❖ 001 - Video

[spotlighted]

[The lady looking curiously into the camera could have just stepped out of a time machine, or a nuclear bunker that's been sealed up for the last sixty years. She's dressed in a luxurious velvet evening dress and her pin curls are draped elegantly round her face, which is full of nervous excitement as she glances round her. She's still a little bewildered by her surroundings, but she's clearly trying to make the best of them.]

Is this on? [A small, delighted laugh.] I never thought I'd be able to film anything like this - that's just for big time Hollywood people. This place sure is great, having this sort of technology readily available. It's so futuristic.

[She pans the camera round the Square briefly, before the shot returns to her face, looking a little more confused now.] Is there one of these buildings that's better than the others? To live in, I mean. I can't tell just by looking - is there one that the right sort of people tend to go for, or do I just plump for one and make the best of it? ...If there's one that's known for housing troublemakers, I'd rather avoid it.

[Now she adopts her most charming smile.]And if this really has worked and people can actually see me on this, then I've been awfully rude in not telling you my name. It's Ruby. I've figured by now that I'm probably stuck here, but if there actually is a bus back to New York that I could catch, I'd appreciate being pointed in the right direction.

Comments

Voice

[spotlighted]

And if they're not motivated to work hard, I suppose they expect everyone else to provide for them, instead? [She sounds a little contemptuous of the idea.]

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

[Ah, he quite approves of that contempt.]

Perhaps not fully, but there is a certain expectation that people will help each other out, that charity is readily accessible, that everything will be all right in the end. It's ridiculous, really, especially in a city dictated, seemingly, by the whims of inscrutable "Deities," but there you have it.

Voice

[spotlighted]

Well, with that attitude all they're doing is essentially giving these "Deities" control over them. And I can tell you from experience that the only way things will be all right in the end is if you make them all right.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

I'm in total agreement, of course, but trying to talk sense into them is...

[A pause.]

Problematic.

Voice

[spotlighted]

Yes, I can see how it would be. But unfortunately, if that's already engrained in the society here, it makes changing it a very tall order.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Still, one feels a certain compulsion to do so.

Voice

[spotlighted]

I have to admire you for that. Maybe one day you'll get through to them.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

That's certainly the hope. I don't intend to let them wear me down.

May I ask what time you're from, if you find this futuristic?

Voice

[spotlighted]

Certainly. I'm from 1952. [And it still felt surreal saying that.]

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Ah.

[He sounds almost pleased.]

A contemporary of mine, of sorts. I'm from 1959.

Voice

[spotlighted]

Oh, really? You're probably the closest to my time that I've met. [She sounds a little relieved.]

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Most people here are from what I might consider the future. Though, of course, many of them are from other worlds, as well. You, I assume, are from New York, given your initial message.

Voice

[spotlighted]

I always thought it would be exciting to meet someone from the future, but the technology's not gotten anywhere near as far as I imagined it would, even in fifty years' time. Perhaps I'll have more luck with some of the ones from other worlds. And yes, I'm a New York City girl.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

I'm sure that the people from other worlds will impress you far more than the people from our own world. Some of them have very unusual technology indeed.

[A pause.]

I used to live in New York City myself.

Voice

[spotlighted]

I'll look forward to speaking to them, then. It's always excited me so.

You did? That's marvellous, I didn't think I'd find anyone else from the Big Apple in this place.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

You'll find quite a few New Yorkers here. Some of them, however, are likely from a very different New York than you know.

Voice

[spotlighted]

You're telling me. I spoke to one guy, he made it sound like hell. Apparently his version of New York is separated off from the rest of the States and run by the Japanese.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Really. How unpleasant. Although I do know a woman who has indicated that most of the East Coast, in her time, experienced some sort of... zombie invasion.

[He says it skeptically, as though he's well aware of how ridiculous the words sound.]

Voice

[spotlighted]

Really. I'm sure glad we didn't lose the war in my version of the world, I don't even want to imagine living in that version of New York. But zombies? [She chuckles to herself, the idea sounding a little too farfetched.] I think I'd prefer them to stay in the movies.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Unfortunately, something remarkably like zombies have already visited the City once.

Voice

[spotlighted]

That would be one of these curses, I suppose? Well, I'm very glad I missed that one. Although at least zombies are something that I could shoot if they get too close. Vampires, they seem to be the ones to watch out for.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

And there are certainly vampires here, though many of them seem strangely... polite about their particular issue. I'd still steer clear of them, however.

Voice

[spotlighted]

This place just keeps getting stranger the more I hear about it. But don't you worry, I'm not about to go making friends with anyone who'd eat me for breakfast.

Re: Voice

[rianofski]

Good, though if you end up doing so anyway, I'd appreciate if you waited until after I had the chance to take you out for a drink.

Voice

[spotlighted]

[A small purr of approval. She hasn't been here a day and she's already receiving invitations. Just the way she likes it.] I'd be glad to go for a drink with you. Although I don't think I got a name.