( 14 ) video ✶ into the water let it pull him under don’t you lift him let him drown alive

[unparental]

[ the feed opens on two pairs of feet; one large, one smaller. then jenna's voice comes through. ]

Tell you what. I'm going to leave you here, with this broadcasting-- [ the shot jerks a little, exposing an empty and spotless kitchen. ] and that way you can have something to talk to while I try and figure out where we are right now. I'll be back in a flash, you've seen how fast I can move now, and you know I'll hear you. Okay?

[ not waiting for an answer, jenna presses her comm into desmond’s hand and brings it up a little, so his chest is in frame, squeezing his shoulder with her other hand. ] I'll be right back, I promise.

Right. [Desmond sounds... Well shellshocked and crazy pretty much covers it. You can hear him swallow in that sort of pained, half-panting way, like he's out of breath and can't quite manage to calm himself down.] Assuming anyone's still out there, yeah? [He might be talking to Jenna, but she’s already gone. The comm shifts violently, flashing to Desmond’s face for only a half second (long enough to see he has both eyes and doesn't seem to be missing anything vital) and then to the ceiling and then back to the floor.] I don't understand what more it wants from me. Three bloody years of my life, pushing a damned button wasn't enough. I've been to the heart. I saw the light again. It was supposed to put me back. It was supposed to- [The camera swings by so fast you can easily tell that Desmond was gearing up to smash it against the nearest wall before-]

--whoa whoa, hey. Hey, it's okay. It's okay, I'm right here. Des? Desmond? [ she crouches down, taking the comm back into her own hands and setting it on the counter, where it films the tops of their heads for the moment. ] We're fine, look. We're even back in the main part of the ship, so that trek back is cancelled. I'm--

[ she pauses, hand reaching up into the picture again as she reaches for the comm, setting in on her upraised knees so it's more or less centered on the two of them, looking a whole lot worse for the wear. ]

If someone could prove big brother is always watching and figure out what floor we're on for me, that would be great. Who needs civil liberties, anyway? --don't get any extra ideas, Nathan. [ there's a tinge of forced, unnatural cheer to her tone, and her gaze darts over to desmond every few moments as if she needs to make sure he's there and fine. ] And maybe whoever pulls rescue duty, bring him something with a lot of sugar in it? That would be great.

[Desmond rubs his face, weary.] Someone tell Tyke I found what I was lookin' for, yeah? It's all true.

[ she inhales, about to add something else; then she shakes her head, lips pressed together in a tired line and jabs the off button. ]



( ooc | they're on floor thirty eight, where they were dumped after being rescued by ward from some Seriously Bad Metaplot Shit. colors for ease: jenna and desmond. )

Comments

video; w/e have both

[growling]

[ Well, shit. He doesn't look amazing either, having just gotten over the whole rat sickness thing, but at least he looks sane. His first thought is that they were lost in the hallways like everyone else, but there's something off about it; everyone else was dumped out in the same location and found their way back, even if said way was through a horde of monsters. ]

Does anyone have a lock on your location yet? And secondary to that, because I guess this is moot without it, but - do either of you need medical attention?

video; um where's nathan, melissa?

[unparental]

Desmond might, I don't-- I'm fine.

[ disoriented, but fine. ]

video; having a wank somewhere

[growling]

[ He's trying to get their location, but he's never actually used the comms for that, so forgive the complete lack of know-how. ]

Can you tell me what happened to him?

video; rood why isn't he tagging this post

[unparental]

[ josh why won't you save them ;; ]

He-- we-- god. [ there's some real panic simmering, here. ] I'm not joining club cryptic, I just really don't know.

video; because he's wanking!! does jenna want a visual or

[growling]

[ HE'S TRYING OKAY and failing sorry bro ]

It's okay. [ Except it's not, because he's had enough of this 'not knowing' bullshit from other people who shall not be named. ]

Just try to stay calm, alright? You're fine now, you're back.

video; i double dog dare you

[unparental]

Have you ever been surfing? Or ocean swimming.

