{ The shadow puppets restart their dance, repetitive, doomed to be strung by someone else’s song. Now that he thinks about it, he can’t find any actual song, only the silence and what he does hear makes his mouth dry. It’s nothing, as if the actual manifestation of it is knocking at his door. Then, he notes there is an actual knock, one that pulls him away from his revolving thoughts. Some days he can’t catch up to them.

His smile is back to being weak, tight lipped. It barely touches his eyes. }

I’m not from around here. But, even I can’t deny there’s more here than the reality I’ve known. { Beyond. He knows science, facts, and cold criminal cases that cement what humanity is capable of doing — cruelty beyond. Demons, magic, and everything else is too fantastical for him. He doesn’t believe in a god, but even now he has questions. He clears his throat, overriding one of the shadow puppets knocking into one another. }

Fix people, { he repeats. } Dies again? What are you implying, Abby?

{ He’s not trying to be rude. The distress has reached him in a faint wave. Ignoring it is not an option right now. }