Page 155 of Nearly Roadkill
“SysOp”
END GWYNYTH DIARY ENTRY
NARRATIVE ENTRY JABBATHEHUT
The two of them are staring into the screen. Shelly speaks first.
“Your SysOp is a woman.”
“Huh?”
“That’s a mama lion you’re dealing with; she’s protecting her cubs.”
“But Typhoid Mary can disable her, right?”
“Right. Typhoid Mary is gonna disable anything that gets in her way.”
“Wow. Shelly, I…” He flaps his hands vaguely.
“You what, big fella?”
“Um, you, well. I feel… I just… You are so swell. I mean when you…”
She watches his shoulders heave with a sigh.
“I know, hon, I know.” She kisses him on the cheek, her scent lingering.
END JABBA NARRATIVE ENTRY
TOOBE ENTRY
Oh nooooooooo. When the govt lied that the strike is a gag, people started leaving The Rally in droves!
It’s all coming apart at the seams. Collapsing.
I hate stupid grown-ups who believe anything that scares them. I hate it when people flap their mouths instead of their ears. Too much like school. And Orlio—I can just see his face, like a kid who just learned there’s no Santa Claus. Look what’s happening:
Shooter:It’s a damned lie! The govt *always* lies!
Brknstck:Maybe not always, Shooter. Personally, I think it does sound like some drug dealer’s prank.
AWESOME:No way, Brk… I *met* Scratch. Good sense of humor, but not mean. I believe it.
FredMan:Fine, Awesome… *you* sign off at 8 a.m. I’m not!
Brknstck:Me neither, Fred. My online time is too self-affirming. I’m not going to throw it away on some joke.
HotHead:*You’re* the joke, don’t you see that? ::fuming::
Tom:No strike! The strike’s a joke!
Dick:Yeah! No strike! The strike’s a joke!
Harry:Oh fuck the both of you. I stand with Scratch and Winc.
Private Message to Toobe
Orlio:Heyyyy Toober, people are dropping out of The Rally left and right. Have to ask you… *was* it all a practical joke?
