Trial 26: THE ANONYMOUS CHAT BOARD

[hot_mess_express]

Balls and masquerades aren't everybody's jam, or maybe you just want to take a break …

Luckily for you, there are dozens upon dozens upon bunches of tablet computers around about the place, perfect for joining in on an anonymous chat board! Oh, and there's plenty of private rooms or nooks to hide away in, too, should you want to.

((OOC: username: auroranonymous
password: 4nonymouse

ICly this functions as an IC anonymous confession board/shitpost central/TFLN; anything goes, really. If your character can't read or is illiterate, there is every handwaveable mechanism that will make this accessible for them under the sun.

Note that EVERYTHING is public. E V E R Y T H I N G. By default everything is anonymous and they somehow know that they're encouraged to keep it that way, but they can input their name if they really want to.

[x]

Comments

[auroranonymous]

It probably would.

On the other hand, it'd probably scare them more to know something's off, but not what.

[auroranonymous]

Knowing the worst happened instead of assuming the worst happened is still... It's going to be bad.

[auroranonymous]

Is it the worst though?

It's pretty bad, but it could be a lot worse and the imagination is a powerful thing.

[auroranonymous]

I died.

[auroranonymous]

So have I, but there's a lot worse things than death. Especially death you come back from.

[auroranonymous]

I'm sorry, but trying to keep a viewpoint of "well it could have been worse" when I have to tell my parents that I died isn't going to help me or them.

Thank you for replying.

[auroranonymous]

Except that isn't what I'm saying.

The situation sucks. There is no 'happy and rainbows' answer, it doesn't exist. There is no way to feel good about telling them the truth. All you can do is think of what happens if you don't and how that will be worse for them because when your concern is others reactions, it's usually a better motivator.

'Death' isn't the worst. There is a whole lot worse, and any good family is going to worry and people who worry jump either jump to the worse conclusions or try to go into utter denial of them to try and be optimistic. Both also suck, just for different reasons.

But extended silence on the person they know was hurt will lead them down the former option and they will make up nightmare scenario after nightmare scenario as they try to figure out how to help you.

So your options become be honest, let them help, and hopefully in time wounds heal and things improve. Or don't tell them and let the pain fester and linger and let them imagine what you've been through and the things worse than that. Or get to be a good enough liar they never tell and you suffer in silence, but that is a ticking time bomb that usually leads to option two, but even worse.

[auroranonymous]

I don't need to be told what the options are. I don't need to be told how it sucks or how I need to think about what will happen if I don't, because I've already thought about that for hours.

I didn't ask "should I tell them," I said I don't know how.

[auroranonymous]

Yes, because I totally can tell that over anon with you never saying it and with passive aggressive comments that said you didn't get what I was getting at.

That was sarcasm, by the way. It's the trade off with anon. People don't know it's you, but it also means they don't know how you deal with problems and they need information. Are you an overthinker or a denier? You're the only one who can say.

And how is think about what happens if you don't. That's motivation. If you want the particulars, in a private setting because there's a high chance of either yelling or crying. If they have a comforting food or item, have that around. Be ready to explain as much as you can because it's weird. Some evidence wouldn't hurt, any scars you have that they would know you don't, or things like that.

[auroranonymous]

thank yuo

[auroranonymous]

I'd also try be ready to actually have a hard conversation instead of checking out.

[auroranonymous]

[there's... no reply! oops they checked out]

[auroranonymous]

[Is very unsurprised and that was half actual advice and half snark.]