[Static]

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING M-

[CRASH.]

[Static. End transmission.]

Just checking up. If you know my name, it'd be great to let me know you're alive and well. I haven't been out much...

Fighting off a cold. It's awfully easy to get sick here.

So, my fellow citizens.

How's it going?

Good turnout for the party. Thanks to everyone who came and helped. I hope everyone enjoyed it.

It's nice to have the Cathedral back to normal. As normal as it gets...

I wonder how long I've been here. I stopped counting the days. Just slipped my mind, I guess.

( Private but Hackable to those interested in trying. )

If you were allowed to go back to where you came from, but told all your memory of this place would be lost and you'd go back to your life like none of this ever happened-

Would you?

 

Why or why not?

[The video clicks on and there's voices off screen, a bit hard to make out.]

Please don't make me do- no! Stop pushing! Please!

Come onnnnnnn.

Ugh.

[Finally, a jolly fat man in a red suit and hat sits down in front of the camera and waves. Those who know him well might realize that it's actually James, dressed as Santa Claus. He waves awkwardly and clears his throat.]

Ho Ho Ho. Uhm. It's me! Santa! And I'm here to announce that there will be a Christmas Party at Saint Patrick's Cathedral on Christmas Eve! Bring some food, bring some friends. Anyone who's naughty best not show their faces around there, though! I've got a short naughty list this year so... We'll be on the lookout.

I'll be there for any young people who want to tell me what they want for Christmas, too...! Hope to see you all and have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year! Ho Ho Ho...

[With that he gets up, looking more than a little embarrassed and the screen clicks off, though there is some audio following a moment after for anyone who wants to listen that long.]

Man... I can't believe I agreed to this. Not like I have a choice but- ugh this suit is itchy.

Has anyone seen Walter?

Anyone?

I find it funny how lately I can't remember the last time I thought about leaving this place. I even forgot that there's a giant monster and those crab parasites.

It's strange how you can spend so much time in one place you become so used to it that even the most outlandish things become mundane. Talking animals? Old news. Aliens? Yeah they exist. Magic? Seen it. Even heard all about space travel.

My Cathedral sure has taken a beating since the start of it all, but somehow it's still standing. All these people who come and go.

Funny story this would make.

And to think.

I used to be an accounting clerk.

Now I'm not even sure who or what I am.

But I guess I'm not complaining.

Sure is cold.


Gosh. How is everyone holding up?

So it seems we're in a bit of a fix now. What luck, huh?

Well I'm not going to lay back and take it this time. I'm working on insulation for everyone's personal rooms in the Cathedral. Did Rion's first, Lilias is mostly finished, Harry? Your room is only half done, hopefully I'll get to it before the rest of the night. Odd- I managed to get half of yours done, too, but now we're kind of running low on blankets- Maria and Walter's rooms still need some work, but I promise I'll get to that.

So. Until then, I think it's best if we all stick to the dining room. It's small, and I moved the table out of the way so we can set up beds. There's a small wood-burning stove in the basement, so I'll drag that up and put it in the room. Better to have a lot of bodies in the same room for warmth, anyway. On top of that the stove will hopefully hold up so we can heat water and cook food. Odd managed to dig up some space heaters and the like. I'll see if I can find some hot plates to set the mattresses on. We do have one heating pad but that goes to Rion, sorry to say. No ifs ands or buts about it.

Looks like it's going to be a cold one, so everyone try to hole up and sleep as much as possible. Who knows if or when we'll have rations again...

Conserve your energy.

Feels good to be home.

So that's funny. We're saved.

Looks like I'm good to go, then.

I l

Sorry. For everything. Everyone... I don't like long goodbyes so I guess that's it.

[ooc: James has vanished entirely after his recovery. He won't reply to any comments on this post, though people are free to try. There are no signs left as to where James has disappeared to, though he certainly has no way of leaving the island.]

Thank you to everyone who helped over here at the Cathedral. I wish I could offer you all something in return other than my thanks, but we don't really have much to give.

Things are going better now that we have the front room a bit patched up, and it's been mostly cleaned.

Rion is alive and sleeping. Thank goodness. The poor kid. He's... still not doing well though. Stable but- Hmn.

