savetheearth | Thirteenth Message [Video

[This is Anthony appearing on the feed.

And this is Anthony looking worse than he's ever looked for anyone who last saw him before this evening. His skin's gone from gray to very dead off-white; his face is riddled with bloody holes, teeth exposed by a missing portion of lip and the corners of his mouth eaten away to something like a ragged, sloppy Glasgow grin; eyes are sunken and bruised brown, thickly-glazed over, and wide.

He's leaning slumped against the wall. His voice is still perfectly recognizable - and for its hush and its hoarseness is hysterical.]

-- I'm sorry... [Painfully, cringingly suppressed.] -- I'm sorry... it's - come off, my - arm's come off, my right arm -- [His right arm is in fact visible in the frame, and not only does it appear to be attached, it's working he's moving as if he doesn't expect he has a right arm and yet it isn't unresponsive. He's not only leaning his right shoulder against a wall, he'sbracing the arm against it.] -- I didn't think it - was actually - going - to come off -- I -- I don't know what -- I -- ...I need --

[Low, wavering voiced groan.] -- Someone -- please, someone help -- ...! Help -- help -- ...

[Breaks off suddenly - with another groan.

Thicker. Partly heaved through the nose - still pained, with a component of exasperation, or offense, or confusion. Not panicked. Something with more outright force or fight. Drops his forehead into - both hands, brought up to meet it.]

This isn't -- really happening -- ...!

[Drags off - again into a profoundly... mortified groan. It lasts between one and two seconds and thins to hoarse, shallow breaths to a stability. That too quiets down further - and Anthony cuts the connection. Takes enough care to keep it off him as he does so. Any replies he makes will come at least half an hour later.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's still not satisfied on the first point, as that's still assuming that whoever his pulses are showing him or shaping him after is or ever was a separately and/or externally extant person - he isn't convinced that the rarer theories of potential or concept for who else they could have been aren't closer to the mark.

He will, however, drop it - at least unless it should come up again.]

I, er -- ...I think that will -- help - me.... -- If I can think of somewhere to start - ...Alex, I'm. -- Sorry, again...

[ if he had a dollar for every apology anthony made... ]

Do you know how to drive?

-- I don't -- no...

[And he's in fact not sure it's such a loss - driving while a zombie strikes him as something that'd be a bit of a terrible risk on a few fronts.]

[ SURPRISINGLY, it does not occur to alex that someone who just hallucinated the loss of their arm might not be the best candidate to stick behind the wheel.

will he realize this flaw? who knows. ]

So maybe- maybe I could teach you, yeah? Oh, carpentry, too. I'm no pro, but I could teach you the basics. First aid, too.

[ all activities that can be done in the privacy of a vehicle or a home. ]

Thirteenth Message [Video | Sheet of Paper]

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