/ Dark Fiction 2 / DarkFiction2.adf / stories / Writers Burn / Writers Burn

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|00000000| 41 6d 42 6b 00 03 00 00 | 00 00 00 00 57 6f 72 6b |AmBk....|....Work|
|00000010| 20 20 20 20 40 0d 0a 41 | 6e 64 72 65 77 20 4a 20 |    @..A|ndrew J |
|00000020| 43 61 6d 70 62 65 6c 6c | 3a 20 57 52 49 54 45 52 |Campbell|: WRITER|
|00000030| 53 20 42 55 52 4e 40 0d | 0a 40 0d 0a 59 6f 75 27 |S BURN@.|.@..You'|
|00000040| 72 65 20 61 20 6b 69 64 | 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 3f |re a kid|, right?|
|00000050| 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 41 6e | 64 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 |@..  "An|d you're|
|00000060| 20 68 61 6e 67 69 6e 20 | 6f 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 | hangin |onto the|
|00000070| 20 62 61 6e 6e 69 73 74 | 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 | bannist|er like |
|00000080| 63 72 61 7a 79 2c 20 65 | 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e |crazy, e|verythin|
|00000090| 20 6f 66 66 20 74 68 65 | 40 0d 0a 67 72 6f 75 6e | off the|@..groun|
|000000a0| 64 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 | 79 6f 75 72 20 66 65 65 |d, even |your fee|
|000000b0| 74 2c 20 63 6f 73 2c 20 | 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 70 |t, cos, |the carp|
|000000c0| 65 74 27 73 20 6f 6e 65 | 20 68 75 67 65 20 62 75 |et's one| huge bu|
|000000d0| 62 62 6c 69 6e 20 77 61 | 74 65 72 66 61 6c 6c 20 |bblin wa|terfall |
|000000e0| 40 0d 0a 6f 66 20 6c 61 | 76 61 2e 20 41 6e 64 20 |@..of la|va. And |
|000000f0| 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 6c | 6f 73 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 |you're l|osin you|
|00000100| 72 20 67 72 69 70 2c 20 | 6f 6b 61 79 3f 20 61 6e |r grip, |okay? an|
|00000110| 64 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6d | 75 6d 27 73 20 63 61 6c |d your m|um's cal|
|00000120| 6c 69 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 | 40 0d 0a 66 6f 72 20 74 |lin you |@..for t|
|00000130| 65 61 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 | 74 68 65 20 64 6f 67 27 |ea, and |the dog'|
|00000140| 73 20 73 61 74 20 77 61 | 74 63 68 69 6e 20 79 6f |s sat wa|tchin yo|
|00000150| 75 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f | 6e 65 20 65 61 72 20 63 |u with o|ne ear c|
|00000160| 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 61 6e | 64 20 61 20 66 61 63 65 |ocked an|d a face|
|00000170| 20 40 0d 0a 74 68 61 74 | 20 73 65 7a 20 60 77 68 | @..that| sez `wh|
|00000180| 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 68 | 65 6c 6c 27 72 65 20 79 |at the h|ell're y|
|00000190| 6f 75 20 2f 64 6f 69 6e | 2f 20 79 6f 75 20 64 61 |ou /doin|/ you da|
|000001a0| 66 74 20 67 69 74 27 20 | 61 6e 64 20 79 65 74 20 |ft git' |and yet |
|000001b0| 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 27 | 74 20 40 0d 0a 6c 65 74 |you can'|t @..let|
|000001c0| 20 67 6f 2c 20 79 6f 75 | 20 2f 63 61 6e 27 74 2f | go, you| /can't/|
|000001d0| 2c 20 63 6f 73 20 69 66 | 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20 |, cos if| you do |
|000001e0| 79 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 66 | 61 6c 6c 20 61 6e 64 20 |you'll f|all and |
