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outlierdirector) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
synthneon2023-11-29 09:38 pm
outlierdirector) wrote in synthneon2023-11-29 09:38 pm
Entry tags:
oceanview (different path) || ❝ turn the page i need to see something new. ❞
You were there by my side on the frontline
When I thought that I fought without a cause
You gave me a reason to try
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No, they don't hiss. Sometimes they say things, or shout them. They don't always make sense. You can understand what they're saying, but it's why they're saying it that's not clear. [ He already has a sinking feeling about them, but he doesn't want to be proven right.
He doesn't have much time to talk more about the Taken, because it seems as though they've stumbled upon one. Or several. The axe goes flying above them, and then seems to vanish. Alan's crouched down after Jesse pulled him down with her, but he's looking around. If there's one, there could be more. ]
That was a Taken. Your first one. [ He's still peering around, looking back over his shoulder and then looking in front of them again. ]
There might be more where that one came from. And that's why we need to get you a weapon.
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Jesse's green eyes move back to Alan, wide and unsure. Not quite afraid, but definitely unsure of what to do with something she can't really see. She won't be a sitting duck for whatever this is. She tugs on his sleeve and starts moving again. Their destination hasn't changed. ]
My first one. Great. Just the sort of first I wanted. [ Jesse shakes her head and keeps the flashlight beam pointed ahead of them. ] I don't--I've never used a gun before. I don't know how to use one!
[ The woods shift in a way that sends electric shocks up her spine. It's a familiar feeling. Things altered from the way they should be. Reality shifting into something different. Fingers curl tightly into Alan's sleeve and her pace picks up rapidly. Almost as she's trying to escape what's happening around her. ]
We have to go. Now. [ There's an edge of panic in her voice. Fear. Her pace keeps speeding up every few steps. ] We can out run them, right? Because, we can't stop. We have to leave. Right. Now.
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Maybe I shouldn't have told you, but... at the same time, you needed to know. To be ready. If- if you want, I'll show you how to use a gun. I learned how when I was doing research for my books.
[ He's still following along with her, but when her fingers curl again into his sleeve, that's when he says: ]
Are you sure you still want to do this? You could leave now and pretend you never got involved. You never met me, you never saw any of this. But yeah, we can outrun them. I've done it before. They're fast, but there's things that can slow them down. Fallen trees. Rocks. Hiding works too.
[ And at that moment, another Taken lumbers into view, and this time, Alan grabs at Jesse's hand, intending to pull her further into some trees to hide. ]
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[ Jesse is pulled into the trees by his hand over hers. She doesn't pull away. Instead, her gaze moves around to look at where the Taken is. The fear seems to have been replaced by a panic and a haunted look in her eyes. It's not of denial or disbelief. The haunted look implies familiarity. Her gaze drops to the ground and then moves back up to him. ]
We can't stay here. [ The statement also seems to act as an answer to his question. ] Wake, we can't--
--Logging is a hazardous occupation!
[ Jesse visibly jumps as an axe sails through the air, lodging itself in the tree next to her. The words the Taken yell echo in the words around them. She looks side to side, clamping down on Alan's hand. It's so dark, and everything looks so different...
Polaris shimmers in the distance.
She knows the look of her friend anywhere.
With her hand still holding Alan's, she starts running in the direction Polaris pulls her. It may seem like she's running blindly to anyone else. Alan may not be able to see or sense Polaris. Maybe he can tell that Jesse isn't just darting in one direction in a panic. ]
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[ Alan's gaze shifts to meet hers, and if she's looking, she'll be able to see that there's fear in his expression. He's not a fighter, not really; he's just a writer whose experience with guns comes from shooting them at a firing range. Shooting actual moving targets that are armed with axes and other weapons is a whole other can of worms.
So if she's afraid, then so is he. ]
No, we definitely can't stay here. [ His hand tightens on hers, in something that's equal parts protective and afraid. ] The problem is, I don't know where we can go.
