Twenty-Eighth Message [Video | Sheet of Paper | After 9:30]

[scramasax]

[There's not a bit of artificial light on the screen. Closest it comes to it is a little flash of red in the back of one of Anthony's eye sockets once he leans into view, and as far as is discernible, he's in the same location as ever - his head's aimed a bit lower than the feed, turning off one corner then along at the other. Clears his throat.]

Uhmm... --

[His ribcage expands with a rattling and very faintly voiced intake of air, and release - an anxious sigh, as it were.

His voice comes back up low and restricted - he shakes his head a bit out of restlessness, shaking "it" out, and a tad out of shame.]

I'm sorry, if - if I can ask, um. [Coughs.] -- If anyone's looking am I -- am I still. Home -- ? [Awkward wobble falling flat of inflection at the end of clear projection. Loosens to an indoor-voice "whisper".]

Sorry, I uhhm. Had a pulse - which -- ...

[He jerks about a quarter around - turns his head aside a bit further.

Turns back to focus with his shoulders locked tense. His brow gives a twitch.]

...Don't know if I was doing anything while it was happening, ermm -- !

[And there is a female voice which bursts out laughing. Heartily. Steadily - and Anthony snaps back around again biting back a yell.]

Go -- please -- ! Err... [And back to the feed cringing with a light creak.] I'm sorry, sorry, I'm - still - hearing things... rr - right now, er...!

[The laughter continues. It's restraining itself, a bit. The pitch and cadence changes - the volume doesn't. Anthony drops his head to rest his temples against his hands. Cringing apologetically.

A bit of light floats about the lower edge of the frame.]

I'm -- ... Still inside - right? I'm -- so sorry, I... really am...

[That trails off. And the floating light slows down.]

Comments

[stavros]

You are lost again?

[scramasax]

...I am?

[Ahh, God, is he?!]

[stavros]

I am unable to tell. However, you seem worried. Fear not; the drawing monsters have not made a return.

[scramasax]

Nn -

No, I... [Another look swung aside. The voice has quieted down, dare he assume too soon...] ...didn't think that they did...! Ermm - just - thought that maybe I, uhh...

Just -- went out. Myself, without, um. Realizing it...

[stavros]

Because the power went out?

[senseandcecilbility]

[That is exactly who he wished to see, but what the heck is going on?]

Anthony, Anthony, please. Do not apologize. You are at that person's home. Your host...I-I never caught their name. Who is there with you? Who is laughing?

[This is way too sinister, and, truth be told, Cecil would much rather turn the computer screen towards the wall (the power cord remains unplugged) and forget all of this. However, he has already caused harm to the boy once, and he refuses to do it again.

One doesn't abandon children. One just doesn't.]

[scramasax]

Uh -- [Quick and shallow.

He could respond to that with "no one", or confirmation that he is, in fact, where he ought to be, but he's been blown aback.]

...You, er... hear -- it...? [With an absent squeak at the end - either he is imagining both the laughing and this man, racks his brain, Cecil, or something or someone's inside.

In any case his entire back shoots tense - further inadvertent disturbance for Cecil, it is...]

[senseandcecilbility]

Oh no should I...?

[ Phone 911 again? No, that is probably a bad idea.]

Anthony, if you do not know who she is, you probably should leave the house and hide until your friend is back. She sounds...

[Strange, creepy. Though zombies are definitively creepy too. Either way, the boy should leave.]

[scramasax]

[Low 'n shallow:] I won't leave the house -- ! I -- [Coughs. Swallows.] -- won't leave the house, I...

[Coughs again.] I have a seax -- 'ff been trained with it, I'll be - I'll be fine...

[senseandcecilbility]

A...a what?

[ If there is anyone he doesn't know inside the house, why is the young man so eager to stay? The more he thinks about it, the more negligent Anthony's host seems to be.]

Voice

[imbibing]

Are you okay? Who's that person you're talking to? Do you need someone to pick you up and take you home?

[There is definitely some tempered concern in Misato's voice.]

Video

[scramasax]

[Hi, Misato. [Mumbled quick, and on to the chase]

Uhmm -- I'm home. [Said indeed as an affirmative statement.] Uh - he said, uhmm... [That he's in the same place as usual, "he" being Cecil.] But uhmm - you - you... you can hear -- it?

