text | un: kovacs

[kovach]

[ after attempting to follow some small footprints from the dining room, kovacs briefly hears some strange and suspicious laughter that echoes out for only a short time before it's gone.

— the fuck? ]

Has anyone heard some creepy fucking kids giggling in the hallways?

Or seen some tiny feet trailing around?

Comments

[kovach]

Why would I waste time asking for a joke?

[morethan084]

To lighten the tense mood?

[kovach]

Sure. Let's fuck around and ignore the weird laughing ghost children that I'm sure won't devour us in our sleep or some shit.

[morethan084]

Well, I’m never sleeping again so I’m safe.

[Also high af right now on pain meds.]

How many times did you hear the laughing?

[She’s trying, okay?]

[kovach]

Sounds healthy.

[ then again, it's hard to sleep in a place where you don't know if you're going to wake up again. ]

Just the once. I wa following some footprints until they stopped in the middle of the hall. Heard what sounded like some kids laughing but it stopped.

[morethan084]

Better than almost dying, again

[It’s been a fun day and a half for Daisy.]

Were you near a door when they stopped?

[kovach]

No. It's like they vanished in thin air.

[ more importantly — ]

You almost died? The hell happened?

[morethan084]

Think they’re just in a parallel dimension?

[That’s been her experience with ‘ghosts’. They’re never actually ghosts.]

Apparently injuries in our dreams become actual injuries.

[kovach]

That or invisible teleportation system. [ he's talking out of his ass. hell if he knows. ] Maybe they're casting from one part of the castle to another. That's why I was trying to find out if someone's heard them elsewhere.

You get hurt bad?

[morethan084]

Didn’t hear anything over here by the kitchens. What did the footprints look like?

Pretty bad yeah

Bones patched me up

[kovach]

Pretty small. Easy to miss if you're not looking.

Long as you're good now.

[ no, he's not concerned. ]

[morethan084]

How far were you following the footprints for?

Yeah, I’m good.

[She’s definitely not good.]

[kovach]

Take it easy anyway.

[ definitely not concerned. ]

They started in the dining room and just went into the adjacent hall.

Also found this thing near where they started.

[ he changes the feed to a video to show a piece of sculpted clay, pulled from his pocket and showing what looks to be a crafted face. ]

[morethan084]

Pretty sure if I lift my butt off this bed, Bones would know.

[He changes it over to video and there’s no hiding how awful she looks. Don’t perceive her.]

That is insanely creepy.

Looks like something a kid would make.

[Speaking of…]

I came across a room that seemed like it was made with a kid’s size in mind. Might be worth checking in there?

[kovach]

Good. Stay there. Or I'll reach out to this Bones person myself to make sure you do.

[ with focus now on the clay, he spins it between his fingers to offer a plentiful view even if there's not much to get off of it aside from some minor details. ]

Maybe I could take a look. Trying to squeeze out whatever I can from this hallway first. I don't entirely buy that whatever was here really did just disappear without a trace.

[morethan084]

That's

almost sweet

[the thing is creepy for sure, something straight out of a horror movie.]

I think they're fucking with you. You really should have someone else with you, just in case.

[kovach]

[ don't call him sweet. he's not sweet. ]

Why, you worried?

[morethan084]

[He's just a big ol' teddy bear.]

Are you not? This sounds like a trap.

[kovach]

What could happen? Some creepy ghost kid eats my soul?

[morethan084]

Honestly? Yeah, maybe.

Did you forget the the part where this place makes injuries in dreams reality? Who knows what else they're capable of.

[kovach]

Exactly. So why would I drag someone else in with me? Just seems like a sure way to get two of us hurt instead of just me.

[morethan084]

[She really doesn't like this idea, but he has a point.

As much as she doesn't want to admit it.]

You should stay in contact then, just in case. Keep us updated where you are so we know where to, hopefully, find you.

[Daisy doesn't like that she can't help him.]