[ He doesn't have time to think about that, though, because he's interrupted by the Taken's exclamation, and yet another axe sailing through the air. And this time, Jesse takes off running, and since they're holding hands, he has no choice but to follow after her. He's not about to stay behind and leave her to fend for herself. He brought her into this, so he's going to stick with her, even if he has no idea where the hell she's going.
He might not be able to see Polaris in her entirety, but he can see a faint shimmer that's so faint, part of him thinks it's in his head. But Jesse seems to be running in that direction, and well... Maybe it's time for Alan to show her that he really does believe her, and trusts her too.
He keeps running along after her, doing his best to keep from being too loud; he's really not the most in shape, and he gets winded too easily (almost embarrassingly easily), but he doesn't want to be the reason they get killed by a Taken. He thinks he spots a glimmer of light up ahead and he wants to tell Jesse to stop there, but he has to catch his breath first. Maybe if he tugs at her hand, she'll get the message: the message that's about something else other than his inability to run long distances. ]
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Anyone would. ] Held captive by some dark force. That's what you're saying without actually saying it.
[ Her hand molds well against his protective hold. She wouldn't say she's entirely paralyzed with fear. There is fear, but, she is willing to push past it to get what needs to be done. It'll be easier with someone at her side is what she's decided. An odd decision considering she's been alone in more ways than one for so long.
« I don't want to go through something like that again by myself. »
Polaris continues to guide her through the night. Some points feel like she has to drag Alan along with her. He's clearly not used to running such long distances. She isn't either, but that drive to get away is stronger than anything else at the moment. So much so that it only seems to subside when she finds exactly what Polaris was taking her to.
A lamppost on the edge of town.
Jesse practically falls against the post, breathing heavily, back to Alan. Her head is lowered, some of the red hair coming free from the pony tail to help hide her face. It's not the Taken themselves that have scared her so much. Shades from her past, things that are too similar to Taken. Except the kids weren't shadowed and talking what would seem like nonsense. They were...
Her eyes shut as she leans her head against the post. It happened eight years ago. Memories fade, but those ones don't seem to. None of those memories do. They feel etched, permanently carved into her mind. Trauma, PTSD, it doesn't matter what anyone would call it to her.
She doesn't know why Polaris led her to the light. If it helps, it's certainly not helping her sort and beat back the memories unearthing in her mind. Her hand is still on an iron grip on the Writer's. He might pull it away now that they're.
Well, safer. ]
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Yeah. More or less. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be held captive by anything, forget about some evil dark force. [ He huffs out a humorless laugh. ] That sounds like something from a bad movie, but it's too real.
[ He's trying his best to not just be dead weight that she has to drag along, but he knows all too well that he's not accustomed to this. Maybe he will be if this constant running to escape keeps happening. It's a mixed bag, really; he doesn't want them to keep running for their lives, but he does want to stop feeling winded after just a few minutes of running.
I really should have worked out more.
He starts to move closer to the lamppost when they finally reach it, but he changes his mind at the last minute when he sees Jesse fall against it. He keeps back from it, but not far enough that he's outside the light it's casting. He can catch his breath here and let her use the post to support her, if that's what she needs.
But he's still close enough to keep holding her hand, and although her grip is like a vise on his, he squeezes her hand, hoping to reassure her. They might have been thrown together by his actions or by the story or whatever, but they're doing this together. That means it shouldn't feel out of place to try and offer whatever support he can give.
And right now, it looks like she needs that. He can't tell what's going on in her head, but he's not backing away either. ]
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[ She was a kid when everything happened in Ordinary. There was only so much they could do, so much the parents would allow them to do. Not that it mattered much once they all disappeared. Still, none of it is something she wants to repeat.
Ever.
« I just want to find my baby brother. I want to move on. I want to know I'm not crazy and someone else out there knows these things happen. They're real. I know they are... but no one else seems to believe it. They just pretend the poster is back on the wall and that life is normal again.
