“Hold on, one more sec.”
00:02.
He thought across the clade, thought of one of Marsh’s other forks. Pinged Lily.
-The response was immediate, words flowing into his consciousness through some sense that was not quite hearing. What’s happening? I can’t–
-Pinged Cress, the other fork. Asked, Cress? Can you–
-What the fuck is happening? came the panicked response.
-My place, he sent back, followed by his address. He repeated the message to Lily and, on a whim, his own up-tree instances, Rush, Sedge, and Tule.
+The response was immediate, words flowing into his consciousness through some sense that was not quite hearing. “What’s happening? I can’t–“
+Pinged Cress, the other fork. Asked, “Cress? Can you–“
+“What the fuck is happening?” came the panicked response.
+“My place,” he sent back, followed by his address. He repeated the message to Lily and, on a whim, his own up-tree instances, Rush, Sedge, and Tule.
00:04.
Cress arrived almost immediately along with Tule — they shared a partner, so it made sense they’d be together for the evening — leading Hanne to start back on the couch. “Reed,” she said, voice low. “What is–“
Lily arrived next, already rushing forward to grab Reed’s shoulder. “You can’t either?” she said, voice full of panic.
@@ -130,14 +130,14 @@Hanne glanced around the room, singling out Marsh’s other two immediate up-tree instances, Cress and Lily. Both shook their heads.
“I was just talking to them about an hour ago, actually. They and Vos were wrapping up the first part of the night’s celebration and they were going to–“
“Vos!” Reed shouted. “Shit, sorry Lily.”
-It took a minute for Vos to respond to Reed’s ping. Reed? It’s been a bit. What’s up?
-Is Marsh there? he sent back.
-I don’t know. I figured they were in the study waiting on you. It’s been a bit and I just made us drinks, but they’re not in there now. Is something wrong?
-Can you ping them?
+It took a minute for Vos to respond to Reed’s ping. “Reed? It’s been a bit. What’s up?”
+“Is Marsh there?” he sent back.
+“I don’t know. I figured they were in the study waiting on you. It’s been a bit and I just made us drinks, but they’re not in there now. Is something wrong?”
+“Can you ping them?”
There was a short pause, followed by a sensorium glimpse of a familiar room, that study from so long ago, every flat surface that wasn’t the floor covered in stacks of unread books. Empty.
-What’s happening? Vos sent. There was an edge of caution to her voice, the sound of a thin barrier keeping worry at bay.
-Pierre?
-One second. There was a pause, and then, quickly, Wait, can we just come over? What’s your address?
+“What’s happening?” Vos sent. There was an edge of caution to her voice, the sound of a thin barrier keeping worry at bay.
+“Pierre?”
+“One second.” There was a pause, and then, quickly, “Wait, can we just come over? What’s your address?”
He messaged over the address, and a few seconds later, Fenne Vos and Pierre LaFontaine arrived holding hands, leading to another yelp from Hanne.
“Vos! Hi,” she said, preempting any of Marsh’s up-tree instances. “Do you know where Marsh is?”
Some small part of Reed looked on in admiration. Hanne had kept much of the panic that was coursing through him and his cocladists out of her voice. He could feel a shout building within him, and he knew from past experiences with Vos and Pierre that that would only make things worse.
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@“It is proving difficult to keep up with the feeds,” she said, speaking slowly. Perhaps still receiving updates? “One of me is just reading the feeds and marking a tally every time a missing instance is mentioned.”
“Thousands, Jesus,” Hanne whispered. “I should check in on Jess. And probably–“
She started as Pierre sagged briefly against Vos, then either quit or left the sim. “He…I mean…” Vos began, shook her head, and then followed suit.
-Do you two need anything? Reed sent to Vos. Or just space and quiet?
-The latter, she replied after a few long seconds. The sensorium message was so clearly sent between sobs that Reed had to swallow down the same sensation rising in his throat.
+“Do you two need anything?” Reed sent to Vos. “Or just space and quiet?”
+“The latter,” she replied after a few long seconds. The sensorium message was so clearly sent between sobs that Reed had to swallow down the same sensation rising in his throat.
“Give them some space,” he mumbled against that awkward pressure in his chest. “So, okay. What’s the whole story again? Midnight hit and suddenly it’s thirteen months–“
“Thirteen months and ten days, almost exactly,” Sedge corrected.
He sighed, nodded. “Right. Midnight hit and the date jumped forward and now there are thousands of–“
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@“Really, really weird,” Sedge muttered.