video | 003 | day 35

[rigging]

[ He means for the broadcast to be private, but his expression and the circles under his eyes are probably indicators that sleep deprivation is the cause for his mistake. He rubs at his face and curls up more tightly, hood pulled up over his head. ]

Hey, uh. Bruce. Y'there? I gotta talk t'you about something. Remember what I told you about? I think it might be happening.

Comments

[rigging]

A dog. S'like a dog, Galen called it Jones. [ He scrubs his hand through his hair. ] Dog made of snakes and smoke, yeah? I seen it wandering, but when it knows m'looking it vanishes.

I dunno - I dunno what t'do, I can't stop it. I gotta but I dunno how. I just figured - yer a doctor, kinda, right, and... and I dunno. M'so twitchy, I can't think. [ And he is; he's fidgeting like crazy. ]

[greenisnteasy]

[Bruce isn't able to put the pieces together, that it was Galen who was patient zero for the nightmares. Jesse's seeing them too; maybe it was a friend of both of theirs.]

That sounds like a nightmare alright. Ssh, Jesse. Just breathe, one deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, nice and easy. Do you... want something? I don't have much of a pharmacy here, but I can see what I can find. Something to reduce anxiety, something to -- help you sleep, if that would help...

[rigging]

[ Ha. Ha, no. Jesse is in the process of taking that deep breath when Bruce suggests something to help him sleep, and it stutters and shakes at the words. The panic's right back in place. ] What? Fuck no, you - you kidding, that's where it wants me!

[ And now he's suspicious. ] S'gonna get in my dreams that way, and I'd be out, no way t'wake up, and it could kill me, so I ain't able to stop it, you - it's gonna find me.

[greenisnteasy]

[That's a "no" to anything that causes drowsiness, then.]

Okay, okay. I wasn't sure. But I do have some anti-anxiety things now that will at help you to feel better. Nothing that will make you fall asleep, I promise.

[rigging]

[ He swallows hard, shaking his head. ] I - no. [ He can't trust it. ] No, I just - needed you t'know, 'cause I gotta stop it. M'gonna stop it, and you're all gonna be safe, promise. You ain't gonna have t'go through that.

[greenisnteasy]

[Crap. He won't drop the idea permanently, but he will for now.]

What are you going to do, Jesse? What does it take to stop it? Maybe we can help.

[rigging]

I... I dunno. [ He sighs. ] Gonna... I gotta sleep t'fight it, but then I'm on its turf and I dunno. Kicked my ass last time. I dunno that you can help 'less you can lucid dream.

[greenisnteasy]

Well, not -- intentionally. I have on a few occasions.

[He bites his lips, weighing their options.] Are you sure that's what this is? There were a few other posts -- Galen and Troy, I think -- where it seems like they were maybe... They weren't okay. Do you think they were being affected by the nightmare thing, or is it possible that what you think is the nightmare thing is what's bothering them, too?

[rigging]

No. No, Galen's - it's the nightmare, s'driving everybody nuts, it's gotta be. [ He shakes his head. ] Especially Galen. He - it's him, he's part of it. Easy target.

What... is there somethin' else running around fucking with people?

[greenisnteasy]

I... [He glances away, debating with himself.]

Have you seen anyone new around town -- a man, about 5'7", might carry himself like a soldier, might have introduced himself as Emil Blonsky?

I've seen him. I think. Out of the corner of my eye... [But he doesn't sound so sure.]

[rigging]

Nn - no? [ He frowns, wrapping his arms around himself. ] No, I ain't... seen anybody like that, is he after you? [ And Jesse's self-preservation instincts are suddenly on the back burner. ] D'you need help? I - I mean, yer... you got that whole thing. The green thing, t'help you, but I could help.

[greenisnteasy]

No. [He lifts an eyebrow, then shakes his head.] I don't know. Maybe. If it's nightmares, then he would... He's from my nightmares. Real life, too. But I don't see any dogs. Is the nightmare a dog for everyone?

[rigging]

[ He shrugs helplessly. ] Bruce, I dunno, it's made'a shadows. Looks like a dog t'me and Galen, but - it morphed, once. When it got me the first time, it morphed into --

[ Nope. Nnnnope. He shakes his head. ] I dunno. [ He can hear the whispers getting louder again. ] I gotta, I gotta go. You need t'be careful, I can't -- m'gonna try.