(no subject)

[entropic]

Sure, here's a question. Why does life suck so bad?

( kevin's allowed to be kinda emo. sixteen, skinny as a rail, under his clothes he's sweltering in some strange black bodysuit that looks like it's made of rubber or pvc, and he has on full-length black gloves as well. whenever anyone gets too close he jerks away violently. )

Comments

[factotum]

It's one school of thought, anyway. Seems convenient for people who have given up trying to change other people, yeah.

[entropic]

I tried. We tried, I mean. You know, changing people's minds. I guess I wasn't really part of it. People just came and killed a bunch of us off.

[factotum]

I'm sorry.

Have the people who remain given up trying to change other people's minds?

[entropic]

I dunno. I left. Last I heard they were too busy fighting each other now.

[factotum]

So have you given up?

[entropic]

Nobody wants to hear what I have to say anyway.

Except the pigeons, and I can't get them to stop shitting indoors.

[factotum]

But you do have something to say? Even if it's to shitting pigeons.

[entropic]

Yeah, I guess. I mean, like, “stop being dicks and killing people for things they can't control” isn't exactly revolutionary.

[factotum]

It's the method people are usually after, yes. A way not to destroy things.

[entropic]

I guess they could start by maybe leaving the kids alone. I mean, we were at that school to learn to control it, right? They're all so scared of us because they think we're all like me, but most of us aren't. So these kids go to school to learn how to control it, and instead of these asshole bigots being all like, “Okay, thanks for being responsible,” they're like, “Cool, easy targets.”

( kevin's stopped fidgeting so much, and his expression's begun to change from anger to thoughtfulness. )

[factotum]

It sounds like that would discourage kids from going to the school, too, or discourage their parents from allowing them to go. Or like you, to leave.

[entropic]

I guess they left the whole ‘easy target for terrorist crazies’ thing off the brochure.

[factotum]

Then the first issue is really safety, isn't it? For the kids, but also in the minds of the attackers, who are afraid, even if it's baseless like you say it is.

[entropic]

Yeah.

And like, we've been telling them over and over and over that most of us aren't dangerous. But there's always one or two who are. And that's enough. Some kid manifests in Podunk New Jersey or whatever and sets his house on fire and everyone freaks out.

[factotum]

Less than that would be enough, too. So you've come to the problem at the heart of most sentient existence pretty early. That's probably also why life sucks so bad.

[entropic]

Yeah. I guess.

— Uh, thanks for listening to me complain or whatever.

[factotum]

Sure. It seemed more dignified because you stood at the podium.