Welcome to the Horizon

Part 2: Have You Seen This Dog?

Morning at the Horizon Motel. Birds chirping and all that nonsense. The door to the office opens and Frank walks out.
Frank:
Morning.
Verge:
Morning.
Frank:
Got everything you need over there?
Verge:
Who has everything they need?
Frank:
Good point. Everything you need within reason?
Verge:
Sure.
Frank:
Great.
Verge:
Is it always this quiet here?
Frank:
This time of year, yeah. It’s the off season. In a few months there’ll be a bunch of skiers on their way up the mountain.
Verge:
What’s that about?
Frank:
Skiing? It’s a universal law of nature. When there’s a big thing there will be, inevitably, a portion of the population that wants to go very fast down the side of it.
Verge:
I see.
Frank:
I notice you don’t have a car. I’m going to run into town for some supplies, do you need us to pick you up anything?
Verge:
I’ve got everything I need, thanks.
Frank:
Okay.
Frank’s truck comes speeding up the driveway into the parking lot. June jumps out of the driver’s seat. She’s on the phone.
June:
Uh-huh... Oh no... Oh God that sucks... And you looked everywhere?... Uh-huh. I’m so sorry. (To Frank.) Edgy Steve.
Frank:
Oh, good.
June:
(Back to the phone.) Well, we haven’t seen anything but we’ll keep our eyes open, okay... I’m sure he’ll turn up... okay.
Frank:
What’s happening?
June:
You know Steve’s dog?
Frank:
Rambo?
June:
Yeah. He’s missing.
Frank:
Really? Doesn’t he keep him on a lawn spike most of the time?
June:
Yeah, he woke up this morning and he was gone. He’s losing his mind.
Frank:
How upset are we supposed to be about this?
June:
Frank.
Frank:
That dog is a fucking monster.
June:
I know.
Frank:
It’s the meanest dog I’ve ever seen.
June:
Well, of course it is, Frank, it guards the house of a drug dealer. Drug dealers all have terrifying dogs, it’s the law.
Frank:
Wait, so his terrifying dog is now loose in town somewhere?
June:
It sounds like it.
Frank:
He’s such a blight on the community, this guy.
June:
Steve’s fine. He keeps you on your toes.
Frank:
How can we get him to move his business to another town?
June:
I don’t know, get skiers to stop liking methamphetamine?
Frank:
What does he expect us to do about it?
June:
I told him we’d keep a look out.
Frank:
Tell him to follow the trail of murdered cats.
June:
Anyway... Hi, Verge.
Verge:
Hi there.
June:
How’s everything going over there?
Verge:
Just fine.
June:
What are you... what are you smoking there, Verge?
Verge:
Tobacco’s really fantastic.
June:
I hear it’s popular. (To Frank.) Do we have a theory on what Verge’s deal is?
Frank:
I’m kind of stumped. It’s been three days now and they just hang out in their room and occasionally come outside and roll a cigarette.
June:
Roll a cigarette?
Frank:
Yeah.
June:
Like a cowboy?
Frank:
Please don’t say cowboy, I’m still not over our cowboy experience the other day.
June:
Okay, but be real with me, I feel a little cooler that they’re just hanging out here, right?
Frank:
I hate to admit it, but yeah, maybe a little.
June:
How can we become a hot spot for cool drifters?
Frank:
We’ve met our share of drifters, this is definitely the first one that’s been cool.
June:
True. Okay, we doing this? Breakfast? Sheep’s Eye?
Frank:
Yeah.
June:
Okay. Hey, Verge. If anyone wants to check in can you just tell them to pick a room, key’s in the bedside table, we’ll deal with them later?
Verge:
Seriously?
Frank:
Yeah, also, no one’s going to want to check in so don’t worry about it.
Verge:
That I can handle.
Frank:
Fantastic.
Breakfast rush at the sheep’s eye. Frank and June are sitting outside. Deidre brings them their order.
Deidre:
Okay, we’ve got bacon, eggs, and toast.
