[He's not sure where the snow came from. Last he'd checked, it had been a pretty fine day. They were planning a party. Couldn't have it until Runner Five and Maxine got back from London of course, and they should probably wait until everyone from New Canton returned and licked their wounds, but it was too exciting not to plan. And this time... this time there would be no mind controlled people walking out of the gates to stop them.

Probably. Sam had stopped trusting that his life would ever be simple.

Case in point, the snow he was trudging through towards a- what was that building? It was bigger than the farmhouse, bigger than any building in Abel and-

A flicker of memory, newly reignited, flared bright and he just stared at the Mansion for a long moment. He'd forgotten it, of course he had. Not even a bizarre dream. And yet here it was, larger than life in front of him.

Wonderland.]

Oh my god.

[He reached the steps at the front and went inside, the grand entrance hall just like he remembered? Had forgotten? He nearly slipped from the way he was dripping over everything, the snow melting off him. No-one around at this time of night, not here at least, no signs of how long he'd been gone. Wonderland was weird. It could have been an hour. It could have been years. Who knew?

He glanced back at the door, and then headed for the stairs. He'd find an empty room for now. He didn't want to find his and realise that it was gone.




When Sam appears on the network later, it's with a wry smile. He looks a little the worse for wear; his face is mottled with bruises which are in the fading, sickly yellow-green stage, but must have been horrendous when they'd been fresh. There's a new scar just above his left eye, through his eyebrow, where stitches have only recently been removed.

Besides the bruises, he looks exhausted but perhaps not as upset about being back in Wonderland as most people would be.]

So uh... I guess I'm back here. It's weird man. Like realising a dream is totally real.

[He sighs, shifting uncomfortably. It isn't just his face that's bruised and it hasn't all quite healed yet, even if it looked a lot worse than it was. His laugh is a bit strained. He is really, really tired.]

I don't even know how long it's been. Heh. Might be me waking up back here and no-one remembers me so... Hi? I'm Sam Yao. If anyone from Abel is still here... or anyone I met when I was here before... just, get in touch okay?

[He could use something to ground him. He's not even sure what to believe. The last few days... weeks... they've been pretty crazy and while it ended on good crazy, it was also crazy that was very difficult to believe.]