Rise of the Machine (These Walls Can Talk #3) by Erin Mallon

Author:Erin Mallon [Mallon, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B09YYYVGLB
Goodreads: 61069733
Publisher: Oh Yes She Did Productions#PrB.rating#5.0
Published: 2022-05-24T23:00:00+00:00

Scene Four

In a Bookstore

The next morning.

Atticus, Jennifer and Neil are standing in the back of a packed bookstore.

Neil: Geez, this place is packed.

Jennifer: What do we think guys, does this crowd look angry or excited?

Neil: Hard to say, those emotions can look the same depending on the person. Take you for example.

Jennifer: How do you mean?

Neil: Happy never really looks happy on you.

Jennifer: That’s a shitty thing to say!

Neil: What? You have a fierce face. Work it, gurrrl!

Jennifer: Don’t say “work it, girl” to me again.

Neil: Sorry. Elder millennial here, just trying to stay relevant.

Jennifer: <scoff> Look at Cameron up there, shaking hands like he’s Miss America.

Atticus: Ooh. I think that seat is opening up! (quick beat) Nope. (quick beat) Oh look, that person is – Nope.

Jennifer: Atticus, we sit all damn day for our jobs. I think we can stand for half an hour.

Atticus: Speak for yourself. My ankles are screaming.

Jennifer: It’s better this way. Let him look us in the eyes when he tells us we’re getting replaced.

Atticus: Solid point.

Neil: Guys. No one is replacing us. I’m telling you, this thing with Cameron’s book is a fluke. A one-time thing. Listeners will hear one chapter, realize the experience sucks, one-star the hell out of it, and it won’t happen again. He’s a mediocre author who made a dumb move to get some press. Don’t give him this kind of power. It’ll pass.

Beat.

Jennifer: On any other day, I would agree with you. But today? No. Today, Cameron represents all the assholes out there who are ready to kick narrators to the curb.

Atticus: That’s right. Today, Cameron gets the stare down.

Atticus’ whole body goes rigid, his eyes laser focused on Cameron.

Atticus: Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Jennifer: Don’t hurt yourself, bud.

Atticus: Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Neil: Dude, you look like you’re dropping a complicated deuce.

Atticus: (straining)

Mission accomplished then. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Jennifer: Seriously, buddy. Unclench. He’s not even looking at us.

Atticus: <long exhale> You’re right. Deep breaths.

He takes a moment to inhale and exhale.

Atticus: It’s come to my attention that I sometimes leap toward anger and defensiveness to protect myself from feeling true vulnerability.

Neil: Been there, bud.

Jennifer: I’m noticing a pattern, Atticus. When you say “It’s come to my attention,” what you really mean is Frankie has given you a talking-to, yeah?

Atticus: That is correct. (quick beat) How do men operate in this world without a woman explaining their feelings to them?

Neil: They don’t.

Jennifer: What can I say? We’re pretty essential.

Atticus: Agreed. Case in point: Fairfax? It seems I was unnecessarily harsh with you at the studio yesterday. I am confident in my relationship and in my masculinity. There is no reason I should have snapped at you for being friendly with my girlfriend. You’re my homie and I apologize.

Neil: No problem, pal. SO HOW’S THE SEX GOING WITH YOU TWO, HUH? YOU KIDS BANGIN’ A LOT?

Atticus: I plead the 4th.

Jennifer: You mean the 5th.

Atticus: Don’t tell me what I mean.

Jennifer: (to Neil, under her breath)

What the hell was that?

Neil: (hissing)

I thought we were supposed to talk to him!

Jennifer: (under her breath)

Not

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