one - [video] - i'm stronger than all of this

[videocamera]

[The screen clicks on and Andrew appears, his face extremely pale except for the reddish patches of scabs and scarring on the right side of his face. There's remnants of blood below his nose and on his chin, like he just had a nosebleed and didn't wipe it off completely. Which is exactly what happened. He speaks quietly but his tone hints at both fear and anger.]

What is this, huh? What did you do to me? I can't-- [He interrupts himself with a more frantic note in his tone] Is this some kind of, of joke?

[His voice gets flatter.] I shouldn't be here. I'm stronger.

[The journal starts to shake, the picture jittering slightly. Then Andrew's nose starts to bleed again and the shaking stops, position slightly changed, now angled to give a shot of a messy bedroom behind Andrew's shoulder. His face is mostly off screen now but you can see his hands held up to his nose before the feed shuts off]

Comments

[videocamera]

I don't know if it really counts as a power, though. What happened to your legs anyway?

cw; mutilation

[mistconduct]

My uncle cut them off in prison.

Yeahhh.

cw; mutilation

[videocamera]

[Holy shit.] Oh my god, man, that's-- Are you serious?

[mistconduct]

Dead serious.

Learn from me, man: do not fuck with the mob. Especially when they know where you live.

[videocamera]

What did you do to piss them off?

[mistconduct]

Went straight. Ratted out everyone I knew, took the money and ran.

[videocamera]

Jesus Christ, man. I don't-- Your uncle must be one mean asshole.

[mistconduct]

I've got two uncles. He - the one who got my legs - he's the nice one.

I dunno, man. After my dad died, everything kinda went to shit. They're out of control, these guys.

[videocamera]

Yeah, no shit. That's a fucked up situation, dude.

[There's a moment's pause, then:] Sorry. You know, about your dad.

[mistconduct]

Not a big deal.

Thanks, though.

[videocamera]

Yeah, don't worry about it. [He's thinking about his mom now. His dad can rot, but he misses her badly.]

[mistconduct]

You settling in all right? All shitty circumstance aside?

[videocamera]

Uh-- I don't know, man. Like, it's not exactly the kind of situation you get used to really quickly.

[mistconduct]

You mean you totally didn't just hop right onto the idea train of being a dead prisoner in space? Jeez, late bloomer.

[videocamera]

[He's not in a laughing mood but does manage a weird kind of half-smile.]

Yeah, well. Give me a day or two.

[mistconduct]

Seriously, it's an adjustment. You're doing great. Better than I was.

[videocamera]

I'm just kinda trying not to freak out, dude. There's-- I don't see any other explanation right now, you know?

[mistconduct]

There's not really another explanation. You just have to go with what you've been given.

[videocamera]

Yeah, that's what I mean. This is all so crazy but... it kind of has to be the truth. Freaking out isn't going to change it, right?

[mistconduct]

Nope. It's just going to make you less approachable.