audio; un: loveless

[limbical]

I'd like to keep this as efficient as possible, so I don't plan on talking your ear off.

Call me Daan. I'm a doctor. That should about cover all you need to know about me.

So, first question: is there already a clinic arranged by someone here? Have there been any injuries on top of there being a willing killer out there? Illnesses or whatever else. I can probably help you, even a little.

Second question: who has been here since the start of this whole mess of being trapped in a part of this city? Ideally, I'd like someone who can be informative, but I'm not overly picky.

Comments

[limbical]

Understandable. I, too, had hoped this was but a temporary matter. A few days at most. But it doesn't seem to be the case, unfortunately. Not when so many have been here for about a month, it seems.

In any case, I will remember that.

That's quite all right. I've received a lot of similar responses to my questions. Maybe you could simply tell me your take on all of this so far? Any observations and the like.

[aceslow]

A month with no end in sight, I'm afraid. Not for lack of trying.

I've been keeping notes of everything I've gathered so far. The most pertinent being that we seem to be in some sort of artificial space; if we go beyond the bounds, we get turned back around. There is no other life here besides us: no birds, no squirrels, not even a fly. The demographic of people who were brought here skews male, between the ages of about seventeen and fifty, most of which have histories in military, law-enforcement, or mercenary work. People coming from violent, tumultuous backgrounds seems to be a prevailing trend as well. It's not the sort of population you draw from if we're to believe in their apparent efforts to create an idyllic city.

[limbical]

Hmm, I noticed some similar aspects. Particularly the lack of animals. Even Prehevil had some other life besides its inhabitants, to a degree.

But yes. I would say that majority of us have had some... complicated experiences. Which might encourage the "this is an experiment" theory for some people. Are you leaning that way yourself?

[aceslow]

I can't rule it out. But I have my doubts. Even if this is just a poor experiment, conducted by some power able to pluck people from multiple worlds, I would assume at least an attempt at some sort of scientific rigor. I've noted trends, but not necessarily as a rule.

If we go by the conceit that some entity is watching us, I'm leaning less towards us being an experiment, and more towards us being entertainment. What do you make of it?

[limbical]

Honestly, it's tough to say, but this city does have a weird mix of "lived in" and manufactured feeling to it. Kind of messed up that way. Not a single bug or bird, but it also looks like there's typical signs of people having been here once. It's weird.

My first thought was something otherworldly going on. Now I'm not 100% sure, to be honest. Usually I expect some kind of asshole to explain his grand plan by now or whatever, but we're totally in the dark.

[aceslow]

There were people here before us, that much is clear. And I can only assume that whatever happened to them, the people who run this place intend to happen to us as well, whatever that may be. Who knows? Maybe this is merely a holding pen before we find out what this is really about.

[limbical]

Shame we can't find anything that includes people's names. Not a single bit of paper to be had there.

Well. Either way, I suppose there's only so much speculation one can do until whoever our captors are will play their hand.

[aceslow]

Yes, for the most part, speculating is just what's keeping us from going insane. [ Kim offers him a crooked smile at that, knowing full well how much they've failed at that task. ] There's the temptation to say that if we can predict something, we're better equipped to deal with it... but I highly doubt that.

In any case, your suggestion is among the better I've heard. If we can't sort out the mystery behind this place, we can at least sort out how to make it safer.

[limbical]

I was underprepared the last time I was in a strange and fucked up situation. If I can make even an inch of difference by making sure people have somewhere or someone to turn to, then I'll call it an accomplishment.

But I appreciate your insight as well. Didn't catch your name?

[aceslow]

Kim Kitsuragi. Good to meet you, Daan. I don't suppose the last strange and fucked up situation you were in bore any resemblance to this one?

[limbical]

A pleasure, then.

Only some similarities. Being stuck in a town without being able to escape is the closest similarity, but that's about where it ends. Comparatively, this has been a vacation here. Not that I'm enjoying it, but hopefully you understand the implication.