I think it's best for everyone around here to lay low for a bit. We all need the rest and-

Well. That's that.

Damn it I feel so weak. Why does it have to last this long? The cough is bad, but everyone is too occupied to notice.

[ooc: Strikes are unhackable.]

ATTENTION. ANYONE ON THE NETWORK

WE NEED HELP OVER AT THE CATHEDRAL. WE NEED A HEALER OR A MEDIC IMMEDIATELY, AND SOME STRONG PEOPLE WHO CAN MOVE HEAVY OBJECTS AND CLEAR DEBRIS.

WE WERE ATTACKED. 

I REPEAT, WE NEED MEDICS OR HEALERS.

THIS IS EXTREMELY URGENT.

Somebody needs to tell me what's going on. Now.

Odd, I've installed some bolts in the main doors, and I'm working on locks for the windows. I cleaned out the old hardware store, so we'll need to find a new place to look.

Lilia? I'm going to continue looking for Rion, but for now, I think it's best that you stick with Odd.

Everyone else... you know who you are. Stay inside the damned church, alright?

God it burns. The coughing won't stop, either. I... I'll have to start sleeping alone.


[ooc: Strikes are private, unhackable.]

Everything has been so calm around here lately. It's sort of nice.

Sure am tired though.

By the way, Harry- dinner was great last night. Could you make the same thing tonight?

Oh, and thanks for everyone who came to see me while I was down and out.

God damn it, it's festering. No matter how much I clean it... It just keeps swelling up. It's starting to turn yellow. Hurts like hell... My whole damn arm feels numb.

[ooc: Strikes are private/unhackable.]

I can't believe this- there really is hope!

There really is hope.

We could live-! Maybe someone is going to rescue us. I... Don't know. I wish I could help, but code is beyond me.

I think I want to take a walk. I'm feeling a lot better since my spill off the roof. I've healed up pretty nicely. I could sure use some fresh air.

GUYS! Guys! Guys.

Forget eating the whale-

Just think about it. It's a whale. Do you know what this means?! Anybody? Anybody?

It means there is the possibility of existing sea life.

Which means we might be able to try fishing for some food in the near future. Yeah, it's dangerous, but food will eventually and inevitably run out and it could be our only option. I know it's not a sure thing, but it's worth a try, right?

If Big Mommy can fish, then so can we.

[[ooc: Made shortly after this happened.]]

Well. This is.

Just... great.

Stupid roof.

We managed to set my shoulder after I dislocated it, but my ankle is sprained something fierce and, while I'm not going to bleed to death the cuts are annoying. Not to mention my head is killing me.

This is really going to put a damper on everything.

I wish we had some Tylenol left but we're out... God damn it.

I've been here for some time now. Months.

I still wonder where all these people come from.
And why, for that matter. Which brings me to the question;

How much longer will the food last? Are we really...
All alone? Will we ever get out of here alive? 

I've been living in the Cathedral. And at first it was me. Then soon there was Harry, and that was- well it was what it was. I guess I didn't really mind it too much. And then there was Walter- and... I'd rather not go into that. Then Odd. And it started getting crowded. Lilia and Rion and Maria... And Larry. Uhg, Larry.

I've never been around so many people- never lived with this many at least. It's a strange feeling. All the noise and people around, all the time. Almost never a quiet moment. It's always busy. Someone is always awake. It's just- well it just seems strange to me. How do people live like this and not go insane? You know it... kind of reminds me of college. Only less miserable.

Why Harry and Odd find it funny to tease, taunt and drive me to distraction is beyond me. I guess I really am an easy target, huh?

But...

Really. What I'm wondering is; how long do we really have? This many of us. Will it-

Will we be able to survive? How much longer will we last?

[PRIVATE TO SELF/EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HACK]

How much longer will I be able to stay? Before they find out. Maybe bringing Maria here was a bad idea but- I just didn't know what else to do.

I think...

I think Odd knows something.

I know... I should have fed myself to the crabs so long ago. Made it look like an accident. I don't know why I'm even bothering to go on now... Mary.
 

Now I know that's not exactly what the crabs look like, but it was the only picture I could rind, alright? It seemed pretty fitting.

THERE IS A REWARD. SO HOP TO IT. I want my damned jacket back, and I'll see to Stumpy's end.