M e s s a g e 3 1

[curiousher]

Hm...it's gotten colder all of a sudden, hasn't it? Though, I suppose that does happen in autumn. It's so much darker too, isn't it?

[He hums, thinking over this thought as though it's something particularly new to this season. It's not, but it feels...important, in a way Alice can't define.]

Autumn feels...almost unreal that way. Like the setting for a scary story by a fire. [Her face lights up that the thought!] Oh, wouldn't that be fun though? Does anyone have any spooky stories to tell?

Either way...we must be certain to close the doors. They shouldn't be even the slightest bit ajar! After all, we wouldn't the darkness to come inside and get us!

[And she twiddles her fingers at the screen, as if that's a particularly terrifying thought, but she ends the broadcast with a laugh - scary stories are so much fun, aren't they?]

Comments

[stoptheviolence]

[Brittany, unsurprisingly, didn't seem worried in the least. She had her winter wardrobe all set to go, a flashlight by her bed, and wasn't even afraid of the dark.]

[So, message aside, it was with a warm smile and a wave that she greeted Alice.]

Hey, girl!

Oh my gosh, this is such a coincidence. I was just talking about you, like, yesterday! How're your crayons doing?

[curiousher]

Brittany!

[Alice waves right back, all smiles. She doesn't seem to think there's much to worry about either, and just looks happy as can be to see her.]

My crayons are doing very well, and so am I! You were talking about me though? Really? [She doesn't sound offended though - just very curious and a little bit nosy.] Did you have good stories to tell?

[stoptheviolence]

Ya-huh.

There was that one guy who wanted people to color with. I gave him your name.

[curiousher]

Oh! You must mean Mr. John Blake!

[She doesn't explain how she knows that from such little information, but she doesn't need to either.]

I never knew he was much of a colourer! We've had tea a few times though, and he likes dressing up in costumes.

[stoptheviolence]

Who doesn't?

[Brittany, of course, thinking back to all those times at school when she and the rest of the Glee club would dress up for a performance. The more fashionable, the better. And she always rocked the hardest looks.]

[curiousher]

You have a point! Costumes are so much fun. Almost as much fun as colouring! ...Almost.

[And that's only because Alice really loves colouring.]

[jivitadana]

But it's going to come anyway, isn't it?

[That was the point of these cryptic messages, weren't they?]

[curiousher]

Well, not if you've got the door shut it won't! But sometimes when you break a door and have to fix it, it won't shut quite right and that's when the scary things begin to sneak in.

[Or at least, that's how the story she's making up as she goes along goes.]

[jivitadana]

I could have the door shut, but other people can open it too.

[Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.]

[curiousher]

[Alice laughs.]

Not if you lock it, silly!

[jivitadana]

But what if they have a key?

[Devil's advocate, devil's advocate.]

[curiousher]

Why would they have a key? Why would you give the darkness a key? That seems like a very silly thing to do.

[You're growing sillier by the second.]

[sorta_cinderella]

Actually, I could do without anything "spooky" for a long time.

[curiousher]

Are you certain? Spooky stories are the absolute best ones, especially when it's so dark and cold outside.

[sorta_cinderella]

When you've lived a spooky life, you've had your fill.

[curiousher]

Have you lived a spooky life? [Alice looks fascinated.] You must have so many stories then!

[sorta_cinderella]

...

...

...

I'd rather not.

[curiousher]

Aww! How disappointing!

You should let me tell you a story instead then, since you won't tell me one of yours.

[madeadifferentcall]

I'm not really one for "scary stories to tell in the dark" without it being Halloween.

[curiousher]

But that's so limiting, don't you think so? Why should there be only one time of year suited for scary stories?

[ofletters]

Little late for this, don't you think?

[ Alice. THE Alice. He keeps his face and voice passive, calculating. ]

I've got a lot of scary stories.

[curiousher]

I don't think it's ever too late for scary stories.

[She gasps excitedly though, and looks right at the camera - which, without eyes, might be a bit unnerving. But Alice doesn't seem to understand that to many people, she might be considered a scary story.]

You do? Tell me one! Your absolute scariest! [She pauses though, and looks a bit apprehensive.] Or, actually - why don't you tell me your second scariest? Just in case the most scary is too scary. Y-You wouldn't want to scare yourself telling it, right?

[ofletters]

You don't seem like the horror type. [ Only half-serious, because. No eyes. ]

Nah, 'course not. But even my top ten are all pretty bad. What d'you think, should we go with my 11th-most scary story?

[curiousher]

I could be the horror type, if I wanted to!

[She pouts at him, but mostly just doesn't sound very convincing at all. Still, she tilts her head and looks up (as much as someone without eyes can truly look anywhere) and gives his suggestion very, very serious thought.]

Hm...I suppose eleventh scariest would be okay then. What is your eleventh scariest?

[ofletters]

[ No, Alice. You couldn't be the horror type. He's pretty... sure. ]

What about a story about a guy who wanted to keep himself alive forever, so he figured out a way to do it by stealing other people's organs? And taking them out of the person while they're still alive?