video; un: Hob

[100more]

[The video shows Hob, sitting at home on a balcony of his apartment. He smiles, but there's a little uncertainty to his attempt at pleasantness. Something is bothering him.]

Hello, all. Uh, I don't mean to alarm everyone, but...

[That's usually how people cause alarm. Good work, Hob.]

I noticed something strange during my recent walks. I have a path I routinely take as I explore the city, walking different areas each day in case there's something out of the ordinary. Well, I typically stop in the same shops for some water or food, or to carry something home. When I went into one of the stores I frequent, I noticed the things I helped myself to previously haven't been replaced. It always was, before.

[It's hard to mask his concern.]

As more people typically arrive about once a month, if resources get scarcer... shouldn't we think of something?

[A quick smile.]

Or maybe it's all a fluke! A temporary disruption in services. That's all.

[That could be it, right? Hob doesn't have to eat to live, but starving is not a lot of fun.]

Comments

[100more]

Right now, it's still gone, but I'll check again tomorrow.

Good. That planning may be necessary. I don't think I've seen you before.

[astraphilia]

Reno's the name. I'm new, last month.

[ made it here just in time for the mall, lucky him. ]

If I read right, the city used to be much smaller and keeps expanding every couple months. Yeah?

[100more]

I'm Robert, but people call me Hob. Nice to meet you.

Yeah. There's something new every month, so far. Shops and entire areas.

[astraphilia]

Interesting... so we got a bigger footprint but the same number of people. Could be why things are starting to change now.

[100more]

I imagine more people will show up. Maybe there was a finite number of resources we were to be provided from the beginning, and we're now only starting to feel the effects because of the extra people.

[astraphilia]

That's also possible... Either way, I think we'd better get a pin on exactly what the change is before we start panicking. If things went from one day to two, that's different than going from one day to sixty, y'know what I mean?

[100more]

Absolutely. You have a pretty level head about all of this.

[astraphilia]

I've been in worse situations, if ya can believe that.

[100more]

I believe it, but it sounds like there are some interesting details.

[ If he would care to share. ]

[astraphilia]

Eh, you know. The usual—active war zones, the apocalypse.

[ does that actually clear anything up... maybe yes, maybe no. ]

This ain't great, but at least nobody's runnin' around trying to kill each other yet.

[100more]

That sounds... awful.

[ But Hob supposes not all worlds and universes are peaceful. People seem to be brought here for everywhere. ]

Let's hope things remain peaceful.