voice;

[paterelohim]

[With how much Chuck loves doing video post, the fact that he's sticking to voice should be the first red flag. The choked tone in his voice is another.]

Fred- Winifred Burkle. Has anyone seen her?

Her NV's offline, she isn't answering it.

[There's a long, sunken silence.]

I think... she's gone.

I want to say she'll probably be back, but I just don't know- I haven't seen it yet. God, what's the point of seeing the future if it doesn't help?

Anyway, I just- thought everyone who knows her should know. She's out.

Comments

[paterelohim]

Then fuck those people, you know?

Look, some people on the island will see anyone as lab material- a friend of mine got captured by SERO because he isn't human. Does that mean he should never leave his house?

[czes]

[fiercely] Your friend should make whatever decision makes him feel safe.

[paterelohim]

Even if it's unhealthy and completely fucked up? Even if it doesn't actually make him all that much safer?

He dealt with it and kept living his life. I mean, just look at the Hunts- everybody's a target, whether we like it or not.

[czes]

I'm not the same. I'm not a grown-up. I never will be. I run from things that scare me. I don't want to have my fingers bitten off, or to be dangled from a train, or have my eyes pulled from my socket with tongs... I know the taste of my own blood so well.

I don't know if I can change. I've tried. [His voice goes almost comically high as tears fill his eyes.] I was so happy with Erik, but he didn't see me the same way, and in the end... wasn't I just pretending to be something I'm not? It's just a lie for me to act as if I'm an adult when in reality, I'm like this... [He scrubs at his eyes with the heels of his palms.] This is bullshit.

[paterelohim]

The running away thing sounds like a lot of adults I know.

You're as old, jaded, and hurt as any adult I've ever known. You've lived long enough, suffered enough, experienced enough, and grown a hard enough shell to count as an old soul. A dozen times over.

Czeslaw, you're actually at an advantage. If anything bad ever DOES happen to you here? Your friends will all be really protective of you. Even if they know who you are and most of the time they treat you like an adult, they'll still bring down the wrath of God on someone who hurts you.

Kids get hurt and killed every day. At least if you're honest with the whole world, you'll get to control some of your life and have some honest friendships and maybe- get to know what it's like to be known.

[czes]

...You might be right. I need time to think about this.

Thanks, Chuck. [A small, weary smile.]