June:
Amazing.
Deidre:
And granola and fruit for Frank.
Frank:
Thank you.
June:
Loser.
Frank:
Hey Deidre, how’s everyone doing?
Deidre:
How are they doing? You mean after the “Relentless Rick Incident”?
Frank:
Yeah.
Deidre:
Well, everyone’s working really hard to explain it away. Celeste is saying it was some sort of government experiment being conducted on us. What’s “MK Ultra?”
Frank:
Never mind, forget I asked.
June:
How are you doing, Deidre?
Deidre:
Me? Uh, fine? I think I’m in denial? That’s normal right?
June:
Totally.
Deidre:
Great. Frank, do you still want me to tell you about weird stuff?
Frank:
Um, I really don’t, but why don’t you tell me anyway?
Deidre:
I guess this isn’t WEIRD weird, but, it looks like Trinkett’s coming back to town.
Frank:
Seriously?
June:
Oh boy.
Deidre:
Yeah, she called to make sure I still had her keys.
June:
It’s been a while, where was she calling from?
Deidre:
She said, Cairo?
June:
Of course.
Frank:
That’s terrible news.
June:
It’s fine. When is she coming back?
Deidre:
She didn’t say.
Frank:
You’re right, that’s not WEIRD weird, but thank you for the warning anyway.
Deidre:
Sure.
June:
This is going to be fun for me.
Frank:
Oh, Deidre. Steve’s dog is loose apparently.
Deidre:
It is?
Frank:
Yeah.
Deidre:
Rambo?
Frank:
Yes.
Deidre:
That dog is terrifying.
Frank:
I know, Steve woke up this morning and he was gone.
Deidre:
That’s bad.
Frank:
It’s not great, so if you’re going for a walk or something, I guess take your bear spray with you?
June:
Or a leg of lamb, y’know, to distract him.
Deidre:
Jeez. Okay.
Frank:
If you see him, call Steve.
Deidre:
Okay. Is there any way I can not call Steve?
Frank:
Call me. Call me and I’ll call him.
Deidre:
Awesome.
June:
... So, local mystic Trinket Coralee, coming back to town.
Frank:
Horrible timing.
June:
Trinkett Coralee, Purveyor of ancient cures and strange smells.
Frank:
Why does she have to come back to town right now? Of all the people I don’t want to deal with.
June:
I’ve never understood the issue with you two, why do you hate each other?
Frank:
We don’t hate each other, she’s just an aggravating person.
June:
There are weird things afoot in town though. Might be nice to have the perspective of a... whatever she calls herself.
Frank:
The last thing anyone needs right now is her drawing some sort of summoning circle in the middle of town to focus the spiritual energies or some bullshit.
June:
I think it’s going to be nice. My chakras are going to get so aligned.
Frank:
This is such bad news.
June:
Hey, speaking of weird shit, how are we feeling?
Frank:
We?
June:
Yeah... y’know...
Frank:
... Okay we’ve got to find a way to talk about this with less long pauses and allusions.
June:
What do you want me to say, Frank?
Frank:
I don’t know. Look, I wake up in the morning, I look in the mirror, it’s me. I’m not growing roots or something, I’m not turning into a werewolf. It’s me.
June:
Okay. I mean, I’m fine with “New Frank”.
Frank:
Don’t say “New Frank.”
June:
Meet the new Frank.
Frank:
June.
June:
Same as the old Frank.
Flat Doug:
Frank!
Frank:
Hey, Doug.
Flat Doug:
I’m freaking out.
Frank:
Well, it is a day of the week, so..
June:
You’re always freaking out, Doug.
Flat Doug:
My Dad’s dog is gone.
June:
Baron Munchausen?
Flat Doug:
Baron Munchausen is gone.
Frank:
How long?
Flat Doug:
He woke up this morning, no sign of him.
Frank:
Oh, boy.
June:
Has he run off before?
Flat Doug:
No, he hates going outside. You practically have to drag him behind you when you walk him.
