Follow along, just don't do anything to retroactively traumatize Carter.

Odd that your memories didn't react to Carter. Does it seem as if kid Carter can see the adult?

Maybe at some point, this forest eventually became a neighborhood and then this abandoned home became your home in your childhood

either that, or maybe whatever is going on here is messing with Carter's memories. in that case, it's probably a good thing you didn't interfere with your childhood when you saw yourself getting bullied.

or maybe these all are false memories that are seeping into Carter's, and your mind, and you getting bullied never actually happened.

Interesting that young Carter doesn't see adult Carter.

A thought, what if we make it a goal in the real world to find and visit this abandoned "mansion" and see for ourselves what this is all about. I feel it might have some answers for Marlene. Does Carter remember where this place is? we can ask kid Carter where this place is if the other Carter doesn't know/remember, like what town this is and what state, and the name of these woods is at least.

It'll be creepy if he says the exact same location you used to live at during your childhood. In which case, Carter might be from an alternate universe or something. But I'm thinking too far ahead.

>>1096423

It almost seems like we're able to ... CHANGE our memories, here.

And that they're equally less concrete; like how "the mansion" is suddenly a rendition of Marlene's place.

I wonder what would have happened had we intervened with Lori and Emmylou.

Feeling a lot stronger about this place playing with your memories now. It's either mixing them together or implanting false memories on you.

Ask Carter if he can still picture that abandoned cottage. If so, how clearly?

Marlene Collins 2024/09/02(Mon)10:48 No. 1096832 ID: 92a30c
File 172529931963.png - (178.81KB , 550x500 , 031.png )

The child skips inside.

>Ask Carter if he can still picture the abandoned cottage
>It almost seems like we’re able to... CHANGE our memories here.
>Maybe these all are false memories that are seeping into Carter's, and your mind.
Marlene: Did they have garages for automobiles 200 years ago? In any case, I think our memories are getting a little mixed up. Some elements don’t belong even if we remember they had.

Carter: The cottage shouldn’t look like that. Yet it does.

Carter: There should only be a couple of empty rooms inside. Some cabinets, maybe. It leaves a lot to the imagination. The floorboards were loose to hide stuff underneath.

Marlene: Where was this place in the real world?

Carter: Norris Creek, still. A little ways out of my backyard.

Marlene: We ought to play it safe, then. I wouldn’t want anything traumatic to happen if we’re talking to your younger self.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/02(Mon)10:51 No. 1096833 ID: 92a30c
File 172529947723.png - (276.04KB , 550x500 , 032.png )

We step through the ingress of the garage. And as expected, it’s a different interior; aside from the dusty and old abandoned furniture it feels very colonial. The child swings a stick around and moseys to entertain himself. He make-believes.

Carter (kid): See? This could be our hangout. We can share stuff here!

Carter (kid): This can be a TV room! And we can hide snacks in the attic!

>Does it seem as if kid Carter can see the adult?
Marlene: Uhh, Carter, honey? You can see I have a friend with me, right?

He stops and looks at adult-Carter.

Carter: Uhm. Hi.

Carter (kid): Uh huh... Hey.

Carter (kid): Are you friends with a lot of angels? Or do you have your own following you?

Carter (kid): Don’t worry. I won’t tell. I can keep a secret. And besides: everyone has a special angel looking over them.

Marlene: I’m sorry, hon. We’re not angels. But we can still be your friend!

He nods, there’s something cute about a child emoting acceptance with the slightest hint of disappointment.

Carter (kid): Oh. That’s okay. I guess one angel is good enough to have.

Carter (kid): Hey! Does your mom let you keep Yagimon cards?

Marlene: What? Oh no, I didn’t really collect them. They were a boy-thing right? I mean--they’re popular with girls nowadays and I watched the cartoon for a bit.

Carter (kid): You wanna see my collection? Come on! I can show you!

He runs straight up the stairs to the attic.

before you go up, anything of interest in this room at a quick glance? like under the staircase?

otherwise, not much to do other than going upstairs. maybe ask about his parents since he brought up his mother,

and maybe ask if he knows any kind of room with a bunch of bunk beds, since we briefly were in there earlier, and I'm curious about that.

Time to get into yagimon

agggh what part of traumatizing the kid didn't you understand you're not supposed to let time travellers meet their past selves didn't you ever watch doctor hoot

>>1096833
Now I am curious on something. If my theory is right, this "realm" you and Carter are positioned in, has properties creates a world based on intensive thought and emotion via memories and it seems to affect the users within this realm of imagination. This could explain why you and Carter can't open your eyes without seeing some sort of horrifying phenomena, forcing you to wake up back into the real world.

