video; @unknown

[redshiftnpc]

[ The communicator bobs, turns, points at the floor. There’s muttering from a voice some of Anchor’s residents will recognize. When the camera rights itself, it’s a close-up of Creepy Joe’s face, the eye that was formerly sealed shut now open and writhing with tiny flower-like tentacles. His other is steady, crazed blue.

His mouth is still twisted, his lips still curving upward on the ruined side of his face, not quite hiding teeth too long and sharp for a human mouth. There’s movement behind and between his teeth, though it’s hard to see what it is until he opens his mouth--more tentacles, tiny flailing things growing from the insides of his cheeks, the roof of his mouth, his tongue. They make him lisp hoarsely as he talks.]

Don’t go down. Don’t do it. You’ll open the way to worse things, worse things, worse.

[ He glances behind him, and in spite of the close angle, some at Anchor might also recognize where he is. In his little hole in the wall, where he was recording the actions of Anchor’s new residents. ]

Trust me. I came back, didn’t I? I came back to help.

Comments

[redshiftnpc]

[ He blinks. Blinks again. ]

No. I wouldn't. I'm protecting you.

[writtendestiny]

[Okay, good, that was the answer she wanted.]

So I'll be safe, if I come alone. You won't let anything bad happen to me. I'll come down there now, alright?

[redshiftnpc]

[ A slow, cautious nod. ]

Alone. You'll be safe, I'm not a monster, not me. I've got it... it understands me. [ He thumps the heel of one hand against the temple next to his tentacled eye. ] This, I mean, this. It won't go after you.

[ Deep breath, nod. ]

You'll be safe.

[writtendestiny]

Okay. I'll trust you.

[She smiles, though it's a little shaky around the edges, and before she can begin to doubt her decision too much or think that perhaps she ought to tell somebody where she's going she makes her way to that tunnel entrance with only a small knife stuffed deep into one of her pockets.

Maybe she should have left a note.

Her heart rises up into her throat while she walks down, so loud in her ears she thinks he must surely hear it. She reaches the room so keyed up with nerves that she's almost dizzy, and she pokes her head inside.]

... I'm here.

[redshiftnpc]

[ He turns away from the console where he's still replying to messages, fixing Poison with a look that's both hopeful and fearful at once. He's kept screens between himself and the people of Anchor, the new people of Anchor. It's been the safe way to monitor them, to be a part of their small community and be securely distant from it at the same time.

Too close is too dangerous. He won't be fooled like that again.]

Poison... [ He says it experimentally. ] You came alone. Really came alone.

[writtendestiny]

I don't like to lie. [She tells him steadily, stepping inside and leaving the doorway behind her empty.

Poison does lie. Has lied, to save her skin, but prefers not to.]

It's nice to meet you.

[redshiftnpc]

[ Silence, for a few seconds, the only sounds the noise of the monitors and the whispered motion of the tentacles in Joe's eye. ]

There are liars everywhere. [ Another pause, and he gives her a cautious, sidelong look. ]

No one says that to me.

[writtendestiny]

When was the last time you met somebody?

[Not on a screen or through a message, that is. She watches him carefully, clasping her hands behind her back.]

Can I sit down somewhere?

[redshiftnpc]

Out there. [ He points upward, through the ceiling, out toward the waste. ] Your boy, your Peter, and one that isn't here any more. They... wanted to help me. Wanted me to come back here. Didn't know that this wasn't a place to help anyone.

[ He looks around, eye landing on the only chair in the place. He pushes it toward her, then pushes it again, coming within arm's reach before he retreats again. ]

[writtendestiny]

[More information to take in. It's jarring when he talks about Peter, but she doesn't let that show on her face and takes the offered seat at the spot his pushing left it.]

What is this place for? What do you know about it?

[redshiftnpc]

[ He shivers. ]

It's for things to go bad. Get twisted. It's for things to be wrong. [ He looks around them, at the little walls. ] I know the city is the iceberg's tip.

[ Joe focuses on Poison again. ] Why'd you come here? Why'd you come alone?