June:
Okay.
Frank:
That’s two.
June:
It’s just a coincidence.
Flat Doug:
What’s just a coincidence?
June:
Nothing. Rambo’s missing too, apparently. I got a call from Steve this morning.
Flat Doug:
What? Rambo?!
June:
Yeah, what?
Flat Doug:
My Dad’s dog is wandering around out there while Steve’s insane monster is roaming the streets?
June:
Rambo’s not that bad, Doug.
Flat Doug:
He bit through his leash one time.
June:
That’s... that is true, that is true.
Flat Doug:
It was a chain leash, June.
Frank:
Doug we’re all going to keep an eye out, okay? Rambo probably took off into the woods to bring down an elk or something.
Flat Doug:
I’m going to go ask around inside.
Frank:
Okay.
Flat doug walks inside.
June:
His anxiety levels are dangerously high all the time, it’s unsustainable.
Frank:
...
June:
What’s wrong?
Frank:
I just wanted to sit here and have some granola.
June:
Well there’s something that no one’s ever said.
Frank:
Two missing dogs.
June:
Just a coincidence.
Frank:
There’s going to be a third.
June:
Frank, don’t catch Doug’s anxiety.
Frank:
We need to learn how to catch these things earlier.
June:
What are you talking about?
Frank:
I’m going to go talk to everyone.
June:
I just got my food.
Frank:
Then stay out here.
June:
Goddamnit.
Frank walks inside the busy Sheep’s Eye. He stands up on a chair.
Frank:
Everybody... Everybody listen up... Thank you. You may have heard that Rambo has gone missing. Now, while that presents it’s own problems, seeing as how Rambo is a fucking psychopath, Baron Munchausen is also missing. I need to know right now if anyone else is missing a dog or if you’ve heard of anyone else that is missing a dog... Anybody?
Celeste:
Frank, I would like to say something.
Frank:
Please, don’t.
Celeste:
I’d like to be heard, I think this is important.
Frank:
Fine.
Celeste:
We all remember what happened a few days ago. We were visited by, what can only be described as, a time traveller. An old west outlaw by the name of Relentless Rick. While not all of you subscribe to my theory that we were all drugged as part of an experiment by the nearby secret military base-
Frank:
There’s no secret military base.
Celeste:
-Agree to disagree. You may not all agree with my theory. But now there’s missing dogs. And I think we can all agree that these dogs are being stolen by the local secret military base and being experimented on.
Frank:
We can all agree?
Celeste:
Are we just going to sit here while there is a rash of dog theft sweeping across town?
Frank:
It’s two dogs.
Celeste:
For now. For now it is, but look at Frank here. Look at him. If this wasn’t something for us to be worried about, Frank wouldn’t be making a speech about it, would he? Would you, Frank?
Flat Doug:
You just told me it was nothing to worry about, Frank.
June:
(To Frank) Remember how I said to talk to me before you do things like this?
The door to the sheep’s eye opens. The phone rings, deidre picks it up.
Deidre:
Sheep’s Eye?
Edgy Steve:
Hi everyone. Sorry to interrupt, I’ve got some fliers here, everyone please take one, my dog has gone missing, you can see a picture right there. He can be a little irritable, but he’s a good boy-
Frank:
Steve.
Edgy Steve:
If you can just take one of these please give me a call if you see anything-
Frank:
Steve.
Edgy Steve:
-Feeling a little out of sorts, know what I mean? He’s my north star, that little guy-
Frank:
Steve.
Edgy Steve:
What?
Frank:
We all know what your dog looks like.
Edgy Steve:
I’m just making sure, okay? Trying to stay busy, can’t help but think about him being injured out there.
Frank:
Steve, if anything, your dog is the one doing the injuring.
Edgy Steve:
Frank, that is so unfair.
Frank:
Steve, your dog is a fucking monster, okay? It is what it is, we will still help you find your dog, but let’s not pretend we’re talking about Lassie okay? You’re dog is four-legged horror movie.