Carter is unsure if he had ever seen a woman, let alone a naked one, like you in his childhood memories, the child, whom could very well be a manifestation of Carter's innocence and warm memories, does and so it is being the cause of his unsured reaction as we speak. Let's experiment this, give child carter a warm and loving hug, pet him and make feel secure, then glance over to adult Carter to see if this is having an effect on him, best to ask if he remembers you hugging him when he was a child after this of course.

This is a very interesting realm you're finding in Marlene; I do wonder when it's time to wake up, however. Do remember to plan a trip to your hometown and see if you can find any traces of Carter presence there. Whether or not he is alive that is.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/06(Fri)16:39 No. 1097061 ID: 92a30c
File 172566596668.png - (286.12KB , 550x500 , 033.png )

>Anything of interest in this room at a quick glance?
The whole place sure seems very empty, and the space under the stairs is vacant as well. The walls and floor is withered wood and cold stone. I notice the grooves in the wooden floor against my bare soles, and the coolness of its surface gives me a nostalgic feeling walking through this cottage.

Gradually, I ascend the staircase and immerse myself in his world.

At the top is the attic, while just as barren as the rest of the building, there are scattered playthings and chalk drawings on the walls and floor. The kid has a shoebox where he keeps his cards.

Carter (kid): This is a Ramsilla! And Grimsdotty! That card's my favorite, but I really want a Geyserwog.

He shows the caricatures of those monster cards. I try to act a bit proud and excited for him. I haven't paid attention to this game in a long, long time.

>Maybe ask about his parents since he brought up his mother.
Marlene: Does your mom know you come here? You wouldn’t want to scare her and make her think you’re missing.

Carter (kid): I play in the woods a lot! She always calls me when dinner is ready. I usually hear her back at my house. Sometimes she has to ring a bell.

Marlene: Do you love your mom?

Carter (kid): Yeah. Although I wish she’d let me watch tee-vee before three. And she doesn’t like yagimon. She says it’s what bad kids play. Last time my friend Mike gave me his cards and he saw our mansion. He doesn’t come over much, though. But ma found those cards and threw them out. It’s okay though, they weren't really good.

Marlene: Do you have brothers or sisters? Any siblings at all? Or share bunk beds?

Carter (kid): No ma'am. I’m an only child. Although I wish I had a brother to do stuff with. I don’t have neighbors my age. Do you have a brother to play with?

Marlene: I have two sisters. And I’d’ve rather been an only child.

Carter (kid): Oh.

Marlene: But, you know, it’s actually kinda funny how an only child and one with lots of siblings would want what the other has.

Carter (kid): Yeah.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/06(Fri)16:41 No. 1097062 ID: 92a30c
File 172566606048.png - (344.29KB , 550x500 , 034.png )

>The child, whom could be a manifestation off Carter’s innocence and warm memories [...] give [him] a hug, pet him and make feel secure.
Marlene: Hmm. Perhaps you could be a little brother to me. Do you mind having a big sister?

Carter (kid): Oh, ho-kay! What’s your name?

Marlene: I’m Marlene! Would you like a hug lil’ bro? Come up and give your sis' a hug.

He steps right up to me and I hug him like he’s my own son, or little brother. And within me, I feel an endearing connection with him. My hand rakes over his head. I glance over his circle of chalk drawings.

Carter (kid): Marlene?

Marlene: Yes?

Carter (kid): Do you promise to be around forever?

>>1097062

There's only one answer: "I'll try."

Because nothing is forever, but sometimes you can get close enough.

Hmmm. I'll do my best. I'm not an angel, so I'm not super powerful. But you could think of me like a wizard, I guess? Well, wizard student. I'm still learning what I can do! Is there anything neat you've learned recently?

>>1097063
That's the best you can do. Anything more would be a promise you can't keep.

Tell him not yet, but when he is an adult, you will meet again to fulfill that promise.

Hey as long as I'll be remembered, I'll never really go away, yeah? Such is life!

>>1097061
>>1097062

A child who lives what I can assume is a very wealthy neighborhood, but this tended to be the causation of his loneliness Is this what Carter's childhood consisted of? If so, I may be worried what may have happened to the real Carter. Speaking of him, quickly glance at adult Carter before turning back to his child-self.

As for the promise, for the sake of the child and Carter. Promise that you'll do then speak with him after this. Also, take a look at the drawings that Carter made, I can only assume they're just the monsters that appear in the card game he likes.

