v2.0 - this is a dark ride

[grey_of_heart]

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[sanctusdei]

[Theo's sitting on a bench near the park, smoking furiously. He's already blown his first pack in his first few hours in Mayfield. He's already discovered the town looping in on itself and is trying to figure out what to do next when Gabriel runs and collapses nearby.

Theo watches all of this with one raised eyebrow, then gives sarcastic applause, laughing.]

Incredible! Maybe this town will be entertaining after all!

[grey_of_heart]

[Wince. Clapping, loud and crisp in the relative quiet of the afternoon. It shoots through his skull. hands on both sides of his head, he continues to wail.]

[sanctusdei]

[Theo frowns, stands up and stamps out his finished cigarette. Hands shoved in his pockets, he walks over to Gabriel looking curious.]

So what's so bad in this place that it causes this sort of reaction, hmm? Somehow I doubt this idyllic little burg has an asylum to escape from.

[grey_of_heart]

[The keening dies down. Breathing.]

[He stares at the man's shoes.]

Can't die here.

[sanctusdei]

[Theo kneels down to get a good look at the man. There's no sympathy here, just clinical curiosity.]

No what makes you say that? I suppose if this place truly is hell, we're already dead. Isn't that right?

[grey_of_heart]

[He's a man in his early fifties, but the anxiety makes him look older. His sparse beard is grey with threads of black or dark brown, and his head is shaved. His eyes are bright blue. He's very, very thin.]

N-no, we're not dead. Not Hell. Not dead.

[His voice is accented. English, middle class.]

[sanctusdei]

[Gabriel looks up to see a sickly-looking young man peering back at him coldly. His blues eyes are so darkly circled one would think he hasn't slept in years. Red hair and freckles stand out strongly next to his pale skin. Still crouching, he lights another cigarette.]

Really. Everyone keeps telling me I'm wrong but I have yet to meet someone who can prove otherwise. You're not helping the argument. Where do you think we are then?

[His accent is American. West coast to be precise.]

[grey_of_heart]

purgatory

[sanctusdei]

[Theo grins and laughs.] Now THAT I hadn't thought of! That's a good answer. [He stands back up, taking a long drag on his cigarette.] Purgatory.

So what's wrong with you? Can't handle it anymore? This place looks boring, could it really be that bad?

[grey_of_heart]

Purgatory. With perks.

[Joke? Not really laughing, hard to tell. He takes a deep breath, ragged, and manages not to lose it again.]

Just got back.

[sanctusdei]

[He ponders that.] You left? And you managed to end up back here? Huh. I almost feel sorry for you. How'd you manage to leave?

[He opens his cigarette pack and holds it down to Gabriel.] Smoke?

[grey_of_heart]

Went to sleep. Woke up... there. Then ... here again.

[he doesn't say 'home'.]

[Shakes his head.]

Don't smoke, thanks.

[sanctusdei]

Suit yourself. [He stands back up and lights himself another.]

Hmm. Interesting. So you can leave here as randomly as you're brought here. But I highly doubt there's anything random about it.

Where did you go? Your home? Or somewhere else entirely?

[grey_of_heart]

Home... world. [Shrug] Don't really have a 'home' anymore.

[He hugs himself, almost like he's pulling himself together.]

[sanctusdei]

[Looking off into the distance at nothing, hands in pockets. Thinking.]

Me either. Guess this is it. Goddamnit. Did it have to be a suburb?

[He turns back to Gabriel.]

So what's your plan? What are you going to do? Wherever you came from must ahve been hellacious, the way you're acting. This place any better? I hear they're into brainwashing.

[grey_of_heart]

[He looks away, over across the perfect grass and trees.]

Don't know. I'd like... like to help people get out.

[Nothing about freeing himself.]

You?