( THE OPERATOR )

[abhoth]

Logic dictates that a cordless telephone should not operate without its base station, but that is exactly what the item you have been blessed (cursed) with does. On most days, it is a useless piece of technology that takes up space at best and unnerves you at worst. You cannot make calls with it. Pressing any of its buttons does nothing. And try as you might to get rid of it, it will always show up on your person even if you didn't take it along with you when leaving your room. When you least expect it, however, it begins to ring. The noise is high pitched and painful to your senses — but nobody around you seems to notice. It will not stop until you pick it up, with the ringing becoming louder and louder by the second. Strangely enough, nobody will seem to notice if you were to answer the call in the middle of a crowded room. So... What will you do, Operator? Welcome, Operator! As you must know by now, your character has been assigned an item role, with their personal item being a cordless telephone with no base station. This telephone will be both invisible and silent to others, meaning your character never has to worry about accidentally revealing their role. On the other hand, it means they can't simply whip our their phone and hand it over to someone else for any reason. Tragic, we know. But don't worry, there will be plenty of others way to have fun. Due to the nature of this post, we can't give you a set day for when the phone will do its thing. A weekly placeholder top level will be added to this post on Monday, in tandem with the weekly mingle. We will be replying to this top level whenever your character receives a call on the cordless phone, and you will get the chance to either ignore the call or pick it up. Though we'll be notifying you through plurk every time a new call goes up, we strongly suggest tracking comments on this post. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to let us know through PM or PPs. ( quick navigation ) ic rulebook | locations | statuses | room assignments private conversations | ic profiles | graveyard | full navigation

Comments

WEEK 1

[abhoth]

FRIDAY, 6:50 AM

[abhoth]

[At 6:50 AM on Friday morning, you will be woken up by a sharp ringing sound. The source seems to be the cordless telephone you were given on Sunday morning, and try as you might to silence it or wait it out... It won't stop. Your roommate, the lucky ass, sleeps on blissfully unaware of the wretched piece of technology depriving you of precious shuteye.

Will you answer it, Operator?]

[g101]

[ for someone being deprived of sleep, hajime sure does sound awake when she answers with a chipper: ]

Ah! Good morning. Is this hotel service? Wake up call?

[abhoth]

[It is, unfortunately, not hotel service. In fact, there's an eerie lack of communication from the other side of this call. All Hajime will be able to hear for the first second or three will be laborious breathing, as if something heavy has been placed in the other person's windpipe. A moment later, a voice comes through the speaker.

It sounds like the other person can't breathe.]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[The call ends.]

WEEK 2

[abhoth]

1/3 - THURSDAY, 11:30 PM

[abhoth]

[The phone is ringing. Maybe Hajime should answer it.

Or maybe try to ignore it until she's driven to the brink of madness by terrible ringtones. Either one works.]

[g101]

[ how terrible are we talking? like, is the ringtone hotline bling?

she's still answering, of course, and when she does: ]

Second verse, same as the first?

[abhoth]

[It might be a kazoo version of Hotline Bling.

But just like last time, there's a brief moment of silence before someone speaks up. It's a male voice, his words slow and pained, as if he's gone into shock. The response is the same as last time:]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[The call ends.]

[g101]

[ the call ends, but hajime's kind of dumb, so she taps at the receiver before announcing: ]

If you can hear me, can you say yes or no?

[ might as well start small. ]

WEEK 3

[abhoth]

MONDAY, 6:29 PM

[abhoth]

[At 6:29 PM, Hajime will abruptly receive a phone call. The ring tone is a little... eh, but that's not what matters right now. For seconds after the phone begins to ring, both of the grandfather clocks in the motel will mark 6:30 PM.

It is then that the motel will experience a power surge, quickly followed by a blackout.

Hajime's phone continues to ring.]

[g101]

[ oh.

it's monday, what the hell.

guess who is really not up for this but. whatever. sure. hajime picks up, weakly but willingly despite her day. ]

It's Monday, though?

[abhoth]

[It is, indeed, Monday.

A male voice can be heard from the other side of the call. His voice is hoarse and his words are slurred, like there is some serious strain happening here. Like all other times, the response is the same:]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[The call ends.

Keep resting up, Hajime.]

[g101]

It's a Monday!!!!

[ you know what, she expected something different this time.

if she gets up to try and investigate, will she be knocked out again this time? ]

FRIDAY, 7:30 AM

[abhoth]

[The phone is ringing with some sick beats.]

[g101]

[ ok, sure. sure. good morning to you too, she'll pick up the phone and: ]

You think I could ask for a headset so I don't have to pick up the receiver? Or maybe speaker phone options.

[abhoth]

[As always, Hajime's words go ignored. The female voice on the other end of the call speaks like she's going through great pain, her words hissed out through gritted teeth. The response will be nothing new to the Operator's ears:]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[And then the call ends.]

WEEK 4

[abhoth]

FRIDAY, 6:15 AM

[abhoth]

[Morning, Hajime.]

[g101]

[ no better way to start the day than with a headache!

she'll pick up, and just groan into the phone. mmmmmhello ]

[abhoth]

[As always, her greeting(??) goes ignored. Instead, a male voice utters the same response as always — his words strained, almost like pushing styrofoam through his teeth.]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[And the call ends.]

WEEK 5

[abhoth]

THURSDAY, 10:51 PM

[abhoth]

[Looks like someone is getting a head start.]

[g101]

[ the fuck is this

the fuck is you

hajime picks up, mesmerizee by this ringtone ]

[abhoth]

[It's a masterpiece.

The voice that answers is male. Stern but not too deeply pitched, he sounds as if he's going into shock. Each breath is a quick, painful huff — indicating damage to the chest. Or, perhaps, something else? Only time will tell.

The response is the same as always:]

The number you're trying to reach is no longer here.

[And it ends.]