Nothing lasts forever, but your memories will last you a lifetime.

Say, who's that chalk drawing of the angel goat?

Marlene Collins 2024/09/11(Wed)16:17 No. 1097269 ID: 92a30c
File 172609664357.png - (369.38KB , 550x500 , 035.png )

I realize I may very-well be speaking to a real child, not just an echo or rendition; I shouldn’t speak bluntly like I would with an adult. There seems to be one right answer; any more would be harder to keep. Perhaps this light promise will fulfill his memory; clearly he meets me ‘again’ so many years later. And when the dream ends, perhaps Carter will feel a sense of closure waking up.

Marlene: I’ll try. But as long as you keep me in memories, Carter, I may never really go away. Do you understand what I’m telling you?

I look at him in his eyes, and hold his head in my hands.

Carter (kid): Uh-huh. I understand.

>Say, who’s that chalk drawing of the angel goat?
>Also, take a look at the drawings Carter made, I can only assume they’re just the monsters that appear in the card game he likes.
My eyes gleam over depictions of caprine friends, stars, houses, and animals, and perhaps the monsters from the card game. But it’s hard to ignore several drawings of the unusual character.

Marlene: Carter, is this someone special?

Carter (kid): That’s him. That’s my guardian angel. He comes from heaven because he wants to be my friend! We play sometimes and talk about stuff.

Marlene: O-Oh? What’s... on his head? Some sort of crown?

Carter (kid): Those are all his horns! He has a lot! He has one from every kind of goat and sheep and says all angels have beautiful and weird bodies like that! I think that would be heavy to wear all the time, but he says he’s used to it.

Carter (kid): He asks me about school and how my day is. And what I did at summer camp. And wants to hear about my cards and drawings. And when I’m sad he makes me happy and says everything will be okay.

Marlene: Does he have a name?

Carter (kid): Well yeah! His name is Kadath!

>Quickly glance at adult Carter
I look for the adult; he hasn’t followed us into the attic. Maybe he’s wandering down below. In fact, I recall our shared proprioception. It’s not like there’s any place for either of us to hide, we could appear beside one another on a whim.

Yet he... feels far away from here, away from the cottage.

>>1097269
So many red flags.
Warn Carter: Kadath could be his best friend or his worst enemy. The trick to finding out which is whether or not Kadath lets Carter do his own thing frequently.

Tell him he must be very special that he gets to talk to Kadath. You want to meet him too; when does he come around?

"I've seen him, Carter. I've seen your friend in my dreams. But every time he appears in those dreams, he grabs me or screams and I get so scared I wake up! What would make him be so mean to me, do you know?"

>>1097287

Are we sure the ugly hateful cyborg layer is what he's talking about though? I'm not so sure!

>Yet he... feels far away from here, away from the cottage.

hmmm... ask kid carter if there is a place far from here that he likes to visit when he feels depressed or needs to think. Whatever kid carter answers is probably where adult carter went, and we can will ourself over to him.

I think before we leave to find Carter, we should also ask if kid Carter actually saw adult Carter, or if he was invisible to him. He didn't seem to have as big of a response to adult carter than he had with us. Something tells me he only see's you, but can't see Carter.

We can also probably ask kid Carter from his perspective what we look like to him. If to us, he looks like a silhouette like kid Marlene did, then perhaps we look different to him too.

>>1097269
Call out for Adult Carter, if he doesn't respond, you might want to start looking for him.
>>1097324
Seconding this, right before you search you might need to take his child-self along too just to be sure.

>>1097324
On second thought, Carter said he did remember seeing us, so we would probably be recognizable to him. Still, I wanna know what kid carter sees in our appearance to see if there is anything different about how he see's us, and how we see ourselves.

Being two people at once would be very unsettling. This might just be too weird for Carter and he needs some space. Imagine if he were talking to a younger version of you, and you started remembering talking to someone when you were young.

So that's why Carter thought you were an angel! You have only one set of horns of course, but it's an easy mistake to make. You might tell him he's very lucky to have Kadath as a friend. You've never even met an angel before!

Call it a hunch, but I got a feeling Kadath here might be the one in charge. Might be worth trying to track them down.

If you can "mind speak" to Carter then maybe if you try hard enough you can reach out to Kadath.

Is the cover for the 3rd chapter Kadath?
https://questden.org/kusaba/questarch/src/169032255856.png

Marlene Collins 2024/09/23(Mon)21:10 No. 1097734 ID: 92a30c
File 172715105674.png - (231.58KB , 550x500 , 036.png )

>Kadath / cyborg layer
It’s unsettling to think if this angel could be involved in our nightmares. Still, the boy doesn’t seem bothered by Kadath.

