[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

[curriculum_fictae]

[ He nods. ]

You understand then. It - it's insidious. Even when you're not in it, it - it fills in all the cracks in your being. Making them wider until you're more flaw than person.

[secreteary]

I hadn't really. Thought of it that way. Tried not to... To think about it much at all, really.

[after another shudder, Martin lowers his head a little and rubs his left arm.]

But that might explain yesterday.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric looks down at the still damp spots in Martin's room. ]

Mmm. That seems about right. I - had episodes like this too, especially later in. By the end I just cleared off a spot on my bed that wasn't completely frozen and just ... laid down where I could.

[secreteary]

Well. That's what I was doing. So..

[he's painfully silent for a little too long, wringing the fingers of his left hand.]

How close are we to being...I dunno. Avatars?

[...]

Monsters?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric doesn't correct his phrasing. Sorry, Martin. ]

You're - I mean, it's hard to tell? But you're probably halfway. Given, you know. The spooky effects and all.

[ And himself, well. He looks down at his own blurred form, subtler but more controlled. More experienced. ]

I ... I'm probably about 90% there. But I think - I think the last step is a hard one to take.

[secreteary]

Do I wan-- No, that's s-stupid. Of course I don't.

[Martin rubs his face roughly, sighing raggedly.]

...What's the last step?

[curriculum_fictae]

You really don't.

[ Algric isn't sure, but - well. The evidence only points in one direction. ]

I'm - I'm pretty sure you have to die. And then choose to live anyway.

[secreteary]

[it's so simple on the face of it, and yet a lot to parse.]

Then we just. Make sure you don't die?

[the upturned note at the end is one of some vague sliver of hopefulness. it's easier to focus on saving Algric's life than...not being human anymore.]

Keep you away from Peter Lukas as much as possible.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric isn't sure it's quite that simple. Especially with the Lonely ... surely there's other ways.

But in the same breath, he's certain that he has to choose it, and. Well. He won't. Not right now, anyway. ]

That's. Probably a good idea. Meeting Peter again would be very bad.

[secreteary]

[of course it isn't that simple. Martin knows that. but he'd like to hope. for Algric's sake, maybe.]

The problem is...how. He came for me here. We can't use the tunnels... Our "spooky effects" are a lot weaker than his...

[curriculum_fictae]

... Yeah. Even - even I'm nowhere near. I can disappear, a-and walk through things, and ... that's about?

Pretty sure he can teleport halfway across London.

[secreteary]

There has to be something. Jane Prentiss was able to die.

[curriculum_fictae]

Perhaps if we all stand in a row and care really hard at him.

[secreteary]

[for the first time in this whole conversation, Martin snorts a laugh.]

No, we'd have to get in a circle around him and sing something about not being alone. Something about friendship or something.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That gets a smile in return. ]

It would be terrible. He'd probably murder us on the spot.

[secreteary]

Or maybe he'd explode into a cloud of confetti.

[curriculum_fictae]

Our world isn't pleasant enough for that.

[ A pause. ]

Glitter. It's terrible and it gets everywhere.

[secreteary]

[nodding, smiling a bit more]

Yeah, you're right. That's a lot more appropriate.

[Martin folds his arms and thinks.]

If he was a pinata, the candy that'd fall out would be so sticky that it pulls out teeth fillings. Or so acidic that it burns holes in your tongue.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Finally, an actual laugh from Algric. ]

Oh god. One of those awful sour things, the one with the powder that leaves your mouth dry after.

[secreteary]

Yeah, exactly! Maybe lollies that glue your jaws together?

[guess what, Algric! Martin's laughing with you.]

[curriculum_fictae]

Seems fitting enough. Can't socialise if you can't talk, right?

[secreteary]

Definitely not. That's how Lukas gets revenge: dangerous sweets. Sure, he'll die to the magic of friendship, but he'll make you regret it.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ God. He just. Laughs? How long has it been since Martin's heard him laugh like that. ]

[secreteary]

[honestly, for some reason... it feels so good to hear that Martin loses himself in laughing, too.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Jon and Tim probably think they've lost their minds. In a good way.

But - after a moment, Algric subsides, wheezing. ]

It's - it's been a while.