spoileralert | IC Inbox

[Early in the morning, Kesara's voice comes through all in a rush. Shaking and terrified, babbling her way through instructing her tablet.]

Steph? I need to talk to Steph. Please, I need to talk to Steph, can you hear me?

Kes?!

[ She had just about given up on Kesara coming back. The message just about gives her a heart attack. ]

Kes, it's me, I can hear you.

[There's a gasping hiccough as she hears Steph's voice - relief, though it's hard to tell - and the last of Kesara's composure is undone. She bawls into the tablet.]

Steph it's cold and it's dark and I think I died.

I know, I know hon-- you did. But you're okay now. You're going to be okay. We're gonna come get you, alright?

But how could I have died? [No matter how many times she'd seen people in Norfinbury come back, it's no preparation for dealing with it herself.] There was no - I can't see anything - I didn't see the angels or the wheel or anything, there wasn't anything!

You're in Norfinbury, remember? You don't go to heaven, you just go to sleep.

But I didn't sleep, I died! Didn't I? I just remember - I remember something fell, and someone shouted, and then I was cold...

[Mercifully, that's all she remembers.]

As much as anyone ever dies here. It isn't permanent.

Then it isn't dying! It's a trick! Steph - was it a trick?

[Everything about her tone begs, please say yes.]

Yeah. Just a terrible, terrible trick.

[ It still sucks. ]

[So it's a yes. Kesara breathes out. She is not going to question this any further. She wants to stay alive.]

I'm - I'm fine now, I think I'm fine, but I can't see. They didn't fix my eyes, or, maybe they did something to them.

Okay, it's okay. It'll only last a couple of days, right? And we know where you are, so we can come get you right away.

Only a couple of days. [It's true, she knows it's true, it's nothing to be frightened about, really nothing.]

Did you - did you go deeper in the tunnels? After?

Yeah, but not far. We wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything, and we backtracked a little after we found one of those dolls House was looking for.

I'm, I'm glad. if I were really gone, it would've been important... you would have kept the name, for the pass, wouldn't you?

[Kesara. Priorities.]

Of course! Anyone who wants to change it will have to fight me.

That would scare them off good.

[Oh Steph, if you knew how much you just helped with that promise. Kesara cannot quite find the words, but her voice gets a considerable boost.]

I don't know if the Prophet's mark is still there, if I have it... could you look for me? If I ask Alexander to turn the video on?

[ She smiles, not that it'll do Kes much good. She's finally been able to help someone. ]

Yeah, of course. Lemme see.

Thank you, Steph. I really want to know - Alexander, could you turn the camera on and let Steph see me?

[Alexander obeys of course, and Kesara blindly fumbles to aim the camera at her hand. She manages to aim it at the still-existing tattoo eventually, but not before it catches a brief shifting view of her face in the flat white light. The smooth skin where her eyes should be.]

[ She's looking closely at the image to catch a glimpse of that tattoo, and she sees so much more than she bargained for.

She lets out half of a quiet scream before she clamps a hand over her mouth. ]

[To say that Kesara has not been expecting that scream would be a gross understatement. She jumps. She drops the tablet. She lets out a high-pitched scream of her own.]

What is it?? What's happening? Is something here?!

[ Well, she can't take it back now. She swallows hard before even trying to open her mouth again. ]

Your... your eyes.

[ How... does she even begin to explain? ]

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@hsiaoke; voice; morning 180

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