1st Cut -- [Audio | Cellphone] -- [Forward-dated to around 3:00am on the 4th]

[twopercent]

[Somewhere in a suburban neighborhood, there's two loud gunshots, one right after the other.]

[Less than five minutes after that (for those that might have heard it), there's a comment on the network -- and for those receiving voice, Jack sounds on edge. What the hell. If he's lost it, then maybe he should just give in and join the rest of the crazy crew.]

Some of you were talking about strange animals? If anyone's awake out there, you might want to check your doors and windows. All of them.

Comments

[ audio; cellphone ]

[secondcomingof]

[ Forget the warning. Casval's just honed in on the sound of guns. Which he did, in fact, hear, if distantly from his personal apartment. It triggers something distinctly unpleasant in his mind and his reply sounds appropriately shaken when it comes. ]

Is there something going on out there? Where are you?

[ audio; cellphone ]

[twopercent]

[Jack's particularly terse tonight. He's still listening to see if he can hear anything else outside.]

Just had some visitors. Looks like they came in upstairs. Bedroom window.

[secondcomingof]

You're alright, then?

[ Calm down. Calm down. At least Jack can't hear his heart racing over the phone. It feels like it's going to explode. ]

I hadn't seen any myself. [ Though he saw that post about the crows, along with the pictures. Yeesh. ] They're coming inside now?

[twopercent]

Yeah. ... I'm fine. [Wound up and hyper-aware of every little creak in the house. More than usual, even. But calmer than you'd expect, considering the situation.]

Looks like it. Got one, but the others ran. Might still be one in here somewhere.

[shiromadoushi]

[[Bakura normally doesn't bother turning his phone off before bed because who on Earth calls anyone in the middle of the night?

If it had just been the phone ringing, he could have ignore it. But the sound of gunshots earlier had already partially awoken him so when the phone did go off, it woke him the rest of the way.

And he's not at all happy about that.]]

I'm awake now. The hell is going on?

[twopercent]

[Gasp, language, young man.]

Bakura? [Okay, he doesn't want to alarm him, but...]

Do you know if anyone left any windows open before you went to bed?

[shiromadoushi]

[[It's 3 am. Like he's awake enough to filter his language to keep up that "always polite" thing he knows he should]]

...I live in a city. [[it's said with the air of 'What, do you think I'm stupid?]]

[Audio]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime does not appreciate being woken up like this. He's kind of grumbly and wishing he could just go punch this guy in person because thanks for the wake up call.]

...you do realize you sound like a poorly timed public service announcement, right?

[Like he's awake enough to process the voice as sounding on edge.]

[Audio]

[twopercent]

Yeah. Sorry about that.

[Jack's response is pretty flat -- definitely not sarcastic, but not exactly an apology either. Still tense.]

It's still probably a good idea.

[Audio]

[chalicejoker]

[There's noise that suggests Hajime's moving around now...along with a thump and quiet swearing that suggests he's just stubbed a toe on something. At least it helped him wake up some.]

Yeah, everything's locked. What's this about?

[Audio]

[scramasax]

[Anthony hasn't once seen nor heard any of the animals at night and on top of the gunfire this is getting his mind racing on working out whether there's a reason for that, for the sake of his peace of mind. And honestly, he hasn't been sleeping soundly. While his voice is hoarse and soft, if squeaking with nerves a little, he speaks quickly.]

- Are you alone?

[Audio]

[twopercent]

[Being reminded of this, Jack realizes this actually makes the first time he's been truly 100% glad about that, too. If he's going crazyer, his wife and son shouldn't be near him. And if he's not... he doesn't want to see them mixed up in whatever is going on, either.]

...Yeah. I am.

You okay?

[Audio]

[scramasax]

I am, but I'm not alone in the house - if it means anything, I have never even seen them unless I've had no one close by. I don't know if it's been chance...

audio

[11ady]

[The voice on the other end is drowsy as can be.]

It's three in the morning. People are sleeping...

[Should have let it go to voicemail...]

audio

[twopercent]

Yeah, I know. [He does sound mildly apologetic by now. Jack doesn't sleep much... being up at three in the morning is nothing new for him.] It could be important, though.

Re: audio

[11ady]

Look, we know how to secure ourselves. We're not idiots. Lock the door and so on...

computer text

[dorkytracksuit]

They're coming inside now?

Textin' like a boss

[twopercent]

Yeah. A handful or so... scattered pretty fast.

You've seen some too? What did they look like?

[dorkytracksuit]

I don't want to think about it. A raccoon with a gimp hand. One with an ear. A human ear.

audio;

[comparative_insanity]

Oh my god, you don't have to tell me. Just came home from work, and I knew there were rats here, but...

[He shudders audibly.] Ever seen a rat with human-like eyes? It's creepy. I didn't even think of catching them, I just... freaked out.

audio;

[twopercent]

[Urgh.]

Yeah, it's hard not to react instinctively when you see something like that. What happened?

audio;

[comparative_insanity]

I done and kicked one of them little suckers into the wall.

[He might not have recovered any of his supernatural strength, speed or reflexes, but he can hang from a pole with only his legs to support him, and that's quite enough to kill a rat.]

The rest of 'em beat it like bats outta hell.

audio

[struckout]

What happened?

[ It's 3am, too early to text coherently, but her voice is clearly on edge. This sounds... ominous. ]

audio

[twopercent]

I just had a few uninvited guests slip in through a window on the second floor. [Jack's not really sure who all is on board with the questionable reality of mutated animals, so he leaves it intentially vague.]

audio

[struckout]

[ Yeah, she's not sure what to think, even after-- or maybe especially after that broadcast showing the toothed crow. After a few moments, and in a quiet, low tone: ]

I saw them talking about weird animals on the news earlier. [ A pause and rustle as she shifts. ] They think it's an urban legend or something.