sinking down, down

[facultwist]

Death is a drop into a blackness that swallows you. You feel the movement of not air but shadow across your face as you plummet, and there is no bottom. No crash.

If there is another side, you do not reach it.

It is neither the light of heaven or the fires of hell that greets you when you wake. And wake you do, to the buzz and flicker of old fluorescent lights.

You are laid out beside a full-size competitive swimming pool, half-filled with stagnant water. The doors out are blocked off by locked doors covered in caution tape. The locker rooms are long since emptied, paint peeling from the humidity. The only signs of habitation are a few pieces of scattered graffiti.

Welcome to your new home. There's no sunlight, no indication of time passing. Just you and each other and your thoughts. the stagnant water bubbles a little occasionally, but there's nothing in it.

Before long you'll realize that you no longer need to eat or drink. You might notice your hand go through something if you don't focus. You're a ghost now. What's that they say about unfinished business?

Comments

[rosewitch]

[GOOD FOR YOU GIRLY ON THE BEATING UP]

[The weird shadows, though. Not so much.]

What? Those are new?

[trustheart]

Yeah. Saw them today. They kind of remind me of the ones I saw near you and Kohaku when you were being executed.

[rosewitch]

Coming out of us.

Could these be trying to go in? Taking energy? I don't understand.

[trustheart]

That’s one thing I considered.

But we need to do our own investigations, Anthy. We can’t give up. Those guys are counting on US.

[rosewitch]

Done.

[You don't have to tell her twice. If she has to be conscious, she's at least going to be useful.]

Has anyone tried to contact someone on that side? Without them initiating it, I mean.

[trustheart]

Lottie has tried. She succeeded in kinda ruffling Hawke’s hair, but that was during the seance.

[rosewitch]

[Hmm.]

I wonder if it might be easier near an item of significance. To the other person or to us. It might be worth a try.

[trustheart]

It's certainly worth considering. Nothing to do but try. All we can do is watch and keep attempting right now, though.

[ She sighs. ]

I wish I could tell you more, Anthy.

[rosewitch]

I don't think I could reasonably expect that. This is a lot of information.

[. . .]

Then again, I couldn't reasonably expect to show up here at all. But to have actual information to work with means a lot.

[trustheart]

…You’re welcome I guess. Now, I guess we get to work? I think I’m gonna focus on trying to send a message to Satsuki.