Friday, 25th January, 2104.
Since the day I got it, I've been dutifully recording all the weird happenings from the house into the journal. Every out-of-place thing, every Mirror Man sighting, every time the heating's acted up. So has Laurie, but I've been more used to a pen and paper than she has.
But so far, it's all been… Average, honestly. There's been nothing big happening since I got the journal. And I think it's mostly because I'm waiting for this stuff to happen instead of looking for it. I just don't want to spark up Laurie's worry or Em's dismissals, that's all. Just to keep a sense of normalcy.
Today, though… I might have a chance.
Laurie and Emily are gone for a while - Laur's got a meeting with her principal about the Red Radio debunking, and Em has to take her since her mum's also really wanting to have a solo chat at Foyles. The moment Emmy and Laur are out the door and I hear the hovervan flying away, I immediately beeline to Laurie's room and look at the holos she's left up and running.
"Heating system," I read aloud, "Good to see that's going on. 'Firebird Case Goes On'… Poor Mr McCoy, he's got to be struggling. Well, at least he's got a relative keeping him company. Wonder why Laurie would keep tabs on either of these guys. Legend of Legion rumour articles? Weird. Red Radio evidence files… Ooh! A live feed of the electrical system! Laur, you're a genius!"
Hope she won't mind me borrowing this for a bit.
Nothing's come up… Yet.
Still, at least I've found ways to keep myself busy: vacuuming the ground floor and Em's attic, washed and put away dishes, did the laundry for everyone… That kind of boring adult stuff. Until I check the electrical system's feed.
The blips. They're in the basement. The one just under my feet.
Blood roars in my ears.
They're so close. So, so close. I have the chance to try and find out what's going on with them, but…
No.
No buts about it. Nothing of that sort. Screw it.
With a basement key in hand, I'm going in.
Immediately, my body is screaming for me to leave.
Get out. Now. Run.
Not today. Not now… I've come so far. I've shut and locked the door behind me. I need answers. The blips are here, here. And not just one, all of them! I deserve a chance of making contact before it's too late!
Checking the screen again while making my way to the middle of the room, I notice three of them are moving away to the wall and… Disappearing? Through a door? A hidden door?
Oh my god, they can see me.
"Wait," I call out after them, "Wait a second! Come back! I come in peace!"
The lights in the room flicker on and off and panic screams through my body.
"Please! I-I just want to talk! I can't hurt you and I don't want to!"
The lights stop flickering, landing at on.
I heave a breath of relief looking at the holo, seeing one white blip in the room that hasn't left. However, it's close to the door I came through and locked behind me.
Was… Was it trying to get out?
"Hey," I try again, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't think I can anyway, I-I just want to talk."
The blip, in real time, slowly makes its way over - my eyes widen at the screen.
Whatever it is… It's standing right in front of me.
The feeling of being watched… It's so strong. I should be scared, but… I'm not?
It can see me. I can't see it. And… It's okay?
It's… It's like a new friend I'm getting acquainted with. An invisible person I still have no idea of, but still… a friend. A potentially creepy one at that. I still feel panicked, but… It's a good kind of panic. I think.
"So… " I manage, "I'm guessing you can't teleport. Neither can your friends, right?"
Silence. Not even a disembodied voice. Not sure if I'd calm down or freak out if I heard it.
"U-um, s-sorry if I'm interrupting you but… Are you talking? Because… I can't hear you. It's weird, but…"
The blip moves back to the light switch before the lights go on and off again, even though the switch isn't moving. And this time, I'm not scared. Well, not entirely.
"Oh, right! You can mess with the electricity!"
The lights flicker enthusiastically.
"Okay… how about once for 'yes', two for 'I don't know', and three for 'no'… Sound good?"
Off.
"Alright… Can you see me? J-just to make sure."
On.
"Good! Good. Um, can you… Teleport?"
Off. On. Off.
"Whoa. Really? Okay, um… Can you speak, even though I can't hear you?"
On.
"Um… Were you… Scared of me when I first came in?"
…Off. On.
"Honestly?" I frown.
Off. On.
