::tranmission fourty-eight::accidental audio::
[River's communicator bumps on as her feet land on Celeste's old balcony. She noisily slides the door open and steps in, laughing gaily. Something is not right here.]
There you are. You can't stay in here, you know.
[she's clanking things around, setting down a bag and turning lights on.]
I brought you dinner. I know you don't eat your vegetables if I don't bother you about it.
[she laughs again.]
I used to do that too. When I was little. Home, with Mother and Daddy. Eat your greens, River. You need your strength.
[little River feet pad over and she flops down onto the bed.]
Stickers. Do you.
[a deep breath, becoming quiet.]
Do you remember these, jiejie? They stick to things. Anything. Stick to your skin. Stick!
[another laugh escapes her, but it's breathy and weak now.]
And....ori...gami. Folding. Folding the paper, I taught you...we're going to make cranes. So we can. Make a wish. So Simon will come and get us and we can all go home.
[the bed creaks. River's breath fills the quiet room.]
Soon we'll need to practice your Chinese. You'll need it to get by out there. Can't have you stuck with little old me all the time.
[...]
Do you have paper?
[...]
...no, never you mind. We'll do speaking first, then. Let's learn how to count, jiejie.
Yī....èr....sān....
[the transmission ends.]
There you are. You can't stay in here, you know.
[she's clanking things around, setting down a bag and turning lights on.]
I brought you dinner. I know you don't eat your vegetables if I don't bother you about it.
[she laughs again.]
I used to do that too. When I was little. Home, with Mother and Daddy. Eat your greens, River. You need your strength.
[little River feet pad over and she flops down onto the bed.]
Stickers. Do you.
[a deep breath, becoming quiet.]
Do you remember these, jiejie? They stick to things. Anything. Stick to your skin. Stick!
[another laugh escapes her, but it's breathy and weak now.]
And....ori...gami. Folding. Folding the paper, I taught you...we're going to make cranes. So we can. Make a wish. So Simon will come and get us and we can all go home.
[the bed creaks. River's breath fills the quiet room.]
Soon we'll need to practice your Chinese. You'll need it to get by out there. Can't have you stuck with little old me all the time.
[...]
Do you have paper?
[...]
...no, never you mind. We'll do speaking first, then. Let's learn how to count, jiejie.
Yī....èr....sān....
[the transmission ends.]