maskintape | IC INBOX

[Well, Tim's getting a Look right back. A look that says "I'm worried about you even though I don't entirely trust you at the moment" and "I am an actual corgi look at me wow"]

I, uh. Don't think sleep's going to be much of a thing.

[He looks off to the side and swallows.]

Are you getting any, like, distortion or anything on your end?

[ Distortion, eh. Tim chews on his lip to try and hold the coughing back and examines the feed carefully. He can't see anything weird.

Unfortunately, when he lets out the coughs he's been holding in, his video feed skips out and tears for a few seconds. So while he isn't seeing anything, Jay will. Have fun. ]

Urgh. Uh, no. Nope. You're all clear.

[shit

shitshitshit

time to panic and look around wildly for any signs of spooky abominations

which of course are right there because the hallucinations are only going to keep getting worse]

Jay? Jay!

[ What the fuck. He just said everything was fine! ]

There's nothing there. Jay.

The, the video was. There was a bit of tearing right when you said that.

[He gestures into the tablet camera, still glancing here and there.]

And the footage I took earlier while I was outside, that was distorted too. Unless that was just in my head, I don't know.

[ He looks behind himself reflexively to make sure it's nothing on his end causing the distortion. What a twist that would be!!!

Nope. Nothing. ]

It - maybe it was the signal? Both times? I mean, I dunno... snow interferes with like, the TV and internet, so. It could glitch out the recording or call function too.

[ COUGH COUGH MISERABLE COUGH. He really doesn't want the Operator to be here, ok. For lots of reasons. ]

[THE MOST SKEPTICAL LOOK.]

Do you really think it was the signal.

[Come on, man. Really.]

I think we shouldn't discount anything in this place. None of it makes any sense anyway.

[ meaning no, he doesn't think it was the signal, but shush ]

Right, maybe it's aliens or magic or something instead.

[His dry tone makes it clear he still doesn't believe in all that stuff, but the truth is that he's not even sure about that anymore.]

You had someone claiming it was magic, too, huh. Crazy.

[ Crazy, but... ]

We - I think we should, uhh. We should, sort of - let people think it is magic or whatever they believe? 'Cause... it might be easier to deal with than them knowing it could be that thing, so... And we shouldn't exactly be getting other people involved more than they have to be. Y'know, for now.

[ Meaning "I don't want everyone to know this is totally my fault oh god jay be a pal" ]

[nope not getting it hurrr]

They kind of are involved already, though, aren't they? If it brought them here.

[PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW, TIM. AND JAY SHOULD BE THE ONE TO TELL THEM.]

Not involved the same way we are, if they don't know that it's responsible.

[ COUGH COUGH ]

P- uh, possibly responsible.

...I guess. Maybe it is better not to tell them yet, then.

[Hurrrrgh he doesn't like it though.

Also by now he's relaxing enough that he's not holding the tablet right up to his face. Enjoy that view of the big bloodstain on his shirt.]

Yeah. You already warned them to stay away, s--

[ oh

Yeah no words are gone now he's just going to stare at that stain like it's the most devastating thing in the entire universe, nbd ]

What's wr-

[looks down to see what he's staring at

oh

right

WELP TIME TO SWITCH TO AUDIO-ONLY]

Sorry. I, uh. Don't have any other shirts.

How's the wound.

[ This delivered in the most dispassionate and dull voice he can muster. ]

I assume you cleaned it. And you're not in danger of. Uh, of bleeding out.

[ again ]

[Loooooong pause. Very long pause. Quite possibly long enough to make Tim start worrying again.]

It's gone.

[ He does indeed start worrying again. And opens his mouth to yell for Jay at the same moment that he speaks.

As a result, he's not sure he heard that right. Maybe he got confused because he was about to talk himself? ]

What?

What do you mean, like...? I don't even know. What?

I mean there's no wound. And no scar, either. It's like it was never there.

[This is not something he ever wanted to talk about ever, goddammit. Why must these things happen.]

[ He's quiet for a few seconds, raspy post-cough breathing aside. Fuck today. Fuck it. ]

But you remember getting shot.

[ It's not a question. ]

Yeah.

[And that is all he wants to say about that thank you very much.]

[ He's silent for a while again. As far as his paranoid lil mind is concerned, this only corroborates the dark little spark of an idea that's been festering in his brain all day. ]

Jay.

[ This isn't going to go over well. But it's so late and he's so tired and alone and he keeps thinking about the voicemail he never got and how much he wants Jay to trust him again. ]

I think we're all dead. Ev - everyone here, I mean. I think it's - you know. What happens after, I guess.

[Jay desperately wants to deny the possibility, to tell Tim he's wrong or lying or anything.

But he's tired and scared and it makes way more sense than any other explanation he's been able to think up.]

...Can't say this is what I pictured Hell to look like.

[Because that's what it's got to be, right? What else could it be?]

[ Tim actually laughs. It's a rubbish one-syllable exhaling snort, but it's a laugh. What else can he do? ]

Yeah, it... I guess hell froze over.

[The sound that comes out of Jay is more sob than anything else, but he tries to keep his voice steady anyway.]

So... what do we do now?

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