15strangers | W̧E̷E̡̕K ͡3̴

W̛E̷͞E̶̵K͏͘͠ 3̸̡

[You got a phone call that morning. It wasn't the realtor for the vineyard, like you had thought. Instead, it was a scientist.

She offered you something you hadn't ever expected: hope.

"I think I've pinpointed where this blight has come from, and how it became so virulent. You were among the first whose crop was infected-I wish to speak to you personally about it."

You meet in a car, and drive to an isolated road. She will not take any chance to speak publicly about it-not yet. She doesn't want to release the information until she is certain. But she felt honor-bound to explain to you, given your own importance in her research. You hadn't known she had sampled your dead and dying grapes, but she did.

"This blight..." She opens a folder, showing you the photos. "Started with a gopher, several years ago. I know, it sounds insane. This disease should only affect certain animal species. But one day, it jumped into vines...the original gopher died a long time ago. But not before it had eaten an entire cluster of grapes in one swallow. It ended up scratching itself on the trellis of the grapevine as it choked to death. Its blood, its body decayed, and helped to water and fertilize that strain of grapes the next year or so, and...well, the seeds from those buds that resulted were sent out to every farm in the area. Then, to every farm in the country, different regions..."

That sounded insane. This woman's theory sounded utterly bonkers. But you can't dismiss it out of hand-you have no better answer.

Before you can say anything more, the woman's phone rings. She answers, and you see her face turn white. You don't have to guess why.

Before, the theoretical gopher had infected the grapes with the blight.

Now, the blight had claimed its first human victim.

-

[The morning hurts. It hurts to know that, even dead, there was that final, terrible moment for the Embarrassing and the Nagging. It must hurt more to know that this will continue, and that there is something out there that is invested in ensuring each and every last one of the Strangers are, if not dead, than broken.

And then, there is IT. IT is the enemy, it seems. But...what is IT? Is IT the one truly responsible? How?

As you try to think on it, you remember your truths, and suddenly, you realize, another has changed:

[That you would. Can you? You know that, whatever your answer, you must find a way to the truth. The alternative is too horrible to even contemplate-if it is even possible to be comprehended. After all-if what you saw is what happens to the dead and condemned, what will become of the living at the hands of the terrible, unknown IT who is your jailer?

Hope that you do not have to find out. Hope there is an answer in the new floor that has opened up in the Building. Otherwise...otherwise you really are doomed.

There are 13 strangers in this place.]

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[It’s at that moment that King realizes that he’s doing something stupid again. Caleb went thru something with Arthur, then he did. Arthur’s gone through at least two visions quickly, and King knows what one of them is this time.

He’s quick to get the glasses off his face, and sets them on them down, on a chair, so they can’t break.]

I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-I wasn’t expecting...I’m so sorry, Arthur.

[He needs to stop doing this...]

[Oh, if he's on a chair, he'll change back. Before anyone else decides they want a turn.]

It's okay.... I've had worse. Lots worse.

[...that...may actually make it worse.

But! Now is not the time to panic! (Completely). Right now he needs to comfort, and...possibly offer a shoulder.]

That’s...still not good, and I’m sorry you have to go through that so much. If...if you ever need to, I’m willing to go through that again, so you don’t have to be alone.

[He’s said and thought it before, and he’ll say and think it again a million times; a kid shouldn’t have to go through this kind of stuff. Not now, and not ever.]

....The offer's nice, but some of the stuff I've seen.... I don't want to share with anyone, ever. Bad enough anyone went through it to begin with.

[There aren't many visions he'd adamantly refuse to share. Under the right circumstances, he'd show off even the private secrets of others - only under specific scenarios, only if it was required. But a few? He'll take to his grave.]

Dying doesn't get any easier the second, or third.....or twelfth time.

[He's sad, but understanding for the most part. but when Arthur mentions dying twelve times…he doesn't take it well.]

You...you went thru dying...twelve times?

And a half, if I'm counting right.

[Franciscus, Jun, Jun, Jun, Arachne, Maka, Vita, Akira, Akira, Nanaki, Kurama, Kurama. Akko was a knockout blow, not the kill, so sge makes half.

It will happen again.]

[That...

To Hell with whatever awkwardness it'll bring. King's hugging Arthur, even if it means dragging another chair closer and standing on it. And he tries to be soothing again as he talks.]

I'm so sorry that you've been through that. You...you shouldn't have to do that. And if you can control it...please come get me beforehand. I know you don't want anyone else going through that, but...no one should go through something like that alone once, let alone twelve and a half times.

[He'd rather go through dying a million times than hear a kid having to go through it once.]

Hopefully, when we're done here, I'll never have to again.

[But he'll do this, as many times as he has to. Because if it helps, and he can bear it, then it wouldn't be right not to. That wouldn't be justice, would it?]

Honestly it's been happening at random more often since I got here.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

[Some words to live by.]

Well, if there's any you can control, please come get me. I may not have gone through it before, but I think I can handle it.

[He's been through near death before. May as well go all the way this time, right?]

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