|000001f0| 79 6f 75 27 6c 6c 20 67 | 65 74 20 62 75 72 6e 74 |you'll g|et burnt|
|00000200| 20 74 6f 40 0d 0a 64 65 | 61 74 68 20 62 79 20 74 | to@..de|ath by t|
|00000210| 68 65 20 66 69 72 65 20 | 73 74 72 65 61 6d 20 62 |he fire |stream b|
|00000220| 65 6c 6f 77 2e 20 59 6f | 75 72 20 6d 75 73 63 6c |elow. Yo|ur muscl|
|00000230| 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 | 63 68 69 6e 2c 20 79 6f |es are a|chin, yo|
|00000240| 75 20 66 65 65 6c 20 73 | 69 63 6b 2c 40 0d 0a 79 |u feel s|ick,@..y|
|00000250| 6f 75 27 72 65 20 73 77 | 65 61 74 69 6e 2c 20 79 |ou're sw|eatin, y|
|00000260| 6f 75 27 76 65 20 63 6f | 6d 65 20 74 68 72 65 65 |ou've co|me three|
|00000270| 20 71 75 61 72 74 65 72 | 73 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 | quarter|s the wa|
|00000280| 79 20 75 70 20 74 68 65 | 20 73 74 61 69 72 63 61 |y up the| stairca|
|00000290| 73 65 2c 20 49 40 0d 0a | 6d 65 61 6e 20 6a 65 73 |se, I@..|mean jes|
|000002a0| 75 73 2c 20 77 68 61 74 | 20 74 68 65 20 68 65 6c |us, what| the hel|
|000002b0| 6c 27 72 65 20 79 6f 75 | 20 67 6f 6e 6e 61 20 64 |l're you| gonna d|
|000002c0| 6f 2c 20 65 68 3f 20 57 | 68 61 74 63 68 6f 6f 20 |o, eh? W|hatchoo |
|000002d0| 67 6f 6e 6e 61 20 64 6f | 20 40 0d 0a 53 69 6d 6f |gonna do| @..Simo|
|000002e0| 6e 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 | 53 69 6d 6f 6e 20 70 69 |n?"@..  |Simon pi|
|000002f0| 63 6b 65 64 20 75 70 20 | 68 69 73 20 63 6f 66 66 |cked up |his coff|
|00000300| 65 65 2c 20 74 6f 6f 6b | 20 61 20 73 69 70 2c 20 |ee, took| a sip, |
|00000310| 70 75 74 20 69 74 20 64 | 6f 77 6e 2e 20 53 68 72 |put it d|own. Shr|
|00000320| 75 67 67 65 64 2e 20 40 | 0d 0a 53 68 61 72 6f 6e |ugged. @|..Sharon|
|00000330| 20 6c 65 61 6e 65 64 20 | 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 74 | leaned |across t|
|00000340| 68 65 20 74 61 62 6c 65 | 2e 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 54 |he table|.@..  "T|
|00000350| 68 65 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 | 2d 62 65 20 77 72 69 74 |he would|-be writ|
|00000360| 65 72 20 77 61 6b 65 73 | 20 75 70 20 61 6e 64 20 |er wakes| up and |
|00000370| 64 72 6f 70 73 20 6f 66 | 66 20 74 68 65 20 62 61 |drops of|f the ba|
|00000380| 6e 6e 69 73 74 65 72 20 | 61 6e 64 20 72 75 6e 73 |nnister |and runs|
|00000390| 20 40 0d 0a 66 6f 72 20 | 68 65 72 20 74 65 61 2e | @..for |her tea.|
|000003a0| 20 54 68 65 20 74 72 75 | 65 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 | The tru|e writer|
|000003b0| 20 63 61 72 72 69 65 73 | 20 6f 6e 2c 20 63 6f 73 | carries| on, cos|
|000003c0| 20 68 65 72 20 77 6f 72 | 6c 64 20 69 73 20 72 65 | her wor|ld is re|
|000003d0| 61 6c 3a 20 69 66 20 40 | 0d 0a 73 68 65 20 64 72 |al: if @|..she dr|
|000003e0| 6f 70 73 20 73 68 65 27 | 6c 6c 20 67 65 74 20 62 |ops she'|ll get b|
|000003f0| 75 72 6e 74 2c 20 53 69 | 6d 6f 6e 2e 20 53 68 65 |urnt, Si|mon. She|
|00000400| 20 2f 77 69 6c 6c 2f 20 | 67 65 74 20 62 75 72 6e | /will/ |get burn|
|00000410| 74 2e 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 | 53 69 6d 6f 6e 20 64 69 |t."@..  |Simon di|
|00000420| 64 6e 27 74 20 67 69 76 | 65 20 68 65 72 20 74 68 |dn't giv|e her th|
