feigns | ► two → video/action。

[When the video first clicks on, all that's visible is Will's face and the top of his shoulders. The feed shifts slightly, and from the angle it's being held at, it would be reasonable to assume he's led down, and even more reasonable -- from the slight squint and the admittedly somewhat dirty red bricks visible in one corner of the screen -- to think that he's outside and on a wall. After a moment, he appears satisfied that the device is, in fact, turned on, and places it somewhat clumsily behind his head, slightly further along the wall.]

I assume if this were normal, it would have been mentioned somewhere in between the rampaging wooden animals and the impromptu, temporary marriages ― perhaps just after cats, but before the clones. I shan't complain, though I feel as if I ought to be speaking of― [he pauses for a moment, waving a hand vaguely and briefly adopting something approaching a passable West Country accent] ―thic faraway lands, visited only by a daring, and arguably foolish, few on gurt maggoty ships.

[He sits up suddenly, and turns round to study his device; he looks cheerful, albeit slightly grubby and fairly nonplussed by the situation as a whole, although it soon fades into poorly concealed irritation.]

Perhaps Bristol's only up the road, or Teignmouth to the west and Torquay just below that. I suppose we shan't ever know; in a few hours more, we'll be somewhere and somewhen else entirely, taking part in a wholly ridiculous scavenger hunt. Why would it be as simple as playing along in what amounts to a bastardised children's game?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Curious is something I do often. Let's see, I'm trying to decide what nearly everything else entails.

Then I hope you share no similarities with cats.

No, cats are cute and furry and smart. I'm just me. Sometimes I think it might be nice to be a cat though... or a bird.

Supposedly, curiosity and cats don't mix particularly well, so perhaps not in your case.

I like to think my inquisitive nature only adds to the mess that is me. So no, not like a cat.

[He continues as if he hadn't heard her.] Although, I once heard someone mention that satisfaction brought it back after all was said and done. [He pauses, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.] Would that be an adequate addition to the mess that is you?

[She arches a brow, considering that for a moment with her chin resting in the palm of her hand.] Probably an addition, yes. Although have you ever really been truly satisfied?

Never to the point that I believe it would resurrect me from death.

Yeah, I can see how that would be pretty extreme. Me either.

[He glances briefly up at the sky.] How fortunate to know that I'm not alone.

If you were resurrected from death, would you rather be a brain eater or a blood drinker? ...given that that were the only two options.

Neither. I'd rather be left to rot. [He pauses and sighs audibly.] But if those were truly the only options, I'd choose to be a vampire.

I think I'd go with vampire too if only because brains seem yuck... probably texture yuck too. Blood, I could probably get used to if I had to.

You wouldn't have a choice.

True. We do what we have to do to survive, I guess.

It tends to be instinctive. Competence is another matter, of course.

I don't think there's a movie in the world that's ever portrayed zombies as competent. So you definitely have a point.

[Mm, delicious incomprehension. Cue a somewhat baffled look, Jill.] Movie?

Oh... uhm... you've never been to the movies? Or maybe DVD on TV? Television?

[He scowls, more in irritation at not knowing what she's talking about than anything else, but irritation nevertheless.] No. I should imagine that's 'after my time'.

[She doesn't react to the scowl very well, quickly averting her gaze away and stammering a bit over her words.]

Oh. Well it's l-like... okay a theatre stage play but... but all digital so it can be b-broadcast to everyone through technological advances. Imagine Romeo & Juliet performed on... on like... this device the way you're seeing me and I'm... seeing you.

[He's a touch surprised by her reaction, but he doesn't bother to apologise, instead opting to draw his legs up on the wall and sit cross-legged.]

Moving pictures, then. A descendant of the magic lantern.

Yes. I think.

[She thinks about asking what he means by magic lantern but decides against it. Instead, drawing a deep breath and glancing back up into the video.]

So... so there have been tons of moving pictures made about zombies and they're almost always portrayed as the bumbling idiots who want to eat brains.

[He hmms softly, more to himself than to her.]

They don't exist in your world, then. [A beat.] They weren't described like that in folklore, or the religious practises they came from.

No, it's all make-believe and camp fire stories. The boogeyman under the bed and hiding in the dark. That would all go back to that imagination thing we mentioned earlier.