text;

[burlap]

Those other doctors certainly picked a very festive time to take me out of my "fictional reality", as they put it. Luckily, I didn't have any plans to disturb. I got a 'Merry Christmas' right before my I'd imagine standard 'Hello, you're fictional' speech yesterday.

Help a poor new arrival out, will you?
On a scale of one to ten: How upset should I be that I'm here? It's so hard to make a clear judgement a place when it's decorated for the holidays.

Comments

[burlap]

I liked it well enough.

That's reasonable. Was it a five for you?

[animator]

I'd say it started out as an eight or so, but we're down to about four now.

Life was complicated back home. I'm kind of enjoying the vacation.

[burlap]

A four doesn't sound bad at all.
Some people deserve vacations away. Good for you.

[animator]

Of course, it can slide back up to a six or a seven when things like widespread memory loss come into play, but I'm told that's not that common. Fine by me. Once was more than enough.

All things considered, there are worse places to be.

[burlap]

Oh dear. That's a scary thought. What sort of memory loss?

There always is.

[animator]

General knowledge didn't seem to be effected, but all personal memories? Gone. It was temporary, but still.

[burlap]

What happened? Did you do okay with it?

[animator]

I managed. Someone who hadn't been effected was able to tell me my name, at least, and there were no lasting side-effects. Nobody is sure what caused it, but island-wide events like that happen all the time, apparently.

Can't wait for the next one.

[burlap]

What a horribly exciting place I've wound up in.

[animator]

You probably won't be bored for long in this place, that's for damn sure.

[burlap]

I would hate to get bored.

[animator]

Yeah. You kind of strike me as that type.

Something about the speech pattern. Analytic. Reminds me a little of someone.

[burlap]

Really? Who?
I'm usually told I speak like a doctor.

[animator]

Someone I occasionally work with through the police department, named Holmes. Brilliant mind.

Are you a doctor?

[burlap]

Brilliant Holmes. Well then I'll take it as a compliment. Are you an officer?

I am.

[animator]

I'm an officer here, anyway. Back home, I'm just on retainer. Anita Blake, preternatural specialist.

What kind of doctor?

[burlap]

Prenatural specialization fits right at home here, doesn't it? Nice to meet you, Miss Blake.

Psychologist.

[animator]

Ms. Blake, if you don't mind.

It serves me well. I haven't had to put it to use as much as I would at home, but it still comes in handy now and then.

Really? I'm sure there will be plenty to interest you in this place, then.

[burlap]

It's a useful skill to have, in any case.

I wouldn't doubt that. The situation is very unique.

[animator]

All sorts of people to analyze.

You don't seem at all surprised about the preternatural part. Aside from being yanked into a whole new world, any experience with that kind of thing?

[burlap]

Don't assume I'm going to go analyzing everyone I meant now.

Like you said, it seems to suit you. Me? No. Reasoning by patients goes in that direction sometimes.

[animator]

Oh, I won't. That just sounds exhausting, honestly.

I couldn't help being curious. With so many different people here, it's always interesting to hear about what our places of origin do and don't have in common. Some people are shocked to hear about the existence of zombies or magic, for others, it's all old hat.

[burlap]

It really is.

Have you ever run into a zombie?

[animator]

I raise them for a living. Or I did.

[burlap]

That's fascinating. Truly. Which kind of zombie? Did they listen to you?