[Neutral if sort of bound-down-tight as his voice is in a sort of feeling-forward on that front, he's definitely freezing up against the edge of mounting uneasiness.

Compulsive:] 'M sorry.

Video

[imbibing]

There's no need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong.

[Still, what he is saying is kind of weirding her out.]

Of course I can hear it. You're not hearing things, are you?

Video

[scramasax]

[Oh-ho, yes, he did.]

I... thought I might have been but --

[And he does not so much slump as recoil down, much less spooked than incongruously... exasperated, dear lord what does he do...] -- Someone's inside...

[Likewise with the above, that's not a hundred percent steady but it's less of a quake than a groan.]

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Ah...

[Rakka was confused, and it showed.]

Are... are you okay?

[Video]

[scramasax]

I might be -- fine, only -- ["I might be fine!"] -- uhmm, hearing - things.

Had a pulse - might have blacked out, uhmm... [All of this very distracted.] - If...

[The offscreen voice comes back in with the inflection of not-quite-distinct words, Anthony wheezes, mutters a "stop it, stop it, stop it..." and forces a throat-clear; voice projects again.] If I'm -- if-if I didn't go anywhere I'll be fine.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Might have...?

[That was confusing. The voice other than Anthony draws Rakka's attention, but she can't figure out what it's saying.]

What... what do you mean, if you didn't go anywhere?

[Video]

[scramasax]

If I didn't -- ...go anywhere. Erm. [Twitches his head aside one way and back.] There're times I um. I, uhh -- lose -- track, of what I'm doing.

Only, uhh... [Swallows.] Only if I get -- [Clean up to that point - can't seem to find an elegant way of putting this.] -- uhmm... stressed...

[Snaps his head aside again to track where the voice was - it seems quiet for the moment...]

audio;

[detectivetroll]

[...there isn't anything good about that laughter, man. It probably says something about how long Nick's been a cop that his first thought isn't "network stuff," it's "shit someone broke into the apartment."]

You're not hearing things, Anthony. I can hear them too. If you're close to your sword, I want you to grab it and stay in one place, okay? I'm coming home.

video;

[scramasax]

I'm not gonna stay in one place -- please, uhmm. Tell me what I should do, should I, er - should I - should I take, the... [Long "e".] -- Take the paper anywhere -- to show you what's -- ?

["What's going on". He figures Nick coming himself is nothing he'll be talked out of.]

[Voice, the next day]

[dominateartimus]

How are you holding up from yesterday?

[Video]

[scramasax]

I'm fine. [It's just a little knotted and restless - he's a touch embarrassed about making a scene over it retrospectively, but alas. Does drop back down and lay out docile with the next line.] -- THank ou - Xander.

I'm sorry, I. [A beat, and a cough.] -- I've done that too often.

[Cuts in to change the subject with an "Uhmm..."]

Did uh, did you - see...?

[He means to ask something to the effect of "Did you see or hear anything like that last night", but he bumbles up against a metaphorical doorframe.]

[Voice]

[dominateartimus]

You're welcome, Anthony.

[There's a little bit of noise in the background and a meow, followed by a small grunt. Then there's light purring and the sound of a feline rubbing up against the device Xander is using.]

...It's fine, really. You don't have to apologize.

[A brief pause and a small comment to Connor to stop. The rubbing sound stops and the purring is quieter.]

What happened last night? No. I haven't. What's going on?

[Video]

[scramasax]

[He's one small part tempted to ask if he ought to excuse himself - let Xander tend to whatever it is his cat wants.

That question is probably not the best place to do so.]

There was a ghost - in the apartment, I... think... [It had started as matter-of-fact as he could possibly make it, but that in and of itself surely isn't especially reassuring - ] -- It-it-it didn't do - anything... But it ermm --

Something like that had happened - last year. [Drops husky, ambles along more quickly, absently - a bit more "checked out" for lack of hangup.] Something happened last year that felt like it, I don't know if it was -- same for everyone, if -- it... if there were more -- of them - again...

[Relatively smooth delivery if not train of thought, anyway.]

[Video]

[onecream_fivesugar]

You look like you're still h-

[And then the laugh starts.]

Wait? You're hearing things? How can you even focus on anything with that laugh in background?