[ Hawke brings the Statement to her and she, honestly, puts off reading it. His little message that Jon told him to stick around while she did it leaves her a bit ill at ease. It's about three days later that she finally sits down to read the Statement, turning on the tape recorder she's bought on her own to begin recording. She's hardly more than two minutes into the Statement that she begins to feel a crawling up her spine, like something is wrong.
She feels the weight of many eyes watching...but it's only her and Hawke. No one else. Nothing else.
By the end of the Statement, the weight of being seen feels oppressive but there's nothing she can do about it. She's caught up in the reading, in the experience, in the Statement itself just as assuredly as she might be caught in a web. That's the worst part of it, she thinks: that though she can feel every moment that something is watching her, she cannot look away from the paper. She cannot stop the recording. It goes on and on until, at last, she finishes. ]
Statement ends.
[ The feeling of being watched doesn't go away. ]
I've seen that nursing home before. Smiles Retirement Home. It's always seemed a little bit too nice on the outside, like something out of the Stepford Wives. I've made a precursory call to the home but I was just sent to the voicemail of one Percy Turner, who might be the owner or might just be the manager. Or head of customer service. It was a weird voicemail message. I'll stop by and do a proper follow up later.
According to Jon's notes, this is probably part of the Corruption. Part of the Hive. Bugs, insects, things like that. It sounds almost like an epidemic, but I'm just as curious about the older man and the woman that Mr. Li tried to speak with.
It reminds me of the Plaguebearers back home.
[ That feeling starts to go away somewhat, like whatever was watching isn't as interested in the follow up...at least at first. Until she starts to speak further. Then, there's something that feels almost compelling about it, like she's making a connection that she wouldn't have considered before.
And that she should share it. To...Jon? To the recorder? ]
Plaguebearers are vampires that feed indiscriminately on kine and who begin to spread sickness. Not kept properly in check, people can die very quickly. When I encountered them back home...it was like people had been turned into mindless zombies. There weren't bugs involved, really, but the sickness spread so quickly... [ She pauses, tapping her pen on her notebook. ] ...I wonder if Kindred, in being so similar to humans, have other alignments that would match with the other Entities and not just the Hunt. Sabbat might fall under Slaughter or Desolation. The Tremere... I-- It's something I can look into.
[ She's getting off topic. ]
I looked through my device and found Emmanuel Li's information. I called him but there was no answer, which doesn't bode well. I'll look into it tomorrow night, maybe swing by his job. They might be able to help me if he's not there. I just...have a feeling there's going to be an infestation, and I might need fire. Again.
[ Ava bristles at the idea, setting the Statement aside. ]
I... I guess that's it. [ But why does she still feel weird? ] Recording ends.
[ The tape recorder is turned off and bundled with the Statement proper, put into a bag for Hawke to take back to Jon at his convenience. She turns to look at him. ]
[She did a lovely job recording that. Hawke sits there quietly for most of the Statement reading, listening with disgust slowly dawning on his face.
Ava's recording is going to be slightly ruined the minute she says "Statement ends" by a voice in the background that shouts:]
The fat man is made out of centipedes and he was KISSING THE ELDER PEOPLE--
[... but then he sees Ava is still recording and manages, somehow, to clam up. Even though he has only half a clue what's going on, and then keeps trying to talk to Ava while she's pondering out loud. When the tape recorder finally clicks off, he stands up and cracks his knuckles.]
So, where was that rest home again? [He snaps his fingers with a fire spell, for show.] Let's get to it.
Ava looks up when he stands, surprised at the sudden gusto - Hawke had insisted he was only here to monitor, and was going to just read - when he'd been so casual about things before now. ]
What, like, now? Hawke, we can't just run in there and torch the place. We don't even know what all is happening.
[What else do you do upon hearing a story like that? Throw it in an archive and talk about how neat it is?]
I thought it was pretty bloody clear-- the fat man's made of centipedes and he's feeding on people. We're not going to let him keep on doing that! Those people can't help themselves!
Ava sighs, slowly standing. Her legs feel like lead and her head feels a little foggy, a little heavy. She shakes her head, gets her bearings. ]
Yeah. Yeah, you're right. We should go deal with him and the other woman...as quickly and efficiently as possible. And then we should alert some people about the old folks who are there.
I'm okay. A little...dizzy, I think. I might just need to eat before we go. Maybe it drained my reserves?
