[network] @librarian; video; Day 430; [open]

[cahooted]

Hello? Hi.

My name is Flynn Carsen and--

And you all know that. Right. Uh. That's what they told me? This is kind of awkward because apparently people here know me? Which of course isn't mortifying at all, talking to a bunch of people who met you before, it's like all the downsides of a party but then ineffably, somehow, it got worse.

Anyway, I, uh, I need help? A lot of... help, with, uh.

Everything?

[Is this thing still recording? Hopefully so. His hands come up in some frantic gestures.]

See, it's kind of like my first time in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Or in weather below 0. Or in a place without a sun. Or with static in the air? And I'm not saying that I'm freaking out but I am kind of freaking out, a-a-and it's freezing and people keep telling me these impossible things and I don't know what to do, I really need to call my mom?

And if this is the psych department, I did not sign up for any studies and I just think that it's highly unethical and I'm going to report you all to the administration. ... Which... apparently doesn't do much? I've been told that? That's another thing I have been told by, by the guy who knows me?

Right. So, can anyone help?

[He almost puts the tablet away but then remembers something! And up it comes again, his eyes wide with alarm.]

Also! I'm not dead?? Some guy said I was and apparently they were going to bury me alive?! But I'm really not, and if you could please tell the morticians or, or, or whoever else puts people in body bags around here that this is all just one huge misunderstanding!

Comments

@jwatson; audio

[jumpthegun]

[Oh, Flynn...]

How old are you, son?

[cahooted]

Uh.

That is kind of a really weird question while I'm begging for help because I'm freezing to death, is... this important for my immediate survival?

[jumpthegun]

[So quite a bit younger than he is now.]

You're not going to freeze, Flynn. My name's Dr. John Watson. We'll see you're taken care of, but it's going to need to be a lot of you helping yourself for a bit here. We're very spread out. You have a coat, right? And I bet you have a pack with you. Does it have a blanket in it? Or maybe some extra clothes?

[cahooted]

Yeah, there's a bag and some food and I have clothes. Well, rags, rather, it's a lot of... smelly stuff and there is a rug, too, it has a bear head? I think. I may have stolen this from the Natural History exhibition or the biology department...

[He frowns.]

Like in Sherlock Holmes?

[jumpthegun]

[John closes his eyes and counts to five. He silently wills Sherlock and Mycroft to avoid responding to this.]

Yeah! My parents were big fans.

And they might be smelly, but those rags will keep you warm if you stuff them up your sleeves or into your trousers. You can also wrap them around your hands and feet. The rug should be good blanket, too. You won't be getting in trouble for having it.

@clowncutie92; video

[clowngirl]

Don't worry! It'll all come back to ya, sweetie.

Just try and stay warm.

[cahooted]

[Oh!

Oh. Act naturally.]

Hi!

[Hah. Aced that!]

So it's temporary? I am so glad to hear that!

... I think. I mean, apparently this place is pretty awful?

[clowngirl]

[She gives him a little wave!]

It's super awful, but the folks here ain't so bad. I'm Harley Quinn, we're totally good pals. You can probably trust me and everything.

[cahooted]

[And he waves back!]

We are? Are you sure about that? Uh, how did that happen? It's just, I might take some notes...

[Look, he'll buy into the AD 3000 snowy wasteland but having so many friends? That's just a little outlandish?]

@Spoiler; video

[spoileralert]

Okay, whoever told you they were going to bury you, ignore that person. Nobody's going to bury you, you're gonna be fine.

[cahooted]

I woke up in a morgue. What else were they gonna do to me?

[A horrified pause.]

Oh my God, were they gonna burn me!?

[spoileralert]

No! No. We're just really low on hospital beds.

[cahooted]

Oh.

That's--

Still extremely weird and terrifying but marginally better?

@Summoner | Video

[ninjainviolet]

Everything will be okay.

People will help you get through this.

Are you where you woke up right now?

[cahooted]

[Okay, this place sucks but the people are really nice?]

Hey, that's pretty nice, thanks.

No, I was in a morgue and then I freaked out because, you know, a morgue, and I answered some messages and then I got really confused and then I left the morgue – because morgue – and now I'm in another house.

But it was super cold and now I'm freezing.

[ninjainviolet]

It's no problem. We've all been there, so we can help.

[ Sheena gives him an encouraging smile. ]

Good. The was the right thing to do. Now, unfortunately, you won't be able to get out of the house past a certain time--but that's actually a good thing. It gets even colder outside at night.

Do you have anything with you that you can put on to keep warm?

[cahooted]

I have a rug. It smells pretty bad but it has fake fur?

Summoner, is that your class?

@curiouschloride | video

[motherserpent]

[Hello, have a video of a troubled-looking woman you don't know. There's a feathered snake poking his nose out of the neck of her coat.]

...Hi Flynn. I don't. Know if I can help.

[She blinks, squeezing her eyes shut, seeming frustrated by something.]

Fuck. It's Tess, my name is Tess.

[cahooted]

Hi Tess.

[He awkwardly stares at the screen for a moment.]

Are... are you okay?

... There's a snake on you.

[He just thinks you should know?]

[motherserpent]

I don't think I am. But that's just a thing, you know?

[She shrugs, glancing off camera. This was dumb. Should she hang up? No, that's rude. But. Hmm. Maybe she should hang up.

She doesn't hang up.]

Oh! Yeah, I do. Sorry, I used to hide him when people weren't, um, used to him. His name's Roy, like Roy-G-Biv. He's a good boy, mostly.

[cahooted]

I'm glad to hear it? That he's a good boy, not that you are... right. Uh, so, what kind is he? I've never... seen anything like him before.

[He leans in closer to the screen. It almost looks like depictions in his books...

Oh, wait.]

Why aren't you okay?

@LELRIC; audio

[armoured]

[Memory loss prices are the worst, it can just leave the person in danger of dying again because they don't remember the rules of survival here.]

It's okay, calm down.

[A child's voice sounds soothing in this situation, right?]

You're going to be okay, we'll all help you, but you need to stay as calm as possible.

[cahooted]

[... You know what, he'll take it.

Finally someone closer to his age and if they can survive here surely so... can... he...?]

Thanks, I'm, I'm really trying. Everyone's really helpful and I think I've moved on from hysteria to low-key panic? Hi.

[armoured]

That's better, I guess?

[Maybe? At least Flynn sounds like he's amenable to accepting help, and not accusing them all of interdimensional kidnapping.]

My name is Al, and I've been here a long time so I can definitely help you. Can you tell me if you have any food on you? Because if not, that should definitely be our priority.

[cahooted]

I guess. Yeah.

[Flynn rummages through his bag, muttering to himself and eventually holds up two bags from the vending machines.]

I have some snacks? It's not much.