>You want to meet [Kadath] too; when does he come around?
>I got a feeling Kadath here might be the one in charge. Might be worth trying to track him down.
Marlene: You must be very special to have a friend like Kadath. Will I ever get to see him?

Carter (kid): He’s usually around when I’m alone. I don’t know if adults can see him. He can be invisible all the time!

Carter (kid): He’s probably seeing me from heaven right now!

Marlene: Well you’re my brother now, right? It would be cool if I get to hang out with your friends time to time. Just a thought!

>Some questions
Marlene: I guess that’s why you were asking if my friend was an angel. Was he invisible, too? Were you only pretending to see him?

Carter (kid): Nah, I saw him. I dunno; he’s okay, I guess. You just look really pretty. Maybe I’m the only one who can see angels! You guys look like regular grown-ups, though. You probably have a boyfriend. Is that who he is?

Marlene: Oh no no. Just a friend! His name is Carter, actually!

Carter (kid): Oh wow! Really? Maybe he likes Yagimon.

Marlene: I think he may have gone off somewhere. You can help me find him! Let’s put your stuff away.

Carter (kid): Sure!

Everything is in its right place. I gently hold Carter’s hand.

Marlene: Is there another hangout when you’re feeling sad or lonely? Perhaps we can start there!

He shakes his head no. Maybe the adult-Carter needed space to think. He did see his younger self and our memories are mixing up. It might’ve been difficult to process all that. We step downstairs.

>Call out for Adult Carter, if he doesn't respond, you might want to start looking for him.
Marlene: Carterrr!

He still feels distant--far from the cottage. Between outside and a million miles. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to bring his younger-self along. But I’ll just roll with it. Maybe he knows a thing or two about Kadath as an adult.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/23(Mon)21:11 No. 1097735 ID: 92a30c
File 172715108720.png - (317.84KB , 550x500 , 037.png )

Okay, let’s see if I can do this right. Travel in the dream is on a whim. I think, and I’m there. I can imagine he’s still in the woods. Somewhere. I almost didn’t notice the transition of walking down the attic stairs and into a new area. Carter sits in the grass against a tree. He looks peacefully sleeping.

Marlene: There you are, Carter! Are you alright--?

The child. His hand dissolves in mine: he becomes a wisp of smoke carried by the wind. I almost hadn’t noticed it, and was left a little speechless.

Marlene: A--

Marlene: Okay. What’s going on? I have a bunch of questions right now.

Carter: Oh. Hey. Sorry. I guess I was distracted for a bit. You seemed to be alright in the cottage.

Marlene: Your younger self just disappeared.

Carter: Uhm. Give me a moment to think...

Carter: I remember walking downstairs with you--but I can’t remember what happens after that. Maybe that’s just the extent of my memory with you.

Marlene: Is everything okay?

Carter: Yeah. Yeah I think so. A lot’s been on my mind here. Not like a headache, but, a lot of quick moments that I can’t quite latch on. Plus it feels like an out-of-body experience to see... myself. Watching things unfold.

Carter: This looked like a good place to rest for a while.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/23(Mon)21:11 No. 1097736 ID: 92a30c
File 172715111516.png - (273.06KB , 550x500 , 038.png )

Marlene: Well then, who’s Kadath?

Carter: Huh?

Marlene: Your angel. As a boy you knew a guardian angel named Kadath. You said he visited and played with you. You drew pictures of him on the walls in chalk. Who is he, really?

He takes a slow breath, speaking like he just woke up.

Carter: Oh right, him. Marlene, Kadath... wasn’t real. He was an imaginary friend. That’s all.

Carter: I’m not so religious anymore, but I was impressionable as any kid at that age. I had almost forgotten about him, actually.

Marlene: Are you sure he aint real?

Carter: I’m sure. I haven’t thought of him in thirteen years. I grew up. He doesn’t exist.

Marlene: We’ve been sharing the same memory, and with it the same feelings. So why do I get the feeling of... nostalgia with that name? Like missing a dear friend?

Carter: I don’t know! I guess... deep inside I wished he was real. Come on, you think he has something to do with all this?

>>1097736
Maybe. We don't really know anything about this place right now. But if he's confident Kadath was just an imaginary friend then I guess it's a dead end. Hmm, does he have any particularly notable memories of talking to Kadath? I wonder if he'd show up as a shadow, or as part of the background.

