Conversation · Electronic Doorbell

An old call box with a matrix of push buttons lists all the companies in the East Delta Commerce Centre.

East Delta Commerce Centre? This must be the name of the Doomed Commercial Area!

"Main Hall, Building A."

You hear the same waiting room music, but no one picks up the receiver anymore...

An off-key melody starts playing after you ring the doorbell... Then a woman picks up the receiver...

"Cuno! Please stop calling here! Grown-ups don't have time for your stupid games."

She thinks you're the gremlin child! What would he say to this?

"Plaisance, it's me! Please open the door, I'm trying to get in."

"Oh, I'm sorry, officer, I thought you were..." There's a spot of static that overrides her words.

"...but the doorbell is broken and the bookstore shouldn't even be on the list anymore, so I can't help you. Please don't call here again. Thanks."

A single beep indicates that the line has gone dead.

(Try to impersonate Cuno.) "Fuck off, pig, I'm Cuno! I don't give a shit, let me in."

"Pardon? This is not Cuno. Who is this?"

"Please just stop calling here, I don't have time to deal with this. Thank you."

"Who's Cuno? This is the police, please open the door."

"This is the police, please open the door."

"Sorry, I was just trying random doorbells, I didn't have anything important."

"Please don't do that! Doorbells are not toys, and this one isn't even working properly. Please don't call us again, thank you."

"Plaisance, it's me! I'm investigating the Doomed Commercial Area, just like we discussed!"

"REVACHOL ICE CITY."

Silence. No one answers the doorbell.

"East Delta Pinball (Entrance from building B)."

Silence. No one answers your call.

"Emma's Fashion Atelier."

You wait for a minute or two, but all you get from the call box is silence -- no one answers the call.

"ARTEMITEP's Boxing for Young Athletes & Gym."

Congratulations, you've destroyed Artemitep's Boxing Club's doorbell. It's not working anymore.

All you hear is static, but no one answers the call.

"Slipstream SCA."

You hear static from the intercom speaker. It sounds as if someone has picked up the receiver, but isn't saying anything.

You can almost hear them breathe.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Yes, hello, this is Tricentennial Electrics." This is a woman's voice, crackling and fragile through the static.

"Have you come to place an order?"

She sounds almost antique, as if her voice was being played off an old wax cylinder. Her receiver must not be working properly.

Wait! But what happened to Slipstream SCA? There's no Tricentennial Electrics on the list.

"Yes, hello, can you let me inside the building please?"

"My god..."

The lieutenant exchanges a look with you.

"Sorry?"

"It's you. My god, I didn't think I would hear your voice again..."

It's a woman and she knows you! Your heart beats faster.

She must be mistaking you for someone else.

Who cares that you don't remember her? Just go along with it.

No, something's wrong here... are you sure she's talking to you?

"Do we know each other?"

"Michel, just please..." She stops and you can hear her breathe heavily. Her breath distorted by ancient static.

Sounds like a ghost. Wind blows through your clothes and you feel detached from your surroundings. Inside the building -- a cold memory hangs.

"Why did you even call? I don't understand... You've been gone for months." She sounds like she's shaking. "I thought you didn't care."

"Hold on, tell me what's going on. What did I do?"

"Ever since I came to work here it's been different... as if my mind's been wiped clean..."

A spot of static overrides her words; when she speaks again it sounds like she's submerged:

"...It's so nice."

"It's so nice to be able to finally forget."

"Forget about what?"

She sounds like she's about to cry.

The cold is deep under your skin, as if you were talking to someone who's a hundred years away. Somewhere inside the building water is flooding the cellar floor.

Hang up the call.

You press the number sign on the keypad that terminates the call. Twelve name cards on the call box read:

"Hello?"