Fourth Vine

[woodsiequeen]

[Viktoria found the letter in the mailbox and read it several times, very slowly, in order to absorb each and every word. This woman, Jane Smith, one of the mindless ones... she was a prisoner like Viktoria and everyone else here. And she had been changed, forced to comply, against her will. Now she was a servant of Mayfield.

a servant.

The word keep surfacing in her mind despite her efforts to push it away, but it was all so familiar. They didn't have metal faces but they were slaves all the same; slaves to this prison. Servants.

She is angry. Angry at this manfool that held this letter for so long. Angry that no one else seems to care. Angry at herself for taking so long to act.

Now seemed as good a time as ever to put that anger to work.]

[100% unfiltered because how do i shot web use telephone right]

Why was this information withheld for so long? For what purpose? Would sharing this poor woman's letter immediately not have benefited all who wish to escape this cage? What else is being hidden away, this very moment?

[She started rather calm, but her voice is slowly rising in volume.]

Are you all content to stumble around aimlessly, to roll over and do as you are told, to forget so easily? It has been weeks since the road to Westport vanished. What have we accomplished with what was found there? Nothing! How are we to do anything, as scattered as we are?

[As she utters the word "scattered" it almost sounds like there are several voices echoing under hers. She seems to have caught that, too, and sighs.]

We are only making it easier for this place to control us.

Comments

[Filtered | FIFY]

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

It looks like someone missed the memo.

We are trying hard not to announce our agenda to the entire town, it won't do anyone any good if we get stopped before we even get a chance.

[Filtered]

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

Judging from the fire the other day, I'd say the town already has a good idea as to what we're up to.

I would have had to do this if there weren't those among us who wish to keep important information to themselves.

[Filtered]

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

I still don't have all the details about that but it only got two people. Doubt if it means they are ready for what's coming, just means they are watching.

All the more reason to keep calls like that away from the drones.

Re: [Filtered]

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

Three people. Those two fools and that poor woman.

We should always work under the assumption that we are being watched. This is our enemy's territory. They have the power here, and any small security we find belongs to this place as well.

[She is not going to admit she just doesn't know how to filter calls, nope.]

[Filtered]

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

Well, until proven otherwise I am going to rely on what I have. I honestly think that we aren't up against a god here. Whatever is behind this is flawed, makes mistakes and I'll take any of those I can find.

Now, if you want to actually learn something and not just give yourself away, I suggest you speak with Mr. Crane and Ms. Armstrong.

[Filtered]

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

A god? Of course not. But our captors themselves may forget that soon enough with the power they wield, if they haven't already.

There are always so many people who know so much and yet so little is accomplished. Nonetheless, I will see what they have to say.

[Maybe they know how to filter phone calls, for starters.]

[Filtered]

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

The only thing I am sure of is that my personal knowledge wont do the trick. Someone's will. We just have to find out who.

[He hoped she did just that.]

[Filter]

[bluecapboy.livejournal.com]

All the notes seem to be related somehow. If we could just get them all in one place, I'm sure we'd learn something.

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

We should have had them put together ages ago.

[bluecapboy.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree, but how are we going to get them all together?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . I was gonna see if Mr. America would be willing to organize everything about the notes.

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

The same Mr. America who got himself burned to death several days ago?

[A roundabout way of saying "I do not trust that guy", of course]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas cautiously maneuvers around that tone.]

I think he was elected our leader a while back. Most people would be willing to listen to him.

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

He is an elected official? That would explain much. Still, if what you say is true, he is an option.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I don't think he's officially elected or anything . . . But he's been around a while and he's been organizing people to guard streets or something like that.

I think his friend, Mr. England, had a lot of data on the Westport notes, too.

[cannotbow.livejournal.com]

Few, if anyone, are content to stay here. You making the blanket assumption that that we will [there is a scoff evident in his voice] do as we are told is ridiculous. [but there is nothing to be gained by losing a possible source of information and for that sake, he tries to dial the tone of 'We-are-Emperor' down.] Why would you impugn on our ability to resist? [not working but...alright. EMPEROR, MISSING THE POINT.]