[ Jon said it would be a problem. Ava glances over towards the mirror in her room, like she thinks something's going to be watching her. Nothing is. She grabs her hair tie and pulls her hair back. ]
We should just go and get it done. Sooner the better, right?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
winterfish
no subject
Date: 2019-08-08 03:34 pm (UTC)She feels the weight of many eyes watching...but it's only her and Hawke. No one else. Nothing else.
By the end of the Statement, the weight of being seen feels oppressive but there's nothing she can do about it. She's caught up in the reading, in the experience, in the Statement itself just as assuredly as she might be caught in a web. That's the worst part of it, she thinks: that though she can feel every moment that something is watching her, she cannot look away from the paper. She cannot stop the recording. It goes on and on until, at last, she finishes. ]
Statement ends.
[ The feeling of being watched doesn't go away. ]
I've seen that nursing home before. Smiles Retirement Home. It's always seemed a little bit too nice on the outside, like something out of the Stepford Wives. I've made a precursory call to the home but I was just sent to the voicemail of one Percy Turner, who might be the owner or might just be the manager. Or head of customer service. It was a weird voicemail message. I'll stop by and do a proper follow up later.
According to Jon's notes, this is probably part of the Corruption. Part of the Hive. Bugs, insects, things like that. It sounds almost like an epidemic, but I'm just as curious about the older man and the woman that Mr. Li tried to speak with.
It reminds me of the Plaguebearers back home.
[ That feeling starts to go away somewhat, like whatever was watching isn't as interested in the follow up...at least at first. Until she starts to speak further. Then, there's something that feels almost compelling about it, like she's making a connection that she wouldn't have considered before.
And that she should share it. To...Jon? To the recorder? ]
Plaguebearers are vampires that feed indiscriminately on kine and who begin to spread sickness. Not kept properly in check, people can die very quickly. When I encountered them back home...it was like people had been turned into mindless zombies. There weren't bugs involved, really, but the sickness spread so quickly... [ She pauses, tapping her pen on her notebook. ] ...I wonder if Kindred, in being so similar to humans, have other alignments that would match with the other Entities and not just the Hunt. Sabbat might fall under Slaughter or Desolation. The Tremere... I-- It's something I can look into.
[ She's getting off topic. ]
I looked through my device and found Emmanuel Li's information. I called him but there was no answer, which doesn't bode well. I'll look into it tomorrow night, maybe swing by his job. They might be able to help me if he's not there. I just...have a feeling there's going to be an infestation, and I might need fire. Again.
[ Ava bristles at the idea, setting the Statement aside. ]
I... I guess that's it. [ But why does she still feel weird? ] Recording ends.
[ The tape recorder is turned off and bundled with the Statement proper, put into a bag for Hawke to take back to Jon at his convenience. She turns to look at him. ]
That...wasn't too bad. Really gross, though.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-08 04:38 pm (UTC)Ava's recording is going to be slightly ruined the minute she says "Statement ends" by a voice in the background that shouts:]
The fat man is made out of centipedes and he was KISSING THE ELDER PEOPLE--
[... but then he sees Ava is still recording and manages, somehow, to clam up. Even though he has only half a clue what's going on, and then keeps trying to talk to Ava while she's pondering out loud. When the tape recorder finally clicks off, he stands up and cracks his knuckles.]
So, where was that rest home again? [He snaps his fingers with a fire spell, for show.] Let's get to it.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-08 07:03 pm (UTC)Ava looks up when he stands, surprised at the sudden gusto - Hawke had insisted he was only here to monitor, and was going to just read - when he'd been so casual about things before now. ]
What, like, now? Hawke, we can't just run in there and torch the place. We don't even know what all is happening.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-11 12:09 am (UTC)[What else do you do upon hearing a story like that? Throw it in an archive and talk about how neat it is?]
I thought it was pretty bloody clear-- the fat man's made of centipedes and he's feeding on people. We're not going to let him keep on doing that! Those people can't help themselves!
no subject
Date: 2019-08-11 02:35 am (UTC)Ava sighs, slowly standing. Her legs feel like lead and her head feels a little foggy, a little heavy. She shakes her head, gets her bearings. ]
Yeah. Yeah, you're right. We should go deal with him and the other woman...as quickly and efficiently as possible. And then we should alert some people about the old folks who are there.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-11 04:16 am (UTC)[He grins and only then notices how tired she suddenly seems.]
You all right? That was pretty nasty to think about. You look like you're going to be sick.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-11 05:38 am (UTC)[ Jon said it would be a problem. Ava glances over towards the mirror in her room, like she thinks something's going to be watching her. Nothing is. She grabs her hair tie and pulls her hair back. ]
We should just go and get it done. Sooner the better, right?