[log] Disappear [closed]

[thewarningafter]

Characters: Stephen, Peter, Bucky, and Steph
Location: The area that once contained building 279
Date: Morning 265
Summary: This building is pining for the fjords
Warnings: Mass confusion

[279: THIS BUILDING DOES NOT EXIST.

This looks like any place in Norfinbury that doesn't have anything there: just empty snow and rubble. When a person tries to traverse it, they will realize that they've gone around the area instead of through it after they have gone around.]

Comments

[advanced]

No, not really. I tried to dig down to find the maintenance shafts, or any clue of a way in, but I didn't get far.

[It's just like any other compacted snow now, at least as far as he can tell.]

[spoileralert]

[ She chews her lip thoughtfully, not that he can see it under her mask. ]

Maybe it's just my imagination. I feel like I've been walking a lot more than I remember doing.

[advanced]

What do you mean?

[He hasn't noticed any additional fatigue, but then he's fighting the effects of the pain MN poisoning brings, so most everything else is muted out.]

[spoileralert]

I mean, I can't have walked much more than a couple of yards, but I feel like I've walked at least a few blocks. I've just been kind of going back and forth over the area, it's not like I went very far.

[advanced]

[He tilts his head to look back out at the expanse of snow.]

I didn't notice, you sure you're not just tired?

[spoileralert]

[ She shakes her head. ]

I'm not sure. It's just a feeling.

[advanced]

Time it.

[It's just a suggestion, but it comes out sort of like an order.]

Time how long it takes you to walk a similar distance not here, and then again here.

[spoileralert]

[ Eh, how long can it take? A couple of minutes to test a theory. ]

Okay. Wait here? It'll help me keep track of where to stop.

[advanced]

Fine.

[At least he's reached a place where he can work with her, however grudgingly. So he plants himself right in that spot, prepared to wait however long it takes.]

[spoileralert]

[ She starts by checking the clock, and walking 2 minutes in the direction they came from. Then she turns around, checks the distance, comes back, and walks 2 minutes in the direction she's pretty sure the building was in.

For some reason, she skirts the area. When she turns around she's not nearly as far from him as she was when she walked a straight line. She frowns, and walks back to him. ]

Did that seem weird to you?

[advanced]

[Bucky watches her with intense focus, noting the way she skirts the area and timing it roughly in his head.]

Depends, how long do you think that took? And do you know that you didn't walk straight?

[spoileralert]

I timed it, it was two minutes--

[ Wait what ]

Wait, what?

[advanced]

You curved around that section over there.

[He gestures to where the building itself should be.]

[spoileralert]

I could swear I walked a straight line there and back. That's why you didn't seem as far away,

[advanced]

You try watching this time, see if it's the same.

[He doesn't wait for her to respond, just walks off and does the same thing. Attempting to go in a straight line there and back, but he swerves off course without noticing.]

[spoileralert]

[ She watches, and waits until he starts swerving to cup her hands around her mouth and shout to him. ]

You're off course! More that way.

[ She points in the direction the building was supposed to be. ]

[advanced]

[He stops and glances back at her to see the direction she's pointing and adjusts his course accordingly. For about ten seconds, then he's swerving again without realising it, heading back towards her.]

[spoileralert]

You're doing it again!

[ It's worth a shot, anyway. ]

[advanced]

[He finally stops in place and frowns back at her.]

Then there's something stopping us going that way.

[spoileralert]

Like, say, a forcefield around an office building.

[ Well, there's their answer, at least. Steph props her hands on her hips and turns her frown on the space where the building should be. If she looks hard enough maybe it'll appear. ]

[advanced]

Then it is still there, which means there has to be a way back in.

[There have to be answers hidden in there that people not suffering the way the trapped people had been will be able to find.]

[spoileralert]

Probably not out here, though. I'd better get back to my friends.

[ She assumes Bucky will be relieved to end their temporary alliance. ]

[advanced]

...yeah.

[He is relieved and it shows in the way he immediately turns his back on her and starts to walk away. Sorry, Steph.]

[spoileralert]

[ She doesn't wait for a response, but turns to head along her way. ]