"I wish to call you like that..." [TTW Tag Kim]

[Gregory Hopkins]

The days slowly coming. Gregory even tired of this comfortable room. Yes, he has there all what he want - comfortable bed, relaxing shower, delicious dinner, but he also knows the other side of this place. He saw how that fat Chinese lady killing people just for fun and playing a strange game with them. Like with their own puppets! Also, he knows that there were other rooms where poor prisoners have only cold walls and water and bread as only breakfast. Greg worried about Belle, which he meets in a similar room and hopes that she save now.

No one knows what happening behind this door. Who will die again today? Who will get a new trauma after all-seeing? How they can escape from this place? Also, Gregory worried about his dear Kim. How many times he can't even hear her voice? How is she feeling? She scared now? She save? Gregory meet many good people in this place but still didn't find his girl. They saw each other only in a basement and even then, Gregory still didn't say the right words for her.

The old man went to the shower. Maybe the cold water calms down his thoughts and gives him a chill. He needs to find out the right way. All people dreaming about this and Greg will try to help them too. Only one clue, only one light in the darkness... That's all what he asking.

Gregory returns into the room after the shower. His roommate, Aoi, seems tired and she laying on the bad. The old man doesn't wanna bother her. He wanted to lay on his bad too, but suddenly heard a loud hit though they wall. Someone, not knocking, he just hit the wall. Maybe it was the signal or just an accident? But the hit respites again and Gregory wants to answer.
-"Hello, is someone there?"

[Kim Anderson]

Geoff was deep asleep when Kim was walking back and forth along the walls, tapping with the tips of her fingernails the pattern of a song she shared with Jess a week or so ago. "Wish I had that moment back," she mouthed the last line of the song and fell silent, her hand resting on the wall.

Moments of silence passed by. Silence. Sweet silence was now suffocating and eating her from the inside once more. She clenched her palm into a fist... and hit the concrete surface of the wall. Hit it with all her might. Fuck this place. Fuck those sick games. FUCK EVERYTHING!

"Hello," a familiar voice interrupted her huff and the girl turned her head towards the source of the sound. "Uncle?" she replied with a gasp, "Uncle Greg?!"

The girl rushed towards the spot she heard his voice coming from and sat on the floor, her hands against the wall as if it was his big chest she could lean on to. He was still here, still, hopefully, safe and sound! She didn't hear ANYTHING about him since the basement. "Oh, uncle, I am so happy to hear it's you!" she replied with a pursed but still sincere smile, "It's me! Kim!" She was so happy to hear from him but couldn't help but feel... guilty. Her mind was focused on her friends this whole time, how could she forget he was dragged into this mess too.

"Are you okay? Where have you been?!"

[Gregory Hopkins]

"Uncle Greg?!"
The old man didn't believe to own ears. Is that HER voice? He can't mistakes, not at this time! He recognizes this young hight voice from thousands of others. Gregory rushed to the wall immediately. He wanted to hear more from that room. He needs to understand that it isn't his illusion or hallucinations after the sleeping gas.

 "It's me! Kim!" The old man didn't need this clarification. Of course, it was his sunny-bunny, Kim! She was alive, safe for now, and finally was near to him. Gregory never felted himself so happy. He must tell her so many things!

"My darling! I'm here! I am really happy to hear your voice again. A little bit pity that I can't hug you right now. You didn't even realize how I worried about you. "

"Are you okay? Where have you been?!" Asked the girls voice behind the wall? It seems that she also missed him and wanted to talk with someone, who can understand her like a parent.

"Don't worry, I'm OK. I was in a lot of places in this strange building and saw different people. They are all was nice to me and I hope, that I didn't bother them, " he thought about Maya, Matthias and also Isabelle, he talked to Sawyer and he saw a Carmen. Unfortunately, they all met in such a crazy situation. " But you know, the old man like me, never leave the poor girl alone. And you are not alone anymore". Oh, how he wished to take Kim's hand and see a happy and calm smile on her face. Gregory knows that his darling Kim a strong and heavily controlled girl, but sometimes even such persons need to be protected.

" Maybe I will ask you some strange things. But you were involved in... Games?" Gregory wanted to pinch himself right now. It's not the right time for such questions! She doesn't wanna scare her about what actually happening behind the heavy wood door! She is here and alive! And that only matters!!

