Case # 37: Video

[19centconstable]

[Someone is holding the communicator carelessly in one hand, as though they don't know it's on. The floor passes by slowly under the camera's lens. Whoever they are, they're walking hesitantly toward something. Bathroom tile appears, and then: the base of the toilet.]

Sweet wounded Jesus. I've died and gone to heaven.

[It's a boy speaking; his voice soft and high, his accent somewhere between Irish, British, and Pirate.

In other words: George Crabtree.]

Comments

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

Some weird ship. But it's not so bad.

I have dolls. [Pause.] I've never had dolls before.

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

It doesn't feel like a ship.

Why've you never had dolls?

...Wait, how would I get on a ship?

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know. Who are you?

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

I'm George. Who're you?

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

Oh hi George! It's me, Jane. But you probably don't remember that.

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

I don't. I don't know anybody named Jane.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

I know. It's very sad that you don't remember.

Wanna play?

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

Play what?

...I mean: I can't play: I'm too grown up for that.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

You're not grown up!

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

Well, nearly.

Anyway, I haven't played in ages.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

I won't tell anyone!

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

We-ell...

What did you want to play?

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

[She holds up her doll. It's a Barbie. Western Barbie and horse (http://www.tiptoptens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/western-barbie.jpg), to be precise.]

I have this! I don't know what to do with it.

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

Well, you play Cowboys and Indians with it, usually. Although that's a strange looking Cowboy.

[It's wearing trousers, therefore: must be male. Never mind the pretty face and malformed chest.]

Is that a wood horse? It's very shiny.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

What are cowboys and Indians? [A pause.] And the horse isn't wooden. It's shiny. Look.

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

They're...Cowboys and Indians. You know.

Is it porcelain? If it is, it's no good for playing with: it'll break too easily.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

I dropped it already. It won't break!

How do you play?

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

You just play. You...you get Indians; you can cut them out of paper, or you and I could be the Indians, and then the Indians go around stealing livestock, and taking scalps, and the Cowboy's got to stop them with their ropes and pistols.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

I want to play! Can I be an Indian? Yay!

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

Right. So we need feathers, and bows and arrows.

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

I can draw feathers!

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

And we can pretend the bows and arrows!

[George is quickly forgetting how grown-up he's supposed to be.]

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

Okay! [A pause.] Um...can you come let me out? The door is too high up.

Then we can play!

[19centconstable.livejournal.com]

Uh. Sure. Where are you?

[thebestnose.livejournal.com]

My room, George!

Oh yeah. Um. Level seven, the first room!