|00000430| 65 20 62 69 67 20 72 65 | 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 73 |e big re|action s|
|00000440| 68 65 27 64 20 62 65 65 | 6e 20 68 6f 70 69 6e 67 |he'd bee|n hoping|
|00000450| 20 66 6f 72 2e 20 48 65 | 20 40 0d 0a 70 69 63 6b | for. He| @..pick|
|00000460| 65 64 20 75 70 20 68 69 | 73 20 74 68 69 72 64 20 |ed up hi|s third |
|00000470| 62 69 73 63 75 69 74 20 | 61 6e 64 20 73 74 61 72 |biscuit |and star|
|00000480| 74 65 64 20 6e 69 62 62 | 6c 69 6e 67 2e 40 0d 0a |ted nibb|ling.@..|
|00000490| 20 20 22 59 6f 75 20 64 | 6f 6e 27 74 20 67 65 74 |  "You d|on't get|
|000004a0| 20 69 74 2e 22 40 0d 0a | 20 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 6e | it."@..|  "No, n|
|000004b0| 6f 2c 20 49 20 67 65 74 | 20 69 74 20 61 6c 72 69 |o, I get| it alri|
|000004c0| 67 68 74 2c 20 49 20 6a | 75 73 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 |ght, I j|ust don'|
|000004d0| 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 | 6e 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 |t have a|nything |
|000004e0| 74 6f 20 73 61 79 2e 22 | 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 46 61 |to say."|@..  "Fa|
|000004f0| 69 72 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 | 68 2c 22 20 73 68 65 20 |ir enoug|h," she |
|00000500| 64 65 63 69 64 65 64 2e | 20 22 44 69 64 20 79 6f |decided.| "Did yo|
|00000510| 75 20 62 72 69 6e 67 20 | 61 6e 79 20 77 6f 72 6b |u bring |any work|
|00000520| 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 77 65 | 20 40 0d 0a 64 69 73 63 | like we| @..disc|
|00000530| 75 73 73 65 64 20 6f 6e | 20 74 68 65 20 70 68 6f |ussed on| the pho|
|00000540| 6e 65 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 | 20 22 4e 6f 2e 22 20 68 |ne?"@.. | "No." h|
|00000550| 65 20 72 65 70 6c 69 65 | 64 2e 40 0d 0a 20 20 53 |e replie|d.@..  S|
|00000560| 68 61 72 6f 6e 20 72 6f | 6c 6c 65 64 20 68 65 72 |haron ro|lled her|
|00000570| 20 65 79 65 73 2c 20 72 | 65 6c 61 78 65 64 20 68 | eyes, r|elaxed h|
|00000580| 65 72 20 61 72 6d 73 2e | 20 22 42 6c 6f 6f 64 79 |er arms.| "Bloody|
|00000590| 20 68 65 6c 6c 2c 20 49 | 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 79 6f | hell, I| told yo|
|000005a0| 75 20 40 0d 0a 6e 6f 74 | 20 74 6f 20 66 6f 72 67 |u @..not| to forg|
|000005b0| 65 74 2e 20 49 27 76 65 | 20 62 72 6f 75 67 68 74 |et. I've| brought|
|000005c0| 20 6c 6f 61 64 73 61 20 | 73 74 75 66 66 2e 22 40 | loadsa |stuff."@|
|000005d0| 0d 0a 20 20 53 69 6d 6f | 6e 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 61 |..  Simo|n took a|
|000005e0| 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 | 69 70 20 6f 66 20 63 6f |nother s|ip of co|
|000005f0| 66 66 65 65 2e 20 22 49 | 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 20 |ffee. "I| didn't |
|00000600| 66 6f 72 67 65 74 2e 20 | 49 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 |forget. |I just c|
|00000610| 68 61 6e 67 65 64 20 40 | 0d 0a 6d 79 20 6d 69 6e |hanged @|..my min|
|00000620| 64 2e 20 49 27 6c 6c 20 | 72 65 61 64 20 77 68 61 |d. I'll |read wha|
|00000630| 74 20 79 6f 75 27 76 65 | 20 62 72 6f 75 67 68 74 |t you've| brought|
|00000640| 2c 20 6e 6f 20 77 6f 72 | 72 69 65 73 3b 20 49 20 |, no wor|ries; I |
