entranceway | ( one; voice )

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( one; voice )

[Emma has read what information has been made available, she’s walked the grounds and the corridors of some of the mansion’s ground floor, and she’s combed through what public postings she could find to look through on the device she’d found in the pocket opposite of where she kept her own phone. She’s been digging for evidence since she got here, but what she’s found?

She’s not buying it. The message that comes through is voice only, not wanting to reveal her face or her exact location right away-- though she’s pretty damn sure that whoever’s responsible for this is watching her and has a good idea of where she is, if not who.]

Look. I know someone is out there listening.

[She doesn’t know exactly who, but someone.]

This game of yours? I’m not interested. I don’t know how you got me here, or how you set all this up. Maybe it’s some messed-up alternate reality game, but I didn’t opt in for any of this. I don’t care how elaborate it is, or how much work went into it-- my kid is at home waiting for me, and I am not screwing around.

[Her tone is hard, angry rather than anxious, determination winning out over uncertainty.]

‘Wonderland.’ Cute, but I’m not impressed. All I want is for you to point me towards the exit. You can do me a solid and we can do this the easy way-- or we can do it the hard way. Trust me, whatever weird stuff you might be into, I can promise you won’t be happy if we go that route.

[She stays on the line, just to wait for any kind of possible response-- but she doesn’t really know what to expect. This entire thing has her out of her depth, even if she’s not willing to admit it.]

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[Sarah's is the first response that actually gives Emma pause, gives her a reason to soften. Her ire is starting to burn out now-- she's no less furious, but she's quickly coming to the conclusion that nobody she can reach through this device is going to help her anytime soon.]

You're the first person who's gotten it.

[The first one to understand that no matter what anyone says, no matter how many 'facts' they spout off, it's not enough. Nothing can ease that kind of anxiety.]

What's his name?

Sawyer. He's...well. He was ten when I left. Now he's eleven but probably close to turning twelve.

[ Missing him is so, so clear in her voice, but she is here to offer a little bit of peace of mind, at least. ]

My brother and sister-in-law are here with me. We all got here at the same time, and they left a few weeks ago. When they came back, they said nothing had happened at home. They went right back to the last thing they remembered. So. There's that at least.

[ She pauses for a beat. ]

It doesn't help with the ache. How old is your kid?

Twelve... so he's about the same age as Henry.

[He was coming up on thirteen fast. Emma exhales slowly; as irate and on-edge as the day's events have her, the fact that Sarah has taken the approach of trying to relate to her? It makes all the difference.]

I read that time doesn't move back home. I'm not really sure what to make of that, because that implies that we're actually somewhere else. That's impossible, isn't it? Time doesn't stop and start on a whim.

[She's desperate to be able to hold onto reality. Everyone else trying to casually inform her that she's wasting her breath hadn't given her any reason to consider their words, but Sarah might actually get through.]

[ Sarah's quiet for a few minutes as she thinks about what Emma's said and asked. ]

I've been here for a year, and I still don't have any good answers. I've watched my husband die and come back like...nothing happened, physically. Everything about this place is terrifying, and people trying to normalize it never feels right. It's not normal. It's pretty here, and we have a lot of space, but it's still a prison.

[ She's usually so much more upbeat than this, but the original message combined with knowing another parent is separated from her kid makes her feel the situation a little bit more for what it is: a sentence. ]

I wish that I could tell you an easy answer, but there isn't one. I try to have friends, I try to get out of my room, make connections that matter. All we have here is each other.

For all that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around whatever this place actually is-- I appreciate the realism.

[She appreciates that Sarah isn't trying to sugarcoat it, or telling her just to accept things the way they are. The latter has never been Emma's strong suit.]

You have people here that you love, right? That's something.

[Family is important. Emma had never had one before Henry-- but she knows. Even if it's just one person that you care about, there's nothing more important than the people you call family.]

I can't figure out how to get out and so many people have tried. If you swim too far out in the ocean, you drown and die. if you walk too far in the woods, something kills you. I don't really want to be in the business of terrifying people but being honest feels like the best way to go.