Celeste:
I don’t even drive by your house anymore, Steve. You’re dog is terrifying.
Flat Doug:
Yeah, how did you get him that way, Steve? Are feeding him Ripped Fuel or something?
Edgy Steve:
Wow, I have never felt so abandoned in a time of need than right now.
Frank:
Okay, y’all, focus up please. Obviously making this little announcement was premature, I didn’t mean to alarm anyone. We’ve got a couple of missing dogs. No big deal. Nothing to panic about. Let’s all just keep our eyes out for Rambo and Baron Munchausen. We’ll find them and then everything can get back to normal.
Edgy Steve:
Wait, Baron Munchausen’s missing too?
Frank:
It’s fine.
Deidre:
Frank?
Frank:
Yeah?
Deidre:
That was Jessica Shelton on the phone. She needs to know if anyone’s seen her Greyhound, Kimbob?
Frank:
... Fuck.
Flat Doug:
Oh man. They got Kimbob.
Frank:
There’s no “They”.
Celeste:
I think I’ll sit here quietly and wait for everyone’s apology.
Edgy Steve:
Kimbob too?! Frank, what’s going on?
Frank:
Nobody panic.
Flat Doug:
Don’t tell me not to panic, Frank, there’s a fucking dog rapture happening right here in town.
Frank:
Everybody listen!... Okay, there may be something weird going on with the dogs.
Celeste:
Thank you.
June:
(To Frank.) Turns out overreacting was the right call, sorry about that.
Frank:
We’re going to figure this out, just like we did with Relentless Rick the other day. Why don’t we make a list of everyone in town who has a dog and start making some calls-
Celeste:
Wait!
Frank:
Celeste, c’mon.
Celeste:
Has anyone checked on the mayor?
Frank:
Jesus Christ.
Flat Doug:
Holy Shit, the mayor. He’s a high value target.
Edgy Steve:
If we lose the mayor, it’ll be chaos.
Flat Doug:
Deidre, call TJ, is the mayor OK?
Deidre:
Ok.
Frank:
Guys. I appreciate that we’re taking this seriously but just, real quick, I know we all had an unofficial election a few years ago and elected TJ’s dog, Sparker, as the mayor. I just need verbal confirmation that we all know that Sparker the Dog is not the actual mayor.
Edgy Steve:
...
Flat Doug:
...
Celeste:
...
Frank:
Never mind.
Deidre:
He says Sparker is fine.
Frank:
Great.
Celeste:
At least we still have a functioning government.
Frank:
The dog is not the mayor!
June:
Okay, everyone. Lots of great ideas, so glad we had this meeting. SO glad nobody’s panicking. How about we make a list of all the dogs in town and then we’ll split up the list, when you’re done with your list, give us a call at the Horizon, okay?
Edgy Steve:
And, real quick, everyone, if you happen to see Rambo just remember not to run, okay? He loves that. Also, to get him to release after he bites down, the command word is “Scheherazade.”
Celeste:
Meeting adjourned, Frank?
Frank:
... Sure.
We move to the parking lot of the Horizon motel later that evening. The phone is ringing inside the office. June is on her cell phone.
June:
Okay... Okay wow. Both of them?... Just gone... Oh boy... Alright, me and Frank are making a list right now, I’m so sorry Rita.
The door to office open.
Frank:
Holy shit.
June:
How many for you?
Frank:
Seven, how many for you?
June:
Twelve.
Frank:
Twelve?!
June:
Twelve.
Frank:
There are nineteen dogs missing in a town of 600.
June:
Yes.
Frank:
... What’s happening?
June:
I don’t know.
June gets a text.
June:
... Aaaand that’s Philip. His Shih Tzu is missing.
Frank:
Who has a Shih Tzu in the mountains?
June:
Nobody anymore. That’s twenty.
Frank:
What are we going to do?
June:
I don’t know, fuck. I guess tomorrow morning we start at the top of the list?
Frank:
So tomorrow we’re just going to, what, Scooby Doo our way through the woods looking for them?
