twenty-five. video. backdated to late last night.

[goryteller]

[The feed is filled with the sound of heavy breathing. Then choked laughter. Then the video snaps on.]

I'm so fucking bored today, City. What should I do?

[Something has snapped quite palpably in the man who was playing with shadow puppets only days before. The feed is focused on his face, on his manic eyes and disheveled hair. He's rocking on a chair that isn't meant to rock.]

I know. I know what I'll do. I'll kill someone!

[He stops rocking. Drums his fingers on the bottom of the seat.]

Maybe I'll blow up a hospital, show that off. Maybe I'll kidnap a bunch of other fucking imports, tie them to chairs, torture them, and broadcast their sorry, knife-ridden bodies to the network. Maybe I'll shoot a child in cold blood, you little bastard. [He affects, quite accurately, Ladd's accent.] Torture with spells. Slash throats. Decapitate. Trick people into solving madlibs and then beat them to death with sticks. Kidnap people weaker than me and cut into their heads ahah-ha--

[His breaths dissolve into something like the beginning of tears hitch hitch hitch and then spits into laughter instead. He drags his hands over his face. His voice is a frail whisper:]

Oh my God. You monsters.

Comments

[thesoundofsilence]

[Is this Desire again? Eddie had said the Endless did some terrible things--and Trowa liked Katurian, for some reason, maybe just because Katurian was nervous and Trowa didn't feel so out of place talking with him.]

[Tentatively:]

Mr. Katurian...?

[goryteller]

N-N-No. No, not-- not you, not right--

[A high-pitched laugh, then silence.]

What is it?

[thesoundofsilence]

[Not him? What's that supposed to mean?]

...You sound wrong.

[And if that's the case...]

Maybe you could go to a doctor?

[goryteller]

The doctors aren't on our side in this city, Trowa.

[The name comes up automatically. He hesitates, then laughs, shielding his head.]

Whatever.

[thesoundofsilence]

[But... that can't be right. Everyone had been telling him to get a doctor for Midii yesterday, and there was Dr. Crane...]

[He's seen a hell of a lot of things on the Network, but watching someone have a complete meltdown? Nope.]

I can make it stop. All your feelings. Like--like Midii.

Maybe if--if I don't hold on so long this time...

[goryteller]

[This is enough to shock him into a temporary silence.]

What?

[thesoundofsilence]

If you're hurting. I can make it go away.

You don't feel it.

[goryteller]

And you can do that over the communicator. You can make someone stop feeling.

[thesoundofsilence]

No, I have to...

My hands. I got to touch you.

Comment not here:

[smilelikeaknife]

[But you're on the list, kid]

[thesoundofsilence]

[Oh god. What list is that?]