( 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]

[ 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.