<Begin Recording at: 10:40AM>
Date: 18/04/12
Location: The home camp of the Appreciators, Level 11.
Participants: Matilda Kellan, Aether Kellan, Jillian Gatwa.
Matilda Kellan: I'm just worried about you going out on your own…
Aether Kellan: I know, I know! Trust me, I'll be okay! I'm not a child…
Matilda Kellan: Aether, you're 16. You are literally a child.
Aether Kellan: And I'm old enough to explore Level 11 for myself! It's not dangerous?
Matilda Kellan: It was once?
Aether Kellan: Well, yeah, but it's not now! Didn't the whatever-O.D. make the place more liveable?
Matilda Kellan: Aether, you were alive when they existed. You know the name of the M.E.O.D. But yes, they did. Way before you were born.
Aether Kellan: Exactly then, Mom! I'll be fine.
Matilda Kellan: All they did was plug up a lot of entrances, Aether! There's still hazards. Just go down the street, and around the block, nothing more. Do you understand?
Aether Kellan: Yeah, yeah… I understand. You do know Jillian down the road is allowed to explore freely, right? And she's been doing it for a whole year.
Matilda Kellan: Do you want to explore for the first time or not?
Aether Kellan: Hey, I definitely do! You just have a way of making really simple stuff sound… boring.
Matilda Kellan: Alright, alright… You know what, explore however many blocks you want. Just go quick, before I change my mind!
Aether Kellan: Don't worry, I was just messing. I'll stick to this one, okay? All of this place looks pretty much the same anyways.
Matilda Kellan: There we go… knew you'd see sense. Have fun, alright?
[Aether smiled at her mother, looking over her shoulder as she took the handful of steps down from the front door and planted her feet firmly on the sidewalk. She waited for a final wave from her mother and the door for their home to close, and only started her walk down the street once she saw both of them happen. She sunk her hands into her hoodie pockets, her eyes glancing from the solar roadway to the prefab townhouses and shops on either side of the road. They were all familiar sights to her, especially since the portion of land that The Appreciators owned was particularly small, and wedged between the less friendly New M.E.G. and the Re-Risen, but Aether enjoyed it purely because it was the first time she was experiencing it alone.]
Aether Kellan: Jill!
[After walking down the street for a minute or so, Aether bumped into Jillian Gatwa, the aforementioned close neighbour of her family. Although her calling of their name caused a few of the locals to turn their heads, the only one who kept looking was Jillian herself, turning to look at Aether. Once they were facing each other, the pair mutually started a close hug.]
Jillian Gatwa: Are you alright, Aether?
Aether Kellan: Yeah, yeah I think so! Why?
Jillian Gatwa: Because you're out all on your own, and… I've never seen that before? Usually your mom or your brother's with you.
Aether Kellan: Well you clearly missed the news! I'm old now, I can go out on my own.
Jillian Gatwa: Ah, really huh? So you can go anywhere can you?
Aether Kellan: The local block is almost anywhere, right?
[Jillian snorted and grinned at Aether's statement, rolling her eyes playfully. She let go of her friend, and took their arm to guide them down the street.]
<Begin Recording at: 11:24AM>
Jillian Gatwa: alright, what's that way?
[Jillian, happily dangling her legs off of the tall prefabricated townhouse, pointed straight ahead of her to the rolling view and the horizon of tall buildings beyond, the far off distance being marked by the existence of a space elevator amongst other megastructures. Closer to where the girls were sat was a wall, one that was visible two streets ahead of where they were sat. Behind this wall were a few wandering people, food carts, and domesticated entities, but beyond the perimeter it was desolate. The buildings were just as pristine as the ones the two had always lived in, but nobody appeared to use them.]
Aether Kellan: Uh… That way is the New M.E.G., right? They live in skyscrapers don't they?
Jillian Gatwa: Some of them do! And some of them do live that far. For this, though, I'm talking just beyond the wall.