|00000650| 6c 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 | 72 20 77 6f 72 6b 2c 20 |like you|r work, |
|00000660| 40 0d 0a 53 68 61 72 6f | 6e 2c 20 79 6f 75 27 72 |@..Sharo|n, you'r|
|00000670| 65 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e 20 | 59 6f 75 20 6e 65 76 65 |e good. |You neve|
|00000680| 72 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 | 6d 61 6e 61 67 65 20 74 |r quite |manage t|
|00000690| 6f 20 63 61 70 74 75 72 | 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 74 |o captur|e realit|
|000006a0| 79 2e 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 | 53 68 61 72 6f 6e 20 73 |y."@..  |Sharon s|
|000006b0| 74 72 65 74 63 68 65 64 | 20 62 61 63 6b 20 61 63 |tretched| back ac|
|000006c0| 72 6f 73 73 20 74 68 65 | 20 74 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 |ross the| table, |
|000006d0| 65 79 65 73 20 67 6c 69 | 74 74 65 72 69 6e 67 2e |eyes gli|ttering.|
|000006e0| 20 22 41 6e 64 20 79 6f | 75 20 40 0d 0a 2f 64 6f | "And yo|u @../do|
|000006f0| 2f 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 | 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 |/, right|?"@..  "|
|00000700| 4e 6f 2c 22 20 53 69 6d | 6f 6e 20 72 65 73 75 6d |No," Sim|on resum|
|00000710| 65 64 2e 20 22 49 20 6c | 69 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 72 |ed. "I l|ike your|
|00000720| 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 61 73 | 20 69 74 20 69 73 2e 20 | work as| it is. |
|00000730| 49 74 27 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 70 72 65 61 63 68 69 |It's not| preachi|
|00000740| 6e 2c 20 40 0d 0a 69 74 | 27 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 |n, @..it|'s not t|
|00000750| 72 79 69 6e 20 74 6f 20 | 62 65 20 63 6c 65 76 65 |ryin to |be cleve|
|00000760| 72 2e 20 42 75 74 2c 20 | 79 6f 75 20 73 65 65 2c |r. But, |you see,|
|00000770| 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 | because| of that|
|00000780| 2c 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 | 20 61 20 40 0d 0a 63 72 |, you're| a @..cr|
|00000790| 6f 73 73 2d 62 65 74 77 | 65 65 6e 2c 20 6c 69 6b |oss-betw|een, lik|
|000007a0| 65 20 6d 65 2e 20 41 20 | 63 72 6f 73 73 20 62 65 |e me. A |cross be|
|000007b0| 74 77 65 65 6e 20 43 6c | 69 76 65 20 42 61 72 6b |tween Cl|ive Bark|
|000007c0| 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 4d | 69 63 68 61 65 6c 20 40 |er and M|ichael @|
|000007d0| 0d 0a 43 72 69 63 68 74 | 6f 6e 2c 20 61 20 63 72 |..Cricht|on, a cr|
|000007e0| 6f 73 73 20 62 65 74 77 | 65 65 6e 20 44 65 61 6e |oss betw|een Dean|
|000007f0| 20 4b 6f 6f 6e 74 7a 20 | 61 6e 64 20 4a 61 6d 65 | Koontz |and Jame|
|00000800| 73 20 48 65 72 62 65 72 | 74 2e 20 57 65 27 72 65 |s Herber|t. We're|
|00000810| 20 77 61 73 74 69 6e 20 | 40 0d 0a 6f 75 72 20 74 | wastin |@..our t|
|00000820| 69 6d 65 2c 20 77 65 27 | 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 61 |ime, we'|re the a|
|00000830| 75 74 68 6f 72 73 20 62 | 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 |uthors b|etween t|
|00000840| 68 65 20 6d 61 73 74 65 | 72 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 |he maste|rs, and |
|00000850| 79 65 74 20 77 65 20 63 | 61 72 72 79 20 6f 6e 2c |yet we c|arry on,|
