[network] @claytonator; Exploring; Day 004 [open] [eventual death by exposure]

[dr_unconscious]

[late afternoon - video/text]

[The post starts off as a live, shot-by-shot documentation of the area Clayton has decided to explore. He's on his way to the mysterious dot of a building he saw from the balcony in house 88, where he first woke up; apart from house 83, which just happened to be close enough to scout, Clayton knows no other landmarks to look for. With what he assumes is most of the supplies he's willing to take salvaged from 88 and 83, and his makeshift shoes damp and falling apart, he decides that there's not much else to do except go for it and hope for the best.]

[For the entire morning, there's nothing to report. It's all snow. Clayton keeps himself occupied by checking other posts on the network, but otherwise he's silent.]

[By mid-afternoon, he runs into the graveyard.]

[This is worthy of some footage. Clayton posts two of them; the first is a short one, a panning around as he comes in through the front to show off the size and general state of things. His commentary is sparse--he's cold and tired and this place is kind of creepy.]

Found this...guess every town's gotta have one, eh? [He zooms in on a tombstone, here. It's unrecognizably worn.] Looks real old. If anybody died after whatever happened to drive 'em all out, I reckon they ain't buried 'em here.

[Some time later there is a much shorter video. No sound from Clayton, save his quick, somewhat labored breathing in the background as he slowly pans around him. A thick mist has settled in. He can't see it apart from on the video, but Clayton doesn't think to make a note of that before he ends it.]

[Much later, there are pictures. He's found a chapel of some sort--indeterminate Christian denomination, about as old as the graveyard, fairly small. There's a picture of the outside, followed by several more of the inside, the pews, the stained glass windows, the hall leading to the bed and bathrooms, and last, a stairwell down to a set of closed doors.]

[There isn't anything else for a bit longer after that. Then, a text post. No pictures. Something feels really wrong about posting public pictures of a dead guy, or a morgue in general.]

I found where they're keeping Klaus.

[after lockout - video]

[There's another long band of silence following Clayton's escape from the chapel. Driven out by the suffocatingly unpleasant atmosphere, he continued heading south in the hopes that there would be another side of town to explore beyond it.]

[By the time it gets dark, he has not located that side of town.]

[It's well past the time that Clayton's noted the doors on the houses lock, but he's still walking anyways. Maybe it's not all the houses? Maybe he'll find part of a house that offers enough shelter to sit in, but doesn't have a door? He can remain hopeful!]

[No such luck there, either. The wind is picking up and the strength is rapidly leaving his legs. He has to sit down. He'll freeze to death if he keeps himself exposed like this. A snowbank, maybe...]

[When Clayton decides to turn on the network for the last time, he's managed to dig out a shallow depression in the side of a small pile of snow, which is just enough to huddle within and give the illusion of shelter without actually doing anything to prevent the cutting bite of the cold. Clayton has jammed the tablet in the ice near his face so he can keep his hands tucked in his coat. He's resting his head, hair laden with frost, on his backpack, which smells irritatingly strongly of cat food. He doesn't look very comfortable.]

[But he is, as usual, smiling.]

Ah...sorry 'bout this. I know it's late. Ain't sure who's even up... [Clayton shakes his head.] ...Think I got kinda sidetracked. Gonna have to camp out tonight.

[He bites his lip through a grin. In his pajamas and a coat and some wet foam shoes, Clayton is pretty sure he knows how this is going to end. Doesn't mean he has to accept it, though.]

Could do with somebody to talk to, if y'all 'll humor me. Swaps stories, I dunno. Just...don't think I should be fallin' asleep right now.

Comments

after lockout; voice

[armoured]

[Al feels a thrill of shock, followed by sadness, and finally anger. When he sees Clayton outside in the snow, he knows what it means immediately. He might be optimistic by nature, but he's no fool, and he doesn't ignore reality.

The doors lock at night, they know this by now, and the temperature out there must be already at dangerous levels. Clayton already looks in trouble, and Al can't even help. He feels so impotent, and it makes him actually shout for once.]

What were you thinking?! Why didn't you make sure to stay in shelter? How could you-- This isn't right.

voice

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton almost audibly winces.]

You're right, Al. I'm sorry. Should've tried to stay in that church longer... [He trails off and quickly becomes distracted.] ...It was darn...oppressive in there. I can't even think ah how to describe it. Never felt anything quite like that.

After Lockout: Video; ID: technicalities

[tadashiwashere]

[Tadashi was working his way toward going to bed. Mochi had climbed into his lap after finishing his rationed cat food (which he'd yowled about for a good ten minutes before grudgingly accepting that there wasn't more coming) and was now napping quietly. The night is cold again and, like the previous nights, Tadashi hasn't taken off his coat. It's just too cold, even with his cardigan on underneath it.]

[He opens up the network one last time after his final replies on his own entry. And he sees Clayton's video. Fully awake now, Tadashi scrambles to turn his own video on in reply, eyes wide in alarm and worry.]

