exsilium | [ voice ]

Entry tags:

[ voice ]

[He's so bored, he can't take it anymore. Asking for trouble, maybe, but there's all kinds of excitement he's missing with the new arrivals, and he's not used to missing out on it. He keeps the video feed off, unlike usual, because both his cell and he himself are a mess. His voice is only slightly hoarse, recovering from a first week in custody that was spent screaming.]

So what's the deal with all you new guys? Usually I do this in person but I'm, uh, a little tied up right now. Anyway, lemme hear it. Where you from? Whatcha usually get up to? How you feeling about being in this skanky shithole up on the moon?

Hope the rest of you guys didn't leave 'em starving.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

On what I know.

What you know of him. The times he's been kind to you. Is that it?

[Now she's sounding like Steph.]

That's right.

And he's never been unkind to you.

Get to the point. Oh, wait, I know what it is: two sides of Jesse, blah blah blah. No shit. Save the speech.

You know, I was friends with him, too. In the first month after I got here. And I'm not alone. How many people have left his side?

[Not really the way to convince the girl with abandonment issues.]

If I get to the point you're at, I'll be impressed.

You're loyal. That deserves respect. But there's not one amongst us who isn't the same. There's not one amongst us who would prefer friendship and kindness to the hatred that's crystallized. All of us would be happier if we hadn't all come up against his cruelty and his spite. And all of us are the worse for it.

I'm not gonna say abandon him. You won't ever do that. But don't just think, blindly, that he's being persecuted. Don't just think we're all mean. He had control over the situations that led to all of us splitting from him.

[Ellie wonders how long it's going to be until people see how terrible she's been and ditch her, talk about her like she's some crazy person incapable of controlling herself. Probably not Joel, but he's always been the one to remind her that hanging onto your morals is a quick way to get yourself killed.]

I know how shitty people can be. Don't keep yourself up at night worrying about that.

I don't care about you knowing. We all know. What I care about is you looking out for yourself.

I always am. [It's so fucking insulting when people say that.]

Standing by a dangerous person because you feel bad that other people aren't isn't looking out for yourself.

[She wants to say she's killed men twice Jesse's size, but it's another one of those things she knows shouldn't be public. Now isn't the time to measure dicks.]

Oh, shit, you figured me out! That's totally what this is. I just need to make myself feel better!

That's not what I said. You feel bad for him. You want him to be less sad. You are loyal to him. You are putting aside your own safety and well-being for his sake. That is not looking out for yourself.

Don't talk to me like you fucking know me.

Yeah, you're not exactly a mystery.

Just an open book.

Essentially.

Moron.

Sure.

[There's a scoff before Ellie ends the conversation. Better stop now before one of the violent threats on her tongue slips out.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ voice ]

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio