So, I drop off the radar for a while. Try and live normally for a bit. Do some study, try to get my tanking grades up to par. Look after Black, keep trying to write his story. Continue trying to get Rinforzando to cooperate.
And then I check my P.O. Box, and find a certain package. With a certain name on it, and a handwritten note with condolences of Jack. Which can only mean one thing: I've won the bet, and Carter is dead.
I have his notes here in front of me. Meticulously organized. Engineer's handwriting. His i's look like j's. Diagrams done in neat pencil. I pore through them, and I see both similarities to my own work, and things I'd never even have thought of in a million years, and I wonder what would have happened if we could have worked together, trading notes instead of hoarding them in this game. But then, he always was secretive. There is a very obvious gap where my file should be.
He was one of the two I considered candidates for the Sage title, you know. But then bad things historically have happened when a Sage gives titles to people other than their successor. He was also the first person I really met here.
I find I still can't think of him as truly dead. Can't help but catch myself thinking this is a deliberate ruse, or an accidental mistake. That'll pass, probably.
Kendra's gone too, but there's still a little hope for her, if Chaos can be taken off the pills. Rose has offered to send me a sample of some, and I've taken her up on it. Lily's past the point of no return. Morningstar and Redlight are, as we all know, still out and about, with Redling sightings in my territory.
...
I'm accelerating my program, and will be starting on human trials shortly. Thanks to the rats I now have rat antibodies to azoth. I also still have some human antibodies to same from Carter left, but I'm reluctant to use those as they cannot be replaced. I also have some secondary rat antibodies; that is rat antibodies with human azoth antibodies as their target. These will be fluorescently tagged and used for identification purposes later.
For now, I will be injecting the primary rat antibodies into myself to determine their effect. Black does not have any azoth left in him and so is not a suitable candidate, and I've learnt the drawbacks of having a catch and release program; the local proxies involved tend to learn from their mistakes, those mistakes being springing one of my traps. They have started to leave disparaging notes. I have not been able to obtain any for this experiment.
But maybe that's for the best. This is uncharted territory, and I don't want any incorrect production or unforeseen side effects on my part to result in any death or injury other than possibly my own. It's why I've yet to use the Cortexiphan I've stockpiled.
Wish me luck. I'll periodically update this post throughout the process.
EDIT: Roughly two hours after the injection, and the area around my inner arm is red and inflamed. Starting to not feel well, like my head's been stuffed with cotton wool. Very thirsty all of a sudden.
EDIT: tried to get some things. Stood up too fast. Didn't manage to get the bucket. there's black everywhere. It's too hot. Head's killing me.
i am in the vreezer. it won't stop. it won't stop
i
wonder what would happen if the lid shut and stuck me here forvere and I
suffocatedc
the
floor is nice. red and black isn’t. It wont go away nomatter how I shout my
throat hurts
h e
lp
Careful with some of this. Azoth isn't so much a cold as it is Ebola. There probably isn't a ton to be done in terms of immunity.
ReplyDeleteTrue. But at least if this method fails I can eliminate another candidate for the Cure. Knowing it existed once makes the possibility of failure easier.
DeleteIf only it were a ruse. -- Jack
ReplyDeleteIf only.
DeleteWould a deal with you make it one?
He and I never made any substantial deals. The only major one he made with me was to protect S. I tried to go back and save him, but Time wouldn't allow me. -- Jack
DeleteFuck.
DeleteI don't know what you're talking about with 'equipment'. There ain't shit here except food and the assload of Redlight Distraction Rods.
ReplyDelete*JP
Huh. Maybe they were waylaid. See any fluorescent lightbulbs and a small beepy thing?
DeleteNope. Food, RDS's, and Laptop. Only things here.
Delete*JP
RDR's*
DeleteI'm so bad.
*JP
Ah well. I can get more later. Sorry for the accusation.
DeleteIf you need blood samples or such, I'd be more than willing to oblige. That is, if you'd be able to work with Seeker blood.
ReplyDeleteSide note, if you'd like to dissect a few Raven and Shadows, I can bring you some. Dead or mildly tortured. :)
Hey, maybe we can team up and take down a few Shadows.
DeleteIs it wrong that I'm lost on the terminology?
DeleteIf so I'm sorry, I just don't know shit.
*JP
Inflammation, stuffed head, thirsty. These are symptoms beginner proxies sometimes go through when their body rejects the Azoth BADLY. You might be in for a few sick days if your lucky.
ReplyDeleteIf not....I hope that doesn't happen.
-Veigar
P.S. I really don't have your equipment, someone must have stolen it.
Rough ride imminent, then.
DeleteI feel like I have the worst migraine in the history of migranes right now.