This is Tadashi Hamada -- are you still there?

video

[dr_unconscious]

[When Clayton's own video feed turns back on to respond, it looks like he's just woken up. His eyes are heavy and take a few seconds to refocus on the screen, after he reaches out to brush the snow off of it.]

Yeah, 'm still here. [Clayton's mouth twitches into a lazy smile.] Tadashi...you're the fellah with that cat, ain't ya? What's their name?

after lockout; video; ID: starspangledhero

[fifty]

What, you're outside? [America had paid enough attention to Steph's survey results to know who his citizens were, so while America had been settling down under his dinosaur blanket to maybe try and sleep, this gets him sitting up again.] There's no like, half houses you could hide in?

video

[dr_unconscious]

Either outside or in one helluvah cold house, yeah. [HUMOR, DAMMIT. Clayton chuckles in a weak attempt to bolster his own joke.] Ah...'fraid not. Ain't seen nothin' 'round fer a few hours now, 'cept a lake. 'Course, snow's gettin' so bad I can hardly see what's half a hair frontta my nose, ya know?

private audio;

[spoileralert]

[ Yeah there's no chance Steph is going to sleep after this. She thinks about the baby Clem was responsible for, either frozen to death here or alone and dying back in zombie universe. She's quickly reaching the point where fear and despair are turning into a fierce rage.

She keeps to audio and filters the message because she doesn't know what she's going to end up saying. If she breaks down she doesn't want anyone else seeing it. Her voice is quiet. ]

Why don't you tell me more about your brother?

audio

[dr_unconscious]

Steph...

[Clayton compulsively sniffs, either from the cold or something else, he can't make the distinction. The fact that this is a private discussion, the tone of Stephanie's voice and what Clayton knows about her, all make him slip into an entirely different, more remorseful and ultimately frightened state of mind. Putting on a positive public face, after all, takes a lot of energy that would best be reserved for the things that are in public.]

...You ain't gotta do this, Steph.

after lockout; voice; ID: TW

[maskintape]

I'm still up.

[ And completely at a loss for what to say. Can this be one of his hallucinations, please? That'd be great. ]

I don't... uh. Wow, you're. Not having the greatest day around, huh.

[ Way to go, Tim. Way to fucking go. ]

voice

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton lets out a single bark of laughter. He can't help himself.]

Can't say I had much worse, I'll tell ya that! [A beat.] ...Though there was that one time, with that real cute intern... [Clayton no]

after lockout. video. ID: aldraper

[ployboy]

You're a doctor, aren't you?

[Unlike that Klaus fellow, this guy's at least now got an audience. They have to step up their game. He has to do more.

This isn't right.]

Listen, you need to keep the camera rolling.

video

[dr_unconscious]

[Clayton slowly nods. This is an answer to both questions; yes, he's a doctor, and yes, he was planning on keeping the camera going anyways. Maybe not after death, no, but it's not like he'll be in a position to turn it off. It'll happen whether he wants it to or not.]

[He ends up verbally affirming his answer to the former.] Yeah, yeah, I'm a doctor. 'Mergency physician. Been licensed and practicin' fer two years now. Why d'ya ask?

after lockout; video; ID: Greed

[ossifragant]

There has to be a place you can hide. I found a house... two days ago. It had holes all over the place; I'm sure you could find a way inside.

[He's trying, very hard, to keep the panic out of his voice. This is a stranger, he doesn't really care about this guy, not exactly.

But someone has already died.]

Keep talking. You need to keep talking.

video

[dr_unconscious]

Don't you worry 'bout that, ah... [He squints at the screen and his face lights up in recognition.] ...Greed! You're Al's buddy. Nice to meet ya. [Okay, okay, distraction over. Distractions are becoming a real problem right now, he's noticed.] Don't you worry 'bout talkin'. I'm good at talkin'.

[Clayton flashes his teeth in embarrassment and shakes his head.] ...Ain't so lucky with the houses, though. Ain't seen nothin' but snow fer an age. Few hours, least. 'Less I passed one an' didn't see it.

@ishtar; video, after lockout

[prochronistic]

[Her video comes from just in front of the balcony on the second floor of the house she's in. There's an expression on her face like she very much wants to break the glass and head outside to go search for him, but that wouldn't end well.

She's keeping an eye out anyway, not that she can see much between the snow and the darkness.]

If you can, keep moving... I'll talk to you while you are if you want, but maybe someone nearby can get you in through a window or something! [That won't work and there's a part of her, deep down, that knows it; she'd tried and failed to go outside in the night before, and somehow she doesn't think they'd overlook something like that.] What kind of stories do you want to hear? Or... tell, if you'd rather.

video

[dr_unconscious]

[A balcony? From the angle her camera's at, Clayton can't help but find the scene strangely familiar. This, combined with his general lack of focus from the cold, has Clayton very distracted.]

