( one; voice )

[cursebreaking]

[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.]

Comments

[beautifullies]

Well, no. It's 1743 where I'm from.

[ Even if she was going by the 1940s, video games were still a far-off concept. ]

So, because I happen to know quite a lot about medicine, it was seen as too much. I wasn't careful enough when it came to saving the life of a little boy. He'd been declared dead and when I realized he wasn't and what was wrong with him, well. The local priest kept that with him for months.

[cursebreaking]

1743.

[She's almost deadpan as she repeats the year, but the woman in front of her seems so sensible that she's not sure how to question it. Nothing about her seems off, except for the clothing-- and the information itself, but she's not acting crazy.]

They came after you for saving someone's life.

[That's-- no. That's ridiculous.]

What the hell is wrong with people?

[beautifullies]

Ignorance and medicine being in its infancy.

[ She smiles softly at Emma's question, playing idly with her wedding ring, twisting it on her finger. ]

It was quite a shock to come somewhere so...modern. My husband and I still use candlelight in our room. We're not quite used to the harshness of electricity all the time.

[ Of course, Claire knows about electricity, but it's been so long, she isn't used to it anymore and prefers candlelight. ]

[cursebreaking]

Your husband is here, too?

[She'll focus on that for right now, because it's so much easier than trying to wrap her head around 1743.]

The two of you are really roughing it, huh. Even if you don't have to. Do you do historical re-enactions on the outside or something?

[That has to be it.]

[beautifullies]

I'm sorry?

[ Emma's reaction, though, isn't unfamiliar. For days, Claire wanted to believe so badly she was stuck in some sort of very dedicated re-enactment when she first went through the stones. ]

I'm very much from the 18th century. Not that I would know how to prove it to you. I'm not sure how much you know of Scotland in that time period to make it worth trying to give you details.

[cursebreaking]

Not very much, I'm afraid.

[History and geography were never her favorite subjects-- you know, when she actually went to school.]

You're serious, then. You really mean that.

[Claire seems much more level-headed than most people she's talked to so far. If she can talk about being from the 18th century with that kind of conviction, then...]

[beautifullies]

I'm afraid I do.

[ There's so much more to it, but if this young woman doesn't even believe what Claire's saying right now, there's no way she'll believe any of the rest of it. ]

This is simply one of the mysteries of Wonderland. I've no clue how I arrived, and when my husband appeared, it was literally right in front of me, in the blink of an eye. I've stopped trying to understand because I don't think there's any real actual logic involved. Not from our perspective, anyway.

[cursebreaking]

[Sorry, Claire. Try her again in a few weeks and she'll be a bit more open-minded, not to mention curious about the rest of the story.]

You're not the first person who's said that. Not even the first person who's said it and managed to sound sane.

[That part is particularly impressive.]

Some people here just seem like they're completely brainwashed, but-- you don't.

[beautifullies]

I can assure you I'm perfectly mentally sound, though my husband might beg to argue the point.

[ Claire smirks softly, arms crossing just casually over her chest as they talk. ]

I'm a doctor, and I've tried to find any sort of medical reason in my admittedly limited knowledge but I can't come up with anything. It seems this all simply...is. Uncomfortable as the notion can be.

[cursebreaking]

Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, it's just-- all this...

[She gestures vaguely to their surroundings. You know.]

At least you tried the logical route first. Uncomfortable acceptance is still better than people insisting 'it's magic, deal with it.'

[She's a little bitter.]

[beautifullies]

Logic and our wits are sometimes all we have here, Ms...I'm sorry, we never introduced ourselves.

[ She extends her hand with a friendly smile. ]

I'm Claire Fraser.

[cursebreaking]

Swan-- Emma Swan.

[At the very least, Emma appreciates a woman with a strong handshake. She takes a hold of the offered hand, giving it a firm shake of her own.]

I'm guessing you've seen a lot of 'new people' come through. You picked me out in seconds flat.

[beautifullies]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan. And yes, in eight or nine months I've intercepted a few newcomers. I was badly injured when I arrived and others were kind to me, so I've tried to extend the kindness, as it were. I think that might be one of the only ways we all get along here.

[ If they didn't help each other when things were difficult, so many more might perish during events. Doesn't seem like the best time to mention such things, though. [

[cursebreaking]

That's good of you-- paying it forward.

[Emma smiles just a little in response. It's not lip service in the least; she doesn't generally expect people to show kindness just for the sake of it, but she's impressed to have met someone who seems to, at least on the surface-- and Claire seems like she's nothing if not genuine.]

More people could stand to be like you. Not just here, but everywhere else.

[She doesn't expect kindness or compassion from the world. She's never had any reason to.]

[beautifullies]

[ Claire smiles softly, ducking her head a little. ]

Well, I do have my faults. But if I know anything, it's that suddenly arriving in a strange place with no earthly idea what to do or where to go is frightening at best. What I can assure you of, is that if there were any easy explanation, I'd gladly offer it to you. For now, all we have are pieces of a much larger puzzle we're trying to cobble together.

[cursebreaking]

[For right now, Emma has no choice but to take that with a grain of salt-- but it's good advice overall, and her smile widens just a little in response, though it remains tight.]

I'm hoping to get my hands on a lot more pieces in the immediate future.

[She knows she's not the only one to feel that way. People have been sure to inform her pretty loudly that she's not the only one who's unhappy about being here.

Good. That's the way it should be.]

Can I ask a question? If people are really stuck here long-term like they say... what do people do here?

[What are their day-to-day lives even like?]

[beautifullies]

It's a valid question, and the truth is, we have to make up our own things to do. I work in the clinic and grow herbs and flowers to use as herbal treatments when other avenues are closed to us. So, I garden quite a lot, and I knit and sew. I read books and keep my husband out of trouble, I ride horses. Honestly, it's not completely different from home. There's just no household to run or farm to maintain.

[ But the danger is about the same, oddly enough. ]

There are establishments here that people keep up with. Bakers who make their own goods even if they could get everything they need out of the closet. Barkeeps that serve drinks, fitness trainers in the gymnasium. You can do as little or as much as you wish in between events.

[cursebreaking]

Sounds like you keep pretty busy.

[That's good. Emma imagines that people who don't probably end up going a little stir-crazy. If this place is really limited to the mansion and its grounds, then it's just a bad case of cabin fever waiting to happen.

Of course, that's assuming she believes they're stuck here indefinitely.]

So people just... try to live their lives.

[beautifullies]

Exactly. It's not perfect, and in fact, there are times it's quite terrifying.

[ Her forehead creases a little but she shakes her head to clear it. ]

I wish I could have given you different answers. I know none of this is what anyone wants to hear.