[writtendestiny]

[She looks around as he does. Such a small, cramped space for a person to shut themselves up in.]

Where I come from we don't have technology like this. When we want to have a real conversation we pay someone a visit. It's been a long time, but this is still easier.

[Poison returns her attention to him, looking at his eye.]

And I came alone because I said I would. Because I can trust that you won't let me get hurt in here, right?

[redshiftnpc]

[ Guiltily: ] Didn't believe you.

[ He edges closer now, kneeling in the dirt just out of reach, his good hand gripping the upper arm above his ruined one. ]

You can believe me. [ His tone is almost desperate. ] Don't go down there. It's where it all went bad, where it all started going bad.

[writtendestiny]

That's okay.

[She wouldn't have believed her either, she supposes, and she knows she isn't the only person who knows where this room is. Others will come. He has to know that, surely...

When he moves she leans forwards in the chair, looking at him intently.]

What's down there? What happened here?

[redshiftnpc]

[ He hesitates, looking hunted. Like every word is a risk to let out into open air. ]

The worst of us. [ Joe rubs the unruined side of his face, making a pained noise. ] A big question, that's a big question, I can't... [ He rocks back and forth a little. ] Wanted to find a way out. Wanted to find a way home, the others, the others, not me.

[writtendestiny]

Not you?

[Her heart is racing again, but it's not through fear of him this time. For the first time since she arrived here she feels like she's a breath away from finding Anchor's purpose. Something she knew it must have, because all these places have a purpose.]

Why not you, Joseph?

[redshiftnpc]

Thought it was a good place. A better place than where I came from. [ A soft little laugh, bitter and sad. ] Thought it was a place I could stay, be happy, make a life. But now look--I'm the only one left. Only one left, and I get to see people come and have it happen all over again.

[ He takes her hand in his good one, squeezing a little too tight. ] Do you understand? Seal it up, seal it off. Live, just live, just have what they took away from me.

[writtendestiny]

[Every hair on her body feel as if it bristles up the moment he touches her. Poison's eyes widen, her fingers twisting a little in his grip, but he's-- he's strong.]

Joseph, you're hurting my hand.

[She says it evenly, but can't keep the faint shake out of her voice. Her free hand grips the knee of her trousers tightly.]

The others-- did they find a way home?

[redshiftnpc]

[ He lets go at once, standing up and backing off again. ]

They thought they did. Wouldn't know if it worked, would I?

[writtendestiny]

No... no, I suppose not.

[Poison brushes her hair back carefully, tucking one side behind one of her ears. She watches his movements with large violet eyes and huffs out a breath through her nose.

Maybe he knows more than he's saying, but it's going to take a little more prying than the current level of trust between them would allow...]

Do you remember much about where you're from? Where you were before here?

[redshiftnpc]

[ He closes his good eye, leaning back. ]

Bad. It was bad. We were running, always running--hunted. Monsters following us. Monsters shaped like people, but they weren't people any more. No home, no safe place.

[ He opens his eye. ] But then there was this place. It was good. I was happy.

[writtendestiny]

[She's heard stories of other people who came from places like that. Places where they were hunted. Poison had never had such worries through most of her life - sure, sometimes the Phaeries would come and take a child, but they were more often simply left alone.

The young woman leans forwards, resting her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands together.]

You said... what's down there was 'the worst of us'. Was it made here? Or did somebody bring it?

[redshiftnpc]

I don't... know. [ He makes a small, frustrated sound. ] Don't remember. Just remember eyes, the eyes watching me.

[ He rubs his forehead. ] Don't remember how it happened, when it happened. I was here, it was good, but then... The eyes, and they took my girl away.

[writtendestiny]

Your-- daughter?

[She ventures the guess with a small, encouraging smile.

The eyes-- ah, she'll come back to the eyes.]

You have a daughter?

[redshiftnpc]

Not... any more. [ He stares at his hand. ]

Don't know if they took her when they left or if she... died. Or if...

[ He shudders. ]

Or if she was taken by the eyes.