heavensreader | [IC Inbox -- Snowblind]

[ Jim's message several hours before the doors unlock. Now that he's had some kind of sleep he can start to think through their immediate next steps, though he's refusing to go much further than that. First, people need to know. Especially people that might not recognize Kunsel's name when it shows up on the obituary. To that end, Kesara's the first person he calls. He still doesn't have any idea what to say when he presses the record button over Zell's head resting in his lap; maybe that's why he stares stupidly at the video feed for a few awkward seconds before he breaks eye contact with the camera and says, lamely: ]

Hey. Can you message me back when you get this?

[ Knowing how inadequate this is, he rubs his eyes and winces when it touches one of the shallow cuts he'd gotten from the explosion. ]

I've got something important to tell you and I don't want to wait too long.

[When Alfie wakes up to find his hearing completely back to normal, he's relieved enough that it puts him in something that almost resembles a good mood. It's a good enough mood that, while he's walking between buildings, he decides to pull out his tablet and record a little story.]

Right. The Forty Elephants. I told you they have different kinds of raids, yeah? They've got the subtle ones, and they've got the big ones. Well, one day, they send one of their new girls into Whiteleys. As a scout, see - they can't use one of their older members, because if someone recognizable as a Forty Elephant is so much as spotted about, there's a panic. And they don't want a panic just yet. Not until they're ready.

So this girl, she goes inside and starts lifting things. She's new, but she's trained; they've prepared her. She's approached by a cashier at one point, who's a bit suspicious over how long she's lingering without picking anything up to buy. But she gives him the most indignant stare she's got, and tells him, "If you don't trust my word and you don't care about propriety, then search me right now". He doesn't, of course - because he may not trust her, but he does care about how it'd look, a man searching a woman in the middle of a department store. And she knows that, yeah; they all do.

There's another new girl loitering outside, looking like she's doing a bit of window-shopping. First girl gives her the secret signal when she's ready, the one that says it's time. And that's when the rest of them come in. Twenty women, tearing out of an alley and into the shop, all at once, not bothering to hide anymore. They spread out, going off every which way, so the police have got to split up to chase them. A security guard grabs for one, but-- crash! She shoves a display cabinet in front of him, blocking his path. Grabs a couple of necklaces too, while she's at it. Shoves 'em in the inside pockets of her coat, right in front of everybody. Another one switches out her coat for one five times more expensive, and hangs the old one up on the rack next to the fancy ones, as a little joke.

They're there for, oh-- ten minutes. Not all of 'em are faster than the guards, but every one of them is trickier. They don't care about damaging property, and spilled goods and smashed displays are a good distraction. They've all got shoes with rubber soles, better for running on the slippery floors than what the guards have. Imagine the chaos. They're experienced thieves, knowing exactly what they're doing and how to do it best - and all the guards can do is chase them, yeah, and often lose. They started out two steps behind, and the Elephants aren't about to let them catch up. When they leave, they do it on their own terms; they can't be driven out. They end up taking away nearly five thousand pounds' worth of goods. Two get caught and will go to trial, but the rest hop into cars waiting outside and escape, to take their prizes home to count and sell.

And our first girl, the new girl, slips out after them, nobody the wiser.

[He pauses, signaling the end of the story.]

That one's for free.

[ Royce is already out in the snow by the time he sends the message. His voice is hoarse and he sounds tired - maybe a little sad, but mostly angry. ]

Kesara. Still alive?

I will be a few days late.

[Sup, sweetie.]

[Since the days-long lockdown had ended, Alfie has been reaching out to Kesara at least once a day - to hear her updates, to give her his updates, and to just chat and share stories. Usually he's in a pretty light mood, though he often sounds exhausted and a little sick. But today, his voice is serious and heavy - not upset or regretful in any way, but he isn't contacting her with news that's going to be good for her.]

Kesara. Give me a call when you've got a moment, yeah?

[ It takes him a little while to get situated enough that he remembers he should... probably tell Kesara he's alive before she has to see it on the obituary. They haven't spoken in a while. He doesn't want her to find out that way.

So when Emily is asleep, he quietly sends Kesara a message. ]

I died. But I came back. [ He's flat, because it's still something that makes him panicky if he thinks too hard about it. ] You needed to know.

Good morning, Kesara.

[Alfie sounds a little tired today, but mostly all right.]

Listen - I'm gonna travel with Fiona to the clinic by the school, to take her to see Dr. Watson in his state of injury.

[Fiona, by this point, would have been mentioned more than once. She's a good friend, and though he doesn't travel with her as much as he does with Royce and Tifa, they've been spending quite a bit of time together lately.]

She's close to the man, yeah? Wouldn't want her to be on her own just now. So Duster's gonna get to you before me, and I've sent some things along with him. Use what you can and trade what you don't want. Here's a list.

- food
- a hat (top hat, black, not made for warmth but covers the ears if you pull it down far enough)
- a thin shirt (not made for warmth but good for burning or wrapping)
- the head of an axe
- disinfectant wipes
- clear tape
- wood with screws in (not a bad weapon in a pinch)
- a hand mirror
- wire cutters
- matches
- small sticking plasters
- a sponge
- a full-sized curtain (thin, but strip it up for burning or wrapping things)

[Zach, using his tablet stand, has managed to balance his tablet on his raised knees, looking at it with a grin on his face. He's still got a blanket thrown over his chest, and leaning against his shoulder is Steph, deeply absorbed in whatever she's reading on her own tablet. He waves at the camera.]