Aether Kellan: Ah… Oh, then um… Is it the Cold Walkers?
Jillian Gatwa: Oh come on, really? They were only here for a week two years ago! They live on Level 699.
Aether Kellan: Ah! I didn't know that!
Jillian Gatwa: Oh, it's fine… I don't expect you to know what communities are beyond the walls, but I'm trying to highlight a point.
Aether Kellan: Which is…?
Jillian Gatwa: That you're boring and sheltered.
Aether Kellan: Oi! I am not!
Jillian Gatwa: You don't even know who live opposite the wall closest to our houses, Aether. You fit boring and sheltered like plug and a socket.
Aether Kellan: Mean…
Jillian Gatwa: Ah, But also true.
Aether Kellan: Tsh. I'm sure you show signs of being sheltered too. What do you know about the Frontrooms?
Jillian Gatwa: Uh… they're having a big resource war for some reason? It's been going for years.
Aether Kellan: Wait, really?
Jillian Gatwa: You didn't know?
Aether Kellan: …No.
Jillian Gatwa: Do you see what I mean about being sheltered, then?
Aether Kellan: Yeah, alright… I guess you're right. What do you suggest I do about it?
Jillian Gatwa: Easy! You can head out there and actually see shit? Level 11's safe?
Aether Kellan: I know it is, but… Not all the people who live in it are?
Jillian Gatwa: So? Just avoid them, they mark their territory. Everyone does, everyone loves their territory.
Aether Kellan: So it's not all owned land out there?
Jillian Gatwa: No, not anymore! It was when our moms were younger, but now huge chunks of it are basically a no man's land.
Aether Kellan: …Oh. Wait, is the area just outside us over there no man's land?
Jillian Gatwa: Hah, yeah, it is.
Aether Kellan: Oh, come on! Surely I was right when I didn't answer the question then!
Jillian Gatwa: Nope! The correct answer was directly saying nobody. You were unsure, so it doesn't count.
[After her comment, Jillian stretched her arms and got up from their perch at the edge of the building, taking a step back to safer ground.]
Aether Kellan: Oh, we're going-?
Jillian Gatwa: Yep! Come with me, we're heading somewhere new.
Aether Kellan: …Where?
Jillian Gatwa: Oh come on, isn't it obvious? We're going to the no man's land!
<Begin Recording at: 11:46AM>
Aether Kellan: I have to crawl?
Jillian Gatwa: Unless you want to explain to the guards at the actual exit what we're doing, yeah. There's nothing wrong with crawling, right?
Aether Kellan: Is there really no other way through?
Jillian Gatwa: Nope!
Aether Kellan: Fine, fine. I just don't want to scuff up my hoodie…
Jillian Gatwa: Then… take it off?
Aether Kellan: But then I'll scuff up my shirt!
[Jillian laughed, patting Aether's shoulder as she brushed by her towards the small hole in the wooden fence on the outskirts of the Appreciator's territory. Silently, she got to her knees, and then effortlessly crawled through the hole and to no man's land on the other side. She twisted around, still bent over, and popped her head through the hole.]
Jillian Gatwa: Come on, do it! I didn't ruin a single thing going through it?
Aether Kellan: That's because you've done this before.
Jillian Gatwa: Aether, do you really think there's a talent to going through a hole? If you don't want to, it's okay, you can tell me. But if you're nervous, don't be. You're overthinking it.
Aether Kellan: You say that a lot.
Jillian Gatwa: Because you overthink a lot. I figured that was obvious.
[Aether shot a disapproving look at Jillian, but their comment seemed to sway her opinion. Looking left and right to make sure no one was present to witness what she was about to do, she got on her hands and knees and hesitantly shimmied her way through the hole in the fence once Jillian scooted back. Once through into unclaimed land, she wasted no time to get back on her own two feet, brushing her knees and wiping her hands.]
Aether Kellan: Ugh, gross.