[ Sarah nods and lets out a breath. ]

Yeah, so that's good. It's nice. My brother and his wife, my husband. We've all been here for over a year together. Have you checked to see if anyone you know is here? My brother was already here by a day or so ahead of me when I showed up.

Pretty grisly for something based on a kids' book.

[She can't bring herself to believe any of the stuff about magic, but that much she can get behind. It seems like something that someone twisted enough to build this place and go on a kidnapping spree would do.]

Nobody I know is here, but there are people who claim to know me. Unsettling, to say the least.

[She has no memory of any of them.]

One kid even said I've been here before, but if there's no way out and I don't remember-- she's gotta have the wrong person.

Yeah, the book and this place may share some traits, but they're pretty off base. Although I do remember a movie with a Jabberwocky that scared the living shit out of me as a kid.

[ That's so annoying, she would imagine, to have people telling you they know you. ]

There should be more tact about that. I mean, I've heard of it happening? It's more of the same unexplainable 'this place is magic' explanation, though. Welcome to the bullshit, Emma.

[ Sarah smirks because that's honestly what this place is full of but there's nothing any of them can do about it. ]

A Jabber-what-y?

[She may have read the book, but it was a million years ago.]

Oh, right-- the dragon thing. Please tell me there's not an animatronic one hanging around this place.

[She's not here for that.]

Whatever I may or may not believe, it's nice to hear someone else admit that there's a whole lot of bullshit here.

[Sarah, you are her people.]

No, there's nothing like that. At least I've never seen it or one.

[ Sarah could run down the entire list of things that are bullshit about this place, but she decides to tell Emma something important. ]

Look, people may act...I don't know, blase about the whole thing? But every other week this place either tries to kill us or make our lives a living nightmare. It's actually terrible.

Glad to hear someone being realistic about it. As much as they can be, anyway.

[Given the situation, she can see how that could be a challenge.]

I'm Emma. Don't think I mentioned.

I'm Sarah. It's nice to meet you, Emma.

[ She lets out a breath, shrugging her shoulders a little. ]

I want to get out of here, but at the same time, I've tried to make....some kind of life for myself. And I've managed to actually find a little happiness, believe it or not.

Good that you've managed to find a silver lining, I guess.

[She can't help being skeptical, but Sarah's approach to the topic at least sounds as realistic as anything here can.]

You seem-- sane. That's more than I can say for most of the people I've talked to today.

I felt very, very insane when I showed up here. I possibly cried for a week? Not the best way to cope. Just...I'm a soccer mom. I have never in my life believed in....well.

[ She just gestures around herself meaning 'anything like this.' ]

Then my brother showed up, and his wife, and even if it doesn't feel sane even on a good day, they're here and that helps.

[ Sarah pauses, then smiles softly at Emma. ]

Most people forget this is actually bananas. I'm glad I could at least help conversation wise.

I'm considering doing the same, honestly. Or drinking.

[Or both. She's not a big crier, but you know, saying it makes it easier not to, at least.]

I'm glad you have people. That's-- it's important.

[She knows, because before Henry, she'd been alone. Having people, a family-- it could have made all the difference, some days.]

Definitely. I think I need to take awhile to process, but... I really appreciate it.

If you ever wanna grab coffee or anything, swap stories and advice on heading into teen years with a boy, I'm definitely happy to. Actually, any advice I can get about raising a boy would be super great. Being a single mom is insanely hard and I can't imagine hormones are gonna make it easier.

[ Sarah smiles softly at Emma, just trying to be a friend during a crazy moment in her life. ]

I'll let you go, but I always have booze and brownies ready to go. You'd never be bothering me.

I'll tell you everything I know, once I have the chance.

[Once she's comfortable that she's in a place where she can just sit down and talk parenting.]

Thanks again. I'll take you up on that offer soon-- promise.

[There's a brief pause before she ends the call, but there's no denying that her thanks was genuine. Sarah has been a huge help, and Emma herself will realize just how much when the adrenaline finally subsides.]

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defeats finals and slides back in!

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