sort of sarcastic response, but instead he stops himself and ponders the suggestion.]

... If no repercussions come about, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

[He then turns his camera to show a section of his apartment. The morning glow from the window nearby is shining off of shelves upon shelves of books stacked side-by-side along the walls.]

[part_time_overlord]

That's a lotta books.

[dancingonapin]

I'm somewhat of an addict, and a collector. There's nothing special in my library, however. They're all for reading, and I've read most of them, but by no means all of them...

And I tend to add to my collection every other week.

Perhaps this would be beneficial, if my health checks out.

[Video]

[talktothedoll]

I'm a doctor--a psychiatrist, actually--if you'd like that sort of assistance.

[Video]

[dancingonapin]

That... would be bloody well fantastic.

[He rakes one hand through his hair, clearly stressed by all of this. The whole not sleeping thing was really too much.] I'd like to see a physician too- I think I have one in mind, actually, that I could contact- but a psychiatrist would definitely help.

What are your rates? Sorry if I'm a little poor at the moment, my job isn't the highest paying, but I'll pay what I can.

[Video]

[talktothedoll]

Don't worry about it--I'm offering a discounted rate to others on the network, and, honestly, I'm not about to turn anyone down regardless of whether or not they can pay.

[Video]

[dancingonapin]

You are far too kind... I'm sure most of us could use a little therapy, to be honest. I know this has left me with some bad anxiety, for one thing, and I'm hoping it doesn't begin to affect my work.

When would you be available, doctor? I'd love to schedule an appointment right away.

[Voice]

[dododo]

Plenty of people have experienced sort of... physical changes. This could be something like that. How was the pulse strong, exactly?

[Video]

[dancingonapin]

It could have been, I understand, but I'm still wary. The pulse was strong as in... [He gives a frustrated look as he tries to think of a way to explain it, shaking his hand in the air somewhat as he speaks.] It hit much harder than the previous ones... I didn't want to sleep after this pulse, and now I have gone five days without sleep.

I'm sorry, doctor, do you think you might be able to take some time to give me a physical? I'm extremely worried this is hurting my body in some unseen way. I can pay for it, of course.

[dododo]

Oh, no, you don't need to do that. A cuppa would suffice as payment.

text|cellphone

[femmefashionaire]

I don't see why you're complaining. That's one of the more useful things that could have happened.

video;

[dancingonapin]

Yes, sure, if it isn't hurting my body physically. And mentally it is causing me extreme amounts of anxiety. But sure, not sleeping is wonderful.

[He sounds pretty damn sarcastic, he is not happy about this at all.]

[femmefashionaire]

I suppose it's a trade off. More efficiency in lieu for a mental illness. It can't be so bad. What have you been doing with your extra time?

[video]

[moarnomsplz]

[Alex thinks not needing sleep would be awesome, but he can still sympathize with Dr. Fell's worry.]

I think if you feel okay, kay, you don't need to worry too much?

Could feeling-ing like you're not allowed to sleep be something your oth, other self thinks?

[video]

[dancingonapin]

Other self, Lord I hate thinking about the fact that there's apparently this 'other self' to me...

To answer your question, probably. Why I would ever feel this way is beyond me. It's just this awful impression that I shouldn't sleep, that it's against some sort of moral principle. And not even my own morals, someone else's.

Even if I feel okay, I'm concerned that I'm not, truly. Sometimes we may be ill without ever feeling like it.

[video]

[moarnomsplz]

Yeah, it takes some geting-ing used to. [He makes a face.]

It is really weird that sleeping-ing would be against someone's, like, moral code. Maybe you'll get another pulse that ex, explains it soon.

You know there's numbers club doctors, right? One of them could check you out.