Why did you make me come here? I don't want to go through this again. I don't--what does this have to do with finding Dylan? None of this goes back to it. I just want to find my brother. Why are you making me go through something like this again?! »
Jesse presses her forehead to her arm against the lamppost. Her fingers curl into her hand. Tight enough that the nails bite into the palm of her hand. Blood pools underneath her nails.
« I hate this. I hate this. »
Alan would have no idea why she's reacting the way she is. Some part of her knows it's not fair to him. He's come to her for help--for whatever reason--and she's shut down. That's not good enough. She needs to be better. ]
Dung Munkeys. [ Despite her best efforts to control her voice, the tremors and fears can be heard in it. ] That's what my brother and I called them. Not ...not these things. But something like them. People who weren't people anymore.
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Trapped? [ He tilts his head to one side. ] Who tr- Never mind. I shouldn't dig around into things that aren't my business. But- for whatever it's worth, as long as we're working together on this, I'll do what I can to keep you from being trapped again.
[ And then he smirks a wider one this time. ] That's not saying much since I can't even go three feet without sounding like a deflating balloon.
[ Throwing his better judgment to the winds, he steps up behind her, moving in a little closer and puts his free hand on her shoulder. If she jerks away, he'll know to back off. ]
.... Dung Munkeys? That's a name. [ He doesn't sound disbelieving or dismissive, just curious. ] So... this seems familiar to you, then. In a not good way.
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Her eyes open to stare at the ground beneath them. The light is still pouring over them. The sounds of the Taken have disappeared for now. All she's left with is that feeling of the hand curled around her and as if cold water has splashed over her. Afraid, cold, and alone. Just like she felt when they took her brother.
Polaris can only do so much to ease her.
She feels his hand on her shoulder and it helps pull her from the memories swirling around. The lump in her throat is forced down, leaving both hands tremoring uncontrollably. What can she tell him? Should she tell him more? Maybe it was too much already. What if he leaves her behind if she says more? What if it pushes him away because he can't handle how the world is?
Why does any of it matter? Alan Wake is a stranger to her. Yet, she feels closer to him than she has anyone in years.
« Is it just because he's living through this...? That doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean he'll stick around. Or even want me, crazy weird Jesse Faden, to stick around. He's famous. What reason would he have to have me around...? Why do I care about any of it? I... I just...
I want someone to understand. That can't be him. It wouldn't be.
Can it? »
Jesse closes her eyes again and finally forces herself to let the breath she's been holding out. ]
It's what they looked like. After they turned. [ Her head tilts towards him, but she doesn't look up nor moves her gaze towards him. Just a small notion that most likely says more than she realizes. ] They... they never changed back. Whoever they were, they weren't them anymore. They couldn't be. They didn't want to change back.
[ Her hand manages to squeeze his. As she speaks, her tone turns hard. Bitter. Angry. Hurt. Maybe even a hint of betrayal. ] Weird things don't happen in just Bright Falls. They--it happened back home--when I was a kid. It... it wasn't what the government said it was. There wasn't an "industrial accident." No accident could do that! They lied! They covered it up, and took all the evidence away. Everyone just listens to what they said blindly. They don't ask questions! They don't listen to someone who was there!
[ « No one believes me. »
Jesse hides her face in her arm to remove an evidence of tears. She's strong. It doesn't bother her. She can prove it on her own.
Her and Polaris.
Against the world. ]
I thought... I didn't know Bright Falls was the same kind of weird... just weird... she told me to come here. I thought if I did... I... I didn't know any of this was like this. People becoming ... things ... I didn't... [ Jesse stops and shuts her eyes tighter. ] I'm just here because she told me to be here.
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His fingers curl around her shoulder more, hoping he's doing something useful. He just wants to reassure her, to calm her, to make her feel like she's not alone. ]
It sounds like they might be... well, similar. Unfortunately. I don't know if they can change back either. I want to hope so, but- Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear.
