sadfreezingbrit_archive (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sadfreezingbrit_archive) wrote2010-09-29 03:06 pm
sadfreezingbrit_archive) wrote2010-09-29 03:06 pm
An accidental video on the fifth floor [1/??? artefacts collected]
What--
[ Philip looks around, running his gloved hands along the wall. Where is the destruction? The decay? The ice? ]
No. No, this is not...
This can't be...
[ The door he came through is not the door he came through. And the frozen landscape behind that door? Is suddenly a warm corridor with a nice, carpeted floor.]
Where am I?
{ We're not in Kansas anymore, that's for sure. Not that you've ever been, far as I can tell. Heh, not that you're missin' out on much... }
What did you do?!
{ Calm down, monkey. For once in my life I'm just as clueless as you are and I've been around for a while, so that's sayin' somethin'. }
Turn it back!!
{ Now listen here: You can either go on yapping and blame it all on Clarence till you're blue in the face, or you can get a grip and have a look around. }
Turn it back...
{ Oh, and one more thing: How about you get rid of those gloves? We're obviously not below zero anymore and I'm sure you'd hate to have your monkey palms all sweaty when you shake hands with whoever brought you here. }
Oh God...
[ Philip looks around, running his gloved hands along the wall. Where is the destruction? The decay? The ice? ]
No. No, this is not...
This can't be...
[ The door he came through is not the door he came through. And the frozen landscape behind that door? Is suddenly a warm corridor with a nice, carpeted floor.]
Where am I?
{ We're not in Kansas anymore, that's for sure. Not that you've ever been, far as I can tell. Heh, not that you're missin' out on much... }
What did you do?!
{ Calm down, monkey. For once in my life I'm just as clueless as you are and I've been around for a while, so that's sayin' somethin'. }
Turn it back!!
{ Now listen here: You can either go on yapping and blame it all on Clarence till you're blue in the face, or you can get a grip and have a look around. }
Turn it back...
{ Oh, and one more thing: How about you get rid of those gloves? We're obviously not below zero anymore and I'm sure you'd hate to have your monkey palms all sweaty when you shake hands with whoever brought you here. }
Oh God...
[ACTION]
NoNOnoNO, wait!
[ An Infected wouldn't say that! Or would it? This has to be a human! Another human, a person, A PERSON!!! Or not?
Philip storms out of the closet, bumping into crates, falling over boxes, suddenly not welcoming the layout at all, but the magical room doesn't have time to catch up.
Neither do his doubts as he tumbles, trips and falls through the door, onto the floor. ]
Wait, wait!
Oww...
[ACTION]
Philip's tumble provokes just enough sympathy to make Alex hold his tongue, but don't think that means he isn't linefacing like a champion. ]
[ACTION]
[ He scrambles to his feet, looking up at Alex. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was convinced that he'd only be running into the arms of another naked monster, but... but this a person! A PERSON! ]
You're a...
[ In the mines lonliness turned a madman into his best friend in a matter of hours. In wherever this is he is now looking directly at another human being for what feels like the first time in ages and all he can do is gape as tears of joy well up in his eyes. ]
Oh God. Jesus. Oh God, thank God...
[ACTION]
[ He's a what?
Okay. Either the man's having some kind of psychotic breakdown, or... well, he seems to have been expecting someone or something very different, and this place does have its nasty habit of grabbing people without warning. ]
Crap.
[ Or both could be true! Alex is a little freaked out, honestly.
(He's a what?) ]
Hey... chill.
[ (It behooves the narration to mention that Phil may notice the small metal wasp clipped onto Alex's t-shirt at the shoulder.) ]
[ACTION]
[ Philip twitches at the choice of his vocabulary, but pulls himself together with a few deep breaths. ]
You... [ Another laugh of insane relief escapes him. Deep breath. ] you wouldn't believe how glad I am to... to see you.
{ Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get on your knees and propose, why dontcha? ...If you're just about done fawning over your new monkey friend here, how 'bout you ask four-eyes where the hell we are? }
[ Philip's smile falters. ]
...where we are.
[ That... is a surprisingly good point, although it's even more surprising that Clarence seems genuinely clueless. And a bit worrying, too. ]
Where are--
Am. Where am I?
