[001] [Audio, English]
[The phone... whateveritis in his palm when he regains consciousness is more advanced than the typical high-tech toys he's seen. It's ten minutes before he a) realizes it's a network-accessible handheld and b) gets savvy enough with it that he can put up a transmission.]
... What happened?
[He's got the shakes ( Read more... )
... What happened?
[He's got the shakes ( Read more... )
Hey... are you okay?
Reply
Helmet saved my head. I probably got of easier than you with that one.
[And then she realizes something. The next question is to satisfy her own curiosity.]
Say... I can't quite pick your accent. Where are you from exactly?
Reply
[Patrick likes her laugh, and him provoking it is a wonder and a relief. She might be able to pick out the "aw, shucks" undertone.]
Reply
[Hold on a second.]
California... America?
[HOLY SHIT SON.]
Reply
[Oblivious to the state of the American wilds in Grapple's world.]
Reply
[Please hold while Grapple's brain reboots.]
But the US is gone. It's overgrown. The virus...
[Click. There goes recognition.]
Unless you're from a different Earth to me.
[Sound crazy? Grapple feels pretty nuts to be even considering the possibility, let alone voicing it.]
Reply
[Aaaaaand the panic returns. "Different Earth" just ... does not compute. He disregards that statement and wonders what the heck the international news said about the parasites.]
No, we... [Saying "we got better" isn't appropriate, given the price.] The infected are all gone. The outbreak's been taken care of.
[He winces.]
Reply
[Well, conversation was going well. Grapple stops to think before she speaks again.]
Can I ask what happened? In your America?
Reply
[His least favorite topic.]
I thought everybody knew about the parasites.
Reply
[How the hell does she explain this when she barely believes it herself?]
Years before I was born there was a virus that spread across the world. Officials made an anti-virus but that kinda... mutated with the first and things got way worse.
There's not much of your country that's livable... if any at all.
Reply
His head hurts to high heaven and Patrick takes a good long while to get to replying, still, but he does it.]
...but I was home last night. City under construction. I help rebuild.
Reply
...I know exactly how you feel.
[And she does. That the young woman is sorry is clear in her voice.]
Um. Have you ever... Do you think alternate worlds could exist?
Reply
I guess they could.
[Boy oh boy is he depressed-sounding.]
Reply
Something you'll learn here is that... there's a lot of things you would think are impossible that are actually possible.
I-- [Sound insane.] I don't think my Earth and yours are the same.
Reply
Don't I know about impossible. Damn...
[He wordlessly swipes a hand over his eyes and groans.]
Reply
I'm sorry. Uh... One more question? And then I'll leave you be if that's what you want.
Have you ever heard of the Golden Shore?
Reply
Leave a comment