[ As soon as Alan finishes pulling the cord, the feeling that he's about to really regret this settles in. Of course, it's hard to ignore how he was more or less guided here by other forces, but the Dark Place and the Dark Presence have worked to defeat him every step of the way so far. Why should this be any different? He's been frustrated and angry at all his setbacks, but he's still continued to press forward. It's because of his stubbornness and determination to escape that he's kept going, but there have been times where giving up felt like the more tempting option.
But those thoughts flee again when the area seems to brighten, and the angel lamp he's been carrying responds to the sudden brightness. ] Okay, that has to be a good sign. [ The feeling that the Dark Presence is screaming is not, because that just means that he made it angry. Who knows what the repercussions will be if this all fails?
There's another shift, and Alan blinks in something like surprise. Of course, he couldn't have known just what would happen when he pulled the cord, but the shifting surprises him. And then he just about jumps out of his skin when he sees his own face staring back at him. ] No, not you...! [ If there's anyone he's scared of, it's Scratch. He's never said as much aloud, but he just feels a cold sweat sink in whenever he sees him or thinks about him.
Finally, there's a third click and another shift, and... ] What the hell? [ Alan stops and takes a long, long look around him, noting all the doors and just taking in the surroundings. It's quiet here. Peaceful. He hasn't felt a sense of peace in who knows how long. He's always been looking over his shoulder, jumping at shadows, and just generally being in a state of high alert. ] How do I know there isn't some monster from my imagination waiting to take me out?
[ Out of habit, he pulls out the angel lamp and wraps his fingers around it tightly. He wants to pull the gun out too, just to ease his nerves, because even with the peaceful atmosphere, he can't help but feel on edge.
At least he can feel Polaris here, without the interference of the Dark Presence. She seems to be telling him that he needs to ring the bell at the desk, and since he's trusted her this far, he does what she suggests. There's different rooms with different items in them, and Alan enters each one. Finally, he rings the bell again, and doing so causes yet another shift. Now it's night in the motel, and with the onset of darkness, Alan feels his nerves rise to a heightened state again.
He's spent most of his time in the dark, in both senses of the word, but darkness isn't a friend to him. Out comes his flashlight to try and illuminate the darkness of the motel. But it turns out that there's still some illumination even with the dimmed lights, at least enough for him to see the black and white tape stretching down the hallways in both directions. At first, he takes a step towards the door marked with the spiral, but something makes him pause and turn around. The strip that leads down to the end of the hallway, ending in a circle catches his attention.
Feeling some sort of mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Alan follows this strip until he reaches the circle. And there... there, he sees someone he did not expect. Well, he hoped, but he was not hoping very hard. ]
This is a trick, right? If not a trick, then something I'm imagining because it's what I want to see? There's no way this is real. [ Polaris's resonance is one thing. This is another thing entirely. It has to be his mind playing tricks on him. ]
There's no way.
[ But whether or not the woman in the center of the circle is real or a figment of his imagination, Alan finds himself moving forward as if drawn to her. Maybe she's an apparition, a vision... maybe he's seeing something from another time. Why would Polaris want me to come here if none of this is real? But what the hell, what do I have to lose? If nothing else, she'll just disappear and I'll go back to... whatever. The beginning. Again.
That thought makes Alan frown in annoyance and mild frustration. But looping again and again just seems to be the name of this messed up game. Her name. I'll just start with that. Why he's keeping up a commentary, he's not sure. It's not likely to make a difference either way. ]
Hi. [ Well, that's not her name. But he's getting to it. ] Jesse. Shouldn't you be doing whatever it is directors do?
[ At least he can still attempt to be somewhat funny. Maybe. But maybe she won't laugh. Oh well. He's had worse things happen.
He half expects her to not even register he's there, because whatever it is she's doing looks like it requires all of her concentration, and he's interrupting her. ]
no subject
But those thoughts flee again when the area seems to brighten, and the angel lamp he's been carrying responds to the sudden brightness. ] Okay, that has to be a good sign. [ The feeling that the Dark Presence is screaming is not, because that just means that he made it angry. Who knows what the repercussions will be if this all fails?
There's another shift, and Alan blinks in something like surprise. Of course, he couldn't have known just what would happen when he pulled the cord, but the shifting surprises him. And then he just about jumps out of his skin when he sees his own face staring back at him. ] No, not you...! [ If there's anyone he's scared of, it's Scratch. He's never said as much aloud, but he just feels a cold sweat sink in whenever he sees him or thinks about him.
Finally, there's a third click and another shift, and... ] What the hell? [ Alan stops and takes a long, long look around him, noting all the doors and just taking in the surroundings. It's quiet here. Peaceful. He hasn't felt a sense of peace in who knows how long. He's always been looking over his shoulder, jumping at shadows, and just generally being in a state of high alert. ] How do I know there isn't some monster from my imagination waiting to take me out?
[ Out of habit, he pulls out the angel lamp and wraps his fingers around it tightly. He wants to pull the gun out too, just to ease his nerves, because even with the peaceful atmosphere, he can't help but feel on edge.
At least he can feel Polaris here, without the interference of the Dark Presence. She seems to be telling him that he needs to ring the bell at the desk, and since he's trusted her this far, he does what she suggests. There's different rooms with different items in them, and Alan enters each one. Finally, he rings the bell again, and doing so causes yet another shift. Now it's night in the motel, and with the onset of darkness, Alan feels his nerves rise to a heightened state again.
He's spent most of his time in the dark, in both senses of the word, but darkness isn't a friend to him. Out comes his flashlight to try and illuminate the darkness of the motel. But it turns out that there's still some illumination even with the dimmed lights, at least enough for him to see the black and white tape stretching down the hallways in both directions. At first, he takes a step towards the door marked with the spiral, but something makes him pause and turn around. The strip that leads down to the end of the hallway, ending in a circle catches his attention.
Feeling some sort of mixture of curiosity and trepidation, Alan follows this strip until he reaches the circle. And there... there, he sees someone he did not expect. Well, he hoped, but he was not hoping very hard. ]
This is a trick, right? If not a trick, then something I'm imagining because it's what I want to see? There's no way this is real. [ Polaris's resonance is one thing. This is another thing entirely. It has to be his mind playing tricks on him. ]
There's no way.
[ But whether or not the woman in the center of the circle is real or a figment of his imagination, Alan finds himself moving forward as if drawn to her. Maybe she's an apparition, a vision... maybe he's seeing something from another time. Why would Polaris want me to come here if none of this is real? But what the hell, what do I have to lose? If nothing else, she'll just disappear and I'll go back to... whatever. The beginning. Again.
That thought makes Alan frown in annoyance and mild frustration. But looping again and again just seems to be the name of this messed up game. Her name. I'll just start with that. Why he's keeping up a commentary, he's not sure. It's not likely to make a difference either way. ]
Hi. [ Well, that's not her name. But he's getting to it. ] Jesse. Shouldn't you be doing whatever it is directors do?
[ At least he can still attempt to be somewhat funny. Maybe. But maybe she won't laugh. Oh well. He's had worse things happen.
He half expects her to not even register he's there, because whatever it is she's doing looks like it requires all of her concentration, and he's interrupting her. ]