attempt number twenty-three ♓ (action/dictated)

[startingtobe]

[ It's circa 10 A.M. Claire appears in the lobby looking pretty disoriented. She has a high caliber, loaded handgun in her hand and it's aimed directly out in front of her -- for a moment, at least. Surprise flickers pretty quickly over her face and she draws it back closer to her by bending her elbow a little and pointing it skyward instead,

Comments

dictated

[brbfisting]

[ GOD... DAMN IT, HE'S IN INSOLITUS. okok, he'll have his journal to overhear. ]

Back? What's up?

[startingtobe]

Akihiko ... [ She bats down the urge for sentimentality. ] How long was I gone? You didn't even notice?

[brbfisting]

[ she can overhear some background noise; people talking and walking around. ]

I've been in Insolitus since the other day. [ there's a lot of confusion here. ] What's going on?

[startingtobe]

Nothing you have to worry about. How much longer are you going to be in Insolitus?

[brbfisting]

Who's Peter?

[ a pause. ]

Maybe another day. It's mostly exploring for now. [ but the way he says it, it's clear he's ready to turn back and find claire if she needs something. ]

[startingtobe]

... He's my uncle.

1/2

[brbfisting]

Your uncle is here? [ since... when? ]

( claire )

[brbfisting]

[ and then he does a double take reading the responses.

spoken with an air of urgency: ]

When did you go home?

( akihiko )

[startingtobe]

Beats me. Shouldn't you be the one who knows? You were my boyfriend and all. All I know is I spent years at home and now all of a sudden I was back in the lobby.

And yeah, if I remember right, he's been here for a while. I was just having a little memory trouble and didn't realize he was bad news.

( claire ) 1/2

[brbfisting]

[ for a moment, it sounds like someone tried to squeeze the air out of his windpipes. he's staring at the journal and replaying what she said in his head in that tone.

he's already up and turning around. he's getting out of insolitus. ]

How -- when? [ he would have heard if she was knocked out! ]

( claire )

[brbfisting]

[ and speaking in past tense about him? there was an uncomfortable tug in his chest. ]

Damn it... I won't be able to get out of here for at least a day.

Claire, how many years has it been for you? [ a beat. ] What are you going to do with your uncle?

( akihiko )

[startingtobe]

No one seems to have noticed I was gone. Not even you. So, I couldn't tell you when. My guess is since the last time you saw me. [ except ... she was never gone. ] It's been a few on my end -- God, I don't know. Three maybe? Four?

What matters is stopping him. I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

( claire )

[brbfisting]

That many years... [ he trails off. he can't even fathom this. ]

... Whatever you're planning, don't. There's no point here. [ she should know that. ]

( akihiko )

[startingtobe]

Wrong. Two weeks, right? So, I'll be ready. And I'll do it again and again until it sticks.

( claire )

[brbfisting]

[ sharply: ] Don't. It's not worth it.

( akihiko )

[startingtobe]

Don't tell me what to do. You don't know that. You don't know what he's done.