@ W. Graham Day 367 - Video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

OOC Warning: This post is going to involve Will suffering from extreme delusions and other mental instability. He's in his river happy place, but also has some of his worst hallucinations floating around the edges.



When the video comes on there is a sickening moment when the camera feed tumbles, as if dropped, and lands in what appears to be snow at the edges. The good news is, it lands face up. The bad news is the owner of the tablet does not appear to exhibit any recognition that he just dropped, let alone turned on, the damn thing.

Instead, he is standing there, stock still and staring off into the distance. There is a stillness to his body, and his head that suggests he's not really aware of his current reality.

For Will the landscape is vastly different.

The cold on his legs is not snow, but rather rushing water and his eyes peer out across the sunlit river. Oddly enough, on video he can be seen raising his right hand, as if twitching back a rod, as his left hand plays out line that existing in only Will's reality.

The problem is, Will's actually reality is that he's standing out in the open, not moving as he should be towards shelter. There does not appear to be any immediate threat from an anomaly, but its hard to tell how far away he is from the nearest safe structure.

Comments

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Will's lips twitched upwards, again into that creepy, serene smile. ]

You're the shark.

[tablewithoutpity]

[Hannibal lifts an eyebrow in amusement at that.]

Indeed? Then perhaps there are two sharks in the water. Because I recall another shark we were hunting. Do you remember?

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ The ex-profiler's expression sobered, became something tired and he gave his head a small shake. ]

I think I'd rather just fish. [ He admitted, perhaps finally showing a weakness in his armor against Norfinbury. Admitting to the toll it was all taking on him. ]

[tablewithoutpity]

I know. I wish we could both just relax together into the quiet of the stream. I would have liked to have been with you when you made your lure last night.

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

There wasn't much to see. [ Bad joke is bad.

Will made another casting motion with the rod. ] It's much nicer out today.

[ At least Will's mind had decided that so long as he wasn't being distracted by external visual input, it would rebuild the landscape to what it wanted to believe in. His peacoat meant that his torso and arms were warm, just his legs were growing numb, which was something that happened in the river.

So he didn't let it bother him. The way it should have. ]

[tablewithoutpity]

Making the lure must have been difficult, considering the circumstances.

Today is better. However, it is still rather cold, is it not?

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

The river is running a little cool. [ Will admitted. ] Often does around this time of year. Snow is melting down off the mountains feeding this stream.

[ He didn't sound concerned.

When Will's mind built a hallucination, it did a thorough job of it. His imagination drawing from the evidence around him and fitting it into a clear picture.

Only this time the image had nothing to do with the reality. ]

[tablewithoutpity]

Look again, Will. The snow has not fully melted.

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ For the first time, Will appears to respond to Hannibal's verbal prompting. He looks down, right at the snow, at the tablet. It's obvious that he does not see what he is looking at. ]

It's just water, Hannibal.

[tablewithoutpity]

I'm afraid it is not. Your night must have been quite terrible, if it has you retreating so firmly into this mirage of safety. But it is a mirage. And you are not safe. In fact, you are in great danger.

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Will chuckled, in that wry and world weary tone he often used. Usually after Jack had particularly beaten him down. ]

Everyone is in danger, Hannibal. And if you're not in danger, then you are the danger.

[ He makes the motion of casting again. ]

I stand in the river, and catch the largest fish. That same fish who ate smaller fish not even moments before.

Predator and prey, the hunter becomes the hunted. Life is dangerous.

[ But even as he spoke, Will saw the river begin to fill with bodies, rather than the peaceful passing of fish. Bodies with the Prophet's Eye carved into them.

It made him frown, the serenity from moments before fading as a sense of disquiet began to take root. ]

[tablewithoutpity]

[Hannibal tilted his head, noticing the shift in his friend's expression.]

What do you see, Will?