Jillian Gatwa: Sure, but you're also through! It wasn't hard, was it?
Aether Kellan: No, I suppose not…
[Jillian snickered at Aether's realisation, which made her pout and frown with annoyance. Her face suddenly fell into shock as Jillian took her arm, beginning to guide her down the now empty street, having to practically drag her along due to Aether's hesitance.]
Aether Kellan: Wait, Jillian, wait. Where are we going now-?
Jillian Gatwa: Oh come on, you're allowed to slightly overthink it. We're going exploring!
<Begin Recording at: 12:01AM>
Aether Kellan: This… This is weird.
Jillian Gatwa: Really? What's so weird about out here? The Buildings are the same as they are back home.
Aether Kellan: Yeah, but they're… different. Maybe because it's just us out here? Is it just us out here?
Jillian Gatwa: There may be small communities or weirdos living around, but yeah, there's no groups our size living out here.
Aether Kellan: And no creatures?
Jillian Gatwa: Not many, no. Level 11 doesn't have its own population of entities, they all used to come in from other levels.
Aether Kellan: My mom mentioned that a lot of entrances got closed up?
Jillian Gatwa: They did! The M.E.O.D. had this whole thing of making Level 11 even more habitable, so… A bunch of useless exits got plugged up in the area of Level 11 they had.
Aether Kellan: Why do you know this?
Jillian Gatwa: Because I pay attention in school? It's not like it was even that long ago, it was back in the… Back in the 50's, I think.
Aether Kellan: That was sixty years ago!
Jillian Gatwa: That's hardly any time at all in the grand scheme of things? Our parents were alive in the 50's?
Aether Kellan: So was, like… everyone not our age. That's not a huge deal.
Jillian Gatwa: It absolutely is a huge deal, if the people we know were alive for it, it's good information to know. Especially that information, as long as we stay where the M.E.O.D. used to occupy, we should be fine.
Aether Kellan: And where did they used to occupy?
Jillian Gatwa: Right here! We're on the outskirts of their west territory. Tt was, like… about five miles wide and seven miles long I think.
Aether Kellan: So… As long as we stay in that area, this area, we'll be fine?
Jillian Gatwa: Well… Kinda. There's still a few exits so we can leave, obviously, and there are some sneaky hidden ones that never got plugged.
Aether Kellan: But we can avoid them, right? I have my phone with me, we can scan for exits…
Jillian Gatwa: Oh, you do? Wanna get it out for me?
Aether Kellan: Sure…? But we're fine down this road, right?
[Aether reached into the pocket of her jeans, struggling for a moment before slipping her thin and flexible mobile out from the small pocket. She gave it a single shake to straighten it out, and then handed it to Jillian.]
Jillian Gatwa: Oh yeah, we'll be safe. The only exits that weren't covered up were just ones that were never discovered. Like, in the back parts and alleyways and stuff. The main road will be almost completely exit free.
Aether Kellan: So why do you want my phone?
Jillian Gatwa: Ah, you'll see.
<Begin Recording at: 12:36AM>
Jillian Gatwa: Hang on, hang on… we're almost there…
Aether Kellan: You've been saying that for the past five minutes. If we keep walking forwards, we'll be out of the old territory!
Jillian Gatwa: Oh, about that… We've been out of it for ages.
Aether Kellan: What?!
Jillian Gatwa: Calm down, it's okay! I've been scanning for exits the entire time, we've not even gotten close to one.
Aether Kellan: But that thing only knows the exits that it actually knows, right?
Jillian Gatwa: Um… Maybe. But the Independent Database knows a lot, and I'm sure it uses TwoKo to guess where new exits could be.
Aether Kellan: …Okay. I won't overthink that. What are you even trying to reach, Jillian? Is it worth risking our lives over?
Jillian Gatwa: Oh, it is. Believe me.
