2020-08-14 - Checking In

It had been a long rest of the evening and a not so great morning but Kip was finally feeling a little more normal. Normal enough to check out her phone and see a text from Roen asking if she had survived. Kip gave a dry sort of laugh. Such a relative question but she drew in a soft breath and starting typing back.

(TXT to August) Kip : I made it out. Though not before I thought my whole head was going to explode. It still might explode but at least I am not bleeding anymore. What happened to go?

(TXT to Kip) August : thorne was trying to tell us about these before you and I were grabbed. hopefully he made it out too. there were these trees that

(TXT to Kip) August : (...)

(TXT to Kip) August : it was bad. they got me pretty good.

(TXT to August) Kip : They like to punish you a lot, don't they?

(TXT to August) Kip : I had three safes. I opened the quiet one. It was not quiet when it was opened.

(TXT to Kip) August : if we're being honest I make a target out of myself. I try not to think of it as punishment. more like, sticking my head out too far. sooner or later they swing the scythe

(TXT to Kip) August : Christ, is your hearing okay?

(TXT to August) Kip : for the sake of Science? Curiosity? Just seeing how far you can go? As for my hearing, I think it will be okay in time.

(TXT to Kip) August : a little of the science, a little of the 'if I can heal people I should'. speaking of which, let me know if you think it's not improving, there's a few of us could take a look at it

(TXT to August) Kip : That is fair. If I could heal people I would too. And thank you, I appreciate it. Hopefully it will go away on its own...but I will let you know if it doesn't. I hope Byron was able to make it out too. Have you heard from him?"

(TXT to Kip) August : not yet, though he might just be out of it. I was for a while too. I won't panic until I hear from Lil

(TXT to August) Kip : Yes, I am still feeling a bit woozy so that makes sense. Let me know what you hear. Thank you for checking in and I am glad that you made it out too.

(TXT to Kip) August : will do. and, same.

(TXT to Kip) August : (...)

(TXT to Kip) August : also, listen. I'm sorry I didn't try to help get you out of there. they found a big button of mine and stomped on it, and it didn't occur to me to find some other way out of that...cell, or whatever, until I was leaving

(TXT to August) Kip : You have nothing to apologize for. Truly. I didn't look for a way out either. Well. Maybe I just didn't get the opportunity to. But even so. There is no blame on you or Byron.

(TXT to Kip) August : thanks. but I still feel like...I could've thought about it differently. better. even if at the end of the day I'd rather people get out than trying to free me.

(TXT to August) Kip : That is the thing of hindsight, no? We see all the things we could have done. But we take experiences and learn from them and try to adapt to the next thing. Plus, it all happened so fast. Like, there was nothing and then all of a sudden everything was happening.

(TXT to Kip) August : mmm, yeah. that wasn't what I'm used to, honestly. these things tend to be a little less...overt, in my experience. also not sure what to make of what it was saying, at the end there. you heard that, right?

(TXT to August) Kip : Yeah I heard it. And I didn't like it. Do you think...could the Dark Men be trying to find a way to more permanently get us? Or...something else?

(TXT to Kip) August : they've already got ways to do that, honestly. ...shit, sorry, that doesn't sound great. but, well. there it is. but I think this is something else. something...bigger. did you notice the humming? like a machine? maybe they're building something.

(TXT to Kip) August : if all of the Veil is psychomorphic it stands to reason They can use our emotions to make things. no just feed. or, maybe power other things which make things. when I was lashing out in there, it felt good. They wanted me angry.

(TXT to August) Kip : Maybe a little humming. It was strange. The whole substance everything seemed made of was strange. Making something does seem possible. But also scary. I hate to think of what creatures like that can come up with. I don't know what it wanted from me. Agony? Of choosing and then pain of regretting my choice?

(TXT to Kip) August : agony, anger, grief...any negative emotion, they want it. it's their food and drink. and those of us with the Art, we have it in spades, it seems.

(TXT to August) Kip : That is the trade off of power yes? Misery.

(TXT to August) Kip : (a short bit later)Not that it is entirely my business but....you are still engaged yes?

(TXT to Kip) August : ...yes. very much so.

(TXT to Kip) August : okay that's a weird question did someone say something?

(TXT to August) Kip : Ari said you left your fiance for plants? Which didn't sound quite right. So I was just curious

(TXT to Kip) August : not only would I not leave her, I definitely wouldn't leave her over plants. if she was allergic to them I'd get a new career. I love that woman

(TXT to August) Kip : That was my thinking. You don't seem like the type to leave someone for plants anyway. Anyhow. I am going to try and rest some, thank you for checking in 🙂