arsgoetia | [Game 18] The Waking World

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!game 18

[Game 18] The Waking World

After successfully talking Zan into waking up—the world around you starts to dissolve and break apart. There's a lurch, like the sensation of abruptly falling into sleep, but backwards; and all around you, the glass begins to crack apart, splintering and sending ocean water splashing everywhere, gushing forward, a cascade of blue and black, alternating between starfish and actual stars, suspended in liquid sky.

. . . reality seems to bleed in overtop of it and, sluggishly, you find yourselves waking up all over a suburban basement in New Jersey. There is a lamp on near the bed, where someone is still asleep, though fitfully beginning to wake up.

More noticeably, there is a woman sitting up in bed with him, arms wrapped around her bare knees as she watches them with amusement, extremely beautiful and . . . extremely familiar.

"Wow." One hand drops to Zan's hair. "I don't even know where to start with you guys."

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[takes it, and looks overwhelmed]

...

I can't drink this much.

You could try taking a sip and passing it back.

Oh, I could do that.

[does that]

[takes the bottle again]

... it's strange. I haven't had wine in years, not since communion.

Wasn't that what you were asking for?

Yes. I don't dislike the taste... but I can't drink very much of it before I start to slip. And I don't like that part. Also, it's flammable.

Take it easy, then.

How much longer will we have to do this?

Rest of my life, for me.

For me, too. But sometimes I think about what it would be like to live a long time and then retire... like a normal person.

That's wild, Robin. Wild fantasies.

What about a nice cottage in the countryside? With a farmer's market and cafés?

Nah, not my calling.

Too remote for you?

Do you want the serious answer or the joke?

Joke first, then serious.

I'm a city man through and through, Robin. What would I do without Starbucks?

Oh, that's a good point... I might have to rethink my entire life's plan.

Now, the other part.

...

[shrugs] Yeah, it's depressing. I might not have the greatest life expectancy either. But, you know, that's... I'm okay with that. I want to spend my life making a difference. And sometimes it'll be a small difference, or one with losses. And that'll hurt. But if we don't make those differences too, that'll add up.

... I feel that way, too. Even if it's sad, and even if all I have are brief moments of happiness for the rest of my life... I want my life to have meaning here.

Yeah. Maybe we made a difference for that kid, you know?

I hope so. And as for Madison...

We don't know, so let's hope for the best. I think Maddy would rather this guy be allowed to do things of his own will regardless.

Right. He got caught up in all of this unwittingly, after all.

(no subject)

the_straight_man - 2015-01-05 08:11 (UTC) - Expand

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