Day 44; Video 001

[bostonhowler]

[She is disoriented. The odors here are so different and she can’t find the smells of the pack. Her fingers flutter nervously, pushing escaped tendrils of bright red hair out of her face.

She looks almost panicked and on the edge of tears. Brown eyes lock on the bracelet thing around her wrist. Brigid bites her lower lip.]

I don’t want a house. I have one. I don’t need another one. I’m staying with my aunt and uncle. Mark and Anne Hannigan, from Cambridge. Can someone please direct me to the nearest bus station?

[She swallows and turns away. Her brown eyes find the feed again. They shine with unshed tears. Her curly red hair flutters around her face. One blunt-nailed hand rises and brushes tendrils back behind her ear. Brigid isn’t wearing makeup and is drowned in a bomber jacket with several military patches on it. Her eyes flicker out over the area around the fountain.

She nearly curls in on herself.]

Can anyone hear me? I need to get home. Please. If you can tell me how to get home… I’d appreciate it.

Comments

[stiling]

Whoa, whoa, you're good. Breathe. Seriously, big stuff going on here.

But, uh. I'm gonna break it to you simple: You're not really going home any time soon, there.

[bostonhowler]

That's what everyone keeps saying. But it doesn't make any sense as to why. An internment camp? The Irish aren't, historically, well liked, but I thought us past that.

[stiling]

Pfffft. [ So that's, well, something, but Stiles just casually waves a hand, blows a raspberry. ] Like they give us that much information. I mean, I'm not anything special and I'm here too. Doubt it's anything so political. Sorry to burst the bubbles.

[bostonhowler]

Oh! I'm not important or anything, it's not that. I'm just Boston Irish.

[She's not important. Her 'uncle' is. He's the Alpha. She's just a beta werewolf that studies history for fun.]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was important.

[stiling]

Aw, come on, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure you're plenty important.

Just sorry to say it isn't as easy as all that what you're made of. They kinda pick at random. [ He shrugs his shoulders, scratching apologetically at his chin. ] Sorry. I'd say 'welcome', but it's not exactly a very warm one, huh?

[bostonhowler]

I don't think so?

It's okay. Thank you for explaining a few things. I appreciate it.

[She clears her throat.]

My name is Brigid.

[stiling]

Well, everybody's special in their own- [ He trails off, winging a finger in a circle. ] Happy, smiley, Mr. Rogers kinda way, it's a thing.

Um.

Hey, I'll help out in any way I can. I'm Stiles, for the record.

[bostonhowler]

[She manages a small weak smile at that. It's adorable and amusing. She's never heard anyone use Mr. Rogers like that.]

It's nice to meet you, Stiles. I don't suppose you know who is in charge?

[stiling]

[ Small victories! If he can get the newbie to crack a smile, he'll definitely take it. ]

Nobody you can really get your hands on. They like playing hide and seek, minus the whole seeking part. Trust me, the demands and the questions and all that? To the higher-ups? It's a no-go.

[bostonhowler]

[She's actually semi resilient but this is a weird day. Plus, the place smells so strange.]

That's frustrating.

Are there animals around here? Like pets?

[stiling]

Animals? [ That's an- oddly specific question. ] Yeah, sure. Fuzzy wuzzy adorable cats and puppies? Not so much. But we've got your sabre-toothed tigers and your wolves running around in the woods. Not really recommended.

[bostonhowler]

Things in the woods are easily avoided.

[She fidgets with her jacket.]

Sabretooth tigers? Really?

[stiling]

Well, yeah, just don't go in the woods.

[ Stiles snorts amusedly, scratching at the underside of his chin. ] Or so I've been told. It's either that or a town-wide psychosis of some kind. I'm not exactly keen on getting my eyes scratched out to conclude it.

[bostonhowler]

Is town-wide psychosis a possibility?

[Quick, Brigid, think! History is easy to remember. Well, the one that immediately comes to mind is the Salem Witch Trials. Not the best thing to think about. Especially since more than one wolf lost their lives in that bit of ridiculousness.]

[stiling]

[ Ha HA that's funny for reasons that Stiles can't really describe, and he cracks a smile briefly before he carefully settles his face into something more neutral, clears his throat. ]

I guess if they decided to drug the water or something, it's totally doable.

[bostonhowler]

Well, there's been a few times in history that it's come up, but I'm asking about here?

[She's not even sure it would affect her as much as a human, since, werewolf biology. Then again, she doesn't want to test it.]

[stiling]

[ Stiles pauses a beat, jaw carefully sliding open as if he's going to say something. All that happens is he squints an eye, before he finally speaks. ]

What, exactly, are you asking me for here?

[bostonhowler]

[She bites her lip.]

If town-wide psychoses have happened? They've happened in history, a few pretty famously.

[stiling]

Man, you've got- the most specific question set that I've ever seen here.

Sort of? They did legitimately drug us and there was kind of some crazy hallucination stuff going on for a while. [ He clears his throat. Still not over it. ] If that's- what you mean.

[bostonhowler]

Sorry, I ask the questions that come to mind. Sometimes, they're a bit odd.

[The last is soft. She's trying to figure out what to do and is obviously failing at it.

And animals can give her away. She's scared of that happening, especially without the pack to fall back on.]

[stiling]

Nah, it's good. Odd, I mean. Fits in here along with everything else, right? Kidnapped and thrown in a town with a bunch of your fellow captives, that's definitely something I'd plant on the 'odd' list.

[bostonhowler]

I guess so. After the last few years, I've just hoped to have a nice quiet freshman year at college. It was going well.

[stiling]

Yeah? I'm a senior in high school, I kinda feel you. Normal's a little too much to ask for here, I guess. They kinda suck out the normal and poop out pure unadulterated not-fun.

My condolences.

[bostonhowler]

[Her mouth twitches up a little bit again.]

That's an interesting metaphor.

[stiling]

[ Stiles snorts, a bit of a grin on his own face. ] It's not even a metaphor if it's totally accurate!

You know your way around here yet?