[audio/video]

[absinthe_eyed]

[An audio feed begins. Dull scratching sounds, muffled but hurried words. After a moment, the words become clear...]

--where I dropped--

[...only to disappear in a buzz of white noise. It gives way to a video feed featuring the too-close face of one Justin Pendleton, although he may not be recognizable as such. The typically fastidious boy is

Comments

[dreamsofnoah]

You look very happy for someone who disappeared for a whole week.

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

You have no idea. No idea.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

You can't just say that and not explain!

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

I can't explain right now. My head is--I don't know what he did, but it was a nightmare and I'm alive and I don't know how.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

A nightm...

Alive alive?

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

Alive alive. It's remarkable.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

That must make a change after all this time.

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

You can't imagine.

You're laughing at me, aren't you? This must sound ridiculous.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

Most people come back dead from disappearing, not more alive than before.

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

I know.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

You need to celebrate now!

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

By going home and eating and sleeping and taking aspirin.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

Are you hurt?

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

My head is. [Although he sounds fairly okay with that.] And the noise that started--that doesn't help. ...I could hardly remember what having a headache was like.

[audio]

[dreamsofnoah]

It's making my head ache too.

[audio]

[absinthe_eyed]

The noise?

...What is it?