EXSILIUM - contact.

[hostage]

UNIT№409



_“ Hey, it's me. Wait for the thing. _”

Comments

[vaccination]

Ew. Sorry, but--no. [She's just imagining Jesse with long hair and a rack and no no no.]

[hostage]

I wish I had pictures.

[vaccination]

... it's probably a good thing you don't. [Ellie knows what guys do with photos of chicks. That's fine and all, but when it's YOURSELF as a chick... there's gotta be something wrong with that.]

[hostage]

[No. There's nothing wrong with it, Ellie.]

Shut up.

[vaccination]

Not even trying to deny it. Weirdo.

[At least she sounds amused.]

Man, nothing's really crazy happened with me and magic yet. I got healed a few times, but that's it. It would be cool to be like... taller, for a week.

[hostage]

Seriously be careful what you wish for.

[vaccination]

I know, I know. I'm not going to ask anyone to cast any spells on me. With my luck I'd turn into a toad. Forever.

[hostage]

I could undo that, at least.

...Like, assuming anybody'd let me near you.

[vaccination]

Yeah. [There goes all the fun.] If it were something like that, Joel would make sure you would be able to undo it.

How long do you think it's gonna be like this? People thinking they have to protect everyone from you.

[hostage]

[At least he tries to sound gentle with her instead of sinking into that nasty bitter tone he gets with adults.]

Always.

Just the story of my life, Ellie.

[vaccination]

Being made out to be some sort of monster when the real ones are roaming the halls and sitting in other rooms?

I don't get it.

[hostage]

I did wrong, I totally admit it.

I just don't get why I'm still here when I already fixed what I did.

Easy target, I guess.

[vaccination]

You... gave the shit back and you're still stuck in there? What the fuck? What the hell are they waiting for?

[If Joel wasn't so depressed she'd ask him about what to do, how to deal with these people. But as it is, she hasn't said a word about this to him.]

This is bullshit.

[hostage]

Probably decided I'm too crazy to be around people. They made me talk to this shrink lady. Wrote up a report and everything.

[vaccination]

So they're just going to keep you in there until... what? We get hit by a meteor?

[hostage]

Maybe they'll leave me up here on the moon when all you guys go back.

[He sounds like he's trying to tell a joke. Trying...]

[vaccination]

That's not funny.

[Nope. She'd half expect the fuckers to try that.]

[hostage]

Relax. They're probably just trying to figure out what drugs to give me.

[vaccination]

Drugs? For what?

[hostage]

Being crazy just means you got chemicals messed up in your head. Drugs balance you out. Like, assuming you're on the right ones. Probably what'll happen when they dope me up is just I'll be sleepier. Docile, you know? That's what they like to call it.

[vaccination]

[She appreciates the explanation, because she has no idea about drugs being used to try and fix this sort of stuff. Still, it doesn't really sit right with her when she doesn't think Jesse is crazy.]

Docile. [That doesn't sit right, either.] In a war.

[hostage]

Hell, I'll take drugs over this damn cage. Don't gotta ask me twice, you know what I'm saying?

I hope they're listening to this thing.

[vaccination]

Yeah. I get that, at least. [Turn him into a zombie and set him free after painting a target on his back. Real nice. But maybe that is better than being a prisoner.]

We'll still hang out even if you're sleepier.

[hostage]

I'd like that.

[He's trying not to sound sad, but... He sounds sad.]

[vaccination]

You don't think it's going to be that easy, huh?