|00000860| 20 40 0d 0a 6e 6f 74 20 | 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 | @..not |because |
|00000870| 6f 66 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 | 64 65 73 70 65 72 61 74 |of some |desperat|
|00000880| 65 20 64 65 73 69 72 65 | 20 74 6f 20 73 75 63 63 |e desire| to succ|
|00000890| 65 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 | 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 |eed, but| because|
|000008a0| 20 77 65 20 63 61 6e 27 | 74 20 40 0d 0a 73 74 6f | we can'|t @..sto|
|000008b0| 70 2e 20 57 65 27 72 65 | 20 68 6f 6f 6b 65 64 2e |p. We're| hooked.|
|000008c0| 20 57 65 20 6d 69 67 68 | 74 20 61 73 20 77 65 6c | We migh|t as wel|
|000008d0| 6c 20 62 65 20 74 61 6b | 69 6e 20 64 72 75 67 73 |l be tak|in drugs|
|000008e0| 2e 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 53 | 68 61 72 6f 6e 20 6c 61 |."@..  S|haron la|
|000008f0| 63 65 64 20 68 65 72 20 | 66 69 6e 67 65 72 73 20 |ced her |fingers |
|00000900| 75 6e 64 65 72 20 68 65 | 72 20 63 68 69 6e 2c 20 |under he|r chin, |
|00000910| 65 6c 62 6f 77 73 20 6f | 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 |elbows o|n the ta|
|00000920| 62 6c 65 2e 20 22 41 6e | 64 20 40 0d 0a 74 68 61 |ble. "An|d @..tha|
|00000930| 74 27 73 20 77 68 79 20 | 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 76 65 |t's why |you neve|
|00000940| 72 20 73 65 6e 64 20 79 | 6f 75 72 20 77 6f 72 6b |r send y|our work|
|00000950| 20 74 6f 20 70 75 62 6c | 69 73 68 65 72 73 2c 20 | to publ|ishers, |
|00000960| 72 69 67 68 74 3f 20 59 | 6f 75 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 |right? Y|ou don't|
|00000970| 20 40 0d 0a 77 61 6e 74 | 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 61 | @..want| to be a|
|00000980| 20 68 79 62 72 69 64 20 | 6f 66 20 65 78 69 73 74 | hybrid |of exist|
|00000990| 69 6e 67 20 61 75 74 68 | 6f 72 73 2e 2e 2e 20 79 |ing auth|ors... y|
|000009a0| 6f 75 20 67 65 74 20 73 | 75 63 68 20 61 20 6b 69 |ou get s|uch a ki|
|000009b0| 63 6b 20 6f 75 74 20 6f | 66 40 0d 0a 77 72 69 74 |ck out o|f@..writ|
|000009c0| 69 6e 67 2c 20 79 6f 75 | 27 72 65 20 77 69 6c 6c |ing, you|'re will|
|000009d0| 69 6e 20 74 6f 20 64 6f | 20 69 74 20 66 6f 72 20 |in to do| it for |
|000009e0| 2f 6e 6f 20 6d 6f 6e 65 | 79 20 77 68 61 74 73 6f |/no mone|y whatso|
|000009f0| 65 76 65 72 2f 2c 20 79 | 65 61 68 2c 20 40 0d 0a |ever/, y|eah, @..|
|00000a00| 72 69 67 68 74 2c 20 49 | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 |right, I| believe|
|00000a10| 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 50 72 | 6f 66 69 74 20 76 73 20 | you. Pr|ofit vs |
|00000a20| 61 72 74 2c 20 77 68 61 | 74 20 62 75 6c 6c 73 68 |art, wha|t bullsh|
|00000a30| 69 74 21 40 0d 0a 20 20 | 22 45 76 65 72 79 62 6f |it!@..  |"Everybo|
|00000a40| 64 79 27 73 20 64 69 66 | 66 65 72 65 6e 74 2c 20 |dy's dif|ferent, |
|00000a50| 65 76 65 72 79 6f 6e 65 | 27 73 20 67 6f 74 20 74 |everyone|'s got t|
|00000a60| 68 65 69 72 20 6f 77 6e | 20 76 6f 69 63 65 2c 20 |heir own| voice, |
|00000a70| 69 74 27 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 20 40 0d 0a 77 61 |it's not| a @..wa|
|00000a80| 73 74 65 20 6f 66 20 74 | 69 6d 65 2c 20 64 6f 6e |ste of t|ime, don|
|00000a90| 27 74 20 62 65 20 73 74 | 75 70 69 64 2e 22 20 53 |'t be st|upid." S|
