Voice. (possible action outside of the wall) | un: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[It's been... a hell of a last two weeks for Laura. She had woken up with a chunk of memory inexplicably gone, uninjured as always, and yet — the faintest scent of blood under her scrubbed nails. She wasn't in a hospital, but some big room with heavy doors and Linda the social worker; her head was bandaged, her look one of bone-deep concern as she sits beside the girl.

Oh. The memory of her recapture sits heavy in her gut. The collar, the chair, the network recording, just before everything vanished from her mind. Linda runs a hand through her hair and explains things basically: Shiloh came, he took her, and he used something on her to control her. But it's fine now — all fine, his body was found, he can't do anything anymore.

Laura looks tiredly skeptical at the whole thing. She asks if she killed anybody. Linda dodges the question, which is answer enough. "We just... what he used might still be in effect, so we're making sure you're back to yourself." Linda knows her bad history with rooms like this. Maybe it's why it's so big and spacious.

But she stays, and days pass, and she's not sure what happens outside. She just knows people are dead, and she hasn't any clue who. There's something terrifying about not remembering if you took a life, even if such an act is too easy for someone like her.

When she's finally cleared to leave, there's a paranoia in her that maybe she isn't.

So she steers clear and packs a bag and runs away into the woods. But she at least leaves Linda little note this time, so she doesn't pull her hair out panicking. Out there where she can find comfort in isolation, she makes herself known on the network; she doesn't use text. It feels like an easy out.]

I do not remember... what happened. I know a man did something to make me hurt people, but...

[A pause, heavy and unsure how to proceed; but the guilt is there to carry her forward.]

I am sorry for any pain or suffering I caused.

I will be staying outside the wall for a little while, to make sure I am not a danger.

[She thought she'd maybe figure out something to say after that, but...

Her mouth just sort of freezes there.]

Comments

[11calls]

Of course. I wouldn’t offer it to you if I didn’t trust you with it, Laura. If I had my game boy here I’d bring that too but it wasn’t in my bags when I was at home so I don’t have it here.

[An oversight on her part honestly.]

There’s some books on my iPad too if you want.

[shoplifter]

[A cock of her head, childish interest growing in her eyes.]

A 'game boy'?

[She's not gonna assume it's a tiny boy you play games with, but you know.

It's a funny name.]

[11calls]

Yeah. It’s what they call this portable video game thing. But I’d been playing Pokémon on my phone instead.

[She doesn't have a problem. She just convinced Tony Stark to make it here. That's fine.]

[shoplifter]

There is Pokémon on our phones?

¿Dónde está Pokémon?

[11calls]

It a game where you catch Pokémon. They’re like little creatures that do battle for you. Fake ones anyway. And they just fight other fake ones. I asked Tony to make the game months ago.

When you come back to town I’ll show you how to play it if you like.

[shoplifter]

[Her brows raise.]

You would?

[It's — just a really nice offer after everything that's happened, anyway.]

[11calls]

Of course. You’re someone I care about Laura. And when you’re ready to come back we’ll be here for you.

[shoplifter]

Thank you, Alex. Sometimes it's easy to forget, that people will be there.

[11calls]

Of course, Laura. So I'll be out later today with some stuff, alright? Do you want to meet me at the gate? Just outside of it?

[So Laura has some privacy about where she's camping, Alex means.]

[shoplifter]

I can do that, yes.

And that way, I can keep you protected, in case of monsters.

[11calls]

Okay, that sounds like a good idea.

Are you sure you don't need anything else?

[shoplifter]

... Junk food?

[She smiles slightly, a little lighter.]

[11calls]

I can do some junk food. Any particular sort you want or should I just go shopping like I’m on a road trip with an unlimited budget?

[ie the only way to go on a road trip.]

[shoplifter]

I like the idea of this 'unlimited budget'.

[11calls]

Yeah we do too. Nic and I don’t do it on every trip but sometimes you can’t help it and just gotta blow a bunch of money on junk.

[shoplifter]

[Ohooo, something new to learn.]

Nic?

[11calls]

Yeah, he's my best friend back home. Sort of my boss too, but mostly my best friend. We've been friends since college.

[There's a little sadness in her voice, because she misses Nic, but would seriously rather that he never ended up here for various reasons, including their last conversation.]

[shoplifter]

[College...? Now there's something she doesn't see herself going to.]

What is he like?

[Maybe asking isn't the right thing, with that trickle of sadness in her tone, but... maybe it's also good, to remember the things you care about back home.]

[11calls]

He’s... [for a moment Alex doesn’t know what to say about him. There’s still some sadness in her voice and even though things are better than last year, Alex knows that she broke something when the two of them were so at odds.]

He’s sweet normally. But he’s a bulldog with things sometimes too. He normally has my back.

[shoplifter]

You two are having a disagreement.

[If it quacks like a duck...]

[11calls]

Yeah, we are. Well, we were. But sometimes that happens with friends.

[shoplifter]

Is it something normal friends disagree about?

[11calls]

Sometimes.

[Sometimes people don't approve of the friend's romantic partners but at the same time they don't flat out and accuse them of being evil and leading you to your doom in a far off country with demons.]

[shoplifter]

You will make up with each other, though, yes?

[11calls]

Oh yeah, of course! I mean, we've definitely gone through worse things than this, and he's forgiven me for em, so I'm really not worried about it.

[And if he doesn't... Alex will be sad but she's not going to change. She's made her path and she loves Richard, and she's not going to stop.]