event: the beginning of the end

[mayfield_mods]

[Not for the first time in Mayfield, you're hearing voices. The voice is at once both mechanical and human, both adult and child. This time, however, there's no trace of the hostility you heard before- it may be warped by distance and who knows what else, but the voice is unmistakably Annie's. She sounds better than the last time you heard from her- the fear is still there, but it's tempered with a small measure of grim determination.]

Can you hear me now? No, don't- don't react, all of you. Sorry, I should have said that first. Augh, it's been too long... Anyway, try to just keep doing whatever you were doing while I talk. Zemekis can't hear me, but if he notices your reaction he might catch on.

I-It's me. The Lib- Annie. Some of you might remember me, but others might not. Your memories- they've been tampered with. Just like mine were, until you all saved me.

Now it's time for me to return the favor. I'm going to fix this- I promise. And I'm not alone, either. I've made contact with someone, and she's going to help. If her plan works, we might actually be able to...

I'm, I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now, I'm going to help you get your friends back, the ones who've been taken away. Try to remember them!

We've only got one chance at this. I need you to talk to my br- to the Postman. I don't think he'll want to, but... tell him Annie asked him to.

Tell him Zemekis isn't the only one who's woken up.

[And with that, she's gone.]

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

[The voice is unfamiliar at first. It's too hard to place, too distorted, too inhuman, speaking to something he was unwilling or unable to arouse. His mind is beclouded, but he listens passively through the dull fog as the voice speaks (Annie...?), taking heed of her instruction to Act Normal.

Luckily, he had been dozing off while doing his homework.

(The Librarian... She was the Librarian...)

It isn't until she's almost done that Lucas rouses himself to full attention. Margot! Miss Margot! ...The moment of realization when she had vanished into thin air before his eyes... It was a horror he wouldn't, couldn't possibly forget. In some way, he was thankful that it had happened - like a charm that brought him out of Mayfield's control when he was too tired or weak to do it himself.

He listens intently now to her instruction... And scrawls it down carefully on his math assignment.

Talk to Postman. "Zemekis isn't the only one who's woken up.

Good luck... Miss Annie. Bring them back!]