[ He squeezes her hand in return as he continues to listen, noting how her tone of voice changes. Whatever happened to her, it's clearly left its mark. And Alan knows he'd be angry too if he was in her shoes. Government coverups. Shifting blame. Taking evidence. It sounds like typical government behavior, if you ask him. ]
Well, I'm asking questions and listening. If it wasn't an industrial accident... what was it? I want to hear your answer, not the hogwash the government was putting out there.
[ Alan moves in a little closer, pausing at the last second. ]
For what it's worth, if it's worth anything at all, I'm glad that you're here.
[ And throwing caution to the winds once more, Alan lifts both arms and slowly slides them around her in a hug. He doesn't pull her closer, doesn't really move at all other than to wrap his arms around her. They've only known each other for a day, if that, and he's already doing this. If she doesn't want it, he'll back off. But something tells him she needs the comfort right now, even comfort from an almost-stranger. ]
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Jesse is about to force herself to answer but the words leave her mind the moment Alan wraps his arms around her. She stops entirely, eyes wide, staring at the ground. Part of her can't understand why he's doing it. They're strangers, he has no reason to care, no attachment. That part of her just doesn't understand why he is bothering. The other part is wanting to grasp onto anything that might prove there's someone else who understands.
« Does he really understand? Does he really believe me? How could anyone? This is still different from Ordinary. Good. Nothing like that should ever happen again. But... what if he really does believe? »
Her green eyes close. She hasn't pulled out of his hold but she also hasn't leaned into it more either.
A few minutes pass before she can bring herself to say something. Anything. ]
Bad things came out... like this. [ Jesse knows it's not specific enough. She's not willing to divulge all the details. Most the details. ] One of those bad things it... it changed some of my friends. Made them violent. [ Her head lowers slightly. ] All of the adults disappeared. It was just us kids. We stopped it--my brother, me, my friend. T-then the government came... they asked questions. They took my brother. I... I got away, but...
[ « Dylan was right behind me. I didn't mean to leave him. I don't know how we got separated. It's my fault. » ]
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And in all honesty, he can't explain what it is that made him stop and hug her. He wouldn't call himself the comforting type, although he's not the type of person to just ignore someone who could use a hug or a hand to hold, even if that someone is still a stranger to him in many ways.
But the fact remains that Alan felt the need to carry out the gesture, and so he listened to that feeling and that need. Maybe he doesn't really understand her just yet, but just maybe he's already started to believe her.
When she finally speaks, he doesn't let go of her, but he doesn't tighten his grip too much either. ]
Bad things? [ He's trying his best to understand. This is all something he's never encountered before in his life, except for in nightmares. ] Bad things created from the darkness? Honestly, I'm just talking out of my ass here, but what else could make things like this happen? [ Maybe that's why he's latched onto her. She's seen firsthand what the darkness is capable of. ]
It's bigger than us. That's what I'm getting. [ What else could make people just disappear? What could turn ordinary people into these... these things? ]
What happened after? Did you ever get your brother back? [ That must be why she's here: she's looking for leads to help her find him. Maybe I can help with that too. ]
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Jesse shakes her head. ] No. No. Not from darkness like these Taken things. We called them Dung Monkeys because that's how they looked. It... the thing that changed them wasn't anything like darkness. Not by how it looked, anyways. It wanted ... I think it wanted to be our mother. Turn us into it's children, or something.
This dark thing you keep talking about? It's not the only thing out there.
[ They called it the Not-Mother because that's what it was. Something that made the other kids drink a milk like substance and change them into their little ...monkeys. It's why they killed their teacher. Why the parents locked everything down. But her parents wouldn't listen. None of them would. Then... they all disappeared. Was it her fault? Had her wish in frustration made them disappear because of the Not-Mother?
Jesse looks up at his question. She finally turns her gaze up to him. The tears are gone but their traces are evident. ]
No.