June:
What should we do, hire a team of dogs to find the dogs?
Frank:
Shit... this is bad.
June:
Yeah, the cowboy thing the other day was kind of charming, this is not so charming.
Frank:
It’s a nightmare.
June:
Maybe the dogs are organizing? Maybe they want bargaining power? Maybe it’s a dog strike?
We begin to hear a bicycle coming up the driveway.
Frank:
Oh shit.
June:
What?
Frank:
Trinkett.
June:
No.
Frank:
Of all the fucking days.
June:
Wait, why are you acting like we’re getting inspected or something?
Frank:
Because we are.
June:
Hey Trinkett.
Trinkett:
Hello.
June:
Welcome back, how long were you gone for?
Trinkett:
It was supposed to be three years. I came back early.
June:
We missed you.
Trinkett:
I’m sure... Frank.
Frank:
Trinkett.
June:
...
Frank:
...
June:
So I’m going to go make some more calls.
Frank:
Great.
June:
Great to see you, Trinkett.
Trinkett:
Yes.
June walks into the office.
Frank:
So, I hear you were in Egypt.
Trinkett:
No.
Frank:
Deidre told me you were in Cairo.
Trinkett:
Cairo, New York.
Frank:
There’s a Cairo, New York?
Trinkett:
Just barely.
Frank:
What the hell you were doing there?
Trinkett:
Research.
Frank:
Research?
Trinkett:
I’m writing a book.
Frank:
Really? What about?
Trinkett:
Frank, you don’t care what I’m writing a book about.
Frank:
I really don’t.
Trinkett:
Let’s move on.
Frank:
Great.
Trinkett:
I didn’t want to cut my trip short, Frank, but I was advised to return early.
Frank:
You were advised.
Trinkett:
Yes.
Frank:
Trinkett, by any chance were you “advised” to come back early by a deck of Tarot cards?
Trinkett:
... I don’t like your tone.
Frank:
So that’s a yes?
Trinkett takes a deep breath and exhales.
Trinkett:
I’ve chosen to not let your energy effect mine.
Frank:
Okay.
Trinkett:
I don’t enjoy these interactions between us.
Frank:
I’m having a great time.
Trinkett:
Your opinion of me is no secret. I’m asking you to set that aside for one moment.
Frank:
... Okay. Okay fine.
Trinkett:
Thank you.
Frank:
What can I do for you?
Trinkett:
I’d like you to come by my shop tomorrow.
Frank:
Why?
Trinkett:
Because I’d like to speak with you.
Frank:
Why?
Trinkett:
Frank. I would like to speak with you.
Frank:
You’re standing in front of me right now.
Trinkett:
I’d like to speak with you tomorrow.
Frank:
Do we need to draw this out? We can’t do this now?
Trinkett:
I need to be more focused when we talk and I just got off an airplane and I need to clean that experience off of me before we talk.
Frank:
You were on a plane?
Trinkett:
Yes.
Frank:
You hate planes.
Trinkett:
I do. But it was important that I get back as soon as possible so I made an exception.
Frank:
So this must be very important.
Trinkett:
Yes.
Frank:
So important that it can wait until tomorrow?
Trinkett:
... The work I was doing was very important to me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel it was necessary... Something... has shifted. I don’t know what it is, but I’d like to speak with you about it.
Frank:
Okay. Fine. I will stop by tomorrow morning.
Trinkett:
Thank you... The energy in town is very strange right now, is there anything strange going on?
Frank:
... Nope.
Trinkett:
No?
Frank:
Just another day.
Trinkett:
Alright. Tomorrow.
Frank:
Tomorrow.
Trinkett:
Thank you.
Frank:
Do you need a ride home? I can throw your bike in the back of my truck.
Trinkett:
I hate your trunk.
Frank:
Okay.
Trinkett rides away on her bicycle. Frank lets out a deep sigh.
June:
(From the office.) Frank!
Frank:
What?
June:
We’re up to twenty one now.