[ACTION]
A single, unconscious step backwards, and his voice flattens out. ]
The mansion. In Wonderland. You won't have heard of it.
[ACTION]
Slowly his euphoria fades away and as it does he begins to notice Alex's behaviour and he isn't sure he likes it. ]
I was at the Shelter before. [ He pauses. Adds: ] Greenland.
Is this another research station?
[ And then something else occurs to him. This... feeling. This feeling of being pulled somewhere and ending up trapped with other people. He asks, but this time it doesn't seem like he's addressing Alex. ]
Is this where the artefacts lead?!
{ Tch. This dump?! Don't make me laugh. }
[ACTION]
...Then his mind races to make heads or tails of that last question, and for a weird moment he think that maybe Philip means visual artefacts, which - ]
What kind of artefacts?
[ACTION]
It was... I think... 46, or... I'm not so- hang on.
[ He reaches for his notebook, suddenly remembering that he's still wearing thick gloves and... a few other items that don't really go with a well-heated corridor. He takes them off and flips through the documents he gathered. ]
66b. I believe it was 66b.
[ACTION]
[ Alex wouldn't have a clue what Philip was talking about even if he could read the man's narration. There's a touch of confusion on his face and in his voice, and more than a touch of wariness. ]
[ACTION]
You don't know?
[ACTION]
This is insane. In all likelyhood literally.
Paaause.
Flatly: ] Look, you're not wherever you were, and whatever you're worried about isn't what brought you here.
[ Only Alex gets to blame stuff from his world for his arrival at the mansion! Obviously. ]
[ACTION]
[ACTION]
To be honest, all that's keeping Alex from beating a hasty retreat is the fact that this guy is obviously new, and therefore kind of as in need of assistance as he'll ever be.
At least, if he's totally nutters, this might be easier to take? ]
People get brought here and stuck here, basically. Just try not to think about it.
[ACTION]
How do I get back?! How do I notthink about it?
[ACTION]
...Sorry.
It's... the place or someone teleports people here and then keeps them from leaving. There's an uncrossable forest and stuff.
There's food and beds and stuff.
...And sometimes people get teleported out again.
[ACTION]
[ That really shouldn't be his first reaction. In fact, it shouldn't be on his list of reactions at all, but he isn't freezing and he didn't think he'd talk to a sane [snerrrrk] person ever again, he didn't think he--
He likes this place, at least what little he knows of it so far, compared to the Shelter this is heaven, but Clarence is with him and Amabel is not and that simply won't do. ]
I have to--
[ Clarence didn't interrupt them so far. He doesn't know much more than Philip does and answers are appreciated, but boring monkey talk is not on the list of things he's currently interested in.
Philip hears the chirping before he sees the animal. Eight thin legs, scurrying towards Alex at high speed and he doesn't hear? he doesn't see and-- ]
Watch out!
[ACTION]
But he doesn't get a chance, because HOLY SHIT IS THERE SOMETHING BEHIND HIM? Alex's eyes widen, he spins round and at the same time takes a step back, light on his feet as he's already preparing to run --
-- there's nothing there. He even stares about to make sure. Nothing.
Catching his breath, he glares at Phil. ]
What. The fuck.
[ACTION]
In his head a familiar voice laughs. In his head a familiar voice mocks him, wondering how many times he is going to fall for the same trick.
Outside his mouth is agape and when Alex turns around, all he can do is stare. ]
I- I'm s--
I'm sorry, I--
I just...
[ He trails off, struggling with the moment before, struggling with the explanation he's supposed to give now. Finally the words come, but they are forced and whatever inflection he's supposed to apply to make it sound even remotely credible is not working. ]
I'm sorry. I saw-- I thought I saw something. Guess I didn't.
[ACTION]
And Alex does not want to deal with that. ]
Look -
[ He's already taking another step back, turning on his heel, his arms wrapped around the books as though shielding himself. ]
Go see a doctor.
[ There's some hesitation about turning his back on Philip, but then he's walking briskly away, head down. ]
[ACTION]
[ Seriously? Come on, try again. ]
Wait!
[ Better. ]
I'm not--
[ He follows Alex for a few steps before stopping, as if his battery just ran out. ]
I'm not insane.
[ You know what would probably help? Sounding as if you actually believe yourself. ]