[PSL] time travel, time travel

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin had always known that Lukas would kill him in the end. If not along the way, then surely at the end, once he'd gotten what he wanted out of Martin, whatever that turned out to be. When the Lonely rose up to swallow him, he'd accepted his impending death with ... what?

What did he have left, really? Numbness, mostly. A hallucination of Jon in the Lonely, looking for him, but - but that was impossible, ridiculous. His mind playing cruel tricks. He settled himself down in the frigid surf, knees drawn up close to his chest, unshed tears frozen to his cheeks and lashes.

And then. A door. A door that shouldn't exist, that couldn't exist. That he shouldn't take at all. The Lonely was terrible, yes, but it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Martin was aligned enough with it by now to very nearly enjoy it, in a strange and terrible way. The Spiral would be infinitely worse than this quiet beach.

But ... it was hope, too. In a strange way. Hope enough that Martin found himself turning the door handle and stepping through, leaving the false comfort of the Lonely behind him.

The transition was unpleasant. Long. But Martin couldn't remember it after; he only remembered stumbling out through the door of a supply closet somewhere deep in the Archives, blinking up at the dim bulbs that pretended to be sufficient. What time was it? Had he escaped? Where were Lukas and Elias now?

And where was Jon? ]

Comments

[eyediot]

...I'll keep it in mind.

[He sighs. Stares up at the ceiling. Tries to to imagine his life without being able to see. He doesn't like it.

He'd have to resort to audiobooks. Ugh.

Not being able to see either yada yada but god. The concessions he'd have to make.]

What happens if I'm the only one who does it?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Sorry, Jon. Surely by now you've realised that Algric never has any good news. ]

I - I don't think that helps us. Just you.

[eyediot]

Mm... I don't know, I just thought... you're all my staff so...


[If Elias is the roots, Jon is the trunk, the rest of the team are branches, or... something. The logic behind the thought process is getting lost in the haze. It's clear he is starting to drift, but he doesn't really want to.]

I don't know.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It ... isn't a bad train of logic? It definitely makes Algric think for a moment. But if Jon only had to put his own eyes out to free them all, wouldn't he have done it? Even if it killed him?

Maybe. Maybe. ]

It's not happening tonight. You need to sleep.

[eyediot]

[His immediate, morphine-induced thought is to ask him to not leave. The idea of being alone right now, even while he's asleep is... bad. At the same time, is it fair to ask that of him? When Algric knows no one can or will see him? Hear him? He'd be alone in this room with Jon asleep and no one would notice.

Jon's eyes are focused on Algric as they slowly close, sleep starting to take him.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ It's all right, Jon. Algric can't read his mind, but ... he has a good sense of what you want. ]

Sleep, Jon. I'll stay right here.

[ The last thing Jon likely sees before passing out is Algric's utterly lovesick expression. ]

[eyediot]

[It's a few hours - or a day, who even knows in this place - when Jon wakes up again. Quiet and slow, those eyes flutter open.

Everything's a bit fuzzy, he isn't sure where his glasses went. But he groans, shifting and trying to sit up a bit. His back is so, so sore now that he's been laying on it a bit and that round of painkillers has run through.]

God... should've asked for a book.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric, meanwhile, is dozing in a nearby chair. Had he ever left? Probably not. He's - well, he's terrified that Jon will drop dead again, or not wake up, or ...

He startles awake immediately at Jon's voice. And brightens a little through his fog. ]

-- Oh. I. Actually, I brought a couple. I thought, ah, if worse came to worst, I'd read to you.

[ He has a lot of experience with reading to dead Jon. ]

[eyediot]

Oh--

[Oh jeez, Algric is still here. He can't see a clock but surely it's been long enough that he should've gone home by now?]

You... didn't have to stay this long...

[curriculum_fictae]

Where else am I going to go, Jon? Back to your place?

[ He managed a weak smile. ]

Besides, the nurses can't throw me out.

[eyediot]

...No, I suppose they can't.

[Jon finally gets set up, leaning back against the pillows.]

But you could have gone back to my place. At least to sleep there.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric just shakes his head gently. And laughs a little. ]

Jon. I don't want to do that. Not while you're stuck here.

[eyediot]

... I shouldn't be here much longer. If I remember what they told me, I should be discharged later today or tomorrow.

[Maybe. Hopefully. God he hopes.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric brightens at that. ]

Really? That's lovely. With a wheelchair, probably, given. Ah.

[ He gestures to Jon's feet. ]

I'll help you get back. And, ah. Probably start another ghost story rumour.

[eyediot]

Right... [His fucking feet.

But at the comment about the ghost rumour, Jon smirks. Almost a laugh.]

Was there another already?

[curriculum_fictae]

Y. Yes. I - ah. I badly frightened one of the night nurses, I think.

[eyediot]

[He snorts loudly at that - exhaustion and the painkillers getting to him.]

It seems most hospitals have some story like this. It's not so out of the ordinary then.

[curriculum_fictae]

J-just adding to the local lore, yeah? I just. Ah. I hope I don't cause any statements.

[ He comes to sit in the chair closer to Jon, offering him a book. ]

[eyediot]

You might. Who knows.

[At the book, he blinks once, then reaches for it. It's one he's read already but. Martin doesn't know so he'll at least humor him. But maybe he shouldn't quite think of it that way.]

Thank you.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Well, yes. That was the only way Algric thought to get him something he'd be sure to like. He doesn't know about Jon's preferences. ]

Of - of course. I still have the casserole too, and. And I can get anything else you want.

[eyediot]

[It's all right, Algric, no one does because Jon never fucking talks about himself.]

Oh- I. Sure. Just the casserole's all right. Never could get the taste for hospital food.

[curriculum_fictae]

Right. Just - just sit there for a moment, yeah? I'll go warm it up.

[ He knew where the good microwave was in the doctor's lounge. ]

[eyediot]

I. don't think I can really go anywhere.

[He smirks, just a little. Once Martin is out of the room, he flips through the book he brought by a few pages before setting it aside. He wonders what it's like to be able to reread books. Or multiple books by the same author. What a charmed life.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ You could read those Algric Diggly logs, Jon. There were quite a few of them.

Anyway - Algric goes as quickly as he can. It's not far, at least, and getting the food reheated is no trouble. Really, the tricky part is getting it back to Jon still warm. He winds up donning a thick pair of gloves and holding it delicately between jumper-covered hands. ]

Ah, right, okay. Probably need to eat that quick before it goes cold, but...

[eyediot]

[That would require him having a smartphone, which he will never get.]

Of course. [He tries to reach to pull that little wheelie table over. Hard to when he can't really twist his upper body at all, but he manages all the same. He needs to do it himself. Thankfully they did leave a few plastic forks around for him.]

...Thank you.