Work Text:
[CLICK]
kenadian
Okay. Should be recording now.
wato
Do you want me to say something? Y'know, for the video?
kenadian
Um… nah, we're fine. Mostly I'm just looking for footage of the event. We can do interview and voiceover stuff later.
wato
Right, right. Uh, should I just show you around?
kenadian
Go for it. What've you done in here?
[Static crackles under her voice.]
[Footsteps over a wood surface. A door creaks.]
wato
[BRIGHTLY] Mostly just redecorated—this one has good bones. Um, keep an eye out there, there's no floor under that table. Or by the coat rack, yeah, where the box is. There.
But, y'know, other than the floorboards it's pretty well preserved. Which is actually remarkable for how long it's been abandoned—usually I have to pull out a lot more vines and even then you're lucky if the walls stay up. But this one's even got a decent second floor.
[Ken coughs.]
kenadian
Is this another of your… what'd you call them? The ones you feel called to?
wato
Uh… yeah, it's one of those. Why? Can you tell?
kenadian
…Maybe? I dunno. Sorry.
wato
Nah, that's a compliment. Right? I mean, I put a lotta work into fixing this one up. We can go upstairs if you want, too. That's more of the, like, party vibe. Instead of the grunge midcentury modern vibe in here.
kenadian
Yeah, yeah, sure—sorry, could I have a minute? Is that chair safe to sit on?
wato
Should be. Anything blue should be sound.
[Old wood creaks ominously as Ken sits down.]
wato
Are you… alright?
kenadian
Fine, fine, yeah. Just dizzy. Sorry.
wato
Oh, shit, are you sure?
kenadian
[SLIGHTLY STRAINED] Yeah. It's fine. Remember what happened when I picked you up from that one mall? I'll be fine.
[Wood creaks again.]
kenadian
Upstairs, you said? Let's go.
wato
[SKEPTICAL] Sure.
[Several seconds of footsteps and wooden floorboards creaking as if about to snap. Ken's slightly labored breathing can be heard in quiet moments.]
visitor
Oh! Hi, I didn't hear you come in.
wato
…Yeah, I didn't hear you either. When did you arrive?
visitor
I… I'm not sure, actually. What about you?
wato
Oh, I'm actually the host. Nice to see a guest, hi! What do you think of the place?
visitor
It's, uh, it's pretty cool, I guess. I never would've found it if I didn't have my GPS. [LAUGHS] Weird, right? I've lived around here forever and never knew there was an abandoned house back here.
wato
Yeah, I get that a lot. It's like, y'know, when people stop living in a place they don't even see it anymore. Well, most people. I get that a lot.
visitor
Really? I mean, I watch your videos sometimes, most of the places you redo seem pretty obvious.
wato
I mean, if people went in them, they wouldn't exactly be abandoned, huh? You're a fan of the channel, though?
visitor
Yeah! I love all your horror work; it's super unique. Like, liminal stuff gets so tacky these days but the suburban ruins thing you have is such a fun twist.
wato
It's not horror.
visitor
Huh?
wato
It's not horror work. It's restoration. It's not—it's not liminal. Not everything has to be a—a feeling. It's just a place to be. For people to be.
visitor
I—sorry, okay, never mind. Hey, is your friend okay?
wato
Ken? Uh, Ken told me they're fine. Right?
kenadian
[FAINT] I'm fine.
visitor
You sure, man? You look, like, really pale.
wato
Shit, yeah. Do you need water or something?
kenadian
It's, uh, just hot in here. I… might get some air.
visitor
Sure. Okay, sorry, I'm still stuck on—you aren't trying to do horror. What are you doing this all for, then?
wato
Why would I be doing horror? I'm just—it's normal! They're normal videos for, uh, independent restoration projects.
visitor
So why do they look like that, then?
wato
Look, you are not a very good fan. Sorry. Sorry. It's not my fault they turn out—I dunno, weird sometimes. I mean, nobody's been in here for so long, the building is basically starving. And if nobody ever bothers showing up, I can't exactly help with that, I'm just one guy. Come on. What'd'ya want from me?
kenadian
I'm… I'm gonna step out. Get some air. Sorry.