"How come? No, that wouldn't work here! Erm… Oh, do you know what year this is?"
Off-on-off.
Oh dear.
"Do… You want me to tell you?"
On-off-on.
Holy cow, what the…?
"Like, not right now?"
Off-on-off.
"Are you… Scared? Of knowing it?"
…On.
Aww, softie. At least they're honest.
"Fair enough, I suppose. So…"
One of the three blips who left earlier comes back up on the holo-screen from that supposed hidden door area. Looking up, it's a thick cabinet, which, come to think of it… Looks a bit too out of place.
Good to know.
"Do you have to go?"
Off.
"Oh, alright… We should catch up later at some point. Does that sound good?"
On.
"Till then! I suppose…"
I watch the two blips on the holoscreen vanish out of the level of the room and I find myself waving at the hidden cabinet door as I leave, unlocking the door and turning the lights off properly .
I bolt out the basement, slamming the door shut behind me.
Good god, what the hell just happened?
It takes me about half an hour in the living room to recount all the events in the journal as neatly as possible while trying to still my constantly exploding heart. What the hell did I communicate with? And if possible, who ?
I need to get my head straight… Can't think with all this excess panic.
Focus, Cora. Focus. Deep breaths…
Just like during work.
I pull my glasses off and rub my eyes, yawning off some of the worry as a small wave of exhaustion hits. The holoscreen next to me beeps and I pull it close to my face, squinting.
PREVIEW FOR GROUP A ¼ DATA SAMPLE: 100% COMPLETE.
Nice one Laur, but did it have to take this long?
The preview pops up after, and the coding looks like a mess. Well, most coding already looks like a mess in general to me, especially without my glasses…
I groan as I pull them back on and press something on-screen for a holo-keyboard to appear. Huh, it worked? Right. Maybe my old tech training I had with Ell and Ed can help…
command!find_common_elements SEARCHING… THREE COMMON ELEMENTS FOUND
I write notes on the code progress into the journal before selecting Element Number One.
/:c**o***t_**o**i*
Why is it censored? Not even highlighting over or refreshing it works.
Weird. Probably partially corrupted.
Alright, number two…
/:deaging_process:100%_complete
Scribbling it and the first one down into the notebook, I frown. What could they mean?
/:user_e**_g***_*
I stare at the final element, confused. Unless if it were Ed setting up a prank or dad dropping in an easter egg for trivia, why would these initials come up here? Apart from the fact that this is my ancestral-
Home.
Ancestors…
/:user_e**_g***_*
Hmm…
I scribble down the last of my findings into the journal, moments before I hear the hovervan landing outside.
Grabbing the holoscreen, I dash into Laurie's room and fling it in there, before running back to the living room, crashing onto the couch, stuffing the journal into the cushions and closing my eyes.
Creaaak…
"Cora, don't be silly, you never sleep with your glasses on!"
Dammit!
"Well, you got me there, Em. You're getting too good for this Sherlock business."
She rolls her eyes, quickly letting Laurie in and shutting the door after.
"It's fact at this point, Watson. There's no denying it."
"True," I shrug while sitting up, "How's your mum going?"
"Oh, she's good! There isn't anything happening back with her and dad, so she wanted to chat with me. She asked a lot about life here and what it's like."
"Well, that's pretty much a given."
"I think I'm in the clear. Recently I haven't needed to message them every day since it'd be a bit much, and mum did mention dad laying some time off socials…"
"Emmy, that's fantastic! Told you it's gonna be alright! Say, how did Laurie go?"
"My name's totally cleared!" She calls from the kitchen in a sing-song voice, "The Lawson twins are in troubleeeee!"
"So the essay was worth it then!"
"Essay?"
"I'll tell you later, Em," Laur strides in grinning, a piece of newly made victory toast in her hand, "Oh, Cora. Did anything happen when we were gone?"
I shake my head.
"No, nothing new. I did adult stuff around the house. Y'know, vacuuming, putting away dishes, doing the laundry, just boring things."
"Nothing… Unusual?"
Would you believe me if I told you two?
"Nnnope."