[ It shows on her face as well--the time it's been. Nine years and she's no closer to understanding any of it. Other than the fact it was real and it happened. ]
Just me... moving from home to home. And, my friend.
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[ Alan can't quite manage to keep the dry tone out of his voice. It's not Jesse's fault; it's no one's fault. ]
So there's more things out there that go bump in the night. Maybe not here, but- maybe they are here. Maybe something about this place draws them in.
[ Alan's not much of a fighter, or a fighter at all, really, given his focus on writing books, but his expression is more grim than it is fearful. That's not saying he isn't afraid, but he's trying to steel himself for worse things coming their way. ]
Well... [ He shifts his weight from one foot to the other and glances behind them briefly before turning back to her. ] You have at least one more friend now, if you'll have me.
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« I really would seem crazy to him. Just like everyone else. »
Polaris disagrees, but Jesse still can't bring herself to do it.
Her eyes widen at his next statement. At first, she's not sure what to do or what to say. It's been so long since she's had a friend that isn't Polaris. She's still not sure he truly believes her either. He hasn't run away nor has he called her insane. There's just a part of her that can't seem to truly believe a famous writer like him would give her the time of day.
She forces herself to give him a small smile. It's the best she can do. Maybe being a writer makes it so he can read people easily. ]
You said you had to get to the old coal mine museum to meet a kidnapper. Right? [ While her tone is still filled with emotion, there is a lightness in it that wasn't there before. ] How fast do you need to be there?
[ Jesse is already glancing up at the light and then hesitantly taking a few steps out of it. The darkness is still heavy around them, but there's no sounds of shuffling Taken. She nods to herself before reaching up and taking one of his wrists.
« Any idea on which car is best to ride in? Can you help me find one? »
Polaris tugs her mind in a direction with a shimmer. Jesse immediately begins heading that way, gently guiding Alan along by his wrist. It's only a few steps down the street, so the lamp post is still in view if they need it.
The old jeep seems almost abandoned. Convenient. Jesse frowns at the idea before taking a quick look inside the driver window. It's unlocked. Even more convenient. She quietly opens the door, leaning inside and looking around the dashboard. Her hand goes to the visor at top and the keys slide out.
« This really is like a movie. »
She motions for Alan to take the passenger side. If they need to shoot, he's the one with the gun training. She slides into the old jeep and quietly closes the door behind her. The keys slide into the ignition and with a quick turn the jeep comes to life. She slides the backpack she wears off and puts it between them.
The police lights and cars begin to get closer.
Jesse puts the jeep in gear and pulls into the road. A moment later and they are leaving town for the woods. ]
All the pages I found are inside the backpack. In case you needed them.
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Maybe that's what he's trying to do by offering her hugs and stating that she has a friend with him. It's not a ploy or manipulation to get her to stay; he wants her to stay. He wants her help. And yes, there's a part of him that wants companionship, to have someone else along with him. He has Barry, of course, but Barry's not entrenched in this, and Alan would rather it stay that way. Alan himself can't escape because all of this is too personal, and Jesse has her own reasons for still being here. Barry is another matter entirely. ]
Yeah, the coal mine. He's there waiting, and I don't think he'll wait for long, so- I have to get there, and fast. The faster the better. But we needed to stop and rest too. If you need more time, you should take it.
[ It won't do either of them any good if they're too tired to move on. But Jesse's already moving, so Alan takes that to mean she's good to go. She takes hold of his wrist and he doesn't pull away, allowing her to guide him to wherever they're going.
He trusts her already, even if he can't quite put a finger on why. Somehow he just knows she isn't going to steer him wrong. The dream he had helped. She has to be one of the good guys, or at least, be a better choice than what they're offering. Which is nothing Alan wants. ]
That's convenient. Is that in the story too? How far does this story go to guide us along? And yeah, I know, I supposedly wrote it, I should know.
[ He shakes his head even as he slides into the passenger's seat. ]
Thanks. We might need those. I mean, we'll probably need them. So- yeah, thanks for bringing that along. And uh, thanks for coming along this far.