[Kim Anderson]

Kim couldn't resist tearing up when she heard uncle Greg talking back to her. Just the sound of his voice has reminded her of... home. And Mom. "Mom, I am so so sorry," she thought, brushing the slightly watered eyes not letting the tears escape her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm OK. I was in a lot of places in this strange building and saw different people. They are all was nice to me and I hope, that I didn't bother them," he replied to her question and Kim let out a small chuckle at her uncle's remark of "bothering" somebody in a place like this! Even being a prisoner amongst many others - he still put everybody else's needs above his.

"I am sure you didn't, Uncle," she reassured him, pursing her lips in a smile, that was bearly hanging on her face and completly transformed into a wiggle when she heard: "And you are not alone anymore."

She couldn't help but feel how a single tear managed its way from the corner of her right eye down her cheek. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. She was never alone. All these people: Uncle Greg, mom, Sawyer, Jessica and all of her friends - they were always with her. In her heart.

"Maybe I will ask you some strange things," Greg caught the girl's attention again, "But you were involved in... Games?"

"I did," she nodded, it still felt uneasy to talk about this, but she had to let Greg know, "Once. Geoff and some other girls were forced to participate in a well... fake Russian roulette? I don't know how to explain it to you, uncle, it's so fu- messed up."

Language, young lady. He is your mom's boyfriend after all!

"We were tied up and Goeff shot us one by one, until one girl... "won". She was picked to be his bride? I still don't get this whole marriage thing, I- I don't think it can be legit. It's just this person, whoever the f- whoeever they are playing "dolls" with us or something".

[Gregory Hopkins]

"We were tied up and Geoff shot us one by one until one girl... "won". She was picked to be his bride?" - Kim told all that she saw and finally, Gregory can see the full picture of merry Geoff and Hanna. So, he shoots in his darling girl too? In another situation, the old man will become mad and blame the guy. But now he was thankful that he can talk with a ginger girl right now. This was absolutely crazy, but no one deaths during the game. What was that? Happy little incident? Should he tell about his experience or wait for another chance?

"Kim, I really glad that you here and you safe. Because... I know the other side of this madness. I'm also was one of the participants in a strange card game. We need to choose a pair and we have a card. The black and red card must be team-up, but we didn't know who had those symbols. But something went wrong. Hux is it your professor, right? He has a black heart card and he was with Lidya. But...it was wrong. It's all go wrong".

Gregory recalled how the body of a young girl slowly felt on the floor. It was hard to see, how stupidly ended her life, because of crazy card games. The screaming of the Asian lady, still we're on his ears with the sounds of gunshot.

" Kim...She is dead right now. The woman, kidnapper, showed her. And we can stop it. We can't do anything. This place a cursed."

The old man tried to not cry again. He knows, that all of this scared girl and she will be in shock. But, he also needs to say something important to her. Of course, Gregory told all to Maya, but right now his darling sunny-bunny near, he must beat a stupid fears. Who knows when they can meet again and when he can say the important words to her?

"Darling. I know, you are sacred now but...Remember how I meet you the first time? Your mother came with you to Caffe and here we can saw each other and we know about us a lot. Because your mother always remembered you, and also he told you about me to you. We were happy to spend time together. And you remember how your reaction about Pogo? He loved you at first glance. "

Gregory stopped. He wished to be in those memories again. Not in this place. And not told all his feelings through the wall. But that's all, what he can do now.

"You know, I was with your mother for a very long time. But I was a fool and also a stupid coward! I never even tried to become the real part of your family. Maybe, because I think that I will be not a good father for you? I'm old fashioned, sometimes ascetic, not a strong, and sometimes I didn't understand the teens and what they like or their hobby... I thought you didn't accept me as your..." Gregory stopped by a little. He needs a breath of THAT word. "Father."

Kim didn't answer for a long time. Maybe, she needs time for understanding all situations. But Gregory didn't stop his speech. Even an Aoi interested, but she sitting silently in her corner.

"I really didn't know about your real father. Maybe I'm too far from him and can be ideal. But I really liked to spend the time with you and saw your happy face. I know almost all of your interesting stories and I still keep it in my heart. I didn't like your tears, because I wanna protect my sunny-bunny girl from all of the words. I promised your mother took us all into a wonderful adventure. Any country. Paris? Italy? Japan? All that you wanna my dear girl. But, unfortunately, I lost my time. I didn't propose to your mother and I understand my mistake only here. It's too late. I didn't even know, what can happen to me in the next moment... But I always wanted to ask. Can I call you...my daughter?"