Bet it was Totara he steals things.
I'd recommend having many drinks ready for after you go to sleep. Also a bucket. And maybe some sort of cream for your skin.
DeleteIt's the worst when you wake up.
-Veigar
I kind of don't feel like moving right now...
DeleteI'll go get those though.
Trust me, I know, I went through this myself.
DeleteNo matter how much pain you get from moving, It will be so much worse when you wake up.
-Veigar
Just moving my hed makes me feel nauseous.
Delete...how bad are we talking?
Fucking.
DeleteHorrible.
-Veigar
Shiiit. Okay, I'm gonna make an attempt.
DeleteMed, you only feel hot. Your body temperature is not changing. Get out of the freezer before you kill yourself.
ReplyDeleteJust deal with the pain and discomfort, writhe as much as you want. Don't hurt yourself out of desperation for relief. From what you've described I had it much worse then you have.
Calm the fuck down.
-Veigar
GET THE FUCK OUT MED.
ReplyDeleteRIGHT NOW DAMN IT.
-Veigar
m fine. stil here
Deletei am ona couch don’t rememnber gettig here id I pass out?
keep talking stay
I'm here. Will be for about 2 hours, don't worry.
Delete-Veigar
thaks
Deletei...
thanks
No worries.
Delete-Veigar
Huh. I really should name more sages one of these days... especially in light of your own mortality...
ReplyDeleteAre you still alive?
hi its.. thing. this guyy. cat
Deletehello cat
Hello Med. How black handling this?
Deleteblack is...s omewher? I think
Deletethis blanket might e frm him, idk
So when you brain swells from your body having a violent allergic reaction to its own Azoth and you suffer major memory loss and potential brain damage, who is gonna take care of both you and Black?
Deleteyou?
DeleteAgreed. Would you like to name a successor now?
DeleteI will if needed.
Delete-Veigar
thanks vinegar
Deletedonr think a cat wold do it anyway
no opposable thumbs
cant name a successor im not dead
No. The tiny terror would be a terrible caretaker.
DeleteYou won't be able to name a successor once you're already dead.
could make a thing
Deletedead man's post
then i would
Was that a short joke?
Delete-Veigar
That would be wise. If you survive this. Do that.
DeleteAnd yes. Yes it was.
Well then Sgt. Meowkins, you're not getting any yarn for christmas now are you?
Delete5'7 is a perfectly normal height thank you very much.
-Veigar
So you say, Lord Tiny Terrible. So you say.
DeleteSo I have Lord in my name now?
DeleteI can't wait until I get to add guardian to it.
We can then be title buddies.
-Veigar
It is not that short. You are at least taller than me dear.
DeleteYeah. That'll probably be unlikely.
DeleteI don't know if lord is appropriate for you. Titles are a regional.
You know how you have squads and then a squad leader? A Lord is a step above that.... sort of.
Oh is poor little med in pain? How very sad.
ReplyDeletey killedd kendra
DeleteWell she most certainly is dead dear. Although I did not personally kill her.
DeleteYeah yeah yeah, whatever.
DeleteBy the way, nice use of her account by changing the name and using it.
Very respectful of the dead.
-Veigar
who ddid?
DeleteDarkness. They were weak, and of no use to her.
Deletei yelled at her
Deletenow shes gone
That you did. Have fun living with the thought that your last conversation was one as wonderful as that.
DeleteOr perhaps dying with it.
DeleteHow bout you stick a cactus up your ass eh?
Delete-Veigar
i dont want to die
DeleteHow about no. And med dear, people do not want quite a few things. We do not always get our way now do we?
DeleteYou still there Med? One word and I can be there.
ReplyDelete-Veigar
im here
Deletei can't
i cant think i think i might be plese stop it
one word
please
Okay.
Delete-Veigar
Oh is little med dying? Killed by your experiment. How wonderful.
DeleteWhat's this I hear about death? Fellas she ain't gonna die, feel enormous amounts of pain, yes. Die? No. Come on, most of us here in the comment section went through this, did any of you die from this? Nah, we coped with it, we went through the pain, same thing with her. She's gonna get through the pain and either become a brain dead zombie, or she will be back to normal, but she won't die.
ReplyDeleteBesides, she's too stubborn to die.
On a side note, what a stupid idea that was.
Yeah... I know Veigar said this a lot like what a proxy goes goes through but I personally have no idea what hes talking about.
DeleteI mean, I still see proxies with Slender Sickness. It happens.
But this is a bit much. Especially considering the cause.
Veigar said this was a lot like what a proxy*
DeleteAre you kidding me? What were you thinking? Scratch that, actually, WERE you thinking? -- Jack
ReplyDelete