eyemind | first statement } audio; un: archivist

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first statement } audio; un: archivist

[oho, what’s this? a new voice on the network?]

Erm … I suppose it’s customary in a situation like this to introduce myself. [he lightly clears his throat before continuing:] My name is Jonathan - erm, Jon. Sims. [and he really has to bite down on the impulse to add the archivist after that.] I am somewhat new here and have yet to meet many of you. [which is intentional, on jon’s part.] But I - I actually just have a question, seeing as - if I understand the situation correctly - we are all from different places.

[jon hesitates for a moment and takes a deep breath to steady his nerves. public speaking is so much less comfortable than reading statements into a tape recorder.]

Have any of you heard of something called The Vast?

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[an academic ... but one who claims to study the paranormal. interesting. and a little suspicious.]

Would you describe yourself as a "paranormal investigator"?

I run an institute that offers a reward for proof of the paranormal - so I make it my mission to debunk so-called paranormal activity. So I suppose you could say that.

[He is on firm ground here and it feels good.]

I've dedicated my life to encouraging people to pursue reason. There's no such thing as the paranormal - it's just science that people manipulate to use people for their own gain.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re quite wrong. Paranormal things do in fact exist, and they’re certainly not at odds with reason or logic.

[most of them, at least. the spiral is an outlier and should not be counted.]

Sadly, such a narrow-minded view as yours is common among academics, in my experience.

You're delusional. It's not narrow minded to assume facts and logic.

[This is Alex's...partner. He must at least make an effort right? So he'll try.]

Let's assume the concept of a haunting. A ghost can be easily faked.

I am NOT delusional. And it IS narrow minded to exclude the facts and logic that don't conform to your lofty preconceptions of truth. While I concede that there are plenty of examples of charlatans and hoaxes when it comes to the supernatural, that doesn't mean that ALL supernatural instances fit those categories. I happen to have met what would commonly be called a ghost. His name was Gerry. He was bound to a book after his death and could be summoned by reading the text on his page.

[Give him a minute. He's going to just. Stare at this.]

I see.

[Every instinct screams that this is a problem but he will be polite. For Alex's sake since she and this man are together.]

I confess I would like to know more.

[Even if he's pretty well mentally broadcasting This man is absolutely fucking insane]

[jon is fully aware of how he sounds. he used to cultivate the image of having an attitude similar to strand's, before jane prentiss happened. turns out being attacked by an avatar of the corruption and almost dying puts a shift into your priorities.]

About Gerry specifically, or the entire archive of actual supernatural events I've maintained for the past three years?

Oh whatever you'd like to start with. I'd like to learn. I do keep an open scientific mind. I'm willing to at least hear you out.

You’ll have to forgive me, but in my line of work, I have learned from experience that there is nothing more suspicious than a fellow academic. Why the sudden interest when you pronounced me “delusional” just a few minutes ago?

[He frowns]

You offered information?

I was asking a clarifying question, actually. And you've stated that your "mission" is to debunk claims of the paranormal, so you can see why your inquiry might be taken as disingenuous. As far as Gerry is concerned, I don't have any tangible proof, only my statement. He asked me to burn his page so he'd be released, which I did.

You burned his page.

[His lips press together]

Please, don't drag Alex into your delusions. You seem reasonable but she is a nationally acredited reporter this could ruin her.

So we’re back to you calling me delusional? Thank you for proving my point.

And by the by, Alex is a grown adult and can decide for herself what to believe. Perhaps you should start treating her as such.

She's been hurt by what she and I apparently have discovered. I'm not going to let that happen or keep happening to her.

Then perhaps it would behoove you to focus on tending to your own actions where Alex is concerned.

[If Richard Strand were a dog his fur would be up and he'd be growling but his tail would be between his legs. Trying to be a threat where there isn't one.]

What is that supposed to mean? She's interviewing me. I'm the subject of her study. I'm not going to get her killed over my research do you know what that would look like?

It would look like you’re a careless buffoon, at best. However, I will again remind you that Alex is an adult and fully capable of making her own choices, so I doubt she needs you “handling” her as if she’s a child. She can choose to believe what I tell her of my experiences with the supernatural or not as she sees fit.

Furthermore, if you’ve done something to hurt her, the onus of responsibility is on you to make amends for that. I have absolutely no involvement in the private affairs between the two of you, nor do I wish to be involved. Alex and I may share a mental link, but I have been quite careful not to intrude on her thoughts, because like a rational adult, I respect her privacy.

[He had to think about it because why did he care so much? She wasn't dating him, she was just a reporter who apparently knew everything about him.]

She hasn't respected mine. [And that's all he gets as he cuts the feed off]

Thank you!

First of all, I am a grown ass adult who makes her own decisions, and I don't need anyone to protect me. Second of all, I can ruin myself thank you, I don't need anyone's help. And third, considering how you curated my experience with your tapes and showed me ones that you knew I was afraid of, like demons and exorcisms and mental hospitals, you can fuck right off with this bullshit.

[Okay. No. Because if he knew...]

I'm not psychic. It's not real. I didn't know those things were things you were afraid of.

[What he should say is "I'm sorry" but instead he just cuts the feed off.]

It doesn't have anything to do with you being psychic!

[Alex doesn't say 'you asshole' but she's certainly thinking it very loudly.]

It has to do with a conversation that we had on our way to Chatsworth about what scares me.

[That?

He...Well. Had he? Had that been the goal? Of course it had.]

You're a reporter. You can handle anything and you've proven yourself especially tenacious. Fear is just something to be used against you. You're braver than you give yourself credit for.

[Oh. My. God.]

Oh my god.

You were the one who used it against me!

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first statement } audio; un: archivist

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