[Kim Anderson]

"Kim, I really glad that you here and you safe. Because... I know the other side of this madness. I'm also was one of the participants in a strange card game," her uncle stated and Kim scooted to the wall a bit closer so she did not miss anything of importance, because THIS was definitely something new that her previous roommates didn't tell her about yet.

"Hux is it your professor, right?" she nodded even though he didn't see, and kept listening carefully until he said: " Kim...She is dead right now."

No.

The young woman sat there in shock, trying to keep her breathing under control. "No... No, this is not true. Not Lydia. Not our Lydia!!" she thought, covering her mouth with hands in disbelief. She didn't notice how her eyes began to water once again. Like it was THEIR Lydia, she saw herself in the basement, it was Lydia from HER class! Her high school buddy! NO! No no no NO! It can't be real! First Geoff told her that his life was actually in danger and now this. She felt as her heartbeat rose rapidly. She grasped the folds of her new light blue cardigan trying to keep it cool, focusing on the fabric... It STILL felt so WRONG being a part of her outfit, feeling it with her skin was just icky but, unfortunately, she had no other choice but to change into something their captor left for them while her own clothes are now drying out after the handwash in the bathroom...

And now seconds later after thinking about this stupid fucking piece of clothing Kim has finally noticed that she was full-on silently ignoring her own tears, that were not streaming down her cheeks. Again.

"Greg, no, it can't be! I- I knew her," she was now thoughtlessly fiddling with the buttons of her cardigan, her voice a bit shaky. She refused to accept this reality. But... Greg wouldn't lie to her, right? He was telling her this only because he wanted to protect her. This somehow made it all worse... she wished this all was just a lie.

When he mentioned mom and Pogo Kim couldn't stop herself from silently bursting into ugly crying. This was too much for her. No. Please. Make it stop. "I want to go home, I want to come back to mom," she prayed inwardly.

"And you remember how your reaction about Pogo? He loved you at first glance," when the old man tried to cheer her up Kim gulped a chuckle mixed with tears and snot. She has never cried so much in her life like in this place.

"I do," she replied with a smile, trying to brush the tears away with the sleeve of her cardigan. She kept listening to his voice, catching every word he said and holding onto them as they could be her safety jacket. So she just kept on listening.

"...I thought you didn't accept me as your," when he took a little pause Kim's heart skipped a beat. Could it be?...

"Father."

The ginger girl just sat there, her aquamarine eyes wide open. She had no words. And before she could try to react - he continued. However with every single word he spoke he made her smile more and more. "But, unfortunately, I lost my time," she shook her head in negation. This wasn't true!

"You didn't lose anything," she sniffed with a sad, but sincere smile on her face before taking another short pause...

"Dad."

She giggled and felt how her red from the tears eyes were now burning from all the rubbing with this stupid synthetic cardigan. "I love you," and she truly did. All those years she's been waiting. She always knew. Despite the fact he and her mom never made it official - who cares! He was always her dad.

"And mom loves you TOO I know it! She ALWAYS talks about you! The moment we get out of here I promise I will take you two on a date!! I will walk both Pogo and Luna, pinkie promise!" she replied in a more chipper voice, keeping her mind distracted from the information she was shared less than a few minutes ago...

Lydia was dead. Lydia. She. Was... Dead.

[Gregory Hopkins]

Gregory afraid to hear the answer after his sincere confession. He didn't know how Kim can react and, maybe, his trying was hopeless. But...
"You didn't lose anything!" The loud girl's voice returned him to reality. It does not seem like she was angry, but Kim tried to stop his last thoughts. And then girl silently added important words. "Dad."

Gregory felt that hot, small, and single man's tear fall down from his cheek. He can't even imagine that those words to hear him to the heart and now, Gregory will swear, he is the happiest man in the world. The happiest dad!

"Kim. My darling daughter! I promise I will never give up. I do all my best and I wanna see your and yours Mam happy faces. Unfortunately, I can hit you right now, but I believe that you fell my warming hands. "

[Kim Anderson]

The girl wiped her tears away one last time and sniffed, coughing to clear her throat. "I promise you too, dad," she replied sincerely. She will never give up. "Even if it feels like another dead-end again... I will find a way. I will protect you," she swore to oneself inwardly, clasping the fabric of the white teeshirt she found in a closet.

