(Untitled)

[man_offaith]

The counter hung innocuously from the wall of his hut, numbers forever stuck between 79 and 78, collecting a thin layer of dust. All it was good for, anymore. He'd done everything he was supposed to, everything the islands asked of him, but when the counter stopped, so did he. He lived the normal, safe, boring life of a man without a destiny. A

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[unit_girl]

"Interesting film?" Jo asked the man holding what she assumed was a film. Generally she didn't bother with them herself, but that was because she couldn't work out how to work the projector. It was just another thing the island did to annoy her, she reckoned.

[man_offaith]

"It was at one time." Very interesting, in fact, but now it served only as a minor annoyance. One of the island's little jokes.

"I'm not sure I'm in the mood to see it again." He'd watched it countless times before.

[unit_girl]

She could understand that. Except for something that was really good, but there weren't many films you could say that of. "Was it really sad?" she wondered.

[man_offaith]

"Not the film itself, no," John said with a quiet, though not unfriendly laugh. Some might call some of the events on the island sad, but not Locke. No. Everything that happened there, happened for a reason. Collateral damage of a much greater event.

"It's an instructional video. Not very interesting," he assured her, sliding the can back onto the shelf. "My name's John Locke," he said, pushing to his feet and offering his hand.

[findaconstant]

Spotting John Locke in the Compound was surprising enough (Dan hadn't exactly believed what Ben had told him), but that paled in comparison to the surprise he felt when he saw what Locke had in his hands.

"Which station is that for?"

Sometimes, Dan is too impatient to bother with social graces.

[man_offaith]

Brow lifting, Locke made no other outward indication of his shock. Of the little spark of interest flaring up in his gut.

"I believed they called this one The Swan. I'm sorry, have we met?"

[findaconstant]

"No, but I know who you are," Dan says, eyes glued to the can.

The fingers of his right hand twitch, and he tilts his head.

"Three of six," he mutters, then finally looks to Locke. "Is there a projector around here?"

[man_offaith]

"Help yourself," John said, handing over the reel and nodding to the projector pushed up against the back wall.

"How do you know me, exactly? Assuming you don't mind me asking."

[infathersimage]

Rilian walked into the room, a steaming cup of tea held firmly in one hand. Though he was quite glad for the island's warmth to have returned, he would not give up the comforts of hot tea. Cold weather or not, there was something soothing about it.

Upon spying a bald-headed man seated in a chair, a walking stick strewn about his lap, Rilian nodded at him in greeting. "Hello," he said simply.

[man_offaith]

John's eyes widened, a startled, almost frightened look crossing his face. A look of shame. Of guilt. But only for a moment. Within the span of a few breaths, John was smiling amiably.

"Hello," he said, and then waited. If more than the face was familiar, he'd know soon enough.

[infathersimage]

Something quite curious passed across the man's face, but in an instant it was gone. The moment happened so quickly that Rilian might have believed to imagine things, though he was certain he did not.

Regardless, he smiled amiably, gesturing at the curious tin in the man's lap. "Pardon my intrusion, but what is that?"

[man_offaith]

Well, that answered that. The resemblance was uncanny, but nothing more.

"This?" he asked, holding it up so the young man could see. "It's a film reel. In this place, a rather useless one, in fact."