1 . VOICE . four calling birds

[onset]

[Hello, City. You have acquired +1 hopeless human being, complete with a very English accent and no sense of direction. His voice sounds pleasant enough, at least.]

He - [wait is this thing working

okay, we'll just assume it is] Hello? I'm sorry, I have no idea who I'm talking to, but nothing else will work, and - I need help.

[yes, this pause is meant to be a silent expression of how awkward he feels, and this is why:]

I think - I hit my head. [he's actually pretty sure he did that, if waking up with his cheek pressed against concrete and a nasty headache followed by what he assumes is amnesia are anything to go by.] I don't know where I am or how I got here, and... I seem to be hearing things? [voices coming from a random assortment of birds and a clock ticking, to be exact. With a very pointed exhale (he may be feeling sick in addition to everything else):]

Could someone take me to hospital?

Comments

[anunluckypenny]

It's great to meet you too, Peter, and don't worry about it. Falling into a different dimension kind of throws most people for a loop.

Huh? Oh, no, but I run the Welcome Center. It's about a block away from the fountain and there're coats and beds and things to eat here if you find yourself needing those things.

[onset]

[That's lovely, Penny, and he'd like to tell you that, but a little something you said before is currently taking hold of his attention.]

Sorry, I don't think I got that - falling into a different what?

[anunluckypenny]

Oh! I guess that would've been a good place to start. Yeah, this is a weird dimension that pulls people in from all of the others. Someone else could explain it better, but basically we're all from different universes and, if we get to go home, we'll get back right when we left.

[onset]

[Please hold; he has to take a moment. And this moment is going to take a while.]

I'm not... sure I follow.

[anunluckypenny]

[It's all good. Peter's still handling this better than a lot of newbies.]

Then try thinking of it as a vacation that you never really asked for.

[onset]

Right. [Right. Okay. He'll roll with that.] And how long is this vacation going to take...?

[anunluckypenny]

That depends. No one really has control of when they come or go or how long they stay.

[onset]

[Oh. Well.]

That's reassuring.

[anunluckypenny]

Sorry. I wish I had some good news for you.

[onset]

[Not unkindly:] That makes two of us.

But I do appreciate your help.

[anunluckypenny]

Of course. If you ever need anything, Peter, go ahead and let me know? It's kind of what I'm here for.

[onset]

Oh, yes, of course. [after a pause,] Do I just call this number-?

[anunluckypenny]

It'd be better to call this number. The one you're on is kind of like an open line to the whole City.

[onset]

Right. [a beat,] Thank you very much, Penny.