|00000aa0| 68 65 20 73 74 61 72 65 | 64 20 61 74 20 68 69 6d |he stare|d at him|
|00000ab0| 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 77 | 68 69 6c 65 2e 20 22 47 | for a w|hile. "G|
|00000ac0| 6f 64 2c 22 40 0d 0a 73 | 68 65 20 63 75 72 73 65 |od,"@..s|he curse|
|00000ad0| 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 65 | 61 6e 65 64 20 62 61 63 |d and le|aned bac|
|00000ae0| 6b 20 69 6e 20 68 65 72 | 20 63 68 61 69 72 2e 20 |k in her| chair. |
|00000af0| 22 59 6f 75 27 72 65 20 | 73 6f 20 63 79 6e 69 63 |"You're |so cynic|
|00000b00| 61 6c 20 69 74 20 70 69 | 73 73 65 73 20 40 0d 0a |al it pi|sses @..|
|00000b10| 6d 65 20 6f 66 66 2e 22 | 40 0d 0a 20 20 53 69 6d |me off."|@..  Sim|
|00000b20| 6f 6e 20 73 6d 69 6c 65 | 64 2e 20 22 48 6f 77 20 |on smile|d. "How |
|00000b30| 6d 75 63 68 20 73 68 69 | 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 |much shi|t do you|
|00000b40| 20 72 65 63 6b 6f 6e 20 | 79 6f 75 20 70 75 74 20 | reckon |you put |
|00000b50| 75 70 20 77 69 74 68 2c | 20 70 65 72 20 40 0d 0a |up with,| per @..|
|00000b60| 64 61 79 3f 22 20 68 65 | 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 71 |day?" he| asked q|
|00000b70| 75 69 65 74 6c 79 2c 20 | 61 64 64 69 6e 67 20 6d |uietly, |adding m|
|00000b80| 6f 72 65 20 73 75 67 61 | 72 2e 20 40 0d 0a 20 20 |ore suga|r. @..  |
|00000b90| 53 68 61 72 6f 6e 20 72 | 75 62 62 65 64 20 68 65 |Sharon r|ubbed he|
|00000ba0| 72 20 66 6f 72 65 68 65 | 61 64 2e 20 22 4c 6f 6f |r forehe|ad. "Loo|
|00000bb0| 6b 2c 20 79 6f 75 27 72 | 65 20 73 74 72 61 79 69 |k, you'r|e strayi|
|00000bc0| 6e 67 20 6f 66 66 20 74 | 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 |ng off t|he point|
|00000bd0| 2e 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 53 | 74 69 72 72 69 6e 67 20 |."@..  S|tirring |
|00000be0| 68 69 73 20 63 6f 66 66 | 65 65 3a 20 22 41 6d 20 |his coff|ee: "Am |
|00000bf0| 49 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 | 22 59 65 73 2c 20 79 6f |I?"@..  |"Yes, yo|
|00000c00| 75 20 61 72 65 2c 22 20 | 73 68 65 20 73 6e 61 70 |u are," |she snap|
|00000c10| 70 65 64 2e 20 22 49 20 | 2f 64 6f 6e 27 74 2f 20 |ped. "I |/don't/ |
|00000c20| 70 75 74 20 75 70 20 77 | 69 74 68 20 73 68 69 74 |put up w|ith shit|
|00000c30| 2c 20 53 69 6d 6f 6e 2c | 20 73 6f 20 40 0d 0a 73 |, Simon,| so @..s|
|00000c40| 74 6f 70 20 67 69 76 69 | 6e 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 |top givi|n it to |
|00000c50| 6d 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 | 2f 73 74 6f 70 2f 20 70 |me, and |/stop/ p|
|00000c60| 69 73 73 69 6e 20 61 62 | 6f 75 74 20 77 69 74 68 |issin ab|out with|
|00000c70| 20 79 6f 75 72 20 63 6f | 66 66 65 65 21 20 2f 54 | your co|ffee! /T|
|00000c80| 61 6c 6b 2f 20 40 0d 0a | 74 6f 20 6d 65 2e 20 50 |alk/ @..|to me. P|
|00000c90| 61 79 20 6d 65 20 73 6f | 6d 65 20 62 6c 6f 6f 64 |ay me so|me blood|
|00000ca0| 79 20 61 74 74 65 6e 74 | 69 6f 6e 2e 22 40 0d 0a |y attent|ion."@..|
|00000cb0| 20 20 53 69 6d 6f 6e 20 | 74 69 6e 6b 6c 65 64 20 |  Simon |tinkled |
|00000cc0| 61 20 73 70 6f 6f 6e 2c | 20 73 6c 69 64 20 68 69 |a spoon,| slid hi|
|00000cd0| 73 20 63 75 70 20 61 6e | 64 20 73 61 75 63 65 72 |s cup an|d saucer|