Frank:
Shit! Hang on.
Frank walks toward the office as Verge comes out of their room.
Frank:
Hey, Verge.
Verge:
Evening.
Frank:
Oh, hey. There’s been a, uh, report of a bear in the area.
Verge:
A bear?
Frank:
Yeah. So you might want to consider spending the night inside.
Verge:
That was the plan.
Frank:
Great, if you see anything let us know.
Verge:
Will do.
Frank walks into the office as a car comes up the driveway and stops. Deidre gets out with Sparker the Dog.
Deidre:
Hi there.
Verge:
Hello.
Deidre:
Enjoying your stay?
Verge:
I am. Lovely place.
Deidre:
Yeah. Lots of people come here in the winter but this is my favorite time of year. So quiet.
Verge:
So quiet.
Deidre:
I’m Deidre.
Verge:
Verge.
Deidre:
Nice to meet you. How long are you in town for?
Verge:
Not sure, actually.
Deidre:
Oooh. That sounds nice. I went backpacking through Argentina after college. No itinerary, when I wanted to move on I moved on, it was nice.
Verge:
Where’s Argentina?
Deidre:
Where’s Argentina?
Verge:
I’m bad with Geography.
Deidre:
It’s uh... south.
Verge:
Got it. Who’s your friend?
Deidre:
This is Sparker.
Verge:
Hi there. Does it talk?
Deidre:
Only during dinner time.
Verge:
...
Deidre:
... Um, hey, if you’re going to be in town for a while you should come by the Sheep’s Eye. I’m the bartender, first drink’s on me.
Verge:
... Yeah, okay.
Deidre:
Great.
Frank comes out of the office.
Frank:
Deidre, what’s going on? What is Sparker doing here?
Deidre:
Um, my grandpaw wanted to keep him moving.
Frank:
Keep him moving?
Deidre:
Yeah, so he’s harder to find.
Frank:
Harder to...
Deidre:
Frank, I know it sounds ridiculous but how many dogs are missing right now?
Frank:
Okay. Okay, fine. Hi, Sparker.
Deidre:
I’ll come back and pick him up tomorrow morning okay?
Frank:
Fine. Sparker get inside.
Sparker barks and runs into the office.
June:
(Inside the office.) Mr. Mayor!
Deidre:
I’ll see you tomorrow.
Frank:
I’ll just bring him by the Sheep’s Eye, okay?
Deidre:
Great. Bye, Verge.
Verge:
Bye bye.
Deidre gets in the car and drives away.
Verge:
... So are you the, I don’t know, local Chieftain or something?
Frank:
Local Chieftain?
Verge:
People keep coming to you with their problems.
Frank:
They do.
Verge:
Why is that?
Frank:
I don’t know. Take any group of people and, given enough time, eventually someone will become the one everyone complains to.
Verge:
So you’re just lucky?
Frank:
Just lucky... Verge I was serious about the bear warning, okay?
Verge:
Alright, alright, I’m going inside, bossman.
Frank:
Thank you.
Verge walks inside their room. Another deep sigh from Frank. After a long moment, there is the sound of something in the trees.
Frank:
Hello?
Slowly, Something massive moves from the trees into the parking lot, each step makes a thud on the pavement. It has four legs and breathes heavily. Frank doesn’t move.
Frank:
(To himself.) What the fuck.
The creature walks slowly through the parking lot, sniffing the air.
Frank:
Rambo?... Rambo what the fuck happened to you?
Rambo raises his head to the air and lets out a blood curdling howl that echoes across the mountain. The door to the office opens.
June:
What the fuck was that? OH SHIT!
Rambo sees June and growls maliciously.
June:
Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit. Is that Rambo?
Frank:
Yes.
June:
How is he the size of a water buffalo?!
Frank:
I don’t know.
June:
He’s looking right at me.
Frank:
Rambo? Rambo, over here!
June:
He’s still looking at me.
Frank:
Rambo! Goddamn it!
