advocacy | ❥ 001 video

Entry tags:

❥ 001 video

[Daneca has spent the first few hours going through the posts to the network. She...]

[...doesn't know how to feel about any of this so far. People going missing and others turning up dead. Zombies, vampires. And Cassel. Realistically speaking, Daneca knows she should probably be more anxious over a potential serial killer running around than the prospect of speaking to Cassel again, but that's what gives her more pause than anything. (At least she's not totally surprised by the idea of a serial killer on the Barge, she figures. Still in the realm of sanity for now.) She thinks maybe she should send him a private message or try to find him and speak one-on-one, in private. But that seems like too much even for her right now.]

[So, she settles for just introducing herself to everyone else. If he wants to talk to her, he can. If not...]

[Well, he doesn't have to. It's not like Cassel owes her anything anyway.]

[With that resolved, she can go back to being properly more anxious about people turning up dead, zombies, and vampires. And apparently also werewolves being real as well.]

[Daneca appears a little stiff and tense. Being on camera and broadcasting like this makes her a little nervous in ways that are harder to cover up than other things that make her nervous or uncomfortable. But it doesn't paralyze her or make her smile seem like a disingenous cover for nerves that ends up looking more scary than pleasant. Daneca is not someone who can lie very well. It's nervous and small, but her smile is no less sincere. She's trying desperately to channel her mother right now.]

I know I'm coming in at a really bad time, but I thought I should probably introduce myself anyway. My name is Daneca and I'm new. [She flushes a little and says a little softer:] Obviously.

[She shifts a little uncomfortably and finds the strength in her voice again.]

I'm a warden for anyone that might matter to.

[She's sure it does especially to some of the inmates. She'll lie about other parts about herself anyway. Might as well be honest about some things that might make people uncomfortable.]

Anyway, I guess I'm just looking for a tour. Or advice. Whatever anybody can spare.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I thought Cassel was just trying to be a good friend and protect me from Barron when he told me what happened so we would break up. But now I don't even know about that. Because regardless of how it ended, that relationship was important to me and it was important to Barron.

But Cassel just erased it. He erased me. And it wasn't for my protection from Barron. I was just something to take away from Barron because he wanted to hurt his brother and he didn't care about the consequences. Cassel manipulated me and he got what he wanted for me.

You think that lying to me was taking away my choice? Well, too late. It was already taken from me.

And now, I'm just wishing that Cassel had the decency enough to protect me from himself. But I guess that was expecting too much.

Doing the right thing now means facing the consequences for what he did then. If that means he hurts because of it, then that's what it means.

...how could you like Barron like that?

Not that I owe you an explanation, but there was more to Barron than what he did to Cassel.

There's always more. Someone might not really want to do the things they do. But they still do them.

I know that. I realize that Barron still did what he did to Cassel and it was awful. That's why I broke up with him and could never be with him again. But just because people do terrible things doesn't mean they're terrible or that they're incapable of ever doing good.

Barron never toyed with my memory and he never would have because he knew that'd screw it up between us forever. I meant something to him and he meant something to me. I gave him a chance that no one else would and I felt safe with him because he respected me for who I am.

Which is a lot more than I could say for some people I know who have only ever done good things.

You'd rather people who have done bad things? And who know how to do good, but chose not to?

Would I have broken up with Barron or be speaking to Cassel right now if I wanted that?

I don't know you.

You don't have to know me to do simple math.

People are complicated.

Not when it comes to something like that.

If they don't know who they want to associate with over that, then they're just confused, not complicated.

Same thing.

No, it's not. People can be complicated. I'm not saying they're simple.

But when you can't decide who you want to surround yourself with, you're complicating a decision. You're just using the complexity of human nature as an excuse for indecision or making a bad choice.

No. There can be thousands of reasons for wanting and not wanting someone to be around you.

And all of those thousands of reasons still add up to whether or not you think someone is good for you to be around or not.

No. It doesn't. Not always.

Enlighten me then.

[And so help her, do not make this a defense for Cassel. The judge and jury already reached a decision about that as far as she's concerned.]

Sometimes you love them.

Or you should love them.

[Daneca looks down because she does--did--love Barron. As hard as it apparently is for people around here to believe anyone could.]

Yeah, well, sometimes love isn't enough.

It is if you're weak.

Are you?

How am I supposed to know?

Most people usually have an idea.

I know I love people. I don't know when it's weak or not.

[ His voice is starting to shake. ]

Have you always? Loved people, I mean.