[ bear with her, josh. ]

video; don't tempt me frodo

[growling]

Not lately, no. Why?

[ Bearing with. He wants her to keep talking, anyway, it's good for staying calm. ]

video; DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT

[unparental]

But when you did, did you ever get rolled by a wave?

video; locked 100% also chris is going to be distressed

[growling]

... no, but I think I see what you're getting at.

Can you talk now? [ Meaning he's here to listen; now or later. ]

video; locked 100% she will laugh also i motherfucking TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU

[unparental]

That would probably be good, yeah.

...I don't know what it was, but that's what it felt like. Like, before your brain catches up and your lungs start burning? The scary-peaceful moment where everything is one color and you can't tell time passing or direction and it feels like that's all there is.

video; locked 100% sighs loudly

[growling]

[ Yeah, he knows that feeling pretty well, though it usually happened in the woods instead of in the ocean. ]

You're sure you're safe now? All in one piece? Mostly in control of your own brain?

I mean - I wish I could do more to help, but - your head's above water, right?

[ This game is called 20 Concerned Questions. ]

video; locked 100% ilu sfm

[unparental]

I'm-- I think so?

I should have known better to let him go in anywhere that stupid red smiley face thought was a great idea.

video; locked 100%

[growling]

[ oh my god jenna ]

I'm sorry, you what? Did you just say you took Smiley's advice?

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

I'm neither hurt nor ill. [JUST COMPLETELY SHAKEN. HE'S FINE. REALLY. HE PROMISES. In fact, maybe he's going to go for a walk...]

video;

[growling]

[ WELL FORGIVE THE SKEPTICISM you look like shit buddy ]

You could still be in shock; you should take it easy, wait for someone to come check you both out.

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

If I said I'd been through worse, brotha, would it matter any?

video;

[growling]

Not really, but it would make me wonder where the hell you were before you got here.

[ But now probably isn't the time for interrogations, right. ]

Do you recognize your location at all? [ He knows Jenna said they're sort of lost, but he's more checking to see how coherent Desmond actually is. ]

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

I don't think I ever left.

[OOO-WE-OOOH.]

Not in the physical sense, brotha. [OH WAIT... You meant... current location. Not... In general. Whoops.]

video;

[growling]

[ Wow just like being in the psych ward back home. You've earned a slightly bemused squinting at the screen, buddy. ]

Sorry, you don't think you left? Where do you think you are, exactly? And I wouldn't mind a little clarification on why you feel the need to use "physical sense" as a qualifier.

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

Meaning the location's different, but it's the same bloody place everywhere else that matters. I'm never gonna be rid of that island.

video;

[growling]

Look, this isn't -

What island? [ Seriously, he's trying to be supportive, but what the hell are you talking about. ]

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

Before I came here, I was on an island. And this ship? This ship is exactly like it. The end. So if you're about to tell me I'm crazy, you can save it. I've heard it before. [It would probably help if he didn't sound desperate and crazy rn.]

video;

[growling]

Hey, no crazier than the rest of us. I'm not going to pretend I get it, because I have no idea what you're talking about - but I believe you.

[ Only half bullshit. But he's an ex-werewolf in space, he's not going to belittle anyone else's weird-ass reality. ]

How's it the same, exactly?

video;

[thatsaflaregun]

Natives who know things but won't explain anything, the lists, unexplainable circumstances- the fact that we take it on faith that the ship is moving, but it never seems to be getting anywhere. It's a bloody snowglobe, but now no one's pretendin' that there's anything actually out there. You could escape the island if you tried hard enough, but we all ended up back there anyway. And now for God only knows what reason, it's got a whole new crop of people to toy with and here I am right in the bloody middle of it.

video;

[growling]

Wow. Yeah, that sounds like bingo to me.

How did you get to the island? I mean, do you actually remember getting there, or was it like this?