01 - Video

[unduly_pitiless]

[The video feed cuts in on Alice sobbing softly. Her eyes are red, her cheeks are wet - she's been crying for a while. She opens her mouth and tries to speak, but the words stutter out before she can say anything coherent.]

I'm sorry - I'm sorry, I just -

[The video goes black. Alice reappears ten seconds later, marginally more composed but still

Comments

paddy. sucker for upset women.

[christ_onabike]

...you alright there? I can fill you in on some fucking basics in a sec, but first thing's first, calm down a little, take a deep breath, and don't fucking worry.

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

[She sounds just a bit frantic here:]

Don't worry? How can I not - ? There's nothing outside, there's nothing, there's just this huge terrible void and I don't - I can't - please -

[She takes a deep, shuddery breath.]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Re: Voice

[christ_onabike]

...Yeah, that's kinda why I said don't. Despite there being nothing outside, there's nowt to fucking worry about. It's okay. We're all... living of sorts, we aren't going to implode or fall into nothingness or any of that shit.

Trust me that we're alright here, and then I'll explain a bit more exactly where we are.

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

[Eventually she gets it together a bit. Her voice is still very quiet and very shaky, and her breath keeps seizing.]

I...I'm Alice.

[video] - dean ended up talking a lot, srry. :|

[possemagnet]

[Crying kind of makes him awkward. Okay... kind of? Big, big understatement- but he can tell she's pretty jacked up and might need the comfort of an actual person face to face type of deal. He's seen people freak out about voice and written responses.

So, after some rifling with his journal thing, because Dean is all sorts of fail with technology. He points the fuzzy and gradually attaining clarity camera in the direction of his face.

There's some pseudo-indifferent pausing while he thinks of somehow to put it tactfully and then realizes he sucks at that and goes with the flow. His eyebrows shoot up.] Uh, hi. [Hand raise.] To answer you're first question... you're on the barge. To answer the second? It's a goddamn prison ship. It defies logic, so I'm not gonna get started on explaining it.

[His face hardens a little:] There somethin' you need?

[video] - lol it's all good

[unduly_pitiless]

[Alice just stares at Dean's face on the screen for a moment, then bites her lip and looks down.]

I don't know. This is...too much to take in. [She laughs humourlessly.] Someone to pinch me, maybe. I keep thinking I'm going to...I don't know, wake up.

[video] - <333

[possemagnet]

[Dean raises a hand to somehow punctuate that he understands and then he drops it.] Wish I could say different, but you're right. 65% of the folk that end up sucked into this place feel the same way you do starting out, but you are awake. Making excuses like you're in a coma, or something like that? It's only gonna make this place suck that much more for you. [Yeah, tact is something he doesn't have but at the very least it shows in his tone that he's TRYING to be kind.]

[video]

[unduly_pitiless]

[She swipes her fingers underneath her eyes, wiping away a few tears, although they're still falling while she talks.]

I just don't understand how - how this place could exist, if it is real. All that darkness, it's just....terrifying. Where are we...?

[deathmerciful]

[An equally melancholic voice]

You mourn...

[unduly_pitiless]

They're saying I died.

[deathmerciful]

Death comes to all living things eventually. What is it that you last remember, chere?

[unduly_pitiless]

John - my friend, John, he was bleeding. There were police everywhere, and they had guns, and that's all I -

I don't know what happened after that.

[parttimejob]

I know being here isn't the best, but you don't have to cry.

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

[She sniffles a bit and breathes deeply.]

I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, this is just - so overwhelming.

Voice

[parttimejob]

I'd agree, but it isn't as bad as it seems.

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

Really? Everything I've heard....what could be good?

[notarrowette]

Are you all right?

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

I'm...a little better now. I think.

[Her voice is still a bit shaky and her breathing is rough.]

I admit I was starting...starting to wonder if there were any other women here.

Voice

[notarrowette]

That's good. Has anyone explained things to you yet?

There are quite a few women here, but I do think there are more men. I'm Cissie.

Voice

[unduly_pitiless]

Alice.

Dean and Paddy told me a lot. It seems...insane, but...I don't know. I don't know what to think.