[ Jesse steps up to the rows of televisions. Her hands have dropped to her sides. It feels like all of her sense are drawn to the image on the screen and she's rooted in place. Every screen is the same thing so there's no way of looking away from it. The televisions line the entire room and all she can hear is his words around her.
They even drown out the Old Gods of Asgard song. ]
『 ... Where are you? Are you still there? I can barely hear you. 』
[ Alan's knees buckle and he hits the floor. She flinches at the sound it makes around her, as if it's a physical blow. ]
『 I can't lose you. 』
[ He pushes himself up and runs to a wall. Ear pressed against the wood, eyes wide, desperately listening.
As if it's automated, or maybe an answer, Jesse's hand raises and presses against the screen closest to it. ]
『 Hello? 』
I'm here--right here! [ She steps closer to the televisions, other hand raising to another screen. Maybe he isn't talking about her--it might be Alice Wake he's trying to reach out to. That doesn't stop the answer that bursts from her. ] I'm right here!
『 I lost her. I lost them. The guiding star. She's gone. 』
[ A sense of dread--no, horror--fills her then. The same kind that rose up when she saw Dylan possessed by the Hiss. She's once again standing between glass and the person she's trying to find and they're being drowned out. Alan isn't Dylan, and vice versa, but that panic is starting to rage inside her.
« No, no, no! We have to get to him. How can we get to him? What happens if he stops? We can't LET that happen! Please, tell me, how can we get to him?! He means us. Not just you, not just me. US. That's what he's always called you--my guiding star. He needs both of us before.... before... »
She's not sure what will happen next but it terrifies her.
Jesse finally pulls herself away from the screen as he mutters his last words. That familiar tug comes to her mind, even if it's softer than it should be. She glances behind her and then grabs the Light Switch Cord. Polaris has never guided her wrong and she won't now.
One more tug.
The scene around her changes once again to the familiar site of the Oceanview Motel. Her attire has changed, late night talk show clothes molding away into the body suit that hugs her frame minus the few pieces that flare to the sides. She doesn't even notice. She's running up to the desk, slamming on the bell, darting to each room she can to align the pieces that need to be there. Lamps on the desk a certain way, all the walls blank, the radios off. She's moving as fast as her body will allow her without her abilities as they've never worked in the Motel anyways.
Jesse hits the front end desk at full force and smashes her hand down on the bell again. A small ding echoes as an unfamiliar key forms in her hand. Doesn't matter, she'll figure it out later. She's down the hall again with the numbered doors instead of the pictured doors. She shoves the key into the door handle and pummels her way through into what she thinks will be the room with Alan in it.
It's home.
She stops and looks around, realizing it's her apartment. The one she gave the spare key to Alan. Which means the key in her hand can't be for this door, because she already has access to her apartment. Well, theirs in her mind. The only lights on in the house are the ambient ones and the television has static on it. She takes a few cautious steps forward before hearing an unfamiliar sound coming from the extra room.
The extra room with a Spiral on it now.
Jesse hesitantly walks up to it, feeling her hands shaking. She slides the key into the door handle. It gives a satisfying click before starting to open. Not another moment is wasted as she pummels the door open.
Right into another place that's unfamiliar.
A cabin?
She looks side to side, out the windows. There's nothing but dark clouds and darkness. Even the lights aren't on. Another tug to her mind brings her attention to a flashlight on a table. She picks it up, tests it, and finds the light flickers until it gives a dull glow. Whatever is powering it is faint... wherever she is.
Polaris gives yet another tug, and Jesse can see her shimmering up to the second floor.
Her feet in the stairs hard as she races up them with the flashlight in her hand. Two sets of stairs that leads to the second floor. Two doors, one on either side. One has the Spiral on it. She turns towards it, free hand moving to the door handle. She feels Polaris resonate through the handle. This must be their destination.
｟ You called me, so here I am. I'm here. ｠
It sounds like her voice in her head, but Jesse knows it's not. Its Polaris. Well, both of them. Just like she found behind the door in the Motel after Hedron died. Both of them together bringing that resonance wherever they are.
« Is this really the Dark Place? »
You have to promise me you won't go into the lake.
« I didn't! I never stepped foot in the lake! I promised, I kept my word! »
YOU PROMISED NOT TO GO IN THE LAKE!
Jesse winces suddenly as a surge of something rings through her mind. It's Alan's voice but it's not Alan. He'd know she wouldn't break her promise. That Something is loud and dominating, screaming, using different words in his voice. Her eyes shut tightly as she feels Polaris push against whatever it is. It takes a moment before she and Jesse succeed in pushing the Something out... and it almost leaves her weak at the knees.
