♦ 007

[substrictus]

...

...I guess...I'm still here.

The dog tried to eat me earlier but... it's easy to outrun it if you're fast enough.

I'm fine now. Mostly. Not that anyone should care about me

Is... everyone okay?

...Gil?...Alice?

Are you all here still or am I alone?

...Please respond if you are here.

[[ooc:Waay overdue but.. Oz's finally back mostly

Comments

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

Oz, my dear boy........[Heavy sigh]........I'm sorry......

[Audio]

[substrictus]

[A pause. When he speaks his voice is weak and quiet]

...Not your fault. It's not...

I... are you okay..?

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

[voice is cracked and sad]

I........[deep sigh] I will be fine......just fine

Please....take care of yourself, my boy.

[Audio]

[substrictus]

I will try.

Even if I don't.. deserve those words. Not after that...

...I don't... want to see everyone hurt again...

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

You will, by Allah and Ra, you will.

You deserve them.......you deserve them........... More than I

Neither do I Oz. I.........

[Audio]

[substrictus]

No... I... I really don't. Not after how I realize I treated my friends all this time without seeing it. I've been so selfish

I don't.. want to see anyone else hurt. Not like that. Not again.

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

You do.....I know a true soul when I see one. There is good in you. I see it. I can. If only I could say the same of myself.

I...can understand.....the things I have seen.... the things I've done... I believe this to be true.

[Audio]

[substrictus]

...You can? How..?

It... I... will it ever be okay? I.. I want to be stronger. So that I can protect my friends..

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

[A long pause dotted with slow breaths]

I cannot explain how, but my words are true.

I cannot answer that, Oz. I swear by Allah I wish I could but I cannot. You are strong already, you recognize that you need help and wish to better yourself to protect the ones you care for.

[Voice cracks a bit]

Such a noble cause.....I commend it.

[Audio]

[substrictus]

I... but how I realized it is... it hurt... during that time then. I realized it... but it took me this long..

[A small shift and it sounds like a rustle of fabric, a pause before he can speak again]

Is it really noble? Aren't I... selfish?

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

[Coughs]

You want to be strong to protect the ones you care about.

Some lessons are hard to learn...they hurt. I know.....all too well about it.

[He sniffs and the soft sound of tears are heard]

You are not selfish.....you are human my boy. I do not have such an excuse.

[Audio]

[substrictus]

...Everyone's human. Even a little.

No matter what you were, you're human now, aren't you?

[Audio]

[pyramidandsand]

[breaths heavily]

............I wish that were true.

I may have a human form but I cannot forget that I am a nation.....my will is not my own. What I want is not relevant, my people......my children...