We All Go to Hell

Chapter 3

Is there any possible way I can get out of doing this project? I did tell Ryan that I was going to do it, but I really don't feel like it right now...

We head over towards one of the tables in the back of the library, and set our stuff down. He sits down, probably expecting me to take a seat with him, but I stay standing. Think Victoria, come up with some excuse to get out of this.

The clinking and beeping from earlier starts up again nearby. That gives me an idea.

I start to think out loud. "Hmm, does that vending machine happen to sell sour skittles? Or is it just drinks?"

Someone, or something's voice comes from the vending machine. "We got all the things." I jump back, and Ryan and I look at each other. He seems as surprised as I am.

"Oh! The vending machine talks! Been at this school for... how long now? And I didn't know."

"Is this a new feature or something?" I say. I cautiously walk up to the vending machine and start inspecting around it, trying to find something that indicates it's actually a person playing a prank on us, but I don't find any evidence.

"Suppose so." Ryan watches me look around for a bit, and then strides over to the vending machine as well. He starts looking at all the options.
"Pretty cool, not gonna lie."

"Yuh" It says. I might be crazy... but it feels like the vending machine just winked at me.

"Ayo vending machine, you got a name?"

"My creator never named me..."

"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that... what company are you from?" I didn't see any company marks on it, which is strange, but I might as well ask anyway. "It should say somewhere on you..."

"The vending machine company!" It replies with a cheerful tone.

"Quite a generic name, but honestly I'd expect nothing less," I say. "You got any pronouns? Or should I just go with 'they'?"

It huffs. "Dunno mate, I'm just a simple vending machine." Finally, I stop inspecting the vending machine, having found nothing. That, and the thought of inspecting something... living, or somewhat living, is flat out weird.

Ryan pops out of nowhere to contribute his two cents to this conversation. "Imma name you... Carl!"

"Carl doesn't sound like a bad name... off topic, but how much is it for some sour skittles, a sprite, and perhaps some starburst?" The vending machine thinks for a second.

It announces, triumphantly, "69 cents please!"

I rummage around my pockets, trying to find any left over change. Despite never carrying change with me, I found exactly 69 cents in my front pocket.

"Somehow exactly 69 cents..." I feed it into the coin slot, and it hums happily, presumably working away to get the items from me. A rattling noise, unlike the ones heard earlier by Ryan and I, gets louder and louder.

"Much obliged, bub!" The vending machine spits out a person, and they stand up and strike a pose, jazz hands and everything. They're holding the the things I asked for.

"Carl...?"

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The alarm on my phone dings with the sad despair of my time at the library coming to an end. Ryan awakes with a shout at the sudden alarm, and narrowly misses kicking my leg.

"Dude... how long have we been here now... 4 hours?" I roll my eyes and look at the time. 7:30? Jesus...

"I may have lost track of time despite the alarm... I'm surprised we haven't been kicked out yet."