[He's stares into the feed, shaken, obviously shaken. And quiet. Quiet for the longest time because...well, what really is there to say? One minute he was at home and -

[...was he at home? He can't remember. Maybe it was school, Gwen's house, maybe even...maybe even the store or something, but-

[But not here. Definitely not here, he would have remembered this, this...ticking. He winces at the sound, so grating, his grip tightening on the communicator until you can almost hear the plastic squeaking beneath the pressure.]

This is not real, it's not real.

[He keeps his eyes closed, whispering through gritted teeth, determined to make the dream dissipate, to wake up safe in his bed.

[But eventually his eyes have to flutter back open, back to the carousel, back to the ticking...]

No...

No, this can't...this can't be real, it can't--

[Suddenly, he seems to focus on the communicator. There was a reason he switched it on...]

H-hey! Hey, if there's anybody out there, I--...I-I need to get home, I don't...belong here. I need to go home!

[He sucks in a sharp breath - hadn't taken one in a while.

[It comes back out shaking.]

Please...Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I'll...I-I'll fix it, just...

Please. Let me go home. Tell me how to go home...

[After some unseen fumbling with the communicator, it finally clicks on, and the face of a small boy fills the screen. He has a serious countenance, despite only being about six or so, and when he speaks, it's not with distress, but with slight confusion and a definite tone of politeness. At the moment, however, he's not speaking English -- he's speaking Yiddish.]

Can someone tell me where I am, please?

[After a few moments of no response, he decides to switch to a different language. Perhaps that will garner some kind of response. He chooses Russian.]

Is there anyone there?

[A long sigh, a far too world-weary one for someone so young, and then he shuts off the communicator. Maybe he'll have better luck tracking someone down to speak to them in person.]

[[Yes, Meyer has been de-aged, and thus, comments will come from recognize_a_curse . Oh, and he doesn't speak English. Good luck with that!

[Julie doesn't know it's going to be a crazy weekend. She was hoping for more time to settle in before shit got weird so today, she's on her device with an important question. One that's going to be interrupted half-way through. For now, she's holding up a prescription inhaler.]

Hey, again. So...I'm wondering where I can go to get this filled? I've been using it a lot for the past few days because of stress and a lot of running an---

[But then the feed cuts out here in a whine of static and snow before--]

( videos under here )

Der --. [ The device catches the harsh grind of Stiles' voice the minute he speaks, the camera obscured by the flannel of his shirt. He sounds rough, worn down, and when fingers pluck the device from his pocket a few moments later they're very clearly shaking. ] No, shit, shit.

[ His eyes are ringed red like maybe he's not been sleeping or maybe he's been crying and it takes a beat too long for understanding to flicker across his face. It's barely any time at all after for it to harden his expression. The City. His hand curls into a fist around the machine and his inhale sounds laboured as he shudders. ] Fuck.

[ From then on the reaction is far too fast, each breath not quite making it and Stiles' clumsy touch trying to do something, turn off the camera or call someone or something. But he misses and the entire thing clatters to the ground, his grip seizing and curling around his knees as he bends at the waist and tries to just breathe. ]

I -. [ A swallow. He's panicking. It's a panic attack. He can't stop. He can't stop. He tries to reach out for his device again, but it's too much. His vision is going and he just sinks to his knees, burying his hands in his hair. Each breath sounds like a rasp but if he focuses maybe he can just ... ]

( ooc: so stiles is back! he's been updated to the very beginning of Alpha Pact. he's also having a very nasty panic attack. make a line to kiss him. don't do that. )

Okay. This curse is fucking stupid. Where is all my coffee? And why the hell does every single place I go to seem to run out of anything with caffeine when I get there?

[Grouchy necromancer is grouchy... actually caffeine deprived necromancer is dangerously cranky.]

//

[At the Casino, in theory, Theo should be running his card table, but he's been radiating DEATH and DESTROY EVERYTHING so "loudly" that people have been avoiding it. And Meyer appears to have vanished. So he's nursing a drink at the bar and glowering at people.]


[Things people don't realize about Theo. He needs at least three cups of coffee before being able to act human... guess what. He got hit by the Cold-Turkey curse...]

[The video starts rather suddenly, at an odd angle, like the device has been dropped. And it shows a little girl, swinging from a tree branch.

She's a very familiar looking little girl, with auburn hair and bright blue eyes, dressed up in very regal clothing (which she doesn't seem to particularly care about keeping nice), laughing as she swings back and forth, before hopping down and picking up the device, squinting and staring at it oddly.]

What in the world is this thing...? It looks like a box...ooh, I wonder if there's treasure in it!

[She frowns, determined to open this weird little thing up, poking at the device and making a series of funny faces at it as she looks for some sort of button or latch or opening. At one point, she tries to forcibly pry it open, turning it off for a moment or two before it turns back on. Having determined that no, this funny little thing does not open, she sighs over-dramatically.]

Drat. I guess there's no treasure in here after all.

[Thoroughly disappointed, she drops the device back on the ground, putting her hands on her hips looking around.]

Now...where am I?

[ooc: Replies will come from theroyalshvibzik. Come Monday, Anya will remember none of this weekend. And...uh, try not to inform Anastasia about the fate of her historical counterpart? I think it'll scare her.]

[When the broadcast starts, this scene plays out, cutting out when the thread ends.

Afterwards, Leah is left on screen, clutching at her chest and breathing heavily.]

This is wholly unfair, showing memories I do not possess. I demand to speak to someone in charge, Deity or not!