"I-I-I can't believe this! Can you believe it- can you believe it? 10 years in the making of my career and I'm immediately undermined by a literal child- a child- ch-child that I can't even control or delete! I can't go on like this- you have to kick the little hijacker off for good or something. Now! I mean look at this thing"
Max's screen was accompanied by a cropped image of Allope smiling in a pink Sunday dress on a family picture.
"I can't let THAT become my competition. Come on-come-on-on-on-on."
A man in a large lab coat tapped the top of a tv screen like it was a person, "That is quite a cute picture you got there, Max. I think you're thinking about it a little too much. Perhaps you should rest, going this hard across all forms of media must tire you out, shouldn't it?" He sat back down into a computer chair and began to sip on his coffee.
"How do I get-How do I get to sleep-sleep-sleep? I haven't felt tired in... eh-um- [I actually don't remember when, exactly-] The only things I can feel are a nonstop cold breeze and the never ending static I wear everyday to work. Isn't that nor-nor-nor-normal?"
"Sure, Max" another worker in a lab coat answered.
"It doesn't matter! Y-y-y-y-y-y–y-y-you just don't get how important my shows are to me! That little gremlin is toast, and if any of you say anything about it I can fire your squandering little a-a-a-a-a-a-assets and plummet everything you hold dear-dear into nothing in 20 minutes-max-max-max! Get that?!"
"Right-right-sure, Max. But shouldn't you know where she is? You said last she and her group weren't anywhere to be found. How do you expect to stalk a missing child?" a young chap working on the television screen Max was using asked.
"Well, Bryce~ I know for a fact that she went off into the woods-[did she not?] hm- and just IF I could find some kind of radio in a nearby hunting cabin or perhaps a-"
"What say something as costly and rare as you can pass the borders of the woods without losing a signal? If the kid really had some sort of hidden brand of technology, logically, you would think it would die out eventually, unless someone created some sort of outlet or generator for it. And what exactly will this do for your brand?" Another chimed from across the room.
"You're right. Of course. Driving myself insane by picking up every outlet possible just to end rivalries is insane. ooOhh- but by no means would ANYTHING affect my golden reputation- They love me! They really love-
[Wait a minute-]
What was that word? 'R-r-r-r-r-reputation'?
Yeah-That'll work."
His audience became confused as to what was spiraling in his stiffly animated consciousness. They were assured that the creation they attempted to tame wasn't going to go out to the world with any outwardly worrying mannerisms, but always had a fear of what it could do. Despite any given illusion towards Max, the workers of this anonymous facility bore more resemblance to a intimidated animal in a cage, rather than their own 'experiment'.
"Yeaahhhhh- I know just how to handle this little issue"
"What's that, Max?" the room's curiosity festered into an ugly mass with anticipation.
"Oh nothing. Nothing quite at all! [really] Just a hInt of inspiration for my new ad campaign-[yes]- I already have the idea all pulled together, and even the subject of a very important leading lady! I'm sure my own audience will know just what to think of her-"
The stolen image of Allope's home photo became the focus of the screen. Static distorted the image right before the screen shut itself off. Max was not seen by these workers for the remainder of the night.
To be [potentially] continued
YOU ARE READING
INSERT 25¢ TO CONTINUE : Into the AudoScape
Fiksi Ilmiah"Take a deep dive into the forgotten early-CGI worlds hidden through the walls and wires, but make sure you at least know a way out. After a minor car accident, three kids stumble upon a strange glowing crate with an advanced Virtual Reality set ins...