[Jillian smirked confidently at Aether, who sheepishly and sluggishly followed on a step or two behind her friend. They turned a street corner in Level 11's incredibly developed areas, passing a commercial megastructure that advertised with 3d displays across the entirety of its height and the sky bridges that connected it to the other buildings. Upon turning the corner and following alongside structures of a similar density, and having to move to walking on the solar roadways momentarily to avoid triggering an entrance on the sidewalk, Jillian stopped.]
Jillian Gatwa: Here we are!
Aether Kellan: …Really?
Jillian Gatwa: Yep.
Aether Kellan: Is there something behind it that I'm missing, or-
Jillian Gatwa: Nah. This is it!
[Jillian grinned at Aether, who could only match their expression with squinted eyes, a furrowed brow, and an ajar mouth. She looked back to the object of interest, being an old looking chain-link fence awkwardly sitting between two residential megastructures. It looked old in design, but otherwise pristine, with the strange rough look of the metal dating it to be over one hundred years old.]
Aether Kellan: You… You brought me out here to look at a fence.
Jillian Gatwa: It's a fence that goes to another level.
Aether Kellan: J-Jillian, I don't think I should go to another level.
Jillian Gatwa: Why not? This one's safe!
Aether Kellan: You don't know that, Jill. Huge bits of the database have been inaccurate since… Well, for basically our entire lives?
Jillian Gatwa: Yeah, I know that? But I promise you, this one's safe. It goes to Level 205, which has been been basically stagnant since it was first found? It's never evolved on its own, no one ever lived in it, so waiting on the other side of that gate is a perfectly natural and normal field level.
Aether Kellan: …You're sure?
Jillian Gatwa: Absolutely! In fact, here, I'll prove it.
[Jillian smiled to Aether, rolling up her phone and placing it in their hand to give it back to them. After, she approached the chain-link fence, and began to climb up it.]
Aether Kellan: Jillian! Are you out of your mind??
Jillian Gatwa: Nope, I'm inside Level 205!
[Jillian grinned and laughed, reaching the top of the chain-link fence and saddling the horizontal iron bar along the top to sit directly in the middle. She allowed herself to begin falling towards the other side of the fence, but before a majority of her body even got close to the floor, she had vanished from sight]
Aether Kellan: Oh no. Oh fuck. Jillian??
[Aether stared up at the fence in horror, her bottom lip beginning to tremble after a few seconds of isolation had passed. She looked left and right, wishing deep down that somebody would come to her aid or explain what had happened to Jillian. After twenty seconds had passed, Aether felt the breeze pick up, and swatted at her hoodie sleeve when she felt a sharp prick on her arm. Looking down, she noticed a small ember had somehow landed on her clothing and burned a small hole right to her skin. Although Aether glanced confusedly at where it could have come from, her attention was immediately shifted away from it when a laugh and thump occurred in front of her.]
Jillian Gatwa: Wow! Okay! Phew, sorry, I was going to come right back but I landed right into some mud.
[Jillian grinned at Aether, laughing when the most she could muster back was a set of mumbles. to push things on a bit, Jillian wrapped her arm around Aether, guiding her right towards the gate. Aether shuddered awkwardly as the mud splattered across Jillian's clothes mixed with her hoodie, but she didn't comment.]
Jillian Gatwa: Alright, go ahead and see for yourself! Travel to another level for the first time.
Aether Kellan: Is it safe…? Is it the same as you think it is?
Jillian Gatwa: Aether, I wouldn't guide you to it if it wasn't? It's a field, it's foggy, there's a fence all around it, the well that used to go to 206 is even there, for some reason.
Aether Kellan: …Right.
[Aether gulped, taking a step towards the fence and threading her fingers through the chain link. She began to climb it, taking a few tries for her feet to find adequate footing in the small gaps between the thin chains. Once she was up at the top and sat at the fence boundary, Aether found herself coughing momentarily. Despite the odd and smoky texture in her throat, she assumed it was just her being physically unfit.]