It still felt so wrong to wear it... She couldn't wait for her own clothes to dry to put them back on. She didn't trust this place one bit and hated to wear whatever they are given.

"I promise," she whispered and put her right hand on the wall, willing to feel his through it, even though it was impossible... She snickered. Impossible. "If it's not impossible, it's not worth doing," she heard her mom's voice inside her head again. And her laughter.

She missed home so much.

"Love you, mom," she thought and smiled, hoping she was okay and Luna - and maybe even Pogo - could take her mind a bit off the fact both her daughter and her boyfriend have gone missing...

"But I believe that you fell my warming hands," she heard him say exactly what she was thinking just a second ago, making her giggle.

"Yes, I do," she replied to the old man with a smile and let out a soft sigh. "Un- Pops, who are you with in the room right now?" she asked with slight concern in her voice, as her eyes were wandering around the room.

[Gregory Hopkins]

Finally, Gregory's heart was calm. He heard Kim, he open his soul to her and finally hear the right words.

"Un- Pops, who are you with in the room right now?" Suddenly asked Kin after the conversation. Gregory looked at the young girl, who sited calm on her bad, and pretended, that she still reading. But the inverted cover of the book showed the real truth. The old's man lips are wide in a kind smile.

" I'm here with Aoi. It's the second time when I stuck with the young lady. I hope she didn't mind about such an old man here. I try to be very kind to her.
He noticed that Aoi's cheeks blushed and she tried to hide it.

"Also, I met your friend - Sawyer. She is alright. And we tried to find the right way from this place. We still don't have any value clues about this place and the crazy kidnaper. Gregory looked around. He might be something missed. He found only a cigarette in the previous room and this was useless. Maybe, there was a secret hole, where the Asian lady put the keys or something that she wanted to hide from someone.

" Kim, darling, maybe, you can found in your room something that can help us? I will try to examine my room too."

[Perception Check: Gregory and Kim trying to find any clue about this place]

[Madge Baker]

PERCEPTION CHECK: Gregory and Kim trying to find any clue about this place.

RESULT: 7 - With his daughter's support and encouragement Greg was able to find something curious. Under the bed the man has found an old black and white photo. He could see a Chinese man in his thirties sitting in an arm chair with a chubby little baby-boy (about maybe 1-2 years old) in his lap. The baby was staring at the camera, smiling, holding a plush panda bear. The man was also smiling with his teeth however his tired eyes has lost it's shine. The resemblance between their smiles and overall facial features was uncanny... On the back of the photo Greg has also found a date: 12.25.1995.

Greg has found a photo of a father and a son.

[Gregory Hopkins]

Gregory carefully examined his room. He looked even under the heavy pictures. The old man heavily kneeled and also try to found something under his bed. He groped the dusty floor with his big hands and finally...something was odd. It felt like a piece of small paper and Gregory grabbed this clue.

The stand-up was a really heavy since his old back still can handle a sudden pain and hurt even after the small weight. But it was worth it. Gregory glanced at the founds and he noticed that it an old photo. He lightly squinted.

"Did you found something, dad?" asked bodied Kim's voice. She heard the old man zoiks and know about his trouble with a back. Gregory spends a long time without his cane and sometimes he can be weak.
"I see the family picture..." finally answers Greg. Fate is an ironic bitch. The old man sure that man and also child was father and son and noticed the similarity between them. "Here the Asian man and also his son. The boy looks happy, and he even looks like a small teddy bear. How funny. And his father smiling but... He isn't in a good mood. More like he hiding his...disappointment?"

The wide white smile really can hide the upset of this man in the picture. He holding his child and he must feel proud of such a nice son! But something was wrong and Gregory still can't why it bothering him.

The old man turned the photo card and saw numbers. It probably was just a date of the picture but...
"Kim, please, remember these numbers. 12.25.1995. Maybe it can't be the code somewhere. It's all that I can help you now".

Greg hides the photo in his pocket. He needs to find more information about his place and also save his daughter. After the fatally fails a useless exploring Gregory found a small piece of the key. With the rest of the prisoners, he can found the way.

" Kim, darling. I won't give up till I can break those stone walls and hug you. Your mother worried about us and I need to back you save. It's my duty as a father!"

[End of thread]