1. I've heard teeth can explode in air this cold. Imagine.

[bestsir]

Who: Harry Goodsir and divers hands.
What: Continuations from Harry's TMD threads, plus open to anyone else who wants in.
Where: All around.
When: In the days leading up to September's event.

Harry has found a house. It's much like the others, but what catches his attention is that it appears to have been owned by a person—a woman, he concludes from the clothing and other belongings left behind—with an interest in natural history. There's a bookcase in the front room with a variety of scientific and medical texts—nothing scholarly per se, but popular studies accessible to lay readers. He cannot find any other trace of the former inhabitant—no body—and so after wrestling with his conscience for a bit, he eventually gathers up what seems most personal and puts it all in a storage closet. Just in case.

He'll open the door to anyone who stops by.

Otherwise, he is out and about, making himself useful where he can.

Comments

[castitas]

"You're a scientist?" Briefly, she thinks of Warren. That boy practically lives in the Science Lab, and the thought makes her smile a little with fondness. Warren's nice, and a total cutie-pie.

"I like science, in school. It... isn't my favourite, but I like learning." she tilts her head in consideration. "I like photography. And I'd like to write and illustrate children's books."

She smiles again, but it soon falls short. It.. doesn't feel right, thinking about the future. Not when she was where she was before she came here. Coming here is... jarring, as if it's shaken her from everything. It still lingers, though.

[bestsir]

"I imagine you'd get on with my sister," he says. "She's a fine illustrator herself—her studies of plants are quite wonderful. Our mother taught all of us to draw—I flatter myself that I've got some facility. It allows me to illustrate my own papers, in any case. But you are interested in photography?" He brightens. In his time, that's a shiny new science. "I have had some practice with taking daguerreotypes, myself."

[castitas]

"That's pretty cool." She smiles, nodding. To both his sister's skill, and his own. "Drawing things realistically's pretty difficult to do. It's pretty amazing that people can actually do that."

The word 'daguerreotypes' piques her interest, her eyebrows raising. Oh, wait. That's... that's really familiar. They were talking about this in class the other day. Her brow furrows slightly.

"Louis Daguerre." She can still hear Victoria's voice as she utters the name. But... something doesn't quite add up. He's practicing with daguerreotypes...? How? Isn't it not a practice anymore? "I thought... well, I thought daguerreotypes had died out by the 1860's. That's what my textbooks says."

She is... super confused, right now.

[bestsir]

... Oh.

For a moment Goodsir feels slightly dizzy, as might be expected when discovering that one is talking to someone who is apparently from the future.

"It was the year 1848 before I came here," he says slowly. "What ... what is the year that you come from?"

[castitas]

Oh, for real.

Kate's eyes widen even more so, stuck in a stunned silence for a long moment. 1848. That's like... over a hundred and fifty years ago, or something. He couldn't possibly be lying, could he? She doesn't believe him to be. It does kinda explain how polite he's being, that's... that was thing, wasn't?

"Um. It's... it's 2013." What... what is she supposed to say when faced with this... super impossible thing? "I didn't think— wow, um. Not to be a drama queen but this is super surreal right now. I didn't think people would come from... different times."

[bestsir]

Goodsir's eyes have also gone quite wide. This girl is from a hundred and sixty-five years in his future?

He almost smiles at the phrase drama queen; he's never heard it before but finds it delightful.

"I'd no idea either," he admits. "Though it does explain how very ... different so many of these people are, in dress and manner and speech. Not merely a matter of where one is from, but when. Imagine!"

[castitas]

"This is some... serious big science stuff," she utters quietly, although she's not quite sure on it. Now she really does wish Warren were here. He'd have so many theories about this kind of thing, maybe even some answers or guesses about what's happening here exactly. "... or maybe God's doing."

Is it God? Did He put them here? Maybe this really is some kind of Hell, after all. The thought doesn't sit lightly with her, it won't be one she'll ever be able to shake off.

"But I guess it'd be pretty interesting to find out about people from different times. We can only read your time, now." She's... trying to find positives, even if she can't quite bring herself to feel complete joy in it. But she does add very gently with a small smile. "Cameras are much smaller, now. Like, even this size."

She pauses, reaching into a pocket and pulling out her cellphone to show him. It won't turn on, even with its charge. She doesn't know why.

[bestsir]

Goodsir has thoughts on God's involvement in this, but he's going to keep those thoughts to himself for now, much as he would have around his brother Joseph.

And in any case, Kate now has something much more interesting to look at! His eyes go wide.

"That is a camera?" He starts to reach for it, checks himself. "May I?"

[castitas]

"A cellphone." she corrects gently, but she nods and hands it over to him to get a better look. "You call people on it. And text. But it's a camera, too. You can take pictures on it too, there's a lens on the back and a little one on the front for selfies."

There's a long pause when she realises he... won't know what those things are. Calling people? Texting? Selfies. Did she.. actually say 'selfie' to a Victorian? Cringe.

"Um. You talk to people on it. Everyone has a cell phone number and you call them. Texting is like... writing and sending little letters, but people receive them instantly. And, uh... 'selfie' means a... self-portrait." Nailed it. There's a little smile, pretty pleased at that before it slips from her mouth. "It... stopped working ever since I came here. It won't turn on."

[bestsir]

As Kate describes the functions of a modern smartphone, she gets a decidedly puzzled look from Goodsir, who is thinking: I recognise these words, but they are being used in a way I have never heard before.

But her explanation is perfect, and the confusion clears. He takes the phone and turns it over, prodding the buttons, which of course does nothing.

"Remarkable. So many abilities in a thing no bigger than a pack of cards." He hands it back to her. "A shame that it does not work—I should like to have seen that."

[castitas]

It's a strange sight to see: someone studying a cellphone like he is now. Everyone has a cellphone, or at least knows what one is. It's one of those things you take for granted. But it's kind of nice he's taking it so well and actually quite fascinated by it and she's smiling a little.

"I've got lots of pictures on it." she muses quietly. It's a shame she can't show them to him. "And it might mean I could call someone to get us all out of here. The world's come a long way from your time. If there's anything you ever want to ask about, I can try to answer."

Although she imagines there's probably far too much to ask about.

[bestsir]

Goodsir laughs softly. "I scarcely know where to begin—after all, I don't yet know what I don't know, if you take my meaning. I am sure, however, that I will be full of questions as soon as I know the correct ones to ask."

[castitas]

"That's pretty fair." there's a little smile at that. "Well, once you find questions, I don't mind if you come find me to ask."

Genuinely, she honestly doesn't mind. She's happy to help. She falls quiet for a few moments before her gaze shifts to the bowls of stew, his and her own — now given to him.

"... You should eat. Before it gets cold. I'll give you some peace."

And with that, she quietly gets up. There's a little nod of thanks. "... Thank you for letting me sit with you."

[bestsir]

When she stands, he rises as well, as one does. "Thank you for the company, Miss Marsh. And for your kindness."