[The visitor's voice fades as unsteady footsteps move away from them.]
visitor
What do you mean it's starving? You're just doing all this shit on accident?
[A sudden, loud, series of thumps and thuds interrupts the dialogue. The recorder itself cracks against a surface a few times.]
wato
[DISTANT] Ken!
[Hard footsteps hurry down the stairs, approaching the recorder.]
wato
Ken, what the hell? Are you alright?
kenadian
Fine, fine, I'm— [SHARP] Where's my mic?
wato
Uh—here, you dropped it. Here.
[Ken sighs in relief.]
kenadian
Thanks. Fuck, my head hurts.
wato
You, uh… you wanna step out?
kenadian
Please.. [PAUSE] Help me up?
wato
Sure.
[More footsteps—one set even, the other irregular—cross the loud wooden floor. A door creaks, then they cross more wood.]
kenadian
Not—not the porch. Just—let's get to the grass? Please?
wato
Yeah, whatever you need. This good?
[Ken lets out a loud breath. Static hisses on the tape.]
kenadian
Mhm. What the hell happened in there?
[Static crackles even more loudly over their voice. It cuts out once Wato speaks.]
wato
I—I dunno. You just, like, fainted I think? And fell down the stairs?
kenadian
Why, though?
wato
I told you I don't know. [PAUSE] I… it's the same thing that happened last time you were at one of my projects. Maybe it's my fault.
kenadian
Really? How would that work?
wato
[QUIETLY] Something's happening to me. To both of us. Maybe… maybe this is part of that. And, you're doing the thing again. Where I'm answering questions I don't want to.
kenadian
Shit. Sorry. No—seriously, sorry. I know it makes you… feel weird.
wato
I can deal. I mean, I already feel… okay? Tonight? Like, more than usual.
kenadian
Huh. Hey, wait, do you think— [PAUSE] I wonder if the way me asking questions bothers you is the same thing that happened to me in there.
[Wato laughs, although she doesn't sound all that amused.]
wato
Nice catch. Well—I've never fainted from the thing you do, so… maybe not.
kenadian
[DISAPPOINTED] Right. Yeah. [PAUSE] I don't know what's going on with us. I wonder if you have any ideas. God, it's actually really hard not to ask questions.
wato
I… honestly, I was hoping you would know. Knowing stuff is usually more what you do, right?
[Another humorless laugh. Ken joins in.]
kenadian
I should try to figure it out, right? Surely somebody knows. Plus apparently people have to answer my questions now, so… yeah.
wato
…If it is related to what happened in there, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have invited you if I knew it would hurt.
kenadian
Don't worry about it. I would've gotten into trouble anyway somehow. I… I wish I could go back in. I wanna help you out, you know that, right? [PAUSE] I don't think it's a good idea, though.
[A long beat of quiet. A cricket chirps nearby.]
kenadian
[QUIETLY] Do you think we'll be happy when all this is over? Or, at least okay?
wato
I don't think it's going to be over.
kenadian
Fuck. Sorry.
wato
It's… fine. It's fine. [PAUSE] I wasn't lying, though. I don't… however we are now, I don't think we can go back.
[Ken laughs bitterly.]
kenadian
I don't think you could've lied if you wanted to. But… yeah. For what it's worth… you're probably right.
[Wato sighs.]
wato
Do you mind if I head back in? I don't wanna leave that guy too long.
kenadian
Yeah, go for it. I'll walk home—don't give me that look, I don't care. I'll text you when I get home, is that better?
wato
Yeah.
kenadian
Right. Have fun in there, alright? I'll see if I can find somebody worth contacting about… all this stuff.
11[CLICK]