|00000ce0| 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 | 74 68 65 20 74 61 62 6c | across |the tabl|
|00000cf0| 65 2c 20 40 0d 0a 67 72 | 69 6e 6e 65 64 2c 20 61 |e, @..gr|inned, a|
|00000d00| 6e 64 20 70 75 74 20 68 | 69 73 20 68 61 6e 64 73 |nd put h|is hands|
|00000d10| 20 62 65 68 69 6e 64 20 | 68 69 73 20 62 61 63 6b | behind |his back|
|00000d20| 2e 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 49 | 27 6c 6c 20 73 69 74 20 |.@..  "I|'ll sit |
|00000d30| 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 69 | 73 2c 20 73 68 61 6c 6c |like thi|s, shall|
|00000d40| 20 49 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 | 20 22 57 68 61 74 2e 2e | I?"@.. | "What..|
|00000d50| 2e 22 20 53 68 61 72 6f | 6e 20 62 72 6f 6b 65 20 |." Sharo|n broke |
|00000d60| 64 6f 77 6e 20 69 6e 74 | 6f 20 66 6c 75 74 74 65 |down int|o flutte|
|00000d70| 72 73 20 6f 66 20 6c 61 | 75 67 68 74 65 72 2e 20 |rs of la|ughter. |
|00000d80| 22 49 20 6d 65 61 6e 2c | 20 68 6f 77 20 40 0d 0a |"I mean,| how @..|
|00000d90| 64 69 64 20 74 68 69 73 | 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 3f |did this| happen?|
|00000da0| 20 48 6f 77 20 64 69 64 | 20 79 6f 75 20 67 65 74 | How did| you get|
|00000db0| 20 73 6f 2e 2e 2e 20 73 | 6f 20 77 65 69 72 64 2c | so... s|o weird,|
|00000dc0| 20 73 6f 20 6c 61 69 64 | 20 62 61 63 6b 2e 20 49 | so laid| back. I|
|00000dd0| 27 6d 20 61 20 40 0d 0a | 2f 77 72 69 74 65 72 2f |'m a @..|/writer/|
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|00000ea0| 20 22 54 68 65 72 65 20 | 79 6f 75 20 67 6f 20 61 | "There |you go a|
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|000012a0| 61 6d 61 7a 69 6e 67 20 | 70 72 6f 73 65 2c 20 79 |amazing |prose, y|
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|00001360| 20 22 48 61 76 65 20 79 | 6f 75 20 67 6f 74 20 61 | "Have y|ou got a|
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|000013d0| 20 20 22 53 6f 75 6e 64 | 73 20 65 78 63 69 74 69 |  "Sound|s exciti|
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|00001510| 6d 65 20 63 72 75 6d 62 | 73 2e 20 40 0d 0a 22 53 |me crumb|s. @.."S|
|00001520| 27 77 68 65 72 65 20 77 | 65 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 |'where w|e differ|
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|00001540| 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 6e | 3f 22 40 0d 0a 20 20 22 |you mean|?"@..  "|
|00001550| 53 65 65 2c 20 49 27 6c | 6c 20 67 6f 20 61 6c 6f |See, I'l|l go alo|
|00001560| 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 | 61 20 77 61 72 65 68 6f |ng with |a wareho|
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|00001660| 2c 22 20 53 69 6d 6f 6e | 20 6d 65 74 20 68 65 72 |," Simon| met her|
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|00001f70| 20 73 27 6b 69 6e 64 61 | 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6b | s'kinda| thing k|
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|000020d0| 74 6f 20 72 6f 6c 6c 20 | 62 61 63 6b 20 68 65 72 |to roll |back her|
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|00002220| 0d 0a                   |                         |..      |        |
+--------+-------------------------+-------------------------+--------+--------+