[ What happens next seems to blend together into a crazy blur, but somehow, Alan can still follow it. The vibration travels through the door and into his hand, but he doesn't pull away from it. Some instinct tells him this isn't a bad thing. This could help him; it could help get him away from Barbara and her insidious words that weave their way into his mind. It's his mind, and he doesn't want anyone getting into it, at least not in the way that Barbara's doing.
A voice echoes and Alan freezes in his tracks. He's not afraid somehow, and he dimly remembers hearing a voice like that before. Even the heavy breathing is almost welcome. ]
I don't know how you always seem to show up just when I need something, but I'm not complaining.
[ He steps back as he was told, the door swings open, and everything is engulfed in light. Alan traces the sound of the voice and the breathing to the man in the diving suit that's floating above the floor. ]
Thanks... thanks for coming, even if it was only because- well, because someone made it happen. You still came.
[ The relief in Alan's voice is all but unmistakable. ] I'm really sorry about Barbara. I wish-
[ He doesn't get to finish the sentence, or maybe he doesn't finish because he doesn't know what else to say. A part of him doesn't want to leave the Diver behind, but Alan knows somehow that he has to go. ] You'll be okay, right? You'll get to see Barbara again. Your Barbara.
[ Somehow, Alan feels like that's important; he wants to know that the Diver will be all right, even if he never sees him again.
After a moment's pause, Alan starts to move, following the sound and the geometric pattern down a path, across a bridge, and up a hill. Then he reaches a car, and he reaches out for the door of the car, but something stops him. A touch, and then a voice... and then a stronger but somehow still panicked voice.
Alan jolts awake to find Jesse there with her hands on his shoulders. He gasps several times in succession as if he can't catch his breath, and he glances wildly around the room as if looking for Barbara's dark, creepy figure. ]
What- What happened? [ It takes a few more seconds for his breathing to slow and for his recollection of where he is to return. A hand clasps the side of his head as he tries to pull himself together. ]
no subject
A voice echoes and Alan freezes in his tracks. He's not afraid somehow, and he dimly remembers hearing a voice like that before. Even the heavy breathing is almost welcome. ]
I don't know how you always seem to show up just when I need something, but I'm not complaining.
[ He steps back as he was told, the door swings open, and everything is engulfed in light. Alan traces the sound of the voice and the breathing to the man in the diving suit that's floating above the floor. ]
Thanks... thanks for coming, even if it was only because- well, because someone made it happen. You still came.
[ The relief in Alan's voice is all but unmistakable. ] I'm really sorry about Barbara. I wish-
[ He doesn't get to finish the sentence, or maybe he doesn't finish because he doesn't know what else to say. A part of him doesn't want to leave the Diver behind, but Alan knows somehow that he has to go. ] You'll be okay, right? You'll get to see Barbara again. Your Barbara.
[ Somehow, Alan feels like that's important; he wants to know that the Diver will be all right, even if he never sees him again.
After a moment's pause, Alan starts to move, following the sound and the geometric pattern down a path, across a bridge, and up a hill. Then he reaches a car, and he reaches out for the door of the car, but something stops him. A touch, and then a voice... and then a stronger but somehow still panicked voice.
Alan jolts awake to find Jesse there with her hands on his shoulders. He gasps several times in succession as if he can't catch his breath, and he glances wildly around the room as if looking for Barbara's dark, creepy figure. ]
What- What happened? [ It takes a few more seconds for his breathing to slow and for his recollection of where he is to return. A hand clasps the side of his head as he tries to pull himself together. ]