3rd (lack of) sleep note. Audio at three am but left on the network as always.

[11calls]

[Alex doesn't sleep. It's a problem. So, when she doesn't sleep, she reads the network. That's probably a problem too. But for now, she's focusing on one thing. It's a thing that she probably shouldn't focus on, and that Strand would shake his head at, and it's three in the morning but Alex's chipper, canadian ready for radio voice comes out anyway.]

You know what I love? Ghost stories. It's so weird how there's ghost stories that seem almost universal. Well, [You can hear the smile in her voice here.] Earth-versal I guess? But things like the hitchhiker in the dress that you pick up and then drop off somewhere or she disappears and it turns out that she'd been dead for years and it couldn't have happened. Or the ghosts of children who move cars from where they were tragically killed.

Or dark ladies or monks or banshees that warn of impending doom. Or ghost battles that happen hundreds of years after blood was first spilled on the soil.

[A beat.]

And let's not forget about vengeful ghosts who are going to get you for something you've done wrong in life. There's too many of those to even talk about.

But what I want to know what ghost stories are like in your worlds. You can even tell me your favorite fictional ghost story. Mine is Hamlet. It used to be "A Turn of the Screw" but a friend ruined that by calling it "the best case for apophenia in fiction." So it's not fun anymore.

[And then she laughs.]

Don't worry, I promise not to call anything you've experienced here apophenia. We've all seen way too much for that.

And just in case you don't know, I'm Alex. Alex Reagan.

Comments

video; un:sage

[muskeg]

[ sleep is for the weak. or the sane or... whatever. Sage is not one for normal hours of sleep either. right now, he is cross-legged on the floor of someone's room (his own? the common area? who knows) with a bunch of bits and pieces of plants and rocks around him, complete with sigils and vials. someone is experimenting.

but he stops because this is... interesting. because as far as he knows most ghosts are real, but the way she is phrasing it makes it seem like there is no truth to the things experienced. it makes the witch wonder if there are Earth's where ghosts aren't real things, where banshee's don't lurk in forests and spirits can't curse you for turning down the wrong path in the woods.

leaning in with a furrow of his brow, the witch rests his chin in his hands.] I dunno about Hamlet's dad because history and all, but where I'm from ghosts are real. Banshee's too. Though I guess there are more than a few tales where the truth has been greatly exaggerated over time, like the priestess of the swamp's army of cursed ghosts that is pretty popular. Or the one with the creepy handing dolls...

[ he's from a swamp, okay. this is his jam. ]

[11calls]

[Alex switches to video, because it's only fair, and she's balancing a cup of coffee on one of her knees, and a moleskin notebook on the other. Leaning forward she catches the cup, because she's definitely and not at all subtly studying what Sage is doing. He may have missed her post on magic, but that interest has definitely not gone away in the slightest.]

Ghosts seem to be real on a lot of people's worlds. Maybe on mine too, but it can't be scientifically proven. At least not yet.

[A beat.]

Can I ask what you're doing?

[muskeg]

[ if Sage cares about her peering at his half assed work that is more guesswork and theory than actual magic at this point, he clearly doesn't show it. he snorts at her explanation though, looking more than a little amused.]

There are people who will say that ghosts are not real even when faced with one I have found, people want to believe what they will. No matter what proof might be facing them.

[ magic is well known in his world, is something that everyone knows about, but still-- there are those that argue against it all the time. ]

Mmm? I am working on some new potions and spells. Trying to get used to the magic of this place. It's-- new.

[11calls]

[Alex laughs softly:]

Sounds like you know Dr. Strand. [Even if it was a complete impossibility given how he was doing magic.]

Have you gone to the magical academy? There's all sort of different magical people there.

[muskeg]

Uh, no. Don't know any doctors, except mention of the Strange guy...

[ and that was only in passing, mentions of magic and Sage was still pretty sure someone was pulling his leg. ]

Uh, the Greysomething or other place? [ he should know its name, he should, because:] I work there, potions. It's what I am best at.

[11calls]

He's from back home, actually. He's a friend.

But yeah, that's what I mean. I don't go there myself, but Loki was telling me about it.

[In a different 3am post, because welp, Alex doesn't do the sleep thing.]