[Accidental] Video ✖ 016

[stoicism]

[The screen of the Dreamberry clicks on, pointed towards the floor. Wet bootprints litter the wooden floor of the hallway, the owner of this recording not even bothering to remove their footwear just yet. They seem to be having difficulty keeping the Dreamberry steady as they stand outside an open door, looking into the dark room

Comments

[scientize]

[Naomi, despite her obvious close relationship with Danny, has never seen the previously messy room in which he lived at the church. Because of that, the view of an empty room means nothing to her yet. Frank's strange reaction to the room, however, raises her sisterly concern.]

Frank? What is it?

[stoicism]

[Naomi is left waiting, staring up at the church ceiling for more than a few minutes before she can finally hear Frank start to shuffle nearby. His boots click closer towards the communicator before he's finally in sight, reaching down to pick it up. He looks tired and disheveled - but how much of that exhaustion is physical and how much is emotional is impossible to tell.

He stares down at Naomi for a while without a response before finally murmuring-]

...Danny.

[scientize]

[The woman's immediate thought is that Danny's been severely injured. Why else would the usually stoic Frank Jaeger look as distraught as this?]

He's hurt, isn't he? You're at the church? Please call the ambulance, but I'll be there as quick as I can.

[stoicism]

[Frank doesn't move, all he does he continue to stare down at Naomi's image in the Dreamberry. His eye twitches a little, as though fighting back something powerful that threatens to rise up inside of him. He can't speak - all he can do is try to focus himself as he gazes at his sister.]

[scientize]

[Oh God, the teenager is certainly starting to freak Naomi out now. Is it already too late to save Danny? Is that why, despite his obvious emotional struggle, that Frank is so silent and still?

Her tone lowers to a quiet, frightened level that the woman rarely uses.] Frankie?

[stoicism]

[Frank's eyes slowly fall closed, unable to keep them open any longer. Naomi's concern does not go unnoticed, however. He decides he must reply - even if his response will not assuage the woman's fears.]

...Danny is no longer among us.

[scientize]

[That's all she needs to hear.

The woman's breath catches rather unexpectedly, her dark eyes widening to an almost startling size before she pulls away from the screen.]

... [As calmly as she can speak.] Thank you for telling me. I-I need to go.

[And she hangs up before any stray tears slip down her cheeks.

What a terrible misunderstanding this has turned into. Sure, Naomi would be devastated to hear of Danny's disappearance, but his supposed death? It's too much for her to take. She's still too deeply in shock to truly react, but the woman has lost enough family to know she needs to be alone for awhile.]