curriculum_fictae

From:

[ Algric takes a deep breath, then. Letting the compulsion settle in him willingly, guiding it to the story he wants to tell. Something smaller - something he can endure in his nightmares, hopefully. ]

It was - it was shortly after I'd agreed to Peter's deal. You were still dead. He'd convinced me to stop going to see you, but ... but I still tried to keep up with everyone, yeah? If I didn't, I - I might not even know if he'd kept up his end of the bargain. He could have still been solving HR disputes by eating the employees involved.

[ He draws Jon in closer, smoothing his fingers over Jon's hair. ]

S-so I. I'd stopped by Rosie's desk this morning. Just saying hullo, catching up on gossip. She had a little trouble focusing on me, but it was a nice chat. Pleasant. No one was missing, except you, of course, but. Ah. Library's never cared much about the weirdos in Archives, I guess...

[ That had been him once upon a time. God. ]

When I got back to the office, Peter wasn't there. Or - or at least I thought he wasn't there, until I got up to make coffee a few minutes later and the door was frozen shut. A-and I turned and ... ah, you know Peter. He never says anything nasty, does he? Just sort of - implies that you're the worst, and lets you take over from there. Like. Like an acid drip in your brain.

[ Now he's gulping for air, the words burning as they leave his throat. ]

He said he was disappointed in me. Asked if I really wanted to - to put the Institute in danger like that? So soon after we'd made the deal too. But it was all right, he could f-f-fix it. For me.

[ The details aren't important. Jon's seen them: the frigid beach, the grey waters. ]

I ... stopped talking to Rosie, after. Or anyone else. Not that it. Really mattered. No one even noticed me any more.