Aether Kellan: You are coming with me, aren't you?
Jillian Gatwa: Absolutely! I just want to see you use the entrance first. I think it'll be funny.
Aether Kellan: I just have to… fall, right?
Jillian Gatwa: You don't have to? I did, but I figured it'd be entertaining to. Just as long as you descend down the other side, you'll be in 205.
[Aether seemed apprehensive, but gave a smile and nod to Jillian as she turned to sit facing the alleyway the fence protected access from. She readied herself and held her breath, and gently pushed herself off of the fence.]
[For a moment, the entirety of Aether's vision was black and blue, but before she could process the sight and be confused by it she suddenly found herself landing in a soft squelch onto a grass floor. Aether looked around curiously, looking at the fence in the fog that seemed to form a square perimeter across the entire level, and at the few trees that dotted the landscape also. Letting a newfound sense of wonder take over, she walked forwards and took a big breath in to immerse herself in the rural atmosphere—a whole new type of ambience for her.]
Aether Kellan: Oh wow!
[Aether found herself giggling giddily, twisting on her heel with a grin to watch the top of the fence eagerly. In the next few seconds, Aether anticipated the return of Jillian, who would no doubt throw herself into the mud a second time for the sheer enjoyment of it. Ten seconds passed, then twenty, and still Aether was on her own. By the time thirty seconds had passed, Aether felt the wind pick up, which made her look curiously at the trees. Despite the sudden speed the airflow had gained, the branches seemed stationary, but the wind was still having an effect. The leaves on the trees began to brown, and the wind blew them off their stems as they disintegrated into particles too small to see. Once the trees were bare, the their branches began to twist and curl, thinning at the same time. Aether gulped worriedly, which soon turned into anxious panic when the grass ahead was beginning to die in one great wave heading for where she stood. Aether took a few panicked steps back, but was unable to escape the oncoming rush. When the grass around her feet died, she was knocked off her feet by a rush of hot hair, grunting in pain when her back hit the now dry and cracked ground.]
[It took a full two minutes for Aether to find her footing again, slowly turning onto her front and lifting her body up weakly. The pain of the heat had subsided, and a few taps of her cheeks made it immediately apparent she'd been hit by some equivalent of a sun burn. She looked around at Level 205 again, noticing the dissipated fog, the dead vegetation in every direction, and the fence which was rusted and bent at various points across its length.]
Aether Kellan: J-Jillian-?
[Upon getting no response, Aether's breathing began to hasten whilst her hands clamped and unclamped rhythmically. In a quick twist and near-stumble, she darted for the fence and began to reclimb it. Once at the top, she practically threw herself over the other side.]
[When Aether landed, she cried out in pain, both from hitting the pavement of Level 11 with her elbow but also at the immense heat that seared through her hoodie and onto her flesh. Aether scrambled up, burning her hands in the process which only caused further pain. Once she was upright, she staggered backwards in shock at the sight around her. Where there was once tall megastructures advertising fake products and places were now sky-touching husks of concrete and metal, propped up by mountains of rubble, debris, and electrical scrap. Tentatively, she took a few steps forwards to look down both ends of the street, but no matter where Aether looked the destruction was as devastating as it was constant.]
Aether Kellan: Jillian! Jillian!
[As Aether called out, she suddenly found herself hacking and choking, having accidentally inhaled one of the many hot embers that were idly blowing in the breeze underneath the blood red sky. Aether's hands stimmed faster, calling out for Jillian multiple times, and eventually her cries were interspliced for pleads for her mother and brother. When she found her voice growing hoarse, Aether began to cry, looking back to the fence. When she did, she noticed a marking on the pavement, a kind of silhouette etched into the surface of the stone. She approached it and got onto her knees to investigate it further, bearing through the searing pain when she realised the silhouette was not only human shaped, but was exactly where Jillian was last stood. Aether kept at her position until her knees were red and singed, having no idea what to do next.]