Jack had his own battles with the bookshelf but not nearly so much lately, considering he didn't read all that often and, for once, he was doing pretty well in the whole relationship department. The woman standing there in the coat seemed pretty pissed at it, though, and he thought he'd try to commiserate.
"Is it giving out self-help books again? It does that, damn bookshelf."
Hester flinched. She looked around and saw the stranger, and she had to fight off the urge to run. He didn't know her, which was a benefit. However, she wasn't prepared to explain why she now had a large collection of books under her arm.
"No," she said, much too quickly. Then, composing herself, she added. "It's nothing. This... thing... is just trying to annoy me."
"Does that too. If you want, I can help you build a bonfire and we can torch a whole pile of those things."
Someone, probably even his own wife, come to think of it, would probably come after him with pitchforks for burning books but Jack didn't really care all that much if it helped the lady feel better about the island screwing with her.
"I'm Jack. Always good to know who you're committing arson with, right?"
She blinked at him behind her sunglasses. Why would a stranger help her do that? What was in it for him?
But as suspicious as she was, she could think of no reason why he would deceive her. And how had he known that she wanted to build a bonfire unless others had done it before.
"My name is Hester," she said, a little gruffly. "You have gasoline?"
"You realize it's only going to keep spewing them out." Sonya interupted her.
She was on a mission of her own. While the doctor at the clinic was more than helpful, she wanted some more books on actual twin pregnancies: helpful ones, nothing cute, spirtual or 'alternative'.
Sonya eyed the bookshelf, daring it to give her something she could actually use as she searched the titles.
The woman's words stopped her. Hester couldn't help but glare, though she focused the glare on the bookshelf and not the newcomer. She noted that the woman -- Sonya, wasn't that her name? -- had done something similar for her with the clothes box. She took a deep breath, held it, then let it go.
"Is there any other things in this infernal place that I should be wary of?" she said, keeping her voice level.
Sonya couldn't blame her-there were times when she wanted to burn the damn bookshelf down. Especially now when it only seemed interested in giving her horror stories focused on births.
"The jukebox." She answered, pulling out and tossing another copy of "rosemary's baby'. "It likes to play songs that are guaranteed to drive you crazy, and kicking and threatening only serve to make it play louder." She thought a moment. "Already introduced you to the clothes box..that's about it."
Hester had never heard of a jukebox. But if a clothes box delivered clothes, perhaps a jukebox delivered jukes. What the heck were jukes? But that wasn't a question she was going to ask.
She was more interested in the fact that the bookshelf had stopped displaying the spine of her hated book and was now producing a selection that Sonya clearly disliked. How did it know? Then again, that was another question that might not be answerable.
Silence was stretching, demanding to be filled, lest the conversation turn to the books under Hester's arm. As Sonya had helped her before, she said, "I do not like how these devices taunt us. Isn't it enough that we're here against our will?"
Comments 25
"Is it giving out self-help books again? It does that, damn bookshelf."
Reply
"No," she said, much too quickly. Then, composing herself, she added. "It's nothing. This... thing... is just trying to annoy me."
Reply
Someone, probably even his own wife, come to think of it, would probably come after him with pitchforks for burning books but Jack didn't really care all that much if it helped the lady feel better about the island screwing with her.
"I'm Jack. Always good to know who you're committing arson with, right?"
Reply
But as suspicious as she was, she could think of no reason why he would deceive her. And how had he known that she wanted to build a bonfire unless others had done it before.
"My name is Hester," she said, a little gruffly. "You have gasoline?"
Reply
She was on a mission of her own. While the doctor at the clinic was more than helpful, she wanted some more books on actual twin pregnancies: helpful ones, nothing cute, spirtual or 'alternative'.
Sonya eyed the bookshelf, daring it to give her something she could actually use as she searched the titles.
Reply
"Is there any other things in this infernal place that I should be wary of?" she said, keeping her voice level.
Reply
"The jukebox." She answered, pulling out and tossing another copy of "rosemary's baby'. "It likes to play songs that are guaranteed to drive you crazy, and kicking and threatening only serve to make it play louder." She thought a moment. "Already introduced you to the clothes box..that's about it."
Reply
She was more interested in the fact that the bookshelf had stopped displaying the spine of her hated book and was now producing a selection that Sonya clearly disliked. How did it know? Then again, that was another question that might not be answerable.
Silence was stretching, demanding to be filled, lest the conversation turn to the books under Hester's arm. As Sonya had helped her before, she said, "I do not like how these devices taunt us. Isn't it enough that we're here against our will?"
Reply
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