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[thechoiceisyours]

[So, it's been about a day. It felt like a lot longer, especially during the night, and by now he's not just scared but incredibly bored. Sleeping isn't really a thing that's an option for lots of reasons, so he's had a lot of time to both think and reread a lot of conversations on the network; there's something that stood out to him in that time, and it lead to this post.]

Okay, so a lot of people are here without any of their friends from home, and this whole thing going on is a pretty bad time to be on your own.

[He can't imagine what it would be like being in this situation while thinking there's no one looking for and caring about you specifically. It isn't just the actual rescue that's the issue, though--especially since who gets found when is pretty unpredictable--it's that there might be people that don't have anyone to reach out to. There might be people who are totally alone in this.

So I was thinking that anyone who doesn't have anyone to talk to can just join in conversation here? People who do already have friends to talk to can too. Meeting new people is at least distracting even if everyone's probably not feeling all that friendly.

I guess just talk about whatever. What's it like back in whatever world you're from, any cool skills (if they involve getting out of being buried that's a plus,) anyone in college before they ended up here? Whatever topic is going to be better than nothing.

I mean I dunno about you guys but I definitely don't have anything better to be doing.

Comments

[thechoiceisyours]

Hey, whatever works.

[He's pretty sure digging holes would just be super frustrating and annoying and time-consuming, not that he wouldn't be doing it in this situation.]

You could totally send me a picture.

[Show him your hole-digging skills, Johanna. This is a pretty good distraction, really.]

[morphinum]

[ attached is a selfie of Johanna standing in a hole that's about three feet deep, sticking her free middle finger up at the camera.

she's real classy. ]

[thechoiceisyours]

[...He actually laughs, despite everything, and even though there's no one around to hear it.]

Incredible. Best picture ever.

That is a pretty huge hole, too.

[morphinum]

hey man I used to spend my days chopping down trees with a fucking single-person axe

this is nothing

[thechoiceisyours]

I've legit never picked up an axe in my life so hey, it's impressive to me.

[morphinum]

oh yeah I know it's obvious

[thechoiceisyours]

Thanks

[Gosh, so rude.]

And of course it's my luck that the weapons we got in this place are like five hundred years old so I'll just keep looking lame and incompetent

[Not that having guns around would probably be all that good of a thing, but having a weapon he's used to using--even if it's only one night's worth of experience--would be kind of nice.]

[morphinum]

that's your decision. you could always try a little work for a change. pick up a dagger. I don't think you're QUITE stupid enough to cut your hand off by just doing that

maybe

I have very little faith in you

[thechoiceisyours]

Nah I wouldn't cut off my hand, I'd probably do great for like ten minutes and then just trip and fall on the knife.

[He is possibly the least graceful person on the planet Johanna; your lack of faith is completely founded.]

[morphinum]

man that's not even the knife's problem that's all you

I'm surprised you're still alive really I suppose I should say good job but really that's kinda sad

[thechoiceisyours]

Dude I'm secretly super badass just only for like twenty seconds at a time

[morphinum]

sure, boy scout


suuuuuuuuuure

[thechoiceisyours]

I'd say something like "I'll prove it someday!" but I'm gonna do my best not to ever have to so like

I guess I'll just be forever disbelieved

[morphinum]

yeah I'd really appreciate it if you didn't feed me that saccharine crock of shit

there are worse things to be

like dead

or so I've heard

[thechoiceisyours]

You know, it might be a crazy coincidence but I've heard the same thing.

[morphinum]

came real close to dying

actually you know you could ask cashmere about death

since I killed her and all. good times

[thechoiceisyours]

Closer than the yeti?

[It's an invitation to explain if she wants, or brush it off if she doesn't. The next part he'd definitely like an actual explanation for though, assuming she's serious anyway, but she doesn't seem the type to joke about that.]

I'm guessing it was for a good reason.

[Please tell him there was a good reason.]

[morphinum]

yup

torture is a fun time 10/10 masochists would recommend.

not really? but also yes? we were in a fight to the death so it was either her or me and it definitely wasn't gonna be me

[thechoiceisyours]

[Oh. Well, he wasn't expecting that, and yet it also makes a lot of sense. He's never been tortured--not physically, anyway, and he's not really aware of or ready to admit that some of what happened on the mountain definitely counts as psychological torture--so he can't relate and doesn't know what to say; Johanna doesn't seem the type that would want a lot of sympathy, even though it's his first instinct, so instead...]

Well if I meet any masochists I'll pass on the recommendation.

[And that's... Actually a pretty good reason, yeah. Before, Chris might've been really uncomfortable with the thought--he still is, on some level, but much more distantly--but he very clearly remembers unloading a pistol clip into someone in an attempt to protect himself and Ashley. Of course, it turned out the bullets were blanks and the supposed murderer was actually playing a really awful prank, but that doesn't change that Chris had been ready to kill him to survive.

It's something he hasn't thought too much about, and he doesn't want to start now.]

That seems like a pretty valid reason.

[morphinum]

[ Good move, Chris. Johanna appreciates your lack of any attempted sympathy. That sort of thing has always wanted to make her vomit. ]

yeah I hear masochists anonymous meets every Saturday night at 10

i mean i didn't need to buy into it? cash is a fucking barbie asshole but she's not the enemy. never was. that would've been our dear lord and savior president snow, everyones favorite totalitarian psychopath

[thechoiceisyours]

That's good to know. For like, a friend, of course.

[It's a stupidly lame joke, but he can't manage much better through text while buried underground. Her next response gives him pause again, because he feels like he's missing some big part of this picture and so it's really hard to say much.]

Yeah she told me a little about how some of your world works, I guess? But not like how you'd end up in a fight to the death if you're not actually enemies.