Not important. The person on the other side of the door is important.
Her hand curls against the door handle once more before she slowly opens it to step inside.
no subject
They even drown out the Old Gods of Asgard song. ]
『 ... Where are you? Are you still there? I can barely hear you. 』
[ Alan's knees buckle and he hits the floor. She flinches at the sound it makes around her, as if it's a physical blow. ]
『 I can't lose you. 』
[ He pushes himself up and runs to a wall. Ear pressed against the wood, eyes wide, desperately listening.
As if it's automated, or maybe an answer, Jesse's hand raises and presses against the screen closest to it. ]
『 Hello? 』
I'm here--right here! [ She steps closer to the televisions, other hand raising to another screen. Maybe he isn't talking about her--it might be Alice Wake he's trying to reach out to. That doesn't stop the answer that bursts from her. ] I'm right here!
『 I lost her. I lost them. The guiding star. She's gone. 』
[ A sense of dread--no, horror--fills her then. The same kind that rose up when she saw Dylan possessed by the Hiss. She's once again standing between glass and the person she's trying to find and they're being drowned out. Alan isn't Dylan, and vice versa, but that panic is starting to rage inside her.
« No, no, no! We have to get to him. How can we get to him? What happens if he stops? We can't LET that happen! Please, tell me, how can we get to him?! He means us. Not just you, not just me. US. That's what he's always called you--my guiding star. He needs both of us before.... before... »
She's not sure what will happen next but it terrifies her.
Jesse finally pulls herself away from the screen as he mutters his last words. That familiar tug comes to her mind, even if it's softer than it should be. She glances behind her and then grabs the Light Switch Cord. Polaris has never guided her wrong and she won't now.
One more tug.
The scene around her changes once again to the familiar site of the Oceanview Motel. Her attire has changed, late night talk show clothes molding away into the body suit that hugs her frame minus the few pieces that flare to the sides. She doesn't even notice. She's running up to the desk, slamming on the bell, darting to each room she can to align the pieces that need to be there. Lamps on the desk a certain way, all the walls blank, the radios off. She's moving as fast as her body will allow her without her abilities as they've never worked in the Motel anyways.
Jesse hits the front end desk at full force and smashes her hand down on the bell again. A small ding echoes as an unfamiliar key forms in her hand. Doesn't matter, she'll figure it out later. She's down the hall again with the numbered doors instead of the pictured doors. She shoves the key into the door handle and pummels her way through into what she thinks will be the room with Alan in it.
It's home.
She stops and looks around, realizing it's her apartment. The one she gave the spare key to Alan. Which means the key in her hand can't be for this door, because she already has access to her apartment. Well, theirs in her mind. The only lights on in the house are the ambient ones and the television has static on it. She takes a few cautious steps forward before hearing an unfamiliar sound coming from the extra room.
The extra room with a Spiral on it now.
Jesse hesitantly walks up to it, feeling her hands shaking. She slides the key into the door handle. It gives a satisfying click before starting to open. Not another moment is wasted as she pummels the door open.
Right into another place that's unfamiliar.
A cabin?
She looks side to side, out the windows. There's nothing but dark clouds and darkness. Even the lights aren't on. Another tug to her mind brings her attention to a flashlight on a table. She picks it up, tests it, and finds the light flickers until it gives a dull glow. Whatever is powering it is faint... wherever she is.
Polaris gives yet another tug, and Jesse can see her shimmering up to the second floor.
Her feet in the stairs hard as she races up them with the flashlight in her hand. Two sets of stairs that leads to the second floor. Two doors, one on either side. One has the Spiral on it. She turns towards it, free hand moving to the door handle. She feels Polaris resonate through the handle. This must be their destination.
｟ You called me, so here I am. I'm here. ｠
It sounds like her voice in her head, but Jesse knows it's not. Its Polaris. Well, both of them. Just like she found behind the door in the Motel after Hedron died. Both of them together bringing that resonance wherever they are.
« Is this really the Dark Place? »
You have to promise me you won't go into the lake.
« I didn't! I never stepped foot in the lake! I promised, I kept my word! »
YOU PROMISED NOT TO GO IN THE LAKE!
Jesse winces suddenly as a surge of something rings through her mind. It's Alan's voice but it's not Alan. He'd know she wouldn't break her promise. That Something is loud and dominating, screaming, using different words in his voice. Her eyes shut tightly as she feels Polaris push against whatever it is. It takes a moment before she and Jesse succeed in pushing the Something out... and it almost leaves her weak at the knees.
Not important. The person on the other side of the door is important.
Her hand curls against the door handle once more before she slowly opens it to step inside.
｟ You called me, so here I am. I'm here. ｠ ]