Twenty-Ninth Message [Video | Sheet of Paper]

[scramasax]

[Anthony's barely in the frame when the feed comes on. His voice is low and restrained, as are his syllables. (Restrained, anyhoo, clipped.)

Starts by apologetically rattling in a breath.]

It's -- been more than a - month; I thought I would mention - ...

[Partly for himself, admittedly. He's not the only one who has and would have missed at least one of these people.

Briefly brings his voice up vibrating in a little more focus:] Excuse me - I'm sorry, don't. Mind the noise.

[There is no noise. Alas, he continues.]

Alex -- ...Varista and Ms. Bainbridge from the library aren't. -- On the network. Anymore. Their -- numbers still won't work.

There aren't -- really any... Many of us who - were always around, either. Anymore. Uhmm -- are there...

And it's -- been more than a year. Since I. Erhmm. [Half a throat-clearing.] -- Left home.

[The sounds go increasingly padded - he isn't going to go feeling back for those ends to tie them together. He simply wound up slipping on the most immediate bit of stupidly wistful sentimentality and letting himself amble over the others.]

Comments

video

[mimicery]

[There were a lot of things in this world that annoyed Katie and mumbling was one of them. On top of that, the way he spoke also annoyed her too.]

No, you're not. You should try to say stuff that doesn't involve mumbling! Like talk louder, I can't even hear you that well!

[But Katie was never good with people either]

video

[scramasax]

I'm sorry -- [It's a little tighter and higher for sincerity, but regrettably domineering himself over the apparent annoyance came with a sort of reflex to bring his voice down even more unobtrusive.]

video

[mimicery]

First of all, stop apologizing already! I said there was nothing to be sorry about!

[At this point, the young girl wasn't sure how to approach this fellow. For a huge age difference, she felt like she was the older one. However, she shifted her attention elsewhere]

But anyway, like I said, that's just how it is. Sometimes people come and go on this network. It sucks but...what can you?

video

[scramasax]

-- Oh. [Bit of bashful relief of all things at that last bit - all this back and forth and sidetracking he's been doing and that's what she'd said!

Swallows. Turns his head aside a bit, as a tic.] I -- suppose...

[And breathes. It is audibly a conscious action.] Umm. ...How long have you -- ...had - had your numbers -- if um. I may - ask...?

[Creeps to a non-verbally apologetic end - just out of curiosity, in the moment!]

video

[mimicery]

There you go again!

[sigh]

2 months now but I keep hearing so many people not answering to them anymore on the network. It's starting to sound like it's becoming more frequent.

[She will admit, if she were ever to let go of this network, she would be much happier. But at the same time, there was a hint of sadness to her.]