Huh, whose bike is that?

Hmm, Carter's horns are breaking up. Is that symbolic or something? Also that bike seems significant given the earlier memory.

Maybe interacting with younger carter altered the timeline, and now at some point in Carter's life, he got his horns broken?

I don't think we altered the timeline. I think we just altered his memories. This place is like brain sharing, not just dream sharing.

The horns thing could be tied to his emotional state or a sign that sleep time is over.

>>1097736

Sounds like Kadath was Carter's way to connect with others, as an only (and lonely) child. It's perfectly reasonable to miss that.

"Carter, every time I opened my eyes in this dream world, I've seen him, grasping me or screaming at me, with a look of rage that makes me wake up from sheer terror.
I think he might be the one keeping us here, and I think it is not a coincidence that he looks made out of different people.

....By the way, is your first name Randolph?"

>>1097847

Do we for sure have positive identification? Maybe it's just resemblance? Be wary of assumptions.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/28(Sat)13:32 No. 1097963 ID: 92a30c
File 172755553307.png - (261.14KB , 550x500 , 039.png )

Marlene: It’s perfectly reasonable to miss him.

Marlene: I’d like to think that I understand you better this night. Even if Kadath seems like a dead end I would like to hear more about your childhood, and your time with him. If he felt as real as you wished he was--maybe our dreams can make it possible.

Marlene: Maybe it already has in some way.

Marlene: Just a thought. I could be wrong but... what else is there to do in this place? It seems we have each other to rediscover ourselves.

Marlene: Eventually this place will reveal its purpose.

>Whose bike is that?
>Also that bike seems significant given the earlier memory.
I can see it. It’s misshapen, tossed aside.

Marlene: Is there a story behind that?

Carter: Not sure. I must’ve had an accident once. Or you did. I don’t see any... shadow-people. Must’ve been alone for this one.

Carter: Whatever the feeling is; it’s distant. It’s not as strong as the other memories. Maybe it’s like the water tower. Something I’ve seen in passing many times. Something in better detail yet so insignificant.
--
Marlene: Your horns. They look broken again.

He feels the back of his head.

Carter: I don’t know why they’ve been doing that. Don’t you often forget your horns are there, Marlene? It must be very annoying to always have horns like yours in the way. Sleeping. Turning your head too fast. Getting caught on something. Putting on a shirt.

Marlene: Sometimes. Not so many nerves in horns--but it helps to cool off faster. Most touching is negligible unless you really wanna wrangle with them.

Carter: Oh~

Marlene: Oh, shit. Heh. I shouldn’t have imagined that just now~

We chuckle.

Carter: You know, I’d try a pair of horns like yours if I could. Just to see what it’s like for a day.

Carter: I bet my head would feel heavy, but you probably got the neck muscles for it.

Marlene Collins 2024/09/28(Sat)13:33 No. 1097964 ID: 92a30c
File 172755560116.png - (247.31KB , 550x500 , 040.png )

>Randolph
Marlene: Your name wouldn’t happen to be Randolph would it?

Carter: No. My first name is definitely Carter.

Marlene: Thought I’d ask on a whim.

We notice a soothing noise echoing high above us. It’s... familiar; like a pleasant siren, a call to prepare an end or beginning. Not exactly a world-ending feeling, just an end of something miraculous. I don’t believe it’s anything serious--it’s just what my skin feels with aesthetic chills. Carter stands up from his spot; we can see the sky gradually begin to glow.

Carter: You hear it too? I feel it’s time. It’s in the air, the wind. Some kind of instinct to come home once fireflies come out.

There’s a beam of heat blooming against our faces.

Carter: Morning calls for us. One of us slowly awakes.

He shyly turns to me.

Carter: We’ll be together again, right?

One way or another, yeah.

>>1097964
It's time to wake up Marlene. Back to the real world to resume your life. Do record all of this in your dream journal just in case you need to remember what happened previously. One thing for sure; you should plan to visit your hometown and find information of a person named "Carter".

"As long as you keep me in memories, Carter"

>>1097964
Go over that phone number again to be sure you remember.

Curious. Try to wake up more naturally instead of trying to force yourself awake. Will you wake to some unknown robotic horrors still?

I wonder where your sleepwalking will end you up at. Reminder you are pantsless currently in the waking world

Let's leave with this:

"Carter, one last thing. If you can remember my number, please send me a message. I promise I won't answer, or go looking for you. I respect your privacy. I just want to know that...this doesn't have to begin and end in dreams."