001 ♦ Jesse Finch ♦ Audio

[rigging]

So I've got three guesses as to what this is right now. [ The voice that comes through the communicator is quiet and calm. The undertone to this voice, however, is not at all -- there's a hint of panic and a whole lot of anger underneath. ] One, I traveled back in time to land in some Twilight Zone-Silent Hill bullshit. Two, I've finally cracked and I've gone insane, which, y'know, could be worse, my brain coulda put me in somewhere much more terrifying than a room with a camera -- or three, I'm dreaming. [ Which is what he's afraid of. There's a beat, and then the sound of a lighter being flicked on, a cigarette being lit. ]

Watch, m'just talking to myself. I don't even know if anybody's out there. [ It's been an hour and he hasn't seen anybody yet, after all, though to be fair he hasn't gone very far. He's waiting. Come get him, nightmare. He's not scared of you. ]

Comments

[VIDEO]

[afallenstar]

[ Super helpful Anna is super helpful! There's some clicking of fingers and tapping of the communicator to bring Jesse's attention to it, and all that is displayed on the screen is a piece of paper some words messily scrawled onto it. ]

I know it sounds crazy, but you're not dreaming. There's a lot of us here who have all appeared and no one knows how or why. We're trying to work out how to escape.

[ She pulls it away long enough to write something new, which will give Jesse a thirty second view of red hair and concerned expressions, then the paper is back up again. ]

Do you need help??

[audio]

[rigging]

[ Jesse's been told it's probably a good idea to keep his face hidden, so he will until he figures out how to not broadcast to the entire universe. He watches the video, amused, and thinks a moment before replying. ]

That's a relief. [ He takes a drag off his cigarette, squinting at the paper. ] ... I dunno, maybe. You trying to not wake someone up from a nap or something? Why you writing? [ Wow, insensitive, Jesse. ]

[VIDEO]

[afallenstar]

[ Well it's nice for some who have the option to remain on audio, but some of them don't have that choice. Her response is scribbled down faster, which of course means her writing is even worse than before. Have fun translating that, Jesse. ]

It's a long story. Where are you?

[ Just because she can't speak at the moment doesn't mean she's not going to try to help, after all. ]

[rigging]

[ Squint. ] ... I dunno I should tell you. Ain't you ever heard of stranger danger? [ Jesse, quit it. ]

[afallenstar]

I know my word isn't much, but I'm one of the good guys.

[ This time the paper is pulled away deliberately, and she looks at the communicator for a moment. She's not smiling, but it's as close as she can get to comforting at least. She used to be a lot better, honest. ]

[rigging]

[ He's not sure how much he can trust what she says (that's what all the villains say, I'm a good guy, trust me!) but he's tired and cold, and she looks nice. Nice enough that he can at least ask questions. ]

Alright, fine. [ But he'll have a weapon of some kind when she gets there. Just in case, okay, he's gotta be careful. ] Looks like a park. Near the edge. I can see a cemetery from here?

[ na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na actioooon! ]

[afallenstar]

[ She doesn't exactly give him long to find said weapon. Having spent most of her free time scoping the town instead of actually talking to people (since, you know, she can't) she's figured out the blind spots.

If Jesse's paying attention he might just about hear a sound oddly similar to a flock of birds taking off, but other than that there's no real indicator as to where Anna comes from when she walks out from behind a building. Not the best approach, it has to be said, but at least it's fast.

She can't call out a greeting, so instead she just waves. ]

[rigging]

[ omg Anna you can't just pop out of nowhere, how did you even get here so fast. Jesse hasn't had time to find a weapon, so that means that Anna's appearance earns a sort of jump as he spots her out of the corner of his eye. He shoves his hands in his pockets, gripping his lighter, his flask (light it drop it in the grass make a quick getaway if he needs, not enough but it's the best he can do) and offering her a nod. ]

Ahoy. You're a fast walker.

[afallenstar]

[ For a moment when she sees Jesse, she's confused. It only takes a second for her to recognise that this isn't the guy she met at the Christmas party, he feels different, and so when she gets close enough gives an apologetic smile.

She can't explain anything, and that's more frustrating than anything. She has to wait until she's closer, so that he can actually see when Anna nods, shrugs and then taps her throat lightly.

She mouths words too, 'lost my voice', but whether or not he can read lips all that well is a different matter and not something she's counting on. ]

[rigging]

[ He can't exactly read lips, but he thinks he gets what she's trying to say anyway. Lost her voice. From what, he doesn't know, but it's not like it matters much. ]

So, you always swoop in t'help the newbies? And what was your name again?

[afallenstar]

[ The frustrating thing is she can technically communicate, if she wants to, but she's trying so hard to maintain this normal facade. She can't afford to go all 'Message from God' on a complete stranger. Which is why Jesse's stuck with a bad game of charades instead.

She nods at his first question, and the other gets an eyebrow raise, because seriously. Not talking here. Maybe she should have brought the pen and paper with her. Approaching closer, she's not too concerned by his makeshift weapon - it won't really do much, but she hopes he'll avoid trying anyway. It's awfully uncomfortable. She's still smiling though, and gestures towards him before raising her hand and touching her thumb and finger together in the 'okay' sign. It's a question. ]

[rigging]

[ Not to mention the fact that Jesse would freak out if she did. Still, it's frustrating not to get a name - why didn't she bring paper and a pencil? Jesse can't imagine not being able to communicate at all -- and if this is what he has to look forward to, he's not liking it.

Jesse doesn't try to use his lighter or anything, but he's not letting his guard down, either. He watches her for a second, and then nods. ] Fine. Totally fine, not the weirdest place I've woken up.

Y'know, I'd be askin' more questions if you could answer.

[afallenstar]

[ She grins at that, and the movement she makes as she glances at the floor is something akin to what would be a chuckle, if there'd actually been a sound.

She gives him a small nod, and she does eye that lighter for a moment before she walks in towards him again, close enough to stretch her hand out to offer it to him this time. She really would rather not end up torched, and after a moment she gestures around the cemetery with a questioning look and a raised eyebrow. It just seems to her like a strange place for a person to want to stick around, that's all.