Hey Kes, checking in as promised. I'm good - I'm very good. Met up with Steph, now, as you can see. It's ridiculously cold today, don't know why, but it definitely got worse. How are the tunnels? Discovered anything cool today?

[He refrains from saying something silly like, I miss you or something. Just no.]

[This has been a hard day with disturbing things seen, it's set him on edge and made him reluctant to just sit on his own in the house all night long with nothing but his own thoughts for company.

So he pulls the tablet towards him, remembering his promise to Kesara, and draws a few things before sending an image attachment of writing in Chinese characters.]

It's time for your lessons to begin.

[ooc: Chinese in italics because I don't speak or write it ooc and don't want to use google translate.]

Six people, eh?

[Someone's been talking to Royce.]

He's dead.

[ The video is pointed at the ceiling of the shed next to the school, an hour or so after lockdown. She can't make herself focus on anything long enough to turn off the video, so she just leaves it. Her voice is distant, bland, like she's not really there. ]

There was nothing I could do.

I'm sorry.

Kesara.

[Alfie's voice will immediately tell her that all is not well - it's weaker than normal, and his breathing is more labored. He sounds lucid, but his words are just slightly less measured than normal - and considering the great lengths he goes to be composed most of the time, even just slightly is still highly abnormal.]

We've-- I've gotten into some trouble, right, in the form of a very sharp piece of wood poking a very deep hole into my gut. We've staunched it, we've done all we can, but there's no coming back from this. I wanted to give you a ring, tell you myself--

[He stifles a groan.]

You keep doing your amazing things, and I will be back soon, if I can.

[Alfie returns after lockdown, over four days after he'd died. The first thing that can be heard when the channel opens is fumbling, followed by a muttered curse in a familiar voice. Then--]

Duster, Tifa, Fiona, Emily, Kesara, Watson - that's six of you, yeah; six of you that should be getting this message. Duster, Tifa, Fiona, Emily, Kesara, John. Can you hear me? I cannot see a fucking thing.

[He sends the same thing to all of them - or, at least, he hopes he does. He doesn't trust the voice commands on his tablet when he can't see for himself that they're working.]

Right. End. Stop. What do I need to--

[It cuts out.]

*Sup smol, he might have a job for you.*

whereare
?

[He's not really sure why he's calling her.

The drugs have really taken hold of his mind, though. He only came around from the surgery about an hour ago, and he immediately took a full dose of Vicodin for the pain, so he's more than a little high right now. Some part of him has just become convinced he was supposed to call her... something about homework?

He doesn't have the coordination for text today, so she gets the rare sound of Bucky using voice over the tablets. Still private. He's quiet, slightly slurred, but only slightly.]

Did you practise?

Kesara are

are you anywhere near your pass

Hi, Kesara. That's your name, right? My name's Claire.

[She smiles at the camera, feeling awkward and yet - this is important. Alfie's right, and if the kid is from a long time ago, she probably thinks her prospects in life are limited, due to the fact that she's a girl, to start with, but mainly because she's black.]

I just wanted to say hello - your name came up in a conversation I've had with Mr Solomons. So I wanted to meet you, introduce myself, and also let you know - I'm a nurse, so if you ever have a need for some medical assistance for you or your own, I'll be very happy to help.

[She doesn't come out and say 'hey look, in the future, we're free and we have jobs and we can marry whoever we want and we walk the streets next to white people without being spat at'. One, it wouldn't be entirely accurate, and two, it's a bit much, to throw at a kid like that.]

[Usually Alfie checks in regularly - to talk, to share or receive information, to plan - so it's a little unusual that it's been a few days since he last called. To be precise, the last time had been on day 164, before Fiona's obituary had gone up. When he calls her now, he sounds a little distracted, but not too terrible on the whole.]

Kesara, Kesara - how are your many projects faring? I've got things for you.

[Tracking down that jumble of letters Kesara has for a username took longer than it rightfully should have. What does that even mean. Gosh.]

hey so you know a lot about the prophet right
this is davesprite
that guy from before who told you who bucky is
im writing a guide to try and consolidate what people actually know about this place and whats going on into something more to the point
instead of making newbies have to schlock through a billion video clips and linked conversations and notes other people wrote about it
and basically i want to know more about who the prophet it is and what shes for so i can put it on there
because i had no idea when i showed up and still dont really get what her purpose is or what she wants

Edited 2016-10-15 11:59 (UTC)

Kesara. Give me a ring, when you can.

[If she can. If she ever comes back.]

[Zach's voice is exhausted. It's weak, cracking on a word or all of them as he speaks, and he sounds worried. It was the worst night; even when he caught up with Kesara, what they did...

It was so wrong. So wrong.]

Are you okay? Kes...

(reply from suspended user) (Show 6 comments)

video, @jphawkins; very early day 119 - filterhax private

@ASolomons; audio; late morning 121

@duster, audio; morning of day 125

@ASolomons; text; morning of 126

@ASolomons; audio; 135

@duster, audio, day 141;

@ASolomons; audio/text; day 144