Just about done all the walkin' I can do today, I reckon. Ain't safe to try an' wander out in weather like this.

[The irony completely escapes him as he trails off, staring and squinting oddly at the screen, until finally he shakes himself out of it.]

...If you don't mind my askin', where're you at? Two-story house, yeah? That's a balcony you're standin' next to?

lockout - video id: thelonewanderer

[vaultexile]

[Hope swears mentally. She's had enough practice with the doors even this early to know that nothing will budge them. She doesn't want this person to die. She hates people dying and she's talked to this guy at least once. She tries to offer up a smile though, keep up the mask.]

No....falling asleep is the last thing you want. You should...try to build a snow cave. I think the snow might make some good insulation. ...And we can trade stories. I've... got a lot of good ones.

video

[dr_unconscious]

[The mask is good, Clayton can appreciate the mask. He smiles gently back to encourage her.]

That's what I was thinkin'. Snow don't stick as good as I'd like, though. Blows away 'fore I can pile it too high. [Clayton makes a small gesture, a jerk of his chin, like he's trying to point at something.] This's 'bout as good as it gets, seems like.

[But that's enough discussing the inevitable.]

Do ya now? Fer somebody young as yourself? [Clayton chuckles.] You start, then. I gotta hear this.

yet another after lockout, video;

[croi]

[Because who would turn away from someone dying on the network?] Can't move anymore?

[The clowns suddenly don't seem as bad anymore.]

video

[dr_unconscious]

[It's an attraction, to be sure! Clayton doesn't appear to mind it so much. He huffs in an attempt at laughter.]

If I could, don't think it would do me much good. I'd freeze in minutes tryin'ta walk 'round in this mess.

[Which...he's going to anyways, eventually...but let's not linger on that.]

Don't think I've seen you yet. What's your name? When'd you get here?

after lockout; video

[figureitout]

[Stiles notices this too late. Too late to warn him not to spend too much time in the graveyard, to tell him there's nowhere to stay there, tell him to run back up as fast as you can, Clayton, come on man-- too late.]

... Clayton, oh my god. You- you should've...

[In the video, Stiles shakes his head, swallows. Runs a hand over his face. Jesus, this isn't his fault for not thinking of telling him (telling anyone, really) about the graveyard... but it's too easy to feel like it is.]

video

[dr_unconscious]

[Stiles looks distressed, and that's no good. Clayton's brow crinkles in sympathy.]

Hey, hey, calm down. I know it don't look great, but you can't stress yourself over it, alright? Won't do nobody any good.

[He pauses and squints at the screen. Grief, Clayton's seen a lot of, but Stiles look...distinctly guilty about this. How unusual.]

Somethin' else the matter, bud?

after lockout, voice

[apolly]

[well, at least the panic definitely does hit at full force. this is the first time, at least on apollo's end, that someone's lockout was recorded for the entire network to see. and it's... he's used to death, yes, but—]

Why would you stay out...!? Don't you see a building or anything?

voice

[dr_unconscious]

[Whoops. Clayton makes a reluctant sort of noise, like a wince.]

Sorry...was hopin' I would run into somethin' on the other side of the church 'fore it got so late. My fault--shoulda figured there weren't any buildin's 'round it, from the view ah things. [There's an alarmingly long pause as he thinks.] ...Maybe 'cause of the lake? Hrm...

c-c-combo breaker - late afternoon; id clem; text

[neverbitten]

can you tell how he died?

[She's hoping the answer will be a bullet in the head. And also wants to ask if he is, or was, a walker, but she won't yet.]

text

[dr_unconscious]

[There's a noticeable pause in how long it takes Clayton to respond. He's trying to get the door to the storage shelf open, to no avail.]

Afraid not. I only have a small viewing window and he's in a body bag, but there's definitely a body here and it's the only one in this morgue. No obvious signs of death or other markers.

after lockout if I'm not too late; video; ID: Zelda

[sageprincess]

Clayton...

[She can't quite stop her voice from cracking as she turns on the feed. You were supposed to prove to me you were real, rests on the tip of her tongue, but there's not much point in scolding a dead man besides to be cruel, is there. She doesn't know him, not really, but he had been so kind, even if she had difficulties accepting his kindness. He doesn't deserve this.]

What... What kind or story would you like to hear?

not too late! - video

[dr_unconscious]

[She doesn't have to say it for Clayton to know and remember. A small, rueful smile twitches at the corners of his chapped lips. There he goes again, making promises he knows he can't keep. Maybe she'll find his body later and he can prove it that way.]

[Maybe that joke is in poor taste. Clayton keeps it to himself.]

Somethin' to warm me up. [Okay, he'll allow himself that one. Clayton chuckles and his eyes flutter closed, taking his time in regaining his composure.] ...How 'bout you tell me what home's like? "Hyrule," right?