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

I judge based on what I see, and what I see are timid little creatures everywhere that fret and keep secrets and never accomplish anything.

[cannotbow.livejournal.com]

[his voice contains amusement and condescension. FAIL AT EMPATHIZING WITH THE NOT ROYAL -- CHECK. Fail at tolerating 'stupidity', check!] Then you are not looking close enough. People put out impressions for other people to view. [he laughs, almost spiritedly. It's reassuring to know no matter the time, people are still the same.] Keeping secrets is part of the impressions. If they accomplish anything, perhaps they do not want to share it. You judge faultily and paint with a wide brush.

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

[Battle of arrogance is GO] What was kept secret concerns everyone here, and what was done with it only resulted in several deaths and little learned. That is unacceptable when we all share the same enemy, and they are naught but fools who let their pride cloud their judgment. This is a prison, and we are prisoners; there are more important things at stake and this letter that was hidden away for so long is proof of it.

I care not if there are those here who believe they can still carry such pretense in a place where survival is the only thing that matters, but I will not let them stand in the way of my escape. I only hope that I am not the only one, but what I have witnessed in my time here gives me little confidence.

[Gosh you silly humans, always with the keeping up appearances. never mind that she does it too but hey where do you think she learned it from.]

[cannotbow.livejournal.com]

[AND IT'S A DOUCHE OFF!]
Then you can address those concerns to whoever is keeping those secrets. Whoever runs this place is powerful enough to kidnap us from different times and keep us here. I see your reasoning, and I do agree with yours -- but this was hardly the appropriate channel in which to raise these concerns, now is it? [he sounds less condescending here, but there's still that definite 'silly child, large phone convos are for kids!' vibe going on.]

What I have seen of this town does not seem malevolent. Indeed, it seems more like a keeping pen -- a political prison. Would you extrapolate on the dangers? I have heard them mentioned before, but anecdotes must be taken with certain amounts of skepticism.

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

[Grrr how dare you notice that she let her emotions get the best of her grrr]

Perhaps my words were inappropriate, but sometimes you must whip the mule to spur it into action. I have counted the days since the road to Westport vanished and it has been far too long for us to continue being so idle.

[This is the closest to "I was wrong" she will ever get. And now she is DEFINITELY never going to admit she doesn't know how to filter calls.]

Ah, so you must be a newer arrival, then. It was not long after I awoke here that the neighboring town of Westport appeared... and promptly disappeared, taking many of the prisoners here with it. They all returned, of course, but only after suffering death there and awakening here. From what I gather, these little "events" take place regularly here, often with the same gruesome results. Like some sort of twisted scientific experiment.

[cannotbow.livejournal.com]

[douche off, douche off!]

Perhaps. However, the whip is only useful if you apply the right end. If it is far too long, take action yourself. This we call common sense. But I acknowledge the logic within your words.

[his lip curls up suddenly, before he controls himself.] Distasteful. [half parts morbid curiosity, half parts need for information drives him to ask.] What...results?

[plantenough.livejournal.com]

[Your douche-fu is impressive. She is just going to sidestep the subject for now.]

Death. Violence. Trauma. The first is never permanent, as you may have noticed, as all three of those lost in the fire several days ago are already up and about again. The second and third are a fair bit more lasting. Those I have spoken to can recall every instant up until death upon awakening the next morning.

I'm sure you would agree that to say this has an unpleasant effect on those who die here is an understatement.

[cannotbow.livejournal.com]

Few, if anyone, are content to stay here. You making the blanket assumption that that we will [there is a scoff evident in his voice] do as we are told is ridiculous. [but there is nothing to be gained by losing a possible source of information and for that sake, he tries to dial the tone of 'We-are-Emperor' down.] Why would you impugn on our ability to resist? [not working but...alright. EMPEROR, MISSING THE POINT.]