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

[abheirrant]

Because people are foolhardy, curious, stupid, or any combination thereof.

[redshiftnpc]

[ BUT HE'S TELLING THEM NOT TO!!! ]

How do I stop them?

[abheirrant]

You don't. You politely avoid enticing them in the first place. A bit late for that now.

[redshiftnpc]

They would have found them. The doors. They would have gone in and not known. I couldn't let them do it.

[abheirrant]

Right, okay, stop. Let's try this again. What are these doors, and what is behind them?

[redshiftnpc]

The doors. [ With emphasis on the. It's been so long for him that, truthfully, he's forgotten half of what things are called and half of why they matter. ] The ones that aren't on the plans. They were shielded, now they're not.

Behind them--behind them is what made it all go bad.

[abheirrant]

Fine, the doors. But again, describing what's behind them as 'what made it all go bad' is just going to tempt those who would revel in things going bad again to go find the doors to get to it. You understand that?

[redshiftnpc]

I... [ Quiet muttering, like he's arguing with himself. ] I can't tell you. I don't... remember. I don't remember!

[abheirrant]

Then how do you know it's what made it all go bad?

[As an expert at talking to himself, Carlisle recognizes what it sounds like, but he doesn't yet manage to quell his irritation.]

[redshiftnpc]

I don't... I just know. I know. I don't remember but I know.

[abheirrant]

[An audible sigh.]

All right. Well, you might want to figure out what it is before you get everyone worked into a tizzy over it. You remember anything else other than the door? How to get to it, perhaps, so we don't go there?

[redshiftnpc]

It's not on the map. It's down a hall, down a long hall that looks like it doesn't go anywhere. One of the... maintenance halls. One made to look like it doesn't matter.

[abheirrant]

Well thankfully, most of the maintenance halls are locked, aren't they? And if not, they should be.

[Someone get Qubit and Peter on that.]

[redshiftnpc]

Not this one. I checked. I looked.

[abheirrant]

[Welp, time to get Qubit and Peter on that.]

Right. Well, if we get someone to lock it up, will you feel better about it? A lock will keep whatever is down there in, right?

[redshiftnpc]

Yes. [ So much relief. ] Yes, lock it up, keep everyone out.

[abheirrant]

Fine. I will give him a call.

I assume you are not guarding the door and this hallway, given your demeanor.

[redshiftnpc]

No. No, not going near it. Not going close.

Never going back down there.

[abheirrant]

Well where are you, then?

[And no, he does not want to come and meet you, Creepy Joe. He's just fine staying on this end of the communicator, thank you very much.]

[redshiftnpc]

Why do you want to know? Why does everyone want to know?

I'm safe. I'm in a safe place.

[abheirrant]

I assume they want to know because you're an odd fellow trying to vaguely warn us of a dangerous thing you cannot recall what is. Making sure you're here or even real is likely a priority for some, especially before they do or do not heed your warning.

[redshiftnpc]

But... everyone here is odd.

[abheirrant]

... Fair enough. Most of them don't have quite the physical characteristics you do, however.

[redshiftnpc]

My face? My arm?

Why does that make me more... odd?

[abheirrant]

Your arm? What's wrong with your arm?