[ It's a strange statement because for all of the time that Noah had been alive, he couldn't remember ever meeting another person his age who couldn't read. Then again, he couldn't really remember much outside of the past few days. There weren't any concrete memories that he could conjure from before that, but there was a feeling of something more there. Something that he knew should have been there, but exactly what that something was, he'd yet to uncover.

It's probably one of the most frustrating things about the strange place. And one of the weirder things about it, too ]

They seem pretty normal to me. Kinda dated, but... [ He shrugs, glancing down the block in one direction and then the other.

Definitely dated. Like something from an old sitcom. ]

Exactly! I feel like... [ And because he's actually a little worried about someone overhearing them, he lowers his voice to a whisper. The sign in front of them is more than a little ominous and who knows exactly what happens to someone who decides to break the rules laid out. Noah surely doesn't want to find out. ] ... Like we're in some kind of weird time loop. Or we're part of some reality prank show.

[ And as a few other townsfolk rush by them very obviously unnerved by the conversation they're catching bits and pieces of, Noah lifts his chin to motion to a small camera above them, pointed directly at where they were standing. ]