Rambo howls again and Verge’s door opens. Rambo turns and growls at Verge.
Verge:
What the fuck?!
Frank:
Verge, get back inside!
Rambo roars. Verge draws their plasma pistol and fires several shots. Rambo howls in pain and verge advances on him, firing shot after shot, walking towards the monster in the parking lot as they shoot. Rambo finally gives out a death rattle and drops to the ground with a massive thud. Everything is quiet.
Verge:
THAT’S a fucking bear?
Rambo raises his head one last time and howls. Verge fires three more shots and it’s over.
Verge:
Fucking die!
Verge fires three more shots just to be sure. Everything’s quiet again.
Frank:
Uh... Verge?
Verge:
Yeah?
June:
Is that a... laser gun?
Verge:
Ah... Plasma, actually.
Frank:
Uh huh. Okay....
Verge:
... I uh... I guess I’ve got some explaining to do don’t I?
June:
Maybe just a tad.
Rambo’s gigantic body begins to vibrate and shake with energy.
Frank:
Jesus Christ, now what?
Rambo’s body explodes, pieces of him flying everywhere. After the dust settles, we hear dogs barking.
June:
O... kay.
Frank:
That’s everyone’s dog.
June:
Including Rambo.
Frank:
There’s Baron Munchausen
June:
Hi, Baron Munchausen.
Verge:
... So, I take it this is not normal.
June:
Oh no. Nope. This is... This is...
Frank:
... New.
Verge:
Alright... Well, I guess we’ve both got some explaining to do, don’t we?
Frank:
Yeah.
June:
I guess we’ve got to... Call everyone? Tell them to come get their dogs?
Frank:
Okay.
Verge puts their gun back in their holster.
Verge:
Well, this was fun.
Frank:
Verge, uh, thank you? Uh... We’ve got to deal with this right now so... Breakfast tomorrow? We can all tell each other some interesting stories, okay?
Verge:
Sure. Why not?
June:
Thanks for uh... killing the huge monster!
Verge:
Anytime. See you in the morning.
June:
Yeah.
Verge walks into their room. After a moment they laugh. Inside Verge’s room we hear “ Eldin”, their Tangle.
Eldin:
What in the world was all that noise?
Verge:
Eldin, I don’t suppose it’s a common occurrence on Earth for a bunch of dogs to combine into one big dog and then split up again into a bunch of smaller dogs, is it?
Eldin:
What the fuck are you talking about?
Verge:
Never mind... play the message again.
Eldin:
Playing saved message.
Leif:
(Through the Tangle.) Hey... Please don’t delete this... I uh... I have no idea where to start with this message so I’ll just start talking and I’m sorry if some of it sounds like nonsense... Every time I’m in a place that looks enough like home, I send off this message to your usual message relay and hope that you get it... I hope you’re okay... In fact I hope you’re more than okay, I hope you’re... I don’t know, I hope you finally went sailing... I don’t know how much you know about what’s going on with me but it’s... it’s an interesting life. And in that interesting life you see some interesting things, go to some interesting places... There’s this place I came across the other day and uh... I don’t know, I thought of you for some reason... If you’re still always on the lookout for good places to hide for a while, I may have found one for you... It’s a nice place. It’s weird, but it’s nice... Of course what I really hope is that you somehow managed to stop running... that somehow life is different for you... you deserved a different life... Anyway, I think you’d like this place. I think it might hold your attention. Earth always felt like a prison for me but for you... who knows? The coordinates are embedded in this message, I’m assuming you’ve still got my encryption key... I hope I get to see you again someday. Until then... Give it a shot, Verge. You never know when something’s going to be exactly what you’re looking for.
Verge:
... I hate it when you’re right... Eldin, deploy a sensor dome on this location, play some nice music and wake me up in seven hours.
Eldin:
Sensor dome deployed. Anything on the agenda tomorrow?
Verge:
A very interesting breakfast.
Eldin:
Alarm set for seven hours. Goodnight, Verge.
Verge:
Goodnight.
The end.