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Well, you wrote me into the story... thing. Right? I have to be here. [ A glance is meant to show she's not necessarily angry. Just stating a fact. ] I couldn't really run away. So, I guess you're stuck with me. Until I'm not in it anymore.
[ She quickly speeds off, not much caring for the rules of the road. Not that she drives reckless, but she figures there isn't much point in trying to adhere to speed limits if Take are coming out of the literal darkness after them. Which does happen a few times as they make their way out of town and through the woods. She doesn't know the exact way, but she trusts Polaris' vague guidance.
She swirves the jeep around a fallen tree and swears under her breath.
« Great, they can chop down trees. »
It takes a few more bumps--rather, Taken--until they are seemingly in the clear. Jesse slows the jeep, rolling down the window and sticking her head out to glance around. The air is still heavy, but it doesn't feel like something is inside it.
« Can whatever this is only go so far so fast? »
She pulls back into the jeep then looks at Alan before back to the road. ]
Soo... what is it? The thing that's apparently hunting you. It's not from our world. Is it?
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Well, maybe I could write you out again. [ It's a thought that's been circling around in the back of his mind, but there's a part of him that rebels at it, almost like a voice telling him he shouldn't go through this alone, that he'll need help to figure things out. Having support along the way isn't a bad thing. But as far as he can tell, Jesse didn't ask for this, so if he can write her out again, shouldn't he? ]
You don't have to be stuck, unless you want to be. There has to be a way to take you out of it, if that's what you want.
[ He briefly contemplates making some comment about her driving, but truthfully, his own driving wouldn't be any better in a situation like this, or in any situation at all. The point is to get them to where they need to be, and that's what she's doing.
Still, it's a bumpy ride, but if it helps get the Taken off their trail, he has no complaints. Eventually, she slows down, and Alan takes a good look around, looking for more signs of danger. He doesn't notice any right off, and so he visibly relaxes for a moment. ]
I don't know what it is, really. It's- I'm sure it's got a name or something, but- wait, no, I saw it on a page. It's called the Dark Presence. Yeah, that's it. And no, I don't think it's from our world.
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You don't get to decide that. [ Her tone is sharp and pointed, almost sounding slightly older than she is. ] You don't get to put people into the story then take them out on a whim. You can't even threaten that. Not when you ask someone for their help.
[ « I don't understand why I feel so strongly about it. Other than the fact that it's something only an asshole would do. »
Her driving evens out now that she's not putting distance between them and crazy monsters. She debates turning on the radio for a moment, but, it seems their conversation is going to continue. That puts more importance on that for now. Eyes glance over at him again as she continues on the dark road.
« It's so... dark. Wait, the Dark Presence? »
Polaris shimmers around her.
« So... an enemy, sort of? Your enemy? Okay. Our enemy. Should I tell him? No, he'd think it's too crazy. He can barely handle one being from another world. You might be too much. » ]
Okay. What's the Dark Presence want? And what does it want with you?
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I- Well, I guess I won't write you out, then. I didn't think it was that important to you, because it's not like you asked to be in the story. [ Part of him thought she'd be glad to get out of the story and away from all this craziness. Apparently he thought wrong. ]
And who the hell said anything about threatening, anyway?
[ He shakes his head, suddenly feeling like maybe he's the one who doesn't belong. Maybe he shouldn't even be talking to her. For a second or two, he just silences and keeps his focus on the road ahead of them as he tries again to make sense of this and what he's doing.
He's so busy thinking that he doesn't notice how Jesse goes quiet herself. He hasn't yet realized she's talking to someone in the moments she goes quiet. ]
I don't know yet. It wants something, that's obvious. But I just don't know what that something is, or what I have to do with anything. I think- I think it needs me for something, but hell, I have no idea what that is.
