[Alfie is on video today, alone in the living room of one of the houses. His boots and socks are set out to dry on the floor behind him, and he's hunched over in an armchair, sitting on his bare feet for warmth. His clothing and accessories are more visible in this than they have been in any of his other broadcasts - his clothes look old-fashioned, he's wearing a fair amount of gold jewelry in the form of rings and bracelets, and he has a little pair of pince-nez glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.
He's also holding a small wooden picture frame, and is busy digging thumbtacks into it. He's well aware that this is something that can be read in a few ways - he could just be innocently fiddling with things that he's found, or he could be making a weapon. Granted, it's not a very good weapon (all the better ones he's found are hidden away off-camera), but it's still something with sticky-outy bits that could do at least some damage if it were, say, slammed hard into someone's face. It's not quite a threat, but it's definitely a display of something - and the people who pick up on that, he assumes, are the people who he needs to take note of for one reason or another.]
I've found myself on one of your maps.
[His tone is completely conversational, but he keeps his gaze directed at his picture frame as he talks.]
And there's a convenience store on it, right. But in the survival guide, it's written that only the eastern convenience store has got food. I can't figure if that's the one I'm headed to or not. I'm looking at Mamie's map, yeah, and I'm seeing the little yellow square marked as store.
[He means Mami's map, but is mispronouncing the unfamiliar name - May-mee.]
Would that be the one that's stocked, or should I be looking for another in the blank spaces that she didn't draw out?
[He pauses, then finally looks up at the camera.]
These tablets - handy little things, aren't they? Good to have it all in one place - the guides, the contacts, the maps. The photographs are wonderful.
Respond showing your faces, yeah? I haven't seen another person in the flesh in days. Where I'm from, everyone's on top of each other, all the time. Feels strange and empty, here.
[This is all true, but he also has ulterior motives - he wants to know what people look like, he wants to match faces to voices and names, and he wants to read body language.
He watches the camera for a second more, idly scratching at his beard, and then gives a sharp nod.]
Right; that's it, then. Done.
[He stretches forward to reach where he has the tablet propped up, and turns off the feed.]
He's also holding a small wooden picture frame, and is busy digging thumbtacks into it. He's well aware that this is something that can be read in a few ways - he could just be innocently fiddling with things that he's found, or he could be making a weapon. Granted, it's not a very good weapon (all the better ones he's found are hidden away off-camera), but it's still something with sticky-outy bits that could do at least some damage if it were, say, slammed hard into someone's face. It's not quite a threat, but it's definitely a display of something - and the people who pick up on that, he assumes, are the people who he needs to take note of for one reason or another.]
I've found myself on one of your maps.
[His tone is completely conversational, but he keeps his gaze directed at his picture frame as he talks.]
And there's a convenience store on it, right. But in the survival guide, it's written that only the eastern convenience store has got food. I can't figure if that's the one I'm headed to or not. I'm looking at Mamie's map, yeah, and I'm seeing the little yellow square marked as store.
[He means Mami's map, but is mispronouncing the unfamiliar name - May-mee.]
Would that be the one that's stocked, or should I be looking for another in the blank spaces that she didn't draw out?
[He pauses, then finally looks up at the camera.]
These tablets - handy little things, aren't they? Good to have it all in one place - the guides, the contacts, the maps. The photographs are wonderful.
Respond showing your faces, yeah? I haven't seen another person in the flesh in days. Where I'm from, everyone's on top of each other, all the time. Feels strange and empty, here.
[This is all true, but he also has ulterior motives - he wants to know what people look like, he wants to match faces to voices and names, and he wants to read body language.
He watches the camera for a second more, idly scratching at his beard, and then gives a sharp nod.]
Right; that's it, then. Done.
[He stretches forward to reach where he has the tablet propped up, and turns off the feed.]
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