Summer 02

[mightythinice]

[This time, Ellie settles on audio only. She didn't trust herself to keep her face neutral, and just-- just this once, without Joel there, and feeling more vulnerable than usual, she wanted to ask the question]

Okay, so. Besides the fucking disappearances, I've got kind of a serious question. They just had this whole holiday dedicated to ghosts and candy, right? Because when I think of ghosts, I definitely think of candy and toys or some shit.

[a pause, before she remembers the video isn't on and they can't actually see her]

And, like... I got the shit scared out of me by something before I realized it wasn't actually a ghost. I don't really believe in ghosts. Or things like heaven... and probably not god either. I mean-- fuck, it's difficult to explain.

Anyway... how many people here do?

Just curious. Because, who knows... Maybe there's a reason it's important. And there was a whole damn holiday that sure as fuck didn't come from this place, apparently.

Comments

[grigio]

[There's another tone change in her voice, a subtle smile maybe. She tries to take care of the kids at home. Leaving Ellie to her own devices just didn't sound like something Julie could do.]

You're welcome. If anything is the wrong size, let me know.

[mightythinice]

Nah, it fit fine.

[her definition of fit was somewhat stunted, thanks to the way she'd always received clothes, but it was a close approximation. Nothing was too tight or falling off of her. It worked]

What about you? Still no sight...?

[grigio]

[She knows how that goes. Clothes are handed down and down and down back home.]

Not even a blur. I'm sure I'll be fine soon.

[Okay, so. Now she's going for false hope. She can fake that right?]

[mightythinice]

Hey, maybe we can talk to someone. You going missing, or phased out, or whatever, it wasn't even your fault. Maybe one of the locals know what the fuck's going on.

[grigio]

That's what I was thinking. It's their world, right? They'd know how to fix this.

[She hopes. God, she hopes.]

[mightythinice]

Yeah. I was gonna go see them anyway, for the library. But this is more important.

[grigio]

Thank you, Ellie.

Hey. Raleigh might want to help you. Maybe you can ask him to look, too?

[Really, Julie just wants her two to get along. She loves her little family.]

[mightythinice]

Oh yeah! I can ask him, too. He might have some ideas.

[grigio]

With you two helping out, I'm sure I'll be fine in no time.