[ He half expects her to tell him he's being arrogant by thinking the Dark Presence needs him. But it's just a theory he has, nothing more. ]
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[ She frowns slightly. ] I didn't ask for any of it. Or, maybe, I really did. Coming here might of been asking for it even if I didn't realize it. Like I said, my friend told me to come here. I didn't realize what any of it meant and just acted on blind faith.
[ Jesse spares a glance at him again. ]
Bright Falls has always been weird from what I can find. Stories about people going missing. Being struck by lightning. Flash floods, tornados. Things that don't happen in any other place like this happen here. [ She tilts her head with a frown. ] There was this famous poet that lived here. Thomas Zane? He... actually wrote some of my favorite poems. He lived on Cauldron Lake with his girlfriend. She... drowned, apparently, in the lake. Then the cauldera erupted and took him out with his cabin. It happened in 1970.
[ Little does Jesse knka she is repeating what Barry Wheeler found a few days ago. What he reported to Alan when they went to visit Rose. ]
So... if the Dark Presence is behind all the weird things? You're just next, I guess. [ Another glance. ] Where were you staying when you showed up here?
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You might have been told to come here, but that doesn't mean you wanted to be a part of this, does it? Hell, I don't even want to be a part of it, but I can't back out now. You could, because it's not your problem. Saving Alice is something I have to do, but you don't have to.
[ Alan may have heard this all from Barry already, but he listens to Jesse explain like it's the first time he's hearing it. Maybe it's just that writer's instinct in him, that part of him that's used to doing research for his books; this is obviously different from that, but he knows there's no harm in getting different perspectives on the same topic. ]
So, if it's always been weird, maybe it's always just drawn in events like this... people like- well, like us. And Zane, too. [ Alan's expression turns thoughtful as he mulls this over. Jesse has experiences with the otherworldly, even if she didn't ask for them either. Zane was a poet. Alan's a writer. ]
What if this place draws in people who've seen the other things out there in the world, and draws in artists too? [ It draws us in, jerks us around, and doesn't give us any choice but to keep digging. Maybe Zane had the same problem. All I know is, I don't want to see anyone drown in the lake, or drown in whatever the hell the story is doing. Not Alice, not Jesse... Not me. I think. ]
Great. I won the lottery no one wanted to enter. [ He huffs out a dry laugh. ] Bird Leg Cabin, I think it was called.
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That doesn't mean we stop trying to change it.
[ She's not sure where the words come from, but they feel right. They're something she'd say. If she was more confident and trusting. Instead, all she has is her belief and knowing the truth of what happens in the world. It's carried her for eight years.
How much longer and further can it alone carry her? ]
Besides. What if the government shows up here like it did in Ordinary? What if they try to take you too?
[ Another glance from the road is given at his statement. A tilt of her head.
« I can't say any of it wouldn't be possible. All of it is. Why would the Dark Presence want artists? I guess people like me could be tricked into... I don't know. Worshiping it? Maybe I wouls have, if it wasn't for you. » ]
You said that you weren't sure why you picked Bright Falls to get away from everything. [ Her tone is soft, leaving the room for the implications. She frowns. ] There's no cabin on Cauldron Lake. There hasn't been since everything went up in 1970. [ A glance down, then back to him. ] How did you get to the cabin?
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Isn't theoretically writing a way out for you changing it? But I guess that I don't know just how much I can change about a story that's already written. Something tells me this isn't going to be as simple as editing one of my books.
[ Suddenly, Alan feels like he's staring up at a mountain that's much bigger than him. Can he climb it? He doubts that he can. He's only a writer, only a man who came here to get away and found more than he bargained for. ]
If they show up here, I guess I'd run. Maybe they wouldn't catch me.
[ Except he doubts that he could run and hide from them forever. He's recognizable, and he's not sure how discreet he could actually be.
Maybe I'll have to find out.
But then he registers what Jesse's said, and he just stares at her. ]
No cabin? [ His expression turns confused. ] But I- I saw it. I saw the trail leading to it. I got the keys to it and everything.
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