Chapter Text
[CLICK]
[PHONE RINGING]
[SOUNDS OF PACING]
TIM
[Muttering] Sasha... Sasha pick up. Pick up your phone, Sasha.
SASHA
Tim? [Laugh] It’s four in the morning. Is this a booty call?
TIM
God, I wish it was. Is Joey there? She… fuck. She said she’d be out all night, and I know you two are close enough for her to stay there.
SASHA
[Suddenly awake] Joey’s not home?
TIM
So- so she isn’t at yours?
SASHA
No, but here, I can- I’ll help you look for her. Do Martin or Jon know?
TIM
No but- oh, shit, Sash, you don’t have to-
SASHA
Yes. Yes I do. I’ll be at your place in ten, five if I’m lucky.
[DOOR QUIETLY OPENS IN THE BACKGROUND]
TIM
Thank you. Fuck, I, just- thanks.
SASHA
Right. I love you, see you soon.
[SOUNDS OF THE CALL TURNING OFF]
[SOUNDS OF TIM SIGHING]
JUDE
Do you think she hates me?
TIM
Aw, shit Jude, what’re you doing up?
JUDE
Couldn’t sleep. I was adding to my conspiracy board and I heard you talking.
TIM
Don’t worry, mate. I’m sure she’ll be back in the morning. Sasha’s just coming over to keep me company, if you know what I mean.
[PAUSE THAT IMPLIES TIM IS WIGGLING HIS EYEBROWS (SEDUCTIVELY)]
JUDE
Yuck!
TIM
Aww, what’s ‘yuck’ about consuming enough espresso to down an elephant and gossiping about our old research coworkers?
JUDE
You were clearly making… some sort of innuendo!
TIM
[Fake posh accent] I see, Detective Harley, I see. And where is your proof? Your evidence? You can’t pin me for anything.
[JUDE LAUGHS]
TIM
Seriously, don’t worry, okay? Joey’s your sister, and she loves you. She’ll be back. God knows I stayed out all night plenty when I was her age. And I got snippy with my little brother tons.
JUDE
You have a little brother?
TIM
[Wistful] I… I had a brother. He- he died a few years back.
JUDE
Oh, er, sorry. I didn’t-
TIM
Don’t worry, you’re, you’re fine. I brought him up.
[HEAVY PAUSE]
This is too heavy for uh, four forty five in the morning. Hm. Coffee, tea, or cocoa?
JUDE
Coffee…?
TIM
You got it. I’ll start the story while I put the kettle on. It’s… not a fun one, be warned.
JUDE
When you’re done, would you like to… to hear my theory as to what’s going on in the archives?
TIM
I don’t see why not.
[SOFT FOOTSTEPS]
XEFROS
Oh! Um, g-good morning.
TIM
I’m just making some coffee. Want some?
XEFROS
Ok! I… I’ll be o-over there.
TIM
Right. Here… I’ll… [Inhale] My brother was named Danny, Danny Stoker. He was younger than me, by a few years, and the kind of brother anyone would be proud to have. I ‘spose I should’ve been jealous of him. [Short laugh] I wasn’t, though. He was… he was taller and fitter than me, better looking even! I know, I know, hard to imagine. He was charismatic, too.
But it, what happened to him, started in 2013. That’s… god, that’ll have been three years now. Earlier that year he’d picked up a new hobby: urban exploration. It really suited him, y’know? I think… I think he would’ve liked doing it, long term, I mean.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
DOC SCRATCH
I apologize for cutting Mr. Stoker off, I really do, but I believe you already know his story. Hello, reader.
Yes, yes, don’t look so surprised. Here- let me slip into a… more symbolic narrative format.
[SNAP]