Duskwood & Moonvale one-shots

Closer than you think (Jake x MC)

Her feet touch the floor - too cold for a summer night. She is shivering, clenching and unclenching her fingers, trying to pull the long nightgown tighter. She gives up and throws a warm robe over her shoulders - a gift from her aunt, which she never thought to wear and from which she has hardly get out the last two weeks.

The insomnia had caught up with her unexpectedly - as an unpleasant bonus to everything that was already going wrong in her life.

Thomas and his message.

Hannah.

Threats by the masked man from legend.

Video by Lilly.

Jake's disappearance.

Weird hackers.

The list seemed endless to her.

She didn't know what was happening to her. Maybe she was just a little tired of the constant tension, nerves, and fear of doing something wrong. Maybe she's tired of spending hours at the computer. Maybe...

The steam rising from the mug of tea warms the fingers that are not quite bending enough.

The phone glows in the dark as she idly runs her fingers across the screen - aimlessly flipping through the app lists to avoid being left without a light source.

She'd like to tell someone about her condition now. Someone who will listen, someone who will understand. Someone who always made her feel better after talking.

A strange, almost insane thought occurred to her - and you can't get rid of it. Realizing that she was being stupid, she logged into her usual messenger.

[YOU, 02.14]:
Hello. How are you?
I know it's two in the morning, but do you want to talk a little?
I'm pretty sure you won't answer, but I'm still to texting
Silly, isn't it?

She was about to collapse the app when a system message appeared on the screen that she hadn't seen in days.

[Jake is now online]

[JAKE, 02.17]:
Good night.
You know... I want.

[YOU, 02.17]:
Wow!
It's crazy!
You... Are you really here?

[JAKE, 02: 17]:
I am sorry I made you worry.
Yes, it's really me. And I am really here.
But why aren't you sleeping at this hour?

[YOU, 02.18]:
I don't know. I can't sleep these days
But that's nothing, Jake!
How are you? Are you sure you can talk?

[JAKE, 02.19]:
Thank you for asking.
But please don't worry about me again. It's not so bad right now.
Maybe ev...

When Jake didn't finish his sentence again and disappeared, Nora could only gasp and try to hold on to her cell phone with trembling hands. The first time he just lay low, what could have happened the second time?

It took her a moment to notice that the screen was once again covered in static, just as it had been during Lilly's long forgotten vote. But there was no warning from Nymos, and she found herself almost not nervous.

When the screen went dark again, she smiled. Again, a blurry figure against the background of many computers. Now she was almost certain it was a pre-recorded clip.

"Hello again. We have a few minutes... What do you want to tell me?"

"Very much! I found out a little more about Jennifer..."