MAKE A WISH; VIDEO

[demonsional]

[Things have been very weird. There have been a lot of kids? Suddenly? Some of the kids are his friends but they don't remember him? It's weird! Hayden has no idea. What he does know is that he's "do everything for Hope" quest never sleeps. So he's posting a new video waving around an empty jar.

Some former squad members may recognize this as the selfsame mud jar. But it's clean now. Thank God.]

This is my wish jar! Please I am hoping to fill it with wishes for Mister Lord--I mean--I mean--

[He hesitates, practically choking as he stammers in confusion.]

For Hope.

[The sudden lack of titles makes him look very guilty and uncomfortable and he loses his enthusiasm, if only for a second. Then he snaps back to attention.]

I am going to give him many happy things and it will be from all of us and then he will feel better so please tell me all of your wishes and they can be whispered into the jar and they will make him feel much better!

[He's kind of stuck on a repetitive loop here but he's hardly noticed. He just shakes the jar even more.]

Wishes! Please! Thank you!

Comments

[knifecollecting]

Do you ever complain? [She laughs quietly.]

[demonsional]

[Hayden's gaze darts, and then he lowers his voice like he's sharing a very important secret.]

Sometimes I complain when I see a broccoli.

[knifecollecting]

[She laughs, a short burst with a genuine smile.]

Me too. Broccoli is pretty bad, yeah?

[demonsional]

Trees are in the ground and they are meant for climbing but I can't climb a broccoli!

[This is coming from the boy that routinely has to be reminded not to eat dirt. But he beams, encouraged by her laughter and her smile.]

You have the prettiest laugh!

[knifecollecting]

Do you like climbing trees? [Since he mentioned it, probably, but it's worth asking. Jo likes climbing things too.]

Yeah? [She laughs again.] Thanks.

[demonsional]

I do! I like to climb them but then I forget how to get down again when I am high up!

[He's like a cat, basically. Except a cat that could easily teleport back down to the ground again when he gets stuck in a tree only he completely forgets that's a possibility when he's up there because it's so high up. Nobody ever claimed it made sense.]

[knifecollecting]

You don't just jump down? [That's what Jo always did.

Of course, there aren't a lot of trees in the middle of Nebraska and they sure aren't very tall.]