[Action/Video]

[othersdie]

[Justin, unaffected by the cold induced by sitting near the fountain that the City had seen fit to drop him into during winter, finally tires of waiting for what he’s convinced what must be a trick of the mind to dissipate and resolve itself into the nothingness of death. For a lack of any other distractions, he fumbles with the device he had found

Comments

[alwaysadoe]

[Video]

[For some reason the question breaks Lily's heart.]

I think that depends on a great deal of things. Why would you be dead?

[othersdie]

[Video]

[The response from the device is met with subdued surprise.]

What? Why--I was... I should be. Dead. But this isn't what death should be like.

[alwaysadoe]

I know precisely what you mean. In any case, I think you'll find this a bit better than death at least.

[othersdie]

You do?

No, it can't be. This can't be.

[Video]

[had_not_lived]

[There is a wide-eyed and utterly unfamiliar face on your screen, Mr. Pendleton.]

Justin? [He doesn't dare to hope. After all, seeing a familiar face doesn't always mean much in the City.] Is that you?

[othersdie]

[How does--but no. If this is a hallucination, then it makes sense that someone would know his name. That's still unsettling.]

[cagily] Who are you?

[had_not_lived]

It's Neil-- don't you--

[But, well, that's hardly unheard of. Though every time Justin's come back, he's remembered; then again, every time he's come back, he's gone again.]

I'm sorry-- but-- it is you, isn't it?

[othersdie]

I don't know you. I don't even know if you're real.

[Justin's certainty that he's hallucinating is wavering; uncertainty makes him nervous.]

Yes. ...I'm Justin, I mean. Yes.

[othersdie]

[audio]

[Okay. One time is unsettling; twice is outright unnerving, hallucination or not.]

What do you want?

[othersdie]

Sorry. That should have been--that was more accusatory than it needed to be.

[His initial surprise and alarm has given way to blankness. Whatever's going on, nothing Justin does is going to make it go away.]

I'm sorry. Todd. I don't remember.

[intheblanks]

[Video. And Chase leans in to make sure, but keeps it succinct.]

You don't look it.

[othersdie]

Dead?

That's something.

[intheblanks]

Something good, or something bad?

[othersdie]

Something sensible.

video;

[dignity_misery]

[The voice of experience,]

You wish.

[othersdie]

video;

In vain, from what I've been told.

[dignity_misery]

[Her smile is tight.]

Bingo. No end in sight.

[othersdie]

No one dies here?