[right][h2]J̶͙̝̹͖͒̅̂̏͝͝ā̶̪̘̾̇̎̕y̷̗̦̖͊̀̑ͅ’s̵̤̪̰̓͝ ̷̮̤̋̽C̸̭͓̤͓̘̱̑̀̾͝͠ą̸̟͈̯͖͐̉͛̾̕͠t̴̩̺͆̂̓͐̕ḣ̵͉͍̣ȧ̷̫̙̞̐͘r̴̛̛͉̟̓̌̿͛s̴̛̮̞̫̝͉͆̈̀ị̸̗͓͍́͑ș̴̛͊̐̋͝t̸̞͗͐[/h2]
[@silver21][@Tlazolteotl][@BaronOBeefDip][/right]
Sirpa still hadn’t spoken, which wasn’t assuring. But something behind her expression suggested the silence was temporary rather than permanent. Jay chose to trust that, chose to believe she’d actually converse with them, not just occupy the same room while they talked at the ceiling.

Small pieces. That was the Moderator’s suggestion. Just talk, break it down, let the others ask questions. Good advice. Possibly even actionable, if Jay could figure out where to start.

Before Jay could figure that out, someone new arrived.

She came in asking whether people could see her (yes), mentioning hallucinations of someone named Will (no context), and referencing a bartender guy (even less context).

“Can anyone explain what is going on?”

Jay wanted to ask [i]her[/i] the same thing.

“Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Dr. Charlie Everson,” the doctor said. “I’m not from... wherever this place is. I’m guessing most of you aren’t. May I ask who you are and how you got here?”

“Uh... hi, Dr. Everson. I go by Jay, and... I guess I got here by clicking the link?”

Which, to a woman who’d just led with hallucinations and a missing bartender, may or may not have sounded sarcastic. It wasn’t meant to be. Maybe the question hadn’t been about clicking links so much as how Jay came to find this place.

“I read the interest check, liked the premise, so I jumped in.”

Their gaze drifted to Dr. Everson. Then to Sirpa. Then back to Dr. Everson. From somewhere in the back of their skull, the earlier conversation with Sirpa and Silver Blade pushed its way forward: the ones who didn’t choose to come here and didn’t know how to leave.

“But... I’m starting to wonder if that’s not actually what you’re talking about…”