[text] - forward-dated to November 27th

[bashfulshifter]

Is everyone okay? I went down to the carnival this morning and it wasn't looking very good. Did something happen? Is anyone hurt?

Filtered to midgarhorizon

Can I talk to you about something, in private? I'm sorry for being so abrupt, but it's important.

--Patrick Dawn

Comments

[bashfulshifter]

That's g-good. [Rick passes another anxious look over his shoulder.] ...I-I think I've l-lost him, but...w-we should be quick. Um...

[Deep breath--collect thoughts...okay, he's ready now.]

...I s-saw...s-s-something...in the p-park this m-morning. A...v-vision, or...I'm n-not s-s-sure. Did you...?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...

[She didn't say anything. she simply nodded.]

I...I w-was... p-picked up by something, and I couldn't move at all. And t-they threw m-me at the g-ground. W-when I woke up, t-there was n-nothing there....

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick's expression immediately switches to shock.]

Th--Threw you? Are you h-hurt?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

N-no! It's okay, I'm completely f-fine!

[She frowns.]

I-It's just.... I h-heard something t-talk during it.

"B-begin destructive testing"

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick frowns back and pensively scratches his chin.]

...'T-Testing'...like...r-r-research, you think?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She shrugs.]

M-maybe, there's l-lot's of types of testing. Either w-way, it was p-pretty creepy. [She shuddered.] I h-hate ghosts.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick nods, still deep in thought.] Y-Yeah, I...know w-what you m-mean. I'm j-just th--thinking...the p-people in m-my v-vision t-talked a-about some k-kind of r-r-research.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...Maybe t-they're about the s-same thing?

[bashfulshifter]

...C-Could be. [He pulls a face.] It s-seems like, uh...a l-little too m-much of a c-c-coincidence for it n-not to be. Do you th--think o-others, m-maybe...?

[stitchedupbodyguard]

It's p-possible... We c-could ask around. M-maybe someone else h-has seen stuff like this?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick nods.] ...I-I'll, uh...keep an e-eye out. I m-mean...this i-isn't the f-first t-time s-s-something has h-happened like this.